When NOT to delete a customer’s Facebook post

For several months, I had been looking forward to a trip to my favorite place in the world: Colorado. Accommodations booked and recreation planned, all I had left to do was drop off my dog at the boarder’s the evening before my 6:30 A.M. flight.

On the drive to my dog’s “hotel,” I chatted with a ride-along friend about why I enjoy this particular dog-sitter. They let the dogs run free all day, a far leap from the jittery cabin fever he experiences when emerging from other boarders. Plus, the doggie hotel is extremely connected with social media. I can make reservations on their Facebook page and often interact with the staff while I am away to check on my furry friend. They made such an impression on me, I had voted for them in our city newspaper’s “Best of…” small business contest.

My dog at the Prizm office

We arrived, and my dog ran to the door, excited to be at his weekend play place.

Unfortunately, we arrived to a “Closed” sign. Lights out. Dogs in pens. No creature with a key or opposable thumbs in sight.

Prizm as a Time Bandit? Ah, yes!

As we begin a new year, it occurs to me that I have spent a dozen years now with Prizm.  How can that possibly be?  After all, to contemplate 12 years in future tense feels like a much longer span of time than it does to look back on that same number of years.  And the scary part about it is that as I age, time seems to just go faster and faster.  But enough of that conversation, it could lead me down an entirely different path.  Hmmmmmmmm…Perhaps another blog?  Perhaps not…we shall see.

The purpose of this blog, though, is to give you, the reader, an inside perspective on Prizm, and why, as I look back over these past years, it is easy enough to recognize why time here passes so quickly.  There are a number of contributing factors, all of which could be a singular cause of time slippage, depending upon which angle one views life through, at, and with Prizm.  I have decided to list my top five in no particular order:

Responsibility: a lost art?

I am proud to be the mom of two incredible sons, aged 13 and 10.  These kiddos have endured an entrepreneurial family from their first breaths.  They have seen the good times and the tough times throughout their young lives.  In an effort to guide them, we allow them the hard lessons of responsibility.  Sometimes, integrity is a tougher path to follow in the short term, but in the long run, it is a most valuable trait.

Andrew and his long-lost retainer

Case in point: our 10-year-old, Andrew, wears a retainer as a precursor to braces, a passage of youth.  Andrew is in Scouts and takes great pride in responsibility.  He’s done a pretty good job of keeping track of his retainer — we all lose things sometimes. However, when we discovered that he lost his retainer for a third time, his dad and I told him he had to pay for the replacement with the money he’d saved to go to Disney World.

I can hear all of you reading this now.  That’s terrible.  Why would you make your son spend his Disney money on a retainer?  Mean Mommy.  I mean reeaaally.

What we learn from Picasso

Every day in every industry, we try to help folks understand the value we bring and why we charge what we do. Prizm isn’t the most expensive company in town, nor are we the least expensive. We do charge industry standard rates and bill for our expertise and experience to get the job done right the first time.

Because the production industry is objective and intangible, I thought I’d share a story about Pablo Picasso to help explain the difficult nature and experience necessary to provide an outstanding end result for Prizm clients. The story goes:

Picasso was sitting at a café in Paris one day, having a cappuccino and reading the paper. A woman approached him and forcefully said, “You’re Picasso. Oh my. Could you paint my profile?” Picasso slowly set his cappuccino down, folded his paper and picked up his sketch tablet. Without saying a word, Picasso motioned to the lady to have a seat. He positioned his subject for the right angle and light that would highlight the image he was about to capture.

The lady began to speak again, and Picasso hushed her, repositioning her, and began his work.

About five minutes passed as the master sketched the subject into beautiful colors and hues. Once he’d finished, he turned the painting around to show his subject. She exclaimed, “It’s amazing! I knew it would be incredible. How much?”

Without hesitation, Picasso said, “5,000 Franks.”

“$5,000 Franks? It took you only five minutes!” she exclaimed.

“No,” Picasso said, “it took me a lifetime.”

As with Picasso, you have to create your brand, your reputation, and the reason why people would be crazy NOT to do business with you!

With everyone searching for the lowest price, they sometimes forget quality, service, and value. Our goal at Prizm is to compete on those three elements of success. Happy shopping, and check us out online to see what we’ve created for other clients like Renzenberger, Indiana State University Foundation, Essential Knowledge, and many other great organizations.

The Importance of Creative Leadership and Culture

We’re asked on a regular basis about creative leadership at Prizm.  With our roots at Disney, I thought I’d share some excerpts from a recent speech I gave at Indiana State University Foundation’s Leadership Experience.

My keynote presentation at ISU Foundation

Caring Communication Matters

Sitting in the orthodontist’s office with my ten-year-old, I watch with great interest how Linda works with Andrew.  She has a gentle touch and kind voice even in the midst of an uncomfortable procedure for a young guy.  Her communication with Andrew is one of sincere care.  Andrew looks up at me and smiles as the bands are placed on his back teeth.  It’s uncomfortable.  He is squirming in his chair.  He doesn’t want to be here.

Video online expects 45% jump in 2009

Everybody has a story.  If you can’t be there in person, video is the best way to convey a message.  It’s true that consumers far and wide are publishing video….but corporate entities need to remember that they are branding themselves in everything they do.  Video professionals, men and women, who have spent their lives honing the craft, are expert storytellers.  In them, the customer may think they are paying more, but in the long run, the corporate entity pays more by unfocused messaging.  A recent article on CNET talks about the increase of online video and the importance of brand awareness.

http://news.cnet.com/8300-1023_3-93.html?tag=rb_content;overviewHead

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10124842-93.html