Why We Write

“Only in writing do you discover what you know.”

– Anne Beattie, author

What a joy to re-read a favorite book! You think that you remember most of the content – or at least the major points.  However, over time your own circumstances change and upon re-reading the book, the context has changed and you gain new insights.

Such was the case for me with “What Clients Love,” by Harry Beckwith.  Harry has enjoyed great success with his series of books (also “Selling the Invisible” and “The Invisible Touch”).  He has had a distinguished career in marketing and advertising and has done a masterful job in sharing his observations and client history with his readers.

This time around, my thoughts were centered on this blog.  Why do I write it?  Does anyone read it?  Does it really matter?  Does anybody care?  Why does anybody blog?

Then it hit me – in Harry's own words, “Writing teaches you that you never write just what you know.  You write what you learn as you're writing… Writing teaches everyone – especially the writer.”

I have been thinking a lot about how to differentiate what I do – consulting, speaking and training.  How do I gain a competitive advantage?  What set me apart?  Why should a client hire me – rather than another consultant?

I found a lot of those answers in Jaynie L. Smith's book, “Creating Competitive Advantage.”  But the hard part – you actually have to write them down on paper – or say them out loud.  You have to learn how to articulate your competitive advantage – in a way that a complete stranger can clearly understand.

And that is what writing does.

You are forced to learn as you write.  Not just to gather information and spit it back out.  No, to think about things – especially as they pertain to yourself – and to express them in your own individual style.

So that is why blogging matters – to me.  Everyday, I learn new things – and improve my communications skills – as I write about the things that matter to me.  I have a long way to go – and a lot to learn as I write.

 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

What Clients Love

I posted a new photo to Photos.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Why us vs. About us

Earlier today I posted a review of the book “Creating Competitive Advantage,” by Jaynie L. Smith.  There are many penetrating insights in the book but I was particularly struck by this one:

Look at any website – or your own website – and read the “About Us” section.  Filled with a lot of self-serving blather, right?  Who wrote this stuff?  Probably a committee.  Who reads this stuff – nobody (well maybe the President's mother)  So why do we have an “About us” section on our website?  Because everyone else has one on their website.

The author suggests that we take down that part of our site.  In its place put up a “Why Us?” section and use that to neatly articulate your company's distinct competitive advantages.  Tell current and potential clients why they should choose your company to provide the products or services they are seeking.  What a great idea!

And not only that, but “promote” the “Why Us?” section on your website.  Make it the first place that  visitors click on – give it prominent positioning.  We know that a website has to attract a visitor's attention in a matter of seconds.  What better opportunity than this – to tell them straight out why they should do business with you!

I'm going to act upon this idea and add a prominent “Why Us?” section to my website – www.thecompanyrocks.com as soon as I possibly can!  Tell our readers what you think about this idea.

 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Book Review – Creating Competitive Advantage

How many business owners or top managers can quickly articulate the competitive advantages that set their company apart from the competition?  In Jaynie L. Smith's experience as a consultant, not many!  In fact, in her research, only 2 out of 1,000 C.E.O.'s could do so.  Is it any wonder that so many manufacturers and retailers believe that consumers will only make purchases based on low prices?  Perhaps, this is why we have a fast “race to the bottom” on pricing and rapidly dwindling profit margins.  But this does not have to be the case.

“Creating Competitive Advantage” offers many powerful and practical strategies and exercises to help you to identify and articulate clear, compelling reasons why existing customers should continue to do business with you and why potential customers should choose you instead of your competitors.  In her workshops, the author asks owners and employees to come up with a list of competitive advantages that are:

Objective – not subjective

Quantifiable – not arbitrary

Are not already claimed by your competition

Are not cliches – always be specific!

So, for example – instead of saying, “We provide quality products,” say, “Last year, less than half of 1 percent of our customers returned one of our products.” (If your product is as good as you say, you won't have a lot of returns.  Quantify your results and the results that your customers report and then – let all your current and potential customers know about it – this becomes your competitive advantage.

The best possible summary of the book – and the reasons why you should run out to get and read this book – is listed on the cover jacket.  “The Five Fatal Flaws of Most Companies:”

1) They don't have a competitive advantage, but they think they do.

2) They have a competitive advantage but don't know what it is – so they lower prices instead.

3) They know what their competitive advantage is but neglect to tell clients about it.

4) They mistake “strengths” for competitive advantages.

5) They don't concentrate on competitive advantages when making strategic and operational decisions.

I really like this book.  The author goes to great length to detail specific results from some of the many companies she has worked with – the results are nothing less than spectacular and in many cases, it was the company's employees (front line staff) who identified the clear advantages.  Throughout the book, Jaynie Smith constantly stresses the need to use quantifiable research and specific benefits – that will matter to your customers.

Of course, if your company has a clear competitive advantage internal or external) your competitors will try to copy it.  So, you must be constantly searching for new clear-cut advantages to stay ahead of your competition – and be sure to tell your customers what you are offering and why it matters to them.  Don't make the 5 fatal flaws!

Once your company has defined their competitive advantage(s) be sure to tell everyone in your company what they are.  Train your staff around your competitive advantage – turn each employee into a first-rate salesperson.  When they believe in your advantage they will enthusiastically tell everyone “why they should do business with your firm rather than with somebody else.”

Any business who wants to learn how to compete rather than constantly lower prices needs to buy this book and put these strategies into practice – today!  Before your competitors do so.

The author maintains a very useful website with a Discover your competitive advantage” interactive worksheet.  Fill it out – the results are quite revealing.  Learn how much money you may be losing by not identifying and articulating your competitive advantage.

 

 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Creating Competitive Advantage

I posted a new photo to Photos.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Taste in Music

Here is an interesting story from today's New York Times – (click here for the link)

Nordstrom's – the upscale department store – will be carrying a select group of Compact Disk recordings of artists whose music reflects the style of their stores and customer's taste.  On reflection, this really should not be a surprise.  For many years, Nordstom's has employed pianists to perform on fine pianos in their stores to enhance the shopping experience for their customers.  And our choices in music reflect our personal style and taste more than any other indicator.

However, the point that I want to make – to my music industry colleagues – is that we must sell our products where potential customers are likely to gather.  We can not wait for them to come to our stores.  We must be present – and available – for them when they are in the mood to shop.  Be it on the Internet, or at casual gatherings or at entertainment venues.  If you are going to capture a portion of the discretionary dollars, you must first capture a portion of their mind.

Nordstrom's – along with Whole Foods Markets, Target and Starbucks, etc. – are not selling products per se.  They are selling a lifestyle.  Music retailers, if they want to succeed, must understand this concept and grab its potential.

As the NY Times articles states, Nordstom's is not planning to carry a full line of music CD's in their stores.  But a market that they long ago ceded to specialty stores like Tower Records (now in bankruptcy) is emerging for customers who visit their stores.  In typical fashion for a merchant who understands their customers, they will have listening kiosks in the music department and they will also place the music CD's at selected points throughout the store to take advantage of cross-selling opportunities.

Personally, I now realize that just in the last 12 months I have purchased music CD's in Starbucks (Ray Charles, Sergio Mendez), Target (Tony Bennett) and Whole Foods (Chris Botti.)  Could I have waited and purchased these CD's at a later date at a music store.  Yes.  But, the point is, I didn't want to wait – and risk the chance that the store would not have the selection in stock; or that I would forget that this artist's CD had grabbed my interest.  The music CD grabbed my attention at that point, and I put it into my cart – AND… I paid full retail price for each of these CD's.

There is a lesson in all of this.  Understand your customers and you will gain the opportunity to grow your business.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Book Review – Steal These Ideas!

I would jump at the opportunity to have an afternoon conversation with the managing director and head of advertising / brand management at Citigroup Global Wealth Management.  Especially if I knew that his father wrote the original direct subscriber letters for Playboy Magazine – from the “bunny's perspective!”  How much would I pay for that opportunity?  A lot! 

However, all we have to pay is $18.95 (or less) to have that conversation with Steve Cone when we buy his book, “Steal These Ideas! Marketing Secrets That Will Make You a Star.”

Steve Cone is opinionated.  He knows what works and what doesn't – and he tells you why.  He writes in a very engaging, conversational style.  He speaks from personal experience – the campaigns that he has worked on; and from an historical perspective.  Some of his comments about “Tag lines” or slogans are very amusing: e.g. from JP Morgan Chase – “The Right Relationship is everything.” (Am I using a dating service?)

We live in an over-communicated society.  The first challenge for any business or service is to get noticed – and to create some excitement.  However, once you get noticed too many art directors sabotage your efforts – they use fonts that make it difficult to read (sans serif; white reverse type.)  Too many ads fail because they do not give the consumer a compelling call to action – the reason to STOP everything now and order the product or service.

Steve Cone writes extensively on how to develop an effective “Tag Line” for your business.  He neatly integrates this with “building your brand” and creating your “unique selling proposition.”  For Cone, marketing successfully is all about simple ideas brilliantly executed that reinforce your brand message.

Of special note is the chapter on creating effective brochures.  Six great suggestions:

1) Put a picture of a person on the brochure along with one-or-two-line highlights of the contents within.

2) Summarize the key takeaways of the brochure in bold and easy-to-read copy.

3) Tell readers what you want them to do – on every page.

4) Regularly use a question & answer format withing your brochures. (Great suggestion!)

5) Have a real contact name and return address prominently displayed.

6) Potential readers will make split-second decisions about whether to read or toss it.

And Chapter 12 – “The Three Most Important Customer Lessons You Will Ever Learn,” is priceless.  This chapter provides more wisdom, insight and practical tactics that most MBA programs!  The lessons are:

1) People renew the way they are acquired.  (Think about PBS renewal campaigns.)

2) The most critical time in a new customer's relationship with your business is the first week after her initial purchase. (Amen!)

3) Forget complicated clusters and demographics. (There are only 5 basic customer groups.)

This book is a quick read – and one that you will often return to for ideas and inspiration.  The premise is – there are no new ideas.  Learn how to adapt proven tactics to improve your company's marketing.  The secret is how well you execute these ideas! 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Steal These Ideas!

I posted a new photo to Photos.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

Panel Discussion at National Guild Conference

Last weekend, I had the pleasure to participate in a panel discussion at the 69th Annual Conference for Community Arts Education.  This was sponsored by the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts

The title of the discussion was, “Sustainable Partnerships Between Community Schools of the Arts and the Music Products Industry.”  Executives from Steinway & Sons, Roland and Yamaha Corporation of America were on the panel with me.  The moderator was David Peters from Electronic Courseware Systems and Indiana University at IUPUI.

The basis of my comments was “how do we define a relationship or partnership?”  The definition that I like is” A relationship is initiated by similarities; built on common interest but sustained through mutual benefit.”  I discovered this in a business book some years ago but failed to notate the source. 

I would venture to say that for many of the community schools and the music products industry, most relationships are at the “common interest” level.  The schools require instruments and instruction materials and the music products industry supplies them.  How do we elevate the relationship to one of “mutual benefit?”

Certainly there is a mutual benefit when we are able to encourage more students to become active music makers.  And it is to our mutual benefit when these students (and their parents) learn to distinguish the difference in the quality of instruments and editions.

However, to truly establish a level of mutual benefit and to sustain partnerships, we must begin with one simple step – start to talk to each other.  A simple dialog – such as those begun at this conference – between tow sides makes an extraordinary difference.  Neither side will ever understand the other's needs unless we ask, “What do you need?  How can I help?  What can we both do together to help the students?”

 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn

AARP and Recreational Music Making

I had the pleasure to participate in the “AARP Life @ 50+” Convention this past weekend in Anaheim, CA.  My appearance was sponsored by Alfred Publishing Co.  I gave two presentations – “Making Memories with Music” and “Making Music with My Friends.”

The Recreational Music Making pavilion at the show was sponsored by NAMM, The International Music Products Association.  The member companies who participated were:

Yamaha, Lowrey, Alfred Publishing, Whacky Music, Remo, Roland, Rhythm Band Instruments and The Museum of Making Music.  In addition, Making Music Magazine was a generous sponsor – handing out copies of their Fall 2006 Issue to all of the AARP members who visited our pavilion.

There were several popular presenters – including Scott, “The Piano Guy,” of PBS fame.  Roland sponsored his appearance.  “Drum Circles” were a popular event at the AARP Convention and Remo sponsored several of them each day.  Members of the Carlsbad, CA “New Horizons Band” performed as the convention ended on Saturday.

I applaud the efforts of the music industry to promote the benefits of music making – for both your health and to have fun!  There is a mounting body of scientific evidence that proves that making music “reduces the impact of stress at the genomic level, reversing some of the key switches that turn on mechanisms for producing serious diseases.”

The focus of my presentations, on behalf of Alfred Publishing, was to demonstrate some of the materials that make it easy to read and play music.  Many of the people in my audience have bad memories of the drudgery and strict discipline involved in taking music lessons.  They are at a stage in life now where they just want to do things that give them pleasure.  Making music gives us pleasure and they were pleased to see the many ways that music publishers have made learning music fun and fast.  For example, there are many DVDs that demonstrate how to play some of your favorite songs – to the amazement of your friends!  Several series of books allow you to “Teach Yourself Guitar' or Piano or to Sing, etc. 

Check some of these materials out at your local music store.  Click here to find a dealer near you. 

Now that I am working at home, I try to play the piano for a half-hour each day.  I look forward to this time.  It helps me to relieve built-up stress and gives me great pleasure.  And I find that after play piano for a while, I can go back to a project with renewed energy and better focus.

If you would like to get back-to – or just get started – making music, click here, to get more information on the many Recreational Music Making programs that are now available – and waiting for you!

Share and Enjoy:
  • Add to favorites
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Print
  • email
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Orkut
  • SphereIt
  • Sphinn