Almost daily I hear news on the economic situation we have in the US.  Almost daily, for the past several years.  Sure unemployment is topping 10% nationally and is still on the rise, but is that really a reason for retailers to give stuff away for free or even at a loss just to get people in the door?  It gives me flash-backs to the mentality just before the .com bust.  More people must be better right? Read the rest of this entry >>

When I use the phrase “automating yourself out of a job” I bet your mind jumps directly to efficiency, manufacturing, production, and making tasks so easy one person can do the work of seven or even seventeen.  Sure, that’s a large part of it, but there’s another part.  A trend I’ve been seeing for a while now where we use technology to save money, or even make money, at the expense of our customers.

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The other day someone asked me where I think the future of social media in marketing is for 2010 and the future beyond that.  What an interesting question.  Here’s my answer. Read the rest of this entry >>

The holidays often get me thinking about extraordinary people — those I know and those I do not.  Some are well known, some will never be known, and some are not yet heroes.  It’s this last group that got me thinking organizationally.  Who’s your best customer, who were they before they were your best customer, and what was the experience that made them your best customer?  Heroes, like customers, are all around us if you give them the chance. Read the rest of this entry >>