THINKing

Everyman 1, Influentials, 0

Back in the 20th Century, you might remember, PR people were advised to determine who were the influentials in their market and spend the majority of their efforts reaching these elites. The theory was that if you reached these centers of influence – the media or someone who could influence popular culture – you could develop more targeted programs and avoid a mass approach. Approaching influentials was less expensive than mass communications.

Tap Employee Passion

Meriwether Lewis set the stage for the Corps of Discovery’s success before one single “employee” had been hired. From the outset Lewis and Clark engendered a communications culture that brought in the right prospects, then kept morale high and increased the productivity of those eventually hired.

Twitter: Time Waster Or Cool Tool?

Liberal newspaper columnist, Leonard Pitts, today says he won’t Twitter. Ever. Works for me. The only thing Pitts and I agree on in this particular case is in his column’s last line:

I will never Twitter you. In the first place, you have better things to do. In the second, I am not that interesting.

HR & Marketing: You Need To Talk

With corporations looking for ways to cut costs, I have an idea that will pay off in both the short- and the long-run. My idea involves how to make sure you have great employees. Don’t fire them randomly. First, get rid of the employees who don’t live out your brand values.

Tough Times Call for Tough Marketers

OK, the media tells us the economy is in the dumper. There are some trouble spots, but it is not as bad as they are painting it. It is, however, a tougher environment than marketers have known for a while. While others succumb to the gloom and doom, the tough marketer can turn this into an opportunity.

Leadership 101

Despite the financial mess we are in and the negative, woe is me media frenzy, America is going to be all right. In our relatively short national history, we have been through many trials and always have come out on top. It is the good people of this country – not the government, not elected officials – who are responsible for getting us through tough times. We will help family and friends and those less fortunate members of our communities. That’s what we do. It’s part of our character.