(Author's Note: Thanks so much for your feedback on the new format. Apparently people like it better now that I have moved into the 21st Century with my e-newsletter. The real thanks goes to Katey Charles at Katey Charles Communications. If you want to learn more about e-mail marketing from a true expert, contact her directly. Her e-mail is katey@kateycharles.com. This edition focuses on issues that are both timely and timeless. Essentially, it is about your image and the type of attention you want to attract.)

Not All Attention Is Good For Business

In one of the all-time asinine statements, Mark Cuban, the owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, recently said that the Kobe Bryant rape case was "great for the business of the NBA." Not only is this an extraordinarily insensitive statement, it is also wrong in terms of business. His theory is that more people will watch the opening game on television featuring Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers. In the short-term, he might be right. But if the reason they're watching is because of the sexual slant of Kobe Bryant's actions, then these types of viewers will quickly tire of watching basketball and will switch to stations that feature the more sexually deviant shows. The NBA has many players who grabbed attention in the past few years because of their criminal behavior and yet the NBA Finals last spring had the lowest ratings in more than twenty years. Not all attention is good for a business.

In other words, attention is not good for business if the attention is not geared toward what the business is all about. I assure you that Boeing is not thrilled with the press they received lately about losing a major contract to a competitor because of the unethical behavior of some of its employees. The same is true for Wal-Mart and the recent discrimination cases. And we all know World Comm hated the attention they were getting so much that they changed their name back to MCI. The goal is not to get attention just for the sake of getting attention. The goal is to get the kind of attention you want. Several years ago McDonald's grabbed headlines because they were racking up huge sales due to the fact that they included Beanie Babies in their Happy Meals. However, McDonald's is not in the business of selling toys. It was the kind of attention that took their focus off of their core business: clean restaurants, fast and friendly service, hot and tasty food. Last week they grabbed headlines because sales are way up and those sales are based on the kind of attention that McDonald's wants.

1. Decide what you want your organization to be known for.
2. Work to gain attention from the media and consumers for the things you want to be known for.
3. Frequently examine the kind of attention you are receiving and determine if it is line with the things you want to be known for.
4. If you are becoming known for something that you're not interested in, then begin to work to alter the image that people have of your organization.

While I definitely believe your values and purpose need to come from the inside-out, I also believe you need to build your image from the outside-in. In other words, when it comes to what you think is right and wrong, listen to the voice within you. When it comes to increasing your credibility in the marketplace, listen to the voices of other people. The way you dress, the materials you send out, the website you create and the way you communicate all send messages that either increase or decrease your credibility in the eyes of other people. Why shoot yourself in the foot before you even get started? Take the time to learn from experts about how to dress, about how to communicate in group settings and in one-on-one conversations, and about how to write in a clear, concise and compelling manner. Everything you say, do and wear projects an image. That image resonates with other people and leaves an impression. The question is, "Is that the image you want of yourself in the minds of other people?" In my lifetime, I've done a 180° on this issue. I used to think the key was who you are on the inside, not how you are perceived by other people. However, for you to be given the opportunity to influence others and be an effective leader, you have to be heard. It won't help your chances much if you get tuned out before you start. Carefully build your image so that the perception built from the outside-in matches the value you have to offer from the inside-out.

Republishing Articles

Each month my e-newsletter gets republished in approximately 20 blogs, on-line publications, and internal publications for businesses, universities, and not-for-profit organizations. If you would like to republish all or part of my monthly articles, please send me an e-mail at dan@thecoughlincompany.com with "Republishing Article" in the subject heading. I will send you the article in a word document. All I ask is that you include my name as the author of the article and a short paragraph at the end of the article about me with a link to my website.

Take care and have a great month!

Dan Coughlin

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