It’s been extremely busy with the launch of Advicetap.com the business community and directory for consultants.
Most of my writing these days has been up on Business Consulting Buzz, so for the latest articles on being a marketing consultant and the consulting business be sure to check that out.
I’ll continue to post here as often as possible. Stay tuned. Cheers!
Attended the Connect ‘09 conference yesterday. Some solid networking and presentations. Highlight of the night for me was definitely Leonard Brody’s talk on business and entrepreneurship.
Lots going on right now.
You can check out Business Consulting Buzz for the latest articles from other consultants and yours truly.
I’ll also be attending several events in October before heading to Japan at the end of the month.
Let me know if you’ll be attending any of these…
Also more exciting news coming very soon on a new project…stay tuned.
An article I wrote for TalentZoo has just gone live. I wasn’t expecting the treatment it received…and was surprised to see it front and center on their homepage. According to Compete.com TalentZoo receives 68,593 visitors to its site each month.
Here’s the skinny on TalentZoo:
Talent Zoo is the leading communications executive recruiting firm and online job board. Consistently called upon by top companies across North America, the firm is the hiring solution for communications industry talent. Named by Forbes as Best of the Web for niche job boards, TalentZoo.com is currently approaching 1,000 authentic jobs daily, helping employers reach out to their next scintillating superstars.
The article explores why too many business owners and professionals focus on the wrong metrics and have forgotten the key to real business success. Check it out at “What if Google Died?” on TalentZoo
For the record I’m a big fan of Google so don’t let the title get you all worked up.
Make it a great day!
Michael
Shame on me. I know it’s been far too long since I’ve posted here.
My excuse, is that what you want to hear? Okay, it’s not that exciting though … I’ve been extremely busy.
Between client projects and helping a new venture get off the ground I’ve been neck deep in a swamp of work.
A always I’m making time to enjoy with family and friends – no email, no computer – but granted it’s less than optimal. I’ve also had less time to read. However, I’d like to share something with you from one book I’m just about to finish – Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success. Read the rest of this entry »
In the hussle and bussle of running a thriving business it’s often hard to take sufficient time to reflect on life. Wouldn’t you agree?
I’ve improved in this area over the last year or so … but I must admit it’s hard. Especially when your brain is wired for continous improvement and on-going development.
There is a wonderful story about business and living life. If you’ve heard it before, I doubt you will have forgotten it. Nevertheless, it’s the kind of story that you enjoy reading from time to time. If you’ve never heard it before, I think you’ll enjoy it.
It goes like this …
Read the rest of this entry »
It’s Canada Day today. That means it’s a holiday for most.
Wikipedia describes this day as:
” Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day, is Canada’s national day, a federal statutory holiday, celebrated on July 1 annually by all governments and most businesses across the country; the date, though, is adjusted in cases where July 1 does not fall on a working day. Canada Day observances take place not only throughout the nation, but also internationally. ”
Best wishes to all.
Michael Zipursky
I received an email from Jordan. He asked that I elaborate on the last part of my most recent post.
(If you didn’t read the last post, you can check it out here: Post: The Fastest Way To Gain Your Business Advantage)
I’m happy to do so Jordan. The reason why keeping your customers happy is so powerful is because your current customers, the ones that have already made a purchase from you, are many times more likely to purchase from you again.
Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.
Today’s topic is very dear to me. In fact, I recently wrote a book that holds today’s subject at its core, Profitable Relations.
Communications, Expectations,
Relationships, And Profit
Business books, articles, seminars , and other products filled with promises to help you grow your business may teach you an array of ideas, theories, techniques and strategies…
…But even with all that, business owners often forget one
crucial ingredient.
Differentiating your business, whether big or small is critical to success. I’m not going to write more on that topic today…we’ll leave the importance of USP statements, vision planning and all that other good stuff for another day.
You see, even more important than your mission statement, your advantage, your selling strategy, distribution plan, or marketing materials…is one single concept so powerful and easy to use, yet it is often neglected and completely misunderstood or forgotten.
On two occasions now, the president’s of two large companies have attacked me.
No silly, not by physical force. But they were genuinely concerned.
Turn on the TV, check the front few pages of any newspaper, listen to the radio and no doubt you’ll be bombarded with a chess match of mentally developed and not-so-understandably respected folks yelling at each other “recession-this” and “no-recession-that’”.
“A financial crisis here” says one lady, while the other ‘just-as-wise’ smiles her best smile, looks you in the eye and tells you “there is no financial crisis, this is a time of opportunity.” And just then, ten other well-greased analysts, and a couple of bow-tie clad economists declare there is no opportunity. Everyone must cust back and cushioned their rear-ends in preparation for the big loss.
What’s happening really isn’t anything new in my view. Sure, parts of this dramatic play “have never been seen before”. But the economy, since the beginning of time, as had its ups and downs, its sidesteps, trips, hops, jumps and falls…
The Vancouver Sun ran an article last Tuesday about Chef Daniel Boulud. The famed restaurateur who owns 5-6 restaurants across the US is partnering with the current owners of Lumiere and Feenies. If you’ve been following the story of Rob Feenie’s departure, there’s likely a lot more than meets the eye. But that’s not what I’m writing to you about today…
Hidden deep inside that Vancouver Sun article was a gem. A precisely-cut and glittering diamond of marketing wisdom.
It appeared when Daniel Boulud was asked why he chose to come to Vancouver over Toronto or Montreal, the largest Canadian cities (Vancouver holds 3rd place).
Boulud’s reply was spot on. He said
Read the rest of this entry »
As part of my book release for Profitable Relations, I’ve put together a 5-day free email course that shares a success story each day.
There’s no cost to sign up, and it only takes 20 seconds.
If you’re interested in learning how other businesses have used straightforward marketing techniques to increase their customer loyalty, you’ll enjoy this course.
Go to the Profitable Relations E-Course page, scroll to the bottom and sign up.
Let me know what you think?
To your success,
Michael
Welcome back.
Last week my plate was so stacked with work a giant baron, from one of those medieval movies, would have feasted until he dropped.
And while I juggled to regain control, I realized how quickly we can lose sight of the golden key that turns the door to true productivity and higher profits. The key that let’s us keep everything under control.
I am by no means complaining. I’ve been working with a great group of clients, their industries are diverse, and they all share a passion for what they’re doing. Some more than others, but in each and every case great things are happening. Greater things are coming closer.
So I’m sitting at my desk, 4 different projects need my attention and the phone is ringing every 3 minutes.
I could let this continue…jumping from one project to the other until the day was done.
But that wouldn’t be fair to my clients. So what did I do? Here comes the key….
I turned off the ringer. Closed down my email program. Next, I made a list of everything I need to get done in point form.
I hit my time tracking software’s “start” button…And then I devoted a solid 2 hours to each project. NO interruptions. None.
When is the last time you’ve blocked out everything completely…allowing you to focus like a monk in deep meditation?
The result is getting more done in those 2 hours than I would have in 6 hours if I were to jump around with all those other distractions.
And it’s not just the amount that is accomplished. It’s the quality of work. That deep focus allows the mind to reach a higher state where imagination and ideas develop more vividly.
If you think you’re already getting enough done, I have something for you to try.
You’ll be surprised by how many interruptions you’ve had. It all adds up and takes away from your productivity and quality of product.
You want to assign a certain amount of hours each day for core work. During that time, make yourself unavailable to others (in every form).
It will be hard at the beginning….but the rewards are well worth it.
Until next time….
To your success,
Michael
Dear friend,
Yes, I’ve been away longer than planned. Yes, I should have posted yesterday early in the morning as usual.
I didn’t. And for that my apologies. So I owe you an explanation…
Two Saturday’s ago I had a death in the family. It was a tough blow, especially because this was the second death in my family in the last two months.
My priority has always been family…at the end of the day, our loved ones can mean more than anything out there.
So I put most of my business activities on hold to be with family. This isn’t an easy thing to do with such a busy business. But my clients are wonderful and understood I’d be in the shadows for a bit.
This week (yesterday) I should have come with a post covering a marketing or advertising technique, maybe a story from the trenches, but I didn’t. Business has just been crazy this week. My head is halfway under water…but this is okay because I love what I do.
Things are now in order. Some would have given up. Some would have abandoned their posting for months, or gone weeks without an explanation. But I can’t, nor won’t do that to you.
So today, I have a story about PERSISTENCE. This one comes from the ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.
This agency took a big blow to their business. They could have taken drastic measures, cutting staff, big layoffs, big pay-cuts, or just given up and gone home…many businesses do. But they didn’t. They kept going…here is their story: Ad Agency Case Study: Persistence
Enjoy! There is an important lesson in this story.
To your success,
Michael
President of Relagy Marketing And
Author of Profitable Relations
Friends,
I’m taking some time off to be with my family. There will be no post this week.
Check back on Feb 25th.
Thank you.
Michael
I’m coming to you from the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas this week. I’ll be here for a few today’s checking out the city and the latest technologies from around the world.
If you aren’t familiar with CES, this is THE show that electronics and technology players gather at to tout their latest goods and latest innovations. Steve Jobbs, Bill Gates and several others from the upper galaxies have released their company’s products here.
What will I be doing here? Here’s a sampling:
1. I love technology. So I’ll be walking around the convention center (think big x1000) until my legs give out to see goods from Asia, the middle east, Europe, N. America, etc. Almost anything to do with technology will be here in one form or another. Plus, this is a great place to see technology marketing in action. From trade show design, to copywriting of literature, and more….
2. Networking. I’ll be catching up with past clients attending the show and am looking forward to meet other technology marketers.
3. See the city. Believe it or not, Las Vegas is one of the cities I’ve never been to. So I’ll make a bit of free time to stroll the streets…and drop a few coins with the one-arm bandits (that’s what they slot machines).
When I get back I’ll update you on some of the highlights and give you a glimpse into the best and worst from this year’s newest technology….
To your success,
Michael
Michael, where have you been? You might be wondering…
Something happened.
I was down in Mexico, spent an amazing week in the heat. I gotta say, what a feeling – no shirt on, heat, waves, sun and cold drinks — in December — yes, Mexico was great.
On Friday, the day I was to fly out of Mexico – the call came…
…my grandfather had passed away.
I have a big family. A very tight knit family – so this it hard. I did what I could to avoid work I should have been doing, and instead, spent time with the family all week.
So that’s where I’ve been. But I’m back. Over the next weeks and months I’ll be coming at you with new content, tips, tricks and other goodies – profitable strategies and tactics you can use to boost your business and marketing.
Before ending for today…I got to say one more thing.
Live your life to the fullest – ALWAYS.
This year more than any previous year, I’ve seen people I know become ill. Some closer than others. You hear the news, you hear from friends — crazy things happen. And unfortunately that’s life.
Many people work their asses off for countless years to get to the stage where they can retire, sit back and ‘enjoy life.’ That’s a shame.
Enjoy life now. The saying “you can’t take money with you when you die” rings true. I’m not advocating dropping everything, going wild, and spending until you’re drip dry.
But take time to appreciate what you have. Do the things you’ve been wanting to do for so long — both business and pleasure — and do them NOW. Love, and live life, to the fullest. Because sadly, you never know what will happen when.
To your success,
Michael
This week I’m writing to you from Mexico.
I’ve been working on a book for the last several months that looks at the connection between relationships, customer service and marketing. I’ve tried to spend a couple of hours a week on this…but my client load has really taken off and as a result I haven’t given enough time to finishing up my book.
So here I am in Mexico, where I plan to put the finishing touches on the book, unwind, refocus, and of course, soak up some sun.
I’ll have more information on my book soon. But I’ll leave you with a great video from one of the most successful marketers to touch this earth….
All around us, in almost every neighborhood throughout the world, millions of dollars sit, collecting nothing more than dust.
What could I be referring to?
Don’t be too surprised….
…Bee Oh Oh Kay Esu…BOOKS.
As a young kid I used to loathe books. In school, when we were assigned to read a book and write one of those dreaded ‘book reports”, I’d be the first to dash off to the library and find a Coles Notes, that summarized the book for me…so I didn’t have to read it.
I think the first book I ever read; from cover-to-cover at least, was The Godfather. That opened my eyes to the power of writing…since then I’ve read over a hundred books.
And while I love fiction books. I don’t make time to read them regularly. However, when I go on holiday, that’s my weapon of choice. There’s nothing like a Robert Ludlum plot to take the mind off, well, pretty much anything else.
Darn it, it’s been a long while since I’ve made the time for those cherished hours of exploring the galaxy of fiction. Why? Because I’m constantly, actually, almost every day reading non-fiction books, reports, manuals, and other pages related to my business.
When I’m working on a client project there is always research to be done, facts to uncover, numbers to find. And the same goes for my own product and business development.
I Got Hit One Day
Years ago I was punched in the face by the realization that books are worth their weight in gold. Seriously, in that moment of realization I almost lost my breathe. Really, where else can you pay $10-$20, spend a day or week, and have soaked up what someone else has spent a year or two writing, and often a decade or more learning? Where else can you get fresh ideas, techniques, and lessons from the frontlines with detailed insider insights, for such a small price in both time and money?
That Is Beautiful
On my website I state that I’ve studied over 60 books related to my business. But a friend told me that’s not impressive. “Just sixty books, are you kidding? I’ve read hundreds of books.” So I asked him, “Do you take notes when you read each book? Do you make an effort to apply at least one idea from that book directly to your business or life right away? Can you summarize the main lesson and idea from each book?” He was left speechless. And then we both laughed. And then he said, “I’ve read them, but they just sit on my bookshelf.”
That’s common. We read books, feel like we’ve gained so much knowledge, and then put them on our bookshelves.
How many books have you read twice?
When I say I’ve studied over 60 books on marketing, advertising, business strategy, and copywriting…I mean I’ve read each of those books more than once. I keep them handy and open them up on a regular basis. I refer to them. I’ve made notes from them. I’ve used their ideas to bring new profits to my clients’ and my business.
And I guess, that’s what I’m trying to say….books are immensely valuable.
But don’t be satisfied that you’ve read a book and that now you can add it to your library — mission accomplished? I think not.
Hey if it’s your hobby…power to you.
But, if you really want to blow past your competition, not step, but leap to new levels of success, then I implore you to study books, not just read them.
Treat them as gold and you will get gold in return. They always have been, and always will be, one of the best investments you can make.
Think about it…$20 to learn what it took someone a lifetime to master.
To your success,
Michael
A friend just the other day told me he envies smokers.
Why’s that I asked? Because they can get up, walk away from their desk and go outside for a ’smoke break’ anytime they want and not a single soul would think they’re slacking, he said.
He went on, “And for those of us that don’t smoke, if we got up several times throughout the day to sit outside and relax, we’d get dumped on for taking ‘too much time off’”
Gosh I’m glad I don’t have to sit at a corporate desk all day. But this got me thinking.
That break smokers take is great. Sure, not so for their lungs, but for their minds.
Too many people get clued to their desks, or run frantically around all day…without taking the time to just stop. STOP!!
Breathe.
Whatever is going on in your life, during that day, make sure you take time to stop.
Find time to ’smoke air.’
Why is this so important? From personal experience I can say that some of my biggest and best ideas have come, not when I’m sitting in my office writing or strategizing, but when I’ve been talking a walk, relaxing on a train ride, or even in the shower.
To avoid taking too many random breaks…in the hope that you’ll get struck with a great idea each time…this is how I’ve found it to work best…
Whatever I’m doing, whether it is crafting a year-long marketing strategy or writing an ad for a client, or writing a report, or working on my book…I find it good to soak up the research or background information…whatever it is.
I take it in. I don’t fuss over the small details, but I get it in my head. Once it is in, then I’m off. To the gym, for a walk, to shower, or to sleep, again it doesn’t matter. But giving my brain that time to relax works wonders.
All of a sudden you’ll find your mind going back to that information you soaked up…analyzing, grinding, and then it happens. A great idea for an offer, a better title for that book, an additional product that will double your income from that next project….it just pops out.
I don’t know the science of how this works…I’m fascinated to find out why it does. But it does and has hundreds of times.
So if you don’t smoke and even if you are stuck at a corporate desk, allow yourself to take breaks and ’smoke air’ it’s good for you.
To your success,
Michael Zipursky
