In a sea of sameness does your organization stand out? Are you a mouse click away from losing business? It's time to be bold. Be different. Take Risks. Seize new opportunities.
Julia Shalet founded the Digital Youth Project to bring teenagers and digital businesses together. This generates useful proposals for businesses and real-world learning for teens. She developed this innovative approach while working at companies like T-Mobile. The Digital Youth Project helps businesses strengthen pitches, identify user needs, expedite product development, and optimize existing products through engaging teens. Case studies show how feedback from teens helped companies win contracts and improve products. The process involves defining goals, designing activities, sampling teens, running activities, and reporting findings to integrate youth perspectives. Teens come from schools, organizations, employees, and online networks.
10 Ways to be a great Solution ArchitectBernard Panes
The document provides 10 reflections on designing digital solutions: 1) Get buy-in early by involving others, 2) Don't work alone and curate collective wisdom, 3) Tell stories to explain solutions as journeys with opportunities, 4) Make feedback easy by telling stories and saying thank you, 5) Keep solutions as simple as possible but allow complexity, 6) Focus on potential benefits to motivate stakeholders, 7) Prove value early through design, prototyping, and changing perspectives, 8) Build in adaptability and resilience to pivot when needed, 9) Continually learn about new approaches and solutions, and 10) Remember the fun in being creative and ambitious.
The document discusses how marketers need to change their approach and focus less on big advertising campaigns and more on understanding cultural practices and generating ideas that are participatory and spreadable. It suggests that marketers celebrate rich ideas over loud messages and focus on having a point of view on the world rather than just their product category. Successful modern ideas are those that get people to do things rather than just say things.
This document discusses strategies for selling remotely, including from home. It recommends setting up a dedicated home office space and establishing clear work-life boundaries. Research findings show productivity and employee retention can increase when working remotely. The document also provides tips for using communication tools like Zoom and Teams effectively, such as having a tidy background and making eye contact with the camera. Overall, it focuses on adapting sales processes for virtual and remote work environments.
Presenter: Larry Asher, Worker Bees, SVC, Principal
We live in an information economy, right? Then why do so many people churn out boring, dense, indecipherable, and worthless information via the endless stream of horrid PowerPoints we’re forced to sit through most days? There’s another way, and you can learn it in 40 minutes at this session. We’ll show you what good storytelling, cleanly designed slides, and compelling presentation support is supposed to look like. You’ll also learn about what The Wave — that thing people do at football and baseball stadiums — has to do with dreadful presentations. Now, of course, you aren’t an offender and your PowerPoint and Keynote decks are just fine. So bring some bullet-point addict you know who really needs this. You’ll be doing us all a favor.
The document discusses why most advertising is unremarkable and ineffective. It quotes James Hurman who says that while highly creative ads that win awards are noticeable, the real cost comes from the thousands of uncreative ads that people tune out and don't recall. The document suggests making advertising more focused on solving business problems rather than just making ads, and changing the way the advertising industry works to prioritize experimentation over perfection.
The document is a 10-page presentation toolkit from The Jensen Group on creating concise and impactful presentations. It provides tips on structuring presentations around the audience's needs through a Know, Feel, Do framework. The presentation should have a clear goal and summary in the first 1-5 minutes to engage the audience before providing additional details to support the key points. It emphasizes making the presentation relevant to the audience by focusing on how the content affects them and calling them to specific actions.
Julia Shalet founded the Digital Youth Project to bring teenagers and digital businesses together. This generates useful proposals for businesses and real-world learning for teens. She developed this innovative approach while working at companies like T-Mobile. The Digital Youth Project helps businesses strengthen pitches, identify user needs, expedite product development, and optimize existing products through engaging teens. Case studies show how feedback from teens helped companies win contracts and improve products. The process involves defining goals, designing activities, sampling teens, running activities, and reporting findings to integrate youth perspectives. Teens come from schools, organizations, employees, and online networks.
10 Ways to be a great Solution ArchitectBernard Panes
The document provides 10 reflections on designing digital solutions: 1) Get buy-in early by involving others, 2) Don't work alone and curate collective wisdom, 3) Tell stories to explain solutions as journeys with opportunities, 4) Make feedback easy by telling stories and saying thank you, 5) Keep solutions as simple as possible but allow complexity, 6) Focus on potential benefits to motivate stakeholders, 7) Prove value early through design, prototyping, and changing perspectives, 8) Build in adaptability and resilience to pivot when needed, 9) Continually learn about new approaches and solutions, and 10) Remember the fun in being creative and ambitious.
The document discusses how marketers need to change their approach and focus less on big advertising campaigns and more on understanding cultural practices and generating ideas that are participatory and spreadable. It suggests that marketers celebrate rich ideas over loud messages and focus on having a point of view on the world rather than just their product category. Successful modern ideas are those that get people to do things rather than just say things.
This document discusses strategies for selling remotely, including from home. It recommends setting up a dedicated home office space and establishing clear work-life boundaries. Research findings show productivity and employee retention can increase when working remotely. The document also provides tips for using communication tools like Zoom and Teams effectively, such as having a tidy background and making eye contact with the camera. Overall, it focuses on adapting sales processes for virtual and remote work environments.
Presenter: Larry Asher, Worker Bees, SVC, Principal
We live in an information economy, right? Then why do so many people churn out boring, dense, indecipherable, and worthless information via the endless stream of horrid PowerPoints we’re forced to sit through most days? There’s another way, and you can learn it in 40 minutes at this session. We’ll show you what good storytelling, cleanly designed slides, and compelling presentation support is supposed to look like. You’ll also learn about what The Wave — that thing people do at football and baseball stadiums — has to do with dreadful presentations. Now, of course, you aren’t an offender and your PowerPoint and Keynote decks are just fine. So bring some bullet-point addict you know who really needs this. You’ll be doing us all a favor.
The document discusses why most advertising is unremarkable and ineffective. It quotes James Hurman who says that while highly creative ads that win awards are noticeable, the real cost comes from the thousands of uncreative ads that people tune out and don't recall. The document suggests making advertising more focused on solving business problems rather than just making ads, and changing the way the advertising industry works to prioritize experimentation over perfection.
The document is a 10-page presentation toolkit from The Jensen Group on creating concise and impactful presentations. It provides tips on structuring presentations around the audience's needs through a Know, Feel, Do framework. The presentation should have a clear goal and summary in the first 1-5 minutes to engage the audience before providing additional details to support the key points. It emphasizes making the presentation relevant to the audience by focusing on how the content affects them and calling them to specific actions.
Dokumen tersebut membahas tentang perubahan dan bagaimana melakukannya. Ada 10 C yang dibutuhkan untuk melakukan perubahan yaitu komitmen, kepercayaan diri, kerjasama, peduli, kreativitas, tantangan, perhitungan, persaingan, kesempatan, dan perubahan itu sendiri. Dokumen ini juga menjelaskan bagaimana meningkatkan komitmen, kepercayaan diri, dan kerjasama dalam melakukan perubahan.
Lyn Hay's Keynote at SLAQ 2012 ConferenceSyba Academy
Keynote title: 'Challenges. Your mission if you choose to accept it is...'
Abstract: Challenges are the stuff life is made of. Challenges can be treated as obstacles or opportunities. Lyn explores some challenges currently facing school libraries, the teacher librarian profession and education, in general. How one chooses to overcome challenges determines one’s success or failure. Our mission is success – individually and collectively. So what’s the plan? Your mission if you choose to accept it is...
SLAQ Conference 2012 (3-5 July 2012)
Theme: Northern Escape - Connect, Create, Challenge
Venue: Pullman Reef Casino, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Conference program themes:
* Connect: culture, curriculum, children's literature, YA literature, reading, authors, illustrators;
* Create: information literacy, Web 2.0 technologies, interactive classrooms;
* Challenge:leadership, management, professional development, copyright, digital schools.
Be empowered to be your best self
At the half-day workshop you will be:
- inspired to develop powerful goals
- motivated to take bold actions
- transformed to fully live your dream
This document contains several quotes encouraging people to be different and true to themselves. It includes quotes from William Shakespeare saying to be true to oneself, an unknown author saying to be yourself and the right people will love you, and Maya Angelou saying everyone is born with talent and to not try to be normal so you can see how amazing you can be. The document also contains an additional encouraging quote to dare to dream and touch the sky, as well as a Coco Chanel quote about being irreplaceable by always being different.
This document outlines an approach called DARE MORE for facilitating change. It involves 7 steps: 1) Diagnosing limiting beliefs, patterns and behaviors. 2) Accessing and interrupting negative patterns by challenging beliefs. 3) Activating empowering resources like archetypes of the true self. 4) Eliminating negative perceptions by amending perspectives. 5) Moving to powerful alternatives by installing new behaviors and physiology. 6) Realigning actions through goal setting and focus. 7) Engaging and empowering through mental rehearsal, feedback, and reviewing progress. The overall approach uses techniques like questioning, metaphors, anchoring, and submodality shifts to facilitate transforming behaviors and beliefs.
This document discusses what makes a real woman. It argues that a woman is not defined by beauty, status, or image, but rather makes herself and chooses her own path. A real woman can be silly, funny, bold, or courageous. Examples are given of Tina Fey being hilarious yet independent, and Marissa Mayer returning to work quickly after maternity leave, going against expectations. Susan B. Anthony is praised for her courageous leadership of the women's suffrage movement. Education is said to allow girls to fulfill their dreams. In conclusion, women can be anything they want to be, and the reader is challenged to help women become real and inspire others.
A short overview presentation looks at the challenges of leading change within an organisation or society.
This updated show is based on a presentation by Samuli Pahkala and covers John Kotter\'s 8 step change leadership model. We are exclusive UK distributors of "Leading Bold Change" based on the book "Our Iceberg is Melting" and fully endorsed by John Kotter.
Be the Peacock: Discover Your Inner Beauty Through TechnologyRebecca Gill
Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Is your reflection drab and boring or is it bold and beautiful? If you feel as though you lack color, it is only because you have not yet discovered your inner beauty.
Within each of us is a beautiful peacock that is waiting to be set free.
In this talk we’re going to discuss how a journey in technology can help you find passion and purpose. It will bring out your inner peacock. And if you let it, technology will change your life.
Presentation given at MCWT Girls are IT 2015 conference.
This document provides life skills lessons presented by a teacher. It discusses various topics related to developing a positive mindset and attitude, including thinking positively, having an open mind, managing stress and problems, continuous self-improvement, integrity, and giving back to the community. The overall message is that life skills can be developed through teachings and experiences to effectively handle daily challenges.
1) The document discusses pressures faced by youth, including technology, strict parents, and university. It uses Daniel as an example of standing firm in his faith despite being far from home in Babylon.
2) Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself by eating the king's food or drinking wine, in order to obey God's word. He was determined to remain faithful even when surrounded by those who did not believe.
3) The document encourages readers to follow Daniel's example and have the courage to live for God regardless of outside pressures or influences.
The document discusses positive thinking, defining it as creating thoughts to bring about a positive outcome for oneself or others, and explaining that thinking is an internal mental process that integrates new information with prior knowledge. It provides tips for practicing positive thinking, such as focusing on the good, spreading smiles, and asking yourself if a thought is true, harmful, and necessary before expressing it. The overall message is that one's thinking and attitude can alter life by altering perspectives.
This document discusses the nature and components of attitudes. It defines attitude as a learned belief or feeling about a person, place, or idea that influences thoughts and actions. Attitudes have three main components - cognitive (beliefs, knowledge), affective (feelings, emotions), and behavioral (tendency to act). Attitudes are formed through life experiences with family, peers, environment, and mass media and can change over time. Measuring attitudes helps understand job satisfaction, which impacts productivity and organizational success. Managing attitudes involves understanding their formation and using feedback, role models, and information to encourage positive attitudes.
Positive thinking brings good results by expecting happiness and success, while negative thinking has the opposite effect. The document provides tips for cultivating positive thinking, such as using positive language, associating with positive people, finding reasons to smile, and believing in yourself. It emphasizes replacing negative thoughts with constructive, happy thoughts. Developing a positive attitude through techniques like these can help achieve goals, attain success more easily, and experience benefits like greater happiness, energy, and inner strength.
The document defines an attitude as a psychological tendency to evaluate an entity with some degree of favor or disfavor. It notes that while attitudes often involve affect or emotions, affect is distinct from the measure of favorability that defines an attitude. Attitudes contain cognitive, affective, and behavioral components, though some views see the cognitive and behavioral aspects as derivative of the underlying affective component.
The document discusses the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. It states that attitude is a mental position relative to thinking and that having a positive attitude can help one achieve goals more easily and experience greater happiness and success in life. Maintaining a positive attitude also makes it easier to focus on positive thoughts and avoid negative thinking. The document provides tips for cultivating a positive attitude such as spreading smiles, focusing on the good in each day, and keeping an open mind.
This document provides an overview of the Global Service Jam 2014 event in San Francisco. It introduces the volunteer facilitators and outlines the schedule and activities for the jam, including brainstorming service ideas on Friday and developing focus statements in teams. Participants are instructed on developing team pages and sharing their focus statements before beginning work on Saturday to explore improving existing services or creating new ones. The facilitators emphasize tools for service design like journey mapping and prototyping and encourage participants to collaborate and have fun over the weekend jam event.
This document discusses game thinking and design thinking processes for creative industries. It promotes shifting from passive thinking to active experiencing through humble acknowledgement of passiveness, designing rituals for desired growth, and using methods like hardware, websites, apps, and games to develop ideas. The design thinking process involves learning about users, imagining "what if" scenarios fueled by empathy, constructing points of view based on insights, brainstorming solutions, prototyping ideas, testing for challenges, and telling stories instead of pitches. Innovation is presented as a byproduct of this process.
The document discusses the challenges of the current information age including increased information overload, shrinking attention spans, and incremental thinking. It notes issues facing society such as unemployment, healthcare debates, and environmental threats. It suggests taking a multidimensional view by synthesizing information, thinking differently, focusing on social contribution, environmental thinking, inspiring difficult goals, and daring to dream the impossible.
What's the point of creativity in Direct MarketingJohn Griffiths
The application of behavioural economics and herd theory to direct marketing with examples. Given to the Marketing in Direct Conference in Bucharest Sept 8th 2010
A brand is the perception customers have of a company based on their interactions and experiences. Building a strong brand involves planned, consistent communication and positive interactions to create trust and loyalty over the long run. As representatives of the brand, employees should aim to connect emotionally with customers, provide value, be accessible and knowledgeable, and establish their unique strengths to influence customer purchasing decisions and develop a good reputation for the company. Regular self-assessment against branding principles can help improve individual performance as brand ambassadors.
Dokumen tersebut membahas tentang perubahan dan bagaimana melakukannya. Ada 10 C yang dibutuhkan untuk melakukan perubahan yaitu komitmen, kepercayaan diri, kerjasama, peduli, kreativitas, tantangan, perhitungan, persaingan, kesempatan, dan perubahan itu sendiri. Dokumen ini juga menjelaskan bagaimana meningkatkan komitmen, kepercayaan diri, dan kerjasama dalam melakukan perubahan.
Lyn Hay's Keynote at SLAQ 2012 ConferenceSyba Academy
Keynote title: 'Challenges. Your mission if you choose to accept it is...'
Abstract: Challenges are the stuff life is made of. Challenges can be treated as obstacles or opportunities. Lyn explores some challenges currently facing school libraries, the teacher librarian profession and education, in general. How one chooses to overcome challenges determines one’s success or failure. Our mission is success – individually and collectively. So what’s the plan? Your mission if you choose to accept it is...
SLAQ Conference 2012 (3-5 July 2012)
Theme: Northern Escape - Connect, Create, Challenge
Venue: Pullman Reef Casino, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Conference program themes:
* Connect: culture, curriculum, children's literature, YA literature, reading, authors, illustrators;
* Create: information literacy, Web 2.0 technologies, interactive classrooms;
* Challenge:leadership, management, professional development, copyright, digital schools.
Be empowered to be your best self
At the half-day workshop you will be:
- inspired to develop powerful goals
- motivated to take bold actions
- transformed to fully live your dream
This document contains several quotes encouraging people to be different and true to themselves. It includes quotes from William Shakespeare saying to be true to oneself, an unknown author saying to be yourself and the right people will love you, and Maya Angelou saying everyone is born with talent and to not try to be normal so you can see how amazing you can be. The document also contains an additional encouraging quote to dare to dream and touch the sky, as well as a Coco Chanel quote about being irreplaceable by always being different.
This document outlines an approach called DARE MORE for facilitating change. It involves 7 steps: 1) Diagnosing limiting beliefs, patterns and behaviors. 2) Accessing and interrupting negative patterns by challenging beliefs. 3) Activating empowering resources like archetypes of the true self. 4) Eliminating negative perceptions by amending perspectives. 5) Moving to powerful alternatives by installing new behaviors and physiology. 6) Realigning actions through goal setting and focus. 7) Engaging and empowering through mental rehearsal, feedback, and reviewing progress. The overall approach uses techniques like questioning, metaphors, anchoring, and submodality shifts to facilitate transforming behaviors and beliefs.
This document discusses what makes a real woman. It argues that a woman is not defined by beauty, status, or image, but rather makes herself and chooses her own path. A real woman can be silly, funny, bold, or courageous. Examples are given of Tina Fey being hilarious yet independent, and Marissa Mayer returning to work quickly after maternity leave, going against expectations. Susan B. Anthony is praised for her courageous leadership of the women's suffrage movement. Education is said to allow girls to fulfill their dreams. In conclusion, women can be anything they want to be, and the reader is challenged to help women become real and inspire others.
A short overview presentation looks at the challenges of leading change within an organisation or society.
This updated show is based on a presentation by Samuli Pahkala and covers John Kotter\'s 8 step change leadership model. We are exclusive UK distributors of "Leading Bold Change" based on the book "Our Iceberg is Melting" and fully endorsed by John Kotter.
Be the Peacock: Discover Your Inner Beauty Through TechnologyRebecca Gill
Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Is your reflection drab and boring or is it bold and beautiful? If you feel as though you lack color, it is only because you have not yet discovered your inner beauty.
Within each of us is a beautiful peacock that is waiting to be set free.
In this talk we’re going to discuss how a journey in technology can help you find passion and purpose. It will bring out your inner peacock. And if you let it, technology will change your life.
Presentation given at MCWT Girls are IT 2015 conference.
This document provides life skills lessons presented by a teacher. It discusses various topics related to developing a positive mindset and attitude, including thinking positively, having an open mind, managing stress and problems, continuous self-improvement, integrity, and giving back to the community. The overall message is that life skills can be developed through teachings and experiences to effectively handle daily challenges.
1) The document discusses pressures faced by youth, including technology, strict parents, and university. It uses Daniel as an example of standing firm in his faith despite being far from home in Babylon.
2) Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself by eating the king's food or drinking wine, in order to obey God's word. He was determined to remain faithful even when surrounded by those who did not believe.
3) The document encourages readers to follow Daniel's example and have the courage to live for God regardless of outside pressures or influences.
The document discusses positive thinking, defining it as creating thoughts to bring about a positive outcome for oneself or others, and explaining that thinking is an internal mental process that integrates new information with prior knowledge. It provides tips for practicing positive thinking, such as focusing on the good, spreading smiles, and asking yourself if a thought is true, harmful, and necessary before expressing it. The overall message is that one's thinking and attitude can alter life by altering perspectives.
This document discusses the nature and components of attitudes. It defines attitude as a learned belief or feeling about a person, place, or idea that influences thoughts and actions. Attitudes have three main components - cognitive (beliefs, knowledge), affective (feelings, emotions), and behavioral (tendency to act). Attitudes are formed through life experiences with family, peers, environment, and mass media and can change over time. Measuring attitudes helps understand job satisfaction, which impacts productivity and organizational success. Managing attitudes involves understanding their formation and using feedback, role models, and information to encourage positive attitudes.
Positive thinking brings good results by expecting happiness and success, while negative thinking has the opposite effect. The document provides tips for cultivating positive thinking, such as using positive language, associating with positive people, finding reasons to smile, and believing in yourself. It emphasizes replacing negative thoughts with constructive, happy thoughts. Developing a positive attitude through techniques like these can help achieve goals, attain success more easily, and experience benefits like greater happiness, energy, and inner strength.
The document defines an attitude as a psychological tendency to evaluate an entity with some degree of favor or disfavor. It notes that while attitudes often involve affect or emotions, affect is distinct from the measure of favorability that defines an attitude. Attitudes contain cognitive, affective, and behavioral components, though some views see the cognitive and behavioral aspects as derivative of the underlying affective component.
The document discusses the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. It states that attitude is a mental position relative to thinking and that having a positive attitude can help one achieve goals more easily and experience greater happiness and success in life. Maintaining a positive attitude also makes it easier to focus on positive thoughts and avoid negative thinking. The document provides tips for cultivating a positive attitude such as spreading smiles, focusing on the good in each day, and keeping an open mind.
This document provides an overview of the Global Service Jam 2014 event in San Francisco. It introduces the volunteer facilitators and outlines the schedule and activities for the jam, including brainstorming service ideas on Friday and developing focus statements in teams. Participants are instructed on developing team pages and sharing their focus statements before beginning work on Saturday to explore improving existing services or creating new ones. The facilitators emphasize tools for service design like journey mapping and prototyping and encourage participants to collaborate and have fun over the weekend jam event.
This document discusses game thinking and design thinking processes for creative industries. It promotes shifting from passive thinking to active experiencing through humble acknowledgement of passiveness, designing rituals for desired growth, and using methods like hardware, websites, apps, and games to develop ideas. The design thinking process involves learning about users, imagining "what if" scenarios fueled by empathy, constructing points of view based on insights, brainstorming solutions, prototyping ideas, testing for challenges, and telling stories instead of pitches. Innovation is presented as a byproduct of this process.
The document discusses the challenges of the current information age including increased information overload, shrinking attention spans, and incremental thinking. It notes issues facing society such as unemployment, healthcare debates, and environmental threats. It suggests taking a multidimensional view by synthesizing information, thinking differently, focusing on social contribution, environmental thinking, inspiring difficult goals, and daring to dream the impossible.
What's the point of creativity in Direct MarketingJohn Griffiths
The application of behavioural economics and herd theory to direct marketing with examples. Given to the Marketing in Direct Conference in Bucharest Sept 8th 2010
A brand is the perception customers have of a company based on their interactions and experiences. Building a strong brand involves planned, consistent communication and positive interactions to create trust and loyalty over the long run. As representatives of the brand, employees should aim to connect emotionally with customers, provide value, be accessible and knowledgeable, and establish their unique strengths to influence customer purchasing decisions and develop a good reputation for the company. Regular self-assessment against branding principles can help improve individual performance as brand ambassadors.
This document provides an overview of a Lean Startup event or workshop. It discusses principles of building iteratively to learn, focusing on learning goals and validating hypotheses through measurement. Key parts of the agenda include lean flow, prioritization, stakeholder analysis, and learning goals. Attendees are encouraged to limit work-in-progress, get early customer feedback, and present their weekly progress and learning goals to get advice from others. The overall message emphasizes rapid prototyping, testing assumptions, and using metrics to guide the business model rather than focusing too much on specific details.
KLAP is a collective of consultants who use design thinking to help organizations solve challenges from idea to action. They work with companies from startups to large corporations across industries. KLAP shares design thinking techniques through free meetups and collaborations to spread this human-centered problem-solving approach. Their goal is to imagine and create products that help people and organizations become more autonomous.
Creative That Works: Design & Copy Best Practices for Better MarketingGreenRope
This document provides an agenda and overview for a presentation on effective direct marketing design and copy best practices. The presentation covers why behavioral psychology is important for marketing, effective print design techniques and examples, case studies on direct mail campaigns, how customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation can enhance direct mail, and how the companies Postalytics and GreenRope work together. Techniques discussed for direct mail include teased reveals, gamification, the rule of three, techniques to help information be understood at a glance, using checks, effective typeface and font sizes, storytelling, repetition, playing on emotions like pride and surprise, making promises, using secrets and time constraints.
Getting people to do what you want through understanding human behavior and decision making. The document discusses 9 strategies based on behavioral economics research: 1) Appeal to "satisficers" who prefer low-risk options. 2) Leverage social norms. 3) Encourage people to make future commitments. 4) Reduce choices to minimize paralysis. 5) Implement helpful default options. 6) Use anchoring to frame decisions. 7) Appeal to people's values. 8) Create positive experiences. 9) Do small favors to encourage reciprocity. Understanding how context and subtle influences affect decisions can help influence behavior change.
"It’s about time we start re-inventing direct marketing." for Spring Global M...Polle de Maagt
This document discusses the need to reinvent direct marketing by focusing on driving conversations with consumers rather than traditional advertising. It emphasizes exceeding expectations, creating remarkable experiences worth sharing, and acting human to build emotional connections and advocacy. New metrics like net promoter score are also important. Overall it argues for focusing on fueling customer conversations through acts rather than ads.
The document discusses the need for the next generation of retail stores to evolve from a transactional bricks-and-mortar model to an experiential one. It outlines five key checkpoints for next generation stores: convenience through seamless online and in-store experiences, building relationships through trust, enabling checkout anywhere, providing in-store entertainment and education, and establishing the store as a social hub. The goal is to shift from a locating mindset to exploring and dreaming in order to increase customer engagement and spending.
This document discusses companies that are changing the world through disruption and innovation. It describes how "Gamechangers" think differently by having ambitious visions and finding new opportunities in the market. They fuse digital and physical aspects and focus on building inspiring brands. The document promotes a book and workshops about businesses that are ready to change the world. It explores various industries and regions to highlight companies that are shaking up their fields.
Case Study: “Upper Deck Learns to ‘Think Different’ Thanks to iMedia”iMedia Connection
The document discusses how Upper Deck has learned to think differently and do good in business through their partnerships. It mentions how Upper Deck has partnered with organizations like Friends of Jaclyn and iMedia to help change children's lives and make a real difference through initiatives customers love. It asks readers to consider how they can also be progressive in their business through such partnerships.
This document outlines an agenda for a entrepreneurship training program run by Founder Centric. The day includes sessions on iterative teaching, workshops and assignments, the design process and goals, getting feedback, and managing risks. Assignments described include developing personal inventories of skills and resources, conducting customer interviews, optimizing an MVP, and launching constrained startup projects over 1-2 weeks. The document emphasizes adapting curriculum flexibly to student needs, using peer support and optional modules, and avoiding common pitfalls like getting stuck on inconsequential details.
Brand storytelling Masterclass - John Maduforo (Futuresoft)John Maduforo
Today, many successful brands have storytelling at the core of their marketing and communication strategy because regardless what you sell, stories give your audience a reason to communicate and relate with your brand, it gives them something to believe in and if told right it gives them a sense a belonging.
While Storytelling may not always translate immediately into sales or impact your bottomline, it's an always-wining long term strategy and trust me when I say, you are always one great story away from changing the trajectory of your brand.
In this slide, I shared
What storytelling truly is (and what it's not).
Why you need to tell your story and
How to tell a great brand story that everyone loves (creating alignment between your brand, your customers and prospects)
The document summarizes how the author helps microbusiness owners effectively use smartphones and tablets. He specializes in customizing workflows to make bills more cost-effective. Technology allows even the elderly to easily use devices. The author ensures microbusinesses can manage customers, analytics, and more like large companies. Customers now have more power with mobile access to information, so the author differentiates by helping clients gain competitive advantages through education and expertise in mobile technology.
The document provides advice for implementing new ideas at educational institutions. It suggests that good ideas often get watered down or ruined at the middle management level due to fear and inexperience. It also notes that new ideas do not happen often enough and there is a tendency to only do things that others are already doing. The document advocates for being the change that is sought rather than waiting for others to create change. It promotes treating the institution like a business with a focus on areas like sales, support, costs, leadership, and accountability.
Myriad Mobile is a mobile app development company based in Fargo, North Dakota. They assembled a team of creative problem solvers passionate about mobile to deliver successful mobile business strategies for clients. Drawing on the innovative spirit of the Midwest, Myriad Mobile works hard and thinks outside the box to help clients surpass their goals with cutting-edge mobile solutions. They remain true to their core values of mastery, honor, passion, innovation and community in everything they do.
Jason Mesut - Tactics for Amplifying the Strategic Value of DesignUX Lausanne
Jason Mesut draws on his experience as a management consultant and a designer to unpack some of the core challenges he has found with design realising its value to business.
UX as a core competence - TYPO3 conference Asia 2012samng
User experience (UX) design is about understanding how people feel when interacting with something that has been built. The document discusses UX and provides examples of companies like Zappos and Apple that are focused on designing positive user experiences. It recommends that to be in demand, one should get good at designing experiences across interactions and channels using UX design tools and methods like field studies, persona development, and usability testing.
Tips for Caregivers to Increase Your Patient's patience,James Feldman
Patients' satisfaction is an important indicator of the quality of care. Measuring healthcare quality and improving patient satisfaction has become increasingly prevalent, especially among healthcare providers and purchasers of healthcare.
This is mainly due to the fact that consumers are becoming increasingly more knowledgeable about healthcare.
This discussion will help the reader to assess the influence of certain demographics, socioeconomics, and health characteristics of patient satisfaction.
Our experience has shown that there is ample data from patients. For instance, many complained about the lack of attention, the lack of empathy of nurses especially at night, and the lack of information about the disease. They also complained about the excessive number of patients in the common rooms and about the poor quality of equipment.
While this is not intended to be a wide-reaching complaint there are portions of those comments that could determine the relevance of the complaints and how they impact the patients' overall perception of their caregivers.
Customer Service is the new currency. Using KPI Metrics to increase your ROIJames Feldman
Return on Ideas (ROI) is how we should measure our efforts to attract, enhance, and retain our Customers. Whether it's your external customer or your internal customer (employees) every organization faces increased challenges to provide an exceptional experience.
Telling a story is the goal of collecting relevant data and useful information. For many, they don't ask the right questions, so the answers are not applicable. This presentation is a broad discussion of how to leverage the response to the targeted issues.
There is no shortage of data. The focus should be on the relevant data that has the greatest positive impact. This presentation offers some insights into a more effective way to monetize those results.
How to become a more successful sales personJames Feldman
You and your team must master these skills if you want to see sales success. You can do everything else suggested in this presentation, but you won’t experience sales success if you don't have a process to win sales, can't lead successful sales conversations, and don't know how to grow your accounts. Learn how to become a dominant influencer.
This document contains tips and advice for sales skills and success from a presentation by James Feldman. Some of the key points discussed include finding the dominant decision maker in a buying committee, focusing on solutions rather than products, developing a follow up system, and ensuring contact information is prominently displayed. The document emphasizes avoiding common mistakes like claiming to be the best, not offering additional services to current clients, and not having a sales process.
D-A-T-I-N-G Your Customer® for nightclubs and barsJames Feldman
The most competitive differentiation for any business is Customer retention. It's all about relationships. Develop retention plans for your employees, suppliers, and of course your Customers. It costs more to obtain new ones that retain existing ones. Focus on What's In It For Them...not you.
The document provides tips and strategies for getting customers to say "YES". It emphasizes understanding customer needs and wants, focusing presentations on the benefits to the customer (WIiFM), and communicating the solution's ability to completely solve problems. It stresses developing a growth mindset and viewing failures as learning opportunities. The key is to control the conversation, seize opportunities, and create loyal customers through excellent communication skills and customer service.
Here is a useful presentation that shows the elements, the timetable, and the outcome for a well thought out integration of social media to fill your sales funnel. Use it to create your next media announcement.
The document discusses creativity and innovation. It defines creativity as developing new ideas and innovation as transforming ideas into solutions. It emphasizes that innovation must be ingrained in everyone's mindsets, including customers, and that the most important factor for sustained innovation is considering it as "business as usual" rather than an isolated act. It provides strategies for building an innovation culture and discusses challenges that can inhibit innovation.
This document contains 27 ideas for making and saving more money presented by James Feldman. The ideas include registering trademarks and logos, finding seasoned advisors, focusing on decluttering, charging accordingly based on value rather than price, being inquisitive, delegating tasks, and avoiding too much planning without action. Feldman emphasizes having a clear vision, mission and values to achieve good results and provides various tools and resources under each idea for implementation.
This document provides tips for becoming a successful networker and rock star. It emphasizes that networking has had the biggest impact on the author's personal brand and business growth. Some key tips include engaging people as individuals based on what they do and where they are, being a problem solver and resource, following up after meetings, and focusing on prospects' future needs rather than past accomplishments. The overall message is that an effective networker provides value, visibility, and credibility to others through genuine connections and relationships.
Do you suck at PowerPoint and Keynotes? This bootcamp is a compliation of proven tips, techniques, and best practices that can help you with your presentation skills.
Innovate or die should be the sign on every CEO's office wall. Clients want new products and services. If you can't or won't provide them, Customers know they are a mouse click away from finding a replacement. It's time to balance detachment and dedication to cultivate Customer loyalty.
Motion Picture License now available to speakersJames Feldman
If you upload or use any movie, television, or videos MPLC may provide you a license for their legitimate use. The fee is reasonable. Without a license you may be subject to stiff fines for infridgment. Don't risk it.
Libraries are ungoing serious 'shifts' in how they are used by members. This presentation is offered as thought starters for addressing some of those 'shifts.'
Wellness check-up for your business plans should include complete mind and bo...James Feldman
As we get older most of us get an annual 'wellness' checkup.
We should do the same for our business. A body scan of all the parts, finding the point of point, what needs work, and what is working well.
Make it a point to reach out to some of your clients from the past few years. Remind them of why they did business with you. Create a meaningful memory and offer to repeat it for them. Become a valued resource and they will reward you with more business.
This presentation serves as a gentle reminder that wellness is a state of mind as well as body. Check in on both.
This document provides an overview of strategic planning and related business concepts from the perspective of James Feldman. It defines strategic planning as pulling an organization together around a single execution plan and outlines its key components. These include values, objectives, strategies, and goals. The document also discusses mission statements, marketing plans, SWOT analysis, and strategic planning processes and tips. It emphasizes the importance of understanding customers, creating value, and driving change through innovation and growth.
This document describes a dream management program that has been implemented in companies to increase employee engagement. It discusses how engaged employees outnumber disengaged employees more in world-class organizations compared to average ones. The dream management program helps participants identify their dreams and develop a plan to work towards their bigger future, which increases engagement, performance, and satisfaction both personally and at work.
10 ways to engage your clients. Drawing strength from your competences. James Feldman
Is your organiztion serving your clients effectively?
AWARENESS- Are your target customers and key stakeholders aware of your brand? Is it the first one that comes to their mind?
VALUE-Do you deliver a good value for the price?
ACCESSIBILITY -Do your customers and potential customers perceive your organization to be convenient?
RELEVANT DIFFERENTIATION-Proof points. Reasons to believe. The leading edge indicator of future market share and profitability. Are your products or services different to your customer in relevant and compelling ways?
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION-Do connect with people on an emotional level?
Every organization MUST innovate to stay ahead of consumer demand and competition. Take the time to learn how to avoid Business As Usual and start to Innovate As Usual.
The APCO Geopolitical Radar - Q3 2024 The Global Operating Environment for Bu...APCO
The Radar reflects input from APCO’s teams located around the world. It distils a host of interconnected events and trends into insights to inform operational and strategic decisions. Issues covered in this edition include:
Brian Fitzsimmons on the Business Strategy and Content Flywheel of Barstool S...Neil Horowitz
On episode 272 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, Neil chatted with Brian Fitzsimmons, Director of Licensing and Business Development for Barstool Sports.
What follows is a collection of snippets from the podcast. To hear the full interview and more, check out the podcast on all podcast platforms and at www.dsmsports.net
Best Competitive Marble Pricing in Dubai - ☎ 9928909666Stone Art Hub
Stone Art Hub offers the best competitive Marble Pricing in Dubai, ensuring affordability without compromising quality. With a wide range of exquisite marble options to choose from, you can enhance your spaces with elegance and sophistication. For inquiries or orders, contact us at ☎ 9928909666. Experience luxury at unbeatable prices.
Digital Marketing with a Focus on Sustainabilitysssourabhsharma
Digital Marketing best practices including influencer marketing, content creators, and omnichannel marketing for Sustainable Brands at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit 2024 in New York
Storytelling is an incredibly valuable tool to share data and information. To get the most impact from stories there are a number of key ingredients. These are based on science and human nature. Using these elements in a story you can deliver information impactfully, ensure action and drive change.
Profiles of Iconic Fashion Personalities.pdfTTop Threads
The fashion industry is dynamic and ever-changing, continuously sculpted by trailblazing visionaries who challenge norms and redefine beauty. This document delves into the profiles of some of the most iconic fashion personalities whose impact has left a lasting impression on the industry. From timeless designers to modern-day influencers, each individual has uniquely woven their thread into the rich fabric of fashion history, contributing to its ongoing evolution.
NIMA2024 | De toegevoegde waarde van DEI en ESG in campagnes | Nathalie Lam |...BBPMedia1
Nathalie zal delen hoe DEI en ESG een fundamentele rol kunnen spelen in je merkstrategie en je de juiste aansluiting kan creëren met je doelgroep. Door middel van voorbeelden en simpele handvatten toont ze hoe dit in jouw organisatie toegepast kan worden.
How MJ Global Leads the Packaging Industry.pdfMJ Global
MJ Global's success in staying ahead of the curve in the packaging industry is a testament to its dedication to innovation, sustainability, and customer-centricity. By embracing technological advancements, leading in eco-friendly solutions, collaborating with industry leaders, and adapting to evolving consumer preferences, MJ Global continues to set new standards in the packaging sector.
Unveiling the Dynamic Personalities, Key Dates, and Horoscope Insights: Gemin...my Pandit
Explore the fascinating world of the Gemini Zodiac Sign. Discover the unique personality traits, key dates, and horoscope insights of Gemini individuals. Learn how their sociable, communicative nature and boundless curiosity make them the dynamic explorers of the zodiac. Dive into the duality of the Gemini sign and understand their intellectual and adventurous spirit.
How are Lilac French Bulldogs Beauty Charming the World and Capturing Hearts....Lacey Max
“After being the most listed dog breed in the United States for 31
years in a row, the Labrador Retriever has dropped to second place
in the American Kennel Club's annual survey of the country's most
popular canines. The French Bulldog is the new top dog in the
United States as of 2022. The stylish puppy has ascended the
rankings in rapid time despite having health concerns and limited
color choices.”
Zodiac Signs and Food Preferences_ What Your Sign Says About Your Tastemy Pandit
Know what your zodiac sign says about your taste in food! Explore how the 12 zodiac signs influence your culinary preferences with insights from MyPandit. Dive into astrology and flavors!
Navigating the world of forex trading can be challenging, especially for beginners. To help you make an informed decision, we have comprehensively compared the best forex brokers in India for 2024. This article, reviewed by Top Forex Brokers Review, will cover featured award winners, the best forex brokers, featured offers, the best copy trading platforms, the best forex brokers for beginners, the best MetaTrader brokers, and recently updated reviews. We will focus on FP Markets, Black Bull, EightCap, IC Markets, and Octa.
20. Cellphone evolution…
From bigger to smaller to bigger.
From a phone to a PDA to notebook.
Add in a camera, GPS, calculator,
text, Email, internet access,
movies, etc.
Dare To Be Different. Being different used to be a bad thing. Today there is an unceasing desire to know more. Perhaps you are seeking solutions instead of worrying about what you can’t do or can’t control. Most of us work in an environment where everything has to be out the door 20 minutes ago.
We all need brand new ways of problem solving. Today, unless you dare to think differently you competition will. Managers must come up with new ways to manage daily tasks and routines. So what am I telling you that you don’t already know? Find a better way by discovering innovation that makes you more efficient in doing what you have always done, by improving your innovative approach by being different. How about something simple like writing a thank-you notes. People don’t take the time to write anymore. Simply taking the time to thank somebody who waited on you, some one in your industry or even a fellow employee means you are different. Simple? Not really! We all know what to do.
Books, tapes, TV shows, seminars all tell us how to lose weight so why are we the heaviest country in the world. The answer is simple…we are all the same. Don’t’ follow the crowd. The crowd is gaining more weight each year. Today little time is spending planning a meal when you can grab a ‘supersized’ burger on the way home from work. How do you fight back…Dare To Be Different?
Less than a decade ago if you said you were going to check your Blackberry the quizzical looks would have been prevalent. The rate of progress is doubling every decade. Soon computers will outperform the brain in almost every category of logic, problem solving, and conclusions. You must take the initiative.
Call your Guests and ask them what they need. Ask you suppliers what they see their products being used for and ask how they would use them to make new products or create new services. Create mavericks…people that ask “What If?”
Find a better way to do something. Cater to client demands because they will tell you what they need that is not being fulfilled by your competition. All you have to do is ask and then simply do it.
Remember to create something that will have an impact on people’s lives-whether personal or corporate.
Do the Math! When we are told to “think outside the box’ the problem is that our perspective is lost. We are outside of the problem and not immersed inside of it. Go into the “box.” Move the components around. Use simple math. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide up the parts to see if you can make something new.
Look at some of the most innovative ideas from the past to create new ideas for the future. Simple arithmetic allows us some innovative problem solving without the introduction of new components or resources. For example, use addition to replicate components and add to the over all solution. How many tires on a car? How many in a set. Four? Five? Nope…two… a set is two yet most of us would say four or even five. Two is all that is needed to make a car a hot rod or a truck a tractor. Simply change the rear tires and you have a new use for the same chassis. And when you buy snow tires they sell you two, not four or five.
Start by using your established products as a starting point from which you re-innovate by creating new products that add to profitability by using your existing distribution channels, marketing, and sales resources. Guests like to do business with companies that understand their business. Don’t try to sell something but offer a solution to a problem…cost becomes less of an issue and higher margins are yours. Do the unexpected. Most solutions are as simple as rearranging existing components.
Remember the answer to most problems is found in the components that make up the problem.
What’s broken? Many of us see what wrong in an organization or specific problem. The issue is not the vision but the ability to change. Shift Happens! ® yet we are not always the reason for the shift but the unwilling participant. If you see what’s broken you must invest time in getting away from the ‘we have always done it this way before’ to selling the organization on why your innovative approach is the best solution.
In 1895 traveling salesman King Gillette continually nicked himself when shaving. His old straight edge was old and could not be strapped to a sharp edge. After thinking about the problem he reasoned that the problem was the inability of the steel to hold an edge for a long period of time. What, he thought, would happened if the razor was ‘disposable? What contributed to the change? By giving away free samples it became an inducement to get more people to try it and then buy it.
Old habits die-hard. Think about what you can do to get more people to try your hotel.? Can you offer “Granny” rates? When someone who lives in your town books the reservation for the visit to “Granny’s house” they get a preferred rate. Like the razor your product is disposable. You can’t get back yesterday’s unfilled room. Find a way to fill it even if it means giving it away .It’s time to think differently. Think ‘inside the box.’ And if it’s not broken, break it. Your competition is working hard to make a hotel product that is better than what you now provide. Don’t wait for them to take away some of your Guests.
Remember not only do you need to have an open mind and vision but is able to champion your idea to others.
Use little ideas to develop bigger ones. The problem with most problem solving is that more time is spent on solutions than defining the problem itself. If you do not define the problem accurately then you are working on a solution that does not solve the real problem. Sharpen the focus of your definition by gaining conscientious from a diverse group of Guests and business associates. Don’t allow anyone to use negative or idea killing behavior. Try to have as many opinions as practical and build trust within the TEAM.
In 1895 traveling salesman King Gillette continually nicked himself when shaving. His old straight edge was old and could not be strapped to a sharp edge. After thinking about the problem he reasoned that the problem was the inability of the steel to hold an edge for a long period of time. What, he thought, would happened if the razor was ‘disposable? What contributed to the change? By giving away free samples it became an inducement to get more people to try it and then buy it.
Old habits die-hard. Think about what you can do to get more people to try your hotel.? Can you offer “Granny” rates? When someone who lives in your town books the reservation for the visit to “Granny’s house” they get a preferred rate. Like the razor your product is disposable. You can’t get back yesterday’s unfilled room. Find a way to fill it even if it means giving it away .It’s time to think differently. Think ‘inside the box.’ And if it’s not broken, break it. Your competition is working hard to make a hotel product that is better than what you now provide. Don’t wait for them to take away some of your Guests.
Watch TV For many of us television is a distraction. For others impetus from change: changing the channels that is. Creative thoughts often need silence. Many of my best ideas come from taking a long hot shower or better a steam bath. Noise keeps us from hearing our inner voice and the often very quiet “AHA.”
Omaha Steaks has been a family business since 1917. Successive generations realized that steaks were being bought through distribution channels they didn’t service such as stores, phone orders, mail or Internet. In reality it was the same product they simply had to address the specific needs to sell is specially meat to traditional users such as restaurants and hotels. How did they get the idea of selling differently? Television. They watched a program on the emerging technology of Internet selling and determined that instead of doing expense direct mail they could offer products to Internet users and reach a broader audience. Through mail order and catalog campaigns, Omaha Steaks has grown to become the nation's largest direct response marketer of steaks and other frozen gourmet foods.
If you are watching TV then really watch it. There are ideas there…you have to look and listen…but the ideas are there for the taking. Today companies like Google and Apple are continually developing ways to marry the computer and Television experience .How about your business? Are you watching TV or should you turn it off? Either way think innovatively about what you can do to make your services available to a wider market.
Remember that television gets its ideas from some of the brightest minds in the world. Learn from their success by figuring out how to apply their message to your business.
Don’t Listen to Detractors. Don’t believe in what you or your associates did before or what has to be done because it limits your thinking. Using satellites instead of landlines CNN was able to accomplish what independent stations had wanted to accomplish for years…break the network hold. By locating their bureaus in the same buildings as the Western Union satellite uplinks CNN was able to negotiate with RCA to carry their sign to cable viewers. In his book, Me and Ted Against The World, Reese Schonfeld shows how he found the big three networks to give viewers news 24 hours a day.
Include people from outside your organization. If the same people are doing all the ‘creative thinking’ unison is created…and that kills innovation. Look at other organizations and try to apply what they do to what you do.
Less than 20 years ago most brick and mortar stores regarded the internet as a passing whim. Unlike the old days, venture capital is no longer available for companies with untested products or businesses.
Find your market by serving your Guests or finding Guests looking to be serviced. Martha Stewart was able to build on her book business by taking the information to the TV, Internet, magazine, and branding related products. Redefine your products and services in the broadest sense. Find new uses for your property’s meeting space. Offer it to churches, student groups, others that can use the space on days and time when it would otherwise be empty.
What can you do with the existing resources you already have in place?
Remember ideas come from seeing a need no one else is filling.
Schedule Nothing. Addictions to schedules, to do lists, and other time constraints often result in absorbing the creative juices. If you catch yourself doing either, or thinking about what needs to be done instead of what needs to be accomplished stop it. Stop the Stupid Stuff. We are not animals…animals are trained, people are educated. Follow your passion not your Day Timer or PDA.
If you want to succeed have confidence and faith in your ability to be creative and focused on your goals. Have the courage to go your own way. Schedules are different than goals. Goals are different that results. Focus on results and the path is more clearly created. But hard work is not enough to achieve your results. You have to be willing to work harder and sacrifice. Do your own research and experimentation but sometimes going outside of your own company resources may be cost and time effective. Take a chance. Schedules often prevent risk taking. Try to maintain momentum from you initial successes.
Go to your schedule for the next 30 days and look at the notations. Are they meetings? Reviews? Or result oriented goals? Change or move the non-productive tasks to very early or very late in the day. I prefer late in the day because less time is wasted. People want to go home, they have plans, so they stay focused on the tasks at hand. Have an agenda and timetable for every meeting. Set a definable goal that results in an action that will result in doing something better, faster, more profitable or even better simply Stop The Stupid Stuff. Don’t have a meeting because ‘we always met on Tuesdays.’
Keep pushing for the next breakthrough. Reduce your schedules to one, most important, results oriented goal that can be achieved within 30 days. Take small steps but focus on the big results. Innovation often comes from small groups not individuals or from management. More often innovation comes from the group that is charged with the process itself. The more people have control of their own destiny the more effective they are.
Remember schedules are made to be broken, results are not. It is not the size of your organization; it is the existing organization itself that is the impediment to innovation. Give new projects room to grow not schedules to maintain.
Here are some thought starters as reminders of what we discussed in our time together. Each page contains one image and a single, focused thought that may help you to think differently. My goal is to offer you some new tools, new insights for the solving the problems you face. The best way to understand creative problem solving is through examples.
When Xerox corporation began manufacturing photocopiers, the marketing people were disappointed by poor sales. Xerox had the capacity to manufacture more machines than they were selling. The focused on the “product of the product.” Instead of selling machines they offered to place their machines in businesses that were willing to pay a few cents for each copy their machine produced.
Often traditional approaches are not always the most effective. All innovations begin as creative solutions, but not all creative solutions become innovations. An innovation is a creative solution that’s used by people other than the person that created it.
We are now, again, in an entrepreneurial boom. New ideas, new products, new channels of distribution all point to unprecedented growth. Don’t think of yourself as an innovative firm but a company with innovative solutions to your Guests’ problems. As companies grow they get ‘fat’ and lazy and ultimately crash and burn. Chose your battles.
Stay in touch with your Guests and be aware of what you competition is doing for them. Keep your Guest needs in mind and forget about trying what seems to be a good idea to try. Do your homework.
Pursue ideas that respond to needs and sales will follow. Don’t let the sales marketing guys give you bells and whistles without substance or breakthrough. Find new ways to package what you have to offer.
“When they give you ruled paper…turn it sideways.”
Here are some thought starters as reminders of what we discussed in our time together. Each page contains one image and a single, focused thought that may help you to think differently. My goal is to offer you some new tools, new insights for the solving the problems you face. The best way to understand creative problem solving is through examples.
When Xerox corporation began manufacturing photocopiers, the marketing people were disappointed by poor sales. Xerox had the capacity to manufacture more machines than they were selling. The focused on the “product of the product.” Instead of selling machines they offered to place their machines in businesses that were willing to pay a few cents for each copy their machine produced.
Often traditional approaches are not always the most effective. All innovations begin as creative solutions, but not all creative solutions become innovations. An innovation is a creative solution that’s used by people other than the person that created it.
We are now, again, in an entrepreneurial boom. New ideas, new products, new channels of distribution all point to unprecedented growth. Don’t think of yourself as an innovative firm but a company with innovative solutions to your Guests’ problems. As companies grow they get ‘fat’ and lazy and ultimately crash and burn. Chose your battles.
Stay in touch with your Guests and be aware of what you competition is doing for them. Keep your Guest needs in mind and forget about trying what seems to be a good idea to try. Do your homework.
Pursue ideas that respond to needs and sales will follow. Don’t let the sales marketing guys give you bells and whistles without substance or breakthrough. Find new ways to package what you have to offer.
“When they give you ruled paper…turn it sideways.”
As Vesta Hospitality finds a new sustainable growth path, while struggling off considerable headwinds, less than encouraging government policies.
Human Capital..it’s all about the team members that perform and deliver.
a) Provide employee training and development
b) Raise employee engagement
c) Improve performance management processes and accountability
d) Increase efforts to retain critical talent
e) Improve leadership development programs
a) Sharpen understanding of Guest needs
b) Enhance quality of products/services
c) Engage personally with key Guests/clients
d) Tailor marketing, promotion, and communications campaigns to key Guest needs
e) Broaden range of products/services
Excellence is the minimum standard.
Every improvement is the result of ‘shifts’ or changes
Create a culture of innovation
Continue to apply new technologies (product, process, information, etc.)
Engage in strategic alliances with Guests, suppliers, and/or other business partners
Encourage the development innovation skills for all employees
Operational Excellence
a) Seek better alignment between strategy, objectives, and organizational capabilities
Improve our organizational agility/flexibility
Raise employee engagement to drive productivity
I am sure we all agree that Human Capital is in essence, the thread that runs through the other four challenges I mentioned and together they form the basis for strategic action. After all, without a talented, engaged, and properly motivated workforce, achieving progress against these challenges is impossible. It's all about The Journey To Bright Ideas and how we get to the top of that mountain.
Start Name Calling. If you think you are not creative it is time to change your mind. Quit worrying about a label…creative or not. Think about how you will achieve your end results by the way you look at challenges. Look beyond the problem and into the results instead. Instead of being the architect of a single building think about creating a neighborhood, parks, transportation, etc. Instead of being a hotel can you be a meeting place, convention, ramification place.
Create a city and then the single building is merely one of many projects that make up the whole. Sometimes the bigger picture is easier to envision. Then start making the first change in how you stop worrying about what people call you or what you call your self, instead focus on the results. Donald Trump may not be your favorite real estate developer but his ‘name’ is everywhere. His accomplishments are everywhere. He branded his name; no matter what anyone call him.
Brand your products. Make sure that no matter what you call yourself, product, or service the name has oomph. IPOD is now used to describe every MP3 player on the market whether made by Apple or not. Smartphones are referred to as either IPHONE or Androids
Blackberry was used to reference most handheld PDAs even though was launched as Pocket Link from RIM that name change resulted in a very powerful image and recognition. Today Blackberry continues to lose market share because they lost sight of what the business Guest wants. They should merge with Apple so they can provide their network to Apple. And with the loss of Steve Jobs, Apple has lost it’s innovative edge to Android, especially Samsung. Shift Happens! Think big. Think about building a brand name that defines a market or what you really do. TIVO means what? No one cares because it resulted in defining all digital recorders.
Name-calling is similar to great PR…all of it is good as long as we remember where to find it. How can you make your hotel the ‘go to’ place to stay?
Remember great companies not only prosper from great products or services but also the uniqueness of their name.
Question in Technicolor When the first Pocket Links came out nobody raved about their ability to connect a mobile workforce. BlackBerry with its color touch screen and mini keypad permitted road warriors to check flights, email, today’s headlines, make phone calls, receive faxes, and schedule appointments. The product was introduced in black and white but its success came when color was added. Blackberry hit the shelves in 1999 and over the years it became touted as one of the most powerful brands on the market. Yet until the color screen women did not like it,
many companies saw that it was simply one more digital device that included pagers and cell phones. By not keeping a close pulse on the need for ‘apps’ and ‘cameras’ and ‘GPS’ Blackberry has lost it’s cutting edge and now fights for it’s life. In less that 15 years Blackberry’s fruit has spoiled and there is no recovery in site. Shift Happened.
Companies have been blind sided by innovators with spectacular concepts. Akio Morita lead a disruption in electronics and called his company Sony. For years Sony was the ‘electronics leader.’ Today they barely hold on to many of product categories they invented. Discounters that warehoused products in a sparse display environment like Wal-Mart and Costco overturned traditional department stores. Mom and pop diners were displaced by fast food providers like McDonald’s and Steve Jobs continued to launch new products that change the way we work and play with our IPODs.
It was color that brought photography to the world and television into our homes. Color is omnipotent. Technology met fashion. Think in color so you see green not red.
Remember to keep launching new growth products even when you don’t need growth. If you wait until your sales flatten or profits drop, the game is over.
Think About The Desired Result First A pilot creates a flight plan prior to getting into his plane. The captain of a ship plots a course and creates alternate ports in case of in climate weather. Yet each of us thinks about a new product or service and fails to find out if there is really a market out there that will pay for it.
In 3D Thinking I discuss the Depth of your Knowledge, the Distance you can take it, and the Determination you have to see the product to completion…which means sale to the end user. Very often a better mousetrap is not the key to success if you don’t consider the Guest.
Get out of the office.
Talk to your Guests.
Ask them what they need, not want.
Segment your audience and don’t buy into the emotional influence that many demand.
It takes self-confidence to create a new product or service before anyone else.
Watch what your Guests are trying to get done and determine how you can help them get it done faster, cheaper, or more efficiently.
It’s time to WOW your Guests.
Remember once you understand the end results creating the path to get there become very clear.
Reduce, Reuse, Reinnovate. The way to solve a problem is to get straight to the root. You can boost your profits by thinking about other uses for the same product or service. Baking soda is now used as a deodorizer in a refrigerator, salt is used to remove stains and melt ice, water which was once a commodity and often free now sells for more than many other liquors, soft drinks, and beer. Look around and see what products you have that can be repackaged and resold for new uses. Reduce inventory and overhead by re-innovating using the same products.
The airline industry is suffering. They don’t know what to reduce their prices so they reduce Guest service, local ticketing offices, and on board meals. Part of the issue is that Boeing and Airbus are locked in combat with building bigger planes to carry 500 passengers in a no growth market while Bombardier Aerospace and Brazil’s Embracer have changed from building jets with 30 seats to 50-100 seats. These planes now fly passengers at half the cost per passenger mile and continue to see record years of growth. The airline industry has figured out how to charge for all the services that used to be free. They have stopped bundling. In the hospitality industry bundling is growing. Set a rate for Internet access and then offer it for free. Doubletree gives Guests a warm chocolate chip cookie. Late check outs are no longer charged a fee by many hotels. Don’t allow your organization to have so much at stake in terms of fixed costs that you must continue to build something you can’t sell.
Remember to reduce wasted time and reuse existing resources to discover opportunities not being served currently. See a need. Fill a need.
Start Acting Like A Champion Build your reputation first. Often we get caught up in what we think we can do and fail to do it well. If you don’t over promise but over deliver you will be a champion. Lance Armstrong has won 6 consecutive races. He was able to choose if he wanted to try again. Then we learned that he took drugs and his career plummeted. Lance has ‘fallen and can’t get up.’ Tiger Woods has won and lost and now struggles to regain his leadership role as Champion. If you want to be a champion you have to act like one as well as perform like one.
Champions see themselves as winners. Most original ideas are not completely original. Look at your organization and your competition and evaluate ideas that work in one context and apply it to another. Can you sell a ‘6 pack’ of your product, where perhaps the 6th night is free? How about offering a ‘test drive’ prior to purchase. Offer a day stay or overnight stay on your slowest days.
People will pay for results, outcomes. Do the same in your business by charging for results not promises. Find out what products or services you can offer to your business guests. Change what you offer on weekends for your leisure visitor. Focus on the experience. Act like a champion. Sell your wisdom not your knowledge. Knowledge you get from books…anybody can find a book. Wisdom you get from experience. You don’t go to the new doctor or dentist because you are afraid they don’t have experience but you accept they have knowledge.
Be a champion by leading your employees. Employees really follow champions..
Remember to offer demonstrated outcomes and price your self as a champion not just a player in your field.
Balance Your Worry To Fun Correlation After you have finished worrying about your overhead, interest rates, and your dog, stop it. Stop The Stupid Stuff!® Stop worrying and starting enjoying life. Enjoy the sunset or watch birds in flight. Listen to your favorite music, paint, read, and simply call your favorite ‘joke telling’ friend and laugh. Forget what I said in #5 and watch something on the Discovery Channel or A&E. Learn a language or take up a new hobby or revive an older one. Don’t talk about how much stress you have in your life but how much you have in your life. Creativity comes at the strangest times and in wonderful ways.
Have fun. Most of us focus on the day-to-day and not ourselves. Find time to enjoy the successes. Educate your self. Spend time with a book or learn a language. Take up cooking or photography. Organize your workshop or sock drawer. Give yourself little rewards of accomplishment.
Never stop learning and acquire new skills. Go bowling. No one knows how to bowl well and you are going to have fun. Most of us chip away at problems using methods that are hundreds of years old but no longer effective for today’s issues.
Look at companies like Disney or Apple. They are idea machines. They create visions that change the world. They don’t look for affirmation but look ahead to see trends and move in front of them and ask, “how will this idea perform with our target audience?’ Tear the idea apart but have fun doing it. Remember the example of simple math? Multiple, divide, subtract the various components and make different shapes and results like a Lego set.