The Big Idea
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So much of our work life is spent in the details, the minutiae, the little things that must be done, so often right now! I know this is absolutely and necessarily true, and, yes, we need to execute. But while working on the little things, it’s better for our psyches…

Just the right amount of history. Jack and I have been discussing how much of our work we should show a prospect who is considering hiring us for a project. They say they want to see some of our previous work, but inevitably their eyes glaze after five minutes of…

Updating how you convince your customers to buy from you. When was the last time you thought about your go-to-market approach? For two of our day-to-day clients we’ve been reconsidering sales strategy, inspired by some of the changes we’re seeing in – of all places – education. Are you familiar…

Sometimes the little things lead to something big. There have been a number of times when a particular item – a photo, painting, song, film, etc. – when a particular creative piece has influenced an idea of mine. We’re currently shooting a series of photos for Club Car, the idea…

Let’s build a new airline from the ground up. I just returned from a short trip to Glasgow, Scotland. For months I’ve been planning this trip, not the least of which was working with US Airways to find a suitable fare, schedule and seat. For any longer trip, I work to…

The web isn’t stationary, and it isn’t mobile. It’s everywhere. Marketers would make better consumers out of us if they would enable the tools we already have in our hands. Marketers can help close the gap between their brands and shopping and buying. We’re working with a client now on…

We may need to speak to a different kind of consumer as this recession winds down. Here’s an excellent long read from strategy+business magazine about the changing attitudes and habits of the the post-recession consumer. The Power of the Post-Recession Consumer.

An organic approach is usually better. Companies evolve. Not just their brands, but also their cultures, their processes, their attitudes. It’s how those things fit the reality of the times that matters. The Times has a good story today about IBM on its 100th birthday, reminding us just how much…

The best thinking doesn’t always pop out first, or on demand. Sometimes it simmers in the brain pan … From the USA “Character Project,” this short film about a Los Angeles restaurateur. You can review all of the project videos on the USA site. Also, “Fish” reminded me one of…

What’s the Big Idea? Why not the hidden ball trick? We haven’t tried this since last year. In business or sports, sometimes your competition will let down its guard. If you’re ready, you can take advantage.

What’s the Big Idea? It’s words, man, words. “The big Internet companies owe their dominance to something singular that shut out potential competitors. Google had secret algorithms that gave superior search results. Facebook provided a way to broadcast regular updates to friends and acquaintances that grew ever more compelling as…

What’s the Big Idea? The internet is more than an information resource. For many it’s also the great enabler. And at least in one case, it’s enabling a friend of mine to, perhaps, create and grow a business he loves in his spare time. Introducing, Golf Stuff We Like, an…

What’s the big idea? Let the lecture be the homework, and do the homework in the classroom, all taking place in a “global, one-world classroom.” So says Sal Khan of his Khan Academy in his TED talk. Allow yourself to get to the 13-minute mark and beyond to see the…

On the occasion of the publication of Bloom’s The Anatomy of Influence, the NYT’s Sam Tannehaus interviews the master. Sends me to the bookshelves …

I store digital stuff everywhere, it seems. I use Evernote, 37Signals’ Backpack, Instapaper and more. I like them all, but I think I like Springpad best of all. There are iPad and iPhone apps, a cool browser extension for Chrome and an option to share, community-like. As today’s service to…