The last few years have been a winnowing of mediocrity. Brands - especially personal brands - have had to toughen up, work harder, and be smarter in order to survive. If you aren't a mediocre brand, this process has created more discipline, more perspective, and a stronger sense of confidence.
2012 is now a chance to create a true competitive advantage with your personal brand; to join the elite in your industry, community, etc. Note: by elite, I mean The Best - the 1%'ers of performance, not wealth or status.
Here are 5 check-boxes for creating a truly elite personal brand in 2012:
- Get Fit. Losing weight and getting fit is an outward sign of inward discipline. From a first-impression standpoint, people will notice. More importantly, you will notice. It will give you more self-confidence and more endurance. You will be able to work with a clearer head and work longer hours when necessary. Don't over-think this. Getting fit is a matter of math (burn more calories than you consume), education (learn what to put in to your body and what exercises to do), and discipline (have a plan and stick to it). If you need help in any of these areas, I strongly recommend hiring a personal trainer - especially one with a sports conditioning background. Remember, this isn't about vanity - it's about performance. I also highly recommend the book The Power of Full Engagement. This is a fitness/performance book written specifically for executives and professionals.
- Get Your Crap Together. It might be time for an honest conversation with yourself. Specifically, this is an honest conversation is about your weaknesses. Every elite person I know is very aware of their weaknesses. They have a system for dealing with them - and often are able to channel these weaknesses, turning them in to strengths. Being aware of and dealing with weaknesses keeps you humble and centered. The list can be long: our past, bad habits, emotional issues, mental health, financial issues, family drama, relationships, etc. By dealing with these issues, you are doing what few people are willing to do - which makes getting your crap together a competitive advantage. My friend and mentor Ron Price wrote an excellent book on this subject called Treasure Inside. Buy it here.
- Remodel Yourself. This can be summarized as: buy some new clothes and get a new hair cut. The cool thing is that if you get in shape and deal with your internal weaknesses (1 and 2 above), you will WANT to look different. As I have said many times, I don't give style advice to women (at least not proactively!), but here are some tips for my fellow dudes:
- Don't let your wife/girlfriend pick your clothes for you. Be a man and do this yourself. Instead, pick up an issue of Men's Health. Each issue is chock full of ideas for creating a good style.
- When it comes to clothes, don't be afraid to find your own style. If you don't know where to start, stick with classics (Think Frank Sinatra).
- Buy suits and sport coats that will last at least 3 years. This means darker colors and non-trendy cuts. It also means higher quality, so that it will last. I recommend Men's Warehouse for suits. They can help you find the perfect colors and cuts for you.
- Once you have the above, you can compliment it with more stylish items such as shirts, shoes, ties, watches, etc. With the exception of timeless styles, ties and shoes should not be worn beyond a year.
- Some don'ts ... with a few exceptions, don't wear slip-ons with a suit; don't wear button-down collar shirts with a suit; don't wear your tie too long or too short; don't wear pleats. And the biggest Don't of all: don't dress like you are trying too hard or not trying at all!
- Find a hair stylist that tells you what kind of hair style looks good on you. A tip within a tip: find a celebrity dude with a similar hair line as yours to be your Haircut Lab Rat. He has the bank account to hire expensive hair stylists. Then show his picture with the hair style you like to your stylist.
- Improve Your Communication Skills. Mediocre personal brands are poor communicators. Even decent personal brands are good at either speaking or writing. Elite personal brands are awesome at both. The great myth is that speaking and writing are some sort of inherent skill. While you may have a disposition to one over the other, both are learned skills. As such, they take repetition, practice, and discipline. So ... find a topic you are passionate about and write and speak on it. The writing part is easy: start a blog. Speaking opportunities are fairly easy too. Civic and business groups, schools, and non-profits are always looking for speakers. Just make sure your topic is relevant and useful. If you need help with your speaking skills, join Toastmasters. It is a boot camp for speaking - and also a great networking opportunity.
- Expand Your Mind. Consider this ... if something has mass appeal, it is rarely elite. By its very nature, mass appeal requires the dilution of awesomeness. So every day we are fed mediocrity in education, news, advertising, car, music, movies, books, restaurants, etc. Almost all of this encourages everyone to be average; to blend in. And, ironically, if you don't blend in, you aren't hip or cool. Here are some mind-expanding habits I see from elite people I know:
- They are readers. More specifically, they are Learners and books are a great way to learn.
- They are "local-vores". This means they eat locally. They get to know local restaurant owners and chefs; which expands their knowledge of food and culture.
- They are independent thinkers. They have multiple sources of news and information and research and fact-check what they are told.
- They are quotable. They have original ideas that people want to write down (or re-tweet).
- They are not Over-Promoters. They tend to be quiet and often un-assuming.
- They are happy. They smile, laugh, and have deep, meaningful relationships.
None of the above is easy. That's why they call it "Elite". When you find yourself lost or stuck, remember these three things:
- If you have talent, originality, and discipline you don't need the rest of the world to define you.
- Honesty, humility, and kindness are the most elite of traits.
- Nothing worth doing can be accomplished without commitment and enthusiasm.
I hope you have an awesome - and Bacon-y - year!
Is your brand Oatmeal or Bacon? Find out here.
A typical task this time of year for small business owners or marketing decision-makers is to write a marketing plan. There are plenty of articles and posts on how to write an effective marketing plan. So here is one on how to NOT write an effective plan. - Focus on how much money you will spend. At some point, marketing became equated with spending money. Of course, you need a budget - but focus on investing in results, not just spending a budget. I recommend a "zero sum" approach. Start with desired outcomes, then establish how much you need to spend to reach those goals. Keep in mind that word-of-mouth is always free.
- Create a punch list of tactics. Of course, you need a plan for what you are going to do. However, a "check box" mentality distracts from the true task at hand - producing results. This will prevent you from measuring progress by what you've done instead of what you produced.
- Establish a target demographic. Demographic-based target audiences are a relic of media placement. Unless you are selling to shut-ins and geriatrics, demographic models have mostly been fragmented. Instead, focus on the psychographic profile of your ideal audience. How do they think? What do they believe? What are their drivers?
- Don't worry about a message. Marketing is all about saturation, right? It doesn't matter what your message is. Just get a slogan, a jingle and get your brand in front of enough people and it will produce sales results. Unfortunately, this happens enough times to perpetuate this myth. For those of you that don't believe that "luck" should be part of a marketing plan, your message is the single most important part of your plan. Simply put, your message is what you would say to your ideal audience that establishes an emotional connection and creates the desired behavior. Simple, right?
- Don't worry about quality. This bad marketing plan mistake is partially related to #2 and #4. The focus on punch lists and saturation often leave a lack of funding on producing quality marketing materials and advertising. A poorly shot TV ad, a poorly written radio ad, a poorly designed print piece, a poorly designed web site, etc are evidence of a poorly thought-out marketing plan.
- Write your plan for the entire year. Frankly, we shouldn't have annual marketing plan. It locks you in to a plan that has minimal flexibility. One year in a brand is a long time. New opportunities will arise, new threats will emerge, and markets/trends will shift. And you will be stuck in Q3 of your plan using old data and old ideas. Instead, focus on a strategic plan for the year with 4 - 5 measurable outcomes (i.e. revenue per customer) - then use quarterly marketing plans for the execution side of the plan.
- Don't establish benchmarks or outcomes. I've used the term outcomes, benchmarks, measurables, and results enough times to sound like a real consultant. Without them, you don't have a plan.
So put down the egg nog, quit rooting through that gift basket of goodies your radio rep brought you, and get to work! If you need to get a last minute Christmas gift for someone you really love, get them this.
'Tis the season for blog posts and articles on the "Best/Worst of 2011" and trend-watching for 2012. I don't know how many marriages Kim Kardashian will have or if Justin and Selena will tie the knot. But I do believe these are the top 5 marketing trends that decision-makers should be watching in 2012: - The Buy Local movement will grow. American Express's very well-executed "Small Business Saturday" campaign is just the tip of the iceberg for this trend. Thanks to awareness campaigns, word-of-mouth, and the continued flat economy, buying local will be even hotter in 2012. The lesson for locally-owned businesses is to not suck at branding. This starts by actively participating in the Buy Local movement. It also means investing in first impressions: logo, signage, web, etc. People want to buy local, but they don't want to buy local crap.
- "Indie" brands will stay hot. Similar to the Buy Local movement, Indie brands are hot right now. Indie brands are more about un-establishment rather than anti-establishment. This means they are edgy and different, but still have some mass appeal. These are small record labels, regional chains (i.e. Dutch Brothers), small clothing lines, etc. The #1 goal for Indie brands (besides having great products) is to have a findable and usable web site - and making sure it is integrated with your social media efforts.
- Mobile web will (almost) reach small businesses. Since the web is people-driven, it will evolve as people change their habits, new technologies emerge, etc. One example is the rise of mobile web that has been fueled by smart phones, 4G, and greater access to wifi. For smaller businesses, this means making sure your web site is mobile-enabled - and making sure that you have a good presence on Google Maps. By mid to late 2012, I also think you will see more small business related mobile apps. As the cost of app development drops, savvy small businesses will start do use apps to promote their brands and sell products.
- Integration is in. This trend has emerged in larger brands the last few years. In short, it means integrating your visual identity, message, offerings, etc through all mediums. This is not a new concept. However, the fragmentation of old media and the emergence of all the new media platforms, it is certainly more difficult. For small business owners, this means making sure that all of your marketing vendors are talking to each other. This traditionally hasn't happened, so be prepared for drama and push-back from each of them. Or get them all in a room and post the video on YouTube! The bottom-line: by not integrating your brand across all mediums, you will dilute your brand, confuse your audience, and look like an amateur.
- Interaction will be a requirement. Other than small pockets within certain demographics, the idea of "passive" branding is pretty much dead. Passive branding is part of the old thinking about saturation - that enough people see your billboard or see/hear your ad, then it creates brand awareness. And brand awareness leads to sells. In the words of Keyshawn Johnson, "C'mon Man!" The business owner in you wishes it works this way, but the consumer in you knows it doesn't. If you are going to do outbound marketing (radio, TV, billboard, print, direct mail, PPC, etc), you have to give something for people to DO! This is why QR codes are hot right now. I'm not sure this trend will continue, because 90% of where the scan takes you is boring or poorly executed. However, the idea of getting your audience to do something is on the right track. The same rule applies to e-mail marketing, text marketing, social media advertising, etc. - using these tools is not enough. There has to be interaction - or at a minimum, a call to action or offer.
An over-arching trend that effects all brands is that the consumer is in charge. Almost without exception, you need them far more than they need you. So whatever medium or method you use, keep this in mind. Treat your audience with respect. Be clear in your offer. Tell them what makes you different/better. Then love 'em up when they buy from you.
I bought an iPad earlier this year. Once getting past the novelty of actually having one and the excitement of learning about it, I found that I really didn't use it that much. It was great for travel, but just too big for everyday content consumption. I was excited to hear about the Kindle Fire - not just the price point ($199), but also the content integration with Amazon and the Android OS. I've had my Kindle Fire for about 2 weeks. Here are the top 5 likes and dislikes ... Likes: - It's not a computing device; it's a content platform. In other words, it's not trying to be an iPad - and that's what I love about it. It is great for reading, watching video, surfing the web, listen to music, e-mail, social media, etc. If I want to work on documents or use more heavy-duty software, I have my MacBook Pro.
- You can hold it in one hand. And if you get a cover for it, you can hold it like a book. This makes it much easier to use at home, office, at coffee, etc. than an iPad. It truly does replace both books and a laptop for content consumption.
- It has a crystal clear screen - feels almost like a small flat screen TV. This makes reading, watching video, etc. even better.
- The Amazon Cloud integration. Simply download the Amazon Cloud app to your computer and it will send your iTunes library, documents, and other files that you choose to the Amazon Cloud. You can then access them through the KindleFire (and your smart phone).
- Amazon Store integration. It is scary easy to buy with one click on the Kindle Fire. As such, I find myself reading more - but also buying more. Which, of course, is part of the reason they priced the Kindle Fire so low. I also like the integration with Amazon Prime and video streaming.
Dis-Likes - The Amazon App Store is pretty bare. For example, there is no Gmail integration. There is an e-mail app already on-board, but I'm used to the way my HTC Thunderbolt (Android OS) has such tight Gmail integration via a true app. The same issue applies with other apps you might be used to like Facebook.
- Although the screen is plenty big to handle a full web site, a lot of sites are assume that you are accessing via mobile device - so you get the mobile version of their web site. I assume that this will eventually be addressed with mass adoption of the Kindle Fire, but it's annoying right now.
- Although a bright, clear screen, the Kindle Fire doesn't have the silky smooth response that an iPad does. It has a slight delay and a little awkwardness on moving from app to app, browsing the web, or turning a page while reading. I often find myself needing to double tap links or apps to get a response.
- The power button and head phone jack are on the bottom of the device. This means that you easily can accidentally bump the power button - and when you have head phones in, they have an irritating kink in them. It was probably a decision based on production cost, not usability - but something that Steve Jobs would have never tolerated.
- Although you can easily hold it in one hand, it is much more bulky than I anticipated. It is almost brick-like - both in design and weight. This isn't a big deal, but you get used to a standard of blending of function and beauty from using Apple products.
Bottom-line: the Kindle Fire does exactly what it is supposed to do. And I love that. It doesn't have the cool factor of an iPad, but it is very functional and quickly has become part of my content consumption rituals. And at $199, it is tremendous value. If you have one, I'd love to hear your comments about it.
The 2011 Boise State Broncos have the deepest and highest quality class of NFL draft prospects in the history of the school. There are still 3 more games (two regular and a bowl game), the NFL combine, BSU Pro Day, and private workouts. So a lot of things can change between now and then. But here is a preview of each draft eligible Bronco - ranked from top to bottom. Nate Potter. A proto-typical NFL left tackle, Potter is the latest in a string of NFL offensive line prospects from BSU. He is currently projected as a late 1st round/early 2nd round draft pick. Tall and athletic, Potter would be a fit for NFL teams that use a zone blocking scheme. The Arizona Cardinals could use him immediately at left tackle. Reminds me of current Joe Staley, left tackle for the 49ers. Billy Winn. A tremendous athlete for his size, Winn is also versatile. He would be a fit as a 3-4 DE a 4-3 defensive tackle or a 4-3 DE in a scheme that uses a base end. He would do well in a flex-style defense that use multiple fronts - like the Patriots. Winn is projected as a late 1st rounder/early 2nd rounder. Reminds me of Cowboys d-lineman and Pro Bowler Jay Ratliff. Doug Martin. "Muscle Hamster" has seen his draft prospects rise after two very productive seasons. RBs don't have the early round draft value they used to, which means NFL teams are looking for RBs in the 2nd and 3rd round. His relentless running style, pass-catching skills, and pass blocking ability are all traits an NFL team is looking for in a starter. He can also return kicks. Martin is versatile enough to play in any type of offense. Reminds me of former Heisman winner and current Saint Mark Ingram. Shea McClellin. Yet another versatile player, this Marsing High grad has played DE, DT, Joker (stand-up DE), rover, and MLB. Tall, athletic, and relentless, McClellin's skills translate to either 4-3 rush end or 3-4 outside LB. Because of his athleticism, I expect him to be drafted as an OLB - somewhere around the 4th or 5th round. Reminds me of Ravens OLB Jarret Johnson. Tyrone Crawford. A late bloomer from Canada, Crawford is equally adept at stopping the run and rushing the passer - a rare combination. He has ideal size for a base (left) DE in the NFL, but could also slide inside on passing downs - much like how the Giants use their DEs. Likely a 5th or 6th rounder - but stock may rise based on work-out performances. Reminds me of Titan DE William Hayes. George Iloka. The Broncos' struggle against the pass may have caused Iloka's stock to drop a bit. However, he is a tall, athletic safety who can turn and run with slot receivers - but is also big enough to cover TEs and RBs. The NFL is trending towards smaller safeties, but Iloka's ability to play both strong and free safety (and special teams) will get him drafted in the 5th or 6th round. Reminds me of Giants safety Kenny Phillips. Kellen Moore. Kellen's NFL prospects will one of the more hotly debated pre-draft discussions. Simply put, Kellen is small - almost tiny - by NFL standards. Contrary to popular opinion, he does have decent arm strength - especially on intermediate routes. Of course, his greatest strength is his mind. He has "future coach" written all over him. He need to go to a team that doesn't need a starting QB, that has a history of ignoring conventional wisdom, and that would appreciate Kellen's intelligence. The best fit for him would be the Colts - in the 5th or 6th round. Kellen reminds me of no current NFL QB. His size and intangibles remind me of Joe Montana - but reality reminds me of former Oregon Duck Bill Musgrave. Musgrave had a decent career as an NFL back-up but a much longer career as an NFL assistant coach and offensive coordinator. Tyler Shoemaker. Shoemaker is having a record setting year at WR for the Broncos; doing most of his damage from the slot position. Shoemaker has decent speed, good hands, runs crisp routes - and is a wicked blocker. Larger slot receivers are in vogue with many NFL teams right now, so expect Shoemaker to end up going in the 6th or 7th round. Reminds me of Packers WR Jordy Nelson. Kyle Effaw. Although Effaw's catches and TD totals have dropped this year, he has still been an integral part of the Bronco offense. Effaw is a small TE by NFL standards (6'4, 227). However, he is a tenacious blocker - especially on the move. A number of NFL teams are using TEs in the slot and motioning them to either block or run a pass route - a role that would be a good fit for Effaw. Reminds me of Ravens TE Dennis Pitta. Jarrell Root. Root has been caught up in a numbers game at DE for the Broncos. The emergence of Ryan Winterswyk in past seasons and later Tyrone Crawford have limited Root's playing time. However, he is getting a lot more reps this year due to rotation and BSU's extensive use of "Bear" (5 d-linemen) fronts. Root is an emotional leader, a tenacious pass rusher, and also plays special teams - all skills that should give him an NFL shot. Probably a 7th rounder for a team; possibly as an outside LB in a 3-4 scheme. Reminds me of late-bloomer Chris Clemons, a DE for the Seahawks. Aaron Tevis. Tevis may be the best over-all athlete for the Broncos defense - including having amazing hands for a LB. Tevis has good height - but thin and narrow-hipped by NFL standards. He also seems to lack the side-to-side suddenness and the "sand in the pants" that many NFL teams look for in an outside LB. He should still get a shot as either a 7th rounder or a priority rookie FA. Reminds me of Titans OLB Gerald McRath. Byron Hout. Hout is a good, solid college football player. He plays with an edge and a ferociousness that will catch the attention of NFL scouts. However, he is stiff in the hips and doesn't have a lot of speed - both of which are must-haves at the NFL level, especially at MLB. I'm curious about how he grades out in the pro day workouts. I don't think he will be drafted but should get a NFL camp invite as a rookie FA - possibly as a FB. Who knows - if he gets the right shot, he may stick on a roster. Because of that, he reminds me of Bengals LB (and occasional FB) Dan Skuta. Other seniors: Chase Baker - Great guy and a tough dude, but too many injuries and too small to be an NFL DT Brad Elkin - Doesn't have a punting style that most NFL teams are looking for, but may get a camp invite. Cedric Febis - Took him until his senior year to be a starter at safety - and still looks lost at times. Chuck Hayes - To be an NFL guard, you can big and slow, but not small and slow. Travis Stanaway - A good special teamer, but not an NFL prospect. Hunter White - A good athlete with a little nasty in him, but simply too small for the NFL. Cory Yriarte - A history of injuries and a lack of size likely means no NFL shot. Thomas Byrd - Likely a future grad assistant and coach, but not an NFL center. Antwon Murray - Simply hasn't played enough - and there must be a reason for that. Matt Wilson - Has played less than Murray Dan Paul, DJ Harper and Jerrell Gavins will all likely apply for medical redshirts to play one more year.
The U. The Ohio State University. University of Southern California. Nebraska. Michigan. Such is the litany of famous football programs. But with the advent of large scouting departments on NFL teams, scholarship limits and YouTube, small school players now have a legitimate shot at getting noticed by the NFL. So who are the best of the current NFL players from small schools? Here is my top 10: - Jared Allen - DE - Minnesota Vikings. This Idaho State Bengal was the winner of the 2003 Buck Buchanon Award (best defensive player in DI-AA) and was drafted in the 4th round in 2004 by the Kansas City Chiefs. Now with the Minnesota Vikings, Allen over-came off the field issues to become one of the NFL's premier pass rushers - recording double digit sacks for 5 straight years.
- Fred Jackson - RB - Buffalo Bills. Jackson went to Coe College, a liberal arts school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with an enrollment of 1300. Jackson was discovered by former head coach and GM of the Bills, Marv Levy (who is also an Coe College alum). Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006, Jackson is currently the NFL's leading rusher - having beat out former first rounders Willis McGahee and CJ Spiller for the starting RB gig.
- Miles Austin - WR - Dallas Cowboys. Austin was signed as undrafted free agent in 2006 out of Monmouth (NJ). For his first 3 seasons, Austin was primarily a kick returner and part-time receiver. In 2009, Austin became the Cowboys's primary receiver. He went on to make the 2009 and 2010 Pro Bowl rosters.
- Jahri Evans - G - New Orlean Saints. Evans, out of Bloomsburg State (PA), is the NFL's highest paid guard and a multi-time Pro Bowler.
- Pierre Garcon - WR - Indianapolis Colts. Although having a down year like the rest of the Colts, Garcon has become an integral part of the Colts vaunted passing attack. Drafted in the 6th round in 2008, Garcon is from DIII powerhouse Mount Union (Ohio) - winners of 10 DIII national championships since 1993.
- Cortland Finnegan - CB - Tennessee Titans. This Pro Bowl cornerback has earned a reputation for his nastiness. Originally a 7th round draft pick in 2006, Finnegan attend Samford University (Alabama) where he was a 3-time All Ohio Valley Conference safety.
- Jared Veldheer - T - Oakland Raiders. A 3rd round draft pick in 2010, Veldheer has already become one of the AFC's top left tackles. Veldheer attended Hillsdale College (Michigan), a school noted for being a hot-bed of conservatism but not for producing NFL players.
- John Kuhn - FB - Green Bay Packers. A course of "Kooooohn" is heard when this popular Packer player touches the ball. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Steelers, Kuhn hails from Shippensburg University (PA). Kuhn has become a jack-of-all-trades for Green Bay - running, blocking, catching and playing special teams. Also from Shippensburg, Atlanta Falcons starting CB Brent Grimes.
- Danny Woodhead - RB - New England Patriots. Woodhead is college football's all-time leading rusher (all levels). After attending Chadron State (Nebraska), Woodhead went undrafted and was signed by the Jets. After spending a year on IR, Woodhead was cut and then signed with the Patriots. Since then, Woodhead has played multiple roles for the Patriots running, catching, and playing special teams - including making a number of plays against the Jets.
- Kevin Boss - TE - Raiders - Western Oregon. When the NY Giants drafted Boss in 2007 in the 5th round out Western Oregon, he was considered a solid prospect but not a potential star. However, Boss took over as starting TE after Jeremy Shockey as injured - which lead to a Super Bowl victory where Boss made a critical 45 yard catch. In 2011, Boss signed a huge contract with the Raiders.
Others considered: Mike Tolbert, Brent Grimes, Nate Washington, Cary Williams, Isaac Redman, Jacoby Jones, Derrick Ward
I'm frequently asked what books I read - and what books I would recommend others read. There are plenty of very helpful books on how to do something. And plenty of books that will make you think. But what if you wanted to fundamentally change your thinking? To re-wire your brain so that your thinking (and behavior) become a competitive advantage? Here are my Top 5 for doing just that (in no particular order) ... Core concept: "This fun little book will help you figure out if you're in a Dip that's worthy of your time, effort, and talents. If you are, The Dip will inspire you to hang tough. If not, it will help you find the courage to quit-so you can be number one at something else." Godin will always make you think - probably more than any modern business author. His books always inspire "I've never thought about that before". However, a lot Godin's stuff is not all that actionable - more theory and concepts than changing behavior. The exception is "The Dip". My good friend and relevance filter Tac Anderson gave me a copy several years ago when I was in a transitionary phase in my career as a consultant. Like many of the books on this list, it was a quick read. However, it fundamentally changed my thinking on excellence and career fulfillment. I use the principles in the book as part of any strategy-related discussion for my clients as well as my brand. Core concept: "Why do some ideas thrive while others die? The brothers Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the “human scale principle,” using the “Velcro Theory of Memory,” and creating “curiosity gaps.” This is the best business book I've ever read. I actually listened to it first - then bought the actual book. It's the only business book I've read more than twice. This book caused me to shift my entire consulting methodology away from promoting products for my clients to promoting (and discovering) ideas. This is because great brands are ultimately ideas. As such, I use (with proper credit) their 7 elements of an idea in my consulting sessions. A brilliant, yet simple read. Core Concept: "In studying the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way -- and it's the complete opposite of what everyone else does. And it all starts with "why." As friends and clients can attest to, this book is probably the one I quote the most. Simon's book is a profound blend of inspiration, communication, and behavior - all critical elements of effective branding. Simon's "Why?" principle gets at the heart of what creates a great brand. Like bacon goes with eggs, it blends perfectly with "Made to Stick" - providing a robust set of concepts for discovering and promoting ideas. Core Concept: The Go Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe learns that changing his focus from getting to giving—putting others’ interests first and continually adding value to their lives—ultimately leads to unexpected returns. Told in story format, "The Go Giver" risks being mis-positioned as being trite or cheesy because of it's title. It is most certainly neither. Instead, "The Go Giver" uses a simple narrative to uncover what it truly takes to be successful. Because of it's story format, I enjoyed the audio version more than reading the book. Joe's story is similar to a situation we've all been in - the pressure to increase sales RIGHT NOW. Through the narrative, the authors reveal 5 critical elements that Joe was missing in his search for success. I use the concepts in this book every day. Core Concept: Bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman guides couples in identifying, understanding, and speaking their spouse’s primary love language—quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. Although obviously written as a relationship/marriage book, this is also a business book. More specifically, it is a book on how to create an internal culture that becomes a differentiator for your brand. I'm sure that Dr Chapman didn't write it with this intent, but the principles apply to branding, culture, customer experience, employee recruiting, etc. Why? Because all of these areas involve people - and how they relate to each other. Each of the "Love Languages" are manifested in business settings as well - and when you understand this, it will fundamentally change how you interact with your employees, customers, and influencers. I will also use this post to shamelessly and gladly promote two new books from two of my favorite people:
We have all watched brands lose their way. We've seen established brands take the slow walk to irrelevance. We've seen start-ups that crashed on take-off. We've seen vibrant brands that were all the rage suddenly become as popular as cold gravy. How does this happen? Of course, there are many causes: lack of funding, internal cultural issues, market shifts, etc. But I would venture to say that even those issues are more symptoms than causes. I believe the true cause of failure is lack of clarity. More specifically, a lack of clarity in three areas: - Lack of Strategic Clarity: This is manifested in an organization's inability (or unwillingness) to answer this question: "Why are we here?" I refer to this as the "spiritual" side of a brand. This is the core element that creates the aroma of the "bacon-ness" of a brand that attracts audiences - both internally and externally. Brands that have answered this question always have a starting point for making decisions, selecting the right people, etc. Without this answer, companies tend to drift - from executive to executive, message to message, and audience to audience. The issue of Strategic Clarity becomes even more apparent when the top decision-makers in a brand have vastly different answers to this question. This issue can't be fixed with an ad campaign (it might actually make it worse). Instead, it requires an awareness of the problem from the top executives - and the willingness to change.
- Lack of Role Clarity: Ron Price speaks often of this regarding internal cultures. The question to answer is "What are we doing and who is doing it?". While primarily an internal efficiency and productivity issue, role clarity extends to the brand - primarily via customer experience. When your employees don't know their role, this is manifested on to customers - creating language like "That's not our policy". Lack of role clarity leads to quality control problems, theft, mis-use of the system and more. This issue extends to directly to customers as well. Brand that tend to have purely transactional relationships with their audiences create a role for their customers that severely limits word-of-mouth. When customers don't have the role of brand evangelist, at best you simply have their loyalty - that's not enough.
- Lack of Market Clarity: While lack of Strategic Clarity and Role Clarity issues may be the primary cause of brand failure, both tend to be more subtle and longer-term issues. Lack of Market Clarity is usually obvious to everyone. This is manifested in the question "What are we selling and who are we selling to?" This is the world of reactive marketing, poorly executed marketing efforts, and squishy messaging - and an obsession with finding the right message. Surprisingly, lack of Market Clarity affects brands that often have a good product and good people. They tend to believe too much in the "Field of Dreams" - build it and they will come. They tend to view marketing as "icky" - primarily because they see their less honest competition using marketing to out-hustle them. Regardless, you need to present the right image, the right message, and the right offering - all to the right people.
When you think of "Bacon" brands such as Under Armour, Southwest, Starbucks, Apple, SAP, Victoria Secret and others you can see that they do well in all areas of clarity. Conversely, you can see the brands that are struggling because of a lack of clarity: AOL, GM, Burger King, and many, many more. We know what doesn't fix lack of clarity. Ad campaigns don't fix clarity. More investment money doesn't fix clarity. Casual Fridays don't fix clarity. So what does fix clarity? Leadership. If you are the primary decision-maker in your organization, it starts with you. All three of these clarity issues can be solved with leadership. As a leader, you must first face the truth, clearly define the problem - then lead the effort to change and improve.
- MVP: Aaron Rodgers. With a combination of youthfulness, smarts, leadership, toughness, big arm, and athletic ability, Rodgers is the NFL's best QB. His weapons and system on offense will rack up yards and TDs - and wins. Not that it's required to be an MVP, but Rodgers also has a wicked sense of humor. Oh - and he looks like Ryan Howard from The Office.
- 5 New Players to Watch: Every year, previously unknown players burst on to the scene (Last year: Arian Foster, Danny Woodhead, Stevie Johnson, etc). Here are 5 to watch this year:
- Lance Kendricks - TE - Rams. A rookie from Wisconsin, Kendricks is the most recent addition to the Freakish Athlete Playing TE club. Look for him to help Bradford and company take the NFC West.
- Randall Cobb - WR/KR - Packers. This Kentucky rookie gives the already prolific Green Bay a multi-tool weapon in the likes of Brad Smith or Joshua Cribbs. Already one of the fastest players in the NFL, Cobb is going to get touches via receiving, returning, reverses - and maybe some Wildcat.
- Von Miller - LB/DE - Broncos. A defensive end for Texas A & M, this rookie will play strong-side LB on run downs and DE on passing downs. Fast, intelligent and a great work ethic, Miller is already drawing comparisons to former NFL great Derrick Thomas.
- Sergio Kindle - LB/DE - Ravens. Last year, in an accident caused by a sleep disorder, Kindle fell down a flight of stairs and fractured his skull. Despite initial diagnosis that his career was over before it started, Kindle is back and will be a critical part of the Raven's vicious pass rush sets.
- Andy Dalton - QB - Bengals. Dalton has the opportunity to be the most prolific of this years' crop of rookie QBs. He has a solid running game, a stable of talented yet unproven receivers, and offensive wizard in Jay Gruden. The Bengals defense will also be above average. On top of all that, Dalton is likely the most NFL-ready in terms of mental toughness, intelligence, big game experience, etc.
Next Assistant Coach to become a Head Coach: Jaguars' offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. A former head coach at Boise State and Arizona State, Koetter was in the running for several NFL jobs last year - including the Denver job that went to John Fox. His creative play-calling and ability to coax somewhat impressive numbers out of mediocre talent will earn him a head coach job next year. With his boss Jack Del Rio on the hottest of hot seats, Koetter may end up replacing him - especially if rookie QB Blaine Gabbert plays extensively this year. Next Back-up QB to get a Starting Gig in 2012: This doesn't include seat-warmers like Luke McCown (for Blaine Gabbert). Matt Flynn with the Packers is in the final year of his contract. In subbing for Aaron Rodgers (and in pre-season performances), Flynn has proven to be heady and athletic. Although not packing the biggest arm, Flynn would do well in an offense that requires ball control and intelligence. Look for him to end up in Denver or Miami. Most Over-Rated Team: The Detroit Lions are getting all of the hype as a play-off contender. They are essentially the NFC's version of the Houston Texans - lots of offensive firepower, but limited on defense. They will finish 3rd behind division winner Green Bay and runner-up Chicago. Most Under-Rated Team: The Washington Redskins. The Redskins are going to have a top 5 defense and a top 5 rushing attack. These two areas will more than cover up their weaknesses at QB. Look for Timothy Hightower to finish in the top 3 in rushing. Most Wins: New England Patriots. Look for them to go 13-3. They've worked on two key areas that were weaknesses last year - offensive weapons and pass rush. With both of these areas dramatically improved, the Patriots can focus on their recent bug-a-boo of losing play-off games. Most Losses: Miami Dolphins. Weak QB, new running backs, limited weapons on offense, porous run defense, and no pass rush. Have fun with that. I predict 4-12.Most Depth: With salary caps and limited roster sizes, depth is hard for most NFL teams to achieve. However, depth is one of the secret ingredients to each team that has won the Super Bowl the last 10 years or so. The winner for this category is the Steelers. They are one of the few teams that could play with their second team offense and defense and still be competitive. AFC & NFC Champions: For the AFC, I'm going with the New England Patriots. As mentioned above, they have performed well in the regular season, but have had 4 straight years of one-and-done play-off appearances. With improvements in depth, offensive skill set, and pass rush ability, they are the best team in the AFC. Who they will beat in the AFC championship: San Diego. For the NFC, I'm going with a repeat appearance by the Packers - for all the reasons mentioned prior: best QB, best offense, great run defense, great special teams play and the best pass rush in the NFL. Who they will beat in the NFC championship: Atlanta. Super Bowl Winner: Green Bay Packers
Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of working with some elite brands. Many are brands that are not well known outside of their market area. Some are quietly elite. And some are brands you've probably bought something from. In working with these elite brands, I have been struck by how hard they work, how driven the executive teams are, and their general humility about their eliteness. In looking at the brands I've seen from the inside as well as studying more well known brands, I've determined that all elite brands have these 5 traits in common: - They have standards, not rules. Of course, they have business processes - and are quite disciplined about them. What I mean is that they don't have a bunch of rules telling employees and customers what to do and how to behave. I've mentioned this before, but this trait in non-elite brands is manifested in signage. "No checks". "Wash your Hands". "No returns without a receipt". "Remember to Smile (I saw this sign at a teller's desk in a bank!), and many more. The elite brands have standards - manifested in their culture. They make the workplace fun and productive - and the buying experience easy. Above all things, they make it easy for their employees to fix problems that aren't in some handbook - especially related to customer experience issues.
- They embrace accountability. Non-elite brands are gifted at re-defining problems, shifting blame, and giving long speeches. Elite brands have a culture of accountability that permeates the entire organization. Their people want to own problems, not run from them. They want to be measured and challenged. Because of this, they tend to benchmark everything: customer delight, employee productivity, system performance, profitability, etc.
- They use the language of "Yes". Non-elite brands start with "no". As in "No, we can't" or "Not my job". Elite brands start with "Yes". They say "yes" to customers - and they say "Yes" to each other regardless of department. Even the traditional "No" departments like HR and Finance, start with "Yes". This creates a positive, innovative, and creative culture that manifests itself in every part of the brand.
- They are polarizing. Elite brands are not afraid to offend someone. They aren't afraid to let an under-performing employee go. Or "fire" a hard-to-deal-with customer. They also aren't afraid to take a stand with their belief systems and standards. They aren't trying to please everyone - just the people that share their passion, values, vision, etc. Non-elite brands are passive aggressive. They pretend to be nice but complain about customers and each other behind the scenes. They take abuse from customers who are trying to work the system. They tolerate mediocre employees, systems, marketing, relationships, etc.
- They want to win. Every elite brand I've worked with or studied has a "bad guy" they want to beat. This could be an unscrupulous competitor, a stale industry, or perceptions in the marketplace. Whatever it is, they want to kick it's butt and blow it up. They are intensely competitive - and as such, they are not afraid of competition or afraid of being measured. Further, the employees of elite brands tend to be competitive - often manifested in being more healthy and fit than employees of non-elite brands.
So few brands are elite. I would estimate that less than 10% of brands in any industry or geographic area are elite. Of course, there are few elite brands because it's hard work. Beyond that, it requires a different kind of thinking. It requires an intolerance for mediocrity, a passion beyond profitability, and a burning desire to be great - 3 traits that are rare in humans in general. So when you find these elite brands, do business with them. If you are a business owner or lead executive, find an elite brand and learn from them. For the people that don't want to be elite, there is always Olive Garden, Pop Country, and Old Navy. To buy "Oatmeal v Bacon: How to Differentiate in a Generic World", go here.
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