The Finisher's Qualities...so far

Over the last couple of weeks I have transformed my blog into examining the qualities of people who are strong finishers. Here are my first few observations:

1) Finishers Do Not seek out the path of least resistance. You can insert any number of quotes here - "Do Not let good enough be good enough." - Bill Parcels comes to mind this morning. Any number of quotes from Gordon Ramsey also fit here.

2) Finishers take responsibility for their own actions - Roger Federer does not have a coach at the moment. Maybe he will seek one out later...but for now, he is structuring his work and his life without one. And it is working.

3) Finishers do not relax when they have a little success that puts them close to a goal. They set the next goal and find ways to push themselves through that first goal. (See qualities 1 and 2)

4) Finishers know how to set goals. You can read any number of books about setting goals that are a stretch but that are measurable. You have to know when you have achieved a goal...and you have to have the ability scratch a goal off your list.

Coming next - more qualities of Finishers and maybe some ideas of how to foster these qualities in your business life.

Cow dung and Web 2.0

I have had several marketing / sales conversations recently where I am trying to describe the Web 2.0 direction that we are all heading.

When you are working with people who know that term: "Web 2.0" - then the conversation starts at a different point.

But, the backstory of the conversation is always in the same direction...."what should I do?"

Web 2.0 is more thought and more work.

When a marketing company is used to sending out BRC cards and then hoping they bought the right list, or offered the right incentive, or used the right color...then getting them to actually think about content and authenticity, to actually ASK about that content, and to then convince others that possibly getting ripped apart by their customers is a GOOD thing is a challenge.

A challenge...but it is right.

Look - Web 2.0 means asking better questions...of yourself...of your partners...of your customers...of your upset customers in particular.

That is the mindset...now, what are the tools. There are literally hundreds of companies out there that have the Web 2.0 concept of true, authentic, rough-around-the-edges interaction built in to their DNA.

Here is a site that lists many of them....it is astounding how many of these companies / websites there are.

Web 2.0 List on Sacred Cow Dung

Why Would I Blog?

I have suggested to a few customers and friends that they should start a blog as a part of the overall marketing plan for their business.

These are people who know what they are doing when it comes to running their business, selling their services, and even doing some marketing.

With one exception, I have been met with blank stares and glazed eyeballs.

"Why Would I blog?"

"What would I do?"

"Who would read this?"

Blogging for your business should never include anything that sounds remotely like you are telling me about your cat, or why you haven't posted a rant in a while, or ANY kind of apology.

I don't want to know that Aunt Bessie dislocated her hip and so....

If I have found your blog, and I am reading it at all...I want to find something I haven't found before.

I want to find a way to interact with your company... and I want to discover how I can help you...and I want you to know that I know what you are talking about...and I want to be able to show my friends that I know what I am talking about...and I want my friends to start looking to me because I know this stuff...

you get the point?

There are entire communities of people out there that are talking to each other, learning about your service/product/store...STOP positioning your message...and START creating ways to be a part of that conversation.

You can't control the marketing message...and you should not.

This is WEB2.0...and you need to learn about it.

Search WEB 2.0 and do a little reading. There are MANY blogs on that subject. And the longer you wait to understand HOW Web 2.0 impacts the future of your marketing and your business, the farther you are behind.

By the way...Jerry is the customer who decided to blog. Please take a minute to go read THIS Blog. I promise it will bring you new insites on your business.

Context Matters..."I'd Ignore Him Too"

The Washington Post puts Joshua Bell, one of the great classical musicians in the world, in a subway station at rush hour to see what would happen.

The blog / internet response has been immense. Take a look at Seth Godin's take on this story URL: I'd Ignore Him Too

The point is that context does matter. Presentation and tone of voice and "the frame" (as mentioned in the story) DO matter.

This is the same concept that drives WHY we design a website and a marketing strategy and a sales system for our businesses. This is also why Web 2.0 is magic!

Managing Marketing Expectations

I just had a great illustration of managed expectations and what that does in different situations.

A year ago I had a huge city project tear up my street for a total of 10 months. There was not one single piece of communication from the city about what this was, how long it would last, the sequence of events, what to expect...nothing.

The only thing we got in our mail box in 10 months was two notes from the construction crew about when the massive earth diggers and movers were going to be making getting into or out of my driveway impossible. Nice enough, but there was very little actual info in there. We lived each day for 10 months inside of a construction site that we know nothing about...even asking the crew wasn't helpful. Big surprise.

The entire neighborhood was hacked off. Our City council member got replaced this past year...largely because of that experience.

Now, one year later the same construction company is doing the same type of project adjacent to a condominium development that my family is a part of. The difference is that this project is much larger and more time consuming to complete.

The other difference is the level of communication from the city as well as the construction company. They have communicated well with everyone in the building, the surrounding neighborhood, the nearby shops, etc. We know what is going on, what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, and how long it is going to take, (18 months!).

The people aren't happy about the timeline, but it is an important project and everyone is approaching it with a sense of humor and understanding.

Same project...same company...different approach.

Seth Godin talks and posts and writes a lot about what little tiny things you need to do to make an experience move from bad to great.

I know this isn't a new idea. I know this is a simple idea. I know this is not a ground breaking concept.

But if it is so basic...how come so few companies actually do the little extra work to make it happen?