The Human Race

I just finished Nike's Human Race. It's just the way I want to start a Sunday. I think it is just phenomenal how Nike was able to get everyone to run together at the same day. While I am typing this there's someone in the world testing their limits - I tested mine around the 7Km mark, heartbeat at 170bpm and a few more uphill run going into the finish line.

What surprised me was how Nike was able to organize the event really well and FOR FREE! I paid zero for the number, the Nike socks, the Men's Health Magazine, the drinks, the bananas... everything for FREE. It was such a great run. I am surprised to see also that the runners come from the same market - upscale, young, and amateur runners. Runners flashing all dri-fit clothes, iPods, heart monitors and sports watches - all high end.

By having a very focused campaign leading to the event - blogs, forums, small dedicated group of runners, and by being consistently upscale - doing it in McKinley they were able to encourage Nike customers and discourage the others.


Takeaway:

1. Be consistent. Match everything about your event - venue, promotions, sponsors and you raise your probability for success.
2. Talk to your market when they are looking for you. Running until your heart goes to 170bpm makes you want to look for the best drink, best apparel, best magazine for your health - the relevant marketing messages came through in a deep, meaningful manner.
3. Look for your Otaku. I saw familiar faces in the run - the same people! These runners go to the runs I go to - non-competitive, fun, well-prepared, bit on the upscale. What can you market for them?
   

almost Permanent Imprint

Recently, I went to my High School Reunion.

Everyone was the same. The silent ones were silent, the joker was still funny, the jock was still the jock.

Except that we weren't.

Thirteen years is a lot of time to be the same. The studious, hard-working student is unemployed for several months now. The irresponsible, class-cutting jerk is a dutiful loving father of two. A lot has changed. It only seemed the same because the of the lasting Positioning we all had on each other.

That's the power of marketing and the first impressions.


Takeaways:

1. Be aware of the power of Positioning in everything we do.
2. Start with what's already in the mind of customers. It is difficult (almost impossible) to start anywhere else.
3. Be careful with (historically established) first impressions.
   

Bonsai Sessions

I have a new practice, it's Bonsai.

Not the usual kind with the small green living creatures but with bigger, breathing, living creatures I share office with.

It is my own version of Job Feedback - just the thought of writing the words Job and Feedback makes me want to puke. It's so inanimate, so impersonal.

Say Bonsai Session, and I think we're on to something.

I intend to do A LOT of Bonsai Sessions for my direct reports - as much as four in a year. It is my job as a conductor of this orchestra (see previous post) to make sure all the instruments and its players are in tune. This is much like what is being done in GE which is widely known to churn own great leaders.

One more thing I like about the analogy - Bonsai are beautiful plants yet they remain small. Because nobody wants to be working with big-headed monsters, however beautiful they may be.

One-buttock Desk Job

"The conductor of an orchestra doesn’t make a sound. He depends for his power on his ability to make other people powerful."
- Ben Zander

Jared pointed me to this great presentation by Ben Zander. I thought I saw the TED presentation already but I was wrong. I haven't seen it before. I watched it, no... I consumed his presentation. The one-buttock piano playing is the same way I would want to do my keyboards - my computer keyboard.

I never thought of classic music like this before. I never thought of leading a company like this before.

Yes, Ben Zander as a conductor never literally makes music, but his leadership and action makes a masterpiece.

Back to Basics

Had a talk the other day with one of my associates Mark where I wanted him to learn from me. As it normally happens, I learned a lot from him.

He reminded me of what our company is about, where we have started, what we do well, who we are. Seth tells us of the same story.

I think this is what makes Naturale Labs unique. We are very much a Purple Cow fan.