Yep, a new look for the Creative Ventures newsletter.  My design team, led by Mike (the wizard) Wilcox, has again come up with another way cool look and feel.  Mike leads a section of my Rich Media program, designing “one minute read” templates for all of my clients.  Damn fantastic work!  The Creative Ventures web site is currently getting a face lift with a new, simplified structure, new content, and a new look for the blog.  We should be done in the next 60 days.

My work has lately been focused on our educational platforms. I have launched new curriculum programs in the fields of thinking, and communication skill sets for three clients.  I have customized our core learning programs to meet the specific needs of each client, allowing them to attack on-going learning with a very industry-focused approach.

The client input has been fantastic! 

One of the hot topics in recent business publications and forums has been the need to attract and retain talented employees.  Much of the discussion has centered on Generation “Y” (18 to 25 +/- year olds) and how unique they are to, what has been termed, “the traditional workplace”.  I recently heard an expert speak on the needs of business to supply the following to gain the most out of this new generation of workers:

• Tell them what they do matters.
• Tell them the truth.
• Explain “why” in order to engage.
• Give them an opportunity to learn.
• Speak in their language.
• Look for opportunities to reward.
• Praise them in public.
• Make the workplace fun.

I sat there and thought – WOW that describes how you should treat everyone.

Let me simplify the issue. There are only two core needs of any employee:

• VALUE:  People absolutely need to know that they are of value.  This can mean a lot of different things and gives an employer a lot of space to create methods that tells someone they matter.  People feel disconnected without a leadership focus letting them know they are significant.
• GROWTH:  Show people they can grow with your company and that they can learn new skills to apply to their career, and they will flock to you.  Growth can be as nebulas as VALUE when developing a real retention/attraction strategy.  Believe it or not, that’s GOOD!  The idea of growth is flexible.  A simple place to start is EDUCATION.

There you go, two key points to build a real and substantive strategy around!

There is so much going on out there that it’s hard to know where to start. But here are a few things that should make you think:

The Sales Excuse Machine:  A recent internet article on sales showed some interesting information resulting from a two year study on the key reasons sales people fail during tough times.  Here are the top 5:

1. Blame Others:  It’s always someone else’s fault.
2. Lack of Persistence:  Sometimes it’s about hammering away.
3. They Don’t Believe in the Product:  HUH, why would anyone involve themselves in something they don’t believe in?  Fast money with little effort.  WRONG.  Make sure they understand and believe.  Spend some conversational time with your sales team.
4. No Commitment to Learning or Training:  Also a main reason for talented people leaving (see GROWTH in the IDEAS section).  Grow your people!
5. No Planning:  They put themselves at the mercy of the job instead of taking command of sales opportunities.

Rich Media on the Rise:  Still need to be convinced to add rich media products to your advertising, marketing, and communication strategy?  Here you go:

• 57 million Americans watch broadband video every day.
• That key rising demographic of 18-29 year olds dominate video watching with news, comedy, and movies as their top choices.  BUT - intrigue them and they will flock to your video.
• 2 out of 3 of those “kids” send links to their friends creating strong viral spreads.

         The future of all marketing and communications will involve video!

Know Who Brought You to the Dance:  Now and then everyone loses focus.  Wal-Mart announced they were cutting prices 10% to 50% on over 16,000 items.  So what.  This follows last year’s unsuccessful plan to focus on expensive upscale products.  NetFlix has seen their stock shares fall 12% when they announced price reductions in their top two plans.  Why knock down prices?  They lost focus on marketing letting Blockbuster do some serious catch up.  Apple knows exactly what people look to them for: cutting edge design on NEEDED technology in a simple, elegant format.  They showed record profits in the 3rd quarter with iPhone sales. They also focused on Mac and iPod sales.  After shipping 9.8 million iPods, Mac sales rose 33%.  Focus is critical. Make sure you keep your eye on the road!