Meet Me @ innovationROI.com

OK, I'm crying Uncle . . . too many irons in the fire, too many who need and want to focus on Innovation Execution. Simply can't justify actively maintaining two blogs right now.

At least for the near term: Follow Stone, his team of renegades, the Innovation Execution conversation in general, and the High Velocity Radio Show (new, exciting format changes for 2009), and all things dedicated to producing Better Results In Less Time at:

http://www.innovationROI.com/ Blog
http://www.highvelocityradio.com/ Radio Show
https://twitter.com/stonepayton Twitter

See Ya In The Fast Lane . . .

- Stone

ATTN: Atlanta Entrepreneurs / Remote Warriors -- ROAM Rocks !

Clients and colleagues here in Atlanta have been telling me about this cool new place called "ROAM" since March or April.

We'd be at a Starbucks or nearby restaurant trying to get some work done, and the subject would come up . . . "Where can the Entrepreneur / Remote Warrior like me get together with clients, colleagues, and referral partners in a comfortable, professional environment -- without leasing expensive office space?" (The closest thing I have to a boss and a real office is in West Hartford Connecticut.)

Well, I skipped out on The DeSai Group's Sales Meeting a little early yesterday -- and finally went to check this "ROAM" place out for myself. Former IBM Exec, Brian Kramer (he's the handsome one in the pic above) runs this thing . . . and it ROCKS!

• Free Hi Speed WiFi
• Espresso Bar (real bar too)
• Great Food
• Conference Rooms
• Board Rooms
• State of the Art Training Room
• Super Easy Access --Right off GA 400

The list of amenities is way too long, and I really can't do this place justice here.

Check ROAM out for yourself.

*** In fact -- Between now and December 15, Have A Cup Of Coffee On Me. Just tell them Stone sent you, and have them put one of any coffee drink you want on my tab. ***

By the way -- Guess what their fee is for hanging out in the lobby, accessing their High Speed WiFi and talking biz? $0, Zilch, Nada. You'll find the various membership packages heavy on benefits and very cost effective as well.

See ya in the Fast Lane . . . and if I see you in person, it will likely be at ROAM.

What's With All The "Stealth" Marketing?

First, please accept my apologies for the long span between posts.

I've been busy getting up to speed over at The DeSai Group -- the "real" job I recently landed. Well -- there's that, and my little jaunt to London last month.

Among other things, I got my "Innovation Execution" blog up and running. Our readership there is a little different than here I suspect -- Fortune 1000 Execs and a handful of practitioners in the "Innovation" space . . . but you might check it out just the same: www.innovationROI.com

Now -- About this "Stealth Marketing" trend I've been seeing . . .

As soon as I book a guest for the High Velocity Radio Show, the first thing I do is go to their website -- looking for a headshot to post on the HVR site. When I can't find one, plan "B" is to call them to see about getting one. I also like to get their physical mailing address so I can send them a Thank You card after the show.

Here's my beef: I'm amazed at just how hard some (honestly, more than some -- many) make it to contact them !!! No phone number on the site, no e-mail address -- or cleverly hidden so only the most talented and committed of sleuths could find it.

Whoever came up with the "Contact Us" form for websites never fed his kids by selling, I can tell you that.

If you want to keep your sexy little "Contact Us" form go ahead . . . but for Pete's sake (that's just an idiom, it's really for YOUR sake) put your phone number and e-mail address on your website -- and in a prominent place, on every single page.

By the way, my new coordinates are:

stone@desai.com
866.35.STONE (866.357.8663)

How To Sophisticate Yourself Right Out Of Business

How To Sophisticate Yourself Right Out Of Business . . .

I'm on a deadline to complete a chapter with this working title for TSE's Fall E-Book. Typically I'll start such a project by committing my main thoughts on the topic to paper first, then surf around and see what other credible thought leaders might have to say.

(If you've read much of my work, you know that I often have a different perspective -- and sometimes just flat out disagree with "the experts.")

Not the case here though: I've been a fan of Mark Satterfield's work for some time now, and always enjoy getting the periodic e-mail from his shop. This morning, I received an e-mail that touched on the "consultant speak" issue I run into so often. (It's something we speak to quite a bit in SPEED® School as well.) Here's an excerpt from that note:

Excerpt From Mark Satterfield e-mail 10/2/08:

>>>QUESTION FROM A READER
We're a consulting firm with lots of great intellectual capital, but none of our prospects seem interested in it. Help! Todd, Boston

***MY RESPONSE (Actually more of a rant.)
Intellectual capital...first of all I would get away from the habit of referring to your offer of free information that way. The sad truth is that most Intellectual Capital is a rehashing of stuff that's been out in the market for a long time.

So the first question I'd ask is this REALLY something new? Which means that you are subscribing to all your competitors' newsletters and you know what has already been communicated to your prospects. True intellectual capital means that you have a NEW angle, twist or insight. So first take a hard look at what your offering and see if it truly is what you claim it to be, or if you're just using consulting-speak to try to position your report at a loftier height than it realistically is flying.

Let me be blunt...The reality is that you're not McKinsey. You're not the Harvard Business School. So it's silly to try to market the same way they do.

Rather than telling me you have "great intellectual capital", tell me that you have great information that helps clients solve a specific problem. Tell me what the problem is and share some practical ideas that will be helpful to others that face the same challenges. Stop acting like a stereotypical consultant and start acting like a problem solving advisor.

Every time you describe what you do, the message should ring out loud and clear about HOW YOU SOLVE PROBLEMS.

Now, aren't you glad you asked?

***********************************************************************

Thank You Mark for sound advice we all need to follow -- and Thanks for inspiring and informing this next piece of mine.

Wednesday Night Live @ Blank Stage

Innovation is a topic very much on my mind these days . . .

1. I'm currently in the process of courting a Strategic Innovation firm (DeSai Group) in hopes they will invite me to join their team -- to formally represent them in growing their Innovation and Change practice area. (In case you're wondering: Having a "real job" with a Best of Breed firm serving the Fortune 1000, has always been the secret to my success in serving the local entrepreneurial market.) I'm actually out there on the street doing the stuff I counsel local Trainers, Coaches, and Consultants to do in their own Sales & Marketing efforts -- and this "in the trenches" experience is where we get all the rich, practical content that we now provide worldwide in SPEED® School.

2. We've been meeting a lot of truly innovative business people here locally (Atlanta) as we work to book our Fall and Winter line ups for The High Velocity Radio Show.

Enter Brent Brooks and the incredibly talented team at Blank Stage:

Bottom Line: I witnessed an ecstatic client get more real work done in an hour and a 1/2 than he would have accomplished in a month of meetings with some ad agency or marketing guru.

What I Saw Last Night: I won't do it justice here. For that, you'll want to have a conversation with Blank Stage's Lesley Gray. Lesley@blankstageproductions.com 404.406.0366

But see if you can picture this: Armed with just a little input provided by the client (brief questionnaire before-hand, and short interview just before the fun starts), six or seven professional Improv Actors play out in rapid fire, scene after scene vividly portraying dozens of absolutely hilarious situations that effortlessly create awareness, desire, excitement, concern, curiosity . . . and evoke every other thought and emotion one would want to elicit from their target market. Pan camera left, and see the client furiously taking notes the entire time (except when he laughed so hard he spewed his coke and dropped his pen).

It was by far the most entertaining evening I've personally enjoyed in a very long time. More importantly . . .

- The client thinks I'm a genius for connecting him with these folks and this process.

- After 90 minutes of pure delight and fun, this usually harried executive walked away with a bounce in his step, a twinkle in his eye, and more practical ideas for getting the real work of marketing done than he would have ever accomplished through any other means.

If you serve in a marketing capacity for your organization, or consult to those who do . . . get to know the folks at Blank Stage.

Stone Goes "Chic" And Gets New Perspective

I went "Chic" this week !
* Apparently those in the know pronounce this "sheek."

Noted Author and Business Advisor, Elizabeth Gordon invited me to join her "Chic Perspectives" broadcast this week. If you want to hear me spout off on topics like speed, service, and the unique challenges facing entrepreneurs, you can listen in on our homepage or on the Chic Entrepreneur website.

But the real purpose in this post is to introduce you to Elizabeth Gordon. What a phenomenal lady and powerful, refreshing presence -- someone we all have so much to learn from.

Ladies: Just go to the website, and you'll "get it" immediately.

Guys: Don't let the feminine graphics on the website fool you. I don't care what your gender is: If you're serious about jumpstarting your growth and taking your business to the next level . . .

Buy the book, get the newsletter, listen to to the interviews -- and seriously consider reaching out to Elizabeth Gordon personally.

SPEED® School students: If you do write her or speak with Elizabeth personally, please help me recruit her for the Pit Crew. We really want her to conduct a couple laps, and I can assure you we will all be so much the better for it if she does.

SPEED® School Pit Pass Now Available

We've made SPEED® School Pit Passes available for the "StoneSells" community.

Take a spin -- experience two laps at your own pace, in your own way, at no fee.

Request Your Pit Pass at: www.marketmate.org/pitpass.html