Keeping It Real

As companies have struggled to keep things business-as-usual during the recession, one of the key cutbacks they’ve made is in live events.
Obviously, as an experiential marketing agency, we had to find a way to work around this changing circumstance.
Thankfully, with a great digital team and the incredible virtual experience platform JMW created, we’ve been able to keep our clients’ events programme alive in innovative and cost-effective ways.
People are currently wondering whether the success of virtual events will spell the end of live events.
I say a resounding no.
Although these solutions enable businesses to communicate and interact with customers, employees and other stakeholders, the fact remains – there’s no substitute for a real live experience.
There’s an extra special dynamic that comes from being able to look people in the eye and sharing a memorable experience together.
We’ve all been there they are special
There is of course one other factor.
It’s called the psychology of honesty.
Face to face one is less likely to;
Duck an issue.
Agree to some objective or other you are not even going to try to achieve.
Say yes when you mean no
Say no when you mean yes
Face to face keeps us all honest
Virtual events are a great platform, but they should be a supplement to the live experience, not a replacement.
Honest!

Change Is The Only Constant

The world is constantly changing.
And in these technologically-enhanced times, it's changing faster than ever.
Sometimes, we have to run just to catch up.
So I find it weird that so many people remain resistant to progress.
They actively shun evolution, dig in their heels and steadfastly refuse to move on.
Some of them even go so far as to take pride in the 'Luddite' approach, arguing that when the world shifts back, they'll be in exactly the right place.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
And the more ridiculous they look.
I always think of Trigger, the po-faced buffoon in long-running sitcom 'Only Fools and Horses'.
He once proudly announced:
"I've had the same broom for 20 years."
"It's had 17 new heads ...........................and 14 new handles."
You can keep telling yourself that nothing's changed.
But in actual fact, everything has.

Lovely Day

Today something different.
No advice.
No life lessons
No modern parables,
No "experiential is the most powerful form of communication"
Just this
Click the link listen to the whole thing
(yes even you....)
Those that know me well, know why
And those that don’t know me well, come in the water is lovely
As Jerry Springer says
“Take care of yourself and each other”
Enjoy!

Listen Up...

You know, I often think back fondly and remember my grandfather.
I used to spend endless hours with him when I was ten or eleven, because he was so fascinating.
He'd moved to the UK from France in the 1930s.
He spoke five languages.
He'd seen plenty of life and built up a vast wealth of knowledge to impart.
One bright sunny morning, he invited me to sit with him.
He wanted to tell me something.
He told me that there are two types of people in this world.
Those who listen.......
I can't remember what the rest of it was
But it was really interesting.
What a great man he was.

The Price Of Overconfidence

Spare a thought for poor old Charlie Chaplin.
At the height of his fame he entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest.
Thinking it would be hilarious to win
He didn’t even make the finals.
We’ve all had those moments where we’ve been convinced that we had it ‘in the bag’.
Whether it was a job interview, a pitch or an account review, we took our success for granted and became complacent.
The price of success is eternal vigilance.
Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that you know everything.
Because like Charlie, you may not even be the best version of yourself out there.
Now, Harry Hill lookalikes, that’s another story...

Nice Place But Wouldn’t Want To Live There

Why does everyone keep talking about their comfort zone like it’s a good place to be?
The comfort zone isn’t comfortable at all.
It’s full of laziness and complacency.
It’s where imaginations go to die.
There’s no hunger, no passion, no winning.
If I wanted to be that miserable I’d move to Swindon.
Don't think about stepping out of your comfort zone.
Get rid of it altogether.
Lock yourself out and throw away the key.
Because the rest of the world is where the action is.

Following Derren Brown...

Three-quarters of the way through, and it’s safe to say that 2009 has been a tough year for everyone.
Gloomy naysayers are already looking ahead and predicting an even worse 2010.
But I’m going to stick my neck on the line and disagree.
You see, despite all the cutbacks, currency issues and talk of recession, many companies haven’t just weathered the storm, they’ve come out the other side stronger than ever.
They’ve stared the recession in the face, stripped costs out of their business and managed to hit their revenue targets.
So what about next year?
Well I reckon that all this streamlining has taken cost-savings as far as they can go.
If companies want to achieve growth next year, (and let’s face it, whose shareholders don’t?) they’re going to have to drive revenue growth by creating sales growth.
That means marketing, advertising and events.
Those CFOs are going to have to start loosening the purse-strings again.
Remember that Kellogg’s emerged from the Great Depression as the market leader because they ramped up their marketing while everyone else cut back.
I predict good things for 2010.
Now, next week’s lottery numbers will be...

It's Your Call

When I talk to sales colleagues I’m often asked about my ‘five calls a day’ mantra.
It’s quite simple.
If you want to drive sales, you have to be prepared to make five connected calls a day.
That’s 25 calls a week, a hundred a month, and ...... you can do the rest.
There’s no short cut or quick fix.
These calls won’t turn into a new opportunity overnight.
Like any relationship you have to be prepared to put the effort in up-front.
So start finding reasons to talk to people about your business every single day.
They say “sales is a numbers game”.
It's not. It's a people game.
If you’re not talking to any people, you won't make any sales.
Simple as that.

Open That Can Of Worms

Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing daunting or scary about the metaphorical can of worms.
The key of course is to take each worm individually.
As a pile they may be complicated, slimy and gross.
On their own, worms are tiny, simple and they can’t hurt you.
As a child I learned this lesson the hard way, when I went through an unpleasant phase of eating them.
Pick one up, deal with it and move on.
It’s something we’re particularly good at here at Jack Morton.
We face some pretty huge and what can seem daunting tasks in our day-to-day lives.
We handle them one worm at a time.
That way, we’re never overcome by the scale or complexity of the challenge.
And I never go hungry!

Don't Manage Time, Manage Attention

I’ve said before that Outlook is "not the boss of you."
It’s a point worth repeating.
One of the problems with Outlook is that, when you create a meeting in the calendar, the default setting is for an hour-long slot.
I’ve changed my settings to half-an-hour, and it won't be too long before I change that to 15 minutes.
It’s not that I have a short attention span.
It’s just that the point of a meeting is not to fill a slot in the calendar.
Like a good brief, a meeting should be as long as it needs to be, and as short as it can be.
Oh, and one more thing.
There’s nothing rude about excusing yourself when your part of the meeting is over.
When your bit is done, go do something more productive with your time.
If anyone has a problem with that, tell them to talk to me.
I’m sure I can find a spare five minutes in my diary

2ND...3RD...4TH...Guessing...

One of the toughest things about being an incumbent agency on any pitch is the ability to second-guess the client.
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, whereas a lot of knowledge can be downright stifling.
There’s always value in being an agency of record.
The real value comes from understanding the clients goals and objectives.
Not from being able to pre-empt the potential pitfalls of the idea.
You may know the colours they dislike, the places they’ve been and the things they’ve tried.
But if you focus too much on the detail, you’ll only end up getting in your own way.
Don’t constrain your thinking with the lessons you’ve learned.
The other agencies are busy making it up as they go along, and they’ll be the ones who wow your client with some truly surprising thinking.
Energy and enthusiasm will win the day.
So try to stop yourself from saying “You know what, they’re not gonna like that.”
Because they just might.

Looking Good...Feeling Great...

I’ve written before about Jack Morton’s EVP...MD Julian Pullan, so indulge me while I name check him yet again.
(and it can’t be a bad thing with my end of year review coming up)
The thing is, Julian is a great leader because he understands the importance of positivity.
Before a pitch we always encourage the pitch teams to put their proposal in front of Julian to get his opinion.
He starts by commenting on all the positives (design looks great, strong idea, good strategy) and makes a few helpful suggestions if there’s an area that can be improved or tightened.
It’s a great approach and it helps focus the energy of the team before they head off to present.
Above all, Julian understands that no-one ever benefits from being told they’ve done a bad job.
Everyone needs a cheerleader.
It helps when they’re the ones sitting in the big leather executive seats.

Unique Selling Time

For decades the advertising world was hung up on the USP.
The Unique Selling Proposition.
That single inarguable truth about a product or service that would inform each new campaign.
But just lately I’ve been thinking that when it comes to sales, timing is everything.
Maybe we need to start thinking about Unique Selling Time.
UST
So many opportunities are time sensitive, and when they present themselves it’s a case of ‘now or never’.
So much of your success comes down to the things you say and do, but when the stars are aligned you have a limited window in which to make your move.
It’s not a case of choosing your moment, the moment chooses you.
It’s here and it’s now, so don’t miss it.

PYO...Paint Your Own...

Picture the scene.
Pablo Picasso is in his Paris studio labouring over another cubist masterpiece.
He’s joined by a friend who’s interested to see what he’s doing.
The friend takes a look at the picture, but the way he sees it, there’s something wrong.
For a start, the woman in the painting has both her eyes on the same side of her face.
So he picks up a brush and tries to correct his friend’s mistake.
The moment his brush touches the canvas, the picture stops being a Picasso.
Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and anyone who feels the creative urge should pick up a brush and start painting.
But not if it means painting over someone else’s work.
There are plenty of empty canvases out there in the world.
So if you want to do things your way, go find one of those canvases and paint your own.
It might even be a masterpiece.

It’s Behind You

Sorry for the lateness of this post, very, very late night!
Went to the opening night of Breakfast at Tiffany’s .......
So ended up squashed on the tube this morning
This one goes out to anyone who wears a rucksack or backpack.
News flash – you need twice as much space.
Whether you’re on a bus, a tube train or just walking up the street, you take up far more room than a regular person.
So when you turn around, be mindful of your increased girth.
Sometimes it’s like watching Laurel and Hardy carrying a ladder, and people can get hurt.
I don’t really want to upset the rucksack wearers of the world.
(No-one from New Zealand would ever speak to me again)
But there’s actually a lesson here for all of us.
We all carry baggage with us every day.
When we make a decision or change our plans, we need to be mindful of the impact that has on the people around us.
Some will be quick enough to get out of the way, while others will be knocked down.
Try to be considerate whenever you decide to put yourself first.
Chances are, someone else is going to feel the impact.

Here Is The N-E-W-S...

Did you know that the word news doesn’t just relate to the ‘current’ in current affairs?
It’s actually an acronym representing the four compass points.
This is because it was originally coined to represent a gathering of information from every direction.
When it comes to approaching a new client, you need to demonstrate that you have a point of view on what they are up to.
With time a luxury that no-one can afford, it’s easy to take short cuts when it comes to looking for information.
But it’s important to remember that breadth is just as important as depth.
How can we do that quickly ....and cheaply?
I always think of my N-E-W-S compass points
(Once a boy scout, always a boy scout).
Who do you now in the client organisation that’ll help you on the QT.
What about friends in other agencies or your own agency network?
What’s out there on the internet that will give you some quick insights, and what do you already know that you can put to good use?
A few smart assumptions are always good.
No-one inside any organisation expects you to be an expert when you are on the outside looking in.
Show passion, enthusiasm and creative thinking.
Show the breadth of your understanding on their issues.

Rather than your company’s (great as it is I’m sure) history.
It’s far more relevant and entertaining.

It's A Funny Old Game...

The World Cup qualifiers have got me thinking
Footballers are a funny bunch.
Just watch next time a goal’s scored and you can bet on some classic behaviour.
They’ll drop to their knees, they’ll embrace their team-mates, they’ll yell at the crowds and some will kiss the badge on their shirt
Listen to them interviewed and they’ll talk about how they’ve always wanted to play for their team, it’s a dream come true.
Stop.
They don’t play for the badge; they play for a man ...the manager.
If you don’t believe me look at the teams that are playing badly, on the verge of not qualifying, change of manager and they don’t lose a game.
Same players, same “badge” different man at the top.
It’s the same in corporate life.
We pledge our commitment to a company, but in fact, we work for a person.
There’s someone in your business that is the reason you strive to be your best.
I’d like to think that in most cases, it’s your boss.
But even if it’s not, make sure you understand what it is that this person gives you, and what you can offer them in return.
After all, they’re the reason you’re there.

Be Silly...

If someone calls you ‘silly’, it’s likely that your first instinct would either be to take offence, or assume that they’re three years old.
Over time, misuse of the word has led us to assume that it’s a dismissive putdown that insinuates a lack of sense.
In fact, the word “silly” comes from the old English word “selig”.
Its literal definition is “to be blessed, happy, healthy and prosperous.”
Which doesn’t seem nearly so bad, does it?
So I implore you, on this Monday morning, to be silly, and enjoy every moment.

Agencies Are From Mars, Clients Are From Venus

With apologies to John Gray Ph.D.
In the mid-nineties, the publishing industry enjoyed something of a boon, as desperate couples turned to bookshops for the answers to their dysfunctional relationships.
The book that kicked all this off was John Gray’s bestseller ‘Men are from Mars, Woman are from Venus’.
Now I’m not here to advocate for generalised gender observations, but the overall approach Gray took was a valid one.
You see, Gray understood that we all need each other.
We may share common goals and aspirations, but we start from different places and go about accomplishing them in different ways.
In that sense, it’s a lot like the relationships between agencies and clients.
We may want the same thing, but start from different perspectives and we’ll go about it differently.
We agency people need to look beyond the brief.
Clients need more understanding.
What are the hard business issues behind the brief?
You’ll get to a much more balanced relationship
Also an occasional hug wouldn’t kill you, would it?

Blast From The Past...

We all have someone in our address book that we want to call.
But for whatever reason, we put it off.
Occasionally we reach for the phone and find our hand hovers in space as we recall the argument, the botched job or the bitter exchange that’s the reason we haven’t kept in touch.
The funny thing is, they’re probably doing the same thing.
And they’re hoping that you’ll pluck up the courage first because they’re embarrassed too.
Whatever that insurmountable obstacle was, it’s gone.
They’ll be as happy to hear from you as you will be to speak to them.
So forget about age-old issues and go for it.
Friends, clients and colleagues are the important thing.
Everything else is water under the bridge.

Hear My Voice

Have you ever sat in a meeting and listened to someone edging towards a disastrous idea, and done nothing to stop it?
Maybe you felt shy, or too junior to speak up, despite the fact that you knew you were in the right.
We’ve all done it.
But speaking up is part of our job.
If you’ve been invited to a meeting or a brainstorm, you’re there for a reason, not just to warm a seat.
So if you can see a mistake being made, or something being overlooked, make yourself heard.
No-one will think badly of you.
They may even be thinking the same thing but are also too intimidated to pipe up.
So seize your opportunity – tell the crowds that the King isn’t wearing any clothes.
You’ll be glad you did.

Get Out Of The Way...

Self-help books are full of the power of positive thinking.
The simple point about it is that if you don’t believe that you deserve something, you won’t get it.
If you can’t convince yourself, how can you possibly expect to convince anyone else?
Being positive might not be enough to make you win, but getting in your own way is certainly enough to make you lose.
There’s a great quote by Marianne Williams:
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome talented and fabulous.
Actually who are you not to be?”
You have to believe it in order to do it.
When Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile, on the 6th May 1954, a big part of his “training” was to convince himself he could do it, he ran the race over and over in his head.
Once Roger broke the record, others could see it was possible and 24 other broke the record within a few years
Now it’s no really target at all