2013 self-directed learning project in brand growth
TRANSCRIPT
2013Self-directed Learning Project: Branding, Sales, Marketing &
Innovation
By Marc BinkleyBrand Consultant & Marketing Analyst
@marcbinkleySleepingbarber.com
Challenge:
The old sales and marketing methods to make and keep a customer don’t work as well as they once did. What are the best ways to do this now?
Problem:
Acquiring knowledge through formal MBA or Masters
programs is lengthy and cost prohibitive.
Insights:Frank Lloyd Wright, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin and The Wright Brothers are but a few of the famously successful autodidactics. These men are proof that formal education is merely correlated to, not the cause of, success.
The disintermediation of education by the internet has turned information into a commodity. Information and self-directed tools for learning are now low cost and ubiquitous.
We can design our own learning experiences that turn previously expensive formal education programs into low cost do-it-yourself projects.
You dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a fuckin’
education you coulda' got for a dollar fifty in late
charges at the public library.
- Good Will Hunting -
Goal & Constraints:
Create a low cost learning outline that helps me reach my challenge in 12 months.
Bonus: This framework can serve as a prototype for others interested in designing
their own self-directed learning projects.
Successful Outcome:
A flow experience that produces a proprietary and sustainably effective sales & marketing business model based on the
most successful business concepts.
Methodology
How might we accelerate our learning to identify patterns that
help us adapt to the rapid pace of change?
Learning Experience Design
I Want to
Be
See
know
Do
Learning Experience Design
I Want To • Attempt to solve a provocative
question so as to build in motivation to complete the program.
Learning Experience Design
See • Multimedia learning experience
• Involve as many senses as possible in consumption of information
Learning Experience Design
Know
• Read or listen to a minimum of two of the best books on marketing, sales, branding, innovation per month for 12 months
• Daily consumption & comment on at least one piece of content from thought leaders such as• The Economist• HBR Blog• TED talks• Fast Company• Jeffrey Gitomer• Brian Solis• Avinash Kaushik• Six Pixels of Separation• Seth Godin – Startup School
• Enroll in Coursera Grow to Greatness• Set my homepage to Wikipedia Random page
Learning Experience Design
Do
• Record & share key learning• Weekly on blog • Biweekly video • Monthly Newsletter Quarterly
whitepaper • Project end proprietary model
• Participative Learning• Monthly virtual business school• Book club• Minimum of 1 weekly Twitter chats
• #b2bchat, #mmchat, #kaizenbiz, #hbrchat, #brandchat, #cxo_chat, #innochat, #blogchat, #mediachat
Learning Experience Design
Be • Apply and share all appropriate
concepts to my own business, students and clients
Schedule And Activities
Consumer Mind
Strategy
Brand Management
Marketing & Communication
Sales
Innovation
Monthly Themes:Repeat each theme twice
and seek out patterns
Self-Directed Learning Project: 2013 Reading List*
Consumer Mind
Strategy Branding Marketing & Communicatio
n
Sales Innovation
How We Decide
Predictably Irrational
Influence
Thinking Fast and Slow
WORKBOOKS
Business Model Generation
Gamestorming
Resonate
Lean Startup
The E-Myth Revisited
Damn Good Advice
Competing for The
Future
Metaskills
Differentiate or Die
22 Immutable Laws Of Branding
Winning The Story Wars
The Fifth Discipline
Neuromarketing
Delivering Happiness
Kotler On Marketing
The New Rules of Marketing & PR
The Greatest Salesman In The World
Conversations That Win The Complex Sale
To Sell is Human
The Challenger Sale
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Free Prize Inside
The Innovators Solution
Great by Choice
*books I’ve not read yet, come strongly recommended and are broadly categorized into key areas of development
Marc’s Previous Top 25 Business Books
Consumer Mind
Strategy Branding Marketing & Communicatio
n
Sales Innovation
Why We Buy
The Cluetrain Manifesto
Brain Rules
The Designful Company
Switch
The Tipping Point
Multipliers
Good To Great
The End Of Business As Usual
ZAG
The Brand Gap
Start With Why
Positioning
Purple Cow
Made To Stick
How To Win Friends And Influence People
Crush It
Here Comes Everybody
Trust Agents
Drive
The Experience Economy
The Design of Business
Six Pixels Of Separation
Brains On Fire
Maverick!
January 2013
Books:• How We Decide• Predictably Irrational
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #1• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Barry Schwartz:
The Paradox of Choice• HBR -Customer Value Propositions in Business
Markets by James C. Anderson
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• Start Coursera – Grow to Greatness• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest & track $100 into digital marketing /
adversiting
• Theme: Consumer Mind
• Special notes:• The workbooks Resonate
Business Model Generation and Gamestorming will be used as reference resources throughout the project.
• The book Metaskills will be read as time permits throughout the entire year.
February 2013
Books:• E-Myth• Lean Startup
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #2• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Matt Cutts:
Try Something New For 30 Days • HBR – What Is Strategy? Michael E. Porter
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• Complete Coursera – Grow to Greatness• 1 hour / week – work on Business Model
Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• First book club meeting on How We Decide
• Theme: Strategy• Book Club Begins• Share insights with students
of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
March 2013
Books:• Differentiate or Die• The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #3• Comment daily on one article from Self
Directed Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Simon Sinek: First Why Then Trust• HBR - The Brand Report Card by Kevin Lane
Keller
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous
month’s books
• Theme: Branding• Share insights with students
of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
April 2013
Books:• Neuromarketing• Delivering Happiness
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #4• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk - Chris Anderson: The Long Tail • HBR - Rethinking Marketing by Roland T. Rust
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books• First whitepaper
• Theme: Marketing & Communication
• Share insights with students of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
May 2013
Books:• Conversations That Win The Complex Sale• The Greatest Salesman In The World
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #5• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Ernesto Sirolli:Want
to help someone? Shut up and listen!• HBR -
Ending The War Between Sales and Marketing by Philip Kotler
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books
• Theme: Sales• Conference: MRUShift by Mount Royal University• Share insights with students
of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
June 2013
Books:• Innovation and Entrepreneurship• Free Prize Inside
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #6• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Malcolm Gladwell:
Choice, Happiness and Spaghetti Sauce• HBR - ”elBulli: The Taste of Innovation" Michael
Norton
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books
• Theme: Innovation
July 2013
Books:• Thinking Fast and Slow• Influence
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #7• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• Video: David Gray - The Connected Company • HBR –
The Four C’s of Customer Focused Solutions by Ranjay Gulati
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books
• Theme: Consumer Mind• Attend Conference: World Domination Summit by Chris Guillebeau author of The Art of Non-Conformity and The $100 Start-up
August 2013
Books:• Damn Good Advice• Competing for the Future
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #8• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Eddie Obeng:
Smart Failure for a Fast Changing World• HBR – Kodak and the Digital Revolution by Giovanni
Gavetti
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books• Second white paper
• Theme: Strategy
September 2013
Books:• The Fifth Discipline• Winning The Story Wars
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #9• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Dan Colbey:
What physics taught me about marketing• HBR – Getting Brand Communities Right by
Susan Fournier and Lara Lee
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books
• Theme: Branding• Share insights with students
of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
October 2013
Books:• Kolter on Marketing• The New Rules of Marketing & PR
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #10• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk - Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great s
tory• HBR – Unleashing The Power of Marketing by Beth
Comstock
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books• Third whitepaper
• Theme: Marketing & Communicaiton
• Share insights with students of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
November 2013
Books:• To Sell Is Human• The Challenger Sale
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #11• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Rachel Botsman:
The Currency Of the New Economy is Trust• HBR – What Makes A Leader? by Daniel
Goleman
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books
• Theme: Sales• Share insights with students
of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
December 2013
Books:• The Innovators Solution• Great By Choice
Other• Seth Godin Startup School Podcast #12• Comment daily on one article from Self Directed
Education Google+ circle• TED Talk – Janine Benyus:
The promise of biomimicry• HBR - Innovating Across The Business Model by
Peter Skarzynski
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• 1 hour / week – Google Analytics IQ• Invest $100 into digital marketing / adversiting• Book Club Review – one of two previous month’s
books
• Theme: Innovation• Share insights with students
of Social Media for Business Certificate Program at MRU
January 2014
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• 1 hour / week – Business Model Generation• Book Club Review – one of two previous
month’s books• Fourth whitepaper
• Synthesis & Production
February 2014
Applied learning• Join 1 x Twitter chat / week• Write 1 blog post / week• Create 2 videos / month• Join Pentacle Virtual Business School 1/month• Final project published
• Synthesis & Production
Estimated Costs:Item Cost
Books (27 x $20 each) $540
World Domination Summit (ticket, flight, hotel, food)
$2000
HBR case studies and reprints (12 x $7 each) $72
Digital Marketing & Ads (Adwords, LinkedIn Ads, etc.)
$1200
Total $3,812
Inspiration1 Headrush Crash course on learning2 Josh Kaufman Personal MBA3 Chris Guillebeau Alternative Graduate School Experience 4 Learning Experience Design #LXD5 LinkedIn Answers feedback6 Massive Open Online Courses MOOC7 Pentacle Virtual Business School 8 100 Best Business Books list9 Scott Young – Can you get an MIT education for $200010 University Of Waterloo – Self Directed Learning Tips11 Harvard Business School – MBA marketing cirriculum12 Hong Kong University MBA – Creativity And Business Innovation13 MJV Technologia – Design Thinking Book14 Ideo - Design Thinking For Educators