My Google Homepage RSS feed aggregator has been broken for a couple of days. All I see when I open my customized page are the titles of the posts, but no blog names. I read about 70 blogs and although that's not an unmanageable number, I cannot really remember whose blog is where on the page. That is just perfect to run a little experiment.
I wonder if I can recognize people by what they write about, just scanning the titles to their posts. And lo and behold, with a few rare exceptions, I can. Maybe I cheated a little because I have good memory and remember what people tell me and what I read. Well, maybe it's also because I am so interested in other points of view when I listen. This is the part that relates to developing relationships with other professionals so that they will know you and your abilities to deliver when the time comes.
The question is still worth pondering.
Let's take a look at what would happen from a "sight unseen" angle. If I knew nothing about you and your business, how would you present yourself so that your competitive advantage was crystal clear? What is the one thing that, if you had to choose, you would put forth about you?
You've seen them in television personalities where not only the sound bite, but also the glance will keep you there or make you want to switch channels. You're either the handsome or the funny guy. Well, it does depend also on what nature endows us with, doesn't it?
Which brings me back to our conversation around competitive advantage. A competitive advantage, for example, is looking at things from a different angle and being able to execute complex things. Simple is often hard to do. The analytical in us wants to engage and make the simple complicated.
We have an advantage also when we know what our limits are and have enough resources to draw from in our professional exchanges to be able to partner with others who can complete us, in a matter of speaking.
We might love to be the handsome guy, but our winning strategy is actually being who we are and doing what we do best. What's your competitive advantage?
[Photo of Italian TV personalities taken during the famous San Remo festival]
And there's nothing so pathetic as a funny guy trying to be handsome or vice versa. Figuring out which one you are can sometimes be a life's work.
But companies do this all the time. How many stodgy firms really try to portray themselves as being hip, cool and savvy, only to really miss the point of it all. It's like the comment you hear so often from CMO's and others who say, "we're launching a new viral video..." -- they don't understand what they're saying. You can launch a video. It might go viral. But you can't launch a viral video any more than you can launch a platinum record or give birth to a doctor. Maybe yes and maybe no.
Hope my posts are pretty easy to identify! (PS: I'm the funny guy in all honesty).
Posted by: Stephen Denny | March 05, 2007 at 06:07 PM
The invaluable competitive advantage: the company that learns to take a view 'from the balcony' and watch/listen to the current customers and how they interact with the company's products, people, and business. I am not advocating any more 'voice of the customer' surveys or focus groups. I mean really seeing oneself as the customer does.
E.G. - when traveling on business, many clients want a clean, safe, comfortable room. So spending $$$$ on a lobby, restaurant, etc. is a loss. Another: fast food: I want it FAST. Oh, and my way. Sooo...hiring happier people and putting them in new uniforms doesn't do much for me if the service is still slow and the food is wrong. Get it? My view as I experience your business. Not your view of how I should experience your business because you chose to invest millions in something I really don't need.
Sort of like having 73 flights a day to Asia, when all i want is no dried catsup on the seat arm when I board your plane.
FYI - am I the exasperated guy who laughs because you just can't make up most of the stuff businesses do to their customers!
Posted by: Joe Raasch | March 05, 2007 at 07:19 PM
Stephen -- I can tell your posts from that "Note to CMO" introduction. It's a sure giveaway. I like where you're taking this conversation. Sometimes we want to be seen as hip by others, yet we have no idea what we're talking about. It's cool when all you get is embarrassment; it's not so cool when the future of a line of products may depend on it.
Joe -- You have been amazing these last couple of days. Maybe it was all that rest in the islands. This comment really speaks to me because our customers are not only the ones on the outside; they are also our colleagues and employees. Seeing yourself (read your business) with fresh eyes is hard to do. Your perception may be tainted by how clever you think your last campaign was. Having a coach with you to teach you how to learn from what you see may be valuable. I also find what we're worst at is taking our own advice.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | March 05, 2007 at 08:20 PM
Ahhh... 'tis a Bahamian 'ting!
One of our Big Three for 2007 is establishing feedback in our organization - primarily via coaching. First, to coach and make sure feedback is understood. Second, to help people accept that feedback from coaches.
This feedback is just one more way to get to know ourselves, and those around us. With this knowledge, we may then seek out our complement: the ones that complete our team/project/product needs. "You complete me" - though may those words never be uttered on the 10th floor... HA!
Posted by: Joe Raasch | March 05, 2007 at 09:39 PM
Valeria,
As always, stimulating post and conversation. Authenticity in everything we do is that starting place for our advantage, don't you think? Fake is never as good as the real thing.
Posted by: Lewis Green | March 06, 2007 at 09:06 AM
do you know arturo brachetti? the young illusionist who is able to change appearance in 5 seconds? well, i believe that sometimes we would like to act as he does. authenticity is a great asset is you are able to adapt it to the surrounding reality. if i should state a competitive advantage of mine, i'd say that i'm able to keep a fresh look to things. i try not to get entangled in what i assume to know nor apply my personal model to the world.
Posted by: gianandrea facchini | March 06, 2007 at 10:13 AM
Joe -- making sure feedback is not only captured, but also deconstructed so it can be used is key. We want to learn from our actions.
Lewis -- how do we know when something is faked vs. authentic?
Gianandrea -- flexibility and the ability to adapt are good qualities as we balance that with focus. How are you able to look at things with fresh eyes?
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | March 06, 2007 at 11:39 AM
Those of us representing the brand are the only ones who need to ensure authenticity. We will know the difference, and I believe customers recognize authenticity when the hear or see it. Fake is pretty obvious as the words don't match the actions.
Posted by: Lewis Green | March 06, 2007 at 01:56 PM
valeria, this is the hardest task to perform. even in business i believe we should act, sometimes, as children do: to look at things for their inner essence, being curious and not reading instructions.
Posted by: gianandrea facchini | March 07, 2007 at 04:41 AM