Ideas for 2011 (part 1)

• Read more, skim less
• Turn your phone off
• Of course you can
• Don't wait for approval
• Forget the past
• Spend more time with people you love
• Dream big, do bigger
• Don’t live on Twitter
• Be gracious
• Make quick decisions
• Numbers are irrelevant
• Stop comparing your effort to others
• Take one digital day off a month
• Enjoy the ride
• Stop doing anything that weakens you
• Say no until you get three things accomplished each day
• Keep an open mind
• Busy is a victim word
• Plan ahead then be flexible
• Let it be okay to be wrong
• One day each month – no new business
• Ask for help
• Help someone without their knowledge
• Reach higher
• Don't rest on past accomplishments
• Wear more hats
• Get to know ten new people each week
• Take time off
• More face-to-face than phone calls
• Go for it
• Don't lead with your resume
• Listen more
• Eradicate unnecessary meetings
• Ignore the news
• Sing often
• Let them be right
• You’ll never been done
• Say thank-you

Part two tomorrow. What would you add? 

knealemann | email


image credit: plannerinprogress

Best of 2010 | According to You

.
If you do a lot of reading on the net, you may have an aggregated solution where your favorite website feeds reside. This is handy so you can keep all the posts in one place. You can then read them when you have time as well as archive them for future use.

RSS (really simple syndication) has changed how content is shared online because you can have all your favorite sites fed to one location on your desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device.

I meet people often who are not aware of that little orange button on sites and the fact they can create their own online experience through customized feeds.

Solutions include: Google Reader, RSSreader, Feedreader, Flock, Juice, FeedDemon, NewsFire and many more listed here.

Another piece of software you can add to your aggregated feed is PostRank. This is real-time analysis based on traffic, relevance and trending by the readers and gives every post on every site a score out of ten.

This is a list of this site's most visited and highest ranked posts from 2010. Each received a score of six or higher.

• Beware of the Wall
• The Language of Business
• The Digital Arm Wrestle
• Punch The Clock
• Imagine. Invent. Integrate
• The Social Media Shift
• Five Things: Changing Status Quo
• Social Networking Outliers and Connectors
• Clichés and Experts
• Business in Summer
• 37 Social Networking Ideas
• Passion for Education
• Creating Your Social Brand
• Social Media Tools | Now What?
• A Dozen Ideas on Choosing Your Media
• Inflating Expectation
• Our Gadget Laden Lives
• Return on What Investment?
• Who Needs Marketing?
• Six Ideas to Silence the Chatter
• Fame and Fortune Guaranteed
• Do You Have a People Plan?
• Social Media: A Twelve Step Program
• 41 Business Ideas
• Difficult Clients
• Connect Don’t Collect
• It’s Tougher Than It Looks
• The Platform for Change
• Finding Passion
• The Anatomy of Communication
• Make Great Stuff
• It’s All Social Media
• All of This is Gone
• Reflecting on Time
• Don’t Listen to Them
• The Allure of Twitter
• Winning The Success Lottery
• Do You Have A Jenny?
• 34 Reasons to be Thankful
• Context is King
• ROSI | Return on Social Investment
• This Stuff Takes Time
• The Tangled Web We Tweet

Thank-you!

knealemann | email

Women in Leadership

Sit at the table.

Success, business and leadership are tough. We can read about these topics all day long and nod our heads but this is not easy in the real world. Some countries, like the one I live in, have come a long way on the issues of equality and human rights. We still have a lot of work to do.

Make your partner a real partner.

On the topic of women in the workforce, we have a mountain range to climb. Women are still paid less, lead less companies, ask for less and are not treated equally. I think this is precisely what we need to fix in order for some companies – and nations – to get their financial act together.

Don’t leave before you leave.

Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook discusses the issues
of leadership, business, success and women.

We need to watch this, digest this, then act on this. [video]



knealemann | email


video credit: TED

Boxing Day | Shopping Day?

It is also a day to remember the millions of people who aren't so fortunate and in harm’s way. I watched CNN Heroes last night and that is a show that can give us some needed perspective. We can stop our whining now.

Year End Blowout!

In many areas of the world, today is Boxing Day. This is a tradition that began long before iPads and flat screens. It started centuries ago in many European countries as the “second Christmas” for those less fortunate. Gifts and necessities were delivered in boxes by those who were of means to do so.

Limited Time Offer!

In Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and now the U.S., today and the rest of this coming week is huge for retail. Some claim the best bargains of the year happen right now. We can discuss the science of sales and the tactic of giving the impression of a great price another time. Urgency is the order of the day and it's crunch time.

Everything Must Go!

From Cadillacs to candy canes, everything that can be exchanged for money is tied to the shopping season of late November to early January. Many companies make or break their year during this sliver of time each year and Christmas is no longer the only objective. The next seven days are crucial so the "deals" will be "everywhere".

Sale Sale Sale!

Economic movement is a good thing, but perhaps we can also spend some of our down time this year on some work. And then perhaps as the credit card bills come in and we emerge from a pumpkin pie haze, we will be ready to get stuff done in January.

Some of us are open for business next week, but I digress.

As we search for a great price on items we don't need, perhaps we should focus a little time on what we do need.  

knealemann | email


image credit: flickr

Reflective Time

Something happens this time of year.

Obviously, Christmas is not celebrated by everyone but the business world is ruled by two dates around this time of year. And if you have spent any time doing any last minute shopping, we may wonder how far from the original meaning of the Holidays some have gotten. We push envelopes with communications and information but some traditions are deep rooted such as turkey and stuffing and brightly wrapped gifts.

Celebrations increase and the mood leans positive. I have too many people to thank here and would hate to miss someone but the number of people who I have had the privilege to meet through business and the social web is absolutely astounding. And if you have spent any time doing any last minute shopping, one could certainly wonder how far from the original meaning of the Holidays most have gotten.

Review. Recharge. Reload.

There is hope for a fresh new year around the corner and some new challenges to tackle with renewed energy. The world has limped through tough economic times – and perhaps simply because I’m looking for it – many look to 2011 with optimism.

I loved Mitch Joel’s post today about the myth of a work/life balance. This is our lives, this is our work, this is our world. I do take it personally and so should you. But in all of this, we can build that community and kick some serious backsides together.

Happy Holidays :-)

knealemann | email


image credit: pluggd

The Tangled Web We Tweet

It is not as easy as it looks.

Fifteen years ago, companies realized the importance of having a website. It was a place to showcase products and services.

As the Internet matured and social networking websites began to grow, companies and individuals realized they couldn't wait or hope for customers to visit them, they needed to go where customers reside.

Not about the numbers?

There are currently almost two billion people online and 76% of North Americans have Internet access. I live in Canada and 80% of us who are online have a Facebook profile and 5% of all Twitter users live here.

On average, there is a new profile created on LinkedIn every second and there are over 32 hours of videos viewed on YouTube every minute. And while I could fill up this space with endless actual measurable mind blowing stats, the point is that the social aspect of how we communicate continues to evolve. We are learning new things and new ways every day.

Some suggest that business should go completely online and I flatly disagree. These digital channels should be embraced but not at the demise of your current objectives.

There is nothing more powerful than personal contact and you can only build a relationship so far on your smartphone.

If you don't have a strong business plan, a product or service people want to buy, a modicum of business sense, the finesse to navigate relationships and the ability to integrate it all, the web will not pat you on the head and make it all better.

We are not alone.

Last week, I completed a digital audit for a client. This is an organization you'd expect would have its social media this and digital marketing that all in place and they do not.

Further conversations with other larger organizations recently have proven this is
not a unique situation.

Organizations of all sizes are trying to find their way.

Quick fixes are the legend of fairy tales. What is necessary is time, patience and an open mind. No one can hope a few blog posts and a handful of tweets are going to cement success.

If "they" are doing it a certain way, take note because you may pick up an idea for your company. But don't disregard what you are doing because that may work for you. And that is the essence of world wide experimentation.

We may never figure this out. Is that perhaps the point?

knealemann | email


image credits: mirnabard | redstick

2011 Check-List

For some, it is the quietest time of the year. To others, this is the most important month of revenue for the entire fiscal. Some are going into work and making themselves look busy. While others won't see blue sky for a few more weeks. And we should send out a special thanks to anyone working retail right now!

What do you do?

It's amazing to connect to people across the world through the social web. However, we spend so little time actually getting to know what each of us does for a living or for fun.

If you have some downtime over the Holidays, spend a little time on some profiles and websites. You may gain valuable ideas for the coming year. It could unearth a new business contact or client.

Plan. Prepare. Proceed.

Another idea is to go through your schedule for the past year and note where you may want to revisit a meeting or book a follow-up discussion that now seems unfinished.

There is obviously more to life than work but if we are going to spend so much time in the media, on the blogosphere, on Facebook, on Twitter and in meetings complaining about the economy, perhaps we can all skip a nog or two to work on some things that will make next year even better.

What will you do in the next 10 days to ensure a kick ass 2011?

knealemann | email


image credit: psdgraphics

Resolution Revisited

I was sifting through some archives to review my year-end lists from last year. This year's lists will be on Dec 31 and Jan 1. Here's something that was originally posted last December. Have we gotten anywhere yet?

Widgets: Take your seats.

If you read this space once in a while, you probably have a couple social media profiles and tweet and read up on the topic of social networking and see the constant battle between tools and talk. We can drown in discussion and it’s time for us to move.

Activity does not equal progress. Most of us have learned that lesson the hard way.

Twitter will never make you Hemingway, website design templates will not guarantee you a career in user experience and a MacBook Air has yet to give birth to the next Steve Jobs. We need talent. A lot of it. Now. Let’s actually collaborate and make some decisions. Let's get creative and spend 100% of our time on the projects we want to do with the people with which we want to do them.

If you have some time off over the Holidays, sift through your network and make a list of the people who you can help and who can help you.

Make another list of the people that compliment your skills and could make potential collaborators on projects. Toss that box of what-if’s, self-doubts and no ways immediately. You will be far too busy for that.

Learn the tools, have fun with the tools, discuss the tools, embrace the tools, then let's get some stuff done. You in?

knealemann | email


image credit: istock

Google 2.010

Debt, hope, birth, crisis, joy, conflict, death, Olympics, victories, hurricanes, Zuckerberg, happiness, suffering, WikiLeaks, bailout, eclipse, laugher, World Cup, earthquakes, Obama, advancements, economy...

It’s been quite a year.
[video]



knealemann | email


video credit: Google

Virtual Malls and Other Fun Holiday Treats

If you celebrate Christmas and have had the pleasure of visiting one of your local retail outlets in the last couple of weeks, you know that you are certainly not alone with regards to leaving the shopping list until the last minute. It is crunch time, the last weekend before the big day and the race is on.


Stores and malls are crawling with people these days. Each purchase may not be as large as it was three years ago and the average shopper may not be spending as much overall, but that does not have much relevance as you are trying desperately to find a parking spot at the mall this weekend.

The Virtual Parking Space

Changes on the web happen faster than we can seem to measure but there is ample evidence to prove that those malls and shops would be even busier without the invention of online shopping.

Here are some highlights from a Statistics Canada report on online shopping from last year.

In 2009, Canadians spent $15 Billion in online purchases with an average of $150 a pop. 51% were aged 16-34, travel and events were the biggest sellers while men bought electronics online at a rate of 2:1 to women.

Search. Seek. Shop.

To think that online purchases are replacing in-store sales is not quite the case. In fact, almost 70% of those who search for an item online then buy it at the retail location. Which points to the necessity of a solid web presence and great customer service. As well, evidence is certainly showing that those numbers will be moving around for a while as we buy more large ticket items from the comfort of our sweat pants.

Zappos is an online shoe retailer that has been used countless times to illustrate how to build a successful online business. One critical element of their success is filling orders quickly and accurately.

They began with securing major delivery hubs so they could back up their promise. Zappos doesn’t discount, they don’t deal but they give superior service right to your door. And for that, millions have responded.

Consumer reaction is influenced more by peer groups 
than external persuasion.

Groupon was just named the fastest start-up to reach $1 Billion in sales in just two years. It has grown so quickly that Google recently offered founder Andrew Mason
$6 Billion for control of the company and he turned them down.

The online search has become the growing entry point which is why search engine optimization has exploded. However if you don't know what customers are searching for, all the tricks in said book won't help.

TripAdvisor, Yelp, FourSquare and many other social networking sites are tapping into the intersection of online and on-site buying habits but security, convenience, choice, return policy and proximity are all valid reasons why after some online research, most still head to the mall. For now...

Happy shopping!

knealemann | email


image credit: istock

It’s All in the Sauce

If you sell stuff, make stuff, create stuff, consult stuff or think about stuff, you get stuck once in a while. I’ve been working on a couple of projects this week and I've been stuck. I was trying to apply some assumptions mixed with generalizations and clearly it wasn’t getting me anywhere. Clearly it's not a wise strategy at the best of times.

And then I remembered Howard Moskowitz.

Howard is a person who studies human behavior. He has grasped the fact that we want to be happy but often we don't know how to achieve it.

Author and thought leader Malcolm Gladwell explains. [video]



knealemann | email


video credit: TED

Conformity and Individuality

con·form adapt, accommodate, comply, fit. Comply with rules, standards or laws. Behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards. Be similar in form or type. 
in·di·vid·u·al Of or relating to an individual, especially a single human. By or for one person. Existing as a distinct entity.

If you have ever been to a concert, you've noticed them. If you attend major sporting events, it’s evident. You have seen many of them. In school we called them cliques. Each member attempts to be different while acting the same.

Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers. Mignon McLaughlin

They have a deeper understanding of each other, an almost unspoken confidence. To the untrained eye, they may all have had a sip of the Kool-Aid but they will tell you they think freely on their own.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, 
it is time to pause and reflect. Mark Twain

Their iPad was a sound choice made void of any peer influence which is evident in their lack of need to tell everyone on the planet about their purchase. The navy suit with crisp white shirt and steel blue tie was simply a gut call. The tattoo and pocket shorts had nothing to do with establishing an accepted image by others.

When you don't control your mind, someone else will. 
John Alliston

I had a conversation recently with a great friend who said, “that doesn’t fit the culture here” and my lunch almost made a return visit. Culture is not a sentence in the annual report. Be like him and her and you'll do just fine. Step out and we may have a problem.

Do you ever push conformity aside to share a great idea?

knealemann | email


image credit: google images 

This Stuff Takes Time

Years to become an overnight success.

I attended a dinner in April 2008 that changed my life. When I returned home that night, I started this site. And 965 days and almost 600 posts later, I have had the unique privilege to be able to interact with some amazing people.

What Now?

It all came back to me this past weekend as I was back and forth with someone on Twitter about his new online journey. He just started blogging, his Twitter profile has been launched and he finally dove into Facebook. His cynicism over how social networking wasn't going to work for him has been crushed by his wonderment of what else he can now do.

He asked how often he should publish new material, what interface he should use and whether I had any feedback on his writing so far. I congratulated him for starting, because that is half the battle, but now the work begins. Patience is not our friend and like a new workout regimen we get discouraged when results aren't immediate.

Navigate and Congregate.

Part of my gig is helping companies and organizations better understand the online world but I’m still blown away by you taking your valuable time to visit here for a while.
I reminded my new colleague when others shoved me in the deep end.

I was looking at some numbers the other night and the readers of my little spot on the www come from literally everywhere. I am honoured and in shock. Top three places are Canada, U.S. and of all places, South Africa!

Top 100 include: India, Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, Brazil, Singapore, Philippines, Italy, Malaysia, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Romania,  Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, Nepal and Malta. Isn’t that crazy?! In the past 12 months, this website was visited by people from 154 countries.

It is quite overwhelming. Thank-you for making time to drop by.

The increase in traffic from all over the planet fuels me to write better posts and help even more. And do more travelling! It also reminds me of the sustained focus and work that is involved when someone asks what will best work for them.

There are no short-cuts. This stuff takes time.

The essence of my consulting work is to help companies integrate all they do with all they do, specifically in the areas of marketing, social media and training. And I am always interested in meeting business owners and managers I can help. If that's you, let's have a chat sometime.

I don't help clients do what everyone else does. It has to work for them and it has to be something they will actually execute. This isn't a bottle of diet pills and an ab roller.

If you are wondering whether you or your company needs to get more active online, remember one crucial element, the results will not be obvious for a while. But if you work at it every single day without exception, people will start to pay attention.

And if you think the large companies have it all figured out, they are working at it every day like the rest of us.

What's your story?

knealemann | email


image credit: psychologytoday

The @Ev olution of Twitter

We know the social web moves at the speed of light but it is interesting to go back almost two years to see how things were, how they have changed and in some cases (and not necessarily in a bad way) stayed the same.

This is Evan Williams at TED in February 2009 being a real, genuine (and nervous) guy talking about the birth, the launch and the evolution of Twitter. He says he always follows the hunch but never assumes where it will go. [video]

Advice we should all heed don't you think?



knealemann | email


video credit: TED

Finding Value

Try the value menu. Take a value home today. Your friendship is valuable to me. We value your opinion. Your local choice for value. We stand for real value.

We hear and see the word value used all day.

Every offering, every product, every company offers us value. The word is used like it's some magically field leveler. Yet it feels like a discarded gum wrapper.

The exchange of money or goods or services that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else.

We marketing strategists often try and find clients’ value proposition. It looks great when you write it up in a proposal or internal collateral. But is value not similar to branding where the decision is up to the customer?

An ideal accepted by some individual or group.
Homemade, all natural, locally grown, owned and operated, quality assured,
new and improved, limited time offer.

These are extraneous words we all may be guilty in using to not necessary fool people but rather to enhance the offer. The question remains, if we all use a version of the same claim, how do we differentiate?

How do you measure value?  

knealemann | email


image credit: istock

The Essence of Social Media

Put On a Brave Face.

As the social web explodes so does our ability to publish our thoughts to a potential audience that may turn into new friends, clients, customers or just an exchange of ideas.

I have been blessed to connect with people from all over the world - which still blows my mind.

There are close to two billion of us online and through the magic of the Internet, we are able to connect along thought silos void of geographical limitations.

What Are Social Media?

Sure there is bots and spam, dead accounts and ones with very little activity, but that is no different than in real life. Think Pareto.

Websites aside, the most powerful social media remains meeting someone in person. The places we first connect are just the beginning. Cliche as it may be, but step away from the keyboard and get to know those other humans behind other keyboards.

Smile for the Camera.

There is an interesting ongoing discussion with several colleagues right now and it is about keeping the smile when you’re not feeling it.

Two of us are self-employed and always look to improve our business through more client work which includes networking and prospecting, one is currently unemployed, three are gainfully employed but want to do something else and two seemed to have found a balance between creative freedom and paying the bills. They don't all know each other and I have not met them all (yet) in real life.

We’re Different Yet the Same.

The main thread of the conversation is how to respectfully translate that the search is on without spamming people or bumming people out. No one wants to read constant bad news but there is a way to do it without sounding desperate.

I had coffee with a friend who is currently looking for full-time work and after half an hour of telling me all the consulting work they are doing I was left puzzled why they still feel lost. And that is the point, it is their journey not mine. I can only offer my thoughts while they help me with my trip through this thing called life.

Nice to Meet You.

This all points to one of the pillars of social media we don’t talk about in depth. Sure, we hear it’s all about relationships but what does that mean to you? Well, to me, it means I have gained the trust of people I would never have met otherwise. I can hash out ideas and offer guidance to their situation.

My parting comment to my “looking for the next opportunity” friend was for them to arm me with how to help them look for opportunities. It’s not enough that a full-time gig is the goal because that could mean a million things.

Numbers are Irrelevant. 

Next time we wonder about the power of social media,we can’t forget that the friend, follower, connection counter on our profiles means there are people connected to us - albeit marginally in many cases - and it is up to us to unearth the possibilities.

Try it if you haven't already. Pick five people in your network, send them a direct message and ask them for an offline chat. You will be surprised how many doors you can open. And if you want to contact me just to say hi - go for it!

Does that sound like a worthwhile exercise?

knealemann | email


image credit: danny portnoy

Imagine | 30 Years Later

At approximately 10:50pm on December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon in the entrance of the Dakota apartment in New York City.

Thirty years to the day, Lennon’s message is louder than ever and he is missed as much as the day he died.

John Winston Ono Lennon was a human being with flaws like everyone else. He was angry at times, extremely creative at times, he fought hard for freedom and peace and wrote a good song or a few hundred.

Lennon didn't act like a rock star beyond reproach. He was outspoken and refused to be politically correct. He stood up for his beliefs and that resonated with millions.

Lennon’s music is played at every moment of every day somewhere in the world and some predict that may never change.

In his own words…

If everyone demanded peace, instead of another television set, there’d be peace.

The more real you get, the more unreal everything else is.

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

I don’t believe in killing, whatever the reason.

A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.

You’re all beautiful and you’re all geniuses.

knealemann | email


image credit: Lennon archives

ROSI | Return on Social Investment

Imagine – if you don’t already – that have your own company.
Let’s focus on the social aspect of your business – your people.

They work 1,800-2,000 hours a year. They have bills, families, dreams and career aspirations. They want to contribute to your company but they also want to reach their own goals. Your team wants a reason beyond compensation that inspires them to show up every day.

As company owner, you have identified that career advancement is essential to ensure your team is well equipped to deliver results. You allot budget for things like external consultants and seminars as well as internal collaborative sessions and conferences all to arm your people with the best tools possible. Call it your social investment.

Dollars and sense

How often does a company owner or manager perform an audit of social investment? Some may be able to get the metrics close but these are estimates at best. It's tough to say if you spend $X on your people, you will get $Y in return. But it's not something most measure on those terms.

You can make the same claim with regards to any outbound marketing initiatives. You figure out a percentage of revenue to spend on telling people about you but it's not an exact science. It is not automatic that you spend more and make more. Buying wisely and choosing the right channels are as imperative as choosing your team.

Social investment needs same care as external investment.

I had an interesting conversation with a colleague last week about a prominent company's dissatisfaction of the results from a recent initiative. In base terms, they were not happy that the millions spent didn't move the needle much. It happens to companies small, medium and large.

So you invest in social improvement aka your people. You spend money on letting the public know about your offering. Yet you are unable to measure the actual return on these investments to scientific certainty. But you know you need to do both.

Then there is the onslaught of online and mobile channels that aren't so easy to measure. Time spent building trust channels seem insurmountable.

Social media: return on commitment

Before you can expect a return, you need to make an investment. Time, patience, focus and most importantly your willingness to participate in the process will be of great benefit to the growth of your company.

Having a YouTube channel and starting a Facebook group is not the investment. Neither is tossing a binder at the new guy and hoping he makes his numbers.

What is your ROSI?

knealemann | email


image credit: flickr

More Inconvenient Truths

Our planet is a complex place. It is fascinating that we can go online and find information on anything we want from the comfort of our own environment. But you and I know there are conflicts beyond our scope that we wish we could solve. Economic issues, environment concerns, conflict and turmoil are everywhere.

Of course we need to strive for our dreams while working together on enjoyable projects and improve our careers but when you think of the big stuff, our grievances seem absurd.

Dr. Jason Clay is vice president of market transformation for the World Wildlife Fund. He says our goal must be to figure out how to produce more with less land, less water and less pollution, so we won't be the only species left living on this planet. He says we are using 130% of the world’s resources and the population will be nine billion by 2050.

Jason Clay is targeting 100 key companies to lead the charge but as part of the community, we can all do our part. [video]



knealemann | email


video credit: TED

Can It Wait Until January?

This is a interesting time of year. The parties are starting to happen, people are distracted by shopping lists and family commitments. And yes, there is more to life than work. But it's almost as if some have decided to let the clock run out on 2010.


It's that time of year when you hear some familiar phrases...

• We want to make some changes, but we’ll talk about it after Christmas.

• Let’s reconvene after the Holidays.

• There’s no way we can get to that until the New Year.

• I doubt we’ll have time to give that much thought until January

• There are too many distractions this time of year.

• That is a great idea. Let’s table it for the first quarter.

• Let’s wait. It’s crazy right now and the Holidays are coming up.

• There’s no time to deal with that right now.

• We don’t look at any new business in December.

• How about we wait until we can have a good look at this after the break.

• Nothing happens this time of year.

• We can’t handle new business opportunities until after Christmas.

Is there an opportunity for you to get to it now?

knealemann | email


image credit: upstart

Winning the Success Lottery

You allow your mind to drift and imagine what you would do if you won the lottery. No more bills, no more debts, no more boss, no more schedules. It would be fantastic!



Or would it?

It’s funny to see those winners who claim their lives won’t change and you can see them almost convincing themselves but that is simply not the case. If the jackpot is a few thousand bucks, cool, go buy something silly. A few million is a game changer.

Suddenly you are the one expected to pick up the bill. You strangely get a rush of Facebook friend requests from all those people who suddenly wanted to ‘stay in touch’. The phone starts to ring from people who seemed far too busy just last week.

Now switch “lottery” with “success”.

It may not be as immediate as hearing from cousin Larry days after you win the jackpot who just happens to be passing through town next week. But something is changing.

It may not be apparent until suddenly everyone around you is treating you differently. Could it be jealousy? Could it be a case of zero-sum? Something akin to 'we're all in this together, until we're not'.

In the social web, success can be deceiving. More followers, friends and connections means your business is growing - or does it? It's not about the tools or numbers, right?

Fear is Real.

Some point to a fear of failure when discussing careers and entrepreneurship. But after owning my own business for a while and consulting business owners, it may strangely be a fear of success. Can you handle all those dreams coming true?

There is a story about Whoopi Goldberg that I find quite revealing. It stems back to when she was a starving artist. She would walk by this fancy restaurant in New York City with her fellow comedians and they would vow to have dinner there when one of them made it. She was the first to make it and invited them for dinner. No one showed.

Success – like a winning lottery ticket – will change our lives. Should that be a reason for us not to strive for it?

knealemann | email


image credit: virginmedia

Context is King

My friend Mark Gallagher gave me a project. During one of our long deep and very helpful conversations he said that I should imagine a triangle with three equal sides.

Side one
At which can you be 
the best in the world?
Side two
Where can you make 
the most money?
Side three
What are you most passionate about?

As my career evolves and perhaps it's an age thing, I seek more purpose and meaning and I hope you do as well. But this is where we get into trouble. And mostly (in my opinion) because we measure against others – it gives us perceived context.

Passion is essential in my mind but without the other two it doesn't amount to much. Money will be difficult without identifying your most valuable skills.

But Mark's triangle was in this order for a reason so it's up to each of us to figure it out for ourselves - our context. It's an interesting quandary. Many a dreamer has gone penniless and many who chase only the dollar get in to much trouble as well.

You Got Mail

I received a client request last week that simply said “where do we start?” and without much hesitation, I sent back a clear list of instructions before we were to meet.

• Find a quiet place to think.
• Make a list of what you want to do with the project.
• List all your professional attributes.
• List only those attributes you are good at and want to continue doing.
• Then let's grab a coffee and chat about next steps.

It sounds like a lot of work for a simple request but it is essential context. Before I can help, I must first decipher what he wants to accomplish and more importantly what he will actually do to accomplish it. Where we start is just that and needs to be flushed out before we can build a scalable and sustainable solution.

I looked at the list again and realized it was time for me to do the exercise. And on the heels of Mark's triangle project, I had forgotten the power of think time. My colleague has completed his list so I look forward to learning all about it.

Do you help others with the very things you need to do?

The context of my prospect's situation may be vastly different than yours but have a look at the list and pick it apart. The solutions reside in the context.

It is interesting that we want to get better but wait for the skies to shower us with confetti and opportunity to arrive on our doorstep?

We find context from reading, learning, asking, searching, then looking inside.

What is in your triangle?

knealemann | email


image credit: getty

Work Doesn’t Happen At Work

Billions spent annually on workspaces and meetings.

Companies want employees at their desk working from a certain time to a certain time. It’s the model, after all. Creativity is crammed between endless meetings, emails and hallway chatter. But how much of it is meaningful?

The notion of an office is changing faster than many organizations can grapple with it.
How often have you heard yourself say “I go in early so I can get stuff done”?

Sad isn’t it?

Jason Fried is the co-founder and president of 37signals out of Chicago which has created collaborative tools such as Basecamp, Highrise, Backpack and Ta-Da List.

Fried also co-authored a book entitled Rework which covers new concepts about work and creation. Here is Jason discussing the changing workspace and creativity at TEDxMidwest this past October.


knealemann | email


Join me for Movember.
image credit: TED

Do You Have a Jenny?

Service vs. Servitude

Jenny’s town has a population of about 2500. It’s half an hour from the city. She helps support her family with her job at the full service hardware store chain.

The company sends out direct mail pieces about four times each year and I saw something that caught my eye. I often caution clients on the effectiveness of direct mail.

I'm not against it per se but when a new client is already using direct mail or an existing client is thinking about it, I think it’s imperative that I outline realistic results.

The thin line between a great deal and junk mail

A successful direct mail campaign may bring you 5-10% return. It remains a hugely popular (and potentially expensive) medium but we have to remember realistic results.

As with many companies, this direct mail piece was part of an overall cross media campaign that included television, radio and online components. I had not seen or heard any of those before seeing their 20 page flyer featuring dozens of sale items.

Part of the gig

I skim through all direct mail that comes to my house because there are potential prospects and possible ideas for clients. But I rarely buy anything because direct mail is a passive medium. It attempts to create need where there isn’t any there, or as in my case, there is a serendipity between the recipient and an item featured in the piece.

I was interested to see if they had the item I was looking for on sale. And perhaps for the first time in recent memory, they did. I had an hour window in my schedule the next day so I dropped by the store between meetings. I found the item I wanted and with flyer in one hand and the item in the other I took it to the cash.

Then I met Jenny

She looked at me and as if we had known each other our entire lives said “Sorry dude, that sale starts tomorrow.” I had clearly not read the fine print so I turned around to return the item to the shelf. Jenny stopped me and said “Hang on, come back here.” Both quips may sound flippant but it was all in the way she carried herself and her friendly tone that made it alright.

As I walked up to the cash I then noticed the banner at the bottom that read - 'Sale this Friday only'. I handed it to Jenny. She said “hang on, that’s wrong, the sale is on this weekend and all next week.” She then asked to take my copy and replaced it with hers as she wanted to tell her manager about the error. She could have simply told me the sale wasn’t on yet and went on with her day. No, Jenny took ownership and pride in her store and her customer.

One more try

I returned the next day to a packed store. Customers were holding onto the flyer as they weaved through the crowd to find their deals. I walked up and found the item again and walked up to the cash. As luck would have it, I got Jenny again.

I thanked her for her help the day before and she said “Do you know how many people I meet on daily basis?” then she paused and said “Oh you’re the guy who brought in the wrong flyer! I told my manager and he called head office.”

You can't fake this stuff

During my two minutes at the cash, three employees asked Jenny for the location of an item and she helped an elderly woman put her purchase in her cart. This was just as much Jenny’s store as anyone else’s and she navigated it with poise and passion. She genuinely liked working there and she got herself another return customer.

Take a long hard look at your marketing budget and decipher what activities help grow your business. Then take another look around to see if Jenny has your back. Your people are your biggest marketing asset ...or deficit.

Will your company will pass the test?

knealemann | email


Join me for Movember.
image credits: corbis | getty