In my last blog I talked about how I break down marketing into three interrelated silos; Brand Focus, Brand Communication and Brand Experience. Brand Focus is about building, defining and living your brand in such a manner that it not only brings deep value to your customers, but it enables and inspires them to tell a friend what makes it special. Most marketers believe their brand is special and it’s really cool when it gets talked about.

“My marketing department needs help and I don’t know where to start.” Sound familiar? I can help.

A week ago I facilitated a mini-workshop at the Sales & Marketing Executives monthly breakfast meeting in Minneapolis. I used my 45 minutes to review some important steps needed for a successful career reinvention, and I talked about building resilience to endure their reinvention.

It’s 8:05 in the morning at the Original Pancake House. The coffee isn’t really hot the way I like it. The bacon arrives a bit too crispy. The buckwheat pancakes are prepared just right… but I’d ordered buttermilk pancakes. My smiling, eager-to-please server stops by my table and asks how everything tastes, and I answer, “fine.”

Contributed by Eric Erickson, Retail Mentor

In the beginning, in-house marketing departments hired the best creative talent they could attract and afford. They put them to work. And the creative people produced great advertising and marketing materials. Until a few things happened:

Every few years I go to Dr. Gottlieb for my annual physical. Dr. Gotlieb has everything I want in a primary physician; experience… caring demeanor… small hands. This time Dr. Gotlieb “found something” that concerned him. After a re-check he referred me to a specialist who would perform a biopsy to determine if I had cancer.

Two years ago I was visiting with a couple of trusted friends about my professional future. Due to an unusually busy morning at Panera, we shared a table with a stranger.

“I wonder if (your name here)…

a)  realizes I am experienced enough for a shot at an important project?”

b)  will give me a good review because I need a raise?”

c)  is more interested in the hours I spend here, or the contributions I make?”

d)  is going to fire me the next time something goes wrong?”