Ann Byne

“A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

As a designer and business owner I find it easy to live by the simplicity rule. Heck I even wrote a white paper titled, "Simple Communications in a Media Cluttered World." In my personal life, well that’s a very different story.
 
Life is complicated, I get that, but I wonder how often I have created my own drama. In my daily life, I rush through a long list of tasks. Hey, I was raised with a one-word mantra, “accomplish.” Checking off a list of items makes me happy. But at the end of the day, I’m exhausted, stressed out and definitely not much fun to hang out with (just ask my husband). Why is it so hard to make time for what we really want to be doing, spending time with loved ones, doing things we’re passionate about?

I’ve lived long enough to have some perspective. What I know for sure, change will happen no matter how hard you try to hold it back and life moves at the speed of light. When your kids are young you can’t wait for them to take a nice long nap. When you become a grandparent you listen at their door waiting anxiously for them to wake up.

Even at my age I’m still a work in progress. Moving forward I will breathe more, live in the moment more and find more simplicity personally. Have you been living a simple life?

Here’s a great piece I read to help living a life a little more simply, enjoy. click here>>

"Spring is the time of plans and projects." –Leo Tolstoy

Feeling unproductive? We’ve all been shut in doors way too long, but spring weather is right around the corner. All I need to do is look at my barren garden with tiny crocuses making their way out of the snow and I feel inspired to plan my next garden project.

Finding work inspiration, now that’s a little tougher. So when I received my March Harvard Business Review with the bold type "Advertising That Works" on the cover I settled in for a good read and hopefully some inspiration. What I took away from it, simply put is "it’s not about us;" "it’s about them," and stop boring "us."

"To win consumers attention and trust, marketers must think less about what advertising says to its targets and more about what it does for them."  –Jeffrey Rayport

Hey spring is all about freshness so why not look for fresh and fun ways to share your marketing message? Be inspired by what the big guys are doing. Just think about the ad campaigns you remember and why. One of my current favorites is "Wonderful Pistachios, Just Keep Crackin!" It’s funny and you actually remember what their advertising. They began by using celebrities, which was fun, and won my heart when they included YouTube’s infamous badass Honey Badger on their online campaign (a character favorite of the entire Byne Group). Click here to watch the commercial. So be inspired and get crackin!

What spring fling are you planning?

I figured out a very long time ago what I “wasn’t” good at. As a child I was a dreamer and staying on task was a struggle. I loved to draw and read, but honestly I just couldn’t see the point of memorizing the times tables or keeping my room in order. According to a study of 1,000 children followed in New Zealand, from the age of 3, a child’s observed personality shows a close similarity at the age of 26. To this day I can’t balance a check-book, and all you have to do is look at my desk to see that organization is not my strong point.

Finding what I was “good” at, well that has been a much longer journey. Recently I hired a talented guide who helped take my entire firm through a process to “seek our natural calling.” Using Strengthsfinder by Tom Rath, we identified our strengths and Dr. Brooks-Greaux has helped us to better understand and develop them.

Yes, I am still a dreamer, but now I understand this is also my great strength. I may get bored easily but thrive when I have a lot on my plate. Given chaotic scenarios I see the big picture and find solutions that others might miss (just don’t ask me for the specific steps that got me there). The bottom line, having people in my firm who help focus my ideas is vital, a Yin for my Yang. Gratefully I have the perfect team.

“A “perfect” team will have the right balance of dreamers, doers, and reviewers to handle the task at hand.” - Charlie Gilkey, CEO Productive Flourishing

So, do you have a Yin for your Yang at work?

"The real secret to success is simple, just do the opposite." –Jerry Seinfeld

Recently I have come to realize that logic can really get in the way of innovation. Ok, we all fear the messy unknown and no, this concept is not for the faint of heart, but sometimes in business and in life you just gotta shake things up. In my firm we spend a decent amount of time listening to what our clients want only to find out occasionally that it¹s not at all what they need. After about the fifth round of changes, which is generally driven by committee, we feel it¹s our duty to shake things up and offer to do the opposite. Why? We don¹t want to settle for adequate and we don¹t want our clients to either.

In my life, I've heard many people tell me how things should be done, some of my best decisions happened when I did the opposite. Opposite of what my parents thought I could or should do, opposite of what my friends did and opposite of what always felt safe. In business especially, long held positions are being reconsidered and we all need agility to make it during exponential times. Happily my staff has taken on my mantra and brought it to a whole new level, and in doing so have won new clients by approaching RFPs and pitches by doing the opposite of what the rule books say.

George Costanza: "Every decision I have ever made in my entire life has been wrong. Every instinct I have in every aspect of life, be it something to wear or something to eat, it's all been wrong."

Jerry Seinfeld: "If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right."

A great example of opposite thinking... a bridge supported only by helium balloons. And yes it would work. click here for more info>

What's your opinion on the subject?

It always surprises me when potential clients ask if we specialize in their industry. Have we ever marketed those widgets, how many websites have we done just for foundations, do you have specific expertise in selling “spicy” chicken wings. Heck you get the idea.  

Over 10 years ago I sat in on a filled to capacity auditorium for Pepperidge Farm Employees. To say there was more cheering than a high school basketball game in that audience is an understatement. What the heck was I doing there? They were a good client and I received a much sought after vendor invite. Although I have not had a food company client since, I still continually use the lessons I learned there that day. Pepperidge Farms are masters at building a powerful brand experience for their customers creating loyalty and growing market share. They also understand the value of strong team building.  

A few years after that Pepperidge Farm meeting we went through one of the worst recessions I had ever experienced and my knowledge of how Pepperidge adapted through multiple recessions helped me guide my clients in navigating those shaky waters.

Again and again my experience in different industries reminds me what they all have in common, people! My non profit clients teach me every day how to help my for profit clients connect through telling stories, while researching for our profit clients helps me better analyze the different segments our non profit clients might have overlooked.  In the end I believe branding is everything but differentiation is key no matter what industry you are in. 

“In an environment where you don’t stand a chance to win anybody’s attention without some magic, a good story might save you and your brand from oblivion.” -Phil Johnson, Contributor to Forbes Magazine

I’m a big fan of Garrison Keillor and his radio show “Prairie Home Companion.” What is it that makes his listeners so loyal? Ask any of his 19,370 fans on Facebook and I bet they will agree it’s his mastery of story telling.

Some of the smartest ad campaigns have learned this lesson well. What dad can’t relate to Subaru’s “Baby Driver,” a story about the moment their “baby” drives the first time. Another favorite is an ad where Mark asks his girlfriend for a second chance using Google Chrome. Talk about viral marketing, this ad has gotten over 408,000 hits on YouTube since it first ran on TV. (if you haven’t seen it take a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjHCCU2E4c)

Websites have become an organization’s most important marketing tool and the best websites are well branded.

Ease of navigation is a given for any successful site, but a great brand experience is what makes a site stand out from the crowd. A website that is well branded and understands its target market will be a special place, and it will not look or feel like your competitors. It should capture your brand personality and your unique tone of voice. The colors, shapes and mood should make visitors feel they are meeting an interesting person who they would want to hang out with and spend some time. If it’s a non-profit it should make them feel something emotionally.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” - Vince Lombardi

This year I am embracing excellence and rejecting the concept of perfection. The most interesting people I know have imperfections, and I never thought I wanted to be perfect. Now ask me if I try to be perfect anyway? Like many people there is a dichotomy between theory and practice. When I make a mistake or fail at something, I do a first rate job of berating myself (just ask my husband who’s been woken at 3 am to hear my tales of woe!).
 
That’s why I love this Vince Lombardi quote and plan to take it to heart.

What is the difference between excellence and perfection? According to Christine Casey, a leadership coach and blogger:

:: Excellence is willing to be wrong. Perfection is being right.
:: Excellence is spontaneous. Perfection is control.
:: Excellence is accepting. Perfection is judgment.
:: Excellence is flowing. Perfection is pressure.        

To sum it up, excellence is an attainable and healthy goal for each of us to pursue.

"Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become." –Gandhi

Okay, I get that change is good but why is it so damn hard? For me, as well as many other small business owners, I struggle with making those tough decisions. Why? Because no one likes uncertainty – When we change, we are swimming in untested waters and that can feel unnerving.