Change Your Mind, Grow Your Company

"Many clients ask, 'How do I know if I have a heretical idea that will work?' You need to tell them that any idea poses some sort of risk. You can minimize that risk, however, by making sure that you're strategically informed. If you try to research a radical idea, consumers will usually tell you not to do what you want to do. So, instead, you should become informed about your market. Then you can take a creative leap: You can step out of the darkness and into the semi-light.

"You must realize that any contact today defines a brand. A brand isn't just what the customer experiences; it's everything that a company's vendors, employees, and board members touch. Companies need to rethink who defines their brand. The power of the marketing director is declining. As service becomes an important part of the brand experience, employees such as customer-service managers and distribution managers become just as important as the marketing director. The separation of marketing, research, advertising, and customer service into silos no longer makes sense."