Often the argument with entrepreneurial traits.

Same with that ‘sales flair’.

The thing that this argument misses, is that if you’ve had a go with entrepreneurship at age 5, you’ve had 20 years of that thinking by the time you’re 25.  When someone else is starting.  That’s a lot of learning.

That’s almost your first 10,000 hours.

I even had an idea several years ago to build a site just all around top 10 lists.  Pretty sure someone has done it since.

It’s when we get stuck in comparing us against others that often pull us from our strategy.  That’s why political parties end up so middle of the road, they keep comparing rather than sticking to their plans.  It’s why brands start to compromise from their values rather than holding fast.

You could stack yourself up against that or just stick to what’s important to you.

That would be a great way to start the year.  Not to strive to beat your neighbour but to strive to what matters.

Posts have been a bit sporadic of recent, due to an ever increasing timetable, things are back in balance now though.  So we should scream into 2012.

Few things to celebrate with Young & Shand, 290 proposals written in the last year, 250% revenue growth, 1 prototype product, 2 in development.  Couldn’t be more stoked with progress!

How’s your year been?

Time to take some time off, reflect, read some good books, figure a plan of attack for the new year.  Wherever you are – enjoy the festive season.

Look forward to tackling 2012.

Now it’s 10 times easier, getting feedback, pictures, participation.

People feel more confident creating & sharing their personal content.

It’s now a habit, it’s that easy.

If you’ve given it a go in the past but didn’t work, time to rethink.

If you’re in the business of change, it is your job to make it easy.

Break it up, provide the path, make it super easy for people to take the first step & get started.

Ultimately they may go off the path but it’s easy to readjust and get them back on it.

If you can do that, synthesise big ideas, make it easy to understand, get started & take part. You’ll be massively effective.

It’s a habit that marketers have fallen into.  Yes we should use the opportunities available to get our message out there.

But do we really need to keep paying exorbitant sums of money to talk to the same exact people? Probably not.

Simply ask for permission.  Permission to talk to them again.

It doesn’t necessarily mean we stop doing the former, it’s just we are missing out on massive value from the latter, the exact people that want to hear from us, that care about us.

• 2 for 1.
• Happy Hour.
• Early bird.

All mechanisms to flatten the consumption curve, that is pull it up where it lacks.

They’re not only for restaurants & parking either.  You could look at:

• Cheaper rate for longer timeframes.
• Discount for cash upfront.
• Get 2 for 1 if you bring someone who hasn’t been before.
• Cashback if you refer the next customer.

What could you do to change that?

No really?

If it hasn’t, your initial decision probably still holds true.

Sometimes you need to put more effort into explaining your conclusions & assumptions before you get to your idea.

They’re the platform that you’re idea stands on, if people don’t understand them (or are even aware of them) they won’t get it.  Or see the value.

Sometimes your domain expertise is being a specialist in five different generalist areas (as I’ve talked about here).

But don’t confuse that with expertise in a vertical.

People like Richard Branson are the rare exception however they partner with people that have domain expertise.

If you don’t have it, make sure your partner does.

Surprisingly it’s often left out of planning, what is the real cost (or value) of the time that passes? Does it work to our advantage or against it?

It’s also what our customers give us, their time, their attention, we should reward them for that.

Through using up less of it or creating more enjoyment with it.  Either or.

Ideas that are neat, novel but not quite right.  Even the ideas you do execute.

This is standard practice for Creatives, people whose careers live and die by their ideas.  But you don’t have to be one to do it.

It’s like a photo album, helps you see where your ideas have come from, where they’re going but most importantly act as a way of inspiring yourself when you need fresh ideas.

Whether it’s an actual bottom drawer, a notebook or Evernote.  Start it.

Decisions will be more impulsive, as less commitment is required, average spend will go up.

I wonder what industries aren’t last minute, that could be.

There are tonnes of reasons why, one that’s no so obvious though is the need for high feedback loops.

Everything around Gen Y has instant feedback, Google, Taking a photo, Playstation.  The one place that isn’t prevalent is the workplace.

It’s actually amazing that here’s a generation that actively seeks and wants feedback so that they can improve!

Don’t get frustrated, work with it and you’ll reap the rewards.

Such as raising money.

Pitching ideas.

Building distribution.

You learn as you go, maintains momentum and inevitably should lead to a conclusion sooner than later.

I was reminded of that on a recent trip to Beijing when the classic opening line was “Is this your first time here?”.  A simple question with an obvious answer but it creates a dialog and that’s all they’re keen to do initially.  The sale of course comes later.

I’ve seen the same in many developing countries, they’re good as they can’t afford the procrastination most of us tolerate.  If you ever need some business inspiration, go to one to find how people that have to think (and live) on their feet everyday do it.  You’ll be amazed at what you learn.

It’s always a call you have to inevitably make.

A refreshing one though.

No one else is going to back you, if you don’t back yourself.

And if you can’t back yourself you’re not doing the right thing.  Change.

No one will think less of you for it.

Start with where you were, the initial problem or objective you were trying to achieve

List what you tried.

What failed miserably.

What worked a dream.

And then the end result.

Just start doing that, even if it’s bullet points, then you can tidy it up later.

There’s a category that flounders.

It’s those that aren’t generous enough.

The idea is pitched to give most of the value to the the pitcher.

A great pitch communicates the value both parties will get out of it. That’s what you have to offer. You have something novel which will deliver your partner excess value. And that’s why people buy.

A coke doesn’t cost the $2 or $3 you pay, yet it seems great value, that’s because they’ve communicated that it’s worth much more than that. Would you buy cokes for $10?

Most likely not!

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Although but what scenarios would you?