Even your dog has a blog

Even though your dog has a blog, I thought this would be a good time to re-start mine. Why? When tens of thousands of bloggers are blogging per day, why start a new banter, assuming people will want to chime in, link back and gosh knows what else? Well, there's a lot of blogs commenting on other blogs, posting news, giving away thoughts on how to do this and that, but few that are actually straight talking, not complaining, posts on the analysis of outside tech and non-tech influences which can gives ideas to the marketing and public relations of emerging technology businesses. Recently I sat down with a client who explained that he's the Barack Obama and his main competitor is the "incumbent," Hillary Clinton.

Barack Obama stands for change.

Hillary Clinton banks on experience.

And, our client, well, he's trying to think of how his company is differentiated from the market leader. Yeah, one could argue that Hillary is not the market leader, though she is better known, at least from her association with Bill Clinton, having been first lady to the 42nd President of the United States. Though, jumping back to our client's dilemma, does he really need one differentiated message to get himself into the House?

Both presidential candidates have different messages, yet are they really saying anything that will cause voters to cast their lines in one direction or another? That is to be determined. And, is either candidate's past successes enough to carry one or the other to the White House? I think not. Experience isn't necessarily the baseline for a Presidential nomination. So what really could take an incumbent off of his/her seat?

Maybe it's that "one issue" that hasn't been solidly addressed? Maybe it's a pledge of support from outside, third party advocates? Maybe it's just a matter of who gets more press in what major markets at what time. Timing is important, no doubt. And, unfortunately so, because people today, with the many choices, tend to be very fickle, but I digress.

What's really critical is that our client doesn't focus wholly on his opponent. I'm not a big sports fan, but have noticed on more than one occasion that when a football team is constantly on the defense, it's not because their winning. I've also noticed that when fellow colleagues are fighting every word, not listening, learning and strengthening their position, all focus is lost, and circular arguments set in.

I'm not suggesting that our client start waving his flag, hurriedly yelping for attention. That's not good either. But, rather, it's the series of a constant, evolving marketing of events which will lead his ultimate defeat of the giant. So where does he start? Like any good runner, at the beginning. But, not at the beginning of the race.

It is critical that he take the time to develop a message, stake in the ground, that he feels will resonate with his base, and that of his opponents. It's also important that he establish themes which will follow one another and build out his story speaking to the evolution of his business, as it relates to and fits within the market and what he ultimately wants to achieve. It's also necessary to be consistent across all vehicles of communication. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Why isn't this easy to do?

Just winning the popular vote won’t move you into the House (as Al Gore learned). It will take a strategy that knocks the other candidate out, presumes to know its competitor’s next move, and that skyrockets a candidate to the top of the heap. It will take a contender that is willing to take that big risk and, take a stand.