28 Days....

We are getting closer to Election Day and I think we are in for the longest 28 days ever. If you are like me you want real answers to real issues and I fear we will get caught up in the peripheral items that don't really matter. The next President is going to need solutions to financial issues not seen for many years. There are a lot of people responsible for the mess we are in....yes both Democrats and Republicans have their hands in this debacle.

I have serious concerns with the money that Freddie Mac CEO Raines made ($50 million plus) as they were losing money and hiding the fact that they were in financial distress. It is the same thing with Lehman Bros. CEO and key execs making big dollars as the company was failing and looking for a government bailout.

Bottom line is most Americans aren't happy with the state of our representation not just in the White House but in Congress. I think we need to consider looking to the average American and find about 350 of them that are level headed that should serve in congress. That would be enough of a shift to thwart the current lobbyist influenced group that resides in DC. A group that more often is concerned with re-election and pork for their district than doing what's right for the American people.

Do you think the current leadership in congress is looking out for you? Do you think the bailout was an effective use of tax dollars? Think again!

Back in the saddle again!!

I have been getting thousands of emails asking why I haven't had a blog in so long. Many important people are devasted by the lack of posting on Cognitive Coniglio. Okay, full disclosure not true. I have had a few ask what has been going on and the honest answer is I think a blog is alot like a New Years resolution. You start off great but before you know it your commitment falls or you make an excuse as to why today isn't a convenient day to do this. I have been very busy but my goal is to get back to a more consistent post. With all the amazing things happening in the world today - elections, failing banks, etc. I think now is a good time to get back to giving my thoughts.

So those of you who still check to see if I have a new post, please leave a comment that you know I am back and expect to see unique commentaries and common sense thoughts.

Two quick questions/thoughts as I close:
1) Is it possible that someone can get a $120 million package as you leave a bankrupt company?
2) How much experience do you need to be President of the United States?

How's the weather out there?

I have been traveling this past week and have had some interesting run- ins with some incredible weather. On Tuesday afternoon I was in Cincinnati at the airport (techincally it's in northern KY but they don't really make too much hype about that!). The weather took a nasty turn and before you knew it they were on the loudspeaker issuing a weather emergency. A tornado warning had been issued and all people in the airport were to go to the southeast corner of the building and stay away from windows. That was followed by a trip to the basement where a couple of hundred of us were shuttled to wait out the storm.

When I woke up on Thursday morning in my hotel at 4:45 am in Madison, WI the rain was coming down like crazy. There was incredible thunder and lightning. I thought I may in store for part duex of the tornado show but I was fortunate that the violent weather stayed east of Madison.

So what do these weather stories have to do with a blog about business and marketing? The reality is we have control over a lot in our lives, work, and businesses. However, in our industry, the weather plays a critical role in the life of so many farmers. All the preparation, planning, and proper execution is done on the growers side only to have weather conditions alter all the hard work. Keep you eyes on the Mid West over the next few weeks as that will tell the story of how high corn and soybean prices will go. It has been cool and wet out there and planting was done late. There are concerns about yields and that will dictate commodity prices. We could see record highs in the weeks to come.

One last thought....be thankful for each beautiful day in your part of the world and remember how it affects food production

Ag Internet.....The New Frontier

I saw a story the other day regarding the media world and their panic over the pull back in online advertising. As many companies get nervous about where the general economy is headed they have pulled back not only in print advertising but also web advertising on popular sites like Yahoo, Google, etc. I believe this is a real concern for "mainstream America" but I am not convinced this applies to the agricultural industry.

Farmers & Ranchers have been challenged with connectivity issues over the years. That gap is slowly but surely catching up and is allowing them to get online with a reasonable speed. I have spoken to many farmers at trade shows who state they would use the web more often as soon as they have high speed. Couple this with the fact that our industry is experiencing a strong economy and I think this is an incredible time to reach this "new audience" via the web. Now, as a guy who works for a print publication you may think I am crazy to say," use the web!" But the good news is at Fastline is we have been preparing for this shift for many years. We are weeks away from a new website re-design for fastline.com and we have been working with a Search Engine Optimization company to help us be on the front lines of those in need of ag products and equipment. Our web numbers have been growing at an average 40% increase year over year and we are close to reaching the 4 million page view mark per month.

So the bottom line is that ag online advertising is the new frontier for those in our industry who want another touch to reach prospective customers. We have had our site up since 1998 and we are the leader with the largest searchable database of equipment in the world.....but the last year tells me that we are just hitting our stride and that the best is yet to come.

Touching Them All

I know I am bit late in posting a blog on this story but there may be some who are not yet familiar with it. I think it is worth repeating for all our benefit. It's an uplifting moment from which we all can learn a lesson.

Sarah Tucholsky had never hit a home run in college softball. As a member of the the Div II Western Oregon State team, fate would have it that in a scoreless game she would hit her first home run with two runners on giving her team a 3-0 lead in a crucial playoff game. The only problem with this storybook scenario is that when rounding first and heading to second she realized in her excitement she had missed touching first and turned to go back and touch first base. That's when her knee gave out and she tore her ACL. She crawled back to first, hugged the base, and everyone watched in disbelief at the unfolding drama.

The umpire stated that the rules would allow a pinch runner but that Sarah's home run would be recorded as a 2 run single instead of a 3 run home run. Any assistance from her teammates would result in her being called out. That's when a player from the opposing team asked, "Can we carry her?". This wasn't any player. This was Mallory Holtman, who owns almost every major offensive record they have for Western Washington State. She thought it was the right thing to do....to help someone who had earned the right to have her first home run count. So she and a team mate picked up Sarah and carried her around the bases "touching them all" with her left foot and allowing Sarah to enjoy the thrill she deserved. So why post a sports story on a business blog? I think there are a tremendous amount of lessons to be learned here that can be applied to so many aspects of sales, marketing, and business. Who do we have on our business team? How do we use the rules and regulations in our industry to our advantage? But the overwhelming thought I had here was about competition. We all face tough competition in business and it is important to win in the business game. But the reality is, we as marketers and sales people, need to "do the right thing" not only for our customers & clients but for ourselves. The ultimate victory is in knowing you won by "touching them all"...whether by yourself or with the help of others.

By the way, the assistance given to Sarah by Mallory ended up having a major impact to the game. Western Washington did rally for 2 runs on the bottom of the 2nd....runs that would have tied the game had it not been for their gesture. The final score was 4-2. But the final score was not why this game will be remembered for years to come.

How do you Rank?

Is it just me, or does it seem like every two days there is someone coming out with "Best Places in America to Live" or "Worst Traffic Commutes in America" list? Add in the occasional "Best Colleges in America", "Best Cities to Work In", yada, yada, yada, and it could really make you feel pretty good or pretty crappy about where you live, work or went to school. My thought to all of this is this: Forget these surveys! Be content with your current community or work commute.

This is kind of running joke between me and my sister-in-law who lives in upstate NY. We have often joked about who lives in the better community and I have even on occasion taken one of these surveys and used it to my advantage! Did you know my community ranks #3 in the U.S. for playground equipment? Take that Fairport, NY! Your kids are never going to amount to anything!(Just kidding...I think they are # 2 in Nuclear Physicist Graduates) The reality is, these are all quite subjective and I would venture to say that when a list comes out with the greatest places we expect our town's to be on it. We look in disbelief to find out we didn't make the "Prettiest Landscaped Towns" list. We also look with fear that we may be on the "Worst Sewer Smelling Cities in the U.S." list.

I wonder if you were able to take the data from all of the "lists" if you would really find Utopia. I actually think that Utopia exists in many areas of the U.S. Most of us care about our communities and are happy to be a part of them. We all have many things to be proud of in our towns. So let's stop reading the "Best of...", "Worst of..." Lists!

This did get me to thinking though, about the "Best Agricultural Publications in America" list and guess who is # 1 on that one?!

On the road again...

I have been doing quite a bit of traveling lately and thought it would be neat to give you some stories from the road. These are just some random thoughts and events that I have experienced over the last week.

I sat next to Sgt. Moeller of the 32nd Infantry Division on a flight from Cincinnati to Harrisburg. He was on his way to Ft. Indiantown Gap, an Army Base in central Pennsylvania. He was in Iraq just a few days ago, then went directly to his training assignment in PA. He'll then be home for eight months with his family in Wisconsin. We had a good discussion about things over there and no matter what your thoughts are on the war, those who serve in the military deserve our gratitude and thanks for the sacrifices they make. The stories he told me make me realize how thankful we need to be that even though we have our challenges here with politics, our economy, and day to day events we are truly blessed to be in a free society.

Okay, I hate to bash the airline industry but they really need to get their act together. I spent four hours on Sunday in Charlotte waiting for a plane coming from Raleigh (only 35 minutes air time from Charlotte). Our delay was due to a thunderstorm in Raleigh. There has to be a better system that deals with issues like this. Can a thunderstorm really have the impact to delay so many people? No, the answer is that their systems are so fragile that something as simple as a thunderstorm throws off the entire system. When you ask what the deal is they tell you that their systems work this way and they can not do anything else. Hard to take excuses from people who run businesses constantly in bankruptcy and in an environment where they have more paying customers than ever! Way to go US Air. (oops, wasn't going to mention their name)

Spent time with co-workers in Kansas City at the National Agrimarketing Association Conference. We heard some great speakers and the truth is the ag economy is doing very well and looks to be strong for a significant time going forward. There are many factors that contribute to this but the reality is the world is growing and we (the U.S) are key in helping to feed not only ourselves but the world. Remember, we still pay the lowest percentage of our income on food than anywhere in the world. It's hard to keep that in mind as we shop these days but our selection and pricing are second to none out there.

I spent time with two great companies in Georgia yesterday. I really enjoyed learning more about their businesses and look forward to working with them in the future. There is nothing better than trying to find solutions for companies to help them attain the goals they have set for themselves. It's really about focusing on their goals and challenges and knowing where you can help and where you can not.

You care about my business?

Recently, I had a meeting with a prospective customer. The purpose of the meeting was for our company to learn more about the goals and challenges of a solid company. You see, anyone can come in and assume they have the answers for their problems or challenges. Most likely though you do not know their real challenges or their real needs. It is only after you spend time investigating and having an honest dialogue that you find areas where you can help.

What struck me as odd happened at the end of our meeting. When we were finishing up a comment was made by one of our prospects. He said, " I wish more people would spend time with us like you did today. No one really seems like they want to know more about our business. They just want to sell us some advertising." Now in full disclosure, I will tell you we are not a perfect match to help them with all of their current needs or challenges. But I am confident that as we go forward we can help them in a few areas and we'll find new opportunities as their business changes.

At Fastline we are constantly trying to distinguish ourselves by bringing a unique and specific criteria to how we try to earn your business: We are going to learn about yours, where you'll allow us to, and base our program solutions upon your needs. Hey, we're not perfect and we may not always have the right solution but we're not going to sell you an ad just because we want to sell an ad. Sometimes that is appropriate...print advertising in our publications has been known to help a lot of good companies but I for one want to make sure it is a well thought out campaign that has a clear goal and a way to measure it.

Absolut Stupidity

What responsibility do marketers have in being politically correct? Is being edgy just that or is it potentially damaging? What line would your company cross in order to sell more product? I ask because of a recent controversy surrounding an ad campaign for Absolut Vodka. The print campaign, which in my opinion has been very creative over the years, shows a map of North America in the 1830's. The borders show Mexico's territory half way into the United States showing the pre Mexican-American War boundaries. The headline of the ad is, "In an Absolut World," which is the campaign's theme.

Is it responsible for an advertising agency to insinuate that the perfect world for Mexico would be having part of the U.S. back? Anyone who does their history will find they sold it to the U.S. after the war for 15.5 million and debt relief. Is it really the wish of most Mexicans that this is the perfect world scenario they have been missing out on? Maybe they should try to figure out why the Mexican dream has been squashed by their own corrupt government. I mean, where does that thought process end for the agency? How would the French react if a map of Europe was drawn showing the German (Hitler's) desires in 1939 of owning all of that real estate? Is that the perfect German world?

It just seems foolish, especially in the current atmosphere of the immigration debate, to think that this would not cause a problem. And this is where I think the line gets crossed. When you knowingly take an issue that is divisive and use it as a tool for product promotion. There are many serious political topics out there like Darfur and Tibet but I hardly think McDonald's would use either of those issues as a position point in their marketing to sell more burgers.

Now comes the classic, we're sorry.... but not for the ad but that you didn't understand the ad. Here is the quote from Absolut:

"As a global company, we recognize that people in different parts of the world may lend different perspectives or interpret our ads in a different way than was intended in that market, and for that we apologize."

I'm not one for boycotting unless there is a really good reason to do so. I don't believe that this reaches that level but I think it is important for all of to think about who we do business with and why. Somehow I don't think the creative team felt bad about the ad...in fact I'll bet they thought they were extremely clever. It is our responsibility to speak out when we see bad marketing and hold people accountable for their brand creation.

Do as I say...not as I do!

"Why are food prices so high?"That phrase has been uttered a lot lately. Many of my friends who do not work in the agricultural industry ask me about the high prices because of my connection to ag. They complain about ethanol subsidies and how they are causing their food prices to jump. The challenge for people in ag is to effectively communicate a message that explains why things are the way they are. Global demand, change in export agreements, weather, all contribute to higher food prices. Also, fuel prices impact your food costs as well. Sometimes, I fear we are not so good at talking about the big picture.
The main problem, in my opinion, is that everyone wants to blame someone else for the current situation. Let's take high gas prices for a moment. Some would have you to believe that it is the "evil" oil companies that are controlling everything and screwing the American public. Now let me state for the record that I do believe the oil companies are part of our problem. But who among us wants to admit that our consumption is at an all-time high? We certainly want to have our cake and eat it too. None of us wants to change our habits. Recently, our "Eco Friendly" Gov. of California admitted that he flies his private jet from Sacramento to LA about 5 times week so he can sleep in his own bed at home. Rather than re-locate his family to the Capital his solution is to burn more jet fuel in a hour than a small car uses in a year according to the Helium Report, an online publication for buyers for luxury items. By the way, it is about a 3 hour flight each way so that adds up to 3 cars a flight 5 times a week. He buys carbon credits to offset his pollution so I guess that makes everything in the world good again. My point here is not to pick on an easy target as much as it is that we all need to think responsibly and rationally about how we are living. The Govenator favors legislation that would make it more difficult for car manufacturers to meet emission requirements or everyday Californians to pay more for higher emission standards but that is their problem. He will "jet-set" where and when he wants because it is his desire to so.

We all need to look toward reasonable solutions and stop pointing the finger at the other guy and own up that we all need to be better stewards. But please, those of you in power don't tell us to do as you say and not as you do!

Happy to be here

I recently flew for a quick trip to Louisville and used Southwest to do so. It has been a while since I have flown on Southwest and I had forgotten what a nice experience it is. I do my fair share of travel and often fly Delta or Northwest. They seem to serve the geography I travel to the most. I have had my share of frustrations with all the airlines because of canceled flights or late arrivals and departures. But what makes Southwest different in the experience is their people. They all really seem to enjoy their jobs and that rubs off on the passengers. I had to laugh at a bet made between the guy sitting next to me and the stewardess on whether the flight would be full or not. He won and she paid off with a free adult beverage.

JetBlue is similar to Southwest. I have flown them once and if they were in my market I would use them more often....plus they have a TV w/36 channels on every seat! Their people are happy to be there as well and when you have that experience you think you never want to go back to dealing with a regular airline. These organizations understand that it's all about making the customer experience great. We all pay decent money to get from point A to B so we at least want to feel like we are valuable. I think that's what these airlines provide. People who see value in us as their customers. We are still like cattle moving through a system but at least they make our experience a bit better.

Now for all who will email their Southwest horror stories to me....save it. I know they are not perfect but based on my observations and experience they seem to do pretty well. A little more "happy to be here" would go a long way for all of them.

The Madness of March

I chose the title carefully because I know the NCAA owns the right to the other name! Got to love Copyright lawyers. I have been amazed over the past few years how the whole tournament thing has taken off and has infiltrated mainstream America. In offices all around the country right now some guy is ticked off because a co-worker that knows nothing about basketball is ahead of him in the standings. I think that what's great about the tournament. All the preparation, studying, stat crunching, and insight still leaves us shocked at a team like Siena knocking off a powerhouse school like Vanderbilt.

I think the tournament is really a microcosm of American business. We all like to root for the small (underdog) business that works hard, gets a chance to prove themselves, and then gets the win. I think it keeps the American dream alive for many of us. I know it does for me. When you look at some of the successful companies across the U.S. you'll find examples of people that fought long odds and tough challenges to rise to the top. Passion, playing by the rules, working hard often are keys to why they are where they are. Often there is a bit of magic that takes place just at the right moment to push you over the top as well. But one element that also exists in these opportunties is the idea that the goal of success is greater than any individual. This was quite clear when you watched the last 5.7 seconds of the Western KY -Drake game. The leading scorer (Brazelton) who had been the star of the game for W. KY took the ball up the court, drew multiple defenders to him as they assumed he would selfishly take the final shot of the game. Unfortunatley for Drake, it was all about the win for him as he dished the ball off to Ty Rogers who drained the 3 pointer at the buzzer for the overtime win. The Madness of March continues!

Who are the players on your team that you can rely on? Do you have them on your team? Our future's need to be in the hands of leadership that understands that vision and implements the strategies to do so. If not, we need to be those leaders.

Luck of the Irish

Happy St. Patricks Day! What a day for the Irish, huh? This is the powerful branding and selling of the facts that we have been all buying for so many years. People have been shaping the message for years now but there are a few facts that I thought were very interesting about this day:

• St. Patrick was born in Britain not Ireland.
• St. Patrick's favorite color was blue. Green was originally a color the Irish didn't like because it had it's roots in fairies & Leprechauns.
• Up until 1970 the Irish celebrated March 17th as a religious Holiday and closed all pubs!

So what does this mean to those in the advertising and marketing world? Perception often becomes reality. Many of the common beliefs we hold are positions that have been shaped in our minds by folks whose job it is to position a product or company a certain way. Is that good? My fear is that as consumers or as buyers of media that we don't do the necessary work in order to determine what is the best or effective product. We take the easy road and do what is "safe" or requires little effort. Many say, "Let's run the media plan the same as last year. It seemed to work well". Good marketers spend time to really evaluate new options available to them or their clients and are open to new ideas. There are many good options out there, and if your in ag media, Fastline may be one of them for you. Maybe it would be worth it for you to change your perceptions and look at a fresh new option. We may be able to lead you to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Join, Join, Join!!

It's not that I am anti-social. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I insert myself into almost any situation and usually have a comment or two on most topics. Recently, I was asked to join an "online community" for professionals. I joined this site last year after I was invited by someone else and rarely go back because I can't remember my password anymore! (I have too many to remember these days...a subject for another blog) I won't mention the name but somehow I am having a hard time understanding why I should continue to do this. John knows Bob, who knows Ed, who knows Mary from college, etc.....and we all are now one happy connected family.

Sites like FaceBook and MySpace make connections and add "friends" and show how you are all linked. Look I am not that old, 37 to be exact, but it seems to me just because someone is now a link on your FaceBook site doesn't really make them a friend. Just cause your bud Tom likes Led Zeppelin ( people under 22 see Wikipedia ) doesn't mean he'll come pick you up if you get a flat tire at 2 am.

On the professional site I guess it's all about networking. But it seems to me like that should really be done in a face to face situation when possible. Trust me, you'll want to see me roll my eyes at you when you claim your new status as VP of Operational Modifications for Future Procedural Best Practices was not a lateral move within your company. I can't believe I am the only one who is this old fashioned and prefers to meet people in person and get to know them this way. Look, I think the Internet is great. It has changed the way we do business all around the world. I mean, without the Internet how would a joker like me have an opportunity to impact so many lives?!

Change is in the air.....

So what if I told you back in 1985 that you should pony up $5,000 and buy some stock in a new company named Microsoft? Then in late 1999 I tell you sell it all (if you haven't already cause at that point you are a multi-millionaire thanks to me!) and you cash out right before the dot-com bust? What if in 1975 I told your parents that within a short number of years Sears would no longer be the giant of retail stores & that catalog would stop coming to your house? I would have been laughed out of the room.

I am using some pretty good examples of a changes in direction that happen sometimes pretty quickly in the USA. You could really benefit financially if you get things like the above right. Problem is they are all very easy to see after the fact...not before. But the true pioneers are the ones who spend the time to see it and make the change before it is understood by the rest.

I spent most of last week in Louisville developing new ways to help our customers be more successful. We looked at the challenges & changes our industry (agricultural media) will face and what it will look like for our company, Fastline, in the next few years. The big challenge for all of us is to not only have incredible foresight...but when you do have it figured out, CHANGE. I think that is the killer for most companies..they see the vision and just can't pull the trigger either because of fear or just plain "that's too difficult".

I'm glad I work for a company that is willing to invest time and talent to think about where we are, where we are going, and oh and by the way, how do we get there? One thing is for certain, watching your competitors figure out the change before you just plain sucks!

Reaching the elite....

So I just got back from the Commodity Classic, which if you are not from the ag industry, sounds like a golfing event. It is actually a group of "elite" producers who farm large acreage amounts of corn, soybeans, & wheat and belong to the respective associations. It is truly amazing how much money is spent on this event to reach this relatively small group of farmers. But with commodity prices through the roof let me tell you what I learned:

• Prices are very, very good. However, input prices have risen too, so the profits will be good but not as good as some would think.
• Farmers are so resilient. They have such an optimism about them and I am glad they are doing well.
• Machinery is in high demand and scarce at this point already. Those who have inventory should promote that fact.
• These "elite" producers love Fastline! (Shameless plug , I know) We only signed up four people at the show because the remainder told us they are already on our mailing list. The folks that did sign up missed us in Louisville or their home state farm show. I'll save the story about the farmer who was buried with his Fastline for another post but these guys really love our publications.

The bottom line is our industry is doing very well...not to say there aren't challenges (livestock guys) but for the most part everyone seems to think 2008 will be a great year. One question for those in marketing is: What will you do to take advantage of this?

Call me....I have a few ideas.

Look out World...You May Regret This!

So here I am venturing into the world of blogging. I think years from now we will learn to regret giving ordinary people the ability to influence via this medium. This of course would not be the case with me because the goal of this Blog is to give you my insight to what I see happening not only in business & marketing but also the world I see around me. A few quick thank you's: to Michael Libbie whose Blog I enjoy (http://insightadvertising.typepad.com/) and who inspired me to come into this world. Also, to my sister Sarah who started her own Blog with daily pictures(http://murofiore.blogspot.com/) . This Blog will be done in a very straight forward manner....calling it like I see it and probably avoiding the politically correct sentiment at times. But hey, your not paying for my insight so take it for what it is worth (millions, you lucky dogs!).

I am the National Accounts Manager for Fastline Publications. What this basically means is that I work with companies who have an interest in reaching people in the agricultural world...specifically producers, otherwise known as farmers. My goal is to help these companies promote their products & services; ultimately knowing that this connection leads to sales growth. Sounds pretty simple right? Well, I could spend a long time blogging on how many factors come into this simple process to complicate it or make it more difficult than it should be but I'll save that for future posts.

I will do my best to create a Blog that is interesting and one that sparks some dialogue now and again. Remember, this is for educational & entertainment purposes only and thus should be taken in that vain....unless you are a potential client to which I say the words on this Blog should be taken as industry inside information. So with that tantalizing last line I will sign off and let you decide for yourself if you want to come back and if there is potential for the Pulitzer Prize in blogging.