e-leete perspectives

I thought that this quote from a blog by Keith McFarland, author of The Breakthrough Company, is simple, yet powerful in it focus:

Take 10 minutes right now and ask yourself, 'What one thing should I do tomorrow that will have the biggest positive impact, on my business?' And then don't stop until it is done.

In context, the quote was meant to provide a start on compressing your own strategy cycle time to help cope with the "perilous times." But I can take this same question and provide focus in other areas as well. "What one thing should I do tomorrow that will have the biggest positive impact on my sales . . . on my family . . . on my team?"

The focus comes in several ways. First, the call is to determine the one thing that can be done. Second, it is personal, for it ask for the one thing that I can do. Third it is immediate. I take the 10 minutes right now and the action begins tomorrow. compress your own strategy cycle time. Lastly, it is persistent, don't stop until it is done.

To view the entire blog entry, click here.

I thought that this was an amusing look at how marketing can go awry. From simple elegance to crowded, information-laden packaging. I read that this was actually a presentation that was prepared by folks within Microsoft itself making the case for how they needed to change their processes (and perhaps policies). For me, it is a reminder of how important it is to "keep it simple"---to focus on the customer--their needs, wants and perspective.

I was editing some marketing material fact sheets today. It is amazing how quickly they can be loaded with jargon. The text can become convoluted phrases and paragraphs that may you ask the question, "What are you really trying to say?" and "Will this matter or make sense to the person who is going to read it" or worse, "Will they even want to read it?"