MOVE OVER DONALD TRUMP

Donald Trump is the focus of a lot of well deserved criticism, but another authoritarian figure has intruded closer to my home.  This past week Ontario premier, Doug Ford demonstrated that he too can force his ill informed opinions on the majority that didn't vote for him.  We were warned that  he, although believing in climate change would do away with any carbon tax and sideline some renewable resource projects, take sex education back a few decades, eliminate a $15 per hour minimum wage plus a few other retrogressive measures favored at best only by a plurality of voters. 

He failed to mention that he would use his power to change the Toronto Council.  As a former councillor himself he felt he understood it better and needed to correct a deficiency.  At the time only a few days from closing nominations for candidates and only a few months from election.    Individual commitments had been made based on existing rules and boundaries and in fact a lot of details had been formalized.  The disruption will be not only costly in monetary terms, but also in personal terms.

One commentator pointed that he not only had the legal power, but that he had the right to do so based on the election.  The election in fact only gave him a shade over 40% of the votes while three parties with the majority having many commonalities opposed to his platform.  In our first past the post election system the majority all too frequently lose their voice.  Not to get sidetracked I believe a proportionate system makes more sense and is fairer.  For those who like more thoughts on this:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/12/your-guy-didnt-get-in.html

One rationalization given was that with fewer councillors decisions could be made quicker.  No quarrel.  From that perspective it would be better to have a dictator.  Most dictators do seek advice as they can't be bothered with most items.  Some dictators will often ignore advice, for example Donald Trump.  Those in power tend to seek advice from those with similar philosophies and who profess loyalty.  History is full of irritating individuals who pointed out something different that eventually was recognized as better for everyone.  The more people engaged in the decision process the more understanding and commitment will result.  More thoughts on the importance of engagement:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/12/the-art-of-engagement.html

Another rationalization was that it would save taxpayers money.  Again that could be true in many if not most cases.  Democracy is not cheap.  Aside from the expense of elections, millions have paid with their lives and their limbs.  Quick decisions are not always better or even cheaper.  Again, a dictator could help.  In more than a few cases they are better able to siphon off more than their share of cash flow.

Municipal matters have the most daily impact on citizens, but many of their concerns seem trivial.  Garbage, parking, snow removal, bus services, traffic lights and signs, librairies, recreation, schools, etc are often taken for granted, but a councillor who wants to get re-elected needs to be mindful of the details.  The details can be very demanding, and if too much for one elected official tend to be neglected.

Democracy is perhaps a mislabel.  What we really have is representative democracy.  No one person can manage all the affairs of a nation by themselves.  The average person has plenty enough to make a living and manage a household without added responsibilities of running a government.  Yes, there is a fine line between having too many decision makers and paying for them against a dictatorship.  Drawing the line requires a lot of thought and has to be reconciled with what the people really want. Mr Ford decided that he knows best and relieved the rest of us of that responsibility.  His decision that impacts literally over 3 million people was apparently made with little consultation.

Authoritarians like Donald Trump and Doug Ford like being in control and feel they know what is best.  In too many cases we let them.

The photo is of a dog fountain on Front St., Toronto which I assume must have been debated at one point.  I like it--good decision.

THE ART OF ENGAGEMENT: or how to get employees on the same page

A lot of business owners spend a great deal of time and effort  formulating strategies to make their business grow.  Then they pass on their ideas to staff who are often befuddled and the strategies never seem to achieve their goals.  In fact Jim Haudan tells us that 75% of strategic plans fail to be executed.

When one goes through a new strategy process, one goes down a lot of deadends, rejects a lot of options, hears other opinions and finally comes to some sort of strategy.  The strategy is based on all the efforts made by that one person.  A one way presentation such as a Power Point will not necessarily lead everyone else to the same conclusion.

The employees at the bottom who actually execute the strategy decided by others often feel overworked, confused, not aware of the big picture and distrustful of higher staff motivations.  Often they have had a new series of strategies imposed on them without taking away previous instructions.  The trick is to tap into something that the people really connect with.

In large companies many employees don't see a personal connection to the strategies.  Most workers want to be part of something big, want to feel a sense of belonging, want to make things better and want to feel their contribution can make a difference.  Too often they get disillusioned.

Jim Haudan, the author believes one of the best ways to communicate is with stories, particularly visual stories.  This can be a tool when the employees participate so that they can see better how they fit into what needs to be done.  They need to see the bigger picture including market trends and what the competition is up to. They need to trust their managers and their leaders.

Wall Street analysts are learning to appreciate not just a strategy that has been announced to them, but  if the skill levels of the employees are able to execute.  That means the leaders have to think out how to develop the skills needed for a new strategy and to really motivate staff to acquire the skills.

Change is frightening to many employees.  Their leaders need to convey the attitude that change is not an indictment of past performance.  What was done in the past worked, but it won't be enough for the future.  When this is understood everyone can work together to make a better future.  Leaders and managers will inevitably be surprised that the front line workers want to and can contribute ideas to make their strategies work better.

One quote from author, Jim Haudan "Without understanding company strategy an employee can't take responsibility.  People who do understand can't avoid it."

There are many steps to be taken to integrate the strategies with the execution.  We can all learn from Jim's experience and insight.  They started at the strategic planning end of things and found out there was nothing automatic about execution.  As they examined why their own strategies did not connect they learned.  In a very real way they are proving that the learning process is critical to acceptance of any strategy.

Find out more at:  http://www.rootsofengagement.com

ABSOLUTE VALUE

Marketing people are always trying to figure out what we consumers are thinking so they can develop products and services that they can steer us to profitably.  Until recently they have been developing strategies based on the fact that buyers have had limited information and choices.  What happens when regular buyers have easy access to much more information?  Is the decision process different?

Many studies of consumer behavior have been made under controlled conditions so that the critical factors can be isolated.  But consumers don't live in a laboratory, and in the real world have easy access to more useful information than ever.

One of the biggest assumptions in marketing is that brand is king.   Branding is the mark of quality, assuring many that they can now determine value.  It can take a long time and a lot of money to develop a brand, but what happens when a consumer has easy access to information on alternatives?  Is branding just a short cut to evaluate quality or maybe just one of a few tools available.

The authors, Itamar Simonson and Emanuel Rosen develop the concept of relative and absolute information.  Relative information is more limited, sometimes consisting of a few choices in front of you or what you might have gleaned from advertisements.  Absolute information is used in the sense that there is a lot more information currently easily accessible through the inter-net.  Not every product has extensive information and not every prospect cares to investigate.

It is increasingly common for those about to buy something to check it out on the internet often with a smart phone.  Many products or services have generated dozens, even thousands of reviews.  For some it might be  overwhelming but reviews can be sorted in various ways to closely match preferences of the viewer.  As smart phones become more popular many buyers can even study reviews right in the store.

One traditional strategy is to seek out and develop early adopters of new products.  In the past most consumers have been reluctant to be among the first adopters, but it turns out that was largely because they weren't comfortable with the available information.  Nowadays they can gain information much more quickly and are more apt to accept new products that are appropriate to their preferences.

Social media is perceived as a modern marketing tool and many users see company information as just another marketing "tool" and not sufficient.  Companies can recruit honest opinions from experts or consumers who have used their product or service.  Surprisingly negative reviews can help drive sales: by creating credibility, but also one person's negative can be another person's positive.   Another strategy is to develop community interest.

One personal experience illustrates the power of social media.  Recently I was with about 16 relatives for a restaurant outing where the management was unable to get our meals out in a timely manner and were evasive.  My daughter Heather first posted a panorama photo and then later commented that we had been seated at 5 and were still waiting for service well after 6.  Her friends and others are unlikely to think of that restaurant in positive terms. and I, for one am glad we were able to warn off others.

The authors take their time to make the case, but concede that traditional marketing strategies are not all useless.  They effectively establish the trend and overcome many objections.  To survive, the role of the marketer has to adjust.  The first step is to assess how vulnerable specific products and their categories are to the new information technology.  Some may not be at the moment, but you also need to keep looking for game changers.  Also some segments of the target group might not be vulnerable, but as time goes by this is also likely to change.

There are many useful insights covering a wide view of the topic. If you need more inducement to read the book (it really is a game changer itself) check out their website: where you can also find links referred to in the text http://www.absolutevaluebook.com/

Unmarketing--marketing for the future?

My daughter, Heather has a habit of giving me mind opening books. "Unmarketing" is yet another example for which I am grateful.

Scott Stratten is known as a social media expert. I think he has gone beyond that and has much to say to anyone who thinks they are engaged in selling. Engagement is the key. Marketing seems to me to be two things--numbers and refined numbers. Numbers is straight forward--whatever you do, do more of it to reach a bigger audience more often. Refined numbers is trying to categorize people and develop a pitch or presentation that is tailored for profitable niches.

Oversimplified perhaps, but Scott has taken his experience with social media and put it back towards traditional marketing. For some people social media is just an extension of regular marketing where if you send out more messages and maybe fine-tune what you are saying and to whom, you will increase sales. Misses the point. Social media is an opportunity to engage prospects. Engaging essentially means a two way conversation that might not always directly deal with what you are trying to sell. Building relationships is really what you are trying to do.

A key quote from Scott is "If you believe business is built on relationships, make building them your business." Always look for opportunities to engage.

In many of his chapters he puts himself in the role of the potential buyer. As knowledgeable salespeople we often figure we know so much more about the product we are pushing, that other people are a bit dumb if they don't understand the opportunity we are offering them. At the same time in reality we try to avoid rejection and are reluctant to waste our time on obviously unlikely buyers.  Another perspective on understanding prospects:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/salemans-introspection-as-buyer.html

If you are always preaching you are turning away people who potentially have an interest in what you are selling or know someone who does. Every contact point is an opportunity to engage.

His advice can apply to big companies or small start-ups. Asking your audience what you need to stop doing, what you should start doing and what you should continue doing will tell you what you need to think hard about.

Trying to build a following can be demanding. Quantity and quality can make a difference. To start conversations you need to reply to other people's concerns, raise questions and be authentic. Some people find it is too demanding and resort to automatic tweeting where your tweets are spaced out. Scott feels if you aren't there to respond your audience will soon realize you are not authentic. Honesty is the best way to deal with this. It is ok to delegate to someone, but it is necessary that they be identifiable.

He is very comfortable with a retail environment. A common occurence in retail outlets when approaching people looking around your store is "I'm just looking." Scott sees this as an opportunity to engage with minimal pressure. He suggests you hand out general interest sheets along the line of "10 things to look for when considering buying...." Have a newsletter that gives consumer tips that anyone can benefit from.

He has some interesting things to say about trade shows. They too are opportunities to engage. Make your booth a welcoming place, one that will make passers-by not feel you have other things you would rather do. Every person going by is somehow connected to someone higher in the buying chain. Scott has some practical ideas how social media can be used to draw interested people to a show and also when at the show to attract traffic to your booth and engage your fellow exhibitors. One of the interesting possibilities is that some of the "strangers" visiting can turn out to be your social media acquaintances.  Some other thoughts on trade shows:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/01/trade-shows-where-customers-come-to.html

Social media is not isolated from other efforts to promote your business, but can not only support your marketing, but can also help guide it. My little review does not really do justice to the book where you will find a strong underlying philosophy with lots of practical advice. Get the book by all means and check out his website; http://www.unmarketing.com/ On there you can get his current thoughts and follow him on social media.