With all the uncertainty in the world today, what is the key skill required to become a better leader? Over the past several weeks we’ve seen how important trust is in making an organization successful. The Facebook IPO has reminded us again how important it is to maintain trust with…
Every day we lose men and women from World War II, dying at the rate of over 1000 per day. At one time, there were over 16 million World War II veterans among our families and friends. Today, less than 2 million are still alive. They may have been our…
I just spent the past several weeks on the road meeting with many great clients and partners across the world. It’s always exciting to hear about all the successes they are having and how they are growing. I can’t remember a time when all my clients are doing such similar…
I’ve got a secret weapon in life, do you? So, what’s my secret weapon? I started my career selling Kirby vacuum cleaners on the streets of Cleveland in 1983. It was a tough job, the sweepers were $1,000 each and I had to find my own appointments. We had a…
What do the numbers 5, 15, 80 have in common? Take a moment to consider what these numbers might mean to your growing organization. When I first heard this twenty plus years ago, I was amazed at the impact these numbers have. Many of you have probably heard of the…
I’ve spent the last several weeks working with several new clients on sponsorships and partnerships. In this role, I’m responsible for helping my clients better understand the value they bring to their potential sponsors. After several interesting conversations with both the nonprofits and their partners I discovered that most of…
When I took my first job in leadership in marketing, I was given a book by Rogers Ailes called, “You Are the Message.” This was long before he went on to create Fox News and become such a polarizing figure today in our culture. I’d like to publicly thank Roger…
I’m working with one of my favorite clients this week. We’re trying to decide the best way to engage his members. We did some brainstorming and came up with several ideas that should help involve his members during the spring sports season. With graduation, sports championships, and prom in the…
How has your market changed in the last two years? I’ve spent the last several weeks meeting with several of my best clients, discussing with them how their markets have changed. It’s interesting because these clients are large nonprofit organizations that are leaders in their fields. They represent causes that…
One of the most effective ways to make your marketing sizzle, and to make real connections with your customers and clients, is to add your personality. The fact is, customers prefer to do business with people whom they know and like – not nameless and faceless corporations. Personality works. It…