How many times have you had an amazing idea, but never spoke up? Or delayed taking action on a personal or professional goal? Now, think of what would happen if you acted on each of those ideas. How would your personal and professional life change?

We all struggle with something, whether it's sharing an idea or taking action on a new fitness goal. But why do we continue to postpone when it leaves us with a feeling of defeat?

Truth be told, I have struggled with what needs to be done vs. what I feel like doing in work and home-life, and in these cases, feelings always win. I would always put off anything I wasn't "ready" to do. I thought in five minutes I'll get up and go for a jog or I'll tell my genius idea later. Why? I was scared...of something.

Combating the Battle of the Brain in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....

I knew I needed to change and take action where it mattered. In order to combat this "feeling" I went on the search for some motivation to put myself in gear.

On Twitter, I came across Mel Robbins, a best-selling author, CNN commentator, and motivational speaker. She had an interesting way of winning this battle of the brain, and it only took five seconds. Intrigued, I watched her TEDx talk, which is now one of the top 20 TEDx talks in the world, where she first shared her idea of The 5 Second Rule.

So, here's the definition of the 5 second rule: "If you have an impulse to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea."

That's right. The brain is a total dream squasher. So, the action point here is to count to five, and if you are reading this you can definitely do that. You've got five seconds from the time you have an impulse to act until your brain kills the idea. Got a great idea? Spit it out! Write it down! Act on it NOW!

So, with this in mind, I began to implement this rule in small parts of my life: When the alarm went off, I immediately got out of bed. When I had a great idea in a meeting, I spoke up.

Incredibly, things began to change. I found myself more organized with a better sense of urgency surrounding my everyday life. When I would begin to put things off, I would reflect on how I felt about life before the 5-second rule, and know I didn't want to go back to operating in a "later" state. I wanted action so I took it! And it has been a total life-changing revolution.

How the 5 second rule has changed my life

Now, while I reluctantly drag myself out of bed (in 5 seconds) in order to prepare for my day and other morning routines, my career has been impacted the most by the 5 second rule.

Here at The Squad, we are constantly on alert for new ideas. Each new idea can take off and develop into a full on campaign garnering major results for our clients. Yep, just one little inkling. In order to keep it all together, I like to carry a small notebook in my bag with me wherever I go and use it to jot down quick tasks but mostly ideas.

With the 5 second rule, I no longer think it out or consider the long term life of my idea, nor do I send it up the ladder for approval - I’ll deal with that later. I just need to get it on paper. Later, I revisit and take the time to evaluate a sound strategy.

I used to be such a sissy when it came to sharing ideas or even writing them down! I was self-conscious and worried about what people would think, or if they would see me as silly and inexperienced. Since I have cast my scaredy-cat syndrome aside, my creativity has flourished. Now, I can’t remember what I was so worried about in the first place.

More about the 5 Second Rule

Mel Robbins developed The 5 Second Rule to force herself to take action even when she didn't want to. After hitting some rough patches in life - her husband lost his job, financial struggles and lots of stress, and not getting things done - The 5 Second Rule was born. All of the things she "needed" to do just needed to be done instead of mulled over and ultimately deleted by her brain.

As stated on MelRobbins.com, The 5 Second Rule is "a tool for hyper-intentionality, action, and identifying moments in your life where there is tremendous opportunity and joy."  But it's not as simple as just doing it. If that were the case, we would have everything we ever wanted. First, we have to conquer our feelings.

Because of the human brain, when we are at a constant battle between what we know we should be doing and what we feel like doing, our feelings will always win! That's why we need The 5 Second Rule.

So, quit hitting the inner snooze button! I encourage you to take this idea and apply it to your personal and professional goals in the upcoming year, or hey! within the next five seconds! 🙂

How will you implement the 5 Second Rule?

Like the majority of your friends and co-workers, I've been listening to Christmas music again. Which means a lot of Bing Crosby in my household.

I'm a Bing Crosby fan and even though it's not Christmas-related, I've had Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters stuck in my head all day. I know, I know I have an old soul.

With this song playing in my ear, my blog is about how to accentuate the positive for your company.

Grow Your Business

1. Utilize brand ambassadors. These are the people that love and talk about you to anyone that will listen. Work with these people. Engage with them and follow them online, use a referral program, surprise them with fun treats, and other ways to make them happy and feel loved. The more you give them love and positivity, the more they'll give back to you.
2. Promote the good. You know what you do well and what people love. Promote those features. Do you have a great customer service team? Talk about that. Feature team members online, write blogs and social about the customer service department to highlight your best features.
3. Delight your customers. Step out of the norm and delight your customers. We send extra gifts to our Partner clients as a fun surprise. Give ample opportunities for customers to see your culture, your passions, and that your care.
4. Branding. Do you donate a percentage to a non-profit or host various quarterly give-backs? If you have a great message or an interesting brand angle, use that as not just a foot in the door, but also to endear yourself. People like companies that can differentiate themselves in a positive way.
5. Engagement. If people are showing you love, engage with them. If you get a follower from your target audience, follow them back. Watch for opportunities to engage, talk, and have some fun with your audience. As long as you're using appropriate social media engagement techniques, then you're sure to see some positive engagement and growth.
6. The "It" Factor. Every company should have a differentiating factor. If you're asked what your elevator pitch is, you should be able to make one. Well, what makes you special? Show off that interesting product, the quirky and fun personality, or that knowledgable business side that gets stuff done now. Promote what defines you and make sure to build upon your niche.
7. Use all your resources. If you have partnerships, a creative website, videos, blogs, whitepapers, a FAQ, and other resources at your disposal, use them. If you volunteer every year as a company, then talk about it. If you have a vast database of helpful videos, how-tos, and other resources, then promote it. Email those blogs to answer questions in the sales process. Have YouTube videos of how to fix a common issue. Attend your local chamber events and utilize that relationship to open doors. Use all the resources at your fingertips to grow what you have.
8. Make your website sell for you. Your website should be engaging, interactive, and informative. It should tell me who you are, what you do, why I should talk with you, your culture, and much more. It's your digital and all-accessible brochure. Make it an asset. Have a gallery of products, have a portfolio of inspiring websites, or have a fun and interesting culture or blog page. If you have a website that represents you well, then promote it.
9. Promote your culture. If your culture and people are what captures the hearts of your customers, then promote just that - the people. Talk about your events, individual team members, your company retreats, or even a typical day at the office. Was it someone's birthday? Post a picture. If your culture is more known for being knowledgeable, then show how you're hosting webinars or presenting at a local event.

Utilize what you have that's positive. Grow your company with what you know your customers love - we live by the mantra, "Tell your story. Grow your business." I'm a firm believer in building upon a solid foundation, so go out and accentuate the positive and grow your business. If you'd like a partner through this process, contact us.

If you work 9 to 5 at a desk, in front of a screen, you understand that mental fatigue is a weekly battle. In order to combat mental tiredness, proper nutrition is important. Building small changes and disciplines into your daily work routine can make massive changes over time.

Here are a few basic tips for staying alert and focused throughout the day.

1. Stay hydrated with plenty of water.

2. Go for a brisk walk during your lunch break.

3. Avoid the urge to eat sugar when you are feeling fatigued.

Fighting fatigue at The Squad:

One of the office favorites at The Marketing Squad is making "BulletProof" coffee for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

The ‘official’ recipe was invented by Dave Asprey at Bulletproof. While I’m sure that his blend has the most benefits, I have found that modifying the ingredients for convenience has still proven beneficial. The basic science behind the recipe is to provide energy through the coffee and essential fats to the brain for a balanced, non-jittery boost that lasts for hours.

For a more in-depth article on the science behind Bulletproof Coffee, click here.

The core ingredients: Coffee, (unsalted, grass-fed) butter (1-2 tablespoons), and coconut oil (1-2 tablespoons).

Optional bonus ingredients: a dash of cinnamon, dash of Brain Octane Oil

Blend for 30 seconds until frothy.

For a great demo.

My thoughts on buttered coffee:

I was skeptical about the concept of butter being palatable, but after trying a few cups, I was sold! The texture and taste are very similar to a rich latte.

Other tips that help ensure the benefits of BulletProof coffee:

• Replace breakfast - or use in the mid-afternoon to replace a snack.
• Try ‘intermittent fasting’ for morning clarity. Once you get past the initial stomach rumble, you’ll usually find focus comes much easier - and lunch is so much more enjoyable.

Here's to more energy and clarity during your week!

In late September, Google made some algorithm changes. I realize at this point you are wondering one of two things.

First, you are likely wondering why in the heck we are just now relaying this information to you and it is December.

The answer to that is relatively simple, we have been working with our clients and making the changes suggested by Google Penguin. We've been ferreting out what these changes mean to you and how to apply them.

Why Should I Care About Google Penguin?

Secondly, you are likely wondering why you should care about these changes.

We can answer that question very quickly. You should care, you should care very much so, here is why:

Unlike previous changes to Google's algorithm, the changes that you make, good or bad, are rewarded in real time.

Say What?!

It all sounds pretty complicated, and it is in fact, one of Google's biggest changes yet so let's break this down to the main things to know.

1. Google is really starting to crack down on spammy websites and the backlinks from them.
   In plain terms, sites that were once used for the sole purpose of creating link directories are no longer ranking as high as the once were. Additionally, if Google sees that a website is using backlinking tactics from these spam sites in order to rank higher, they are also being penalized.
2. Content is still very much king.
   Solid content is still being rewarded on a large scale. Google wants websites to be providing value to the visitors of the site. Often that comes in the form of a blog post or even the content on the individual pages.
3. The ranking changes happen in real time.
   Unlike years past when you had to wait for Google's bots to come back around to crawl your site, the changes are rewarded in real time. So the fruits of your labor are rewarded quickly and in the same note, they are also punished quickly as well.

If you think that your website can benefit from a little SEO love, we would love to have a conversation with you. We have had fun over the past few months getting to know the ins and outs of the update!

How many times have you said or heard, "Don't go there, their customer service is terrible." Or how about, "I love them! You have to try them out." Word of mouth can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Which, as a company, it should be your best friend since people are more likely to go to or use a company if someone recommends it to them. So, how do you embrace word of mouth without it becoming your downfall? Here are four basic steps to get you started.

Word of Mouth

1. Find a baseline. Find out how people really feel about you. You should already have a pulse on this, but you never know what's out there unless you've been looking. If you're not checking all the time, that should be a red flag. Check out online reviews, see what your customers are saying, and find out what makes people happy and unhappy.

2. What can you improve? Are people saying that your sales people are impersonal or that your lead time is too long? How about if your monthly deals or social media posts are a joke? Find out what you can fix and work hard to do so. If people are leaving bad comments online, then you should reply in a courteous, proactive, and positive manner. If you see some weak spots in your company that could be transformed into opportunities that could really help customers, then do it. Find ways to make that customer experience better.

3. Go above and beyond. Once you start fixing what's bad, start boosting what's good. Do people love your company culture? Share and interact online by showing off that culture. Do people love your Christmas baskets? How about sending a new client a welcome basket? Find ways to show that you care. It's about delighting the customer.

4. Encourage interaction. If you're doing something right, people talk about it. On the negative side, if you're doing something wrong, people talk about that too. Make sure you have fixed the major problems before asking someone to talk about you from the rooftops. If people are bragging about and recommending you - congratulations! Now, harness that. Build up a good referral program that makes people want to use it. Delight your brand ambassadors with perks and special shout outs. Make them feel even better about your brand. Definitely interact, especially online. Tweet people back, follow them, repin their pins, message them back, and there are many more opportunities. It's a continuous cycle of love if you play your cards right.

So, I hear all the time, "Did you hear what Bobby McGee said about XYZ?" I have now and I've formed an opinion about that brand because of what Bobby said. Make sure that my opinion is good. Create a positive word of mouth. Want a partner throughout this process? Contact us and we'll gladly help. Either way, good luck!

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!" ― Benjamin Franklin

2016 seems to have flown by and if you haven’t already, it’s time to focus on a plan for 2017. Regardless of your industry, developing an annual plan for your sales and marketing is key to having a successful year.

Here are some benefits of planning along with some ideas that might help you through the process:

1) Planning around your primary goals gives your organization a "North star" to follow.

Start with your big picture goals. These goals need to be measurable and focused. Make sure that they are the basis of what your organization needs for sustainable and profitable growth. Keep them simple. Your marketing plan will be built around these primary goals.

2) A solid strategy gives you a map to follow, making it easier to streamline production. Get your team involved and plan ahead.

Marketing requires a consistent and sustained effort to yield the best results. Looking at a plan from a high-level vantage point will allow your strategy to include and consider the seasonal events that are important to your business. From there we recommend a 30, 60, and 90-day planning process. A solid strategy allows you to stay on track with your plan and implement it in a creative manner.

3) A plan that can be measured gives you a true score card.

Part of your strategy will be to create a method to measure your efforts to see if you’re winning or losing. If losing, then you can adjust the sails within the context of a plan in order to get back on track towards your primary objectives.

4) An annual plan can save time and money by keeping you from chasing shiny things.

Staying on point and within the context of a plan allows you to stay on budget with your marketing investments in a manner that align with your annual revenue goals. Chasing marketing trends or "the next best thing" can be expensive and wasteful.

There are many more benefits to having a long term plan and building marketing assets that compound year after year. If you're not sure where to start, give us a shout and we can point you in the right direction relative to where you are wanting to take your organization.