Passion Archives - Page 14 of 25 - McLellan Marketing Group

Happy Independence Day!

July 3, 2007

Cam Beck over at ChaosScenario says it better than I ever could, as he often does.

Let freedom ring.

Thank you for joining in the choir!

June 29, 2007

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved a great church choir. You know the kind I mean. They shout and stomp and clap and sing and rock out the house. Every single singer brings something to the party. They bring their passion, and their belief and their energy.

That’s how I feel about all of you. The people who read this blog. The people who take the time to turn the monologue into a conversation. The commenters. I told you when I hit 1,000 comments that "the comments are the interaction. The comments are the conversation. The comments are why I blog."

Last week, we crossed the threshold to 2,000 comments. Together. Roberta Rosenberg, the Copywriting Maven left the fateful 2,000th thought and as is now my tradition, I have invited her to write a guest post which will be coming shortly.

My blog will be 10 months old in another week or so. I’ve made lots of mistakes. I’ve done a few things I’m pretty proud of. But nothing means more to me than the fact that you keep coming back. And talking back.

Thank you to all commenters, including the following:

Aaron M. Potts, Adam Kayce, Adam Steen, Adrian Lee, Adriana, Al, Aldian Prakoso, Alex Bellinger, Alvin Borromeo, Amy, Amy HVG, Andrew Clark, Andy Beard, Andy Brudtkuhl, Andy Drish, Ann Handley, ann michael, Anna Farmery, Anne Simons, Art Dinkin, basketer, Becky, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Becky-Joe, Beth, Bob Glaza, Bob LeDrew, Brett Duncan, Brett Rogers, Brett Trout, Brian Clark, Bryan Person, C. B. Whittemore, Cam Beck, Caroline Melberg, Carolyn Manning, Char, Charles Brown, Charlie, Charlie, Chris Brown, Chris Clarke, Chris Cree, chris gribble, Chris Kieff, Chris Punke, CK, Christopher, Trottier, Chuck, Claire Celsi, Claire Walter, Connie Reece, Copywriting Services, Cord Silverstein, Cory Garrison, Craig Harper, Dan, Dan Scwabel, Darren, David Airey, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Dalka, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Reich, Dawud Miracle, Delaney Kirk, Dennis Bjørn Petersen, Derek Tutschulte, Donna Konley, DotMySpot, Doug, Doug Karr, Doug Meacham, Douglas Mitchell, Dustin Jacobsen, Easton Ellsworth, Elizabeth Anderson, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Saunders, Eric Brown, Erin Blaskie, Fran, Gavin Heaton, gianandrea facchini, Graham Hill, Guy Kawasaki, Hannah, Heather Gallegos, Helen, Howie, Irene, Jaap Steinvoorte, Jack Hayhow, Jackie Cameron, Jackie Shervington, Jake Nudge, Jamie Shiels, Jane, Jane Greer, Janet Green, Janice, Jaynie, Jeff, Jeff Morris, Jennifer Espeland, Jessica Colleen, Jeremy, Jim Durbin, Jim Kukral, Jim Lane, Jim Tobin, Jim D Walton, Joan Schramm, Joe Raasch, John, John Dawson, Kami Huyse, Kammie K., Katie Cummings, Katie Konrath, Kevin Dugan, Kevin Hillstrom, Kim Klaver, Kirsten Harrell,, Kristin Gorski, Larry Lehmer, Leesa Barnes, Leslie Tane, Lewis Green, Lisa, Liz Strauss, Lord Matt, Lori Grant, Lori Magno, Mack Collier, Madena M Burman, Marie, Mario Sundar, Mario Vellandi, Mark Goren, Mark True, Martin Jellsema, Mary Schmidt, Matt Dickman, Matt Hamilton, Matt Heverkamp, Michael Libbie, Michael Morton, Michael Wagner, Mike Pearce, Mike Sigers, Mike Sansone, Mike Smock, mindblob, mitch matthews, Nathan, Nancy, Nancy, Neil Sanderson, Nicholas Gill, Nick Darling, Nick Rice, Nikole Gipps, Pat McGraw, Patrick, Patrick Schaber, Paul Enderson, Paul McEnany, Pete Deutschman, Phil Gerbyshak, Ray Edwards, rishi, Roberta Rosenberg, Robert Hruzek, Robyn McMaster, Roger Anderson, Roger von Oech, Rosa Say, Rush Nigut, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Healy, Ryan Karpeles, Sacrum, Sam Beckwith, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Sean Carter, Sean Howard, Sean Woodruff, Seth Godin, Sham, Sharon Sarmiento, Shaping Youth, Sherry Borzo, Simon, Stephanie Weaver, Stephen Denny, Ste ve Farber, Steve Harper, Steve Miller, Steve Roesler, Steve Sisler, Steve Woodruff, Susan Gunelius, Susan F. Heywood, Susan Martin, Susan Weiner, Sustainable is Good, T.J., Terra Anderson, Terry Starbucker, Thomas R. Clifford, Tim Jackson, Timothy L Johnson, Toby Bloomberg, Todd And, Tom Guarriello, Tom Swartwood, Tom Vander Well, Tony D. Clark, Tshombe, Uwe Hook, V. Michael Santoro, Valeria Maltoni, Vernon Lun

Is the fox in your hen house? What to do when competitors spy

June 26, 2007

Since 1999, McLellan Marketing Group has produced a weekly e-newsletter. (Content different from the blog, btw). People can sign up automatically from our website. Which means that our competitors can sign up and "spy" on what we send out to our prospects. I sent out the newsletter last night and got a couple "out of the office" auto e-mails from some of the other agency owners in the market. ;-}

We also host a free monthly branding breakfast — to educate business owners and marketing pros about branding. We have competitors show up to those too. And mingle among our prospects and clients. (I figure if we really want to teach the world about branding, we should probably teach the other agencies how to do it too!)

It’s easy to get paranoid. To worry that the fox is in the hen house, so to speak. And maybe you will chalk it up to arrogance on my part — but we never worry about it.

In fact, we’ve even collaborated with one agency in town, REL. They are good thinkers, understand branding and are very creative. Why wouldn’t I want to hang around with people like that?

Why don’t we worry about those foxes near our hen house? I have complete faith that our brand is genuine and that no one can duplicate that. If we take good care of our clients and we truly walk our talk — they’re not going anywhere. People can try to duplicate, replicate and imitate. But they can’t be us. (And the smart ones wouldn’t bother trying.)

On the flip side, if you want to spy on your competition, there’s plenty of tools out there. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with knowing what the other guys are up to. That’s just good business. But be careful that you don’t compromise your brand by shape shifting every time one of your competitors does something smart.

Be you. And don’t worry. The others may try to be you, but they can’t really pull it off. Why not just invite them in?

If you could only use one sentence…

June 21, 2007

…to market your organization, what would it be?

(Draw a blank? E-mail me.)

Hint at exceptional service

June 13, 2007

I had dinner the other night with a business associate/friend. We were seated and the hostess turned to my friend and asked, "would you prefer a black napkin?’

Being a dumb boy, I was surprised and a little confused when my friend said that yes, she would prefer a black napkin. The hostess must have noticed my puzzled expression. She nodded at my friend and said, "she’s wearing a dark dress. A white linen napkin might leave a bit of lint on her dress."

Wow. We were in for an exceptional dinner.

Any restaurant that would pay attention and make accommodations for that level of detail was going to go out of their way to deliver a remarkable experience.

And they did. If there’s a Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in your area — get there. And ask for a black napkin.

More important — what’s your black napkin?

Keep banging into those walls

June 12, 2007

We have one of those roomba robotic vacuum cleaners. It’s a beautiful thing. You stick it in the room, hit clean and away it goes.

But…it’s a blind robot. So the way it navigates through the room is by going in a straight line until it hits something. Then, it usually tries again…and hits the same thing. Then, it makes a slight adjustment to the left or right and maybe gets an inch further…and hits the same wall. So it adjusts again and again until it finds a new stretch of carpet to clean.

Eventually, it has covered the whole room. Not in a straight line but by making many, many slight adjustments until it finds the light of day.

Marketing is a little like that. Sure, sometimes we hit it out of the park with one ad, event or website. But more typically, it is about doing the same things over and over and making minute adjustments along the way. The key is the persistence. Believing in what you’re doing and be willing to bang your head a few times as a trade off for the eventual success.

As you might know, one of my personal heroes is Walt Disney. He chased his dreams despite bankruptcies, nay sayers, rivals stealing his ideas and a lifetime of hearing the word "no." Tim Siedell of Bad Banana Blog puts a different spin on Walt’s struggles.

Do you have the roomba spirit? Are you willing to bang into a few things to get the job done? Do you believe in what you’re doing as much as Walt did?

Is US produced advertising dumbed down?

June 10, 2007

Here’s a little different spin from Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, made for the UK market. My question….how do you think this would play in the US? Why do you think we don’t see more spots with this kind of humor?

And a tip of the hat to Little John at Advertising for Peanuts for pointing me to the spot.

How do you want to be remembered?

May 27, 2007

A trip to NYC feels incomplete without making time to visit Ground Zero. It seemed particularly important to go on Memorial Day weekend.

The 9-11 tragedy and the images that now surround the site should give us all pause. The people who died that day started off their morning thinking it was just another day. Just like we do, every day.

I found myself wondering what they would have done or said differently. All the things that at the moment mattered — really didn’t.

What if it had been you?

Would you have shouted at the driver who cut you off?
Would you be at the office and miss saying good night to your son or daughter?
Would you worry about those five extra pounds?
Would you panic at this quarter’s sales numbers?
Would you cling to that grudge?
Would you worry about your blog’s ranking?

Who would you think about? What would you do? What would you say? Why don’t you say it today?

Here’s my question for myself this Memorial Day. And for you.

How do you want your life to be measured? What if today was the day?

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
Measure a year?

In daylights – in sunsets
In midnights – in cups of coffee
In inches – in miles
In laughter – in strife

In – five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life?

How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Seasons of love
Seasons of love

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Journeys to plan

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life
Of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned
Or in times that he cried
In bridges he burned
Or the way that she died

It’s time now – to sing out
Tho’ the story never ends
Let’s celebrate
Remember a year
In the life of friends

Remember the love
Remember the love
Remember the love
Measure in love

Measure
Measure your life in love
Seasons of love
Seasons of love

Note: I took all of these photos on 5/26/07. The 5th, 6th & 8th photos are of pictures that hang in the memorial area. (So they are my photos of someone else’s photos) The rest are of artifacts in the area. One of the most striking realizations as you walk around the site is the deep hunger people have to leave notes or messages. They’ve written on signage, walls and anywhere they think their voice might be able to linger.

It’s not graffiti, it’s grief.

The photos are mine, the lyrics belong to Jonathan Larson from the musical RENT.

Why I blog

May 27, 2007

There are so many important business reasons why I blog. It’s good for McLellan Marketing Group, it’s good for my career and its good for our clients.

But most of all, it is good for my soul. This weekend, I spent a day with my good friends (from left to right) Lewis Green, Luc Debaisieux (Mindblob), me, David Reich and the two lovely ladies in the front row, CK and Valeria Maltoni.

We laughed, we talked and we shared. Interestingly, there was very little talk about blogging.

We came together to honor the life and spirit of Sandra Kerley but in the end, we honored her and so much more.

We honored each other, we honored genuine affection and we honored friendships borne in distance and with words that have since outgrown that boundary and now are simply deep friendships with no other explanation or description required.

Seeing the other side

May 26, 2007

Think about it for a minute. There’s the work you. The family you. The buddies at the pub you. The girls at poker night you. The I’m so tired I could cry you. The blogger you. The marketer you. The consumer you. The son you. The trying not to laugh during church you.

So many faces. All of them you. Each honest, real and unique. But each one slightly different because of the circumstances, surroundings, or people involved.

That’s a very important thing to remember as marketing professionals. No one is just a 35 year old Caucasian man, with a wife and 2.3 children. Many faces. Many passions. Your marketing needs to push beyond assuming you know what the aggregate whole wants. You need to let your audience help you define why they need you. Because each 35 year old Caucasian man may want something slightly different.

See their many faces.

That’s what intrigued me about David Airey’s Face Behind the Blog post. Basically, he is reminding all of us that we’re more than the face we hold out as we author our blogs. He’s suggesting it would be interesting and insightful to share a photo of ourselves that puts us in a different light. That shows another face.

So far, several others have jumped on board.

Gayla at Mom Gadget
Char at Essential Keystrokes
Paul at Reflections
Rob at 2Dolphins
Zep at The In-Sect
Ingo at Stixster
Stevie at Lost In Cyberspace
The Paper Bull at (oddly enough) The Paper Bull
Lisa Sabin-Wilson at Just A Girl In The World
Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.com
Wendy Piersall at eMoms at Home
Dennis Bjørn Petersen at Petersen Inc.
Randa Clay at Randa Clay Design

I first read about it at Dawud Miracle’s blog and decided to join in.

So….step aside Blogger/Brander/Marketer Drew and make room for…

Table for One Drew?

I love this picture of my daughter and me. We’re at (wait for it….) Disney World and we’re waiting for a show to begin in front of Cinderella’s castle. This is us at our most comfortable, compatible best. And apparently my head is indeed flat enough to rest a popcorn bucket on!

So what do you say? Will you show us one of your other sides?

Update: Here’s who has jumped in since my initial. Is your name there?

Drew McLellan at The Marketing Minute
Becky McCray at Small Biz Survival
Phil Gerbyshak at Make it Great!
Steve Woodruff at StickyFigure
Dave Olson at Live the GREAT life that you desire
Greg at Become a Remote Control SEO
Ariane Benefit at Neat Living Blog

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