I remember when I was working on a dock of a trucking company, during my college days, and the Terminal Manager (TM) called me in to tell me the union steward wanted him to get rid of me because I was making the full time guys look bad and causing uproar in the ranks.
I was unaware of the uproar for a couple reasons. One, I was a temp working off the others schedule. My assignment was to set up the distribution runs for the next day anticipating where the deliveries were going based on what I knew from what was coming in. It wasn’t all that complicated because even before the freight was picked up we already had the information of what was going to whom and my job had to do with scheduling the unload and reload it based on pre arranged delivery routes. I worked from 1 to 5 and the guys I was allegedly pissing off -- who had to do the heavy lifting -- were on the 4 to 12 shift.
Rather then get rid of me the TM starting asking me questions related to the detail of the scheduling. How much of what I was doing was still left to redo the next day? Why was the leftover, leftover? Was the information I was working from accurate or not? What assumptions were I making that was unrealistic?
What he discovered was that 20 per cent of his 4 to 12 shift was doing 80 per cent of the work. Surprised? Then, I was; but now (it’s been more then 20 years since I worked on that dock) I’ve learned the 20-80 rule pretty much fits for everything related to success and high achievement.
Instead of firing me or reacting to the union steward, the TM set up an incentive program to reward the 20 percent. He had to be careful so the union couldn’t complain about unequal treatment. But he managed a program that delivered extra rewards
Results? You bet. Not only were the 20 per cent shown appreciation and welcomed the extra gratitude, the production increased even more among that group and many of the 80 per cent soon joined in to get some of the rewards that were available.
Management courses will tell you that rewarding better workers develops a competitive advantage and encourages others to achieve more. Now there are all kinds of scientific ways to get this done and I’m sure someone on your human resources staff can give you the details. My goal here is to give you the idea of what those rewards should be and let me stress ANYTING BUT MONEY is workable. Money is not the reward to use. It gets taxed so people begin resenting the thousand dollars you give them because it ends up being $700. It gets spent, so as soon as it’s gone it’s forgotten. And no matter how much you give, it is never enough!
Think about rewards and incentives like these three ideas:
· Watches
· Clocks
· Cameras
· Electronic “Toys” like scanners, GPS, Golf viewers, MP3, IPODs
· Kits – like first aid or auto repair or bike repair (promote some healthy living!)
· Sports Equipment
· Tool sets
Details of some of these ideas can be found by clicking here .
Personal is always best. So let me help you decide the most appropriate way for you to reward your prospects, clients and fellow workers during these budget cutting times. Contact me at Jay@InnMkting.com or visit our website www.InnMkting.com and type in some “rewards” or “incentives” in the search section and see how inexpensive it can be to tell that 20 per cent how important they are to you especially in these tough times.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Is it New or Old Age?
Is New Age making its reappearance? Maybe we should call it “Renewed Age.”
But perhaps it’s just me. I went to a seminar over the weekend which was put on by an almost baby boomer old friend and his wife. They live in a newly established retreat center not far from Zion National Park in Utah. She, who admitted to being a hippy “back in the day,” was inspiriting and gave all those in attendance a wonderful message of what good we can begin expecting from the future.
It’s no accident that we are here and that you’re reading this blog. She convinced me that we are living in a very special time. She called it “a time when we are entering the doorway to the Age of Aquarius.” I believe her. I am seeing more and more things going on around me that are making sense and giving me hope.
Especially in business. The other day I received an email from a business coach that read like he just left the graces of his guru. Here is a little of what he wrote:
“I realize as a subject, achievement of goals through a conscious effort to raise your awareness, strengthen your willpower, and if you subscribe to it, call on universal principles to help you, is very compelling. Who wouldn't want to know how to change aspects of their life for the better? Creating positive change and discovering the nature of the universe are two subjects I've studied for most of my adult life. Often during times of crisis or great challenge is when I call on this interest the most, because it can be a very grounding force if you are willing to take on the ideas.”
This was from a guy who is always all biz and is usually trying to sell some new book or tape.
In my own industry – promotional marketing products – I receive lots and lots of emails from hundreds of factories wanting me to take an interest in their products and use them in an upcoming campaign for a client. That’s fine and for the most part I appreciate being on their lists. But lately I’m noticing this New Agedness rhetoric inching in to the copy. Here is one more example:
“Knowledge is based on moral and intellectual virtues. It can be defined today as an abstract, intangible combination of emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and the ability to recognize in others how their unique set of experiences and responses contribute to the good of all.
This abstract skill is essential to both learning how differences benefit the team and achieving cultural synergy. The acquisition of this abstract skill begins with a heightened knowledge of oneself. Only through self-awareness can we hope to more fully understand others in the quest to expand our global comfort zone.
Know yourself”
Frankly, I’m pleased by this “Renewed Age.” But I’m wondering am I just noticing it because of my weekend experience? Has this been going on all this time without my being aware of it? Let me know. Are you seeing more and more lately and am I just finally getting it? I would really like to hear form you.
But perhaps it’s just me. I went to a seminar over the weekend which was put on by an almost baby boomer old friend and his wife. They live in a newly established retreat center not far from Zion National Park in Utah. She, who admitted to being a hippy “back in the day,” was inspiriting and gave all those in attendance a wonderful message of what good we can begin expecting from the future.
It’s no accident that we are here and that you’re reading this blog. She convinced me that we are living in a very special time. She called it “a time when we are entering the doorway to the Age of Aquarius.” I believe her. I am seeing more and more things going on around me that are making sense and giving me hope.
Especially in business. The other day I received an email from a business coach that read like he just left the graces of his guru. Here is a little of what he wrote:
“I realize as a subject, achievement of goals through a conscious effort to raise your awareness, strengthen your willpower, and if you subscribe to it, call on universal principles to help you, is very compelling. Who wouldn't want to know how to change aspects of their life for the better? Creating positive change and discovering the nature of the universe are two subjects I've studied for most of my adult life. Often during times of crisis or great challenge is when I call on this interest the most, because it can be a very grounding force if you are willing to take on the ideas.”
This was from a guy who is always all biz and is usually trying to sell some new book or tape.
In my own industry – promotional marketing products – I receive lots and lots of emails from hundreds of factories wanting me to take an interest in their products and use them in an upcoming campaign for a client. That’s fine and for the most part I appreciate being on their lists. But lately I’m noticing this New Agedness rhetoric inching in to the copy. Here is one more example:
“Knowledge is based on moral and intellectual virtues. It can be defined today as an abstract, intangible combination of emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and the ability to recognize in others how their unique set of experiences and responses contribute to the good of all.
This abstract skill is essential to both learning how differences benefit the team and achieving cultural synergy. The acquisition of this abstract skill begins with a heightened knowledge of oneself. Only through self-awareness can we hope to more fully understand others in the quest to expand our global comfort zone.
Know yourself”
Frankly, I’m pleased by this “Renewed Age.” But I’m wondering am I just noticing it because of my weekend experience? Has this been going on all this time without my being aware of it? Let me know. Are you seeing more and more lately and am I just finally getting it? I would really like to hear form you.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Stop the Bleeding and Start the First Aid
I’ve blogged here about cutting back on marketing and sales in the middle of bad times but no one is listening it seems. A prominent professional association of national advertisers is reporting a devastating statistic.
More than 90 per cent of the major companies polled are looking to cut advertising and marketing expenses (investments, I would say!). Even worse, the budgets are going to be reduced for next year from a quarter to a third. Are we going to be saying good-bye to the newspaper industry? I pray not.
The part that makes no sense to me is plans to eliminate new projects. Seems to me, the Obama way is, if the old ideas weren’t working, let’s try something new. New projects mean new ideas and those are the things that can get things going again. But that “newness” is being cutout. Isn’t that the way we always did it in the past? Would somebody please listen to me?
One other genius in the marketing industry was quoted as saying, “In the current economic environment, there’s a need to acknowledge consumers’ financial circumstances, and offers them products, services and solutions that meet their needs.” Sounds like something I said – at least I said that to my wife. “For some marketers, that will mean skewing their media mix towards promotional spending and direct marketing.
I’m beginning to think that people in the advertising business are noticing the promotional product you get the prospective customer to carry in his pocket or wear on his hat may get a lot more bang for the buck then the ad costing millions and missed by millions more.
Those of you having cut ad budgets and are still responsible to bring in existing and new business would do well to visit my site at www.InnMkting.com We offer a total resource of ideas that will help you achieve that goal – lower spending and more impressions. If you don’t feel comfortable surfing a site, email me Jay@InnMkting.com and I will be happy to start sharing some ideas with you AT NO COST.
More than 90 per cent of the major companies polled are looking to cut advertising and marketing expenses (investments, I would say!). Even worse, the budgets are going to be reduced for next year from a quarter to a third. Are we going to be saying good-bye to the newspaper industry? I pray not.
The part that makes no sense to me is plans to eliminate new projects. Seems to me, the Obama way is, if the old ideas weren’t working, let’s try something new. New projects mean new ideas and those are the things that can get things going again. But that “newness” is being cutout. Isn’t that the way we always did it in the past? Would somebody please listen to me?
One other genius in the marketing industry was quoted as saying, “In the current economic environment, there’s a need to acknowledge consumers’ financial circumstances, and offers them products, services and solutions that meet their needs.” Sounds like something I said – at least I said that to my wife. “For some marketers, that will mean skewing their media mix towards promotional spending and direct marketing.
I’m beginning to think that people in the advertising business are noticing the promotional product you get the prospective customer to carry in his pocket or wear on his hat may get a lot more bang for the buck then the ad costing millions and missed by millions more.
Those of you having cut ad budgets and are still responsible to bring in existing and new business would do well to visit my site at www.InnMkting.com We offer a total resource of ideas that will help you achieve that goal – lower spending and more impressions. If you don’t feel comfortable surfing a site, email me Jay@InnMkting.com and I will be happy to start sharing some ideas with you AT NO COST.
Monday, February 9, 2009
When Time Shows it, You Know it's Big
When I first got into the promotional products industry (it was then known as the “premium” or “chackie” industry, the big guys used to tell us that you would know you arrived when you saw one of your projects on the pages of one of the factory catalogues. I remember how excited I was when it happened to me. Even now, maybe even especially now — since catalogues are going by the way of newspapers — with the availability of those interesting ideas showing up on the internet, if I find one of my projects in a catalogue it feels like I really am one of the elite.But check this out. 
That picture to the left was copied from Time Magazine and it was used in a recent story about Stem Cell Research. That refrigerator in the picture has a magnet on the top right of the door and it was sold to my pharmacy company client to communicate a very important message about refrigeration and drug interaction.My client, who asked me not to identify them for this blog because of the controversy now going on in the pharmaceutical industry, used that magnet to promote a safety message.The controversy that is now part of the drug industry is that promotional products and marketing tactics can no longer be used to entertain or sell healthcare professionals – only to educate. Someone thought that doctors were prescribing medications based on the goodies the industry reps were leaving behind to remind them about the new and improved meds. Can you imagine some doc prescribing something for you because of a pen or desk accessory or magnet he was given? If you can, you better change which professionals you trust to care for you. The drug companies can still give away things that are 100% educational and have no personal value to the recipient other than information.Even though that magnet you see on the refrigerator was purely educational, my client was concerned someone may misinterpret its intent and then he would have a bunch of time wasted explaining what it says and how it was used.You have to admit for less then 50 cents that is a pretty solid marketing idea that goes along way to putting the message one wants communicated out there. The purpose of telling you this story and showing off my marketing idea that made it all the way to Time Magazine is to have you see what can happen to a really good successful marketing idea.If you type “magnet” in the search box of my web site www.InnMkting.com you will see a wide array of magnets and labels in every size and shape. If you email me Jay@InnMkting.com I will be happy to assist with the copy and graphics we can use to make that magnet look professional and get your message out there.
That picture to the left was copied from Time Magazine and it was used in a recent story about Stem Cell Research. That refrigerator in the picture has a magnet on the top right of the door and it was sold to my pharmacy company client to communicate a very important message about refrigeration and drug interaction.My client, who asked me not to identify them for this blog because of the controversy now going on in the pharmaceutical industry, used that magnet to promote a safety message.The controversy that is now part of the drug industry is that promotional products and marketing tactics can no longer be used to entertain or sell healthcare professionals – only to educate. Someone thought that doctors were prescribing medications based on the goodies the industry reps were leaving behind to remind them about the new and improved meds. Can you imagine some doc prescribing something for you because of a pen or desk accessory or magnet he was given? If you can, you better change which professionals you trust to care for you. The drug companies can still give away things that are 100% educational and have no personal value to the recipient other than information.Even though that magnet you see on the refrigerator was purely educational, my client was concerned someone may misinterpret its intent and then he would have a bunch of time wasted explaining what it says and how it was used.You have to admit for less then 50 cents that is a pretty solid marketing idea that goes along way to putting the message one wants communicated out there. The purpose of telling you this story and showing off my marketing idea that made it all the way to Time Magazine is to have you see what can happen to a really good successful marketing idea.If you type “magnet” in the search box of my web site www.InnMkting.com you will see a wide array of magnets and labels in every size and shape. If you email me Jay@InnMkting.com I will be happy to assist with the copy and graphics we can use to make that magnet look professional and get your message out there. Thursday, February 5, 2009
Your Marketing Dollars Are Worth More Now
I just love it when marketing managers I sell to try to compare themselves to the Coca Cola and McDonalds of the advertising world. My clients typically have thousands of dollars in advertising/marketing budgets. Most of them spend it like it is their own money and I try to be respectful of how many hits we have to get in order to make their dollar stretch.
Convincing them that now is the time to spend rather then hold back is tough, but maybe you can send your accounting department a copy of this blog and see if this helps.
The hardest thing I have to explain is the big guys like Apple, IBM, Microsoft and the other Fortune companies have MILLIONS (still not with a “B”). This means they can make a lot of mistakes and still get seen. Also, when you spend MILLIONS, you get to show your stuff over and over and over because that is a lot of money even to NBC and CBS.
Marketing managers know the first thing that usually gets cut is your budget. It makes no sense. Business starts to get bad and the first thing the number crunchers do is cut back on the one thing that helps business get better sooner!
Look at the Apple Computer example.Skip to next paragraph Business is bad everywhere but Apple is increasing its advertising expenditure and taking on its competition. Apple reports that it has increased marketing and advertising during 4Q, 2008. Apple is showing it knows when to take advantage and it is continuing to bring new customers into its stores. Sales increases are following while everyone else in technology is crying and cutting out thousands of jobs (and I don’t mean Steve).
Here are the things you should start thinking about spending money on during these down times. These are the ideas that keep your company in the upper most minds of your existing and potential clients so when the purse strings to loosen up, guess who they will call first. You.
●Personalized gifts that say “thank you.” Something simple like an elegant pen with the recipient’s name engraved.
●A simple coaster or a mug that will be useful on your client’s desktop and boldly announce your availability to be of service when things settle.
●Calendars – yes, I know everyone has a computer and a cell phone with the date in it; but look around you. Every office has a calendar either sitting on a desk or hanging on the wall. For a dollar or two, you can purchase these with beautiful theme photography and get your name and tagline seen every single workday of the year!
●Magnifiers – these are more and more useful especially as our population of workers gets older and their eye sight gets weaker. Just think how appreciative your client will be every time he/she uses this gift.
Personal is always best. So let me help you decide the most appropriate way for you to stay in front of your prospects and clients during these budget cutting times. Contact me at Jay@InnMkting.com or visit our website www.InnMkting.com and type in some ideas in the search section and see how inexpensive it can be to promote your business in these tough times.
Convincing them that now is the time to spend rather then hold back is tough, but maybe you can send your accounting department a copy of this blog and see if this helps.
The hardest thing I have to explain is the big guys like Apple, IBM, Microsoft and the other Fortune companies have MILLIONS (still not with a “B”). This means they can make a lot of mistakes and still get seen. Also, when you spend MILLIONS, you get to show your stuff over and over and over because that is a lot of money even to NBC and CBS.
Marketing managers know the first thing that usually gets cut is your budget. It makes no sense. Business starts to get bad and the first thing the number crunchers do is cut back on the one thing that helps business get better sooner!
Look at the Apple Computer example.Skip to next paragraph Business is bad everywhere but Apple is increasing its advertising expenditure and taking on its competition. Apple reports that it has increased marketing and advertising during 4Q, 2008. Apple is showing it knows when to take advantage and it is continuing to bring new customers into its stores. Sales increases are following while everyone else in technology is crying and cutting out thousands of jobs (and I don’t mean Steve).
Here are the things you should start thinking about spending money on during these down times. These are the ideas that keep your company in the upper most minds of your existing and potential clients so when the purse strings to loosen up, guess who they will call first. You.
●Personalized gifts that say “thank you.” Something simple like an elegant pen with the recipient’s name engraved.
●A simple coaster or a mug that will be useful on your client’s desktop and boldly announce your availability to be of service when things settle.
●Calendars – yes, I know everyone has a computer and a cell phone with the date in it; but look around you. Every office has a calendar either sitting on a desk or hanging on the wall. For a dollar or two, you can purchase these with beautiful theme photography and get your name and tagline seen every single workday of the year!
●Magnifiers – these are more and more useful especially as our population of workers gets older and their eye sight gets weaker. Just think how appreciative your client will be every time he/she uses this gift.
Personal is always best. So let me help you decide the most appropriate way for you to stay in front of your prospects and clients during these budget cutting times. Contact me at Jay@InnMkting.com or visit our website www.InnMkting.com and type in some ideas in the search section and see how inexpensive it can be to promote your business in these tough times.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Let's Get Healthcare Fixed and Look Good Too
I know it is easy to be critical when I'm not in the hot seat having to come up with solutions but I was very disappointed when I learned Senator Tom Dashel pulled out of the nomination process because of his tax problems. It's not that I'm a Dashel fan; but it is very distressing to find out that people in those high places are so blatant and think somehow they can get away with things just for saying "I'm sorry." So do you think the driver he was given -- who probably was paid more than $60,000 per year -- paid his taxes on time?Actually I liked Dashel. But I never thought he was a good example about how someone in his position should dress. That may sound trite but the fact is I was raised on a business book called "Dress for Success." I know things have radically changed in the world of business attire. Things like "business casual" and "Friday fun day" have somehow let the air out of the "professional" sail in today’s office environment. So I came across a great bargain and an idea to dress up your office. This10-dollar-embroideredshirt -- with your company name and logo prominently embroidered over the left chest will not only promote pride and fellowship in the office, it will make your crew feel more professional and work smarter. The best part is you won't have to look at those disgusting faded black t-shirts with screened horror movie characters anymore. Trust me on this. If you look good, you work better. You know I’m right.If you need more information about other apparel ideas and using them to create incentives in the workplace or as promotional marketing products for your clients, Email me at Jay@InnMkting.com or visit our website www.InnMkting.com and type in "shirts" if you want to see more styles and colors. By the way, they are available in men and ladies styles.
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