Passion

Gotta get goals — what are yours?

May 20, 2007

 

We’ve all read the statistics.  If you write down your goals, you are 95% more likely to achieve them.  And yet, most of us don’t write them down. And we don’t put them someplace that we can be constantly nudged about them.

Don’t start toeing the dirt.  You’re not alone.  But we can change all that!  I’ll do it if you will.

Steve Harper (Ripple On) tagged me almost a month ago (I wonder if one of my goals should be to reply to tags more promptly) to join in the Gotta Get Goals series.  And Dawud Miracle tagged me even before that.  The rules are simple.  List five goals and why you want to achieve them.

So don’t just read mine.  Do yours.  Link back here and maybe we can create a chain of goals and help/support each other as we push towards turning them into action. 

A note on my goals — being an integral, giving, strong, supportive part of my family (and extended family) and circle of friends is a given. So, I left that off the list.

Write/publish a mystery novel (have it in my head…just not in the computer)

If you read my bookshelves post, you know I love mysteries.  So much so that I have an entire bookshelf dedicated to them.  For me, they are pure escapism. I get to mentally play for a couple hours. The writer in me wants to create one.  I have the core characters and the outline of the book in my head.  I even have the first line.  Now, I just have to find/make the time to get it started.

Be the highest paying agency in my state and region (my people rock and I want to pay them like rock stars!)

Working for a marketing agency, you make decent money.  But not rock star money.  I want to provide such incredible value for our clients that we can be even more profitable…and I can share those profits with the MMG team.  For now I will try to spoil them in ways I can like closing at noon on Fridays.

Exercise 4 days a week

I want to get back into fighting shape as I approach 45. By the time I’m 50, I want to be in the best shape of my life.  Besides…exercise is great for stress-reduction and creating thinking time. Itt will also set a good example for my daughter, so she will begin to build exercise into her daily routine long before she needs to do it.

Write/teach other men how to be great dads to their kids (focus on daughters)

I have no idea how this will manifest itself but I have such a calling to do this.  I love being a dad and seem to have an aptitude for it.  I also believe that having an involved, active dad is every child’s right.  The research proves how much a dad can influence his kids’ lives, attitudes and self-esteem.  I want to make this happen for lots of other kids.

Write a book on the MMG philosophy of branding

This is book #2.  It is all in my head and comes out of my mouth in meetings, blog posts, articles and presentations every day.   We believe it is our mission at MMG to help companies discover their brand so they can create love affairs with their clients.  Writing this book would extend our reach tremendously.  Gotta get this one done!

Personify my personal mantra – Gratitude, Grace, Give

I know the challenge was five goals. But I don’t ever want this one to be far from the surface or my line of sight.  If I don’t do this – the other goals don’t seem to matter as much.

Come on…show me yours.

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My Shelves: A Look at My Books

May 19, 2007

Todd And recently posted a beautiful picture of his bookshelves and then "pulled" a few books off the shelf to share with his readers.  Then, he tagged a few of us to follow suit.  I’m willing to do so…but first I want to issue this disclaimer.

What you are about to see will frighten small children, may scar you for life and will tell you way more about me than you probably want to know.  Proceed with caution. 

If you come to our house, you’re going to quickly catch on to a couple things.

• I love books.

• I’m a little anal.

So put on your seat belt and let’s tour Drew’s bookshelves.  And yes, the books are shelved based on my own dewey decimal system! 

Bookshelf #1 — The marketing, branding and business books

Some of my favorites on this shelf include my personal business troika.  If I never read another author — I will always make time for Beckwith, Calloway and Farber. They are timeless, fresh and inspiring.

Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith

All of Harry Beckwith’s books should be on your must own list.  In Selling the Invisible, Beckwith summarizes key points about selling services learned from experience with his own advertising and marketing firm and when he worked with Fortune 500 companies. he doesn’t write — he tells stories to make his on target marketing messages come to life. 

Maverick by Ricardo Semler

This book captured my imagination as a business owner.  First published in Brazil in 1988 as Turning the Tables , this book was the all-time best-selling nonfiction book in Brazil’s history. Semler, the 34-year-old CEO, or "counselor," of Semco, a Brazilian manufacturing firm, describes how he turned his successful company into a "natural business" in which employees hire and evaluate their bosses, dress however they want, participate in major decisions, and share in 22 percent of the profits.

Indispensable by Joe Calloway

Indispensable goes straight to the heart of the issue and reveals how successful companies-of any size, in virtually any manufacturing, selling, or service endeavor-achieve market leadership through The Five Drivers of fierce customer loyalty. Indispensable shows readers how to:
    * Create and sustain momentum: overcome organizational inertia and keep moving forward
    * Develop habitual dependability: make consistency of performance a defining characteristic
    * Connect continuously
    * See the Big Picture Outcome: create compelling customer experiences
    * Engage, Enchant, Enthrall: make magic in the marketplace

Radical Leap by Steve Farber

This book gave me permission to lead my company, employees and clients the way I knew in my heart was right.  Using words like passion and love in the workplace may seem foreign or too soft — but it is really what it’s all about.  This book is about business, leadership, energy, audacity and love.

Bookshelf #2 — My passions (with a couple exceptions)

This bookshelf is a blend of whimsy, finance books, poetry, sports, and of course, a few poker books. But here are some of my heart’s favorites.

The Artful Dodger by  Tommy Lasorda

Tommy Lasorda has been called Baseball’s ambassador.  He let the Dodgers to many moments of glory. He bleeds Dodger blue and if you know me well, you know that I do too. This is Tommy’s story, his way.

The Mickey Mouse Watch by Robert Heide & John Gilman

Pretty much everyone knows that I am a student of Walt Disney and love most things Disney.  But what you may not know is that I only wear collectible Mickey Mouse watches.  This book is a very good primer into the world of Disney watches.

Selections from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

I must admit, this is as much a sentimental favorite as anything else. This edition was printed in 1961 and my grandfather, who inspired my love of reading, gave it to me when I was young.  Inside, he wrote: "All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books."  Thomas Carlyle.

I think my grandfather would have loved the richness of blogs.

Bookshelf #3 — My ultimate passion — being a dad

This built-in bookshelf is filled with books about being a dad of a daughter and my collection of dad/daughter figurines.  (Its companion on the other side of the fireplace is filled with our DVDs but that’s another post!)

Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons

I had no idea girls  were so cruel to each other. This book scared the heck out of me, but it also was such an eye-opener.  I feel much better prepared for the teen years.

The author, who visited 30 schools and talked to 300 girls, catalogues c hilling and heartbreaking acts of aggression, including the silent treatment, note-passing, glaring, gossiping, ganging up, fashion police, and being nice in private/mean in public. She decodes the vocabulary of these sneak attacks, explaining, for example, three ways to parse the meaning of "I’m fat."

Lotions, Potions and Slime Mudpies by Nancy Blakey

This book is filled with recipes for laughter-filled afternoons.  Whether you are growing a mighty mold  garden or making your own silly slime — this book is packed with memories in the making.

What a Difference a Daddy Makes by Dr. Kevin Leman

There are many very wise moments in this book.  Leman talks about using every day as an imprintable opportunity and that every "big" talk is really a series of daily conversations that should start when your daughter is a toddler and continue on forever.  The stats and stories remind the reader just how critical it is to be an engaged dad.

Bookshelf #4 — Collectible books (by my definition) and the audio collection

This built-in bookshelf in the guest room protects my "books I will never, ever get rid of." Some are by authors that I consider almost sacred. Others are books that were my dad’s when he was a kid and yet others are some of my daughter’s favorites that have a special meaning for me. It’s also where the audio books are kept.  We’ve become quite the lending library of books on CD.

Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker

If I could only read one mystery author, Parker would be it.  he not only writes excellent mysteries but his books are also filled with human insight and struggles. I have a hardback of every book he has ever written.  He’s best known for creating the character, Spenser. (who was later the star of the TV series, Spenser for Hire).  Early Autumn is one of my favorites.

Minnie ‘n Me: The Perfect Bow by Lyn Calder (A Golden Super Shape Book)

I cannot begin to guess how many times I read this book out loud.  It tells the story of Minnie Mouse bringing her dog FiFi to school for show and tell day.  It also tells the story of a dad who read to his daughter every night for much of her early childhood, hoping to instill a love of stories and books.

Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire (CD series) by JK Rowling

This is my favorite of the Harry Potter series so far.  But what makes it absolutely remarkable is the voice work of Jim Dale.  I listen to a lot of audio books. Bar none, this is the most amazing performance I have ever heard.  By the way, this series is not just for kids.  But you owe it to yourself to hear Dale’s work.

Bookshelf #5 — Books on creativity and writing

This over burdened, not so fancy, put it together myself bookshelf is buckling under the weight of books on writing better, creativity and selling your writing.  It sits in my red walled office!

Woe is I by Patricia O’Conner

Unlike a lot of books about language, this one is light, witty and actually fun to read.  It really should be right next to everyone’s copy of The Elements of Style.

The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray

The title pretty much sums it up. Ray, a former teacher, walks you step-by-step through the process of going from blank page to finished novel in 52 weeks.  He uses the same program to create his own mysteries series, featuring sleuth Matt Murdock.

The Artist’s Way at Work by Mark Bryan

This entire series is excellent for shaking the cobwebs out of your creativity.  This particular book focuses on the workplace and how to infuse it with adventure, innovation, creativity and satisfaction.  It’s a great blend of reading and working through exercises to help you sharpen the saw.

Bookshelf #6 — Books next to be read/books to be read again

This master bedroom bookshelf (and some floor space next to it) is where I stack the "next to be reads" and the books that are either sentimental or so remarkable that I want to re-read them.

Monkeywrench by PJ Tracy

This is the first book in a mystery series that I find very addictive.  It’s set in my home state of Minnesota and features some techno geek software writers as well as some flawed but very likable cops.  An interesting fact — PJ Tracy is actually a mother/daughter team who write the mysteries together.

The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge

This book smashes the myth that we desire too much.  But according to the author, our most important mission is to bring our heart along in our life’s journey.  This book gives you the courage to step out and chase your truest desires and deepest passi ons with God by your side.

Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins

I can’t begin to explain a Tom Robbins novel.  They are filled with satirical complexities that you sort of need to experience.  From the back of the book — Still Life With Woodpecker is sort of a love story that takes place inside a pack of Camel cigarettes. It reveals the purpose of the moon, explains the differences between criminals and outlaws, and paints a portrait of contemporary society that includes powerful Arabs, exiled royalty and pregnant cheerleaders.  It’s a wild ride, but it will have you thinking all along the way.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

This classic tells the story of a young couple, rich in love but poor in pennies. For Christmas, they both sacrifice a beloved possession to buy the other a gift. Not only is it a story about gratitude and giving (which are two of the three words in my personal mission statement) but it is also masterfully written.  Each sentence is a work of art. Top it all off with the fact that it was a very sentimental gift…and you can see why its on the list.

Whew….well, if anyone is still actually reading this — we’ve come to the end.  You’ve now discovered that I am a book addict and that my need for order has forced many a bookshelf into this home.  I’d strongly encourage you to try a book or two on the list.  And as you might imagine, I’m happy to talk books any day!

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Helping college grads get a job – FREE e-book

May 18, 2007

About 6 weeks ago, I asked my readers to take pity on all the college students who were about to start their first real job hunt.  I suggested that the greatest graduation gift we could collectively offer was tough lessons learned, insights and practical tips.  "Let’s give them a fighting chance," I said.

Boy, did they bring it on!

50 pages of sage advice. All  for grads. All for free.  Get it while the getting’s good!  You have two download options.  With and without photos.  (In neither case is this going to win any design awards.  Let’s remember that I am a writer.)

3+ mg e-book with photos  Download collegegradsadvice.pdf

Tiny little 300K text only e-book Download collegegradsnophoto.pdf

Please take a minute to say thanks to the many professionals who took the time to offer a word of encouragement, a war story or an idea.  Without them, this would have been a very short book!

As always, I’m honored by their generosity. 

I apologize in advance if there are any errors. Also, if someone posted their answer on their own blog — I tried to catch them all, but if I missed you, I’m very sorry.  And without further ado — the wisdom collective:

Aaron Potts
Andy Brudtkuhl
Andy Nulman
Andy Wibbels
Ann Handley
Ann Michael
Anne Simons
Becky Carroll
Bob Glaza
C.B. Whittemore
Carolyn Manning
Chris Cree
Christine Brown
CK
Darren Barefoot
David Reich
Delaney Kirk
Derek Tutschulte
Designer Mike
Doug Karr
Doug Mitchell
Drew McLellan
Joan Schramm
Kevin Hillstrom
Lewis Green
Liz Strauss
Mario Sundar
Mark Goren
Mark True
Mary Schmidt
Nick Rice
Patrick Schaber
Paul McEnany
Phil Gerbyshak
Roberta Rosenberg
Roger von Oech
Rosa Say
Seth Godin
Sharon Sarmiento
Stephanie Weaver
Steve Miller
Steve Sisler
Terry Starbucker
Toby Bloomberg
Tony D. Clark
Valeria Maltoni

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SOBCon: The lessons

May 17, 2007

Like many of the other attendees and speakers, I feel a certain compunction to capture the essence of SOBCon before it fades.  So, in a nutshell, here’s  what I learned or had confirmed:

• You can’t fake who you are when you put yourself out there, online, every day.  There was not one person I met who surprised me.  You were all exactly as I expected.
• Bloggers are huggers.  Even business bloggers.
• No matter how great the speakers are — people are hungry to learn from and interact with each other.
• We truly are living in, as CK calls it, the share economy.  The generosity was boundless.
• There’s no substitute for sharing a laugh with friends in person.

Nothing profound or new.  However, that makes it none the less valuable.

The flickr photo is courtesy of Phil Gerbyshak and shows that lucky devil Phil getting a hug from Ann Michael.

To continue the theme of giving…here’s a little link love to you all.

SOBcon2007 Chicago Attendees: Sandra Renshaw Brad Shorr Timothy Johnson Tammy Lenski Muhammad Saleem Lorelle VanFossen David Dalka – Mobile Search Marketing Todd And John Yedinak Joe Hauckes Tim Draayer Jeremy Geelan Carolyn Manning Sheila Scarborough Steve Farber Dawud Miracle Doug Mitchell Jeff O’Hara Dave Schoof Jamy Shiels Adam Steen Hannah Steen Chris Thilk Barry Zweibel Eric Bingen Ellen Moore Cord Silverstein Jean-Patrick Smith James Walton Sharan Tash Vernon Lun Tony Lee Scott Desgrosseilliers Mark Murrell Kammie Kobyleski Easton Ellsworth Mark Goodyear Ann Michael Kent Blumberg Ashley Cecil Robert Hruzek Sabu N G Lisa Gates Franke James Chris Brown Troy Worman Karen Putz Jesse Petersen Terry Mapes Andy Brudtkuhl Lucia Mancuso Peter Flaschner Derrick Sorles Mike Rohde Thomas Clifford Rajesh Srivastava Claire Celsi Jason Alba Cristiana Passinato Sean R. Alex Shalman Cristiana Passinato Brad Spirrison Ari Garber Dr. Rob Wolcott Cheryll Cruz Sharon Scherer Jonathan Phillips Jason Wade Jill Pullen Doug Bulleit Wendy Kinney Chelsea Vincent Ayush Agarwal Paul Mangalik Premchand Kallan Xochi Kaplan Michael Snell Ella Wilson

SOBcon2007 Chicago Speakers: Andy Sernovitz Phil Gerbyshak Liz Strauss David Armano Mike Sansone Drew McLellan Mike Wagner Terry Starbucker Rodney Rumford Ben Yoskovitz Chris Cree Robyn Tippins Diego Orjuela Vernon Lun Wendy Piersall

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Your starting pitcher…Drew McLellan

May 10, 2007

Did you read the title in one of those reverberating loudspeaker voices?  If not, you need to go back and re-read it that way.  I’ll wait.

That is the soundtrack of my youth.  I grew up dreaming of hearing the announcer’s voice booming my name I strode confidently to the mound.

My hero – Sandy Koufax, the preeminent pitcher of the 1960’s.  He had a fastball that could singe your eyelashes before you knew it was even out of his hand.  He had the stuff, on and off the field.  He was an ambassador for the game and a class act.

I wanted to be just like him. 

I would drift off to sleep many a night, shaking off pitch signals in my head as I imagined myself reaching my dream.

When I discovered blogging, I experienced a similar reaction to a different team – the bloggers at Marketing Profs Daily Fix.  They were articulate, smart, insightful and engaging.  I admired how confidant they were in their areas of expertise and how they could weave stories and facts together to illuminate their points of view.

I wanted to be just like them.

So I can’t tell you how humbled and elated I am to invite you over to the Daily Fix to read my inaugural post.  Now if the Fix’s Ann Handley would just get on the loudspeaker…

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Why would you take a swing at your competition?

May 10, 2007

Over at the Daily Fix, Spike Jones (a great baseball name if I ever heard one) raises the question "why would you ever call out your competitors in your ads?"

He goes on to make some valid points.

But…

All of Spike’s arguments are based on the assumption that the only audience for advertising and marketing tactics are prospects.  They’re not.

Who’s the most important customer?  Right, the one you already have.  They can either be out there, spreading your brand’s good word or they can not care enough to choose you again if the other guy is cheaper.

But when it comes to building brand loyalty and love, sometimes a little bashing goes a long way.  Comparison ads do just that. They hold up two choices and they make a clear distinction between the two.  And in doing that, sometimes they create or reinforce the building of ownership and pride in a brand.

Case in point — the Mac versus PC ads.  Do I think that those ads sway some PC owners to come over to the other side?  Sure.  But what I think they really do is get us Mac people to thrust our fist in the air and shout a little.   They reinforce our buying decision. They give us talking points so we can  go out and  spread the brand’s good word.  They make us feel smart and special.

Which means that when its time to buy another….

Smart.

And now, for your viewing pleasure.  Imagine me giving a little cheer.

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Do it for mom

May 9, 2007

I can’t think of a better week to be writing this post.  We’re a few days ahead of Mother’s Day and everyone is scrambling to buy the card or the perfect gift.  I wonder how many of us stop and actually think about the true gifts our parents give us.

Security.  Safety.  Knowing that no matter what, it’s okay.  We’re okay.

I don’t care how old or successful you are sometimes you just need to crawl into the shelter of your parent’s unconditional love.

For many families, the epicenter of that shelter and unconditional love is their family’s home. It is their shelter.  Their safety. It is where their family comes together.

Unless of course you don’t have a home.

Habitat for Humanity doesn’t just build houses. They build homes. They build families.  They build esteem.  They’re a charity that believes you don’t just hand something out, you give families an opportunity to earn their helping hand so that it is a source of pride, not dependency.

A worthy charity for this week.   Made more worthy because we’re raising money to honor a mom who raised her two daughters to honor those same values.  Home. Family. Pride.  And most of all, serving your community with all your talents.  CK’s mom gave her girls security.  Safety.  And in their mom’s spirit, we band together to remind them that no matter what, they’re okay. Because for a change, their community is the one stepping up to serve them with love, support and compassion.

You have until Mother’s Day to give.  Give to honor CK’s mom, Sandra.  Give to honor your mom.  Give to say thank you for the gifts you’ve been given as a parent.  Find your own reason.  But give.

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Taking the Age of Conversation and making it even better!

May 9, 2007

 

Don’t you love when someone takes a good idea and just adds value right on top of it?

Arun Rajagopal has decided to visit every Age of Conversation author’s blog and write a profile on each author.  Between the two installments, there’s just about a fourth of the authors profiled already.

Check out the series and a big thank you to Arun!  Hey Arun…don’t forget to tell us a little more about you too!

Profiles – 1
Profiles -2

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Marketing Tips from a Marketing Agency: Brand Your Interviews

May 2, 2007

It would only stand to reason that a marketing & branding agency would be pretty good at branding and marketing itself.

So I thought it might be fun to explore some branding & marketing concepts using our own agency, McLellan Marketing Group, as the guinea pig.

Brand your interviews

We brand ourselves so consumers can decide if we’d be a good match.  We make a promise so that someone who isn’t interested in our promise just moves on.  We should be using our brand to do that same kind of sorting/weeding for employees too.

Your interview questions should do more than tell you about the candidate.  They should tell the candidate about you.

Here are some MMG favorites:

• What rules do you break at work?
• What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
• In a team environment, are you a motivator, player, leader, or enthusiast?
• If you were a salad dressing, what kind would you be and why?
• Persuade me to move to Des Moines.
• How do you manage stress?
• What’s your personal motto?
• You’ve got one seat left in the fallout shelter, family not included, who gets the seat?
• What’s your definition of working too hard?
• If I met one of your former co-workers at a BBQ and they’d had a beer or two, what would they tell me about you?
• If you could have one super power, which would you choose?

I’m not suggesting these are the questions for you. These questions speak to the MMG brand. Each of these give a little clue about the company and the people who work there. 

So knowing your culture like you do — what might your branded interview questions be about?

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A bagful of ideas: 04/30/07

April 30, 2007

From time to time, I’m going to share a mixed bag of ideas, marketing tips, brilliant writing and sometimes — something that just made me laugh out loud.  Here’s today’s offering:

This one had me nodding my head: Steve Woodruff has harnessed the power or PageFlakes to create a remarkable quilt of marketing, branding and business blogs.  Talk about an incredible library of ideas!

The Marketing Blogger Portal

This one had me connecting with my own purpose: Steve Farber who you know as one of business’ most profound and real authors is asking a very important question on his blog.  He’s asking about giving back.  I saw his post a couple days ago and haven’t gotten over there to reply, but I sure am going to.  You too?

Greater than yourself

Enjoy!

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