Drew McLellan, Author at McLellan Marketing Group

What’s your marketing lagniappe?

December 28, 2009

My blogging buddy Stan Phelps has always preached the word of having a "marketing lagniappe." He wrote about it in a guest post back in April and now he's decided to write a book on the topic.

In short, lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap) is a creole word, originating in Louisiana and literally translated means 'the gift.'' It refers to a small unexpected extra gift or benefit presented by a store owner to a customer at the time of purchase. The people of Louisiana have embraced the term and have broadened the definition to include any time a little something extra is given.

Stan's point is that every company should have some lagniappe in their culture, brand and marketing efforts.

Here's the recipe for creating a marketing lagniappe:

Here are the four main ingredients:

Unexpected – the extra benefit or gift should be a surprise. It is something thrown in for good measure. Think 'surprise and delight'.
Relevant – the item or benefit should be of value to the recipient. Make sure that the item or service is a true benefit. It shouldn't be a one size fits all proposition.
Unique – if it's a small token or gift, try to select something that's rare, hard to find or unique to your business.
Authentic – many times it comes down to the gesture. It becomes more about 'how' it is given, as opposed to 'what' is given. The small gift or extra communicates that you care about your client and you appreciate their patronage.

Let me give you a few examples from the McLellan Marketing Group culture:

Fresh baked cookies: If you come to a meeting at MMG, you're going to be served warm (fresh from the oven) M&M cookies. An added dash of double lagniappe — the M&Ms in the cookies are only the three colors (purple, green & orange) from the MMG logo.

Who Loves Ya Baby Day? For years, we've had an internal celebration for Valentine's Day called Who Loves Ya Baby Day (think Telly Savalas for those of you old enough to remember Kojak). Now — we share that celebration with our MMG clients. On Valentine's Day — each client receives a special Valentine's treat with a note from us — telling them how much we love them. Yup — love them. If we don't love them, we don't want to work with them.

Charity Adoption: Every year, as an agency we put out an RFP (last year we have over 50 applicants) and adopt a charity for an entire year. We ask some of our vendors to join us and in total, the charity will receive over $100,000 of marketing counsel, design, help and stuff.

Marketing lagniappes can't be artificially manufactured. They need to come from the heart (see #4 from the list above). It's about actually wanting to go above and beyond. It works because it's genuine.

Stan is looking for some examples to put in his book. And I'm betting that many of the Marketing Minute readers (that's you!) have either done or seen some great examples of marketing lagniappe.

Check out this PPT presentation (be sure to watch the short video embedded in the middle as well) and then if you have some examples — reach out to Stan and share.

Marketing Lagniappe – "In Search of Your Purple Goldfish"

View more documents from Stan Phelps.

Why not tell the world what you're up to? Or give someone else some props for their marketing lagniappe? And as you've been reading this, if you've realized that you can't point to something that you're doing to give that "little gift" — I'm hoping that's making you feel a little uncomfortable.

If you won't make your clients feel special and appreciated…someone else will.

Meanwhile…why not tell us here in the comments the best marketing lagniappe you've ever received? I'd love to hear some!

P.S. By the way…I think you can and should have some marketing lagniappe tricks up your sleeve for your employees as well.

Image courtesy of shutterstock.com

5 marketing lessons from Rudolph

December 23, 2009

We've sung the song, teared up at the movie…but have we really considered what marketing messages are woven into the classic Christmas story — Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?

I think not. So let's correct that mistake right now. (And enjoy the film's original trailer)

Marketing lesson #1: You can't hide the truth.

Rudolph did not embrace the fact that he was different from all the other reindeer. He just wanted to have a cute little black nose and the chance to play some reindeer games.

You can fool people for a little while, but if you cannot walk the talk…don't say it in the first place. Your consumers know you're not perfect. They just want you to be straight about it.

Marketing lesson #2: Never make assumptions about how your consumers feel. Far better to ask directly.

One of the main reasons Rudolph took a hike was because he assumed Clarice wouldn't love him now that his nose so bright was common knowledge. Think of the grief he could have saved everyone if he had just checked in with her.

You are going to be hard pressed to find a more insightful marketing tool than a customer survey. Sometimes the news is tough to hear, but I guarantee you — you can make some simple changes to significantly increase your customer loyalty and retention.

Marketing lesson #3: Your worst enemy can turn into your greatest ally.

Sure…the Abominable SnowMonster (or The Bumble as Yukon Cornelius called him) tried to eat his girlfriend but Rudolph came to see him as a buddy — even letting him put the star atop the Christmas tree. All it took was someone (Hermey the elf) listening to the Bumble and finding his pain (tooth ache) to turn the grumbling beast into a helpful and happy pal.

When someone clearly dislikes or even hates your company, product or services' shortcomings, listen. If you really work towards understanding their perspective — you can not only save the relationship but you can turn that negative word of mouth risk into an advocate.

Marketing lesson #4: Create raving fans and a community by giving first.

Rudolph didn't have to promise the Misfit Toys anything. At that moment, they couldn't help him. But with a generous heart, he promised them he'd try to find them good homes with children who would love them.

When you do something without regard for "re-payment" of any kind, you create value. When you create value…people keep coming back. When they do that, you begin to build a relationship and a sense of loyalty and no one has even tried to buy or sell yet. Which makes the selling a whole lot easier.

Marketing lesson #5: When you find what makes you unique, it can be your ticket to new heights.

When Rudolph began to see his nose as an asset and recognized it was what set him apart from all the other reindeer, he suddenly got asked by Santa to take a leadership position. From then on, it was his calling card. People told others about his nose and pretty soon, he was known from coast to coast. That's branding!

Companies like Apple and Disney rise to the top because they are proud of what makes them different. They don't try to be everything to everyone. They recognize that having a niche means you can create brand loyalty as opposed to being lost in a sea of sameness.

(A fond repeat of a post I wrote in 2007)

Are you good enough to even try it?

December 18, 2009

I've been both hustling and bustling to get my Christmas shopping done. One of the items I have purchased at many different retailers is a gift card. I'm guessing most of you have bought more than one this holiday season so you know how easy it is.

You select the card design of your choice, you carry it up to the check out, you request a dollar amount and voila, you have a gift card. Pretty standard.

But not always.

I was at my bank earlier this week, making a deposit when I saw a display for VISA gift cards. I needed one for a gift so I thought…great, I'll just get it here.

When I told the teller what I wanted, she was more than happy to sell me the VISA gift card. Here's how the process went.

I pulled my credit card out of my wallet. "Oh no, sir. We can't take a credit card for the gift card." Turns out they could….but it had to be a cash advance. So I had to sign a form for that. I smiled and said, "no problem."

Then, I had to fill out a different form with my name, address, etc. on it so they could register the gift card. I smiled and said, "no problem."

Then…I had to read a 2 page disclosure and sign it. I smiled and said, "no problem."

10 minutes later, I had my $50 gift card. I could have bought the exact same card at my local grocery store or Walgreen's in 30 seconds.

I kept saying "no problem" but — for that bank, it was a big problem.

A problem of lost esteem. (I'm a good customer and I had to sign 3 different forms to buy a stinking $50 gift card?)
A problem of changed perception. (if it takes them that long to sell a gift card…how long would it take them to make a house loan?)
A problem of a bad association. (Every time I see that particular teller…what do you think I will remember?)

And they probably made $1 on the transaction, if that.

Many businesses, in an attempt to be everything to everyone or perhaps to squeak out yet another few pennies of profit — do things that they're not good at. If you're guilty of this — stop it. If you aren't great at it, don't do it. And if you know you can't at the very least — be as good as your average competitor — for the love of God, don't do it.

Whenever we step away from our sweet spot — the thing/things that we excel at (and that our brand should be associated with) we do damage. We damage our reputation, we damage our relationships and we damage our ability to be perceived as the best.

Next time you want to add a product or service to your offerings…ask yourself the very difficult question. Are we good enough to even try this?

If you can't be better than most — don't.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Trends that will influence 2010 and beyond

December 15, 2009

Ad giant JWT has done a year-end forecast for the past several years and has just released their thoughts on what 2010 will bring.

Here's a glance at the 10 trends they believe will shape this next year.

Searching for Stability
While many indicators point to the beginnings of an economic recovery, consumers will continue to exercise restraint until they see more clear, dependable and closer-to-home signs of stability. Unemployment lifting will be a key barometer for consumers. (Example: People are still delaying big-ticket purchases.)

Reading the Fine Print
Consumers will be working harder than ever, putting more time and energy into finding good values, reading the fine print and learning the ins and outs of nutrition, environmental impact and ethical business practices. (Example: As banks, airlines and other ailing service industries impose a complex raft of fees and conditions on customers, failure to pay close attention will be costly.)

Maximum Disclosure
While manufacturers and retailers have become increasingly transparent in recent years, legal requirements and competitive pressures will force fuller disclosure about everything from ingredients and calorie counts to carbon footprints and sourcing. (Example: Walmart is working with its suppliers to develop a sustainability index for all its products.)

The Devil Wears Packaging
As the eco spotlight focuses on the environmental costs of packaging, brands will increasingly switch to bottles, boxes and other solutions that reduce, reuse, recycle, remove and renew. (Example: Kenco Coffee in the U.K. recently launched Eco Refills, which it says use 97 percent less packaging than its glass jars.)

It's BIC, and It’s Bigger Than Ever
The vaunted BRIC emerging markets are now down to BIC—and while developed nations remain hobbled by the financial crisis, Brazil, India and China are emerging stronger than ever, both economically and politically. (Example: As the appetite for luxury in the developed world wanes, it’s on the rise in China; in October, dozens of French luxury labels, including Christian Dior and Chanel, launched a Web site <http://www.ccolbert.fr/> to promote their brands in the region.)

Trickle-Up Innovation
Products designed for emerging markets are increasingly filtering into the developed world, where consumers are welcoming them as cheaper and simpler alternatives to existing choices. (Example: India’s Mahindra & Mahindra is gaining market share against John Deere, offering suburban lawn-owners in the U.S. a lower-horsepower tractor at lower prices.)

Retooling for an Aging World
As the world’s population grows older than it’s ever been, watch for a proliferation of products and services that cater to this demographic as they strive to live independently for as long as they can. (Example: Thermador has designed a glass cooktop that automatically shuts off when cooking is completed.)

Life in Real Time
The Web is evolving into a constantly updating stream of real-time information, conversation, memes and images. This is creating an increasingly mass culture and shifting perceptions of “current,” moving modern life into the “now.” (Example: During the World Series, the Huffington Post created a real-time hub that collected the Twitter feeds of baseball writers, Yankees mavens and Phillies commenters.)

Location-Based Everything
With more location-based services and advanced mobile and mapping technologies hitting the market, the conversation will become as much about “where I am” as it is about “what I’m doing” and “what’s on my mind.” (Example: Foursquare, a gaming app, uses geo-tagging technology to help users find and share bars, restaurants and other venues with friends.)

Visual Fluency
The ongoing shift from words to images will accelerate, and we’ll see increasingly innovative ways to explain and illuminate complex topics. (Example: The animated online short “The Crisis of Credit Visualized <http://www.crisisofcredit.com/> ” blends storytelling, journalism and analysis to make a complex topic easier to grasp.)

If you'd like to read about each trend in detail, you can purchase the full report by clicking here.

Here's what I am wondering…which of these trends do you think will have the most impact on your business in 2010? And…what are you doing to maximize the opportunity?

Insights into logo design

December 14, 2009

My goal was simple….write a series of blog posts talking about the art and science of logo design and selection.

We got the company LogoInn to donate logo design time. We ran a contest and the city of Colfax became the lucky recipient of the free logo design…and it went haywire from there!

Which honestly, is a great example of how logo design works. It isn't always neat and pretty. Sometimes, it is painful. And you need to choose a partner who knows the ropes and will stick with you.

If you want to follow the saga, here are the links.

That last post was where things spiraled out of control. The city of Colfax (and most of my commenting readers) weren't crazy about any of the logos. So I sent all the critiques back to the logo company and then heard nothing. I've attempted to e-mail my contact there for several months — but nothing. (Update…I got an e-mail from them today!)

But I promised the city of Colfax a new logo and dang it, they're going to get one!

So….we decided to run another contest…but this time for designers. Anyone who wanted to enter a logo could. The winning logo designer would get s $250 VISA gift card.

Today….I am delighted to tell you we have 23 new logos to examine, discuss and hopefully…decide upon. 7 designers submitted logos. I am purposefully not identifying the designers at this time…but I will once the winner has been selected.

When viewing and trying to select a new logo for your company/brand, remember these rules:

Always view the logos in black and white first.
Always view the logos in a relatively small size. If it doesn't work small — it doesn't work.
Always view all logos in relatively the same size, so you are comparing apples to apples.
Remember — this is a subjective decision. Be careful that "committee think" doesn't paralyze you.

To view all 23 logos on the web — click here.

To download a PDF (larger images) of all 23 logos — click here.

Then, come on back here…and let's talk about the designs, the process and how you go about accessing a good logo. (Please remember…be respectful of the designers who did these — anyone trash talking will be immediately booted.)

5 questions that will lead you to true word of mouth (Andy Sernovitz)

December 9, 2009

Cover via Amazon

Word of mouth is bigger than tools like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. It's more than viral videos, expensive campaigns, and big PR stunts. Real word of mouth is a philosophy, not a tactic.

True word of mouth marketers know it's about earning the respect and recommendation of your customers — it's something you build into everything you do. The next time somebody tries to sell you on a high-dollar digital campaign, remember that real love is earned, not bought.

5 big questions that will lead you to true word of mouth:

1.) Who will talk about us?

Every successful word of mouth program begins with a focus on who will talk about you. It's not always your customers. Don't forget industry influencers, your strategic partners, your neighbors — they're all potential talkers and they're where it all starts.

2.) How do I take this beyond the marketing department?

The mission of earning the respect and recommendation of your customers shouldn't be confined to the marketing team. When it's a company-wide philosophy — when everyone from the CEO to the front-line customer service reps are working together to astonish customers with amazing products and services — that's when you're on your way to building real word of mouth.

3.) What's next?

This helps you determine the difference between a one-off stunt and a program that's got long-term potential to build relationships. Word of mouth works best when it's designed to build momentum with each new loyal fan you earn.

4.) Would this trick my mother?

Scam-ball, sleaze-filled trickery is not the way to earn love from customers. Hiding relationships between you and your talkers, paying for reviews that aren't true, setting up fake accounts to hide your identity — it's not only unethical, it's illegal. If your mom were to read something and not understand that it's a paid ad, you're lying to your mother.

5.) Would anyone tell a friend about this?

This is a question that changes companies. Put it on a sticky note on your monitor, a poster in your conference room — anywhere it will remind you to ask that if it's not worth telling a friend about, why are you doing it?

Andy Sernovitz is the author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking and is CEO of GasPedal , a company that teaches word of mouth to brands of all sizes.

PS Want to learn more about earning the respect and recommendation of your customers? Join Andy and 30 other brilliant word of mouth marketers for Word of Mouth Supergenius <http://gaspedal.com/supergenius> on December 16 in Chicago. Marketing Minute fans can take $128 off registration with the code: THISGUYDREWRULES

5 reasons why other people will spread your personal brand

December 5, 2009

I was part of a panel (with Claire Celsi, Nathan T. Wright & Dr. David Bulla) talking to journalists about personal branding this morning.

Part of my message was that it's fine and dandy to have a personal brand…but one of the keys to its success is in how you share your brand with the world. I used the analogy of a dandelion.

Once you figure out what your personal brand is all about….you hold it out to the world, like a dandelion.

Sure…the wind will gently blow some of the seeds along, letting them land somewhere and take root. But…if you really want your personal brand to be spread far and near…you need other people.

When someone holds a dandelion close to their mouth and gives a big blow….those seeds go everywhere. What would make someone want to use some of their power and influence to help spread your personal brand?

Here are five reasons why someone else might make the effort to spread your personal brand:

Are you a go-giver? Do you share what you know and have?

People tend to want to help those people who help others. If people know that you're not a taker, they're going to be more inclined to serve you up to their friends and colleagues.

Are you a credible resource?

Do you actually have something to say that is real, relevant and of value? In today's world, one of the currencies that is most valued is relevance. You need to be someone who walks their talk to earn that credibility.

Are you consistent and reliable?

People only have so much "connection currency." So they don't want to waste it by introducing the world (or their contacts) to someone who is wishy washy or doesn't honor their promises. If I help set up a meeting between two people and one of them cancels at the last minute or is a no show…some of that bad karma rubs off on me.

Are you real?

If your personal brand is something you put on and take off like a hat — why would someone run the risk of exposing you to their network? There are many posers (as Steve Farber calls them) out there. Don't be one of them.

Are you grateful?

When someone goes out of their way to feature you on their blog or use one of their connections to help you — do you say thank you? Do you look for ways you can return the favor? Do you make them look good by treating that gesture as a gift rather than an obligation or entitlement?

There you have it. If you want others to help introduce you and your personal brand to the world…be the kind of person who makes that easy and enjoyable!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Present like Steve Jobs (Carmine Gallo)

December 4, 2009

Drew's Note: As I try to do on many a Friday, I'm pleased to bring you a guest post. Meet a thought leader who shares his insights every day. So without further ado…Carmine Gallo.

Again, enjoy!

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is considered one of the greatest marketers in corporate history. For more than three decades, he has delivered legendary keynote presentations, raised product launches to an art form and successfully communicated the benefits of Apple products to millions of customers. Whether you're in sales, marketing, advertising or public relations, Steve Jobs has something to teach you about telling your brand story.

Plan in analog. Steve Jobs may have made a name for himself in the digital world, but he prepares presentations in the old world of pen and paper. He brainstorms, sketches and draws on whiteboards. Before a new iPhone, iPod or MacBook is introduced, the Apple team decides on the exact messages (aka, benefits) to communicate.

Those messages are consistent across all marketing platforms: presentations, Web sites, advertisements, press releases, and even the banners than are unfurled after Jobs' keynote.

Create Twitter-friendly headlines. Can you describe your product or service in 140 characters? Steve Jobs offers a headline, or description, for every product. Each headline can easily fit in a Twitter post.

For example, when he introduced the MacBook Air in January, 2008, he said that it is simply, "The world's thinnest notebook." You could visit the Apple Web site for more information, but if that's all you knew, it would tell you a lot. If your product description cannot fit in a Twitter post, keep refining.

Introduce the antagonist. In every classic story, the hero fights the villain. The same holds true for a Steve Jobs presentation. In 1984, the villain was IBM, "Big Blue." Before he introduced the famous 1984 ad to a group of Apple salespeople, he created a dramatic story around it. "IBM wants it all," he said. Apple would be the only company to stand in its way. It was very dramatic and the crowd went nuts.

Branding expert, Martin Lindstrom, has said that great brands and religions have something in common: the idea of vanquishing a shared enemy. Creating a villain allows the audience to rally around the hero — you, your ideas and your product.

Stick to the rule of three. The human brain can only absorb three or four "chunks" of information at any one time. Neuroscientists are finding that if you give your listeners too many pieces of information to retain, they won't remember a thing. It's uncanny, but every Steve Jobs presentation is divided into three parts.

On September 9, 2009, when Jobs returned to the world stage after a medical leave of absence, he told the audience that he had three things to discuss: iPhone, iTunes and iPods. Jobs even has fun with the rule of three. In January, 2007, he told the audience he had "three revolutionary" products to introduce — an iPod, a phone and an Internet communicator. After repeating the list several times he said, "Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices. They are one device and we are calling it iPhone!"

Strive for simplicity. Apple chief design architect, Jonathan Ive, said Apple's products are easy to use because of the elimination of clutter. The same philosophy applies to Apple's marketing and sales material.

For example, there are forty words on the average PowerPoint slide. It's difficult to find ten words in one dozen Apple slides. Most of Steve Jobs' slides are visuals — photographs or images. When are there words, they are astonishingly sparse. For example, in January, 2008, Jobs was delivering his Macworld keynote and began the presentation by thanking his customers for making 2007 a successful year for Apple. The slide behind Jobs simply read "Thank you." Steve Jobs tells the Apple story. The slides compliment the story.

Reveal a "Holy Smokes" moment. People will forget what you said, what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. There's always one moment in a Steve Jobs presentation that is the water cooler moment, the one part of the presentation that everyone will be talking about. These show stoppers are completely scripted ahead of time.

For example, when Jobs unveiled the MacBook Air, what do people remember? They recall that he removed the computer from an inter-office envelope. It's the one moment from Macworld 2008 that everyone who watched it — and those who read about — seem to recall. The image of a computer sliding in an envelope was immediately unveiled in Apple ads and on the Apple website. The water cooler moment had run according to plan.

Sell dreams, not products. Great leaders cultivate a sense of mission among their employees and customers. Steve Jobs' mission is to change the world, to put a "dent in the universe." According to Jobs, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life and the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

True evangelists are driven by a messianic zeal to create new experiences. When he launched the iPod in 2001, Jobs said, "In our own small way we're going to make the world a better place." Where most people see the iPod as a music player, Jobs sees it as tool to enrich people's lives. It's important to have great products, of course, but passion, enthusiasm and emotion will set you apart.

Carmine Gallo is the author of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience, (click here to buy the book) is a presentation, media-training, and communication-skills coach for the world's most admired brands. He is an author and columnist for Businessweek.com and and a keynote speaker and seminar leader who has appeared on CNBC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC.com, BNET, RedBook, Forbes.com, and in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Investor's Business Daily, as well as many other media outlets.

Every Friday is "grab the mic" day. Want to grab the mic and be a guest blogger on Drew's Marketing Minute? Shoot me an e-mail.

Note: In keeping with the new FCC regulations, you should know that I received a copy of Gallo's book to review and if you click on the link to purchase the book, I will make a few cents from Amazon. You might also be interested in knowing that I am left handed.

What are your sales mistakes costing you?

November 28, 2009

When you lose a client or are pitching business that you don't win — do you know why you weren't chosen?

Most business leaders, if they were being honest, would have to admit they don't.

RainToday wants to offer some insights from their new report Deal or No Deal: Sales Mistakes that Turn Buyers Away. (you can download it for free here).

The biggest sales mistake? We've talked about it before but apparently, you weren't listening. The #1 mistake…Not listening. Shocker.

But….the real shocker is when you look at the chart that shows both the biggest mistakes AND the "much more likely to buy if they improved" items. Then you begin to truly understand the cost of some of those shortcomings.

One of the mistakes I find most startling is the "did not respond to my requests in a timely manner." Seriously people — they're asking to buy and you don't get back to them? Apparently 30+% of businesses out there actually make this faux pas. A whopping 57% of respondents say that if a business was better about this — they'd be much more likely to buy.

Duh. Shame on any business who makes this sadly common mistake.

The entire report is eye-opening. Download it today. And don't forget to visit RainToday's blog. Check it out here!

So….you've realized that you're making some of these huge sales mistakes. What should you do? How about getting some new sales habitudes? That's right….a new set of attitudes and habits that will get your sales on the right track.

My friend Jeff Garrison has written an excellent e-book on sales habitudes and is offering it to you for free!

Chapters include …

A Business Owner's Biggest Challenge
The Genesis of Sales Habitudes
The Sales Habitudes Explained

Download it today….and get yourself on the right sales track!

There you have it…one report to help you learn what you're doing wrong and the another to help you get back on the straight and narrow! Download them both and then get out there and make some serious sales!

Indulge in some gratitude

November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving! Even if you're not in the states — why not take a moment today and remember some of the blessings you have in your life?

I try very hard to make my blog about you. I want to infuse value, insights and fresh ideas in every post.

But I believe that one of the most powerful emotions we can experience is gratitude. I believe it literally can move mountains and change hearts. On this day of giving thanks, I ask your forgiveness as I recognize my own incredible good fortune.

Anyway…enough prelude.

In 2006 at the Balanced Life Center blog, the author created the Season of Gratitude. She invited other bloggers to share “a gratitude moment” and I couldn’t resist joining in back then and I can't resist making this my annual Thanksgiving post.

It is more true today than when I wrote it 3 years ago:

Rather than create a laundry list of the incredible and plentiful blessings that I am surrounded with every day, I decided to narrow my focus to my greatest gift.

My daughter. She is quite simply the best part of me.

Her questions force me to find my own clarity. Her humor is the perfect salve for a stressful day. Her fears remind me of my own humanity and her teen-induced insecurities keep my heart tender.

Her zest for life’s delights feeds my spirit and her need to re-charge urges me to slow down now and then. Her laughter triggers my own (sometimes in the most inappropriate places and times) and her tears show me the depth of my own vulnerability.

Her drive to succeed tempers my own so we can talk about balance and her sense of discovery (both academic and of self) lets me indulge in the same.

Her need to learn about the responsibilities that come along with being given a good life allows me to share my talents unselfishly and take her along for the ride.

Her presence gives me purpose. Her future gives me hope. And her faith in me inspires me to be a better person.

She is my Jiminy Cricket. She is my legacy. And she is, every single day, my season of gratitude.

How about you….will you take a moment and share your season of gratitude with us?

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