With all of the recent buzz surrounding Sarah Palin’s new book “Going Rogue” I thought I would post a little something about the importance of ALIGNMENT within an organization. This is NOT a post about my thoughts on the book…or my thoughts about Mrs. Palin (although I am sure I could post something VERY interesting)…it is really about the nature of preventing rogue behavior within an organization improve communication and overall results.
Recently I went kayaking in the Long Beach marina and while I was paddling around I admired the row-boats that passed me by with about a dozen or so “rowers” listening to the captain of their ship calling out when to row. It was clear with each stroke the team intently LISTENED and followed in synchronization with their row propelling their boat faster and faster. This is a clear example that alignment within an organization takes a leader, listeners, and a common goal. If you want to go faster everyone must all row in one direction toward a common purpose, listen to their leader, and look to the finish line with purpose!
Alignment is more than just rowing in the same direction. For example, I have personally experienced great things happening when emotion is paired with intellect. I like to call this alignment of the right brain and the left brain. When creativity and passion are aligned with business and strategy one can be unstoppable. Sometimes this type of alignment occurs within a group or even better within one person.
Alignment is critical to success and it is what I strive for each day within myself and with my teams and company!
I have been known (on occasion) to absolutely love web analytics (yes I know how that sounds) and the wealth of information it provides enabling marketers to make smart and timely tactical decisions to guide their marketing strategies. As marketers, we are living in a world where we are getting paid less and less for our great ideas…and rather…getting paid for the performance of our idea. In fact, I read this week in a column in Advertising Age (thanks Bobby for sending it to me) that many large companies are reevaluating the way they are paying their marketing agencies as they are able to get more and more granular with their return on investment (ROI) analysis using web analytics and other online marketing tools. Companies hiring agencies like Earthbound Media Group are demanding some “skin in the game” and asking the agency to include some performance metrics into their pricing model so that their payoff for success is not only for the company, but also the agency. This puts an agency in an interesting position as they must not only come up with creative ideas to market products and services, but also tweak the ideas real-time to enhance the ongoing performance of the campaign in order to meet performance goals. This “new marketer” is a creative and a data cruncher and carries in his or her pocket a sketchpad and a calculator (or rather…just an iPhone!).
Recently I read about a website called www.wheresgeorge.com where a simple database and algorithm track dollar bills and their migration around the US – hence the name “Where’s George.”
This website is being used by market analysts as well as the Center for Disease Control as researchers try to understand purchasing and monetary migration patterns within the US. This granularity in the capabilities of tracking offline materials (a dollar bills) in the online world is something marketers years ago did not have access to. Times have changed…and so to have marketers.
I know as many agencies struggle with this shift in marketing analysis and optimization, Earthbound Media Group has embraced marketing intelligence and how it is shaping our ideas, campaigns, and our clients’ business. Using tools such as web analytics, multivariate testing, and social media listening (to name a few), we are able to better serve our clients and provide ideas that are grounded in research, data, and results.
I went to Starbucks today because I was out of coffee at home and had to stand in a line that started outside of the store!! I was so surprised that in a recession people were lining up for $4.00 cups of java and $2.00 scones. Maybe everyone is out of coffee like me? I raise my frothy cardboard cup to the recession and hope that patrons are lining up at Starbucks everywhere stimulating the economy. I wonder if this is what Regan meant by “Trickle Down” economics - one cup of coffee at a time!
OK. I truly believe that one of the greatest qualities of EMG is our ability to estimate and provide REALISTIC timelines…and stick to them. Unfortunately it seems like there are so many people out there who would rather sit at a table and listen to someone describe a plan which is completely and totally UNREALISTIC and typically everyone is afraid to speak their mind or say anything.NOT AT EMG! The best timeline is one that considers details, dependencies, assumptions, and stakeholder buy-in so that everyone can be in agreement, transparency, and assistance to achieve the project goals!
OK.The only reason I am blogging about The Snuggie is because I recently received one from my mom (she likes to keep me in the “now”) and I just had to take a picture and post it to Facebook.The responses to the photo were overwhelming…and EVERYONE said they were going to buy one or had already ordered one.
So…why is the blanket with sleeves so popular??
Are there cold people out there REALLY sitting on the couch needing a blanket with sleeves??
The inventors of the Snuggie are brilliant.They have basically “personalized” the average blanket providing a blanket that is meant for one person.We as marketers that know how to reach Generation X, Y and Z – we know that these audience prefer personalization, and are VERY connected.So…the inventors of the Snuggie have taken a common household item, personalized it, AND allow people to stay connected (play video games, use their computers, talk on their iPhones – as the commercial shows) while still remaining warm!!BRILLIANT!!
I don’t think there is a hotter product on the market that has mashed together the basics of a household item, audience analysis, personalization and connectivity….next to the iPhone. What’s next??
If you don’t have a Snuggie you should.You are definitely missing out.
OK…well as a first post…I just can’t write about what I do every day…
So instead, I am going to tell you about something I really enjoy! Succulents. You may be asking…what is a succulent?? Well…a succulent is a juicy leaved plant (much like a cactus but much cooler) that stores water and is very hard to kill. In fact…they can go weeks without water and remain very nice looking!
I have a collection of succulents at home…and thankfully a very rarely kill them
As soon as I figure out how to upload photos to the new blog…you will see some of the succulents I have at home!
Recently I went kayaking in the Long Beach marina and while I was paddling around I admired the row-boats that passed me by with about a dozen or so “rowers” listening to the captain of their ship calling out when to row. It was clear with each stroke the team intently LISTENED and followed in synchronization with their row propelling their boat faster and faster. This is a clear example that alignment within an organization takes a leader, listeners, and a common goal. If you want to go faster everyone must all row in one direction toward a common purpose, listen to their leader, and look to the finish line with purpose!
