K.I.S.S.

As in "Keep It Simple Stupid".  This applies to about 78,000 different situations in life (this is just a rough guess; I didn't count) not the least of which is when we pitch to clients.

We've all probably heard or studied a bit about the concept of one's "six word story" or "elevator pitch".  Those require a bit of work to frame properly, to really dig into one's inner workings to extract the brand essence - the DNA - of what we are all about.  Just as in the world of the thirty-second TV spot where an audience needs to be ensnared and held in a short period of time, so too must our own pitch effectively engage our audience quickly and concisely.

At a recent industry meeting, our group hosted a guest speaker - the talented Gilda Bonanno - who has an interesting background: a motivational speaker who is also part of an improv acting troupe.  She introduced the group to a couple of interactive exercises, one of which is called "Half Life."  The gist of the exercise is that the room would split into pairs of people, and we were all given a universal topic to discuss - in our case, "a day at the beach".  A timer was set to 64 seconds, and each pair had to engage in a one-on-one improv dialog with one another, creating a little made-up story.  At the end of the allotted time, the timer was reset to 32 seconds - half the time, hence the name "Half Life".  We were then instructed to engage in the same basic story to one another in half the original time.  After the time was up - you guessed it - the clock was reset to 16 seconds, and we repeated.  At 8 seconds, it was tough - but most of us managed.  Many laughs ensued, and it brought the group together with a wonderful dynamic in the air!

What we all learned was the importance of how to carefully choose one's words, with limited time to express them.  As the time limit grew progressively shorter, we were forced to trim the fat and only retain the stuff that mattered when relaying our story back and forth.  Fluff and extraneous color hit the cutting room floor - so to speak - with just the distilled backbone of the story remaining. 

The entire exercise reminded me of a high school creative writing class where we were all instructed to take one of our own poems and scrutinize each and every line, putting them on a sort of defensive literary trial, culling every word that absolutely did not contribute to the greater welfare of the ultimate message.  We weighed whether each word was enough of an anchor or necessary brick in the wall.  If not, it got the axe.  It was amazing to see how many poems wound up being boiled down to a mere fraction of their former mass.  It was an early view to what I'd later see in the "six word story" concept.  And that particular exercise actually paid off for me; applying it led to winning an Illinois Poet Laureate Award.  True story. (Results not typical; do try this at home.)

Think about all this the next time you need to frame a pitch - whether working on a new business proposal, or a casual networking social around the cocktail weenies and cheese platter.  And if nothing else, it also works great when saying grace around the dinner table.

Amen. 

(As a related post, please check out our friend Drew McLellan's thoughts here.)

"Hey buddy, want a job?"

There's a dangerous game being played out there.  And the stakes are high.

Specifically, it's a game between the world of staffing and their potential new recruits.  Nobody is asking enough questions, from the prospective employee - who's afraid of blowing a chance at a job - to the employer, who's afraid of scaring off a good candidate.  Too often, there is a misalignment between a new recruit and employer, but it's not discovered  - or addressed - until it's too late. 

Consider the employee who is on the job for six months, has undergone the start of an expensive training process, and has begun the mutual integration of his or her own life with that of the company, only to realize that he/she hates the job, hates the processes and procedures, and perhaps even hates the core values and mission of the company.  What's left?  Quit, or get fired ("de-hired" in common politically correct speak.)  Either way, nobody wins this game.

It used to be that a person would put on the proverbial suit and tie - dress for success - when job seeking.  The potential employer usually had the upper hand.  They had several good, qualified candidates from which to select.  Labor was plentiful.  Now, the tables are turned a bit: it's the company who must also don the shirt and tie.  Although the national unemployment rate is certainly not non-existent, simply "getting a job" is no longer the overwhelmingly strong factor it once was for someone to commit to a new employer.  Skilled labor in many areas is harder to come across, and an employee with real skill and talent wants to know there's more to their compensation than just a paycheck.  They want to know that their own personal values and vision are congruent with  those of their employer; that their work is being respected; that they will advance and grow and receive professional development. 

One of our large corporate clients addressed many of these issues by working with us to create a recent groundbreaking communications piece.  Part "Scared Straight", part "What to Expect When You're Expecting", and part positive-spin marketing, the video demonstrated some typical on-the-job scenarios, depicted through a combination of realistic re-enactments and actual employee dialog through engaging interviews.  The logic behind this bold tactic was that potential new employees would get a sneak preview of things to come before they accepted the position.  The employer would realize tremendous savings in quarterly training and development, and potential employees would avoid being engaged in a job with which they'd not be comfortable.  It's a win-win, and good karma would abound.

For the most part, today's new generation of recruits is much more aggressive - and fickle.  And they are starting to ask more questions and make more careful evaluations of prospective employers.  In times past, once retained, employees might stay loyal to the company for as long as the company would have them.  But now, it's not uncommon for younger employees to voluntarily switch jobs several times more often than their previous-generation counterparts.  They are more interested in exploring their options and playing the field than before.  To be a "job seeker" in the past usually meant to be unemployed.  But now, even the gainfully employed may well be looking for something better in their mind.  It's not just enough to earn the signing on of a new employee; an employer must work hard to earn their staying on, as well.  For sure, businesses must be aware of the more fragile nature of the employee-employer culture of today. 

Just like "Til death do us part" has become a bit of an antiquated notion (witness the 50% or so divorce rate), so, too, is the tenuous state of recruitment and retention.  Have "company careers" gone by the same wayside, right along with multi-album record label deals, like so many bands had in the '70s and '80s?  Are companies looking for "hit singles" in their employees, rather than developing them into feature-length careerists?  And how do companies stand out amongst each other while competing for the same resources?  Are they addressing the modern core values of today's influx of new recruits?  In the end, it's the company that's willing to listen and align with this special audience - their talent pool - that ultimately will be the victor.

Our Story, Our Legacy

If it weren't for a wood shortage in England, I wouldn't be here. As a kid, that's the story my mother used to tell me. John Alden - one of the original Plymouth settlers and Mayflower Pilgrims - was a cooper by trade. He was sent over on the voyage from England to repair and maintain the wooden barrels used to store food and liquids, as wood was in short supply and the cost of material replacement higher than the cost of skilled repair.

My mother is a professional genealogist. From a young age, I'd grown up in a house full of stories - other people's. Mom revels in the discovery of a long-lost 3rd cousin (twice removed) on my great-great-great grandfather's side. Or perhaps a story from 140 years ago about how an entire small town might have been founded through an inherited plot of land. Her several published books and directories are full of these names and their stories, immortalized in text for reference by future family seekers. Long after our ancestors have passed away, the stories of those people  - especially through their own documented genealogies - live on and on. And we learn from and are inspired by them, affecting our lives and those of our descendants for generations down the line.

Although it took growing up to reflect more on all this, I'd been taught something important - and it's a lesson all of us should keep in mind. Whether thinking as an individual or as a company, it's critical to consider the shelf life of the actions we take and messages we spread. Like fleeting sand castles, the stuff we make doesn't last nearly as long as the residual effects: the memories of their creation and of the building process. For example, the brand impact of Apple within its market can live long enough for consumers to buy Mac after Mac as each is replaced over time. Our Macs don't last a lifetime, but our loyalty to the brand can.

Think hard about the lasting equity we can create in our own stories, and treat them as investments in ourself and in our businesses. At the end of the day, have we created something of true legacy that people will talk about, learn from, and be inspired by? Our stories are timeless, and will resonate long after we do.

Corporate Blogging

First, the stuff we already know: Great things happen when people blog... they get out of their boxes and communicate with the world.  Perhaps the ultimate form of the First Amendment in electronic form, blogging has the power to inspire and create change unlike most other forms of expression we know.  Foremost, it's an interactive platform that elicits feedback and inspires dialog.  Combined with the pervasiveness of the Internet, it allows our words a near limitless audience, bound universally by both wires and wireless.

I've posted briefly on blogging before, and there is a topical question that remains today one of the most common discussions in business communications: "Why don't more businesses blog?"  This is especially true in the larger corporate world.  As blogging is often an entrepreneurial mindset, we consequently see most blogs coming from the individual or small business level.  And although - as Doc Searls pointed out in a recent Webcast with Jay Deragon - some prominent large organizations are using blogging and Web 2.0 in their communications and branding efforts, it remains true that many larger, influential corporations are simply not engaging in this arena enough - or even at all.  After all, what is a corporation but a box of people?  The scale or scope of the organization matters not; whether a ten-person design shop or a 10,000-person insurance giant, companies - at their core - consist of the hearts and minds of human beings, not merely machines, desks, and inventories.  And those humans are the transceivers of the branding soul of their companies.  It is their voices that resonate within and without the walls of an organization.  And it is precisely why they should blog.

And at an individual level, many of them do.  They often participate in groups like LinkedIn or Facebook, and are often familiar with the world of blogging, networking, and the concept of personal branding.  Yet their companies often shy away from formal participation in these areas.  Why?  Why would an organization avoid - and often discourage - corporate connectivity at the 2.0 level?

There are perhaps many reasons, ranging from protection over a brand and how it is conveyed, to a desire to control the dialog of its people.  But I see this as counterproductive, backward logic.  By a corporation silencing the dialog and expression of its employees, it has also stifled its closest and strongest source of brand ambassadorship.  A company of 10,000 employees effectively has 10,000 marketing assistants, on call 24/7/365.  That's a lot of free publicity effort.

Although blogging at the corporate level can be primarily driven by employees through their own words, it is also a medium through which hired marketers and public relations pros may ghost write the content - and this in itself is an oft-debated tactic (see Morgan McLintic's thoughts here, for example.)  A story may be better framed by a professional, but isn't it the honest sincerity and soul of an actual employee's words that can make a blog genuine to its readers?  And what of anonymous blogging, when the writer is completely transparent to readers? (See Teresa Valdez Klein's quick post.)

Here's another one: the educational sector.  In a recent Hartford Business Journal article, it was pointed out that there were currently fewer than three dozen college heads around the entire U.S. with blog sites.  Compared with the number of accredited colleges and universities in our country, that's a paltry number.  It's also a bit ironic in that among the greatest features of blogging is its educational aspect. 

In all sectors, blogging puts a face to a leader, enhancing his or her image and connection to the world.  It adds color, depth, credibility, and accessibility to an otherwise oft-one-sided relationship.  And this also applies to everyone within an organization, of any shape or form, from the ground floor up.

What are your thoughts on this?

The Buck Stops Here

There's a post over on Tim Ferris' blog site that poses the question (and I'm paraphrasing here), "What sort of behavior should people stop doing?"  It started with a story of his about author Will Bowen - a minister from Kansas City - who launched the idea of a purple wrist bracelet to wear as a reminder to stop complaining. Be sure to read the full text of the post; it's quite interesting.

At any rate, Tim's challenge to readers was to consider other behaviors to stop.  And several good ones were suggested.

I already mentioned this as a comment to his post, but here's a good behavior *I* think is important to get away from: Stop passing the buck.

People should be more willing to be accountable for their own actions, take responsibility, and not automatically lay blame on someone else (or someTHING else, at times.)  Especially common in the workplace, passing the buck can be counter-productive and can demonstrate a lack of integrity, maturity, honor, and leadership.  While one may see this practice as merely a self-preserving escape route, it also represents a bit of negative testimony to that person's character.

Which would you rather hear: "The mess up with the new system? Bob was really more to blame than I" -or- "Although others may have been involved, I was part of the problem and I'm willing to share in the responsibility." 

If this were in a vendor-client situation, how well would this bode for either party?  A vendor or provider of true character would be willing to accept responsibility.  And this applies to clients who fail in their share of the team effort, as well.  In any mutually beneficial collaborative effort, success is dependent upon honesty, accountability, and good communication.

I think it's generally more respectable to stand up and take your lumps.   You'll look better for it.

Why Wait?

Imagine this scenario: Your roof is caving in. It is riddled with leaks that - with each rain - slowly seep through the weathered, cracking shingles and rot away the plywood beneath. In time, the plywood yields to the weakness it suffers through continual water exposure, allowing the leaks to attack the structural integrity of the support beams and joists holding everything up. With every passing season, the problem gets worse and worse - exacerbated by each new rain, each new drought, each new ice storm. The pending financial burden increases, as does the risk to the rest of the house and its contents.

Tar patch is applied; spare shingles - like so many Bandaids - are tacked into place here and there; in one section, perhaps a tarp is affixed. Quick, inexpensive, short-term measures are taken - ostensibly as a reactionary tactic. The real solution is one that you don't want to face: a roof replacement. Had the problem been addressed a couple of years ago, it might have only meant re-shingling. But now - since so much water damage has occured - the plywood needs replacing, and possible attention to the joists beneath. The new costs? Significantly higher. Wait another year or two, and the ceiling wallboard will need replacing. Keep waiting, and the wallboard will eventually fall down.

So why not do the repairs? "Too expensive," you say. "Don't have that kind of money; it's not in the budget. It's cheaper to keep patching for now, and I'll deal with the problem tomorrow." Well, tomorrow comes, and more damage is done. The looming grand total for the cost of ultimate repair grows higher, and higher, and higher. And like a seemingly irreparable budget deficit or impossibly high credit card balance, "a little more damage" won't make a bit of difference in the big picture.

Until the roof finally caves in. Then you kick into panic mode. You'll gladly spend whatever it takes to fix things... and now.

Does this scenario sound all too familiar? At our company, we've seen many projects come in as a result of similar "panic situations" from clients. We need to fix their proverbial damaged roofs, and they are panicking. They are not always rational. They are in survival mode. And they are scrambling - too - to justify the cost of repair.

One of our missions is to try and pre-empt panic situations; to educate and create true value in addressing a potentially bad situation before it escalates. We try and show that a short-term expense to attack a business problem today can yield substantive rewards tomorrow.

Why wait? Be proactive - not reactive. The ultimate cost of ignorance can far exceed the cost of prevention.

The Sky’s the Limit: Onward & Upward for '08

Usually around this time of year, as the holiday season often sends our staff and clients into relative hibernation, we often reflect back on the past year.  We think about what we have accomplished and with whom we have formed new relationships.  We also look toward the coming year: what we might improve upon, expand and develop, or change out altogether.  Along these lines, here are a few resolutions to think about when looking forward to another great year:

1. Renew old friendships. Get in touch with inactive or semi-active clients, associates with whom you haven’t spoken recently, or good vendors of record. Shoot the breeze and simply catch up on what’s been going on in their world and yours. No need to even discuss business or the prospects of working together soon; in fact, you might even choose to avoid it – the call may seem too self-serving. When a relationship is strong enough, the business will follow naturally – when and if appropriate. Your clients and vendors will appreciate the call, and it'll get you back in the front half of their minds.

2. Start new friendships. Introduce yourself at networking events and other business functions, or ask a mutual colleague to get you introduced. And – just as when doing due diligence with old friendships – it’s often best to try and start relationships from a back door approach: connect in ways other than with the direct intention of looking for work. If you share a common interest of antique cars with a potential client, for example, you might strike up a friendship through your mutual hobby. You’ll get to know more about one another outside the context strictly of “sales”. And again, as the relationship grows, so will the foundation for working together.

3. Clean house. As I often write about in terms of “building a better box”, consider everything “inside the box” you already have – from staff, to equipment and technology, to available vendors and external resources, to current lines of business. Look at the processes and models you employ in running your business on a day-to-day basis. Take a look quite literally at the places within and around your offices: where can you reduce clutter and maximize efficient use of space?

4. Do a makeover. Sometimes building a better box can involve a little facelift. And it doesn’t always take much. If appropriate to your own company or place of business, simply introducing some new colors, a few pieces of furniture, wall hangings or carpets, or better lighting can make a huge difference in the character of a work place. You’ll feel re-energized and so will your clients, staff, and visiting associates.

5. The ears have it. How often do you meet with your staff, clients, and key business providers? And how often do you discuss their needs and concerns, before they come to you to talk? If you wait until that point, you may be in a more reactionary situation, where problems have escalated greater than might have been necessary. Regular dialog with everyone from vendors to clients to staff can help intercept issues before they arise, and enable you to be in a more proactive position.

6. Grow what you do well. It’s common sense, but place the main developmental focus for the coming year on the things you and your company do best. If there is something you do better than anyone else, keep improving upon it to stay the leader. Remember, being in the #1 position always means #2 is hot on your trail; and #2 always works harder to be the front runner than most #1s do to stay there.

7. Stop doing what you don’t do well, or else fix it. More common sense, but if your company is spending too much effort in an area that isn’t paying off – financially or otherwise – it might be time to hang it up. If you aren’t a competitive force in the marketplace for a certain service, and it adds little to no overall beneficial basis for including it in your palette of offerings, it can often be better simply to stop expending the effort with it. Unless you can find practical solutions to setting sail, best to tow that particular ship back to harbor and concentrate on the rest of the fleet. In the end, you’ll save time and resources, focus and streamline your brand, and sleep better at night. (And we can all use more sleep.)

8. Look around. How often do you really look at your competitors? Do you fully understand what they do well and don’t do well? How are they expanding, growing, or scaling back? How are they developing and fostering relationships? What techniques do they use to pursue and perhaps acquire business that you miss out on?  In the new year, plan to devote more effort to examining what the rest of the field is up to.

9. Ask the deep questions. Do you help drive your market or does it drive you? When considering your competition, how reactionary are you to what they do? Are you a leader or a follower? Does your client list reflect those who seek you out merely as a commodity provider, or an overall solution provider? How often do clients and associates look to you for the expert advice? Are you the “go to” resource in the biz?

…and finally:

10. Hear ye, hear ye! Make it a point to increase your marketing and PR efforts. If you don’t do much, start now. If you already do it, then do more. Nobody ever knows your name too well (unless you’re OJ Simpson or Britney Spears.)
 
Thanks for reading, and I wish everyone a healthy, productive, and creative 2008.

--Steve

FORE!

Over on LinkedIn recently, it was asked if golf still made the best choice for business networking. This was the gist of my reply:

As an avid good-weather golfer (as opposed to bad weather?) I find a day out on the links to be a great opportunity for several reasons. But not all these reasons are exclusive to golf, of course. You can get to know your clients, business partners, suppliers, and other associates outside the normal "work" context. You let your hair down a bit and tend to relax, feeling a bit like a high school kid playing hooky. And in terms of skill, one need not be a pro to mesh well on a course. Also, with the competitive nature of the game, it's an excellent way to see how your clients or business associates handle themselves under pressure, or how they treat competition itself.

I've generally found that the way one carries oneself on the course is often a reflection of how one carries oneself off the course. Does he casually kick his ball a few feet to get a better lie, or does he take it on the chin and play it fairly from where it lies? And if he does move his ball, does he do so unabashedly, or does he do so surreptitiously - hoping no one will see his actions? Does he count every stroke after the hole is finished up, or does he fudge the math a bit? Does he take a "gimme" or Mulligan every chance he gets? Is he courteous to the other players, and does he have general respect for game play?

If one of the associates in your foursome knows the rules well - and acknowledges them to others - is he lenient to those who might be new to the game, helping them along the way? Or is he an unforgiving stickler, challenging that, "The only way to learn is the school of hard knocks!"

You can even tell much from the associates in your foursome by the way they carry themselves, the manner of their attire, and the condition with which they treat and keep their equipment. What is their posture and body language like? Are they generally sloppy in their stance and play - even if given credit for being a "newbie?" Are their clubs beat up and look as though they haven't been cleaned in five years? If everything is polished to a shine, and not a hair out of place or so much as a wrinkle in their pants, what might this say - good or bad - about the way in which they may conduct their business? (A psychoanalyst would have a field day here!)

Golf has always been a crossroads where those from all areas of business, and in all positions - from VPs to IT gurus - can converge. There are certain visceral aspects of the game that transcend salaries, job descriptions, and bank accounts. And there are few comparable platforms involving the elements of character, demeanor, strategic and tactical aptitude, and social graces that a day of business networking on a golf course can afford. (Plus, where else can one wear orange plaid pants and get away with it?)

A History Lesson: Community and Collaboration

Being an appropriate time of year - and being of partial Pilgrim and Native American descent - I'd been thinking about how we can all learn from some of the metaphors in the stories of the original settlers:

1. Particularly in a new market or surroundings, look to your peers for support. I've found our own industry - especially through trade associations and groups - to be generally quite helpful to each other. Newcomers can benefit greatly by getting involved, and can learn much from others in their field, from referrals on freelance help to advice on positioning and finding clients. The "enemy" need not always be seen as a threat; when on their familiar turf, they may actually be one of your best allies.

2. Collaborate. Just as with an old-fashioned barn raising, nothing gets done faster and more efficiently than teamwork. Every day we see smaller shops pooling their resources and best talents on a project - effectively also narrowing the field by one less "competitor" - with both shops reaping the rewards.

3. Trade/barter. OK, maybe we aren't exchanging horse shoes for sacks of grain these days, but the analogy is the same. Perhaps you or your company has a particular service you might offer someone in exchange for something they may offer. For example, rather than give something away on spec or pro bono, offer to trade for something of equal and useful value. Perhaps design services for marketing consulting, or help with strategy in exchange for Web or multimedia development. There is much value to put on the table in situations where no actual money needs change hands - particularly when there is no budget.

4. Know your neighbors. Be a dynamic component of your industry and market. Open the doors and get outside a little. Meet others in your field and learn their names. See who's doing what, and for whom. Have an open house. Attend a conference or local trade meeting. Join a panel or board. Send press releases. Have lunch or dinner with clients and your peers. Consider joining a good online business networking group, such as the outstanding LinkedIn. And when the world needs you, they'll know who you are and where to find you. Stagnation does not breed energy; it breeds anonymity.

The overarching lessons to be learned center on two common things: the senses of community and of collaboration. And these apply in not just our businesses, but in our everyday lives. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and thanks for reading.

Efficiency 101

It's interesting how much of our business resembles the game of Tetris. Most of us have played it at one time or another: that addicting little game with the simple premise of getting the most number of pieces to stack into place neatly, with as little free space open as possible, and under the clock. And as the game really heats up, the pieces fall faster and faster, forcing the player to make spot-on decisions at mind-blazing speed. Wait too long to decide on how and where to drop each piece, and they start piling up like a train wreck.

It's a good analogy, because projects can go the same course. The sooner it is to deadline time, the more details seem to come out of the woodwork. And they all need to be handled with razor precision to meet the immovable or even - God forbid - pushed up deadline. The good "players" are able to take each new hurdle as it gets thrown to them, and instantly deal with it in the blink of an eye - before things turn into that proverbial train wreck. Like intercepting a pass to go for the winning touchdown, there's no time to stand around and think.

The analogy also applies to things like conservation of motion (handling a few things simultaneously to save time - as long as no balls get dropped) and maximizing your staff or outside resources' time. Is everyone streamlined and working to an efficient capacity? If not, how can everyone be better utilized in their down time or between-project openings?

If you were to play Tetris, how would you score? And if you and your staff were to play as a team, is the communication of the group strong enough to drop each piece into place as neatly and elegantly as possible?

Think about it.