The Navy Jacket

For years, I observed with great internal humor co-workers attempting to be more than they really were. In a Fortune 100 corporate environment, that's not too surprising as everyone seems to be vying for position and using every political maneuver known to man to make their special mark. What humored me was to watch well-educated, talented and skilled people take on the persona of something they were not.

As in many big corporations, executive management level personnel like to wear the standard issue navy blazer when it comes time for client meetings, internal departmental meetings, special events, etc. This became increasingly popular when the casual attire rules became wide spread and ties were no longer required. We've all seen them. Executive VP's would drop in from corporate headquarters adorned in their special navy blazer to check on the worker bees.

Why? Well, you have to set yourself apart somehow to demonstrate your authority over others. I guess a title and hefty salary aren't enough.

The sad truth to this is that those who thought they were executives did the same thing - wearing the navy jacket to meetings. It seemed that if you had anyone that worked under you, then you must put on the special coat. Not everyone played this game - including myself.

Part of this story works - setting yourself apart in business from competitors is a must. You certainly want to distinguish your services, solutions, products, people, etc. from all the rest.

However, it is the other half of the story that can bite you on the backside. If in your attempts to be singled out or distinguished means looking like everyone else or doing what others are already doing, you haven't accomplished anything.

That's what happened with the navy jacket scenario - the wanna-be's wore them too which degraded the purpose of the coat. I even had a colleague who was new to the company, asked me about the jacket situation, then decided to wear one himself to a group meeting - as a joke. Turns out that none of our executive management members wore theirs! Purpose defeated.

And that's the point - have purpose to your efforts to stand out. Create value distinctives that are unique to your business. Develop a company snapshot that no one else can claim. Plan to succeed with a strategic roadmap that specifies where you need to focus your marketing efforts. Be creative, noticeable and attractive to your intended market. Leave the navy jacket at home.

Roadmaps for Strategic Travel

It's been said that 'strategy is everything'. There are certainly good arguments to support that statement especially those that pertain to your business.

Most people wouldn't dream of taking a road trip without a map. But many businesses feel they can 'fly by the seat of their pants' and do just fine. No plan, no map, no strategy and no real direction. Where does that usually take you? In most cases, the land of frustration which is full of shattered dreams, missed opportunities and plenty of headaches.

Your remedy? A well defined plan. If you are expecting great results from your business efforts, you have to put a plan in place to indicate where you are going to go. Because your marketing is the primary driver behind your sales efforts, you must put a strategic roadmap in place that defines where you want to go, why you should go there, what opportunities there are, what you can expect to achieve, how you will conquer and who you will win.

Your strategic marketing roadmap becomes the guide that answers the logical who, what, where, when, how and why questions. It includes a schedule, time line, resources required and budget needed to meet that revenue bogey that you established.

Knowing which pathways to take and include within your roadmap are key. And, knowing which 'vehicles' to use is equally important. You'll also want to be certain that your tactics are prioritized and are in logical sequence.

Capture results and measure the effectiveness of your plan. Simply having a plan doesn't guarantee anything. It is how you put your roadmap together, execute and manage it that will determine its effectiveness.

Go out there and enjoy your revenue-seeking travels...and be sure you know where you're headed!