My Battle with Limited Thinking!

By Andy Valadez, StealthMarketer/The Marketing Evangelist

Summary:  Are you a limited thinker?  Do you think like a millionaire or billionaire?  What does the future of your business look like?  What do you want it to look like?  Are “you” keeping “you” from your success in the marketplace?  I ask myself this everyday.  I love dreamers and doers, and celebrate that spirit.  I hope this article inspires you to open your mind, makes more sales, and helps you to create more Marketing opportunities for your interests.

In the “battle for the mind” nothing kills great opportunities like “limited thinking” or “intentional narrowing”.  As I get older, I am having a lower tolerance for “stinking thinking” and that is opening doors for me and mine.  One has to have the “guts” to challenge preconceived notions or misperceptions.  My biggest challenge is helping people to challenge their own thoughts.  That realm is exciting to me.  I saw a recent quote on Dovarri’s website (I was doing a little research for one of clients and thought about this great company).  The quote?  “Open Minds, Close Sales” – and my addition to that would be “and Makes Markets”.

As a Strategic Marketer and Sales Professional, I find that my study of business and Marketing (I always capitalize the “M” in Marketing because it is very important), military history, politics, biographies, and faith (I am a born again Christian – which doesn’t mean I am perfect or better than you, it just means I have a mission and an assignment and I am living it out loud) has opened my heart and mind to many possibilities.  I challenge many of my strategic partners and circle of influence, that my job is to get the “porcupines to hug without sticking each other” when it comes to strategic alliance development.  In my world I battle with egos, self-interest, and “limited thought” to communicate the big ideas that lead to success. 

Fortunately, I have had the temperament to have a “consistent” message that is beginning to resonate.  I e-mailed a business friend this week and told him “I am not looking for the approval of men, I am looking for their influence (to me that is more valuable).”  Influence requires an investment in people and a love and appreciation for what they do and THAT, opens doors and minds and gets people off of the fence.  One of my favorite movies is “Jerry MaGuire” starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr.  In the story, Cuba, in character, asks Jerry to “Show him the money!” and Jerry’s later response (after much patience and loss), was “Help me to help you!”  That appeal made the difference in the dynamics of their relationship and if you know the story, they go on to become a success (based on a true story).  See the clip below:

“Help me to help you!”

If I do my job well (and there are many ways to do this), then I find that “great minds” really do think alike.  That can be dangerous, but in the spirit of “win-win-win” this can open the door to accelerated opportunities.  I recently added this signature to my e-mail:  “On Mission and On Assignment” to communicate my focus and that has garnered a lot of buzz with a few of my friends and clients. 

In the Market, I am finding that people will try to categorize what you do and once you allow yourself to get “pigeon-holed”, your “turkey and goose is cooked!” – Happy Thanksgiving!

As a Marketer, I am 100% focused on Strategic Marketing.  The principals work in many industries and I fight daily being categorized in a certain category.  Marketing principles create the opportunities and that is the result of the Strategic thought.  The symptoms of Marketing are the finished product – great movie, great product roll-out, buzz in the Marketing, cool website, innovative TV commercial, excellent selling programs, etc.  A Marketer helped make it happen.

If you are interested in learning how to get beyond limited thinking, we would be happy to talk to you.  You can reach us at 281.463.4560 or e-mail:  info@marketingdynamics.org

Andy Valadez is President and Founder of Marketing Dynamics, a Strategic Marketing firm working with emerging entrepreneurs and growth-oriented companies, movie makers, authors, musicians, media personalities fashionistas, television shows, technologists, networkers, non-profit organizations, and real estate professionals with gross annual sales under $50M.  Andy graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA Degree in Marketing focusing on Public Relations, Promotion Strategy, and Sales. He also received an Applied Business Certificate from Tulane University in New Orleans and served our country as a United States Marine during Desert Storm/Shield. Visit www.TheMarketingVortex.com (blog)

Proverbs 22:1 (A verse given to me by Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A)

Comments

[Carlen Santa Cruz]

Open Minds, Close Sales...love it. You're awesome Andy!