In my 20-plus years of marketing experience, I’ve come to realize that good marketing is based more upon common sense than upon creativity. Though marketing can work wonders, it is not a panacea that will transform failure into success.

As much as I value good marketing, I believe there are times not to launch a marketing campaign. My advice is to delay any marketing activities when:

1. We are unclear what success will actually look like. Without clearly defined goals, we are merely groping in the dark, hoping to grasp something—anything—of value.
2. We feel compelled to act before we think. In our fast-paced world, we will always experience the strong gravitational pull of urgency. Focusing on what is urgent, though, will often entice us to overlook strategy and jump prematurely into tactics.
3. We want to begin with communications. A good marketing process ends with communications but that’s never a good place to begin.
4. We focus on obstacles rather than opportunities. Though we must always understand reality, we will never leave the starting blocks if we focus on the hurdles between us and the finish line.
5. We have no champion for the product or service. We may all agree that a particular program is important, but unless someone with passion assumes ownership of the program’s success, it will flounder. Of course, marketers will be the easy targets of those who need to blame someone for a product’s failure.
6. We believe everything will be okay if only we can “get the word out.” I cannot be more emphatic in stating this: raising awareness is not a marketing goal.
7. We talk more than we listen. Marketing success on a 2.0 world is all about having conversations, not trying to speak louder.
8. We are unable to profile a target audience. Only the naive believe there really is such a thing as the “general public.” We are headed towards marketing failure if we neglect to define a primary audience. After all, to target everyone is to hit no one.
9. We ignore the concept of marketing exchanges. Marketing is based upon the premise that we must build win-win relationships where we exchange value for value. Marketing is never a one-way transaction.
10. We cannot differentiate our product or service. If we don’t know who our competitors are, and if we cannot articulate how we are different and better, then my advice is simple:  Turn off the lights, lock the door and go home. The party is over.

Quotations inspire me. They focus me. They motivate me.

I like the way an eloquent quote can elegantly reflect the light of resplendent wisdom. To me, each quotation has special value.

I collect quotes as a gem collector might gather precious stones. Like gemstones, quotes were never meant to be hoarded and stored in a dark, out-of-sight vault. Rather, they are most appreciated when shared and displayed for the enrichment of all.

If you also appreciate quotes, I invite you to meander through this collection of my favorites, categorized by these topics:

1. Being Creative
2. Planning and Goal Setting
3. Being a Leader
4. Learning, Teaching and Being Well Educated
5. Understanding Life’s Transitions
6. Marketing Effectively
7. Achieving Success
8. Creating a Compelling Vision
9. Overcoming Adversity
10. Chuckling with Yogi

Let me emphatically state:  Raising awareness is NOT a marketing goal. It is a means to an end and should always be regarded as a tactic in support of some higher-level strategy.

Earlier this month I listened as a nonprofit communicator talked about media relations. She used examples from her organization to talk about writing press releases, pitching stories to the news media and developing relationships with reporters and assignment editors. I was tempted to quibble with her implied assumption that the traditional media are not waning in significance. When someone asked about social media, she brushed off the “new media” as not being serious forms of communication. I couldn’t disagree more, but I’ll save that rant for another occasion.

What I found troubling was that this PR practitioner was operating efficiently at a tactical level, yet she was unable to tie her tactics to any strategy. We spent 90 minutes bumping into trees without once having seen the forest. I wanted to see the big picture. I wanted to know the impact of her communications tactics. When asked what she hoped to accomplish by raising awareness of her organization, she talked about the warm, fuzzy feelings that would be evoked in the general public. Still unclear, I asked what she wanted the audience to do with those “warm, fuzzy feelings.” She was at a loss for a solid answer.

Creating warm, fuzzy feelings is not a marketing goal. That’s a means to an end. Warm emotions can only have an impact when accompanied by a call to action resulting in someone actually taking the desired action.

Communicators are naive if they hope their CEOs will be impressed with only soft, warm and immeasurable results. Those communicators will be vulnerable targets when downsizing occurs. Only those who create results and can demonstrate their impact will be of ongoing value to an organization. Everyone else is just a drain on the organization’s precious resources.

So, I will close with this simple question:  What impact do you hope your communications will have?

If your answer is “to raise awareness” I would challenge you to dig deeper by asking, “What do I want someone to do with his or her increased awareness?”

Several years ago I was part of a methodical downsizing at a major suburban hospital. In outplacement, I went with my career coach to a job club. When it came time to introduce myself I stood and said:

I’m Duane Hallock, former Senior Vice President at Shawnee Mission Medical Center here in Kansas City. I am now looking for a job that will allow me to use the experience and skills I gained in that position.

Afterward my coach pointed out the obvious:  “Your entire introduction looked backward, not forward,” she said. “Others could see where you had been, but you did nothing to help them visualize where you are going.”

She then gave some of the best career advice I’ve ever received, telling me that a job seeker needs to:

1. Be forward looking.
2. Position yourself appropriately.

I’ve come to realize that, whether we like it or not, people are always trying to pigeonhole us. That’s human nature, I guess, and it’s especially true when someone is looking for a job.

In retrospect, I understand how my introduction prompted people to categorize me as a hospital administrator. That’s where I had been, so they could only assume that’s where I must be going.

To be more strategic and proactive in my job search, I developed a completely new script for talking about myself. It was awkward at first, but I learned to describe my ideal job without mentioning a previous title or using the name of a former employer. I even avoided telling people up front that most of my experience was in health care. I didn’t want to be inappropriately stereotyped or pigeonholed by the industry in which I had worked.

To help me communicate more effectively, I created in my mind a vivid, detailed picture of what my next job would look like. As I shared that scenario with others, they could visualize where I was going. They better understood how they could help me reach my destination.

As it turned out, that day at the job club was a defining moment in my career. Though proud of my work history, I vowed never to drive down the road looking backward in my rearview mirror. I refrained from spending too much time talking about the road I’d already traveled. My future lay in front of me and that’s what I wanted to talk about. That’s where I focused my energy. I recalled the wise words of Jesus Christ who said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service.”

My advice to anyone in a job search is the same I gave my teenage sons when they learned to drive:  Scan your rearview mirrors for context, but keep your eyes on the road ahead.

His comments caught me off guard. Quite frankly, I thought I already knew marketing, yet I’d never considered applying marketing principles to myself as if I were a product. My professor’s wisdom echoed in my mind, and through the years I grew to appreciate his sage advice even more.

Fifteen years later I stood before my own class of university students. With graduation approaching, these young people would soon be marketing themselves in a competitive job market, so I talked with them about applying marketing principles to their own job searches. I designed a tool for them to use in conducting a marketing audit on themselves. (This was a take-home assignment to be completed over spring break—the spiteful revenge of an instructor who noted that too many students skipped class on mardi gras to attend a sorority party.)

Later, when I lost my job as a marketing professional, I reached into my marketing toolbox, found that homework assignment and used it to develop a personal marketing plan for my own job search.

There are five sequential steps in the marketing process. (These are neatly organized in the textbook I taught from—Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations.) I adapted those steps to my situation and then built a career marketing plan using this process:

1. Set measurable goals. I wrote specific goals for my job search. These described the type of job I wanted, the date I hoped to begin and the salary I would require.

2. Position yourself. My next step was to identify specific attributes that described the essence of who I was professionally. These were things that would be of value to a potential employer that most other job candidates would be unable to say about themselves. I also conducted a competitor analysis so I’d know how to best differentiate myself.

3. Conduct a marketing audit. This focused on the “6 Ps of Marketing.” (Okay, I know most marketing classes teach the “4 Ps” but I liked two additional ones that were included in the textbook I used.) The marketing mix for my job search was built around the following 6 Ps:

Product. Here I defined what I would offer in the “exchange process” with a potential employer. I identified the results I could produce, the solutions I could provide and the impact I could have.
Publics. This focused on who I would target in my job search. I categorized the list by industry and then listed specific companies to target. I also developed a list of individuals with whom I would communicate.
Price. Without selling myself short, I focused on the salary I would require, the benefits I would need and other items I wanted such as learning opportunities and involvement in professional organizations.
Place. Here I defined the geographic location of the office, including the commute time and the safety of the surrounding area. I also looked at out-of-town travel and the ability to work remotely.
Production. I looked at how I wanted my career to fit with the other facets of my life. I carefully considered the pace of prospective companies, the stress level that would come with the job, the volume of work required and the balance with other facets of my life.
Promotion. I assessed my communication skills, the available technology and the tools needed for me to a) create awareness, b) maintain visibility and c) ultimately “close the sale” on my job search.

4. Develop the actual marketing plan. Only after completing the foregoing work was I ready to put together the entire plan for my job search. Once I knew where I was going, how I was differentiated and how I would market myself, I was prepared to move to the final step—communication.

5. Conduct a promotion campaign. As the final step, I expanded my networking activities, sent out a few resumes and applied for a handful of specially-targeted jobs. Promotion of myself began with strategy and ended with tactics. Those who begin a job search by sending out lots of resumes or applying indiscriminately for open positions do not understand marketing.

I used a mix of marketing tools, including e-mail, postal mail, phone calls and in-person meetings. Supporting the promotional campaign were collateral materials such as the resume, cover letter, networking e-mails, business cards and a portfolio of work I had done.

Years ago my marketing professor was right—you will never market anything more important than yourself. I found that my career took on a whole new meaning as I marketed myself professionally.

I’d love to hear from others who have successfully marketed or branded themselves.

I had watched others in similar circumstances as they obsessed on finding the right answers. I took the opposite approach. Rather than seeking answers, I began by asking myself a series of questions, recalling the wise words of James Thurber who once said, “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”

Only after developing what I felt were the right questions did I begin wrestling with the answers. The questions were incredibly easy to ask but excruciatingly difficult to answer. To my amazement, however, this turned into a most insightful and even invigorating process. I’ll share with you the questions, but first let me explain my process.

For a couple hours each day, I went to a local coffee shop and found a secluded table where I could engage myself in a private conversation. I left my laptop at home because I wanted to drill deeper. I used an old-fashioned method of communicating—handwriting on blank sheets of paper. I purchased a leather-bound book containing only blank pages and on the first page I wrote the title:  Journal for the Journey—A personal assessment, a scrapbook of ideas, and a map for navigating an important career transition.

Something magical happened when I held my fountain pen and allowed it to begin writing things I needed to know. My writing was primal and I was amazed to see how my original, unedited writing helped me uncover ideas I didn’t know were buried beneath the debris. My hand grew tired and the pages were often messy, yet the words that appeared on the paper helped me to rearrange the random ideas in my mind so they made sense. My writing helped me cut through the clutter.

Within my journal I wrestled with several core questions. Like bright stars against a black sky, the following questions formed the stellar constellation by which I navigated my journey:

1. Who am I? Knowing that others would inevitable try to pigeonhole me, I decided to lead them so they would not make wrong assumptions about who I was. I proactively guided them to place me in the right career categories.
2. How am I different? Lots of people had resumes that looked a lot like mine—same job titles, similar track record, same degrees, and even the exact same cliches that were in my professional profile. How could I stand out from the rest of the pack? What was my unique niche? What differentiated me?
3. Where am I going? This seemed like an easy question to answer until I realized that the paved road in my rearview mirror was in much sharper focus than the pathway ahead that emerged into a dense fog.
4. What have I done? It was easy to describe my responsibilities or the processes I used, but that didn’t address the issue of the real impact I’d had. What had I really achieved that made a difference? Had I produced measurable results?
5. What can I do? What “campaign promises” could I make during the job search that I could later deliver on once I was hired? A job search is a time to promote oneself, not with arrogance but with a humble confidence. This is done by assuring the potential employer that you will produce the desired results.
6. So what? How could I show all the stuff on my resume in a way that a potential employer could see value and relevance? Good sales people know the difference between features and benefits. I needed to lead with the benefits and then follow up with the features.
7. Why would someone hire me? What memorable “sound bite” might best summarize who I am, how I’m different, where I’m going and the impact I could make?

My journal pages were not as neatly organized as this list now appears. After all, I was navigating an uncharted journey towards an undisclosed location. Therefore, my thinking was seldom linear. On the blank pages I gave myself permission to take detours or to stop at interesting points along the way. In addition to answering the foregoing questions, I also used my journal to:

• Capture inspiring quotes to keep me motivated.
• Write out talking points for possible interview questions.
• List the priority people in my network who could be of most help.
• Jot down miscellaneous notes to help me stay focused.
• Brainstorm ideas on how to build and maintain momentum.

My journey began by asking myself penetrating questions. To drill deeper, I often answered my questions with questions. Only then did answers begin to manifest themselves, illuminating my pathway enough to take several more steps forward.

I’d be interested in hearing from someone who has developed a game plan for his or her unique transition. What advice would you give to others who might be on a similar journey?

1. Too many people are clamoring for the same few jobs.
2. Only a small minority of those people are doing a good job of marketing themselves.

Having been in a job search myself, I feel great empathy for job seekers. From my personal experience, I’ve learned more about career transitions than I ever cared to know. Therefore, I’m often asked to network with job seekers to help them brainstorm strategies for a job search.

I’m always willing to share what I’ve learned if it can help someone else along the path. Most of my advice, though, can be summarized in the following 10 items:

1. Think of yourself as a “product” to be marketed in a noisy, competitive marketplace.
2. Have a personal marketing plan.
3. Differentiate yourself. I can’t stress this enough. Be memorable. Be unique.
4. Be findable. Create a large digital footprint by using sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Google Profiles.
5. Know who you are. Develop an effective “elevator speech” or “30-second commercial.”
6. Know where you are you going. Describe your destination so others can visualize you once you’ve reached your destination.
7. Let people know how they can help. Be specific. Generalities usually do not generate the desired results.
8. Use stories to describe your achievements.
9. Talk about the benefits you offer, not the features described in your resume.
10. Believe in yourself (or no one else will).

Okay, I’ve shared lessons I learned along the pathway, and I’d like to hear from someone who has navigated a career transition. If you’ve successfully emerged from a job search, what did you learn? What worked for you? What advice would you share?

On the other hand, if you have recently hired someone, what additional wisdom would you share with a job seeker?

I’m tempted to interrupt and ask, “Why are you telling me this?” Or “What do you want me to do with all this information?”

Quietly, though, I endure and amuse myself by mentally replaying a favorite scene from the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Steve Martin, as you may recall, turns to John Candy and says, “When you’re telling these little stories, here’s a good idea:  Have a point! It makes it so much more interesting for the listener.”

Excellent advice, Steve! Effective communication must have a purpose.

As simple as that sounds, communications planning too often begins at a tactical level. In a meeting someone might say, “We need to raise awareness!” My immediate question is “WHY?” Raising awareness is a means to an end, yet we tend to think that “getting the word out” is the ultimate, end objective.

Tactics not tied to strategy only contribute to the noise and clutter.

To help me think more strategically and communicate more effectively, I developed the following chart to visually illustrate how certain questions should be asked in the right sequence.

Purpose and Goal. First, why do we want to communicate? What do we want to accomplish? What measurable outcomes do we we hope for?
Target Audience. To whom are we trying to communicate? What do we know about our primary audience? What is our relationship with them? Are there secondary audiences who might be looking over the shoulder of the primary audience?
Desired Impact. Once the target audience has received our message, how do we anticipate they’ll respond? What actions do we want them to take?
Key Message. In one sentence, what single message do we want to communicate to achieve the desired results? If time permits, what secondary messages would we like to communicate?
Barriers. What perceptions or misperceptions might hinder the effective delivery of our message? Are there other barriers that might obstruct our communications?
Media. What are the most effective ways to deliver the message to the target audience? What is the right combination of traditional and new media? A newsletter? Print ads? Web site? Billboards? Twitter? Verbal presentation? Facebook fan page? A blog? News release?
Communications Activities. What specific tasks must be completed to achieve the strategic objectives? Who will assume primary responsibility? Who else will be involved? When is the deadline? What budget is available? How will we measure success?

My mantra is simply this:  Think strategically before acting tactically. Anyone with me?

When I taught marketing at a local university, the CEO of a major company invited me to speak at the planning retreat of his regional managers. He sheepishly asked, “Can you condense into 15 minutes everything you teach in a 16-week class?” Tongue-in-cheek, I replied, “Actually, I only have 15 minutes of marketing knowledge. The hard part is stretching that over an entire semester.”

In more than 20 years of working on projects and coaching others as they engaged in their own marketing endeavors, I have learned the following 10 things about marketing:

1. Marketing is based upon common sense, though such sense is uncommon.
2. The social media revolution is the best thing to happen to marketing in a long, long time—even though the rules for marketing success are forever changed.
3. Old-school marketers who try to tightly control the message will become increasingly frustrated, disoriented and ultimately obsolete.
4. If you’re not creating community and engaging people in conversations, then you’re still living in a 1.0 world—even if you are using 2.0 tools and technology.
5. Communications comes at the end of the marketing process, not at the beginning.
6. If you aim your message at no one in particular, don’t be surprised if no one in particular responds.
7. Marketing will always flounder when not in pursuit of a measurable goal.
8. If a product, service or person cannot be differentiated, it cannot be marketed.
9. Without a quid-pro-quo exchange, you’ll never have a solid marketing program. After all, marketing is the exchange of something of value for something you need.
10. Value can be defined only by the customer, not the company producing the product or service. (Nonprofit organizations especially have trouble with this.)

From your experience, what additional observations can you share? Can you elaborate on any of these axioms? Do you disagree with any of them?

Following are 10 things I’ve observed during more than 20 years of work experience:

1. Where there is no vision, people perish.
2. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
3. Tactics not tied to strategy are nothing more than busywork.
4. When you and I are not pursuing the same goal, then we’re not on the same team.
5. When you and I focus on the same goal from different vantage points, we have stereoscopic vision that gives us better depth perception.
6. The effectiveness of a vision statement can be measured in its ability to inspire people to rally around a shared picture of what can be—and must be—their new reality.
7. A compelling vision is future-focused and usually threatens those deeply vested in the status quo.
8. Progress always requires change, but not all change is progress.
9. Every project can be improved by periodically asking, “Why are we doing this?”
10. As Stephen Covey says, it is essential to “begin with the end in mind.”

What would you add? Have you been inspired by someone who had an exceptional vision for the future? What did you learn from that person? How did he or she inspire you?