Former Blog of Eric S. Townsend » random thoughts

Grade of Execution

etownsend — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:12:50 +0000

i was happy to see the united states win gold in mens singles figure skating. what most impressed me was that “grade of execution” was the difference between gold and silver. far too often, over-the-top and “wow” factors overshadow more subtle aspects in grading talent and performance. not this time — here’s how it went down. the american began the final round in second place, with a routine that lacked a quad (the most difficult move to stick). his artistic and technical execution was sharp and ended triumphantly on point. the russian skater began in first position and nailed the quad and followed it with a triple (in combination). no one else had the guts to attempt a quad at the beginning of his program. however, the rest of his program included several wobbly and off-axis maneuvers (although all were landed). his choreography was lacking a bit. in the end, a single point decided the gold, with the american prevailing. congrats to evan lysacek!

Townsend Sings in 9Davine Clip (Savannah GA)

etownsend — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:33:32 +0000

uploaded a video for my song “key won’t unlock the door” as performed at forsythe park in savannah ga yesterday morning. 22 inches of snow in fairfax va. lush foliage deeper south. a red ribbon and wreath on every lamppost to remind you it is indeed year’s end. compare this take against the studio version and lyrics. still working on the best settings from my camcorder to imovie to vimeo (so cut a brother some slack for a minute). to explore other original compositions, please visit the official 9Davine website. look for additional videos over the coming days and weeks from points along 95 south. after a two year layoff, 9Davine returns to the stage on february 8th (my birthday). details coming soon!

Egomania Thrives in a Confused Economy

etownsend — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:06:59 +0000

consider this tale from a new client of mine: i’m from the midwest where anyone behaving like this would be shunned immediately. we had an ‘all hands’ meeting recently and our ceo asked the semi-rhetorical question, “what’s the most important asset this company has?” stupidly, people started offering answers. he listened briefly but then barked, “no! it’s me. no one has my skills, my contacts, my credibility. before I came, this company was a failure.” (the latter, by the way, is not true). did it again in a presentation with our sales team. he walked to the front of the room and wrote on the whiteboard: FAILURE. “this is what this place was before I came,” he said. then he began crowing about how only he really understood the customer’s needs. while he does have insight and vision, he’s such a bully and his achilles heel is that he’s never able to listen to anyone else with ideas or input. swear on the bible. he actually says “no one is more important or smarter than i am.” unreal! funny how this behavior runs rampant where people are unsure of themselves.

Valuing Microsoft’s Opinion on Design is Silly

etownsend — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:10:51 +0000

finally clicked on one of those facebook ads for “30 conversations on design” this morning. i chose the video chat from karen edwards at microsoft. first of all — barf. why should anyone care what a microsoft employee thinks on the subject of design? she talks about elegance with regards to a 1949 chevy truck that sits in her driveway and doesn’t get used. perfect! microsoft office sits on my laptop, is busted and never gets opened (try the iwork suite and you’ll never go back). so what did she really want to waste my time talking about? 18th century bistro wine glasses. yikes. she says they’re simple and she likes that. she says they make an everyday occasion special. um, have you used your company’s products lately? they’re far from simple and incredibly awkward! i do agree that they’re “special” — no argument there. anyway, watch her video above on an empty stomach. neurotic! this reminded me why i don’t look to designers for any level of inspiration.

Teaching in My Future?

etownsend — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:06:08 +0000

a little known fact about me is that both my mother and father were career teachers – both retiring after more than a quarter century of serving students and the educational community. since it’s in my blood, i’ve decided to honor that and take a baby step into the world of teaching. i’m exploring the possibility of adjunct professorship at nvcc/loudoun campus for the fall 2010 semester. The prospects look good that i’ll land something!

Creating the Chase – Sales and Dating Relate

etownsend — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:34:50 +0000

let’s assume that you understand what it takes to generate new business and that you’re actively “filling the funnel” with new prospects and leads. ever notice that sales pick up when you carry yourself as someone who doesn’t need anything? as in dating, “creating the chase” is an undeniable force in sales that reverses the action such that the person who would normally be chased will now do the chasing. you should be employing a version of same in your business. the key is to show interest and your excellence at the same time that you retreat and act disinterested. sound too zen for your sensibilities? watch the below clip from the movie the tao of steve to see if you can apply its principles to business. good things will follow – if what you’re doing between prospecting is excellent, that is.

White Space Victorious in Battle Over Fill Space

etownsend — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:33:01 +0000

in the ongoing war against white space, fill space has lost a battle. yes, the forces who feel the ever-present need to cram everything they have and can imagine into an unwilling space met defeat today at the hands of an unlikely hero – the barcode scanner. ok, all jokes aside. while i’ll never understand why seemingly discerning people enjoy a good ‘ole clutter, i do know that if you want a product to scan properly during in-store checkout, then provide enough white space around the barcode graphic. otherwise, the scanner hangs or doesn’t scan at all. yes, this is objective proof that white space matters. next thing you know, the numbers get entered improperly by hand and someone else gets credit for your sale. al gore, anyone? sidebar: the manufacturer who crammed in the below graphic had only one task with regards to our art prior to printing – place the barcode properly. it’s a good thing that i watch the tiny details or my clients would get screwed in the most meaningful ways.

What’s Your Conversation Strategy?

etownsend — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:12:30 +0000

thanks to greta weiner for pointing me towards this topic. your clients and prospects are starved for time. often, he or she is already engaged in conversations when you reach out. how you open your next conversation is critical in today’s marketing landscape – especially where leads may not be as plentiful. advertising age magazine recommends that conversation strategies begin with the end in mind. hard to argue with that logic. explore messages that work across multiple platforms and can be scaled quickly/broadly. always point subject matter and anecdotes towards actionable items on current projects. be careful not to assume a conversation “carte blanche” – unless the meeting is set as more casual.

Did Somebody Call Me Ari Gold?

etownsend — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:43:53 +0000

yep – people compare me to ari gold from hbo’s hit show entourage. fine with me! he’s one of the funniest characters on television, and he’s a great agent. he’s even bringing the ying with a softer this season. too much.

Name These Icons, Win Absolutely Nothing!

etownsend — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:22:45 +0000

can you place the name to these social media icons? sorry to report, but there will be no fancy prizes (or any prize for that matter). you just get to feel like you’re up to speed – or something of that nature. warning: this is not quite as much fun as building a farm, or pretending to be a vampire, or wishing you were italian, or stalking acquaintances, etc..