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What Is Hip?

By Walt Carvalho

Since this is the season of sharing, I thought I would share a story with you.

It’s about being ahead of the curve, as well as providing great value. It’s the ability of a group of musicians to provide excellence over many years, in a very unique way. It’s the story of a track record of success.

Tower of Power is an American soul and funk band originally from Oakland, California.
The bands roots are traced back forty years to the late sixties, where they also developed their unique rhythm and blues sound. They provided their listeners with a new and dynamic horn section (second to none), a funky driven rhythm duo on electric base and drums and soulful lead vocals.

In 1970 Tower of Power recorded their first album. They were then picked up by a major recording label.

In 1973 their continued success led them to produce their third of many albums. One of the hits on that album titled “Tower of Power” was the song titled “What Is Hip?”. I titled this article not only after the name of this song, but also because of what the title means to me.

It’s ironic that one of their hit songs is based on something short-lived. When you think of terms like; “hip”, “cool”, “tight” and “sick” you think of the era the label is attached to. You think of the time-link in our society.

“Hip” for this band became timeless. I always found it amazing to see them perform while watching along side people in the audience of all ages and musical genres. It was common to see people from the full spectrum of musical tastes and interests enjoying the experience of seeing these musicians perform in person.

It’s always been a treat for me to hear the ‘wall of sound’ Tower of Power’s horn section produced, to feel that funky rhythm of the base and drums, the instrumental layering of the guitar and keyboard, along with the soulful vocals of their lead singer. I guess what makes them “hip” today is the value and energy they bring to every single show.

To leave a show and hear the people of all ages and genres saying: Wow! That was great! Those guys are awesome! That is the creation of value. Value, which has led to long-term success.

Where is value on your priority list?

So thanks to social media, I would like to share one of those performances with you. Here are the sights and sounds of “Tower of Power” performing “What Is Hip?”. Who knows this might be the stepping-stone for you seeing them live on stage one day as well.

Enjoy!

Are there Craters on your Social Landscape?

By: Walt Carvalho

As the night appears with it’s stars set so far in the distance, we see the moon, flat and round. To our eyes the lunar landscape appears as a white circle, with its seas represented as gray shadowy images. We gaze, not truly seeing the roundness or the detail.

Now, if we were to use the proper tool, such as a telescope, we would be able to see it’s true overall shape and the countless craters making up its surface. Looking through the lens we would get a very different view. The natural beauty of the moon’s extraordinary craters and vast flat lands would mesmerize us. We would be able to experience the moon in a much better way. Our concept of the moon would become more defined. That is what a telescope can do.

Now, the question is; is your business being seen as that flat white image or is it seen as being well defined? There are tools for defining who and what you are and what you do.
You become out of the public focus if you are not taking advantage of the tools available today in the social marketplace. Social platforms with the skills and strategies to optimize them can give your brand clarity and focus., This comes from people spreading your word for you.

Think about that the next time you see that white circle in sky.

image: sacredmtn.com

The why imperative

by Seth Godin

Successful organizations spend a lot of time saying, "that's not what we do."

It's a requirement, because if you do everything, in every way, you're sunk. You got to where you are by standing for something, by approaching markets and situations in a certain way. Sure, Nike could make money in the short run by licensing their name to a line of wines and spirits, but that's not what they do.

"That's not what we do," is the backbone of strategy, it determines who you are and where you're going.

Except in times of change. Except when opportunities come along. Except when people in the organization forget to ask, "why?"

If the only reason you don't do something is because you never did, that's not a good reason. If the environment has changed dramatically and you are feeling pain because of it, this is a great reason to question yourself, to ask why.

The why factor is really clear online. Simon and Schuster or the Encyclopedia Britannica could have become Google (organizing the world's information) but they didn't build a search engine because that's not what they do. Struggling newspapers could have become thriving networks of long tail content, but they chose not to, because that's not what they do.

Why?

That's the key question, one that organizations large and small need to ask a lot more often now that the economy is officially playing by new rules.


Posted by Seth Godin on November 10, 2009
http://sethgodin.typepad.com

The Red Balloon

By Walt Carvalho
There are many business owners who insist that the best way to promote their business is through the process of “word of mouth”. In many ways I would say that I would agree. There is no better way to promote you than through the words of someone else.

Let’s take a look at this great system of business growth:

Lisa buys a red balloon at the market for her sister, Kate. It’s an awesome balloon. It had a very remarkable shape of a heart with many smaller hearts attached to the outside of the larger one. It was the design of a master, who could create such an illusion and still be able to fill it full of helium.

Kate loves her new balloon. She decides that she is going to tie the string, which is connected to the balloon, around her wrist and have it float above her everywhere she goes. She takes it to the dinner table for supper. She has it with her as she does her homework. Kate even has it when she watches a movie before going to bed. She had never seen a balloon as beautiful or intriguing as this one. Finally Kate ties the balloon to her bedpost. Staring at her prized possession above her, she drifts off to sleep.

The first thing that Kate sees as she awakes is the sight of that beautiful red balloon as it hovers above. She ties the string once more around her wrist, as she gets ready for school.

Kate’s mind wanders as she says good-bye to her sister Lisa at the door. She knew that her friends at school would love her balloon and would probably each want one for themselves as well.
Just then, Lisa shouted out, “Kate look up”! Kate quickly looked up in front of her house into the sky to see her magnificent red balloon floating up toward the clouds.

“I thought I tied it good enough” she whispered, as she began to cry.
Lisa, seeing this, quickly put her little sister in her car and drove to the market where she had originally bought the balloon. “Excuse me sir". Lisa says,"I can’t seem to find another balloon like the one I had bought here yesterday. Do you know where I can find another one just like it”?

“No, I’m sorry Miss". The store owner replied."That was all I had in stock". "I don’t even know the name of the balloon manufacturer who made it”.

Lisa then sadly dropped Kate off at school, as her red balloon was now completely out of sight.

What a sad story for Kate, Lisa and that balloon manufacturer. Kate could have had her balloon replaced while all of her classmates could have bought some for themselves (if they knew who manufactured it). Kate's classmates friends and families could have seen or read about these great red balloons online and so and so on.

Instead of that happening, the chain was easily broken by a simple mishap and a company not being properly connected to people

If the balloon manufacturer was connected with the proper social media tools, all of Kate’s friends could have seen the balloon online, Lisa could have easily ordered another balloon for her sister and all of them could have seen the entire collection of all the other products this manufacturer provided.

If social media tools were involved, this process could multiply quickly, but instead, this entire process came to a screeching halt.

The moral to this story is: If you are not properly connected to your customer base today with the new marketing tools that are now available, you must ask yourself one simple question: Why not?

Photo Sunny Marry

Surface Thinking

By Walt Carvalho

“The value of an idea lies in the using of it”.
Thomas Alva Edison

A great analogy you’ve probably heard of is the story of the duck on water. It goes like this: When you see a duck gliding on the surface of a pond, you think of the calm and tranquil way in which they move. If you were to see the same duck from under the surface you would see it’s webbed feet kicking like there is no tomorrow! Oh, the different ways of looking at things.

Now, there is no doubt that we are subjected to surface thoughts daily. It’s in the newspaper. It’s on the radio. It’s on the internet. It’s definitely on television. They come to us as little bits of information, delivered in tidy neat packages, which are labeled “This is all you need to know. There is no need to learn more”. Wow, how comforting is that? Since they just gave me “all I need to know” I guess I can now move on to the next item on their list!

Let’s take a look at some surface talk in action.

“That noisy, smelly contraption well never replace my reliable horse and buggy”- the automobile

“If man was meant to fly, he would have been born with wings”. – the airplane

“No one will pay to go to a professional football game when we have college games already”. – the launch of Pro Football

“All they do on it is tell each other what they had for lunch” - Twitter

Get the Picture?

Photo Mike Moreno

Inside or Outside the Box

By Walt Carvalho

Thinking “outside the box” is one term which has gone through many of staff meetings recently. It is referring to the ability to conceive and create beyond the realm of ordinary thought. Hmmm, interesting!

Well, lets’ take a look at “Inside the box” thinking. To think entirely in the box you must remain in the world of the known, using the systems and approaches of the past. Unfortunately, in doing so you usually do what has been done before. It is the substitution of innovation for the safety of experience. You remain in the common marketplace as a common thinker. You feel very safe in being ordinary but in realty you are constantly falling behind.

Creativity and innovation are the benchmarks of success in this new economy!

The social media landscape enables new creative ways to reach markets through exciting strategic approaches. Unlike the broadcast media’s television, radio, newspaper and magazine outlets, the new availability of social marketing tools have allowed communities to expand brand awareness with the power of digital word of mouth. In this process the receiver of the message also becomes the communicator.

It is through these properly planned strategies that social tools come to life as a viable marketing asset.

Is your view of the box from the inside looking out or the outside looking ahead?

Photo Gneborg