Taking My Own Medicine: Everyday Places to Write Inspiring Content

Posted on August 1, 2012 by

It’s fitting that I’m writing this introduction for my latest MyWebWriters.com post from here:

McCook Point Park

Finding the best place to write has always been a challenge for me. Here are my thoughts on Five Everyday Places to Write Inspiring Content

image

http://mywebwriters.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/five-everyday-places-to-write-inspiring-content/

Where do you do your best writing?

Posted in Marketing, Motivation, Observations, Social Media, Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

RadioShack’s $21MM Net Loss and a Phone Charger

Posted on July 29, 2012 by

How does my recent need for a phone charger relate to RadioShack’s $21 million dollar 2nd quarterly net loss?

RadioShack's $21MM Net Loss and a Phone Charger

Plenty.

On a recent visit to NYC, I needed two micro usb chargers for phones. “No problem, there’s RadioShack a few blocks down the street,” my daughter said.

Off I go, as the marketer in me is thinking that The Shack still has relevance to 20 somethings.

I walk up to the phone charger display. Nothing. The usb options are all mini usb – the outdated standard.

I ask the clerk. She looks around and tells me they don’t have any. I look in every aisle. Still nothing.

For me RadioShack has always been the place to go when you need to make something work. They failed. I went to Rite-Aid and bought what I needed within five minutes.

Last week, RadioShack shocked investors with a a huge net quarterly loss. Margins tanked as they focused on selling low-margin iPhones. But I can’t walk-in and buy an incredibly high margin and very much in-demand phone accessory.

I’m sure someone in the company’s Fort Worth headquarters is saying that my experience is a fluke. My response, “Get away from the desk and see what is really happening.”

Amazon is expected to launch same day local delivery soon by partnering with local brink-and-mortar stores with Amazon pick-up lockers.  Think of the power of RadioShack’s 4,700 corporate locations as Amazon’s delivery channel while offering high margin products and services that make today’s electronics work. Here’s Forbes take on the idea.

Thanks for listening.

What’s your advice to RadioShack?

Posted in Customer Satisfaction, Marketing, Retail, Technology | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Learning From Others: Five Useful Project Management Tools

Posted on July 9, 2012 by

One of the best things I like about working with volunteer organizations is what I learn from collaborating with others. Teams with different backgrounds and experiences bring new perspectives and greater value to the organization as well as to our daily jobs.

Recently I wrote a post for My Web Writers detailing five useful project management tools we used to plan TEDxFortWayne. Click here or on the image below to read how these tools can help make your project a success.

5 Useful Project Management Tools mywebwriters

What tools have you learned from others that have helped you?

- Don Kincaid

Posted in Fort Wayne, Marketing, Social Media, Technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Personal Branding: Building Your Expertise by Building Trust

Posted on March 2, 2012 by

Trust is powerful force.  Stephen M. R. Covey in “The Speed of Trust” shows how trust greatly accelerates the speed to completion.  When it is high between two people, things get done.

Recently, Peter Dunn (PetethePlanner.com) discussed “What it Means to be an Expert” at an Indy Social Media Lunch.

Starting out in the early 2000s, Pete  was a one of a million financial planners. Then in 2005 he started building a personal brand as Pete the Planner in order to set himself apart as a financial adviser for the “rest of us.”

Now. he’s the author of three books, host of the  The Pete the Planner show on 93 WIBC FM radio. creator of WISH-TV’s 60 Days to Change, regularly appears on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN Headline News and numerous nationally syndicated radio programs. I contend Pete has become one in a million.

After lunch, Pete took time to share with me how trust plays a key role in building your personal brand and spreading your content through media outlets.

Click for video transcript

How has trust helped get things done quicker for you?

I look forward to hearing from you!

- Don Kincaid

Video Transcript

Peter Dunn: A big key of having people see your stuff you worked so hard to develop this content, is to become a trusted source for the producers of the content.

So often you want to go to the on-air talent, the radio talent, but the people you really need to know are the producers of the program. It’s of course good to know the on-air talent, too. But the key is this: you have to produce good, valuable, reliable content that’s not about you and your business, but about serving the consumer, serving the viewer; and certainly serving the audience of the network you’re on. So, being a trusted source, not being “me-centric”, is the way to go.

And hey, you’re not going to get paid for it. But the pay comes from the fact that you’re going to be highlighted on a regular basis delivering your valuable content, something you’re passionate about. So not all rewards, not all compensation is monetary. And just know, if you can use the media appropriately, not use it negatively, it’s really gonna help your career.

Posted in Leadership, Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

INC INsight Challenges Us to Inspire at TEDxFortWayne 2012

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

Indiana’s News Center INsight’s Heather Schoegler and Amber Recker challenge us to tell our story and inspire others at TEDxFortWayne 2012. Take a look at the video segment to learn more from the ladies.

Submit your speaker application before March 30 at TEDxFortWayne.com

Posted in Fort Wayne, Motivation | Tagged | Leave a comment

What I Learned From Movie Date Night

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

Movie date night is an early Tuesday evening (cheap ticket and Coke zero prices) escape with Paulette. Sit back, relax and be entertained by a movie.

This 47 second clip from “We Bought a Zoo” was a highlight for me from a recent movie date night.

I didn’t know I would walk out with a good piece of self-talk to help me when self-doubt creeps into my head.  ”Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage” is good advice. Don’t let your mind talk you out of taking action with all the what-ifs.

How do you conquer those moments of self-doubt? I’m anxious to hear your thoughts.

- Don Kincaid

Posted in Leadership, Motivation | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

30 Relationships: Social Media to Face to Face – Simple, Yet Powerful

Posted on January 7, 2012 by
Don Kincaid Profile From Friends' Images

My image made from my twitter friends' profiles.

Over the Christmas holiday, I highlighted  30 of my many twitter relationships that moved to face-to-face relationships in 2011.

This is power of social media. Finding common ground through online conversations which lead to people helping people. Ultimately these relationships  define our personal brand.

I encourage you to look through these tweets and get to know those you haven’t met. I bet you’ll be happy you did.

One request: Share a comment about someone we should meet in 2012.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

- Don Kincaid

Posted in Leadership, Marketing, Observations, Social Media | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments