Frank Luntz is an expert on words and the impact they have on perceptions, memory and actions. He is sought by CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, political candidates, public advocacy groups, and world leaders – anyone who wants to know how to say things better and more effectively. His findings are fascinating to me and …
Author: John Stevenson
Visualizing failure to be successful – The Sunday Snippet [2.26.12]
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” – Mark Twain I’m not a big fan of Tim Ferriss. Sure, he’s been hugely successful with his bestseller The 4-Hour Workweek, but his writing (and speaking) is often flip and boastful. Not my cup of tea, …
Ogilvy ideas for the ages – The Sunday Snippet [2.19.12]
David Ogilvy, in his day, was a blazing combination of physical energy, thinking and writing. He ran the Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency for more than 30 years, turning it into one of the most storied and prestigious firms in advertising history. Of Scottish heritage, he led a richly layered life. He went to Oxford, …
Thinking outside your industry – The Sunday Snippet [2.12.12]
Game-changing ideas and innovations in an industry often come from the most unlikely sources – beginners, outsiders, and even other fields of study. “Think outside the box” has been a popular catch phrase for a long time and has helped drive creative change to be sure, but it may not be enough these days. In …
Coffee is for listeners – The Sunday Snippet [2.5.12]
There’s a line from the 1992 movie Glengarry Glen Ross where the sales manager (played by Alec Baldwin) tells his bedraggled sales team that “coffee is for closers only.” It’s a chilling scene where he further humiliates, and even threatens firing those that don’t produce. “Closing a sale” is the absolute wrong way to think …
A client story – MarketArt – The Sunday Snippet [1.29.12]
Over the past few weeks we’ve been featuring our clients and their Why’s. Here’s another: Delivering the Best Attendee Experience There’s a tradeshow for everything. You name it and there are people gathering by the hundreds, if not thousands, to learn about the latest and greatest products, services, and ideas for that industry. Rob Hamlin …
A client story – Virtual BeanCounters – The Sunday Snippet [1.22.12]
This week we feature another great client and the Why of his business: Better Cash Flow, Better Business Have you ever wondered where all your cash goes each week as a business owner? Cash is the lifeblood of any going concern – it covers rent, expenses, and payroll – everything needed to keep a …
A client story – My Benefits Manager – The Sunday Snippet [1.15.12]
“Real stories about real clients” is our motto here so I’m taking a break from the pulpit and practicing what I normally preach: Employee Engagement Key To More Cost Effective Benefits Health benefits are expensive and complicated yet extremely important to valuable employees – employees you need to attract and keep in order to grow …
The Why of what you do – The Sunday Snippet [1.8.12]
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Simon Sinek has dedicated his career to this fundamental idea and it’s the focus of his book Start With Why. A new acquaintance reminded me about this book as we were discussing what clients and customers are looking for when they buy a …
My favorite questions – The Sunday Snippet [12.31.11]
This past year has been a whirlwind of new meetings, new clients, new creative partners and new vendor partners. By my count, I’ve had the opportunity to exchange information and ideas with well over 250 groups and individuals and these exchanges have been extremely valuable. Not because I’ve gained new business from every meeting, but …