Are you solving problems your boss or customers care about?

The workplace is filled with people who are brilliant, capable and talented—but who never achieve the success commensurate with their career achievements.

It is possible to provide superior work, and still fail in the workplace. Often, this is because one has failed to find solutions to the problems his boss or customers see as most significant.

Want to set yourself apart from the rest? Figure out the biggest challenges your boss or customers have, then recommend and implement solutions to them. You will likely find that a problem solver will rise in both responsibility and esteem.

Are you hoping to market to mature women?

Women between the ages of 40 and 58 are the single largest growing segment of the population, at 39.9 million, according to the 2005 US Census. Boomer women have more time and money, and women age 50 and above control more than half of the discretionary spending in the country. (Marketing to Women, 2003)

So how do you reach this audience? First, by understanding how they think. In a 2007 womanology study by bvk, women in this age group used these words to describe their life stage: confident, happy, self-assured, smart, empowered, adventurous. They are moving from fulfilling their duties to fulfilling their desires as children leave the home and the rewards of careers have been experienced.

In the world of healthcare, the mature woman wants caregivers who show her respect by listening, include her in the decision-making, and take the time explain both the diagnosis and treatment. But these general guidelines can be adapted to any industry.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Find a way to shower civility, respect and compassion in your corner of the world today.

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What a Pollster Can Tell You About Reaching Consumers

Are you reaching America's consumers with messages they care about? Consider these four emerging consumer perspectives as you craft your firm's messaging:

1. Individualistic
America has always had a distinctly individualistic view of life, but this characteristic is becoming even more pronounced as consumers find their hopes in institutions dashed. Choice, independence, and personalized service are messages they warm to.

2. Yet global
Even as their trust in institutions declines, they are not just focused on their own corner of the planet. Their interests are global, not just local, and they connect with organizations with similar interests.

3. Interested in sustainability
Consumers, especially the younger ones, want sustainability, and want to do business with companies that share those values. Demonstrating your company's focus on global sustainability—not just national—will resonate with them.

4. Not just young
Retirees are living longer and hold vast resources of discretionary income. But they're looking for more than just relaxation. Talk to them about matters they care about and that contribute meaning to their lives—and tap into their life experiences within your own organization.

Source: The Way We'll Be, John Zogsby, Chapter 3. Buy it here.

Client Showcase—Joint Care Seminar Ad Makeover

Sometimes a good message just needs a makeover.

That was the case with these joint care seminar ads, that had run for several years and were starting to tire. Using the same photos and message strategy, we worked with the client to revise and refresh these ads which served as a template to promote on-going seminars. By changing just the seminar information, these ads provide a cost-effective way to professionally promote these events without creating new custom ads for each one.

In the new ads, the client wanted more prominence for the featured physicians—and needed the ad to conform to their new corporate graphic standards.
Here's a before and after of the ads. What do you think?

Original Ad

Refreshed Ad

Client Showcase—Family Legacy Ad

Nothing tells your story like a loyal customer—except, perhaps, three generations of loyal customers. We loved working with our innovative friends at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital to develop this ad that demonstrates the trust they have cultivated in their community.

As part of the 100 Reasons campaign we developed with them, we featured a well-known Yakima family reflecting on their experiences with Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital over three generations. Now that's loyalty.

Update: This piece won a 2010 Bronze Award in the 7th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards for newspaper advertising.

But we can't afford a good designer?

To which I must say neither can you afford a bad designer. Good design is no longer just for the privileged few—it is now expected by the general public.

Retailers like Target have made everything from kitchen spatulas to our pet dishes visually appealing. And because good design is so pervasive, consumers have an elevated expectation of seeing good design everywhere. If your visual design is not well done, it will reflect poorly on your organization. Good design is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

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Gresham Savage Launches Centennial with E-card

Gresham Savage, the premier business law firm in inland Southern California, asked us to develop their holiday e-card again this year. Since this piece launched their 100-Year Anniversary, we recommended a theme of giving back to their community. The card concludes with an opportunity for the viewer to choose one of four charities selected by Gresham Savage. Votes will be used to apportion the firm's commemorative charitable donation for 2009. To see the e-card, click here.

A New Year

"There is nothing so powerful as words and images, artfully combined, to open a world of possibilities." —CMBell Company

Here's the beautiful thing about the mind—it can take you anywhere. No security checkpoints. No lost luggage. Your imagination is a passport that never expires, and a flight of fancy always leaves on time.
As you start your new year, we encourage you to explore the big world of ideas. To inspire you, we have developed a series of 12 calendar/desktop wallpaper art images featuring breathtaking images of human achievement and nature from around the world. If you'd like to have these, email me at DeLona@cmbell.com, and we'll get you on the list.
Go ahead—explore a little. Imagine a lot. And watch what happens.

Client Showcase—Imaging Center Campaign

Los Angeles Advanced Imaging, L.A.’s newest diagnostic imaging center, pairs a spa-like environment with an array of advanced technology that enables physicians to provide more accurate diagnoses earlier, often resulting in better outcomes for patients.

We partnered with them to create a family of pieces that introduced the new facility, including invitations, a brochure and the design of a website. The carefully crafted language, combined with a design that reflects its spa-like environment, strikes the delicate balance of offering both a message of reassurance and a message of technical expertise.

This marketing campaign won a 2009 Aster Award Gold Award for Service Line Promotion, and the invitation won a Silver Award.

A Better Customer Experience: A Doctor Turns Patient

Bridget Duffy at Gel Health 2009 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

Bridget Duffy, physician and former Chief Experience Officer at Cleveland Clinic, asserts that most employees in healthcare today forget the sacred nature of their work. How we feel about our work determines how we treat our customers and colleagues. In this interesting video clip, she reflects on her six-month journey through the healthcare system as a patient. She calls us to be courageous leaders, purposeful professionals, and a voice for those who have none--and reminds us that simple human kindnesses cost nothing, but can mean everything. Her insights, while couched in health care, have implications for anyone in the workforce today.

Christmas Wishes

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." —Charles Dickens

We wish each of you the peace, joy and hope of the season.

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Struggling to obtain adequate marketing budgets?

If so, consider these tips used by those who have mastered this function:

1. Identify the budget decision-makers. Sometimes these include people without the official titles, but who have influence among decision makers. Make sure they understand the rationale for your request.
2. Speak their language. If these individuals are left-brain thinkers, they'll respond well to logic supported by data. Here's an example of how you might make your case: "Market share has declined by 10% each year for the past two years. We have data to support the assumption that competitor X is offering a similar product at a lower price, and that the market for this service is growing nationally by 8% per year. We believe the following five-point plan will reverse that trend."
3. Focus on the benefit to the institution. Instead of asking for funding, present a proposal that will provide a desired benefit. Marketing is never just an ad or a campaign, but a business strategy designed to produce value.
4. Evaluate and report. Re-evaluate the data periodically, adjusting the strategy as needed and reporting results back to the budget decision-makers. As they see results, they will come to recognize that an investment in marketing can improve their image and drive revenues to the bottom line.

You will be surprised to see how funding can be found for projects that are deemed important to the company's future—even in budget-challenged times.

Should your company be using Twitter?

With all the interest in digital media, it's tempting to want to jump on the bandwagon and launch company initiatives that use this media. But will a Facebook page or a Twitter feed attract a loyal band of followers to your company?

That depends. According to a 2009 study by Razorfish, companies that attract a following are offering more than standard brand messaging. Consumers are following brands on Twitter because they want deals—not just dialogue. Starbucks' 5 million Facebook friends are lured with coupons for free pastries and ice cream. The 1.5 million who follow Whole Foods tweets get weekly specials.

Twitter works as a medium designed to send time-sensitive messages of value to consumers. It's well suited to retail sales, but its role is less clear in the service sector, where the buy cycle is unrelated to sales or give-aways. We're not ruling out its use in service industries, but we will be watching with interest to see how it plays out.

The full report is insightful and worth the read. You can find it here.

Client Showcase—Count on Memorial TV Ads

We worked with Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital to develop this 100 Reasons to Count on Memorial campaign, which included a series of television image ads to promote their hospital. This campaign proved to be both effective and versatile, as it allowed new services and initiatives to be pulled together under this umbrella tagline.

The ads use black and white still images and features real people, rather than actors, which puts a warm and personal face on the hospital. The still images not only work beautifully in the spot, but will be repurposed for other elements of the campaign—maximizing their investment. The first ad is shown here. Nothing is more inspiring in our work than seeing the power of words and beautiful images to deliver a well conceived strategic message. It's just plain fun.

Use Color to Evoke Consumer Response

All colors evoke distinctive responses—though often subliminally. In western culture, colors have come to depict a variety of attributes.

• Red: Vigor, courage, innovation, energy, passion, emotion, authority, strength, power; the Pantone Color Preference Study lists this as the most exciting color
• Purple: Some shades evoke playfulness and creativity, while others evoke luxury, extravagance, power and sophistication; purple is also the hardest color for the eye to discriminate
• Blue: Most popular color; professionalism, conformity, calmness
• Green: Healing, calm, peace, gentleness
• Black: Sophistication, darkness, drama
• Grey: Corporate, practical, formal, dutiful

Deep, dark shades tend to be more dignified, professional and serious. Brighter shades create excitement and can be festive and dynamic, while softer tones can be juvenile and playful.

Of course, color also takes on certain meanings based on the object with which it is associated. A red heart, for example, conveys love, while a black heart conveys treachery and a purple heart conveys courage.

Colors also take on different meanings in different cultures, too. So when selecting colors for your corporate identity or other communication materials, be mindful of all of the many attributes a color can evoke. Harness the power of color to work for your business.

What Conducting an Orchestra Tells Us About Leadership

Ben Zander, the flamboyant conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Youth Philharmonic, says he remembers the day it dawned on him that the conductor doesn't make a sound on his own. He simply uses his power to awaken possibilities in other people.

You can tell what is happening with a player by his shining eyes, explains Zander. As a leader, the question is this: Who am I being that results in my players' eyes not shining?

Zander's passion inspires us to lead in our organizations by the words we use and the fire in our heart. This lively talk will make you laugh, energize you and help you see new possibilities in yourself and others.

Five Simple Ways to Make Yourself Indispensible

Want to stand out from the rest of your co-workers? Here are five simple tips:

1. Volunteer to take on a project that matters to your company—but is in need of leadership.
2. Do more than is asked of you.
3. Have a positive, can-do attitude. If you don't know how to do something, be willing to learn.
4. Follow through on your promises.
5. Communicate results. While others struggle to increase their budgets, you'll find funding more readily available when you can show the results of your previous efforts.

Client Showcase—2008 Key Technology Annual Report

One of the pleasures of running this company is the wonderful long-standing relationships we have had with our clients. For a decade now, Key Technology has partnered with us to produce their annual report. With products at work on six continents, they're the world leader in developing equipment that processes, sorts and removes defects from food and pharmaceuticals—ensuring safer, fresher and purer products are supplied to people around the world. Each year we have the pleasure of working with this group of talented individuals to tell their corporate story. We love this project because it often allows us to showcase food, which is such a beautiful subject.

Their 2008 report features a custom die-cut cover and gloss spot UV finish that depicts the impact of Key's products on the food market. The shot of their executive team was taken in one of the beautiful vineyards of the Walla Walla valley just before dusk, when the light is warm and beautiful, making the background look as though it was painted.

Planning Ahead is Key to Managing a Crisis

Are you prepared for the critical first 24-48 hours of crisis when it happens? A crisis often hits without warning and demands a well-choreographed response to mitigate damages that can be far-reaching to one's business. An effective crisis communication effort can actually reduce or eliminate legal actions and protect your reputation and brand when facing angry customers or media backlash.

In a well-publicized case involving a hospital in California, our senior media consultant worked with the client to manage their messaging during the discovery of an employee who had been euthanizing patients. Throughout and in the aftermath of the crisis, no lawsuits were filed—largely thanks to decisive, consistent and well-managed crisis communications. The hospital maintained its reputation despite the potential for damage.

If you're interested in an audit of your organization's crisis plan, media training, or help creating a plan to handle a crisis, contact me at DeLona@CMBell.com.

Really Useful Gifts

As our thoughts turn to planning family dinners and exchanging gifts, a remarkable catalog arrives in the mail. ADRA's Original Really Useful Gift Catalog 2009 is brimming with gifts that will change lives. Gift options range from $1 that will send a Bulgarian Roma (Gypsy) child to school for a day to $1,000 that will fund the installation of a water pump in the arid flatlands of Afghanistan. If you can't find what you are looking for there, try the Heifer International gift catalog here. Who says one person can't make a difference?

Photo Credits 1, 2

Giving Thanks

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." —John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Quote of the Day—Greatness

Gold Award—Annual Calendar Card

Our 2009 holiday card and calendar received a Gold Award from the Sixth Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards competition in which nearly 2,000 entries were evaluated by a national panel of judges. Our black-and-white themed calendar featured a desk display stand and a unique card for each month.

Are printed calendars passe'? We think not, if the design is fresh and the size well suited to the audience. After all, what else can you give to your friends that can be used 365 days of the year?

The Brain That Changes Itself

For 400 years, mainstream medicine and science believed that brain anatomy was fixed. The common wisdom was that after childhood the brain changed only when it began the long process of decline; that when brain cells failed to develop properly, or were injured, or died, they could not be replaced. Nor could the brain ever alter its structure and find a new way to function if part of it was damaged... [This] theory decreed that people who were born with brain or mental limitations, or who sustained brain damage, would be limited...for life.

We now know that the brain changes its structure with each different activity it performs, and that if certain parts fail, other parts sometimes take over. This process, called neuroplasticity, has been the most significant learning about the brain since its basic anatomy was first mapped.

The Brain That Changes Itself is a fascinating must-read that chronicles stories of how this theory is impacting people once labeled retarded, those with learning disabilities, stroke victims, those with OCD, and others whose brains have failed them in traditional ways.

Order this book by Norman Doidge, MD here.

Source: Paraphrased and quoted from the book's preface.