Week of September 21, 2009

There is an old quote from the mid-20th century attributed to science fiction writer Isaac Asimov that plays well today:

"It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be."

As you go through your busy day trying to keep your head above water, remember that treading water will only wear you out and you will drown. Keep your head up and your eyes facing forward then swim as hard as you can to the future.

Oh, by the way ... the future does not lie somewhere in the past. Don't forget history but remember, double-breasted suits have been in style several times, but a 1948 double-breasted suit was only good for 1948; it wouldn't play well today no matter how much of a style setter you are ... or think you are. The same goes for radio. Bill Drake was a genius, but he would do it differently today.

I was watching a press conference last week about the murder of Michelle Le, the Yale student who was killed in a campus lab. It was a terrible, disgusting event. but as the press conference was progressing I saw a lesson for all of us in self-promotion.

As at most press conferences, there were a multitude of microphones on the podium. There were at least eight or nine microphones, most of them with mike "flags" identifying the stations.

It was disappointing to note that only two were effectively readable: 1010 WINS and CNN. There was one on which I could read a "12," apparently a local TV station, and another local TV station on channel three.

Most of the others had flags but they were unreadable ... you know why? Because whoever was in charge of ordering the flags put too much verbiage or a logo that meant nothing! Are we ever going to learn that "cute" is only good in our own building? The audience has to be hit over the head with simple instead of cute.

My hat's off to the folks at 1010 WINS. They get it.

Here's an interesting way to get noticed: Talk, Talk is a telecom operator in London and that has hired ex-pickpockets to actually put 20-pound notes in Londoners' pockets without them realizing it! They are calling them "PUT-pockets."

There are some people who are not too happy about it, but the Metropolitan Police have given their blessing and each put-pocket has an ID in case he is caught in the act ... and each is also watched by another employee.

To warn residents the benefactors are in the area there are signs placed where they are working reading "Rejoice! Put-pockets operating in this area."

Along with all the other great publicity, there is a YouTube video showing the action that has gone viral.

Can you imagine what you could do with $10,000 in your town? Split it down the middle with $5,000 in $20 bills and $5,000 in pay for the "put-pockets, marketing, and signage. That's 250 "puts." At 10 a day, you've got a great 25-day promotion! You probably don't need much marketing because it will promote itself with some strategically placed PR.

If you do something like this, be sure to check off with your legal folks and the local police.

This is the kind of promotion radio used to come up with frequently before we became involved in trying to save our way to prosperity. So many of us are spending our "brain time" trying to protect our jobs there's no time left to be creative.

You are creative and still have a staff. Use your assets to do something more than just "hang on."

Here's some good news for this week: According to statistics just released by the Federal Reserve, American households were $2 trillion richer for the quarter ending June 30th than they were three months earlier. It's the first time household net worth has increased in two years!

This was a 17% increase after falling 13% in the first quarter.

Net worth was at $65.3-trillion at its high in 2007 and is now down $12.2-trillion to $53.1 trillion. It's an indication of how much the real estate and stock market crash have hurt us. Let's hope we continue to eat away at the two-year loss in household net worth in upcoming quarters.

This is good news and needs to be shared with your staff and clients as you try to be Mr. or Ms. Positive.

Watching the fallout from Kanye West's rude behavior at the expense of Taylor Swift during the VMA Awards last week has been interesting.

After a large outcry from the press and music industry, Kanye has apologized ... sort of. It was one of those "I'm sorry, but..." things. Why can't anyone just apologize any more without justifying the issue because of things like too much pressure, not enough sleep, etc, etc, etc. ... It's like the old excuse "the dog ate my homework."

It has become almost a lost art to say, "I'm sorry. There's no excuse for my behavior and I will do everything I can to not repeat it."