On My Radar: Surviving and Thriving .

Become A Resource Waiting To Happen –

and It Will.
I was recently interviewed for an article in Main Line Today titled “Who’s Surviving and Thriving.” If this
is true about me it is because I have begun serious examination, review and education in the process of
surviving. Musing about this topic, some key words came to me: surviving=challenge=growth=new
beginnings=strategy=guerrilla marketing=battlefield/marketplace=survival tactics.

Survival tactics, a practice commonly applied in describing battles, selecting weapons and other war-
related terms, is now a phrase that many of us are using to describe survival in these recessionary times
where the enemy is the economy (unseen) and forces beyond our immediate control. The Battlefield is,
well, everywhere we go. The supermarket , our desks where bills become law (I know, it happens in
Washington, too), and, the workplace—the new frontline.

And everyday we face the enemy, it is ubiquitous, and unyielding. Statistics often belie the reality, and
promises by politicians and business leaders often cloud our personal decision-making. Yes there are
rays of sunshine and glimmers of hope ( for example new homes sales are up and the housing industry
seems to reflect positive activity. But if not now, when? This is THE time of year when sales are the
strongest, plus the added measures of low interest rates, reduced prices, tax and other incentives and
flourishing inventory. ) This may be a beacon to some, glimmer to others, but it does present
opportunities to be a resource as businesses are activated along with home sales and ensuing
marketplace/workplace activity.

Prioritization. Perhaps. More targeted to survival: “Madonna-ization” of ourselves, families, businesses

and organizational cultures – reassessing who we are, what our skills and passions are, the availability of
collaborative resources, goal-setting and how we can optimize and monetize all of this. Many questions
to be answered. Begin with honest evaluation.

Before you even hit the ground, bring your skill set with you. Choose wisely. This may surprise you. The
sharpest tools are the ones you are the happiest with not necessarily the ones you have been using. Less
rhetorically, take your ideas that you believe in and have been kicking around and talking about for
years, the depth of knowledge and understanding and the passion behind them, and then let them work
for you. (Take the test, don’t let the test take you). You may not win the first battle – or get the sale the
first place you visit, but you will learn what you need to in order to win the 2 nd, 3rd or 4th time. Then you
will have the satisfaction of winning your own game, not the game you may have been winning for
others.

As a marketer, I am called upon to be a Madonna regularly, but the reinvention process never strays
from the basic mission and identity. Brand identification and issue shaping and molding is what I do
best. But that doesn’t preclude change, it invites it. It is essential to be evolving, learning and growing,
despite learning curves in digital mastery, familiarity with technical vernacular and becoming more
adroit in information access, documentation and application.
SEO components, new opportunities for compelling drip campaigns, establishing new links, distribution
and enhanced content and visibility that may be unique to a particular industry, region, culture,
organization, sport or nonprofit can be designed and tweaked very easily and inexpensively. Something
that happens within a particular industry may trigger an opportunity for others, rivals or competitors, to
extol their programs, services or products , or even present their own case to the public. Now they have
a forum, the platform is just a click away. And the digital landscape, like the Blue Horizon, may loom as a
giant ray of sunshine on our daily battlefield, not just the frontline, but the new frontier.

B2B, B2c and P2P marketing engages everyone to be more strategic in targeting communications. In
order to do that you must really do your homework and spend the time doing research. It may not be as
exciting as the actual implementation, but it accomplishes your goals and builds your own credibility,
trustworthiness and reliability not to mention your background and resourcefulness. Become a resource
looking for a place to happen – and it will.