STRATEGY CENTRAL

Here are StrategyCentral we spend a lot of time talking about customers, strategy, innovation, mission, marketing, and vision.  A frequent question?  "Who are you trying to reach?"  Loved this riff on who Jesus target customer was (is) from Rick Warren this week:

In my study of Gospels, I made a list of the people Jesus came [...]

This morning I read a great question over on Seth's blog.  In talking with an author about his next project, Seth Godin asked, "are you writing this for strangers or friends?"

"Are you writing this for strangers or friends?"

Now that is a GREAT question!  Why?  Easy.  Think about the way you're going about what you're doing.  [...]

Love this billboard at Santa Monica BMW.  Check out the Audi billboard on the left and the BMW response on the right.  Very cool.  Thanks to Jason over at 37signals for posting it!

Trying for innovative and not seeing results? Maybe you’re not really producing the real thing. After all,
more of something bland…or a new presentation that’s bland…is still bland.

If you haven’t checked out Kem Meyer’s take on this (or seen it over on Adverblog), I highly recommend checking these 9 Trends for 2009 out.  Very interesting for all of us.

Model #1: Advertise.  Promote.  Charge for everything.

Model #2: Give away value.  Build relationships.  Develop a tribe of 1,000 devoted fans.

Which model do you have working?  Love the way that Steve Fee is thinking:

Seen the new Microsoft commercial with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld?  If you haven’t, be sure and check it out below.  I was forwarded this analysis today and found it pretty interesting.  I will say, when I saw the commercial I was drawn in very quickly and even rewound it to see it again…but didn’t [...]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  As true as that is…and it is true…sometimes a well crafted image is pretty powerful too.  Check out this line from Hugh over at Gapingvoid: