Call it what you will. It cycles around every decade. AKA innovative, creative, progressive—it means you are different. Isn’t that the intention of marketing and earning top-of-mind share?

In my business coaching practice, I am ever amazed at what little people understand about the art of running a business. My favorites, the “Widget Makers,” are darned good at what they know. BUT, they are limited by that same trait. They can borrow on a bit of the vision they pour into their wares.

Being contrarian can make people feel uncomfortable because they are heading into new terrain. Isn’t that what innovation really is? Fear of failure is the biggest obstacle people face for a variety of reasons:

1. Don’t want to own the idea. (Consider classical comedic set-up when someone is about to be scolded and it turns into a promotion!)

2. Affects budget allocation next time ’round.

3. Appears not to know what was doing.

4. All of the above and more . . .

If other similar businesses have already blazed a trail, why would someone want to tread the same path? Safety in the “me-too” mindset. Then, the so-called leader can claim they weren’t responsible. It’s a convoluted way of working. Consider the inertia of U.S. Congress.

Own the idea

Put your name all over it. Seth Godin agrees with me on this. Once you own it, your more likely to attract champions to the idea. If it is so appealing, others will want to ‘steal’ it and make it their own. Good; let them. After all, innovation isn’t about our name in lights; it’s about falling forward. They will improve it so it looks like their idea!

Tom Edison Had It Right

When asked how he continued to experiment with the light bulb after so many disappointments, Edison (I paraphrase) replied, “I found 999 ways that didn’t work.”

The Secret Sauce
To put yourself into an innovative place, you only need one ingredient—curiosity. It is so powerful because it keeps you objective. Curiosity engages you and your audience.

Your Assignment
1. Write down how many ways you offer curiosity as a “pull” toward your company offerings.
2. Consider your web and ad copy, presentations and personal interactions.
3. Think crayons, paste and paper. Remember how much fun that was in art class?

4. Ask about my Legos and Leadership™ Program for up tight, Type A people ;-).

5. Paint something with your fingers. What does it “say” to you?

This can be the beginning of an exhilarating experience and can spice up your relationships, too. Let me know how it goes.

Your Coach, MC

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by Coachcubas

Behavior, Brand, business coaching, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, entrepreneurs, etiquette, Networking, social media, Social Networking, Strategy, Value, Workplace

Rules of the Social Media Road

November 30, 2010

As I have been cruising through several social media sites, I am still amazed at how many people do not understand the purpose of these outlets. The sales pitches are overwhelming. I guess the attraction to “selling” is because the sites are free, and people see this as an advertising opportunity. However, in my opinion, they would benefit by selling themselves through their messages.

Remember, the name of the vehicle is social media. Social means to engage with others. In my PC dictionary, social means “relating to the way groups behave and interact.” This is a powerful research space doing that.

Social media is a dynamic force. It is a vehicle, and it has “rules of the road”:
1.    No overt selling.
2.    Build a pertinent message first.
3.    Connect with people at their interest level, not yours.
4.    Be resourceful and responsive
5.    Entice interest with integrity, not gimmicks.
6.    Provide content.

Please let me know how you are using social media to connect with your group’s behavior, and I will post the results in January’s newsletter. (Of course, you can opt-in at https://www.positivepotentials.com subscription box.) -MC

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by Coachcubas

Action plan, business coaching, communication, entrepreneurs, Marketing, Strategic Planning, Strategy

Marketing Budgets 101—An Easy Introduction

September 2, 2010

Congratulations. You stopped long enough to read this and get out of the task mindset.

Often, clients ask me how to budget for marketing. As we are in unchartered territory, the usual “left-overs” approach to marketing will sink a business today. At the core, it is not about the money. It is not about competition. It is about how you make your case to assure your prospect of a smart buying decision. They must feel secure that you will deliver on your promise. The prospect wants to feel good about a relationship with your company. Provide that link with your marketing message.

Amazingly, when companies are concerned about making payroll or staying afloat, the first place they cut is sales personnel. Think about it: how does that make sense when these “boots on the ground” or the voices on the phone or at the networking meeting are the circulatory system of your company. My personal favorite is how marketing money is slashed because it is a non-revenue producing department.—Try running a company without it.

The other mystery is how many small business owners do not understand marketing beyond a phone book ad. Advertising is a tool of marketing.

Here are a couple of tips as you review and revise your marketing plans. (Yes, I trust that you have one!)
1. Have a written marketing plan.
2. Define your primary, secondary and ancillary target audiences.

Assign a percentage of budget to each category.
Include research to map the psychographics of your audience:

Where do they shop?
What are similar values they hold and relate to your company values?
What causes are important to them?
What do they read?
What percentage of time are they online, reading print and want to be contacted?
Answers provide a place to start about placement of your marketing messages.

These are sampling questions for your website to conduct an online poll, survey after you have established and earned the trust of your visitor.

3.   15% designated to search engine optimization (SEO) functions. For example, if you have $500 for online marketing, $75 would go for SEO.
4.   Calculate your annual sales and take 5-7% as your marketing budget. Of course, if you are launching new products or services, you may want to assign a separate budget for those items.
5.   Who can best implement and manage your marketing? If you are doing everything, you are doing nothing well. This book will change how you view running your business, The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. You can easily order a copy by clicking on the Amazon box.

If nothing else, a simple outline encompassing the issues above will help you to run your business, stand above and look down (meta view) and begin to see how all the moving parts work together. If nothing else, consider ways to apply the suggestions. -MC

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by Coachcubas

What Better Time To Be Contrarian?

Marketing Budgets 101—An Easy Introduction

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