I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
The CEOs Are Beefin'
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Have you seen the video of McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski trying to promote the new Big Arch burger ahead of its March 3rd launch? How about any of the many, many videos or memes negging on it for a host of reasons, including how Kempczinski refers to the burger as "a delicious product" or his failure to take a real bite of it, seeming almost disgusted by it. To me, there are three great marketing stories going on here. 1. Going Viral Isn't the GoalYes, there is such a thing as bad PR and McDonald's and Mr. Kempczinski, more specificaly, are experiencing it. Some marketing folks have wondered if the social media team at Micky D's knew what it was doing by releasing the video, while others argue they most certainly did not. Plus, you provide fuel to your competitors that may enable them to steal your thunder and your customers. That's kind of what Burger King did, releasing a video of their CEO, Tom Curtis, clearly enjoying a big bite of a Whopper on the day of the Big Arch's debut. 2. Being a Spokesperson Isn't for Every CEOWhile, yes, some people seem born camera-ready, for most of us it takes some getting used to. Just like you might practice making a speech or giving a pitch, being natural and conversant when the cameras roll requires some work and conditioning. Even then, some of us just don't show up well on camera. Chris Kempczinski doesn't strike me as someone who will ever be a good spokesperson, in a marketing-sense, for McDonald's. He's probably great on investor calls and in the boardroom, but he seems like a guy more comfortable with spreadsheets than people. As the CEO, you have to know what you're good at, what you can work on, and what you shouldn't waste your time on because there are others who will always do it far better than you. Those distinctions are critical for building and maintaining your growth and success. 3. Strategy is KeyClearly CEOs demonstrating their own products is a time-honored marketing strategy. And, it works, too. I follow several founders who post about their origin stories, their passion for their products, and illustrate how and why they love what they sell...and they've sold me. That said, this was a huge fail for McDonald's. A company like this should have a built-in mechanism to test and gather feedback on their messaging, even in our fast-paced social media world. Especially since their video was promoting their own product launch, which means they were totally working on their own timeline. Unlike Burger King, whose video release was strategic and timely, even if the company claims it was not in response to McDonald's misfire. Their messaging was a bullseye. Good leadership is understanding when to act quickly and when to plan and strategize. If you need help with either, get in touch; I'd love to support you. Until next time, PS—If you missed it, last month I was Living In the Now and Then. PPS—You can find both CEO videos here. Your success is our strategy!No longer want to receive my newsletter but don't want to miss my special offers and announcements? Click here. |
Easily Said & Done
I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
Hi Reader, I promised I'd share some AI wins after bashing on it for the last couple of months, so here goes. An old client of mine runs a wine shop in Brooklyn. She's got some help but she's largely a one-woman show. She's been using Monday's AI features to help her analyze and manage her inventory and understand seasonal sales trends to purchase more smartly. She had to level up her investment and hire someone to help her set up the AI agents she needs but feels it's been money well-spent....
Hi Reader, There are lots of thoughts spinning around in my brain at any given moment. Maybe you can relate. We're kind of living in whirlwind times where information is coming at us incessantly; it's like being caught up in a tornado. There's just no way to catch your breath and really marinate on anything for too long. So here are a few things I'm trying to give a little bit more thought and attention to these days: What impact will Pope Leo's AI encyclical have on governments, tech...
Something I've been enjoying of late are multiple influencers showcasing the limits of ChatGPT and the like. One guy asks it some pretty basic questions, such as to name a number between one and one hundred that includes the letter 'a.' (Spoiler alert: there aren't any). ChatGPT lies to his face over and over again. Another one provides examples of business fails due to AI. Some are pretty extraordinary. But here's the thing, this isn't just a harmless gimmick, it's a warning cry, a canary in...