Green Apple

Look for the Unexpected

When it comes to marketing, people want a silver bullet or a secret to success that is lurking somewhere out in the ether.  When you look at marketing breakthroughs or anything that stands out in the information overload, many times it is about the unexpected.  Thinking about Sunday night's Grammy Awards, a good example is Raising Sand, the Alison Krauss and Robert Plant CD that was masterfully produced by T-Bone Burnett.  What did Burnett do:  he combined two unexpected musicians together for a five Grammy night.  The angelic voice of country/bluegrass crooner, Krauss with the edge of Robert Plant.  Sheer musical magic that was purely unexpected.  So, when you're looking at your marketing and your customers, ask yourself what would be pleasantly surprising and completely unexpected?

I was recently thinking about the 2.0 version of Andy Warhol's quote about everyone having their 15 minutes of fame.  I think today it'd be about every one having a brand.  We've been talking about personal branding for about a decade, but with the explosion of social media, personal branding takes on a whole new dimension. Now, your personal brand is also who you are in the digital world.  So, the question to ask yourself is:  do you show up in that world?  And, if you do, do you like what you see?  Is your Linkedin or Facebook page something that a prospective employer or prospect would be impressed by?  (Yes, you might want to take down that picture of you with the beer bong.)  Today, reputations take life and burn out as fast as you can say youtube video.  So, when you're thinking about repositioning yourself, make sure you're thinking beyond your resume.

This may be the first year ever where I actually watched the entire football game.  I'm one of those people who likes the human story and drama behind sports, but easily gets bored with the technical aspects of any game. However, this year, I was rooting for the Steelers because my sister is a die-hard fan and I knew she was waving her terrible towel and scaring the heck out of her cats.  My conundrum this year was when I was going to run to the kitchen and take biology breaks since I wanted to watch the ads and the game.  What's a marketing girl to do?  Behave like a wild child and sprint between living room and kitchen and make my husband call out plays and ads.  Luckily, I have hardwood floors, so I can skid between the two rooms which not only is fast, but makes you feel 10.  So, in my skidomania, I did see all the ads and didn't miss any major plays and danced to Bruce at half-time like I was at Madison Square Garden.  My favorite ad was Pepsi's Refresh Anthem featuring Dylan and Will.i.am singing Forever Young.  There's no technical rationale for this being my favorite ad.  It simply was how I felt yesterday.  I got to forget about the economy for a few hours and feel the simple, pure joy of rooting for a team.   

Forget about the stock market and think about how you can invest in yourself to improve your future.  Besides money, you have other important kinds of capital.  Think about what you know and who you know.   What you know is  your intellectual capital.  Who you know is your relationship capital.  A great exercise to do is to write down your most important clients/customers and then next to each one write down the name of the person who was most responsible for making that introduction or where you were when you met them.  When you do this, you'll often see there are a handful of people in your life who have driven things your way, stirred up the karma in a good way.  If you need to train or retool, think about ways to keep you ahead in your field.  One of my clients, Cheetah Learning, is a leader in training for the PMP certification -- that's Project Management Professional certification.  This certification is hot right now and a good one to look into...after all, who doesn't need to manage projects effectively.  Beyond being more effective, many corporations and industry sectors, as well as the government, really value the PMP certification.  You can download free tools from Cheetah that give you good food for thought about project management.  All you have to give is your email address.  Check out the tools at http://tinyurl.com/freepmtools.  

The most important thing is not to let the doom & gloom get to  you.  Turn the news off and instead think about how you can adapt to what's happening and how you can use what you know and who you know to your advantage.  You don't have to be rich or famous to work what you have. And action always feels so good.  Nothing is more of a downer that doing the same old things and getting the same old results.  As a wise friend said to me recently, "Somethings gotta change or nothings gonna change."  Pick a couple of changes and go for it. 

Crunch, crunch from under sullen feet

Faded orange carpet on a snake of dirt road

Nature shedding her skin

Marking time with each fallen leaf

Glimpse of sun slipping away

Frost in lungs

Fresh, fresh as the season moves

Arms wrapped 'round

The woolen tunic of winter

Welcoming me home again

With gas prices and worries about the economy swirling around us on every news channel, this summer we heard a lot about the "Staycation." As Vermonters, we know how to do this very well. It's about being a tourist in your own town. Giving yourself a treat. Doing something you like to do on vacation very close to home. That's what brought me to The Green River Bridge House. This lovingly restored post office is now a B&B nestled on the Green River in Guilford, VT. The innkeeper, Joan Seymour, is also a licensed aesthetician. As a friend once so aptly told me: "A facial is like a mini-vacation." And no where is this more true than at the Green River Bridge House. While my sister was having her facial, I sat beside the Green River, walked across the red covered bridge and listened to the water fall over the historic timber crib dam. I was relaxed and far away from work and worry, long before my facial began. I've had facials in many spas and resorts across the country and this facial was one of the best. Not only are Joan's skills excellent, but even better, it's the atmosphere that she's created. Even though, I was about 40 minutes away from my home, I was transported to another world. If you're looking for a B&B with Vermont charm and an innkeeper who can put you at ease the moment you walk in the door, take a respite at the Green River Bridge House. It's now one of my top spots for my own Vermont "staycations."

...instead smack your lips and get your palate ready! If you're a fan of the big, beefy Merlots that you can practically stand a fork in, then you'll appreciate these Malbecs. I recently tasted several Malbecs from Argentina at Windham Wines, my favorite wine store and gallery in Brattleboro, VT. These three were my favorites:

Ben Marco, Malbec 2005 ($18.99). Toasty and smokey and definitely seductive. Just say the name three times and you'll find yourself dancing in the living room.

Susana Balbo, Malbec, 2005 ($24.99) Guns and Roses sang "just a little patience, yeah, yeah, yeah," and that's all Susana needs as she transforms in the mouth...a smooth beginning followed by tannins and then a soft fruit finish. Yes, a little like a Rock ballad, Susana will have you with your lighter in your hand waving it above your head to your own imaginary concert.

Luca, Malbec Altos de Mendoza, 2006 ($32.99) This Luca does not live on the second floor. This Luca lives in your mouth with pepper and berries and lead on the nose. I've been drinking a lot of whites this winter (maybe my own way of hoping for Spring), and when I tasted Luca, I was drawn back to the red lover lurking within, ready to sit down by the fire and weave a tall tale.

Here's to Argentina!

I'm not even a big football fan, but I tuned in too. Partially because I wanted to be there to see whatever history was or was not made. Partially because I wanted to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. And, yes, the ads. I still like to watch the ads on Super Bowl Sunday, even though now I don't expect to be wowed...I just hope to get at least one good laugh or two. And I did. My favorite ad was Coca-Cola's spot between James Carville and Bill Frist. I liked that ad because it felt good to see political rivalry in an upbeat, warm display -- a direct contrast to the primaries and typical political attack ads. Three others that made me laugh out loud: the Doritos spot where the mouse attacks the man; the Planter's peanut spot featuring the eau de Peanuts and the e-Trade baby. You can view them, too and see what tickles your ad fancy.

Re: the 97.5 million stat, it is second only to the last episode of M*A*S*H on CBS -- this is according to the Nielsen Ratings. Interesting that a SuperBowl and M*A*S*H stand next to each other in TV history. Football and War. The hunger to win and triumph on one hand and with M*A*S*H, it was the hunger to understand what war does to us, how it affects our lives and our world. Thank you Alan Alda and team for giving us M*A*S*H and a new way to talk about war together. Thank you Patriots and Giants for giving us a great game and for letting some of the soldiers overseas lose themselves in the game for awhile, too.

Now here's a good brand extension...Grandma's Feather Bed is a Bed & Breakfast in a Victorian style house by Best Western. Yes, you guessed it, in every room, there is a comfy, cozy feather bed. I'm in Juneau, Alaska overnight, waiting to fly to Seattle in the morning. Last night, I left Haines at 1am on a ferry to Juneau, and the intuition of my hostess was right. The ferry did not go out today, so it was wise to take the red eye of the Marine Alaska Highway and get to Juneau this morning. I had a state room on the ferry which translates into two bunk beds, one chair, a small shower and toilet. Bed was the operative word. I lowered the curtain on my ship's eye and stripped down to my cuddleduds. I slept soundly, until I heard the intercom announcing our arrival in Juneau around 5:45am. Still blurry-eyed and in need of a hot shower, Grandma's Feather Bed looked like heaven. I crawled under the quilt, settled down into the feathers, and fell fast asleep.

Finally, had my camera with me and was able to snap a shot of Bullwinkle (sans the rack.) My Moose karma is at an all-time high...so far we've seen 12 moose! Now, a snow storm is moving in and I'm in a snow globe, looking out the window to a sea of white. Looks like I'm going to try to catch the ferry tonight and get into Juneau early tomorrow morning. Not sure if the planes will be leaving or not, so we'll see what the weather is doing when I get there.

Is your Brand helping you get a job or get ahead?

I was recently thinking about the 2.0 version of Andy Warhol's quote about everyone having their 15 minutes of fame.  I think today it'd be about every one having a brand.  We've been talking about personal branding for about a decade, but with the explosion of social media, personal branding takes on a whole new dimension. Now, your personal brand is also who you are in the digital world.  So, the question to ask yourself is:  do you show up in that world?  And, if you do, do you like what you see?  Is your Linkedin or Facebook page something that a prospective employer or prospect would be impressed by?  (Yes, you might want to take down that picture of you with the beer bong.)  Today, reputations take life and burn out as fast as you can say youtube video.  So, when you're thinking about repositioning yourself, make sure you're thinking beyond your resume.

Forever Young

This may be the first year ever where I actually watched the entire football game.  I'm one of those people who likes the human story and drama behind sports, but easily gets bored with the technical aspects of any game. However, this year, I was rooting for the Steelers because my sister is a die-hard fan and I knew she was waving her terrible towel and scaring the heck out of her cats.  My conundrum this year was when I was going to run to the kitchen and take biology breaks since I wanted to watch the ads and the game.  What's a marketing girl to do?  Behave like a wild child and sprint between living room and kitchen and make my husband call out plays and ads.  Luckily, I have hardwood floors, so I can skid between the two rooms which not only is fast, but makes you feel 10.  So, in my skidomania, I did see all the ads and didn't miss any major plays and danced to Bruce at half-time like I was at Madison Square Garden.  My favorite ad was Pepsi's Refresh Anthem featuring Dylan and Will.i.am singing Forever Young.  There's no technical rationale for this being my favorite ad.  It simply was how I felt yesterday.  I got to forget about the economy for a few hours and feel the simple, pure joy of rooting for a team.   

Invest in Yourself

Forget about the stock market and think about how you can invest in yourself to improve your future.  Besides money, you have other important kinds of capital.  Think about what you know and who you know.   What you know is  your intellectual capital.  Who you know is your relationship capital.  A great exercise to do is to write down your most important clients/customers and then next to each one write down the name of the person who was most responsible for making that introduction or where you were when you met them.  When you do this, you'll often see there are a handful of people in your life who have driven things your way, stirred up the karma in a good way.  If you need to train or retool, think about ways to keep you ahead in your field.  One of my clients, Cheetah Learning, is a leader in training for the PMP certification -- that's Project Management Professional certification.  This certification is hot right now and a good one to look into...after all, who doesn't need to manage projects effectively.  Beyond being more effective, many corporations and industry sectors, as well as the government, really value the PMP certification.  You can download free tools from Cheetah that give you good food for thought about project management.  All you have to give is your email address.  Check out the tools at http://tinyurl.com/freepmtools.  

The most important thing is not to let the doom & gloom get to  you.  Turn the news off and instead think about how you can adapt to what's happening and how you can use what you know and who you know to your advantage.  You don't have to be rich or famous to work what you have. And action always feels so good.  Nothing is more of a downer that doing the same old things and getting the same old results.  As a wise friend said to me recently, "Somethings gotta change or nothings gonna change."  Pick a couple of changes and go for it. 

Ode to Fall

Crunch, crunch from under sullen feet

Faded orange carpet on a snake of dirt road

Nature shedding her skin

Marking time with each fallen leaf

Glimpse of sun slipping away

Frost in lungs

Fresh, fresh as the season moves

Arms wrapped 'round

The woolen tunic of winter

Welcoming me home again

"Staycation"

With gas prices and worries about the economy swirling around us on every news channel, this summer we heard a lot about the "Staycation." As Vermonters, we know how to do this very well. It's about being a tourist in your own town. Giving yourself a treat. Doing something you like to do on vacation very close to home. That's what brought me to The Green River Bridge House. This lovingly restored post office is now a B&B nestled on the Green River in Guilford, VT. The innkeeper, Joan Seymour, is also a licensed aesthetician. As a friend once so aptly told me: "A facial is like a mini-vacation." And no where is this more true than at the Green River Bridge House. While my sister was having her facial, I sat beside the Green River, walked across the red covered bridge and listened to the water fall over the historic timber crib dam. I was relaxed and far away from work and worry, long before my facial began. I've had facials in many spas and resorts across the country and this facial was one of the best. Not only are Joan's skills excellent, but even better, it's the atmosphere that she's created. Even though, I was about 40 minutes away from my home, I was transported to another world. If you're looking for a B&B with Vermont charm and an innkeeper who can put you at ease the moment you walk in the door, take a respite at the Green River Bridge House. It's now one of my top spots for my own Vermont "staycations."

Don't Cry for Argentina's Malbecs

...instead smack your lips and get your palate ready! If you're a fan of the big, beefy Merlots that you can practically stand a fork in, then you'll appreciate these Malbecs. I recently tasted several Malbecs from Argentina at Windham Wines, my favorite wine store and gallery in Brattleboro, VT. These three were my favorites:

Ben Marco, Malbec 2005 ($18.99). Toasty and smokey and definitely seductive. Just say the name three times and you'll find yourself dancing in the living room.

Susana Balbo, Malbec, 2005 ($24.99) Guns and Roses sang "just a little patience, yeah, yeah, yeah," and that's all Susana needs as she transforms in the mouth...a smooth beginning followed by tannins and then a soft fruit finish. Yes, a little like a Rock ballad, Susana will have you with your lighter in your hand waving it above your head to your own imaginary concert.

Luca, Malbec Altos de Mendoza, 2006 ($32.99) This Luca does not live on the second floor. This Luca lives in your mouth with pepper and berries and lead on the nose. I've been drinking a lot of whites this winter (maybe my own way of hoping for Spring), and when I tasted Luca, I was drawn back to the red lover lurking within, ready to sit down by the fire and weave a tall tale.

Here's to Argentina!

97.5 Million People Tuned in to the Super Bowl

I'm not even a big football fan, but I tuned in too. Partially because I wanted to be there to see whatever history was or was not made. Partially because I wanted to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. And, yes, the ads. I still like to watch the ads on Super Bowl Sunday, even though now I don't expect to be wowed...I just hope to get at least one good laugh or two. And I did. My favorite ad was Coca-Cola's spot between James Carville and Bill Frist. I liked that ad because it felt good to see political rivalry in an upbeat, warm display -- a direct contrast to the primaries and typical political attack ads. Three others that made me laugh out loud: the Doritos spot where the mouse attacks the man; the Planter's peanut spot featuring the eau de Peanuts and the e-Trade baby. You can view them, too and see what tickles your ad fancy.

Re: the 97.5 million stat, it is second only to the last episode of M*A*S*H on CBS -- this is according to the Nielsen Ratings. Interesting that a SuperBowl and M*A*S*H stand next to each other in TV history. Football and War. The hunger to win and triumph on one hand and with M*A*S*H, it was the hunger to understand what war does to us, how it affects our lives and our world. Thank you Alan Alda and team for giving us M*A*S*H and a new way to talk about war together. Thank you Patriots and Giants for giving us a great game and for letting some of the soldiers overseas lose themselves in the game for awhile, too.

Grandma's Feather Bed

Now here's a good brand extension...Grandma's Feather Bed is a Bed & Breakfast in a Victorian style house by Best Western. Yes, you guessed it, in every room, there is a comfy, cozy feather bed. I'm in Juneau, Alaska overnight, waiting to fly to Seattle in the morning. Last night, I left Haines at 1am on a ferry to Juneau, and the intuition of my hostess was right. The ferry did not go out today, so it was wise to take the red eye of the Marine Alaska Highway and get to Juneau this morning. I had a state room on the ferry which translates into two bunk beds, one chair, a small shower and toilet. Bed was the operative word. I lowered the curtain on my ship's eye and stripped down to my cuddleduds. I slept soundly, until I heard the intercom announcing our arrival in Juneau around 5:45am. Still blurry-eyed and in need of a hot shower, Grandma's Feather Bed looked like heaven. I crawled under the quilt, settled down into the feathers, and fell fast asleep.

12 Moose and over 12 Inches of Snow

Finally, had my camera with me and was able to snap a shot of Bullwinkle (sans the rack.) My Moose karma is at an all-time high...so far we've seen 12 moose! Now, a snow storm is moving in and I'm in a snow globe, looking out the window to a sea of white. Looks like I'm going to try to catch the ferry tonight and get into Juneau early tomorrow morning. Not sure if the planes will be leaving or not, so we'll see what the weather is doing when I get there.