Having trouble getting your customers attention? This quite possibliy is the perfect solution for you ... "Be Mischievous, Get Noticed" As parents we get busy with work, children, getting food on the table etc . Sometimes we just have our minds in too many places at once. A child's solution to this, in an effort to get our attention, is to be mischievous, and, as frustrating as it is, it works. Seriously ... be honest with me ... nice cute kid being good, following the rules versus a mischievous one pushing your buttons: which one is going to get your attention every single time? I know what we'd like to say, I know what we would prefer was true, but we all know it's the second. It's the same in business. The marketplace is like dinner time in a 12-child family - hectic, noisy and everyone fighting for attention. Maybe rather than being good all the time, we need to learn to be a little mischievous, playful, flirtatious or downright naughty. Two examples of this are: Hells Pizza. The opening page of their website asks "Sell Your Soul" or "Go straight to Hell" and all their advertising is based around this theme. For example to promote their Lust pizza they gave away condoms:this outraged a family group and suddenly the world was on fire with free media coverage. Huge. 42 Below also courts controversy, and gets attention with viral marketing campaigns. One for example making fun (not to gently) of the British, and another Gays. Ironically, both target audiences. Now I am not passing judgment on the rights and wrongs of their messages, I am just saying that often we spend so much time being "good" that we don't get noticed, and of course pointing out that being a little mischievous is fun. Could you get more attention by pushing peoples buttons a little? To read other stories in this series so far click here

Your brand, either commercially is the some of all your parts. The way you look, the way you sound, what you do and how people perceive you. The fact that Brand is not just about a "logo" is hard for many people to understand, here I attempt to use the fire service as an example of how brands develop and live or die beyond just there name.

It's hard to describe the Fire Service brand ... it's not constrained to one country, one organization or even one uniform. Each fire service feeds off the stories and identity of the next, but each retains its own approach to the emergency events they service. I guess that's why it's sometimes called a brotherhood. Like many boys, I always wanted to be a fireman. Why? I guess partly because of the big red trucks and the thought of excitement. Some woman love firemen, probably for the same reason: the thought of excitement. I remember once we had the truck on the forecourt washing it ... A lady pulls up in her car ... She smiles and asks,

... LOL We look at the little boy, no more than 10-12 months ... not talking yet ...OMG how obvious. Sorry I digress, but the reason for saying this is that the fire service brand is partly defined in emblems, uniforms and how the trucks look, but it is even more strongly defined through history, romantic perceptions, values and how we behave in public. That's why when we get back from a call, even at 1am on a freezing cold night, we wash and dry the truck,and your boots are polished and your uniform cleaned. Discipline is not just about how well you fight a fire but how you carry yourself on and off the fire ground. Perception carries across all activities, even down to how we use the radio. I can remember, when I first joined, I had to do radio checks. This was the first time I had used the radio, and now my voice was going to be carried into every fire station in our region. I had to represent our station well. I swear I read and re-read the test message over and over again before I found the courage.

 Your brand is not defined by what you say in your marketing message, but by how you carry yourself the rest of the time. My questions to you are...

• what is your brand?
• how is it defined?
• what do you stand for?
• are you consistent?
• do you have history and do you have romantic stories that help define you?
• do you care about the small stuff?
• is there alignment between what you say and what you do?

To read the stories in this series so far

Please also read my

This is an image of the New Zealand Tui painted by Tatiana (Tanya) Kalnins

http://www.keacreations.co.nz/

I have always been fasinated by the Tui and New Zealand Wood Pigeon. As I watch them play in the trees outside our house I am always humbled by there beauty and grace. It is funny, when I walk my dog in the morning even he will stop when he hears them and watch as if in awe as well.

Ok what else can I say except, if you want to blow your mind go to www.ted.com. Ted is an annual conference of world class speakers sharing innovative ideas, telling stories and inspiring change. I mean everything is covered and many of the speakers from conferences over the last few years have put online for your enjoyment. Over the last few months I have listened and watched fascinated to speakers from Bill Clinton to Bono.

I've been inspired by new ideas of social change in Africa, Seen Statistics brought to life in a fascinating graphical display. And learnt how my children will more than likely live to 150 if not older. Now isn't that going to be an interesting debate... Of course the earth can't sustain its current rate of population growth and have people living for ever ... So do we want children to refresh society or immortality? Ha ha Now I know my wife said she would love me for eternity ... But do you think she thought it really would be that long? :-)

Hi Everyone. I have been away for a while, so am sorry for the absence of blog entries and thanks to those who wrote to see if everything is ok. Basically it was so busy through Europe that attending to email from home took priority and work has been silly busy since our return.

The amazing thing is so much has been going on so hopefully I can catch up and share some of the stories soon. Stay well and look after yourself Stephen