In The Age of Paradoxes

With our almost unlimited choices in social media and search engines, we always have at least two decent answers to every search, question or opinion.

With so many choices, marketers (including idea merchants and politicians) try to give us compelling reasons to choose their product or service.

These choices are connected by a common category, yet separated by the benefits or features that make them different from each other.

We decide what makes two similar products or services different in just a few seconds. The more effective a marketing message, the more likely we are to choose A over B.

So “on the other hand” isn’t a phrase only for economists now. It’s become part of the process we use to differentiate between our options.

The more subtle the gap between A and B, and the less time we have to compare, the more familiar we become with paradoxes.

Because a paradox is defined as something that combines contradictory features or qualities. Or it can be a statement that seems at first to be absurd or self-contradictory, yet eventually makes some kind of sense.

“The paradox of war is that it involves killing people to stop people from killing each other.”

“The more undernourished our children are, the more obese they become.”

“The more we communicate with each other, the less we really listen.”

As compulsive choosers, we hear paradoxical statements every day and accept them more easily than ever.

And there are rules for the uses, care and feeding of paradoxes. So stay tuned.

The Problem Solver’s Plight

I’ve worked with a number of laid-off managers in the last year. I help them repackage their skills and presentations. We all hope this results in a new job.

The economy, ageism and high unemployment rates are part of the problem. But there’s one issue that even the most experienced managers can’t tackle.

We no longer solve problems–unless it’s with paper clips and toilet paper rolls like the 80s TV action hero MacGyver.

We have more than enough problems. Every day some new mess appears in the news, and corporate boardrooms.

We just can’t get a handle on them.

That’s because today’s dilemmas are different from the problems facing industrial-age companies. They grow out of conditions we don’t want to get rid of.

For example, being able to read someone’s tweet (or to size them up in person) in less than a minute is priceless. But having less than a minute in which to introduce yourself or your idea is tough.

Organizations, companies and especially entrepreneurs need experts who will interpret, reframe and deal with situations quickly, efficiently and very economically (as “betterwords” I offer gigs for $5 on fiverr.com).

And consumers act like race car drivers. They demand “pit stops”–answers to urgent dilemmas–when and where they need them.

Meanwhile, experienced problem solvers–highly skilled, hard-working and decent professionals–find themselves on a very crowded periphery, with no viable solution in sight.

Marketing Snow to Eskimos

“He’s such a great salesperson,” the saying goes, “he could sell snow to an Eskimo.”

But that might not be as hard as you’d think.

The fact is, almost everyone prefers having more of something they already have, rather than something they lack.

Rich people want to be richer; that’s why we have lobbyists. Beautiful people’s desire to be more beautiful keeps Hollywood’s plastic surgery clinics (and the tabloids) humming. Olympic athletes wish they were stronger or faster. And geniuses dream of being more intelligent.

Years ago, Georgia voters had to choose between a sitting governor whom everyone knew to be corrupt, or a young political firebrand. Many old-timers voted for the incumbent.

“We know he’ll steal a million dollars a year,” their reasoning went. “We aren’t sure how much the young guy will take.”

They were comfortable with electing crooks, and saw little point in doing things differently.

Of course your prospects and customers want to enrich their lives and business. But changing to your product or service may require a leap of faith. Why try to make them take it, or use up your resources getting them to trust you?

Instead, discover what your prospects and customers have plenty of. Then pitch your product or service as the best way for them to get more of it.

Why SEO Doesn’t Work

Post-war American industrialists loved efficiency experts: men with stopwatches and clipboards, paid to find ways for a company to shave seconds–even minutes–off the time it took workers to complete every task.

This rational, numbers-driven strategy was supposed to help management control an emotion-driven workplace.

Today, SEO experts promise us easy money from manipulating consumers to buy something, or visit our site.

But this is no time to suspend your disbelief, just because their technique is technology-based.

Behavior isn’t rational. Never has been. Any brand-new marketer or sales pro learns this fact within a few hours of meeting his or her first prospect. If buying decisions are emotional and irrational, why waste money and time on techniques that pretend we act rationally and are so herdable?

It’s because these snap-on techniques encourage us to believe–irrationally–that people are willing to be manipulated.

SEO experts, like the late unlamented efficiency experts, would have us believe that people leave emotions behind when talking about business. An SEO client is born every minute; dreaming that everyone except him or her behaves rationally, and will respond to the newest off-the-shelf manipulative process.

We’ve been warned for decades that technology tends to backfire on us, creating complications we didn’t expect. Yet we keep pretending that technological tool we’ve just bought will have only a very specific, limited effect, and will bring us lots of money. Like hospitals, or Google.

Here’s some good news: the line separating a superior business leader from a successful marketer is blurring. Workplace behavior looks more and more like what we do for fun or relaxation. Designing a great business has become more and more like designing a great campaign. Use your intuition and wisdom correctly to accomplish either or both. Then profit from irrational human behavior.

But the next time an expert promises you untold profits if you’ll use his incredible numbers-driven technique, hide your wallet from yourself. Then ask him to show you his hands. Is that a stopwatch?

“A Healthy Lifestyle Is Cool. Kids Who Live It Are Special.”

Nearly one in three American children is obese. The cost of obesity-related health care is $147 billion per year.

To stop this epidemic means changing the behavior of millions of youngsters who just want to be cool and popular. Problem is, they’re also dealing with the intense physical and mental challenges of growing up.

Obesity isn’t just about weight. It’s about self-esteem and -confidence, improving academic and social skills, and preparing to live longer, more fulfilled and healthier lives.

Pre-teens live for the future; so that’s where my friends and I will connect with them.

We’re adapting some tested community-building educational programs and modern food distribution methods. We’ll tap into the best internet technologies, and organize respectful brainstorming sessions led by local heroes.

We’ll keep asking these young people questions like “What if . . . ” and “Why.”

What if we can help this challenging demographic group change their behavior so everyone can benefit? Why can’t you?