For crying out loud, Shoosh and Create.

Ferndale-bldg-11

So: Last night a few of my Facebook friends were treated to a bit of a rant about my sadness at the growth of negativity in the online community - specifically the willingness to post negative comments about a person or entity without having all the facts, and without heeding the consequences of that commentary. I won't go deeper than that here, 'cause it's not what this space is about and frankly my tale of discouragement is not necessarily that interesting. Suffice it to say that I'm not a fan of the ever-popular hashtag, #FAIL.

And: I recognize that I'm not likely to inspire people to change their mindset. If you're inclined to post spiteful or hostile stuff on Twitter/Facebook/blogs/forums, you're probably going to find even more ire fodder in my be-excellent-to-each-other babble. So my current plan is to contribute to the anti-negativity (see what I did there?) movement by supplying my share of positive (or at least neutral) content. It ain't much, but it's what I've got today.

Now: In the immortal words of Bill Cosby, "I told you that story so I could tell you this one:" My last post here is old. Not quite first-birthday old, but certainly OMG-what's-this-still-doing-in-the-fridge old. Every once in a while, a friend will ask when my next post will go up. I realized tonight, after someone brought up my blog in conversation, that I've grown WAY too comfortable making excuses like, "I've been so busy with client work that I haven't had time to focus on my own work." Or, "You know, I'm like the mechanic with a broken-down car." First, I HATE using clichés like that. Second, what bugs me most is that I was just saying those things to let myself off the hook.

But: the killer for me is that I've simply felt unmotivated when it comes to creating. I blamed it on the negativity I was consuming. ... I'm a decent illustrator, but I haven't created any artwork for its own sake in years. I revere good photography, but rarely pick up a camera and shoot. I love to write, but only seem to do it for clients. That's a lot of nothing I'm creating there. Here's the simple reality, of course: If I've felt unmotivated, it's because I was looking for motivation in the wrong place. I know some folks are motivated by other people (or by posters with a team of skydivers); but I've only ever been enthusiastic about my efforts when the motivation comes from within. So I've been sitting at the bus stop waiting, when I should have picked my lazy self up and started walking. Especially when I see movers and doers every day (more on that below).

Well: time to get to the point, in case you're still with me. Time to shake it off. Time to stop talking about other people doing their thing and do yours. Add that new capability to your business offerings. Take the first steps on that self-promo campaign you've been needing for months. Stop walking by the broken fixture in your store and making a mental note to replace it - do it now. Make that phone call. Order that equipment you've been needing. Spend the money. Give up a little sleep. Learn the technique. Make the time. 

Plus: find someone to hold you accountable. Some of my clients really appreciate the fact that I don't let them forget to manifest their intentions. Turns out I've never actually given someone permission to do the same for me. I'm asking a few trusted friends and peers to get in my face when I don't create something new on a regular basis. You should get your own small crew of wranglers to keep you in line.

...

Listen: I'm aware that NONE of the above is original. Really. In fact, let's recap: Negativity bad ... Positivity good ... Inactivity bad ... Self-motivation good ... Don't wait, start now ... Ask for help. Wow. I know. However, as I said earlier, it ain't much but it's what I've got today. And maybe presenting it the way I did resonates with you a little bit. If so, great. 

IF NOT: To ensure your reading hasn't been in vain, here are connects to some of the people who've reminded me within the last two weeks to join the anti-negativity movement, find my own motivation and make moves again. If you don't already know them, bookmark these folks. They're the doers:

Mike Han (Icon), artist, cool hunter and t-shirt slinger of Street Culture Mash, and co-publisher of I Am Young Detroit

Darcy Sletager, photographer behind Something Blue Gallery, original Corporate Whoracle

Sola Obayan, principal of BTO Solutions and founder of Social Media is a Party

Michel Martin (whom I don't know personally), host of NPR's Tell Me More and author of a particularly powerful editorial

Andy Davis, proprietor of AJD Office Interiors and Handy Andy Services

 

Who inspires you? What have you been motivated to create? Share some links here.

because the little faerie loves you

via youtube.com

fine. we can't all sell the sexy stuff. some of us have to sell janitorial services or copiers or insurance. but i'll say it again: people buy only when they've made an emotional connection to the product.

so the next time you're feeling sorry for yourself because you have to figure out how to market something that people take for granted, remember this PSA from SussexSaferRoads. it's utterly simple, yet (for me) incredibly moving.

make that emotional connection. lemme know if you need help.

what do you think about this spot?

what's wrong with this picture?

Soldado

so over the weekend i watched a replay of saturday's match between barcelona and getafe. while i watched the first half, i realized something was bugging me about getafe's kit (uniforms). at first i thought it was just the awful black/grey/white/red gradients and how they were integrated. but then as i watched soldado leave the pitch at half time (above), it hit me - i figured out what was REALLY bugging me. you see it too, don't you?


listen, i'm all for global saturation of a good brand, but just because you CAN afford to sponsor everything in the world doesn't mean you SHOULD sponsor everything. this is one of the silliest sponsorships i've ever seen. and it's one i would have liked to see the team turn down. just sayin'.

what do you think?

the thing about shoes

Media_httpwwwthesarto_qglon
via thesartorialist.blogspot.com

a lot of my friends know i'm crazy for the photo blog, the sartorialist. that guy's got such an amazing gig. i check in every day to see his newest photos.

anyway, over the last 10 days, a common thread throughout the entries has been shoes. ever notice how shoes make the outfit? they're like punctuation, or the use of italics, that can completely alter the meaning of a well crafted sentence - or drive the meaning home. and there are some fabulous exclamation points and italicized "je ne sais quois" in the latest photos.

personal branding aside, your *business* needs to wear fantastic shoes, too. people notice your shoes. some people even judge your entire look based on shoes. you know what i mean ... that guy at lunch with the decent suit but scuffed and outmoded shoes. the woman at the wireless store with a fashionable coat and jeans but then - blegchk - crocs.

how's your business card? are you one of those people who makes excuses for it even as you hand it to a new contact? what about the interior of your store - is the signage professional? is the language used consistent with your brand image and customer-service promise? speaking of customer service: do you promise "the customer comes first" and then tell them, "sorry, can't do it" when they ask for something just a bit out of the ordinary? those are some jacked-up shoes, my friend.

and your brochure. does it match the rest of your outfit? i'm talking about the logo that printed in a different color from the one on your stationery. the verbiage about a program you stopped selling six months ago. the fact that it doesn't even mention your website or your new twitter account.

see? shoes. get in touch or leave a comment and we can talk about it.

stop advertising. really.

yes, i get the irony. i'm a marketing and advertising guy telling you to stop advertising. but i mean it. i'd love for you to succeed. so i'll let you in on a little something i tell all my small-business clients: you should really cut it out.

advertising is the paid rental of space or airtime, filled with a prepared message. typically you pay to have the message produced, too.

(sometimes you don't pay for the message production. every town is full of local newspapers and directories who say, "don't worry - you pay for the space and we'll design the ad for you! free of charge! what a deal!" which is kind of like me offering to give you a free haircut. ... what, i got scissors and a comb! how hard can it be? it'll be JUST LIKE going to a real stylist.).

anyway: advertising is expensive for a normal small business. to do it in an effective way - meaning a way that will measurably improve your sales, it's VERY expensive. and in terms of ROI, it's not so good.

so: no more ads in the local newspaper. no radio spot. no billboard. no banner ad. no yellow-pages ad. for heaven's sake, PLEASE no television commercial. don't even let your kid's high school photocopy your business card into the girl's tennis awards-banquet program. cut. it. out.

doesn't that feel good? look at all the money you saved! now, let's put it toward more effective marketing techniques. techniques that will actually make you money. as in, profit. (i wish i had a dollar for every time i've heard a business owner say, "i did an ad in the newspaper. it paid for itself." that's it? it paid for itself? great. nice work. you gave someone money, and someone else gave you the same amount back. score.)

let's talk. let's figure out who your customers are now, and who you want them to be. how much customers spend with you now, and how much you NEED them to spend. how many customers you have now, and how many you want. you get the picture. once we know where you are, and where you want to go, we can plan the best way to get you there. on your budget.

example: for about the same cost as a full-page ad in a local magazine, we might be able to ...

1. design and mail a personalized brochure to hundreds of people who are within 5 minutes of your store, who make at least $XXX,000 per year, who have already expressed an affinity for what you sell, and who are likely to not only buy from you but tell their friends.

2. launch your online social-media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Blog, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.) and teach you how to make it profitable for your business - i know there are still some of you who think social media is about watching funny cat videos or status updates that say, "throwing in a load of delicates." but really, you can make your time online pay off.

3. redesign your logo so it doesn't use Microsoft clip-art or the font times new roman. i know, i know. you designed your own logo, and "it looks fine. it's not great, but it's good enough." listen. i promise, a professional brand identity will make a big difference in people's willingness to believe you know what you're doing.

so let's try some effective marketing techniques to make a positive, measurable impact on your business. once your sales are up, and things are humming along, you've got some money to burn - THEN we can talk about professional, quality advertising. we'll create and produce ads that build your brand. campaigns to increase awareness or bring people to your events. commercials to really let you shine. hell, maybe the high-school girls' tennis team can even be in your radio spot.

but first, good marketing will connect you directly to the people you want to sell to. in a cost-effective, consistent, professional way.

there's my rant. i feel better. thanks for letting me get that off my chest. think i got it all wrong? have questions? leave a comment. and feel free to subscribe by clicking on the link to the right.

cheers!
hadi

hehe ... it's not just me though, right?

Media_httpfarm5static_waurf
via flickr.com

this cracks me up. i don't know about 92%, but i do spend a disproportionate amount of time doing free design work for friends and family. i know a lot of folks in marketing and advertising who do too. BUT: i don't believe i work in a unique industry. surely there are lots of people in any specialized profession who find themselves in the same situation. i imagine lawyers and mechanics have to beat off the can-you-do-me-a-little-favor requests with a stick. how about you - what do you get asked to do? ever say no? do tell.

FSI site renovation

Fsiweb-before-after

let's clear up a misconception: your small-business website doesn't have to be a major financial investment to be effective (and by "be effective" i mean "help you make sales and keep customers coming back"). but it DOES have to be professionally produced and present an image that's consistent with your brand.

sometimes all a client wants is a quick flavor update, not a redesign or an artsy statement - even though i love me a good artsy statement. Flooring Services Inc. came to me needing a more personable face, a more integrated online presence that's google-friendly, and more opportunities for prospective clients to interact with them. and they were hoping for quick and relatively inexpensive, to boot.

so among other painless revisions, we edited the copy so the information was more relevant, easier to read, and concise. i updated graphic elements throughout so the look and feel would be warm and approachable. we added photography 'above the fold' so visitors can quickly see the exceptional FSI work and team - i photographed team-member headshots myself and FSI provided their own photos too. we created a Constant Contact archive page with their past e-newsletters (this is something they can easily update themselves over time), which i then linked to the main site. and of course i added a link so visitors could subscribe - adding themselves to the FSI contacts database - to get the latest flooring-industry news and FSI updates.

just as important, we cleaned up several issues created by the original web-design company that were probably harmful to the FSI image and their search-engine results (such as page titles that actually misspelled the Flooring Services Inc. name).

none of this stuff is crazy-expensive or overly time-consuming for a small-business owner. but it can make a big difference in terms of whether the right people can find you, and how they'll see you. get in touch to learn more, or click on the "Subscribe to this posterous" link to the right to make sure you hear about my latest blog posts as they happen. thanks!

marketing money doesn't buy customer satisfaction.

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via mashable.com

so AT&T comes in last in a consumers reports customer-satisfaction survey (click the mashable link above for the whole story). a prime reminder that you can spend all you want on advertising, marketing, and public relations. but if you don't back that up with a real quality product and strong, responsive customer service, you can forget about customer loyalty. (unless, of course, you've got exclusive rights to carry the iPhone. in which case, carry on.)

the same holds even more true for small businesses. if you're not tops in customer service, you'll be wasting every dollar you spend on marketing. because even if you get 'em in the door once, you won't get 'em to come back. and when they leave, they'll tell all their friends how unhappy they were with your attitude. when was the last time you asked your customers or clients how they feel about your service?

if you're wondering how customers/clients perceive you, and how you can make your business shine in the customer-service department, let me know. i might be able to help. :)

... and it should go without saying that if you're not offering the best possible product for the prices you charge, you might want to reevaluate your line of work.

PS: my current carrier is AT&T. not a big fan. but my last carrier was verizon. great network and coverage, but miserable customer service. do you have a carrier you love? i'll be looking to switch as soon as AT&T loses exclusivity with the iPhone.