Writing takes a lot out of you. One of the hardest parts is coming up with the material to write with.  Most of the time, we are just recycling ideas that we’ve read elsewhere. I’m an avid user of my RSS subscriptions and I read a lot, and I mean a lot. There are about 70 different places I subscribe to that does not include the news. And let me tell you, when I go away for a week, coming back is hard to do. The updates pile up and then I have to basically devote a few hours of my time to just catching up. Then I get mad that they update while I’m trying to catch up. It seems endless. But its all worth it because then I learn new things, have topics to discuss, and maybe will write posts about them. If you’ve been reading, you will see that we do link to the other places that we find our material from.

Sometimes, Twitter makes for an excellent source of an idea. Someone’s random tweet can inspire a thought process that needs to be written down. Other times, a simple question has a detailed answer, and that could be a possible post as well.

Other times, simply keeping in mind of the things you do during the day can also lead to something post-worthy. A random conversation can spark lots of ideas. Maybe you were in a training session that you wish others could have participated. Or maybe you were having lunch with a friend and they said the funniest thing. Who knows.

Anything is post-worthy actually. Its just a matter of how you write it. Also, don’t write for the readers. Write for you. “If you build it, they will come” is a mentality that also works with blogs. Keep that in mind and let me know if you have something post-worthy. I like to read, and am looking for more.

Yes, we love XKCD, but who doesn’t? This particular script makes a very valid point when looking at relationships, but the same can be said with anything. When you think ahead, you look for potential problems that may arise. When you do that, sometimes you throw yourself into a panic and then you run away - in turn, not pursuing what you were thinking ahead about.

At Border7, we try to think ahead for everything we do. We establish all the risks involved, what potential problems may arise, develop contingency plans, and make sure that if anything happens, we will ultimately be prepared. Sometimes we find that there are a lot of risks involved, and then discuss if we should jump out a window instead of proceeding. For the most part, we usually continue anyway and just make sure we know what to do if something wrong happens. Other times, we really do jump out the window.

Can you name any other things that were so awesome, but ultimately scared you away?

Duct Tape Marketing just posted about the book “How to Demonstrate Word of Mouth” and Dave Balter of BuzzAgent. We just got a copy of the PDF and are going to be buying a copy from Amazon.

It was really good timing because yesterday during a staff meeting we were discussing some Marketing techniques that we should employ to help get our business, and all our side projects out there.

One technique that we currently use is a referral bonus for our existing clients. For each new client they refer to us that results in a project, we give our client a coupon for 20% of the project total. Some people may think this crazy, but its a cheap way to drive new business. Not only are you getting a new client, but your giving your old clients a reason to use you again.

We’re going to read this and see if we can get more ideas. What techniques do you use to drive word of mouth?

What did I say? I said they were going to win. They won because they had a team, and I mean a TEAM, none of that BS that the Lakers or Spurs or Heat call a team, but a real TEAM. Look at their line up, name one player who does not believe in whats better for the team over them self? Can you? I didn’t think so.

I was talking to our staff this morning and while we argued about who should have won, I explained how the Celtics make a prime example of how when a group of individuals are so driven towards one goal, it becomes nearly impossible for them not to achieve it.

The Yankees are the Microsoft of Baseball. Everyone hates them, but can’t live without them. They have a lot of money backing their organization, so of course they have a pretty amazing team, that will win over and over. And even though Microsoft owns a major market share, there are a lot of little guys fighting for the top and are pretty successful at chipping away their success. And just like the Yankees, Microsoft doesn’t always win.

College Football Programs show how planning ahead can help in future winning. The reason why USC, LSU, OSU, and many other schools are consistently in the BCS each year is because they have a backlog of players. Each year they get new freshman who learn from the juniors and seniors who will be leaving. They practice with the team and get a feel for things for when its their turn.

And in all sports theres always the underdog. Everyone is rooting for them and cheering just because they feel a bond to them. In the game, the underdog is expected to fail, so they not only need to win, but also prove that they are worthy to win - similar to business. The Mom and Pop shops are fighting against the major corporations and the franchise business. They stay in business because their are people out their rooting for the underdog.

Granted, the business world lasts a lot longer than a season, so its not as “perfect” as some games can be. But the fact that sports show us a small glimpse of what we deal with everyday, gives me a little hope that if I play my cards right, I too can be successful.

The Celtics are my favorite to win the Finals. Why? Because they aren’t about being a one-man show (unlike many of the other NBA teams out there). The entire team, the entire organization, all work towards the same goal - Winning.

What does this have to do with business? Well, its simple, if you can have everyone in your company all on the same page, working towards the same common goal, it makes it more achievable.