Instead of restaurant it is "Market Grill".
Instead of grocery store it is "Provisions".
Instead of book store it is "Book Merchant".
Instead of tourist it is "Traveler".
Instead of frugal it is "Sustainable".
Did the sandwiches really change?
Did the cereal aisle really change?
Did the books change?
Did the tourist become more interesting?
Did we really improve life or just save a few pennies?
Did you rename yourself? Your resume? Your job title?
Did you change the name from "Job" to "Work"? Did it matter?
Shakespeare wrote a rose is a rose by any other name.
Names are powerful, but they do not make up for action, change, or more important, identity. There is a difference.
Change your name or title, but make sure it is backed by real change.. the way you work, the way you produce and the results you bring.
Monday
Friday
A great idea
I have a friend who is the most organized person I know. She is the kind who has her closet sorted by season and her holiday shopping completed in August.
Okay, she sounds anal, but she has some great ideas.
For instance, yesterday when I got home I had a post card from her.
It was obviously done by a mailing company. It had a tasteful yet generic picture on the front.
The back was a typewritten note which was general but awesome:
Summer is here and I am thinking of you. It has been so long since we have been in touch and I wanted to let you know you were on my mind. Besides, no one writes anymore! Make a note of my new address and phone number,. All the best,
When you were finished, you forgot that the postcard was typed and professionally printed. All you remembered was that she wrote a personal note! Wow!
I know for a fact that this young woman has over 1000 contacts in her Rolodex, and those are her personal contacts. Imagine if she put a buzz in all those ears about a TV program or product she enjoyed! What an effect!
Neat ideas come everyday in every way!
Okay, she sounds anal, but she has some great ideas.
For instance, yesterday when I got home I had a post card from her.
It was obviously done by a mailing company. It had a tasteful yet generic picture on the front.
The back was a typewritten note which was general but awesome:
Summer is here and I am thinking of you. It has been so long since we have been in touch and I wanted to let you know you were on my mind. Besides, no one writes anymore! Make a note of my new address and phone number,
When you were finished, you forgot that the postcard was typed and professionally printed. All you remembered was that she wrote a personal note! Wow!
I know for a fact that this young woman has over 1000 contacts in her Rolodex, and those are her personal contacts. Imagine if she put a buzz in all those ears about a TV program or product she enjoyed! What an effect!
Neat ideas come everyday in every way!
Wednesday
AdBrite
Back in the heydays of the late 90's, a guy named Pud put up a website called F'd Company.* This funny and caustic site attacked the over the goofy IPO and free spending startups companies which were a hallmark of that time period.
Some of my favorite experiences which I write about on Marketing Me were directly inspired from my time at three different startups I helped found.
I read recently Pud has a new company called AdBrite. AdBrite allows publishers to sell and post their own ads on their websites. From AdBrite's site, I read more about Pud and what he has accomplished, starting with next to nothing. His is real story of self made marketing which everyone should read.
Click on the AdBrite ad and read Pud's blog and how he got started. Truly enlightening and inspirational.
* Actual name is a little more graphic. I will let you figure it out!
Some of my favorite experiences which I write about on Marketing Me were directly inspired from my time at three different startups I helped found.
I read recently Pud has a new company called AdBrite. AdBrite allows publishers to sell and post their own ads on their websites. From AdBrite's site, I read more about Pud and what he has accomplished, starting with next to nothing. His is real story of self made marketing which everyone should read.
Click on the AdBrite ad and read Pud's blog and how he got started. Truly enlightening and inspirational.
* Actual name is a little more graphic. I will let you figure it out!
Get on a plane
Stuck in a rut? Get on a plane and go see a customer. Or a coach. Go on a job interview.
Money a problem? Visit someone closer. Drive.Take a bus.Walk.
Get out of the office. Go see someone. Find out what they are working on. Ask questions. How do they find new customers? What do they ask? What do they sell to them? How do they charge?
Get a new perspective.
Not working? Ask a church pastor how he advertises and gets newcomers and converts. Call a non-profit group and ask how they get donations and volunteers. Try volunteering and learn about other volunteers.
Ask a teacher. How do they reach problem students? How do they teach difficult subjects like algebra effectively?
Get out and learn from a person how they market themselves, their business or their opinion.
Money a problem? Visit someone closer. Drive.Take a bus.Walk.
Get out of the office. Go see someone. Find out what they are working on. Ask questions. How do they find new customers? What do they ask? What do they sell to them? How do they charge?
Get a new perspective.
Not working? Ask a church pastor how he advertises and gets newcomers and converts. Call a non-profit group and ask how they get donations and volunteers. Try volunteering and learn about other volunteers.
Ask a teacher. How do they reach problem students? How do they teach difficult subjects like algebra effectively?
Get out and learn from a person how they market themselves, their business or their opinion.
YouTube
There has been more buzz about YouTube lately. Seth Godin (you read him don't you?) mentioned YT three or four times in the past month alone.
YT is making minor celebrities
and gaining a cult following.
What inspires me is what will happen next with YT?
Imagine, a video job resume? (Here I am speaking, dressed, moving - Hire Me).
Or how about business presentations? Why bother with video conferencing when you can do it for a fraction on YouTube? Send a link and let your audience watch on their schedule?
Will we see political candidates? With campaign reform, what stops a candidate from airing a commercial on YT? Does that fall under McCain-Feingold in the U.S.?
Youtube is in its short infancy and its cult following will give way to mainstream stardom shortly. Is it time to get onboard?
YT is making minor celebrities
and gaining a cult following.
What inspires me is what will happen next with YT?
Imagine, a video job resume? (Here I am speaking, dressed, moving - Hire Me).
Or how about business presentations? Why bother with video conferencing when you can do it for a fraction on YouTube? Send a link and let your audience watch on their schedule?
Will we see political candidates? With campaign reform, what stops a candidate from airing a commercial on YT? Does that fall under McCain-Feingold in the U.S.?
Youtube is in its short infancy and its cult following will give way to mainstream stardom shortly. Is it time to get onboard?
Tuesday
The religion of me?
I heard a moving sermon this past weekend. In it, the speaker lamented about how our society is moving towards a complete focus on "Me-ism". How many times have we seen the bumper sticker - "It's all about me"?
Why is this happening? Are we really that selfish? Are we really so self-absorbed as a society that we have developed, as the speaker said, a religion of Me?
Although there are plenty of selfish and self-centered people in this world, I still have to disagree with the sentiment that everyone and everything has become so self centered. Rather,I think in many ways it is a reaction to our society.
Let me explain. How many times a day do we hear about "community" and "the common good"? How many times do we hear about all of us "making a difference"? Isn't there a similar, strenuous effort on to create a religion of "Us"? A focus on everyone together rather than the strength of the individual? And how many times is the drive to create "Us" made more important and greater than the needs of a single individual?
This web site is not about libertarianism or politics - it is about remaking yourself for your career. And to that end, when was the last time your place of work placed a high premium on "the workplace community" or how your employer could "make a difference in your life"?
Sure, some companies have mission statements to this effect, but more than likely, these same companies have readily cut headcount, salaries, bonuses or benefits when economics dictated. What happened to "community" then?
The reality of life is in the world of work, there is no "Us", there is only "Them" and "You". No company, boss or customer looks out for you and your best interests, only in their own interests - it is the nature of things.
This is not a religion of "Me", but rather a success guide for "Me" which hopefully will result in you not becoming a burden to "Us".
Why is this happening? Are we really that selfish? Are we really so self-absorbed as a society that we have developed, as the speaker said, a religion of Me?
Although there are plenty of selfish and self-centered people in this world, I still have to disagree with the sentiment that everyone and everything has become so self centered. Rather,I think in many ways it is a reaction to our society.
Let me explain. How many times a day do we hear about "community" and "the common good"? How many times do we hear about all of us "making a difference"? Isn't there a similar, strenuous effort on to create a religion of "Us"? A focus on everyone together rather than the strength of the individual? And how many times is the drive to create "Us" made more important and greater than the needs of a single individual?
This web site is not about libertarianism or politics - it is about remaking yourself for your career. And to that end, when was the last time your place of work placed a high premium on "the workplace community" or how your employer could "make a difference in your life"?
Sure, some companies have mission statements to this effect, but more than likely, these same companies have readily cut headcount, salaries, bonuses or benefits when economics dictated. What happened to "community" then?
The reality of life is in the world of work, there is no "Us", there is only "Them" and "You". No company, boss or customer looks out for you and your best interests, only in their own interests - it is the nature of things.
This is not a religion of "Me", but rather a success guide for "Me" which hopefully will result in you not becoming a burden to "Us".
Lucky me
Had a great dinner last night with a client. He made a statement which stuck with me the rest of the night:
"Nothing happens by chance. I have had a number of successes in the past which paid off in more ways than one and none of them were by chance. Never believe that part about 'being in the right place at the right time'; there is no such thing. You were where you were by choice, you considered your options and took action. Everything was due to planning and free will. Take responsibility and take credit for all the good things you have done in your life".
Wow. How many times do we chalk good things up to Luck? Fate? Coincidence?
We beat ourselves up for past mistakes and missed opportunities - but leave good things to happenstance? What is wrong with us.
Take responsibility and credit for all the good things you have done and are doing in your life today.
"Nothing happens by chance. I have had a number of successes in the past which paid off in more ways than one and none of them were by chance. Never believe that part about 'being in the right place at the right time'; there is no such thing. You were where you were by choice, you considered your options and took action. Everything was due to planning and free will. Take responsibility and take credit for all the good things you have done in your life".
Wow. How many times do we chalk good things up to Luck? Fate? Coincidence?
We beat ourselves up for past mistakes and missed opportunities - but leave good things to happenstance? What is wrong with us.
Take responsibility and credit for all the good things you have done and are doing in your life today.
Monday
Welcome to globalization
The world has changed because of globalization and not just work, but nearly everything else.
For instance: http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/ESPNSports/story?id=2228370&page=1
Floyd Landis won a bicycle race. Not just any race, but THE BICYCLE RACE - the Tour de France. Naturally, there are some in France and the EU who are upset that after 7 straight years of American Lance Armstrong's domination, another Yank rides off with the title again.
To a closed and highly regulated France (try to emigrate, apply for a job, open a business or sell a product to France), this is an affront that surely must be the result of further American hegemony.
Hardly.
Consider that for years Americans have witnessed dozens of winners of the New York City Marathon (THE ULTIMATE FOOT RACE) come from every country but the U.S. Which is in itself an interesting analogy of America; People coming from all over to the world for the opportunity to participate and compete and have a shot at success.
The NYC Marathon and the Tour de France have both become examples of globalization - regional events which have captured the world's attention and imagination and brought forth competitors from around the world.
Our work and careers are the same as well. When (re)marketing you, are you considering competition from India, Africa or China? How wide is your world? Who are you ready to compete with? What is your strategy to win? The world is smaller than before.
Think about it.
For instance: http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/ESPNSports/story?id=2228370&page=1
Floyd Landis won a bicycle race. Not just any race, but THE BICYCLE RACE - the Tour de France. Naturally, there are some in France and the EU who are upset that after 7 straight years of American Lance Armstrong's domination, another Yank rides off with the title again.
To a closed and highly regulated France (try to emigrate, apply for a job, open a business or sell a product to France), this is an affront that surely must be the result of further American hegemony.
Hardly.
Consider that for years Americans have witnessed dozens of winners of the New York City Marathon (THE ULTIMATE FOOT RACE) come from every country but the U.S. Which is in itself an interesting analogy of America; People coming from all over to the world for the opportunity to participate and compete and have a shot at success.
The NYC Marathon and the Tour de France have both become examples of globalization - regional events which have captured the world's attention and imagination and brought forth competitors from around the world.
Our work and careers are the same as well. When (re)marketing you, are you considering competition from India, Africa or China? How wide is your world? Who are you ready to compete with? What is your strategy to win? The world is smaller than before.
Think about it.
Tuesday
Using LinkedIn
I have been a user of LinkedIn for years. I tried all of the personal contact software (web based) out there. OpenBC, Ryze, Ecademy, Spoke.. etc. and found LinkedIn to be a) the most widely used and b) the most accepted by others in my industry.
Couple of neat things about LinkedIn which help with Marketing You.
- Updates are sent automatically. Change your profile and others in your network are updated.
- Broadcast email to everyone in your network. Like mailing list software you don't have to pay for (free version of LinkedIn only).
Try LinkedIn and setup your profile. Also, make sure your email address is available even to people who do not know you. Don't worry, I have never received any spam because of LinkedIn, only a whole bunch of invites.
Couple of neat things about LinkedIn which help with Marketing You.
- Updates are sent automatically. Change your profile and others in your network are updated.
- Broadcast email to everyone in your network. Like mailing list software you don't have to pay for (free version of LinkedIn only).
Try LinkedIn and setup your profile. Also, make sure your email address is available even to people who do not know you. Don't worry, I have never received any spam because of LinkedIn, only a whole bunch of invites.
Friday
Personal marketing (2)
In my last post, I recommended that you publish a website (or two or three) as part of your marketing strategy.
As I stated, I have a couple of websites right now.
The first is my professional website - www.wirelessdataplan.com. Because I am in sales for a wireless hardware manufacturer, I needed a website to run promotions and build sales leads from.
This website took me about 15 minutes to build (as if you could not tell!). But it clearly gets my point across and directs customers to contact me.
I will show you my personal website next time.
Have a great day and never stop marketing YOU!
As I stated, I have a couple of websites right now.
The first is my professional website - www.wirelessdataplan.com. Because I am in sales for a wireless hardware manufacturer, I needed a website to run promotions and build sales leads from.
This website took me about 15 minutes to build (as if you could not tell!). But it clearly gets my point across and directs customers to contact me.
I will show you my personal website next time.
Have a great day and never stop marketing YOU!
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