Monthly Archives: April 2012

We Are All Athletes

It could do us all some good to view our business and our work as a sport.

Not in the sense of competition, but in the sense of being prepared and in shape when the daily whistle blows to start the game.

Are you training? Get ahead of the curve – not behind it.

Are your being mentored? Even LeBron’s need a lunch appointment with His Airness every so often.

Are you watching film, reading, and studying the game? Even the freak athletes, child prodigies, and those with the highest IQ still don’t arrive here fully funded and/or developed in natural talent.

Our talent will only get us so far in the game. It’s skill that gets us the win.

Learn something today and put it to use in your sport of choice.

And remember, you practice like you play.

 

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Learn Before You Launch

What if you owned a shopping mall, car lot, or restaurant where you knew exactly what everyone wanted that came there prior to them arriving?

You would offer less, customize more, and order less or more of certain ingredients.

You already have this. And it is, or should be, your website.

Stop trying to up-sell a pair of boots when the athlete just wants socks.

Stop spotlighting your Escalades when the soccer mom simply needs wants the minivan.

Stop trying fill your customer’s fix with saltine crackers when they want a filet.

You can’t build your web presence with you in mind. It must be built with the end user in mind.

It’s not about you. It’s about what you have to offer that they we want.

Of course getting them to your mall, car lot, or restaurant is super important, but that’s another conversation…

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Fewer, Less, Shorter…

The future will belong to:

  • The products with fewer buttons.
  • The websites with the less gap between consumer click and human response.
  • The shorter blogs and shorter books.

Say adios to all your bells and whistles.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophisticationLeonardo da Vinci

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Social Bios

You don’t have to go to one’s Facebook page or Twitter profile to engage their social bio. We constantly tell the world who we are, what we like/dislike, what our hobbies are, and why we do what we do.

I was on the Chicago train today and learned a lot.

For instance…

The guy standing across from me with a Cubs hat on. He was sharing with the world his love for baseball. Sure he loves the “Cubbies” – but it’s not because they win…it’s the game they play. I learned all that in his 20-year-old hat.

And the guy standing in the doorway staring at the blurred tiles flying by. Dressed in all black, the only other fashion color on him were the white music ear buds in his ears. He was sharing with the world that he has music taste, style, independence, and thinks differently. I learned all that in his white ear buds.

On board came the woman covered in Lulu Lemon gear. She was sharing with the world one of three things: 1) I’m fit. 2) I’m on my way to getting fit. 3) I hope you think I’m fit and healthy. I didn’t ask her which one she was aiming for. I learned all that in her modern-day spandex she wore.

Lastly, there were two readers on board. One was a man who had a very thick book with the cover removed. Across from him sat a young lady with a Kindle. I watched a little battle between them begin. I really think they started a speed reading competition. At one point he gave her the “I’m more sophisticated than you are” look…and she returned the look with a “my life is more simple than yours is” nod. I learned all this from his book and her Kindle.

Wrap it up, Ashton….

Our marketing departments must demand answers to – how is this product, brand, service, or idea going fit into our target market’s social bios they carry with them and share with the world?

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