Sex Scandals and Marketing

Did I get your attention? Good. They say sex sells, and with the right headline, you can grab almost anyones attention for at least 2 seconds. Here's what's been going on recently:

1. The last couple of days I have been listening to the talking heads on radio and TV discussing the latest Washington D.C. sex scandal involving how one of our elected representatives was caught and confessed to behavior that involved hooking up with strangers for the sole purpose of sexual relief, and doing this in public restrooms and other places. On my trip home tonight, the talk show host said he could not understand why someone would do this and put their entire lives on the line for something that could result in humiliation to themselves, their family, their co-workers... It could result in disease, death, etc. I'm not sure what was worse, hearing this guy talk about it on the radio with his callers, or the fact that he is so ignorant and blind to the other side of the society we live in.

Forget all the psycho babble, the answer is simple. People who do this type of behavior, do it because they want the thrill, the excitement, the satisfaction that is temporary, AND THEY DO NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE FAR-REACHING POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES!

2. Over the Summer, I have been observing, reading, listening to and people in the business world try and come up with the next big solution to all of our problems. It is the I-Phone, it is Networking, it is Windows Vista, it is blah, blah, blah.....



3. Our world wants answers to problems we haven't even come up with yet. "Find the Solution, then we'll find a problem it can fix!" Business folks, continue to search for the short cut, the "easy" button, to be successful, to have it all. Look, there are a lot of good ideas and great people, but no-body and no-idea, is going to be perfect for all of us. I have seen business people risk their life savings, their credit, their time and energies, risking it all, AND THEY DO NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE FAR-REACHING POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES!

Yes, I did repeat myself. I see the blind passion of someone that does not want to see or hear the possible negative side to their actions in both the sex scandal and in the business world.

I'll let those human behavior experts deal with those caught in the sex scandals, but I want to reach out to those of you in the business world, since my expertise is in that arena.

There are a couple of undeniable truths though, that have to do with both topics:

1. We are all human and we respond to positive human interaction. The smile from the clerk behind the counter, the holding of hands when you are sitting with a person you care about. The positive buying experience can overcome price objections, just as a supportive mate can overcome a bad day at the office.

2. We all need attention, or we die. If we do not get positive attention, then we will get negative attention, just as long as someone, somewhere notices us. I learned this when I was 10 years old and had my first dog. Ignore the dog, and he will do something to get your attention, any attention. He'll chew up, throw up or crap on something just to get noticed. Same holds true for us humans.

3. As hard as we may try, there is no substitute for good personal experiences in life and in business. The car dealer with the lowest prices on the junkiest cars, will never do as well as the honest dealer with quality cars.

Finally, I must quote something I have hanging in my office:

Investor’s Business Daily 10 Secrets to Success:

1. How You Think is Everything. Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.
2. Decide Upon Your True Dreams and Goals. Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.
3. Take Action. Goals are nothing without action. Don’t be afraid to get started. Just do it.
4. Never Stop Learning. Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.
5. Be Persistent and Work Hard. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.
6. Learn to Analyze Details. Get all of the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.
7. Focus Your Time and Money. Don’t let other people or things distract you.
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Innovate; Be Different. Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity.
9. Deal and Communicate with People Effectively. No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others.
10. Be Honest and Dependable; Take Responsibility. Otherwise, numbers one to nine won’t matter.

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