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Electric Impulse Communications, Inc. Newsletter
August 2005
I. Question
In case you need an interesting piece of trivia while at a networking
event or during any pregnant pause, this calorie free candy question
might come in handy:
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?
(Answer at bottom of newsletter)
II. Questions from the movie March of the Penguins
I have to confess that while it might not be politically correct to admit:
I boycott the Discovery channel. I know that sooner or later an animal is
going to die. . . on tape. I understand it is the natural order of the universe,
but I don't want to watch it while snuggled with my own four legged wonders.
So it was with mixed feelings that I attended the sleeper hit March of the Penguins. I can't imagine any voice other than Morgan Freeman telling the story of the emperor penguins.
As I watched in awe, it raised questions about us humans.
Each year the male penguins walk 70 miles inland to find their mate.
70 miles for those little webbed feet is a lot of walking. And that's not
the only walking. Later, after having lost half their body weight, they
will walk back 70 miles to eat for the first time in 4 months. Then back
again 70 miles to their families.
What can we learn about perseverance from these little tuxedos?
Often, we want instant gratification in a world where they leave the
gratification of food and relative warmth to walk this heroic trek.
Are we that different?
Then again, what if we are patient and persevering, but spend our time "walking" in the wrong direction?
After the female drops her egg, the male has to keep it warm while the
female trudges back the 70 miles for nourishment. They know what to do.
Do we know the right things to do in business and life instinctively?
Should we trust our instinct or our intellect?
Does our education enhance our instinct, or in some cases does it
replace our instinct?
Do the best of us use both our instinct and our intellect?
III. Mishmash of Value:
1.SuperBowl Bling
Recently, I was very fortunate to host a TV show with two former
NFL players, and a sports agent. Each of them, Adam Heller,
Frank Stams, and Cliff Stoudt was easy and fun to work with.
As a member of two Steeler Super Bowl teams, Cliff Stoudt has two
Super Bowl rings. He claimed that his two rings from the 80's are smaller
than today's bling. I can tell you his ring still had more bling than I have
ever seen on one finger. What was especially intriguing and charming
about my guests was how comfortable each was in his own skin. Look at
Oprah and then look at John Kerry. One appears comfortable and one
does not. Communicating comfortably has Value.
Do you communicate to others that you are comfortable in your skin?
2. Networking Dilemma
Imagine yourself at an event. You are talking to a possible prospect. A third party enters your conversation, a would-be competitor to you. He hands your prospect some information about himself, urges the prospect to call for a free consultation, and walks away . . . leaving you and your prospect with an awkward silence.
Was this an example of guerilla networking by the third party?
3.Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher- Akron's Sex and the City puppies
I saw two King Charles Spaniels walking toward me. If you are a fan of
Sex and the City, you know what question I had to ask. "Excuse me," I
said, "I know you must get this question all the time, but is one of your
dogs named Elizabeth Taylor?" (Charlotte's name for her King Charles
on Sex and the City)
"No," they said. "This is Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher!"
The reason they are included in this newsletter is because the owners
identified a competitive edge and leveraged it. I've met many dogs in
the past month, but these are the only two I remember!
Do you leverage your competitive edge?
4.Tour de Lance
Much has been written and will continue to be written for decades about this amazing guy from Texas. Thomas Friedman, not known for his sports writing, wrote an interesting piece in the New York Times about Lance
and foreign policy. I would like to quote a small part:
What I find most impressive about Armstrong, besides his sheer will power
to triumph over cancer, is the strategic focus he brings to his work, from his prerace training regimen to the meticulous way he and his cycling team plot our every leg of the race. Their abilities to meld strength and strategy - to thoughtfully plan and to sacrifice today for a big gain tomorrow . . .
How similar to the emperor penguins, and what small piece of his
strength and strategy can we apply to ourselves?
IV. Live and On TV
I am pleased to be speaking on the following dates.
If you need a speaker for a group, please call or email.
1. City of Painesville The World's Best Kept Marketing Secrets
August 10 8am Lake Erie College's Holden Center
2. HBA University- I'll Think About it and Other Objections
August 24 8:30-11:45 HBA on White Pond Dr.
3. Akron PRSA Standout Presentations
September 15 Martin Center noon re-scheduled from July
4. Canton Chamber of Commerce Step Up, Stand Out:
Communicating Value in a Hyper-Competitive World
October 14 7:15 am
5. The Inspiration, Imagination and Innovation Conference
October 17, 2005 at the IX Conference Center
On TV
Time/Warner Civic Forum of the Air
The Role of the Sports Agent
Host: Leslie Ungar
Week of August 22
Airs: Sunday 6:00 pm & 9:00 am
Other days 6 pm/ Channel 23
Thank you to these guests for being more fun than you should
legally have in 30 minutes!
Adam Heller BDB Sports.com
Cliff Stoudt former NFL Quarterback/Steelers
Frank Stams former NFL Lineman Browns/Rams
Return to Index
V. Answer:
364 licks