JimRaffel.com » sustainability

Plan B – Have one for your home base?

JimRaffel — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 02:51:21 +0000

After reading Chris Brogan’s post “When Google Owns You – A New Chapter.” First, my heart went out to him as I’ve managed to destroy about four cell phones while on the road with no plan B. I could relate to the sense of isolation and perceived helplessness.

I had just finished my plan B, which is to regularly back up all my important web-sites. I’m talking really backed up here as in six ways to Sunday. As long as I can find a server to host it, even my provider going out of business won’t interrupt the sustainability of my sites because I have a plan B to get them back up and running quickly. I own and control the domains, content and for the most part delivery methods for JimRaffel.com and other important sites in my business and personal life.

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and even Google can change and “enforce” their terms of service at will. Sure, @raffel on Twitter could disappear tomorrow for what the operators decide is a violation of the terms of service. *Poof* there goes one conduit of communication for me to reach more than a thousand people each day. Good luck silencing JimRaffel.com that way.

Do you have a plan B and a plan C for your life on-line? Your backup plans should not depend upon a single specific provider like those listed above. Instead your plan should focus on your presence being back on the web as quickly as possible should something terrible happen to your current plan.

I understand many of my readers are not techno-geeks like me (and some are even more geeky – I get that too). A simple plan B for a blogger might mean having a backup site built on Tumblr if you use WordPress. Know how to use the alternative platform and have the framework in place to move your home base at a moments notice, should your current provider go nuts and mess with the Terms of Service. (Yes, it really does happen *cough* FaceBook *cough* Twitter).

What’s your plan B?

Unplugged on my Birthday

JimRaffel — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:56:06 +0000

Today I turn forty-six (and still feel 26). Following are some unplugged thoughts I had this morning. Warning this post is probably rated like PG-13. I decided to cuss a little like I do in real life.

1. I want world peace (no really I do). On my birthday even I get to be idealistic. I spend the other 364 days a year being an optimistic realist. I vow to spend today dreaming big dreams. Dreams so big I am sure (at this moment) they can’t be obtained. You know why? Because what the mind of man can conceive he can go onto achieve.

Let’s stick with that world peace theme for a few more sentences. Why the hell can’t we all get along? I’m a Jew and “my people” have endured horrific treatment at the hands of others not for decades or centuries but for millenia. Yet, I am able to sit down with people of every possible race religion and political belief and get along with them as people. So, how about we try remembering that on the other side of the issue are people. Living breathing people just like you and me. Oh, and here’s a little gem for you – treat them the way you want to be treated.

2. Let it go. Whatever is holding you back, just let it go. Get the ____ (rhymes with firetruck) over yourself. Someday I’ll share in great detail the hole I had to crawl out of over the last two years to be the man I am today. The hole that I dug and put myself in. I blame no one. Not even myself. As my very good friend Keven Kocher had to remind me often last Summer, “Jim, put the baseball bat down, you’re all done beating yourself up time to start growing.” I’ll never forget that phrase and I remind myself of it often. All happiness starts with forgiveness and forgiving yourself really is the hardest part.

3. Just Do It! Life’s too damn short to sit back and wonder. Take a few chances. Put yourself out there. Hell ya, you are going to get hurt sometimes. You are going to fall down, you are going to fail. At the end of all of it you will look back and say ya, but I lived. Mixed in with all the hurt and failure (life’s lessons) will be a few successes to expand upon and make your life richer.

4. Be minimalist. Know why I didn’t buy an iPad day one (besides it not really being in the budget)? Because I don’t need more shit in my life I need less. Simplify, reduce, reuse (oh good God I sound like a liberal) and travel light. It’s a lesson I learned from all the travel I do. You have to keep track of each and every item you bring along so the less you bring the less to keep track of and lose. If you stop and think about it, the same applies to life.

5. My secret to success. Written on the first page of my Moleskine “Planning Book” is this: Each Day; 1. Read; 2. Write; 3. Tweet;, 4. Communicate with customers; 5. Sell something. There’s more detail than that and yes number 3 really is Tweet. Twitter and the interaction that occurs there has changed my life. Like all things Twitter is what YOU choose to make it. Want drama? There is plenty there (I filter it out). Want happy upbeat inspirational people? Tons, I’m telling you tons of them with more love in their hearts than you can imagine.

I’ll finish with a quote from Thomas Jefferson whom I share this Birthday with.

“Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life, it is their only capital.”

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/good-karma/652486713/

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Body Weight Only Exercise Routine

JimRaffel — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:59:27 +0000

Over the last year I have had success with a body weight only workout routine. I am not a trainer and I highly recommend you contact your physician and a personal trainer before starting this or any exercise routine.

The routine is a combination of stretching, push-ups, sit-ups and squats. I can complete this entire routine in less than 20 minutes at home or in whatever random hotel room I happen to be in. Over the last year I have found it to be real, authentic and sustainable exercise.

Stretching

Arm circles forward and backwards. – about 10 each way.
Toe touches (knees NOT locked). – 2 or 3 holding at the bottom for 20-30 second count.
Toe touches with one leg crossed over the other (alternate cross over with knees NOT locked). 1-2 each way holding at the bottom for 20-30 second count.
Quadriceps Stretch as show here then I do the opposite and pull one knee to my chest while standing but you could do this laying down.
Then, I stand with legs spread wide and reach a finger tip down to each foot. Bring my hands to the middle and sit back with knees bent. Finally shift weight from side to side by straightening one leg then the other.
My final stretch is a Yoga move (don’t know the name) I reach one hand over my should blade and the other and up from my waist so that I end up with my hands joined around my shoulder blades. Then I reverse this. (Since beginning to do this a year ago almost all shoulder pain associated with carrying a computer bag all over the country is gone.)

Exercises

Push-ups 30 (but sometimes I do 40 or 50 and Cheryl glares at me)
Crunches 100 (I do a few different styles but you can Google and find what works for you)
Squats 25 (Standing static with perfect form and no jump)
I do 3 sets of the the above exercises as a super-set with a brief rest between the sets.

A year ago I did about 10-15 push-ups per set. I only did the crunches 1 time and did 10 squats per set. I’ve worked up to the point I’m at by picking points when I felt very comfortable with what I was doing and then adding a few reps.

Remember, the race is long and in the end it is only with yourself. I also do little things like take the stairs whenever I can. Walk versus taking the tram or moving walk-way in the airport. Staying at a downtown hotel where I can walk to dinner hopefully about a mile away.

Any secrets of exercising anywhere you care to share?

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcolivera

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Social Media Is Killing Traditional Sales

JimRaffel — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:18:40 +0000

The traditional sales prospecting model is becoming increasingly ineffective over time.

Five times in less than two weeks I have been solicited by voice mail message or email. Wait, by the same person! This is downright annoying. Obviously I have the tools to filter this noise out of my communications stream and I have. It just underscores the importance of permission based marketing.

The person in question is clearly following the instructions of an employer (I’ve heard enough telemarketing scripts and read enough scripted emails over the years to be able to tell). Hard to believe that a technology placement firm does not understand the power and value of social media and community based marketing strategies.

What if instead she spent her time listening in the social media space for individuals and organizations starting new technology products. Then, do the research by visiting the organizations’ web-sites and using tools like LinkedIn to track down the right people. See if those people participate in Twitter or other communities where you can interact with them a bit.

Sure it takes a little longer, butBag the Elephant bagging an elephant is not for the faint of heart. Until recently, while not a fan of these traditional sales techniques, I employed them from time to time during slow periods. No more, never again. Instead develop a set of social media skills using the tools of your choice to actively participate in the communities where your potential customers live.

You will learn to identify and understand “the pain” your target market is feeling, perhaps before they even realize it. Also, by your participation in the community, your prospective customers will know what kind of pain you specialize in fixing and making go away. Does your doctor call you and ask if you have a broken leg? Of course not. You know that when you have a broken leg, your doctor can fix it. Your customers should feel the same way about you.

What do you think – is the traditional sales model doomed? Do we need to find new and more effective methods to share our message and reach the customer? Are they really a customer anymore or a fellow community member as well?

Measure Your Way To Success

JimRaffel — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:10:10 +0000

A proper measurement methodology is how to gauge success.

How can you know where you are going and if you have arrived, when you don’t even know where you are?

Want increased sales? Determine an accurate way to measure sales today. Using sound business principals calculate what sales need to be in the future. Then, work out a plan with measurable milestones along the way to achieve the desired sales result.

This works because what’s measured gets done. – I have set out to write 31 blog posts in March (this is number 18). At 12:01am on March 1st I had zero posts for the month. I need to write one post a day on average. So on Day 18 I must have published my 18th post or have a plan for how I am going to catchup and on what day.

My friend Kevin uses my software to establish a baseline from which he will help his customers improve. He goes into their shop early in the sales process and measures some press sheets. By doing so he determines the current acceptable color and print quality. As he provides his products for testing it’s easy to gauge if the new products have helped, hindered or not changed the print and color quality. Now, he only has to address price and service and let’s be honest the salesperson who has gone to all this effort is down to price. I’d also guess you might be willing to pay a bit more for this quality of service.

Key success metrics should be micro managed. There are steps in every business process I have ever observed, that if followed, virtually guarantee success. Do you know what these steps are in your process? Do you measure them each and every day? When they are not improving do you take action based upon the measured results?

Business Must Sharpen The Saw Continuously

JimRaffel — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:43:14 +0000

As I checked into a brand new Hampton Inn earlier today, it struck me that this is not the same hotel chain I started staying at over 20 years ago.

Hampton Inn has done a great job applying Stephen Covey’s seventh habit, Sharpen the saw. While Mr. Covey’s focus is on personal self-renewal, Hampton Inn has remained a viable hotel chain by renewing and reinventing the brand. I see the coloration between business and personal as real and authentic improvement which results in a sustainable, if not improving condition.

Hampton Inn is still in the hotel business but they have continuously refreshed and renewed the brand. Effort has been made to sharpen the saw. In some cases this is as simple as a new coat of paint, fresh furniture and new carpet. At other times more dramatic action like building a new hotel across the street from the old one and starting fresh as they have done here in Canton, OH. Regardless, Hampton stays sustainably in the hotel business.

Bringing the concept closer to home I am reminded of the recent revamp of my company web-site. I didn’t start from scratch but instead decided to sharpen the saw with new furniture (updated version of WordPress), fresh paint (The Thesis Theme for WordPress">Thesis Theme) and new carpet (some Scribe SEO LLC">new and updated plugins to make the site more efficient). The payoff has been more visitors to a web-site that has been operating sustainably since we opened our doors for business 15 years ago.

Some ideas to sharpen your business saw:

Say your elevator speech out loud in front of a mirror. If it sounds like a commercial and not a story, probably time to sharpen it up a bit.

Look at the touch points on your web-site (like the “contact us” form) and make sure they are easy to understand and use. (You’ve spent all the time and effort getting your prospective customer to this point, do you really want to lose them at the 11th hour?)

Look at your business cards. Yes, mine look cool but don’t have my blog address or Twitter address on them. One or both needs to be on the card – time to sharpen them up.

These three items should get you thinking about areas to consider for your saw sharpening project. As you find and think of more, please come back and share with us in the comments.

Goals Define Choices

JimRaffel — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:28:31 +0000

Everything you do in life takes you closer to your goals, or further from them.

Without clearly defined goals you have no standard by which to judge your choices. Yesterday I shared four of the key choices I have made in my life over the past year. Each of those choices has brought me closer to my goals. There is a great deal of published material on goals. Some of it talks about specific goals with specific time lines. Other material leans towards what is working for me, broad sweeping goals.

Goal number 1: Strengthen my understanding of the relationship I have with God. Yes, I believe in God. No, I’m not a huge fan of organized religion. I can tell you almost every real, authentic and sustainably successful person I know puts some form of spirituality at the top of their list.

Goal number 2: Be the most awesome husband and father I can be. Husband is listed before father in the previous sentence on purpose. A healthy traditional family starts with a healthy relationship between the spouses. Cheryl and I devote a great deal of time and effort in our lives to the sustainable achievement of this goal.

Goal number 3: Have a rocking business that supports my family, while giving back to the community that provides that support. There are actually several communities in my case. The graphic communications industry, the Milwaukee community and this great country of opportunity that we live in, just to name a few. Working to achieve financial success, without some plan to make the world a better place along the way, seems like an empty plan to me.

Goal number 4: Share my life long journey to achieve goals 1, 2, and 3 via this blog. It just does not get any better than this. The growth I have seen in myself and chronicled via this blog is here for you all to benefit from. I sincerely hope you are able to take something away from each and every post that enriches your life.

With these goals in mind go back and look at the choices I made. Can you see how those four choices make more sense when framed by these goals? Do you prefer broad sweeping goals like I do, or do you favor the very specific and time based goals I spoke of earlier? Let’s use the comments to get a conversation going.

Printing is Not Dead or Even Dying

JimRaffel — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:43:18 +0000

If printing is on the verge of death, then why when I searched Twitter for “Is Print Dead“ did I find over 20 tweets in the past 4 hours? For something dead or dying, printing sure generates a lot of conversation in the Twitter community.

The blogosphere also has plenty to say about printing being or not being dead.

The seed for this post was planted when I read Debbie Kipp’s If Print Were Really Dead… post. It’s not so much the post as the 20 comments (and responses by Debbie) that the post generated. For those of you that don’t write a blog, getting 20 responses on any post is amazing – getting 20 comments on your third ever blog post is the stuff dreams are made of. This is clearly a topic that gets people thinking.

Over on Samir Husni’s blog I found his post Start spreading the news: Print is NOT dead… This is a very thought provoking post with an embedded video from some very unlikely bedfellows – five titans of the magazine industry. They got together to tell us in video that printing magazines is not dead and it ended up embedded in a blog post – huh?

When Six Pixels of SeparationSix Pixels of Separation author Mitch Joel jumped in with Print is Not Dead I knew it was time to join the conversation. While Mitch is a great blogger it’s important to remember that his primary job in life is running his 100+ person creative agency TwistImage. So, when Mitch Joel says print is not dead, trust me folks, print is not dead.

I shared some of my own thoughts on the subject in a recent post Printing (on paper) vs. Google. The print industry is definitely changing. Some sectors like packaging and digital print are hot. Others like traditional magazine and insert printing on web presses – let’s just say not so hot.

A stronger sense of community and less cut throat competition is what all industries need. Before you try and decimate your competitor take a second to understand who your real competitor is – the alternative technology. While I talked about Google being a bigger threat to printers than other printers what I didn’t go into in that post is the good stuff. I and others in the print industry have been using the internet and associated technologies to build communities where we can work together for the betterment of our industry.

What print communities are you an active participant in? Are they on-line, off-line, or best of all a blend of both? Share with us where we can find you on-line. I’ll be keeping my eyes on the comments and I’m looking forward to finding some new print communities to jump into.

Life Needs a Compelling Why – What’s Yours?

JimRaffel — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:33:00 +0000

My “why” is making JimRaffel.com the best blog I can. Writing for this blog everyday is following my passion. That passion is what drives my desire to find ways to make ColorMetrix more successful with less and less of my time. I’ve managed to reduce my ColorMetrix work week to about 50 hours (down from 60-70) and the extra time is spent here. That’s my why.

The extra hours will be spent writing this blog, reading more great business and personal development books. Spending time with friends and family. The activities that matter to me. Understanding my compelling why has further fueled my desire to take radical thinking to the next level. Your why is probably quite different from mine but we can both use radical thinking to get there.

This week I took a day off (well, worked 2-3 hours instead 10-12). It’s been a long time since I did that and did not feel guilty about it. This is not about time management of priorities, it’s about an overall radical shift in my thinking. Yes, it involves gaining a better understanding of time and priorities but it’s more important to understand that you can do things in very different ways then you are right now.

For me the progression has gone like this:

1. The real, authentic and sustainable methodology became the analysis tool for my entire life and all the decisions I make.

2. Realized that “working hard” had taken me as far as it could and the hours I was working would not remain sustainable for the balance of my life.

3. Understanding that I can only work on one important task at a time and can only complete one or maybe two significant and important tasks a day.

4. Most tasks not included in number 3 above can either;

a. be completed in 15 minutes or
b. don’t need to be done at all.

Number 1 above helped me understand my compelling why and numbers 2, 3 and 4 help me realize it everyday of my life. In a little over 60 days I have gone from struggling to get one blog post a week out to putting out one a day. I have three posts ready to go and a list of ideas for posts so long that many will never be completed. Oh, and ColorMetrix sales for 2010 are just fine.

So, I ask you what’s your compelling why? Please share it with me here in the comments. Let’s start a conversation about your why’s and celebrate our differences yet our common desire to achieve the why!

Produce and Ship Daily

JimRaffel — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:03:50 +0000

With the release of Seth Godin’s Linchpin (which I have yet to read) there has been a whole lot of buzz in the Blogosphere about “shipping it.” It’s good talk folks about the need to produce deliverable product each day and you should be paying close attention if you are not already doing so.

Ask yourself the questions what do I produce and do I ship it daily? When I answered these questions, my thinking once again went radical on me. My daily priorities have changed so much it makes me wonder how I was even modestly successful up to this point. Answer: I was working hard but not smart most of the time.

I have three priorities in my life;

ColorMetrix CEO

JimRaffel.com brand manager

Most important, husband and father

Above all else and before the rest of my daily tasks, I must ship daily something of value to the constituents of each priority in my life.

In the case of ColorMetrix the highest value item I can produce is an engagement proposal. Buying into our ProofPass solution is a long-term (averaging 3+ years now) two-way commitment and nothing happens at ColorMetrix until an engagement proposal is accepted. The second most valuable item I ship for the company is communications (email and otherwise) related to completing engagement proposals or resolving existing client issues (happy customers are my number one priority).

Writing posts is the A #1 Priority for this blog. Without quality content you have no reason to visit and more importantly return again and again. I can only generate so much traffic with my email signature and witty tweets on Twitter. So, each day I focus on writing one quality post for the blog. In January I managed to produce one every other day. In February I churned out 17 posts in 28 days. With the new “ship it” mentality, March will be the month of 31 posts.

My family comes before my work. They may not always see it that way. Take a look at item #2 from My Top 10 Personal Development Tips. What they need is what we all need; love, support, attention, and sometimes direction. It’s so simple that sometimes I forget to gaze into my wife’s eyes and ask the question “How was your day sweetheart?” What I then need to produce and ship is kind and patient attention while I listen to the good the bad and the ugly of her day. For the kids it’s a simple “Can I help you with that?” Mine are teenagers now but when they were younger it was showing up for Cub Scouts, Father/Daughter events, and sporting events. Well, more than showing up, being present. I wish I could have some of those moments back to have been more present than I was.

Is it reasonable to ignore all the noise in your daily grind until you produce and ship what provides maximum value to your audience? Is it alright to have only one or two A #1 priorities each day and all the rest of the list falls where it may? Please let me know what you think in the comments, I promise to respond!