Hey everyone, here we go. . . . . .
IN OUR WORLD
This was a week of fantastic opportunity and very sad news.
First, the good stuff. I have so many fantastic opportunities on the table that it is hard to figure out what to do! Since I am a small operation I will find myself in the enviable situation of having to say “no” to a couple of projects. I am hoping I can reschedule them. These are exciting chances for me to contribute to major Fortune 100 players as well as a couple of key niche players. I have worked hard to have an opportunity to choose the most challenging and fulfilling projects that grace my desk!
On the sad side of things I lost a friend this week. It always makes you take notice of the unpredictable nature of our human existence. It hard to focus on the time we got to share and not feel bad about the future no longer available to us. Out time together is a fragile thing and as the late Warren Zevon said; “take a minute and enjoy your sandwich.”
ANNOUNCEMENT: On July 15 I will be hosting a full day CREATIVE VENTURES learning experience that will be open to the public. The day will be devoted to a multimedia, interactive workshop teaching the two core skill sets that everyone needs to be successful – the ability to communicate and the ability to think. MARK YOUR CALENDAR. What a great early response, THANKS! We will find space for any blog reader, but you need to contact Chris Ryan at cryan@paredigm.com or give him a call at 214-697-2700, NOW.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Everyone is concerned about their customers and rightly so, they are your lifeblood, no matter what business you are in. The bookstores and internet are filled with ways to get more, to keep those you have and to create relationships that build loyalty. Heck, I’ve written a lot of them and I know how confusing it is. The bottom line is; with a limited amount of time and resources, what the hell should I do? Though each of you have a very specific strategic need and it would be a tremendous disservice to provide a blanket of ideas, a kind of one size fits all, I guess I am going to do it anyway. Just think about these ideas:
- You should find out how any new client came upon your business or service. Simple ask, “How did you hear about us?” This simple question will provide you the vital knowledge of where your connections are occurring. Once you know this, you can do more of it!
- Continue to build buzz. I know you are doing this already, so just give it a little more energy and focus. I’ll bet the answer to the “how did you hear about us” will find its connection to your “buzz” factor. You know the standard pieces, blogs, social networks, newsletters. Don’t loose focus; these are critical in a connected world.
- Educate your customers. Did you know the more they know about what you do the more they will engage? Find fun ways to connect them to your knowledge base.
Just a couple of ideas and you can never have enough ideas.
ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIES: Wanted breaks this weekend. It is another comic book made into a movie, which puts me right in the front row at the famous Studio Movie Grill.
NetFlix Fans: Raging Bull – The AFI (American Film Institute) recently released its Top 10 list of movies in 10 genres. One of them was sport movies and this was #1 in the category.
TV: As a tennis fan, you can forget about anything else gracing my tube except tennis.
BOOKS: Collapse – by Diamond. A great read about how we choose to build the cultures we live in.
MUSIC: On August 8th the great singer/songwriter Pierce Pettis is returning to Dallas to play at a tiny little coffee house that Laura and I love; Uncle Calvin’s.
I am usually selfish about my music venues as they are like little treasures to me, but EVERYONE should see Pierce. Here is a sample of his work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0rkAW451bM
WEB SITES: People sharing content from all over the web.
SOUTH OF
I read a really interesting article on the
- Beam Electricity from Space: The Japanese plan on launching giant solar panels into space and sending limitless clean energy back to earth. It would be a 1.5 mile long solar array. WOW.
- Turn Pig Pee into Plastic: I kid you not! There is a chemical produced in pig liver that can be recycled in a variety of ways, from de-icing to bioplastics.
If these are beyond your grasp, leave a small footprint and turn off your lights when you leave the room.
“You can’t win any game unless you are ready to win.”
Connie Mack
Drop me a note with your comments at creativeventures@nova1.com.
Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.
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