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Unfortunately, with your head above water it’s too easy to hear the conversations about the economy and what potentially went wrong.

I am wondering what role the advertising and marketing world played in all of this?  All too frequently we hear the excuse, “I was just doing my job”.  This excuse is no longer reserved for those who will now be held accountable.

Your “job” in fact might have contributed to this mess. Marketers are ranked near attorneys, and not too far off from Members of Congress, when it comes to those professions least respected.  Ask most marketers and they will be quick  to tell you they only represent the client and are just an agent; a lowly messenger.  It’s time to quit blaming the client and walk away from those clients who contribute to the confusion and insensitivity, or with no concern for the greater good.

And don’t bother blaming the market either. The market is too short sighted. It moves and changes and reinvents itself and will ultimately leave you with nothing to point your finger at.  How ridiculous will you look when you stand alone?

Take responsibility for your clients and your actions! Only then will you have a greater impact on the market.

Organizations that drift aimlessly on the sea of narrow margins are distracted and obsessed by the fact they have no direction.  It is the overwhelming realization of narrow margins that have paralyzed leadership and now fear has set in. Most leaders are parked at status quo. Every effort is given to simply maintain or attain that which was once status quo (a.k.a  a perceived stability).

You might expect that those who sail these waters feel isolated and alone.   However, the opposite is true, these leaders actually see themselves as very busy and are scurrying about the boat examining every opportunity for what they perceive as any potential for change.  Truth is - they are now highly vulnerable as they find themselves over-committed to finding their way back to status quo.  And yet they are blind-sided when mutiny occurs and they are forced to walk the plank.

“You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.”  Abraham Maslow.

The solution is found by sailing vigorously and passionately directly through the narrow margins.  Do whatever is necessary to increase the margin and only then will you find stability along with the space and time for true insight and innovation.  Have you been sucked in?  Are you, or those around you, unwilling to right-size, down-size, up-size, trial-size…?  The solution rarely is found in identifying ways to increase revenue.  Instead, focus first on increasing your margins.  As a result, increased revenues will follow.  We are taught to view the bottom-line as simply “the result of our efforts”.  It is actually the beginning.  And by which all things will ultimately be measured.

PS.  By the way, for-profits and non-profits are no different when it comes to margin, they only differ by what they do as a result of their margin.

At first I thought he was joking ar0und when he asked me, “what is mobile marketing”?   I wanted to snap back with a quick one-liner but couldn’t get my head around anything humorous to say.  Instead, I quipped back, “it’s taking brands to where life happens”.  It’s really that simple.

I was actually in Haiti filming the relief effort a few weeks ago when I was asked this question. What was so real to me was that everywhere we went while in Haiti, people had cell phone in hand.  Remember, this is one of the poorest nations on the earth reeling from a devastating earthquake and everywhere I looked people clasped their mobile device.  Although still without power or running water, street vendors quickly set up portable generators, and for a small fee will charge your cell phone.

One of the first tasks of the outside military relief efforts was to set up portable cell towers and get communications back up and running.  And I had great cell service everywhere we went.  I actually used several iPhone apps for translating and GPS updates of the earthquake area.  It really was spectacular.  While interviewing one Haitian I asked him about his cell phone, he told me “people will go without food to ensure they have cell service”.  I wouldn’t have believed it had I not been there and seen it for myself.

Maybe mobile devices could play a crucial role in helping to rebuild Haiti.   It’s certainly the best way to reach those in Haiti where life is happening.