Why did Thomas Dux really fail?
There is a whole lot of discussion around the progressive closure of Thomas Dux stores by owner Woolworths, and the assumption that it will be closed down if a trade sale does not evolve. Maybe there is a plan to save it, but I cannot see it, and having bought some...
The dirty little secret of digital marketing.
Achieving simplicity is really hard, we all know that in our guts. There is however a huge difference between simple and superficial, and again, we all know that but tend to be persuaded to take the easy way out. The development of a specific 'Persona' to which you...
The power of “Why” in a sales pitch
One of the standard problem definition techniques I use is the classic "5 why" process pioneered by Toyota. Just keep on asking "why" to peel back the layers pf the onion to get to the real problem, rather than just being satisfied that addressing the associated and...
What makes some leaders, and others just managers?
In my 40 years of commercial life I have seen a few true leaders, and many, many more managers. Unfortunately. The leaders are not always those at the top of organisations, more often that not, those are just the successful managers. The leaders can be scattered...
The (almost) impossible task of brand building momentum. A personal story.
What is a brand? When you think about it, a brand is a just a promise embodied in a product. A promise of performance, and delivery of value. It survives and grows, retains and builds relevance and attraction only when the promise is delivered. Finding the promise...
Australia day report card 2016
Today is January 26, 2016, Australia Day. As in past years , I have reflected in a post on this day what it means to be an Aussie. The post on January 26 2012, called for a mature debate on the challenges we face as a nation, the real, long term issues, rather than...
The one thing it is legal to steal
Wisdom. Look at the good and bad decisions you have made, what led you to them? What pressures were you under? Should you find yourself faced with the same set of circumstances again, would you now make the same decision? Look at the decisions and moves your...
How to overcome the terror of public speaking and be seen as the expert.
I prepare and give quite a lot of presentations, and from time to time coach others as they prepare. Speaking is a vital part of what I do, although I do not see myself as a professional speaker, just somebody with a point of view on a range of topics that can be of...
5 part headline template to write killer headlines that always attracts attention.
The ability of a headline to attract attention, then lead the reader deeper into the content is the make or break skill of copywriting, and even in this world of video, the ability to write a headline remains the single most important skill in effective communication....
The 7 most stupid innovation killing behaviors I have seen.
Most of the innovation initiatives I see successfully predict the past, but fail miserably at predicting the future in any way that enables commercial success. In other words, they just extrapolate what has happened in the expectation that history will repeat itself...