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RIP, Typewriter

By Mark Evans in Main Page No Comments Tags: , ,

TypewriterThe summer before I started to study journalism at university, I spent hours in the basement of my parent’s house learning how to type on a manual typewriter. To graduate, you had to type so many words a minute so the pressure was on to get proficient as soon as possible.

It seems like a long time ago but even more so now that Godrej and Boyce has announced it will stop making typewriters. The Indian-based company is apparently the last typewriter manufacturer in the world.

When the typewriter does disappear, it will likely be a technology that few people will miss or be nostalgic about. It must be like how people felt when the car replaced the horse and buggy. In a few years, people will look at typewriters in museums as strange and antiquated equipment.

For more details, check out the Daily Mail.

Without Core Messaging, You’re DOA

By Mark Evans in Main Page 1 Comment Tags: , , ,

Over the past few months, I have been doing a lot of core messaging work. It’s intellectually challenging and very interesting but it’s also an intense process because the end result can be elusive and take time to pin down.

But at the end of the day, strong core messaging is critical for every company, particularly start-ups looking to establish themselves within noisy or competitive markets. Effective core messaging provides the foundation for pretty much everything a company does to operate their business – PR, business development, marketing, sales, social media, et al.

Not having clear and well-articulated core messaging means not having a well-defined focus about what you do, the value consumers get from using your products or services, and why anyone should care. Without core messaging, you’re at a competitive disadvantage because consumers will not get a good sense of why they need what you’re selling, and how you offer more or better value than the competition.

Given this situation, the strange part is how badly many companies do when it comes to core messaging. For all the effort put into sales and marketing, their core messaging is unclear, scattered and confusing. Not only is it difficult to tell what they offer but it misses a key element – something I describe as the “What’s in for me?” question that consumers ask when considering a purchase. If you’re unable to provide this answer quickly and clearly, you’re doomed.

Without realizing it, I’ve really been doing core messaging for years. As a technology reporter, a key part of my job was interviewing executives about their companies, strategies and products. Then, I would craft a story with a particular angle that I found interesting. The story emerged after spending time reviewing my notes to discover the “nuggets” from marketing-speak that many companies embrace that lets them talk without saying anything.

These days, I go through the same process with clients. I gather a lot of information, ask a lot of questions, pore through their Webs sites and marketing collateral and focus on the needs of target audiences to get a strong sense of who they are, what they and why anyone would care.

Sometimes, the core messaging is obscured or buried so it’s just a matter of dusting it off or giving it a little love. Sometimes, there’s no core message at all, which means starting from scratch.

At the end of the process, I deliver a core messaging “boilerplate” that spells out the who, what and the why I should care. It’s a short document but it gives a company a foundation upon which to layer on other activities such as Web site content, marketing collateral, presentations, sales documents and social media.

Today, I’ll be doing a presentation at MaRS about how start-ups need to look at marketing. Not surprisingly, core messaging is at the top of list because I think many companies focus more on making sure they’ve got it nailed rather than spending their time adding yet another feature or widget to their product or service. But without solid core message, you’re really just spinning your wheels.

What I Learned about Business in 2010

By Mark Evans in Main Page No Comments Tags: , , ,

It is sometimes difficult to believe that it’s been two years since I started ME Consulting – a move that came more out of necessity after parting ways to PlanetEye, an online travel startup.

In many respects, it has been a huge education, as well as a tremendously exciting and satisfying personal and professional adventure. Althought I had worked for three start-ups (Blanketware, b5Media and PlanetEye), there is really nothing like starting and running your own company. When there is no one else to support the business, you can either sink or swim.

In 2009, ME Consulting was all about survival and experimentation. You have to remember the economic downturn was alive and well. so it probably wasn’t the best time to go into business for yourself. My biggest focus was getting enough business to operate for another month. Every new client meant another brick within the foundation, which meant there was no lack of motivation.

As 2010 rolled around, ME Consulting was a going concern. Rather than thinking about surviving, I started to focus on growing the business and doing a better job of telling the world what I do and why they should care. At the same time, the learning curve stayed front and centre. Here are the biggest things I learned in 2010.

1. Life gets a lot easier and more fun with the right partners and people. My partnership with Seth Singer (aka Think 33) has been a win-win professionally and personally. By having Seth as a partner, we’ve been able to expand into a digital agency that offers social media strategy and tactics, Web site development and design, content creation and video production. Basically, we’ve become a one-stop shop – something that wasn’t possible without our partnership.

2. Sell, sell and then sell some more. As much as it’s great having clients, the reality is you can never rest on your laurels, and stop selling. Clients come and clients go, which means the hunt for new business never ceases. It can take a lot of energy and time to be prospecting but it’s a necessary evil to keep a business thriving.

3. Don’t take on business you can’t do. It seems like a simple proposition but it can be difficult to turn down business, particularly if your company isn’t running at full capacity. It is a lesson I learned the hard way after accepting a marketing gig that didn’t seem like a natural fit but the dollars were difficult to turn down. After spending a month scrambling to do the work, I had to concede it wasn’t in my wheelhouse – a decision that frustrated the client, who had entered into the project in good faith.

4. Referrals are good (and the right thing to do). In some ways, this lesson is closely linked to #3. If there is a situation that’s not a good fit, the best move is referring someone to another person or company who can meet their needs. This has three benefits: it avoids you taking on work you can’t do, it helps the other party, and it scores point with the company getting the referral. One of my biggest and most interesting clients happened because I made a referral with no expectations other than doing the right thing.

5. It’s smart to invest in your business. As much as we’re living in a lean and mean environment, there are many benefits to investments that make your business operate more efficiently and effectively. It could be buying office equipment, computer hardware or online services. It could be hiring people to do work that would consume too much of your time. The key is spending where it makes the more sense and you get the biggest return.

6. Make sure your books and finances are well organized. The biggest mistake I made in 2009 was not spending enough time on my finances. It meant having to spend several weeks reviewing receipts, back-dating transactions and categorizing spending to get my books properly organized. While I didn’t perfect my finances in 2010, I was a lot better organized. Next year, maybe the shoebox full of receipts will disappear!

What were the biggest lessons you learned in 2010?

How to Be More Productive at Work

By Mark Evans in Main Page 1 Comment Tags: , ,

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column for the Globe & Mail on how to be more productive and efficient at work. It was inspired by the constant challenges that I meet in making my business operate better. This is particularly relevant given I’m a one-person operation.

The column was read by someone within PWC Canada’s marketing department, who thought I would be a good speaker for one of their weekly meetings. This is despite the fact I’m by no means a productivity or time management practitioner or expert. I do, however, continually seek new ways to become more efficient so what I do bring the table is real-world experience and, of course, an enthusiasm to share.

Below, you’ll find my presentation. Don’t expect to discover any silver bullets that will change how you work overnight. But you might come across some tips, techniques or tools that resonate in some way. As I said during the presentation, getting more productive and efficient takes time and it’s always work in progress. The good thing is if you focus on applying new tools and techniques, there will be dividends.

Work Better, Smarter and More Organized

Life Before Smartphones?

By Mark Evans in Main Page 2 Comments Tags: , ,

As I was leaving a downtown meeting yesterday, I saw a women running a hot dog cart. That in and of itself wasn’t interesting but what caught my eye was that she was intently checking her smartphone, oblivious to the hustle and bustle around her.

It got me thinking about what life was like before smartphones? How did we fill in the small gaps between meetings, during coffee breaks or lunch, waiting in line-ups for groceries or movies, commuting or stuck in traffic?

Today, many people instantly reach for their smartphones to check e-mail, watch videos, surf the Web or play games. While these devices are terrific, what’s been lost in the process? Are we reading fewer newspapers? Are we reading fewer newspapers? Are we spending less think time just thinking with no distractions?

There is a price to be paid for using a smartphone because the time it consumes means that something else has to give. For the gains they offer, there is also a balancing loss.

What’s Your Talent?

By Mark Evans in Main Page No Comments Tags: , , ,

If, like me, you’ve read any of the many Rainbow Magic books, you’ll know that every fairy has a particular “talent”. Some fairies, for example, are really good at playing an instrument, while others excel at flying or dancing.

So, what’s your talent? What’s the one thing that you’re really good at? Are you a super-salesperson? An amazing programmer? A connecter/networker? A superb communicator? An organizer extraordinaire? A motivational expert?

I think everyone is really good at something. It may even be something that they’re not totally cognizant about because it’s a talent that happens so naturally.

The key is discovering your “talent” because if you can do that, then it’s easier to figure out how to do things you enjoy and succeed at. At the same time, it also makes it easier to identify your weaknesses.

At the end of the day, embracing your “talent” makes life a whole lot easier and a lot more fun.

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