Month: January 2024

Never Miss Twice

Marketers plan. And planning takes work. But the involved behaviours and habits around planning take the cake. For me, establishing these behaviours and habits involve practice (continually trying to figure out the best outcome), a never-ending cycle of trial and error, and ultimately, gridlocked, unnerving will and determination.

In the process, we can lose sight of our destination. But to get there, we first must understand the journey. That path may not always be clear, but if the correct approach is adopted and adhered to, it will make things easier! James Clear talks about a rule that relates to this – never missing twice:

“The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.”

Never missing twice is as sensible a rule as it can get. It acknowledges that to achieve personal or professional excellence, we should hold high standards and a high compliance rate. The importance is to allow for some human failure, to be reasonable, and self-compassionate to hold yourself accountable. But never miss twice. Plan for your success. Get back on track after the first misstep. Keep moving forward, learning, growing, and, most of all, welcome change, as it’s often the precursor for attaining better results.

Kokeshi – A Story

Do you know what a kokeshi is?

Some nights, I brush my daughter’s teeth.

Somehow, it’s an arduous undertaking that I would prefer to leave to my more inclined husband. But tonight, I took it on with confidence.

Lo and behold! I opened her bathroom drawer to reveal not one but three containers of toothpicks. I could smell the faint glimmer of mint, and as I observed the labelling on the bottles, I discovered three different flavours altogether – mint, cinnamon, and KOKESHI.

Now, I presumed that the flavour on the label would match the scent of the toothpicks. So began the exercise. My daughter and I smelled each bottle. Mint, yup mint. Cinnamon, oooh that’s cinnamon. Kokeshi? My daughter inquisitively smelled the toothpicks in the distinct red-orange packaging. Smells like flowers, Mom! I took a whiff and debated, no no, I don’t think so.

I peered through the cheap plastic receptacle and saw that the toothpicks were a different shape. I uttered to my daughter, must be because of this. I pointedly placed the bottle in front of her eyes. We weren’t satisfied. They did look different from the others, looking fancy for picking up appetizers. So, my daughter proclaimed, check Google! Check Google! And with the swipe of a finger, the answer arose –

Kokeshi

Kokeshi are simple wooden Japanese dolls with no arms or legs that have been crafted for more than 150 years as a toy for children.

They are symbols of hopes for bountiful harvests, wishes for good luck and fortune and embody an appreciation for craftsmanship and culture.

Now, this would have been a great answer, but in our case, it was REVELATORY.

I looked in front of me.

Standing peacefully erect on my daughter’s bathroom counter for as long as I can remember was…a…KOKESHI.

Not any kokeshi. A doll I lovingly received from my mom’s very close Japanese girlfriend, Misuko, back in 1985.

My daughter and I squealed with delight. The happenstance was nothing short of extraordinary! And to think, it only took 38 years or five times the length of my daughter’s life to discover it.

Sometimes, life throws you curveballs. Most of the time, you catch the ball like any other ball, on any other day, with the same approach and sentiment. But other times, life passes you inexplicable gifts—gifts that bring light and love into every inch of your being.

As marketers, throw and catch balls. But once in a while, BE the ball and notice the infinite bubbles of gratitude that permeate your life.

Peace y’all!

The Rule of Reciprocation

Next up – Dr. Robert Cialdini‘s Rule of Reciprocation!

Revelation. I’ve taken up something I’m sure a million (or more) of you do. I’m back to listening to ebooks while driving to work. Haha – and you thought it would be something more complicated! I did it before but found I was getting bored of it. I’m unsure if it’s the drone of narration or my susceptibility to zoning in and out. Probably a mixture of both. Alas, as part of my year of sharing insights, I thought it would make sense to dedicate myself to it again. 

So, today, I want to talk about reciprocity in marketing. From a psychological standpoint, this rule is simple. What you give is what you get. We tend to feel obligated to return a favour or gesture after receiving something from someone else. If I come back from the cafe with a donut for you, you will likely buy me a baked good the next time you’re picking up a coffee. 😉 

In marketing, this sense of indebtedness in our actions, or more specifically, messaging, can steer our audience to feel more motivated or compelled to make a decision that will impact their buying trajectory. For example, as part of our ABM strategy, I put together a booklet and sample kit for prospective customers. The act of sending and receiving the package in the mail is not only thoughtful but leverages something of value, something tactile and beautiful, something helpful and intriguing that, in turn, can help the receiving party better understand where our brand comes from and ultimately, our passion and intention of supporting the design and construction community through not only inspiring architecture but inspiration, in and of itself!

Creating this cycle of giving and receiving strengthens social connections and encourages cooperative behaviour among individuals and groups within communities, small and big. I see it as small steps of action becoming big sips of gratitude and many more meaningful opportunities in the future!

Have you taken a reciprocal step? In what way did it change the trajectory of your day? Your goals? Your journey as a marketer?

A brief Forbes article by Jeff Bradford sums it up pretty sweet – https://bit.ly/3NVpYUd

Not done yet! Reciprocity has even been known to foster creativity and innovation, such as this Adobe example in a short Medium article – https://bit.ly/48McaDl

2024 – The Year of Insights

I want to make 2024 the year to share some insights. I have time! You have time! We all have time! While perfecting pour-overs, tackling big hills on runs, or when driving into work – these are all great opportunities to listen and learn something valuable, even if just one small concept, it could turn into a big change-maker!

First up is the Cube of Creativity by marketing strategist Andrew Davis. This framework can help marketers leverage their creative process to promote innovation and encourage better outcomes.

To apply this shift in mindset, we need to be open to embracing constraints, defined by the four sides of a cube –

1 – Eliminate the Unnecessary
2 – Define a Single, Measurable Outcome
3 – Add Unreasonable Creative Constraints
4 – Raise the Stakes

To learn more, check out this episode of the Social Media Marketing Podcast with Michael (Mike) Stelzner – https://bit.ly/3TV2D8T

You can also find more details here – https://bit.ly/3TRFJiF

Hope everyone is off to a productive and fulfilling new year!