Living in the Boston area for a sports fan is quite a trip. The Celtics, Red Sox’s, Patriots, the Revolution and the Bruins!  I follow and play (more like I participate) in a number of sports. One of my favorites is hockey.

I’d like to give you some insight onto what actually goes on in a 50’s and over hockey league.

During a face off, the ref (whom I know and who is a very good hockey player) stated to me, “You guys are so slow; I can’t tell a fast break from just skating.”  Talk about boosting one’s ego!   

I also heard one player say to the ref, “please give me a penalty, I am out of breath!

During  a shift change one of my teammates stated,” I can’t  do these fast breaks any more”, to which I said,” John, you only had one fast break”, to which he said ,” yes one too many!”

Jack, one of our right wingers, was in our opponent’s zone when from across the rink he got a pass (which was just a tad behind) and in a split second, Jack let go of one of the best slap shots I ever saw, but unfortunately he also lost his balance and crashed into the boards. What really happened is that Jack was falling and he tried to save himself by using his stick. The puck actually hit the stick NOT Jack hitting the puck!

In the locker room at the end of a game, there is dead silence for about 5 to 10 minutes while everyone tries to get their breath back, then  instead of a couple of cold ones,  friends offer sports cream or ice packs, and everyone goes straight home and tries to get their energy back.

Well, now you know the inside of hockey and what happens to kids who don’t grow old but just become a little, or a lot, slower.

RHL  5/18/11

Recent releases, pronouncements and advice from analysts have continued to muddy the waters relating to social networks and networking.

• First, it was tweeted that ESPN was banning their talent from using twitter.  This was later clarified, but a close reading of ESPN’s policy suggests that ESPN personalities will only be tweeting about the weather.

• Then, the NFL took action by issuing a new policy,  ”The NFL, which has an official Twitter account, issued an edict this week banning coaches, players and football operations personnel, or anyone representing them, from updating their status on Twitter, Facebook or other social media during games and up to 90 minutes before and after.“

• This was followed by a research report from CareerBuilder that showed that hiring managers are frequently not making (or making) hiring decisions based on what they find on Facebook pages.

• The security pros got into the act, giving strong endorsement to security luminaries, Marcus Ranum and Hord Tipton when they denounced twitter at a Forrester conference.

• Finally, McKinsey released a report on Web 2.0 that shows that companies are effectively employing Web 2.0 tools, primarily blogs, wikis, and podcosts, but internally, not necessarily externally.

Given the buzz and hype, the mixed and often confusing messages, what position should a CMO take regarding of Web 2.0 or social networking or whatever it is called?

1. The use of new tools is here.  The key is how to best use them to achieve Marketing goals.
2. Indiscriminate use poses significant risk, especially data loss.  The new tools cannot be implemented without firm corporate policies…see ESPN and the NFL for examples.
3. Proof-points exist where they are being used to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction and in meeting customer needs…see McKinsey.  Building off knowledge learned here can position the Marketer to use these tools in identifying customer needs as well as lead generation and qualification.
4. The “best practice” implementation of these new tools is unknown.  Those using them are trying, potentially failing and trying again.  There is little or no guidance in this area; waiting for the time where guidance and direction exists will be too late in today’s competitive arena.

Does your firm have a Social Networking policy?

Are you monitoring what is being said about you and your company?  If yes, are you responding appropriately?

Do you, as the CMO, have a number of initiatives launched or teed-up using the new social networking tools, risking failure, or are you a laggard waiting until the train has left the station?

RHM – 9/21/2009

Buyers (or buying committees) respond to the tone or tenor of their company which is often expressed in both direct and indirect incentives.  At the current time, the tone at most companies is conservative, reflecting the management team’s doubts and uncertainty about the balance of 2009 and 2010.  Expenditures are being managed on a quarter-to-quarter basis, with monthly status reviews.  A premium is paid to those functions that exhibit “agility” and managers who commit errors that lock the company into “the wrong decision” are often castigated.

Buyers are not buying because they are incented or forced not to.  This corporate tone takes many forms:

• Management telling each function to “do more with less.”
• The reduction in discretionary buying authority and the establishment of endless review committees.
• The desire of functional mangers to exceed goals/limits for a more positive review…look, instead of saving 10%, I saved 20%…reward me accordingly.

Barbara suggests that compelling ROIs, coupled with knowledge that your competitors are using your product, combined with strong reference accounts will close the sale.  I agree that all are part of any product/service offering.  However, unless the data presented is so compelling (90 days or less ROI!!!) the negative “do not buy” incentives will out-weigh the decision to buy.  Borrowing from football coach Bill Parcells’ famous “you are what you are” phrase, the economy is what it is and buyers are acting according to their self-interest.

Accepting this, Marketers in 2009 should reflect on past, similar conditions (the Great Depression) and implement the successful strategies used then.  Specifically:

• Know, understand and cultivate your customer base. Up-sell when possible, but make sure that your key customers know who you are and what you can do when the economy turns around.
• Build your brand awareness and differentiators within your core target market.  Use the appropriate social networking tools to accomplish this…2009 tools that are the 1930s equivalent of radio and print advertising.
• Hone your value proposition, stressing the benefits that the buyer will receive.  Communicate this through the appropriate product mix.  Dick Lush has provided some thoughts on value propositions here.

When management loosens the reins, success will flow to those firms who have clearly established who they are and why they are better.

RHM 6/3/09