Celebrity Death Watch

“Three major celebrities
dying in one week,”
the talking head gasped,
“that’s shocking.’

Ummm… no, it isn’t.
The names may have been shocking
but that three well known people
died in one week?
Not.

Why?

Because the number of celebrities
you and I know
is 100 times (or more)
the number of celebrities
our grandparents know.
That’s a by-product
of the information age.

Combine that
with boomers,
the demographic bulge,
getting older,
and celebrity deaths are bound
to be regular news reports.

The networks are counting on it.
You see, they have obituaries
and remembrance reels
already written for all the major celebrities.
They are prepared
and plan to profit from it.

There are opportunities
in EVERY situation,
no matter how morbid.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

The Small Customer

I always ‘test’ charities
with small donations
or donations-in-kind
before making larger donations.
Only a rare few pass this test.

(Great because I can
focus my efforts)

A friend needed thousands of pens.
She ordered 100 from a manufacturer
as a test.
They failed,
delivering late
and with a sloppy product.

Very rarely will you
receive a huge order
as your first interaction
with a customer.
They will test you
with a small order first.

Treat your ‘small’ customers well.
They are tomorrow’s large customers.

Published
Categorized as Sales

Commute With Your Customers

I take the bus.
Sure, I don’t like to drive
but even if I did,
I would still take the bus.

Why?

Because my customers take the bus.

It is the same reason,
I listen to radio
(including the commercials)
and eat in family restaurants.

It is very challenging
to sell to someone
you don’t understand.
The best way to understand your customer
is to BE your customer.

It also immediately gives you
a common base
to leverage off of.

Commute with your customers.
No one sells product
from an ivory tower.

Published
Categorized as Sales

Believing In Beat It

You pitch a project
to your employer.
It doesn’t cost much,
it would take minimal time,
yet your employer
says ‘no.’

What do you do?

If you truly believe in the project,
you’ll do it anyway
(on your own time,
sucking up minimal company resources).
Yes, it may get you fired
(the more company resources involved,
the greater the chance
they’ll fire your ass)
but it may also catapult you
into super stardom.

That’s what Michael Jackson did
with ‘Beat it.’
CBS said no to the video.
Michael Jackson fronted the cash
and shot it anyway.
It is, decades later,
still considered one of
the best videos of all time.

If you believe in your project,
find a way to make it happen.

Lie Telling Medium Of Choice

Want the truth?
Get your answers in email.

In a study of college students,
Hancock found that
37% of lies were told via phone,
27% face-to-face,
21% using Web-based messaging
and
14% through email.

Why so few lies via email?
Because it leaves a trail,
proof that the lie was told.

That’s why I backup
every communication
with email.

The Clientk eBooks

Got an irate email
from a so-called ‘reader’,
upset because I’ve joined
the masses of bloggers
‘selling’ eBooks.

Newsflash jackass!
I’m not selling anything.
The Best of Clientk 2005 PDF
is absolutely free.

The ‘ad’ for my romance novel
also on the sidebar?
There for informational purposes.
I haven’t sold a single copy
from this site
(you are not the target audience).
If I ever did,
I’d likely miss a post
because I’d be in shock.

Yes, I will be putting together
Best Of… eBooks
for the later years.
When I get a spare second
(laughing hysterically).

Jon & Kate Can Wait

What do you do
if you have a show
with top ratings
earned in a way
inconsistent with your brand image?

If you’re TLC,
you shelve the show.

The official reason
for Jon & Kate Plus 8
going on hiatus
is not having enough footage
to create fresh installments.
Since the tabloids
have more than enough
fresh photos to sell papers,
that is difficult to believe.

What I DO think
is that someone high up
at TLC
had the balls
to stand up and say
‘this is not what this network
stands for.’

Good or bad decision,
only time will tell
but as a marketer,
I am applauding.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Perez Hilton And The Court Of Public Opinion

Perez Hilton made a headlines
yesterday
by claiming Black Eyed Peas’
Will.i.am assaulted him
at the MMVA’s.

I listened to 3 different radio stations.
All 3 covered the story
but all 3 followed it
with a story about
bad behavior by Perez Hilton
to not-as-famous MMVA attendees.
The interesting thing
is that EVERY story was different
and told with a personal connection
to the DJ telling it.

The result is,
true or not,
it is being dismissed as
a publicity stunt.

For sympathetic marketing to work,
the recipient has to be sympathetic.
TRULY sympathetic
because in the era
of everyone journalism
lies will be outed.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

The Stop Doing Strategic Review

I am swamped.
Up to my ears in opportunities.
When I reach this point,
I set aside some of that valuable time
and see what projects I can cull
or delegate.

I must not be the only one
with more opps than resources.
Tom Peters is suggesting
we all launch
a ‘Stop Doing Strategic Review’
putting eliminating non-value adding working
as a priority.

What can you stop doing today?

Oh, and if you’re thinking
‘What opps?’
take a deeper look
at the changes around us.
THIS is a great time
to achieve!

Delivering

Want to be above average?

Keep your word.
Do that
and you’ll always have people
willing to
work with you,
give you contracts,
set you up with projects.

A loved one volunteered
to be part of a 24 hour relay.
The day of the relay,
it rained heavily…
the entire 24 hours.

Most people canceled on the organizer.
My loved one didn’t.
Sure, he went
because he keeps his own word
but he also wanted to know
who else kept theirs.

THOSE are the people
he wants on his project teams.

Published
Categorized as Sales