By Joanne Maly
July 6, 2009
This morning, I found myself working as fast as my brain could take me. At one point, I just stopped, took a breath, said ‘whew.’ It’s funny how that ‘whew’ sound, in fact, did remind me to stop ‘running’ and spend a few seconds instead stepping back, look at the project’s end-goals, and re-strategize.
This ‘whew’ moment reminded me of the old Warner Brothers Road Runner cartoons. Poor Wile E. Coyote tried every trick he could think of — and he fell for each quirky ad promise for a sure-fire end to his nemesis, the always-clever Road Runner.
In the 50’s cartoon version of the age-old David vs. Goliath story, despite the obvious odds and literal roadblocks, Road Runner wins the challenge in every episode. In spite of Wile E. Coyote’s never-ending pursuit of Road Runner, the sprightly, little bird outsmarts his ‘hungry’ competition through humorous antics time and time again. On a second-level though, Road Runner wins because of astute, crafty, clever ingenuity. He doesn’t just pursue or run, he strategizes and ‘tacticizes.’ (so, there’s a new word for you.)
Does this scenario remind you of business and marketing?
For the last few years, we business professionals are constantly being asked to do more; do ‘it’ with less, do ‘it’ faster; and then come back to the table with high-five-level ROI. Period.
In a world of ‘don’t-tell-me-how-just-tell-me-that-you-did-it’ mentality, there is an easy tendency to speed through the planning and strategic part of an initiative. Research is big. Operations – perhaps even bigger. But, without inspired and well-considered marketing and communications, we too can face our own roadblocks and the wrong results we had anticipated.
We could just speed faster like Wile E. Coyote, but it could ultimately take us to a dead-end. We could easily imitate leaders in our individual areas of business, duplicate what they are doing, or one-up their efforts.
Or…..
We could stop, take a breath, (say ‘whew’’) and ask what can I do differently? What idea hasn’t been tried yet? What is my instinct telling me – as well as – my experience and research?
I wrote myself a message on a Post-it-note today. It says simply: “Beep-Beep.” That Road Runner sound will be my own reminder message to ‘stop’ and creatively out-think the competition before I speed ahead.
To help you too think like a Road Runner — with ingenuity, guile, and quick-wittedness (and some humor), I encourage you to stop and say ‘whew’.
Perhaps, a visit to this fun link of some fun Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote cartoon clips from Warner Brothers will trigger some of your own creative ideas: Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment box below.
If you liked this post, please share it on Twitter, Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, or Facebook. And, I’d be honored if you would like to follow me on Twitter @JoanneMaly or visit the Lincoln Maly Marketing fan page.
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By Joanne Maly
June 25, 2009
“Be excellent at what you do” — one of those six-word parent mantras we hear from the time we are sitting in a pumpkin seat observing the world around us. I truly think that when we are six-months old, we do want to be ‘good’, be ‘great’, be ‘excellent.’
But, that is before we find out that it is just plain ‘hard’ to go the extra mile and work to get an “A”, be first in line, win the blue ribbon, go for the cum laude.
Super marketing ideas, ad campaigns and business plans start out in the same place that non-super ideas, campaigns and plans begin… in a pumpkin seat, if-you-will.
But it takes something special to get raw, undeveloped ideas to a point where they stand out in the pack. Something (or someone) special has to take a ‘little’ idea, think it through, give it life and juice, develop a team, win management buy-in, and turn the little ‘it’ idea into a WOW campaign.
The new Dunkin’ Run promotion has given us just one of those ‘WOW-now-that-is-cool’ moments. http://www.dunkinrun.com/
The bottom line for the Dunkin’ Run concept itself is that we are asked to follow four simple steps to get some steaming hot Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee and chewy, icing-covered donuts for our office friends. Dunkin’ Donuts has come up with an out-of-the-box, fully-integrated marketing campaign encouraging us to Invite, Order, Run, and Enjoy. A fun, colorful, interactive, contemporary, user-friendly theme is pervasive throughout the program’s graphics, website and social media campaign. Dunkin’ Donuts deserves at least a blue ribbon for this marketing concept.
Ideas (and people) can get stuck in a pumpkin seat spot or they can take off and find their own ‘limitless’ future. With inspiration, freedom to be creative, and perhaps some magna cum laude execution, we can each reach one of our own WOW moments.
Please feel free to leave your comments in the space below. I look forward to reading your thoughts.
If you liked this post, please share it on Twitter, Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, or Facebook. And, I’d be honored if you would like to follow me on Twitter @JoanneMaly or visit the Lincoln Maly Marketing fan page.
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By Joanne Maly
June 23, 2009
This is the first blog post for a new blog – ‘Simply Said.’
Hmmm. Is this a historic moment? Nah.
Significant for you? I absolutely hope so. Over time, my hope is that this blog inspires readers to become all we can be; to think creatively; to go the next mile; to add personal passion to our business lives — and to our ‘real’ lives; to demand excellence from ourselves and our colleagues; to be risk-takers; and to be positive leaders among our business peers and life circles.
Significant for me? Well, yes, this blog is important for this company — and not just because of search engine optimization for the Lincoln Maly marketing website — and not just because I want to hear — or naively think you want to hear — what Joanne Maly has to say. But, this blog will be one way that I can share experience, learning, and insight with you, the reader.
These ‘Simply Said’ blog columns will most often be centered on themes relating to business, marketing, corporate communications, and PR. After years of ‘working at’ perfecting skills in those specific areas, I suppose you could say that much of my own brain’s grey matter has some good stories to tell and lessons to share.
The perspective in these columns is not going to be “How-to-create-your-fantastically-fine-Facebook-page-in-five-free-steps” or “How-to-be-the #1-Twitter-tweeter-in-your-city-in-10-easy-‘twi’-steps.”
The perspective will instead be an exchange of creative thoughts and inspiring anecdotes, as well as ideas that have worked for others. The posts will be written from a viewpoint of someone who has a thirst for the ‘just-awesome’, for the ‘high-five’ moments in business and in life, and for the ‘I-think-we-can’ mentality. The tone will be conversational and I will always welcome your own thoughts, ideas, and stories.
Welcome to ‘Simply Said.’ I look forward to our journey together and to your comments.
Please feel free to leave your comments in the space below. I look forward to reading your thoughts.
If you liked this post, please share it on Twitter, Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, or Facebook. And, I’d be honored if you would like to follow me on Twitter @JoanneMaly or visit the Lincoln Maly Marketing fan page.
Tags: #followfriday, Blogging, Blogs, Business, Business Communications, Business Excellence, Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Marketing, Cincinnati PR, Communication, Communications, Corporate Communications, Creative Business Ideas, Creative Marketing Ideas, Creativity, Entrepreneur, Excellence, Excellence in Business, Facebook, Freelancer, Good PR, Integrated Marketing, Joanne Lincoln Maly, Joanne Maly, Lincoln Maly Marketing, LinkedIn, managing, Marketing, Marketing Communications, Marketing Consultant, Media Pitch, Media Relations, Motivating, Motivation, New Media, Performance, PR, PR Consultant, Public Relations, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Strategic Business, Strategic Marketing, success, Twitter
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