Far too often we look at a group or team of people that are not succeeding and conclude that they are not capable of success. Saying the problems they face are too powerful, too irate and too ingrained to do anything about. We can make a profound difference in how well people turn out if we choose to pay attention to the constraints imposed by poverty, stupidity and attitude.
If our perception is much worse than the reality, why are we trying to change the reality? What we need to do is improve our storytelling and tell people about the reality. Sometimes our perception is faulty and we cannot really tell the difference between the quality and the environmental reasoning. I think that when we change our frame of reference and perceived value, the actual value will be completely transformed.
Pick your own truth
I think that there are two ways to create new economical value. You can either find out what people want and work out a clever way of how to deliver it to them. Alternatively, you can work out what you can deliver and find a clever way of how to make people want it. And the economic value created by these two things is just as great either way, even though they may be opposites of the same coin.
Marketing and advertising are two different things, and a simple way to test it - Would they miss you if you were gone? Most advertising does not pass this test! With marketing we communicate to people in ways they want to be communicated to and this is more valuable than “stuff”. A good example would be Amazon, as Amazon’s value is not based on their inventory, there value is based on the millions of people around the world who want to hear from them.
Marketing is fuelled by adrenaline, it’s fuelled by urgency and emergency, in the majority of cases we are not given the time to do it correctly but we have time to repeat it. We usually overcome our fear by creating an emergency and this endless emergency is caused by the fact that we are not patient in working our way to a place of relevance. I think that patiently building an asset is probably the single most overlooked thing that marketeers fail to do. I don’t think this requires a method, you just need to care.
You need to care
Sales persons, I have very bad news for you! Buyers only buy from you for two reasons:
1. Awareness - they know you exist, and
2. Trust - they trust you.
The thing about awareness is that they are making anymore of it. Nowadays, we are getting more and more focused on keeping our attention to ourselves and not giving it to whatever shows up, for example, Senate election in Georgia (USA), the most recent pandemic lockdown restrictions in the UK, etc.
Marketeers have a history of just taking attention and just wasting it, going forward I hope that marketeers will begin to treasure, grow and nurture our attention. And these marketeers will perform better than those who just go around creating panic and emergencies. Marketing campaign: “I made this and it was really hard. Look at me and buy it, as you owe me your attention.” There is no humility, there is no generosity and there is no connection. I think that it would make more sense to patiently try to earn the attention of the people we seek to serve.
Why me
I have been a director, senior leader and commercial executive with experience of running teams, and I have a proven track record of exceeding results in highly demanding environments from start-ups to corporates. Through my varied professional experience, I have gained a deep understanding how effective relationships impact the bottom line.
Over the past few years I have used my coaching, active listening and mentoring skills to help organisations to get better feedback from their customers and subsequently improving business results by changing how they deal with customers. As part of this focus, I examine strategy, culture, interaction design, customer service, branding and leadership practices.
I am passionate about spotting emerging best practices and helping companies master them and I also speak about these topics in keynotes and lecturing engagements. Contact me via e-mail and let’s arrange a non-binary virtual meeting to discuss collaboration opportunities.
Advertising works best when it is specific
Image via Kimberly Amici
I am a father, son, little brother, big brother, uncle, friend, leader, manager, mentor, coach and role model. I’m noticing this thing, here’s how I think it works and here’s how I think it may help you make things better. Would you pay me for that advice?
I made a great product, delivered wow and waited for them to tell other people. What I realised is that they will only tell other people if it will helps them, they will not tell other people if it only helps me. In order for other people to share your story, it must help their status, authority or life and then they will be more or likely to do it.
Detroit vs. Pepsi
Detroit in the State of Michigan came into my periphery as it was the home of Motown. Detroit is also known as the motor city - back in the days the Big Three car manufacturers (Chrysler, Ford and General Motors) had their headquarters there. Nowadays, it is the second poorest city in America and famous for D12 and Eminem. Well done to Pepsi for recognising the talent in the city.
Facts on Friday
The way we change the culture is not by getting a trending headline on social media, I think we change the culture by establishing that people like us do things like this. Culture is driven by media and media is driven by a business model. We all believe that we see the world as it is, in reality we live in a culture and that culture changes what we see.
Even though the world is safer and healthier than it has ever been before, even now during the Covid-19 pandemic, no one believes that is true. What has happened over the past 20 years is that the media business model has dramatically changed, and therefore, the reason that people don’t think that the world is safer and healthier is because the media does not want us to think that this is the truth. The higher powers have decided that society makes the most profit when we are on edge, insecure and feeling insignificant. #justsaying
Question: Why me?
What can I bring of experience and competence that can potentially beat a candidate with industry experience?
The love of winning! Sometimes an “outsider” can see a smarter way of doing it as I would have to learn the procedures and performance routines. And when you are learning a performance, you model yourself after the smartest way, which more often than not is also the best way.
Too many of us think the best people are the people who are metaphorically speaking, screaming “look at me” the loudest, and talking down to the rest of us. They are not the best!
The best people are out in the field - doing it - showing you the distinctions, articulating to you about what has worked for them, so you can benefit from their experiences. I think it’s genius to learn from other peoples mistakes, not in a miraculous way.
Too many of us have to learn from our mistakes several times before we really learn from them. Contact me via e-mail for sparring, mentoring or guidance.
Tips on Thursday
Why do you use Facebook?
Facebook’s brilliant business model is to give you this audience and then charge you if you want to reach them. I think Facebook has become a ”pay to play” platform! I doubt that you will get any form of organic interaction from your Facebook business page nowadays as it’s non-existent.
It makes more sense to take one piece of content and ”slice and dice” it across the various SoMe platforms. Observe how your end-users are consuming that content and then look for opportunities to repeat, as the playing field is continuously changing and we have to be ready for that.
Contact me via e-mail when you are ready to build a community on social media.
This is going to be an interesting journey
Via Getty Images
On Tuesday morning, I heard that Supreme had been sold to VF Corp (the parent company of The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Eastpak, Napapijri and Dickies) for $2.1 billion. VF Corp said the acquisition would give Supreme the "opportunities to leverage its global supply chain, international platforms, digital capabilities and consumer understanding." The streetwear market is based on scarcity and scarcity and growth are polar opposites, so I think the Supreme business model will have to change if the brand are going to move the needle on the VF Corps balance sheet.
The streetwear business model is unique, operating with agility across design, development, marketing and merchandising. Supreme are pioneers of scarcity and exclusivity, yet somehow they still maintain an accessibility with frequent curated drops and a limited supply philosophy are key elements to driving continuous brand energy and strong consumer engagement. As Supreme is my 15 year old son’s favourite brand, I have had the honour to visit both their stores in New York, as well as the London, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo shops. Not to mention the soft corners in the Dover Street Market stores in New York and Tokyo. For many consumers wearing Supreme was the epitome of cultural credibility and as their products had a high resale value, it was seen as good investment pieces.
What now, will Supreme become too commercial?
I think part of Supreme's enduring brand loyalty lays in its early understanding of the power of "social influence" where unlike most luxury and mass consumer brands, expensive celebrity endorsements and glossy advertisements are traded in for the more engaging marketing power of its own community. In the short run, everybody will still want a piece of Supreme. I think the brand will continue to drive "social influence" across every touch point where it interacts with its audience, whether it be via its e-commerce shop, in person, or on its social channels. From a VF Corp’s perspective, they will want to tap into consumer and data analytics to help the brand gain a deeper understanding of their community, and obviously open more brick-and-mortar stores around the world.
Supreme have been around since 1994 and the brand has evolved into a global cult with its own myths, legends, iconography, and loyal disciples. Where it goes from here is really down to the brand and for sure it’s going to be an interesting journey.
We can always do it better
Via Getty Images
Stephen Covey said, ”We should always start with the end in mind”. And getting really clear about not only the vital priorities that organisations are trying to pursue in gaining clarity around that but also what are the vital metrics that they use (KPIs). Essentially, what are the data points that are used to determine if they are on track?
Now if we have these and know what the performance metrics are, in other words when it's green and when it's red - then focus on how we can do more green stuff. And what are the things we need to do to fit into that? Will it become a predictive and repeatable model (best practice)? This does not mean it works perfectly or that some of the predictions are inaccurate because life changes and business is not static. I think being able to go into a marketing campaign or thought leadership campaign with the end in mind will certainly increases our chances of being successful by a factor of 10. And this is because of having that thoughtful planning from the outset.
Are you looking for a team who you can trust and have your best interests at heart? A team who really want to help your business navigate around the thought leadership process? A team who can help you generate revenue from that content, so you can do a better job in front of your customers?
I am at your service
What do I do?
I have built up a rather unique combination of skills, knowledge and experience. I have been an owner, director, senior leader and commercial executive, with experience of running teams and have a proven track record of exceeding results in highly demanding environments from start-ups to corporates.
Why do I do it?
I have been fortunate to have worked with some outstanding professionals which has enabled me to understand organisational dynamics through people, process and technology. These skills have been proven to be invaluable as I engage stakeholders, explore ideas and opportunities in line with your business priorities. If you want to experience significance and success, I am now in the position to share this valuable knowledge of how to become extraordinary in what you do.
How do I do it?
I currently help organisations, teams, leaders, and front-line employees identify and remove barriers to success. I specialise in addressing issues involving people, processes, and technology - especially where consumers are affected. As part of this focus I examine strategy, culture, interaction design, customer service, branding and leadership practices. I am passionate about spotting emerging best practices and guiding companies to master them. I also speak about these topics in keynotes and lecturing engagements.
What do we make?
According to my guru, Seth Godin marketing is simply “making work that matters for people who care”. As a marketing expert, we make change! We are trying to make a change happen and often we think that we just have to make it better. The problem with better is that it has no real definition. Let us assume we are trying to make it better for the customer and the enemy in the search for better, is average. And average is what everything we do is measured against.
You do not want to yell at strangers about your average products for average people. You have to make a brave promise to yourself that you are going to make something better for a very tiny group of people who are risk averse. And who also want to demonstrate to their community that they understand what it means to fit in with better quality products and services. I think there something about this change that we are making that is contagious. So contagious that people are proud of engaging with your products or services that they want spread the message.
People with passion can change the world for the better
You can go to the best education facilities and spend years trying to learn about marketing or you can spend 7 minutes watching this Steve Jobs presentation from 1997.
What is your purpose?
You either believe when there is no evidence and sometimes that is delusion fuelled by denial. And sometimes, you believe where there is no evidence and this shows that you have faith in things that have not been seen yet. The challenge is knowing the difference between the two.
The mind is an element, strategy is an element, but it’s PURPOSE that is the missing link that binds everything together. Purpose is what really matters!
The majority of human beings have never had a deep thought in regards of self-regulation. Everyone is so busy, we are all so distracted that we do not give ourselves time to ask questions that matter. What truly matters is giving yourself the space and time to ask these question.
What is the purpose of your organisation?
I think that purpose is the core, root or foundation of your organisation. Therefore, if anything is poisoning the roots, then we must stop and get rid of the poison.
How?
- By looking at the relationships, dynamics within your organisation.
- By looking at what’s driving people within your organisation.
- By looking at the crap that you drag into the business and what poisons the purpose within your organisation.
And I think that if you don’t do this work, you will never get purpose within your organisation.
What do you stand for?
The early adaptors are people who are playing with new ideas in the culture. NIKE are selling to the early adaptors of fashion and make their money at the front end of the curve. NIKE is a disruptor in the marketplace and the brand DNA is so clearly identifiable with “We stand for something”.
c/o Nike
Colin Kaepernick is a symbol who stands for something and the other sneaker companies have been afraid to stand for what he stands for. NIKE helped to transform Colin Kaepernick from a kneeling quarterback to an icon of change. I think when you wear NIKE, you are symbolizing that you also stand for something.
How can you become a meaningful specific and not a wandering generality?
This means that you should not become someone who is wandering through life with no specific purpose or meaning to your life. Instead, be someone who stands out from the crowd. With dreams and goals that add meaning and purpose to your life as you accomplish them along your life journey, you become a meaningful specific.
I think that marketing is creating true stories, that when they intersect with people who want to hear them, these stories will change those people for the better. Seth Godin recommends reaching your “smallest viable audience that you can be sustained by.” And he describes the smallest viable audience as “that core group that you know, you understand and seek to interact with and so delight them that they will tell others.”
I don’t want to trick people into paying attention for a short while by making interesting click bait. I think that whatever your brand aesthetic may be, consistency in tone, voice, and style is crucial in building trust and keeping your audience coming back for more.
Are you aware?
I think that one has to remain open-minded to the fact that there are 6 billion people around the world who are not European or North American, and they buy an awful lot of stuff.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to start asking some questions about these consumers, for example:
- Why do they buy it?
- How do they buy it?
- What are they using to buy it?
- Who’s serving them?
- How do they serve?
Seek and you shall find
I have always watched what happens when people visit stores, where do they go and what do they talk about? They are not going to tell you, but they will give it all away by the stories they tell while under observation. A common mistake marketeers make is assuming that other people see the world the way you see the world. This takes the form in thinking that other people believe what you believe, thinking that other people fear what you fear and everyone wants what you want. And when you are a marketeer, this is always a mistake!
Each of us walks around with a world view that we are certain is true. Our belief about money, about strangers, about places, etc., we think that it is true and that’s why it’s so hard to have a rational conversation with someone who holds opposing views on politics, race or religion. This is because their world view has surrounded them with enough narrative that they are sure they are right. It does not matter if you have scientific evidence, they do not want to believe you because that’s who they are at that moment. I certainly know that my world view is not the the truth of the world.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
What Tim Cook understood when he took over at Apple is that many people don’t buy Apple products because they are better, they buy them because their status goes up. People will queue overnight to get the latest Apple device because they feel good when other people see what’s in their hand and their status goes up.
There has not been one important innovation has happened under Tim Cook’s leadership, this is not a criticism, as he developed the biggest, most profitable luxury brand in history. Apple just use the technology ratchet to turn a handle on status and luxury. Tim Cook and his team understand this simple formula and all they had to do was watch what was happening in an Apple Store.
Contact me if you would like me to look at your processes …
How to get our attention?
c/o British Vogue
A vision usually comes from an individual. An entrepreneur. They make their companies and the whole world share the values to which they are attached. Luciano Benetton had a clear image of a world without interracial hatred.
Back in the days the “United Colours of Benetton” campaigns were groundbreaking. AIDS, racism, homosexuality and religion were important issues and Benetton was the brand that provoked the establishment. It’s a real shame that their voice has gone flat.
c/o Wallpaper
I think that when you close your eyes, you see your inner world and when you open them, you see the outside world as it presents itself. If you keep one eye open and the other one closed, your sight is blurred, but you find your vision. Remember that when you look through a telescope, you have to close one eye if you want to see farther!