Intrepid LLC

So, what exactly is an intrepid marketer? And why have I built a business – and started this blog – around the idea of making people intrepid marketers?

The definition of intrepid from the Wiktionary is fearless, bold, and brave. It’s etymology is the Latin intrepidus, meaning “not nervous.” Here is a more detailed explanation for why I named the company HERE.

Fear is something that always holds us back. Fear of being rejected, so you never submit that project on time. Fear of never achieving a goal, so you never set out to do it. Fear of taking that leap to do something you love and are passionate about, so you stay in a job you hate. Fear of being truly innovative and taking your small business in an exciting new direction, so you just do the same old tired things…

I want to make intrepid marketers out of all of us. So, here is a partial list of attributes that make people intrepid marketers:

1. Intrepid marketers take decisive action.
2. They are bold.
3. They are fearless.
4. They do not fear making important decisions.
5. They create a serious marketing plan…
6. …but aren’t afraid to make mid-course corrections on their plan.
7. They read voraciously.
8. They have a blog.
9. Their web presence engages. It is NOT static.
10. They embrace the social web.
11. The celebrate transparency.
12. They give back to their community.
13. They serve others…
14. …and they even serve their competition.
15. They don’t hide behind traditional media.
16. They teach.
17. They tell stories.
18. They listen.
19. They embrace new technology…
20. …but only new technology that advances their goals.
21. They don’t tear down others…
22. …but they learn lessons from the mistakes of others.
23. They love joint venturing.
24. They love collaborating.
25. They love learning. And never stop learning.
26. They engage with others…
27. …even with people they disagree with.
28. They focus only on the customer experience.
29. They recognize that every employee is in the marketing department. From the CEO to the cleaning crew.
30. They see every conceivable customer interaction as something that can and should be continuously improved.
31. They see that automation is a bad word, most of the time.
32. They worry about communicating well.
33. They welcome customer feedback…
34. …especially negative customer feedback. It helps them improve.
35. They thoughtfully comment on the blogs of others.
36. They share. Freely.
37. They only upsell if they are truly benefiting the customer.
38. They ask a lot of questions…
39. …but only to really hear and learn from the answers.
40. They don’t gloat or show-off.
41. They believe in quality over quantity.
42. They admire courage.
43. They know that marketing is a two-way conversation, not a one-way push.
44. They sense that interruption marketing is evil, and should be mercilessly destroyed.
45. They don’t compete on price…
46. …and they won’t. Ever.
47. They have no fear walking away from prospects who aren’t the right fit.
48. They love what they do.
49. They are minimalist marketers.
50. They don’t “work.”
51. They don’t take credit. For anything.
52. They demonstrate value. With ease.
53. They know you earn your brand. Not hire a consultant to “create” your brand.
54. They test and measure. Everything.
55. They are always improving. Everything.
56. They understand the power of video, even if the medium isn’t right for them.
57. They understand the power of podcasts, even if the medium isn’t right for them.
58. They love networking…
59. …by which I mean they love learning how to help others.
60. The relish the chance to connect people.
61. They know what they don’t know.
62. They are trust agents.
63. They understand the power of images.
64. They respect differing opinions.
65. They push themselves, even when there are obstacles.
66. They aren’t afraid of improvisation.
67. They know there is no such thing as an overnight success.
68. When they identify a problem, they fix it. They don’t wait and let it fester.
69. They don’t spam.
70. They hustle.
71. They are creative.
72. They have patience…
73. …but they don’t sit around and wait.
74. They respect the A-listers…
75. …but they help and push the little guys.
76. They are innovative…
77. …and actually know what innovation really means.
78. They don’t have too many products or services. They focus only on what they do very well.
79. They are continually trying to improve themselves in every way. Personal development never ends.
80. They are good problem solvers.
81. They are NOT afraid to adapt to an ever-changing environment.
82. They see themselves as artists.
83. They don’t multi-task. They focus.
84. They are in the moment.
85. They are deep thinkers. And they make time to do serious thinking.
86. They sweat the small stuff.
87. But spend time focusing on the big stuff.
88. They know how to apply the 80/20 principle to their situation.
89. They honor and celebrate referral partners.
90. They are not conformists.
91. They aren’t afraid of sharing what they know. They aren’t held back by this notion of “people need to pay me for my knowledge…”
92. …but they charge a premium for their services.
93. They embrace relationships.
94. They live by “serving first, selling second.”
95. They don’t have time management problems, because they are always focused on the important stuff.
96. They have balance, and enjoy things outside of business that drive them.
97. There is nothing fake about them. They are real.
98. They apologize when they need to. And work hard to fix the problem.
99. And they are honest. Always.

OK. So what else am I missing? Remember, this is a partial list. And it is always changing. What do you think?

[photo by ~jjjohn~]

Popularity: 16% [?]

cartoon by @gapingvoid

Wow, the end of my first full year of blogging. Went by fast. So here is a quick accounting of my favorite posts from 2009:

Obey The Rules, Miss The Fun – I love this post, because I strongly believe in having fun with your marketing. Because if you aren’t, what’s the point?

14 Intrepid Ways To Improve The Customer Experience – I can never write enough or think enough about ways to improve your customer’s experience.

A Day In The Creative Life – This is my favorite post of 2009. My homage to Hugh MacLeod.

Just A Few Steps A Day – This is my second most popular post for the year, sort of a day in the life of how I go to market…

25 Steps To Fortify Your Customer’s Brand Relationship With You – You don’t just create your brand. You earn your brand.

Loving What You Do Is Good Marketing – This is my most popular blog post of the year. The name says it all.

A Hands On Example of Caring For Your Customer – This was the most personal post I wrote all year. It followed the death of my dog of 15 years…

He Said, She Said, Round 8 – Interruption Marketing – Couldn’t help but include an episode from our popular He Said, She Said series, featuring Chris Brogan…

Does Anyone Care About Customer Service? – This is a favorite post from the latter part of the year, and had the honor of a comment from David Meerman Scott himself…

Don’t Be A Part Of This Marketing Conversation – This was the most fun post I wrote in 2009. And it asks some tough questions too…

Thanks for reading this past year, and for all your support in 2009. See you next year!

Popularity: 11% [?]

cartoon by @gapingvoid

Consultant: “How did you do in meeting the goals of your 2009 marketing plan? Did you stay on budget?

Typical small business person: “Wait, what? Marketing plan did you say? Budget? I was supposed to have a budget?

Consultant: “Let’s review your social media plan. Did you accomplish your goals?”

Typical small business person: “What? Social media strategy? You can do that?

Consultant: “How did the call to action on your marketing collateral work? Did prospects and customers take the steps you wanted to advance the sales process?”

Typical small business person: “I am not sure what you are talking about, but man, my brochures are sure pretty!”

cartoon by @gapingvoid

Consultant: “How did your keywords perform on your website and blog?”

Typical small business person: “I have no idea, but my cousin who designed the site says her friends think the site looks bitchin’!”

Consultant: “So, with your email marketing campaign, did your prospects contact you to learn more or advance the sales process?”

Typical small business person: “No clue, but most of the people I blindly added to my database unsubscribed and gave me lip about ’spam’.”

Consultant: “So, did you try some new things with your marketing? Try any new tactics, new messaging, any new social media tools?”

Typical small business person: “No. I stuck to the same stuff that hasn’t really worked too well before, but you know, I didn’t have any money to try something new that might work.”

cartoon by @gapingvoid

Consultant: “What good marketing books did you read this year? Did you find any great marketing blogs to help you learn new things?”

Typical small business person: “No, but I think I learned some cool advertising stuff watching Mad Men…”

Consultant: “Did you hone your skills at building community and establishing relationships on tools like Twitter and Facebook?”

Typical small business person: “Huh? No, but I passed along my free e-book, the results of my IQ test, an invite to join my mafia family, and the link to my blog to all new followers and friends!”

Consultant: “Have you narrowed your marketing focus down to a highly specific, easily targeted niche?”

Typical small business owner: “Are you nuts? I am not missing out on hitting all those darn people…”

cartoon by @gapingvoid

Consultant: “Have you narrowed your focus to the right networking groups that are in your target market?”

Typical small business person: “Are you nuts? I am not getting many leads from the bunch of groups I am visiting, so clearly I just need to hit as many darn networking groups as I can…”

Consultant: “Tell me about your lead generation and lead incubation system? How do you feed good solid prospects into your pre-purchase experience?”

Typical small business person: “Huh?”

cartoon by @gapingvoid

The point here? Thinking strategically and putting a plan on paper is too important NOT to do. Yet, too many small business people jump into their daily routine without so much as a plan on how to proceed. The questions [by no means a complete list of pertinent questions] above serve one purpose: if you can personally identify with even one of those mini scenarios, you need to pull back, take advantage of the quieter holiday season, and think some things through as you prepare for 2010.

Good luck!

Popularity: 16% [?]

In round 7 of He Said, She Said, Todd and Stephanie discuss the different ways they go to market using their respective radio shows.

Stephanie is host of Dream Job Radio, and Todd is co-host of the High Velocity Radio Show…

To see the original post of Round 7 on the He Said, She Said Blog, click here!

To see Stephanie’s Radiant Veracity version of Round 7, click here!

Popularity: 3% [?]

My salvation...

OK, so I finally have my own product innovation story to tell…

In the mornings, when I am in my office, I add a little french vanilla cream to my coffee. That’s just my thing. Don’t do that when I am on the road, or meeting someone in a coffee shop.

So, for the longest time, I used the International Delight brand. Love the taste. Still do. And I even think it has slightly less fat/carbs/calories (whatever) than the other brand I would use IF International Delight wasn’t in the store.

But there was one thing I hated about using International Delight. When I had to open a new container, I would have to remove that silly little tinfoil thing covering the opening. I hate that thing. I mean hate. I would pull and grab, grab and pull. Inevitably, I would have to grab a knife and stab at the damn thing as if I were killing a large animal.

Anyways, just the other day I was at the store. I needed more cream. Publix was out of International Delight. So I picked up a container of Nestles Coffee-Mate, which was always my fall-back option. The next morning, when opening the container, I noticed a new (at least new to me on my coffee creamers) innovation. It was the plastic tab ring where you slip a finger into the loop, and gently pull a plastic seal right off the container.

I’ve seen this before, on milk cartons, orange juice and such. But never on my coffee containers. It was a most glorious moment. I wanted to cry. And for once, I didn’t have to waste a whole knife to open my coffee creamer.

So, at the end of the day, I am now officially a Nestles Coffee-Mate consumer of french vanilla coffee creamer. And all it took was changing my customer experience on opening the container (one shouldn’t appear to be a deranged killer when opening coffee creamer).

The lesson here? To bring in new customers, you don’t have to necessarily re-brand yourself. You don’t have to spend one billion dollars on an advertising campaign. You don’t have to film a video that you hope and pray ends up going viral.

All you have to do is think and act creatively to make the customer experience a better one. And oftentimes, it is the LITTLE things that can have a dramatic impact on whether your products sells.

So seek to make a customer’s life easier. To make their life better. Faster. Simpler. More productive. More efficient. Less costly. More profound. More enjoyable. You get the idea. The story will spread. I promise.

You never know what may happen. Someone out there may even write a small blog post about their experience…

What product innovation stories can you share?

Be Intrepid.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I happened upon this video below, and wanted to share it with my community. It is a fascinating TED lecture from Daniel Pink about motivation and creativity. As you know, we are always examining intrepid ways for people to go-to-market, and watching this presentation will change the way you think about inspiring people – and yourself – to action. Enjoy!

A special thanks to the Duct Tape Marketing Blog, where I first saw this video!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Readers of this blog have been hearing me say for a long, long time to do something exciting and different with their marketing.

Well, I have taken my own advice. I have accepted the invitation of original host Stone Payton to join him on the mic for The High Velocity Radio Show!

Stone and I have big plans for the show. We will have guests that will talk about bringing fast, innovative change to their business, who get better business results in less time, and who practice the art of CircleNomics – bringing quality relationships and profitable business into their circle.

But stay tuned as we grow and evolve this show!

So, not only do we get to interact with a wide collection of fascinating, innovative, and successful business leaders, we get to share their valuable insights with our own community. And that is the best part about it!

But what a great way to meet people and interact with them in a serious way. One could continue to cold call and/or spam people with interruption marketing tactics in hopes of getting them to respond… Or you could invite them to share their knowledge on the radio. Hmmm…

I’ve chosen my new approach. But as I’ve said, it isn’t about Stone or myself. It isn’t even about the guests on our show. It’s really about our listeners – and providing them with helpful and valuable content that helps them learn, grow and become better business leaders.

Comment below if you are interested in being on the show, or want to suggest a future guest for the show. Or use the “Ask A Question” form to the immediate right. We would love to hear from you!

Thanks Stone, for the opportunity to join you on this adventure. It’s gonna be a wild ride!

Tune in to The High Velocity Radio Show Monday mornings at 1000AM Eastern time! As Stone says, see you in the fast lane!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Five reasons to watch this video:

1. Because all TED videos rock.
2. If you still don’t get the change from one to many, to many to many.
3. To better understand how marketing and communication have changed over time.
4. We are global now.
5. How social media is going to change the world.

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A colleague recently told me he wasn’t expected to be creative, since that wasn’t his department. I told him he was wrong. He replied, “Oh please, give me one example over the course of a typical day how little ole me can be creative…”

1. When a customer calls with a problem.
2. When a sales call is stalled.
3. When a prospect asks “what makes you different?”
4. When you think you need to cut prices to be more competitive.
5. When you find yourself wanting to blame the economy for things being slow.
6. When you train new employees.
7. When a prospect says “Hmmm, I’m just not sure, let me think about this a bit more…”
8. When your store has a changeable marquee.
9. When an employee says “I just don’t have enough time to get all that done.”
10. When you think you have competition.
11. When your “competition” offers a new product or service.
12. When you don’t have much money in your marketing budget.
13. When your latest innovation is still popular and bringing in massive sales.
14. When you copy other people’s business ideas too often.
15. Whenever you have a chance to deliver a thirty second elevator speech.
16. When you design your next business card.
17. When you answer your business phone.
18. When you grow tired of networking with the same people at every networking event.
19. When someone asks you “So, what do you do?”
20. How you ask for referrals.
21. How you greet customers when they come into your shop.
22. When you record the message for the company voice mail.
23. When you have the chance to record some audio and/or video for your web site.
24. When you need to update your pricing.
25. When you decide to support a local charity.
26. When you need to upgrade the signage outside your shop.
27. When you can’t understand why blasting spam email just doesn’t seem to be working.
28. When it’s time to determine a new niche market to target.
29. When you have to create a mailing list for your next direct response program.
30. When it’s your turn to treat for lunch, where should you take your client/prospect for a memorable experience.
31. When it’s time to expand your service or product offering.
32. When you need to write the next post for the company blog.
33. What to talk about if you offer a seminar to the local market.
34. When you add a new tactical option to your marketing program.
35. Who you invite into your community with your company’s social media program.
36. What local event you choose to sponsor for your next PR outreach idea.
37. What to write about if you are invited to share thought leadership in a local newsletter.
38. What to give away at the next trade show.
39. What music to play when folks are on hold on your phone system.
40. When it’s time to rearrange your store floor plan.
41. How to acknowledge new customers. Old customers. New prospects. Referral partners.
42. What you can give away for free.
43. What to do when things are slow in the shop for an hour or two.
44. What to do/where to go on the next company retreat.
45. How to reward employees for remarkable work.
46. When you are working to improve internal communications.
47. How to make your web site ridiculously easy for customers to use.
48. When you are coming up with a process for customers to provide feedback.
49. How to organize and communicate to company prospects.
50. Oh yeah, how to be creative when designing new fancy schmancy print collateral…

Get the idea? Please share more ideas! Be Intrepid.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Be An Intrepid Marketer – Recommendation No. 24

I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a workshop featuring Jatin DeSai, one of the nation’s leading innovation consultants.

Because I have a client active in the innovation space, I am slowly getting myself up to speed on innovation, but something clicked today with Mr. DeSai.

There are a lot of definitions of innovation – it is one of those overused words in the business world, and I think a majority of people use it incorrectly.

But until today, I never really considered innovation as part of the creative process. Oh sure, now I couldn’t see it any other way, but I finally had my “ah ha!” moment today.

Here it is:  “Creativity is generating original, novel ideas. Innovation is putting those ideas to work and getting results.”

That’s it. If you understand this, you get innovation. Now, applying that to my marketing world…

Above is one of my favorite drawings from gapingvoid.com, Create or Die. This is another way, in my opinion, of saying the same thing as DeSai. You must be creative and implement value-enhancing ideas – or your organization will die.

This is a must with your marketing. Without it, your marketing will not distinguish you from your competition. But don’t be intimidated. While it isn’t easy, it isn’t impossible. As DeSai said in his presentation, you need to dedicate time for clear thinking, generate lots of ideas, identify a few of those ideas that make the most sense, and implement them. The hard part is deciding to start the process in the first place.

While innovation is considered a success when those ideas produce positive results, know that you won’t always achieve success. But you’ve got to keep fostering an environment where you can be creative – and you might land on the one idea that could prove to be the life-changing, industry-changing innovation you’ve been dreaming about.

It all starts with a little creativity…

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