The Trouble with Recession Thinking

Like a wildfire, recessions can be devastating. But they are an inevitable part of the economic process, and eventually good will come out of calamity. As the wildfire in nature will burn up dead foliage, those very ashes will in due time fertilize a new generation of growth.

But while the fire is raging, it is natural to get nervous, and common to see panic. But panic can cause people to lose their heads, and can make smart people do stupid things. A recession is no time for irrational judgements and frantic actions, despite the overwhelming feeling that naturally arises.

It is the people who push down the rising panic and take the time to think about a realistic plan of action that will come out the least damaged. But very few will take time to strategize, and will focus on ‘doing’ something… anything... instead. Unfortunately, action without thought is just wasted energy.

One of the biggest problems I see right now is that because of the financial crunch that we are still in, small business owners are asking the wrong questions. Most of the time, questions I receive revolve around the cost of a product or service, and how little someone can get said product or service for.

Yet while cost is understandably an issue, cost-based thinking is not focused on a solution. 

So instead of asking yourself, “I can only afford to spend so much on marketing my business… what can I spend it on?”; shift your thinking to a more financially prudent, “What can I do that will give me the highest return on investment for my budget?”

Is newspaper advertising a preferred medium for communicating about your business? A big-city daily daily newspaper advertisement will probably cost you over ten times what a small-town weekly paper will; and your  one-day shelf life for a daily publication will be at least seven times as long in a weekly publication. 

Cost versus benefit in my own personal experience is that local, targeted publications are much more valuable that larger ones; but if course, you have to be cognizant of the market you are trying to reach.

Similarly, people are being swept up in the hype of Social Media; but have no idea about how to execute a sound Social Media strategy. Because the tools are free, many business people think that all the associated support ought to be free as well. 

A lot of folks don’t want to pay someone to show them how to get maximum yield from a ‘free’ service. I have heard it often… “I’ll just do it myself”. Yet months later they have made no progress at all, and are missing thousands of dollars of potential business to avoid some minimal up-front costs that will make their efforts effective. Instead they are throwing their money at random and disjointed promotional efforts.

Nowadays, even low-quality websites can be had cheap. But does your website act like a valuable employee? Does it engage current and potential clients and begin the sales process? Is it a credible and valuable ambassador for your brand?

If your advertising and communications are not giving you a good ROI (return on investment) it is a waste of time, no matter how little the cost.

Don’t cheap out so much that all you are worried about is cost, because it could damage you in the end. Push down the panic, and stop running around like a headless chicken. It is worth your while to take time enough to ensure your efforts are effective.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing (www.thetractorbeam.com), the author of ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’ available on Amazon.com, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

 

Invisible Labor: Work That Matters

The brilliant Victor Hugo once said, “A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor.”

As a young boy, I loved to stare off into the great blue yonder and imagine being a superhero with powers of invisibility! Years later, I still think that’s pretty cool. Even cooler still because in some ways the dream has actually come true.

Slaves to busywork in shops, construction sites or office jobs, many companies in our society tend to reward those who are good at looking busy. We tend to hold quantity in higher regard than quality, and bustle higher than results. A poor trade that is, trading productivity for commotion. 

Does it sometimes feel like you are walking through a Dilbert comic strip, or an episode of ‘The Office’? Much funnier if you are observing than if you are stuck in it.

If you watched me write this article you would see my fingers moving across my keyboard for periods of time, followed by another period of staring into space. Believe it or not, the time spent gazing into the final frontier is the most productive! Without thinking about what I need to say, filtering and refining it, an article could very easily become the equivalent of mentally vomiting on a page. Not a pretty mental picture, and I am guessing that you would not enjoy reading those random information chunks.

Which brings to mind Henry Ford’s famous quote, “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.” Nobody accuses the person who acts before thinking of being a genius.

There have been instances where I have seen people comment about the amazing creativity they see in quality work that requires a flair for design, then argue over a bill because only half of the project work was visible.

I once worked with an interior designer whose client refused to pay for her design work because they said it should have been a ‘free estimate’, that the advice and drawings provided were not real work. I am sure the client used every scrap of information provided through the consultation, and if the bill had been large enough to be worthwhile pursuing, I’d be willing to bet that the company she worked for would have recouped the costs in court.

I find that sort of thinking somewhat akin to a General sending troops into a war without a strategy, or a contractor building a building without first engineering it. Doomed for failure, and I might even venture far enough to classify it as insanity.

The famous architect Frank Gehry does not help to physically place the massive steel components on the building he designs. In fact, he probably lifts nothing more than a pencil. Yet he is paid millions of dollars for his invisible labor.

Sure, the actual production of a project may be more observable, but the true underlying value is the invisible part. I don’t want to undermine physical labor, nothing would get done without it! The point is simply that  you can’t have one without the other.

One other exciting thing regarding the might of creative thinking; your competition has no idea what you are going to do before you do it. That is why cutting-edge, creative businesspeople will always have the advantage over the ‘me-too’ copycats in the marketplace.

I love powers of invisibility.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. Contact can be made through www.thetractorbeam.com; and if you enjoyed this article please share it! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Is It OK to Steal Ideas?

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"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." -Albert Einstein.

In China, many of the roads are paved with broken bits of old ceramics. Pieces of plates and teacups are part of the mixture that has paved many of the streets there. If you bend down to get a close look, you can see delicate flower patterns that were likely once part of a beautiful tea set, now serving a different purpose.

Reduce, reuse and recycle are often-heard terms in the world we now live in. Another, perhaps less common word that is no less pertinent is ‘repurpose’. This term especially applies in business. 

Differentiating your business is really about doing something to make it special; more special than your competitors. The two easiest ways to differentiate yourself in any market are to (number one) be creative and (number two) be yourself, although not necessarily in that order. People who are not overly creative tend to get hung up on the fact that they are lacking in the that department, but the truth is that creative ideas can come from anywhere.

Like the dishes that have now become roadways, great ideas can be borrowed from unrelated sources and revolutionized to fit your industry; or even taken from within your industry and made your own. The analogy of the porcelain-infused roadways are a good example of creatively repurposing something for a function unrelated to its originally intended use.

‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is a song that first appeared in popular music around 1929, and was used and reinvented for the renowned 1952 movie of the same name starring Gene Kelly. In 2003 it was recorded by British jazz/pop phenom Jamie Cullum in a totally unique rendition; and greatly exemplifies repurposing a previously existing concept and making it one’s own even within the same industry.

Prior to Google, search engines like AltaVista, HotBot and Excite ruled cyberspace. In fact, Excite had the opportunity to buy Google in 1999 for one million dollars and rejected the offer. Where are these former giants now? 

Google is a classic example of taking a previously generated idea and making it better. They didn’t invent search engines, but dramatically altered internet search and the entire technological universe. It is not plagiarism or theft, it is improvement of business and existing ideas; and you have the same sorts of opportunities in your line of business.

I am not suggesting that you knock off an idea and duplicate it, that pretty much is stealing. But repurposing genius ideas is another thing altogether, and Albert Einstein knew it to be true.

What business are you in? Look around, is there something that someone else is doing that you could do even better? Have you run across a great business that is totally unrelated to yours? What makes that company great, and how could you implement some of their concepts of greatness to your advantage?

Take some time to think about it, it could just revolutionize your business!

This post by Jake Bergen; columnist, blogger, speaker, educator and Marketing Director of Tractor Beam Marketing. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Business Lessons from a Six-Year-Old

Last weekend, I was reminded of some important lessons. By my six-year-old.

My wife and my mother-in-law (whom I love dearly) decided to hold a garage sale. It was a good idea, because we had a lot of stuff that we needed to let go of; but personally, I hate garage sales. I try to help, but all I can think about is how much I paid for items that are now being almost given away. In my mind’s eye, I can see myself laid out on one of the sale tables as folks try to pry one of my last valued possessions from my cold, dead hands.

However, every once in a while I need to suck it up and take it like a man.

The entrepreneurial apple not falling far from the tree; during this particular garage sale, my six-year-old decided that she wanted to sell something too. She went outside and carefully selected rocks of similar shapes in a variety of sizes, then brought them inside and proceeded to paint them. Soon, she had a number of little stone ladybugs drying on the table.

Once dry, she brought them out to the garage and set them amongst my depreciated assets and affixed price tags to each one. Having virtually no concept of of money at this point in her life, the few larger ladybugs sported random pricing of between $5 and $9. There were also a bunch of little ones with price tags that read ‘free’.

Daddy, being the smarty pants that he is, was a little sheepish of having a nine-dollar rock sitting on the table; but has a fair amount of grace where the kids are concerned. She was so darn excited about her ladybug rocks, I couldn’t say no; but I was afraid that the nature of the product and her outrageous pricing of the larger items would doom her to be unable to sell them, and I hate seeing disappointment on the faces of my kids.

In the bustle of the sale I quickly forgot about her rocks, but ten minutes later my wife walked up to me and said, “We sold a rock. The big one.”

I was incredulous. “The nine dollar one?”

Yes, the nine dollar one. Who would love a ladybug rock made by a six-year-old girl? Another six-year-old girl, of course. A little girl had come in, fell in love with the product and asked her mom to buy it for her. The mom offered a dollar for it and the offer was happily accepted. By the time the garage sale closed, there were no little ladybug rocks left.

Cool. Her first attempt at creating art for commercial purposes was a smashing success. And I realized a few things that are taken for granted.

Giving the opportunity to succeed… or fail. This applies to business and parenting. With the correct desire to want the best for our kids, we can incorrectly shelter them from even trying. Whether the attempt was successful or not is beside the point. We all experience successes and failures in life, and learn from our mistakes to improve on the next effort. Since the garage sale, my daughter was facing something she was nervous about succeeding in; and I told her she had my permission to make a mistake, but I wanted her to try. A product of the life lesson she had reminded me of only a few days earlier.

She drew on what she knew and what she enjoyed. The goal was commercial, but the focus was on doing something she loved and to see if she could find an accepting market. Her creation was, to a six-year-old artist, a thing of beauty. It was a thing of beauty to a similarly aged art connoisseur as well. Do what you do because you love it; and if you are a part of your target market you will connect with them in a way that is more than about just making a sale.

Doing the best you can with what you have available. We see successful companies that have grown and flourished, but would likely be shocked if we saw where they started.

Despise not humble beginnings.

This post by Jake Bergen; columnist, blogger, speaker, educator and Marketing Director of Tractor Beam Marketing. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Crabs In A Bucket

Have you ever hear the ‘Crabs in a Bucket’ analogy? If you haven’t it goes along with something I say frequently.

“People love success. They just don’t like successful people.”

Now, I have never gone crab fishing. Is that what you call it? Crabs aren’t fish so let’s call it ‘crabbing’. The closest I got was gliding a canoe under the pier near my childhood home with some friends at night, and tying the ropes of the crab cages to the pier. Yeah, it was kind of mean and we shouldn’t have done it; but I can’t help it, it still makes me chuckle. I should probably grow up, but that is a lost cause.

As stated, I have never been crabbing, so I am not sure this is really how crabs behave in a bucket, so I will just rely on the story as it recall hearing it.

The theory is that if you have a single crab and put it in a bucket, it can climb right out. But if you have any more than one, you will not have to worry about their escape because they will be so busy pulling one another down that none of them will get out.

It is a pretty accurate analogy for what we as entrepreneurs face, and one of the things that drives me nuts is negativity. People whom we think should be behind us and cheering us on in our vocation will often times be the ones trying to stifle our potential for great things. They will bring up a million reasons why we shouldn’t pursue our goals, but never offer helpful or constructive insight on what can make us successful. Don’t you hate that? 

My feeling is that if someone doesn’t care enough to help you find a solution, they should keep their mouths shut. I once worked with a safety consultant who was great at pointing out safety issues on site, but would never help with a solution. He wouldn’t make a decision because he felt that he could be liable if he offered poor advice, even though that was his job. So he would point out problems, write a report about what shouldn’t be done, and leave you to figure out what to do about it. 

I think that kind of performance is useless, and whether it is a safety consultant or a naysaying family member, if they aren’t willing to be constructive and help you; you need to help yourself. Don’t rush blindly into something just because you want it, and I am not discounting genuine concern.

Pursue your goals intelligently. Learn as much as you can. Dive in and absorb all the information possible, and then put it to use. And never stop learning and applying, because that will constantly make you better. You probably won’t hit the ball out of the park on your first try, but if you keep striving, you just might be the next entrepreneurial heavy-hitter in your industry.

As the great Wayne Gretzky so accurately stated, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

This post by Jake Bergen; columnist, blogger, speaker, educator and Marketing Director of Tractor Beam Marketing. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Why Bullies Are Good For Geeks

Yep, this is completely from left field; but for some reason I have been thinking back to my days in high school and wondering what became of some of the people I knew. The thoughts made me recall the observations of my mother, as told to me after one of her high school reunions. After graduation, the metamorphosis of the ‘geek’ species and the ‘cool’ species is an interesting study.

Virtually all the ‘cool guys’ from her high school had transformed into not-so-cool guys. Out of shape and sporting beer guts, the majority of them were still driving vehicles whose model years dated back to around their year of graduation. She expressed her incredulity as those who had been the ‘losers’ were the ones driving high-end cars, were fit and trim, and in general, totally out-classed the group that had been popular in school.

So why does this analogy belong in a business column? Because in business, as in life, adversity builds character. 

In the world of business, rejection and apparent failure undoubtedly occur on the road to success. Entrepreneurs always suffer the reproach of having big dreams, with those close to them often ridiculing and trying to pull them down. People like success, but they don’t like other successful people; especially anyone who is more apparently successful than they are.

Bullying, and any adversity experienced in youth, can be preparation for the challenges of the real world; providing individuals with the intestinal fortitude required to overcome. Inversely, those who have been king of their own little teenage hill usually don’t understand why the world ends up not going their way like it did in school.

So which category did I fit into? Neither. I fit into another classification of generally accepted, but neither super-cool nor outcast. I was one of the kids who would stick up for the little guy, and most of the altercations I got into had to do with protecting someone else. Maybe that is why I am writing a small business column. Still sticking up for the underdog… I really want to see small business people succeed.

In my day-to-day discussions with business owners, I see a group of people who have gotten roughed up a bit with the recent economic difficulties; but have the grit and determination to overcome.

If you are one of the ones who has been beat up on over the last couple of years; it’s time to get back up, dust yourself off and straighten out your glasses. This is just one more hurdle, and you can overcome it!

This post by Jake Bergen, as published in his newspaper column. Jake is a columnist, blogger, speaker, educator and Marketing Director of Tractor Beam Marketing. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Economy and Natural Disasters

My lawn is green. Finally!

The tinder-dry dead grass left over from winter stayed around for quite a while, making fires difficult to stop in the surrounding countryside. And now, the light green shoots are turning to a brilliant emerald. I’m not crazy about rain, but I am thankful because we sure needed it.

I got thinking that the grass and trees are not so dissimilar to us in regards to the recent economic cycles we have been experiencing; and I believe that although we are seeing some recovery, we are a long way from being out of the woods. Like an out of control fire, the worldwide economic crises has left quite the destruction in its wake. 

Unfortunately, trees in a forest fire cannot get out of the way. When they get dry in their environment, they become fuel for the next unfortunate set of circumstances that come their way. And it is no different for us. When we get dry, and are not inspired in what we are doing; we just as easily become fodder for the next wave of destruction.

But we are fortunate because we can move and seek inspiration, like water that strengthens us from our very roots. The trees have no choice... but we do. Don’t let yourself dry out. Continually seek out sources of inspiration so that you as a business owner will be mentally healthy, well-watered, and resistant to misfortune.

Today's post by Jake Bergen. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc. You can share our stuff all you like, only please give us credit if you do! Thanks. 

Norma Jean or Marilyn Monroe: What's in a Name?

I’m the kind of guy who struggles to remember names. It’s something I’m working on, but I find that sometimes when I’m in the midst of introductions, my mind is already working on what I’m going to say next and I miss the whole “name exchange” thing. It's lame. I'm working on it. 

But hey, you quickly realize that names are kind of important. "Hey you!" only goes so far. And so far as branding goes, I think often the selection of a strong business name is often completely overlooked for the impact it has. After all, all you need is a good logo and the name doesn’t really matter. Right? And hey, it’s all about your products and services in the end anyways. Right? Hmm.

Gotta admit, Yahoo! is a pretty good idea for a name. Google too. Why do we put so much consideration into naming our children? Because we know some names sound better than others, and it will stick with them a lifetime. Now, consider the big stage of Hollywood. Somehow, the headline act of "Wilbur Stinkleweed" doesn't really fit the bill. Why do so many stars take on "stage names"? Well, "Reginald Dwight" singing "Candle in the Wind" doesn't have the same ring as "Elton John". "Norma Jean" sounds more like a small town, farm girl than a movie star. But "Marilyn Monroe"? Different appeal. Hollywood is built on imagery. Everything from the names of the actors and actresses to the names of the films; the name can make or break a career. 

 

I realize some people would be reading this thinking, “I’ve already named my business!”, or “I’ve had this business name for 10 years already!”. Well, that would bring up the issue re-branding. Let’s call that a topic for another day. But what it can come down to is: how does a name strengthen or weaken the effectiveness of a brand? If you are starting a new business or if your brand isn’t working anyways, then maybe this will be good and timely advice for you.

What’s in a name? Well, here are just a few points that you might consider.

1. The Generic Name: Oh, for the companies who go the generic route. Sometime companies feel the need to sound “broad” because they don’t want to pigeon hole themselves by their brand name. After all, what if you expand? So they use names like “National”, “General”, “Standard”, etc. A name like “General Foods” says nothing about the company, nor is it memorable. 

   You might think of some companies with names with ‘General’ in it, and they may have done pretty good (General Electric, General Motors, etc). But you won’t find very many new brands (like, in the last 25 years) that built up with names like that.  

   Kraft Foods is a great example. They’ve endured numerous mergers and brandname adjustments. But through all of it, they keep simplifying their brand. At one time, they were “National Dairy”. Pretty descriptive, hey? They figured out they needed something more distinctive. They changed to “Kraftco Corporation”, only to simplify years later to “Kraft,Inc”. Through another series of mergers and changes (Dart & Kraft), they ended up as “Kraft General Foods”. Still, the power of their brand is not in the generic, but in a identifiable name. Hence, they further reduced to Kraft Foods.  The power of their brand is in the name “Kraft”, not "General". Which is stronger: “Kraft Foods” or “General Foods”? 

   Which is more memorable: “Video Rental Station” or “Blockbuster”? How about a “Photo Copying Machine” or a “Xerox”?  "Search Engine" or "Google"?

2. Creativity Helps: What exactly is a Pepsi? Names don’t have to mean anything. What is a Google? What is a Starbuck? What is a Kleenex? Business owners are often worried about choosing a company name that clearly describes their business or product. When you do that, you often default to the standard, generic terms which are neither unique or memorable.

   “Joe’s Mechanic & Small Damage Repair Shop”. Hmm. Clever. People will definitely know what Joe does. But can you be more creative? I’m just throwing this off the top of my head while making this, so this might be lame. But, I’d sooner name it “Jiffy Joes”. It’s short and sweet. You might even just make up a word "GASP!". Sure! Why not? (don't be afraid to do some research and get feedback from people you know; market research is cool).

   Now if you are really good and creative, you might find a way to build a brand name which creates a new category. Tissue paper isn’t just tissue paper anymore; the Kleenex brand made sure of it. So did Xerox for photo copying.
   
   

3. Domain Friendly: At one time, people thought it was brilliant to jump all over generic, all encompassing domain names. I mean, surely if someone wanted a car, they would look up www.cars.com, right? But don’t you suppose that, if someone wanted a car, their thoughts might be brand oriented? Think about it: if you were searching for a car online, would you be more likely to visit cars.com or Toyota.com? The brand name rules. Be creative. We are brand oriented.
   
   So a generic, poorly named brand does not translate well into a domain name. When choosing a business name, consider the domain name.  You might also do some searching for domain name availability before you settle on a name. It can be that important, depending on your business.
   
   

4. Marketing & Branding Give Definition: Once you have your name, don't worry if it's not completely descriptive. That is what marketing and branding bring to your name. Afterall, the name is just a name. Just like a person's name; what is a James? What is a Sarah? What is a Bob? Well, it's a person. But you add the definition through the your personality, experiences, tastes, character, etc. That's branding. 

   
   

   
   So what about your business name? You define that by your marketing strategy. A name becomes a logo, becomes a business card, becomes a website and suddenly the memorable name begins to stick and stand for something. It's by design. So what is your company name? Is it memorable? What does it represent? 

   Welcome to the world of branding. 

   
   

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Positive Branding: Strawberry Logos vs. Kiwi Logos

We've been told to “never judge a book by its cover”, but let’s be honest! People do.

Branding has two vital parts, as seen in some of the previous blog posts in this series. There is a foundational “vision” part, which really has to do with core values. A beautiful logo will eventually carry a reputation, no matter how beautiful it is. But also, there is the “visual brand” aspect which people look at. This is where the idea of presentation matters. How do you present yourself? 

If you walked into a restaurant, and the hostess was wearing torn sweat pants, a white button-up shirt stained with red and yellow blotches, her hair was a glorious mess, and her hands were discoloured by some unknown substance, what are the chances you would be looking forward to your fine dining experience? What if this person was coming in for a job interview to your business?

Now what if this is the visual state of your logo, business card and other marketing materials. When you speak of “consistency”, a brand ought to be consistent with the core values of the company. What is shown on the outside should be a reflection of the inside. Hey, in the right setting, maybe the previously described hostess could fit right in – if it were an accurate depiction of the culture. If you’re selling skateboards and snowboards, she might be perfect. If she were your banker…well…..hmmm. This is where it is important to know your own vision so you can be certain all appearances are an accurate, applicable and consistent depiction of what your company is trying to portray. Your logo should be a good representation of your business; often it’s the first thing people will see.

 A “Logo” is not meant to just be a static graphical image. A logo has the potential to be much more impactful and “alive”. But it doesn’t start as a “dynamic” element until the emotional association is developed. In fact, at first it doesn’t really represent anything. Imagine a strawberry sitting on a table. Now, further imagine you’ve never tasted a strawberry. You have no idea what it tastes like. Therefore, it evokes only a very minimal emotional response. It’s based on one sensory experience – visual impression. A natural advantage of a strawberry is that is looks appealing. It’s red, and luscious. It looks like something you would want to pick up and put in your mouth.

But what about a Kiwi? Oh, the poor Kiwi, the genetically inferior fruit. It’s the ugly cousin. It’s pale, cardboard brown, fuzzy, and visually could be like some kind of acorn, nut or something that has gone bad. Compared to a strawberry, it doesn’t stimulate or evoke a strong visual desire to pick it up and eat it. This is why a well designed logo has far more impact potential. A person who has never tasted a strawberry or kiwi cannot take the quality of the taste into account. They’ve never tasted it! So it’s purely a visual thing, at first. Neither will a consumer be able to see past your logo to make a first impression of the quality of your product and services. 

The moment someone picks up the strawberry or kiwi and sinks their teeth into the fruit – the juices are set free, and an explosion of wonderful fruity flavour erupts on your senses. The effect? Immediate dynamics! No longer is your logo a graphic, it’s an emotional association. Some people might even prefer the taste of the kiwi to the Strawberry (they're both yummy!), but – would they get past the appearance?  If the only thing they have to go by is a logo on a business card, what reason would they have to give your number a try if it leaves them with an "ewwww!" or "ho-hum" impression?

So why is a good logo important? First impression. Enticement. Consistency in quality. If you back up the visual with a great customer experience, then the consistent blend of “visual impression” with “emotional association” will make the brand a strong one.

So here’s my plug: I strongly recommend hiring a professional to design your logo. It makes a difference. Really, honestly….it does. 

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Positive Branding : Consistency

A key dynamic in branding is consistency. Creating an expected experience which you strategically define.  

Marketing is identifying, engaging and connecting with people who either have the “ability” or “desire” to purchase your product or service.

Branding is the act of how you present yourself to your identified market.

........................................................................................................................

In my last blog, I used “you” as an example of a brand. You are the CEO of your life, responsible for looking inwardly to choose and create your personal approach, attitude, character, mood and personality in the way you intend to approach people around you (or, your market). You create the “atmosphere” which will condition the inside operation of your company. This is the foundation of your “brand”, for essentially, your brand becomes your reputation. People will know you by your reputation. Try separating your reputation from your brand. It doesn’t work.  

When speaking of “branding”, one of the terms often used is “consistency”. In the traditional perspective of ‘Brand = Logo’, consistency is very important. It is a shame to see a company with no continuity between color, typography, and style when comparing business cards, letterhead, brochures, and all other marketing materials. It is completely self-defeating to a visual brand.

But the subject of consistency really starts long before the logo is designed. It is something that is cultivated into the entire fabric of a company. People might see you outwardly wearing whatever style of clothing you choose; but the outside is merely indicative of what is happening internally. I don't care how nice your clothes are; if your attitude stinks, your brand fails. If YOU are a brand, do people consistently see you as “kind” and “responsible”? Are you one of those moody, unpredictable people? If you polled a group of people, what would the common reaction to your personal “brand” be? Arrogant or humble? Shy or outgoing? Negative or positive? Confrontational or approachable? What defines you is what you are consistent in presenting to people around you. 

So what happens if (heaven forbid!) you try being consistently NICE to people? *GASP!* What if you are always friendly, generous, approachable, and reliable? Do you think that you might find you have more influence, more friends, and stronger relationships? Now - how do you suppose this might play out in a business?

You can see how consistency is important because your reputation is at stake. If you want to know what makes a major food restaurant chain (like McDonalds) so powerful, look no further than consistency in their brand. One of the principle purposes of creating a franchise is to nail down a brand through consistency. It cultures an expectation in the paying customer because he/she is able to reasonably predict what their experience will be, from the service to the product. Do you even have to guess what your next experience at McDonald’s will be? Will their burgers suddenly be revolutionary? Will the service suddenly involve a waitress tending to your every need at your table?  

By this approach, you will be able to more effectively measure the effect of your efforts. If you were random and inconsistent, you wouldn’t be able to identify what was going wrong – because there were no control variables or consistent factors to compare against.

That again will strengthen your brand, and will begin to cultivate the most coveted form of marketing; “Word of Mouth”. If at the same time, you’ve paid due attention to the visual aspect of your brand (your logo, your colors, your taglines and slogans, your business cards and brochures, your website, your employee uniforms, the décor at your place of business, and everything else you do) and you’ve plugged it into your whole vein of consistency – it will all speak the same thing.

What it speaks will be by your design. You choose what it says. Together it should harmonize into a beautiful, musical chorus. From the leadership vantage, if you really believe in your company’s vision and you have clearly established the kind of core values of your business that define you, then it is imperative that you protect it with consistency. 

TO BE CONTINUED...(Next Monday!)...

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Positive Branding: Understanding the Dynamics

So there sits the little blond haired boy, perched behind his brown cardboard box lemonade stand. It’s a beautiful, clear skied morning, and he woke up early with anticipation for a day of booming business. So far, he hasn’t seen any action besides the neighbour’s territorial terrier chasing the unassuming postman from its front lawn.

He’s put a lot of thought into his business. He’s secured a stellar venue: an old discarded brown cardboard box stabilized by several strips of packing tape. He’s got a deliciously enticing product for any hot day: two pitchers of ice cooled lemonade, freshly squeezed that morning and lightly sweetened with several carefully measured tablespoons of white sugar.  Next to his box, still neatly packaged and unopened, rests his stockpile of necessary plastic cups, with an accompanying bag for collecting recycling. Underneath his toddler sized lawn chair, he’s carefully placed a little glass jar for collecting money from his prospective customers, and a tube of sunscreen. Yep, he’s ready to do some big business.

These are the “mechanics” of his business. In this simplified example, he’s got everything he needs to open his doors business. In a grander scale of business, there are obviously more complexities involved in daily operations. This would also involve the systems of management, workflow, financial structures and all the “in and out” boxes, valves and pistons which make the engine mechanically function.

Yet, it’s from the point of opening the doors to the business which come the questions of “dynamics”, or the injecting of energy and life into the business operations to make it work. It’s the gasoline in the engine, and the spark in the ignition. It’s the grease and oil, and the heat and air conditioning. It’s the atmosphere and the culture, the approachability of management and manner of communication between staff. It’s the feeling that customers get when they walk in the door, which has been CREATED by the people in the business.

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Mechanics + Dynamics = Reputation.

It all trickles down to one thing: leadership and vision. As the leader, you need to invest value and understanding into both the mechanic and dynamic. I’ve seen many companies that operate like a nuts and bolts machine without a healthy dynamic. Eventually the company brand begins to suffer when disgruntled employees and mishandled customers begin to formulize your reputation. Really, every aspect of your business has a mechanical part, and a dynamic part. You need both. And in marketing, this is exactly the case.

One of the best ways to fortify this concept is to take a look at yourself. You are a brand. You are your own brand. Inside your head you have ideas, concepts, opinions, motives, desires, ambitions and so on. You project yourself to people around you in the way you choose. Now, if you were a “brand” and you were marketing yourself – what opinion would people have of you? Would they want to buy what you are offering? Consider your relationships: what is your relationship with people around you? With your spouse? With your children? With your family? Co-workers? Employees? Customers? What about the kid working the McDonald's drive-thru who messed up your order? Relationships tell the story, in whatever fashion. 

Have you ever met someone who is infectiously wonderful to be around? They just have “it” (whatever “it” is). You just love spending time around them, listening to them, laughing with them. You always look forward to the next time you meet. What is it based on? It is your experience in the atmosphere which they have created around them!

Conversely, have you ever been around someone who is toxic? You don’t trust them and you wouldn’t invest much in their opinions. You find yourself trying to avoid them, and you certainly wouldn't choose to be around them except that circumstances force it to happen. What is it? Again, it is their atmosphere! 

From a physical, mechanical perspective, they are a human being just like you. The thing which differs is the dynamic that surrounds that person. Just as you are, they are selling a brand. They have a brand name. My brand name is James Rozak. And when my name is spoken in a group of people who know me, it evokes an emotional response. My brand name is known by my reputation.  

As with everyone, I’ve had my share of successes and failures, both personally and in business. In whichever fashion, I am known by an acquired reputation. Based on some of my past failures, some people simply and justly would not hire me or trust me. Yet, some people know me by a different reputation; perhaps one of generosity, kindness, and integrity. It depends on me, and how I've presented myself.

The strength in understanding this is simple; you can be a creator of your reputation! Can you control your personal atmosphere? Do you want a cloud of gloom and doom to hang over your head? Can you change the way people perceive you? Absolutely. Want friends? Be friendly! Want to be trusted? Be honest. If you've done someone wrong, there should be a desire to reconcile and make it right. You have the choice to exhibit unconditional kindness. You can be honorable, trustworthy, accountable and open to correction. It's all an opportunity to learn and grow. It really amounts to your personal vision you have as the CEO of your life.  

What is at stake? Your name and reputation. How do you begin changing it? Adjust! Change! Grow! Some people refuse to accept or acknowledge shortcomings, and they will forever have a toxic reputation and their relationships around them will perpetually suffer and fail. And at the same time, some people are forever seeking to grow, to improve their relationships.  

So what about a business? Can you adjust the way in which a business perceived? This is branding at it's deepest core. Start your branding from an inward, visionary perspective. Start with the leadership. And then when you start bringing the inner branding to the surface, the "logo" will represent something worth bragging about. 

Remember - you aren't depending on your brand, your brand is depending on you. 

Next blog, we will continue digging down a little deeper as we look at marketing and branding.

TO BE CONTINUED...(Tomorrow!)...

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Positive Branding: Mechanics & Dynamics

Well, here goes. First blog post. No pressure. 

 My name is James, and I am the Creative Director at Tractor Beam – the guy who makes the visual candy. I often tell people that my brain works a little different than most so-called “adults”. You see, crayons rock. Fruit Loops are the best way to start the day.  Girls are still kind of icky. LEGO is way better than video games.

As I am writing this article, I’m laying in bed with my laptop. And looking over to my bedside table, I have my collection of books which I keep near for inspirational reading. So what books do I keep handy? Well – permanently (or until my toddling children decide to risk their lives by attempting to stake their claim on them), I have the entire collection of Calvin and Hobbes. Yep.

And – well, I can go on, but that kind of paints the picture. 

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The Simple Reality

Now, if you’ll indulge me, I’d like you to let your mind drift for a minute – and I’d like you to picture a simple, small town residential street. It has everything you might expect. Imperfect, well-weathered pavement lined with boulevard styled trees overgrowing the side walks. Every other house has a little driveway, with a mailbox and a trash can or two pushed against the picket fences or lush green hedges that run the length of the yards. An upside-down cardboard box is placed just to the side of one such driveway, unevenly covered with a thin and dust spotted white cloth sheet.

A little blond hair boy sits tucked into his toddler sized lawn chair behind the box, his bright blue eyes peeking over the top and his neck occasionally strained to see if any of the passing cars are slowing. On the front side of the box, taped with an excessive amount of scotch tape, is a standard letter sized paper marked with crooked and faded red felt pen lettering. “Lemonade. 25 cents”, it modestly announces.

Young as he is, this little boy is trying to accomplish what every business owner is attempting to achieve. His little blue eyes shimmer and glow with hope and anticipation, as though they are saying, very simply…”Choose me”.

It is, to me, a most innocent of beginnings – but also, a most simple and honest depiction of the reality of the business owner. While the heart of the entrepreneur is outwardly attempting to demonstrate a confidence and optimism, the sobering truth is deeply felt. Without someone to dial your number, or to darken the door to your business and ultimately to “choose you”…the shimmer and glow in your eyes, or in the eyes of this little boy, will become as a discarded cardboard box on the side of the road.

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Do You Depend on the Brand?

I have made my living working in and with marketing firms for the past 12 years, as well as running my own freelancing business for the past four years. I’m paid to make people look good. For many of those 12 years, I was encouraged and taught to believe that all I needed to do was make beautiful designs for inquiring clients and companies, and that would make those companies suddenly flourish. Throw in a catchy heading, a catch phrase and a clever tagline and “VOILA!”, the customers will instantly start calling (right?).

I observed on many occasions how excited the client was when they were presented their new logo design, business card, website and whatever else may have been provided them. And to be clear, I do staunchly believe that a company requires a strong visual (logo) brand; it is a vital cornerstone. But I have since come to believe – to a degree, we were selling false hope with the new logo and “branding” if we suggest to the client that their logo equals their “brand”. 

Shaking hands with these clients and sending them on their way to business success based on a “logo brand” is like telling the little boy selling lemonade that all he needed was a better cardboard box. Branding goes far beyond the “visual” (logo, website, etc). If a client is not educated to this fact, they will falsely depend on their brand when, in reality, their brand is depending on them.

Marketing as a whole really is one of several key aspects of a business operation. You need to ensure your business model contains all the mechanics for success, including the vital processes and systems which, although conceptually mundane, keep the integrity of a business in place. There is little point focusing and building a marketing machine when the company that is being "touted" is hardly capable of living up to what is being promoted. We all can likely name some big corporate businesses which mechanically built a marketing machine to promote what essentially was a sour lemon in the waiting. 
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Injecting the Dynamics

The concept of "Marketing & Branding" can be depicted in many ways through creative analogy, so for this blog, I'll describe a business as being somewhat like a hot air balloon. Obviously you need the physical balloon (the business model, structure, practices and systems, products, etc), and yes, it is designed to inflate. But is it “flight worthy”? Does it have the capacity and integrity to hold air? You have to make sure the "mechanics" of the balloon will sufficiently sustain what you, the entrepreneur, must ultimately bring; the "dynamics". It is you that injects the vision for the purpose of the balloon. The balloon already has it's purpose; if it is well made, it will do exactly what it is made to do. But now, what about you? 

You bring the creativity and passion, the attitude and the energy, the sweat and tears, the direction and the objective and everything that will make your business attractive to both customers and employees. Your "brand" is really everything encompassed in the attitude and style of the company. Absolutely, it does need to become "visual", yes. That is only a part of it, because what does your visual brand, or logo, stand for anyways? A brand speaks of representation, and you need to decide what it is your company is all about. That is the dynamic which you create. It's the "dynamic" which puts the "mechanics" into action. 

How do you do that? Well, if you have confidence that your "balloon" will fly, this is where the whole purpose of marketing comes into play.  That's what I'm going to try and bring in my following blog posts. Developing the “dynamics” to put your “mechanics” into purposed, driven and infectious action. It’ll weave between the practical, rubber meets the road stuff that I love, and the inspirational.

So, where are you now? Still on the ground? Drifting aimlessly? Losing altitude? Blowing holes? Shining like a glowing, colorful beacon? Soaring higher and stronger? How you fly is closely determined by how your approach your marketing. The goal is to build what can be called "Brand Equity", where your brand doing exactly what it should: working. 

I know what it is to be the little boy sitting on the curb with his cardboard box. Now let’s help that little boy turn his lemonade stand into something big.  

TO BE CONTINUED...(Next Tuesday)...

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

 

 

What Is True Success?

As I write this article, it is Easter Sunday. My wife, children and I had planned to attend church in the morning; then spend the day with family and loved ones. But things rarely go according to plan.

Early this morning, a young family member was airlifted to the hospital; and as I write this article, the future of that life is uncertain. It is not easy to sit here and write, but I have a job to do; and since there is nothing else on my mind, I hope you don’t mind if I share my thoughts with you.

Tragic moments like this have a way of making us stop to reevaluate our own lives; it makes us realize how precious life and health is. I have been pondering and revisiting my own personal definition of success. What is truly important in life?

My theory has always been that, contrary to the seemingly standard measurement of it in our culture; success is more than just how much money or things one can acquire. That type of prosperity is merely a thin veneer on the surface of one’s life. Success is like a triangle, and complete success can only be achieved by attaining to the three points of thereof.

Success in your career. At first blush, point #1 may seem like the typical lopsided view of flourishing in the monetary sense. However, it is not necessarily the accumulation of riches. It is doing what you love, striving to do it well, and being able to fulfill your dreams and aspirations. It also involves providing for those whom you are responsible for.

Point #2 is all about your family and friends, but particularly your family. Some people are willing to sacrifice those nearest and dearest to them for their own version of success; “willing to do whatever it takes”, they say. But once they climb the ladder they usually realize that they have set it against the wrong wall. Their victory is an empty one, and this lesson is generally learned too late.

The final point of the triangle is the foundation of success. To truly be successful, one must be grounded in their spirit. I know, bringing up the words ‘spirit’ or ‘spiritual’ can freak some people out, and they can mean different things to different people. But we are all on different paths, and although I would love to, I cannot show you yours. It is for you to find out. 

The great author and self-improvement guru Steven Covey said, “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

It has amazed me that in almost every business book or life story of some great achiever I have ever read; that these extraordinary individuals realize at some point that their pursuit is a spiritual one.

As you read this, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions. Is my spiritual life a success? Is my family life a success? Is my career and business life a success? If you can honestly answer “yes” to each of these; I offer my heartfelt congratulations, and would love to have the opportunity to sit down with you sometime and listen to your story.

If you cannot answer all three of these questions affirmatively; I hope I have  given you some food for thought. At the very least, you may have realized the next goal you will need to work toward to give your life completeness.

To your success.

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column ‘Venture Hype’. © Tractor Beam Marketing

The K.I.S.S. Principle

When I was young, I remember being taught the K.I.S.S. Principle. “Keep It Simple, Stupid”, I was told. 

I thought keeping things simple was a good idea, but didn’t feel so hot about being called stupid. So I’ll change it up a bit. How about, “Keep It Super Simple”?

Yeah, that’s better.

Most of you can probably identify with being taught that same principle. So why is it when we get older, smarter, and wiser in our own estimation that we throw the K.I.S.S. Principle out the window? Maybe we like to hear the sound of our own voice, or we are insecure enough to feel the need to impress the rest of the world with our vast knowledge and vocabulary. It is actually the intellectual equivalent of beating our hairy knuckles against our chests and yodeling like Tarzan.

When you are dealing with customers and find yourself spewing technical jargon, it’s time to stop and back up. Check yourself. Who is the person (or persons) that you are speaking to? Are you an engineer? If you are talking to a bunch of engineers, go nuts!

But if you are speaking to laypeople, revert to laypersons terms. Buyers are only interested in the result of what you can do for them. That being said, there may be certain factors you may have to educate them on when it comes to things like pricing considerations, but do it in terms that they will understand… without treating them like idiots.

Why do you think that the ‘For Dummies’ series of books are so popular? People want information, but want it in a format that they can understand. Of course, I’ve never bought one because I don’t consider myself a dummy (grin). I guess I’m just not their target market.

When I visit my lawyer, I don’t go to hear a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo. If I was well versed in the interpretation of legal-speak, I might not need advice. One of the reasons I retain a lawyer is so that when it comes to the intricacies of an issue, I get everything laid out for me in language that I can understand. The result of which is that I can make an educated decision without being a lawyer myself.

Warren Buffett, who is undoubtedly the greatest investor of our time, said, "There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult."

I concur. One of the missions that I have set out to accomplish is to share business information that is easy to understand and easy to use. People don’t like being talked down to or made to feel inferior.

Remember this simple fact and work it into the way you deal with your clients, and you will automatically be more successful in creating strategic, long-term business relationships.

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column ‘Venture Hype’. © Tractor Beam Marketing

Get Real

As business people, we tend to put on a guise of how we think business people are supposed to act. This notion is derived from how we believe we should be perceived by others, the business-like image we are expected to portray. But many times, it is not us.

A lot of owners and entrepreneurs think they need to leave behind the kind of person they are at home and put on the status quo. From a marketing perspective this is not a fantastic idea.

I have seen multi-millionaires driving old beater trucks, wearing blue jeans and rubber boots; complete with residue of something that came out of the south end of a north-bound cow on those boots. Inversely, I have also seen guys with flashy suits that didn’t have two cents to rub together, but were trying to be something they were not. The guy who stands out in my mind, and the one I respect more, is the one who was different.

But he wasn’t trying to be. He was just being himself. 

Sometimes trying too hard to be different for the sake of standing out just comes off weird. I like watching auditions of American Idol or Britain’s Got Talent on YouTube, and I’ll bet you have watched some of these things as well. The proof is right in front of us.

Some purveyors of marketing and advertising strategy will tell you that image is everything. Absolutely image matters, but is your image consistent with you? If image is everything to you, you will sacrifice the things that matter until your world comes crashing down.

And it can be so tempting, trying to put on an image for short term gain. I admit, sometimes it looks like the thing to do. Frustration sets in when competition is making boatloads of money in unsavory ways that are cutting into your business. But stay the course. Keep grounded in reality and doing what is right.

Take the scandal of former corporate giant Enron. It is perhaps one of the largest examples of compromising reality for image. From the outside, and for a long time, the company looked like an enviable picture of unbridled success. But it eventually became apparent that it’s systems were rotten from the inside out.

The more recent cases of corporate greed that have sent the world into the current economic situation is irrefutable proof that your sins will eventually find you out.

A put-on outside image can never sustain your inside reality.

I’m not saying you need to hang up your suit, quite the contrary. I’m just saying that it is OK to be you. Be real to your family, your friends, your clients, your employees, and most of all… be real to yourself.

You are the one who will endear people to your business. People will connect with you because they like you, your approach and what you have to offer. Even if you are not face to face with the customers of your business on a day to day basis, you will set the tone for the others in your organization.

Your company will reflect the qualities of the kind of person you are. Here’s to keeping it real, and may it turn the tides of your fortune!

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype' © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

The Importance of Orchestrating Your Business: Revisited

I had so many great responses and emails on the last article, I decided to expound on this topic a little more. I hope you enjoy! -JB

Why does a professional orchestra sound so good? Because the composer, perhaps with management support from the conductor and the arranger as a consultant, began with the end in mind. 

First, an idea. A picture in the mind of an inspired leader of what they wanted to accomplish. Their symphony. Performed to hundreds of people by a stellar group of individuals creating precise harmonies that cause the spirits and minds of their audience to soar.

Next comes the crafting of a melody and adding layers of texture in the form of rhythms, strategically placed harmony notes and rich variations of the original theme. This music cannot be simply kept in the mind of the composer, and although it will not be communicated in written form, it must be written down so that the orchestra can convey it effectively to their audience.

Then the conductor, who has seen to it that each musician can proficiently translate the written notes on the page to an audible representation, ensures that each performer contributes each of their smaller parts to the greater good of the company as a whole.

Take note; the conductor does not require superstars or showboaters. All he demands is that the performers have taken the time to learn their instruments, are proficient music readers, and can perform their required duties within the group.

 Ultimately, there is an audience to appreciate the finished work. If well executed, everyone in touch with the process comes away enriched and fulfilled.

Now let’s look at the way many businesses cycle.

    1) The founder of the company has a vision. They possess drive and commitment, and are willing to do almost anything for their customers to satisfy them. Along with this come dreams of success.

    2) He or she sets up shop and hires people to help them reach that vision.

    3) The initial visionary ends up babysitting employees, wondering why they can’t figure out how to do their jobs and complaining that good people are hard to find.

    4) Weary and disillusioned, the one who should be leading the company to success and victory is so overworked they look for the ultimate solution. Either their business closes or they drastically change the way they have been doing things.

The problem is that most entrepreneurs are untrained. They don’t know what it takes to make a good business run, and there are very few places where that knowledge can be acquired. This is evident in the horrendous failure rate of businesses in their first five years.

Generally, entrepreneurs do have a lot of theories on the way their businesses should be run. Some businesses start as the result of a disgruntled employee wanting to get even with a former employer by taking some of their business. Others begin with a lofty ideal that unfortunately doesn’t translate to the way things are in the world. Sometimes the way things are defies logic, and why some very logical business opinions just don’t work.

If you are an entrepreneur or business owner, you are the composer.

It is up to you to make sure that you write down the ‘symphony’ that is playing in your mind. You will need to revisit and refine it for your own goal-setting and direction, and be able to communicate your vision and passion through it. Even financing for your masterpiece will come from business plans which are derived from the very ‘symphony’ you have written. 

It is unrealistic to expect those who work for you to magically know what is required of them. But if you as the leader in your business have your act together, it will be easy to get the ‘players in your orchestra’ to operate exactly the way you want them to. 

They will be able to turn out a better performance in less time, and this efficiency will lead to lower operating costs and higher employee morale. Don’t fall for the old expression that says, “If you want something done right you have to do it yourself”. Save yourself from headaches and train your people to follow your systems.

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype' © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

The Importance of Orchestrating Your Business

Aside from business, one of the things I love most is music. I REALLY love music!

I have an alter-ego as a drummer, and a great beat or funky rhythm can hook me like a fish. I wanted to be a drummer ever since I was a kid.

I remember being in awe as a first grade student sitting on the floor in the school gymnasium, listening to a junior high school band play a concert and being mesmerized by the drums. As an adult listening to the same group now, I would not be likely to have the same appreciation for a bunch of eighth-graders butchering their way through a song, but as a kid it was a discovery!

From that day on I would create drum sets at home out of chairs and books, complete with pot lids for cymbals and chop sticks or pencils as drum sticks. Pretty crummy to listen to, but a passion was burning inside me. 

Due to circumstances, I didn’t get an opportunity to pursue my percussive dreams until the age of about fourteen, but years later I am still playing. Though it is not as often as I would like, I still feel the wonder when I sit behind a drum kit and ‘lock it in’ with a band.

Your business is just like a band or an orchestra. Every one plays differently, but there are similar goals and principles at work whether Bob Dylan is whining out ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ or the Boston Symphony Orchestra is performing a piece by Vivaldi with precision.

There is a system of underlying principles at work to make the music enjoyable to listen to. Without them there would be chaos! A beat to keep the entire group playing at the right time. A melody to establish continuity and recognizability. Harmony to create interest and make the music pleasing to the ear.

Different instruments and different styles add to the experience, and every musician has a different interpretation. It is what makes music colorful!

Again, the same principles apply to business. Your company could be the equivalent of anything from reggae to bhangra to classical. Each one is different, but each must incorporate principles of harmony, consistency and coordination.

Creating systems within a business is the best way to ensure these results. When you hire a new person into the company, you do the equivalent of handing them their sheets of music. Once learned, they may not even have to look at the music very often, but employee contentment rises when people know what is required of them. When one knows what is expected it is much easier to create, set and reach goals.

They become in tune with the company culture and in step with the beat that has been set by the owner or president of the company. But if you as the company leader don’t know where you are going, how do you expect your employees to help you get there?

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype' © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

E-Myth Client of the Month

Tractor Beam Marketing is the Client of the Month for E-Myth Worldwide! It all started with reading the book 'The E-Myth Revisited' by Michael E. Gerber. Learn more about Tractor Beam and the Entrepreneurial Myth by clicking the link! E-Myth Client of the Month-Tractor Beam