Regular contributor Marcus Clifford has been looking for inspiration recently. His latest article talks about someone who has sparked his interest!
Looking for more Print Industry inspirational blogs? Find more from Marcus Clifford on EoD here.
The stimulating, energising and motivational power of people and thinking differently. Linked to the Power of print to create magic, a feast for the senses and influence by a changed narrative. PHEW!
I remember a former boss of mine who had recently come back from Harvard asking what we were all doing to give ourselves time to stimulate and refresh ourselves. At the time, I thought this was a bit of an indulgence. I was in the head-down and crack-on mindset and had no time for such things. How wrong I was. Only later did I fully appreciate and realise the full meaning of his comment.
We all need to be stimulated, open up new options for ourselves, respark our interests, and recharge our motivation. This is a core part of what I offer to business owners, along with allied specific outputs.
Innovation, creativity, selling the magic of print differentiates print companies in the eyes of a customer. I deliver workshops on embedding this in businesses as part of a mindset, a process and a connector to new customers and growing existing customers. Use the language of creativity that matches the great solutions and outputs of our sector.
Selling, communicating, delivering innovation and creativity are now one of the biggest differentiators between Print service providers. It’s the greatest connector to new customers. How are you doing here and what are your sales function delivering in a unified and holistic manner?
Call me to discuss and open up some tangible and practical ways to progress your sales development.
Print Industry inspirational blog
I see a great yearning in business owners and team leaders for fresh perspectives, stimulation, time for creative thinking, the space to look at things from a different angle and perspective, and the desire to recharge and be reenergised. It does need a conscious decision and conscious action, though. I have written extensively about what hampers this and what those who do positively get out of it. The benefits are great.
Rory Sutherland is my new energiser and inspires me to think and see things differently and I would love to spend some time in his company. His book ‘ Alchemy’: ‘The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life’ is great. It’s about the surprising power of ideas that apparently don’t make sense. See him on Facebook.
We all want to be Alchemists
He explains why we should let go of logic so we can generate brilliant ideas, solve our problems creatively, and successfully influence the world around us . I like the meaning of an Alchemist and might add it to my Boosterologist nomenclature. An Alchemist attempts to ‘purify, mature and perfect certain materials’.
His book promo says, ‘If anyone has a good argument for why rational thought is overrated, it’s Rory – he is the champion of solving problems by thinking counterintuitively’. More than most, he understands that decision-making is mostly emotionally led, and we then post-rationalise.
I see a lot of his comments can be used across our sector and with teams and individuals. My Pep and Tonic sessions are tailored to achieve this also. So give me a call and recharge, renergise and re motivate with someone who understands our sector.
Some of his quotes to ponder on:-
‘We don’t value things; we value their meaning. What they are is determined by the laws of physics, but what they mean is determined by the laws of psychology.’
‘Trust grows at the speed of a coconut tree and falls at the speed of a coconut.’
The opposite of a good idea can be another good idea. Conventional logic loves the idea of a single right answer. This is because, once you’ve come up with this answer, no matter how narrow the pool of material you’re pulling from, no one can fault you for following the logic that made you arrive at your conclusion, because no subjectivity was involved. However, this is potentially disastrous if you want to generate an original idea.
Some other of his Bon Mots relevant to our sector and how we present ourselves:-
The Power of Perception: Sutherland emphasises that the value and perception of services can be substantially altered psychologically without altering their physical properties.
Reasoning vs. Magic: The book argues that while reasonable solutions are necessary, they may not be adequate. ’Magic’ — creative, unconventional thinking — often leads to more efficient and innovative solutions. Tap into the power of your team
The Importance of Framing: How a choice is presented (its framework) is vital. Sutherland illustrates that changing the context or narrative around a product can dramatically influence decisions and preferences.
Embrace the Unreasonable: Sutherland encourages embracing counter-intuitive and seemingly irrational methods, as they can cause competitive advantages running a business and marketing.
A Nice testimonial on me.
‘What sets Marcus apart is not just his expertise in strategy, marketing and change but his understanding of the intricacies of human behaviour. In addressing these aspects, He brings a refreshing approach that goes beyond the conventional. His insights are forward-thinking, leveraging emerging trends while staying rooted in fundamental business principles.’
I’m not putting myself in the same company as the esteemed and fantastic Rory Sutherland but do suggest if you want a catalyst of change, progress your business, reenergise your focus and motivation, give me a call to discuss. Marcus Clifford The Printboosterologist, Nee, Alchemist! :0) Marcus@printboosterologist.solutions 0774 381 8806
