Magic moments

June 4, 2009 | 1 Comment

magic-moment

Snapping the perfect photograph.

Getting on Oprah.

The right article in the right magazine in the right industry at the right time.

The unexpected presentation that wows everyone at the conference and has them buzzing for weeks.

The right licensing deal with the right partner.

The perfect product launch (getting on Oprah might be easier).

The right investment at the right time from just the right investor.

The YouTube video that makes you a household name. Overnight.

You don’t get many magic moments in the life of your business, although some people put themselves in position for way more than others. That old saying, “the harder I work, the luckier I get” is more true than not. Magic moments don’t follow Steve Jobs around. He creates them.

Sometimes, magic moments aren’t so obvious. Will you recognize your magic moment when it happens? Will you be prepared?

Most importantly, what are you doing today to increase the likelihood of it happening?

Baked in magic

May 8, 2009 | 2 Comments

Walt Disney didn’t build an amusement park and then decide later to make it magical.

Tony Hsieh didn’t start Zappos and then, in year three, decide to deliver the best service the industry has ever seen.

Herb Kelleher didn’t build and operate Southwest Airlines and then decide to turn the airline industry on its head. (The original flight attendants were chosen by a committee that included the same person who had selected hostesses for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy jet.)

Delivering true magic isn’t something that can be fixed with a half-day training class. Because everyone works in marketing, ‘wow’ has to be baked in to the company’s culture. The larger the company, the harder it is to change the culture.

Frank Eliason and his team are doing great work trying to improve Comcast’s customer service and image using Twitter, but that’s customer support, not magic.

Magic has to be baked in.