Getting Noticed...and Ways to Get There
THE NOTICEABILITY THRESHOLD: In many cases we THINK we’re changing, but it isn’t noticeable and ends up a lot of meetings, labor, effort and concern without results. I’ll guess most companies are moving forward are around a 5, when there’s the opportunity to strive for a 10.
ONE=NO ONE NOTICES…NOT EVEN MANAGEMENT
THREE=TOP MANAGERS & THOSE IN SENIOR MEETINGS NOTICE
FIVE=MOST INTERNAL EMPLOYEES NOTICE, THOUGH NO-ONE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING
SEVEN= THE INDUSTRY STARTS TO NOTICE
NINE=THE TIPPING POINT: THE GENERAL PUBLIC NOTICES
TEN=YOU HAVE CREATED SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND COMPELLING ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE PARADIGM
TV News is notorious. A new set ain’t going to deliver anything near a Ten
Now, a few big picture execution thoughts:
AFDI — Actually F—–g Doing It…meaning anyone can talk big, it’s up to us to DELIVER big. It also refers to Taking Care of Business. Fast…responsive and operating at the speed of 2021. The Media/Entertainment business is especially non AFDI as in “Hey man, no problem…I’ll take care of it” and then…nothing. Or meetings that dilute rather than crystallize new concepts. Look at any consistently successful person and AFDI in in their DNA
PASSION-CHARACTER-MUSCLE —
Passion—Viewers/listeners know we are in to for the passion…not a quick buck or the latest trend
Character—We ooze it. We ain’t generic
Muscle—Big, bad ass and omnipresent
HIGH IQ/LOW BS — We hire smart people with zero BS, bad attitude or drama
APTITUDE — SO important. There are BRILLIANT people who simply don’t have the aptitude for what we do. I’ll bet Einstein would make a horrible songwriter (but would mind having hm on the tech team). The point is that theres a very specific aptitude for what you do
NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU DID—IT’S WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO — Again, the Media/Entertainment space is the worst. People who go on and on about their past— are living in it. Speaking of past, whenever we’d launch a new programming concept, track record was irrelevant if not problematic..it’s the aptitude for whats NEXT. Respect the past. Celebrate the future
SELECTIVE INPUT — In todays blog, newsletter, conference world, its easy to get poisoned by the latest and greatest. Input is knowledge ! Just get it from the RIGHT sources
CONTROLLED INSANITY — Great ideas are by design and relative to the norm , insane. SO—the insanity must be marshaled, focused and controlled
CREATIVE BY COMMITTEE — Never! A small group advisors/collaborators, of course. Committees that drag things out is everything wrong with big media. And the point is we execute, not spend hours debating, overthinking or acting important.
FIRST PROGRAM…THEN SELL —S tole this one from Todd Storz, the programming pioneer. It means create a product SO fresh that it drives the brand vs. designing around sales or technology. “Content is king” is a cliche. Revenue is king. BUT—-create the revenue by FIRST creating the killer content.
CONTENT SUCKS — The word does. we have to use it externally, but internally, thats like calling music “product.”…..its Programming
AVERAGE SUCKS — Important! Take a restaurant. A Michelin starred place..great! A cool dive…great! Dennys? No—its ‘average’…same applies to us
BULLSHIT BINGO — (from wiki) Buzzword bingo is generally played in situations where audience members feel that the speaker, in an effort to mask a lack of actual knowledge, is relying too heavily on buzzwords rather than providing relevant details. Business meetings led by guest speakers or notable company personalities from higher up the pay scale are often viewed as a good opportunity for buzzword bingo, as the language used by these speakers often includes predictable references to arcane business concepts, which are perfect for use in the creation of buzzword bingo cards.
THE TECHNOLOGY EXCUSE — This is where technology is “the answer” irregardless of how other areas of the company might suck. Tech is a “duh” You GOTTA be the best to survive. But forgetting about the ‘other stuff’ is deadly. Take music—how about a brilliant sound that is amazing on a state of the art system? It’ll still be ‘average’ if the song aint great.
COMPLETENESS — Where EVERYthing is operating at 150% Right down to the way the receptionist answers the phone.
ECCENTRIC….ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK — You don’t want eccentric Surgeons or Cops….but in building new media ideas, that eccentricity can be very powerful, if channeled right.
PREACH AND TEACH..TO REACH — A lost art. TEACHING. GUIDING. MENTORING. It won’t happen through osmosis…you have to teach…inspire…lead…