It’s the little things…

It’s the little things that really matter.

I had the opportunity to spend some time at one of Florida’s world famous theme parks today. I won’t mention the name because the focus of this blog would not give it the credit that it deserves. I can honestly say the park thought of everything from safety, to spectacular shows and rides, and even to the food and beverages. All be it the food was pricy, it was still fun. So why would I shun the idea of telling you the name and offering the suggestion of you getting in your car with the wife and 2.5 kids and heading on over to these pearly gates of amusement. Well my answer is simple. Even though everything was spectacular in the realms of thought and preparation I walked out with a real feeling of disappointment.

How could this feeling come from such a fantastic display of art, food, animals, actors, and roller coaster engineers. The answer is simply found in the little things. It was the staff that failed to match the majesty of the parks intent. Inevitably, I would leave a show, ride, or experience to bump into a staff member that did not enjoy their job or had zero people skills. Talk about a buzz kill. Talk about water on the flame. Talk about your thrill being sucked away by the vacuum of discontented, or poorly placed staff.

Sure everyone has a bad day at work, but never let the customer see you drop your smile. I cannot tell you how many employees treated the people they were serving like they were stupid or an annoyance. I began to watch throughout the day as staff members made it clear to me that either the team that does the hiring is inept, or the people applying for the job are the bottom of work pool.

You can have the best product, service or event but if you don’t put forth effort to smile, speak with kindness or interest then you have spoiled the experience. I have eaten in places where the food was subpar, the environment left a lot to be desired, but the staff kept me coming back. If you are a business owner, never forget that the service people receive will ultimately cement the patron’s impression of your business. When you hire a staff member your business could live and die by their attention to the little things.

Your Mind is Recession Proof

Your Mind is Recession Proof

Recession, Depression, blah, blah, boo hoo here is a tissue. Look I will not be compassionate here. If you have given yourself a couple of months to whine over this then your time is up. Let’s be clear you are a business person for heaven’s sake. You had an idea because you saw a market for your product and service in the business environment. Your mistake is that you are trying to fit your old model into a socket that has changed. I don’t have to repeat the definition of insanity to you.
I have a simple statement written, on a white board, in my studio that I ponder multiple times a day. NEVER BLAME THE ECONOMY! REINVENT YOURSELF! History favors those who reinvent to fit. Like her, love her, or hate her, the genius of self-reinvention would be Madonna. She almost each decade has created a new brand from the same product. I am not saying that you’re corporate or personal pillars have to be compromised. I am saying that your way of conducting business and or service needs to be revisited with the changed economy (socket). Either your product or message must be reevaluated, adjusted, and changed.
Some of the greatest profits were made by companies in times of recession and depression because they saw a legitimate need the people had and they met it. They met by retooling and reinventing themselves.
So stop whining and build the perfect adaptors for the current ever changing socket (economic arena)!

Obama Heads Out To Sell More Jobs? Again! Are We Choking to Death on Hope?

First off, I will admit that we love small business. So this blog although is political it seeks to speak of the plight that our job creating hero’s in the trench’s are facing. We believe the only salvation of the current crisis is the entrepreneur. Ironically, the elected leadership of this nation believe that the way out of  our struggles is to heap burdensome regulations on the mom and pop shops around the world. Lets not forget that every billion dollars business began with an idea and some hope. After some sweat, blood and definitely tears those once micro-businesses boomed into job creating leviathans, that to this day assist the nation with careers, products, services, research and development and not to mention great and most of the time safe investments for grandma and grandpa’s pension plans.

A Little Word Math. I don’t give a fig about what train beats what train heading what direction. This math is simpler (thank God), but for some reason the masses just aren’t figuring it out.  Hey all you yuppie Wall street occupiers take note. This White House administration has targeted those who make 250,000 or more for increased taxes. I know you well intentioned sponge heads think, “yeah go get the rich guy.”  This proves once again your college calculus makes you so mathematically theoretical, that you are of of no economic use.  Those 250,00 dollar a year rich guys probably have a take home of 40 to 70 thousand a year.  Yep you heard me. They  are the future Steve Jobs, or Ben and Jerry being choked  by Obama’s tyrannical hope.  As the math continues we find that those “Rich Greedy monsters create on average 4 or more jobs that your mom, dad or uncle desperately need. But the brainwashed believe that those job creating visionaries must be taught a lesson for seeking success. I can hear the soft skulls now… “We are not talking about those people, we are going after the rich.”  I have one question for you smart do-nothings.  If your going after Wall Street then why is your champion “Obama” aiming his weapons at Main Street?

Obama Heads Out On Bus Tour To Sell Jobs Plan Amid Anger At Corporate America | Fox News

Grand Opportunity Party

We recently had the opportunity to share coffee with a newly elected official who showed both passion and vision.  We began to discuss the messaging challenges that the GOP faces.  As she shared her experience as a girl who grew up in districts that are synonymous with lack of faith in officials, we found that there is a gap in the understanding of what the GOP really offers and the assumptions young people have about the GOP.  In conversation we discovered the Grand Ol’ Party must be re-coined as the Grand Opportunity Party. If this has been attempted before it has failed to communicate to the communities that really need to understand the truth of what the GOP offers.

 

Here is a simple word picture to explain. The DNC is a party that promotes self-need;  The GOP promotes self-realization. The DNC offers scraps from the table;  The GOP offers a seat at the table for those who learn to take risk of time, energy and resources. The DNC will give the proverbial “fish”;  The GOP  has at its core the desire to “create fishermen.”  The DNC creates a cage of just enough;  the GOP creates the freedom to generate plenty for yourself and for others who join your vision.

 

In the end, we propose that there is a messaging deficiency. We believe that talking points do not work anymore. We believe that messages that are being sent are missing very important demographics.  Imagine, if you will, a young black student that realizes the message of self-reliance that comes from the Grand Opportunity Party.  Imagine a legalized Latino immigrant that understands that he can join the party of freedom instead of the party of mediocrity. Imagine the beauty of this nation actually seeing the power of our minority groups dropping the shackles of dependence and embracing the power of self-activation. Imagine minority groups building businesses that hire family and friends right off the poverty lines. Imagine communities working for the greater good instead of the Fed dictating to us what “good; looks like, while using our money to finance their plan. The GOP (conservative ideals) is the future for the groups that need the message of true life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

 

So far, this gap between the youth of our future and the GOP is not being addressed effectively. Please, dear leaders, as you build your messaging platforms for upcoming elections and strategies be sure to dump silly talking points that people can see through. Find the message that you can truthfully express to our future America. Prove to them that the ideals of the GOP (conservatives) are keys to their dreams. If you need help, let us know. We are your Merry Marketing Mercenaries

Have you fallen victim to a “Microphaser”?

Microphasers beware.

Microphase is a word that we have coined here at Tandem Media. A microphaser is a client that takes advantage of service industry businesses.

Here is a simple lesson in spotting a microphaser. A microphaser has found a way to piece meal projects to different companies at discount rates. They get tricky when they pay small amounts up front with the intent to stop work and take knowledge and or assets to the next unsuspecting vendor.

Their “strategy” stems from the promise of more money in the next phase of projects yet phase two never comes to pass. In the end the microphaser takes each piece at a macro discount and completes the project through multiple broken agreements.  The way to avoid the microphaser is to create contracts that offer savings at the end of the last phase. This keeps it in the customer’s interest to stay with you through all phases if they truly want the contractual discount.

The microphaser suffers in the process as well, but they are addicted to the idea of paying less for a project that ultimately takes more time and is seldom finished a in form that can be considered quality.  They are often indecisive and therefore, suffer from buyer’s remorse before the ink on that contract is even dry, thus nickel and diming you to death with “just one more thing” until you finally catch on.  We are instructing all our service clients to offer discounts at the end of multiphased projects not at the beginning and to always take payment either up-front or to invoice frequently.

Microphasers beware, we are on to you and we are getting the word out. Soon you will actually be forced enjoy the value of paying a fair price for a timely and high quality service. Don’t thank us, your future happiness is enough.

Good Business Sometimes Means Goodbye

Could “Two and a Half Men” Be Better Than Ever With Ashton Kutcher? – FoxNews.com

I must confess I don’t have a lot of time to watch this type of television, but this article gives me a thought for you business minded folks. I am certain that you have people that are in business with you that have changed. In the beginning you could draw a clear line from large portions of your success to them. Now, you find them the cause of embarrassment, internal conflict, public relations problems, or even profit loss.

Might it be time to take a play from the producers of the show “Two and a Half Men” for the sake of your brand’s future? Sure everyone may love the person. It is possible they hate the trouble maker but, just fear the show (business) cannot go on with out him. A business owner must weigh the options of sinking the company with a huge personality, or cutting ties and letting them self destruct elsewhere.

I am not saying that your business will immediately be righted by the removal. I am not saying that “Two and a Half Men” will succeed with out Sheen. I am saying that there is a renewed sense of curiosity about the brand. This generates an excitement that is worth it’s weight in morale boost, and marketing for the show, and if you play it right the same move might offer your business the energy of new possibilities.
…or you could just keep things the way they are…..

Brand-Aid part II

We’re continuing an earlier post, discussing how to determine if your business is in need of a re-brand.  If you missed Part I, you can read it here.

Next, you’ll want to either revisit or create your mission statement.  The idea of a mission statement may seem like a lot of unnecessary, feel good, words that look good on your stationary, but it is so much more.  Your mission statement is the temperature gauge for your business.  It is a way of recognizing at a glance if you are on the track you want to be on.  If well stated, a daily look at your mission statement will serve as a reminder of what you are in business to accomplish.  If your marketing efforts are not in line with your mission statement, then one or both have to change to communicate who you are and what you do.

Start by asking yourself a few basic questions.

What is the purpose of your business?

Who do you serve?  Who are your customers?  The answers to these questions may not be the same.  If you run a tutoring service, your customers are the parents paying for your service who want results.  You serve the students and you must do so in a manner that is nurturing and empowering to them.

What do your customers need or want from you?  We’ll discuss this at length in a later post.

What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?  Basically, what is unique about your business that sets you apart from others in your industry?

Take as much time as you need to really answer these questions thoroughly.    This is by no means a complete list but it will get you started thinking about why you chose the business you are in and what makes you so passionate about it.  Whether your customers know exactly what you mission statement is or not, matters very little.  If you live by it daily, you’ll communicate your passion and your expertise to everyone who walks through your doors.

Next Post: Brand Aid Part III (Blurry Vision?)

Importance of Making Alliances

In the business world one must always seek to make connections. It is good to align ourselves with complimentary entities. This in turn creates synergy in the marketplace. ” In order to create alliances we must know the designs of our neighbors.” The great warrior Sun Tsu understood that to align yourself with weakness, or a deceiver, was to lose before the campaign begins. He enjoyed making connections in the arena of war that would improve his chances and diminish his casualties on the field of battle. Today’s marketplace warrior must not be an island, but he must ascertain if the small immediate benefits that come from creating an alliance are worth the tedious process of fostering the relationship beyond the challenges that combining forces bring. I will give you an example. On this blog I receive comments. They start with flattery and then quickly attempt to use my blog to pitch their objective and link. I delete them with out question. I do this out of duty to the reader. The other day one of the ”spammers” sent me another comment frustrated that I deleted their self promotional message. They posted their same message with out giving me background information, and with out explaining a thing about the true nature of their business. They offered a link. Let me share this point. If you want to do business then you must do two things. You must share the designs of who and what you are in order to create an alliance with your potential associate. Secondly an alliance is based on quid pro quo. If you want me to promote you then you need to provide a benefit to me. I you do not provide a benefit then you are no more than a parasite that drains from my effort. A business man does not just allow a stranger to pedal his wares blindly in his store front. What if you allow someone to get their message across to the masses, and it turns out to be a fraud? You may not be the crook, but you did give crooks access to those who trust you. I suggest you make as many connections in the field of business that you can. I also say be careful about what is exposed to your trusting patrons.

Re-mission?

We’re continuing an earlier post, discussing how to determine if your business is in need of a re-brand.  If you missed Part I, you can read it here.

Next, you’ll want to either revisit or create your mission statement.  The idea of a mission statement may seem like a lot of unnecessary, feel good, words that look good on your stationary, but it is so much more.  Your mission statement is the temperature gauge for your business.  It is a way of recognizing at a glance if you are on the track you want to be on.  If well stated, a daily look at your mission statement will serve as a reminder of what you are in business to accomplish.  If your marketing efforts are not in line with your mission statement, then one or both have to change to communicate who you are and what you do.

Start by asking yourself a few basic questions.

What is the purpose of your business?

Who do you serve?  Who are your customers?  The answers to these questions may not be the same.  If you run a tutoring service, your customers are the parents paying for your service who want results.  You serve the students and you must do so in a manner that is nurturing and empowering to them.

What do your customers need or want from you?  We’ll discuss this at length in a later post.

What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?  Basically, what is unique about your business that sets you apart from others in your industry?

Take as much time as you need to really answer these questions thoroughly.    This is by no means a complete list but it will get you started thinking about why you chose the business you are in and what makes you so passionate about it.  Whether your customers know exactly what you mission statement is or not, matters very little.  If you live by it daily, you’ll communicate your passion and your expertise to everyone who walks through your doors.

Tags: mission statement

Racing ahead of the pack

James felt the adrenaline course through his veins as he held the grips to his new dirt bike. He thought that his fingers and toes were electric. This was his first race. The moment he heard the word  “go”  he kicked into motion he was thrilled at how he beat the other guys off the line. He pushed hard and made the first turn with ease. He adjusted himself for the jump that would come up ahead. He hit the lift and landed with perfection. He could hear the small crowd cheering him as he turned the second bend. He was pushing hard and felt the speed of his bike ever increase. On the third turn he miscalculated a bit and drifted just shy of riding out of bounds. In a moment of concern he looked to see how much ground he had lost. He noticed that he was way ahead of the pack and shifted his focus back to the upcoming terrain. In the instant he took his focus from his objective to his competitors he did not see an upcoming jump and found himself on his back with his bike tumbling behind him. James made the mistake of measuring himself against the competition instead of taking measure against the racing track.

Competition will always exist and that is great. Corporate competition makes companies better and gives the customer options. Option keeps prices viable and service improvements. If you seek to do competition research that is fine, but it is wise to focus on the path your company takes and the services your providing first. You may find benefits in knowing aspects of your competitions activities, but to focus on it can disturb the purity of your brand. If studying the competition gives you a better understanding of the uniqueness of your company’s identity then that is great. If your study of the competition constantly has you making adjustments to your brand then that can be the brakes that grind against momentum.