From the monthly archives:
Last week I talked about how easy it is to kill good ideas.
But where do you find good ideas? Here’s one place: look for a metaphor.
When I was in Greece, I saw trucks from a moving company named Metaphor, which, in Greek, means “to carry over.” A metaphor is an apt communication tool because it “carries over” the meaning of an idea, making it more vivid and colorful. Read more…
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“A committee is where good ideas go to die.”
I don’t know who said it, but I’ve got 30 years of experience that says “amen!” to it.
And since the success of your marketing depends on good ideas, it’s important to be aware of the quicksand dangers that the committee process poses to creative thinking. Read more…
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I’ve never liked listening to gripes. When my kids were young and would start griping about something, I would tell them, “You’re only allowed to gripe in duck language.” Then I would illustrate, “Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack.”
Corny, I know. But it made the point, while breaking the tension.
But as a marketer, I’ve learned how important it is to listen to what customers are griping about, and to empathize with and even key in on those gripes. Read more…
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The book What Would Google Do? tells an important story about Dell Computers. () A customer had written a venomously critical review online, shredding Dell’s products and service. ()
Naturally, this triggered a lot of defensiveness among Dell employees, who are justifiably proud of their company and their products. There was much discussion about how to respond. Read more…
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