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Archives: November 2005

Experts don’t know everything. 

Mary Schmidt

Nov 29, 2005

An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.
  - Niels Bohr

I was a guest “expert” lecturer at an MBA class last night - was asked to talk real world versus text book strategic planning.  As regular readers of this blog might imagine, I really enjoyed it, particularly since these were folks that had been out in the working world for a while.  Still and all, I had to chuckle a bit when they started asking me about gathering data and running

In

Niche Market or Dead End?

Mary Schmidt

Nov 28, 2005

 

Seth Godin’s post on the inanity of the American consumer - as illustrated by the combo toaster/egg poacher/ham warmer - highlights the challenges not only of the holiday season but of marketing in general.  How do we differentiate our products and/or services in a way that the customers will value (and buy more than once)?  And, are we thinking “niche” when in reality heading toward a “dead-end?” 

For example, does anybody really need any of the things sold in the Sharper Image

In Marketing Troubleshooting

Turkey Technology

Mary Schmidt

Nov 23, 2005

Cooking a turkey isn’t complicated.  Wash it, rub it down with some butter, salt and pepper - then slap it in the oven while you: a. mix the first round of martinis; b. go for a long walk.    But, we humans just love to keep “fiddlin” with things - including cooking birds. Engineers analyzing, cooking, analyzing - ya gotta love it.  My old farm woman Grandmomma would laugh until she cried.

Happy “Turkey Day” to you and yours!

In Brain Food

mary

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Social Media Isn't Free, Easy or Magic.

If one of the self-anointed experts contacts you, pitching magical thinking, ask:

1. What results can I expect if I work with you? (Note: Twitter followers aren't necessarily customers.)

2. What kind of time will I have to invest? (Social media, properly done, is all about personal relationships. You with your customers...and a good relationship takes time.)

3. How do I integrate social media tools with my current operations? (Your salespeople need to know what you're saying on Facebook. Your customer service process and policies should be consistent across the board, from phone to Twitter.)

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