Every business does its commerce in some community square, just like the grand old days. It may look and feel different, but the principles and fundamentals are the same.

I have worked on projects where the shipping department said “that’s not our job, that’s marketing’s job.” But Good to Great companies know that everyone is in marketing.

When working on a project for a company that supplied Dell computer, I remember you could walk through the Dell offices and anyone could pick up a phone to listen in on sales calls. Every computer that came off their line was for “Someone,” not just for inventory.

It’s important to remember that for any business, the most important asset is the customer. After all, the profits that a business makes has a direct correlation to how well they satisfy their customers! Unless every employee in every department in your company is concerned about addressing the needs of your customers, your profitability will decline.

Customer loyalty is certainly key to this issue. The Customer Collective recently posted an article entitle “Five ways to manage customer loyalty” – read more…

One season, we ran a tour with two bands on a tour bus, living on the road together for a month at a time over 9 months. It is typical for folks to chide one another, and it can get pretty tough when they are living on a “land submarine” 12 hours a day!

I realized as we pulled into venues for shows that the band members would often be wise cracking on each other, and the folks we encountered would step back in surprise at how cutting some of the remarks were. Even said in jest they had some truth and no edification.

We made a policy of “no dissing on the bus.” It was incredible to see how this small conscious effort changed the relationship of everyone on the tour, not to mention those with whom we came in contact. We also found other things to humor ourselves with and often ended up laughing together. I still think of those times as some of my fondest memories, even though we were also working our rear ends off!

Any group of people can fall into this apparently innocent practice. But it runs right up there with gossip, and it can certainly breed a very bad environment.

Many times on turn around assignments, I have found that this was one of the first cultural elements we needed to deal with to get the ship back on track. How we interact with others in the course of our day-to-day business will not only change how they feel, but it will also change how productive they are and how willing they are to work with you.

I recently read about a book written by Donald O. Clifton and Tom Rath that gives some great strategies to help influence our workplace by building relationships instead of tearing them down. Read more… How Full Is Your Workforce Bucket?

Working in creative endeavors has always been interesting. Balancing art and commerce is a fine line, and when it applies to advertising, promotion and marketing, it can get very blurry.

You can always tell the ads and creative marketing ideas that had “too many chefs.” I had an embarrassing moment one time when looking at a magazine ad. I commented on what a piece of garbage it was, only to hear the person standing next to me say “I shot the photo for that ad.” Naturally, I responded, “well, it does have some redeeming qualities!”

Whenever I start a project working with a new art and design group, I often have to temper their attempts to redesign the logo. Seldom have I worked on a project where the logo was so bad that it was bringing the company down. However, most designers are apt to consider their opportunity to have lasting impact on the company.

Good creativity needs to focus on the audience and the story we are telling. You can always go back and worry about the logo later.

Recently I noticed that the Sci-Fi network changed their logo, and I have to agree with graphic designer Ken Carbone. “Dear SyFy, Imagine Greater – Please!” – read more…

If planning is essential and story is imperative, what do you do with an idea and no beginning?

Entrepreneurs are those that are willing to plow ahead. They have an idea and they are able to drive through and make things happen. They still need a plan, but plans change. And a well crafted strategic plan lets you know when and how you can make changes in direction, without driving off the cliff!

Times like these are great opportunities for new ventures and start-ups. As major players strive to redefine, new opportunities develop. If you are sitting on an idea and looking for a way to make it happen then read “Blue Ocean Strategy,” one of my recommended reads.

Entrepreneur Jeff Stibel recently wrote at Harvard Business Publishing, “Great ideas are a dime a dozen. Action is what differentiates an entrepreneur from an inventor. If you want to focus on ideas, become an inventor — not an entrepreneur.” Read more… Are You an Inventor or an Entrepreneur?

Over the years I have begun projects with companies and organizations, and one of the first things I ask for is their plan. Normally I am then handed an Excel Spreadsheet, ironically followed up by a statement that says “we never hit our plan.”

One company I worked with actually took 12 months to develop the budget and miraculously “hit it” at the end of the year, the same time they completed it.

Many companies don’t plan because they don’t want to fail. Others just don’t know what to do to plan. Their plans are either so far reaching and obtuse they are too fuzzy to identify anything accomplishable; or they are so tied up in tactical efforts and minutiae that nothing accomplished through the plan would contribute to the growth of the company.

Finance expert Steve Player says that unlike budgeting, which is financial planning, “planning” is a much broader undertaking: “Budgeting sets limits; planning figures out what’s possible. Budgeting is about not failing, while planning is about succeeding.” Read more… Going Beyond “The Budget”

This band continues to define who they are and where they are going!

In working with Indie Artists and with Live Music Producer Tom Jackson, I am constantly reminded about the power of the show and why we need to create moments for the audience.

This is true whether you are an artist selling music or a company selling a product. If you have not read it, check out the Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore listed in my recommended reads.

U2 opens its 360 world tour on a huge stage designed by Hoberman Partners. Here are the first pictures and video. Read more…Images of U2′s Insane 360 World Tour Stage

I belong to a professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, which was founded in 1904 in part to promote and advance ethics in business.

Over the years I served in leadership, and subsequently we have continued to wrestle with ethics in business issues. Over the last 20 years we have seen the pendulum swing back and forth on this issue from the greed generation to the latest Wall Street and Madoff debacle.

Knowing your ethics and having integrity should be essential – yet why do so many struggle, or better yet, gladly succumb? Dan Heath and Chip Heath have written an interesting article: perhaps you should go more with your gut.

Read more…Why Your Gut Is More Ethical Than Your Brain

There is a dialogue going on, and if you are not part of it then you have no say in it. Staying out of the Social Network space is like prohibiting the use of the telephone. The real question is not whether to engage, but how to engage.

Many companies fail to translate themselves into the broadcast space. Previously, if your business did not deal with radio, TV, or media then it did not matter – although the ubiquitous “word of mouth” prowled around your customers and prospects without your knowledge.

Now, every company can broadcast on the internet; and if they choose not to, someone else will do it for them, as evidenced in this recent viral hit video:

Reuters recently reported “The heads of the top U.S. companies might be engaged in the boardroom, but they’re switched off when it comes to social media, according to a new study that said CEOs should be more connected to their customers.” Read more…Heads of top U.S. companies snub blogs, Facebook: study

It used to be that everyone marketed and bought ads on an age-based demographic. When we were coordinating millions of dollars in radio and TV buys, this was the only way to do it, because that is what Arbitron and Nielson provided.

Fast forward and everyone today says that the internet has changed our behaviors. I am not sure that is entirely true; however, one thing is for certain – the internet is giving us the ability to directly connect and “see” the folks we connect with.

You can see this on Social Network sites like Facebook, MySpace or… insert your favorite here.

It was always a frustration when working in the music business where reliance on age-based demographics were still the driving force. The only age groups that were certain were the youth groups, because they had a tendency to congregate. But you had to work harder to coalesce age groups beyond that because they were more fragmented and dispersed.

The internet has given us the ability to talk directly with the audience and see what they look like. In working with one artist, we were able to identify several groups of people, none of which were age-based. This allowed us to build out a relationship based program that connected with the audience based on personal preferences.

Rohit Bhargava has a good article that provides some interesting insight. Read more… 5 Reasons Your Customer’s Age Doesn’t Matter

The year was 1959. No one knew what was about to happen in the field of music. But jazz music was ready to take some giant steps.

Six of the most popular and/or groundbreaking albums in jazz history were recorded and released for the general market that year. Among them was Dave Brubeck’s multimillion-selling Time Out album, which included the first million-selling jazz instrumental single, a 45-rpm record of Take Five with Blue Rondo à la Turk on the flip side.

Columbia Records didn’t want Brubeck to record the album: it was to be all original material (no standards), with nothing danceable on it – releasing it to the general public was unthinkable. But it blew up! Time Out became one of the best selling jazz albums in history.

It’s all about going with what you’re inspired to do and making it happen. Jazz reached a creative apex in 1959; and today the same opportunities still exist. In fact, the internet opens up even more possibilities.

Get inspired to do what Dave Brubeck did 50 years ago. Read more about 1959 – seeing jazz take giant steps in popular culture…

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