Good Enough...

Seth Godin had a great post yesterday about the next big idea being products that are good enough. It raises a fundamental question for a lot of us in business. Not "what is good enough for my customers?", but "what is too much for them?"

I remember when I was in product marketing at IBM working on consumer PC's, one of the things we had a bad habit of doing was stuffing the machine (and entire package) with tons of stuff. More powerful and faster components, lots of game software, CD's galore of all ilk, regardless of the fact that much of our research came back telling us that most of our customers used almost none of it. All of it added cost to the machine and we somehow felt compelled to add more than our competitors, yet most of what we added made no difference in the purchase decision. What would have happened if we had added "just enough?" focused on making the PC's "good enough?" We will never know since IBM dropped out of the consumer business at the end of the last century and eventually sold the entire PC division to Lenovo.

It also reminds me of the exchange I once heard about that happened between the Soviet physicist Andrei Sakharov and Joseph Stalin. Apparently, after years of trying, they had finally obtained a sample of American Plutonium. Stalin wanted to know how it compared to it's Soviet equivalent. When he was told that the Soviet Plutonium was more pure, Stalin apparently danced for joy, feeling that his team was being more successful at making the stuff. Sakharov looked at him and simply said "Yes, but their bombs still blow up the same as ours."

In that case, good enough was just that. Are the products you make "good enough" or are you fighting for that extra feature, widget or piece of software that does nothing for your customers except add cost and end up making the product harder, not easier to use.

Thanks Seth.

Worse than Bad Decisions

What's worse than making a bad decision? Not making a decision at all. If you are in a leadership position, you are often confronted with situations that require decisions you are not completely comfortable with. If that is the case, you have several options:

1.) You can ask your people to get more data before you make a decision
2.) You can show confidence in your people and make a decision based on their recommendations
3.) You can make a decision based on your own experience and best judgment
4.) You can make no decisions and give no guidance

The first three are all viable ways of dealing with the situation. They keep your team actively engaged with the situation and provide a level of guidance. If you ask for more information, however, you cannot use that as a way of delaying the decision indefinitely. If the team is not giving you the information you feel you need, tell them specifically and let them know you will act on what they come back with. You may rule against them, but at least you are not just stringing them along.

The worst thing you can do is not make a decision and give no guidance. Too often in corporate environments today, executives are more afraid of making a wrong decision than of actually leading their people. Tom Peters had a great posting on his blog several months ago about the things that made Admiral Lord Nelson such an effective military leader. One of them was his belief in winning over the other admiral's concern over "not losing." If you're more concerned about "not losing" than winning, chances are your people have become dis-engaged employees and you are an ineffective leader.

Lack of engagement is one of the biggest problems in corporate America today. It costs companies billions of dollars and drags down organizations. Leadership, true, honest and dedicated leadership can help keep employees engaged and drive organizational success. Are you leading your organization or are you simple managing it into oblivion because you are more afraid of "not winning" than of at least making a decision?

Even if you make a bad decision, you can still keep your organization engaged and assuming it is based on relatively good information it should still get your people moving in approximately the right direction. You can always alter the plan as it evolves.

Finally, if you're afraid that making a decision will lose you your job, QUIT! All you're going to do is drag down your organization and you obviously do not have the confidence or your superiors. That lack of confidence is usually quite obvious to everyone and will just lead to your being sent away in the end.

Just Say No to Spec Work

An article by writer Mark Evanier is about out working on spec. In his
article, Evanier refers to "Unfinanced Entrepreneurs"

He is quoted,

Unfinanced Entrepreneurs exist because of a fiction about creative people, so widely believed that even some of us writers and artists accept it. The fiction is that writing and drawing are not assets...they are things we whip up out of thin air and which cost nothing to create. If someone steals your work from you, you can always bat out another for nothing.

If you believe this, it's your right, but you do our profession a grave disservice. Every time someone tramples on our work — ruins it, changes it, mauls it, damages it — it's because they have no respect for it. And, generally speaking, they have no respect for that which cost them nothing.

They think writers and artists "just knock it out" but we don't...not really. And even when it seems like we do, it's because of a lifetime of developing whatever skills we bring to each project. My best pal, Sergio Aragonés, once was selling some sketches he'd done. A browser was interested in one but blanched at the hundred-buck price tag.

"How long did it take you to draw that?" he asked.

"About a half-hour," Sergio answered.

The man was horrified: "You expect me to pay you a hundred dollars for a half-hour's work?"

Sergio showed uncommon restraint — at least for Sergio. He calmly said, "You're not paying for the half-hour it took me to do the drawing. You're paying for the forty-one years it took me to learn how to do that."

*****
The most important admonition I can offer is to steer clear of those who want to exploit you. Even when you think you have no better prospect, avoid the Unfinanced Entrepreneur. They not only steal your work...they embezzle a little bit of your soul.

Mark's Link: http://povonline.com/cols/COL210.htm

Are You a Young, Technologically Savvy Pet Owner?

If so, Purina is doing a good job of keeping you and your pet fed. From serious discussions on podcasts to whimsical barktones, Purina is just a paws reach to keeping you mobile.

While cellphone wallpaper isn't necessarily news on the frontlines of marketing, I think Purina dialing into the hands of grandpa's grandkid is definitely a good way of keeping the traditional connection of family and pets leashed.

Purina
http://www.purina.com/downloads/Podcasts/Index.aspx

Who Do You Stalk?

Last weekend Andrew and I attended (walked) a slew of tradeshows in NYC that included the Int'l Gift Fair, Directions, and the Textile Show. We've been walking various shows now for about 3 years. Other shows might include Atlanta Giftware Show (Jan), National Stationery Show (May) and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) that runs concurrently with NSS & Surtex -a show at which we exhibit.

The ICFF, in our minds, is just way too cool. If you want inspiration on several levels, be prepared for a surreal onslaught of some of the most talented artisans in the world. This creative collective bunch are an awesome array of industrial designers creating functional casegoods called furniture. One might also see softgoods for the home and accents.

Walking these various shows says much about the consumer. Designer egos are on the chopping block for shoppers and showroom buyers have to seek out the edgy -but not too edgy- for their clients and hope that the trickle down effect actually works. I've been in all 3 positions and I understand the sweat and fear that goes into each. In the end I ask myself -is anyone going to die because of my decision making? Probably not, so don't sweat it, just enjoy and buy what you like.

Meanwhile, I seek out the newbies of the floor. You know them because they've got the smallest booth but have packed a punch in their introductory designs they offer. I ask them how the show is going for them and they all usually reply in the same manner, "Oh, pretty well. Tired but excited to be here."

Wait a few days and return to them and ask the same question and you'll get a variety of responses. Some great, mediocre, and those who don't want to show their grave disappointment but it's clearly written all over their face - we know, we've been there (Atlanta 2005).

We are genuine when we wish them luck (because we like to see good and talented people succeed) and they can feel it -giving them a little boost in their step because we've just revealed our affinity toward their product and appreciate the lonely step in cold waters.

The following year we reintroduce ourselves and congratulate them on returning the second time. It's evident that they either had a decent turnout the last 12 months or have enough passion in their product to realize that they've got a solid winner but just need a few more years to get it out the gate and down the lane. Either way, we wish them luck again and watch their editorial submissions get print time in the popular industry mags and mention, "Hey, I remember your introduction -it was in Dwell!" Just before I leave their space, I'll confess that they're on my radar and they're one of the artists I stalk, "...but not in a bad way," I conclude. I just like to root for the little guy.

It's been my experience that artisans love to be told that they've got a following who is actually watching their career, it's gratifying. I know, I'm there.

It's the Little Things That Count

Lisa and I recently returned from New York where we were attending several trade shows including the National Home Textile Show and the New York International Gift Fair. While there we hit one of our favorite restaurants for dinner and were, as usual, delighted by the experience. The restaurant, Focacceria, in Greenwich Village is one we discovered a number of years ago and always try to make a point of going to when we're in town.

One of the reasons we like going to Focacceria, besides the outstanding food, is the ambiance and the staff. When we walked in this time, the hostess/waitress took one look at us, remembered who we were, where we sat the last time we were there and even the conversation we had. The last time she waited on us was last spring. I'm sure she's seen thousands of customers since then, but she greeted us as if we were there last week.

Do your front line people treat your customers the way the ones at Focacceria treat theirs? Even if they haven't seen them in months? Do your customers feel welcome, even if they just "drop in" unannounced? In almost every service businesses the front-line employees are the ones who make or break the customer experience. They are the ones create or kill brand equity. Next time you're checking out your front line employees see if they pass the Focacceria test.

A little more about Focacceria

The restaurant is about the size of a postage stamp with 5 or 6 tables inside and an equal number outside when the weather is nice. The food has been outstanding every time we have been there. We can easily recommend the Ravioli special or the Lasagna (if they are on the menu). Also try the Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Gellato for desert. It has a kind of "blow health out your ass" quality to it, but it's worth it every once in a while. It's a great place for a quiet dinner for two, or to catch-up with friends.

The restaurant is located at 87 Macdougal Street in Greenwich Village (West VIllage) near NYU. It does not have a web site, though you can find it rated at several NY dining sites and please don't confuse it with La Focacceria, which is another Italian restaurant in New York. Phone: (212) 253-8049