Know Care Want

You do it; I do it; everyone does it. We have stuff we want or need to do and we find every excuse available not to do it. In my coaching days, after some self-reflection, I came up with three motivating factors that I seem to slip into when faced with this issue and those are; want, know, or care. 

I know salad is better for me than onion rings but I don't always pick salad. I could learn how to change the oil in my car, but I don't want to so I get the oil place to do it. I may know how to clean a bathroom, which I've done a thousand times, but I don't care to do it even though I do.

This TEDTalk is from a bunch of years ago and it rings just as true as when it was first published. Mel Robbins makes a bold proclamation which is absolutely dead on true. 

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Relationships Are Not Easy

We are twisted complicated creatures. There is pressure to do well, meet deadlines, attain results, and all the while run to find some unattainable goal of success. We are trying to navigate relationships with each other and most importantly with ourselves.

Trust is key – that’s the deal breaker. Without trust, we have nothing. But in business, it’s not always easy to maintain. There is pressure to make a buck, increase market share, and win the customer. And in life, it’s difficult to keep that openness because of competing priorities and baggage from the past.

Easier Said Than Done

It might be unintentional but we measure those around us against those who used to be around us. We have layers to peel through and old habits to challenge in order to build stronger relationships in life and in business. But trust doesn't happen if we’re not trustworthy. This is work for each of us, not just the other person.

We all mess up. We stumble and make mistakes. So we must try our level best not to hold others to a higher standard than we are prepared to hold ourselves. And we should also realize there is no such thing as the moral high ground.

We can improve our relationships with open communication and fairness. I’d rather have a small handful of people in my life I can trust verses a roomful of people I can’t but is that really possible in our busy over competitive time?

That's up to us.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

istock

Digital Demo Dollars

Age is More Than a Number

It's alarming when someone claims the online world is for “the kids”. It's often someone who is more immersed in digital than they even realize. They have email, a cell phone and a Facebook profile. But they claim that the email and phone are for work and the social web is to connect with friends.

We don't need ten social profiles to capture the power of the digital landscape. In fact, that is often when people get distracted by the tools and get away from the entire we reason we connect in the first place.

eMarketer just released a telling survey featuring how baby boomers interact on the web.

The report covers U.S. numbers only but you could make the safe estimate that the percentages for most developing countries where Internet penetration is more than 50% of the population are similar. And with over 76% of North Americans having online access, it's clear it's not just "the kids". How can that affect your revenue line?
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The Report Explains 
"Boomers' lives are going in many different directions, as empty-nesters, step-parents, grandparents and caregivers. For all of these roles, the Internet and digital media are absolutely essential. eMarketer estimates 78.2% of this cohort is online, nearly 60 million adults. Even as their numbers decline, that penetration rate will remain high through 2015. And they control more than $2 trillion in annual spending."
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We can discuss connections and relationships but companies won't invest their time and resources on an altruistic gesture void of potential revenue. Relationships are crucial but wallets are as well. But it is clear that online spending from all demos continues to increase.
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More from eMarketer Report on Boomers
"Boomers spend more time and money online than any other demographic. Younger boomers (ages 47 to 55) spent an average of 39.3 hours online per month in 2010, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Older boomers (ages 56 to 65) averaged only slightly less, at 36.5 hours. A lot of that time was spent shopping -- and buying. Forrester Research reported that boomers spent an average of about $650 online over a three-month period in 2010, compared with $581 by Generation X internet users (ages 35 to 46) and $429 by Millennials (ages 18 to 34).

Boomers also stay connected on the go. eMarketer estimates 86.9% will have a mobile phone this year, and 16.9 million boomers will access the internet from a mobile browser or installed app. In 2015, that number will reach 25.4 million, or nearly 40% of boomer mobile users. This is a market that content providers, game publishers and brand marketers should not pass by."
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It's often said that most people dislike being marketed to which is clearly not supported by their behavior. We will buy into something if it resonates with us and since most – if not all – purchases are conducted on some emotional level, doesn't it make sense that we don’t stop buying at a certain age? 
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eMarketer's Lisa Phillips summation
"Boomers are immediately turned off by association with old age, infirmity and decline. Most brands do not want to 'age' their products with blatant appeals to older consumers. The win-win is to create an overarching brand message that gives a nod to boomers, but also includes younger adults and even grandchildren."
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If your target customers are in the older demos and you are not utilizing digital and mobile channels, is it safe to say you may be leaving revenue on the keyboard?

Kneale Mann

image credit: silicon
source: emarketer