March Madness

Even if you're not a huge Basketball Fan, being out of the loop on the Largest Sports Playoff in America is a little like not having heard of Simon Cowell (and the similarities between March Madness and American Idol don't stop there).

I always go into the Division 1 Men's College Basketball Playoffs more ignorant than I'd like. I get into the spirit of the competition, catching about as many of the playoff games as I do Olympic events (trying to catch the Big Ones and the Ones that are being billed as Great Contests), but I get so busy with Wrestling ending and Little League Baseball starting that my friends usually treat my bracket picks as either a good laugh or frankly a little bit sad (how could "Coach" Dave be so ignorant?).

Well you can't be an expert on everything; maybe they'll realize that when their boys are old enough to be in sports year 'round . . .

But the NCAA is doing something this year that I think is a brilliant marketing move. They're trying to capture audience and market share by broadcasting ALL LIVE GAMES on their website FOR FREE.

Check it out at NCAA.com

What lessons can business owners learn from this aggressive give away?

When times get tough, even if you're the biggest game in town, you still have to get your name out there. Now is the time to increase your market share through Networking, Advertising, and Product Placement.

Too many companies react to tough economic times by RAISING their prices, trying to make up for the drop in volume by increasing what they charge. That is like pulling the plug too early on a patient destined to recover. When this recession is all over, only the Champions will be left standing; those will be the companies that leave it all on the court.

For more information on March Madness, check out:

http://www.ncaamarchmadness2009.com/

and

http://mmod.ncaa.com/?source=mktg_09MMOD_SEg_MMOD4



And while you're at it, don't forget to tune in to see Coach Dave Johnston make his Webisode debut as "the coach" on Heckle U at CBS.com

On Any Given Saturday . . .

As our family transitions from Wrestling into Baseball and Track (we never transition OUT of Ballet - it goes all year) and I find myself gathering the notes for the next book, there are certain principles that Wrestling makes clearer than any other sport.

In Football we talk about "On Any Given Sunday" which, for you new fans, means that because of the complexity of the game and the variety of things (from weather to injuries to what the team ate) that can impact the outcome, any team has the chance to beat any other team "On Any Given Sunday".

That principle holds true in Wrestling as well. Any given tournament or dual any wrestler can beat any other wrestler. Sure, there are tactical advantages of Strength vs. Weight, and Skill level should never be discredited, but each wrestler needs to remember that he can beat his opponent, even if he's lost to him many times before.

Perhaps the most physical sport ever, the slightest change in physicality can make the difference. Did he slack in practice this week? Eat too much? Eat too little? Tweak his ankle on the walk over to the mat? Is he catching the latest flu bug?

Wrestling is also a thinking man's game; you're mind has got to be alert, you must have your head in the game or the risk of making a simple but costly mistake goes up exponentially. Did his girlfriend dump him? Are mom and dad angry? Is this guy better than I am?

Those and other issues floating around in an unfocused wrestler's head can force even the most experienced athlete to stick an arm or a leg in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In a sport where the score can turn in a second and a loss measured by increments of an inch, the best wrestlers are those that are both physically and mentally prepared, but even the best guys can get beat On Any Given Saturday.

In business, if we get caught thinking that there is no competition, if we fail to stay mentally alert and in the best shape possible, we're asking to get beat. We need to continuously train to be the best we are at what we do. Classes, Continuing Education Credits, Seminars, and personal study of our chosen vocation should never be brushed aside simply because we're "too busy".

We also need to keep ourselves and our staffs in good physical condition. Literally. Don't overwork your people! No client should be expected to understand poor customer service on the basis that your front line employees and sales people are overfed or under rested. True, you don't have the control over their time away from the workplace, but you can find ways to award those that are timely, well prepared, and have sharp minds and positive attitudes.

If we learn one more lesson from the On Any Given Saturday principle let it be this: just because we lost this match, that doesn't mean that we can't train harder, renew our focus, and win next time.