America Means Business Day</h1> <article> <h1>America Means Business Day</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT</p> <br> <p>Ken Tencer, CEO of Spyder Works Inc. and co-author of the internationally recognized book, <a href="http://www.90percentrule.com/books" title="The 90% Rule" target="_self">The 90% Rule</a>, is pleased to be delivering a keynote speech at the America Means Business Conference in Washington on April 9, 2013. Ken will be present as an innovation leader and session presenter. He will deliver his keynote, <a href="http://www.ambdays.com/sessions/cause-disturbance-inventive-ways-launch-your-products">Cause a Disturbance: Inventive Ways to Launch Your Products</a>, to entrepreneurs from across the nation. The session is based on Ken's upcoming second book on innovation, Cause a Disturbance. It will cover his philosophy on continuous innovation and the steps that every business can take to begin to create a more engaged customer base and strengthened brand.</p> <p>America Means Business is a celebration of entrepreneurship, about the process of successfully starting and running a business. The event will be packed with educational, networking, and social events to help participants to realize their dreams of joining the ranks of America's successful entrepreneurs.</p> <p>For more information about the America Means Business Conference please visit their Web site at <a href="http://www.ambdays.com/about">http://www.ambdays.com/about</a>.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=0nnQJaoD_XE:dig2b1d568c:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>What’s better than a great communication strategy? Conversation.</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:58:00 GMT</p> <em>Originally published as a <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-digital/innovation/whats-better-than-a-great-communication-strategy-conversation/article9600803/" title="Special to The Globe and Mail" target="_self">Special to The Globe and Mail</a></em><br><em>Wednesday, Mar. 13 2013</em> <p>The other day, I was walking out of the office of an industrial manufacturer and one of its executives looked at my new briefcase and said, “Oh cool, you’re a <a href="http://www.fluevog.com/" title="">Fluevog</a> guy”.</p> <p>That comment really made me think about the dynamic relationships that we form with companies and their brands today. It reinforced how certain, well-developed brands define you as a person to those around you. And, most importantly, it reinforced the fact that this status can and has been achieved by companies – big and small – like Apple, Zipcar or Fluevog.</p> <p>As an advocate of branding and innovation, and a business practitioner, I try to maintain a measure of brand objectivity. But, for a minute, I’m going to put the shoe on the other foot, literally. I’m going to be the actual zealous consumer and use Fluevog Footwear as an example of a company that has progressively won my appreciation and affinity with innovative branding and wonderful products. (Full disclosure: they have never been a client of mine. I am simply a fan of the brand).</p> <p>Founded in 1970 in Vancouver as a single, vintage shoe store, Fluevog now has 14 locations across North America and an amazing website where one can find this tongue in cheek corporate philosophy, ‘Moses used tablets, Picasso used paints, God used Moses, Alex G Bell used the telephone and John Fluevog uses shoes. Great minds of the past have used a variety of mediums to communicate their messages – since the beginning of time (or at least John) John has even been using the soles and foot socks of his shoes to communicate with the world.’ Compare this statement of purpose to the mission statements of most companies, and it’s evident that Fluevog has a pretty eclectic audience in mind.</p> <p>Other than great shoes and briefcases, what compels me about Fluevog is its ability to connect on a whimsical and functional level with its customers. It has replaced a one-way communication strategy with what I’m going to call an open, two-way ‘Conversation Strategy.' Today, a communication strategy can incorporate online dialogue tools. However, too many of us have simply carried forward the old “tell our story” approach to these new media, and that isn’t good enough.</p> <p>Just being present on social media platforms isn’t enough to generate buzz and revenues. What Fluevog has managed to do is to use social media to seek out and attract kindred spirits to the brand. In addition to Fluemarket, a site where consumers can buy, sell or swap, Fluevog shoes, the company reaches out to potential designers through Open Source Footwear, where the best ideas are actually made into shoes and the designer given credit.</p> <p>As a consumer, what distinguishes Fluevog from most companies for me is its passion for making its customers part of the journey. It engages rather than informs. It opens a dialogue instead of a monologue. And perhaps most crucial to Fluevog’s success... it lets its customers participate in and celebrate the creative process. So, not only do I own Fluevog products, I have also taken ownership of the company’s philosophy of making me a part of the conversion.</p> <p>We may not all be as eclectic as Fluevog or as artistic. We may be a business-to-business manufacturer of industrial widgets versus purveyors of fashion-forward footwear and accessories. But, we all have a unique story to share. Not just about what we make or what we do, but how our business and our philosophies can enrich and engage our customers or our community. Creating a real conversation means connecting in a meaningful way. Not just about our products or the new innovative introductions that our company is bringing to market. That’s just a two dimensional conversation. What can make it 3D is by talking about the things beyond business that inspire us, like articles or books or trends or community events that help us to be better and more relevant people, leaders and managers. Fluevog inspired me by its approach to life in general, not just its shoes. It treats me like a sentient human, not just a paying customer.</p> <p>Part of the conversion from communication to conversation is the ability to listen. Without the listening part, you can’t expect to know your audience and what inspires it. The days of speaking to our customers have been replaced by speaking with them. Conversation is the new cash. And in today’s era of social business creating an ongoing, engaging conversation is king. I’d like to invite you to be a part of the conversation by letting me know which organization has found a kindred spirit in you. How did the company engage, delight, involve and engage you in its mission?</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NPCU3IxYqVc:g-6VosDJkjM:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Sleight of Handset</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:17:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>As an advocate of innovation and an early adopter of all things technology, I am thrilled that my mobile phone can let me book a restaurant reservation, GPS me to a destination, take crystal-clear high definition photographs, check the stock listings, return e-mails and update my Twitter account. I am not thrilled that it drops calls and distorts voices, especially when I’m talking to a client.</p> <p>In the early years of brick-sized cell phones, pocket sized cell phones and flip phones that were small enough for dogs to swallow, we tended to forgive phone call quality in the name of amazing convenience. But now, when I can even program my PVR from another country with my mobile phone, I am losing my patience. In their furiously innovative stampede to add new functions to mobile phones, the telecom sector has distracted us from the appliance’s main purpose, which is having a clear conversation with another human being. </p> <p>If I have an important phone call scheduled, my default device is a land line. Such is the importance of nuance, tone of voice and even pauses, that a mobile phone just isn’t reliable or present enough to be sure that I’ve heard everything I need to hear. What does this have to do with innovation? Well, I guess innovation is also about getting things right. The auto makers have done it with diesel engines. Microsoft seems to have done it with control-alt-delete-free operating systems. Now, in a personal appeal, I am asking telecoms to do the same thing with mobile voice communication.</p> <p>I harken back to those wonderful Verizon commercials where a guy with a cell phone would find remote locations and ask, ‘Can you hear me now?’ A decade later, I shouldn’t have to ask the same question. If you want a clear competitive advantage, cell phone companies, make a better <b>telephone</b>. </p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=2oOOh9Bzius:ObzT2VBp5dg:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Clydesdales and Customers</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:00:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>How do <em>you </em>cause a disturbance? Shake up the marketplace?</p> <p>It begins by tapping into the emotions and psyche of the consumer. Take the Budweiser Superbowl TV spot about the man that raised and trained a Budweiser Clydesdale horse and gave him up to be a part of the Budweiser team. The horse never forgot his trainer, and sought him out by cantering down the street to find him after a parade. They share a ‘hug’, and the consumer feels heart-warmed by their happy reunion. Just about everyone felt touched by this commercial, and thereby touched by the brand as well. Everyone who saw the commercial in real-time talked about it, and many who didn’t see it live, looked it up later on YouTube. <em>This</em> is the essence of causing a disturbance.</p> <p></p> <p>While the phrase is often (over) used, it’s hard for people to think outside of the box. I tell them to start very simply. Turn off of your computer, your iPhone or your iPad because the answers aren’t in your screensavers or mobile devices. Tilt your head up slightly and observe the world around you. Inspiration and ideas start with observation. Attend events, business groups and round tables. Most of all, talk to and be inspired by new people.</p> <p>The ideas don’t have to be earth shattering. They just have to delight the senses or sensibilities of your market. After all, the cakepop is just a really little piece of cake dipped in chocolate coating and held up by the timeless popsicle stick. Just like that, you have take-out cake, a very small tweak to a favourite treat that puts big smiles on people's faces.</p> <p>How can you further delight your customer and keep them engaged? What else can you sell to them? It could be a product, a process or a service. So, don’t be afraid to shake it up. Today, more than ever, you have to be engaging and re-engaging your customers with things that are new and interesting.</p> <p>That’s innovation. It’s as simple as that. Have an idea and bring it to market in a way that delights customers and keeps them coming back to you!</p> <p>How will you shake up your bowl of oats?</p> <p>Listen to the radio interview that this article is based on below.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NBUmH_GYPco:sOZGWUhGtk0:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>How far can Apple fall from the tree?</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:03:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>The recent tumble of Apple’s stock raises an interesting question: How far can the price of the stock fall relative to the value of Apple’s most inherent strength, its ability to innovate?</p> <p>No one knows exactly how much value investors attribute to a company’s innovative capacity and how much of that is reflected in the stock. Apple’s precipitous decline to <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/aapl" title="$457.19 a share" target="_blank">$457.19 a share</a> (January 29, 2013), compared to a 52 week high of $705, is more about ‘expectations’ for revenues and profits than the intangible of innovation. In January, expectations remained high despite the fact that Apple executives tried to downplay them. On November 26, 2012, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/johndobosz/2012/11/26/smoothies-may-be-better-bet-than-the-ipad/" title="ohn Dobosz of Forbes cited Marc Gerstein" target="_blank">John Dobosz of Forbes cited Marc Gerstein</a> who had Apple as “Sell” and he said, “Apple stocks could slip further.” Now, after a quarterly report in which the numbers were good, just not good enough, the questions have started. Has Apple lost its edge? Will the competition make inroads? Why aren’t new products creating the same buzz? Has the bloom worn off the iPhone?</p> <p>In the smartphone market, Samsung, who serves more of the lower-end market, has long been in Apple’s rearview mirror even though their phones outsold Apple in 2012, 233 million to 133 million. And Samsung’s <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/ir/ireventpresentations/earningsrelease/downloads/2012/20130125_conference_eng.pdf" title="fourth-quarter results" target="_blank">fourth-quarter results</a> exceeded expectations with an 89% increase in operating profit and 76% in net profit. Who’s hunting whom?</p> <p>When it comes to innovation, Samsung’s approach is different than Apple’s. <a href="http://qz.com/author/simonefoxman/">Simone Foxman</a>, business writer for <a href="http://qz.com/47299/samsung-the-anti-apple-posts-a-record-operating-profit-and-beats-expectations/">Atlantic Media’s Quartz</a>, reports, “Samsung sees itself as less inventor than innovator. It builds on technologies already in the marketplace and remains open to others.” That’s what I call ‘simple-adaptive’ innovation in that they develop products incrementally based on what they know rather than focusing on ‘disrupting’ the marketplace with transformational products. That’s Apple’s game. </p> <p>Both simple-adaptive and focused-disruptive strategies work, and ideally companies want to be good at both. Now, for these two giants, it may be a question of whether Apple can become more incremental while maintaining its Steve Job’s transformational capability and whether Samsung can move beyond incremental and leapfrog into higher-end markets. It will depend a lot on their capacity to innovate. Time will tell. In the meantime, some expectation of their innovative capability will be evident in the stock price.</p> <p>Innovation is in the DNA of a company and its people, and that doesn’t change with quarterly results. In Apple’s case, it may well intensify their innovative quest for the next game-changer. And when it comes to expectations, I wouldn’t bet on the apple falling too far from the tree that Steve planted.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=pbTEwFOumzI:zz_ZBI5BChA:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Epic Brand Fail!</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:01:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>I read in a recent <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/technology/blackberry-becomes-a-source-of-shame-for-users.html?_r=0" title="New York Times article" target="_blank">New York Times article</a> (published October 15, 2012) that a <a href="http://www.blackberry.com" title="Blackberry " target="_blank">Blackberry</a> user, Rachel Crosby, said she no longer takes out her BlackBerry at parties and conferences, and in meetings she hides it beneath her iPad for fear clients will see it and judge her. “I am ashamed of it,” she said. Ouch! That is so not cool. We know BlackBerry’s troubles over the last four years and its drought of innovation since its supernova days and a market cap of $78 billion (June 2008). Today, it’s at $4.4 billion and the brand is in free-fall. <br> <br> The connection between a corporation's value and brand is not covered by standard accounting practices. As Roy Sieben, partner at <a href="http://www.sbpartners.ca/" title="SB Partners " target="_blank">SB Partners</a> accounting firm explains, "Generally accepted accounting principles do not report the value of internally generated goodwill (as opposed to purchased goodwill) despite the fact that such goodwill can be a significant part of a corporation’s overall value." <br> <br> Luckily, there are firms (<a href="http://www.interbrand.com/en/Default.aspx" title="Interbrand" target="_blank">Interbrand</a>) that measure the value of brands and rank the top 100. The results are a striking reminder to all of us in business of how important brand is to the long-term of the business assets that we are building.<br> <br> In 2012, guess who was #1? No, not Apple; it was Coke, coming in at a value of $77.8 billion, up 8% from 2011. Apple was a close #2, at $76.8 billion, up 129%. And guess who was down at #93? Blackberry at $3.9 billion, down 39%. Another tech competitor, Microsoft, was #5 at $57.8 billion, down 2%.<br> <br> Not surprisingly, in this group, there is a general correlation between the company’s market capitalization and brand value. Between January 2011 and November 2012, the up or down change in market cap is mirrored in 2012’s brand value:<br> <br> <b>Apple</b>: Market cap rose from $296 to $510 billion and brand value jumped 129% <br> <b>Blackberry</b>: Market cap crashed from $34 to $4.4 billion and brand value fell 39% <br> <b>Microsoft</b>: Market cap dropped from $238 to $227 billion and brand value fell 2%<br> <b>Coca-Cola</b>: Market cap rose from $152 to $162 billion and brand value rose 8%<br> <br> Accountants may not put brand value and innovation on the balance sheet but you can probably get pretty good odds from any savvy investor that a strong brand and continuous innovation are intangible items to be considered “on” the balance sheet. Leaders of the most successful corporations know it.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=lAp9C0cnDns:xrHoxTmXVmc:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Curious About Innovation?</h1> <p>Norman Oulster — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:33:00 GMT</p> <p><strong><em>Guest blog by Norman Oulster, advertising writer and father.</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><br></em></strong></p> <p>One of my most memorable brushes with innovative thinking was when my son was in third or fourth grade. His teacher, instead of asking her students to collect different kinds of leaves, asked them to look at the bark of different kinds of trees and tell the class what they saw. This diabolically brilliant and simple exercise wasn’t designed to teach her class how to distinguish a larch from a linden. It was designed to encourage the kids to hold on to their ability to see everyday things around them with fresh eyes.</p> <p>The bark on trees, like many other things we see every day, eventually becomes invisible. Our brains don’t see it as a threat or food, as a mating or financial opportunity, so we tune it out, the same way we tune out so many of the commercial messages, processes and even people in our lives. My son’s teacher was trying to reverse that sensory triage. </p> <p>That teacher taught me that you never know where you’re going to find innovators or what they’re going to look like. They can be introverted or off the wall. They can be hard workers or bone lazy. They can be CEOs or part time workers on the loading dock. But the one thing they all have in common is curiosity. </p> <p>People who believe that they know everything don’t ask questions. Theirs is a world of certainty as they doggedly recycle the processes and policies that worked yesterday. Innovators tend to look at life from the opposite perspective. They don’t see the status quo… they see works in progress. Whether through brilliance or just plain old contrariness, innovators look at something and wonder why it is the way it is. </p> <p>Curiosity is the same engine that powers learning and innovation. Curiosity lets innovators take the same information that others have and find new meaning in it. Curiosity gives our brains permission to see familiar things, examine how they look and what they do and then boldly re-imagine them. </p> <p>I still look at tree trunks and notice the amazing ways they’re packaged. Some bark is smooth, some is like wide-wale corduroy, some reminds me of the plates on a stegosaurus. In a way, trees stand as a reminder in my work to try to look at everything with curiosity and with fresh eyes. I mentioned the tree assignment to my son the other day and asked him if he remembered it. He looked at me as if I was barking mad. </p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=kGsTkuGno2Y:6LgFZIYbZdo:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Five New Year’s Resolutions for an Innovative 2013</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT</p> <strong><br>Want your business to be more innovative in 2013? Make these five resolutions</strong> <p></p> <p>Ken Tencer, CEO of <a href="http://www.spyderworksdesign.com" title="Spyder Works Inc" target="_self">Spyder Works Inc</a>. and co-author of two books, <em>The 90% Rule</em> and <em>Cause A Disturbance</em> (to be released in 2013), speaks to groups around the world about branding and innovation. He is a relentless advocate of how easy and simple innovation can be for any business. He offers five easy-to-do New Years’ resolutions for anyone who wants to be a breakthrough innovator in 2013.</p> <table style="width: 100%;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><strong>#1:</strong></td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="5"> </td> <td><b>Stop, look and listen</b> <p>The world is filled with insight and inspiration. If you take the time to look and listen, you will discover ideas that can easily be transformed into new innovations for your business. Just get outside your business and your comfort zone and see what others are doing.</p> <p><b>Resolution</b><em>: In each month of 2013 have each member of your management team find at least three new ideas from outside the business.</em></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><strong>#2:</strong></td> <td align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td><b>Build a backboard</b> <p>Everyone needs a backboard to bounce ideas off. And you can’t score if you don’t fire up a lot of ideas. So get your team together once a month to bounce new ideas around and see which ones score best.</p> <p><b>Resolution:</b><em> To create a backboard for your team and have them fire up as many new ideas as possible and pick the best “slam-dunks.”</em></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><strong>#3:</strong></td> <td align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td><b>Be your own apprentice</b> <p>Don’t be Donald Trump’s “apprentice,” be your own, and jump into your own <em>Shark Tank</em> or <em>Dragon’s Den</em> by testing your best ideas. See which of your team’s top ideas can meet a rigorous due diligence test.</p> <p><b>Resolution:</b><em> To invest the necessary due diligence each month to determine the best opportunities and present them as working projects.</em></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><strong>#4:</strong></td> <td align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td><b>Choose a champion</b> <p>Every good idea needs a great champion in order to turn it into an active project that can become a commercial success.</p> <p><b>Resolution</b><em>: To champion innovation opportunities and treat them with the same rigour as you would any ‘traditional’ project in your company.</em></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><strong>#5:</strong></td> <td align="left" valign="top"> </td> <td><b>Keep score</b> <p>Money isn’t the only thing that counts but counting the things that generate money is critical to every innovative idea.</p> <p><b>Resolution:</b><em> To establish metrics for each new innovation in order to measure its return on opportunity.</em></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>If you make and keep these five simple resolutions, 2013 will be a happy, innovative new year. For how to do it; <a href="http://90percentrule.com/contact-us-0/" title="talk to Ken Tencer" target="_self">talk to Ken Tencer</a>.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=JOxb1RGW3As:Ss5rwHbqqjk:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Innovation Drives Marketing Drives Sales</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:00:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>Ken Tencer was recently interviewed on <a href="http://www.thebusinessexperienceshow.com/" title="The Business Experience Show" target="_blank">The Business Experience Show</a> about The 90% Rule and how to bring innovation into your company.</p> <p>Innovation is about bringing new ideas to your customers and keeping them delighted with your business. The 90% Rule book explores the practice of asking ourselves what we are 90% capable of, and what that next 10% will be. We have to think in logical and manageable next steps to determine what that next 10% can be. Highly successful and innovative companies are already doing this, and we should learn from their example.</p> <p><strong>A few ideas include:</strong><br><br><strong>Ask yourself what your company offers its customers.</strong> The great companies answer this with customer benefits, not the commodities that they manufacture. Think of Disney which is in the the business of fun, family and entertainment. Or Dove that is about Real Beauty, not selling bars of soap. Companies need to learn to understand their core business and how what they do impacts the market. <br><br><strong>Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.</strong> Too often, we get stuck in our everyday rut and forget about networking and pushing ourselves to get out and meet new people. We all need to get out there and learn about what others are doing and how it impacts us. </p> <p><strong>Build a backboard of trusted resources to bounce ideas off.</strong> We don’t always have the answers ourselves, and we need to learn to lean on others whenever it becomes necessary.</p> <p><strong>Don’t forget to weigh and measure new ideas.</strong> We have to establish filters and use metrics to discover which ideas we should pursue. Treat those bright new ideas as live projects by assigning a champion to the idea. Task that person to grow and build the idea.</p> <p>Companies that fail to innovate will ultimately fall behind in the marketplace. Recent examples are Hostess failing to grab hold of the healthy snack trend and Kodak failing to embrace the digital camera era. Whether you are a solopreneur or in the C-suite of a Fortune 500 company, there is no need to fall into this trap.</p> <p>To learn more about these principles and The 90% Rule, Listen to Ken’s interview at: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/author-ken-tencer-the-90-rule/id571670667?i=126358243&mt=2" title="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/author-ken-tencer-the-90-rule/id571670667?i=126358243&mt=2" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/author-ken-tencer-the-90-rule/id571670667?i=126358243&mt=2</a> or buy <a href="http://90percentrule.com/books/" title="The 90% Rule book" target="_self">The 90% Rule book</a>.<br><br></p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8N4aQxjq1kA:MultmgdWR-o:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Will Twinkie Survive Head-In-The-Sand Brand Management?</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:00:00 GMT</p> <br> <p align="center"><b> Strong brands can outlive management ignorance</b></p> <p>If ever there was a living–or dying–example of brand management’s lack of foresight, insight and innovation it is the venerable, and now vulnerable, Twinkie. The brand will probably survive but only after it is sold at a basement-bankruptcy price and then receives a significant investment in remaking its contents and brand.</p> <p>The question is: Where was Hostess management’s head while the low-carb and healthy diet trend was marching past them like the Santa Claus parade. If you believe, like I do, that brands are “living things” that touch and delight consumers’ lives, then you will see this as an unnecessary financial and brand travesty.</p> <p>Twinkies have delighted customers for 82 years (that’s a sustainable brand) and yet top management ignored all the signposts on the highway to decline. In 2004, a Globe and Mail article chronicled some history. In the 1970s there was the Atkins Diet, which promoted low-carbs, then came the South Beach and Zone diets (and now it’s gluten-free diets). A study showed over 40 million U.S. consumers were on low-carb diets and “… 61% of Canadians were limiting their carb intake … and sales would surge to $30-billion.” I see that as a market serving up endless opportunities for what I call “simple-adaptive” innovation–just make small adaptations to what you are already doing. Where was Hostess during this march to produce more low-carb products?</p> <p>My guess – they had no idea how to innovate and no clue how brand value and the bottom line are connected. Today, they blame unions and spin other lame excuses, when in reality they failed to take the simplest of steps to innovate. What were they thinking when, in 2008, baker and entrepreneur Angie “Bakerella” Dudley became an overnight sensation with her “Cake Pops” – a simple, ingenious extension of a traditional product? Angie’s idea reflected the world around it – a shift to healthier lifestyles (smaller portions) and easy access for people on the go – “look ma, no fork!”</p> <p>For me, the demise of Hostess is a blinding glimpse of the obvious. There was no innovative or entrepreneurial thinking inside the encrusted, status quo thinking of a sleep-at-the-switch corporation with its head stuck in the flour. And yet, the Twinkie brand might survive if a new company buys the brand and adds a large dose of innovation to its recipe.</p> <br> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=8BsJhXbEyKM:tg14rU7ozCs:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Shopping With The Good Wife Beats Going to The Mall</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:00:00 GMT</p> <br> <p align="center"><b>Curl up, watch your favorite TV show … and buy something</b></p> <p>The age-old marketing tactic of product placement is fast achieving a new level of sophistication. It has moved from mere placement to “see it-want it-buy it” – and never miss a minute of your favorite show. This is simple-adaptive innovation at its best. It is the marrying of digital technology to what has been around for over a century. The earliest product mentions were in books (Jules Verne’s novel, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_the_World_in_Eighty_Days_%28novel%29"><em>Around the World in Eighty Days</em></a> (1873), and then later in films like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_World_%281925_film%29"><em>The Lost World</em></a> (1925), in which a Corona Typewriter appeared. Today, there is seldom a leading lady or a CSI detective who isn’t on a brand name computer, parked next to a bottle of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolut_Vodka">Absolut Vodka</a> and wearing Oakley sunglasses. But now, it’s becoming more than placement.</p> <p>Ever watch <em>The Good Wife</em>? Even if you don’t like the show, you have to admit the office furniture is to-die-for. And you can buy it. Well, not all of it, yet. But that sumptuous, leather chair in Will’s office … it’s yours for $1,995 (US). CBS, creator of <em>The Good Wife,</em> has gone into a licensing deal to feature furniture that’s available to buy. This isn’t completely new. <em>Mad Men</em> has a line of retro-furniture available for purchase. And apparently NBC will be featuring products for purchase on their hit, <em>Downtown Abbey</em>. But what <em>will</em> be new–coming soon to a show in your living room–is the breakthrough disruptive innovation that all this incremental innovation leads to: The day viewers will be able to click and buy directly from the TV show.</p> <p>What could be more conducive to shopping and fulfilling customers’ insatiable thirst for instant gratification then the combination of their favorite show, beautifully replete with their favorite products, and available with a pause and a click?</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=DIZTW-QP89A:3mHVK8BULUk:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>What Are You Already 90% Capable of Achieving? What is Your Next 10%?</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:19:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>Ken Tencer was recently interviewed on <a href="http://www.smbtrendwire.com/2012/09/25/focus-on-what-your-90-capable-achieving/" title="Small Business Trends Radio" target="_blank">Small Business Trends Radio</a> about his book, The 90% Rule, co-written with John Paulo Cardoso. The main premise of The 90% Rule is that, in business, you need to understand your core business - what you’re already 90% capable of producing - in order to ask yourself what the next 10% can be. What the next product, service or process innovation can be for you to bring to market. What you are selling to your customers today and what you can sell to them tomorrow to keep them engaged.</p> <p>The 90% Rule helps you to focus on your competencies and create a go-forward plan on what you can add to complement your core business. Because today, more than ever, you must be continually changing and improving your business offering to keep engaging your customers. In the interview, Ken also notes that innovation is relevant to every aspect of business, and range from small adaptations to large-scale ground breaking change.</p> <p>Most importantly, Ken reinforces that innovation is a daily exercise, not a once-a-year chore. To learn more about The 90% Rule, listen to Ken’s interview here. Buy The 90% Rule book or book a consultation for in depth insight for how this process can help your business.</p> <p>To learn more about The 90% Rule, listen to Ken’s interview here. <a href="http://90percentrule.com/books/" title="Buy The 90% Rule book" target="_self">Buy The 90% Rule book</a> or <a href="http://90percentrule.com/book-a-consultation/" title="book a consultation" target="_self">book a consultation</a> for in depth insight for how this process can help your business.</p> <p></p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=Y9oVZB17q6Y:Z0A1viOJ9Sg:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>What is Branding and Rebranding?</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:56:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>Ken Tencer, CEO of Spyder Works Inc., a Toronto based marketing firm specializing in innovation and branding, as well as the co-author of The 90% Rule, was recently interviewed on<a href="http://mindyourownbusinessradio.com/" title=" Mind Your Own Business Radio" target="_self"> Mind Your Own Business Radio</a> with Debi Davis and Guest Co Host, Jim Bouchard, author of <a href="http://www.jimbouchard.org" title="Think Like A Black Belt" target="_self">Think Like A Black Belt</a>, on the topic of Rebranding.</p> <p>Ken describes branding as the way in which you communicate with your customers. More than just a logo, branding is the process of understanding the thought process of your customer. Branding is not a static thing, it’s a daily process. As an everyday exercise, you must assess and reassess strategies on how to communicate with your target audience effectively. More, branding and rebranding is the process of identifying and personifying your companies’ character and capturing that character and marketing it to your target audience. </p> <p>Learn more about rebranding and branding in Ken’s radio interview. </p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=c8AuIr88adA:OyTDzVs5p6c:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Does Your Brand Have a Distinctive Voice?</h1> <p>John Paulo Cardoso — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:20:00 GMT</p> <p><br /><br />As a designer, I confess to a built-in visual bias when it comes to brand expression. I tend to experience a brand’s essence primarily through my eyes, by seeing how it draws me into its world. And when I’m working with clients on a branding project, one of my first steps is to create a book of strategically selected pictures and graphics that create a feeling of immersion in the character and the unique ‘feel’ of the brand. </p> <p>The next step though, is just as crucial. It involves the expression of the brand through words.</p> <p>Most major brands have graphic standards that instruct internal and external communications people about how to maintain the brand’s integrity from a visual perspective. Fewer brands have similar guidelines about what the brand should ‘say’ to stakeholders. </p> <p>Why is a brand story and a brand vocabulary so important? Simply because your website, your brochures, your advertising and social media are all opportunities to draw customers into your brand world. The words you use should reflect who you are and what makes you distinctive. Take something as elementary as how you describe your customers. Westjet calls them guests. Augusta National Golf Club, where the Masters Tournament is played, insists on calling them patrons. Most professional firms use the word ‘clients’.</p> <p>The decision to use those terms is the first step on the way to creating a corporate vocabulary and a corporate story that differentiates and distinguishes. It’s just that most organizations never take the next step and end up sounding like every other organization in their communications.</p> <p>Given that you have a unique story to tell, when you use the same phrases and thoughts as everyone else to express it, you’ll sound the same as everyone else. Don’t tell me you’re innovative, tell me why. Don’t tell me that you value your people, tell me how. Don’t tell me you go the extra mile, take me on the trip with you. As we constantly tell our children… ‘use your words’.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=KpShqGlHUYE:l5SabvRFlz0:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Ken Tencer to Present Win-novation Workshop at The 2012 World Innovation Conference</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:19:00 GMT</p> <br><br> <p>Ken Tencer, CEO of Spyder Works Inc. and co-author of the internationally recognized book, <a href="http://www.90percentrule.com/books" title="The 90% Rule" target="_self">The 90% Rule</a>, is pleased to be returning to the World Innovation Convention in Cannes, France, on November 28 to 30, 2012. Ken will be present as an innovation leader and workshop presenter. He will deliver his workshop, <em><a href="http://www.winovc.com/workshops.html" title="World Innovation Conference" target="_blank">World Innovation Conference</a></em>, to Fortune 500 executives. The workshop is based on The 90% Rule, and will cover Ken’s methods of transforming the innovation process from scary, painful or expensive to profitable and successful.</p> <p>The World Innovation Conference, on its third year in a row, will be held at a five-star retreat on the French Riviera. Innovation practitioners will converge for 3 days to share success stories and discuss groundbreaking models of internal and external innovation. The event will include outstanding speakers who will disclose high-value content, case studies offer a blueprint for using innovation to create mass collaboration and Interactive sessions that will allow industry-celebrated creative minds to share ideas and insights.</p> <p>For more information about The World Innovation Conference please visit their Web site at <a href="http://www.winovc.com">www.winovc.com</a>.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=LlKLZwKibIk:0uPimXHFnHM:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Help Wanted: An Entrepreneurial Speaking Agent</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:36:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>After the launch of our first book, the 90% Rule, John and I interviewed a number of PR firms and specialists. We went with <a href="http://www.tommartinmedia.com" title="Tom Martin" target="_self">Tom Martin</a> because he didn’t give us an endless list of things that we needed to get done to succeed in media. He read the book, liked it, and said he’d like to get us placed – and he has. Over the past two years, we have appeared in many national and international media outlets – print, radio and television. During that time, we have also had the good fortune to begin to speak and deliver workshops Internationally.</p> <p>With the launch of our second book on innovation, <em>Cause a Disturbance</em>, set for Q1 2013, it’s time to turn up the volume on the speaking opportunities. Working directly with us and/or as part of Tom’s team, we are looking for a well-connected, entrepreneurial speaking agent to do what Tom has done, get our voice heard.</p> <p>Fit the bill? Speak up and let us know. Reach me at <a href="mailto:ktencer@spyderworksdesign.com">ktencer@spyderworksdesign.com</a> or Tom at <a href="mailto:tom@tommartinmedia.com">tom@tommartinmedia.com</a>.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=gijjjV0uCzQ:KZo0y9-PsLw:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Innovation Drives Marketing, Which Drives Sales</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:19:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>Ken Tencer joins Jim Blasingame at <a href="http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com/" title="The Small Business Advocate Show" target="_blank">The Small Business Advocate Show</a>. Ken speaks about encouraging you to focus on innovation as a continuous management practice in order to keep customers coming back. Introducing new products and services to clients will keep them engaged and interested in your business. Change is not a new thing; the velocity of change is. To keep up with the new business reality, Ken discusses how innovation and change don’t always have to be on a major scale. He describes how small changes and tweaks to your product and process are often enough.</p> <p>To learn more about this concept, listen to the interview by clicking on Listen Now.</p> <div style="align: center;"> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com/embed/interview_widget.php?v=1&f=20120813-F"></script> <p> </p> <noscript><br /></noscript><noscript><br /></noscript><noscript>Find interviews with Small Business experts on the <a href="http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com">Small Business Advocate</a> show</noscript></div> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=6FT8TY4zjmc:uKMaycengOY:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Mobile Search Shifting the Retail Sales Game</h1> <p>Sam Rowe — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:58:00 GMT</p> <br /><br />Heads up retailers, time to adapt to the quickly evolving shift in the sales cycle. As generation Y continues to move into the work force and become the future of global primary consumption, trends in buying behavior shift dramatically. Smartphones now out sell classic mobile phones for the first time in history and “those in the 25-34 age group showed the greatest proportion of smartphone ownership, with 66 percent saying they had a smartphone”<sup>1</sup>. This means that 66 percent of this demographic has the option between speaking with a sales associate for more information or being independent and searching for product reviews (good and bad) in-store via smartphone and by-pass the sales staff completely. <br /><br />This should lead to an immediate demand for the retail industry to revise their sales strategy contemplating the following:<br /> <ul> <li>Keeping this in mind for the future, how can we best prepare our sales division to sell in-store products and maintain a trusted relationship with our clientele?</li> <li>How can we ethically capitalize on online product reviews and achieve a marginal increase in sales?</li> <li>When and how will these changes be implemented company wide?</li> </ul> The mobile search and discovery market has been forecasted to generate $15B in the next 5 years which is nearly 3 times the revenue it expects to earn this year in 2012<sup>2</sup>. What is your plan to grab a slice of this giant pie? <br /><br />By Sam Rowe<br />Director, Digital Marketing<br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/spydersam" title="@spydersam" target="_self">@spydersam</a><br /><br /><hr /> <div style="font-size: 9px;">1 Neilson Survey: New U.S. Smartphone Growth by Age and Income, January 2012</div> <div style="font-size: 9px;">2 Juniper Research: Press Release: Mobile Search & Discovery Market</div> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=CzD02iuJUps:eae5Nx4R1AM:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>DayBreak USA: Ken Tencer Talks Constant Innovation</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:58:00 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>Retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, Nancy Liu recently told the Dow Jones News wire that “there’s a dichotomy among retailers. If your middle class you’re not going to spend freely across stores because you’re concerned about money. This makes for a more competitive environment for retailers.” </p> <p>The model remains “how do you best get your goods to the customer?” Retail is not just about the boxes. Retail is really about making those small transactions and getting your goods into the hands of the customer. Best Buy has continued to innovate by looking at rebuilding their foot prints while adding new formats for mobile and on the go express kiosks in airport terminals; all attempts to be more convenient and customer friendly.</p> <p>Retailers need to rethink the retail model and figure out how to get what the customer wants from them where they want it. Though Amazon is challenging Walmart for leadership in non-grocery retail sales, there are still a lot of items people like to touch, feel and try on. Bricks and mortar can become smaller and online larger but the brand experience needs to remain consistent across all platforms. It’s about being willing to constantly innovate in response to consumer trends. Understand what’s made you successful in the past and translate that message to your online brand.</p> <p>If you’re worried about being left behind as your competitors engage in constant innovation, listen to my <a href="http://90percentrule.com/videos-podcasts/" title="radio interview" target="_blank">radio interview</a> with Jay Young, DayBreak USA.</p> <p>For more, read <a href="http://90percentrule.com/blog/bid/152229/Innovations-Aren-t-Us">Innovations Aren’t Us</a> and <a href="http://90percentrule.com/blog/bid/152234/Best-Buy-in-a-Small-Box">Best Buy in a Small Box</a>.</p> <p><em><a href="http://irnusaradio.com/our-programs/daybreak-usa/daybreak-usa-team-bios" title="Jay Young" target="_blank">Jay Young</a> is the host of DayBreak USA, radio’s first national morning magazine show. For the past 25 years, he has let his voice be heard in radio broadcasts and morning talk shows across the country.</em></p> <p><em><a href="http://irnusaradio.com/our-programs/daybreak-usa" title="DayBreak USA" target="_blank">DayBreak USA</a> is a live, fast-paced morning magazine program packed full of interviews, dollars and sense financial information, intelligent insights and positive features.</em></p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=cKNAgoynWgE:KYLVl124vzo:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>The Three Basic Tools of Innovation: Eyes, Ears & Feet</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:00:00 GMT</p> <h2><strong></strong></h2> <h2><b>Innovation Insights</b></h2> <p><em>One of a series by Ken Tencer, Spyder Works CEO<b></b></em></p> <p>During a recent presentation on product innovation to the <a href="http://www.hbaexpo.com" title="HBA Global Expo " target="_blank">HBA Global Expo </a>in New York City, I was asked a great question: “What tools do I need to be a great innovator?” My answer surprised many people with its simplicity: “Your eyes and ears.” Innovations are all around us, and when we take time to notice them they can stimulate more creative thoughts within each of us. And I really should have also added “feet,” because the day before I had walked 40 Manhattanblocks looking for interesting and outrageous inputs to spur my own innovative thinking. Here are two examples of what I found:<br /><br />First, I noted that Ben & Jerry’s has introduced new Greek frozen yogurt. They’re jumping on the trend that has seen smoother, higher-protein Greek yogurt double sales in each of the past three years. It’s still not that healthy – Ben & Jerry’s positions its Greek frozen yogurt as a “reasonable reward,” not health food. But it’s a fast, clever move to harness consumers’ changing tastes and growing health concerns, while maintaining Ben & Jerry’s reputation for flamboyant branding. Who else would sell Greek frozen yogurt in flavors such as Strawberry Shortcake, Raspberry Fudge Chunk and Banana Peanut Butter?</p> <p>I couldn’t miss the A&E TV show <em><a href="http://www.aetv.com/storage-wars" title="Storage Wars" target="_blank">Storage Wars</a></em>. Why do people love this reality show? It’s about discovery. Four (and now more) modern-day treasure hunters, competing to find abandoned storage lockers concealing antiques, bargains, collectibles and other forgotten finds. In tough economic times, this combination of hope, disappointment and triumph has become a magic elixir to lighten our daily struggles. </p> <p><b>If you're a product developer or retailer, the point is this: <em>little</em> discoveries and everyday surprises are all it takes to engage today’s cash-strapped consumers.</b></p> <p>Next time you’re in a distant city – or even a new part of town – don't even think of sitting back in a cab or going deep underground in the subway. Take a walk. Look up, look down, notice what people are wearing, venture into stores you’d never normally go into. The more we get out of the office to see and hear other people, other products, other places and new approaches, the more ideas we can gather to make our own work more innovative and impactful.</p> <p>Plus, it’s healthy.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=t2SeMblrJnE:jRWxLEXZNOI:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>See the Innovation Glass as 90% Full</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:55:00 GMT</p> <h2> <b></b></h2> <p>The 90% Rule for business growth is not a formula, it’s a philosophy. It was originally developed to help business leaders keep their companies dynamic and fresh. The idea is that if you truly understand what your business is already great at, then 90% of the innovation you need for new product development is done.</p> <p>Just ask yourself what tweaks - in product features, price or distribution, for instance - can launch you into adjacent markets. That 10% additional effort will launch your business into an era of low-risk growth.</p> <p>If you make <a href="http://90percentrule.com/books"><em>The 90% Rule</em></a> part of your regular business routine, you will create a dynamic, forward-looking culture that is constantly finding new ways to serve customers, and is fun and engaging for employees to be part of.</p> <p>But as people started to read our book, <em>The 90% Rule</em>, they began to apply it to their own careers and even their daily lives. In retrospect, this makes sense to me. Just like any business, we can all get caught up in the same mundane routines. We can lose sight of who we are and what we want out of our lives, and fall into a rut. In business, this is not a profitable place to find ourselves. In life, it can be even worse.</p> <p>In business, I encourage owners and managers to be prepared to "shed" their sacred cows. These are anything that we have come to rely on – products, services, people or processes – as indispensible. We have to change, to see "business as usual" as a dead end, so that we continue to be flexible and adapt to new opportunities and technologies, changing customer expectations and growing competitive pressures. It’s essential that we question the assumptions and sacred cows in our lives and businesses, to avoid getting stuck in the past.</p> <p>Strangely enough, the more "sacred" we believe something to be, the more dispensable we usually find it is.</p> <p>In life, I believe we all collect baggage as we grow and interact: ideas and understandings about who we are as people, and assumptions about what we can and cannot do. Much of what is contained in those bags is imposed by others, but we must all remember that it's our decision to carry this baggage around. We must all take the time to review these "bags" and make conscious decisions about what is truly important and what can be shed. Otherwise our bags may get so full that they over whelm the people we might become.</p> <p>Not being an expert in the "people" aspect of these issues, I turned to a long-time friend, clinical psychologist <a href="http://www.shiftct.com/">Ian Shulman</a> of Oakville, Ontario, who endorses the importance of reflecting and questioning in our daily lives.</p> <p>“It’s important to recognize the invisible but influential biases we live with," says Dr. Shulman. "Always present, these ‘mental lenses’ tell us how to interpret events that happen in our daily lives and inform the decisions we make next."</p> <p>"Am I a good and worthwhile person who also happened to get a speeding ticket, or did I get the ticket because I am careless? Do I have what it takes to attempt this difficult assignment, or do I just know that I can’t do it?" Dr. Shulman says decisions like these "happen automatically, based on instantaneous tallies of my life experiences. Even though the answers might seem crystal-clear and feel undeniably true, they are nothing more than mental events that exist only within my mind. Of greater importance is what I choose to do in that next moment.”</p> <p>Once we've reflected on and redefined what is important to us, we need to look to the future. We must identify the "next 10%" steps that will help us move closer to becoming the best version of our self we can be. In business, the next 10% is the logical next step your business should take to increase its impact. This must align with the goals, values, mission and vision that you set for the company when you looked inward.</p> <p>Following this approach in our personal lives will also be rewarding. Knowing who we are and what's important to us helps ensure we won’t get off track again. “Begin to appreciate that we can decide who we want to be, and then start taking steps to create that way of living," says Dr. Shulman.</p> <p>For best results, make sure the people you welcome into your life also have their baggage in order. Hopefully, they've thrown out the clutter to ensure all their baggage can fit into the overhead compartment of the plane - not hold them back at the oversize luggage counter. "Find people and activities that are consistent with your more conscious decisions," says Dr. Shulman. This will keep you in better tune with the rhythm of your own life, and prepare you to stretch and grow in the right directions over the next 12 months.</p> <p>I hope 2012 will be the year that you unpack, lighten, and move forward in dynamic new ways. The good news: You're already 90% of the way there.</p> <p><em>Ken Tencer, CEO of</em> <a href="http://www.spyderworksdesign.com/index.html" target="_blank"><em>Spyder Works Inc.</em></a><em>,</em> <em>is a branding and innovation thought leader who helps organizations master better futures. He is co-developer of</em> <a href="http://www.90percentrule.com/keynotes-workshops" target="_blank"><em>The 90% Rule</em></a><em>, </em><em>an i</em><em>nnovation process that enables businesses of all sizes to identify new market and strategic opportunities, and to map out relevant, high-potential growth plans.</em></p> <p><em>Ian Shulman is a clinical psychologist and the director of </em><a href="http://www.shiftct.com/"><em>Shift Cognitive Therapy</em></a><em> in Oakville, Ontario. He helps individuals, couples and business professionals to cope more effectively with adversity and challenge. He has particular interests in managing stress, achieving workable work-life balance, reducing anxiety and flying without fear.</em><em> </em></p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=O-VBwpAdjSs:pjnjjwlQF6A:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>The Cake Pop is the Essence of Innovation</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:56:00 GMT</p> <h2><b></b></h2> <h2><b>Innovation Insights</b></h2> <p><em>One of a series by Ken Tencer, Spyder Works CEO<b></b></em></p> <p>Some say that successful innovations “mask the complexity behind them”. I put it a bit differently – I believe that successful innovations harness the obvious. One of the great examples of this is the cake pop. These deceptively simple desserts – frosted balls of cake on a lollipop stick - reflect everything that is right about innovation. It’s a bold new use for a traditional product that opens up huge opportunities for creativity and new sales venues, while reflecting a societal shift to healthier lifestyles (smaller portions), more frugal indulgences, and ease of access for people on the go (look ma, no fork!).</p> <p>Let me say that again: cake pops didn’t come out of nowhere. Invented by blogger/baker Angie “Bakerella” Dudley in early 2008, they took off a month later when Martha Stewart invited Dudley to make cake pops on her TV show. But cake pops succeeded because they addressed changes in societal norms and consumer behavior. They also met one other need: they brought a rare and fun originality to the baking and catering industries. Covered with sprinkles or styled to resemble mini ice-cream cones, cupcakes, Christmas trees and even flowers, cake pops can now be found at birthday parties (where they leave much less mess behind than slices of cake), weddings, corporate events and family dinners – anyplace where gracious hosts and hostesses are always competing to serve the newest of the new.</p> <p>Understanding consumer needs and capitalizing on market shifts represent the essence of innovation. It’s bringing new things to market to continuously re-engage your customers and meet their changing needs. Surprise your customers, delight them and solve their problems, and watch your sales pop.</p> <p> </p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=NWIa2jHLn48:RhVj-f3KLuA:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Product Development for Brand Managers</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 12:00:00 GMT</p> <h2><b>Win-novation™: The Missing Link</b></h2> <p></p> <p>Join me in NY at the <a href="http://www.hbaexpo.com/technical-03">HBA Global Expo</a> on Tuesday June 19<sup>th</sup> as I join a panel to discuss <b>Product Development for Brand Managers: Understanding Technical Thinking</b>: Extraordinarily successful innovations mask the complexity behind them. Be it in business, the arts, engineering, or the sciences; when well executed, it all looks so deceivingly simple. We just intuitively “get it”. Success is maximized when a product’s “push” matches the market’s “pull”. The “what”, “how”, and “when” to launch is a strategic discipline that requires alignment across several disciplines around a project. Just because “we can” doesn’t necessarily mean “we should”. Members of the team need to be reciprocally influenced by the overall team’s skills and insights.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=ObkfZPmOrZw:es5KWgpgQC4:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>What is a brand and why should it matter to you?</h1> <p>John Paulo Cardoso — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:26:00 GMT</p> <p><strong>Branding Insights</strong><br /><em>One of a series by John Paulo Cardoso, Spyder Works Chief Creative Officer</em></p> <p><em> </em><b><br /><br /> </b>As Michael Eisner says, “A brand is a living entity — and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gestures.” <br /> <br /> I love that quote because it takes branding out of MBA seminars and puts it directly in your loading dock or on the desk of your sales rep or in your next e-mail to a supplier. <br /> <br /> Brand is the culmination of everything an organization believes in, stands for and aspires to be. It must have real value and meaning for customers... and for everyone else. In essence, a brand is what you believe in (values), what you do (offer) and what you say (message). <br /> <br /> A brand is not a logo. It exists in the minds of the marketplace. The visual aids like a logo, colour, typeface and design are the visible cues of your brand that ignite your customers’ emotions and how they feel about your business. A great brand is the consistently positive feeling that your customers, suppliers and employees enjoy when they deal with your company.<br /> <br /> A more concrete way to think of it is to replace the word 'brand' with 'reputation'. Through the process of creating a brand, we're personifying a company. Why do we need to attach human characteristics and behavior to a company? Simply because we want our customers to have a real relationship with our business so that they will have positive feelings when they think about our products, services or stores. In other words, 'branding' is the management of our reputation in the marketplace. It’s how we manage those thousand small gestures.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=oWYjwxsxGUM:sAZtSXEAuZw:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Google Art Project and AGO Collaboration a Masterpiece</h1> <p>Ken Tencer — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 13:20:00 GMT</p> <p><strong>Innovation Insights</strong><br /> <em>One of a series by Ken Tencer, Spyder Works CEO</em></p> <p><em><br /></em></p> <p>A crucial part of the whole innovation process is celebrating the wins. Recognizing a brilliant idea can spark others’ imaginations and turn innovation into Win-novation™.</p> <p>Is it possible to replicate the feeling you get when standing in front of a compelling piece of art? The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is willing to try. The Gallery has chosen to differentiate its brand by participating in the Google Art Project. This project gives viewers high resolution access to exhibits in more than 150 museums in 40 countries around the world. Currently the AGO is the only Canadian institution taking part.</p> <p>Visitors can surf into the Gallery using Google technology and view artworks with brushstroke level detail. Creating a unique offering for users, the tool successfully reinforces the idea that the AGO is a fun place to visit filled with beautiful works of art. Google Art Project takes the best the Gallery has to offer and makes it accessible. It takes advantage of a visual technology that wasn’t even available a few years ago to completely re-define the appreciation and accessibility of fine art.</p> <p>What innovative lesson does Google Art Project and AGO collaboration teach us? To me, it’s an artful example of innovation begetting innovation. Someone invents ultra high definition visual technology and Google realizes that the subtle genius of the world’s great works of art are suddenly visible to the virtual eye. And the innovation will continue. My guess is that there are emerging artists being amazed and inspired right now. We may see a revelation revolution.</p> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:dnMXMwOfBR0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:7Q72WNTAKBA"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:qj6IDK7rITs"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:l6gmwiTKsz0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/The90PercentRuleNetwork?a=yc4bx__0410:ZyBGafVVXDQ:TzevzKxY174"></img></a> </div> </article> </main></body></html>