Focus

by  Pete Nikiel

I read a tweet the other day that stated that it was quoting Steve Jobs.  It was brilliant so I can only assume that it was indeed something that Steve Jobs said.

It said that focus was "saying "no" to 1000 good ideas."  Wow.

Someone once told me that the key to successful branding was discipline.  I guess that person was as smart as Steve Jobs.  They were saying the same thing.

How many times have you been faced with this situation.  You have a well-defined brand and well-running machine.  Everyone is operating on the same page.  You are meeting the requirements of most of the well-meaning cliches. (Add any of those that I have missed.)

And all of a sudden someone comes up with a great idea.  A  wonderfully creative idea.  Something that would surely get noticed.  The only thing is... it does not fit your brand.  It does not meet the standards of your brand's promises and expectations.  It's a great idea... Yes!  But is it something you should do?  Is it something that people would expect your brand to do?

Or might it confuse the picture?

Here's an adage to live by:  Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should do it. 

If it doesn't fit with your brand, then you can't do it.  It's that simple.  But it is so hard.  A great idea has been presented.  A valued team member has the pride of originating that idea.  It is creative.  It would get noticed.  But it does not fit your brand, the promises it makes, it reputation it has created and protects, the course your organization has decided to pursue and on which to stay straight and true.

No.  Sorry.  Great idea,but you have to say no.  You must say no to that good idea and the next 999 good ideas that follow it. You must stay true to your brand.  That is the definition of focus.

Discipline.  It is a simple answer.  But it takes courage to manage. 

Is Panera's America's Conference Room? That's a Significant Question....

I have had eight different meetings, with five different partners/clients, over the past two weeks at three different Panera Bread locations. 

It was convenient.  Nobody had an office to meet in.  There was always a table available and fresh coffee or iced tea waiting for us. 


But what is going on here? 

Nobody has an office to meet in.  But there are plenty of meetings looking for a place to happen.  Where are the paneled conference rooms with long conference tables, more leather padded chairs than necessary, and an advanced A/V system that no one seem to know how to operate?  Are we seeing a significant shift in the ways of business? 

I think so.

I had an interesting e-conversation (it was through email, like so many are these days) a short while ago with a very smart local marketing friend.  (Okay, Matt Tilliotson, you deserve a shout-out.)  We were talking about the effects of the great recession and how so many companies who slashed their fixed costs have learned to depend upon out-sourced marketing, human resources and IT services.  Matt made no bones about it.  He thinks things have changed for good. 

And I think he's right.

So I am meeting with highly experienced, senior-level executives who have left behind the traditional, the safe positions.  I'm meeting with smart people who saw their best option as being to start something new, something of their own, something that benefits from the lessons of the past and embraces the promise of the future. And they are busy!

They work out of their kitchens or dens.  So we meet at Panera's.

I'm told there is another group that likes to meet at Starbucks.  I haven't cracked into that group yet.

I have read several articles that discuss the business landscape of the future.  There is a lot of pessimism about the large corporation.  There are too many freelancers available in too many business disciplines that eliminate the commitment  and expense of full-time employees.  I think the future will see smaller companies which depend upon the services of an ever-increasing number of small businesses, entrepreneurs and freelance talent to get everything done.  

The question is whether or not there will be greater value and opportunity in this new business world.  That's hard to say right now.  Let's meet at Panera's and discuss it....

SEO... Is it Getting Easier or Harder?

 by Pete Nikiel

It used to be all about coding and keywords and meta data and meta descriptions and I never learned how to do any of that.  It was technical. I called on the web guys to handle it, or maybe the IT guy.

And Google kept (keeps) changing the rules!  I was once being quizzed about it all and I was asked what Penguin was.  I thought the guy was kidding.  I went on to learn that Penguin was preceded by Panda.  What do these cute zoo animals have to do with Google's algorithmic changes and the way that a marketer does his job?

Apparently, a lot.

I'm assured that the technical stuff that I needed help with is still important but I can still talk someone more tech-savvy into taking care of that for me.  These little critters (or the changes for which they served as code-names) have taken the spotlight off that that work, somewhat, and shined it on content.  That's where a strong marketing guy/gal steps up to the plate.

Google has trained its spiders (yet another critter!) to crawl through websites and look for fresh content that is relevant to the reader and helpful to the consumer.  Those spiders have become pretty sophisticated, and mighty picky.

They look for quality content.  They don't like repetitive content.  They like content that is promoted throughout the social sites (particularly on Google +).  They like lots and lots of relevant content:  blog posts, eBooks, website articles, videos, podcasts, you get the idea.  The more you post, and the better it is, the more attention you receive.

So back to my original question, has SEO gotten easier or harder?  From my point of view, it has become a lot more work, but it is work that I can do.   I understand it, enjoy doing it, and I'm good at it.  Let the techo-wizards do their magic then move on to fix the email server (or whatever they do when they say they're too busy).  That's when a marketer takes over and creates strong, interesting content that is helpful to their consumer.  We have been talking online for a couple of years about content marketing.  Now, thanks to Penguin, it is even more important.  It is a key to SEO and strong organic search results.  

Why I Love Ebooks!

I can be annoying to talk to.  I know this. 

It's just that once I understand the point you are making, I am ready to move on to the next thing.  I catch myself cutting off people in mid-sentence saying, "got it" wanting to move on.  I do not mean to be rude.

And that is the same way I approach business books.  Once I start thinking that I get the point, I put the book away.  I have a shelf full of half-read books and I don't think I have miss much.

Remember Cliffs' Notes from high school?   

Cliffs does not publish those little time-savers for modern business books.  I have looked.  But I think it would be a great idea.  Those books repeat themselves quite a bit.  Most like to include cute little stories to illustrate their points, even if they are not needed.  I do not think it is unusual to read the cover and the first chapter, usually an over-view of the book, and you pretty much get it's full intention.

Just give me the important stuff. 

This is why I find myself downloading ebooks.  They are great little tools to keep yourself up to speed on the very latest developments in business.  Sure, they are written with agendas.  They are written by people with products and services to sell and that surely shades their position. 

But what business book doesn't take a position that another book would dispute?  You always need to take what you read with that proverbial grain of salt.

I love ebooks as a reader.  They are short.  They are straight to the point.  You can get the point and move on.   

I also love them as a marketer.  They are a quick way for a business to gain some credibility.  They are a great way to position someone as an expert, a thought-leader in an industry.

They are not hard to write.  Just make sure you know what you are talking (writing) about.  Make a clear point with conviction and urgency.  Dress it up with polished graphics. Do not forget to slip in a sales pitch. Make it available on your website.  Make it available through all of your social media sites.  Promote its availability.

Then stand by, preparing to update and do it all over again. 

Ebooks... a great content marketing tool.   You are informing your customer, helping them understand, and positioning yourself as someone who should be listened to and trusted.  Can you think of a better way to start the sales process?   

Good stuff.