Lying liars and lingering trust

Waking up this morning, I was thinking about honesty and its effects on trust.

I went to school in the 80's. The rebellion of the 70's was in my rearview mirror. Teachers slapped their students, both parents went to work 40 hours a week and kids ate ready made food out of a box. Parents smoked two packs a day with the windows closed while watching The Dukes of Hazzard on Friday nights.

There was a smell of trust lingering everywhere. We were told to respect authority. We were told to respect adults, whether deserving or not. 

And we did.

Our freedoms had to be appreciated. We were taught to hate communism because their aggression was pushing nuclear war. We didn't want to be controlled by the government like the people of Russia. Communism was our enemy and democracy was our saviour.

We put our trust in government to do what was right. We expected them to put our needs first. And they seemingly did, until we caught them.

They lied to us. They stole from the public coffers to pay for personal gains. They cheated on their taxes but told us to pay our share.

These leaders are orators. They talk with a smoothness of Marvin Gay and the confidence of Chuck Norris. They know how to use words like Shakespeare to make it seem like we were wrong. So we believe them or vote them out, hoping the next leader will make things right. Then we find out the new hope lies too.  The new boss is like the old boss. 

The Who wrote about this in their song, "Won't get fooled again".

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again, no, no

Yeah
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

So when do we stop believing these liars. In 2016, I predicted Donald Trump would be the next President of the United States. Trump sounded nothing like a politician. The population was tired of hearing the same-old rhetoric. Trump didn't do that. He appealed to something deeper within the voters by using his genius in marketing and branding. 

He lied to the public so many times, it's hard to see the difference between truth and lie. 

Liars exist in every country, communist government and democratic.

In Canada, Bill Morneau, the Minister of Finance resigned in the summer of 2020. The Minister of Finance is one of the highest positions in Cabinet other than the Prime Minister. Morneau took $40,000 from the public coffers to pay for a humanitarian mission to Ecuador for him and his family. When discovered, he apologized and paid it back before resigning from his position. 

Morneau's hand was caught in the cookie jar. It was only $40,000 of the $300 billion from the Canadian taxpayers, the equivalent to a cup of coffee from an average person's salary. 

In my first business, I caught an employee stealing from me. Thinking the person was sorry, I gave them a second chance, which allowed them to get smarter and steal from me again. With a little forensic accounting, I'll bet Morneau had more indiscretions than we know. He had power, and took advantage of his power. 

We want to trust these people, but it's getting harder knowing that power corrupts.

This lack of trust is translating to more than politics. It's touching education, healthcare, transportation. As an example: 52% of Canadians don't want to take a Covid-19 vaccine. They don't trust its efficacy. 

How many more times will the people allow this?

Without trust our democracy is a Shakespearian tragedy in the waiting. And it's getting hard to trust these lying liars.

If they'll lie about stealing money for personal use, then they'll lie about anything for personal gain. 

Russia wasn't our enemy. It's always been ourselves. The Great Roman Empire survived and thrived for 500 years, yet it imploded on itself from lies, overtaxation and government corruption. 

Es tu Brute?

What a fool believes...

As you navigate over the ocean of your life, you learn lessons that help you get to safe harbour when storms are on the horizon.

If you don't learn the lessons, your hull gets slammed, your sails rip and masts break like toothpicks.

You know that because you're still here. Boats can't handle too many storms before being ripped apart and sent to the bottom of the bay.

Fools keep doing the same thing without a trying a different response. 

You're no fool.

Fools don't think for themselves. 

Fools make up stories and relate them as facts.

Fools spend 30 minutes on the internet and tell everyone they have done their research.

Fools hover over Facebook groups, Reddit and chat rooms telling everyone they are wrong because they don't agree with someone else's opinion.

Fools love opinions, especially when it's theirs.

You're no fool. 

Neither am I. That's why you won't see me posting opinions on social media.

My mom once told me to not read the Tabloids because it would rot my brain.

Social media, the internet and even certain television news channels are so heavily opinionated, it has become the new Tabloid media. They make me angry, not for their content, but for their context.

Donald Trump has been blamed for the social divide in the United States. 

If that is true, then who caused the divide in Canada? Our Prime Minister isn't popular among certain groups but he hasn't been as abasive as the outgoing POTUS.

So where did the divide come from?

Is it social unrest caused by COVID lockdowns?

Is it anger stemming from fear?

Is it social media targeted messaging reinforcing a personal bias making it appear as clarity? Watch the Social Dilemma if you want to dive deeper into how Google, Facebook and others target messages to their users.

Is it regular people trying to "protect" us from things we do not see?

What if it is all of the above?

What if the perfect storm is brewing off our coast and our boats aren't ready for it?

Never in my lifetime did I think I would see so much social unrest in North America. It's here, so now what?

Fools used to call the radio stations to spew their nonsense, but the gatekeeper would keep them off the air.

Fools used to write to the newspapers but someone was there to protect us from publishing their rants.

No one is keeping the fools away today. They broadcast their messages at will without filter.

Now, they can do whatever and say whatever they want. 

The gatekeeper job is now yours. Keep fools away from your airwaves. 

They'll rot your brain.

To quote The Doobie Brothers:

But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
And nothing at all keeps sending him...

Would you like cheese with that?

There is a polarization effect happening right now in 2020. 

The world is not fair. Who cares?

You follow a code, a belief system. If you're over the age of 8, you have an opinion on many things. Sharing those opinions is your right in a free, democratic country. Forcing them on others is wrong.

Just because I let you speak doesn't mean you are going to change my mind on what I think is truth and what is fake.

So please be kind to others. Understand we all very different and we have the right to be different. 

Masks, vaccines are just the tip of the iceberg. We are heading towards troubled waters and if we're not careful, we are putting everything we cherish at risk.

And that makes me sad.

I grew up in a world that told me to be good, help others and freedom was mine.

The world told me to not worry about what others did and only worry about what I was doing.

She taught the importance of being strong, if not for myself for those who counted on me.

She explained that not all people would agree with what I have to say. I should shut my mouth and let others speak twice as much because of the ears to mouth ratio.

She asked if I wanted cheese with my whine when I felt it wasn't fair.

She laughed when I cried, so I stopped crying.

I'm tired of the Covid fighting because I fear the worst. The worst in us comes from civil unrest, over taxation and polarization of principles, thoughts and actions.

I'm tired of leaders who don't lead, social media that is not social, and whiners who seek attention.

If you want to wear a mask, congratulations on trying to save the world.

If you don't want to wear a mask, congratulations for exhibiting your rights in a democracy.

Both sides make arguments that are biased and laced with self determination to move the other side to their way of thinking. 

The ironic thing is neither side will ever budge from their nest. Their beliefs are so firmly entrenched in cement that we waste our times trying to change them.

So what's the answer?

Damned if I know. I'm gonna keep my head down and try not get caught in the crossfire.

The labels you place are like permanent tattoos on your brain

Labels are like tattoos on our brains. Attached with super glue, it’s nearly impossible to rip, scratch or peel.

Be very careful what or who you label. Your brain will store it in that unerase-able safe.

Speaking to a businessman in his office, someone walked in, without an appointment. Excusing himself, he met the customer and after a brief, muffled conversation, he returned quite frustrated. He started a rant about the word “brother”. The customer had called him “brother”. He rubbed the top of his bald head and looked at me and said, why do people think I’m their brother? They might as well use the word nigger. I’m not their brother. It’s so derogatory and frustrating. It’s ok for two black guys to refer to each other as brother. It’s ok for two white guys to call each other brother. But I ain’t your brother. Do you understand what I’m saying Bro?

Well, did you ever think that brother is just another word for friend. Some use the word pal or man, or bro. Maybe it has nothing to do with race, but everything to do with being friendly.

You don’t know what I’ve seen.

Fair enough. I have similar conversations with my African-American daughter almost every day. She’s 15, confused, scared, and feeling alone in a white town with one other black resident. I don’t know, but I know there are lots of people who don’t mean to use hurtful words. They are just labelled on their brains.

Yeah labels. Like cops.

Exactly. Some think all cops are bad. Some think they are all good. 

The label is based on whatever reality you experience. 

The label is based on absolutes, like everything is binary: black or white, truth or lie, right or wrong.

Your truth has absolutely everything to do with labels

Yet we forget about those little gray lines between the absolutes.

When we place a label, we use past experiences to form an opinion. We stop working together to find a solution. The more we separate from each other, the more we become polarized. 

I was thinking of the song “Signs” by The Five Man Electrical Band this morning. Written in 1971, that song is as relevant today as ever. 

It’s a song that sees the beauty in the natural world and the songwriter struggles with the labels and limits others place on him because he’s the guy who’s living in a perfect world while everyone else is living inside a box, trying to make everything perfect.

  

The rebels see the song as a rallying cry. The conformists think it’s a song about rebellion. I think the song is about the removal of labels in order to live a peaceful, enjoyable life.

I’m as guilty as the next person to place labels. My personal experience with the police always comes down to that one time when Constable Dufour assaulted me and threatened to arrest me for something I didn’t do. He knew I wasn’t afraid of him. And when I told him I was going to talk to my law professor to see what I could do, he let me go. 

But I’m not black. And I can’t imagine what could’ve happened if I was. 

Maybe I’m not your brother. 

Maybe I don’t understand the shit you’ve gone through.

But I can sympathize with your struggles.

And I would love to help you. 

That’s what friends do.

Coronavirus is not the zombie apocalypse

As the world reacts to the threat of a pandemic, markets crash, toilet paper sold out and Purell is counting cash.

What aren't we being told?

3000 people died in China in 3 months. That is the equivalent of 25 people in Canada because of the population differences.

12 people die every hour in Canada due to heart disease based on Health Canada data.

Based on facts, shouldn't we be more worried about Big Macs?

Or is there some other agenda?

Is the Coronavirus more scary? Are world governments protecting us from mass hysteria, similar to George Orwellian theory?

Or is it not a problem and other governments are shaking the American economy to its knees. An investor friend hypothesizes that the recent price reduction in gas has to do with Russia and Saudi Arabia flooding the market with excess oil as an attack on the US economy.

Could this be considered an act of War?

What's really going on?

Financial markets are crashing.
Money is being lost.
Governments are installing travel bans.
Professional sports are shutting their doors.

Did I mention Oil is cheap?
What about governments committing money to Coronavirus relief fund?

Canada is approaching 1 trillion in debt and is committing to a relief fund.
How are we paying for this?
Does this mean our taxes will have to go up when this hysteria ends?
Or does it mean our country is one step closer to bankruptcy?

And if we are closer to bankruptcy, what happens then?

I have so many questions.
But none of them have anything to do with Coronavirus.

Because that's not the issue.
It's bigger than that.
And only time will tell what is really going on.

Have fun.
Stay safe.
Drink a Corona.
Try not to worry. Coronavirus is not a zombie apocalypse.

That'll be the next thing we should be scared of.

Lesson about marketing from a Las Vegas Beggar

The difference between making noise and making money in the marketing world is the same as the difference between a beggar and a busker.

The beggar asks for money, but offers nothing in return.
The busker parts you with your money in exchange for entertainment.

The homeless guy's tool is sympathy.
The Busker hammers the drums with entertainment.

We give more time to those who entertain us.
We give more money to those who command our time.
It's a fact.

If the beggar interrupts and makes us sad, he's a busker.
If he gets us looking in the opposite direction trying to avoid eye contact, he's a beggar.

The busker interrupts but he makes us smile.

Most marketers ARE beggars.

Information is a beggar's tool.
Traffic is a beggar's hope.
More traffic does not mean more money.

Emotion is the entertainer's tool.
Traffic is the entertainer's strategy.
More traffic means more money.

Here are two examples of good marketing from the streets of Las Vegas.

Luck is a lady named Serendipity

Inspiration comes from a room. There are no windows. There's a door but it's locked.

You can try to break it down. But you're wasting your time. The one who locked it knew you'd try, so it has been reinforced to handle 5000 pounds of pressure.

Trying to break it is wasted energy.

You can try to pick the lock, but you're wasting your time. The one who built the lock knew you'd try.

Instead of wasting time to force the door open, use your time to find the key.

The key to the door unlocks all inspiration you'll ever want.

The first time you find the key seems like luck. But it's not. It's a process. And your methods are not necessarily good for someone else.

But some odd reason, the key is never in the same place as you last left it. It's as if the one who built the lock has children who play with your keys.

Once you know the process, the keys mysteriously appear.

I'm embarrassed to admit my way to inspiration.
But it works every time.

I listen to Frank Sinatra.
I'm not joking.
My favourite song ever is "My way".
It's my life's story.

I was thinking of "Luck is a lady" this morning.

Luck happens when good things happen despite not having planned for it.
I don't believe in luck. I believe things happen for some reason without our understanding.

That being said, yesterday my mind was troubled.
I had work commitments on Friday.
My son had a hockey tournament in the morning.
Aline (my wife) was going to take him to the game.
The weatherman was calling for a storm.
It looked like the tournament was going to happen regardless.
Which meant my son and wife were going to be on the road in a potential storm.

As we're preparing for the reality of her traveling, we're debating if they should go.
We want to please our son.
We want to protect him.
We don't want to let down the team.

As this is twirling around our tongues, our son had a league game the night before the tournament. The best player couldn't come. And the boys didn't play their best game.

With 26 seconds left in the game, there's a scrum in the corner for the puck. A boy from the other team comes out with the puck. As he's emerging from the cluster of kids, my son gives him one final shove.

The kid falls down.
A whistle is blown.
And my son is given a penalty.
With 26 seconds left in the game, with no effect on the game, my 13 year old heads off to the dressing room.
The penalty wasn't a serious crime. No one got hurt.
The referee called a minor penalty. But with 26 seconds left, he added a game misconduct to the punishment.
Which means, my boy has to sit out a game as a consequence to his 26 second infraction.

Luck is a lady and her name is Serendipity.

When you are dealing with a problem and you're not sure. As long as you've done everything you can do to prepare, the rest is up to Serendipity.

In my experience, things work out.
So don't stress out.
The key to the locked door will be found when you're ready to receive them.

Marketing in a crisis

Marketing is fun. You get to say and do things that normally aren't done or said. Good marketing uses an angle that disrupts the audience. Good marketing attracts customers like cell phones to sinks full of water.

But once in a lifetime, the moon turns blue. And something happens, outside of your control, affecting everything you do and say.

A catastrophe puts your entire operation in crisis. You have to close. You won't be able to sell your stuff.

Earth, wind, water, or fire. Something shuts you down for months. You can't do anything until your insurance kicks in.

What do you do?

The time to sell is over. The time to protect has arrived. Protect your market share as much as you can despite not being able to sell anything.

Marketing should not end. It is more important than ever.

The execution changes.

The method changes. But communication must continue.

Everyday is a lost opportunity. Don't let the lost opportunity convert to lost customers.

Customers need product and the twitchy competitor down the street has been rubbing his greasy palms together waiting for your wonderful customers.
Keep your messages rolling.
Remind the customer why they love you.
Over and over again. 

Have you ever been to the airport watching families waiting for their dad to arrive? Everyone is at the airport waiting at the baggage carrousel, with hugs, claps, smiles and the five year old daughter is jumping up and down.

The customer can't buy.
Keep them wanting to.
Keep the dialogue going.
Run your radio campaigns.
Post to social media.
Engage, communicate, share, repeat.

Your customers will miss you if you stay in their head. They'll be jumping up and down waiting for your reopening.

During a crisis, you can count on a few things happening.

1. Employees will get other jobs. If you can get payroll insurance, get it. The strength of your business is the people you've hired. If you don't have payroll insurance, figure out how to pay them or help them find interim employment hoping they return when all is cleared up.

2. Suppliers may sell their exclusive products to that twitchy competitor down the street. This is just business. They want to sell stuff and you're not an option.

3. Customers will buy elsewhere.

A lot of people will say they will be there for you, but few will be.

There will be others who talk a good game, but look for a quick way to get away from you.
Let's call them rats.
Rats are the first to leave the ship.
Remember them. Those who scurry away were never really on your team anyways.

I know that's a hard pill to swallow. The rat is a nice guy most of the time. It's easy to be a good guy when things go well. His true personality emerges when things go wrong. 

That's why I call them rats. They nibble on your business like a block of cheddar for years. Then they run, leaving you to pick up their mess. 

Good times will return.
Set traps to keep future rats.
Hopefully nothing will go awry again.
A few traps never hurt.

A good captain keeps his ship clean.

A good captain navigates his plan.

A good captain stays until the very end, putting everyone else's safety ahead of his own.

The time for having fun and farting around is over. 

You will be a Phoenix or a pile of ashes.

Everything you know about business can be trashed.

What you become after the crisis is determined by what you do early on. 

Be vulnerable. Be real. Be supportive.

And NEVER let them see you sweat.

Marketing is like boiling an egg

If you are an adult, I'm going to assume you know how to cook a hard boiled egg.

Gramma taught me when I was 10. Here were her instructions.
1. Get a pot.
2. Fill it half full with water.
3. Place eggs in water.
4. Turn on heat to Max.
5. Wait until it starts to boil.
6. Time out 8 minutes.
7. Remove heat.
8. Remove shell and serve with butter.

Pretty simple, right.
To get the results of a perfect boiled egg, the recipe must be followed in this order.
These are the inputs: eggs, water, heat, and time

Here's how you get bad results:
Put the eggs in the pot without water.
Boil water but don't put the eggs in.
Don't turn on the heat.
Pull the eggs out too soon.

Boiling an egg is like your advertising campaign.
Eggs are potential customers
Water is message.
Heat is the money.
And time is still just time.

If you want your advertising campaign to work, treat it like boiling an egg.

Use a message that gets noticed by potential customers. Spend money on areas where these potentials are hanging out. And wait until they come out hard-boiled.

Don't stop the heat.

It takes time.

If you stop the heat before the time is up, your advertising will be wasted. You won't get what you're looking for. You will be disappointed by its results.

So the next time you want to run an advertising campaign. Ask yourself three important questions:
1. Do you have enough time for this to work?
2. Do you have the ability to apply enough heat to get your hard boiled egg?
3. Do you have water?

If the answer is "no" to either of these questions, don't waste your money on the campaign, unless you're looking for transactional customers.

Transactional customers don't need any of this.

They only need a great deal.

If you want transactional customers, all you need is heat and water. You don't even need clean water. Any water will do, as long as its the cheapest around.

Winter, wood and wool coats

It's getting colder. Jackets thicken while energy bills rise.

That's winter in Canada. Every year it comes and every year, I dread it. But it comes and I know it.

Dad was recently hospitalized with some respiratory problems. While visiting, he told me he didn't have his wood cut yet. This little setback was going to be a problem. It's his main source of heat for survival.

Come to find out, dad wasn't talking about this winter. He was talking about next winter. He's preparing for 12 months ahead of time.

Not all of us plan that far ahead.

Forget about winter and wood and wool coats.
Have you planned out your next 12 month marketing plan?
Do you know what road you're going to use and what kind of car is going to get you there?

January is still a month away but planning can be done any time. Don't wait until the new year to decide what's next.

Formulate your strategic direction. Understand what can take you there. And in the wise words of Larry the Cable Guy, "Git r done".

Someone asked me this morning, "Given the uncertainty of the economy, is it a good time to be in business".

The best time to be in business was 10 years ago. The second best time is today. Do you want to know when the third best time is going to be?

Get the jacket on. Warm up, snuggle next to the fire. Boil a cup of cocoa. And know where you're driving this business of yours.

It's easy to get wrapped up in the day to day grind.
It's easy to delay planning in exchange for doing.

You know as well as anyone, the easy stuff doesn't get the best results.
Do the hard thing. Steven Covey called it, "Move the big rocks" in his book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People".

Strategy is a big rock.

But here's the bad news.
You can't do the strategy on your own.
You're too close to it.
You're biased.
If you try to do it, it will be watered down, ineffective and a waste of money.

This isn't a sales pitch. I don't need your business.

Just trying to help out a friend in need.

I'll give you my jacket if you really need one and can't afford it.
In my experience, you'd complain about the colour and would toss it away after the first week, if I gave it to you.

A discount retailer hurts no one but himself.

As Black Friday approaches, I was thinking about my Canadian retail friends. Black Friday wasn't even a thing in Canada seven years ago. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October.

The Canadian retailers decided they needed a new reason to throw an event at its shoppers so they followed their American cousins into the Black Friday frenzy.

Just another reason to give a discount to get more sales. It's kinda funny. Canadians don't get a Thursday vacation.

My friend Bruce owns five pizza restaurants. He believes customers only come to him because of his flyers. So he runs a flyer every three weeks. He'd do them every week but he can't afford the shipping costs.

The pizza business is notorious for this type of behaviour. Once upon a time I used to work for a pizza chain. We did the same things to keep franchisees and the top brass happy.

Even 15 years ago my gut didn't feel good about it.

Here's what happened, eventually the marketing effort fizzled out. It chased the transactional customer, who wanted the best price. At that time, we had two people answering phones at a restaurant on a Friday night. Two people to handle all the calls.

Do you know what the number one question was?
Yep, you got it. "What's your special?"

Some customers ordered after hearing the specials while others promised to call back. We have no idea if they did.

Bruce doesn't understand the difference between a transactional customer and a relational one. He's dehydrating in the desert, and he doesn't realize there is a cooler filled with fresh water to his left.

He thinks the easiest path to sales growth is chasing these low margin, fickle customers who only want the best price.

I order six pizzas from Bruce's restaurant every four weeks for a gathering of friends. The first time I ordered, they gave me a $40 discount. I didn't ask for it. Didn't know about it. Didn't need it. But do you think I took it?

Of course. I like money. You wanna give it to me? I'll take it.
The interesting thing is the second time I ordered the same six pizzas, I expected the discount. If it wouldn't have been there, I may have asked for it.

He converted a loyal, relational customer into a transactional one at his own expense.

Bruce knows the restaurant business. But he doesn't understand marketing. He thinks he does so I can't explain it to him. Bruce believes in these short term sales tactics.

I can't change his mind. I've given up trying.

I've seen this re-run before. Hell, I was in it.

I was thinking of Bruce while visiting a Factory Outlet store in San Marcos, just outside of Austin, Texas.

There were Bruce's everywhere. 60% off. Buy one, get one Free. Buy one, get one half price. The parking lots were full and customers were buying stuff. Looked like a good day for business.

There was one store that wasn't promoting discounts. Bruce could never work at this store.

It was the only one that had a line outside. Security had to manage the customers wanting to get a glimpse inside. No discounts. Business looked good here too.

It wasn't pizza. It was her Italian cousin: Gucci.

The pizza industry has converted itself into a commodity. It's like wheat, or salt. The prices continue to drop. A special we used to offer at the pizza chain 15 years ago has only gone up by $3.00. Inflation has gone up by more than that. The only way to make a living selling pizza is to sell a lot of them.

I'm not saying pizza has to be like Gucci. They can play a different pricing strategy and not get wrapped up in the highly competitive pricing wars.

The next time you run a sale to attract a customer, think about your marketing strategy.

This approach is hurting your longterm brand, unless you're moving old inventory or perishable stock. If you got lucky and you bought a couple of shipping containers at a discount and you want to pass savings onto your customers, that's ok too.

Just remember, a discount retailer hurts no one but himself. And if you're not sure, ask Walmart. They closed 269 stores in 2016 and just announced another 22 closures for North America in 2019.


Rick Nicholson is a multi unit business owner and partner at Wizard of Ads. He looks at marketing from the perspective of relationships, corporate beliefs and most importantly its effect on sales. If you want to know how he can help you, you can reach him at ricknicholson@wizardofads.com.

Secret of success, go after your opportunity, and five levels of respect

My eyes lifted from the computer screen to see an old friend walking to the counter to order a coffee. As he sees me, he motions that he'll be right over.

He noticed me, my insecure self whispers.

Of course he noticed you, my confident self affirms.

Nonetheless, my old friend is a professional athlete who is on national television no less than 75 times per year. He moved away many years ago. 

As he comes over to say hi, I didn't know what to say to him. I've watched him rise to be one of the best in his profession. 

I have to tell you that I brag to my son that I know you.

Haha, I'm still the same guy.

Tell me something, what's the secret to your success?

Oh I had a lot of people helping me, coaching me and pushing me to be better.

That's the bullshit answer you give the media. Tell me the real reason.

Opportunity presented itself and I went after it.

Do you ever pinch yourself that you're in a dream? You're out there with some of the greatest household names in your sport.

At first, maybe. But I'm not in awe of anyone out there, not even the superstars.

How do you do it?

It's all mental. We have psychologists we work with to keep our minds sharp. I go out everyday to be the best I can be. I can't worry about anyone else. There's one guy who makes $5 million dollars a year. He's the biggest jerk in the league. He likes to mouth off, looking for a reaction from me.

So what do you do?

I smile and tell him that a guy making that much money should be happier and quieter.

That's funny. Do you love what you are doing?

I do. But it's a job. In the beginning, I had to pinch myself to realize that I had made it. Now, it's about routine, flying and working. Last year, I flew 160 times all over North America. I live in airports and hotels. It's not ideal, but I know I'm really lucky to be where I am.

Any regrets?

I wish I could live here and still do my job. But opportunity is elsewhere and I have to go where it is.

That's great advice. Go where the opportunity is. My son said he wants to be a professional athlete. I've told him that nothing is free. He has to work for it. If he was your son, what would you say to him?
I would tell him to never give up. To work hard, but always understand there are 1500 people who compete daily for the same job that he wants. 10% are superstars with above average skill in the league. The other 90% are all about the same in the skill department. The difference between those who make it and those who don't is between their ears.

Attitude?
More than attitude. Respect.

Respect?
Respect for self, for the team, for the coach, for the league and ultimately for the game. The person who respects the five levels and has comparable skills is the guy who becomes the professional athlete.

That's great advice. Thanks for stopping by.
No problem. I've got a tee time in 15 minutes. I gotta go. See you later.

Hope, eyeballs and scrolling through garbage

I get asked a lot about the effectiveness of advertising and which ones should be used.

The buzz for entrepreneurs seems to be social media.
Boy, it is really powerful.
No doubt about it.

The John Deere 6110R (below) is also powerful but it's not the right tool for mowing your lawn.

The same goes for social media for a lot of businesses. 

Why would you use social media for advertising your business?

Someone will say there are a lot of people there. And they are right.  But what about the message? Doesn't that matter?

And someone will say that eyeballs are eyeballs and the more people who see the ad, the more people who will be engaged.

I disagree. Social media happens fast. It's entertainment. The scrolling effect kills an ad faster than the eyeballs can catch it. 

Ads have to be engaging.

It's no longer good enough to buy eyeballs. We live in an attention economy and the potential customer won't give it to us, unless we're new, exciting or different.

And if you think about it, nothing has really changed. Except where people are spending their time.

Screen times on phones, tablets and computers have skyrocketed, while tv screen time continues to hold its own with one slight change. Streaming services are outpacing cable tv.

I drive by 42 billboards every morning. I'm a marketer so I pay attention more than the average person. And I can't remember one memorable board. It's noise.

And that's what happens with social media. It's noise. Unless it's new, exciting and different.

So please do yourself a favour. If you plan on opening an instagram account for your business, think twice about littering my feed with your garbage. It's disrespectful.

Post a facebook ad, but make it new, exciting or different. 

Adding irrelevant ads on facebook or google is worse than the paid ads on TV.

In fact, it's way worse. Because this time, it's personal. Commercials on tv wasn't your fault. You had no way of knowing who I was. But now you do.

So what media works the best?

All of them work. Some will yield better results than others depending on who you're trying to reach. But most importantly, whether you decide to use the mass media, social media or mobile media, the best way to break through all the noise is to have a compelling message.

The key to unlocking the big giant lock called persuasive advertising, is the message. The media is secondary.

But what's your plan if you do use social media? If you post once per month. You're no one in the digital world.

If you post for engagement, you're wasting your time on keyboard warriors.

If you post creative, persuasive ads that force us to think, then you have a fighting chance.

Someone offered to manage my social media this morning. She gave three examples of other businesses who were doing a great job of engaging and communicating with their audience (her opinion).

A tear came to my eye. If this is the garbage social media "experts" are pawning off to unsuspecting clients, we have a bigger problem with recycling than you think.

Reuse, recycle, repeat...

But then again, maybe this is good news. Too many still don't understand what good marketing is. Too many are wasting their money on ineffective methods that don't return a reasonable return on their marketing investment.

Last week, a participant at my marketing presentation said billboard advertising was dead. Nobody pays attention to them and they a waste of money. The 42 I see everyday would reinforce that perspective. But what if you saw this ad? Maybe billboard ads aren't dead after all, eh?

And the same goes for all media. 

If you want my attention, you have to be worthy enough to break through the noise. 

If you want my money, you have to give me hope.

And hope is all we can really strive for. Hope tomorrow will be better than today. 

Character, statues and a 1000 year promise

Thanks for meeting with me. What can I get you?
I'd like a Grande Emperor's Cloud.

Fancy name... Is it a fancy drink?
Nope. Just a medium Green Tea.

I don't get the name thing here.
You can't get Emperor's Cloud anywhere else. So if you like the branded tea, you can only buy it here. An old boss used to call this telephone branding.

You've lost me. What are you talking about?
Don't worry about it. What can I do for you?

I'm struggling with a new name of my business.
What does this business do?

We're going to make custom furniture.
What's special about this furniture?

Uh, it's custom made for the customer.
I understand. Why would someone care enough to buy from you and not from a big box retailer?

Because I'm better.
We're not getting anywhere. I apologize in advance for my candidness. Please don't take offence with what I'm about to tell you.

I won't.
Promise?

I promise.
Pinky promise?

Haha. Sure. Pinky promise.
No one gives a shit about you or your furniture, except you and the people closest to you. Once you come to the realization that quality has many definitions. And what your customer thinks is quality may not be your definition. So why do you make custom furniture?

I love it.
Why do you love it?

There's something about the smell of wood that gets my juices flowing.
Tell me a story about the first time you smelled sawdust in a shop.

Ouf, I don't know. I remember when I was a kid I used to help my grampy in his shop. I'd spend all day with him sanding, plaining, and setting the boards to make these living room tables.
Did he teach you anything over the time you spent with him in the shop?

Oh my, yes. He used to say the quality of the table depended on two things: the choice of wood and the character of the carpenter.
I've heard chefs say the same thing about food.

Oh it's true. He said if you treated the wood properly, it would show you its soul.
Nice. Do you know what you're selling?

Custom made furniture.
God no. That's the product. Do you know what feeling you're selling?

Peace of mind that the customer has a custom made furniture?
Oh my. No. You're selling nostalgia. You're selling a memory of grandpas and their simplistic view of the world (filled with honour and integrity).

Honour and integrity...those are good words.
No. They're terrible words. Promise me. Never use those words again.

Why?
Because they're cliche. And no one will believe you if you use them. They've heard that bullshit before.

So I sell the memory of my grandpa?
No, you sell the memory of all grandpas, using yours as the example. You got business cards?

Yes.
What's the name of your company?

GLM custom woodworking and construction.
I thought you did custom furniture. Nothing about your name tells me the one thing you do really well.

I do other things as well to pay the bills.
Who gets paid more money, the family practitioner or the surgeon?

The surgeon.
Why?

Because he's specialized.
And he does one thing extremely well, right?

Right.
So which do you want to be?

The surgeon.
Then make sure your customers knows what you do really well. Of course you'll do the other stuff when you have time. I get it, you want to put food on the table.

Exactly. So my name is bad.
Yes.

Why did you ask me about my business cards before the name of my company?
Business cards are one of those simple tools in marketing that most people screw up.

Don't I just put my name, address, email, website, phone number....
Whoa. Stop. When you get a business card from someone, what do you do with it?

If it's relevant, I put in my contact list.
And if it's not?

I throw it out.
And how do you ensure your business card is relevant to the people who get one from you?

I don't know.
Be different.

Like a different size or shape.
Maybe. But what about smell?

Smell? Don't they smell like paper and ink.
Yup. They all do. But what if you could get "Ode de Sawdust" and spritz a little bit on every one you handed out? Just like the smell you remembered in your grampy's shop.

That's really good. I wonder someone makes that.
They do, I just googled it.

Holy crap. I love it.
And then you can spritz a bit on yourself for cologne. Smell is one of our senses that helps reinforce memory. You'd be increasingly different that customers would be more apt to remember you. Hence your business card may have just become relevant...

What about my name?
Let me ask you something else. What is so special about handcrafted furniture versus big box furniture?

The care and attention to detail is the big thing.
Why is that so important?

The more a furniture maker pours his heart into his work, the greater the quality of the piece.
You're talking craftmanship.

Yes. Craftmanship.
So what I've heard from you today is the character of the carpenter and the passion for the word with output a better product.

Yes. That's it. Character plus passion equals Better.
No. Well yes, but you can't say that. It's expected and no one will trust you. Plus any furniture craftsman can say that. You got to go deeper.

Deeper?
Yes, what's deeper than passion and character?

I dunno.
Your grandpa used to say it.

He did.
Yup. You know this. You get it, but you've never thought about this way.

Ok I give up.
Have you ever heard of comfort food?

Oh my god. I get it comfort furniture.
Uh, no. What's another word for comfort food, used primarily in Black communities?

Soul food.
Now you're talking. And how do you translate that to furniture?

Soul furniture?
How about Furniture for the Soul.

My grandpa used to say that?
I know, you've already told me. What's a soul worth?

There's no price.
Right, now the expensive furniture that you want to sell has extreme value. No more price comparing to the big retailers. A customer has a choice to buy the mass produced, cheaply made table a fraction of the price or get a piece that reminds them of their grandpas that changes the energy in their homes. Do you offer a warranty on your furniture?

Yes, I'll offer a limited time warranty for one year.
Is that all a soul is worth? Are you familiar with Tilley hats?

No.
Their warranty has a lifetime warranty.

So what if someone takes advantage of them?
They probably do. But that's the cost of being different. They stand behind their workmanship. Do you stand behind yours?

I suppose I could do a lifetime warranty. It wouldn't be that big of deal to fix something that would go wrong.
Even if the dog chewed off the leg?

To fix the leg wouldn't be that big of a deal. I would fix that for free as part of my warranty.
I knew I liked you. That would be awesome. You can market the shit out of that. But let's not say lifetime warranty. Let's say something more ridiculous. Something that would get attention.

Like what?
Do you stand behind your work?

Yes, absolutely.
Then give a 1000 year warranty on your furniture.

I won't even be alive.
No you won't, but the confidence that your company will be here speaks loudly about your offer. Future generations will write songs about your furniture. Future marketers will pray to your golden statues and your grandpa will be a demi god.

I like the way you think.
Enough coffee. You got a lot of work to do.

We go fishin' when the fish are runnin'

I went bass fishing with my 12 year old son last week.

We sat there on the edge of the ocean, casting our lines anticipating a "bite".

Waiting, and casting.
Talking, and enjoying the crisp ocean breeze.

And I thought of an old colleague.
Morris was Vice President of Marketing of a $50 million business and his favourite saying was, "We go fishin' when the fish are runnin'."

What he meant was we should market heavily when potential customers are most apt to buy. And we should slack off when it's too hard to convince them otherwise.

Morris was smart. I learned a lot from him.

Cast the line when everyone else are casting their lines.
Fish when everyone else is fishing.
Sell when customers are most apt to buy.

I call this noise elevation.

Morris was worried about ROI (return on investment) of the marketing dollars he was spending. His children's bellies depended on him proving his marketing prowess.

I was casting my line and thinking about Morris when I realized that he was wrong.

Marketing is nothing like fishing.
It can be about timing, but that's the lazy route and too competitive.
It's not about ROI. It's about business growth.

And most marketers don't talk about business growth because they think marketing is a department within a business. And there are too many variables they have no control over.

Pareto's Law, or 80-20 rule, loosely states that 80% of outcome will come from 20% of inputs.

Marketing is 80% internal and 20% external.

Marketing internally includes every sales call, collection notice, conversation with a potential hire, potential supplier, internal discussions, weeds on the front lawn, rats in the basement, dirt on the delivery truck, logo on the letterhead, misspelling, attitude, crooked chairs, cracked windows, employee uniforms, etc.

You understand external marketing. But then again, you know the internal marketing too.

The internal marketing should be easy. You're dealing with the human element.

Now we're talking Culture.

Don't spend another dollar on external marketing until you fix your culture problem. Then you won't have to fish when the fish are runnin'. They'll always be runnin'. And when you're ready to cast your line, the fish will jump in your lap.

Sales, smoke screens, and seduction

I'd like to grow my business, but I don't know how to do it. Do you have any suggestions?

Wow, that's a loaded question. But before I answer your question, let me ask one of my own. Are your sales the same as last year, better than last year or worse than last year?

We're about the same as last year. 

And did you do any advertising you really felt worked for you?

Not sure. We spent some money on different things. Some customers came in but it didn't really move the needle longterm.

Are you going to do those things again next year?

We did get some clients. I don't know if it was worth the money, but it did bring in some customers that we hadn't seen before.

And your business is flat.

Yeah.

So despite some of your marketing initiatives, your business is relatively flat. Would you agree that some customers you had last year no longer come to you?

We do a really good job with customer retention.

Sure, but do you agree that some lost customers has nothing to do with you? Let's be objective. Some people die, move away, or have a change in lifestyle.

Ok, when you put it that way, yes.

So despite, you losing some customers, your business is flat, which means new customers have filled that void.

Right, so our marketing is working for us.

Maybe. But answer another question for me. Did you take a price increase on your products due to inflationary demands?

Yes. I have to protect my margins. So each year, we increase prices between 2 and 3 per cent.

Ok. So to be clear, you've raised prices about 2-3%. Some customers are no longer with you. But your sales are about the same as last year. 

Are you saying my sales are down? My accountant doesn't say that.

Sales are flat. But a bigger indication that business is in trouble is customer count. Accountants usually don't track that number. Your average check is a bit higher, giving a smoke screen that your business may have lost market share this year. Which means you're actually losing customers.

That's not good. I want to get customers. So back to my question, how to grow my business?

It starts with the internal first. I've heard you say that you're doing a good job keeping customers. So keep doing that. However, do you remember how you met your wife?

I met her at my first job. We were friends for 2 years before we went on our first date. 

So what attracted you to her?

She was beautiful. She had long curly hair, with an air of confidence.

So physically... But after being friends for two years, did you just go to her and say, "Hey we've known each other for 2 years, we should get married to lower our combined living expenses"?

Are you nuts? No after two years, I fell completely in love with her. She was funny. I watched her take care of her mom. She loved camping, swimming and going to movies. We watched sunsets and interpreted cloud formations.

Then you asked her to marry you?

No. Then we went on our first date.

And how long did you date?

Two more years.

So you knew this woman for 4 years before she married you?

Yes, but I knew I wanted to marry her the first day I met her.

You worked slow. 

I didn't want to scare her off.

Right, so let me explain where I'm going with this. This woman was really important to you. You handled the relationship delicately. There are nine ways we become attracted to another person.

1. Beauty

2. Persistence

3. Make us feel great

4. Dangerous

5. Natural, simple

6. Flirting

7. Charming

8. Charisma, great with words

9. Be a star

You started your attraction to her based on beauty, but complimented the attraction with natural and how she made you feel. 

What's that got to do with my business?

Well, if we talk to your wife, to find out why she married you, I bet she'll have a different reason why she was attracted to you. And once we know those qualities, we can use those same qualities to promote your business.

I'm not looking to getting married again.

Physically, no. But metaphorically, you're looking to find customers who will be seduced by your business. I'm willing to bet your business is just like you. Once you understand what gets customers excited about you, then you go find more customers just like them.

Not all customers will like us.

Exactly. Just like not all women wanted to be with you. But does it matter?

No. I love my wife. She's everything to me. A wonderful mom. A caring wife. A listening ear. She's my best friend.

Now imagine if you could say the same thing about your customers. Do you think, business would grow or stay flat?

Are you saying not all customers are the right customers?

That's exactly what I'm saying. As business owners, we chase the customer because they have the money. But we're using the wrong strategy. We need to communicate who we are so the customer falls in love with us. And when they do, their money follows.

But not all customers will like us, just like not all girls liked me.

Now you get it. You don't need all customers to love you. Your operation couldn't handle it all anyways. 

So what do we need to do to get new customers?

Do you need new customers in the next 9 months to stay in business?

I don't think so. But I do want new customers so we stop this decline you brought up.

I get it. But just like your wife, this is going to take time. The communication is going to take time to seduce the customer. In my experience it takes about 9 months. 

What if I want it faster?

What would've happened if you would've moved extremely fast on that 20 year old girl who became your wife or for any 20 year old girl for that matter?

I may have scared her away or may have attracted the wrong women.

See. It relates exactly the same way to to business.

I get it. So after 9 months. I'll see 3-4% increases in sales?

If you grow 5%, will you be happy? 

Yes.

If you grow 10%, how would you feel?

I'd kiss you. But I don't believe you.

Your wife might get jealous. Let's say this. I'm not promising you 10%. You're a good guy. You have a good business. Your strategy is non existent. With a strategy that effectively communicates and seduces, your business will grow. I would expect that in three years, your business will be much bigger than it is today. You've told me your business is in decline. Any growth would be welcomed. And I think 2-3% increases in sales is a joke. If I only get you 2-3%, you should fire me immediately. 

What are you going to do?

Does that matter? 

Not really.

So if you're ready, let's get to work.

I'm ready. How much is this going to cost me?

You haven't learned yet. I'm not chasing your money. I need to see if we are compatible. I'm going to get you to do some homework before I charge you anything further.

But I want to get started.

Trust me. This is an important step in my process of customer acquisition.

Are you seducing me?

Haha. You're smart. I like you.

Send me the homework. I'll get it to you in the next few days.

Rick Nicholson is a Wizard of Ads partner. You can reach him at ricknicholson@wizardofads.com to discuss development of your marketing strategy.

Discount your relationship when you discount your product.

You're a customer. So you obviously know what it takes to get you to buy.

But do you really?

"Give me a sale, and I'll buy".

Sometimes. What if you don't need the product.

My wife has 15 pair of shoes and she'll buy another pair next week if they're on sale.

Aren't shoes always on special? With that logic, she should be Imelda Marcos.

If you put stuff on sale, customers always show up.

You're right. But is that the customer you want?

A customer is a customer is a customer.

Ok. Imagine you're a shoe retailer.

My wife would be my best customer.

And you have an exclusive line of shoes. No one else can get them anywhere.

Well that's different.

Not at all. But let me finish. You have one exclusive line and then to fill up your store, you have all these other brands that everyone else has. Would you discount your exclusive line?

Only when the new line would come out.

So you'd leave them at full price until the fashion changed.

Yup. But to be competitive, I'd deep discount the other brands to get traffic through my door. Once inside the customer would see the exclusive brand and might pay full price.

That could happen. More likely, here's what will happen. The customer looking for a deal, will come in. If they find the right shoe, in the right style in the right colour and they feel the price is better than elsewhere, including Amazon, they might buy. They may even try on the exclusive, expensive shoe, never with the intention of buying them.

Why would you say that? They are a customer.

There are two types of customers. The ones who love you and the ones who use you. I call them "bottom feeders", always looking for the best price. 

But they are still a customer.

Yes they are. Although extremely less important.

But I'd have traffic.

Sure you would. Now imagine that customer who loves the store decor, the customer service but most importantly that line of exclusive shoes comes in your store the day you have a huge inventory clearout. Your staff is working off their feet, trying to sell discounted shoes to a bunch of customers who may not even buy. What would be the level of service to that customer?

We'd do our best. My marketing worked. We'd be too busy to give them the same level of attention that we'd normally give.

Exactly. Then what would happen?

She'd come back next week when the store calmed down.

That's an assumption. You're probably right. But maybe she'd find a new style somewhere else. Maybe you'd run these specials so often that she'd grow tired of your inattention. Maybe she'd divorce your company.

Well it's just one customer.

Yes. One nameless customer who paid full price for an exclusive brand traded in for a bunch of nameless customers who only used you for your cheap shoes.

I'll take it. It's all about growing the business.

Sure. Now assume your competitors start the same tactics. They're going to react to your discounting. They try keep their business. So they run deep discounts too. Now you're all fighting over the same customer with the biggest stick being the lowest price. Who wins now?

No one. We all lose. 

Not exactly. The company that wins is the one who found your client who wanted an exclusive brand who was willing to pay full price. The company that wins is the one you gave your client to.

How long does it take to realize this is going on?

Business is not a 50 yard dash. It's a marathon. It takes time, commitment, attention. If you cheat on your training in a marathon you won't finish. You'll lose. If you start by sprinting, you lose. If you don't feed yourself, you lose. If you don't have the right mindset, you lose. If you don't hydrate, you lose. Some conditions are in your control and some are not. The point is recognizing the difference.

So discounting isn't good for business?

I didn't say that. It's good for short term business. It's good for clearing out discontinued, perishable inventory. It's good for moving sales. It's good to put money in the bank this week. It's not good if you want to be in business longer than a couple of years.

So know this, why would people discount?

I think it's one of two reasons. Either they disagree with what I've told you or they are addicted. Can't trust an addict, they'll do anything for their next fix. What happens to an addict after longterm continued abuse? 

It's not good.

There you go. Now you're getting it. 

So how do you bring in those clients, without discounting?

How long have you been married?

Twenty four years.

How did you get your wife to marry you?

Two years of persistence to get her to go on a date, followed by two more years of courtship.

So it wasn't easy.

Nope, but it was well worth it. The good times far outnumber the bad.

See you already know the answer. Just use the same thinking it took to marry your wife.

Love is a game of catch.

What happens when you look at the world through someone else's eyes?

Mark Fox calls it "looking through another lens".
Using the idea of TRIZ, which is older than anyone alive, looking through a "lens" offers a different perspective.

It helps me look at my problems and gives me advice, options, and sometimes solutions.

This morning, I was thinking, "Why would someone feel alone when they have loved ones around them?'

Looking through a lens, and changing the question, the absurdity in the question wasn't hard to understand.

Let me explain.

Could you die from malnourishment even though you ate everyday?
Could you dehydrate although you drink liquid everyday?
Could you die from hypothermia in the middle of the summer?
Could you go bankrupt with a million dollars in the bank?

And the answer is of course.
Eat only ice cream. Drink only vodka and coffee. Fall asleep in the ocean with a life jacket on. Withdraw the money tell the bank you can't afford your mortgage.

All of these consequences result from personal choices.

The individual who feels alone isn't alone from the outsiders perspective. But he is alone from his own. And that's the only one that counts.

How do you help him not feel alone? The only way you can. You have to show him you love him.

But there's a catch.

You can't show your love by using your love language. You must use his. There are five love languages according to Gary Chapman.

l. Words of affirmation – using words to build up the other person. “Thanks for
taking out the garbage.” 

2. Gifts – a gift says, “He was thinking about me.”

3. Acts of Service – Doing something for your spouse that you know they would
like. Cooking a meal, washing dishes, vacuuming floors, are all acts of service.

4. Quality time – by which I mean, giving your spouse your undivided attention.
Taking a walk together or sitting on the couch with the TV off – talking and
listening.

5. Physical touch – holding hands, hugging, kissing, sexual intercourse, are all
expressions of love.

If you're not sure what you're loved one's love language is, pay attention to his expressions of love.
Although, you may express your affection in different ways, you have a dominate language.

Make it your mission to find out others love languages. It will save your relationships. It has helped me immensely.

I've watched people cry when I gave them words of affirmation.
I've felt the warm embrace of a friend who needed comfort.
I've watched my daughter's eyes light up when I brought her an unexpected gift.

Try it today. Show someone you love them by understanding how they love.

It's like a game of catch. Catch the ball and now throw it right back.

Love them the way they want to be loved.
Market to them, the way you want to be marketed to.

I started with love and now I've slipped into marketing. How is that possible?
Because we're people. And we're looking for something. As vague as that is, we might not even know until it shows up. However, we will listen to the person who seems to understand.

Understand your customer and you won't have to sell to them. They will buy from you over and over again. They will love you because you love them.

And if they don't love you, ask yourself a couple of questions.
1. Have you demonstrated understanding?
2. Do you understand?
3. Is this the "right" customer?

More on the right customer another time. But if you market the right way, you'll find the right customer.

Go love your customers... They will love you with their wallets.

Mirrors to your soul, perceptions, and curveballs

I want to share something important that I've learned.
Oh yeah. I love learning new things.

And then again, what I learn isn't necessarily important for you.
Why would you say that?

Life is like that, not all things I learn are important to you. And vice versa.
I'm losing you.

Let me explain using a simple example. My son knows how to throw a "nasty" curve ball. I didn't teach it to him. Someone on youtube did.
He plays baseball?

Yes, he plays the highest level of baseball in our city for his age group. But that's not my point. He knows something I don't. I don't need to learn how to do it.
But don't you want to teach others?

Sure, but I believe a teacher should be able to do before telling someone how to.
Isn't that the opposite of that old saying, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach"?

Not all sayings are universally true. There's truth in them, but there will be always an exception. I guess I'm one of the exceptions.
You do look at the world different.

If you live your life guided by sayings and quotes, you're living your life through others' perceptions. What did you want to share?

It's basically that. Our perceptions are biased by our life experiences and the things we think we know.
Isn't experience the best teacher in life?

Sometimes. Yet other times, experience is just an experience.
But if the lesson is not learned, the experience resurfaces.

Again, maybe. We're getting off subject. Let me share the idea of perceptions. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror?
Of course. Every time I'm in the bathroom.

And who do you see?
Me of course.

You're making an assumption the mirror is the right reflection, there is no bend in the glass, the right lamination, lighting and your eyes aren't playing silly games.
But I look the same each time.

Are you sure about that? Do you look the same when you get a picture taken?
I hate seeing pictures of myself.

I don't know how new cameras work, but the old ones used mirrors to capture an image. The minute the angle changes most people don't like what they see of themselves. Yet everyone else sees them exactly the way they have always been.

Get close up and look at your pores around your nose, or cheeks.
Oouf, I'd rather not.

Is that not still you?
I guess.

Better yet, when you speak, do you hear your voice?
Yes.

Do you like to hear yourself talk.
I never really thought about it. But I don't mind talking.

Have you ever heard your voice recorded?
Oh my. I hate it.

But isn't it still you?
Yes. But it embarrasses me that I sound that way. My voice sounds so tinny.

You just have a different perspective. Whether you record your voice, videotape your actions or have pictures taken, technology captures you as you actually are. Yet you don't like it because it doesn't sound or look like the way you think you are.

Huh?

Your perception of what you look like and sound like is only yours. The rest of the world sees you differently.
Why would you say that?

I have a friend who uses Equine Facilitated Training to pull out these obstructions in a person's perceptions.
What is that?

She takes a horse and gets the individual to interact with the horse.
Why a horse? Aren't dogs better for comfort?

I asked the same question. Animals can be either predator or prey. Horses are one of the only domesticated animals that are always prey. If you have an aggressive attitude, the horse will sense it and be afraid. If you are calm, the horse will sense peace and will approach you.
So a horse is like a mirror?

It's the best mirror. It looks directly into your soul and shows you exactly who you are. Reflective mirrors lie. Horses do not.

So how is this important to me?
It's a curve ball. You decide if it is or not. Just remember the person you think you are might not be the person everyone else sees. Whether good or bad...

That's counterintuitive.
The person you hate in the those pictures is the person everyone else knows. How are you not depressed all the time?

Good question...

Passion parties with persistence

Thanks for meeting with me this morning.

No problem. What's the trouble?

I'm demotivated.

Why?

I have this vision for my business and people keep telling me I'm crazy.

That's the best kind.

Huh?

You have a vision and no one else sees it, right?

Yup.

And every time you try to explain it, they shoot down your idea.

Yup.

Is it possible you're breaking new ground?

What I'm trying to do doesn't exist.

Did you know that Amazon was originally created to sell books online?

No.

And did you know that Amazon didn't make any money in its first 9 years of business?

No.

And Jeff Bezos was considered crazy because we didn't need an online bookstore. Barnes & Noble existed. You could go to the bookstore and buy the book. And simply put, they only had had to set up a website to sell their books online to complete directly with Amazon. 

But Bezos had a crazy plan. He quit his Wall Street job to start Amazon. He didn't want to sell just books. It was the first step on a staircase to heaven.

So people thought Bezos was crazy?

They still do. It's when they stop thinking he's crazy is when he should start to worry.

Ok. So my idea is good?

I didn't say that. But I'm not qualified to bust your dream.

Who is?

No one, except you.

But I'm having a hard time moving forward because these people are killing my dream.

No one can do that to you without your permission. You are giving them too much power over you. 

You're hurt because someone shot down your idea. You took it personal. If they would have called you a terrible dad, how would you have felt.

I don't have kids.

Right, so if they called you a terrible father who didn't know how to raise children, what would you think?

I wouldn't care because I'm not a dad.

If a person says something that you know is untrue, you dismiss it. But if they say something that you're not sure of, you demotivate. You're afraid. When someone tells us something that we take the wrong way, it's because at some level, we believe them. 

Holy shit. I get it. I'm giving them my power by letting them get into my head. I fight these demons every day and then someone else pulls it out and validates my big fears.

Thatta boy. 

All this demotivation has killed my passion.

Where is passion?

I wish I could tell you. I had it, but I don't know where I lost it. 

Ok. Fair enough. Let me ask you a different question. Where is the wind?

Outside.

Sure. But can you see it?

Yes. I see it when the leaves ruffle about or the blades of grass shift around.

You see the effects of the wind. You can feel it on your face as it brushes around your cheeks heading toward its destination. You don't see it. But does it exist.

Yes.

So if you go outside with a jar and lid. Can you capture the wind and seal it by closing the lid.

You're losing me. I'm starting to think you're crazy.

What you think of me is none of my business. And I disagree, so what you say about me doesn't affect what I think of myself.

Capturing the wind??? I'm lost.

Take a jar outside and capture the wind, where's the wind?

It's outside.

Exactly. The trees lean, the small hairs on your face dance and the blades of grass sway back and forth. It is the effects of the wind that reinforce in your brain that wind actually exists. Put it in a jar, and everything stops. Open the jar, and the wind doesn't make a whisper as you release it, as if it doesn't exist.

Ok, but what does the wind have to do with passion?

You don't see it. You can't bottle it. Directed properly, you can move mountains.

But I've lost it.

You can't lose passion just like you can't lose the wind. Passion shows up when we do things we love to do. Passion is an effect. It's not the root. If you look for passion, you'll never find it.

How do you know?

I was where you are five years ago. I went looking for passion. And realized that passion was inside of me. It's not something you find. It finds you. 

How does it find you?

Go do stuff. Get to work. Move. Passion hates lazy people.

I'm not lazy.

Prove it. Passion parties with persistence.

Passion parties with persistence? I have a lot to think about. Thanks for your time today. 

No problem. Never forget: your ideas are yours alone. Try not to allow others into your thinking, unless you respect them enough to act on their advice.