Question

Topic: Other

Consultant's Multi-tool, Your Fav. Business Blades

Posted by NovaHammer on 11/28/2009 at 7:49 PM ET 500 Points
Hello all;

I'm interested in what 3 "blades" you couldn't do without in your own business arsenal? Is it a tool, school, support group/network?
What helps you stay current and on the leading edge of change in your world or the outside world and how does it help...other than MP's KH Exchange of course.

Is it the NY Times, BBC, local media, Chamber of Commerce ... a certain subscription .... you tell me.

If you weight them 1, 2, 3 ... that would be great - I'd love to hear what 'shivers your timbers'.

Are these new items or long time favourites .... no wrong answers here.


I'm asking this question because I just came across sringwise.com and wondered what else I'm missing that is out there that will keep me fresh.

Cheers from Nova Scotia
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by mgoodman on 11/29/2009 at 9:22 AM Accepted
    If I go public with my secret resources, they won't be secrets anymore, and all you smart consultants will knock off the tools I've been using to differentiate myself as a marketing strategy consultant.

    My career Swiss Army Knife is more like a Ginsu knife. WAIT! WAIT! There's more ...

    10 Recommended Books for Serious Marketers
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 11/29/2009 at 9:45 AM Accepted
    Dear Kevin,

    Four main things shiver my marketing timbers, messages that have: Relevance. Significance. Salience. And the ability to persuade.

    Subscription-wise, three things: 1. Dan Kennedy's monthly "No BS Newsletter" (a paid subscription); 2. The Monday Morning Memo from Roy H. Williams (free from www.mondaymorningmemo.com), and a little something every month from Yanik Silver https://bit.ly/YaniksMavericks

    I hope this helps.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA

  • Posted by NovaHammer on 11/29/2009 at 4:39 PM Author
    Thank you Michael and Gary ... being well rounded is a challenge for me, hence my question ...
    How do you stay in touch with Global Thought patterns outside of marketing or is that even important to be relative my audience??

    I also meant springwise.com in my question .. many new products and thoughts there ...no - I have nothing to do with them before you ask. Just a fresh wave.

  • Posted by telemoxie on 11/29/2009 at 5:06 PM Accepted
    you might take a look at the, "search resources“ link to the right. Some of these are pretty old... but there are some good ones there as well.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 11/29/2009 at 5:29 PM Accepted
    Dear Kevin,

    Globally, I dip into The Economist, the International Herald Tribune,
    and Entrepreneur magazine. Plus a range of design and advertising resources.

    I used to listen to the BBC World Service until they turned the North American transmitters off, and alas, as I'm not an XM Satellite radio subscriber, I can't listen anyway. So, I make do with BBC Radio 4,
    when I get the chance to listen to it.

    I hope this helps.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 11/29/2009 at 5:39 PM Accepted
    This forum does a great job of keeping me current - the questions and others' answers continue to shed new light on areas.

    Some other websites that I find worth reading regularly:
    https://www.NYTimes.com
    https://www.FT.com
    https://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/
    https://www.wired.com

    Locally, Chamber of Commerce newsletters, business section of the local papers, etc.
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 11/29/2009 at 11:37 PM Author
    Great links ..folks although several 'search resources' are only dead-ends now ..time for some in-house keeping perhaps.

    Do you structure your days like me?

    Physical activity, work on PC then work away from PC in pm with real people to avoid 'being assimilated with the online borg'.

    What works for you - what keeps it real?

  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 11/30/2009 at 8:22 AM Accepted
    I am like you in structuring my day. Gym, clean up, emails, then pound the pavement. I have a set # of face to face calls I make each day I like to get back to the office 3ish (perfect world) to follow up on phone, leads, and emails. There have been many days, where I figure "it won't matter" if I skip those calls "just once", but the routine keeps me moving. And it never fails, that one call I was going to skip-- makes my month.
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 12/2/2009 at 8:15 AM Author
    I guess what I'm looking for in different words are Connectors TOOLS as defined by Malcolm Gladwell in Tipping Point. Haven't read Blink yet, bought myself "Dog" for christmas. Asked my wife to hide it so it'll be a treat.

    More Links to people who know lots of people esp. mavens outside my demographic profile (read - young people or people on the leading edge of change here) are what I crave.

    Wired should help alot - thanks Jay.

    PS
    It's all a challenge still for me....i.e.: why do they make the numbers so small on electronic handheld devices ... to difficult for my old bifocaled eyes!

    Juliet and Coral thanks. I'm a social creature so structure is what keeps me in line or I would just hang out a this virtual Pub all day.... although sometimes it becomes a 'whine' bar too ..... but a most interesting one!

    Sorry couldn't resist.

    I'll close this in a day or so. Any more blades to help me open a few new cans of worms?




  • Posted by mgoodman on 12/2/2009 at 2:51 PM Moderator
    The best thing you can do, IMHO, is to keep your mind agile and working. Different people have different approaches to that ... reading, exploring, solving puzzles, writing, mentoring, gaming, etc. The important thing is that you exercise your mind just as you exercise your body.

    If you don't have a passion, it's not quite so easy, because everything seems forced. If that's the case, set a goal of reading one business book each week and keeping a journal of what you've read and what you've learned from it. Then perhaps you can start a blog and share your views on those books with others.
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 12/3/2009 at 12:36 PM Author
    Thanks Michael,

    I still need my bifocals to get the info into my CPU (re Brain here) so grey letters on a black background keypad are frustrating... browsing the book store aisles is great for me to see what is selling an who is buying also rather than just graphs and numbers and who does name those books anyway??
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 12/4/2009 at 11:21 AM Author
    Thanks again, enjoy your weekend!

BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Other)