So Here’s Your Challenge

The world is changing: it’s getting smaller. Ironically though, the smaller it gets, the more choice there seems to be. So much choice means that we need to know what we are looking for, and why, before we begin our expedition of discovery.

Whenever there is uncertainty, we look for answers. We investigate alternatives, and then choose a course of action. Often, however, we are unsatisfied with the results, or have a sinking feeling that we’ve missed a key piece of information along the way.  

There is absolutely nothing wrong with incremental improvement: in fact, it should be part of the day-to-day processes.  But when there is an inflection point – new year, new strategy, new staff in the role, new senior leadership, etc – it is a shame to squander the opportunity to make substantive, and possibly transformational, improvements.  

Have you ever listened to a presentation, and felt the signal-to-noise ratio could have been improved?  Or have you ever delivered a critical presentation, and felt that you could have done better… but you were not precisely sure how? Too often we add debris into our presentations.  These are those filler words, unrelated sidebars, and administrative notes that we unwittingly slip in.  They get in...

Most first impressions are formed within the first 10 seconds of conversation. Most hiring managers will take only 20-40 seconds to screen a resume. Most prospects will tune out a sales presentations in the same amount of time. What is the key to forming that first great impression?  

Ever hear the expression Learn from the Best? This is great when it comes to a coach or consultant, but a more powerful concept is Learning from the Rest. Each day, we interact with our workmates, friends, and sometimes even the youngest of children. Each of these folks has something unique that they can give us, if only we paid close enough attention.  

The internet is squeezing out traditional journalism.  Something is gained, but something is also being lost.  No guarantee of accuracy.  No editing.  No guarantee of independence.  No oversight.  While it is true that the wisdom of the crowd will expose the most egregious errors (and bias), there is no guarantee that what is being read is reporting, or merely opinion masquerading as reporting, or...

How much does your organization spend on your brand? Usually, this question yields answers in the following spending categories: research, logo design, collateral production, messaging, and ads. And maybe content,  Social Media, and a few other things. While all of these are important, this list is missing the two fundamental delivery mechanisms of the brand itself: people, and the online user exp...

Have you ever put in a proposal, or answered an enquiry about your products or services, and then waited patiently for their answer about the next step? If they found you via referral, or through your content, then they likely value your expertise, but perhaps the timing may not be right: when they say no, they may really mean not yet.  

Is there a gap between how you perceive yourself, and the reality that others see? Too often, we use self-descriptive marketing terms so much that we convince ourselves of their truth. And what are the biggest culprits? Here are two: Thought Leader and Trusted Advisor.    

Marketers can learn an important lesson from fast food menus, and particularly, the vastly different strategies of McDonald’s and Five Guys.