Rothacker Reviews

Small Business Advertising

Do you own a small business?  Have you encountered the key to making it successful?  Be that key a person, a book, a Web site, a seminar or your spouse's brother-in-law?  Chances are you haven't had the luxury of striking it rich with one brilliant move.  You've had to build your business through hard work, grit, determination and the ability to filter every Tom, Dick and Harry's opinion as to how you should run your business.  You did say your brother-in-law's name is Dick, didn't you?

Today perhaps you might consider the opinion of David, an advertising man.  He helped a few companies sell their products and become successful.  You might be familiar with some of them; Campbell Soup Company, Rolls Royce, General Foods, Shell, IBM, Merrill Lynch, etc.  In the world of advertising, David Ogilvy was an icon.  David passed away in 1999, but his legend lives on along with his words.  You need to pick up his book Ogilvy on Advertising.  It isn't a textbook, it is a conversation.  I've read the book twice now and I feel as if David and I are sitting in a cherry wood paneled library in two big plush leather chairs looking out over a snow-filled meadow while a fire roars in the fireplace.  He talks to me about advertising and selling products while knocking the residual tobacco from his pipe.

"Wait a minute Dave, the companies that David worked with are all really big companies.  Mine isn't."

Ok, let me guess.  Your brother-in-law knows a printer.  He got you a good deal on printing out a flier.  You mailed a few out.  Or you recently bought Advertising for Dummies.  You are trying to follow it step by step.  Or you know that you should be advertising, so you ask Joe who owns the pool cleaning company.  Joe tells you.  But you're not sure if he understands the difference between pool filters and pepperoni pizza.  Or you listen blindly to the girl who sells ad space for the Neighborhood News cause you'd like to date her.  By the way, just how much business are you getting out of that ad?

The point is your advertising isn't working.  You either have to do it yourself or hire a company that works with small business.  Ultimately you should hire the company.  Either way, David will guide you through the process.  But there is a catch.  This book isn't for every small business owner.  It is only for those with an open enough mind to carry on a conversation with a dead ad guy...albeit a charming and wise dead ad guy.  You see, David isn't only going to enlighten you about advertising, if you're open enough, he'll help you build the very core of your business.

"Dave, I ran over to Amazon and ordered up a copy.  It came yesterday.  Dude, this book is written for advertising people."

Well, yes it is.  Here, grab this can of WD-40 and shoot a couple drops on the hinges of your mind.  Now, shake each leg a bit and straighten out your underwear.  Good.  Listen up.  Yes David's book was targeted for the field of advertising.  Published in 1983, he writes about getting a job in the business, running an agency, how to advertise for foreign travel and how to make TV commercials.  He also writes about how to produce advertising that sells, direct mail, how to get clients, research, competing with Proctor and Gamble, and six legends who went before him in the industry.  It is mostly in the last group where the treasure for small business owners can be found.  But you will only hear David's sage bits of wisdom if you pretend he is trying to help you run your business.

I know, I know, you're too busy trying to run your business to play pretend.  But if you made it this far into my article here, try this out...

You hire someone local to do your advertising.  It could be the girl who sells ad space for the neighborhood paper or someone who will design your ad or an agency geared for small business.  Now, listen to what David has to say about his internal operation:

I never assign a product to a writer unless I know that he is personally interested in it.

As an Advertising Director, he never assigns a product to a writer unless he knows that the writer is personally interested in the product.  Now here's where you have to pretend.  David to you:

Carol, does Bob the guy who is writing copy for your print advertisement, know anything about you or your products?  Matter of fact, does he use your products?

See what I mean?

One last suggestion.  Pick up a copy of David's book from the new and used section of Amazon.  You'll save a few bucks.

Remarkable Leadership

Remarkable Leadership by Kevin Eikenberry

Do you work for a living?  Buy Remarkable Leadership now!  Next.

"Jeepers Dave, we're not sure we got our money's worth with that review."

"Let me get this straight, you're paying me for this review?"

"Well, errr, uhhh..........no, but could you tell us a little more?"

Dave is a softy, he relents.

After reading Remarkable Leadership the first time, I closed the book and the first word that popped into my mind was prolific.  Remarkable Leadership is not just a book, it is a work.  Kevin focuses on thirteen core competencies.  They constitute Remarkable Leadership.  Each competency gets a chapter and Kevin weaves within each chapter components that entice you to participate.

"Participate Dave?"

Yes.  Kevin begins each chapter with a self-assessment.  This technique sets the stage for the book to become a conversation.  Then he provides in depth content on topics like continuous learning.  Kevin sculpts out each chapter with:

• Skill areas
• Your now steps
• Bonus Bytes
• Your Remarkable Principles
• Remarkable Resources

Bonus Bytes and Remarkable Resources direct you to an accompanying Web site that is packed with extra information.

If you are a teacher, mentor, manager, boss, coach, executive or otherwise bigwig, this book is for you NO QUESTIONS ASKED!  Jack Welch could benefit from reading Remarkable Leadership. 

"Daaaaave, we're feelin' a twist in the road ahead"

Do you know why Jack Welch could benefit from reading Kevin's book?  Because he isn't a bigwig anymore.  If you work, you need this book as much or even more than your manager does!!  Two reasons:

1. By understanding how your manager is trying to lead you, you'll become more effective.
2. You can become more effective.

Do you know that little guy who is dressed in white and sits on your shoulder?

"Now Dave, keep it together.  Don't loose it buddy."

Well, he kept asking me one question as I read the book.  He said, "Dave, what if you dropped the word leadership?"   I knew exactly what he meant.  I had the same thought myself.

"Your toast."

If  you approach reading Remarkable Leadership with the intent to become more effective, you will.   Nearly everything that Kevin talks about, can be instructive learning for every working person out there.  For instance, Kevin devotes time to the act of Listening.  Now, as much as you hope they would, do you think only leaders could benefit from advice on listening?  How about learning, dealing with change, communicating, telling stories, building relationships, networking, customer service, building values, creativity, innovation, collaboration, teamwork, problem solving, making decisions, responsibility, accountability, projects, processes and goal achievement?? 

"Dave!  You rebounded son!!"

Remarkable Leadership is a prolific book.  I would bind it with good, hearty stock, cover it in leather and cherish it for a lifetime.  But that's just me.

Remarkable Leadership was Smoked-n-Signed.

You, Inc. The Art of Selling Yourself

You, Inc. by Harry and Christine Beckwith

How can I tell you what I think with brevity and crystal clear clarity?  How can I make it interesting enough so you will tell others?  How can I get you to come back?

I think deeply about the above questions.  Personally however, I have a huge problem.  Picture yourself wanting to build a new home.  The most important part of a home is its foundation and basic structure.  This is where you need to start.  But your mind cannot choose a foundation so it drifts toward the floor plan and interior design.  Both important components but each will not amount to a hill of beans without the correct foundation.  And so it is with me.  My mind drifts toward bright and engaging communication, when it should be thinking about foundation.  What is your core idea dave?  What is that word that when people speak, associate it with you? 

I thought I might have a bit of fun here with this idea.  So I am going to list my fellow JJLN authors and then list the first word or phrase that comes to mind about them.  For the authors that I do not know that well I am going to visit their Web site and insert the first thing that comes to mind.  I encourage my colleagues to copy and past this list and then create their own associations.  Even if you are not a JJLN author, feel free to contribute.  Heck, add more names if you choose.

Angela Maiers - education, teach, passion.

April Groves - internal spiritual intelligence.

Ariane Benefit - organized.

Benjamin Bach - learning, networking, sharing, improving.

Blaine Collins - relationships, networking.

Chris Owen - Aussie, pink, relationships.

Dan Ward - intellectual, radical.

David Zinger - positive life outlook, educator, learning.

Dean Boyer - teacher, educator, learning.

Dwayne Melancon - sharing, growing, evolving, relationships, spirit.

EM Sky - spiritual, openness, giving, smart.

Greg Balanko-Dickson - biz coach, vast resources, teaching, learning.

Joanna Young - wordsmith, writing, giving, caring, clarity.

John Richardson - productivity, leadership.

Karen Wallace - serenity, learning, giving.

Kevin Eikenberry - relate, learn-from-life, positive, energy.

Phil Gerbyshak - relationship geek, networker-on-steroids, smile, learner.

Rosa Say - management coach, writer, value-anchored, managing with aloha, sister.

Steve Sherlock - learner, hitchhiker, observer-of-life, caring, sharing.

Terry Starbucker - women, uber-positive-life-outlook, leadership, caring, smart.

Tim Draayer - personal development, networker.

Tim Milburn - graphic artist, college-leadership, giving, sharing, learning.

Toni Howard - coach, caring.

Ok, I got a little carried away.  I couldn't list just one thing that came to mind about these folks.  These are my perceptions.  And one perception I must expand upon before it is taken out of context.  Terry Starbucker - women.  To begin with, Terry is one of my most favorite writers.  His insight into business and life is as crystal clear as Rocky Mountain water.  Add in the essence-of-Terry, the glass-half-full philosophy of life, and we're talkin' life after service company exec here.  Here's the women connection (and it ain't deep); I've noticed that more women link to Terry's site than other business-life writers.

"dave, I thought you were going to review Harry and Christine's book here?"

The Beckwiths weave life tales and experiences around advice that navigates us through the narrow and shallow channels of business. 

You are the CEO of you.  If you have established a core idea for your Web site or are on the journey of discovering one, you'll need a copy of You, Inc., to help clarify your communications.  And, if you want to create a word or phrase that you'd like folks to associate with you, do so.  Then repeat that word before and after you read each of Harry and Christine's two hundred and seventy six chapters and you'll be on your way!

The Inside Advantage

The Inside Advantage by Robert H. Bloom with Dave Conti

Bob Bloom was once US Chairman and CEO of Publicis Worldwide, as in advertising firms, BIG advertising firms.  One might think, "how could Bob relate to my company and its whopping seventy-five thousand dollars in sales?"  Bob is of the age and comes from the era where folks from different class and management levels did not associate with each other.  After reading The Inside Advantage however, I get the feeling that Bob would be open and share with others - even if they migrated to the round-table from the levels of subterranean management.

This point is important to me.  If the author is an arrogant snob, I don't care how poignant his message is, I have no use for him.  And I suspect that nearly all Gen X and Y'ers along with a few Boomers feel the same way.

This book is about growing your business.  Bob hooks me on page one.  He says that it is likely every company has at least one underutilized strength that can be the centerpiece of a powerful growth strategy.  This fact so resonates with me.

Now, pull your chairs in a little closer and listen up.  Or, put another log on the campfire and tighten up the circle, because Bob's discourse is conversation over lecture.  In the rest of the book Bob describes The Growth Discovery Process.  It is very simple, clear and not only pertains to both large and small companies, it pertains to the individual entrepreneur.  Basically it involves identifying:

Who is the core customer?

What is your uncommon offering?

How is your persuasive strategy different from others?

Own It! is the series of imaginative acts that will celebrate your uncommon offering and make it well known to your core customer.

The Inside Advantage is a no-brainer for companies of all sizes.  Reading along though, I couldn't help but to think, if applied, how Bob's strategy could help those of us with personal Web sites.  Think about asking these questions with your site in mind and ideas that you hadn't thought of before will come forth!

On one other note.  Good, clean design and graphics enrich my reading experience.  I love what Bob does with the graphic of a combination lock throughout this book.  It begins on the book's cover.  He then dedicates a single page graphic to identify each of the four questions.  It is simple, it is attractive, it is in black and white and it is very cool!

Here is a free e-book download of inspirational quotes from the folks who are helping Bob out.

Independents Hall: Co-working and Beyond

Here is a link to one of the best About pages I've ever seen.  Alex Hillman explains what co-working is, what  Independents Hall is, how it originated, who is involved, where they are going and what has inspired them.  Masterfully succinct.

My first reaction to Independents Hall was, "young, hip, freelance-type-computer-dudes gathered together in a cave grooving with a pict."  For the sake of accurate disclosure, that truly was my very first thought, but only for a second.  Then I thought this is a brilliant idea and fruits of the cross pollinating type of atmosphere have yet to even be imagined. 

Then, at the fifteen second interval of my thinking, I thought of my dad...

My dad is seventy-seven years old and has been a Wally-Mart Greeter for twelve years.  Prior to that he spent forty years in large grocery store management and worked in that business for over fifty years.  He is a gold mine of retail store management.  Early on at Wally-Mart he tried to offer advice but got the what-does-that-old-man know vibes.  So he shut it down and did something for the very first time in his life.  He punched in and he punched out - with no value given in between other than to hand out carts and to be friendly.

How many folks are out there in our workforce today like my dad?  Walking gold mines just waiting to be harvested.

So, at the forty-second interval I thought, wouldn't it be cool if some old dudes could hang out with some young dudes at places like Independents Hall?

I've had this story in the stable for over a month.  After reading Lost Knowledge by Dave Simanoff of the Tampa Tribune I had to open the barn door and let it out.

Martin's Jewelers in Brandon: Value Defined

I happily go to the dentist, forever longing to be prodded, poked and if I'm really lucky - the dentist's cold, steel pick will find that one exposed nerve in my mouth.   Visiting the jewelry store was the second place I happily go.  That is, until today.  Joe Martin, President of Martin's Jewelers in Brandon, Florida, changed my mind.   I am not even sure I would classify his shop as a jewelry store. 

You're going to love this Rosa...

Martin's Jewelers in Brandon: Value Defined - I walked out of Joe's shop knowing more than when I went in.

Not only did I walk out of Joe's with more knowledge, I walked out with a smile on my face, thanks to Dick.  Dick is Joe's neighbor, patron and a long time fixture in Brandon.  Dick had to stop in and tell Joe a joke.  Fortunately, I was standing there and heard the entire tale.  It was hilarious.

The service and atmosphere that I experienced today at Martin's Jewelers has pushed every other jewelry store that I've visited from my mind.  Joe's shop is about eight minutes from one of the largest malls in Florida.  (There are fourteen lanes in the road to one of its entrances)  There is so much commerce in this area that it is stifling.  But I am going to remember Joe. 

No, Joe's place isn't so much a jewelry store as it is the corner barber shop, the corner deli, the corner news stand, the corner bakery.  With friends like Dick, it can't possibly be anything else.

Visit Martin's Jewelers if you are in the area.

 

Brazen Careerist

Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk.

Today's world of work is not the same as your father's was.  Thank God!  Penelope Trunk, columnist for the Boston Globe and Yahoo Finance in addition to her own Website has written a spot on, insightful book titled Brazen Careerist.  Penelope hopes to provide a roadmap for Gen X and Y'ers to follow in pursuit of their own life's work.  Drawing on real world experience, she stories upon such topics as:

• Grad School
• Adventures
• Resumes
• Interviews
• Managers
• Office Politics
• Sex Discrimination
• Promotions
• The New American Dream

Penelope's work has been referred to as the modern day version of What Color is Your Parachute?  While the Brazen Careerist is a manifesto and rallying wake-up cry for Gen X and Y'ers, I find that it talks frankly and honestly to a whole other generation of folks.  Mine.  The Boomers.

As a Boomer manager, I feel as if Brazen Careerist is my own personal undercover spy, infiltrating the Gen X and Y'ers' world.  Of course for me, there isn't a trace of spying or undercover that goes into dealing with folks from these generations.  It is all about collaboration.  And if one wishes to collaborate, they must understand the other collaboratoree.  Brazen Careerist introduces us, stays in the conversation and provides that much needed understanding.

For Boomers who do not recognize the workplace change today, there is no help.  But for those of us who relish in the new environment and who cherish the spirit and attitude of those who will one day be placing us in nursing homes*, I find the Brazen Careerist positively fascinating!!

*Our Gen Y daughter has for sometime reminded us of her role in this potential eventuality, helping to explain why we should see and support her point of view...or perhaps our nursing home will not have all of the amenities that we would expect.  She tried to explain the concept of an outhouse...

Penelope Trunk

"One of the best posts on this site ever! I wish I had such focus." This is a comment in a post written by Guy Kawasaki at his site, How to Change the World.  Guy is interviewing Penelope Trunk about her new book Brazen Careerist. 

I am going to talk about Penelope's book soon here at the Reviews. I want to offer a point of view that differs from most others that I've read on Brazen Careerist.  I am also including Penelope in an upcoming RadioBack mission.  But for now I just wanted to point out this interview by legendary, rock star author blogger consultant rad guy Mr. Kawasaki.

Authenticity

"Hey!  You got Seth Godin in my peanut butter!"

"Well, you've got Virginia Postrel in my chocolate!"

I had read about thirty pages in Virginia's book The Substance of Style this morning, put it down and picked up Seth's book All Marketers Are Liars.  I got twenty or so pages into Seth's book, ran into a common topic between the two books and instantly thought about PR guys.

The common topic is authenticity.  Virginia, in the realm of aesthetic meaning, contrasts an objective ideal of authenticity against a subjective one.  The objective view uses standards to judge, an outside in approach.  The subjective view begins from within the self, an inside out look.  Seth talks about the need for marketers to have authenticity.  He says, "...no marketing succeeds if it can't find an audience that already wants to believe the story being told."

My Reese's moment came when I thought about how people try to pitch us bloggers, especially those of us who write product or service reviews.  For perspective, I only receive a handful of solicitations per year.   I can't begin to fathom how many an insanely popular chap like Merlin Mann lands per year.   Enough to say that he must have an interesting opinion on authenticity as well.

"Hey, I really love your blog.  Will you please consider reviewing my client's new book, The Mindset of The Blogging Millionaire?"

"Thought you might like to review Bobbing For Bloggers before we appear on the Oprah show."

I think most of us who write online have the propensity to spot a visitor with inauthentic intentions faster than a candy bar going to goo inside a car parked in the Florida sun.  Ben McConnell writes a great post instructing folks who wish to contact us and how to do it properly. 

To be authentic, to be worthy of trust and belief, people must be real and human.  Even corporations can be authentic.  Afterall, machines do not author press releases and corporate communications, people do.  Lose the nauseating corporate rhetoric and speak the language of humans.  Let the verbiage melt in your mouth and not on your keyboard.

Accept Positive Feedback

A kernel of truth that evolved from yesterday's post about the Harvard Business School Press's insert that came in the April edition of the Harvard Business Review is have the mindset to accept positive feedback.

I once tracked down an electrical contractor's manager to praise one of his technicians. This guy looked at me like I was going to perform a tooth extraction on him without novocain.  His shell was so thick and he was so on pins and needles waiting for me to complain about his worker that it took about three or four minutes to register - I was there to complement his technician.

I really hate to keep picking on Harvard Business, but, in my quest to find someone to praise the work of their Harvard Business School Press, I encountered this  Customer Service Page .  Scrolling through Select a Subject, one feels a rather cold receptionist...the woman looks up, obviously annoyed at the customer's presence.  With hair pulled back so tight it pulls her eyebrows toward her ears, she barks, "How can I help you?" 

In today's environment of Web 2.0 that is three quarters around the track to Web 3.0, I find this Web page mired in Web 1.0.  Sorry HBR.  I love Tom Stewart and I love your magazine man, but I think you guys gotta look up-n-lighten up.

I haven't found accepting positive feedback around the blogosphere a problem at all.  I have yet to not receive an acknowledgment from a blog author when I contact them to offer praise - and that includes cats like Dan Pink and Seth Godin.

Maybe we ought to incorporate our blogging behavior a tad more into our business behavior...