FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH

  That Buffalo Springfield hit had a lyric: “There’s something happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear.” We’ve watched the Internet rise up on a global and local scale to empower netizens in ways they never were before. From Arab Spring to the recent defeat of SOPA and PIPA by the outpouring of opposition, it’s clear there’s a fundamental change in the way human beings are taking control of their own lives. Stand by….

BRAND AMBASSADORS

   Who are your brand ambassadors? Who are the people who are the biggest fans of what you do, what you make, what you sell? You have some. We all have some. (If you didn’t, you wouldn’t still be in business.) How are you rewarding them – and encouraging them to continue to spread the good word?

SHARP POSITIONING

   We recently worked with a company on brand positioning. In the exercise, the instinct was to go for what was safe and supportable. In other words, “all inclusive.” The problem was, it was also undifferentiated and commoditized. Do you ruthlessly seek and market your competitive advantage—or do you continue to try to be all things to all people?

WHAT DOES VICTORY LOOK LIKE?

   Time and again, we see companies execute marketing plans without any clear idea of what a “win” would look like. When briefing your agency or creative team on a new assignment, ask the question, “How and when will we know if this works?” Make sure everyone agrees to an answer before starting the assignment.

SUPER BOWL

  It’s an American football game. But more important, it’s the coming out party for a crop of new commercials. Many of us make sure we’re glued to the TV when the advertising comes on; game time is our getaway to the kitchen and the bathroom. It’s because the advertising has far more staying power than the game and provides a bigger cultural window. Don’t believe us? Name an advertiser during the 1984 Super Bowl. Now try to name the teams who played the game. And by the way, Go Giants!

INTERNS

   Spring semester has just begun – have you posted a job listing at your local college or university for an intern (or two or three)? You owe it to them and to yourself: Let some college student(s) get some real-world experience; get some job done that’s been sitting in your in box for months and months; and have the energy, insight and perspective of a twenty-something around your organization.

POP THE CORK

   When was the last time you celebrated a win – however big or small – with your team? Even if it’s just as basic as ordering in a pizza lunch, give yourselves the occasional pat on the back. The carrot has always been more effective than the stick – especially in today’s business environment.

HA!

   Steve recently saw The Muppet Movie and was a little disappointed. It felt like there were too many sacred cows in the making of the picture. Henson Associates (HA!) no longer has its visionary founder at the helm; and it appears that current management are preservationists rather than risk-takers. Which are you?

MANAGEMENT

   Bosses focus on “who,” “where” and “when.” Managers focus on “what,” “how” and “why.”  Are you a boss or a manager?

MAD WOMEN

  Our friend and colleague, Jane Maas, has written a tell-all book about women and advertising in the 1960s. If you only know one side of the story (Mad Men), this is definitely a must-read. And if you were there in the 60s, it’s a great walk down memory lane. Mad Women is slated for publication in February, but you can pre-order by clicking on the picture above. Let’s see how much – or how little – has changed!

SHARE INFORMATION

   The only way to break down silos is to share what you know with everyone else. Knowledge is power but only when it is activated in concert with other people and key initiatives. So whether it’s regular meetings, regular reports or an intranet database, make sure what you know is accessible to all. It’ll make you look smarter and make your team play smarter, too.

GET THE NOBODYS OUT OF YOUR PROCESS

   Think about your marketing approval process and ask yourself, “How many people in this process are really ‘No-Bodies’?” By that we mean people who have the power to say “no,” but not the orientation to say “yes.” Their “no” means the work is dead. Kaput. Finished. Their “yes” really means, “You can show it to my boss.” If they don’t really have the authority to approve the work, why should they have the responsibility to evaluate it?

A SINGLE VOICE

  Do all of your advertising and marketing materials speak in a single voice? Too often, managers of different departments go about their business giving each piece of marketing communication–from the Website to the local sales brochure to the point of purchase materials–a different headline, a different selling message and a different tone of voice. Review ALL your materials and make sure they’re being synergistic.

MANAGEMENT BY FUTURE

   You know what your goals are for 2012 (we hope). But what about 2015? 2020? 2050? Our planning tends to be in the moment, for the year, shortsighted. Establish your mission for five years out and a vision for 10 to 20 years out. It’s an exercise that will guide your marketing for years to come…and establish a more profitable business in the short term, too!

MY COMPANY’S GREAT!

   We believe 90% of all advertising – especially print – is some variation of “My Company’s Great, My Product’s Terrific.” Yawn. Besides you, who cares? You’ve got to give your customers a reason to care in the headline – then you can talk about your product or company as the solution for what they want and need, not who you are. Take a look at your marketing materials. Are you selling your company or engaging your customer?

COMPETITIVE HISTORY

   Are you an avid student of your competitors? Do you have a complete history of their marketing and advertising? How has their strategy changed over the years? How about how they go to market? What can you learn from their every move?  The more you know about your competitors, the better you’ll be able to anticipate, react and innovate based on what they do.

BRAND HISTORY

   Do you have a complete history of your brand’s marketing and advertising? If not, get to work gathering all that information and scanning it into a database. Being able to review your brand’s entire marketing past will prove invaluable to avoiding repeating mistakes for your future. And it may just inspire some new ideas based on your smart successes from yesteryear.

COMMITMENT

  What are you committed to? Your word? Your spouse? Your kids? Your career? Someone once said: “What are you willing to die for? When you find the answer, then ask yourself: ‘What are you committed to LIVE for?’” Then revisit your commitments and revitalize them and your relationship to them.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

   In the 1990′s it was “customer relationship management.” In the 2000′s, it was “customer centricity.” We believe that we’re moving into “customer experience” as the new mantra for the 2010′s. From free content to good advice to excellent service to cause- and purpose-driven marketing, what do you do that ensures that customer delight is the high ground of what you offer?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

     Enjoy a break. Do things for you. Do things for those you love. Do something memorable…and, make just one great resolution for the new year that you will really do – and truly profit from. Have a great week – we’ll be back blogging Tuesday, January 3

Paul & Steve

BEING #2

   It’s long step down from #1 to #2. There’s a big difference between the Bolshoi Ballet and just about any other. It’s also a big step down from a major league ballplayer who hits .325 versus someone who hits .265. They both get on base roughly one in three times. But one’s an All Star and the other is one step away from being sent down to the minors. Excellence is made up of small differences that, in the end, are huge. Have you done something excellent today?

OCCUPY…?

   The concept of “we are the 99%” is potentially powerful and palpable. But as Paul’s wife, Susan, pointed out: the problem is that the word “Occupy” is not about creating dynamic change. It’s about taking up space,  sitting around and making a lot of noise. Imagine if the protestors created a movement that was dedicated to “Random Acts of Kindness,” “Helping Others” or “Giving Back.”

LESSONS FROM REALITY TV

   The United States used to be the major exporter of entertainment. As the cost of scripted television keeps going up, network execs are searching the world for programming. From Iron Chef to Big Brother to American Idol, U.S. programmers are smart enough to know a great idea even if it “wasn’t invented here.” Do you benchmark what people in your business are doing in other countries? Do you adopt and adapt those good ideas?

SPARK’n'SMART

  SPARK: The perfect hire is a lot more than someone who’s qualified for the job. Throughout Paul’s career he’s always looked for a differentiator that can be summed up in one word: “Spark.” Do you look for people who light up a room and inspire others around them? They come at no extra cost but extend a much bigger return on investment.

   SMART: The perfect hire is a lot more than someone who’s qualified for the job. Throughout Steve’s career he’s always look for a differentiator that can be summed up in one word: “Smart.” If someone doesn’t have the skill, she can always learn it. If he doesn’t have the smarts, the skills are useless. What’s the word you look for in hiring people?

METRO MAN

  There’s a free morning newspaper in NYC—the Metro. Every morning there’s a guy just outside Grand Central Station who brightens the day with the most passionate invitation to “take a paper.” Do you approach even your most menial tasks with rampaging enthusiasm?

SELF EMPLOYMENT

  Payroll. Inventory. Staffing. Overhead. If you’re thinking about opening your own business, becoming a consultant or an independent contractor make sure you’ve got the passion not just for what you do but the chops for managing the process. Independence is a wonderful opportunity—but know the costs that go with it.

POWER PERSON

   In every situation, there’s only one power person. In any meeting, sales call, workshop or corporate gathering, challenge yourself with the exercise of determining who the power person is in that situation. Then learn from them. And if you can’t find the power person in the first five minutes, either a) it’s you; or b) you have a “tin ear” when it comes to management.

WHAT YOU VALUE

   How much time do you spend on what’s in front of you—regardless of its importance? The great Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa said it eloquently: “Human nature wants to place value on things in direct proportion to the amount of labor that went into making them.” (It’s probably a little more succinct in the original Japanese.) Do you make sure you put your time on what you value, not just on what takes a long time to accomplish?

PR STUNT

  We read the story about a PR stunt that went awry. Ah, the best of plans for the “are you a big fish in a little pond?”  when the goldfish sent through the mail all died (what were they thinking?). Alas, a good idea that literally ended up stinking. Remember, your stunts should delight, not disappoint…or, worse.

WE’VE GOT YOUR NUMBER

  We got tripped up by a new airline ploy last week: Code Sharing. We looked for a non-stop from JFK to Oakland and were given a flight number. Only when we checked in online did we learn the plane stopped in Phoenix, kept the same flight number, and then went on to Oakland. It cost us another three hours. But it cost them a lot more – because now we don’t trust them. Truth in Advertising should also extend to Truth in Product Delivery. Full disclosure yields satisfied customers. Do you make sure your focus is customer satisfaction and disclose all terms and conditions of your product and service?

COOL AT A PRICE

   The trend in urban hotels is to offer fewer amenities in return for “cool.” Dramatic lighting, black-outfitted receptionists and laptops at check-in, tiny rooms that are oh-so-well appointed without any place to put your clothes or your luggage. Hip chic is a business proposition. But it seems to us that comfort with a just a small dose of cool power is a more powerful business proposition.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

  Tuesday we got an e-mail detailing the schedule for an upcoming national convention in Orlando. What caught our eye was the welcome party blurb:  “Salsa dancers, cigars hand-rolled Havana-style, reggae from the Caribbean, Mediterranean belly dancers…” At first we thought we’d fallen into a 1990s convention timewarp. Then we saw the convention was for the National Association of Homebuilders. It’s certainly not an event we’d put on, but clearly they know their audience. Are you tuned in to the taste(s) of your customers? Are you tuned into their tastes in a tasteful way?

FANTASY FUFILLED

  Many years ago, Steve’s son, Max, was being given a private tour of the set of Sesame Street. When he went backstage, though, Big Bird’s costume was hanging on a peg. Just at that moment, Carroll Spinney (who plays Big Bird) walked in and sized up the situation. Before Max could be disillusioned for life, Carroll swooped down by his side and said, sotto voce, “Shhh. Big Bird’s sleeping.” Do you and your people work to deliver dreams, magic and miracles?

POST-IT NOTES REDUX

  Okay, okay – we’ve already written about how much we love Post-It Notes. But what we see time and time again when we do our Marketing Plan in a Day training is how using Post-It Notes forces people to be clear and concise. Can you write your company’s mission statement on a 3″ square Post-It note? Try it!

NO SURPRISES

   Dollar-off coupons feel like a great idea except when the fine print says they will be delivered in the form of an in-store credit or – even worse – a pre-filled credit card. As far as we’re concerned, surprises aren’t welcome unless they’re in the form of birthday parties, engagement rings or customer promises delivered early. In this age of customer centricity, deliver what you say you’re going to deliver in the form the customer expects it. Being clever may earn you short term revenue, but it will lose you long term customers.

3-LETTER BRAND EVOLUTION

   IBM isn’t in the Machine business. UPS isn’t in the Parcel business. KFC is evolving beyond the Fried chicken business. More and more we’re seeing businesses that were hamstrung by their names rebranding to liberate their image and their offering. Often 3 letters do the branding trick. What’s your business name? Does it deliver a balance between clarity and vision?

THE STAPLE CONUNDRUM

  What do you do if you make a “perfect product?” Staples (the paper fasteners, not the store) are a “perfect product.” A box of 5,000 Swingline staples costs $3.29 at, well, Staples. That’s 0.000658 cents apiece! When was the last time you actually bought a box of staples? Great for us as consumers – a real dilemma for Swingline. How do you extend the value of what you offer to bigger platforms and offerings your customers will find indispensable?

HAVE A NICE DAY

   The great thing about living in the east is that “Have a nice day!” usually means “have a nice day!”  The old saw in L.A. is that “Have a nice day” often means something very different. In New York, when we want to tell someone to F-off, we usually say some variation of just that. Do you say what you mean and mean what you say?

LIVE BY PRICE, DIE BY PRICE

   It’s an old truth in advertising – and it keeps getting ignored year-in and year-out. The bankruptcy courts are littered with the remains of low-priced discounters who eventually got undercut or failed on service, inventory or customer satisfaction. From Crazy Eddie to Caldor to Circuit City. If price is your only value proposition, you’ll ultimately lose every time. You can give away the store, but eventually you and the store are going to go out of business.

HAPPY INCLUSION DAY

    Yup, it’s our favorite holiday of the year. Thanksgiving. Why? Because it’s the only US holiday that is for everyone. A celebration of family and togetherness with feasting for all. We’ll be off the rest of the week. Hope you will be, too. Enjoy the holiday and appreciate all who share it with you. Think about the other 364 days. What do you do on those days to be inclusive, to celebrate people you work with and feast on the good work you do? 

Best,

Paul & Steve

ONE CALL SOLVES IT ALL

  Ever break a car windshield in NY or CT? A great example of customer service. One call to the insurance company. A connection to the glass company. And an appointment to repair or replace the windshield at your home. Sure beats a phone tree. Can you or do you solve your customers’ problems in one phone call? Work on it.

THE APPLIANCE WHISPERER

  That’s the nickname Paul has for his repairman who is the go-to guy to repair any household appliance. Who’s in your “service army?” Do you have suppliers who are the “whisperers” of their profession? Your lawyer? Your dentist? Your doctor? Your plumber? It’s a good standard to apply for all of your personal and professional network needs.

VISIT YODA

  In our booklet “When the Going Gets Tough, Tough Businesses Get GROWING,” one tip we suggest is that you take your former mentor to lunch. He or she probably still has some wisdom to impart to you that can help you in these turbulent marketing days. When was the last time you took them to lunch? What are you waiting for?

MODEL NUMBERS

  In the 1920s, GM started altering their cars each year and introduced the idea of “model years.” Now it’s standard practice for all auto manufacturers and car buyers. Yet none of us talk about “a 2010 printer” or “a 2009 HDTV.” As a result, equipment manufacturers are able to continue selling their old products as “brand new” for as long as their competitors don’t come out with a new feature that is a “must have” on everyone’s device. How are you defining the “model year” of your offerings?

“I’LL GET BACK TO YOU”

  Five dreaded words. Too often, when someone says “I’ll get back to you,” it’s a kiss-off. If only we believed “I’ll get back to you” really meant someone will follow up with quality information or a better answer, that would be great. So beware of and don’t use these dreaded five words OR mean it when you say it.

TRUSTED SOURCES

  Who or what are you trusted sources? Malcolm Gladwell called them “Mavens” in his book, The Tipping Point. When was the last time you examined your sources and took an objective look at whether they are, in fact, really knowledgeable about the things you go to them for? When was the last time you actively sought to extend and expand your maven network?

THINGS WE DON’T REPLACE

   What do you own that you think (or hope) you’ll never replace? Your refrigerator? Your mobile provider? Your dentist? Ask yourself what makes those products, services and people so irreplaceable in your life. And then ask yourself whether you’re that irreplaceable to your customers, as well.

FUNNY? OR HA-HA FUNNY?

   Why do we say “that’s funny” for ironic life events? Probably because of the observation Gilbert Gottfried made about humor: “Comedy is tragedy plus time.” Perhaps we instinctively know that something unfortunate (“that’s funny. . .”) will, over time, become humorous. Gilbert would be the first to admit he’s a lousy judge of how much time elapses before his jokes get funny! For him, it certainly wasn’t funny ha-ha that his derisive Japanese comments following the tsunami lost him his lucrative contract as the voice of the AFLAC duck.

DIGITAL OBSOLESCENCE

  The “lifespan” of digital products seems to be three years – after which you own an electronic paperweight. Is that a good thing or bad? Truth is, companies could make cell phones that last forever; but if they did that 20 years ago, many of us would still be toting around those massive bricks. Maybe planned obsolescence is a secret benefit for consumers after all. Obsolescence isn’t so much the problem. The price/value relationship is the opportunity.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

  Sometimes we over think the hiring process. Remember the scene in The Social Network when Mark Zuckerberg is hiring programmers? They’re belting down drinks and are competing to be the first to solve the assignment. If you’re hiring programmers, isn’t that all you care about? It reminds us of the head of comedy development at NBC. He had a simple rule: “I ask candidates to list their 20 funniest films of all time. If The Producers, Night at the Opera and Sullivan’s Travels aren’t somewhere on that list, I’m not interested in them.” Do you over think your hiring process?

SMART HOUSES

  Every week we read about microchips being used in yet another object around the house. Smart refrigerators. Smart ovens. Smart washers and driers. Now Schlage Locks has announced an app to replace your house key. Any day now we expect to read a newspaper (remember newspapers?) story about some family in the Midwest who gets locked inside their house for three days because a lightning strike fried all their circuits. Seems to us, a lot of “smart” appliances aren’t that smart at all.

IDEA AND EXECUTION

  Thomas Edison said, “invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” When people find out we’ve written books, they say, “Oh, gosh, I’ve always wanted to write a book.” To which we respond, “Do you want to WRITE a book or do you want to HAVE WRITTEN a book?” After a brief pause, they laugh and answer, “the latter.” When you have something you really want to do, take a minute and ask yourself whether you really want to do it – or whether you just wish you had committed to getting it done.

POWER

  The nature of power is that it is never given. Power is something to be taken. As Rear Admiral Grace Hopper was once famously reported to have said, “It’s much easier to ask forgiveness than permission.” Do you wait around for permission or do you move smartly ahead with action? Your career will rocket forward much faster and you’ll find it will be a very rare event for which you’ll need to ask forgiveness.

SCALABILITY

  It’s the Achilles Heel of most good ideas. What works one-on-one doesn’t necessarily scale up, either due to cost or time. Before you go promoting a big idea or new idea, make sure it can pass the test of scalability. How big is the audience? How much do you need to produce? How are you going manufacture and achieve grand distribution? You’ll save everyone a lot of time and have a way better shot at making the good idea a big idea!

HURRY UP AND WAIT

  More and more, we’re seeing companies and individuals doing half a good job of customer service. Unfortunately, we seldom realize which half. They’re quick to answer the phone or reply with an e-mail, but then slow to respond with actual service. Don’t make the mistake of only delivering half of your customer’s service needs. It’s of no use and it tarnishes your reputation.

THE UNWANTED SALES CALL

  We’ve all made the mistake of answering our phones and getting a sales call. Many of us have trouble disengaging and getting off the call. We don’t want to be rude, but we don’t want the sales pitch, either. The simplest way out is to utter these four words – “Thank you very much,” and hang up.

STAN FREBERG

  A salute to one of the giants of creativity and the creator of what may be the greatest radio commercial ever written. That spot demonstrates a key lesson: No matter who your competitor is, no matter how big or ubiquitous, you can always find a way to market yourself against them.

INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT INSIGHT

  Increasingly, we’re having conversations with key people who have great intelligence and a wealth of knowledge – and not a clue about what’s important and what isn’t. Huge amounts of accessible data are leading to information overload with fewer and fewer people taking the time to sort through and ask the critical questions: “What’s important?” and “What do I do with it?”

CONSUMER REPORTED PERCEPTION

  We got some interesting pushback last week about our Maytag blog. One of our readers pointed out that Consumer Reports has been giving Maytag low ratings for years. In fact (he wrote), Maytag’s reputation is a result of their marketing, not their quality. The goal (as marketers) is to have both: high quality and high marketing impact. Do you achieve both?

30,000 FEET

  Paul shared a speaking engagement some time ago with a very inspirational and well known speaker. His ideas were interesting, provocative and highly theoretical. After both of the talks, Paul commended him with a backhanded compliment. He said, “You focus on ideas at 30,000 feet. I focus on landing the plane.” Both are valuable. But landing the plane is what works in the marketplace. How do you balance inspiration and perspiration?

BAN FUN

  Early on, Nickelodeon banned the word “fun” from their building, their business and all marketing materials. Their reasoning was that “fun” should be at the root of everything they do, that the word, for them, was generic, neither descriptive nor differentiating.  What words do you use in characterizing your business that are non-differentiating? It’s lazy speak and dangerous. Always look to take your business and brand to a higher level – in positioning and performance.

DIFFERENT vs BETTER

  The hardest thing a manager has to learn is to ask herself the question, “Will the change I’m about to ask for make this better. . .or just different?” Micromanagers ALWAYS think more about the change than the improvement. Smart managers pick their battles – and have a clear reason why they think a suggested change will improve the work. Better is always, well, better. But think about the difference and then think twice before asking for changes for change’s sake.

GET WITH THE PROGRAM

  USA Network has renewed six of its drama series for next year. Pretty impressive. But not so surprising when you study their ratings and their formula – characters, stories, humor. All the shows are different, but all the shows are rich in what captures audiences. What’s your formula for engaging and holding your audience?

WASHERS AND DRYERS

  We love these appliances. Maytag gave us the confidence that they can last forever. In a world of obsolescence where technology’s half life seems to be getting shorter and shorter, washing and drying is an outpost of reliability. What do you do that extends consistent reliability and has the track record to prove it?

APPLES TO APPLES

  It’s apple season. Time for crisp apples to complement crisp Fall air. There are more different varieties than ever before and many of us have become connoisseurs of the best of them. So, is a $2.99 Honey Crisp worth the up charge vs. a $1.79 Fuji? Both are terrific apples. Perception is worth an added price. So is better quality. How do you decide how you price what you sell and what you’re willing to pay?

CONTENT vs CONTEXT

  There are two parallel trends happening in marketing: Content Marketing and Context Marketing. The first is a branded content play: from product placement to Webisodes to branded user-created content. The latter is a location play: Engaging the customer in the context of where he or she is and what they’re doing. Both are valid strategies; getting them to sync up is the holy grail of consumer engagement.

WHAC-A-MOLE

  A salute to Aaron Fechter who invented Whac-a-Mole in 1976. A silly arcade game many of us have played in various stages of youth or inebriation. That’s fun. But, more and more often, we’re hearing people refer to their jobs as “Whac-a-Mole jobs” – rushing to put out one fire after another without any time to plan, think or get ahead of a project, problem or accomplishment. Not so much fun to endlessly do the same thing over and over with no rewarding result.

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE

   Also known as Black Holes. Every organization has one of them: a person or department where ideas and requests go in – but nothing comes out. What’s your strategy for managing up, around, over or through your company’s Bermuda Triangle? If the idea is good, never let it doesn’t disappear into a void!

“IF I RULED THE WORLD”

  What would you do if you were CEO of your company? What would you change that you believe isn’t working right now? How would you change it? So what are you waiting for? If you honestly believe your company would work better with those changes, what’s stopping you from making them happen?

GOALS vs PLANS

   Steve’s sons are just starting their careers. Watching their efforts, successes and setbacks is inspiring. But Steve is always having to remind them of the difference between plans and goals. “Your goal is where you want to end up; your plan is how you’re going to get there.” Like most newbies, they’re both long on goals and a little short on plans. Without a plan, most goals are dreams, not destinations.

WAR ROOM

  Every company, no matter how big or small, should have a war room. It’s a space dedicated to tracking and strategizing what your competition is doing. Fill the room with ads, articles and anything else that provides a competitive snapshot of your business category. It’s revealing, drives insight and leads you to make better decisions about how you will thrive in the marketplace. How are you tracking what your competition is doing?

JOBS CREATION

  There is no better business stimulus than innovation. Just ask the people at Apple or Pixar. Perhaps the best way to honor  Steve Jobs is to be sure in these tough times our mission should not be to retrench, but to reimagine!

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

  Two YouTube actor wannabe twins posted their audition tape for a Norwegian salami brand. They didn’t get the job. Could it be that they referred to the Gilde Brand as Glide and had title cards with the same misspelling? We all make mistakes. Some are little and don’t really matter. But getting the brand name wrong is a real no no. How many jobs have you missed by getting something wrong in the details?

PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

  Technology has forced us to revise our idea of “durability” and “lifespan.” Our phone companies expect us to upgrade our smartphones every 12 months. Three years is considered a lifetime for a laptop. But what about peripherals? How long should a printer last? What about a scanner or copier? Paul has a perfectly good printer that simply won’t run on the new operating systems. Whose fault is that? And does the printer manufacturer have an obligation to keep their older equipment running?

HELP FROM A FRIEND

   Take a lesson from Hyundai: When the Great Recession was killing car sales, they turned lemons into lemonade: Their campaign to “buy back your car if you lose your job” enabled them to double their market share! We wrote a booklet called, “When the Going Gets Tough, Tough Businesses Get GROWING.” It’s not so easy out there now. But we truly believe tough times can provide smart marketers with new opportunities to grow. Think about it. Act on it.

“I GOTTA HAVE IT!”

  What qualifieds as a standout product or service? Take a little time every day and find your own answers to that question. Name a brand you respect. What’s the driver? Uniqueness? Features? Service? Guarantee? Use the insight wisely by asking the question “Do our products/services meet that standard?”

WHOSE CENTURY IS IT?

   The 19th Century was the British Empire. The 20th Century belonged to America. But which country will have hegemony over the 21st Century? China? India? Brazil? A player to be named later? Will the U.S. make a comeback? It’s more than an idle question – it should shape your marketing thinking in the years to come in terms of creativity, production, markets and paths to success.

FOUR-LETTER WORDS

     Some 4-letter words are obscene – but not dirty. Paul hates it when Steve says, “Fine,” to a suggestion. In Paul’s opinion, “fine” is a useless, meaningless response. On the order of “uh-huh,” it can be construed as “yes,” “maybe” or “no” and lets the person who uttered it get off the hook without expressing a real point of view. Do you use 4-letter words like “fine?” Don’t!

KID MARKET MAKERS

 Never underestimate the power of a kid. They are trend-tuned and trend creators. Out of the mouths of babes come ideas or germs of ideas we can apply to products, services and paths to market. Listen carefully to your kids at home and take their ideas into the business place.

BELIEF vs FACTS

  We caught an interview with John Waters the other week on NPR. He was talking about his friends’ point of view on various subjects (including his work). “Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs,” Waters said. “But they get in trouble when they think those beliefs are facts.” What points of view do you hold about your business that are based on beliefs rather than facts? We would all do well to check oour facts on a regular basis!

MINI ME

  A new trend we’re seeing in marketing is something we call “mini-marketing.” Staples now has Staples Express outlets dotting the neighborhoods and carrying the most essential supplies. Best Buy has elaborate vending machines at airports dispensing electronics a business traveler might have left at home. Walmart Express mini-stores are being aggressively situated next to local dollar discount stores. Looks like we’re returning to the “local neighborhood retailer” – but managed by major national brands in places and spaces that are consumer inviting, product appealing and easy to shop!

FROM BRAND TO NOUN

   The goal of a marketer is to make our brand a household name. The ultimate dream (and danger) is that we’ll be so successful, we turn the brand into a generic noun. Band-Aid, Kleenex and Thermos are the generics in their category. Xerox spent years returning their generic into a mulitdimensional brand. Generic, Brand or both? What’s best for the business?

BOTTLED WATER

  Really? Once upon a time we all grew up drinking tap water. And here in NYC the tap water is some of the best water in the world. Then marketers started putting it in little plastic non-biodegradable bottles and charging upwards of a dollar for a drink. This has become big business. And altough we’re all marketers, wouldn’t we all be a lot better getting back to the tap?

OFF THE WALL

  White boards are the new indispensable tool for ideation and concept development. Whenever we start to do any strategic thinking, the first thing we do is get the idea out of our heads and up on the wall. There’s nothing like a big visual staring you in the eye to help you focus on the merit of the idea and the various ways to erase, revise, add and make it better.

UNPRODUCTIVE COMMENTS

  Some of the comments you never want to hear in a creative presentation. “That’s off Strategy.” “I’ve already seen that campaign.” “Our CEO hates the color green.” The key is to train your team and your clients to develop great work to solid briefs with the expectation that the work will win the day, the meeting will be a celebration and the revisions will only make it better.

CREATIVITY

  The paradox of creativity is: “limits create unlimited creativity.” The more clearly and precisely you define a creative assignment, the greater the range of solutions you’ll see from your team. As Norman Berry, the inspired creative head at Ogilvy, so cogently observed, “Give me the freedom of a well-defined strategy.”

GOING TO THE DOGS

     One of the most powerful networking tools Steve has is a black Scottish Terrier named Huxley. The off-leash dog park in Westport, Connecticut is a social milieu where CEOs, CMOs, Mommytrackers, Freelancers and Entrepreneurs all mingle incognito. Yet every once in a while a conversation ensues that has led us to new business leads. It seems Man’s Best Friend can really be man’s best friend. How many unusual ways do YOU network?

ADDICTION

  What drug are you on? We’re all addicted to something – the media plan we can’t give up, the product line that no longer works. What’s your Jones? Sometimes you can’t see it without a little outside help, but start with your employees and friends. Ask them what it is they know you’re totally addicted to (professionally, not personally), and then ask yourself whether it’s something you really need – or something you’ve gotten in the habit of doing.

NO IFS, ANDS OR BARTZ

  The firing of Carol Bartz as CEO of Yahoo! is an interesting lesson for all of us. Fired on the phone, really? The stories and gossip are open floodgates at this point. But one thing seems clear to us. There are no winners here. The board comes off as callous, Ms. Bartz comes off as hostile and Yahoo! comes off as a more desperate business than it has shown itself to be over the past several years. Unless one is fired for cause, keep the powder dry, be orderly, smart and gracious. There are little wins to be had in tough management situations. But there is the potential for huge losses the business can endure. That’s the story that’s clouding everything else here. How are you going to play it?  

ART DAY

  Take a break! Call it an “art day.” Call it “recharging your batteries.” Whatever you call it, get out of your everyday routine and take a fresh look at the world around you. One day a month sneak out of the office, go to the local museum and spend 3 hours being inspired by the Great Masters. They have something to say to you and something to teach you. You’ll be amazed at how an inspiring afternoon of “time off” can change your thinking about problems you’ve been trying to solve and dramatically improve your ability to solve them.

PROMOTIONS

   Too many of us as marketers take the quick and easy path to sales. Whether it’s a January White Sale, an end-of-season Clearance Sale, a “cents off coupon” or a Groupon deal. Those are all quick and easy ways to generate traffic; but our job as marketers is to build sustained interest in our brands, not just sell products in the moment. Promotions have their value; but building brand power is the higher ground.

THE INTERNET AND ASTRONAUTS

  Steve’s son Dan sees the Internet much the way everyone sees space travel: “There’s a vast universe out there and in traveling through cyberspace, chances are you can discover something really amazing. Or not.”

“I’LL GET BACK TO YOU.”

  We listen to Millenials talk about what they’re doing on the Internet. From Web startup companies to video on YouTube to small, tribal video game salons. When we question them on where the money is, they all have the same response. “I’ll get back to you on that.” Hmmm.

FROM PRODUCT TO BRAND

  Chicken is a product; Perdue is a brand. The history of marketing is replete with the tales of people who thought a product was generic. Along came a brilliant marketer who demonstrated that anything can be branded, as Ed McCabe did so well for Frank Perdue. Why sell a commoditized product when there is so much more value in a branded one? Remember the lesson that Frank and Ed taught us all so many years ago.

TRADEMARK THEFT

  The Silk Market in Beijing sits proudly as a legal “house of knockoffs.” Walk through the many floors of this building and enjoy the fruits of trademark violation. There is a price to be paid for IP and innovation. And, we all know when we are not wearing or using the genuine article, we become a piece of the fraud.

UNDERPROMISE, OVERDELIVER

  If you promise something on Monday but deliver it on Tuesday, you’re a goat. If you promise it on Tuesday but deliver on Monday, you’re a hero. Kudos to Mayor Bloomberg for “underpromising and overdelivering.” Subways were pretty much up and running Monday morning – after dire warnings they’d be out for most of the day. Take a lesson from Hizzoner; give yourself a little cushion to look like a hero, not a goat.

ON THE FIELD

  A lot has been written about how the Philadelphia Eagles planned carefully over the past couple of years to manage the salary cap and assemble a dream team. They got trounced by the Steelers the other day in preseason. It doesn’t count yet, but the game is played on the field, not just on paper or in a plan.

ONE MAN BAND

  Many of us wish we could do it all. We actually saw this one man band in Boston this past weekend. Funny, yes? But, his statement “Only those who attempt the absurd can accomplish the impossible” gave us pause and a bit of inspiration.

WHAT’S AT STEAK?

  Great example of social marketing, PR and Customer Service this week – the story about a guy who tweeted that what he’d really love was a Morton’s steak when he arrived back at Newark Airport. When the guy landed and looked for his driver, standing next to his driver was a Morton’s waiter (in black tie & tux) with a take-out bag! Turns out, he’s a regular customer of Morton’s with 100,000 followers on Twitter! So, likely a stunt. But, oh what free coverage! What are you doing to delight your customers and charm the blogosphere?

THE CLOUD

  Coming soon – the latest, greatest innovation in cyberspace: the cloud. We’ll be able to readily access huge amounts of information and entertainment anywhere and everywhere without the need for a huge personal storage drive. But if it’s all in the cloud, who has access to everything we are, everything we do, everywhere we go….uh-oh.