Creativity In The Process

Scott Risner wrote this article on the cyclical nature of creativity within online learning and training development. Scott’s background is similar to mine in that we both came from print production and prepress environments. However, Scott can jam on a mandolin, while I am pretty good at thrashing and pounding on the drums. Enjoy the article! -eb

By Scott Risner

About 20 years ago I started designing and developing computer-based training (CBT) using Authorware. At that time I knew nothing about a process for this type of effort. My experience was primarily in print design and production. It was an interesting experience making the transition. Print designers enjoyed a long established design process which was not the case with development of CBT or “Multimedia”.

So how did we start the transition? Well, what I did was attempted to use existing tools and knowledge to create a process. Funny thing was that the tools for multimedia, for the most part, were not as advanced as those available for print.

The transition struggle was multi-faceted. There was the design, the production process and client management (reviews and revisions). Traditionally the print design process was (roughly explained) thumbnail, design comprehensive (comp), final layout, print proof and then final printed piece. On the other hand software design was (in practice)… Analyze, create a design document, hand it to developers and they would lock themselves in a dark “magic” room and appear weeks or months later with something that loosely resembles what you expected.

While making the transition from print to multimedia wasn’t easy, I learned a few things along the way.

Read more…

Quotable Quote - Mark Twain

Don’t let school interfere with your education.
- Mark Twain

Becoming a Precisionist

By Dan Coughlin

In the midst of the media frenzy over our current economic condition, it recently dawned on me that those who are experts will no doubt survive any recession. People who become experts in their fields have harnessed the power of precision. And this is available to everyone, including executives, employees, and entrepreneurs alike. Achieving precision is the most effective way for any individual to succeed, especially during tough economic times.

The Noble Calling to Be a Precisionist

In Webster’s School & Office Dictionary, the word precision is defined as “the quality of demanding exactness.” A precisionist is a person who has mastered the art of demanding exactness. The precisionist operates among the very best performers in the world within a given area of focus and constantly works to improve his or her performance.

When customers and employers are hit hard in the wallet they become extraordinarily discerning about where they place their dollars. They become highly selective both in terms of what area they invest in and who they invest in. They develop a laser focus about only going after the type of people they absolutely need. This results in recruiters seeking out only the best of the best within that target.

If you want to fall into the extremely small slice of professionals that others will always seek out, then I challenge you to become a precisionist.

The Challenge We All Face

Finding examples of precisionists is not very hard to do. So why does becoming a precisionist remain such a great challenge? Well, we get a little busy with our lives and before we know it today is over with and we’re on to tomorrow. Needless to say, we haven’t exactly made very much progress in becoming more precise in what we’re doing. In other words, our high–paced agendas take over our best intentions.

I think it’s time, especially in such a tough economic period, for us to step off the train of constant activity and make real progress toward becoming true precisionists within one area of focu

The Process of Becoming a Precisionist

There are four steps to mastering the craft of precision:

Step One: Select an Umbrella

Your umbrella is the area of focus you’ve decided to achieve precision within. This is the area you’re committing to operate in over the long term.

Walt Disney was not a great golfer and Tiger Woods never made great family films. They each operated within their own umbrella: Disney in family entertainment and Woods in golf. However, within each umbrella there was plenty of room to maneuver and create.

Walt Disney made family films and television shows, he created theme parks, he licensed products, and he started amazingly popular communities like The Mickey Mouse Club. Tiger Woods plays in professional golf tournaments, he designs golf courses, he promotes golfing products, he hosts his own professional golf tournament, and he created a foundation that has introduced golf to millions of kids who otherwise may never have played the game. Having one area of focus isn’t a limiting factor; it’s actually a freeing factor. It allows you to operate with extraordinary freedom within a given umbrella and that enhances the synergy between everything you do.

What is your umbrella? What is the area of focus that you are going to consistently work within to become a true precisionist? Answer these questions carefully.

Step Two: Maintain a High Degree of Focus for at Least 15 Years

Tiger Woods played competitive golf at age seven and won his first Masters golf tournament at age 21.

Walt Disney started making animated shorts at age 19 and made his first full–length animated film at age 35.

Steve Martin did his first stand–up comedy routine at age 18 and began selling out major venues at age 33.

Harrison Ford set out at the age of 22 to become a great character actor. He received his first major part in 1977 at the age of 34 as Hans Solo in Star Wars. He became Indiana Jones in 1981 and now at the age of 65 he is starring in the fourth Indiana Jones movie. He’s a precisionist.

If you want to be a precisionist in any field, remain committed to constantly improving within your umbrella for at least 15 years. It doesn’t matter whether your focus is to be a great entrepreneur, singer, executive, leader, writer, or manager.

You might be wondering how pursuing precision can help you slice through a recession if it takes at least 15 years to become a precisionist. Here’s how it works. The moment you commit yourself to a specific umbrella, a specific area of focus, you begin to attract people and opportunities that help you hone your craft within that arena. In doing so, you become more attractive to people outside the field. They know what you are focused on and they admire you for pursuing excellence in that field. They may not say that to you, but that’s what happens. You probably won’t make a million dollars, at least not right away, and that’s ok. You are on your way to becoming a precisionist in a field that you have passion for and that sense of adventure is worth a great deal.

Step Three: Leverage Technology

I used to think that technology meant computers, software, and electronics. I wasn’t even close. In Webster’s School and Office Dictionary the definition of technology is “science used in a practical way.” The definition of science is “systemized knowledge obtained by study, observation, and experiment.” Consequently, technology means “systemized knowledge obtained by study, observation, and experiment that is used in a practical way.” I LOVE that definition. That’s exactly what precisionists do.

Tiger Woods is a student of golf: the history of golf, the great players from the past, and the different holes on the different courses. He experiments with different types of shots until he’s able to use them in a practical way during a professional golf tournament.

Walt Disney constantly observed people and experimented with different ways to tell entertaining stories in practical ways. He was one of the first to use color in films, he embraced television when others ran away from it, and he created the first ever theme park.

We all have the ability to leverage technology in order to increase the exactness with which we perform. The key is to constantly study, observe, and experiment within our selected umbrella, and then use what we have learned in practical ways that add value to other people.

Step Four: Embrace Simplicity

Over the past 11 years, I’ve noticed that highly paid, intelligent, and hard–working individuals often times subconsciously make their work infinitely more complicated than it needs to be. In order to justify their salary and prove their commitment to the organization, they put themselves through the ringer. They work 80 hours a week on ridiculously complicated processes that generate small increments of improvement.

If that statement applies to you, I have one piece of advice: stop doing that.

Instead, I encourage you to embrace simplicity. Hone your processes until they contain three to seven steps that you can execute within a reasonable number of hours a week. (And 40 hours a week is a good place to max out at.) And then be ok with achieving great results with simple processes. Don’t fall into the trap that says, “If this simple process generated great results, then a really complicated process would generate even better results.” It doesn’t work that way.

Last year I bought an $1,800 computer that required five steps to assemble. I also bought an $18 toy for my daughter that required assembling hundreds of pieces with dozens of steps. Which company do you think provided me with the most value?

Select your umbrella, maintain focus at learning and experimenting and observing and improving for at least 15 years, leverage your body of knowledge in practical ways, and embrace simple ways to deliver value to other people. With this method, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert – a true precisionist.

Dan Coughlin is a business keynote speaker, management consultant, and author of “Accelerate: 20 Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentum”, which made it to #4 on the Barnes & Noble Business Bestseller List. He has been quoted in USA Today, the New York Times, and Investor’s Business Daily. Dan’s clients include Coca-Cola, Toyota, Boeing, Marriott, McDonald’s, AT&T, American Bar Association, the St. Louis Cardinals, and more than 100 other organizations in over thirty industries. He speaks on entrepreneurial habits, quality, leadership, branding, sales, and innovation

CMO Guide to Brand Management Using Social Media

By Dan Schawbel

In 2005, Jeff Jarvis made every company think twice about customer service and brand management with his famous “DELL Hell” blog post. In his blog post he stated “I just got a new DELL laptop…the machine is a lemon and the service is a lie.” It is now 2008 and the conversation has been buried inside the social media playground, where citizen journalists carry a company’s reputation, more than any CMO, and customer service influences brand reputation more than ever. A recent survey by the Society for New Communications Research shows that almost 60% of participants view social media as a place to vent about customer support experiences. Although most CMOs would view this as a threat, the report also explains how 81% view blogs, online rating systems and discussion forums as places where customers gain a greater voice.

With millions of blogs and thousands of social networks, a conversation that once existed behind a locked door, now opens with social media. Thirty–seven percent of the US adult population uses social networks and there will be $1.2 billion spent on advertising on social networks this year alone (eMarketer). Even podcasting shows potential, with an audience that is projected to increase to 65 million in 2012 (eMarketer). Corporate messaging has decentralized and is made available through various channels of communication such as Twitter, blogs and Facebook. CMOs have no choice but to listen and learn.

Authenticity Matters

“Every CMO should know that not every brand is a brand people want to socialize with. You need to understand the limitations and opportunities of your brand within the audience’s mind and out in cyberspace,” says Laura Ries, President of Ries & Ries Focusing Consultants. Brands that have real values, emotions and meaning will be revered by customers and therefore will be spoken about. CMOs should strive to manage their brands so that their audience pays attention and turn customers into brand champions.

There are many new and exciting opportunities for CMOs in this web 2.0 world. John Moore, of BrandAutopsy.com fame, says, “Social Media helps small companies look bigger and helps big companies get smaller. Meaning, a small company can have a big presence online with customers through using social media. Conversely, a big company can get ‘smaller’ because social media connects companies to customers on a very personal level.” Social media places personal brands, that are tied to companies directly, in front of those who can impact their future. Some believe this is risky, but the smart CMOs will empower employees to carry forth the corporate message in an authentic manner.

Tips for CMOs:

Spend more time learning about social media before actually engaging.
This can be done by subscribing to many popular blogs in your space, which you can find through Technorati, Google Blog Search or by asking your PR agency or contacts. Learn who your new stakeholders and influencers are and identify ambassadors in your company that could interact with them to start conversations.

Become visible in the industry.
Whether it’s you or your direct reports, attendance at new media conferences will provide insight and best practices.

Take risks.
There are very few real social media success stories in corporate America because companies are in experimentation mode. Whether it’s a viral video, a blog, a wiki or a discussion forum, companies are looking to see how others react to their tools and strategies. The Blog Council was formed to help companies, such as Coca Cola, share failures and successes.

Command respect by being transparent.
Companies that connect with customers the same way they do with The New York Times or BusinessWeek will have a rude awakening. If you take anything from reality TV, you know that people care about authenticity and not acting. You need to start treating bloggers like real people and not press release submission services. The people that will succeed will tell bloggers exactly who they are and what their intentions are immediately.

Don’t be just another logo on a website.
Just because you brand yourself visually doesn’t mean people will care about you. I think podcasting is one of the key tactics to really connect with your audience these days. Make your business come to life and have your employees tell their stories. People remember faces and stories more than anything.

Realize that there is a shift in brand management control.
Brands have been swallowed by the end user. Now they have the privilege to spread the word, with or without an editor. Outside of the Web 2.0 bubble, social media is still relatively new. Enter at your own risk and always monitor your brand for feedback.

Dan Schawbel is a leading personal branding expert for gen-y. Dan publishes Personal Branding Magazine and Personal Branding Blog. He is also the first social media specialist at EMC2 and has seven years of experience in marketing.

Weird Week In Review - May 2

In case you missed last week, here is your one stop review of all things from WeirdGuy blog. Have fun!

Branding 101 - Get A Good Editor [PIC]

21 Keys to Improving Customer Retention through Relationship Marketing

21 Keys To Improving Customer Retention - Pt.2

Digital Notepads - Are They Any Good?

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Digital Notepads - Are They Any Good?

I attend a lot of meetings. I find that I take better notes when I write with pen on paper than trying to type with my 4-finger method. Consequently, I find myself transcribing my notes into my laptop so I can have electronic copies of them.

This takes a LONG time for me.

I have tried scanning in documents and using OCR software, but with handwritten notes it is terrible. I will not even attempt to clean up the documents. It is faster to transcribe.

I have been looking into digital notepads and wondered how well they worked. If you have used one or know someone who has, drop me a note in the comments section below. I wonder if it would be worth inversting in one….

21 Keys To Improving Customer Retention - Pt.2

Yesterday we offered you the first 11 tips of Mark Hallen’s checklist for improving customer retention. Today is the second installment with the final 10 tips.

12. Give Instruction On How To Get The Most Use From Products And Services
Obviously, this is most important with brand new customers, but also has retention value when an existing customer renews, buys a more expensive model, or accepts a new release of the product.

13. Do Not Turn All Communications Into Sales Pitches
Don’t train the customer to believe that anything with your logo is trying to sell him something. Communications that are thank you’s, welcomes, usage tips, anniversary messages, case studies, etc. make the customer feel that he is more than just a target for additional sales, and pave the way for opening the envelope when you are selling.

14. Assume That All New Customers Are Created Equal
When somebody first buys your product, you may not know how good a customer they’re likely to be. Only performance can dictate that. Therefore you won’t be able to pick and choose which customers to invest in with a relationship program. However, you can reduce or increase the investment in a customer as you see what kind of customer he is.

15. Don’t Try To Start The Relationship In The Middle
This is the corollary to #1 (realize that your retention program starts on Day One). While an action-based loyalty program can be augmented at any time, a true relationship program will get the biggest return by beginning at the beginning. There will be less effect with older customers.

16. Understand That Unexpected “Perks” Do More Than Expected Ones
Think carefully about how you position extras. Let’s say, for instance, that you’re marketing software to an installed base. If the upgrade mailing says “and you’ll get 30 days free support” it might get some extra sales, but it may also decrease response because the customer thinks support will be necessary. It also raises expectations and may lead to disappointment. However, if you tell users AFTER they upgrade “to thank you for your purchase, we’re giving you 30 days FREE support” it can’t have a negative affect. It lets them know you’re thinking about their welfare, since there is no (obvious) profit in it for you. In addition, because it was a “surprise” and not an incentive, users’ expectations for it are lower: whatever they get is a bonus.

17. Determine The Effects Of Any Retention or Relationship Program Only In The Long Term
By definition, any relationship program must be viewed as a long-term investment with the potential for a sizable, but deferred, return on that investment. Do not look to see results this quarter or even this fiscal year. Your customer will reward you for good products, service and treatment only after a long enough period of time that establishes this as your company’s way of doing business.

18. Make Customers Feel That The Relationship Is Worth Something
Here’s a real relationship killer. I get a mailing with a special “customer price,” then see a lower price in a store (or store circular) where anyone can walk in off the street. Treat me as an “insider,” eligible for things that a non-customer can’t get. Otherwise, what’s in it for me?

19. Keep A Control Group Long-Term
To accurately measure the affect–and ROI–of a relationship program, you must retain a control group that has absolutely no contact with any component of the relationship program. Just as important, every action of this control group must be compared to the test group for a long period of time.

20. Define Your Goals And Be Sure They Can Be Accomplished
Direct marketing is not a branding or image medium. Even mailing monthly, the frequency just isn’t there to create a brand. Direct marketing can reinforce what I already think about the company, but not change it. That’s why it’s so important to start with new customers; that’s when they feel best about us, so it’s the best time to build on that.

21. Do Not Even Think About A Relationship Program Without Reciting This Mantra: “LIFETIME CUSTOMER VALUE IS EVERYTHING”
All marketing should have lifetime customer value in mind, but it’s the whole point of relationship marketing. Three, five, 10 years from now, how much more business have you done with Customer A (in whom you invested in a relationship program) vs. Customer B (in whom you made no additional investment). If you don’t plan to look at the program this way, there’s really no reason to do it in the first place.

Source: This article came from Lee Marc Stein. Lee Marc Stein’s Direct Marketing Newsletter Issue #55.

Related Link
- 21 Keys To Improving Customer Retention (Pt.1)

21 Keys to Improving Customer Retention through Relationship Marketing

By Marc Hallen

Lee Marc Stein developed this checklist with copywriter Mark Hallen, in preparation for a major client. They came up with so many ways to improve customer retention. View the first 11 keys here.

1. Realize That Your Retention Program Starts On Day One
If your business model involves lead generation, Day One begins with your handling of the lead. You not only affect conversion, but the tone of the entire relationship.

If you’re generating most of your new customers at retail, Day One is what happens when customers open the box after they’ve left the store. Are you doing enough to get them to register with you? How can you help them use the product more easily?

2. Assume That All New Customers Are Created Equal
As a general rule that worked in the past, a new customer generated through direct mail always had a longer lifetime value than a customer coming through direct response TV, inserts, or retail. Now, because of the Internet and because consumers are using all their channel options, we don’t know how good a customer they’re likely to be. Only performance can dictate that. Therefore you won’t be able to pick and choose which customers to invest in with a relationship program. As the relationship unfolds, we can reduce or increase the investment.

3. Don’t Try To Start The Relationship In The Middle
While an action-based loyalty program can be augmented at anytime, a true relationship program will get the biggest return by beginning at the beginning. There will be less effect with older customers.

4. Make It Easy To Be A Customer
Remove some of the necessary barriers you set up for suspects and prospects (e.g. automated email and voice response, long login forms). Think about a dedicated phone line for repeat customers. Some companies have different (easy re-order) web sites for customers than for prospects.

5. Reward And Recognize Longevity
You can afford to give long-time customers discounts, special services, and red carpet treatment. Don’t think so? Do the math. In many cases, it’s not even necessary to invest in a formal “loyalty” program. Recognition can go as far in exceeding customers’ expectations as rewards. Stage and invite best customers to “inner circle” events, even if the customer has to pay for the trip. Example: For its Select Banking customers, Chase arranges for a week-long golfing trip to Scotland. Even having a dedicated phone line for long-term customers can help them understand how much they’re appreciated.

6. Divide And Conquer.
Score your customers as you would prospects and leads. You can do this in many ways – everything from the old standard RFM (recency, frequency, monetary value) to share-of-wallet and potential based on relationships with other direct marketers. Once your customer files are scored, break customers up into distinct groups and build mini-marketing plans based on the segments’ unique needs, previous behaviors, established predispositions and potential to grow. Be sure to establish control groups within each segment so you can see the incremental value of your new marketing efforts.

7. Personalize And Customize.
Think about how good it feels when the waiter at your favorite restaurant greets you by name and knows exactly where you want to sit. You return again and again and always tip more than usual. The same thing works even with hardened enterprise IT buyers. Give them advice, counsel and content specific to their needs. There’s no question that direct marketers have the technology to do this.

8. Market To The Life Cycle Stage And To The Customer’s Schedule
New customers have different needs and expectations than those you’ve had for years. What’s even trickier is that new customers acquired today will probably have different needs than the new customers you acquired three, five or ten years ago did. Do the research to understand and respond to these differences.

Track triggers to certain behaviors and use those triggers to time your messages. When is a customer most likely to buy again? Immediately? A month later? A year later?

9. Ask Them What They Want
Most people want their opinions heard. And they’ll like being asked for them. The act of surveying your customers makes them think you care. When you report the results of the survey back to them, that’s a double confirmation of your concern. While you don’t want to do format surveys too often, you can get feedback after particular transactions.

10. Turn Customers Into Stakeholders
Build a customer panel and/or an advisory board and invite customers to join. You’ll be surprised by how many will join, share, refer and buy more as a result of their participation. If you listen and act on what they have to say, that not only builds their loyalty but makes them more willing to reach out to prospects.

11. Use The Power of Referral Programs
No customer is going to make referrals and then defect. Most customers will feel even better about the value of your product or service when they refer you to people like themselves who have stronger retention value.

Don’t forget to check back next month for the second half of Lee Marc Stein’s 21 improvement keys!

Source: Lee Marc Stein’s Direct Marketing Newsletter Issue #55.

Branding 101 - Get A Good Editor [PIC]

While out for dinner with some friends I saw this trailer. Branding is all encompassing — how you look, how you present, what you say, the environment you create, and more. Make sure your message is clear. In cases like this, an editor or a trusted friend with a modicum of proof reading abilities will go far.

Weird Week In Review - April 25

In case you missed last week, here is your one stop review of all things from WeirdGuy blog. Have fun!

Make Your Achievements Standout

Quotable Quote - Linus Pauling

10 Tips To Improve Your Leadership Skills

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10 Tips To Improve Your Leadership Skills

Here’s a nice little 10 Tip reminder that Cohen & Pratt put together made up of quotes from great business leaders. There are some real nuggets of wisdom here. Enjoy!

From Cohen & Pratt

If you want to be a better leader, learn from those who have been successful leaders themselves. Here are ten quotes that contain basic principles sure to improve your skills if you apply them to the way you that you lead others.

1) “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.” Peter Drucker

2) “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

3) “Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.” Stephen Covey

4) “I forgot to shake hands and be friendly. It was an important lesson about leadership.” Lee Iacocca

5) “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.” Norman Schwarzkopf

6) “People cannot be managed. Inventories can be managed, but people must be led.” H. Ross Perot

7) “Example is leadership.” Albert Schweitzer

8) “What you cannot enforce, do not command.” Sophocles

9) “The question, ‘Who ought to be boss?’ is like asking, ‘Who ought to be the tenor in the quartet?’ Obviously, the man who can sing tenor.” Henry Ford

10) “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” Bill Bradley

Quotable Quote - Linus Pauling

The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.
- Linus Pauling

Make Your Achievements Standout

By Abby M. Locke

When you launch a multi–faceted job search campaign, you quickly learn that employers, hiring managers, and recruiters are looking for the same thing – a unique value proposition supported by solid, measurable achievements. Therefore, if your executive resume is not providing readers with an accurate picture of why they should hire you, you are doing yourself a disservice in your job search.

The first thing to do is take an objective look at your accomplishments. There are good, better and best ways of demonstrating career achievements. And hiring managers know the difference between them:

Good:
‘Helped the sales department reach their $500,000 annual revenue goal in the Fort Lincoln area.’

Better:
‘Helped the sales department reach their $500,000 annual revenue goal, despite rising competition in the Fort Lincoln area.’

Best:
‘Played a pivotal leadership role in ensuring the sales department achieved their aggressive $500,000 annual revenue goal. Accomplished this by instituting company–wide training initiatives that increased closing rates by 25% and enhanced customer retention by 15%.’

So, how do you take average sounding achievements from boring to standout without embellishing the facts? The idea is not to exaggerate, but to tell a story. For each achievement be sure to build in a mini–story that covers the challenge, the strategic action plan, and the bottom–line impact that resulted from your efforts. Remember, when developing your top achievements it is critical to provide the reader with the full scope of your contribution.

Below are three tried–and–true techniques that will help guide you in developing your high–impact accomplishments.

1. Describe the Challenge

What was going on with the company when you took over the position? What objectives or goals were you brought onboard to achieve? Don’t be afraid to reveal if you were hired to increase market share in a competitive industry, reduce operating costs for one of the company’s divisions, improve customer satisfaction ratings in a 12–month period or help navigate a product launch in a new marketplace.

While quantitative accomplishments may have a bigger impact on your resume, a well–written description of your challenges can be just as powerful. For example: ‘Tasked with delivering a 10% return on a $700 million investment portfolio in an unpredictable real estate industry.’

2. Describe Your Strategic Action Plan

How did you address the situation and what resources did you employ? What new strategies or programs did you put in place? This portion of the story allows you to give the readers insight into your leadership, strategic planning, and problem–solving capabilities.

Be careful, however, not to overwhelm your resume with minute details of each task you completed. Instead give an overall description of key steps you took to achieve those impressive results. For example: ‘Led transition team and orchestrated all facets of corporate acquisition including financial analysis, revenue projections, evaluation and pricing, and bid submission process.’

3. Quantify or Qualify the Results

What was the bottom–line impact of your actions? Was your plan successful? When formulating your final accomplishment statements, make sure your write them in a manner that speaks directly to your performance abilities and core competencies. Once you have extracted the “meat” of each accomplishment, simply summarize the main points in one to two sentences. Remember not to bury your performance impact at the end of the accomplishment statement. Place the bottom–line results first and use the remaining portion of the sentence to provide the background of your story. For example: ‘Grew investment portfolio from $500,000 to $3 million in two years by executing ardent negotiations and implementing innovative investment strategies.’

You’ve been recruited, promoted, and managed corporate challenges. Take your resume from good to better to best, and let your experience speak for itself.

Abby Locke, Executive Director of Premier Writing Solutions, is a Nationally Certified Resume-Writer and Personal Brand Strategist who helps senior-level professionals and C-level executives achieve personal success with customized, branded executive resumes and career marketing documents.

Weird Week In Review - April 18

In case you missed last week, here is your one stop review of all things from WeirdGuy blog. Have fun!

Croatia’s Submerged Ocean Organ [Video]

New Doctor Says, “Eat, Drink, And Be Merry!”

Entrepreneurs Need To Focus On Growth

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Entrepreneurs Need To Focus On Growth

By Cyrus Afzali

We’ve all heard the relatively miserable stats on how many entrepreneurs succeed at their ventures. With any type of business, success requires a meticulous approach in regard to building the business from the ground up.

Everyone knows they should have a formalized new business process, just as everyone knows a budget and a million other things are good ideas too. But all too often, a lack of process in the new business arena is responsible for other shortcomings or failures that could have been avoided.

The reason this occurs is simple: most entrepreneurs would say a new business needs as much money as possible coming in, which means spreading a wide net. While this may be theoretically true, this method would cause a fledgling independent PR pro, for example, to fall short of goals. This method means you’re chasing everything under the sun you can find; there’s little attention paid to whether it’s the right fit, which dictates whether you’ll successfully serve the client. This method also often leads to low–budget and low–margin projects to gain traction in the short term, while your resources would have been better used going after clients and projects to promote long term stability.

Differentiate Yourself From The Competition

To avoid this entrepreneurial trap, launch your business with a focus and method that clearly differentiates you from the competition. Don’t try to be all things to all people. To use an example from outside the world of public relations, say you need an attorney. You might first turn to someone like the attorney who handled the closing process when you bought a home. While that attorney is almost certainly qualified in their specialization, they might not be best suited for your current needs.

Likewise, a PR practitioner who’s spent their entire career focused on consumer products shouldn’t be chasing accounts dealing with complicated financial products and services. Starting your practice with a core focus and mission will keep you focused on what you know. This increases the likelihood that you’ll have happy clients, and build a clear brand.

Customize Your Pitch

Once you choose one or a few areas to focus on, start thinking about identifying your ideal clients. From there, determine how your experience aligns with what they might want from you and how you can perfectly illustrate to the prospective client that your expertise is exactly what they’re looking for. This leads into one critical piece of advice: Never, ever go the generic route. And don’t take shortcuts, either. People make this mistake all the time: for example, job seekers won’t truly customize cover letters and will instead just replace elements like the prospective employer’s name. A seasoned professional can tell when this is done and it won’t get you very far; in fact, it’s a surefire way to get tossed into the “round file.

A much better strategy is to customize each pitch letter to give specific details on the work you’ve done and the clients you’ve served. Elaborate on how that experience makes you a good fit for the client you’re chasing. Backing your claims up with work samples, such as media placements and testimonials from past clients will be even more effective. Taking these steps shows focus and the ability to put together clear, concise messages to market yourself and potential clients. It also shows that you’ve taken a keen interest in putting together a proposal and deserve careful consideration.

Getting Off the Ground

Obviously, this process isn’t likely going to happen overnight. In the meantime, it’s almost a certainty that in a new business you’ll take on some work that isn’t exactly what you want, but it’s in the name of building a long term practice that better matches your goals. In addition to being prepared for ebbs and flows as your practice takes off, the best strategy is to realize and develop your core competencies. You may want to hire a business coach or identify a person who can serve as a mentor. Either strategy can be an effective way in getting you to stay focused on operating optimally for the long term.

In addition to seeking out counsel on identifying and going after suitable clients, a coach or mentor can help you put in place systems and processes, such as proper budgeting, that will go a long way toward making sure that you not only have enough money for today, but that you will have enough money to grow the business tomorrow. A successful business will always require continual reinvestment; the key is to make sure that money is spent is wisely and maximizes the chances for solid returns.

Finally, as you grow, do all you can to market yourself. One of the key metrics I’ve always used in judging the competence and success of any consultant is how well they market themselves. Someone who’s done a good job of marketing their business has proven their ability to put together unique messages that showcase why they’re worthy of attention. Over the long haul, that goes a long way toward building a brand. With any luck, you’ll have that greatest of all problems; you’ll have so much work that you’ll either have to expand or become selective and turn away anything that’s not the perfect fit.

Cyrus Afzali is president of Astoria Communications, a suburban New York City-based PR consultancy. His clients include law firms, legal organizations, technology companies and several non-profit organizations. Before opening his PR consultancy in 2004, Afzali worked at several New York agencies as an editor and as a writer at several media outlets, ranging from small, daily newspapers to CNN Financial News

New Doctor Says, “Eat, Drink, And Be Merry!”

A little humor to help you through your week. Enjoy!

I found a new doctor, and asked him the following questions during my last visit — here was his answers:

Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it . . . Don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!

Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!! . . . . Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It’s the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about
food and diets.

And Remember:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO, What a Ride!”

AND . . . .
For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION:
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Croatia’s Submerged Ocean Organ [Video]

Just saw this and had to share. In 2005 Nikola Basic designed the Sea Organ. Located in Croatia, the Sea Organ is composed of a series of large marble steps hiding 35 tuned tubes located under water. When the ocean waters move back and forth, air is pushed through the tubes, and musical sounds are sent up through holes in the steps.

This is too cool!

Weird Week In Review - April 11

In case you missed last week, here is your one stop review of all things from WeirdGuy blog. Have fun!

Quotable Quote on Creativity

E-Learning Strategies: People Are Still Your Biggest Asset

Quotable Quote - Arthur Koestler

What Do You Think About The 90-100-95 Rule?

Related Links
- Weird Week In Review (Apr. 4)
- Weird Week In Review (Mar. 28)
- Weird Week In Review (Mar. 21)

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What Do You Think About The 90-100-95 Rule?

My friend Jerry, at TiER1, wrote an interesting article on performance management. Take a look at it and let me know what you think about his ideas. Feel free to respond to Jerry as well, he’ll appreciate any input you have.

In the field of performance improvement and knowledge management: 90% delivered is 100% effective 95% of the time.

OK, I just made that up: I’m not out to posit another theorem, we have enough of those (90/90; 80/20). My goal is to underscore the importance of time-to-market in a resource-constrained environment.

So what is 90% delivered? Let’s take a look at two hypothetical training interventions…

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Quotable Quote - Arthur Koestler

Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
- Arthur Koestler