Scott Moroney

Uh-Oh!

"What Would Lance Do"...2010 Words to Live By

For those of you that know me well, you know that 2009 was a year I will hope to forget as quickly as possible.  Sparing the details for everyone, 2010 is a year where change is in the air.  If you know me at all, you know  bikes are a huge part of my life, second only to my family, maybe third if I rank making a living ahead of riding a bike.  You see where bikes stand though.  Having the year that I did last year allowed me to rediscover some things, reading for one thing.   One of the great books I read was "Its Not A About the Bike" by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins.  Great book for anyone looking to read a truly amazing story about the human will and spirit.  it also educates well on the process cancer survivors experiences.  Amazing on both points.

After reading the book, and a second and third by Lance, I asked myself why I was still worrying about how my life had changed.  I asked myself, "what would lance do", in this situation.  Guess what?  He went through the same thing.  He is divorced with small children.  In comparison to what he has persevered through, I felt pretty silly worrying about my situation.  Lance being a bike rider, undoubtedly the greatest cyclist of all time, I related to his path back from his challenges - get on the bike and show yourself you are still alive and well.  It is truly "not about the bike".  It is about living for what it is you have, and not worrying about what you don't.  

WHAT WOULD LANCE DO?  Lance would say go for a ride.  Lance would say focus on your life.  Lance DID say "pain is temporary, quitting is forever".  Not digging out from your challenges IS quitting.  Don't quit on yourself.  I am not quitting, never planned to and never expected to quit.  Now let's just get this snow out of Massachusetts and get on with "WHAT LANCE WOULD DO" on two wheels. 

LIVE STRONG - This is allot more than a cancer survivor website.  I was amazed at what is available for anyone interested in something better for themself.  Register and explore.

Some great videos to further introduce or grow your appreciation.

"Are you ridin' or hidin' " - Lance Armstrong.

WHAT WOULD LANCE DO? See you soon on the trails.

Greatest Product Survey - Do You Prefer an A or B Hole?

Hardees launched a product survey that is brilliant in terms of making us laugh and clearly sets the stage well for their product.  You all remember the Coke vs. Pepsi wars of a few decades ago.  Well this could have been a very memorable campaign as well.  I don't recall seeing it much so my assumption, false or not, is that it was too edgy.  Please let me know if I am wrong. 

I love edgy commercials.  They stand out on TV.  How will advertisers get your attention online when the standards for acceptable content are so different online vs on TV?  This is a new arena for advertisers, but will the FCC step in and find a way to legitimize itself when we all continue to accelerate our dwindling television viewing habits?  In any scenario, media is evolving and it will be very, very interesting to be a part of it.  Are you an A or a B hole?  Take a look.

2009 - Year of Opportunity or Regret?

What a terrible year.  What can you learn about marketing from a year where so much fell apart?  Plenty.

Marketing is all about opportunity.  Finding the nugget of opportunity is what marketers should be doing.  We research and scan for ideas and read and observe potential markets and customers.  We do these things to uncover what our competitors have not noticed or realized.

2009 was a year where opportunity was everywhere.  As banks were crumbling, other bankers were scooping up assets.  Why?  They were listening to marketing teams about how these weakened assets may be utilized for future gain.  Take a stock that was down below the $1 mark, but looked to have historically good financials.  A marketer (aka, institutional investor in this case) is looking at how they can find the best opportunity to make some money from it as the market rebounds.  As the investor researches the company and stock potential, this is marketing.  It is not called such very often, but it is marketing.

Other examples are in real estate.  How many real estate brokers scooped up cheap properties?  Why?  They did their homework (or at least I hope they did) and used their marketing skills to anticipate the future sale price/profit to be made.  All marketing.

What other examples?  Look around you.  They are all over the place.  2009 was a year that I will not forget for many reasons.  Marketing is all about opportunity.  I will look back on 2009 as a year where I missed the biggest opportunity of my life.  I hope you did not.  Best of luck in 2010.

If marketing is all about knowing your customers, then is sales just collecting the revenue or signing the deal? The thin line between sales and marketing is blurring more and more as true innovation is slowing in some applications. As true innovation is less able to just "sell itself", marketing becomes more a part of "sales". Integration of them is the key,but don't forget everyone else that helps deliver on the sale (R&D, MFG, Logistics, Support, etc...). Boy this used to seem so simple when people just invented something useful and customers bought it. Not the case any longer. Good luck.

Where Do Marketers Find Ideas?

Marketing is not always original.  It isn't always legal, in terms of ripping off something.  So where do marketers find ideas?  They can be right in front of you.  Ask yourself who spends the most money to sell you something?  Consumer goods companies.  Frito Lay spends millions and millions every month to sell you more Lay's Potato Chips and all sorts of other goodies.  Are they the best chips around?  Depends on who you ask, but I can say for certain they are likely the best known chips.  Why?  Frito Lay spends all this money to make sure you don't forget them. 

Take a look at any of their campaigns and you will learn something.  I noticed today a sign on a truck that stated "Let's do Lunch"...if I recall it correctly.  "Let's do lunch" is a pretty cool phrase and leaves a good feeling with you.  This campaign is hoping to remind you how well Lay's chips go with your lunch.  You'll have something missing if you don't "do lunch" with Lay's.   Clever.

Look to these campaigns and ask yourself how you can spark some ideas.  Keep it simple like Frito Lay.  People remember simple things.  It is also the reason product names should be easy if they are mass market goods.  They may be a bit clever or unique if the product in fact is the same. 

How could you apply "Let's Do Lunch" in your business?  Answer for yourself what it is you really are good at and why people come back to you.  With this you can find those clever slogans that people can remember, and more importantly connect that emotion ("let's do lunch") with a need your customer has at that time.  Be honest, don't trick people.  Frito Lay kept it simple and genuine. 

The Simple Sale

The great products in the world are born of simple ideas.  Why?  They are the ideas that connect with the simple needs of people.  The simple needs, when met with a simple solution, are those sales that just seem to happen without complicated marketing.  Getting there is all about knowing your customer or those people that would be interested to learn more about what you have to offer.  Do your homework (called research if you are an actual marketer) and understand your market (called people if you are not an actual marketer).

Best of luck. 

NEVER QUIT ON YOURSELF...EVEN IF OTHERS DO

Never say never and never give up...on yourself, through yourself or through those around you. Believe in yourself when others don't and never ever doubt what is in your gut. It may lead you through some shit but it will never betray you.

 

8 Strategies To Convert Your Free Social Media Content Into Cash « Jeffbullas’s Blog

8 Strategies To Convert Your Free Social Media Content Into Cash « Jeffbullas’s Blog

This is a great post by Jeff Bullas that is one of the better pieces on how to approach using social media in a practical sense. You will understand "free" well when you finish it. Great job Jeff.

I am interested to see how TypePad's new Quick Compose feature works. Seems like a good idea to increase the use and contribution of blogs in sharing information. A Twitter influence for sure, much like LInkedIn's "follow me" feature. I like the consolidation of better features in individual tools. It will only make for stronger competition for tools...and we benefit as users and content creators.