Effetti Business Growth

Group-Buying's Retail Math...

2010-11-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

... & your long term business health !...by David BookoutRelated Post: to-discount-or-not-to-discount. Since the last post I've been talking, listening, reading and percolating on the "group buy" phenomenon as it relates to long term business financial health. In general there seems to be a void of conversation relative to how long it actually takes for a business to "make up" for the customer

To Discount, or NOT To Discount ?...

2010-09-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

...that IS the ?...by David Bookout THAT IS THE QUESTION !...Discounting seems to be a popular concept in today's economic times, and a topic that a number of clients are working with as they navigate their respective markets. So, I thought I would share a few public thoughts relative to discounting and the pricing strategies behind them:First, discounting is an announcement that the provider has

Google Instant

2010-09-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Tickling the thinker in all of us, Google, today announced "Instant", their new predictive logic search feature that enables users to see real time results faster than ever before. To illustrate the time savings there were two side screens ticking off the number of hours saved ( approaching 50,000 ) by people using instant thus far. An amazing fact considering the increased horse power needed to

Micro Branding...

2010-08-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

a Must Have Innovation, or Marketing Fad ??...by David BookoutSee Updates { 3 } & Comments below: As Micro Lending becomes a more popular alternative to entrepreneurial funding, a concept, and a term that I'm calling "Micro Branding", is just getting started within the Social Media Management Systems ( SMMS ) sector.For years I've drudgingly researched the boring, unimaginative, and downright

WE Badge Test

2010-04-08T16:15:00.001-07:00

Grooming your identity on the World Wild Web...

2010-04-08T13:22:00.001-07:00

In real estate it's location, location, location ~ in cyberspace it's identity, identity, identity.For those of you that employ the strategy of commenting on other people's blogs to increase the number of link backs to your website, or blog ~ here is a bit of history and tip on upgrading the look of your Gravatar.Read the whole story at Soulati – 'TUDE!

Ubisoft's Tony Key on game marketing...

2010-04-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Marketing challenges ? As you can see from this article you're not alone in the "World Wild Web". Entrepreneurs may find this quick read interesting from a strategy perspective ~ but, don't get too carried away unless you've got budget...Read the whole story at Games.VentureBeat

Why you should NOT write a Business Plan...

2010-03-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

... & 10 better things to do to ensure success !!...by David BookoutPerhaps, you too have seen the recent ads for a new business plan template ? The ads seemed to be on every website I looked at yesterday morning, which prompted this post. The are a number of problems with the whole BPlan concept as I will outline briefly below, but the biggest problem is that business plan writing, for the most

6 critical tips for launching a startup...

2010-03-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in launching a startup while keeping your day job this article is a good, fun read !!Read more at Entrepreneur.VentureBeatNote: Originally posted here

Does your business have a Social Media Strategy ?

2010-03-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

... & why you should take a closer look !...by David BookoutA friend and colleague recently sent out a message that they had made a career change to an up and coming company in a hot sector. So, I visited the company's website and in quick review saw that the company didn't have a clear Social Media Strategy. So, I sent a short email to my friend to inquire and received a quick, unexpected reply

SMMS, Social Media Management Systems...

2010-03-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

You've gotta love the internet and the fact that people are always either inventing new tools, or new tools that enable users to better manage other tools.Jeremiah Owyang has an interesting article this morning on Social Media Management Systems, a recent phenomena that I'm sure you'll be hearing, and seeing more about in the near future.Read more at Web Strategy

VCs are people too, honest...

2010-03-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

While I don't recommend that entrepreneurs seek funding before they have completed idea validation and have successfully built a focused, profitable and scaleable revenue engine ~ David Homik's recent post about an email mistake, and why it’s always a good idea to remember your manners, is worth another click...Read more at VentureBlog

Bootstrapping, Investors...

2010-03-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

... & Why Entrepreneurs Should Refine Terms !!!...by David BookoutLike moths to a flame, an entrepreneur's chances of real success in a singular venture are slim. Yet, for the most part, they seem perilously attracted to equity financing. Why? It certainly isn't because the model is wildly successful in a general sense. Amongst Angels, VCs and others close to deal making some say that the a new

Power-based Negotiation

2009-07-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Maximizing the power in your counterpart to achieve your goalsby Steven BrownI broached the topic of power in one of my recent negotiation skills courses. This is a difficult topic to teach because it requires mental gymnastics. In my experience a person forms a concept of power from their life journey, from the people they grow up around, and how they view their place in the world. As children

Do You Suffer From Premature Negotiation?

2009-05-01T06:25:00.001-07:00

Ways To Hurt Your Compensation Potential During the Job Interviewby Steven BrownThis week was full of reminders how easy it is to give up power in negotiation for your compensation. I taught an Effective Negotiation Skills workshop and one of the examples I use is an interview scenario where the interviewee is asked "how much do you make?" After a negotiation course, or in my coaching sessions, I

Top 10 Negotiations of a New Manager

2009-04-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

It's Not Just About Managing Peopleby Steven BrownAs a negotiation trainer I have found that people who are thrust into new positions have the most need for help. New relationships must be figured out, and in particular, determining the power dynamics. First time managers can easily identify that the people they manage require leadership and negotiation skills they must master.There are peer

Branding Thought Leadership

2009-03-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Leveraging New and Old Mediaby Steven BrownToday's business climate can lead to a hyper-focus on top line revenue, but it's just as important to watch the bottom line and operations. Reducing costs, or avoiding them, can make or break profitability. Corporate Travel costs are often the easiest to target, and the hardest to control. But what does that have to do with personal branding?For Ellina

Personal Brand Tip - You Are What You Read...

2009-03-23T07:53:00.001-07:00

... & Why Setting Up An "Alltop" Account Is A Good Thing !...by David BookoutRead, be more interesting, succeed !!! If your an entrepreneur, individual contributor, or team player in a large organization you'll want to check out this useful tool.I watched an introductory video this weekend on FREE Market Research, and validated a long time suspicion that it is really easy to find out a few basic

The Twitter Effect / Affect...

2009-03-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

... is growth in excess of 1,000% on Twitter a good thing? ...by David BookoutWhen I first got on Twitter Guy Kawasaki started following me. I thought that was pretty cool. Then I realized that with nearly 80,000 ( it's 93,049 now ) other people that Guy was following I WASN'T EVEN a bug on Guy's windshield. So, now what?Well for me, I wanted to research how Social Media could impact the ability

As an AIG bonus recipient, what would YOU do?...

2009-03-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm NOT much for public political commentary, but I do enjoy a good debate with friends. However, I'm changing tack here because "I'M MAD AS HELL AND I WON'T TAKE IT ANYMORE" !!To me, my current thinking about what is happening at AIG is that it is an outrage and a cop out. As best as I can tell people that lost a record $62B ( BILLION ) dollars are getting bonuses in the form of cash money given

Getting New Offers Up On The Internet...

2009-03-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

...A QUICK GUIDE TO TAKING THE LEAP & GETTING STARTED...by David BookoutRelated Post: Brand Building - Portal Strategies...Several individual clients have recently expressed anxiety over getting their new business offers up and running on the internet. Historically, you have had to have the ability to create a pleasing graphic design, AND the ability and knowledge to HTML code to take such a leap

Information Architecture

2009-03-09T22:11:00.000-07:00

BLUEPRINTS FOR THE WEBA Book Review by David BookoutNow I have three information design heros – Tufte, Wodtke & Govella. “Information Architecture - Blueprints For The WEB” SECOND ADDITION by Wodtke & Govella is exactly what the title suggests – a guide to effective form, structure and organization of information on the web. A quick glance at the table of contents reveals essential topics like;

Effective Negotiation Seminar...

2009-02-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

...@ UCSC Extension - The MILE Program 2009by Steve BrownOne of my passions is negotiation. Don't get me wrong, I personally detest the "I'm gonna get everything I can outta you" approach to negotiation. There's no pleasure for me in that combat experience. What I enjoy is the art of looking for, and delivering, the creative win/win. The win/win I seek is more than what was hoped for at the

Personal Brand Tip - Get An Inside<->Out Look...

2009-02-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

...for a more complete picture of who you really are !!...by David BookoutRelated Post: How To Build A Personal Brand...Related Post: Why build a Personal Brand ?...Related Post: What is a Personal Brand ?...Related Tool: Personal Brand Strategy BriefHaving done personal development work for over 15 years one of the things that continues to intrigue me most is the often difference in

Effective Action...

2009-02-25T21:54:00.000-08:00

...is a fine line between arrogance and doubt !!...by David BookoutRelated Posts: Does Fear Affect / Effect Outcomes...Related Posts: Closure & A New Design ( II )...It seems like a lifetime ago when some colleagues and I were building a high-tech manufacturing company from scratch. The ride from $0 to $100MM / Yr. in 5 years was spectacular, and the lessons numerous. Today, one particular lesson

Great Leadership / Followership In Business...

2009-02-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

...is a lot like great dancing !!...by David Bookout1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, break, hands & twirl - 5,6,7,8, and back... Dancing is a wonderful metaphor for leadership, and follower-ship in business because just like great dance teams great business teams know how to share the leadership role. The key is learning to effectively share control - back and forth - as needed to move with maximum velocity.

Sales Conference 2.0 in San Francisco...

2009-02-20T07:42:00.000-08:00

My friend Don Langley over at ConnectAndSell.com recently gave me the heads up on the upcoming ( March 4th & 5th ) Sales Conference 2.0 that will be here in San Francisco.Here's the agenda overview:How to Accelerate Sales in a 2.0 WorldSales Lead Management 2.0Customer Engagement StrategiesAnalytics and Compensation ManagementAccelerating Productivity – New Sales 2.0 ToolsThe Foundation of a

Getting A Job In A Down Market

2009-02-16T05:07:00.000-08:00

How To Create Competitive Advantage In Your Searchby Steve BrownRelated Post: Strategy, Brand, and Go-to-MarketRelated Post: Polishing up the old CV...Related Post: Q: When should I network?...Related Tool: Personal Brand Strategy BriefI believe one of the important principles of marketing and branding is: being different is always better. As unemployment swells to 5 million citizens, an

Q: When should I network?...

2009-02-14T06:35:00.000-08:00

...Three Links For Your Interest & Review !!!...by David BookoutA: Only when I need to - Tech Crunch reports on LinkedIn's recent upswing in users.A: All the time - SF Business News article on "timely" new study. { Hmm - if it's timely why was it released when when jobless claims just peaked ? }Download the study @ UpWardlyMobile for a full read.The image was found on, and may be © Copyright to

Morals Report @ Parade Magazine...

2009-02-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

...How Much Does The Meaning Of Words Matter?...by David BookoutRelated Post: How To Build A Personal Brand...Related Post: Words Matter...While listening to 105.3FM this morning on the way back from taking my teenage son to school the DJ was talking about the recent Parade Magazine Intelligence Report On Moral Choices. The example he and his guests were having fun with was lying, and in the

How To Build A Personal Brand ( II )...

2009-01-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

...Your Gonna Have To Do Some Steppin Out !...by David BookoutRelated Post: How To Build A Personal Brand...Related Post: Why build a Personal Brand ?...Related Post: What is a Personal Brand ?...Related Tool: Personal Brand Strategy BriefPerhaps not dressed exactly as our photo suggests, but to build a successful Personal Brand today, I think it is pretty much a guarantee that you'll have to

How To Build A Personal Brand...

2009-01-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

...Obama's "return to virtuous ethics" as a good example !...by David BookoutRelated Post: Why build a Personal Brand ?...Related Post: What is a Personal Brand ?...Related Tool: Personal Brand Strategy BriefYou may, or may not like our smiling President, but that is NOT the point of this piece.Obama's suggestion that we return to virtuous ethics is more than interesting. I'm not suggesting he

Does Fear Affect / Effect Outcomes ?...

2009-01-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

...YOU Bet It Does, and NOT in a good way, every darn time !!...by David BookoutRelated Posts: Closure & A New Design ( II )...Maybe this happens to YOU? - I think it happens to all of us, but we can control it !! I was talking to a colleague this morning about fear, and they were sharing that the very thing that they we're afraid of seemed to keep happening to them. I thought "so, very, very

U.S. Airways Crash of Flight 1549

2009-01-15T17:56:00.000-08:00

Control what you can - a real life reminder that focus is key !!...by David BookoutThe photo shows an almost surreal setting of U.S. Airways crash - Flight 1549 sitting in the Hudson River. As I viewed this story on MSNBC this evening I was also reading our year end survey results, and specifically the comments of one, very kind reader:"I think 2009 is going to be a very challenging year and we

Brand Building - Portal Strategies...

2009-01-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

... may be One More Reason to go Web 2.0 !...by David BookoutSocial Networking and Social Media are hot topics, and sites like: MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, DodgeBall, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Spoke, Zoom, Blogger, YouTube, Joost, Flicr, Picasa, SlideShare, and more are pretty familiar. But, knowing how to best leverage these technological tools within your brand development strategy, regardless of

Why build a Personal Brand ?...

2009-01-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

... because you're actually brand building no matter what !...by David BookoutWhat is a Personal Brand?...If you don't think you need to worry just look around, and take note of the random thoughts you have about people - "So and so is always late! He's really quite smart! She always runs a great meeting!" As humans, we can't help having such thoughts. Just try to stop yourself. The compilation

What is a Personal Brand ?...

2009-01-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

... and other key terms in the Effetti Lexicon of Personal Brand !...by David BookoutEveryone seems to be talking about Personal Brand. With today's Google search revealing 990,000 exact uses of ( "Personal Brand" ), within web sites that range from ranting about the ridiculousness of even thinking about Personal Brand, to offers to be your Personal Brand Coach, there is more than a bit of

Closure & A New Design ( II )...

2008-12-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

...Don't Let "Uncertainty" Stop YOU in the New Year !by David BookoutClosure & A New DesignIn the previous post ( link above ) I wanted to focus on being Thankful, and the exploration of individual, hidden Gifts. But, as 2008 closes, and I prepare to finalize goals for 2009, I've been closely observing the conversations going on around me. Forget the disaster ridden, gloom and doom news - I

Jorn Utzon...

2008-12-19T06:42:00.000-08:00

...Rule Breaker, Perfectionist & Amazing Visionary !!!by David BookoutUtzon is the architectural genius behind the spectacularly beautiful and renowned Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. But, until earlier this week, I'd never heard of him. I'd certainly heard of, and seen pictures of the opera house. So, I was a little surprised, when I Googled him using quotation marks to do a specific

Ron Gettelfinger...

2008-12-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

... is he the UAW's Last Samurai ?by David BookoutFrom a Personal Brand building perspective it is always helpful to get outside of yourself. So, as I tuned to MSNBC early this morning I was presented with a swirl of information, and wondered how might this be valuable to you? First, came the story of the return of Tom Cruise, a familiar personal brand. Tom's movies have grossed an incredible

Don't Worry, "IT Will Sell Itself"...

2008-12-04T06:56:00.000-08:00

..& other, self maiming strategies !by David BookoutWould you take a sharp knife to your own arm? What about a dull one? This is in effect what we do when we attach ourselves to bankrupt thinking.The intent was to have a product marketing meeting. Like many start-ups, the product idea was really quite brilliant and the opportunity to talk to a professional, credentialed, industry expert seemed

Personal Brand Review - J.G. Mikolajczyk...

2008-12-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

...The Value of a Balanced View !by David BookoutThere are two things that you would immediately notice when meeting J.G. ( Jerry ) Mikolajczyk, Chairman and COO of Minecore International, Inc., and former Interim CFO of Silicon Valley's Valley Transit Authority ( VTA ). First, is his big smile, which is difficult to miss even though he is sitting at a remote table at a local Peets Coffee & Tea,

Closure & A New Design...

2008-11-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

...should we laugh, cry, celebrate, design, or redesign?by David BookoutYes!!!!!Turkeys aren't the only ones with wary eyes, particularly around Thanksgiving time. But, as this incredibly tumultuous and greatly historic year comes to a close, two specific questions come to mind that could be quite powerful openings to help you design the 2009 you desire and beyond:What are you thankful for?"What

Define Your Personal Brand...

2008-11-19T05:37:00.000-08:00

...or, How To Distance Yourself From The Crowd !by David BookoutIs it possible that if you; just got turned down for the job, big sale, or critical funding you were expecting, maybe even counting on - then perhaps you were NOT different enough to stand out from the crowd?In the coming weeks and months we will be interviewing a variety of people and asking them to share their views about their own

Meet the new sales person, Marketing...

2008-11-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

...& why you might want to re-think the budget !by David BookoutThere has been a shift coming for some time, have you noticed? Sales used to be about cold calls, roaming door to door, using lobby phones, inviting people out to lunch, dinners and an occasional box of doughnuts. Not anymore. Today, sales is about the post choice, transactional components of the process; how many, how much, by when,

Looking for a signal...

2008-11-03T06:12:00.000-08:00

...& how a little bit of market research can go along way!by David BookoutFor those of you that have seen the movie “Ray”, you might recall the scenes in which Ray Charles feels the wrist of young ladies he has been introduced to. Singer, musician Ray Charles was blind.Today, we are all a bit blind when it comes to how we are doing relative to fundamental marketing goals, such as; Generating

A Dating Approach to Sales

2008-10-27T06:01:00.000-07:00

Managing Your Network Increases Your Return on Investmentby Steven BrownOne of the critical lessons for becoming successful in sales is realizing that you must call on the person who can commit to the sized deal you want to close. You have to open a conversation with them, develop rapport, and then ask for the order. This same strategy needs to be considered when networking for business, career,

A logo is NOT a brand...

2008-10-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

...in most cases it's just a graphic image.by David BookoutIn this short post I want to offer an opening to what I hope is a more valuable, actionable perspective regarding logos and their place in brand strategy, and brand development.Brand, branded, and branding have recently become commonly used terms. But, to me, the way most people use these terms is a bit off relative to what is actually

Brand Review - Honda...

2008-10-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

It's ALL about "Mobility"!by David BookoutDejavu. Some may, but I certainly don't, remember the debut of the Honda Accord in 1976. The car was an upscale version of the Civic, a concept test by Honda to evaluate the American market, and consumer appetite for an automobile that could run a long, long way on a gallon of gas. Back then Honda's goal was to become an automotive brand. They

White-Knuckle Driving in NASCAR

2008-10-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

Gripping the wheel of your career in the "New Economy"by Steven BrownI dream of driving a race car someday. My home state of Oregon has some spectacular stretches of Highway and mountain roads that elevate your adrenaline. But the thrill of competitive driving has called to me for years. Maybe someday I'll make it to Infineon Raceway for one of their driving schools. For now I have to settle for

Be careful - every conversation is a Negotiation!

2008-10-14T10:39:00.001-07:00

How to thrive in life, work, and loveby Steven BrownIn my personal and professional development activities I have spent many hours on the subject of negotiation. In addition I have explored the nuances of language in communication, assertiveness, power and relationships. As I have experimented with various techniques and incorporated new skills in my everyday life I have come to believe that we

Intent ~ Action ~ Results ( Part 2 )...

2008-10-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

How these words go together and why it might matter to you.by David BookoutIn ( Part 1 ) we offered that thinking about the connection between these words and what we "do" can be a continuous, valuable process to help you get where you want to go, and we illustrated this concept as a "loop" wherein even intent and results are connected <>Intent<>Action<>Results<>.In this post I want to offer two

Understand The Customer - Do What You Love

2008-10-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Capitalizing on Passion as the best form of Specialization and Financial Gainby Steven BrownWe've all heard the career advice of "do what you love, the money will follow". As an investor, Warren Buffet states it a bit differently: "I buy businesses I can understand". Unfortunately most people don't know how to act on this advice, frequently allowing the unknown of finding buyers to prevent them

Intent ~ Action ~ Results...

2008-10-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

How these words go together and why it might matter to you.( Part 1 )by David BookoutSome of you have been very generous in your description of me lately as "particularly prickly". I can get this way when I'm chewing on a puzzle in which all the pieces don't seem to fit. The feeling started with the recent mass focus on our nation's, and perhaps the world's, financial situation, and the 2008 U.S.

Brand Review - Target...

2008-09-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

What we can learn from a strong customer centric focus.by David BookoutBravo! - Target's new TV ad campaign is VERY FOCUSED ON CONSUMER CONCERNS, while also staying focused on what the company needs to do - sell product. I'm talking about the ads that creatively feature products, such as a camping tent, while positioning them as fun things that might be on one's wish-list, such as a new family

Strategy, Brand, and Go-to-Market

2008-09-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

Why treating a job search like a product launch makes sense.by Steven BrownYou probably opened this blog entry thinking you'd find some discussion about business planning processes for launching a product. Well, I'm not here to trick you, but there is a growing need to approach job search like a product launch. In this tough economy more and more people in my professional and social network are

Polishing up the old CV...

2008-09-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Successfully taking "your Self" to market.by David BookoutIn preparation for Steve's upcoming post , which focuses on developing and marketing your own personal brand, I thought I would offer these suggestions to help you polish up your resume / curriculum vitae ( CV ):First, what is the goal, or action you want the CV to generate? Most often I find that people say "to get a job", but this isn't

Profits - Even in a Tough Economy

2008-08-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite clients is a Veterinarian in a small Oregon town. Besides liking him as a person, I'm extremely pleased that he has not only incorporated my advice, but has profited from it as well. Both financially and in peace of mind.The story begins when we first met through friends at a social gathering. The normal "what do you do" information was exchanged, and we quickly began

What is a Brand: part 6 of 6

2008-07-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

From Brand to Growth"What is a Brand?" by Steven BrownIn conclusion, a brand is a message to send, targeted at the customer that you prefer to serve repeatedly and profitably. You want them to decide on their own they are exactly your best customer. That you provide value they need and want. And you know that your team is able to execute the business processes, including marketing and sales, that

Relationship Selling ( I )...

2008-07-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Why developing "relationships" is the key to sales successby David BookoutMany of the small to medium enterprise ( SME ) owners and executives I've worked with over the years have one thing in common relative to sales and selling.They either don't like to sell, or they just don't consider themselves sales people.However, at the end of the day, somebody has to buy something from someone else to

What is a Brand: part 5 of 6

2008-06-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

From Customer to Brand"What is a Brand?" by Steven BrownYour brand then is every word and picture in every business card, sign, brochure, contract, voice mail greeting, and product look and feel. Every marketing and sales conversation. Every support response. And the relationships you form with customers. They all need to convey and reinforce who the right customer is.There are several aspects to

Chaotic Structures and Success ( III )...

2008-06-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutTo follow up on our last installment of Chaotic Structures and Success ( II ) and our original post Chaotic Structures and Success we promised to focus this installment on Scenario E.Our situation is identical. Strategic alignment is off. The company has a business strategy, no market strategy, no brand strategy, and a chaotic communication strategy. Overall awareness in the

What is a Brand: part 4 of 6

2008-05-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

Start With The Customer"What is a Brand?" by Steven BrownA brand is formed by having a crystal clear idea of your customer, their needs, the benefits and value you provide, how your offering is unique versus their alternatives, and the capabilities or services that deliver those benefits and value. This seems so obvious, so why is it so hard?Because it requires you to slow down and think

Brand Review - Johnson Controls...

2008-05-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutThe tag line next to the logo on the van said "Innovation Welcome".A "tag line" is a "phrase or catchword that becomes identified or associated with a person, group, product, etc., through repetition" according to Dictionary.com.But why? Was I reading this right? What was someone at Johnson Controls thinking when they declared a corporate void in innovation, and essentially

What is a Brand: part 3 of 6

2008-05-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

Your Brand Sales Person"What is a Brand?", by Steven BrownAt its core a brand is like a sales person who constantly whispers in the ear of your customer and your entire company – the ideal sales person that says exactly the right thing at the right time. You want your Brand Sales Person (BSP) to tell the customer their needs will be met by the product or service. The BSP assures them they will

Because you can...

2008-05-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

... doesn't always mean that you should !...by David BookoutHumans seem to naturally want to put their "fingerprints" on things, personalize them, let others know that they have made a "difference".From a brand perspective, this is exactly what you DO NOT want to do. Brands are built on boring consistency, a promise fulfilled over, and over, and over again.From this perspective, desktop

Management Intellectual Property: an Oxymoron?

2008-05-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

"The New Frontier"by Steven BrownIn this article I broached the topic of applying the concepts of reuse of intellectual property to the domain of management knowledge. As a Director of Marketing my work surrounds a product category that integrates the artistry of electronics design and verification with the notions of process management and team leadership. I've long been interested in leadership

Strategy, tactics & why they matter...

2008-05-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutImagine that you need to get to New York, but you live in San Francisco. Does it matter how you get there? It does if your strategy is to get there fast.Google Maps indicates that a trip from the Transamerica Building in San Francisco to the Empire State Building in New York takes in 2,907 miles and would encompass 43 hours, presumably at regulated highway speeds.But what if you

What is a Brand: part 2 of 6

2008-05-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Definition of a Brand"What is a Brand?", by Steven BrownNot everyone decides that a brand investment is the answer to their goals. But most entrepreneurs do know that they need to brand themselves to be successful. What most do not realize is the importance of reinforcing the brand in every contract, with every customer, every fulfilled order, and every customer-facing situation. Their success to

Chaotic Structures and Success ( II )...

2008-05-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutTo follow up on our last installment of Chaotic Structures and Success we promised to focus on the effects of the behaviors represented in Scenario C.The functional leaders whom have been focusing on other areas of the business, unless their areas are running at peak efficiency, are in effect neglecting fundamental promises of accountability for productivity and effectiveness

What is a Brand: part 1 of 6

2008-05-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

What is a Brand?by Steven BrownYou’ve caught the fever, the brand fever. You’re printing business cards, networking for business, or working with customers. You need to get more leads for your sales team. Your revenue or profits aren’t growing as you need. You just completed a business seminar and you are filled with new ideas for your business. What you want is more excitement about your product

Acronyms in brand building...

2008-04-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutWord combinations reduced to letter sets. They're everywhere. There is even an AcronymGuide.com website that is dedicated to the definition of acronyms.Here in Silicon Valley things like "Chemical Vapor Deposition" have become better known as "CVD", and on the internet we've turned "Internet Service Provider" into "ISP". Simple. But, are acronyms really good strategies for brand

Words Matter...

2008-04-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutWe define ourselves and our surroundings with words. We use words to coordinate, and collaborate with others.Yet it's a wonder we get anything done, and often we can't.Often I've illustrated the difficulty to clients and prospects by using the word "table" as an example. We all know the word. Five simple letters. Now picture your "table", and I'll bet there is NO WAY your visual

Are Complaints Bad?...

2008-04-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutThe thought came to me as I was standing in line for a cup of coffee at my favorite coffee shop.An elderly woman was complaining to the young lady at the register about the strength of the coffee. The elder felt it was "too strong", and was compelled to make this quite clear. Next to the young lady at the register was a young man piloting the coffee maker, who attempted to join

Chaotic Structures and Success...

2008-04-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

by David BookoutThe chaos theory, popularized by the movie Jurasic Park, is alive and well in some companies today. To some, this is just fine. To others, like myself, this isn't a good thing, and I can't help but wonder if the proliferation of chaotic business structures has in some way been brought on by our quest for diversity, spontaneity, and the freedom of all people to do what they "want"