October 2008 Entries
A productivity blog I subscribe to talked the other day about STUPID TIME.
No kidding. It’s things like jumping to Outlook every time you hear your computer chime that a new email has arrived… clicking on joke links in emails from your friends…You Tube…reading blogs (except for this one of course)…checking the stock market every 20 minutes…You Tube (yeah, I know I said it twice)…you get the idea.
It’s also when you're too tired to work strategically, but don't give yourself permission to quit. Instead of resting or doing something fun, you linger over emails, pour hours into minor matters, and just generally...
As most of you have noticed, I often reference (or adopt) articles of interest I see from the many daily feeds I receive. Today is no exception.
R&I published a study today by Booz & Company reporting that “...consumers plan further spending cuts as economy worsens.” That is certainly not a surprise. If you are like me and my family, virtually every purchase brings thoughts of your last brokerage statement to mind…
So, what does this mean in the larger sense of our businesses? Dining out is cited in this report (and anecdotally in numerous recent news reports) as a key discretionary item that has been...
Yesterday, Warren Buffet wrote an Op-Ed for the New York Times. In it he shared the simple rule he uses for investing, “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”
Its simplicity is obvious when applied to the volatile stock market during these turbulent economic times. But it has application in other areas as well.
For example, think of your own commercial segment foodservice business. Many of your competitors are so fearful of what MIGHT happen that they have begun to corral their marketing and promotional support while they wait it out. This can provide a huge opportunity for YOU to...
I recently saw some excerpts from a new book "Samurai Selling, The Ancient Art of Service in Sales," an interesting approach to selling based on the Samurai warriors of ancient Japan. In it, the authors define the samurai in this way: “The samurai was not a maniac with a sword; he was a man with a mission that could be summed up by the question, 'How can I best serve my client?'"
One of the more intriguing sections speaks to the need for “The Beginner’s Mind.” Eliminating the baggage of pre-conceived solutions and solution prejudice, one can always be ready to learn,...
If you are in charge of an organization --- or just a middle manager --- it’s been hard lately NOT to blow up at those around us as we deal with the stress of the economic crisis and pressures from our customers, our co-workers, and our family. If you are like me, you immediately regret it once it happens. But it happens anyway…
A hot temper can create a lot of destruction in a very short time…not unlike a tornado. In addition, if you are prone to blow ups, those around you may couch their comments rather than risk your wrath. When this happens,...
Recently Ihor Dlaboha (Editor, ID Access) asked me “…in your conversations with distributors, do you get the feeling that they’re in a roll up your sleeves and we can lick this recession mentality?”
Wow. Interesting question, Ihor. My reflections are the subject of this post.
My career spans nearly 40 years now, the majority in foodservice. I have seen my share of business recessions (early 70’s; mid 80’s, early 90’s; ’01, etc), but I don’t recall ever experiencing the economic “perfect storm” we are currently in. The combination of energy costs and logistics challenges, combined with steadily rising prices and scarcity of business financing, topped...
I am nothing if not the consummate brand-driven guy; I love uncovering the mysteries of brand and its relationship with the customer.
Recently, David Baker wrote a post for Media Post’s EMAILinsider (free registration may be required), discussing the range of digital strategies surrounding consumer brand support. He pointed out that “…too many marketers try to make something fit when it really doesn’t naturally do so…” referring to stillborn digital campaigns positioned improperly for the brand or product personality.
Email campaigns, for example, have four functional values to consumers: Functional Value, Promotional Value, Social Value, and Informational Value.
The author goes...
I don’t know about you, but although I feel fairly proficient on the computer, but I still love to discover new tricks to make my work even more productive.
It is in this spirit that I adapted a recent David Pogue (NYTimes.com/Pogue) column outlining some everyday tips sent in by his readers. I have further rearranged them into easily skimmed categories, so you can focus on the areas you find the most helpful. Enjoy!
Windows Tricks
You can double-click a word to highlight it in any document, e-mail or Web page.
You...
It might seem odd to tie trade promotion issues to the current debate about “what is the right amount of government regulation?”, but I saw an interesting survey today that got me thinking…
A few days ago, the GMA SmartBrief on Leadership email feed recapped their survey asking "What's your opinion of the government's decision to increase market regulation after last week's crisis?"
More than 1,170 readers weighed in with the following results:
· The markets have become so complicated that stronger oversight is needed to protect the economy -- 432 votes, 36.9%
· More active regulation is necessary to prevent even...
In case you haven’t heard, the SE is experiencing a severe gasoline crisis due to hurricane Ike, with stations closed and long lines when one does open with a supply.
Returning from lunch today, I purposely took the route that passed my favorite BP station, in hopes that they may have had a delivery during the morning. Sure enough, there was a line in the access lane approaching the station, and an orange-vested guy directing traffic. I fell into line behind the last car, approximately two blocks from the station.
After about half a block, I passed our favorite Chinese...