Joe Grant's Blog

Lessons From Little League - Part 1 of 2

My twelve year-old son has experienced an awful season of baseball. A week ago, his team was 1 and 12 for the season. That's right - one win and twelve straight losses. Every loss brought on more sadness and frustration for my son. This is a boy who has been part of many winning teams. Last year, his baseball team came in first place for the baseball championships. This past winter, his basketball team came in second place.

If you're a parent, then you will understand and appreciate my next point. There are times as a parent when you search for the right words to say and out of nowhere they appear. As I was trying to comfort my son, the following words flowed from my lips:

"If you never experience what it feels like to lose, you will never fully appreciate what it feels like to win."

Wow...where did that one come from? I think I learned as much from that statement as he did, and I spoke the words. Think about the power of that sentence. In life and business we all inevitably fail at something, but without those failures, how would we ever learn and grow?  How would we ever fully appreciate the successes?

The next time you're feeling down about a string of losses, look for the lessons and become a better person.

Just as important - that winning high you're experiencing today probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for those failures and losses you experienced in the past.

What if the Skeptics are Wrong?

You're faced with an amazing opportunity to try something new and different. Something that's never been done before. An idea that will take you or the organization to a whole new level.

You know there are risks but those risks may lead to great rewards. You know there are a million "what if" reasons why you shouldn't pursue the idea, but for every negative "what if," there are ten other positives that follow.

There will always be skeptics waiting in the wings to crush your enthusiasm and talk you out of your ideas.

My question is -- What if the skeptics are wrong?

"Everything that can be invented has been invented," -- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899.

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"I don't know what use any one could find for a machine that would make copies of documents. It certainly couldn't be a feasible business by itself." -- the head of IBM, refusing to back the idea, forcing the inventor to found Xerox.

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"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" -- David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

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"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible," -- A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

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"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us," -- Western Union internal memo, 1876.

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"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

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"There is no need for any individual to have a computer in their home." -- Ken Olson, 1977, President, Digital Equipment Corp.

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"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.

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"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't lastout the year." -- The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957.

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"But what ... is it good for?" -- Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

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“The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon.” –- Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria 1873

If you have an idea for something amazing - an idea that with enough passion and perserverence will lead to something great, then don't give up. Hear the skeptics out and take their thoughts into consideration, then roll up your sleaves and get to work!

Stay Informed with Google Alerts

What conversations are taking place on the Internet about your association or the industry you represent? What press releases are being published? Are you tracking conversations in blogs and forums? Are you generating buzz? Are you mining the web for marketing opportunities? Google Alerts can help answer some of these questions and more.

Creating a Google alert is simple.

1. Visit the Google Alerts page.
2. Enter your search term keywords.
3. Select the type of alert (blogs, news, web, group or comprehensive)
4. Set the frequency of email alerts (as it happens, once a day, or once a week)
5. Click the 'Create Alert' button
6. Confirm by clicking the link in the email confirmation you receive

You may need to experiment with the keywords and settings, but once you figure out a system that works for you, Google Alerts is a great way to stay informed. For more information, visit Google Alerts FAQs.

Successful Associations Hire the Right People!

To successfully fulfill the organization's mission, vision and strategies, you need to have the right people on your team. This means hiring strategically. The following are some practical guidelines that have helped me make good hires in the past:

EXPERIENCE: Does the candidate have experience working in a similar environment (company size, structure, management philosophies, expectations, etc.)? Is their experience compatible with your environment and job requirements?

SKILLS: Does the candidate have the necessary skills to perform the job effectively? They may have a great personality, but if they can't do the job, they can't do the job.

COMMUNICATION: Is the candidate actually listening when you speak? Do you believe their answers are sincere and honest? Can they articulate their points effectively? How is their eye contact and body language? If the position requires heavy writing, ask them to write a brief press release about their hire and assess how well they performed under pressure.

VALUES: Are the candidate's values similar to the association's values? If there is a serious mismatch of values, you will have problems down the road.

PASSION: Does the candidate seem passionate about their field or areas of expertise (marketing, communications, finance, etc.)? Do their eyes light up when they talk about what they do? How bad do they want the job? Are they willing to get into the trenches?

CREATIVITY: Do you get the impression that the candidate is a "yes man/woman" or will they challenge status quo (in a healthy way)? You want independent thinkers who will take your association to the next level.

THE "I" FACTOR: How many times does the candidate use the words "I" and “we”? Do you sense arrogance and ego (not to be confused with confidence)? Is the candidate ready to serve for the greater good of the organization and members? Can you see them working well with your team to achieve the association's mission, vision and strategies?

HOMEWORK: Did the candidate take time to learn about your organization prior to the interview?

GUT INSTINCT: What does your gut instinct tell you at the beginning and end of the interview? Malcolm Gladwell teaches us in Blink that our instincts usually don't lie?

Do you have unique hiring strategies that have worked for you? Share them here.

Seth's Post on Logos

Seth Godin writes a great post today on his Blog about logos. It's definately a must read.

To build on Seth's Blog, I put together some guidelines:

• Keep it simple (some of the most successful logos are simple).


• Don't pay someone tens of thousands of dollars or more for a logo - it's not necessary!


• If a consultant shows you a logo and begins to rattle off his/her philosophical background behind the logos meaning (see Seth's post on the Olympic Logo), don't buy it. You tell the story in your actions as a company, not the consultant or the logo.


• Be sure you can live with the logo for a very long time.  Once customers start attaching meaning to the logo, it can be difficult and confusing to change.


• Make sure it's versatile (black and white, color, web, print, small, large, etc.).


• Make sure you're not stealing someone else's logo - lawsuits are distracting and expensive.


• More important than the logo image, determine what promises you're making to your customers and consistently deliver on those promises.


• You're telling a story to your customers and with time, that story attaches itself to your logos meaning...so make sure it's a good story!

What Happened to the Krispy Kreme Cult?

Years ago if the topic of Krispy Kreme came up in a group discussion, the Krispy Kreme fanatics would immediately begin describing what sounded like a religious experience. They'd describe the experience so vividly, that I often found myself sharing the same enthusiasm and I never had a Krispy Kreme.  Then a few years ago, one opened up near my home in New York.

I remember driving past the grand opening and there were never ending lines of people winding around the parking lot waiting for their turn. This went on for a few days when I just couldn't take it any longer. I had to see for myself what the big deal was. Why would someone wait in line for nearly an hour or more for a donut?  How could the near mention of a Krispy Kreme bring on emotions of ecstasy?

So I waited patiently in line for my first dozen of Krispy Kreme donuts. When I reached the cashier, I couldn't tell if I was more excited to try the donuts or finally be free from the line. As I opened the box, I expected to see a ray of light and the sound of angels singing. Okay maybe that's a little melodramatic, but my expectations were high.

The verdict - the donut was good, but it wasn't 60 minutes in line good. Then I began to wonder, how many other people were waiting in line just to see what the big deal was?  How many of them were waiting for a religious experience, that never came?

Business began to decline, the lines disappeared and the shop eventually closed. An article in todays Wall Street Journal briefly discusses Krispy Kreme's financial troubles and how they plan to turn the tides. Part of their turnaround strategy includes running television commercials, selling ice cream and reducing the size of their stores.

Their strategy to fix everything by throwing more money into advertising won't work.  My DVR's fast forward button will breeze right past their commercials. Maybe they'll spend millions in hopes that I lose my remote. Hey it happens. Also, I'm not sure I see the wisdom in the ice cream strategy and smaller stores will certainly cut costs, but it won't add customers.

I believe the cult only worked because years ago, the stores were limited to certain geographic areas. In other words, if you happened to be traveling and stumbled across a Krispy Kreme, it was new and different and you would take that experience back to your hometown. Your experience was so different that you would share it with your friends. It was exciting because you didn't have a Krispy Kreme nearby to saturate your experience.

When the chain sets up shop down the road, things change. After your second or third visit you realize it's just a greasy donut after all. More importantly, it isn't good for your health. The product couldn't sustain your enthusiasm or your willingness to maintain the cult.

This is a good example of viral marketing; however you need to have a great product or service to sustain the virus. Why? Because as soon as your fans figure out what your offering isn't all that great, they stop talking about you.

RSS and Wiki's Simplified

I know these have been floating around on other Blogs but I just couldn't resist. The first video gives a simple demonstration of what an RSS is and how it works. The second video does the same thing but for Wikis.

If you're new to the social media scene and your head is already spinning from the terminology, these will really help explain some things.

Enjoy!

RSS Simplified

Wiki's Simplified

Happy Beginnings (Building on Ben's Post)

Fellow Blogger Ben Martin posted a comment on his Blog about Community Guy's unfortunate experience with the American Marketing Association. I have to say, I understand his frustration. When I joined a few years ago, I had a similar experience. 

In a word, my experience was underwhelming. From the day I received my welcome package (a bent up folder stuffed with papers) to the lack of any personal communication outside of email blasts, it just wasn't what I was expected from an association representing the marketing profession.

As someone who has worked for associations for many years, I agree with Ben's point about the need for emails. Unfortunately, it's the nature of the beast (at least for now). Without the ability to market events and offerings via email, associations would suffer.

So what can associations do to avoid a similar situation:

• Map out your member's experience from the day they become a prospect to the day they renew their membership. The experience map will serve as a guide for staff and will help them deliver a consistent and quality member experience.
• If you must send a welcome folder (can you sense my sarcasm) - make sure it has real value inside and that it looks like it came from a professional organization. Unfortunately, many associations stuff their welcome folder with everything but the kitchen sink. The result: a forced attempt to show value. This is the first tangible piece from your association. If it's torn, frayed or packed with useless content, so much for first impressions.
• Create an email communication schedule that is based on strategy. In other words, prioritize your email communications and spread them out. Alternate between marketing messages and free member tools. Mix in or attach value to your messages - i.e. free articles, downloads, etc. If all you do is bombard your members with marketing messages on a daily basis, you will become invisible.
• Pick up the phone and talk with members. Develop a system where each staff member calls X number of members every week. Maybe include some of your board members or volunteers. Create a script to guide each caller. Thank members for joining and find out if there's anything the association can do to improve the member experience. Imagine the insight your team will gather from these phone calls.
• Attend industry events that your members are attending and schedule a free breakfast or cocktail hour.  Mingle with them, introduce new members to longstanding members, thank them for joining and soak up the qualitative research. 
• Constantly improve your value proposition and begin to weave in the of use social media tools to help communicate more effectively with members.
• Ensure that new members have a happy beginning!

As the AMA and many other associations are finding out, "business as usual" is no longer enough. When members are unhappy, they tell the world.

I noticed the AMA contacted Community Guy and they are working with him to correct the situation. I'm happy to see the AMA step up and do the right thing. I just hope the changes take place culture wide and that it stimulates some positive change throughout the association. Now that would be a Happy Ending. Who knows...I might even give them a second chance.

What are members saying about your association in the Blogosphere, and what are you doing to take the association to the next level?

Nine Reasons Why Associations Should Be Posting Content to Wikipedia

What is Wikipedia?
"Wikipedia is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project. Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world. With rare exceptions, its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the Internet, simply by clicking the edit this page link. The name Wikipedia is a portmanteau of the words wiki (a type of collaborative website) and encyclopedia. Since its creation in 2001, Wikipedia has grown rapidly into one of the largest reference Web sites ." ~~Wikipedia's Website~~

Eight Reasons Why Your Association Should Be Posting to Wikipedia? 

1. Your association is the most credible voice for the industry you serve.
2. You have an opportunity to reach and educate millions of people - for some industries, this means saving lives.
3. It's free to contribute content and articles.
4. By demonstrating your authority on industry subject matter, your articles and content become indirect (pull) marketing tools for prospect members.
5. Wikipedia in one of the top ten most visited websites on the Internet.
6. Wikipedia appears at the top of Google searches.
7. Contributions remain the property of their creators.*
8. Wikipedia wants you to “be bold” and “fix problems, correct grammer, add facts, and make sure the wording is accurate.” It not only allows you to do it, “it wants you to do it.”
9. This is a HUGE opportunity for associations that should not be missed.

I highly recommend that your association's management team and attorney read through the rules for contributing to Wikipedia and the *GNU Free Documentation licensing terms before posting any content.  Because this is a relatively new medium, the process of uploading content should be strategic and well thought out.

Visit Wikipedia today and conduct a few test searches for your association and the industry you serve. See what the public is finding when they do a search. At the bare minimum your association's name should be listed with the most important facts. Beyond that, the possibilities are endless!

Thoughts on Benchmarking

"I hate benchmarking. Benchmarking is Stupid. Why is it stupid? Because we pick the current industry leader, and then we launch a five-year program, the goal of which is to be as good as whoever was best five years ago five years from now. Which to me is not an Olympian aspiration"
~~ Tom Peters ~~

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"To grow, companies need to break out of a vicious cycle of competitive benchmarking and imitation."
~~W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne ~~

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"You cannot be remarkable by following someone else who's remarkable." ~~Seth Godin ~~

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"The reason it's so hard to follow the leader is this: the leader is the leader precisely because he did something remarkable. And that remarkable thing is now taken - so it's no longer remarkable when you decide to do it."
~~ Seth Godin ~~

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