Action Creates Reaction and War in the Boardroom

I offer to give my eBook away for free and ask for people to fill in a survey. This creates a volume of reaction.

I have been busy. Thanks for all the feedback!! I am still processing it. One interesting note is there are many opposing views or opinions.

I have always noticed this action creates reaction effect and often used it in a slower economy. If the phone does not ring, dial it.

My speed reading tip of the day is "Don't Read It". Just because I pick up a book or start to read an article does not mean I have to finish it if I am not getting value from it. Part of filtering is deciding what not to take in.

Sometimes I find a book that does not resonate now might be highly interesting in a year and sometimes I start to re-read the book I thought was awesome and I find it is not longer interested. I think it is partly based on interests and circumstances at the time.

One person gave survey feedback that I should do less book reviews. I am hopeful that he or she did not waste time reading them if they are not for them.

And my book review today is on "War in the Boardroom - Why Left-Brain Management and Right-Brain Marketing Don't See Eye-to-Eye - and what to do about it" by Al and Laura Ries. I loved the book just like I like most of Ries stuff - I have been a follower almost from the start when Al Ries and Jack Trout wrote the great classic "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing"

Since then Al Ries has teamed up with his daughter Laura and written a number of other books - mostly on the same topic. They write about branding and positioning.

I do not like the title as I think most of the battles they talk about - management vs marketing actually take place outside the boardroom.

The branding rules they talk about are simple and logical. Focus on one thing. Do not try to be everything to everybody. Be dominant in a category. One brand - one category (so don't try to sell Crest soap). I love the logic in it but I still find it hard to focus.

The thesis of the book is left brained people (logic based - who they say are management) conflict with right brained people (intuition based - who they say are marketing). Management wants to extend the brand, marketing knows better.

It is all about perception. It may not even be current sales that determine how strong a brand is, it is what the customers think of the brand that will create future strength. It is not so much about the product which is often the sole focus of management.

I am a strong believer in much of what the Ries have to say and suggest everyone should read a few of their books. I would suggest starting with one of their earlier books. Their views on branding and positioning are right on.

Right now, I am struggling with what the Jim Estill brand will be. CEO, Time Management Guru, writer, speaker, board member, consultant, mentor etc. A part of me wants to be everything although I know this dilutes what I am doing.

I also think social media (Blogs, Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook etc) is new to the branding arena and will have a material impact. No one truly knows what that impact will be or how to capitalize on it.