Well there’s a dangerous assertion when, tomorrow in George Osborne's budget, that is all we are going to be talking about…the lack of it.
Over the past few years we’ve seen reputations and/or companies topple.
Time Warner, Arthur Andersen, Woolworth, Lehman Brothers, Toyota, BP.
It’s easy to talk about issues of principle when you are being pursued by dividend hungry shareholders and bonus hungry colleagues. When you are under real pressure you forget about everything except survival and for survival in business you need cash.
Here’s what Joseph Gregory told the soon-to-resign Lehman executive Alex Kirk who was complaining about the level of leverage in the business:-
“Growth. Growth. Growth, Alex. That’s what we want and need and we have to stay focused…..” (from a Colossal Failure of Commonsense by Larry McDonald).
But that’s not a possible dream, not in isolation to other realities, and the only way of pursuing this strategy is to cut cost, to abandon principle and cut corners.
The trouble with big businesses is they do all this and then they overcomplicate and lose touch. All those mentioned in my list of Clay Feet Icons did everything they wish they hadn’t.
For the next blog later this week I am going to quote at length from Ron Ashkenas of RHSchaffer who has written and spoken compelling on one way to cut through to the essence of what needs doing.
It’s the “simplicity strategy”.
As Einstein said – impressively not for the first time:-
“Three rules of work – out of the clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty find opportunity.”
Monday, 21 June 2010
Monday, 14 June 2010
12 HOT MARKETING TIPS FOR JUNE
Here are the last four tips which are written in a welter of new potential woes – apparently our banks are up their necks with Greece, Spain and Portugal to the tune of £100 billion (small change in the global economy? No not even trivial by global standards) and Hungary’s in trouble.
But we won a test match and the world cup is on its way – floating down the Rio Grande….is Ferdinand’s knee hereafter to be called the “knee of God?”
Part 3
9. Do things properly.
The great line from a banker in Uganda who was responsible for a spectacular turnaround and when asked how, said “we started to do things properly”.
Apply rigour, don’t run out of control but don’t ever think marketing and doing things properly is easy.
10. Create momentum.
The most difficult thing is getting “traction” (and this from a man who promised no jargon!). You know you are winning when the media want your stories and when people start hearing what you say and talk about you….no not like BP (a classic example of why we all have feet of clay.).
11.Execution. Execution. Execution. The key to success.
“T’aint what you do it’s the way that you do it; that’s what brings results.” The Ella FitzGerald classic song gets it right. Better to do an average idea well than a good idea badly. Check out Green and Blacks for an example of this.
12.Give me lucky marketers not ones with good CVs.
“Do you feel lucky punk…well do you?” It was Napoleon who best understood the power of luck. Make your own with your energy, enthusiasm and sheer appetite for success.
A few tips with two more to add.
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket (the Pru) and
- remember that people like to party (the Pimms current sales drive as the sun comes out).
Sunday, 6 June 2010
12 HOT MARKETING TIPS FOR JUNE 2010 - part 2
The strangeness of the world we live in is shown by Portsmouth, the bedraggled and struggling-to-survive football team reaching the Cup Final for the second time in three years.
Anything can happen if you keep the faith and go for it.
Here are four more tips.
5. Targeting – imagine it was you being sold to.
Targeting used to be easy. We had a big marketing blunderbuss called prime time ITV which reached everyone we wanted to. Today it’s harder. But don’t despair. Imagine selling to yourself. Excite yourself and you have the chance of exciting others.
6.A few wins are better than a lot of draws.
Do not spread your money too thinly. Make your brand win big time in Brighton rather than being a nonentity in London. Build fame on sound foundations.
7.Use the tools you’ve been given in wonderful ways.
We are so lucky. In addition to more convention tools, experiential marketing and digital allow us to spin on a Euro and have fun. Marketing is our opportunity to show off about our brand and enjoy it.
8.Speak bloke not boss-talk and give up jargon forever.
In a book called the Cluetrain Manifest the authors vowed death to corporate language. Death is too good. Speak simply and succeed. Make your brand easy to talk to.
I hope you are having fun – this is all a cross between Black Adder and Mary Poppins and I love it.
More next week or from http://www.richardhall.biz/
Anything can happen if you keep the faith and go for it.
Here are four more tips.
5. Targeting – imagine it was you being sold to.
Targeting used to be easy. We had a big marketing blunderbuss called prime time ITV which reached everyone we wanted to. Today it’s harder. But don’t despair. Imagine selling to yourself. Excite yourself and you have the chance of exciting others.
6.A few wins are better than a lot of draws.
Do not spread your money too thinly. Make your brand win big time in Brighton rather than being a nonentity in London. Build fame on sound foundations.
7.Use the tools you’ve been given in wonderful ways.
We are so lucky. In addition to more convention tools, experiential marketing and digital allow us to spin on a Euro and have fun. Marketing is our opportunity to show off about our brand and enjoy it.
8.Speak bloke not boss-talk and give up jargon forever.
In a book called the Cluetrain Manifest the authors vowed death to corporate language. Death is too good. Speak simply and succeed. Make your brand easy to talk to.
I hope you are having fun – this is all a cross between Black Adder and Mary Poppins and I love it.
More next week or from http://www.richardhall.biz/
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
12 HOT MARKETING TIPS FOR JUNE 2010
We live in extraordinary times. When industrial titans like BP and Toyota can hit the buffers and we could be facing the demise of the Euro, long term marketing strategies seem self indulgent.
There are timeless marketing truths of course but here is the tactical toolkit you need right now.
Week one
1. Reconnaissance pays in spades.
When circumstances change, change what you do. Marketing today is about being knowledgeable and nimble not dogmatic. We live in urgent times where really knowing what your competitors are doing is critical.
2. Quality wins – do not dare to be mediocre.
There is no excuse for being second rate. The penalty for living in a world of marketing is we’ve trained the consumer to be demanding. Be better than your competition. And keep on improving.
3. If you don’t have pride in what you do, give up.
Jerry of Ben and Jerry ice cream fame said “if it isn’t fun don’t do it”. But you must be proud of your brand too. How can you sell something you don’t really rate yourself? And if you aren’t proud of it, fix it. Now.
4. Laughter is the oxygen for creativity.
Lady Trumpington, House of Lords backbencher, said she always paid attention to anyone with a sense of humour in case they said something funny. We live in funny times. Express that fun. Gain their attention - win your audience.
Keep your eyes on the papers to see what happens next. Hard to imagine a script writer daring to write things like this…and the great thing is we are actors in this play.
More next week or from
http://www.richardhall.biz/
There are timeless marketing truths of course but here is the tactical toolkit you need right now.
Week one
1. Reconnaissance pays in spades.
When circumstances change, change what you do. Marketing today is about being knowledgeable and nimble not dogmatic. We live in urgent times where really knowing what your competitors are doing is critical.
2. Quality wins – do not dare to be mediocre.
There is no excuse for being second rate. The penalty for living in a world of marketing is we’ve trained the consumer to be demanding. Be better than your competition. And keep on improving.
3. If you don’t have pride in what you do, give up.
Jerry of Ben and Jerry ice cream fame said “if it isn’t fun don’t do it”. But you must be proud of your brand too. How can you sell something you don’t really rate yourself? And if you aren’t proud of it, fix it. Now.
4. Laughter is the oxygen for creativity.
Lady Trumpington, House of Lords backbencher, said she always paid attention to anyone with a sense of humour in case they said something funny. We live in funny times. Express that fun. Gain their attention - win your audience.
Keep your eyes on the papers to see what happens next. Hard to imagine a script writer daring to write things like this…and the great thing is we are actors in this play.
More next week or from
http://www.richardhall.biz/
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
THE BIG MO AND HOW TO SURF IT
The papers this weekend were full of the story of our new government’s energetic approach to setting an agenda and the speed at which things seemed to be happening.
This was in contrast to New Labour in 1997 who were said to have “landed reviewing”.
In marketing and in management one of the most important (if not the most important things) is to create that momentum which gives you steerage way and sweeps along those working with you in a wave of excitement and adrenalin.
But the best story of momentum is of Robert Karlsson the Swedish golfer who convinced he’d missed the cut at Wentworth at the BMW Tournament, on Friday, stormed off the course and flew back to Nice en route to his Monaco home which as he approached he was texted to tell him he’d made the cut after all.
So began the tortuous return, via Nice, a commercial flight to Orly in Paris, a private plane from Le Bourget airport to the north of the French capital and a taxi from Heathrow, until finally, at 6.45am, Karlsson made it back to the Wentworth clubhouse. Along the way he managed to pick up three hours of sleep, a £9,500 bill for the private plane journey and a working knowledge of Parisian suburbs.
But the 40-year-old then shot a course record 62 and consumed nine birdies and nine pars gobbling up every putt he looked at.
It isn’t usually calmness and systematic preparation that makes for success – it’s an empty head which makes you ready for anything not prepared for everything – there’s a big difference between the two.
Life’s an adventure – treat it as such and you might surprise yourself in the amount of momentum you can create.
And one other piece of advice.
Don’t jump to conclusions too readily unless you enjoy private planes.
This was in contrast to New Labour in 1997 who were said to have “landed reviewing”.
In marketing and in management one of the most important (if not the most important things) is to create that momentum which gives you steerage way and sweeps along those working with you in a wave of excitement and adrenalin.
But the best story of momentum is of Robert Karlsson the Swedish golfer who convinced he’d missed the cut at Wentworth at the BMW Tournament, on Friday, stormed off the course and flew back to Nice en route to his Monaco home which as he approached he was texted to tell him he’d made the cut after all.
So began the tortuous return, via Nice, a commercial flight to Orly in Paris, a private plane from Le Bourget airport to the north of the French capital and a taxi from Heathrow, until finally, at 6.45am, Karlsson made it back to the Wentworth clubhouse. Along the way he managed to pick up three hours of sleep, a £9,500 bill for the private plane journey and a working knowledge of Parisian suburbs.
But the 40-year-old then shot a course record 62 and consumed nine birdies and nine pars gobbling up every putt he looked at.
It isn’t usually calmness and systematic preparation that makes for success – it’s an empty head which makes you ready for anything not prepared for everything – there’s a big difference between the two.
Life’s an adventure – treat it as such and you might surprise yourself in the amount of momentum you can create.
And one other piece of advice.
Don’t jump to conclusions too readily unless you enjoy private planes.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
WHAT WE NEED NOW IS HOPE NOT PUNISHMENT
I was reading Tom Peters the other day. Tom, the management guru and author, wrote a book called “Thriving on Chaos” in 1989. He thinks chaos is good. Most people think it’s pretty punishing.
In 1989 we thought the world was pretty hairy with events like these:
The fall of the Berlin Wall.
The Exxon Valdez oil disaster in Alaska.
The student protest on Tiananmen Square, Beijing with up to 7000 killed.
Earthquakes in America and Australia.
Pan Am filing for chapter 11.
The Soviet Union withdrawing from Afghanistan after 10 years of fighting.
Yet compared to what the world has seen since 2007 these were extremely nasty storms not the destructive hurricanes we’ve been recently experienced.
The uncertainty of recent times is epic. We have twice looked over the brink of global economic meltdown.
And this one is really nasty. Euro Flu is worse than Banker Flu. And, as I write this, we have no one in charge in the UK.
So whoever is PM later this week pay heed to these two lessons from America.
One, what Reagan said on becoming President, inheriting an economic mess and being given a briefing on it.
“They gave it me. I read it. I don’t like it. You aren’t going to like it either.”
And, two, John Gardner a US Government official (sounds like a good one) at the end of the 1990s:
“The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive.”
Lessons: speak English, tell it how it is and tell us how we are going to get out of it.
In 1989 we thought the world was pretty hairy with events like these:
The fall of the Berlin Wall.
The Exxon Valdez oil disaster in Alaska.
The student protest on Tiananmen Square, Beijing with up to 7000 killed.
Earthquakes in America and Australia.
Pan Am filing for chapter 11.
The Soviet Union withdrawing from Afghanistan after 10 years of fighting.
Yet compared to what the world has seen since 2007 these were extremely nasty storms not the destructive hurricanes we’ve been recently experienced.
The uncertainty of recent times is epic. We have twice looked over the brink of global economic meltdown.
And this one is really nasty. Euro Flu is worse than Banker Flu. And, as I write this, we have no one in charge in the UK.
So whoever is PM later this week pay heed to these two lessons from America.
One, what Reagan said on becoming President, inheriting an economic mess and being given a briefing on it.
“They gave it me. I read it. I don’t like it. You aren’t going to like it either.”
And, two, John Gardner a US Government official (sounds like a good one) at the end of the 1990s:
“The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive.”
Lessons: speak English, tell it how it is and tell us how we are going to get out of it.
Monday, 3 May 2010
JUST WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY IN THIS SLIDE?
This was what a thirteen year old said to her father as he took her through a presentation on the economy.
She was taking no prisoners and he was suitably abashed.
Thirteen year olds are accomplished users of PowerPoint and well versed in presenting. If you’ve been listening to young voters taking about the three leaders on TV over the past week you’ll realise the sophistication they have and to which they are accustomed.
They, most of all, get what poor reviled PowerPoint is all about.
It is nothing to do with bullet points - it’s everything to do with storyboards.
There is simply no better way to plan a presentation with logic, drama and clarity.
It’s something they understand and are happy with because they understand and live with the medium of film – the ultimate format in presentation.
The older generation, on the other hand, either clunk their way through a sequence of bullet point lists or revert to the suicide of “winging it”.
The next time I hear about a presenter relying on inspiration on the day is the next time I show you a soldier in the battle of corporate life going out not wearing body armour.
Ask your children (or a friend’s children) to tell you honestly how your presentation looks and listen to what they say.
After all they live in the presentation age and they know what “good” is.
She was taking no prisoners and he was suitably abashed.
Thirteen year olds are accomplished users of PowerPoint and well versed in presenting. If you’ve been listening to young voters taking about the three leaders on TV over the past week you’ll realise the sophistication they have and to which they are accustomed.
They, most of all, get what poor reviled PowerPoint is all about.
It is nothing to do with bullet points - it’s everything to do with storyboards.
There is simply no better way to plan a presentation with logic, drama and clarity.
It’s something they understand and are happy with because they understand and live with the medium of film – the ultimate format in presentation.
The older generation, on the other hand, either clunk their way through a sequence of bullet point lists or revert to the suicide of “winging it”.
The next time I hear about a presenter relying on inspiration on the day is the next time I show you a soldier in the battle of corporate life going out not wearing body armour.
Ask your children (or a friend’s children) to tell you honestly how your presentation looks and listen to what they say.
After all they live in the presentation age and they know what “good” is.
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