Do One Thing Well with Phil Argent: Recent Episodes
Phil Argent
Simple is not the same as easy. So few do.
A short podcast each day, with the idea to give air to micro insights and bite-sized strategies that pop up during the week. No guests, No Ads, Just us.
All too often, the podcast will be ideas and moments packaged up for us to remember, hope you find some of them insightful.
Get deeper into strategy and insights with DX Consulting:
www.dx3.co.uk
Strategy and Insights from people that build, grow and scale digital businesses best.
You can try.
Or you can be your best.
Too many of us try to be our best by trying to be what others want us to be.
And this is true for many many businesses.
And is so true in content and marketing strategy in a digital era.
If you don't optimise, you can't get indexed.
If you don't click bate, you might not be liked, shared, or followed.
If you don't pay for views, you can't optimise for conversion.
No one will find you.
But what if you thought about your audience last, what if you did your best most passionate work knowing it was your best.
Surely your best work would inspire those that need you to find you.
This is a long game.
If you have a deep knowledge of a subject, you have a deep knowledge of spotting signals and signs of change.
This is how change happens.
People who really love their work, tell others what they do, these stories inspire.
You can LEAD people to new places.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Where are you now?
Where do you want to go?
There is always a way, but we don't always know which way is best.
Here's one of my examples, in 2004 I built a CRM database, it was primitive, a PC-based Microsoft Office Access database that I'd got the back end customised so it could connect to the internet and send emails "automatically", seems simple enough hey.
BUT I didn't quite see the significance of it at the time.
I was building this before Mailchimp, before Hubspot, before Salesforce, before WhatsApp.... But I didn't see it.
I'd built it because I wanted to start and maintain a relationship with my clients. I wanted my clients to come to me, inbound rather than me always going to them outbound.
I wasn't being lazy.
I wanted to be timely.
I wanted my clients to feel I was always available.
An email from me and my company was welcomed, embraced, and often replied to.
The response made me feel special and wanted.
BUT these emails pushed me in a direction.
The direction I hadn't planned to go.
And I grew my company. and grew and grew.
I was still building and using the database, I'd called it ELVIS after a database I'd worked on at Virgin.
BUT I still didn't see how valuable it was to me and my company.
And I didn't for a minute think how valuable it would be for other companies.
I didn't think.
I was leading, but by being so far ahead I felt I needed to slow down, growing fast was costly.
I started slowing down, I started allowing others to catch up with me.
I eventually found myself behind......
mmmm....
When you lead, make sure to look around, make sure you know where you are, and make sure you decide to stay ahead.
Just make sure you know how far ahead, don't leave that to your competition.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
The strongest option.
Take 7 lego blocks, the same size but different colours.
Take some time to think about your business.
Take a moment to prioritise the blocks by colour.
Did you think.... which colour did you like most.... or did you think which colour was most important if it was part of your business?
The latter thinking is VERY hard.
We're building now.
So, take some time to look at the blocks.
There is no rush.
Just look carefully at what you have.
Switch off the noise, you do this well and given time the blocks in your hands CAN become strong, but the noise has to be off.
You must own your opportunity.
NOW MAKE THOSE BLOCKS STRONG.
The noise will try and distract you from the task.
You might think it's too simple.
You might think this is just play.
You might think, you can't think.
This is not play, you're looking for the strongest option.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
When I get started all I can tell you is how long it takes doesn't matter.
"Little by little, by little"
I want the idea to be perfect.
But perfect is like the plastic plants - there are many but non matter.
It is in building little by little we grow.
And sometimes, it's easier.
I was shifting some strategy ideas today, they were complicated, and it never got easier.
I love the way ideas do that, hang together that is, hold tight, asking for the effort.
This is how growing a business is.
Commitment and vision.
Passion for the future.
But what we know is coming keeps us building.
When you fall in love with the little by little, by little way, you end up visualising what's ahead.
Do the building.
Keep doing it.
There is no quick way.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
So you have an idea, and you want to build a business around it.
You've worked out the elements that you need to invest in.
You've worked out what the inputs are and what the outputs will be.
But it will only become a business when you invite people to try it out.
Recently I had the opportunity to visit a Michelin-star kitchen.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR INPUTS ARE.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR OUTPUTS ARE.
What pulls it all together is the team, their skills and a vision.
Some businesses never get to the point where the inputs and outputs are clearly defined - before trading begins.
This leads to a test and learn system.
But that can cost time and be expensive.
It can be testing on people.
It's a small test, but grab a box of lego. Come up with an idea of something you'd like to build. Seek out the parts you need, build it, and then look at what you have when you've finished. Think about what you have at the end.
Would you make more of the same thing or would you think more about it before you got started building more.
Just a thought.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Over the festival period of 2022 I spent some time thinking about our impact on the place I call home, and in doing so what effect we have had on the planet, and continue to do so.
I watched a movie called "Don't look up" - a movie that showed how we can all be sold a different truth by those that lead us, a truth that ends badly, very.
It's known that climate change is gaining traction.
It's known that some parts of the world will be affected faster than others.
It's known that a huge percentage of us live very very close to the sea edge (70% of the world's population).
It's known the sea doesn't have to rise much for millions and millions to be displaced.
How much effort are businesses putting into their impact on the planet?
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Today I was walking and thinking, there is nothing unusual in that.
But today I was thinking am I walking on my own, or is someone walking with me.
So I did the first 50 daily podcasts, and I know someone is listening to them, I can see it in the analytics provided by anchor.fm the podcast service provider I use.
But I haven't yet met any of those listeners, we'll to be honest I know of 2, but I haven't seen them or met them face to face.
It feels like I'm on my own, learning to survive in a new place, a place I know people will come to eventually.
It's like the Martian movie, the character played by Matt Daimon is left behind but knows "if he survives" someone will eventually come and meet him.
Like many things, it's hard to survive, and it's hard to be found, that is until you're found.
Before that day comes I have to just keep going, taking small steps.
I hope your listening, and if you are it would be great if you were to send me a message.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
The resting rowing boat
In a boat shed, there is a boat, it lives on the top rack.
No one uses the top boat now.
The boat is waiting.
Like so many businesses there are boats all around, waiting to be used, waiting for a crew.
Waiting for the days of racing, effort, and acceleration.
A waiting boat, waiting to win.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
My quest to refine my thinking on all things system thinking marketing takes me to a whole new level, I'm off to visit/ work a bit at a 1-star Michelin restaurant.
There is something pure about the best systems, each and every part works on its own, BUT is made better when it comes together with all the other parts.
Many parts - One system.
If a brand wants to build a truly powerful relationship with its customer, looking at all the parts of the brand and then assembling them as one original creation takes time and skill.
Michelin Stared restaurant kitchens are serious systems.
The delivered item is, COMPLETE.
Oh and on today's podcast I also talk about my troubles with Facebook, and how Twitter is settling down now some 8 weeks after Elon bought the company and turned it upside down, or inside out, depending on how you see it.
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
So it's nearing Christmas and the kids are walking about movies to watch.
I got thinking if I was to watch a movie that encapsulates how I like to think about building digital businesses it would be Mary Poppins, and most notably because of one word that I think says so much.
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
It's a made-up word but we all know what it means...
It means - Something wonderful!
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Oh I'm sorry but my McDonalds and Big Mac facination is becoming fever pitch.
This weekend I didn't have a Big Mac, but I was tempted.
In search of a greater understanding of the McDonalds restaurant system I wanted to learn more about there approach to digital business strategy, shopping from anywhere OR omni channel, OR omni delivery, OR Omni experiance.
I read an article before I headed out, it said in summary "Omni channel increases sales" but I wanted to know just how, would this mean I'd buy 2 Big Mac's!!!!
The UK and Ireland McDonald restaurants are investing £250M (OMG!) in 2022/23 to uplevel the Omni channel experience, that's no small change.
But what will I notice, what will I see?
Will it make my Big Mac bug any bigger........
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
With an economic downturn there comes opportunity.
But, that opportunity comes for those that do the best for the top end or those that do the best for the bottom end (we're talking about businesses).
The problem is what happens if you're somewhere in the middle?
In the middle, there are transactions.
In the middle, there is competion, lots.
In the middle, your renting customers.
In the middle, your retention is limited.
So do you stay in the middle or engineer out and up or out and down.
Or do you stay where you are, waiting for the market to close and gaps appear.
This week I was talking to a business owner, wish company has a turnover of £25m annually, their biggest competitor is wren Kitchens.
What Wren has done is set up camp in the middle market, and is tactically taking market share up and down the value chain.
How do you respond we discussed.
He said "we've been going for over 40 years, but we've never told our story".
I said if you can find people to understand your back story, to see that you are experts, show that you have been listening to your customers for 40 years, and ONLY deliver a high-end the best of service, you'll bring people towards you.
Who you are, what you are, and where you come from is a back story to build, so get building.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
I watched the movie "The founder" about McDonalds, and I saw the system.
I wanted to learn more about systems in bars and restaurants because systems create business models, and the best business system models go worldwide.
But how do you learn a system.
How do you learn again.
How do you reset.
How do you restart.
And how do you get a chance to see the world through the eyes of someone else.
How do you learn start-up.
The only way to do it is to START at the bottom, a place where no one expects anything from you, but all that is expected is that you turn up, do the do, and come back the next day.
It's not a strategy for those not prepared to graft, to be honest and to see the opportunities in everything.
You have to knuckle down.
You have to think simple.
You have to not think, you're not paid to think.
You have to learn the system, someone else's system.
You have to learn to be trusted.
Most importantly you have to give more than you get, you have to care more that others want.
You have to wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Until you're trusted.
I joined a small high-pressure start-up team, to learn from the bottom up, a new business unit, the 89th location in the UK, it wasn't Mc D if you wondering....
I join as a new starter. on a new starter zero hours contract.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Thanks for listening
Phil (Founder and Director of DX3.co.uk)
How do you create a daily contact engine?
How do you create a podcast every day?
How do you write a blog every day that helps to inspire a growth mindset?
It's simple. Think about the one thing that can change how you and others see your world.
Today rather than talking about digital business strategy or parts of what makes a good digital business strategy work I was pondering the subject hook of this blog and podcast.
The hook is the one thing that will help you to STOP and read my piece and then perhaps be so inspired that you want to listen to my daily podcast to learn more.
The hook is the first line that you'll read if you see my posts or blog or podcast listing.
I've been wondering how do we stop, how do we read, how can a hook stop you in your tracks.
I was looking for the simplest thing, one word that will change everything.
But then.
I thought perhaps it's smaller than a word, perhaps a simple comma would do the trick.
Which reminded me of a book I'd read some years ago, Eats, shoots and leaves.
The comma changed the book title from a crime thriller about someone eating the shooting someone maybe a miss placed word "leaves"...
But when you put the comma in, it becomes a book about a panda, eating shoots and leaves....
The power of a comma.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Last night my 15 year old son came back from school, with results from his first mock exam.
His first big test.
He hadn't done as well as held hoped, in fact he had done worst that most in the class.
He was embarrassed, pained, confused and angry.
I said to him these are feeling about control, and outcome, and sometimes you will fail to control what you want to see happen, even when you've done everything you can to make the outcome right.
I said sometimes YOU MUST fail to learn.
I said sometimes YOU MUST succeed to learn.
I said sometimes YOU MUST try, knowing that you might fail.
I'd learnt many years ago, that failing opens up opportunities, and we don't allow failure to happen enough.
When it does, you have to think hard about why it happened, what can change to make it work, and give it another go.
James Dyson, made 5,126 prototypes of his vacuum, and HE FAILED 5,125 times.
Dust yourself off and get back on the ride.
Failure is something we all need to learn about, some of us need a helping hand to see it as an opportunity.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
So digital experts will tell you that you can be a success overnight if you do everything they tell you to do.
But do you have time to do everything, the one thing these experts will find hard to tell you is, to do everything takes TIME, lots and lots of time.
David Hieatt from Huit Jeans tells a different story, one that takes time, he tells stories, and the more you learn about his stories the more you're hooked.
He tells stories through his email, and thousands have signed up to it, to learn about his way of telling a story, he even from time to time talks about the company he runs - Huit Denim Co, what is fascinating about David, is he creates a super niche brand, then adds in a story, and he goes deep.
He's building an army through his email, and one pair of jeans at a time he is changing the world of jeans.
When you go deep on something simple, everyone goes with you, it takes time, and it's not a get rich quick way, but it builds movements, people that follow and people that tell the story for him.
Like us, we see what he is doing, we think it's brilliant, we do bits of what he does, we're part of his heavy-lifting gang, and given time you'll do the same, maybe for us.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Just how do you retain your customers if you are a bar, pub, or club?
You need to take your customers on a journey of simplicity, and go deeper into YOUR story, what makes YOU unique.
You need to think about your WHY, why do you exist, is it just to serve food and booze or is it more.
You're there to offer an experience, learning and fun, a safe place to discover new things.
How do you active your customer again and again and again?
It comes from edutainment. Education and entertainment.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
When you first start a new digital business strategy/ business strategy you'll have a plan.
A business plan is a document that articulates to all stakeholders what you want to do, what you want to see happen and who can do what bits.
But, a business plan is also just a promise.
A promise about what you will do.
We've recently been working with a client who has a solid growth plan.
They make sure they invest in the setup, they get set up, and then they start trading.
And after 3 weeks they then contract resources, tighten up systems, fine-tune who does what, and invest in training the new team about their job and roles, they also make sure everyone is happy, even though there is more pressure to get things working.
In effect, people have to do more in less time, but that tightens up the system, and people do get paid for the over time, but the RIGHT people make things work within a permitted timeframe.
Things go from being a business promise to being a set of measurable tasks and actions.
From there they build demand, customer demand, growth demand, and then they build more capability in the resources.
Step by step, by step. Hour by hour, by hour.
Make it work.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
When I worked at QXL Ricardo (a global dot com auction platform that took on eBay for the Uk and western European countries), we went from 26 staff in one country to 819 staff in 13 countries in the wink of an eye.
It did seem from time to time crazy, long hours, big ideas, growing teams, and lots of cash burn.
But that period didn't last.
Eventually, cash became important, revenue growth became important, and what people did became important.
When it did we all had to slow down and do some grow-up thinking.
Slow thinking about customer growth and customer retention.
We found that happy customers came back time and time again, and the unhappy ones left and didn't come back ever.
So we gave some thought to how we could grow whilst also retaining customers.
We eventually realised that if we focused on how to retain customers first, then how we got new customers second, would lead to many new customers.
Happy retained customers helped us to find new customers.
We helped them tell their stories, and we rewarded them for it.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
No business is one person.
There can be one person who comes up with ideas.
One person who leads.
One person who is good at parts.
There is the planners
There is the designer.
There is the sales.
There is the marketing.
There are the subject experts.
There all need to align.
But it takes a team to build a business.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Some things are meant to be around forever because they set the bar high for all of us to follow.
What follows in this advert is a story of today, led by the driver Sebastian Vettel, who is the driver of the Ferrari LaFerrari.
But in that today, you see reflections of the past throughout the advert, you have to watch carefully to see all of them, the cars that is.
To retain customers, and gather new customers, Ferrari uses this advert to hint at their history, "you're not buying today's car, you buying a lifetime with Ferrari".
So whilst some businesses retain their customers by telling stories about the future, some retain customers by telling stories about the past, and few tell both.
What were learning though our studies of long-standing brands is advancement always hangs within a reference to the past.
You can watch it here, or I've embedded it below.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
So here's a story about a brand that was suffering after a salmonella scare, Cadbury.
This advert was a huge hit on youtube, minutes after it had been aired there were over 25k views on the advert, it ended up not only helping to reestablish Cadbury as the number one bar, but sales grew by 10%.
The agency brief went like this, "The brief was to get the love back to that lost generation and reconnect with the brand emotionally. I told the agency I wanted an ad that was as enjoyable to consume as a bar of Cadbury’s chocolate,”
Enter a human dressed as a gorilla and the Phil Collins tune "in the air tonight", the gorilla playing the drums....... but he waits......
What we find fascinating is the song, creates the story. But you have to wait for the real pleasure in the song, when Phil Collins drums kick in you have to wait 2.45 seconds.....
You can watch it here, or I've embedded it below.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
We think what we're learning about when studying the greatest adverts of all time, is each and every advert tells a story of the journey.
In the 2005 Honda "Impossible Dream" advert we see machine after machine of dreams, from the past to the current.
We also learn that by telling a story of a journey we can share in the effort, continuity, and contribution of the business.
When we create adverts, there are those adverts that trigger moments, limited time offers etc, but we are looking for adverts that help create a relationship, lifetime value, customer retention,
These adverts, take us on a journey.
The words of the advert - a song by Andy Williams are also great to read and think about the message they add to a journey.
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right, the un-rightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, strong and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe
To reach the unreachable star
You can watch it here, or I've embedded it below.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
The smell of fresh bread, it roots you.
The thing about this advert that fascinates us is that it's been used and retouched and reused for over 50 years.
There are 4 parts to all these great adverts that most businesses today don't use on there digital adverts:
Great video story.
Great copywriting of the words.
Great story telling.
And a great song.
Miss out any of these parts and you don't have a classic, you'll have an edit.
The 1973 advert has words.
The 2013 advert is a time capsule.
The two Ronnies is classic British humour.
You can watch it here, or I've embedded it below.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
The 1975 Big Mac (Mc Donalds) is one of those.
" 2 beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickled onions in a sesame seed bun"
It's amazing what happens when you pull together a few considered words, a song tune and some images.
In today's podcast I sing the song, it was part of my childhood and I just can't forget it.
It was all about an annual promotion, you had to go into a restaurant and sing the song in a given time to get a free Big Mac.
You can watch it here, or I've embedded it below.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
119.5 seconds that's all it takes.....
But when you're waiting you know your waiting.
This is how long it takes for a pint of Guinness to be poured, it need not be fast, but it's defiantly slow.
The 119.5 seconds was also the founding of one of the best TV adverts ever, and you'd probably say one of the best adverts that changed the success of Guinness.
Prior to this advert Guinness was seen as an old mans drink... but after it it became cool.
So why am I talking about a TV Guinness advert?
This advert starts with 16 seconds of silence. That's a long time.
Then the first words are "he waits".
From a digital strategy point of view, it's worth looking at this advert in its parts, to understand just how strategic we "should and could" be with our digital channels.
Copywriting - this advert is framed in words that make people hang and think... "he waits" "that's what he does" "tic follows tok" - every word makes you think, because if you've ever waited for something for 119.5 seconds you'll know your waiting. The words get inside your head.
The content movie - sure you can do this nowadays on a shoestring, but how many of us really invest in the content we produce, is it that less is more now, better quality and less of it... this all links to our thinking on brand flares.
The music - this is brilliant, if you've ever suffered you'll know a wave has a rhythm, it has a beat, it has power. The music brings the whole thing together.
You can watch it here, or I've embedded it below.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
There is something really powerful in trying new ideas.
Steve Jobs's "Think Different Advert" highlighted a few people, the mavericks and misfits, he narrated the advert, and the words are pretty cool.
"Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.
Here are some of those mavericks and misfits, the people that push the world on.
Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Branson, John Lennon (with Yoko Ono), Buckminster Fuller, Thomas Edison, Muhammad Ali, Ted Turner, Maria Callas, Mahatma Gandhi, Amelia Earhart, Alfred Hitchcock, Martha Graham, Jim Henson (with Kermit the Frog), Frank Lloyd Wright and Pablo Picasso.
It's ok to see things differently, It's only after you've done your doing that people will see just how brilliant you really are.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Feeling part of a team changes things.
Teams working together creates power and momentum.
A great team needs a great leader. One who is able to get hands-on if needed.
Fostering brilliant minds, and fostering brilliant teams are at the heart of a good leader.
A good leader needs to know more than just the best strategy.
A good leader needs to be balanced in their views.
A good leader needs to show a portion of vulnerability.
A good leader gets inside a team and stays there.
Good teamwork comes from one person or 2 becoming the leaders, showing the way and being open to new directions if needed.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Things are changing, we know this, and it's hard to not see change at the moment.
Change is good, it keeps us alive.
Change is hard, but we learn from it.
Change takes time, which we all have.
Change can be done in bits, but it can also be 100% invested in.
When we do invest in change we move things forward.
We don't have to wait, we can get started, that's what matters most.
We get started....
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
I studied Elon Musks @twitter feed for the last 27 days, here’s 10 things that I’ve learnt.
1/ Twitter is the most interesting place on the internet right now, it’s alive, twisting and bending with creative energy.
2/ Good humour matters, even when everyone and everything seems against you, humour will win the day.
3/ Big corporations pulling there advertising budgets, is to the gain of the shareholders, not there customers. They will come back.
4/ Reduction of the workforce is a by product of cost reduction for now. But is also a sign that there were surpluses.
5/ Montisation will come, and it will come in many forms, content creators will win.
6/ Verification will signpost ownership, this is critical to the future, people buy people.
7/ “Please note Twitter will do some dumb things in the coming months”, they won’t be dumb. Test, measure and learn.
8/ DAU - daily active user, it’s growing, and small growth is the hardest, but it’s growing from day one of Elons ownership, real users.
9/ Citizen journalists - love this concept he’s coined, a chance for us all to share local, personal and insightful news.
10/ People do matter, inside and out, few want to see this, there is not much news in it, but a great team is forming.
I’ve found the story so far fascinating, some want it to fail, (which is obvious FAANG and others), but some want to see a company evolve, and live, and be alive, because it’s what we all need.
It’s alive and growing.
Simple.
team #people #growth #argybargy
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Here's Todays Podcast
Think different, check out our free guides
There are some things that seem simple at first.
That's until things change, and you have to do something differently.
Think differently.
We all seem to be in that mode at the moment.
We are waiting.
Or
We are going.
Or
We are learning.
We thought that we should share what we've been learning and doing.
It might help shape some thinking.
https://www.dx3.co.uk/free-guides
Do we listen to customer feedback enough?
Do we seek to be active listeners?
Do we seek to think like our customers?
Do we seek feedback "always"?
Feedback need not be a "thing" to get doing, feedback can be a living thing constantly ON.
Inside of living feedback loops are opportunities, innovation chances, new products and services and even new businesses.
Here's Todays Podcast
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking/26-feedback-loops
What matters with retention the most is how we think about customers, let's focus on the human factor.
Given that the digital eco system is now so optimised, working or broken, we need to seek out what people want, really want, but to do that we have to get close to us humans, we have to ask what we want, we have to seek deep insights, we have to see that everyone is unique and that no testing or algorithm with ever match us.
We need to get closer.
Here's Todays Podcast
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking/25-customer-retention-part-5-the-human-factor
So we're all waking up to the idea that we just haven't cared enough about our customers, don't be hard on yourself, we've kinda sleep walked into this.
Let me explain, we all embraced social media and paid search engine marketing, WE HAD NO CHOICE.
But companies before this time did have a choice and some companies did get their story right, looked after their story and their customers.
A story I have to share is about my visit to a Tiffiny store in NYC, USA. It was the start of a lifetime story. And no matter just how much advertising
has hit that space (Jewellery), I'll keep going back.
Now, the other part of the podcast is about Twitter, I was until earlier this week thinking Elon was going to pull off some genius move, but as the days pass it looks like his goal is to kill it... why, I have no idea... but I always say "there is a reason for everything, we just don't know what the reason is.... yet"
Here's Todays Podcast
For more info about us follow the link below
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
A digital transaction or in store transaction need not start and end with the "shipping" of goods.
Some companies create time and space for stories to be told.
Majestic Wine is one company that does this very well.
Here's Todays Podcast
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking/23-customer-retention-part-3-and-majestic-wine
If you give your customer an 11 star experience they will come back.
But how do you do this, how do you seek out 1-11 star, what can you do and what can't you do.
There are tactics inside of this idea.
I share on todays podcast
For more info about us follow the link below
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
Today I talk about the biggest problem facing every business. Customer retention, It's a big problem, not solved quickly. But it can be solved.
For more info about us follow the link below
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
19 days. Isn't long.
That's how long it's been since Elon Musk bought Twitter.
Is it clear what the strategy is..... yet.....
Is strategy always clear from the get go... nop..
But it becomes clearer as it starts to be expected, but the right people, in the right way.
It's true there is vast upheaval at Twitter, but I don't think it's just Twitter that's in a considerable change mode.
I've been studying the "strategic" market research that's being carried out by Elon.
When a business needs to change its digital strategy, when it wants to retain its customers, it wants to introduce new revenue channels, what better than testing a few ideas (quickly), getting some user feedback and some unit economic data.
What we all know now is Twitter is planning to change how it makes money, monetising its members, and the members, the loyal ones are going to be happy to pay for services, and not just the blue tick.
Way back in the 2000's I remember attending a meeting with some senior people from Paypal, they were selling money services to the platform I work for.
Their product had layers of services.
They needed a distribution network to get things started.
Once they hooked in customers, they had them for life.
Twitter has 230m users....something is going to happen, it will be obvious when it does.
Paypal has 429m users....something did happen, it took time and testing.
If you think you need to change your digital strategy, then you probably do.
Doing is where the learning comes.
digitalstrategy #retail #omnichannel #argybargy
For more info about us follow the link below
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
Be honest, what would you tell your younger self today?
Yesterday I was given the opportunity to discuss this.
It wasn't very easy.
It wasn't very easy to think what I'd want to have done that I haven't done... yet..
You see when I was younger, aged 13 I couldn't read or write (I've mentioned this before), I have a dyslexic mind.
Yesterday I discussed helping share my story with young children 10-13 who also can't read or write, and have neurodiverse minds.
During our discussion, I started to think about what I didn't know that I'd now share "to my younger self", to some extent telling my story told me what I'd say to my younger self.
"You'll do a lifetime of simple Phil"
Let me explain to those with dyslexic children or those seeking to understand dyslexic thinking.
When I was younger I knew somethings were simple.
I my case building models was simple.
When I was young my first job was to take BMW UK engines apart for testing and repair.
It was simple. and I enjoyed it.
BUT
I didn't see it like that, I was pushed to be "educated" the conventional way.
Exams were hard. I did loads, got a handful.
Higher exams were hard. I got 1.
University exams were incredibly hard. I just past.
IT DIDN'T HELP.
Things become complicated, I became unhappy, and I miss {simple}, I wanting to be excellent because in my mind I was.
So what would I tell my younger dyslexic minded Phil?
I'd tell me this.
You will find a talent Phil (Model building, engine building), it will seem simple to you, but you will have a lot to learn, stay in that place. Learn simple. Make simple your north star. Make simple your life. You will be brilliant. You will be so happy and full of joy.
I'd also tell my younger self, one day you'll write a book.. it's title?
🖊 A lifetime of simple.....By Phil Argent Global Engine Builder.
dyslexicthinking #madebydyslexia #storytelling #argybargy
Lisa B. thank you for yesterday!
Customer Acquisition Chaos...
"The old playbook - spin up Facebook ads, sprinkle in some SEO and SEM, maybe experiment with some influencer campaign....doesn't work again more". Rex Woodbury
We've been renting our customers from FAANG, but the rent is going up, there is no denying that.
So, let's introduce a new way - System Thinking Marketing.
Blend....
Slow marketing - brand marketing
Fast marketing - tactical paid
To blend the 2 we need to become creators, and story tellers.
We need to see commerce as a journey, one we go on with our customers.
A LONG journey. Life Long.
From time to time we'll carry our customers.
From time to time they will walk alongside with us.
From time to time we will walk on our own.
So what is in the creators rucksack?
In no particular order:
PR
Newsletters
Blogging
Podcasting
Events
Pop-up stores & exhibitions
Analytics - to steer the path
Build these assets individually, don't fall into the habit of optimising one against the other.
Focus on each to be as good as they can be as if these assets were the last thing you owned.
BTW, how long will you/ can you wait?
JFYI, CAC will only get worst...
mmm....
digitalamarketing #brandbuilding #argybargy
For more info about us follow the link below
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
💡 Is it time to change channel
You may be having discussions internally about "reducing" marketing spending.
Does that mean reducing marketing?
Does that mean reducing spending?
Does that mean reducing customer transactions?
Or
Does it mean it's time to change channel?
Change focus to longer-term relationships.
Change focus to repeat customer spending.
Change focus to lifetime value.
Change focus to better quality customers.
Can you?
Or
Will you be left behind?
Only time will tell.....
changechannel #pr #argybargy
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
I have another confession, this one is criminal, but I don't think I'll get locked up
It's 1995 (again, a lot happen in that year), I'm still working at Majestic Wine, and I've won the annual tasting competition.
(Now, the thing to know about winning the tasting competition is I had to do a lot of tastings after winning, a lot!)
My crime I carried out in full view.
Right under the noses of the gods of the wine industry.
mastersofwine
It was at a tasting at Sotheby's.
I was "invited" to taste.
I was going to taste something incredable.
I was tasting the complete flight of the 1989 vintage of Domaine de la Romanée Conti OMFG!
Note: if you were to be invited to taste the complete flight of DRC89 now, the 6 bottles would cost approximately £40,000, blimey!
This is another story about me and my #dyslexicthinking getting the better of me.
A good mate from the Fulham store Caspar had been given a pair of tickets by the Majestic #PR team, and he thought me and my palate would be good companions for the evening tasting.
But he didn't know what me and my brain had planned!
wine #winetasting #winelover #wines #argybargy #dyslexicthinking #dyslexia
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
Google built a closed loop, too closed
I loved Gmail.
I loved Google.
I loved Gsuite.
I now love #googleworkspace .
BUT.
I've now realised that the love has ended and we're just going to be good friends.
What's changed?
We've become un separable, if I want to do anything I have to take you with me, If I want a customer I need to use you.
But the more successful you became the more you made me compete against myself.
So I'm going to keep using you but I'm going to use you in a laser-guided way.
Just like Airbnb, I'm going to build a brand marketing system and use #ppcadvertising to move the dial as and when I need to.
It might be slower to start with, but given time a brand marketing system will allow people to find me when they want to find me, and where they want to find me.
A brand marketing system is not about funnels.
A brand marketing system is not about one part being better than the other.
A brand marketing system lives forever, without the need to be driven by an algorithm.
Slow down, and take a look around your digital marketing strategy, if you stopped spending would you stop?
If you did stop it would indicate you haven't yet invested in your brand marketing system.
You'll find more about my understanding of brand marketing systems on my daily podcast, Do One Thing Well, you'll find it on Apple and Spotify.
google #marketing #people #love #argybargy
Note: This is part 4 of 5 highlighting and taking a view on what's happening with online digital marketing and ad tech and social media companies.
Follow me to keep up. or search #argybargy to see most recent posts.
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
Down
But not out, that's how I see Facebook.
Having thought about where things are going, I wanted to make a few notes, perhaps predictions.
Facebook when it started was simple.
Facebook connected people.
Facebook got people talking.
Then it scaled.
And introduce the world to the concept of a #timeline. Something that we all thought about, news and information, but Facebook brought it to life.
Then things changed.
Then we all pilled in.
Then we all were so keen to advance we did it without knowing what we were doing.
Giving away our time.
Giving away our data.
But now we want that back.
So that's what Facebook should help us do.
Take away some of the noise.
Make it simple again.
Prioritise {inbox}.
Slow down the chatter.
Make our time more valued.
Prioritise connections, not ads, let us slow down and build more valued relationships, then add services, not ads...
Wonder where it goes from there?
facebook #data #help #people #argybargy
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
Change
twitter is undergoing change.
And if you believe all you read you’d assume it’s chaos.
It’s not.
Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast
Elon took his time to finalises the $44B deal, because he was planning.
You can’t buy a $44B company without huge amounts of planning.
A new operating model.
The blue tick for $8 per month, it’s a tactic, to shock #change.
A new team.
Down sizing a big tech, it’s never going to be easy, but it can be fast to shock #change.
Stay or go.
Change was a signal for a long time.
A new leaner operating model will apprear.
Memberships instead of data.
Back in June 2000, Friends Reunited one of the first social networks worked through a membership model.
£10 per month.
It worked for a while until someone twigged that people were willing to give away there data, behaviour data.
End giving data…
But now #timcook has decided that giving out data and privacy for free can end, the likes of #twitter and #facebook perhaps need to become member only platforms.
Smaller….
A start point 450m worldwide…..
Wonder where it goes from there?
team #people #data #planning #argybargy
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
In 1995 I was a new graduate at Majestic Wine, I was working at the Catford store. Magic place.
(No, this is not about the scams we used to try and run to bolster our tasting budgets so we could taste better fine historical wines, sorry for that, we were just "testing" the system).
Catford was a small place with, a small team.
We were all experts in a subject.
winetasting
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
It's real, and resting
Whoever thought to build the Millau Bridge was a visionary.
To know where to start, but to also know where to land (safely) takes planning, thinking, strategy, action, and certainty.
A couple of the things I've learnt about the bridge:
The road was constructed in 16 separate sections.
There are 7 towers.
It's resting to the north on the Lévézou and to the south on the Causse du Larzac.
Resting.
A huge complex investment, is resting.
Just think about that for a moment.....
investment #strategy #planning #architect #argybargy
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast
I'm reminded of this today because I know things are running fast.
But those things seem slow.
Rhythm.
In business there is a rhythm, it can be fast and it can be slow.
But it can't change for most very quickly.
Change.
Change is what sets a rhythm.
Too much change done without enough planning can slow you down. Too much change without the right people can slow you down.
Too much change without agreement can slow you down.
Look slowly at change.
Look to make change smooth.
When setting your digital strategy, think slow.
Think about - the pace of change.
Think about - why change?
Think about - change how?
Think about - change what?
Think about - how long you'll give for change to happen.
Think about - your team, how they feel.
Think smooth, smooth is fast.
Image credit, US navy seal, the saying Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast comes from there, think the saying is very powerful, if you give yourself time to think about it.
I'll share more insights into my thinking around digital strategy and insights around it on my daily podcast - Do One Thing Well, it's on Spotify and Apple podcast.
Follow me to gather those moments too.
business #team #digital #strategy #technews
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
So, let's think about super apps, is this what's breaking some of FAANG powerbase?
I started hearing the term super app over the last few months whilst listening in on commentary around Elon and Twitter.
I have this saying, "everything happens for a reason" but "the reason may not ever be obvious to us all".
So, here's the thing.
Big tech companies like Google and Facebook are broken, and TikTok is on the assertion but hiding a trojan horse.
So here's the thought, TikTok is coming out of #china, getting the whole of China to us one super app is going to be reasonably doable, all 1.4B people, but all those 1.4B will have connections around the world, that why were all using TikTok.
The growth of the app like TikTok is due to a mathematical principle called Metcalfe's rule btw (how networks grow).
Now, lets think, the reason why Elon has bought Twitter, and alongside this he also he know payment systems, all points to an opportunity to build the Western worlds super app, to challenge the app that will evolve out of TikTok, WeChat....
I think whats not being discussed yet, why? no idea, is could we see The super app's that Twitter or TikTok build completely change how people shop and buy and how businesses market and advertise?
I think so.
Would be interested in your thoughts, is my thinking wrong, off target, have I not yet got the right reason yet?
I discuss more on my daily podcast - Do One Thing Well. You can now find it on Apple and Spotify.
facebook #opportunity #people #superapp #argybargy #google
Podcast home:
https://www.dx3.co.uk/latest-thinking
In a life (16-70), you'll spend - 5.7 years on social media
Doesn't sound a lot to me, does it to you?
But we invest in these platforms as businesses, we invest many many hours.
A bit of data:
1- 4.48 billion people currently use social media worldwide, up more than double from 2.07 billion in 2015.
2- The social media growth rate since 2015 is an average of 12.5% year-over-year. However, growth is on the decline with 2019-2020 data revealing a 9.2% growth rate
3- 60.99% of the 7.87 billion people in the world use social media, of eligible audiences aged 13+, there is 63% that are active users
93.33% of internet users are on social media; however, a titanic 85% of mobile internet users are active on networks
4- Globally, the average time a person spends on social media a day is 2 hours 24 minutes; if someone signed up at 16 and lived to 70, they would spend 5.7 years of their life on it
5- Facebook is the leading social network at 2.9 billion monthly active users, followed by YouTube (2.3 billion), WhatsApp (2 billion), FB Messenger (1.3 billion), and WeChat (1.2 billion)
Now here's a thought, as businesses do we see our investment in social media as a short-term marketing tactic, or should we see social media as a lifelong commitment?
Would be interested to hear your thoughts.
I do a daily podcast - Do One Thing Well - On Spotify, I fill out some of my thinking on there. Join me.
marketing #facebook #data #socialmedia #argybargy
Things are a-changing for facebook I recon, and if you haven't use business manager then now is a good time to learn how it all works.
Something very significant is going to happen with Twitter, and the only way to see what happened and how it's going to affect or benefit your business is to have an active account.
Zizuo!!
I've seen perfection on a football pitch once, and once only, it was mindblowing, it was musical, it was ballet, it was something more than football.
The game was Real Madrid vs Espanyol, it ended 5-1.
The game was in front of a full house at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
A full house 45,000 people.
I saw Zizuo play. Zinedine Zidane.
The skills he showed that day to control the ball were extraordinary as if the ball was glued to his foot by an invisible bungee cord, and only he knew when it was going to be released.
He scored 3 times.
Effortlessly.
But what was more mind blowing was the artistry of the rest of the team, Carlos, Figo, Raul..... the list went on.
The performance was interchangeable, every player that came on to the pitch just slotted in.
Harmoniously, adding to, not taking away.
Now, these guys were a high-performance team, selfless in performance, they had a goal in mind, to win.
But delivering that goal it didn't happen overnight, and it wasn't by chance.
Vicente del Bosque the manager had built a team, had built a system, had built a strategy.
A by god it worked.
So here's the thought...
When we set off to build a digital business strategy, one that will start, grow and scale, we can look for short-term tactical wins, (the passes), but that focus will only get us a short distance.
Alongside shorter tactical plans, we need to also think big and slow, we need to understand how everyone fits in, everyone.
How everyone fits in was something that was very very obvious watching the football that day.
It took real commitment and effort, and trust.
I recently listened to a podcast with Brian Chesky, wow if you listen very hard you will find absolute gold, he said in the early days, and I think he even still tries to today, he would interview everyone, yes everyone.
I see it he had the ability to slow down, even when it was all go, understand the short term, and the long term, and build trust in himself and everyone in the team.
He was a coach, not just a CEO.
He was focused on the short passes as well as the longer season and game in play.
Great teams don't just happen.
Coach the short game, but slow down with everyone to share the longer game.
This balance is where the magic happens.
Would love to hear about your moment when you saw, and experienced a brilliant team in full flight, might be something very simple, might be something that you saw happen over a number of years.
business #team #people #share #podcast #argybargy #football
You've got mail.
Yesterday I talked about the value of FREE email, and how it led to me buying into Google Workspace.
I had no option, but it was the right time and right thing to do.
So today I wanted to dig a bit deeper into the value of email, and how powerful it becomes in an economic downturn and some interesting tactical ideas.
Over the last few weeks, it's become clear that companies are spending less on social media marketing and digital online advertising.
Alphabet, and Meta, have both disclosed fairly heavy financial announcements containing revenue down grades.
I won't go into the numbers, that's for another day.
But I will go into a strategy every business could deploy, that came to mind having read these announcements.
There are 2 types of email as I see it.
Personal email address
Business email address
I currently have 5 email addresses I use for different things (wonder how many you use?)
Now the thing I think a lot of businesses miss thinking about is this, for each type of email address what type of relationship can we have?
It's assumed in my experience that businesses only go after one or the other when doing lead gen, but it doesn't have to be as binary as that.
Here's the thing, and I'd drop the caveat that this is different thinking, people who use personal email may be open to business-to-business email communications.
My iPhone has Gmail setup, I view all email as if it is in one inbox (the option is listed as "All Inboxes").
Can you see the opportunity yet?
You think you're sending emails to their personal or business account - BUT you're actually sending your email to the "All Inboxes" inbox.
A few years back whilst working for a tech company, we connected with prospective contacts via a Facebook lead gen campaign, they gave us by default their personal email address and phone number (all GDPR compliant).
It was cheaper than other channels (including Linkedin).
It was a #trojan horse of an idea.
It was very very scalable, and we used it well.
As a footnote, If you build a valued relationship through email, your email won't be unsubscribed from, you'll have a lifetime to capitalise on.
Neil Patel does long-term email relationships brilliantly, I receive them via both my personal and business email addresses btw.
Email can be very very cheap, but also very very valuable.
Worth thinking about where you think you're sending your email.
emailmarketing #digitalstrategy #innovation #onlineadvertising #argybargy
Give something FREE, then wait.
In 2004 I started using Google for more than search, Gmail was FREE, Gmail for business was FREE.
I used it because it was FREE.
But I also used it because I knew it would help me build the start-up I was working on, we needed an email address.
Let me give you one example of how Google gave me something Microsoft didn't.
Google Gmail, let me log in anywhere.
Microsoft mail, god that was a faff to set up.
Google gave me timeback, it was FREE time.
They traded there FREE product and gave me FREE time.
Some years later, I got an email from Google, "Your legacy account is being transferred to a Goggle Gsuite, it's time to start paying"
Well Google had given me a lot of support in one way or another, so I didn't feel so bad now having to pay.
They still give me Google Search for FREE, kinda.... (we do pay in very cleaver ways)
Thankfully, I'd say 100% of the tech I use or implement is cloud-based.
Phew.
Because this means I can now work anywhere, at any time, at any moment, and on any device.
Today, I'm working on the hoof, and have meetings both face-to-face and on zoom and teams.
I stopped in the local library to get FREE wifi.....
So I can do what I need to do, from anywhere.
Cheers Phil
The idea around my podcast Do One Thing Well is to bookmark some of my insights and learnings as I go through the day, It's just me and you, no ads, no guests. I'll drop the link to the podcast in the comments below.
https://anchor.fm/do-one-thing-well
business #work #google #microsoft #argybargy
Even in high growth, there needs to be discipline to slow down.
I learn this rhythm way back in the 90s when it was all going.
I worked at Virgin, we had a system of 12-week planning (sprints).
By having this system, we made sure we didn't leave anyone behind.
Communicating slow thinking and fast thinking was a Virgin thinking thing.
It was powerful and simple and good for everyone.
This is the first episode of our new podcast, Do One Thing Well, an idea a day, every day shared. This podcast is part of a system, a digital awareness system. This podcast is also about creating some value for others. The system that we're introducing works like this:
The first job of the day at around 8 am is to create a podcast. The podcast then gets featured on a blog on our website. The blog then gets shared on our LinkedIn pages.
It's perhaps top-of-the-sales funnel stuff, but we like to see it as a digital system for building a long-term relationship with our audience. Phil - Senior Digital Strategist DX3
The Do One Thing Well podcast with Phil Argent One Idea A Day, Every Day Discover more about digital strategy: www.dx3.co.uk