Mike Tyson was one of the most feared boxers in History. They said he was unbeatable, ferocious, devastating. His reputation struck fear into the hearts of his opponents. They lost before they ever stepped in the ring. But, one man, without fear, ended that mystique. As Tyson fell to the canvas he looked helpless and confused. The world was in shock! I celebrated. Buster Douglas went from good to great in an instant. He faced fear and doubt and made history.
The book “Good to Great” demonstrates wonderful business principles, but the truly good news is how many copies of the book sold. The book sales alone demonstrate our desire to “BE GREAT”. Here is the good news: It is possible to be great. Now the bad news: It takes guts. In business and marketing being great is not about popularity. Being great is about what is accomplished. Passion, talent, determination, and stamina are characteristics that are common with great leaders, but I feel I need to say it again, “Greatness takes guts.”
People have said the stupid things. You may remember a few. “If God wanted us to fly, we’d have wings.” “Why would anyone pay for bottled water?” “The internet is just a fad.” “There’s no more money to be made.” “This boat is unsinkable.” “The world is flat.” I could go on, but I think you get the point.
“Why?” is a good question. It’s just one word. It’s powerful. It’s provocative. Something must have happened in our childhoods' that convinced us that “Because” was a sufficient answer. I know as a parent I have said those very words. Sorry kids. I said it, because I didn’t feel like answering or I didn’t have a good answer. In other words it was easy.
Why do we insist on attempting to make everything easy? Why don’t we value effort? Playing it safe is a recipe for failure. Play to win not to survive. Step in the ring. Gain some respect.
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THE BOTTOM LINE:
Principal 1: Fear should not drive business decisions. Fear paralyzes progress.
Principal 2: The “easy way” is the path most people take. Most people will not achieve greatness.
Principal 3: People are full of bad advice and they are happy to give it. It takes courage to go against the grain. You may not become popular, but you may become great.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Force Fed
When I was a kid, I was forced to eat tomatoes. I puked. I was told you will like them they’re great. Years later, I still try them. I don’t puke, but maybe that’s because I have the choice to stop. I like ‘em cooked and in salsa but I still don’t like ‘em raw. But to this day people will tell me what I’m missing and I don’t care.
I don’t blame my parents for my huge problem. I just have to accept that I live in a world of tomato lovers. Yes, I can accept the tomato lovers and admit that a lot of them exist.
Here’s my point. People are different. They like different things. One size fits all is certainly a lie. Otherwise everyone would look good in spandex. You can’t please everyone all the time. Don’t try! Understand your audience. People are more than a demographic. So how can we reach our audience? The answer is easier than you might think. Pay attention! Quit force-feeding what you like and learn what your audience likes.
I was presenting concepts to a client and I did not get one word out before the client cut in and said, “No! I don’t like green.” My reply was, “That’s fine. Pretend it’s orange.” I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but when you’re in the business of marketing you need to know that the client is not always right. You need to reach the audience. Maybe his audience liked green. Our job is to properly represent the brand and understand the client’s objectives. Most importantly it is to get results.
Don’t force-feed – your audience may puke and never come back.
********************************************************
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Principal 1: Understanding your audience will generate success for your business.
Principal 2: Marketing your business or product is not about you. It is about your customer.
Principal 3: Understanding your audience takes more than knowing standard demographics. Today’s marketing solutions must target the niche. You probably need to reach more than one niche with the same product or solution. Utilize technology for laser sharp focus.
I don’t blame my parents for my huge problem. I just have to accept that I live in a world of tomato lovers. Yes, I can accept the tomato lovers and admit that a lot of them exist.
Here’s my point. People are different. They like different things. One size fits all is certainly a lie. Otherwise everyone would look good in spandex. You can’t please everyone all the time. Don’t try! Understand your audience. People are more than a demographic. So how can we reach our audience? The answer is easier than you might think. Pay attention! Quit force-feeding what you like and learn what your audience likes.
I was presenting concepts to a client and I did not get one word out before the client cut in and said, “No! I don’t like green.” My reply was, “That’s fine. Pretend it’s orange.” I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but when you’re in the business of marketing you need to know that the client is not always right. You need to reach the audience. Maybe his audience liked green. Our job is to properly represent the brand and understand the client’s objectives. Most importantly it is to get results.
Don’t force-feed – your audience may puke and never come back.
********************************************************
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Principal 1: Understanding your audience will generate success for your business.
Principal 2: Marketing your business or product is not about you. It is about your customer.
Principal 3: Understanding your audience takes more than knowing standard demographics. Today’s marketing solutions must target the niche. You probably need to reach more than one niche with the same product or solution. Utilize technology for laser sharp focus.
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