But there was a scene in this week’s (August 15) episode that reaffirmed a belief of mine. In the scene, Don rips into the market research lady (I forget her name) because the focus group indicated that the proper strategy was to use decades-old messaging to sell Ponds Cold Cream.

Here is the scene…

One line says it all: “You can’t tell how people are going to behave based on how they have behaved,” says Don.

I think this line is instructive for, well everyone, but particularly those of us in marketing. Our challenge should always be to challenge the accepted wisdom and try something new. There are lots of different versions of that line that we should take to heart:

• Just because something worked in the past, doesn’t mean it will again.
• Just because something failed in the past, doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea now.
• You can’t tell how much customers will love your brand of motorcycles based on how much they’ve loved them in the past.
• You can’t tell how well Brett Favre will play this year based on how well he played last year.

We should all be mindful of the past, but know that it has very little to do with the future.

Like K/BIS, and IBS, PCBC was significantly smaller than in years past. Where once it took up all three halls of the Mascone Center, this year it couldn’t fill one.

But also like the other shows, there was a sense of optimism in the air, both by attendees and exhibitors. People are starting to recognize that being curled up in the fetal position in the corner, afraid of the light, is the wrong way to be. They’re starting to make an effort to lead and to put themselves in front of customers.

Will that be the spark this economy needs? I’m no economist. It’s very possible that the optimism is misplaced and that there are fundamental problems with the housing market that still need to be resolved.

I do know this: The optimism can’t hurt, and it sure feels nice.

So that’s my daily inspiration to not let the Lizard Brain win. To focus on the important work of being original, taking risks, leading.

It doesn’t always work. Just today I sat down and watched most of Brazil-North Korea in the World Cup. But hey, it’s the World Cup!

And in fairness, the card was still in my briefcase at that time.

The building industry has suffered more than its share during this recession, and as a result, fewer builders and contractors are spending the time and money to travel to extravagant places like Las Vegas for a trade show. However, in a way lightly attended shows provide a unique opportunity to connect with customers on a more personal level. And, there are some things you can do to reach the ones who don’t come.

So, here 5 ways to maximize your IBS ROI:

1. Engage show attendees & follow up. Social media is all the rage these days, and for good reason, but face-to-face meetings are the best way to get online relationships started. When you meet customers, ask them if they are on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter (LinkedIn is probably your best bet). If they are, ask their permission to connect with them there. Also, put your various Social Media URLs on your business cards. Before you know it, you’ll have an expansive network of potential customers.
2. Blog. If you have a blog (and you probably should), you need to start blogging about what you’ll be doing at IBS now. What you’ll have on display, where you’ll be staying, where you plan on eating, what shows you’ll see. Of course, you want to talk about your company, brand or product, but those little personal things are what get people engaged in conversation. After the show, blog about what you did, what you saw, what you liked or didn’t like.
3. Tweet. If you have a Twitter account (and you probably should), start Tweeting about the upcoming show. Engage your followers in conversations about your expectations of the show. Look for “Tweetups” where you can meet your Twitter friends at a bar or restaurant. Better yet, organize a Tweetup yourself.
4. Video. For the customers who couldn’t be at the show, take them on a video tour of your booth. Introduce them to the employees working the show, let them see the products. Give them the experience of being at the show as best you can. Have fun with it. Put the video up on your Web site or blog, as well as on You Tube.
5. PR. Even if overall attendance will be down, there will still be editors and reporters there. You can go to the IBS Web site and request a list (scroll to the bottom of the page). IBS doesn’t provide e-mail addresses, but you can usually find these through magazines’ Web sites. Contact a few editors who might be interested in your product, tell them what’s new, and invite them to your booth. Be careful, though. They are interested in seeing what’s new or interesting, so make sure you have a good story to tell.

Just because show attendance will be light doesn’t mean the show will be a waste of time. Do what you can to make the most of it.

UPDATE: IBS organizers have made it a bit easier for exhibitors to maximize their ROI with an iPhone app.

Resolution #2: Get Organized

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that on the heels of the chaotic Christmas season, people want to get organized.  They’ve acquired a lot of stuff in the last 12 months, and they want to purge what they don’t need, and organize what they keep.

Is your marketing disorganized?  Does it have a lot of pieces and parts that might be duplicating efforts?  Do some literature pieces have a different look and feel than others?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, it’s probably time to organize your brand.  Start by stripping it down to its essence.  What makes you different or better than your competition?  Why should your customers care?  How do you need to reach your customers?  With those questions answered, you can start to see what your marketing needs are, and which pieces you should toss, which pieces you should keep, and how you should organize them so they are all working together.

Like organizing your closet, it’s an arduous process.  But at the end of it, you’ll have a lean, effective, strategic marketing plan that represents your brand well.

So here is the first of three ideas:

Resolution #1: Quit Bad Habits

Aside from losing weight, quitting smoking, drinking or other nasty habits is the most common New Year’s Resolution.  We all want to leave behind those things we do that may be doing us harm.

The same goes for your branding.  There are probably several marketing “habits” that you have that are harming your brand.  Maybe even killing it.  Perhaps you’re using a tired, old ad campaign from the 90s, or advertising in the same magazine or on the same radio station you have beeen for years.  Or maybe your Web site is hopelessly outdated.

This is the time to take stock of your marketing efforts and be honest with yourself about what is working and what isn’t.  And if it isn’t working, then it’s time to quit.  Cold turkey.

As a result, many talented people are being let go, and I’m here to tell you that’s not such a bad thing, necessarily. It means these people are bringing their skills to bear in new and creative ways that will benefit builders, remodelers, manufacturers and others in our industry.

The latest example is Paul Deffenbaugh, who was relieved of his post at Reed (Professional Builder, Professional Remodeler) and has now started Deep Brook Media. Deep Brook Media offers digital marketing and business improvement services for residential contractors.

Paul is, as they say in my native Massachusetts, wicked smaht. If you’re in the business of providing home contracting services – or even if you’re not – I recommend checking out his blog. You might learn a thing or two, or at the very least be entertained by his witty prose.

So, the pool is getting crowded. More and more talented people like Paul are joining the entrepreneurial ranks and competing with me. So why would I recommend him? This is a great thing for companies, as more smart thinking is available at increasingly reasonable costs. And it pushes me to be better, smarter, more efficient, more innovative.

And, that’s just the kind of guy I am.

Photo credit: State Records NSW

Of course, I declined. I didn’t want to be getting unsolicited e-mails from this company. I felt sorry for the guy, but it is hard for me to imagine a less effective strategy.

First, if you’re going to interrupt people in their homes and make them open their doors to let in the cold, you’d better have a damn compelling pitch. You might also want to use a sales guy who doesn’t look like he’d rather not be there.

Second, even if you did have a good pitch, your chances of success are so low it’s hardly worth the effort. At any given time, the number of people considering getting their carpets cleaned is low. It’s probably lower in December when most people have just put up their Christmas trees.

Third, if you must bother people in their homes, you should make sure they know who you are. This company had no established brand and therefore no level of trust and familiarity with homeowners.

Finally, do not ask people to give their e-mails to you until you’ve earned it.

So you’re probably asking, “Okay, Smart Guy. What do you suggest?” Well, here are some ideas for introducing your company and service to the community, earning people’s trust and maybe even generating some sales.

• Assuming you already have at least a few customers, offer them a referral incentive – $5, $10, $50 cash for any new customers they steer you toward.
• Create a compelling Web site and make sure people see it.
• On your Facebook page (you do have one, don’t you) offer your free carpet cleaning deal to your “fans.”
• Join your local BNI Chapter.
• Create a simple brochure with tips for cleaning your carpet and keeping it clean for the holidays. Make sure it has your brand and your “free offer” on it. Put it on your Web site, hang it on doors, mail it to target neighborhoods.
• Offer a post-holiday free cleaning. If there is one thing people want, it’s help cleaning up the house after all the parties are over and the decorations are down.
• Partner with a maid service to share referrals and package services.
• Get involved in the community. Get to know people.

These are just a few ideas for a carpet cleaning company. Change a few things, and they might work for kitchen remodelers, heating & cooling contractors, roofers, landscapers, and many other home service providers.

Any other ideas?

This was driven home to me when I looked at the traffic to this blog over the last few days. I would have expected that on Thanksgiving Day, when most people are in tryptophan/football-induced comas, that traffic would have been close to, or at zero.

In fact, it was among the busiest days in the last few weeks. This could be an anomoly, but regardless I took a lesson from it: There are no days off in doing business online. In fact, these days might hold your best opportunities to reach people. If you think about it, they are likely not being bothered by the incessant phone calls and interruptions of a day at the office, and at some point in the day will steal away to their laptops or smart phones.

Looking at the blogs I read, many of them had new content posted on Thanksgiving Day, or at least on the days before an after. Now, they probably wrote that content earlier and simply scheduled it to go live on those dates, but the point is it was there.

It’s nice to take some time off. Just make sure your online tools – blogs, websites, etc. – are still working hard.

The conversation started out with some small talk about the weather or whatever. He lives in Florida, I in Wisconsin. Then the subject of sailing came up, and I mentioned I had just come back from a race across Lake Michigan. He mentioned he sailed too, and had for much of his life.

But I wanted to get to the subject. I wanted to know what he thought of my ideas. I was anxious to see how it went over and if it might result in a big, fat contract.

So I said, in essence, “Oh, that’s nice. What did you think of the proposal?”

Dang!

I knew right away that I had messed up. If there’s one thing sailors like to do, it’s talk about sailing. And here was one who was a potential client who wanted to share a few stories. It was a prime opportunity to build the relationship, and I missed it.

Of course, he didn’t buy my proposal. It just wasn’t in the cards at that time, and engaging him in a conversation about boats and regattas wouldn’t have changed that.

But it would have gone further to cement our relationship, and when he is ready to move on a branding plan, I would have a better chance of being the first call.

He remains a potential client (I think), so all is not lost. But I did learn a lesson from this, one that I already knew: When talking to a prospect, friendly small talk is crucial. Talking about your product or service might be the least important subject.

You can bet the next time I talk to him, if he wants to talk boats, we’re talking boats.