Danny Brown provides business branding and emerging media consultancy services to the consumer and commercial markets, from small start-ups to Fortune 500 businesses.
He is also founder of the 12for12k Challenge, a unique charity project using social media to change the lives of millions in 2009.
You can read more from Danny at his emerging media, pr and marketing blog.
We’ve been brainwashed into thinking the materialistic matters, but without those that matter to share with the materialistic is hollow.
Do we really need to send that final email? Make that last phone call before calling it a night?
There will always be jobs for those that want to work. It may not be the jobs that we want, but they will be there. Loved ones... not so much.
Don't let your victories be hollow.
There’s a fairly well-known phrase that goes, “Stop making mountains out of molehills.” For anyone that’s not aware of it, it’s basically saying that there’s no need to make a big deal out of something much smaller. Usually it’s aimed at people who make a song and dance about the smallest thing. You know, the drama queens for whom the wrong kind of butter on movie popcorn is akin to the worst kind of insult you could make, and boy are you going to know about it. But you know what? I say let’s make mountains out of molehills. Let’s take the small things, make them larger, and let everyone know about it. Why should anything be insignificant or too small to take notice of or worry about? Would Bill Gates or Steve Jobs have the loyalty and gratitude of millions if they had left their ideas about consumer and business technology as molehills? Maybe instead of being two of the most influential men on the planet today they’d simply be working undiscovered at a small-town IT company. With the ease in which people can communicate today and with the support network that is social media behind us, we can all turn our molehills into mountains. Our small idea for a business start up? Throw it to the community and get constructive feedback and help from people who’ve been there and can guide you through the pitfalls. That dream of making a difference in people’s lives through change and charity? Social media and the people in it can help you spread the message like never before. When we accept that molehills are the norm and that mountains are scary obstacles to overcome that should be avoided at all costs, we lose the freedom of choice that makes us who we are. We all have greatness inside us – all we need are the tools. Social media gives us these tools. Let’s start climbing that mountain.
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Tick tock. The sound of a clock. The sound of watching the minutes go by. The sound of boredom. The sound of anywhere but here.
Silence. The sound of creativity at work. The sound of not really feeling like a job. The sound of expressing yourself. The sound of making things happen the way you want them to. The sound of success.
You're not encouraging clock watching, are you?
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Instant coffee is fast. Instant coffee offers the quick solution you need at that time. Instant coffee keeps you satisfied until you can get to the gourmet roast or Colombian dark coffee from your favourite bean.
As customers, we love full bean flavour but we don't always need that - sometimes all we need to keep us happy is some instant coffee.
How's your business at serving coffee?
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You don't have to be a superstar. You don't have to be the top dog. You don't always have to be the number one.
It helps. It can offer kudos and creedence to your name. But superstars fade. Top dogs become old. Number ones can fall by the wayside and soon drop out the Top 10 altogether.
Stop solely concentrating on the numbers and positions. Instead, think about being a bridge builder.
We're in a people business. Yes, people work from numbers but they really believe in the connection. You're the bridge to that connection. The decisions you're making today are being viewed by others, and they will come to you for their needs. Or the needs of their clients.
They may want you to help build the numbers for their company, but it still all happened because of your bridge.
Build the bridge right and the numbers will follow.
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James Dyson looked at the vacuum cleaner and gave people a different way to do things - no bags. Simple.
EasyJet looked at international flights and gave people a different way to fly - no thrills affordability. Simple.
Sony looked at video games and gave people a different way to view gamers - cool mass appeal chic. Simple.
We don't always have to build something brand new. We don't always have to spend millions on research when the audience is already there. We don't always have to create from scratch.
Sometimes just reinventing the wheel is more than enough.
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600 years ago we thought the earth was flat. Just over 100 years ago we thought it was impossible for man to fly. Just over 50 years ago we still thought that steam powered was the way to travel by train. 40 years ago we hadn't put a man on the moon.
Every day we're faced with impossibilities. We're told, "You can't do that; it'll never work."
But you know... an impossibility is simply a problem that we haven't conquered yet. Consider that as you next commute to work on your electric train.
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You're responsible for a blogger outreach program. Who do you go for - the influencers? Is this the right approach? Why aren't you reaching for the evangelists?
Influencers take a paycheck (or some from of payment) to talk about you. They don't always have a vested interest in your brand. They won't necessarily tell you where to improve.
Evangelists don't need a paycheck. By all means, give them first shot at your new goodies, but payment? Not their style. They have a vested interest in your brand. They want to see you be the best, so they'll tell you what you're doing wrong and where you can improve.
Influencers are for the now. Evangelists are for the now and after now.
Still want to reach the influencers?
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ATM's are automated, but you need to deal with a real person to buy a house. Phone trees are automated but you need to deal with a real person to resolve a complaint. Production lines are automated but you need a real person to sign the shipment papers.
Our processes may be becoming more automated, but we still need real people to initiate the process. Is your business recognizing your real people every day?
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If approached properly, a complaint can turn into a discussion can turn into a process improvement can turn into a case study. Everybody wins.
Are you being clever with complaints?
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