Just watched a million people get their hearts broken all at the same time. LeBron James just made his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to go play for the Miami Heat. Immediately upon hearing the news, I felt badly for the fans of the Cavs. I know what it is like to root for a small market team, that cannot compete when it comes to the splash and cash of the big cities. The best that fans of small market teams can hope for is a little loyalty and a strong conviction to stay in the town where the players have built a home and a family. Thank you David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili (we will wait and see with Tony Parker.)
LeBron has a passion for winning and a passion for helping others, you could see his excitement when he announced the donation to the Boys & Girls Club at the end of his hour long "Lebronaganza Love Fest." He was extremely uncomfortable making the announcement that he would be taking his talents to South Beach. I truly believe he did not want to hurt the fans of Cleveland that had been so good to him for the last 6 years- but his passion to win overtook his loyalty to his hometown and home state. We will see how much money it cost him to not take the maximum and stay with Cleveland versus earning less and making the move to Miami with Bosh and Dwayne Wade. Although no state sales tax - according to some reports will save him $1 million a year!
Getting back to passion- all professional athletes have a passion, just like all sales people have passion. is it a passion to win, a passion to make a difference, passion to make money, passion to be the best, or a passion to be happy and enjoy life. You cannot always choose your passion, it chooses you, you do choose to follow your passion as it might not always be the easiest route.
Congratulations to LeBron James, may he be following his passion, the passion to win, the passion to be the best, not the passion to be greedy.
LeBron James disappointed millions of people, including some friends, family and co-workers to follow his passion, do you have the guts to follow your passion?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
World Wide Web and World Cup, lots of ideas
For those of you not fortunate enough to work for a company with three TVs on my floor alone at the office, the USA World Cup game today was amazing. Landon Donovan's amazing goal in extra time, was so incredible, almost surreal. Watching with a few of my friends at work, on my way out on to an appointment was so much fun- especially since "The Soccer" is not any of our "first sports." We are all converts because of the World Cup. I watched the World Cup four years ago too, I was in Austria, and to see the German fans go so crazy seemed foreign to me, not just because I was in a foreign country, but because I had never seen a large group of fans so passionate...much more passionate than even the most passionate College fans, sorry LSU fans, the German people are much more rabid.
The power of "The Soccer" is unfathomable. Is it the sport? Is it the patriotism of your country competing?- although this is more passion than the Olympics. Some advertisers already know this, some advertisers are taking advantage of this, many are international companies who understand how much of an impact Soccer/Fubol has across the world. The advertisers on TV during the broadcast are getting their recognition, and most recent reports are that today, during Landon Donovan's goal, they are researching, but many thoughts are that it was a record for internet traffic. According to popscsi.com http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-06/us-algeria-world-cup-match-may-have-set-internet-traffic-record - it overloaded twitter, many had problems getting on ESPN's feed of the game, web traffic spiked to 11.2 million visitors per minute, more than the 2008 presidential election.
In advertising, there are always creative ways to introduce your business and product to a new audience. Sometimes you have to think out of the box for new and innovative ways to tell your non-traditional demographic, that you have something to offer, you have something that will improve their life. Sometimes business owners are nervous about investing advertising dollars in something that they have not tried before, well thought out strategy and creative will go a long way- look at the boards around the fields at the World Cup, these advertisers are getting their money's worth.
The power of "The Soccer" is unfathomable. Is it the sport? Is it the patriotism of your country competing?- although this is more passion than the Olympics. Some advertisers already know this, some advertisers are taking advantage of this, many are international companies who understand how much of an impact Soccer/Fubol has across the world. The advertisers on TV during the broadcast are getting their recognition, and most recent reports are that today, during Landon Donovan's goal, they are researching, but many thoughts are that it was a record for internet traffic. According to popscsi.com http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-06/us-algeria-world-cup-match-may-have-set-internet-traffic-record - it overloaded twitter, many had problems getting on ESPN's feed of the game, web traffic spiked to 11.2 million visitors per minute, more than the 2008 presidential election.
In advertising, there are always creative ways to introduce your business and product to a new audience. Sometimes you have to think out of the box for new and innovative ways to tell your non-traditional demographic, that you have something to offer, you have something that will improve their life. Sometimes business owners are nervous about investing advertising dollars in something that they have not tried before, well thought out strategy and creative will go a long way- look at the boards around the fields at the World Cup, these advertisers are getting their money's worth.
Monday, June 7, 2010
John Wooden, more than a basketball coach
John Wooden, UCLA's basketball coach, and innovator of basketball techniques passed away this week. All over the world, many former UCLA players are coming forward with their favorite John Wooden stories. I was never lucky enough to meet Coach Wooden, but I have read his quotes and stories about his teachings for several years.
I would like to share a few of my favorites, it is amazing how things he taught his young male basketball players, are relevant for a woman in Advertising Sales. The following are some of his most famous:
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation."
"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
The John Wooden Pyramid of Success is among one of the most amazing insights into how a person thinks and behaves that I have seen, even with all of the classwork for my degree in Psychology. "Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."
His principles are so simple, yet cross over boundaries- for the most talented basketball players in the world, to business owners who want to increase their business, for the young student athletes who just want to be better than their rival school, to the advertising account executive who wants to do the best for the client and make a difference. For Coach Wooden, it was not about his team winning or losing, it was about developing player to be great human beings, very similar to Coach Krzyzewski. These great men realized that their main goal as a college basketball coach, was not just to make some 18-20 year old boys into champions, it was their job to turn these boys into amazing men, and great citizens.
Cheers to Coach Wooden and his amazing insight and for sharing so much with all of us, that stands the test of time. Just remember, living life is the most important thing, don't miss out on life looking for the great things, enjoy all little things as they happen.
I would like to share a few of my favorites, it is amazing how things he taught his young male basketball players, are relevant for a woman in Advertising Sales. The following are some of his most famous:
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation."
"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
The John Wooden Pyramid of Success is among one of the most amazing insights into how a person thinks and behaves that I have seen, even with all of the classwork for my degree in Psychology. "Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."
His principles are so simple, yet cross over boundaries- for the most talented basketball players in the world, to business owners who want to increase their business, for the young student athletes who just want to be better than their rival school, to the advertising account executive who wants to do the best for the client and make a difference. For Coach Wooden, it was not about his team winning or losing, it was about developing player to be great human beings, very similar to Coach Krzyzewski. These great men realized that their main goal as a college basketball coach, was not just to make some 18-20 year old boys into champions, it was their job to turn these boys into amazing men, and great citizens.
Cheers to Coach Wooden and his amazing insight and for sharing so much with all of us, that stands the test of time. Just remember, living life is the most important thing, don't miss out on life looking for the great things, enjoy all little things as they happen.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Memorial Day weekend means Summer Break!
Greetings and welcome back from Memorial Day Weekend. The sign that Summer Break is back. Good things about Summer break, even for those of us that are no longer is school...is that the kids are no longer in school. Traffic on the way to work is typically better, not as many people on the road. Shaved Ice stands, that is a great thing about Summer- a new one just opened up down the street, I love sno-cones. Bad thing, kids are out of school doing fun things, like hanging out by the pool, and we are working...all day long...all week long.
There are a lot of ways to approach the Summer. I try to do something different every day, or at least every other day. Take some time at work, to do something out of the ordinary. Still beneficial to the job, but just not part of the traditional day to day activities. Read a book. I love the Summer reading- whether it is for fun or a "work" type book, either way, it will expand your horizons and make you better at your job, even if it just improves your vocabulary!
I am currently reading Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Teal book of Trust. it is really enlightening personally and professionally. The book that is still in the back of my mind every day, is Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith. it is a short book, so for those of you who do not like to read, it is an easy one. He is a sports writer for the Detroit Free Press for many years, so even those of you who are sports fans, give this book a shot.
Make a difference this Summer, it will make a difference in you.
There are a lot of ways to approach the Summer. I try to do something different every day, or at least every other day. Take some time at work, to do something out of the ordinary. Still beneficial to the job, but just not part of the traditional day to day activities. Read a book. I love the Summer reading- whether it is for fun or a "work" type book, either way, it will expand your horizons and make you better at your job, even if it just improves your vocabulary!
I am currently reading Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Teal book of Trust. it is really enlightening personally and professionally. The book that is still in the back of my mind every day, is Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith. it is a short book, so for those of you who do not like to read, it is an easy one. He is a sports writer for the Detroit Free Press for many years, so even those of you who are sports fans, give this book a shot.
Make a difference this Summer, it will make a difference in you.
Monday, May 24, 2010
More great news about Houston
Reports this morning out of the Houston Business Journal, from a recent Korn/Ferry International survey show that most executives running global companies are willing to relocate. Overall, 82 percent of global executives from 65 countries said hey would relocate for job purposes.t
In the survey Houston was singled out as a prime location for executives to relocate. "Houston provides the candidates opportunities to direct their career to a higher level in the market that's held relatively steady during the recessions," said Eric Nielsen, managing director of the Houston office of Korn/Ferry. "we are now experiencing strong hiring due to the global strength of the energy/natural resources sector and the Texas regional economy."
In the survey Houston was singled out as a prime location for executives to relocate. "Houston provides the candidates opportunities to direct their career to a higher level in the market that's held relatively steady during the recessions," said Eric Nielsen, managing director of the Houston office of Korn/Ferry. "we are now experiencing strong hiring due to the global strength of the energy/natural resources sector and the Texas regional economy."
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Print Circulation Down Again
Many of my clients have started pulling their money out of print advertising and started to work with SUNNY 99.1 on radio and Internet advertising. The Audit Bureau of Circulation just released figures last Monday that the Houston Chronicle lost 14.2% of its daily circulation and 6.3% of the Sunday circulation in the six-month period ending September 30, 2009, compared to the same six months in 2008. According the the Houston Business Journal, overall, US newspaper daily circulation at 379 reporting papers lost an average of 3.6 million subscribers, or 10.6% in this same period, falling to about 30.4 million. The Houston Chronicle retained the ninth best daily circulation and seventh best Sunday circulation. Hardest hit during this period was the San Francisco Chronicle, which lost 25.8% of its daily readership. That is a HUGE amount. Perhaps, because San Francisco is so technology oriented and forward thinking and becoming more GREEN than any other city.
Business owners that have been print focused in the past, should start thinking about ways to increase their share in the market and how their current advertising is working, and perhaps how they can better their mix to increase business. Many purchases begin through research on the Internet, which begs the questions, where is the best place on the Internet for you to be advertising. Websites that are still targeted, like radio station websites, still have demographics that you can select which fits your product the best.
Invest in your website, make it the absolute best that it can be. This "Internet" thing is not a fad, it is not going anywhere, maximize your business through your website. With an amazing website, you can focus on driving people to your website. Great web domains are key, try to keep your website address simple and focused, easy to remember. the days of people remembering your phone number are over, they just need to remember your website.
Business owners that have been print focused in the past, should start thinking about ways to increase their share in the market and how their current advertising is working, and perhaps how they can better their mix to increase business. Many purchases begin through research on the Internet, which begs the questions, where is the best place on the Internet for you to be advertising. Websites that are still targeted, like radio station websites, still have demographics that you can select which fits your product the best.
Invest in your website, make it the absolute best that it can be. This "Internet" thing is not a fad, it is not going anywhere, maximize your business through your website. With an amazing website, you can focus on driving people to your website. Great web domains are key, try to keep your website address simple and focused, easy to remember. the days of people remembering your phone number are over, they just need to remember your website.
Monday, May 3, 2010
proud day
had a fantastic day hanging out with the other Account Executives from Sunny 99l.1 at Sandy's house on Tiki Island. Tonight, of course, I am watching the Spurs vs. Suns game 1 in Phoenix. While the first half was not stellar for the San Antonio Spurs, they have been hanging around and keeping the PHX fans on edge. The Spurs have knocked out the Suns the last 4 times the two teams have met. As a San Antonio Spurs fan from age 3, I am very proud of the Spurs for making such an impression on the Suns fans in Phoenix. They actually have shirts that say BEAT SA, and IT'S R TURN. The pride I feel knowing that another city hates my team, The Spurs, means we have arrived. We are their most hated team... this is quite a compliment. Like Derek Jeter says, If they are booing you, it means you are good. Keep booing the Spurs Phoenix, it is a compliment that this Spurs fan is proud to hear. I hope the Spurs can pull another upset in this season's playoffs, coming from the 7 seed would be truly, AMAZING! (NBA marketing)
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