Let me be frank for a moment (instead of Tom). I'm concerned that I may be blogging in the wind. I'm being quite sincere. Not serious, mind you, but a bit concerned.
Now by that I don't mean to suggest that I'm worried that no one is "listening." Unlike the proverbial tree falling in the woods, I know that people receive the content that the sound of my keystrokes are making. Rather, I'm concerned that I may not be "getting through."
For I have discovered that the essence and crux of what I've been trying to get across for the past decade has been seldom understood; assuming, of course, that understanding leads to action. Perhaps that's the flaw in my thinking. I'm not really sure.
I shake my head as nearly everyone I know continues to waste valuable time and resources focusing on themselves. Instead of being the passionate catalyst that creates meaningful, empowering, self-referential stories in others' minds, most prefer to cleverly craft and broadcast their stories.
Has the framework and context of my thought somehow hidden the meaning behind my message? Can someone tell me?
Posted April 23, 2009
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Tom is timely, thought provoking and all about the new brand vision packaged as a Seinfeld stand up. I went to school on his ideas.
Jeff Taylor, Founder, Monster.com and CEO, Eons.
When Tom Asacker writes, I read. Opportunity Screams is the right message for the right time.
Tom Peters
Tom, the framework and context of your messaging is exactly what provides meaning with force/power in your messaging. In the Houston corner of the world, a VP of Marketing kept talking about "Asacker this" and "Asacker that" until I decided to see what all this "Asacker" stuff was about. Now it's in my RSS stream right along with milk in my morning coffee -- couldn't thrive as well without either! Thanks for continuing to connect. Some of us need to hear these things over & over until the "Eureka!" moment fires those synapses. Keep connecting. Kind regards, -Jeff
Posted by: Jeff Bundy | April 23, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Tom (aka "Frank") -
there is a good amount of separating "wheat from chaff" in blogs, as in any other media but there is consistent 'wheat' in your material - so thank you for this ongoing effort-
Appreciatively, Brian McLaughin, Syracuse, NY
Posted by: Brian McLaughlin | April 23, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Your message is clear. You are just competing with a lot of other messages that have sexier themes such as - "me", "mine", "my career", "what I want to do is".....You are also operating against primary cultural drivers in the American experience since the Revolutionary war. Who came to America for any reason other than "me"? "You", "yours", and "the customer's needs" is an ah ha experience for most. Some ah ha's "take" after the first revelation, but usually only in the movies. Keep on keepin' on!
Posted by: Jerrine Regester | April 23, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Of course you're getting through. A brand is a logo with a promise that the marketing department controls.
Seriously Tom, you think and produce great stuff, but your stuff needs to be consumed by *everyone* in a company -- not just marketers -- for it to take root, especially in big companies.
Package it up and sell it as a "business methodology" -- complete with training and support tools like sales training companies do with their sales methodologies -- and you may see more action and less waste.
Posted by: Dan Cote | April 23, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Hey Tom,
Just wanted to add I "hear" your question. Blogging is a funny medium; on the one hand it's opened up the doors for so many to voice their opinions, but on the other it means you feel like screaming just to be heard amongst the rabble. It's a genuine problem. I think, however, that you're really meeting your target, making valid points and contributing your part to the conversation. That's all you can do right?
Keep up the good work.
Cheers, JP
www.sportsbrandreview.squarespace.com
Posted by: JP | April 23, 2009 at 09:23 PM
Tom,
Are you working as passionately to get the messages out using all the tools available to you....or is your shop door open and you hope for a busy day of street traffic?
All the best jay
Posted by: Jay | April 24, 2009 at 08:52 AM
I'm going to take a contrary view to the other folks who have commented. I think that you voice a concern that is both worth airing and legitimate.
As communication channels become even more fragmented, as the variety and choice of channels increases, so peoples capacity to not only spot true relevance, but to see and understand the need to act on that information, becomes stretched. The pursuit of 'I know' appears to overwhelm the capacity for 'I do'.
'I know' allows the appearance of action, whilst, overwhelmed by the range of choices and decisions that access to the wealth of modern information sources provides, people revert to established, tested, old behaviours.
'Continuous Partial Attention' (and the partial is becoming increasingly partial) neatly describes the state that most of us exist in these days. Doing several things at once, increasing the 'I know'but not necessarily translating that into the 'I do'.
That being said, if there is one person in a thousand that translates the information into action, then job well done. Effort rewarded. Keep writing...
Posted by: Mike Alderson | April 24, 2009 at 08:56 AM
Great insights everyone. Thank you very much. And thanks to those who picked up the phone and called. You've helped stimulate my thinking, which in my particular case WILL lead to new actions. :) Stay tuned!
Posted by: Tom Asacker | April 24, 2009 at 09:50 AM
Tom,
'Experience Design' is quite the rage in the product/service/web-interactive design industry. This is because of a growing primary focus on the customer and reverence for observation, ethnography, and profiling.
Yet, much of this thinking resides within the design field - and to a related degree in the innovation field.
If you can take some of these approaches, and package them for a marketing audience, you'd have an excellent new tool to have in your arsenal.
I can't say quite how, but I hope this helps :)
Posted by: Mario Vellandi | April 25, 2009 at 02:37 AM