Ouch!

Yet again, the stock market speaks to us and says, the ecomony sucks!

I’m staring at it - it’s mezmerizing, isn’t it? Like a waterfall.

All right, enough of that…but isn’t it better to think of nice things heading into the weekend?

Me? I have so many prospects lined up and speaking gigs coming, I’m feeling pretty good. Of course, those are all the result of work I did three months ago.

Hmmm…what were you doing three months ago? (Have a nice weekend!)

Do you ever watch South Park, on Comedy Central?

It’s OK - you can admit it if you do; it’s probably the funniest show on TV (as long as you don’t mind the adult language and situations, if you know what I mean).

Next time you watch, check how many times one of the little crazy kids says something, and then everyone goes silent.

This is a genuine conversational dynamic. And think of the different impact this has on the dialog.

Believe it or not, if you do this selectively during your business conversations, so certain points or moments can carry more weight, you’ll be surprised by the impact NOT speaking can have.

Your assignment is, watch a few episodes of South Park (for research purposes only, of course!).

You’re wondering what I’m talking about, yes?

Here’s the thing…unless a branding project has a central, verbal branding strategy, it’s impossible to view the project as ever having been completed.

Why? Because if everyone doesn’t end up understanding (in complete simplicity) the brand positioning, and doesn’t understand practically AND philosophically how to talk about it, about a third (my unofficial estimate) of the brand’s potential is left on the sideline.

Chew on that for a while!

There’s only one process - minus the easily figured out details - to to unify the thoughts, approach, and efforts of you sales and marketing departments.

By first settling on your brand positioning and marketplace differentiation at the highest levels of your organization - no more than one or two ideas that normally transcend your products and services - and then managing the brand internally so those ideas are faithfully reflected in every communications vehicle you make use of.

Then, by telling BOTH sales and marketing that those ideas are the foundation of every sale, and if they aren’t adhered to, that person (or those people) who are guilty of deviating will be sent to deepest Russia for at least one year to rethink what it means to sell things.

Courtesy of The Onion, of course, Apple introduces a mind boggling new idea:

Laptops without keyboards!

What would Warren Buffett do? Or, better yet, what has Warren Buffett done?

Actually, I think he’s really just been lucky for many many years! (Just kidding.)

But look, isn’t it a tried and true strategy to see what the most successful people are doing and have done and steal some of their ideas? You know, in the legal way.

My advise is to take what others have done, see what fits your personality, cross reference to what still other smart people have done, and then trash it all and make your own decisions.

Because when you think you’ve trashed it all, you’ve actually absorbed much of it and it’s helped you make more mature, informed decisions.

So, in the end, the question becomes, WWYD (What Would You Do)? It’s the only path to personal greatness.

I’m Twittering every now and then, but wondering if it’s sucking my brain dry or doing something for my business.

Maybe a little of both.

People say just about anything on Twitter. Apparently it’s moving toward becoming a very popular social networking tool.

I’m just not convinced everyone knows why yet.

Anyway - I’ve got to send Jaw Branding along to someone who’s been kind enough to have me in to do a speaking engagement…talk to you later. (Hey, maybe that’s a good Twitter entry?)

From a verbal branding perspective, during conversations, if you don’t make someone immediately curious to hear more - it means either your brand positioning still needs work or you aren’t executing Jaw Branding techniques correctly…or both.

So then, if you haven’t figured out the one or two concepts (at most) that differentiate you from your competition - do so immediately.

If you have, but don’t let those concepts stand on their own in conversation; meaning, having the ability and confidence to state them and then stop talking until the person you’re talking to responds - start practicing TODAY.

These are important conversational dynamics, and represent some of the most critical elements that occur in any business interaction!!

What’s the purpose of verbal branding? To make more sales, of course!

Sales equals money, or if you prefer, revenue.

News and information about money and revenue and economics are also of value, I’m sure you’d agree. For that reason maybe you’d be interested that TheStreet.com has a new Op Ed section.

You can find it here.

There you go - of course, the Melanson Consulting web site doesn’t endorse anyone’s opinion other than our own. That’s just the way we are!

Be honest, your networking needs a bit more attention.

In-person networking, social networking, and electronic. But who’s got the time?

Well, since it’s the new year, it’s time for someone to yell at you…and it might as well be me.

Go out and get ‘em. And now, courtesy of Duct Tape Marketing and their blog, International Networking Week is coming - who’d have thunk! (Actually, I’ve never heard of it, but that’s just me.)

Hey, it’s a good reminder. Are you doing enough, and does everyone you want know exactly what you do and how to help you? And of course, are you feeding the conveyor belt and helping them?