PLI TrendBlog

Why French Fries are Like Marketing

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:27:00 +0000

With a "thank you" to Mark Dykeman, Broadcasting Brain for his post today that reminded me of this chestnut of a post, OnlyOnce: Why French Fries are Like Marketing

It's true. It was true in 2004. It is even more true today. The choices are myriad. But, that doesn't mean you *have* to or even *should* do everything, be everywhere, all the time.

Choose what makes sense and what you know you will maintain. Think about *not* linking everything to everything, so all the same stuff goes out everywhere. Disconnect to connect more meaningfully. Think about which people go to get their information and tailor your content to suit. Offer up completely different content in different places and see what happens.

At least, that's what I'm going to experiment with as soon as I can figure out how to disconnect and undo, so I can do all over again, but differently, more thoughtfully, and hopefully, it will have more meaning and relevance.

A lesson in selling from David Ogilvy - see a genuine "Mad Man" in action | Drayton Bird's Commonsense Marketing

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:08:00 +0000

A new acquaintance recently pointed me to Drayton Bird's site and blog. I love his rather self-effacing, quirky, powerful approach to communicating and driving home a point without being left feeling like I've been the victim of a drive-by.

I've just watched this 2:02 minute video several times. Kind of ironic that it is 2:0or was it calculated to be 2:02? At any rage, David Ogilvy is still brilliant and so is Drayton Bird. Do yourself and your company a favor and spend 2:02 with Mr. Ogilvy.

A lesson in selling from David Ogilvy - see a genuine Mad Man in action | Drayton Bird's Commonsense Marketing

I look forward to your comment on this blog.

O.P.S.

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:13:00 +0000

It's been far too long and I've been remiss in posting. I've been thinking a lot, working a lot. It's easy to save something to Draft and then, procrastinate on going back to finish a post and actually publish it.

I've resolved to take a page from Seth Godin's playbook and just post already, another iteration of shipping. I can only hope that what I have to share is a fraction as interesting as Seth's posts.

In my defense, I've had some programming issues as well as having to invest in a new Mac after the logic board on Old Faithful crapped out last week.

At any rate, are you still curious about that cryptic title?

Earlier this week I was at the monthly SFNewTech event and someone asked me what I do. I started to explain when we both started to laugh about how the same thing has gone through so many name changes over the years. As in so many other cases, every time a company pays a research company to compare their new offering to their competitors' and write up a white paper, part of the deal is to come up with a new description and the associated clever acronym for this revolutionary "solution." Hence, what was once called an ASP (application service provider), Web-based, SaaS (Software as a Service), that is now "in the cloud," is all the same thing more or less.

So, okay, you're thinking, I know that already, but what the heck does that have to do with OPS?

Well, back in the 80's, Wall Street talked about never using your own money, always using OPM or, Other People's Money. So, I've always referred to the application we offer, PrivateLabel Mail/Venntive uses OPS or, Other People's Servers.

It's my own acronym that really describes why we all love remotely hosted applications. Because, you see, when you use Other People's Servers, it's their responsibility to maintain them and make sure they are always up. It's their personnel, their hardware investment, their headaches. And, what do you get? Isn't it kind of like renting versus owning a house? Uh, yeah. And, as we've learned, that is not a bad thing!

So, power to OPS!

Did You Know?

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:54:00 +0000

It's that time of year where we naturally look back and look forward, if not nearly simultaneously, surely in rapid succession. What happened? What's ahead?

A visit away from my rarified little world of technology here in San Francisco is always a trigger for reminders or, as family and friends might say, a reality check.

I really appreciate the opportunity to see how people in the "real world" are using or not using the technology that may already feel like old hat to us bleeding edge early adopters. It's even more interesting to listen to their reasons for their choices.

Being immersed in the technology environment is special. Keeping up, regardless of whether you are early or late to the table, is quite another. By way of offering some perspective, here's a great video that graphically illustrates our challenges and opportunities. Keep in mind that it is already over a year old....

Logic Emotion: How To Spot Social Media Snake Oil

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:43:00 +0000

Dave Armano's short list in Logic Emotion: How To Spot Social Media Snake Oil should be committed to memory. It should also be used as a guideline in any other situation that has seemed to miraculously spawned an abundance of "experts" and "gurus" who were doing something completely different last week.

Oh, by the way, over here at PLI, we've been studying market demographics and psychographics since 1990 and from 1995, actively engaged in online marketing, business development, project management, community building, writing and editing, developing and executing online-offline marketing strategy, and implementing SaaS business technology.

Give us a call. Drop us an email. Let's talk.

Dirty Vendor Tricks | Applications

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:26:00 +0000

This InfoWorld article, Dirty vendor tricks | Applications, is required reading.period.

I can say, without hesitation, that I have never engaged in any of these practices. I did recognize one or two nameless vendors, e.g. the $400 per license CRM software vendor. I can also attest that these are far too common practices. I've been on the receiving end and it's cost me north of $10,000 in one instance.

Be wary when there seems to be a lot of churn in personnel. There will be a parallel churn in customer not renewing.

Don't be afraid to ask the same question several times of the same person and/or different people to make sure you always get the same answer and/or greater clarification.

And, I hope you will ask us all your questions because I think you'll hear what you want to hear - the truth about a great application that includes enterprise level email marketing tools plus all the CRM tools that people actually use and need without any over-complication.

There's been abit of a hiatus. I have a lot of saved articles, ideas that will be published regularly. Just be prepared to scroll down to find them Psst! I'll tell you where to look!

Dirty Vendor Tricks | Applications

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:26:00 +0000

The Customer Is Always Right?

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:14:00 +0000

It's really fascinating to me how the same sentiment can be independently expressed by several people at virtually the same time across different online and offline media that I follow.

The current thread could be the leading edge of a shift in attitudes toward "the customer."

Last night I caught an update on Facebook remarking that it's not just the customer who deserves a "thank you." It was postulated that vendors deserve more than just paying their invoices when they deliver. Good vendors work very hard to deliver a positive experience, even when it doesn't show.

Then, this morning a newsletter in my inbox talked about the benefits of pissing off some customers to gain more customers. In the example given in Shamus Brown's Egopower, Murky Coffee in Arlington, VA reused to sell an iced espresso and then, objected when the customer bought an espresso and a cup of ice to make his own. The annoyed "former" customer blogged about it. The story was picked up by the Washington Post. And, Murky Coffee which takes its coffee very seriously and refuses to compromise attracted a whole new slew of customers who share the same attitude.

So, is the customer always right?

When you started your company, you had a vision, a mission, and a commitment to deliver a product and/or service that is unique, that fills a gap. You landed accounts because those people wanted to buy what you were selling. As time went by and perhaps we found ourselves in a challenging time, a customer here and there asked for changes or exceptions or worse, delivered an ultimatum that could end up fundamentally compromising what is being delivered. Or, we start second-guessing ourselves and thinking, "Well, maybe if we did things like our competitors, then we'll be more successful."

I believe you have to have the courage of your convictions and that the clients who count will appreciate that and you.

A big part of working for yourself is being able to call the shots and do something better than everybody else. As the saying goes, "have fun and make money, not necessarily in that order". Sometimes, you have to fire a customer to do that.

Company Policy vs. Customer Service

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:56:00 +0000

How many times have you had a CSR (Customer Service Rep) of whatever level (since we are *all* representing our companies and providing service in some manner, right? Right.) tell you they can't do what you're asking because it goes against company policy?

What is "Company Policy" anyway? They are the ground rules every company had laid down/developed to provide a framework for building the company, a reference for employees to use for any given situation.

"No, we cannot close your account at the end of this month. Company policy requires a full 30 days notice. So, we'll close your account at the end of next month."

That's what she said, several times.

We've all heard the expression, "Rules are made to be broken." Well, no, not actually. But, as Christine Comaford pointed out at her "Rules for Renegades" weekend last summer, "Rules can be broken."

In the end, when the manager called me back after I'd happen to mention that I blog about the customer service experience, not only did she agree to close my account at the end of this month, but to also credit my credit card for the $86 for a service that was not delivered in the way it was sold and promised. Can't tell you how many times I was turned down on that one over the last 18+ months in the name of corporate policy dictated by the suits in New York!

I'd like to think it was something I said that made the difference. Simply, corporate policy should not get in the way of delivering great customer service.

Don't get scared. There's not going to be anarchy. Not everyone is going to be as insistent as I or even consider bucking the clearly published corporate policy. But, when you do have a customer or soon-to-be-former customer insisting on an exception, seriously consider making the exception. Tell them that you are making a special exception for them, that you appreciate their business. Ask them how else you may be of service to them. And, even if you're on the phone or writing an email, do it with a genuine smile on your face.

It all makes a huge difference...now and later, for your company and for you as a person. You'll enjoy your weekend that much more.

Creating Sustainable Conversations Is the Key To Social Media Success

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:59:00 +0000

In this short article, Creating Sustainable Conversations Is the Key To Social Media Success, Freddie Laker has hit the nail on the head about the key to social media success. Turns out it's still the same thing that builds great brand awareness.

I probably spend way too much time on Twitter and Facebook these days and when I'm not actively engaged, I'm thinking about them and these apps' profound impact on millions of people.

Today's poster child for huge success is the Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos who's not only built a hugely successful company with great employees (because the crappy employees are paid to leave, literally), but leveraged Twitter to make himself and his company uber-accessible and has a lot of fun along the way talking about whatever's on his mind at the moment, e.g. "Calling a children's word game "hangman" just seems plain wrong. They should invent a more humane game, like "lethal injection"." He made himself ultimately accessible, reflected the culture of the company he's building, and he's real.

And, in the best MasterCard tradition, Zappos is being bought by Amazon for a mix of cash and stock valued at $800,000,000.00 and management remains intact.

Tony and all of the Zappos team have created a sustainable conversation that has contributed to their success.

On the flip side are all those instant internet marketing gurus.... As far as creating a sustainable conversation that goes toward building something of consequence, I'd say they're a big FAIL.

Comments?

Endurance

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:45:00 +0000

I thought I needed more of a title than just that one word, but anyone who has any familiarity with all the word Endurance embodies knows that just that word is sufficient.

Several years ago I organized a book group as an offshoot of the New York Company of Friends (Fast Company and Heath Row's great social experiment) and we decided we would alternately read business and 20th Century fiction. The first book was "Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" by Alfred Lansing. This is one of the best business books I've ever read. Everything about Shackleton's Voyage was against all odds. Not only did he endure, but prevailed with grace.

So, fast forward to a few weeks ago when I went to the single screening of Stephen Auerbach's "Bicycle Dreams, The Race Across America" that follows several solo racers in their quest to win RAAM, 3,000+ miles in about 10 days combined with a lot of suffereing, not only by the riders, but also by their crews.

This morning after getting back home from a 6:30 a.m. tri spin class that left my legs feeling very noodle-y from the full-out intervals, I came across Mike Dion's Ride The Divide via a Twitter connection. I've heard of the race down the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. After watching the teasers, I can't wait to see the film. It ranks right up there with the earlier feats of endurance as something that just leaves me in awe in the true sense of the word, not as in the current "this burrito is awesome" sense.

So, all this rekindled what's always in the back of my mind ~ what goes into making a successful venture, a successful entrepreneur, a success of pretty much any effort?

Endurance.

Along with the firm conviction that what you are doing is on the money, a large part of success is enduring through all the challenges thrown at you to prevail to the point where you get to say or, at least, think, "I told you so!"

The Question Is "Why am I here?"

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:26:00 +0000

Seth Godin's blog post this morning zeroes in on a less than metaphysical, but no less important approach to the seminal question, "Why am I here?".

I know there are a lot of people out there who attend conferences, business expos, lunches, networking events on the "Because I can" principle. The company's paying for it. I'll see friends from other companies. I need to be seen there. It'll boost my ego to be recognized. It'll get me out of the office or away from my desk. It's just a few hours. It's free or doesn't cost much. I'm sure I'll pick up something new or make some new business connections. On and on.

So, you go.

I am no longer surprised that at every event I do attend where people are invited to introduce themselves, not only do they not have a concise, interesting introduction about themselves and their company, they don't bother to stand, don't speak clearly or loudly enough for people to hear them. Are they ashamed or embarrassed by what they do? Are they devaluing what they do and consequently, don't think anyone will find value in it? Or, do they just not view themselves as a knowledgeable, valuable resource to others? What?

It is your job to promote your company and yourself as an authority representing that company. Speak up! Be proud of what you do! Screw up your courage and just do it! Otherwise, don't go or send someone else who can do the job.

After all these years, I still break out in a sweat in anticipation, but I will always take advantage of every opportunity to let people know who I am and what I do. I'll be the first to volunteer to be the guinea pig up on stage. I'll always stand to introduce myself regardless of whether anyone else does or not. I will always speak in a clear, confident voice that carries to the whole crowd. And, I will always seek to have to clearest, most concise, tailored introduction to my business that is possible.

Have fun, but as Seth says, "...do something. Loud, now, and memorable."

The Solution for the Financial Debacle in Dilbert's World

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Since we are yet to see the real fallout and impact from the commercial real estate market, I thought I'd offer this bit of gallows humor. Seems MBAs may have taken over the place of attorneys on the Most Hated Lists.
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Relating to your Mailing List vs your Facebook Network of Friends - Bourland.com

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:45:00 +0000

I guess I've been living under a rock lately as I missed the sad news of Andy Bourland's passing. Andy was just a great person who also happened to be one of the founders of ClickZ, along with Ann Handley. So, today when I had a little time after Web2.0 Expo and before Startup Weekend, I decided to go down memory lane a little as my personal service to remember Andy.

After reading the last posts to his blog, Bourland.com by his older brother and his wife, Jeanne, I tiptoes through many of his past posts that reminded me of his wonderful, humanistic approach to the InterWeb.

True to form are his observations in Relating to your Mailing List vs your Facebook Network of Friends - Bourland.com. Do yourself a favor and take the approximately 5.5 minutes to watch Andy speak with joy and wonder about what Facebook meant to him.

I started thinking about how the vast majority of us haven't begun to leverage the great tools of Facebook to have a more real, meaningful, and substantive relationship with our network of colleagues, clients, customers, and professional friends in our many networks. So many of us kind of get caught up in amassing followers, connections and then, neglecting to build on that in a real way. Others seem to use Facebook and other social media outlets as a public address system to make one breathless announcement after another. The first is directionless, the second is uni-directional. Both are completely counter-intuitive to how the Web2.0 experience was envisioned. Why are we using all these new tools in all the old ways?

One resolution I have made is to use it to connect more directly with those who are my customers. I just hope they want to connect with me! I will keep you posted on how I plan to go about accomplishing this.

I would really love to learn your thoughts about this.

_______________________________________________________

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VitaminWater Launches Primetime Facebook Promotion

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:51:00 +0000

VitaminWater Launches Primetime Facebook Promotion during the NCAA Tournament coverage on CBS tonight. This could be considered a watershed event and a huge endorsement of the new Facebook public profile redesign.

This conjures a real "remember when" recollection of the commercials on TV where companies first displayed their Website addresses and the voiceover was very careful to enunciate the entire URL, including 'back slash, back slash.'

With Jason Calacanis challenging Twitter with new offer to Twitter: $500,000 for three years for @questions as a suggested user in the sign-up process, it's becoming a very interesting and exciting time. Never can tell what might happen next!

Stay tuned!

I love online marketing in all its permutations!

"The Value of an Email Address to a Knowledgeable Marketer Is $118."

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:21:00 +0000

According to Stan Rapp, the father of direct marketing, email marketing is poised to make great strides in this recession as noted by G. Simms Jenkins in the article, iMedia Connection: 10 ways to prepare for the coming email boom.

From our anecdotal evidence, companies are sending more emails these days. Online ecommerce companies are appealing to online bargain hunters with great deals promoted through their emails. Financial services companies are reassuring their clients, their broker networks, their internal clients via more frequent and thoughtful emails.

Our clients are extremely conscientious about sending relevant emails only to opted in recipients, but there are far fewer instances of misdirected requests to be removed. People want the information they're receiving.

Simms has done a great job of pulling it all together here and saving me the time of duplicating the effort!

I am in complete agreement that other newer social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed, Flickr, MySpace, LinkedIn, XING, etc. are wonderful for generating conversation and buzz, but also for driving people to your Website where you can capture their email addresses and really reach them in a substantive, extended (but not too much!), and uninterrupted way.

Just make sure that Website is ready for it!

We'd love to talk to you about how we bring it all together in one place, with the technology to manage your contacts and all relevant information, e.g. their Website purchases, as well as the ability to develop and execute a comprehensive strategy that ensures your Website is up to snuff and working with all the most relevant social media for your business.

Drop us an email!

But, first, read Simms article and let me know what you think!

Facebook, Twitter And Yammer Are Not Replacing Email, Rather They Are Subservient To Email | AttentionMax

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:02:00 +0000

Facebook, Twitter And Yammer Are Not Replacing Email, Rather They Are Subservient To Email | AttentionMax

It's always thrilling when someone who might be regarded as more of an authority, more "in the know", confirms what I've been saying for, like, ever.

I've been talking about the perennial power of email for more than eight years and am so excited that it is even more relevant today than eight years ago when I was on the bleeding edge and the blood was mine!

Thanks, Max!

Thank you for so beautifully putting it all in perspective.

Please hit me up with your comments, opinions, etc. I'm really interested in learning what you think.

Publish or Perish

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:53:00 +0000

It's not that I haven't had any ideas or opinions to write about. Heaven and my friends know that i'm never lacking for opinions nor shy about expressing them. Nearly every day I'm brought up short by an idea that I tell myself I should write about. The truth? I've just been lax, lazy if you will.

But, we are moving more and more into developing and executing comprehensive social media marketing strategies to complement email marketing for a variety of clients. The time for "Do as I say, not as I do" is over and "Do as I do" is the new mantra. And, really, how can you expect prospective clients to believe you know what you're talking about if you aren't doing it for your own company?

We're really excited about all the plans in the pipeline and I hope you'll be free with your comments, suggestions, and criticisms. I promise to keep you up-to-date on what's going on over here.

By the way, the post that's dated December 15th was just posted ahead of this by a few minutes. Obviously, our timeline stretched for the launch of the new Venntive.com website, but it really is getting launched this month, March and we are definitely psyched.

"Markets are conversations."

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:17:00 +0000

Markets are conversations."

Humans are social animals. We have always gathered together, whether it was around the fire in the cave, the agora, or the mega-mall. As more and more technology has been introduced into our business and private lives, there has been an unconscious push-back to hold onto our instinctual socializing. At the same time, we are constantly experiencing the encroachment of the apparent-but-not-really isolation of technology in the form of people sitting or standing in circles texting or Tweeting, sometimes to each other, sometimes to others about who else is nearby texting and Tweeting.

And, I'm guilty of doing the same.

Since I believe multi-tasking is a myth, I'm still trying to figure out where this is all leading? Any thoughts?

________________________________________________________

Private Label Interactive and Private Label Mail are getting a new name and a new Website in the next few weeks to Venntive llc (http://www.venntive.com). The new name and new message are meant to communicate what our solution and our company actually does. It's where a company will find all the tools in one solution and all the services in one place it needs to streamline operations, align marketing and sales, delivering greater efficiencies, savings and a greater ROI at affordable prices.

It really is what you've been looking for ~ one solution that really streamlines and automates the customer life-cycle and lets you focus on what your business really does!

I'd love to have a conversation with you to figure out if what we have is what you need.

"Good food does not offset total crap service." - San Francisco Bay Area - Chowhound

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:29:00 +0000

"Good food does not offset total crap service." - San Francisco Bay Area - Chowhound

So Maybe Spam Is Not Inevitable

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:01:00 +0000

This news is so huge I had to pass it along as soon as it came to my attention. Lunch over IP: So maybe spam is not inevitable introduces the story about how Brian Krebs, a journalist/blogger for the Washington Post exposed a San Jose, CA company, McColo, as responsible for up to 75% of all spam...worldwide.

The implications are huge. As pointed out, this goes toward legitimizing email marketing and making communicating via email once again truly useful, and could very well point the way to winning the game of "find the spammer."

It may also mean that I will no longer be interrupted and asked if I'm a spammer when I respond to the question, "And, what do you do?" I'm constantly reminded that even though most in the tech industry view providing the Web-based technology to send massive quantities of email and manage all the resulting data as mundane, there are many, many people who are still pretty clueless as to how it is they receive all those HTML emails from Target and Macy's in their inboxed, that "spam" is not a word to describe an email they weren't in the mood to receive today, that if email went away tomorrow we'd feel a real sense of loss.

Anyway, click through, read the short article, and then, click through again to read the full (only slightly longer) report at Good Morning Silicon Valley.

A Study in Be Careful What Your Lawyer Demands

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:37:00 +0000

How Not to Use a Lawyer - A Personal Case Study (Plus: Protocol Marketing correction) - The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss is actually several great case studies in one that I had to share it with you!

Keeping this short since Tim Ferriss covers all the salient points about what is so wrong with this interaction. There are so many customer experience lessons embedded in this. Just for the record, I have some real issues with the third comment from the lawyer. But, I *LOVE* the final photo! Better than a PostIt on someone's back!

The Importance of Decency

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:39:00 +0000

Seth Godin pointed me to this clip via his afternoon blog post. Tom Peters speaks about the importance of decency, something we can all too easily forget, ignore, or abandon in business and especially, in trying times.

Decency is a quality that should be a part of every aspect of our lives. So, it is definitely a component of good customer experience and service.

It's all too easy to let an edge creep into your voice on a phone call or write an email in such a way that the tone can be misread and before you know it, a client feels a level of disrespect and/or lack of regard for his business when s/he becomes a "squeaky wheel."

This reminder came at the perfect time (thank you, Universe!) as I work to find a solution for a particularly challenging client. I keep reminding myself that ultimately it will be valuable knowledge I can share with other clients in the future while, it is hoped, gain the undying devotion of the client!

But, decency, as Tom Peters notes, goes far beyond the customer experience to every facet of your business and your life. If, at the end of the day, I can look in a mirror and honestly say I have conducted myself with decency throughout, it's a great day.

25 Excuses You Can Have During the Recession | chrisbrogan.com

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:57:00 +0000

Jim Kukral's blog this morning pointed me back to a Chris Brogan blog post I'd saved for reading later...uh, since I'm so busy making excuses, actually using some of these - 25 Excuses You Can Have During the Recession | chrisbrogan.com

With the stock market up 700 points with 20 minutes left before close, I think we're all feeling a little more giddy than we were when it closed on Friday. So, it should be slightly easier to avoid making excuses.

The consensus on Friday was that the market was falling due to people's fears and nothing based in fact. Basically, the world is going to hell in a hand basket and I might as well save as much as I can before I lose it all.

Excuses!

Excuses don't just hold you back during a recession. Excuses are the line of least resistance. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, but then again, nothing lost, right? Wrong! As Jim Kukral reminded us, Wayne Gretsky said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

So, stop making excuses! That goes for me, too!

More soon!

So, What Does Your Company Do?

LKSugarman@gmail.com (Lydia Sugarman) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:57:00 +0000

The Tuesday after Labor Day is kind of like January 2nd for me. It's the official start of the Fall Season, whatever that may mean for you. After years of living in New York, it means new art gallery and museum shows, the season of "serious" films, new restaurant openings. It's also the day when my school year would start which instilled a strong sensory memory that kicks in every year and makes me want to buy new notebooks, pens, pencils, and crayons.

So, I always welcome it as if it were a new year, but with the quickened energy that is part of the brisk autumn weather, regardless of temps in the 90's.

All this is a preamble to a renewed commitment to write on a more regular basis and publish here. Most days, there's so many ideas for posts flitting through my head, after reading another blog, an article, whatever and like many others, I'm sure, make a mental note that I'll write about that 'later' only to not make that happen. No more!

__________________________________________
So, I saw a Twitter post this morning -

"New rule w/ vendors. If you can't tell me in one page (exec. summary), you can't do biz w/ me. I am happy to delve in further if I have Qs."

A few minutes later, I got a new email in my inbox in response to a Website inquiry I'd made last week asking for more information to understand exactly what the company had to offer.

"Our mission is to create a competitive advantage for small and medium-sized retailers like you by providing them with everything they need for achieving retail business success.

To help us better address your specific need and goals, please provide the following information:
Revenue band: Under $1M, $1 to $2M, $2 to $5M, Over $5M
Once we have this information, the appropriate consultant will contact you to setup a convenient time and date to dicuss your needs."

I understand the need to qualify a prospect. But, I'm not even a prospect at this point in time. The mission statement says the obvious, but says nothing. I'm not a retailer per se. I'm investigating different tools for my clients.

I still don't know exactly what they do. And, it's already gotten to be too much

I recently changed my elevator pitch. Now, when people ask me what we do, my response is, "We help our clients send massive quantities of email responsibly and successfully and then, make sense of all the resulting data."

Pretty simple and straightforward. Most people now ask me for advice, for more information specific to their own needs (pain points) relative to their marketing goals, a more complete explanation of all the services we can offer.

Nice, huh?

What would you like to know about us?