I took my Saturday night off from studies and friends to consume some lectures found on iTunes U. Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture” – discussed here – inspired Western Carolina University to have one with political science professor Don Livingston. I won’t talk too much about his character – his southern dialect, he humbleness towards he’s statues, knowledge, and for his speech on receiving a teacher’s award. A tear or two might have fallen from my eyes when he explains that the best day’s work he ever did was when he married his wife. A true inspiration, that’s all I can say.
I will, however, talk about the things he brought up concerning friendship, kindness, and business – and I will try to apply it to marketing and branding.
For more information on Don Livingston, please visit his page on Western Carolina University.
Podcast can be downloaded via iTunes – here
From the lecture
”If you find a turtle on the top of a fencepost, chances are it did not get there by itself”
Quote by Bill Clinton – told to him by a relative.
If you see someone who has reached far, chances are that this person has received a lot for help getting there. Few make it to the top alone.
When you have a successful company to manage, or you are seeing a sudden change in your brand value, changes are that it is not you, or your small team of people who made this happen. People helped you, so make sure to find as many of these people as possible and reward them.
Example could be of Apple giving one free song to every customer who has bought a computer the last three years. The company has a good cash flow, and a lot of people buy many products out of the Apple portfolio. It’s a small thing, but as a small token of appreciation.
“It is a huge difference in using one another, and abusing one another.”
Everybody USE someone – to get a name on a resume, maybe a recommendation for a job. That is okay. Make sure to thank those who help you – or else they will feel abused.
“People matter – And people count“
Obama knows this! And one unsatisfied customer might make a bigger difference than you can imagine. The customer is the one who buys the product, make sure to listen when they are not satisfied, they might give you more if you ask for it.
“We can learn something from anybody, even an axe murderer – ask how s/he sharpens his/hers axe!”
You might know how your customer thinks and acts, but sometimes you might need to go far away from your perceived market to find a missing piece. Don’t be afraid of new things or updating it.
Nice tips for the road!
“Cheerfulness & Optimism are contagious”
- Ronald Reagan
“Courage is when you are scared to death, but still saddle up!”
- John Wayne
“Showing up is half the battle – being prepared is another quarter!”
“An environmentalist sees a hill top and says that s/he thinks that we should preserve this beautiful thing. A lumberjack or an industrial investor sees something else. It’s nothing wrong with that – just make sure that you respect the others’ opinion”