What the New GM is Going to Be

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on June 10, 2009 under making a difference | Be the First to Comment

I was blown away by the new GM commercial last night.  The one minute marketing segment introduced the Reinvention of GM.

Call me Pollyanna (many do) but I liked the fact that they started by admitting some of the wrong directions they’d traveled and then firmly, clearly stated the new direction:

• Fewer, stronger brands
• Fewer, stronger models
• Greater efficiencies
• Better fuel economies
• New Technology

In short “leaner, greener, faster, smarter.” 

I loved the statement “we aren’t going out of business, we’re getting down to business” and “the only chapter we’re focused on is Chapter One.”

Of course, in the process of seeking out a copy of the commercial to share, I found the Spoof version which slaps the face of all those hoping to see GM turn around – for the company, for the employees and most importantly for our country.

But no matter how you feel about GM, their marketing campaign or their business practices, here are a few things we can all take away from the commercial:

1.  We need to look at how we do business – are we trying to be all to everyone and therefore not succeeding to be anything to anyone?  Fewer brands.  Fewer services.  Niche message – that’s the way of the near future if we plan to be successful.

2.  Are we efficient?  Are there ways we can do more with less?  Do less but do it better?  Spend less.  In the most recent issue of Advertising Age, the lead article is entitled “Marketers fear frugality may just be here to stay.”  Okay, from a marketing perspective that’s bad – but really if we look at how we spend our time, money and energy to strive to be more efficient and more effective – is that such a bad thing?

3.  In the midst of utter failure – the executives of GM (well, at least those that write their marketing copy) are “getting down to business.”  They are focused on success.  They are going to do whatever it takes to remain a viable option in the competitive auto industry.  The message is one of passion and commitment.  We can all use a little of that passion for our own business – our customers – our future success.  If you had to make a statement with the greatest conviction about your business – what would it be? 

I once had a franchisee whose store was in the snow belt of America.  Winter months brought few customers and even fewer dollars and during those months he’d refer to himself as “Dead Fred.”   The reference signfying that he was unable to pay his bills – ‘dead in the water.’    It was his annual “giving up” season. 

Have we given up?  Have we given in to the recession – oh well, it is the economy – nothing we can do.  We’ve been doing business this way for years – can’t change now. 

Certainly that could be what the auto industry in general and GM specifically could be saying but if we are to believe their new commercial, they aren’t going to give in.  No Dead Fred here. 

I hope the new advertising message is more than a campaign – rather the new way of doing business.  Just like each day I need to look in the mirror and see what my New “GM” – my new way of business will be based on the changing environment. 

What will your New “GM” be?

Three Little Words

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on March 10, 2009 under General | 2 Comments to Read

Can you believe we are nearing the end of the first quarter of 2009?  Time goes so fast and yet so little changes. 

I was in a planning meeting recently in which we discussed our focus for 2009.  Lively discussion ensued but I wondered how much effort was being put towards making change happen for each of us sitting around the table.  Our leader, Norma Rist, shared a blog post by Chris Brogan in which he describes his “three word” theory for his business.

Rather than have a lengthy plan with finely crafted mission statements that no one refers to after it is skillfully typed into their computer; he chooses three words.  Each word represents a bigger picture initative.  However, by narrowing the focus to three words he can easily remember them.  If he has staff – they can remember them.  And if you can remember your goals, you have a better chance of directing your daily efforts towards one of those words. 

His three words for 2009 are: Equip.  Armies.  Needles.

To you and I they mean nothing, but to Chris – they speak volumes. 

My three words are:  Follow-Up, Bite and Charge!

Follow-up on what I say I’ll do for my customers, on prospects, on leads from my centers of influence and on my personal growth projects like my newest book in the works “Make or Break Moments: Revolutionizing Customer Relationships.”

Bite:  Means that I’ll bite off one piece of a project at a time.  So often we get overwhelmed by the tasks ahead of us.  They say the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time and that’s the way I’m approaching my life in 2009.

Charge!: Well it can stand for a “go get ’em” approach to business but this year it refers to actually treating my business like a business and charging for my services, my products and my expertise.  If you are one that has a tendency to discount your services or give them away for free, I invite you to visit Summit Consulting or to read Alan Weiss’ book Value Based Fees.  

So what does the Three Little Words exercise have to do with customer service or make or break moments? 

In a tough economy, we need to stay focused.  Life happens and we allow our business to run us rather than the other way around.  Our focus shifts from customers to margins to profitability to Internet marketing to staying ahead of the bill collectors and out-doing the competition.  With this scattered, shotgun approach to each day, we’ll never transform our business into the customer-focused establishment we dream of.  We find ourselves spinning, not moving forward and just barely staying afloat.

I would suggest you consider Chris Brogan’s Three Little Word approach to goal setting for this year.  Then each day make sure that your time is spent working towards one of those words.  Post the words by your computer, in the bathroom, on your Blackberry, and even read them into an audio recording and put them on your iPod. 

What will your three words be?  Which one will focus on the customer?  My customer word is FOLLOW UP. 

Will you share your words here?  Let’s check back in a month and see how we are doing on our words.  Sound good?