br april 2007 issuu

$10.00

TM

www.brill iantpublishing.com

Brillia

nt R

es

ults

Ap

ril 20

07

Vo

l. 4, N

o. 0

4

Sp

orts

Apr i l 2007

RELATIONSHIPS | RESOURCES | RESULTS

Super BowlChampions

Brand +Brand Success

GATHERCompetitive Intelligence

=

Super BowlChampions

Brand +Brand Success

GATHERCompetitive Intelligence

=

BR0407_Cover.qxl 3/28/07 10:37 PM Page C1

creo

C O R P O R A T E

Since 1987 the authenticityinnovation and confidence

continues...

www.ashworthcorporate.com

BR0307_Section03 2/27/07 4:13 AM Page C2

creo

BR0407_Section03 3/29/07 7:06 PM

4 Brilliant Results | April 2007 www.brilliantpublishing.com

MARITZ UNVEILS SIX DISTINCTEMPLOYEE TYPES BASED ON

REWARD PREFERENCES 14Find out what works in Employee Recognition

based on this recent Maritz Poll. By: Maritz Research

DEBUNKING MYTHS OF THE SENIOR MARKET 18

Discover how to reach a sector of the market, which in numbers and

purchasing power, is projected to more than double over the next 35 years.

By: Michael C. Walker

SLQuery: THE NEXT “GoogleTM” OF Second Life®? 20

To understand how a search engine is developed in a virtual world, this interview withDamek Tretiak (his SL avatar name) of SLQuery

walks us through his search engine platformspecifically designed for Second Life.

By: Bill Nissim

BRAND + BRAND = SUCCESS? 26Is co-branding merely a form of hype or can it

determine the path to brand stardom? This author provides insight into what works

and does not work in co-branding.By: Martin Lindstrom

Contents

8

17

30

columns

COVER STORY 8FOCUS: SPORTS

Brilliant Results enjoyed speaking with the marketing and public relations teams of the Super BowlWorld Champion Indianapolis Colts.

TMbrilliant resultsVol. 4, No. 04

features

departments

GATHER COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE WITH A MYSTERY

SHOPPING PROGRAM 34Increase the success of your intelligence

gathering by avoiding these five common misunderstandings.

By: Barry Siskind

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 36

Learn how to improve your organization’sstrategic alliance success rate.

By: Ed Rigsbee, CSP

SPORTS…THE GREAT MOTIVATOR 17Read about how to wrap a sports

theme around a well-structured sales incentive or performance improvement

program and get positive ROI! By: Arnold Light, CTC

TRAINING FOR THE BIG EVENT 28The truly great exhibitors don’t just

show up at the show and automatically know how to turn in a great

performance…learn how they train.By: Susan A. Friedmann, CSP

A LAUGHING MATTER: HOWHUMOR IN THE WORKPLACE CANHELP ANY MARKETING TEAM 30

Follow these suggestions and watch humor work its magic on your team.

. By: The Creative Group

IT’S ALL PERSONAL 32Let teamwork with your Promotional

Products Professional help make your next campaign a winner.

By: Dave Ribble

SUCCESS STORIES 40Brilliant Results presents

real world stories from promotional and incentive winners.

PUBLISHER’S LETTER 6

SPORTS AND SPIRIT PRODUCTS 44 These exciting Sports and Spirit Products

make any team a winner.

ADVERTISING INDEX 46Get FREE information from this

month’s advertisers

OFF THE CUFF 47Quotes & A Football Trivia Quiz

THE LAST WORD 48Brilliant Results recently spoke with Dan Coughlin

author of Accelerate: 20 Practical Lessons toBoost Business Momentum his book is packed

with insights to move your results forward in a sustainable manner.

Cover and cover story photographs provided by the Indianapolis Colts.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/29/07 12:25 AM

BR0307_Section03 2/27/07 4:13 AM Page C3

9034 Joyce LaneHummelstown, PA 17036

Ph: 717.608.5869Fax: 717.566.5431

PUBLISHER / ADVERTISINGMaureen Williams-Berman

[email protected]

Account ExecutiveJan Kellogg

EDITORIALEditor in Chief

MaryAnne Morrill

Senior EditorMichelle Donofry

Style EditorCharity Plata

Asst. EditorMildred Landis

Contributing WritersMichael Chidlowsky, The Creative Group, Susan A.

Friedmann, CSP, Arnold Light, CTC, Martin Lindstrom,Maritz Research, Bill Nissim, Robert Piller, Dave Ribble,

Ed Rigsbee, CSP, Barry Siskind, Michael C. Walker

Cover Photograph Courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts

PRODUCTION / DESIGNArt Director

Percy Zamora

Brilliant Results is published monthly by Brilliant PublishingLLC, 9034 Joyce Lane Hummelstown PA 17036 (717) 608-5869;Fax# (717) 566-5431. Postage paid at Mechanicsburg PA andadditional offices. POSTMASTER please send address changesto Brilliant Results, 9034 Joyce Lane, Hummelstown PA 17036.Volume 4. Number 4. Brilliant Results subscription rates: one-year $120; Canadian $160 USD; one-year foreign $225 USD. Allsubscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright © 2007 BrilliantPublishing LLC. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves theright to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material.Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility forany claims against the publisher based on the advertisement.Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their publishedworks and assume responsibility for any claims against the pub-lisher based on published work. No part of this publication canbe reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means,including information storage and retrieval systems, withoutwritten permission from the publisher. All items submitted toBrilliant Results become the sole property of Brilliant PublishingLLC. Editorial content does not reflect the views of the publisher.The imprints, logos, trademarks or trade names (Collectively the“Marks”) displayed on the products featured in Brilliant Resultsare for illustrative purposes only and are not available for sale.The marks do not represent the implied or actual endorsementby the owners of the Marks of the product on which they appear.All of the Marks are the property of the respective owners and isnot the property of either the advertisers using the Marks orBrilliant Results.


Publisher’s LetterTM


brilliant resultsbrilliant results

262467

THE WINNING SPORTS AND BUSINESS mindsets arevery similar and in this issue Brilliant Results speaks withthe winners of one of sport’s supreme contests…theSuper Bowl. At the beginning of each football seasonevery team starts out with the goal of having its memberswear the Ring, the elusive symbol of achievement. At theend of each season only two teams remain in the arenaand that final game decides which team is that season’sWorld Champions and wearers of the Ring.

More often then not the club that wins is not the one with the most stars,but rather the one with a team of stars. While many teams hope to be luckyenough to win, generally the teams that work together well play in that finaldeciding game. At the end of every business cycle, it is also more generallytrue that the organization that works as a team wins in the eyes of both itscustomers and its investors. There may be rainmakers in any company, butif there isn’t a team to follow through the rain is often just a shower.

For all you would be team players, this month Brilliant Results opens witha brief sports interview and then provides some insightful information abouthow to reward the team, motivate the team, keep the team laughing, trainthe team, build the brand, get to know the competition, understand an impor-tant buying group and develop strategic alliances. This month’s SuccessStories present great information combined with suggestions for turninggreen to gold. We have also spotlighted several products to help you cheeryour team on to victory. For the forward-looking team members, we have alsoincluded a thought-provoking article about navigating the second life virtualworld. After you read this interview with an expert, you may find your mindspinning with ideas for product placement, sponsorship, or even your owncompany in this fascinating second life virtual world. When you return fromthe virtual world, the Last Word should inspire you to stop and reflect onways to accelerate your way to improved sustainable results.

So, whether it is the present or the future this issue has something tointerest every member of the team…Go Team Go!

Have a Brilliant Day!

Maureen [email protected] 541-788-5022

Brill492

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 8:37 PM

creo

BR0307_Section03 2/28/07 2:02 AM


FOCUS: SPORTS

“The Colts are the only team to make the playoffsseven timesin the pasteight years.”

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:12 AM

Brilliant Results | April 2007 9www.brilliantpublishing.com

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CAME to IndianapolisMarch 28, 1984, when Colts Owner Robert Irsaymoved the historic NFL franchise from Baltimore toIndianapolis—the friendly heart of the Midwest.The roots of the franchise go back to December 28,1946, when Miami Seahawks of the All-AmericaFootball Conference were purchased and relocatedin Baltimore. As the result of a contest in Baltimore,the team was renamed the “Colts.”

The AAFC and NFL merged in 1950, and the Coltsjoined the NFL. After posting a 1-11 record for thesecond consecutive year, the franchise was dissolvedby the league in 1951, because of its failing financialcondition. After two seasons without professional

football, NFL Commissioner Bert Bell challenged thefranchise in December of 1952 to sell 15,000 seasontickets within six weeks in order to re-enter the NFL.That 15,000-ticket quota was reached in four weeksand three days and on January 23, 1953, the NFL’sDallas Texans franchise was moved to Baltimorewhere, keeping the “Colts” nickname, the Texansteam colors of blue and white were inherited.

In May of 1969, the NFL merged with the AFLand Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cleveland joined theold AFL teams to form the American FootballConference of the NFL. In July 1972, the Colts cameunder new ownership as Robert Irsay acquired theclub in exchange for the Los Angeles Rams.

The Super Bowl ChampionIndianapolis Colts~ A Great Character Team

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:12 AM


On February 4, 2007, this much storiedfranchise with its 15-4 season recordmeet the 15-3 Chicago Bears in SuperBowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium in Miami,Florida. At stake with the Super Bowl XLIcrown was the Vince Lombardi Trophy, asterling silver trophy named after the latelegendary coach.

With three prior world titles, eleven indi-viduals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame anda logo as recognized as any in Americansports, the Colts captured a fourth title asthey returned to the Super Bowl after a 36-year absence. The Colts had played in twoof the first five Super Bowls, losing an upsetto the New York Jets in Super Bowl III,before topping the Dallas Cowboys inSuper Bowl V with five seconds remainingin the game. The contest against the Jetsactually was billed as the Third WorldChampionship Game, but was later dubbedSuper Bowl III. The Colts are the only team

to make the playoffs seven times in thepast eight years.

To quote Coach Dungy, “I can’t tell you howexcited I’ve been not only to win the SuperBowl, but to really share it with the communi-ty, with the state of Indiana. Coach Dungywent on to express his pride in the way thatthe team won – “as a great character team, ateam the state of Indiana could be proud ofand young men our parents could be proud ofand that our boys could look up to.” Manywould say it is that sense of team from theplayers to the coaches to the front office to thefans that make the Indianapolis Colts winners.

When Brilliant Results spoke with theIndianapolis Colts for this interview, wefound that same team spirit, whether wewere speaking with Craig Kelley, VicePresident of Public Relations or ChuckO’Hara, Senior Marketing Manager, orother members of the public relations andmarketing staff.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:12 AM

ASI #52840 � PPAI #110747 � UPIC EVANS � SAGE #50018

2929Colors!Colors!

BR0407_Section03 3/28/07 4:15 AM

creo

www.brilliantpublishing.com

BR: What is the basic approach to marketing theIndianapolis Colts’ brand?

We are very grassroots oriented when it comes tomarketing the Indianapolis Colts. Our message to ourfans is “Make it Personal”. We spend a considerableamount of marketing dollars traveling the state in theoff-season to bring our Colts in Motion trailer right toour fan’s backyards. Our CIM trailer is a travelingmuseum of Colts history both past and present. Webring a couple of current players and cheerleaders toeach stop and they sign autographs.We use this timeto pass out schedule posters and roughly 4-5 sponsorsare also present so they too can distribute marketingmaterials. We will “Make it Personal” for fans at near-ly fifty stops this summer. This will follow the fiftystops we are currently making with our Super BowlTrophy tour averaging nearly 2,500 fans per stop.

BR: The ‘Super Bowl Trophy Tour’ allowed fans tobe photographed with the Vince Lombardi trophy.Will this recognition of the fan’s contributionincrease your fan base?

Absolutely. We may be unique (NFL) in the factthat we even allow fans to touch the trophy but tohave nearly a hundred thousand do so.

12 Brilliant Results | April 2007

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:13 AM

creo


BR: Was the promotional photograph frame soldat this event successful?

We partnered with local United Way agencies ateach of our stops where fans could purchase a paperframe for $1. They are averaging $300 per stop.

BR: Does the team have a specific approach toforming corporate sponsorships?

Corporate sponsorships are relationships thatbegin with our sales team and are maintained byestablishing partnerships that are unique to eachsponsor by category with the team.

BR: How has sponsorship marketing been pro-moted with regard to the new Lucas Oil Stadiumscheduled to open for the 2008 football season?

Lucas Oil Stadium has been co-branded with theColts Logo on several marketing elements with thestadium. There will be more sponsorship market-ing, as we get closer to 2008.

BR: What impact has the Super Bowl XLI win hadon your marketing and sponsorship campaigns?

It still may be too early to tell. However, we have seentremendous growth on our season ticket waiting list.

BR: You recently added a team mascot – “Blue.”Was this part of a specific campaign?

Our long-term strategy was to appeal to youths.

BR: How many games a year incorporate in-arenapromotions and what is your most frequent take-away?Do you notice an increase in attendance at these games?

Three or four games a season include a promo-tional take-away, with rally towels being the mostcommon product used. Since the stadium was soldout before the season began there was not a meas-urable increase in attendance.

BR:How are these products decided upon (by theColts or by the Sponsor)?

This can be done by both, but is mainly handledby the club.

BR: Do you remember the last promotional orincentive product you received?

It was a backpack at the Super Bowl. •

For more information on the Indianapolis colts,please visit their website at www.colts.com. All photographs provided by the Indianapolis Colts.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 7:19 PM


A RECENT MARITZ® POLL FOUND that 55 percentof employees “agree” or “strongly agree” that thequality of their company’s recognition efforts impactstheir job performance…at the same time, only 43 per-cent of employees “agree” or “strongly agree” thatthey are consistently recognized for their perform-ance in ways that are meaningful to them.

To help companies better understand the impactof offering the right and wrong recognition rewardsto employees, Maritz Incentives and MaritzResearch studied employee reward preferences anduncovered six distinctly different employee types.Although each company has different proportionsof each employee type, a survey of the general pop-ulation found that*1:

22% are Award Seekers 17% are FreedomYearners

20% are Nesters 16% are PraiseCravers

19% are Bottom Liners 8% are UpwardMovers

* Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number and a description ofeach employee type is included below.

The following profiles demonstrate how onetype of reward can work well for some employ-ees, but not for others. For example, a simple‘thank you’ goes a long way with Praise Cravers,but wouldn’t be appreciated by Bottom Liners.As another example, the profiles illustrate how

offering flexible scheduling would keep aFreedom Yearner more committed to the compa-ny than a cash bonus.

AWARD SEEKERS:Award Seekers want rewards that have both

monetary and trophy value. They are far less moti-vated by rewards that take time away from theirnormal routines, such as the opportunity to mentorother employees, work with people outside theirown area, or take on challenging new projects.

Reward Preferences: Gift cards and travel awards

Employee Traits: Younger than other segments;58% female

NESTERS: Nesters are turned off by rewards that take them

away from home. Travel awards and the opportuni-ty to attend conferences were least appealing tothis group. Achieving a good balance between workand personal life is especially important. They wantto go home after a hard day of work and enjoy theirfamilies, rather than going on trips that take themaway from their loved ones.

Reward Preferences: Days off, flexible scheduling &dinners out with their families

Employee Traits: Older than other segments; 54% male

UnveilsSIX DISTINCT EMPLOYEE TYPES

BASED ON REWARD PREFERENCES

Poll Shows that One Size Does Not Fit All in EmployeeRecognition Programs

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:14 AM


BOTTOM LINERS: Bottom Liners are less concerned about tro-

phy or award value and are really only con-cerned about the monetary value of rewards.They place very little emphasis on receivingverbal or written praise. It is likely that, if a com-pany did not attach something of monetaryvalue in their recognition efforts, their effortswould be considered ineffective with this group.

Reward Preferences: Cash bonuses or cumula-tive award points programs that they canaccumulate to obtain rewards.

Employee Traits: Typically have high job dis-satisfaction; 59% female

FREEDOM YEARNERS: Freedom Yearners are less materially motivat-

ed, with limited interest in things like gift cardsand cumulative award programs. They are bestrewarded by giving them flexibility. FreedomYearners are often people that have alreadyachieved a certain level of financial success andsecurity and are now more focused on doingwork that is personally meaningful without anexcessive amount of management interference.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:16 AM


Reward Preferences: Flexible hours,freedom to choose how to achieve theirgoals, ability to choose interesting andchallenging projects and opportunitiesto attend conferences. Employee Traits: 55% at least 45years old; 55% male; had the highestproportion of people making over$100,000 (22%)

PRAISE CRAVERS: These individuals value any type of

praise more than any other segment.They have a greater desire to havetheir work acknowledged, with orwithout an accompanying award ofmonetary value. This group also hasthe least interest in days off or flexiblescheduling, suggesting that they

receive a great deal of personal satis-faction from a job well done that is rec-ognized accordingly. Among thisgroup, simple stated recognition ofgood work will have much greaterimpact than with most others.

Reward Preferences: Verbal, written orformal praise from managers or infor-mal praise by peers.

Employee Traits: Desire a higherdegree of affirmation; 54% male

UPWARD MOVERS: Upward Movers are the most satis-

fied and committed among all of theemployee segments. They are the leastinterested in cash bonuses, days offand flexible scheduling. These peoplelove their jobs and want to move up inthe company.

Reward Preferences: Status awards,meals with company management oropportunities to mentor other employ-ees and work with people outside theirown areas.

Employee Traits: 68% male; 42% 34years old or younger; 66% managedirect reports; 30% executives; 20%never worked anywhere else prior join-ing their present companies

Founded in 1894, St. Louis-basedMaritz Inc. helps companies achievetheir full potential through understand-ing, developing, and motivatingemployees, channel partners, and cus-tomers. Maritz has key offices in theUnited States, Canada, the UnitedKingdom, France, Germany, and Spainand ranked No. 227 on the most recentForbes list of 500 Largest PrivateCompanies. For more information, visitwww.maritz.com.

1 This online Maritz Poll survey - conducted inOctober 2006 – featured responses from 1,003 random-ly selected full-time employed adult participants (501male, 502 female) ages 18 - 65+ from throughout theUnited States.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:16 AM

creo


AS AN INCENTIVE MARKETING PRACTITIONERwhen we have an opportunity to tie sports intoincentive programs it provides all kinds of creativemotivational possibilities. There’s nothing like anaction-packed visual of a sporting event to makeparticipants in an incentive program or corporatemeeting want to jump into “the game” and participate.After all who doesn’t want to be the Champion, theMVP, the High Scorer or on the Winning Team?

Therein lies my theory. Wrap a sports themearound a well-structured sales incentive or perform-ance improvement program and you have a formulafor a winning incentive program that will give youpositive ROI! When you think about it you’ll understandwhy sports themes work so well. For example, ifyou have a year long incentive sales program or ayearly employee safety program, make it interest-ing by breaking the program up into four quarters,at the end of each quarter recognize who the topscorers are or the members of the first place team.Hold a pep rally, and/or treat the top team to asporting event that ties into the theme. If you’vegot a nine-month program of course baseball is thelogical choice with each inning having its ownmonthly competition. Perhaps the biggest and besttheme of all time is the Olympics. How many wayscan “Go For the Gold” tie in to your program? Andfor the second and third place winners there’s theSilver and Bronze awards. If you want to createsome competition along with your sports theme inyour incentive program consider an online rewardplatform that features a leader board. This willshow who your top performers are.

Catching on? In addition to the above here areseveral great theme ideas you can use to get yourthought process going to see how your next incentivecan tie in to sports. Add some good graphics andyou are in business…for a sales contests how abouta sailing regatta… “The Great Sale Away”, “SalesMasters” or The Your Name Cup Challenge”, thisone also works for tennis, golf, and hockey. For anemployee performance improvement program use abaseball theme: The Grand Slam Gift Giveaway” or,

“Be an All Star”, If you’re into running and in thebanking or mortgage business how about “TheMortgage Marathon” or for any kind of sport racinguse “Program Name Grand Prix”.

And of course there are all kinds of promotionalproducts that are inexpensive and imprintable withyour sports theme that will help you accomplish yourstrategic incentive and performance improvementobjectives. How many can you think of? •

Arnold Light, CTC, Founder of The Light Group,Inc. has 35 years of marketing experience specializingin incentive and loyalty marketing helping multi-national corporations develop and implement B2Band B2C results oriented performance improvementprograms. Visit www.incentivesmotivate.com foradditional information.

Sports…The Great Motivator

BY: ARNOLD LIGHT, CTC

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:16 AM


NOW IN AN EXPANDED 2ND edition Marketing toSeniors has been written to address the growing sen-

ior market. The growth, representing both numbersof seniors and increasing purchasing power, is

projected to more than double over the next 35years, according to figures based upon 2000

Census Bureau estimates. Marketing toSeniors also has a goal of dispelling some ofthe more popular myths associated withthe senior market. These myths includethe following:

• MYTH #1: The Senior Market is Dull.Unfortunately, seniors have been stereo-typed all too often as being slow, old andgenerally unappealing in a marketing

sense. In reality, today’s senior is in betterhealth, more mobile and more dynamic than

ever before. This market continues to growin perspective, enhancing the demand for

goods and services.

• MYTH #2: The Senior Market is Old. If refer-ring to those seniors who are 85 years ofage and older, it is fair to say they are eld-erly. However, today’s senior market gen-erally includes those 55 or 60 years of ageor even younger. AARP membership

begins at age 50, for example. Theyounger senior population is growing rapid-ly, with the inclusion of the so-called “babyboomers” born after 1945, driving averageand median ages lower.

Debunkof the S

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:17 AM

creo


BY: MICHAEL C. WALKER

nking Myths• MYTH #3: The Senior Market is Static. The senior

market is anything but static. The lower end of thesenior age spectrum continues to drop, includingyounger, more active people. The senior populationis growing rapidly, and by 2040, it will be more thandouble its current size. Changes in demand and agestatistics, as covered in myths #1 and #3, will morethan offset any static aspects of the senior market.

• MYTH #4: The Senior Market is Homogeneous. Thesenior market is not homogeneous simply becausethe customer base is made up of more than seniors.More so than any other adult market segment, sen-iors have another family member, a friend or profes-sional involved in their more significant purchases.This tends to be more common as age increases,especially after age 75. The marketing challengethis phenomenon creates is how to reach and influ-ence both the purchaser and the user. Furthermore,with an age range of forty (40) years, this market ismade up of many segments and variables.

• MYTH #5: The Senior Market Lacks DiscretionaryPurchasing Power. Remember, for seniors age 65and up, more than 60% of households have incomesof at least $25,000, and 25% have householdincomes of over $50,000. Those who have previous-ly retired with pensions probably have as good orbetter packages than those who will retire in thenext generation. Also, remember younger seniorsare coming into this market with a huge discre-tionary purchase history. Having escaped the GreatDepression, they are more inclined to purchase ontime in return for quicker access to what they want.

These are just a few examples of how Marketingto Seniors presents the senior market as a mostattractive one for a wide range of businesses. Fromresearching the market to developing the market-ing plans, to promoting and selling products andservices, the book focuses on relationship buildingas a key theme in selling to seniors.

NOTE: Do the math – Between 2005 and 2030,the senior market (age 60 and over) will grow by81%, while the remaining adult market (18-59 yearsof age) will grow by only 7%. Not until after 2030,does the under 60 market begin to show some life.If we also include the 55-59 age group in the seniormarket, it will add 16.5 to 20.5 million more con-sumers during the period, pushing the growth dis-parity even further.

Michael C. Walker retired from active manage-ment in 2002, after serving as Chief Executive ofSeniorsfirst (Presbyterian Homes and Services ofGenesee Valley, Inc.) for over 24 years. His award-winning Club 24 Senior Living at Home® programhas been replicated across the United States. Therecipient of a number of awards including thePatriotic Service Award from the U.S. TreasuryDepartment, Mr. Walker is the author of several mar-keting books available through 1st BooksLibrary/Authorhouse. Mr. Walker may be contactedat www.marketingtoseniors.info.

NOTE: Portions of this article have been taken from

MARKETING TO SENIORS, Second Edition, (c) Michael C.

Walker, 2004 Chapter Ten: Opportunity

Senior Market

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:18 AM


GOOGLE’S™ SEARCH ENGINE IS a widely usedtool for locating information or items on theInternet. On any given search, its inherent valueequates to a vast set of relevant links for the user tosift through in mere seconds! A new environmenttermed “Virtual Worlds” has created a similar chal-lenge – finding a vast range of items in a timelymanner. This article opens with a brief history ofInternet search engines and then profiles a firmcalled SLQuery that has created a similar tool in aprominent virtual world called Second Life®(Linden Labs). An interview with its proprietoruncovers both the challenges and benefits of virtualworld search engines.

The history of search engines originated withArpanet in the early 1970’s. The US Department ofDefense created the first, operational Internet. Bythe early 1990’s, this concept propagated into sev-eral hundred sites that were primarily authored byUniversities. The first commercial Search Enginewas called Archie and its founder was Alan Emtage(McGill University). The significance of his tool was“script-based data gatherer” which essentiallymatched file names to a query.

During the same period, Berners-Lee utilizedhypertext in conjunction with the Internet and cre-ated the World Wide Web. He went on to designand build the first web browser/editor (WWW) anda server termed “http.” By 1994, Berners-Lee andMIT created the World Wide Web consortium.

So how does a search engine work? A spider (program)searches links on the WWW to seek out web pages. Thespider “crawls” various sites and this informationupdates its originating index to build a list. When using amajor search engine, you are really searching that indexand not the WWW. The key to a search engine lies in therelevancy software, which ranks queries based oncontent and citation information.

Prominent search sites includeYahoo and Google™. Google™ beganas an academic search engine that uti-lized three spiders at once to create alarge number of connections to sites(simultaneously). The key benefit inGoogle’s™ architecture was speed and itsability to index significant words on web pages.The cataloging of such information for relevancyreduced the overall search time.

BY: BILL NISSIM

SLQuery: The next “GoogleTM” of Second Life®?

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/29/07 1:59 AM


BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:19 AM

What happens if you want to perform a search inSecond Life® (SL), a virtual world, where humansbecome “Avatars” (3D persona) and interact in afictitious world? Linden Labs, the company behindSecond Life, has their own “in-world” search tool toresearch items based on terms or words. New com-panies within SL have developed vending machinesand other devices to locate items. (To learn more onSecond Life, please search GoogleTM for “VirtualWorlds: The Next Realm in Advertising?)

To understand how a search engine is developedin a virtual world, Damek Tretiak (his SL avatarname) of SLQuery, walked us through his searchengine platform specifically designed for Second Life.

Q. Tell me a little background on yourself?I’ve been in the software development industry

for about 10 years now. My software developmenthas been mainly corporate-related work. The com-pany I’m with now runs the port of Wilmington, DEfor VWOA/Audi and I write the real-time softwarethat runs their inventory management system. Ialso manage the networks for all of our offices-Tampa, Wilmington, and some other branch officesthroughout the USA and Europe.

Q. What are a few interesting things you havedone in your professional career?

I think one of the most interesting was thereal-time management system I built for theport. It tracks all vehicles and any maintenancethey undergo while under our control using aseries of wireless RF scanners and managementconsoles. This also required billing and invoicingmodules. On the Internet side, I’ve built severale-commerce sites. The most recent beingPureinventions.com which sells green tea andother herbal extracts.

Q. When did you first become interested in searchengine design?

I’ve been in the corporate side of things for solong, I haven’t had a chance to pursue some ofthese other passions. I’ve been interested in searchengines for years now. Other than the searchengines I’ve built for our corporate Intranets and ofcourse the inventory data warehouses, I have nothad a chance to look into them deeper until recently.SL came around at the right time - I had some extratime to start exploring this new world. I was fascinatedby virtual worlds years ago.

Q. Where did your inspiration come from to buildan entirely new search platform for SL?

When I first came into SL, I noticed a need forthis kind of service right away. I originally createdSLQ for my own needs. I wanted (and needed) away to catalogue all the interesting places andobjects I was finding. What makes SL so interestingis that there are so many creative works to beexplored in Second Life.

Q. What need were you filling that other searchengines in SL didn’t?

After I created my initial site, I realized that itwould be useful not only to myself but to others.The default client searches only searched for


BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:19 AM

BR0107_Section03 12/29/06 12:50 PM Page 19


parcels and for some reason didn’t use all of thekeywords found in the descriptions. I wanted asearch for products and one that could give residentsa way to better represent what they have to offer.So I added images, comments, and a way to viewthe UUID of an image in-world.

The HUD (heads-up-display) was the best way torepresent that because it gave the ability to not onlysearch SL but also the web, stores like Amazon andreference sites such as spelling and dictionary sites.The avatar “wears” this HUD in SL and can activatea search as needed without seeking a kiosk or specialsearch vendor. The more you can do in-world withoutleaving SL, the better.

Q. What types of services do you sell in SL?The main focus of the SL services is Search and

Marketing. SLQ offers the following: search againstSL, the web, Amazon.com, and other referencesites. In addition to a news tracker, individual miniblogs, and the newer infoChat system.

Q. How will you monetize your site in much thesame manner as GoogleTM?

The revenue stream will come from RL advertis-ing on this site and others that are planned as wellas an in-world advertising and marketing service formerchants and service providers. The infoStations,for instance, provide ad space and branding oppor-tunities for in-world businesses.

Q. Take us through the process of designing asearch tool in SL. What software do you use?

Designing in SL is a bit of a challenge. LSL as astate driven language is great, but the limitationson memory and the built-in delays require a lot of cre-

ative programming. I believe any LSL programmercan attest to that.

Q. What was your thought process behind theHUD design?

The HUD was particularly interesting because Iwanted to present not only text, but alsoimages/other utilities while keeping it all in a compactformat. I’ve succeeded with this goal. Many havecommented on how well it works and how it staysout of the way. The design goals were based on tryingto make it as intuitive and usable as possible. So, Istuck to simple buttons, clearly defined icons, andtried to give as many visual clues as possible. Thesystem itself is a combination of LSL scripting onthe inside and a “Ruby On Rails” application on theserver side.

Q. What tools would you like to see in the future?I’d like to see better land search tools. It’s one of

the most common requests I get, because land is atsuch a commodity right now, everyone wants toknow what’s available and at what price. So, a toolthat could augment what the SL client shows wouldbe very valuable. SLQ should be able to meet thatneed in the coming months as we are currentlybuilding a full grid scanner.

Another tool I’d like to see that we’re presentlyworking on is improved RL 2 SL chat systems. OurinfoChat on the infoStation is the first example ofwhere we believe we can take it. The next phaseof that offering will be private chat features via theHUD. As far as search is concerned, the sky is thelimit. There is so much that can be catalogued andindexed individually…not only products, but alsojob offerings, services, events, etc.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:19 AM


Q. What are your plans for the future?We plan to continue enhancing the search features

of SLQ and then to augment that with more brand-ing and distribution opportunities for other in-worldbusinesses. I see SLQ becoming not only a premiersearch engine, but also a platform for other businessesto use in their own efforts. Distribution, chat,information, and communication can all be expandedin numerous ways. I’d like to see us become a catalystfor other groups as well. The SLQuery was inten-tional - it was meant to expand and become anengine for others to use.

We’ve begun to see some of this happen. Forinstance, SLQ has partnered with apez.biz to offerall of their products and their customer’s productsvia the SLQ search engine. The S3storeage.netgroup has also contacted us about collaboratingwith them. And then there is also the Second LifeLibrary, which is an excellent example of one groupusing SLQ as their database platform. SL Businessuses SLQ as their distribution platform. So, I thinkyou can see the many paths that are being taken!

Q. Any final thoughts?We’re looking to use the Amazon S3 and EC2

services as a way to efficiently manage growth in

the future because it allows us to add newservers on demand when the load requires it. Thebiggest impression that I’d like to leave with isthat idea of SLQ as a platform. I’ve seen otherattempts at SL search engines, but I don’t believethey had the vision to become more than just a 2dsearch. In addition, it’s important to note that weare looking at ways to envelop the virtual worldinto our searches. I’d like to see SLQ make betteruse of the 3d environment for searches andsearch results.

Search engines are useful tools when seekinginformation or finding tangibles on the Internet. ThisSLQuery application transcends the real world andhas found applicability in a virtual world setting. Thenext iteration of search engines may include the abil-ity to connect with others (communities) that seekthe same forum. SLQuery might be bridging that gapthrough their unique platform. •

Bill Nissim consults with organizations on strategicbranding imperatives. His website www.ibranz.comcontains reference materials, links, and helpful articleson the many facets of branding. In addition, Nissimhas helped firms make the transition to Second Lifeand fostered Brand Creation in virtual worlds.

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:20 AM


IS CO-BRANDING MERELY A FORM OF HYPE OR CANIT DETERMINE THE PATH TO BRAND STARDOM?

A McKinsey study, which evidences that thegrowth of co-branding ventures over the past manyyears has been 40%, shows that co-branding hasbeen more than just a marketer’s smart idea. Butthe question is have any co-brand venturesachieved the positive synergy between participantsthat each supposedly sought? Or, perhaps, has oneof the co-brands ended up as the winning half ofthese partnerships? Or, have any brands been win-ners at all?

Now, before sharing my opinion on what Ibelieve works and what doesn’t work, let me brieflydefine the topic under discussion. This article does-n’t presume to make you a master of co-branding infive minutes. It’s purpose is to signal the fact thatthere are tens of co-branding categories, each ofwhich represent challenges, experiences and guide-lines that you should know of before creating yourown co-branding strategy. You see, co-brandingrefers to more than just “joint promotion”. The termcovers several areas of branding. In addition to jointpromotion it refers to joint ventures, alliance pro-grams, ingredient co-branding, value endorsementco-branding and complementary competence co-branding. Without wanting to deter you from read-ing on, I think it’s important for you to determine towhich category your brand promotions belong.Here’s a quick introduction to two of the most-lever-aged categories

In its purest form, co-branding embraces a col-laborative venture designed to advance the inter-ests of two or more parties in a considered, strate-gic fashion. Legally, the parties concerned are inde-pendent entities and their intention is to createsomething new – a product, a service or an enter-prise – the scope of which falls outside their individ-ual areas of capability or expertise. The IBM-Intel,Diet Coke–NutraSweet or the BP-Mobil deals aregood examples of pure co-branding. But be careful.Deals like British Telecom and AT&T’s Concert, StarAlliance or One World are alliances because thesecollaborations all create new “master brands”.

In my experience, the most interesting fact aboutco-branding is that more than 90% of co-brandingventures fail. And in 50% of these cases they failbecause three simple co-branding rules were notobeyed. In case you’re considering a co-brandingrelationship, it might be a good idea for you to takeheed of these three ground rules. Successful co-branding must achieve equal value for all parties inany relationship, partner brands’ values need tomatch each other and the resulting strategy shouldbe easily understood by consumers.

EQUAL VALUE FOR ALL PARTIESIf the potential relationship doesn’t represent clear

value for both parties you better forget it. What’smore, you better forget everything about trying tofashion yourself a better deal out of the arrangementthan your partner brand. No relationship in which one

Brand + BraSuc

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:20 AM


of the two parties has a better deal than the other has survived so far. Now,this doesn’t mean that one brand can’t be very well known and theother totally unknown. It just means that the benefit to both par-ties from the relationship must be equal.

BRAND VALUE MATCHThe idea of two brands working together might

seem perfect at the board meeting but the realitymight be impossible to implement if the participat-ing brands don’t share any values with each other. Aco-branding partnership, which represents brandsthat are too different, that have no values in commonor that contradict each other’s brand images will bedead before it’s had a chance to breathe.

EASY TO UNDERSTANDYour brand relationship has to be easily understood by

you and by your customers. If can’t explain the value of therelationship in two lines, forget it. How on earth would thecustomer have a chance to understand the relationship if youcan’t explain it simply?

If you believe the partnership you have in mind can achievethese three points, you’re well on your way to a productive co-brand-ing experience. However, there’s much more to the co-branding storythan these three parts. Stay tuned. Next time I’ll share some real-worldco-branding success and failure stories with you. •

Martin Lindstrom is recognized as one of the world’s primarybranding gurus and more than four million people read his weeklycolumns that are syndicated across twenty-one countries. Lindstromis the author of Brand sense and Brand child. Visit www.martinlind-strom.com for more information.

rand =uccess?

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:21 AM

creo


THERE’S NOTHING LIKE WATCHING AN athlete atthe top of their game — the sprinter racing to thefinish line, the star center sinking the game winningshot. They make it look absolutely effortless, as if itwas the most natural thing in the world for them toperform that well.

Appearances can be deceiving. What you don’tsee is the long, grueling hours of training and prac-tice star athletes put in behind the scenes: the end-less laps around the track with no one watching,the skill drills where that star player practices jumpshot after jump shot after jump shot.

The same is true for exhibiting. The truly greatexhibitors don’t just show up at the show and auto-matically know how to turn in a great performance.They’ve trained for the event, making sure that they’vegot a good grasp of the fundamental skills needed andthe game-day strategy critical to ensure success.

What type of training routine does your exhibit-ing team have? Most companies, if they answeredhonestly, would have to say little to no time isdevoted to practicing the skills needed to do a goodjob on the show floor. It’s assumed that the skillsnecessary to be a good salesperson, distributor ormanufacturer’s rep in the field will automaticallytransfer over into the show environment.

Nothing could be further from the truth.Someone who jogs everyday, even if they run formiles at a time, does not automatically turn into atop-notch marathon runner. You can work out inthe weight room twice a week at the gym. Thatdoesn’t mean you’re anywhere near ready to gocompete in Olympic level power lifting!

There are some essential differences between theevery day routine your sales reps face and the high-pressure intense situation they encounter on the showfloor. From the extremely limited amount of time yourteam has with each attendee, to the length of theevent, to the sheer numbers of people one talks to in thecourse of the day - tradeshows are an extremelydemanding event. One needs to maintain lightningquick reflexes like a boxer while performing for hours onend like a marathon runner. The only way to combinethese two seemingly disparate skill sets is by training.

If you want your team to break the ribbon, bringhome the gold medal, claim the trophy, then youneed to provide them with the training and practiceopportunities they’ll need to succeed. For maxi-mum results, training efforts should be consistentthroughout the year, intensifying as major eventsdraw closer. Consider having your own “SpringTraining Camp” sessions before the exhibiting sea-son begins, to refresh booth skills, learn new infor-mation, and familiarize your team with the productlines and demonstrations you’ll be featuring.

That way, when it’s time for your team to take tothe field, they too will turn in a top-notch perform-ance — and make it look like it’s the most naturalthing in the world! •

Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach,Lake Placid, NY, is an internationally recognizedexpert working with companies to increase their prof-itability at tradeshows. She is the author of: “Meeting& Event Planning for Dummies,” and “Riches inNiches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” (May2007). For a free copy of “10 Common MistakesExhibitors Make”, e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.thetradeshowcoach.com.

BY: SUSAN A. FRIEDMANN, CSP

TRAINING for the BIG EVENT

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:21 AM


ALaughingMatter:ALaughingMatter:

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:21 AM

creo


IF MEMBERS OF YOUR MARKETING team pulled aprank on you this April Fools’ Day, you owe them asincere thank-you. After all, laughter can reduce thephysical symptoms of stress, aid circulation anddigestion, and just plain make you feel better.

A good guffaw can benefit the health of youroffice, too. Laughter enlivens the workplace, tamestension and sparks creative thinking, all of whichare vital to a successful marketing department.When crises arise, humor can be employed torestore a positive perspective. But to soothe prob-lems, humor must be used in a positive, productiveway. Here are some tips:

WHEN IN QUESTION, PLAY IT SAFE. Even if you think you know your audience’s sensi-

bilities, tread carefully. Each person has a differentidea of what’s funny, which can create a dangerousgray area between appropriate and offensive. Crossthe line, and you could face damaged feelings oreven human resources inquiries. Topics to avoidinclude age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation,political affiliation and physical appearance.

DON’T USE HUMOR TO CRITICIZE. Using humor as a vehicle to vent or mock is a def-

inite no-no. Saying “I’m just kidding” after makinga mean-spirited wisecrack at someone else’sexpense doesn’t negate the harm caused by thesnide comment. If you have to address an employ-ee’s missed deadline, for instance, be straightfor-ward instead of sarcastic.

POKE FUN AT YOURSELF. One of the safest targets for a sharp-witted

barb is you. Being able to laugh at your ownquirks and idiosyncrasies makes you more accessible.While you want to project the image of being con-fident, capable and in control, a little self-depre-cation can be endearing. As a marketing leader,

you set the tone for your staff. So take your job —not yourself — seriously.

BE NATURAL. Not everyone can tell a good joke. But you don’t

need to impersonate your favorite stand-up comedianto prove that you’re not a stuffed shirt. If crackingone-liners doesn’t come naturally, you can use othertechniques to expose your lighter side. Bring humorousprops to brainstorming sessions, or hand out a zanyworkplace-related comic strip at the start of a meeting,for example. Or simply smile and laugh when someonetells a side-splitting story. Demonstrating that youappreciate a good joke can be as effective as telling one.

E-MAIL WITH CARE. Conveying your sense of humor with the written

word isn’t always easy because the recipients ofyour messages can’t see your face or hear the tonein your voice, making it difficult to discern whetheryou’re kidding. Forwarding jokes that are makingtheir way around the Internet is another riskyproposition. In a world of overflowing inboxes,many people find the latest purported rib-tickler tobe annoying, not amusing.

When used appropriately, levity helps marketingmanagers build rapport with staff, inspire innova-tion and diffuse departmental stress. In addition, byshowing that you’re hard working, smart — and fun— you can build rapport with prospective clientsduring pitch meetings. After all, people want towork with professionals they like. With this in mind,it’s easy to see why having a good sense of humormakes good business sense. •

The Creative Group is a specialized staffingservice placing creative, advertising, marketingand web professionals with a variety of firms ona project basis. For more information, visit www.creativegroup.com.

How Humor in the Workplace CanHelp Any Marketing Team

BY THE CREATIVE GROUP

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:22 AM


“OK, WE’RE GOING TO DO A SQUEEZE PLAY”, whispered my high schoolbaseball coach after calling time out. I had just stolen third and represent-ed the winning run with two out in the 9th. “Ribble, as soon as the pitch-er throws, I want you to run as fast as you can for home. Randy, make sureyou get the bat on the ball so that Ribble will cross the plate before theyhave a chance and we’ll win this thing!”

In theory, it seemed like a great idea: Randy connects and I am alreadyon the way. I do a spectacular ‘Pete Rose’ headfirst slide across the plateand the crowd goes wild. The dust finally clears and I, the conqueringhero, get carried on my teammate’s shoulders all the way to the bus.

Just one problem: Randy weighs about 235 and loves to ‘pull’ the balldown the third base line. I know this because I am our team’s ThirdBaseman and there’s a reason they call that part of the diamond the “hotcorner”. Add to this that Randy loves to hit the ball ‘through’ people ratherthan over them, and you can see my dilemma. Not only do I represent thewinning run, but I have now been ordered to run TOWARD a ball that, I amsure, will be steaming toward my forehead any second now. I start talkingto myself: “This is it. I’m gonna take one for the team and never wake up.I’ll never get that date with Sherry Butler. I’ll never drive my car again orplay the drums…all because I took one between the eyes in a game thatdoesn’t seem all that important anymore. Wouldn’t this be a great time fora pinch-runner??”

Well, I ran toward home, Randy hit a miraculous shot into RIGHT-field,somehow. I slid into home, rather unceremoniously as I now recall, and weall went home. I didn’t die, either, although I obviously still need sometherapy this many years later.

Teamwork in sports is what wins games and teamwork in business iswhat helps you be more successful. Your relationship with yourPromotional Products Distributor can make all the difference in how yourpromotions work out. Pull them into your huddle. Share with them yourgame plan and objectives. Help them fully understand what is needed foryour success and watch them enlist the top Suppliers in getting it handledthe right way for you.

Is adding your Promotional Products Specialist to your team going tohelp you win more business and keep the clients you have? Quite possibly,if you understand that Business is Personal. It’s ALL Personal.

Dave Ribble, MAS, President of The Company Image, Inc./Geiger,www.TCI4Me.com at 818.906.9894, an Award-Winning PromotionalProducts company that specializes in helping companies go frommediocre to meteoric in the effectiveness of their marketing and promo-tion campaigns. To arrange for a free 1-hour consultation, email Dave [email protected].

It’s ALL Personal

Dave Ribble

“The dust finallyclears and I, the

conquering hero,get carried on

my teammate’sshoulders all theway to the bus.”

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:22 AM


WELCOME TO THE AGE OF INTELLIGENCE. In the21st century business success is dependent onknowing how to cultivate intelligence and use it toyour advantage. Intelligence is what businessesneed to compete. Companies will need to becomeincreasingly sophisticated at collecting and process-ing information in order to remain truly competitive.

The other side of Competitive Intelligence is theprocess our customers undertake daily, that is com-paring one company to the next. They compare thefive “P’s” - products, prices, practices, promises andmost of all people. They leave your front line person-

nel with an impression that often leads directly to oraway from a buying decision. Knowing how your five“P’s” compare to the competition is also an importantfunction of your Competitive Intelligence initiative.

Before you read further, there are five commonmisunderstanding about CI that must be clarified:

1. Competitive Intelligence is spying Competitive Intelligence is really an informationgathering process that goes beyond snoopingaround your competitor’s booth.

Competitive Intelligence with aGather

BY: BARRY SISKIND

Mystery Shopping Program

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:22 AM

creo


2. Surfing the web gives you Competitive IntelligenceThe web tells you what the organization you areresearching has done. It doesn’t tell you what theyare going to do in the future.

3. Industry leaders are not at the same risk fromcompetitors as other industry players

Everyone needs intelligence to make good deci-sions whether they are industry giants or upstarts.

4. Competitive Intelligence requires volumes of dataIt’s easy to get so overloaded with information thatit leaves you speechless. A good CompetitiveIntelligence program focuses on the informationthat is relevant.

5. Competitive Intelligence gathering is expensiveIt doesn’t have to be. A well-structured CompetitiveIntelligence strategy will incorporate your existingresources along with whatever outsource profes-sionals you deem appropriate.

Yet, while the need for competitive intelligence isapparent, often businesses grapple with the reality ofinexperienced staff, lack of time and lack of resourcesto gather unbiased information. In order to carry outthis crucial function an outside vendor can help withthe Competitive Intelligence function. One processthey use to gather information is called “MysteryShopping” and the best place to implement a mys-tery-shopping program is at trade shows and events.

THERE IS NO ONE SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE

Much depends on the objectives of the market-ing program, the allocation of resources and theseriousness of management. There are three majorsteps that need to be considered.

1. An agreement on the scope of the mystery shop-ping activities…

Here the consultant and client will define which ofthe marketing elements are to be evaluated. Thiscan include such things as personnel, signage,graphics, location and competitor activities. Oncethis is determined, a formal mystery-shopping planwill be created and approved by the client.

2. The actual mystery-shopping schedule will beestablished…

This will include the times, locations and staffschedules. The client will determine the number ofintercepts necessary at any one location. The con-sultant will then arrange to have trained staff avail-able. The people will conduct the mystery shoppingexercise as if they were ordinary customers. Theywill keep meticulous notes and when appropriatetake photographs.

3. A report will be developed for each location, whichwill summarize the findings...

These will be presented to management within7 days of the mystery shopping exercise to givethe client time to implement the recommendedchanges.

A well-thought-out mystery-shopping program isan excellent tool to gather competitive intelligence.Consider adding it to your marketing plan. •

Barry Siskind is author of Powerful Exhibit mar-keting. He is also President of International Trainingand Management Company who offers a number ofservices to exhibitors including the creation andimplementation of a mystery-shopping program.Contact Barry at [email protected] formore information.

“Yet, while the need for competitive intelligence is apparent, often businessesgrapple with the reality of inexperienced staff, lack of time and lack of resourcesto gather unbiased information.”

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:24 AM

creo


SUCCESSFUL ALLIANCES TAKE plenty of work, anda process. To improve your organization’s perform-ance, production and profitability you must do morethan just fix a problem. You must burrow deeper andchange the system (culture). The following steps willhelp you to evaluate your system before you embarkon your strategic alliance journey:

1. ANALYZEStudy organizational needs through self-analy-

sis. Observe, and identify your areas for desiredimprovement. Develop an organizational evaluationmethod to be completed by your customers, suppliers,employees and management. This will help you toinventory your core strengths and weaknesses.Which strengths might be valuable to a potentialalliance partner? What weaknesses do you want toshore-up?

2. EDUCATE AND CONTEMPLATEIdentify other industries that have embraced

Partnering. Study the individual companies thathave been successful in building alliances. Studywhat worked and what did not. If Partnering wasnot successful, learn and understand why not.

• What will it take to change your organization?

• What are the potential obstacles? Is your cultureopen or closed? Changing a closed culture organizationwill be much more difficult than one that is open.

• Has collaboration worked in the past?

• What competencies do you desire in an alliance partner?

• What kinds of (or reasons for) strategic allianceswould best work with your culture and/or fulfillyour growth needs?

• What criteria will you use to select alliance partners?

• What new training programs will be necessary tohelp you with your shift to Partnering?

3. SELECTThis is the critical step—all your future efforts

will be built on this foundation. Learn about thosecompanies you consider as Partnering candidates.

Ask yourself and your management teams thesequestions: What are their strengths and weaknesses?

STRATEGICALLIANCEDEVELOPMENTPROCESS

BY: ED RIGSBEE, CSP

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 7:19 PM

creo


What affect would they have on our business? Besure that the company cultures and core strengthsare complementary. Can the people who will makethe alliance work get along? What is the growthopportunity, short and long-term? Select alliance partners,with knowledge, understanding and commitment.You can only partner with a person or organization

that wants to partner. It would be a seriousmistake to think otherwise.

Search for the strongestmaterial for your Partneringfoundation, the best possiblepartner. Customer-oriented

culture is critical to the successof the partnering alliance. The greater the sophisticationof a company and its officers, the more likely thecompany will enter into. Embrace long-term think-ing. Strategic alliances are rarely a quick fix, butrather a sound long-term business strategy. Targetcompanies, large or small, that can aid you in rapidlyand efficiently, reaching the goals of research,technology, production and marketing.

Another element to consider is the focus of theindividuals involved. Be certain their focus of thePartnering relationship is strategic to the individuals’

goals. Be clear about your and your partner’s criticaldriving forces that pull each into an alliance arrangement.Can the two organizations work together at the dailyoperation level? Even though there might be anexceptional strategic fit, the two organizations mustcompatible on an ongoing operational level.

Outrageously successful relationships take timeto develop. Over the last decade too many alliancerelationships have failed due to the quickness ofselection. Research and due diligence must comefirst. Selecting your alliance partner well reduces thechance you’ll need to exercise your exit agreement.

4. ORGANIZE AND PLANOnce you’ve selected your potential alliance part-

ner short list, you can establish mutual goals. Youcan agree to who gives and gets what, when,where, and how. Mutual performance measuringinstruments can be developed. It is time for identifying,understanding, and putting together the possibilitiesfor an alliance. Internal and external personnelshould be involved in developing not only youralliance structure, but also your road map as well.

The success of the blending of cultures is pivotalto the success of any strategic alliance; take great

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:24 AM

creo


pains to ensure this achievement. Access is crucial—emphasize the importance of understanding andaccess to each alliance members’ staff. Create aconvenient communication system for all partnersespecially decision-makers. Plan procedures to keeprelationships between key people of partneringcompanies open and constantly alive.

Make sure that all levels of both organizationsshare the partnering attitude.

Stress strong information systems and shareinformation constantly. Agree on pricing with yourpartners and delete income accounts (accountingpractices) that have nothing to do with your busi-ness or the real price of your goods and services—things that only make a singular departmentlook successful.

Look into the future, plan for the long-term rela-tionship and encourage strategies that will sustainthe relationship through to its conclusion. Phasingin the partnering relationship could be a preferredstrategy, as this method will allow partners tohave a get acquainted time. This can assist in theidentification of reaching milestones, successfullyor identify the need to reassess before moving on toa higher level in the relationship. Maybe even insti-tute a pilot program at this point.

5. CHARTER: AGREEMENT OR CONTRACTThis is the agreement, handshake or contract. Most

who have been down this path would strongly urgethat your strategic alliance agreement be committedto paper. For the safety of all concerned, the agreementwill be so much clearer six months or two years later.Sometimes people forget what they agreed to or, evenworse, they have been transferred to a completely dif-ferent division thousands of miles away.

The agreement should spell out conflict and dis-pute resolution and exit strategies. Be ready for itand the conflict can be resolved timely and amiably.Have an agreed-upon set of procedures in placethat will help resolve the issues that arise.Inevitably, there will be a need for a mechanism tohandle things like price increase discussions, inabil-ity to ship and dispute resolutions.

Develop a clear agreement on what your goalsare and make sure they are measurable. Have aformal mechanism for alliance members to identifythe goals, milestones, and turning points crucial tothe success of the relationship.

Devise an evaluation that will measure bothimplementation and performance. The Partneringagreement should establish the terms and conditionsunder which partners will resolve questions ofopportunity, accountability and risk. The final agree-ment should be reviewed and agreed upon by allparties involved or affected. Check with your nationaltrade or professional association, they may havealready developed a standard agreement for you.

6. ALLIANCE FOLLOW-UP ANDMAINTENANCERegularly review your mutual goals and per-

formance. Regularly meet with alliance partner(s)to evaluate the relationship. Should the alliance beupgraded, maintained, or downgraded? Shouldnew goals (short and long-term) and performanceexpectations be established? Are new measure-ment systems available?

It has been said that in an ideal marriage one part-ner is blind and the other deaf. To keep your strategicalliance alive and healthy, each partner must overlooksome of their partner’s misgivings. At the same time,each must keep an open line of communication tominimize conflict and relationship meltdown. Thebest way to do this is through regular RelationshipValue Updates (RVUs). Quarterly RVUs are preferred,but semiannually can be acceptable. •

This article was adapted from Ed Rigsbee’s,PartnerShift-How to Profit from the PartneringTrend. Ed Rigsbee, CSP is the President of RigsbeeResearch and the author of two additional books onalliance relationships: Developing Strategic Alliancesand The Art of Partnering. His articles are frequentlypublished in business magazines worldwide. Hetravels internationally sharing his insight on alliancerelationships through his consulting and keynotepresentations. Rigsbee may be contacted throughwww.rigsbee.com.

“Look into the future, plan for the long-term relationship and encouragestrategies that will sustain the relationship through to its conclusion.”

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:25 AM

WHAT IS “GREEN”Some say it’s “The New Black”, others have

built a political campaign around the term “globalwarming”. Personal feelings and politics asidethe trend to buy eco-friendly products is very realand offers you a great opportunity to expandbusiness within existing accounts or to breakthrough to new clients that have been out ofreach. Universities, corporations and governmentagencies are purchasing more and more eco-friendly products.

In sales we are constantly reinventing our-selves, the question “what’s new” drives mostbusiness and the ability to embrace and presentthese new ideas effectively to customers andprospects drives sales.

DO MY CUSTOMERS REALLY CARE?Many large corporations have departments

dedicated to developing the “green” side of business.From McDonalds to Coca Cola to Home Depot andWal-Mart the drive to be the “greenest” on theblock is moving at a rapid pace and more impor-tantly is being well funded. Imagine your nextmarketing campaign using an entire line of ecofriendly products that fit right into developing apositive ‘green’ corporate image.

SO WHAT MAKES A PRODUCT “GREEN”?

A green product or service is one that is bothenvironmentally and socially responsible to produceas well as being environmentally friendly duringand after its life cycle.

Socially compliant factories with eco friendlymanufacturing processes that produce environ-mentally safe products is the best definition of“Green Products”

What qualifies a product as “Green”? Well,this is a gray area… By strict definition “Green

Products” are products that are safe for the envi-ronment, are degradable and/or are made from apercentage of recycled materials. As with any-thing else there are “shades of green” …

On one end of the spectrum there are newproducts being developed from new eco friendlymaterials such as Bio-Plastics (PLA, PP etc…)new techniques being used to produce the samehigh quality products such as stamped and castmetal products that contain recycled materialsand are lead free by the strictest testing stan-dards. On the other end of that green spectrumare products and materials that have been withus for many years but are being rediscovered orrepositioned as being eco friendly.

SO WHAT’S NEW?Bio-plastics ~ For example, the Sonoma Promotional

Solutions tote pictured here is made from a Bio-Plastic (Poly-lactic Acid or PLA) the material is anall-natural resin derived from an easily renewableresource; cornstarch the imprint is made withsoy-based inks. PLA has been available for yearsand is being used primarily for food packaging,like water bottles. Sonoma Promotional Solutionsspent several months developing the same rawmaterial into a fabric that’s very sturdy anddurable but will degrade in a landfill within 90days. No other natural or man-made fiber has thesame eco-friendly characteristics.

AND NOT SO NEW…Nonwoven polypropylene (P.P.) ~This fabric is made of spun bond polypropy-

lene, which can be recycled, the material nat-urally decomposes and completely incinerateswithout any production of poisonous pollu-tant. Totes made from this material have beenavailable for years but you’d be hard pressed


Eco-GreenSUCCESS STORIES SUCCESS STORIES SUCCES

BY: MICHAEL CHIDLOWSKY

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:25 AM

to find many companies that posi-tion these products as “green”.

Green metals ~ Cast metal products: Sonoma

Promotional Solutions Zinc Alloy productscontain roughly 20% recycled metal con-tent and strictly maintain the quality of theresulting production.

Stamped metal products: Die struck pins, mag-nets, key chains, dog tags, emblems, badges,medals etc. with or without color should be manu-factured to be “lead free”, like those made by SonomaPromotional Solutions. We’re all aware of the ongoingproduct recalls at the retail level, no-one wants to be thenext Michael’s Crafts Store with a multi-million unitrecall for high lead content. Years ago SonomaPromotional Solutions established strict lead free pro-duction of these products by working with both ourpartner factories and their raw materials suppliers. Theresulting products exceed the strictest lead content lev-els for both surface and cross-section (substrate) testing.

Green food packagingWhen you think “take away” food packaging,

Styrofoam and plastic come to mind. Unfortunately,Styrofoam is being banned in many cities and whilesome food suppliers are turning to PLA as an alter-native to traditional plastics this still leaves roomfor alternatives such as sugar cane fiber also knownas “Bagasse”. Sugarcane is an easily renewableresource; the take-away containers are durable, gofrom freezer to microwave without deforming.These products can be logo’d with one-color soybased ink or embossed with your customers’ logo.

$$But green products cost so much more… That is

the perception and yes, this can be true in some

cases. However, green products can giveyou an edge over your competition as evidenced byits ongoing adoption by large corporate entities.Savvy marketing departments are increasing theirgreen with ‘green’.

Bottom line. The green promotional productmovement is an opportunity to increase your cor-porate ‘green’ perception with your customerbase and see positive growth. Utilizing green pro-motional products will not only provide construc-tive exposure for your corporate identity orbrand, it may also give you a public relationsedge over your competitors. •

Michael Chidlowsky is Vice President of SonomaPromotional Solutions. For more information on“green” and other promotional products, visit theSonoma Promotional Solutions website atwww.sonomapromo.com.


CESS STORIES SUCCESS STORIES SUCCESS STORIES

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:26 AM


GREEN PRODUCTS HAVE FAST become a hot seller in thepromotional products industry over the past few years, asmore and more companies try to promote good communityrelations and corporate social responsibility.

As global warming stays in the news, consumers arefast-becoming more aware of the dangers this very realproblem creates. Each year sets a new record for hottestyear in recorded history. Glaciers are melting and sea lev-els are rising. It has become a hot social issue for whichpeople are looking for solutions.

According to Roper Starch Worldwide, “hot” social issueslike the environment pass through three distinct phases:

Phase 1: Anxiety is high…activities are relatively low.

Phase 2: People become more informed about the issue and activity overtakes anxiety.

Phase 3: Activities become integrated into people’s lifestyles.

Green consumerism is now largely in this second phase.Anxiety is high and people are beginning to behave moreenvironmentally aware. The natural progression for a socialissue like environmental concern is to move to Phase 3,where mainstream consumers will need greater access tocredible, actionable information, technologies and infra-structures that make it easier for them to behave in anenvironmentally responsible way. When these develop-ments occur, those consumers for whom environmentalresponsibility becomes a way of life could climb to as manyas two out of three consumers. Businesses of all sizes aretuning in to this dilemma and are looking to reduce globalwarming in several ways. You can help these companiesattain these goals while carving out a profitable niche outfor yourself within the industry.

Here are a few ideas to help your clients promote goodcorporate values.

Search out suppliers that are eco-friendly. Dozens of suppliershave switched to using post-consumer raw materials,including paper, textiles and plastics to produce their prod-ucts. Support these businesses.Promote plants and trees. A single tree can absorb 600pounds of pollutants from the air each year and turns it intopure oxygen, enough for a family of four to use every year.According to the City of Portland, Oregon, a fully growntree provides nearly $300 a year in reduced costs for airconditioning, erosion control, storm water control, air pollu-tion, and wildlife shelter. Celebrate Earth Day & Arbor Day: These two holidays (EarthDay is April 22 and Arbor Day is April 27th this year) are wide-ly promoted and encourage good stewardship of the planet.Promote to children: Ninety-nine percent of children in Americatoday have access to environmental classes in school, and 31states require schools to incorporate environmental conceptsinto most subjects in all grade levels. Education fosters moreconcern and action, particularly among preteens who pitch inon neighborhood cleanups and help to encourage a greaterpercentage of family grocery-shopping budgets towardsgreener goods. Many parents are willing to change their shop-ping habits because their children say certain products are bet-ter or worse for the environment than others. The opportuni-ties for greener products will grow as ecology-oriented chil-dren and teens replace the less green people in the work-places, as well as in the voting booths and supermarket check-out lines in the years and decades ahead.

Promoting eco-friendly programs is a win-win situation.You win by promoting your company as eco-friendly; yourcustomers win by feeling good about your promotionalproduct and your company’s concern for the planet; thepublic wins by the reduced waste and raising conscious-ness of global warming.

Go Green!

Robert Piller is Vice-President of Groline, a supplier that pro-vides such eco-friendly products as live plants, imprinted gardenkits, seeded bookmarks and even all-natural potpourri since1956. They can be reached online at www.thegroline.com.

SUCCESS STORIES SUCCESS STORIES SUCCESS

Turning Greeninto Gold

BY: ROBERT PILLER

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:28 AM


ESSENTIALS ESSENTIALS ESSENTIALS ESSENTIALS ESSENTIALS

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/29/07 12:13 AM


Sports & Spirit Success

Real Fans Make A Little NoiseWhether you use the small Turbo Air Horn with the HUGEnoise or the Confetti Blaster to celebrate team scores, theresults at stadium, corporate and sporting events will amazeyou and certainly excite any group. For those who want tokeep one hand free to hold a beverage or snack, the USAmade One-Handed Klapper is the perfect solution. Simplywave it with one hand. It claps louder than you can clap

with two hands. The Klapper is compact and willconveniently fit into your pocket. Available in one, two or three

colors, so you can use the colors of you logo, flag or sportsteam. Raising Team Spirits Was Never Easier Or More Fun!

Symbio Promotions

Fans Are Known By The Towels They KeepThese Spirit Towels are popular with fans of almost any sport and

many would agree that it just isn’t any fun at the game withoutyour Spirit Towel. Featuring a fringed velour front and a terry cloth

back these 12” x 18” Spirit Towels are available in ten sportscolors and can be imprinted with your team or sponsor

information. So whether the players are pros ormembers of your corporate sports team, everyone

will enjoy waving their towel to root for the hometeam winners. Don’t Throw In The Towel…Wave It!

Pepco Promotional Products

Fun For Every Age FanBefore or after the game, this 16 oz. clear mug with its orange

handle has a general imprint area on the mug or backboard,which snaps tightly into the handle of the mug and removes for easy cleaning. A ball is

included for play (hoop mug includes a Styrofoam basketball and touchdown mugincludes a Styrofoam football) that is sure to get the fun started. These mugs have been

filled with candy and used by a local bank as centerpieces at a school’s annual basketballbanquet. The local bank imprinted their name on the mug itself, imprinted the school logo

and mascot on the backboard, and then had repeated interest when the word got out to otherschools in the area. For an older crowd, a sports bar sold the mugs during March Madness

for use in the currently popular game of “beer pong.” Go Ahead…Play With Your Mug!GreatStuff!

Keeping Cool & Supporting the TeamThese hand fans are used to help promote all types of sporting events. Both

minor league teams, as well as professional teams use ourfans to boost team spirit and as a part of all types of

promotions. With the summer season, baseball is apopular pastime and the perfect place for on of our

fans to cool the fans and heat up team spirit. Fireworkfans seem to be one of the to be the biggest hits

because of the Friday and Saturday night fireworkshows that are a part of many events. Our football

helmet fan is also one of the most requested sport stockshapes in our catalog. We have had major teamsrequest 60,000 to 100,000 fans at a time for their special

promotions. Cool The Fans And Wave The Team On To Victory!Lioncircle

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 7:20 PM


1/6 Page Vertical, 4-Color Rates

2.25’’H X 4.875’’V

1x 6x 12x

$699 $549 $499

To advertise your products / service call or email Maureen Today!Maureen Ph: 541-788-5022

email: [email protected]

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 10:25 PM

creo


Free Product Information. April 2007 Issue.For free product information from these suppliers, complete and mail this page to:

Brilliant Results Magazine 9034 Joyce Lane Hummelstown, PA 17036.Or fax to (717) 566-5431PLEASE CIRCLE ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Name Title

Company Industry

Address

City State Zip

Phone Fax E-mail

Supplier Page No.3M ® Back Cover

Aprons, Etc. 43

Ashworth ® Corporate Inside Front Cover

Snugz 3

Baumco 43

Beardmore 43

Blake & Hollister 5

Brilliant Results Magazine ™ 45

Evans 11

FeatherLite by Sierra Pacific Apparel Inside Back Cover

GROLINE 23, 29, 33, 39

Key-Bak ® 16

Neet Feet ® 45

Pepco Poms 13

Sonoma Promotional Solutions 43

Vonco 25

Warwick Publishing 7

TM


brilliant results

BR0407_Section02 3/29/07 9:37 AM

Brilliant Results | April 2007 47

Off The Cuff

1. According to the NFL Rules, linebackers and centerswear jersey numbers in what range?

a. 50 through 69b. 90 through 99c. 60 through 79

2. The home team is required to provide how manyfootballs for game play (not including kickingsituations)?

a. 36b. 28c. 24

3. In a PAT try situation, the defensive team can neverscore any points.

a. Trueb. False

4. Vince Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers to howmany consecutive Super Bowl victories?

a. 3b. 2c. 1

5. What is the red zone?a. The end zoneb. Any yard lines in between the 40 & 45 yard linesc. Any yard lines in between the offense’s opponent’s

end zone and their 20 yard line

6. What two officials are responsible for ruling on thesuccess of a field goal attempt?

a. Field Judge and Side Judgeb. Back Judge and Field Judgec. Side Judge and Back Judge

7. The Winner of Super Bowl I and Winner of SuperBowl XLI are:

a. Green Bay Packers/Indianapolis Coltsb. St. Louis Rams/Indianapolis Coltsc. Green Bay Packers/Chicago Bears

8. After scoring a go-ahead touchdown, the receiver ripsoff his helmet in the end zone and starts to dance. Isthere a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct?

a. Yes – No touchdown and repeat the down.b. Yes – After the PAT Try, 15 yards from the nor-

mal kickoff spot.c. No Penalty

9. The punter lines up in formation at the 42-yard line, butinstead of punting the ball he performs a drop kick,which sails through the uprights. Is this a legal play?

a. Yesb. No

10. With five seconds remaining in the first half, the offensepunts the ball and the defense signals for and makes avalid fair catch as time expires. Is the first half over?

a. Yesb. No

Bonus: With 1:42 left in the second quarter, the quarter-back passes to his wide receiver, who after making thecatch fumbles the ball at the 32-yard line. Another of theteam’s receivers scoops up the loose football after it rollsto the 34-yard line and carries it, untouched, into the endzone. Is this a touchdown?

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW FOOTBALL TRIVIA ~

Quotes ~The price of success is hard work, dedication to

the job at hand, and the determination thatwhether we win or lose, we have applied the

best of ourselves to the task at hand.~ Vince Lombardi (1913 –

1970) American Football Coach

The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can,I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concen-

trate their waking thoughts on what they shouldhave or would have done, or what they can't do.

~ Denis Waitley, American Author and Motivational Speaker

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.

~ Joe Paterno, Penn StateUniversity Football Coach

Answers: 1 – a; 2 – c; 3 – a; 4 – b; 5 – c; 6 – b; 7 – a; 8 – b; 9 – a; 10 – bBonus: No – The Supplemental Note to Rule 8, Section 4, Article 2 of the NFL Rulesstates: "After the two-minute warning, any fumble that occurs during a down (includingTry), the fumbled ball may only be advanced by the offensive player who fumbled the ball,or any member of the defensive team."

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:35 AM

THE COUGHLIN COMPANY, INC. is aconsulting firm, established in 1996,that works with executives to acceler-ate the achievement of their organiza-tion’s most important business out-comes and generate sustainable, prof-itable growth.

As President of The CoughlinCompany, Inc., Dan Coughlin is in thepractical idea business. His goal is togive clients, audience members, andreader’s practical ideas they can use immediately toimprove their most important business outcomes -and their careers.

As a business speaker, Dan has provided hun-dreds of presentations on business acceleration toclients including Toyota, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola,Marriott, St. Louis Cardinals, AT&T, Boeing, Eli Lilly,IKON Office Solutions, American Bar Association,and more than 75 other organizations. His topicsinclude change management, leadership, team-work, strategy, branding, and innovation.

As an executive coach, Dan has provided morethan 1,500 Executive Coaching sessions for presi-dents, vice-presidents, senior directors, and nation-al managers at Fortune 500 and major privatelyowned companies. He has invested over 3,000hours on-site observing executives and managers inmore than 20 industries. His business coaching con-centrates on improving decision-making, communi-cation, and talent management.

Dan’s first book, CorporateCatalysts: How To Make Your CompanyMore Successful, Whatever Your Title,Income or Authority (Career Press)attacks many widely-held corporatefallacies and provides an enormouslypragmatic approach to acceleratingindividual careers and high priorityorganizational outcomes. It providespractical advice on leadership, manage-

ment, teamwork, branding, and talentmanagement. Corporate Catalysts has been pub-lished in Chinese as well as English, and has beenused in the Executive Education programs atBoeing, McDonald’s, GSD&M, Marriott, andRonald McDonald House Charities.

Therefore, it was with great pleasure thatBrilliant Results recently spoke with Dan about hiscompany, business acceleration, and his secondbook, Accelerate: 20 Practical Lessons to BoostBusiness Momentum (Kaplan Publishing) that isbeing published this spring.

BR: What prompted you to found The Coughlin Company?DC: My professional cause has always been to

help people achieve better sustainable results intheir desired outcomes. I started as a college soccercoach and a high school math teacher becauseI thought that was the best way to fulfill my pur-pose. But I realized that most of my time was beingspent on soccer and math, and not on the individuals


TheLast Word

Dan Coughlin

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:36 AM

I was working with. Then I was asked by anexecutive at McDonald’s Corporation to be hisexecutive coach, and I found my niche. Thatrelationship has led to my coaching more than120 executives in over 20 industries over thepast ten years, two books, and hundreds of pre-sentations on business acceleration.

BR: What is the single most important service/benefit that The Coughlin Company offers its clients?

DC: The reason people hire our firm isbecause we provide practical ideas, whichclients can use right away to accelerate theachievement of their desired outcomes in a sus-tainable manner. When McDonald’s wanted toroll out new salads, McGridddles, 24-HourService, credit card capacity, new menu boards,and a variety of other innovations all at thesame time, I advised a variety of key executivesto slow down in order to go fast. My advice wasto select the one item they felt would have thegreatest immediate impact, and focus on doingthat one thing really well. They started withtheir new salads. Approximately a year laterthey added 24 hours service. Roughly a yearlater they added credit cards. By staggeringtheir innovations, they were able to make all ofthem successful. If they had done them all atonce, they would have overwhelmed theirrestaurant managers and crew.

BR: How can our readers benefit from thelessons contained in your book Accelerate: 20Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentum?

DC: Accelerate focuses on four things:accelerating your results as an individual,accelerating the results of your staff, acceler-ating the results of your organization, andaccelerating your organization’s impact onconsumers. It’s an enormously practical bookthat is packed with applicable insights youcan use right away to move results forward ina sustainable manner.

BR: What is the most important step for acompany to take if it wants to transition to theaccelerator business approach? Please give ourreaders some examples of accelerators both inbusiness and sports.

DC: By far, the most important step is toschedule thinking time. My overwhelming find-ing has been that people do not step off thetrain of constant activity long enough to findways to make sustainable improvements intheir results. Take out your calendar and sched-ule one hour a week to think. Go to a placewhere no one knows you. Get away from yourhome, your office, your customers, and yoursuppliers. Take out a blank sheet of paper. Atthe top right down one business outcomeyou want to improve. Then turn it into anopen-ended question. Say you want to attract


“The reason people hire our firm is because we provide practical ideas, which clients can use rightaway to accelerate the achievement of their desiredoutcomes in a sustainable manner.”

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:36 AM


new customers. The open-ended question mightbe, “How can we attract and retain the customerswe truly want?” Then answer that question from avariety of perspectives including the perspective ofyour boss, peers, direct reports, customers,prospects, and competitors. Write down as manyanswers as you can think of for 45 minutes. Thentake the last 15 minutes to combine ideas together,narrow the list down to your single best idea, andthen move that idea into action. By scheduling onehour a week to think, you can improve all the otherhours in that week.

This idea of scheduling thinking time wasdeployed very well by both Jack Welch at GE andWalt Disney when he ran the Disney company. Bygetting away from their businesses, they were ableto see new ideas that could be used to accelerateresults. The idea for Disneyland came because Walttook his daughters to amusement parks. When PhilJackson was coaching those nine NBA champi-onship teams, he frequently challenged his playersto get quiet, read a book, take their mind away fromthe game of basketball, and free themselves tothink of new insights to drive results.

BR: What do you think causes companies to fail intheir acceleration efforts?

DC: They get consumed with the results. If theresults are good, they celebrate. If the results arebad, they get depressed and work more hours.Neither of those is very helpful. Results are simplyteachers. They are neither good nor bad. The key toaccelerating is to analyze the results. What wasyour goal? How did you actually do? What did youto try to achieve your desired results? What workedwell? What didn’t work well? What lessons did youlearn? What will you do the same the next time?What will you do differently? Notice that answeringthese questions means you need to step off thetrain of constantly doing activities and attendingmeetings, find a quiet place to think, and articulateyour answers.

BR: Are there any steps an organization can taketo motivate its employees to be accelerators?

DC: I’m a big believer that there is no such thingas a motivational speaker. If you hire people whohave the strengths and passions necessary to suc-ceed in your business, provide them with managerswho listen to their ideas and give them honest feed-back, and encourage them to make time for think-ing, you will develop accelerators. I have found

accelerators in every imaginable industry and underevery imaginable title. I’ve also found decliners andstatus quoers in every industry and every title.Don’t think you can make someone an accelerator.I learned that when I was a teacher. Create anenvironment where motivated people can succeed,carefully search for the right type of talent, and con-tinually create situations where people step off thetrain of constant activity to reflect on what has beenlearned and what would make the future better.

BR: How can promotional/incentive products beincorporated into this process?

DC: I’m also a huge believer in value-added mar-keting. For an organization to accelerate, brandingis a critically important factor. To me, a brand is theperception of value that a customer thinks she getswhen she buys from an organization, or thinks shewould get if she did buy from that organization.Decide what value you want customers to associatewith you, and then provide value-added marketingthat will reinforce that association. One of the bestpromotional products I ever saw one of my clientsgive away was a 12-page document called“Problems & Solutions” that was placed at theirtrade show booth. It was also mailed out to all oftheir clients and prospects. This document con-tained real-life business situations that clientsfaced and how they overcame the issues. In thismanner, the recipients were much more likely tohold on to the promotional product, which had myclient’s contact information on it, because it had on-going value for them.

BR: Do you remember the last promotional orincentive product you received and from whom youreceived it?

DC: It’s been a while since this happened, butthe most memorable promotional product I everreceived was a free Mach 3 Razor from Gillette withfive razor blades. I received that over ten years ago,but I still use it. They gave me value for free, I gothooked on it, and it has stayed with me ever since.I think that example reinforces the importance ofmaking sure that anything we send to another per-son has lasting value to it. •

For more information please visit www.busines-sacceleration.com or e-mail Dan at [email protected]. Dan’s new book, Accelerate: 20Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentumarrives in bookstores May 2007.

TheLast Word

BR0407_Section01.qxl 3/28/07 3:36 AM

BR0307_Section03 2/27/07 4:14 AM Page 5

BR0107_Section03 12/29/06 1:56 PM Page C4

creo

br april 2007 issuu

Documents

sportsbrilliant results

combrilliant results

brand stardom

marketing team

pm page c1creoc o r

exciting sports

bill nissimbrand brand

sports theme