David P. Diana Marketing, Coaching, Creative Design » Marketing Innovations

The Other 8%

David — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:52:02 +0000

We check our mail and toss out half of it without even a glimpse. We fast forward through commercials and play Pandora on our phones instead of listening to the car radio. And even then, we are inundated with marketing messages.

It is extremely difficult in today’s world of non-stop media to make a sale with marketing. In the past, you could buy an advertisement, mail brochures, earn a guest appearance on a local TV show and wait for the phone to ring. Today, these things might make you feel good, and they may make you believe you’ve done all you can to spread the word, but don’t listen to that voice.

First Thoughts for 2012

David — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:42:12 +0000

Marketing is a process.

And within that process, your efforts should center on creating a connection between you and your audience in a variety of different ways. This means that having and delivering a brochure is not marketing. Advertising is not marketing. A website - not Marketing. Direct mailers are not marketing, and networking is not marketing. If you think of these kinds of activities as stand alone entities - you will be frustrated. Marketing is an effective and unique combination of these and many other efforts. When you find the right combination for yourself and your work, true success will take hold.

The Essential Laws of Progress

David — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:16:45 +0000

“Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon. Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.” - From the movie, The Matrix

The process of giving life to an idea, of finding freedom and forging new paths, is so incredibly fragile that the slightest shift causes that potentiality to retreat into the shadows. The precious thoughts that spark a beginning are so easily dismissed and compromised one often wonders how new ideas find a foothold. It requires patience, determination, and a willingness to walk into the unknown. And most of all, it requires faith and commitment.

On Dragons & Dreams

David — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:15:31 +0000

When I was very young I would wake up in the middle of the night from a particular dream that I could not escape. It would begin innocently enough with the arrival of a soft drum beat. The drumming would grow louder and louder until I found myself in a forest standing at a distance behind an odd looking old man sitting on a rock by a river. He would be sitting peacefully in a lotus position crowned in an incredible head dress filled with colors of fire and light. The drumming would continue to get louder until the pinnacle moment of the dream when he would turn his head to face me. He had a look about him of hope and knowing but at my young age, I couldn’t bear it any longer. I would awaken in a panic, sweat rolling down my cheeks, and my heart racing.

When Wrong Is Right

David — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:56:47 +0000

I recall, years ago, driving down the highway and being intrigued by a well placed billboard advertisement for a company I never thought had the pockets or the chutzpah to place the ad. I was impressed and it made the company seem that much more credible in my eyes.

Friends mentioned the ad in conversations, and I marveled at the courage it took to go against the grain. The risk paid off and introduced the company to a completely different audience.

Stuck On Try

David — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:37:45 +0000

“Do or do not do. There is no try.” - Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back (* a special thanks to my oldest son who reintroduced me to this movie quote one evening as he read his newest book, “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda”.)

When you seek change, “starting” will be the hardest part. I’m not talking about starting in the sense of acknowledging a need to change, planning for change, or seeking help with the change process. I’m not even talking about your first real act that begins the “start” process, although this is often farther than most people are willing to go. What I’m really getting at is “a genuine start” whereby you lean into risk and uncertainty with determination and commitment.

Finding the “Real” in Branding

David — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 02:41:50 +0000

Branding…

The word is batted around effortlessly, like a beach ball in the late innings of a baseball game. I say this knowing I’m one of the guilty parties. Not a day goes bye without that word rolling off my tongue in some way, shape, or form. If you’re looking to grow your business you have no doubt heard the calling:

“Create untold success by building your personal brand!”
“Find and express your brand archetype.”
“Come learn the art of branding!”
“Do you know your brand attributes?”

Crossing the Threshold

David — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:38:41 +0000

Your work may be fine and your business running smoothly, however, it’s another matter altogether when you are building something extra ordinary.
I was doing market research recently and found that while there were an awful lot of people doing similar work, very few of them had crossed the threshold into something “special”. Their messages were unremarkable, watered down, unclear…typical. There was very little in the way of an “experience” or an emotional connection that would make a ...

Speaking in Symphonies

David — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:03:34 +0000

We are all swimming in noise. Of course you know this already. You experience this overload on a daily basis and you think of ways to not be part of the problem.
How do you engage others and connect them to all the incredible goodness you do? What gets you over the threshold and into the realm of real possibility?
As you ponder these questions, consider the college admissions work of MIT professor and author Cal Newport. ...

Strawberry Fields

David — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:13:47 +0000

“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
It’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out.
It doesn’t matter much to me.
Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about. Strawberry Fields forever.”
History tells us John Lennon was amused when people attempted to “over-interpret” his lyrics. I found myself pondering them one weekday afternoon walking the strawberry fields with my youngest son.