By Joanne Maly
October 2, 2009
I love creativity. I thirst for examples of it. … just like some folks crave a concert with their favorite band, or yearn for an exciting football game, or can’t wait for their next vacation.
And, I find energy from creativity. In meetings. On billboards. In marketing campaigns. On palettes. In the board room. On the dance floor. In the studio.
©iStock_000001773981
I love the viral effects of creativity. One example spawns more inspiration.
More ideas. More excitement. More color to our worlds.
Imagination and originality can inspire even more inventiveness and an attitude of “We can do that.”
Here’s a thought. According to dictionary.com, the definition of begets, is to produce as an effect, for example, “A belief that power begets power.”
Yes, creativity ‘begets’ more creativity.
Creativity is freeing. Contagious. Explosive. Fun. Pulse-stirring. Mind-jogging. Finger-snapping. Smile-breaking.
And … as we see in the examples below… creativity can reach from your head to your toes. Indeed, it can be toe-tapping.
Splash Dance –
A spontaneous, fun, and very creative public dance on Cincinnati’s Fountain Square, organized by the Fine Arts Fund.
watch?v=EW58tCXeb80
White Nights –
A timeless example of creative genius by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines.
watch?v=haBZCrBHMm4&feature=related
Lindy Dance Finals –
Some fast-moving, swinging-ly creative dance performance clips from the 2006 Lindy Dance Finals.
watch?v=myJj0mNNe1Y
Mozart –
A fun performance of a Mozart piece on a giant floor piano at a toy store.
watch?v=wxwgC8tSglk&feature=related
Michael Jackson –
What can I say? Plain awesome dance creativity and talent that has indeed spurred more creativity and originality.
watch?v=-tqYUTjQIc0
Flawless –
An original, finely-synchronized performance by the dance group, Flawless, during the finals of Britain’s You’ve Got Talent.
watch?v=dG8i9ymWaVQ
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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By Joanne Maly
September 7, 2009
Many years ago, one of my sons had a colorful soccer coach who originally had hailed from England. With his decidedly British accent and the gift of a charismatic leader-type personality, this coach was a genius at inspiring a group of ‘ok’ high school soccer players to become better than ok – in fact, the team eventually became much better than even ‘good.’
When the coach was especially excited, you could hear his encouraging words clear across the field and far into the parent stands.
Well-done, lads!
Fine job, my boys!
Bloomin’ good run, Chad!
Well, that was bloomin’ awesome, Joe!
Why, what a bloomin’ fine goal, Bobby!
Bloomin’, bloody good, Tim!
Aaaah, the power of encouragement! And reinforcement! And telling others you believe in them! And really believing that yourself!
I’ve been thinking too about the word ‘bloomin. I like that word. Dictionary.com doesn’t agree with me. And Merriam-Webster.com doesn’t agree with me. Those websites want me to insert the word ‘blooming’ into my word search.
There is something though about the word bloomin that inspires fun, excitement, energy, and the thought that the unusual could be good.
Would I rather be my blooming best – or my bloomin’ best? Would I want my intern to give me a blooming first draft – or a bloomin’ good first-draft?
The basic point in this blog post though is deeper than a debate about bloomin’ vs. blooming. The idea is that a simple bud can become an amazing bloom. A simple idea could perhaps become an exciting new invention.
The bud.
The bloom.
However, that idea, can just as easily be squelched at its own stage of inception if shot down with the many caveats we so typically hear: “Oh, we don’t do things like that in this company.” “Nice idea, but that would never fly.” “If you could apply as much energy to your workload as you do dreaming up new ideas, this company might actually be profitable.”
Yes, an inspired thought can go only as far as a bleep in our virtual air space… or it can be encouraged, explored, and tweaked. Originality and uniqueness can become extinct in a child as young as eight – or even perhaps in a new employee of only one week – if we don’t allow the freedom to ‘bloom.’
What innovations – what creativity – what excitement our businesses could show if we would allow and ‘cheer on’ our lads, our lasses and their ideas!
And what power and what beauty our own lives could have if we would listen to our own hearts and our ‘what if’s’. Why, perhaps we wouldn’t just become a bloom – we could blossom into a whole bouquet.
The bouquet.
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.
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By Joanne Maly
August 5, 2009
Creativity is like juice. It can give you an inspiration buzz similar to drinking a 10 oz. glass of freshly-squeezed chilled, foamy orange juice on an empty stomach.
And yet….
Creative energy can be easily sucked out of us by our own and others’ negativism, woe-is me talk, and by focusing on the reasons ‘we can’t’ instead of focusing on the reasons ‘we can.’ Relentless talk about the downturn of the economy, disappointing political heroes, and business leader trust gone awry, can almost visibly drain the inspiration right out of us.
I have an image though that I’d like to share with you …. and together then, perhaps we can all … break free of the things that are holding us back from being all we can be, and start again to ‘think large’, and believe in the big picture and in fact, a bright picture.
Here is your picture for the day.
©iStock_000007006199
Barnacles.
Barnacles are an unattractive, pervasive crustacean. (My apologies to all barnacles.)
Instead of working hard and ‘crawling after their own food’ barnacles glue themselves to rocks and other living and non-living things and wait for food to wash by. (www.library.thinkquest.org). Once something alive, free-floating and yummy swims by, that’s when the barnacles reach out their barbed legs and grab onto whatever and absorbs or ‘sucks out’ the oxygen of its grabbed prey. Through adulthood, the barnacle species will remain in their ‘spot’, held permanently by one of the strongest-known natural adhesives.
Barnacles have ‘trap doors’ that rhythmically open and close. (www.chesapeakebay.net).
An unscientific, personal interpretation of the above description:
a) Barnacles are lazy and are leeching off of the energy of others.
b) Barnacles ‘stick’ onto unaware passers-by.
c) Once grabbed, the passer-by is definitely ‘stuck’.
d) If not alert, the unsuspecting can fall into the barnacle’s ‘trap door.’
A business and ‘real’ life interpretation of the barnacle saga:
a) In our own worlds, both business and in our ‘real’ lives, we need to be wary of the lurking barnacles around us.
b) Barnacles need our creativity and energy to feed themselves.
c) Barnacles can be people, businesses climates, work settings, the news, ourselves …. anyone and anything that can suck our own oxygen or drink our creative juice.
d) The barnacle folks will glue-us-back from being all that we can be.
e) It’s easy to be unaware that we have even fallen into dangerous waters where our creativity and spirit are threatened. It can just ‘happen.’
My thought for the day then?
For me, I’m going to think about what lurking negativity is ‘out there’ and ‘within me’ – holding me back from all that I can be. And then, I’m going to go against the scientific theory of being stuck by ‘the strongest known naturally adhesive’. I then plan to break free of any barnacles that are holding me back.
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
July 29, 2009
Zappos.com sells shoes.
Well, actually, Zappos sells shoes … and backpacks … and purses … and jewelry … and housewares … and paraphernalia … and more.
Even prior to the July 22, 2009 purchase of Zappos by Amazon.com, there was a buzz about this company that defied the norm. As a person who loves to delve into the why’s of business success stories, I was curious about Zappos.
Note: I am apparently one of a few people out there who has never purchased anything from Zappos.com or ‘watched’ my new shoes’ hour-by-hour, animated delivery tracking visuals on the company’s website.
There are perhaps figuratively a ‘ga-zillion’ online stores and e-commerce sites. So then, why this ‘love-fest’ for Zappos? Is Zappos the Lance Armstrong of retail.com? And if you built a pyramid graphic representing online retail merchants’ customer popularity, would Zappos be at the top of that apex?
I visited the home page for www.Zappos.com, and at first glance, it appears to be just another ‘order-your-shoes-from-us’ site. Given the hype, I suppose that I expected to see a product inventory catalog page more like the bells-and-whistles-explosive-color-fun-to-use Disney.com site. Almost disappointingly, the Zappos.com landing page is plain, functional, and just ‘there.’
But the company’s bells and whistles come in another way. In fact, the company’s differentiating strengths practically shout once you navigate through Zappos.com.
A visit specifically to the Zappos customer comments page told me the real Zappos story. That’s where I found a literal litany of warm and fuzzy user comments. http://www.zappos.com/n/showtestimonials.cg
The Zappos magic is that they have blended the lessons that business owners in our grandparents’ days knew (the customer comes first) with trend-setting e-marketing and retail technology. The company works from a starting point and a basic philosophy that ‘our customers rule.’ From that philosophy, Zappos has shaped a business strategy that is creative and demanding. And, from that strategy, they have then developed an order and delivery operation that is best-in-class compared with their competitors. The company continues to deliver on their promise and wow the industry.
Customers gush over the service they have received. Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos had some pretty effusive comments as well about his newly-purchased company. In a fun YouTube video, Bezos casually chatted about Amazon and his company’s new ‘toy’ (oops, I mean, his Zappos purchase).
Bezos said, “Zappos has a customer obsession that’s so easy for me to admire.”
He continued, “I get all weak-kneed when I see a customer-obsessed company, and Zappos certainly is that. Zappos also has a totally unique culture…and I’m super excited about that.” Source: Los Angeles Times article: http://bit.ly/O6Q3h
I’m hooked on the Zappos concept and on their company goal for nothing-short-of-excellent-performance.
Now, the question is…. What kind of shoe do I want?
I’ve copied some of the Zappos.com customer comments below to give the readers of this Simply Said blog some ideas for implementation in your own business and life.
Zappos customer Margaret says:
I’m just writing to tell you how fantastic your customer service is! I am really impressed with the speed and accuracy of incoming orders as well as returns. …. Zappos is fantastic ….! We will continue to use Zappos in the future!
Zappos customer Amy says:
… I love shopping with you and will continue to do so. Your service is outstanding.
Zappos customer Elaine says:
… I just love Zappos. Your site is so easy … Your customer service is outstanding. It amazes me I can place an order one day and the next day it is sitting on my porch. … Great Job Everyone!
Zappos customer Alicia says:
… How cool! I was certain there was a mistake, I knew I had just ordered the shoes yesterday – and they were here today!
Zappos customer Brian says:
… There is NOTHING out there like your company. Everything about it is perfect. Awesome!
Zappos customer Denise H. says:
… Wow… I am very pleased to do business with a company that goes the extra mile and that truly understands the meaning of customer service.
Zappos YouTube video
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
July 8, 2009
In America, at 12:34:56 a.m. today, July 8, 2009, the full numerical sequence was… 12345678909.
That daggoned ‘0’ before the ’9′ messes things up a bit… but nevertheless…..
Being a historical moment and all, perhaps it would be good to make a list of new intentions for the rest of your life (a little like a New Year’s list, but on a full-life-scope.) After all, it won’t be 07/08/09 again for another 100 years.
Short of that same ‘ol take-stock-of-your-life activity though, why not seize the moment – or at least the 07/08/09 day – to reflect on other out-of-the-ordinary natural occurrences that happen regularly, and think, now, how you and your business can capitalize on the opportunities that such events bring along with them.
By the way, if you missed celebrating the 12:34:56 a.m. time on Wednesday, you can always shoot for 12:34:56 p.m. time, when the phenomenon occurs again just after noon. And, if you are in the eastern time zone at that moment, you could perhaps board a jet flying west and then celebrate this numerical experience twice in your life.
How could a business have creatively capitalized on the 07/08/09 occasion?
Here are just a few thoughts:
1. Local TV Station or Local Online News Site: Viewer or reader voting poll for the favorite charity out of a selected organization list, with a donation of $7,809 going to the top three winning charities. Prizes would be awarded at 7 p.m., at 8 p.m.; and again, at 9 p.m. on 07/08/09.
2. Gas Station: $.07 cents lower than the competition on regular-grade gas; $.08 lower on super-grade gas; $.09 lower on premium-grade gas on 07/08/09.
3. Clothing Retail Store: Brightly-printed t-shirts commemorating the day; only available with a purchase on that day; at a cost of only $.07 for a small; $08 for a medium; and $09 for a large. (e.g., “I bought my shirt on 07/08/09 at Macy’s.”)
4. Mega Stores like Target, Meijer, Wal-Mart, K-mart: Specific and different, super customer specials at each of these times: 7 a.m., 8 a.m., and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on 07/08/09.
5. Online Merchandise Sites like ebay.com and amazon.com: Special discounts on 07/08/09 only, on items won or purchased or that have a 7, 8 or 9 as the first number in the product’s SKU.
6. Online Shoe Sales Sites like zappos.com: Special discounts for customers who order shoes in size 7, 8 or 9 on 07/08/09.
Through quick, free-flowing, idea-charged brainstorming, the sky is the limit on inspiration. Whether the day is 07/08/09 or 10/15/09, encouraging good ideas, fertilizing those ideas, looking for opportunities, and seizing special moments… are some of the surest ways to achieve extra company and product exposure, create higher customer awareness, and build consumer and community loyalty.
Is it too early then to post an entry in our Covey Planners and Outlook Calendars for six months before 10/10/10?
And hopefully, we won’t wait that long for some blockbuster brainstorming sessions.
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
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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