BCS or Simply BS?

OK, call me a dedicated fan, call me a person with a lost focus since this is the 2nd entry that detracts from Productivity or Marketing altogether - but a blog gives an individual a chance to write about their passions, so I'm going to take full advantage of that opportunity.

Let's face the facts - the Missouri Tigers got HOSED.  Plain and simple.  Anyone close to a newspaper, TV station or sports commentator will all tell you the same thing.  There were no less than 3 different experts on ESPN's site yesterday, video or otherwise, who all have come to the same conclusion.  The BCS, or more importantly, the Orange Bowl commission, obviously needs to make a trip to the optometrist.

How can you possibly put Kansas above the Tigers in their selection process even though the BCS, AP, and other polls listed them all the same - Kansas being 8th ranked and the Tigers 7th ranked?  The Orange Bowl committee was quoted as saying a big part of the decision came down to the fact that the Jayhawks only lost one game.  Uh, yeah and Hawaii lost none and prior to last week were still ranked #14 in the nation.  Ever hear of a weak schedule?  I realize that my rants, along with thousands across the nation, will all fall on deaf ears.  But collectively, these issues along with many others should one day cause us to pause and reconsider the BCS or bowl selection process.  For the #7 team to play the #25 team, Arkansas, who has already lost their head coach - is that good football let alone good television?

My saving grace in all of this will come in early January when many like me will stand up and laugh at the Orange Bowl's outcome.  The Jayhawks have a good team and a good quarterback - no doubts about that.  But simply  put, not as good as the Missouri Tigers.

A Life Long Dream Realized

OK, so this entry is not exactly about Marketing or Productivity, at least not at a glance.  What it is about is the celebration of a journey - my journey and that of the Missouri Tigers.

I grew up in Columbia, Missouri, attended the University of Missouri in Columbia and through it all I was a die-hard fan.  I fondly remember my Grandfather and I listening to the Tigers, whether it be on the radio (mostly) or watching them on TV (hardly).  They had some great years, but mostly some poor ones.  After graduating in 1991, I continued to track them and saw a sprinkling of bowl games.  They've had some great players and for those who remember, some great quarterbacks.  My dad once got an autographed football for me of Corby Jones, one of the best QB 's Missouri has had.

Last Saturday night had to have been my proudest moment as a Mizzou fan.  Ranked 4th in the nation going up against #2 ranked Kansas, this game was set up across the states as one of the most anticipated games this year (first by the MU and KU fans and then by the rest of the Johnny come lately crowd).  Starting off strong with many unanswered points until the 2nd half and then finishing off with a great sack of KU's QB, Reesing, the Tigers capped off a great win with a safety and a final 2 points.  My heart is still pounding and this blog entry is dedicated to the Missouri Tigers.  It may have taken you quite a while to get to this point, but you managed to make me feel like I was a kid again - and realizing once again that anything really is possible.

Moleskine (try to pronounce that!)

Finally, it's time to post a little on one of my favorite topics, GTD - or as those in the dark would know it - Getting Things Done.  A wise and controversial man by the name of David Allen wrote a book many years ago called "Getting Things Done."  If you've not read it yet and are interested in productivity, put your keyboard down and run to the nearest bookstore.  

A few years ago I sat at my desk in utter despair.  I was surrounded by projects, cast into chaos at the sheer number of items I needed to get done to make my life more prosperous.  With emails and voicemails by the 100's, life was stressed to say the least.  Like you I suffered through, somehow surviving, but wondering what was the secret that so many others must have had in their arsenal to get them by.  GTD is the answer for me.  And we could blog on and on about GTD as many do.  But, let's start with a simple tool.

The themed picture for this blog entry is the Moleskine, a basic tool for most GTD'ers.  GTD teaches that you must clear your head of all ideas, tasks, projects, events, etc.  You feel less stress once you get these items out of your head and onto paper so that you can refer to them later in life.  I strongly concur!  For $15-$20 a Moleskine can be yours, or if you prefer a cheaper route, your local Target has a lower priced version that I've used as well.

A Moleskine has about 100 pages or more, depending on the size.  The paper is nice to the touch and many who use them comment on the sensory experience of writing in them given the right pen.  I like others have used the Pilot G-2 when writing and it completes the experience altogether.  Odd blog here, you may say, but try it and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Subsequent blogs will discuss this topic.  In the meantime, capture your thoughts, your dreams, your ideas, your tasks onto paper before your forget them.  Don't rely on your brain so much.  You owe it a break.

Take action...Get Involved!

Whether it be business, marketing, productivity or simply trying to understand how things work, nothing and I mean nothing can replace rolling up your sleeves and getting engaged yourself in the process.

Case in point - this blog.  OK, so it's in its infancy and I'm still developing my style, but after listening to podcast after podcast and reading a few blogs to understand how to put one together - I simply went to the edge of the diving board and jumped in with both feet.  Then and only then did the true education come into play.  Whether it be Blogger, WordPress or Typepad, the format will be different as will the features.  I chose Blogger because it was free and has afforded me some nice introductory experiences.  

Last night I decided to take another jump so that I could understand more about podcasting.  Uisng my beloved iMac I experimented with GarageBand and a free podcast song website to tweak some music.  Not only did I learn a lot about GarageBand and where to get intro music, I also learned a great nugget that I'm happy to share with you.  After recording some example audio using the iMac microphone, I then decided to try something I had been thinking about - making my own studio.  Guess what I used....  A blanket!  Huh?  By putting a blanket over my head (and that of one of my daughters, Haley), we were able to try out the different sounds produced by the blanket and found the sound dampening quality of the blanket to not only work, but to work well.  Now, it did get a bit hot, but it was a fun bonding moment for both of us and by getting involved and experimenting, I came across a cheap way to record a podcast from home.

I hope this encourages you to take a risk, even a small one, to make things different.  By taking one step forward the view DOES change.

Smart Moves from the NFL

The NBA started the last couple of years engaging women in their advertising.  Rather than their usual ads they began issuing stories of their players with the hope that the format would pull women into the fold.  Now the NFL has taken a similar approach and it's paying off.  

The NFL has some great commercials - one in particular where women wearing NFL women's apparel greet one another at the door wearing competing teams.  Now the Baltimore Ravens have created a women's only group to support the team - called Purple.  Having collected a membership close to 3500 in the past year, the Ravens are doing what every man dreamed of - they're getting women excited about football!  Hats off to Baltimore and hats off to the NFL for turning weekend enemies of football into advocates.  For us married folk, Sunday afternoons just might get a little easier...especially if the yard needs mowing... 

Who Do You Trust?

In a "revealing" study done by Nielsen, word of mouth was once again guilty as charged as the most trusted way to receive messaging/marketing.  The stats and other commentary are provided here by our good friends at Church of the Customer.com.

What I find interesting is the paradoxical information.  Newspaper ranks 2nd overall - people still read the paper?  Brand websites rank 4th - so that means if you have the website, you can say whatever you like and people will believe you?   Just one more sign I guess that the consumer of today is simply unpredictable? 

Homage to 43 Folders - where it all started

This will be short but sweet.  Hail to Merlin Mann and his site, 43folders.com.  The long story on discovering all about Getting Things Done, GTD, came about through Merlin's site.  His clever, witty, dry sense of humor is all we need in this world to put a wry smile on your face, whatever the time of day.  

Best of all, Merlin leads the way - not only is his material fresh and welcome, he has recently updated his site to include more material more bloggers and a great interface.  He gives hope to mere mortals that one day all us amateur bloggers might one day aspire to his level and fame.  

Can Productivity Bring Back the Dead?

A bit of a reflective post today.  Can productivity bring back the dead?  Stupid question, obviously.  Perhaps sarcastic in light of the fact that a co-worker of mine died this week.  

I sat in the second row of Sean's funeral service.  The ceremony could spare no extra seats - it was obvious he had many friends.  I couldn't help but keep my gaze upon the family while the funeral service unfolded.  A 32 year old male, taken from life due to diabetes complications, was being buried that day.  He was leaving behind a grateful family, but saddest of all a son and daughter, both under the age of 11.  At times the children seemed unaware of the gravity of the situation - and for their sakes that was probably not a bad thing.  But the gravity hit me and hit me hard.

I reflected on my own children and what their lives would be like if I were killed or taken from this world.  I think of the opportunities they would miss, the questions in their heads, the pain of a loved one being taken away.  So many things would change.  As they will for Sean's children.  Sadness refills my heart. 

As a human being, I always look for a hidden pearl or story in what happens to us in life.  As a marketer, I realize that the products and services I work towards marketing each day have little to do with the entire world at large.  So what I "side-market" these days is productivity and Getting Things Done.  It has changed my life and numerous other people I know.  It helps people - plain and simple.  And it makes me fill good that I can pass on the good message that there is hope in today's business world - that stress does not have to plague you.  You can be productive, even more productive, by following some simple principles and practicing them each day.  And perhaps, like the image, you can feel like the weight of the world is no longer upon you and you can fly like an eagle and spend past wasted energies on more important things - like your children or your life in general.

When I pass on, I want my funeral service to be full of friends and family, like Sean's.  I want my children to know how hard their Dad worked and all the accomplishments he helped with.  I want them to know most of all, he did what he did out of love for the human race and that he always looked for the most efficient way to get those things done because he realized that as much as he loved his work, he always loved his family more.  With that said, I can now spend my Saturday happily - with my children and family.

Getting Things Done

Today is Blog Action Day - a day for all bloggers to focus on the environment.  So how can you help the environment?  Aside from a thousand and one sites to visit on making the environment better, let's just keep it simple.

Computers have many functions and are supposed to help us create a paperless society.  But have they?  Why is it that printers are at an all time high and the ability to buy reams of paper is now available at Wal-Mart and not just the local paper warehouse.  The use of paper is higher now than it has ever been.  So, let's keep this short and sweet - the next time you print off that ad to proof out - remember why computers and sharing software were created.  Convert that file to PDF and email it.  And save a tree.

How many times has this happened to you?  An overzealous co-worker comes to you about an idea, product or service that they believe should be marketed to the masses?  Everyone else is out there, the competition is eating our lunch, I'm tired of reading their ads and no one knows we're alive, etc.  These are the many excuses I've heard.  At times you may be coerced into cooperating, perhaps even intimidated by their persuasive and passionate presentation.

Before you make this costly mistake, keep in mind the word "capacity."  Put the ownership back on the presenter and ask a simple question.  "Bob, do we have the capacity to market at this point?  In other words do we have all the resources we need and can we handle the potential business customers will give us?"  If the answer is no, then politely decline the request until the operations are ready for marketing to assist.  This is a simple concept, but one that many miss.  The worst mistake a marketer can make is to market a bad product or service.  Ensure the operations are operable to make the product  more marketable.

Lessons from the Grid Iron

Last weekend I was afforded the opportunity to travel five hours from home so that I could go to Kansas City and watch my beloved Chiefs take on the Minnesota Vikings.  Say what you will about the KC Chiefs - I don't care.  They've been up, they've been down - but through it all, I've been there to root them on and continue hanging on to the dream that one year they can pull it all together and go to the Big Dance.

  

We arrived about 1 hour early so we could soak in the atmosphere.  Going into the game the Chiefs record was a miserable 0-2.  This had occurred before, so the other fans around me were talking about how this was no big deal and that the Chiefs would turn it around and go 11-5 or better.  Of course, all of this talk went south halfway through the first quarter.  The home team wasn't looking sharp, the key player, Larry Johnson, who everyeone is depending on for a great year, wasn't running the ball well and the Chiefs trailed 10-0 at halftime.  The boos grew, the comments continued and if I didn't know any better, I would swear I was no longer at Arrowhead Stadium but was instead surrounded by Raider Fans at the Black Hole.

The second half arrived and with perseverance and a revised game plan, the Chiefs pulled off their first win with a final score of 13-10.  All the naysayers were all of a sudden throwing their beers to the side so they could cheer the home team leaving the field.

Now, let's pause for a moment and reflect - because I saw quite a few lessons to be learned that apply to work.  

• The key player was having an off day and it took a team effort to win the game.  Isn't that how it's supposed to happen?  Dependence on the individual and not the team causes lackluster performances by all - lack of confidence, etc.  Having high expectations of your entire team lifts the team's performance and keeps everyone on their toes.
  
• Don't give up.  Not every quarter - nor every day - will be a shiny or stellar day.  The crowd (or boss) will have reason to yell at you, fairly or unfairly.  When this happens, rise to the occasion and find that internal motivation to prove your worth your position within the organization.
• Misery loves company.  When one person says anything negative, others love to join in and commiserate together.  RESIST THIS URGE.  Instead of talking about what's wrong, do what you can to do make it right or better.  Seek to influence those things within your realm in a positive light.  

Jott This Down & You Won't Forget It!

Let me start by saying I am not affiliated with "jott" in any way, but let me say without a doubt that when you visit www.jott.com, it will be a moment of astonishment.  For productivity lovers like me, I almost had to grab the nearest box of Kleenex (well, I do have a cold in addition to...).

Jott is an application unlike any other I've seen and they have even gone so far as to begin to list ways you can use it.  I'm sure upon further thought there might be even more.  But for now, let's start with a simple explanation.  After starting up an account with Jott (which is free at this point in beta, but expect a price in the near future once you're hooked), you enter the phone number(s) that you call from the most, your email address(es) and then we start to scratch the surface.  You can enter your contacts by importing them from many different mail applications or by typing them in.  At that point, you call the Jott number,  1-866-JOTT-123.  Following a short prompt, you can say ME or a friend's name.  From there, your speech is converted to text and then that message is emailed to the appropriate party.  In other words - we're talking about a virtual Blackberry minus the need to type.  Whether you have a list of tasks you want emailed to you or a rash of emails to send, it can now all be done with the use of your cell phone or nearest landline.  Need a reminder?  It will send you one on the date you request.  Set up folders and you can send messages into that folder - tracking expenses, to do's, etc.

Amazing, huh?  But it doesn't stop there.  You can lump names into a distribution list, work or personal.  One call to Friends means everyone on your list now knows you got that new job or your baby was born.  If you're a fellow blogger, you can actually call in your blog and have it converted to text.

Is there more it can do?  Oh Yeah!  Stop wasting your time and check it out at the link provided above.  It's a tool any GTD'er will salivate at - so enjoy this great tool while it's free.

Ego

I realize the title of this blog is supposed to be about productivity as well as marketing, but in the initial stages of this blog I can't help but mention one more marketing topic that is close to my heart - EGO.

When you're marketing your products and services, there is really only one person that matters - the customer.  They're the ones making the purchase, they're the ones that have inspired you to create the idea or manufacture the product.  In the beginning stages this is an easy lesson to remember.  It's only too common that as time goes on  someone's ego gets in the way and suddenly focus groups or market research aren't so important anymore.  As times continue to change, customer predictability changes - daily!  You must never lose grip with who your customer is, what they think, etc.  You must become your customer and lose yourself, momentarily, so that you are able to look at your product from a third person perspective and critically preview if you're meeting expectations.  In other words, you must lose your ego.

About five years ago, I was a brand manager for a national foodservice company.  We were up and coming and things were really heading in the right direction.  As part of a multi-pronged approach, we created a new website, we promoted it with a full page ad in USA Today and the product we tied it in with really took off.  An established and fast growing company saw our ad, began talking with us and we both realized our customers were the same.  After short time they pitched us to partner with them.  Again, my company was an "up and comer," so the package they presented would cost us more than we were used to spending, but it was an obvious fit and  I saw large dollar signs in my dreams...  

I wish this story had a happy ending.  Unfortunately it does not.  I knew what our customer wanted and had the data to prove it.  Our president's ego refused to believe the research.  His instincts said otherwise (he said it was his instincts, but I say it was his ego).  In the end we passed on the opportunity and you can figure out the rest.  With no calculator needed, had we partnered with this large company there is no doubt in my mind our company would have become a household word.  It all came to a screeching halt (literally) because of one thing - EGO.

To borrow a popular branding campaign's slogan - when it comes to marketing, Leggo of your EGO.

The Alternative to Brain Storming

If you're like countless thousands of corporate types the world round, then surely you've participated in a ritual called "Brain Storming."  I would always submit two heads are better than one, unless it's me and my 1 year old, Sophia.  Most of her ideas focus in on graham crackers and barefoot walks in the grass; and while that's an adorable picture, it's simply not always practical.

The next time you get an email or call to the conference room to brain storm, think about it.  There you sit in your chair, next to a few others, who are looking around the room.  Someone moderates the group, under the supposition that you're not to poo-poo the others ideas and then at the countdown of 3-2-1-Go - you're off...tossing out ideas...looking out the window...staring at the ceiling...thinking about that email you have to write...and then suddenly you realize this is a waste of time.  While the room may commonly feature product shots from your company, your surrounded by the same-old same old and a great idea is about as foreign as finding the 3rd quarter in your desk drawer when you desperately need that Mountain Dew.

Here's a tip that I suggest and yes I will attribute this yet again to Doug Hall and his book, How to Jump Start Your Brain.  Whether your issue is about the latest sneaker design or the best way to market a new coffeemaker, keep a stack of magazines nearby or DVD's or better yet - suggest an alternative place to brainstorm - someplace away from the company's walls.  If that isn't possible, grab your magazines, throw them on the table and then for 10-15 minutes prior to the list-making event, have everyone start to review the magazines.  Make sure the issues are all over the board:  Sports Illustrated, Family Circle, MacWorld, Time, etc.  The farther they are away from the product or idea you're trying to overcome the better.  The obvious idea is to stimulate your brain by thinking of foreign ideas or putting yourself in a foreign environment.  Going to a coffee shop for a brain storming session instead of the conference room may help by seeing people you wouldn't normally see at work.  Perhaps a smell elicits an idea that takes you down a path.  Regardless, in short time you or your group will birth an out of the box idea that no one saw coming.  

Try this idea out and drop me a line if it works.

Play Doh Marketing

No, I don't work for Hasbro and no, I'm not one who sits and plays with Play-Doh all day.  Truth be told, I'm not particularly fond of the feel and how it gets dry if you leave it out.  What I am fond of is the concept of what I call Play-Doh Marketing.  If you've never heard of PDM, it's a new and exciting form of marketing.  So, congratulate yourself for having discovered the latest form of marketing that just might change the way you approach things.  

Before we get too far into this, let's give credit for where credit is due.   One of my favorite blogs, www.43folders.com, is based on the writings of David Allen's book, Getting Things Done.  Merlin Mann is quick to give credit to Mr. Allen,  So, like Merlin I must give kudos for PDM to its real founding father, Doug Hall, the author of How to Jump Start Your Brain.  This concept and example using Play Doh is actually in one of his chapters and has changed my life in many ways.

If you crave creativity and creative ideas, you may seek it in the most desperate of places... OK, alright...yes, I admit I watch a lot of TV and it was there last year or so that I found the show American Inventor.  Like American Idol, inventors came on the show, got judged and the winner was able to take his invention, develop it and make gajillions.  Doug Hall, the instigator of PDM, was the Simon Cowell of the show, the harshest of critics, but highly successful nonetheless.  Now that you have this useless point of reference, let's get on with it.

PDM is the use of external means to create.  Many that I have worked with are gifted with the means to just come up with a wonderful idea, the Michael Jordans of marketing.  Others, like me, have a little of that talent, so to offset it I enjoy seeking out ideas from multiple sources...and then making them my own with a subtle tweak or taking a few jumps to the left or right.

If you're still with me, PDM traces its real routes to the creative toy of childhood choice - Play Doh.  Imagine a container of it is in front of you right now.  Close your eyes (after you complete this sentence) and imagine it's really there.  Can you see the small can, imagine the cardboard body, the plastic top and the metal bottom?  

OK, now open it.  

What do you do?  

While some may simply dig in, I would wager many of you would do this - you'd smell it. Perhaps inhale it.  And if a can of Play Doh were really in front of me and I took in the aroma, I'd be able to transport myself back into the time of my life when anything was possible - 7 years old.  Can you go there yourself?  Sometimes a perfume smell may remind you of your wife or loved one.  An odd smell may remind you of that time you tried something new on the menu and frankly you should have stayed with that Big Mac you were going to get in drive-thru.  So, allow yourself to go back in time to the most innocent of times - your childhood.  Childhood allowed you to create and childhood allowed you to ask a ton of questions so you could understand.  And if you didn't understand, you simply made it up.  Anything was possible.

And, when anything is possible, the nay-sayers of the boardroom brainstorming sessions don't exist.  That supervisor of yours who has no imagination isn't there to tell you no.  This is your time.  And while you're in this euphoric state with a can of Play Doh still in your hands and the world has become a different place, you need to immediately grab a pencil and start writing down ideas.  Good ideas, bad ideas - it doesn't really matter.  Just start writing them down.  We'll deal with what to do with them later.   Remember anything is possible.  Budgets don't exist, resources are plentiful and any staff you might need are all there for you.  You can make it happen.

This is the basis of PDM.  In this blog I will give you other ways to create, other ways to open your world.  It will be a journey that I look to enjoy with each of you.  Until next time, go to your closest toy store, Target or Wal-Mart and buy a 4-pack of Play Doh.  Sit it close to your desk and when you're struggling for the next best idea, pop open a can...and inhale.