Ok, I admit, before January 31^st of this year, I didn’t think a lot about exercise.  On that day I put one foot in front of the other and started running.  Two miles became eight, then 12 then 15 and finally 26.2 as I finished the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon in June.  The coaches and mentors with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program provided the preparation and encouragement needed to complete this objective.

To be honest, before that first two mile run, blood cancers were about as top of mind as exercise.  On February 1^st of this year, my high school friend Pete had his first chemo treatment for multiple myelomas.   After a very grueling time, he was declared in “remission”.  Pete was one of my motivations to train and run the marathon.  The marathon training and long runs continue to be an easy way to lift up Pete and his family in prayer.

Thankfully, Pete is still in remission.

Coming up on October 17^th I’ll run the Denver Rock and Roll Half Marathon in celebration of Pete’s continued positive impact on our community.  On October 24^th it will be the Day of the Tread Half Marathon that I’ll run in honor of Neil Weaver, who fell victim to multiple myelomas several years ago.  Neil made a great impact on the Albuquerque community as a father, businessman and friend.  His son-in-law Ben, will also be participating in a Day of the Tread cycling event.

If you’d like to help fund a cure for blood cancers, here is the link: http://bit.ly/97O1ri

But, wait!  There is more!

A team from The Garrity Group will be running in the Denver Rock and Roll Marathon Relay!  I am proud of our team and this tremendous undertaking to raise awareness and funds to find a cure to beat blood cancers.  They are putting others ahead of themselves by raising awareness to fund a cure for Blood cancers.  Here is their link:

So like Forrest Gump, we run.

Go team!

Jimmy Buffett and LeBron James are an unlikely pair.  However, over the span of the past several days both have done their part to niche their place in modern culture and they both based it on their performance.

The now tiresome special and focus on Mr. James’ decision to leave his home of Cleveland in pursuit of a championship title (which he didn’t get in college because he went right to the NBA from an Ohio high school) has been bantered about by greater and wittier minds than mine.  But the announcement was a shunning of his home state and a promise of performance in the form of a championship ring.  

Contrast that with singer songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who embraces his gulf coast heritage, has only received two Grammy nominations.  But his following will be stronger than any NBA or other professional sporting figure, evidenced by his 40+ records that have gone either gold or platinum, sold out tour dates, and collaborations with the greatest voices in the music industry.

Jimmy Buffett, tonight, is hosting a benefit concert in Gulf Shores Alabama as a benefit to help the region plagued by oil and negative publicity from the gulf spill.  A long track record of doing things for the community that supported him for so long is why Jimmy Buffett reached icon status a long time ago.  Versus LeBron James, who like a prodigal son left home … yes, I think Ohio is bigger than LeBron to accept him back when he returns to the community with humility in his heart.

How can you effectively communicate during difficult economic times?  The same way you communicate during the boom periods.  Your communication should be relevant, genuine and transparent.  What does this mean?  This is the second of two installments (as seen in the Associated General Contractors New Mexico Building Branch Quarterly Newsletter http://www.agc-nm.org/):

Be Transparent

Your target audiences are very self-centered.  They want to know what you are going to do to help them.  The construction industry has seen a lot of recession-based transformation.  One of the most obvious is the influx of builders and specialists who know residential but are oblivious to commercial code requirements.

While it would feel good to share your views about the cross-over opportunists with the purchasing director, it probably won’t be a move that will pay off in the long run.    Your best way to combat the new competition is by defining the issue of items in terms and deliverables that are unique to commercial construction.

List the items that set your qualifications apart from the competition; address bonding and other items unique to your industry; be a resource through a brochure, website or on the telephone to address nuances about the commercial construction trade.  This kind of transparency, by ghosting the issue, will help to position you as a trusted partner.

The Tools

Social media is the new “it” marketing tool.  It seems as if everyone is getting on Twitter, FaceBook and YouTube (the Big Three).  While those marketing tools have relevance to some markets, some elements of social media can be beneficial to every market.

Retail and services organizations are the entities that have effectively leveraged social media outlets.  For brick/mortar and construction industries, a tool like YouTube or Flicker can help you show off construction techniques or client projects.  A LinkedIn account or Facebook fan page is a good way to generate top of mind awareness about what your business does by informing other people in the professional and non-professional world.

The key of connection is to always draw your target audience your website or to have them connect with you in some form.  Social media, like broadcast media, is a means to an end of making a connection… not just an end of saying we’ve done it, now onto the next task.

Today’s technology provides many unique ways to be relevant, genuine and transparent.  Leveraging the technology with those three keys will help you to remain connected with your target audiences regardless of the market’s economic conditions.