Tag Archives: brand

Things You Should Say at Work!

28 Jul

This is a list of thoughts that I hope you and your teams are saying out loud inside your office or workspace. If not, print this and keep it as a handy reminder.

It’s far better for you to be thinking this way, rather than your competition.

  • Let’s try it.
  • I have an idea!
  • What if I’m right?
  • What if we did this?
  • Let’s go ask the intern.
  • Have you tried this yet?
  • What if it doesn’t work?
  • What if this actually works?
  • Wait…I’m on to something!
  • But that hasn’t been done before?
  • I have a hunch, let’s hash this out!
  • What would another department do?
  • You can’t ignore the research, can you?
  • Let’s go ask our receptionist what she thinks.
  • What if we fail at this and embarrass ourselves?
  • Nobody else is doing it that way, why should we?
  • What if we actually did what our customers tell us to?
  • Are we doing this because it’s how we’ve always done it?
  • Look at the silent person in the meeting and say “What do YOU think?”
  • How would (insert a completely different company here) manage this?
  • What would somebody from outside of our industry do?
  • Is this a unique idea, or a rehash of what’s been done?
  • Is there another way to use this technology?
  • Let’s go home tonight and ask our kids.
  • I’m over thinking it, let’s just do it.
  • I’m not afraid, are you?
  • I don’t know.
  • Yes we can!

Willy Wonka Can Make Your Brand Better!

13 Jul

When I worked in Indianapolis, there was a chocolate shop on the first floor of our building that sold hot apple cider. It was awesome, my morning guy and I would jump down there a couple of times a week during the winter (which in Indy is about 10 months long).

The South Bend Chocolate Company had cases and cases of chocolate, ice cream, and a giant copper kettle that dispensed liquids, mainly my cider.  It looked like something right out of Willy Wonka.

One day I ordered the cider, and rather than watch this magical stuff come out of the copper kettle, I heard this from the employee.

“Where’s the Mott’s? We ran out.”

Where’s the Mott’s? Are you kidding me? It’s Mott’s Apple Juice? I was so pissed.  Here I thought the Oompa-Loompa’s were out back stirring freshly smashed apples into a giant bowl with cinnamon, and really it’s just some kid with a plastic bottle of apple juice that I can buy for a buck and half at the grocery store.

I never bought it again.

The power of the experience, the story they told, had worked.  I was buying 2 dollar cups of cider every week. They Wonkafied it! What about you? When people use your stuff, your ideas, your website, your widgets, what kind of experience are they having?  What would Willy Wonka do to your brand?

Stories Sell. Start telling one.

5 Things I Learned in the Hiring Process

8 Jul

Here are five things I learned while interviewing people for a position with my radio station

  • In an era of transparency and authenticity, it’s hard to sell yourself.  There’s a fine line between bragging and sharing.
  • Most people don’t really believe they are good enough, when in fact…they are. This is unfortunate.
  • People apply for jobs without reading the job description.
  • The perception we have of ourselves is often fueled by the circle of friends, family, and co-workers that are in orbit around us.  When you step outside the circle, you experience what others think of you for the very first time. It can be humbling.
  • The more qualified your candidates are, the harder it is to determine who is the best person for the job.  To resolve this, you have to make unscientific, intuitive based decisions.

One final thought for anybody applying for a job – it’s not personal. Just because one person doesn’t see greatness in your resume or see the spark inside you doesn’t mean you don’t have it.  It just means this person didn’t see it or was looking for something else.

In particular for on air personalities, it’s important to recognize that every PD in every market is going to respond to your air-check in a different way.  Take the criticism, good and bad, and apply it. Be thankful you didn’t get a job with a manager that didn’t get you.

That wouldn’t have been much fun.

STOP YELLING! The Kid Can’t Hear You.

30 Jun

Last week, I attended another one of my daughter’s swim meets.  I referenced the swim meet experience in a story last year. This time around, something struck me, or rather interrupted me. It was Moms and Dads screaming words of “encouragement” from the side of the pool

Hey parents….guess what. THEY CAN”T HEAR YOU!

They’re listening to their coaches, the kid next to them who farted, and oh by the way…

THEY’RE DIVING INTO A POOL AND GOING UNDERWATER!

They are swimming, focused, and determined. Thinking about the impending flip turn, or if their arms are in the right position.  I know you mean well, but rather than encouraging your kid, you’re making the rest of us crazy.  I won’t even get into how ridiculous you look cheering for a kid UNDERWATER!

Why do I mention this? It’s not because I think these parents are crazy, it’s because they are exactly like old school marketers.  Yelling about how great their products are through billboards, TV, radio, and worst of all print.

Nobody is listening…they’re busy.

Perhaps parents should be letting the coach’s coach, the swimmers swim, and try encouraging kids in those moments when they give you their attention…or as I like to call it: Permission.

Are you doing the same with your brand?  Are you yelling or engaging? There’s a difference.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 308 other followers