It's not worth it?!?

That's not true.

At least it's not true almost all the time. Very few of your prospects
literally can't afford it. What they are really trying to say is, "it's
not worth it." As in, it's not worth reprioritizing my life, not worth
the risk, not worth what I'll have to give up to get this, not worth
being in debt for.

One response to repeated cries of "I can't afford it" is to lower your
prices. A better response is to tell a better, more accurate story, and
to tell it to the right people. The best response is to make something
worth paying for. Quoted from Seth Godin's Blog

I personally do have to admit that as a consultant it is not always easy
to make your client see the value of the services you offer. This is
especially the case in an environment where the client can easily obtain
a competitive offer whereby they focus on cost while losing the value
offered by you. It is now our responsibility to tell the right story
that will justify the additional expense(in this example) in exchange
for superior results.

What's a logo worth?

Have you noticed that every single car made has a logo on it? Jeans, too. Not business shoes, but computers, certainly. Phones. Not ties, except maybe Hermes. Not most jewelry, either.

It's funny. We probably wouldn't take $50 or $100 to plaster a logo on the back of our business suit, but we pay extra for a logo on a TV set.

Pencils, yes. Very few foods, except maybe Oreos. Watches, certainly. But not most of the furniture in your living room (though if anyone could do it, it would be Barbara Barry).

Is a logoless car worth more or less than the typical kind? Why do we not only put up with it, but expect it and like it?

Apparently, it's not just a pencil, it's a lifestyle.

Quoted from Seth Godin's Blog

The need to be right

I don't think you can underestimate how important it is to most people
to be right.

People choose jobs, products, partnerships... just about everything... in many ways because it makes them feel right or at least diminishes the chance that they will be 'caught' being wrong.

The customer is always right When they're wrong, they're not your customer any more, because it's better to flee than be wrong.

My post on wikipedia really hit a nerve with a large number of readers. In many cases, the feedback I got was that the article in wikipedia might be wrong or vandalized. And if the underlying article is wrong, well, then you would be wrong. And being wrong is... bad.

I like being wrong. Not enough to make a habit of it, but enough to realize that I'm actively testing scenarios. Take a fact of dubious authenticity, riff a scenario around it and see if it feels right. That act of scenario building is a key factor in brainstorming, creativity
and in problem solving. If you need the core fact to be guaranteed right and perfect, you're doomed, because facts like that are in short supply.

Are you setting up your customers to be right and to feel right? Or is the risk of 'wrong' holding them back?

[I know, there's a huge need to have right facts and right practice, particularly in jobs where quality of service is essential. Got that. My point is that we're so good at getting those sort of facts right that maybe, just maybe, we need to spend more time teaching people the other
stuff. Short version: if your job can be completely written up in a manual, it's either not a great job or it's going to be done by someone cheaper, sometime soon.]

Quoted from Seth's Blog

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Is viral marketing the same as word of mouth?

I got a note from a college student last week, explaining that his
professor told him he couldn't use the term 'viral marketing' in a
paper. It doesn't exist, apparently, it's just a new-fangled form of
word of mouth.

I found the interaction fascinating ("I'm not certain what benefit is
gained by arguing with an instructor" is my favorite quote from his
teacher) but I got to thinking about whether the instructor had a point.

"Viral marketing" shows up 2,000,000 times in Google, "ideavirus" shows
up 200,000 times. Of course, you could argue that just because millions
of people are using a term doesn't make it legitimate (though you'd be
wrong).

Anyway...
*
Viral marketing [does not equal] word of mouth. *Here's why:

Word of mouth is a decaying function. A marketer does something and a
consumer tells five or ten friends. And that's it. It amplifies the
marketing action and then fades, usually quickly. A lousy flight on
United Airlines is word of mouth. A great meal at Momofuku is word of mouth.

Viral marketing is a compounding function. A marketer does something and
then a consumer tells five or ten people. Then then they tell five or
ten people. And it repeats. And grows and grows. Like a virus spreading
through a population. The marketer doesn't have to actually do anything
else. (They can help by making it easier for the word to spread, but in
the classic examples, the marketer is out of the loop.) The Mona Lisa is
an ideavirus.

This distinction is vital.

For one thing, it means that constant harassment of the population
doesn't increase the chances of something becoming viral. It means that
most organizations should realize that they have a better chance with
word of mouth (more likely to occur, more manageable, more flexible) and
focus on that. And it means, most of all, that viral marketing is like
winning the lottery, and if you've got a shot at an ideavirus,
<http://www.ideavirus.com> you might as well over-invest and do whatever
it takes to create something virus-worthy.

And yes, I happen to think that arguing with the instructor is a very
good idea.

Quoted from : Seth Godin's Blog
<http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/sethsmainblog>

The Curious Misnomer of 'Global' Brands

And How 'Mamma Mia' Demonstrates Localized Globalism
Martin Lindstrom's Weekly Video Reports

MOSCOW(BRANDFlash) -- When you travel the world studying marketing patterns, you soon realize what a misnomer it is to talk about "global" brands. In fact, you may even question if such a thing truly exists. Coke, for instance, comes in 30 different variations in much the same manner as Ronald McDonald comes with different personality traits depending on what country he's found in. Or look at the world's most popular musical: ABBA's "Mamma Mia," which here in Moscow is surprisingly different from the same play as performed in London. Global marketing today is really more about localized customization than centralized distribution.

FULL ARTICLE from adage.com

Harnessing the power of informal employee networks

Most large corporations have dozens if not hundreds of informal networks, in which human nature, including self-interest, leads people to share ideas and collaborate. Informal networks are a powerful source of horizontal collaboration across thick silo walls, but as ad hoc structures their performance depends on serendipity and they can’t be managed by creating formal networks, companies can harness the advantages of informal ones and give management much more control over networking across the organization.

The steps needed to formalize a network include giving it a “leader,” focusing interactions in it on specific topics, and building an infrastructure that stimulates the ongoing exchange of ideas.

Read the article at McKinsey

Start Thinking Like Investment Managers

Talk Like Them, Too: Marketers Must Explain How Their Strategy Decisions Drive Shareholder Value

They say the first stage of starting a revolution is to begin with the language. OK, here's an attempt: What if marketers started to change the marketing lexicon? For example, instead of referring to the marketing budget, what if they were to call it a loan? One that needs to be paid back, with interest? And that ROI should be recast as a profit or loss? And advertising and marketing channels should be viewed as alternative investment funds designed to maximize marketing profits?

Read the article

How to organize your exhibition

If you arrange your own exhibit you must have objectives, a strategy and a
detailed plan.

The first thing to do is to research the trade fair. Find out which other
businesses will be exhibiting and the number and type of customers
expected. This will help you design a strategy and develop realistic
objectives.

When devising objectives and strategy you should consider :
- Who you are targeting.
- The information you want to provide to visitors to your stand.
- How you want to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
- How you will promote or display your products.
- The materials you will use to build your display.

The potential power ... shaping of opinion ... persuasion

When we approach our communications just to inform, we relinquish our
potential power, the opportunity to persuade, to shape opinion and the the
way your audience makes decisions. Do not leave the potential opportunity
atyour disposal.

1. Set your goals : Spend time considering what they would be most interested in. Think about
   their reservations. Develop answers to the questions they will ask.
   Structure the presentation around concerns and topics critical to
   influencing their thoughts and actions.
2. Articulate clear points and recommendations
   Once the audience is clearly understood, it is easier to align key points
   and recommendations with issues important to them.
3. Provide clear action steps
   Clearly outline your team's plan of action, allowing the audience to know
   what to expect.

The message becomes memorable
The message is easier to remember when you structure it considering their
position, providing clear recommendations and action steps.

Inspired by David Brenner's "Move the word".

Exhibition ... The Exhibitors

When partaking in an exhibition project, the organizer needs to define his
aims and expectations as well as budgets available.

Aside from exhibiting products, consider organizing seminars.

By Sirk Verelst
KREAXI design

Effective communication ... Exhibition

Promoting a country's international trade?

When considering the use of an exhibition to promote a country's trade, it is vital to identify the aim of the event, and to attach a visual or a story to facilitate promotion
thereof. This helps in attracting both exhibitors as well as visitors.

In organizing such an event, there are 3 parties involved, each with their specific agenda : The organizers, the participants and the visitors. To ensure success it is essential to explore and satisfy these different agendas.

1. The Organizer, in our example the country, has as aim to assist the
taxpayer by promoting national or regional trade as well as the promotion
of the national identity on an international level.

2. The exhibitors goals can mostly be described as :
- Promotion of the individual brand, company or institution
- Search for international connections for both marketing as well as
production channels.

3. The visitors should complement the exhibitors agenda by providing a
market or connection thereto.

In order to make the exhibition conducive to participants, numerous
services need to be supplied by the organizer to provide the event with
the maximal impact and attraction, creating a buzz in the target community
to ensure optimal return on investnent for all parties involved.

By Sirk Verelst
KREAXI design

Andy Kanefield : Going Beyond the Golden Rule

To maximize interest in what you stand for and effectiveness in delivering it you need to do two things:

1. Create a framework that addresses the diverse needs.
2. Reinforce the framework so that it will pass through each group's filter.

The individual application of the extended Golden Rule is seen in small groups and one-on-one interactions. Don't expect every single person on your work team to be excited about the direction of the organization or want to help create it. Don't expect every person on your team to be able to put themselves in your clients' shoes.

You get the idea. explore what gets people enthused, which is typically aligned with their strengths, and tap into that.

This is the essence of Andy's mission. His story needs to be shared. Will you help him?

Quoted from "ChangeThis" No 39.02
By Andy Kanefield
founder and CEO of Dialect, Inc.

<Sirk Verelst, Organisation, Indonesia, Jakarta, ideasirkus, idea sirkus, business development>

Effective communication...persuasion

Treat every communication opportunity as an opportunity to shape opinion.
This can be about your organization, your product or your service. When you
do so you will dramatically increase your chances for success.

Start by setting your goals. Consider your audience's interests. Structure
your presentation around concerns and topics critical to influencing their
thoughts and actions. Follow this by clear recommendations which are then
outlined in clear action steps. All this will make your message memorable
to the audience.

When you prepare to persuade rather than merely inform, you leave little to
chance.

Inspired by David Brenner's "Move the word".

Link : The Manifesto

Experiential Retail

I look at the retail platform and see endless amounts of opportunity. Most POS structures are just that. Retailers seem to have a huge blind spot for the most important factor in consumer purchase intent.

But things are changing. Take a recent display created by Adidas. When a shopper removes a soccer ball from the station, the unit emits a small scent of leather and fresh cut grass. If a shopper takes off a soccer shoe, then the unit’s TV screen begins to show goals that were scored while wearing that particular shoe. The list goes on, but take my word for it – it was simply awesome.

In the near term I hope to see better utilization of the retail platform. If you have any great examples please send them my way so that I may feature them.

Erik Hauser is creative director/founder of San Francisco-based marketing firm Swivel Media and founder of IXMA, the International Experiential Marketing Association. He also moderates the Experiential Marketing Forum and pens the biweekly BrandAnimation column for CHIEF MARKETER.

Read the article...

Reinventing the US car industry

The minivan—a Chrysler invention—is a great example of a company responding to unmet customer needs. The company seems to have forgotten that lesson.

These guys are trying to focus on the same old market segments. It is just so tired. Every single company at every brand offers every single variant. I can get an SUV from Porsche, from BMW , from Cadillac, from Mercury, from Ford, from Chevy, from Buick, I mean come on, guys. That only makes sense if you look at the industry from the vantage of a manufacturer. It only works if you think about the world in terms of factory efficiency. The industry knows nothing about the frontier needs of the consumers. Every time a team does work in that area, the managers say, "Yes, well that is an interesting vehicle, but we wouldn't be able to produce it at a mass scale and so my manufacturing wouldn't be efficient."

The places the industry is being reinvented are in India and China where you can buy kit cars that you assemble yourself. They are more modular, more customizable, and easier to maintain. If I wanted to create a big winner for Chrysler, I would help them to devise an approach that is so different from the way the rest of the mainstream industry is behaving. Every industry and every company needs to learn from the periphery rather than the core. Change always happens at the periphery.

How can we produce vehicles that everywhere in the world people would be excited to own, that are relevant to the lives they are living rather than the nostalgic idea of American car ownership, that responds to their busy lives, their terrible traffic jams, etc. Tell me about cars that are so compelling that people everywhere would want them and be able to afford them."

By Jessie Scanlon, senior writer for Innovation & Design on BusinessWeek.com.

Challenge of building global brands

Head of advertising conglomerate WPP, Martin Sorrell is a giant of
brand-building. Talking about the DNA required in a global growth company,
Sorrell spent some time talking about the challenge of building global
brands. He gave us two choices. Take the WPP approach and build a
multibrand organization quickly (much of it through acquisition), or take
much longer to build a deeper, more consistent uni-brand organization. The
trade-off is that the multibrand approach is much harder to sustain and has
a much harder time building an integrated culture. This is a tough dilemma
for all these fast-growing companies and poses the question:

Do design and innovation offer any insights about how to resolve this?

Quoted from Businessweek. Tim Brown is chief executive and president of
IDEO. He moderated the panel "How to Compete in an Open World" at the World
Economic Forum meeting in Dalian, China.

<Brand, ideasirkus, creative, business development>

Converting need into demand

David Green was responsible for creating the amazing Aurolab at the Aravind
Eye Institute in Madurai, India.

There, he brought the cost of intraocular lenses for cataract surgery down
from hundreds of dollars a pair to $4, creating the ability for Aravind to
carry out more than a quarter of a million cataract operations a year, many
of them for free.
In his talk about the business of social entrepreneurship, Green gave one
of the best definitions of what design does: converting need into demand.
Embedded in those four words is everything about understanding human need,
creating functional solutions, having emotional appeal, and communicating
in an engaging way.

David Green,

Quoting Tim Brown, Businessweek September 14, 2007 :
Davos Summers in Dalian, China
Tim Brown, chief executive of IDEO, takes a design-focused look at the
goings-on at the World Economic Forum's summer session

Anomaly : An innovative agency strategy

Ad agency "Anomaly" is pioneering a new model whereby it provides its creative services in return for a take of the profits. It's a high-risk strategy that could change the industry

Slide Show: An Anomaly in the Ad Business