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How to be creative – by John Cleese

November 17th, 2011 by Ingrid Cliff

I love humour … a good comedian is the ultimate wordsmith and they are also one of the most creative people on the planet.

Which is why when they talk about creativity and the creative process, I listen.

Recently I watched this video of John Cleese speaking at a creativity conference. In this speech there is barely any humour, just extremely well considered and thought through strategies on building your creativity.

I originally shared it on my Heart Harmony Facebook page – but it was too good not to also share on this blog.

Enjoy …

 

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Brisbane Copywriter

Category: Small Business Success | No Comments »

Lessons from the Great Depression on how to succeed in business during down times

July 28th, 2011 by Ingrid Cliff

If you have listened to a news report, or read the papers online or in print form, you could be excused for thinking the world has spiraled into another Great Depression. Stories about shaky consumer confidence and massive downturns in sales plaster the media. The doom and gloom merchants are out in force!

So of course, I got to thinking. And I rattled through my archives to find out what happened during the big one … the real one … the Great Depression. You see, my grandma had lived through it, and I remember myself as a small child, sitting listening to her stories late in the evening in her lavender-scented tiny house in Thornleigh in Sydney. And from her stories, I imagined a world where everyone lived on bread & dripping and there was no money to buy anything. I imagined street after street of boarded up shops, and no-one game enough to start a new business. My grandpa became a traveler – moving from town to town to get what work he could, whether that was milking cows or carpentry. Times were tough for my grandparents.

But I also know that one person’s stories are not the full story.  So here’s what I found out when I started to look at other people’s stories.

Many of the largest companies started in the Depression. Names like Disney, HP and GE all had their starting point when we would imagine no-one in their right mind would want to start a business. The world’s first ever modern suburban supermarket – King Cullen Grocery, started during the depression (this may or may not have been a good thing!).

Then there was the technology. In 1921 there were 75,000 radios sold. in 1930 this had risen to 13.5 million radios sold in that year. Sound anything like the current stats on sales of tablets and smart-phones?

And how did clever businesses respond? They moved their advertising spend away from newspapers onto radios – after all that’s where the audience was.

Then Proctor and Gamble tried something out to engage their clients – something so powerful that we still refer to it today. They created the first “soap opera” – a drama liberally sprinkled with advertising for their products. And their soap sold like gangbusters.

Chevrolet decided to increase their advertising budget during the depression, and for 5 years from 1931, they outsold Ford where previously they trailed in sales 10:1 to Ford.

So what are the lessons? Here’s a few that come to my mind.

  • There is no good time or bad time to start a business.  You can start a business in any economy if you have the right business idea, model and implementation.
  • People still buy during down times. Yes, they will look for better deals, but they still buy what they need. And if you have served them well when things are tough, they will remain loyal when things improve.
  • You need to get creative during down times. Find new ways of presenting your product or service.
  • Don’t stop advertising or marketing. There is less “advertising noise” during down times as other people cut back on their marketing spend. Lever that opportunity – get out there more and find new ways to promote your message
  • Grab technological developments with both hands and run like crazy. Get in front of the pack – don’t wait until the trend has passed you by.

So what I found was that down times are times of amazing potential if you look at them the right way. And perhaps grandma and grandpa did do it very tough – but we can learn from their experiences and try something differently.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words.

Heart Harmony – Brisbane Copywriter

Category: Small Business Marketing Tips, Small Business Success | 2 Comments »

Thoughts on the collapse of Borders

July 21st, 2011 by Ingrid Cliff

Well. the US Borders is heading the same way as the Australian Borders – and the vultures are circling, ready to pick over the carcass of a once great business.

We have been hearing a lot about businesses that find people come into the store to try out products or find what they want, and then jump on line to buy them cheaper than they could at the store. We’ve also heard traditional retailers complain that they have overheads of stock, high rents etc which mean they can’t compete with the online stores.

People like to see, touch, feel and try on things before buying. And in a downturn, they also want to save their money. In my mind, the time is ripe for a clever business to actually embrace this online/offline trend, rather than just complain about it.

You see, after looking at the Korean grocery video, I couldn’t help but think – what would have happened to Borders if they had leveraged their online store and reduced their offline presence. By that I mean, what if each Borders store only ever held one sample of each book in their store, so that people who like touching books before buying, could browse. They could look through the books and then either with their smart-phones or using an in-store scanner similar to a library borrowing system, they could buy a copy of the book from the store online, in either hard-copy to be delivered to their home within 7 days, or electronically to their device.

And what would have happened if Borders got into the e-book reader market – stocking the full range of e-book readers and not just the Kobo? What would have happened if with each e-book reader sold, they gave away a free e-book from Borders online?

Store sizes could be reduced, as you wouldn’t need as much room if you only have one of everything, which means rents would be reduced. Stock costs would be reduced – you only need one hard copy sample of all your stock in each store. People would learn about your online business and give it a test run – provided the service and price was good, they would come back.

All just musings on a quiet day …

Now extend this to concept to dress shops and other “at risk” stores, where people are deserting in droves to buy online.  What other ways of merging the offline/online could be possible?

What do you think? Rather than blocking the try before you buy – how could you make that your new business model? I’d love to hear your comments.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Brisbane Copywriter

 

Category: Small Business Success | 2 Comments »

The death of … the death of articles

June 16th, 2011 by Ingrid Cliff

I love a headline probably more than most people … but even I now find myself rolling my eyes as I read yet another “The death of (insert current topical topic here)”.

At the moment there seems to be a huge debate about the death of retail due to the insidious and evil online shopping epidemic.  Open any traditional or online newspaper and you will find loads of articles bemoaning the demise of Borders books (and soon to be be Angus & Robertson if all the rumours are true), Colorado clothes and a whole pile of other retailers. Here’s just one from today’s round-up.

The easy target is online purchasing. People are blaming online buying as the sole cause of death. Not a word about the global financial crisis, not a word about consumer spending confidence dropping, no mention of the cult of saving starting to spring up, no mention of rigid management practices or out of date pricing policies. People’s buying patterns are shifting, but you can never just blame death on one single cause.

I think back to when every desk had a typewriter, back before PCs existed (yes, I really am that old). Then came the birth of PCs and people adapted. Many typewriter companies folded, others changed and merged to keep pace. Death was not the birth of the PC, it was the change in how people wanted to use information combined with society changes towards greater freedom and independence.

The thing is that we are always in a state of change, and yes, the change appears to be moving faster when we are in it. The businesses that survive are the ones who keep one eye on the unfolding trends and work out ways to surf the trend rather than sink. The retail businesses that will survive will be the ones that find new ways to access their market, in the way their market want to be served.

This will probably mean that retailers need to change and adapt to keep pace. They need to increase their information gathering rather than close themselves into their box and deny the change is happening. They will need to get onto services such as Trendwatching and listen to social commentators – and sift the data that is coming through before feeding it into their planning.

My inkling is this also means that 5 year strategic planning model is also under change. Which retailer 5 years ago could have predicted the impact of apps, let alone the impact of social media? Planning these days is probably more of the one-page one-year variety (and even that may be too long a time horizon).

So, for me, every new “death of …” headline simply screams opportunity. It means that the particular industry is in a state of change and is looking for ways forward.

Step up. If you are in that industry, try something radically different. Get on top of the trends and invest heavily in testing and measuring what works now.

Any “death of … ” headline should simply be a clarion call to action and getting your butt into gear … NOW!  Or you could just wait a few months, and join Borders.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriters

 

 

Category: Small Business Success | 2 Comments »

When refund policies become USPs (or why Cudo/GrabOne are the only group buying sites worth using)

May 18th, 2011 by Ingrid Cliff

Note – Post has been updated – GrabOne is another site with a client friendly refund policy

In the last 12 months there has been a massive growth in group buying sites. You know the ones …  where businesses offer their goods or services at up to 90% off as a way to get new customers through the door. There is a veritable plethora of sites out there, all looking pretty much the same on the surface. So how do you choose a site to use?

First – I have no business link to any site I am about to mention (and after this post, I am very unlikely to have any connection in the future). I have purely used a few different sites as a customer.

So why do I say that Cudo in Australia is the only group buying site worth using? It all comes down to the terms & conditions … you know those things that no-one reads. We all just merrily click the “agree” button and hope all is well. But, when something goes wrong …

It all started about 6 months back when I bought a cleaning deal through one of the sites. Well the deal was on, but when it came to ring the company to book the service, the phone was always on answer saying how busy they were with the unexpected influx of people, so please leave a message. Needless to say repeated phone messages over a number of weeks were not answered, so I tried contact by email.  Repeated emails were also unanswered. I finally went back to the group site asking for a refund – after all I had paid them for a service that was not being provided. The site hummed and hawed – and pointed me to their site terms which suggested no refunds were payable unless the deal company was in receivership (until I mentioned the Department of Fair Trading … when suddenly a refund was paid).

The same week I bought the cleaning deal, I also bought a photo on canvas from a different deals site. This time I had an email to confirm it would be done within a fortnight … and then nothing. I chased it over 3 months … and still nothing except more promises to do it in the next fortnight. So, I went back and checked the terms of the deals site. This time the terms said no refunds no matter what. So I am now discussing the matter further with the deal business – using terms like “failure to supply”.

Now to be honest, yes … I should have pored over the T&C of each site before committing to purchase  – in as much the same way that all the people who were flooded in Brisbane should have read the T&Cs of their insurance policies. But silly me thought that they would all be pretty much the same, that refunds would be payable if the deal company didn’t supply the goods advertised. I was wrong.

So in the interests of my readers who may want to try group buying sites (and who also hate reading T&C’s) , I have stripped out the refund terms of some of the major & newer players.

Bizz Buzz

You understand and agree that Bizz Buzz Vouchers are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged or redeemed for cash. If any issues arise with the Merchant or the supply of the product/service, you should take up this issue directly with the Merchant. We are unable to assist you in resolving disputes with the Merchant.

We will refund the purchase price or exchange the Bizz Buzz Voucher where we have made a mistake

Scoopon

15.1. Scoopon vouchers are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged or redeemed for cash because you have changed your mind, are unable to use the Scoopon voucher or the Scoopon voucher has been damaged, lost or stolen.

15.2. Scoopon will refund the purchase price or exchange the Scoopon voucher where we have made a mistake; for example, the Scoopon voucher we issued is not for the product that was advertised.

Spreets

REFUNDS:  Except as required by law, a User is not entitled to a refund if the User simply changes their mind or makes a wrong decision. A User receives their voucher via email at midnight if the Deal they have purchased reaches its minimum number of buyers. If a User has any problems using their voucher at a business, they can contact support@spreets.com.

Jump On It

b) You will not be to entitled to any refund on the purchase price of an issued Voucher, except as required by law. However, Jump On It will provide a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee and refund the full purchase price of any Voucher, for any reason, within 30 days of purchase.

c) If for any reason you cannot redeem a Voucher (including but not limited to circumstances in which a Merchant goes out of business or ceases offering the service described in the Deal), Jump On It will provide a full refund if you request such a refund during the Voucher validity period.

Our Deal

31. We will however refund the price which you have paid for a voucher if:

  1. we become aware that a Supplier has become bankrupt, started being wound up, entered into administration or had a receiver appointed to it after the start of the Advertising Period but before we transfer the purchase price which you have paid for a voucher to the Supplier;
  2. we make a mistake, for example by issuing you a voucher which is incorrect.

Wimzy

Please choose carefully when purchasing from our merchants. We do not normally give refunds if you simply change your mind or make a wrong decision. You can choose between a refund, exchange or credit where goods are faulty, have been wrongly described, are different to the product purchased on the website or doesn’t do what it is supposed to do.

Deal Me

10. Changing your mind and refunds

10.1 Please choose carefully when purchasing a voucher because we do not normally give refunds if you simply change your mind or if you make a wrong decision. If you have any problems using your voucher at a business please contact support@dealme.com.au. It is the responsibility of the provider/supplier whether they issue a refund for a good or service.

 

Compare these to the refund policy of Cudo  & Grab One & the choice of which site to use suddenly becomes simple.

Grab One

Can I return my GrabOne Coupon?
Once you have purchased a deal you are committed to the transaction and your credit card will be charged immediately following confirmation of the deal. Except where we are required to under law or in relation to our GrabOne Promise, we do not give refunds or allow exchanges.

What if the business for my GrabOne Coupon closes down or does not honour my GrabOne Coupon?
If a business that is supposed to provide goods or services to you under a deal closes down, or if that business does not honour your GrabOne Coupon, we’ll make sure you get your money back. Please refer to the GrabOne Promise for the specific terms that apply.

GrabOne Promise

We want you to be confident that if you buy a GrabOne deal and redeem your GrabOne Coupon, the relevant business will provide the goods or services to you. At the end of the day, if the business doesn’t deliver, you will be out of pocket and our reputation will be at stake.

So this is our promise to you – if you attempt to redeem a GrabOne Coupon from a business that no longer operates, or if that business unreasonably refuses to honour your GrabOne Coupon, we will refund the price that you paid to us for the GrabOne deal.

All we ask is that you notify us within five working days following your failed attempt to redeem your GrabOne Coupon. You can contact us by calling 1800 291 647 or contacting us. Of course, some terms and conditions apply and these are set out below:

  1. The GrabOne Promise will not apply if a business’s refusal to honour the GrabOne deal is because the Universal Fine Print or the Fine Print have not been complied with. For example, you will not receive a refund if a restaurant does not honour a GrabOne Coupon that you have given to a friend who is under18 years old, and your friend tries to redeem that GrabOne Coupon for alcohol.
  2. If you have given your friends or family a GrabOne Coupon and they cannot redeem the GrabOne Coupon for the reasons mentioned above, we will give the refund to you and not your friends/family.
  3. We will not be liable for any other loss or damage incurred by you, and/or any person that you give the GrabOne Coupon to, as a result of a business’s failure to honour your GrabOne Coupon. For example, if you incur costs travelling to the business where the services in a GrabOne deal would have been provided, we will not be responsible for those costs.

Thanks for using GrabOne. We hope you enjoy your GrabOne deal, backed by our GrabOne Promise.


Cudo

3.2 You will not be to entitled to any consideration, credit or full or partial refund on the purchase price of an issued Coupon, except as required by law.

Cudo’s Satisfaction Guarantee – Terms and Conditions

1. Cudo members may be entitled to receive a full cash refund (“Refund”) on the terms set out in these terms and conditions if that Cudo member is not satisfied with the quality of the goods and services received pursuant to a voucher he/she has purchased on the Cudo Website (“Voucher”) or is not satisfied that the goods or services provided by a merchant conformed with the terms and conditions for that offer.

2. A request for a Refund must be submitted via the form located on the contact page of the Cudo Website or via email to Cudo Customer Service (see contact us).

3. All Cudo members requesting a Refund will be required to provide a full account of their experience with the good and/or service and full particulars as to why they are not satisfied with the quality of the goods and services that are the subject of a Voucher and/or are not satisfied that the goods or services provided by a merchant conformed with the terms and conditions for that offer as published on the Voucher and/or the Cudo Website (“Particulars”). In addition to Particulars, Cudo members are encouraged to provide feedback on how Cudo can improve its services to members.

4. Cudo reserves the right to verify the validity and veracity of some or all of the Particulars at any time, including (but not limited to) by consulting with the relevant merchant responsible for fulfillment of the offer and/or by asking the Cudo member for additional information or documentation.

5. Where Cudo concludes that a complaint is invalid or that a Cudo member’s Particulars are misleading, incorrect and/or deceptive, Cudo reserves the right to refuse a Refund (in its sole discretion).

6. Where a Cudo member has previously received a Refund from Cudo (including pursuant to these terms and conditions), Cudo reserves the right to refuse a further request for a Refund made by that Cudo member (in its sole discretion).

7. The value of the Refund will be the same as the purchase amount of the corresponding Voucher. The Refund will be paid directly into the bank account which the Cudo member used to purchase the Voucher.

8. A Cudo Member may request a Refund up to thirty (30) days after the expiration date of the relevant Voucher (as published on the Voucher). After this time, a Refund may, or may not, be provided to the Cudo member at Cudo’s sole discretion.

9. Cudo reserves the right to resolve a Cudo member’s complaint and/or dissatisfaction with the goods and/or services provided by a merchant via other means prior to paying any Refund to that Cudo member, including (but not limited to) repairing or replacing any good and/or resupplying the relevant good or service that is the subject of the Voucher.

10. Any Refund provided to a Cudo member is in no way an admission of guilt or liability by or on behalf of Cudo or the admission of any other fact in connection with any act or omission which led to the request for a Refund being submitted by a Cudo member.

11. Cudo’s Satisfaction Guarantee policy may be amended or cancelled at Cudo’s sole discretion.


Who knew a refund policy could suddenly become a unique selling proposition?  Now … why on earth are Cudo keeping it secret and burying it in their T&Cs?

I’d love to hear your experience with group buying sites – both positive & negative.

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writer

Category: Small Business Success | 5 Comments »

Is there really money for jam?

October 14th, 2010 by Ingrid Cliff

Yesterday I picked up my new iphone 4 (all Apple haters please boo now). Up until now, I had contented myself with putting my music on my trusty Nokia, that also took brilliant photos (and had the side benefit of being able to make calls). But I finally succumbed to the lure of the iphone.

Why? The apps.

Everyone knows you don’t buy iphones for their phone ability, you buy them for the stuff you can do with them. So last night I sat with my new toy and started browsing the Apps Store … and browsing … and browsing … starting to drown with choice … going under for the third time. There are something like 4 gazillion apps in the Apps store. So I did what I suspect many people do – wandered away from the computer and promised myself I would come back later (cue ominous sounding music underneath that last bit).

Looking at the store, it reminded me of research by Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper. They showed that the human mind likes the concept of choice, and yet too much choice stops people from buying. To do this, they did a wonderfully elegant piece of research on gourmet jams. When they provided a tasting table with a massive range of jams in a store, lots of people stopped to look and sample them. But when these same people went to the jam aisle, they seemed confused and ended up not buying jam. So then the researchers only offered a limited range of jams at the tasting table. Less people stopped to try, but when they hit the jam aisle they quickly picked up their purchase. They bought more jam. You could say, there was money for jam … but only if there were not too many choices.

Most businesses are like the jam experiment – they keep adding in options, without realising that they are costing themselves business. They don’t work out ways to reduce the choices to something meaningful to people (and no – the top 25 in a particular category as big as business is not reducing choice).

Many of my new clients when they try to describe what they do, start by getting carried away with “I do this, and this and I could do this and this and this” – not realising that their potential clients wandered off and stopped paying attention about 10 minutes ago. By trying not to leave anything out – they end up hitting people around the head with a feather pillow until they smother all excitement about them and their service. The better targeted their offering, the more clients they will attract.

So my message is two fold – if you want money for jam, you may need to think about reducing your offerings.

And … anybody got some recommendations for essential iphone Apps that you can’t live without? Sometimes word of mouth is the best recommendation!

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriter

Category: Small Business Success | No Comments »

Stuck, holding pattern, fallow or procrastinating. Which one are you?

August 19th, 2010 by Ingrid Cliff

There are times in most businesses and lives when nothing much is happening. Nothing creative. No innovations.  No new directions. From the outside all is quiet. The challenge is working out what is happening on the inside.

Are you stuck – and have no idea which way is the best way forward, but can’t go backwards either? Are you in a holding pattern where you have to wait for other planes to land before you can make your move? Are you just part of a natural rhythm of nature and are lying fallow at present but with the spring warmth will burst into bud? Or are you procrastinating – knowing what you could be doing, but for whatever reason (usually fear) you teeter on the edge – not willing to take the leap into your future?

Looking in from the outside, each of these patterns look the same. But looking out from the inside the scene is very different. Each view of the world is coloured by a different emotion. Stuckness has a confused, heavy quality to it. Holding patterns can start as quiet resignation, but can turn to irritation or frustration if the wait is too long. Lying fallow usually feels slow and gentle. Procrastination feels unsettled and like a burr under your skin.

Getting out of each state into action also has its differences. Stuckness needs insight, wisdom and pathfinding. You can’t move from stuckness to action just by force of will alone. Getting out of a holding pattern before the other planes have moved is a recipe for disaster, so the only two choices you have are to learn the art of patience or find a different landing strip. Trying to move from fallow to full production before the conditions are right means a measly harvest if at all. The only way out of lying fallow is waiting for the change in the seasons. Moving from procrastination to action requires facing the fears down and taking action anyway.

So if you or your business are in the doldrums you may want to stop and work out whether you are stuck, in a holding pattern, lying fallow or procrastinating. You can then match the action strategy with the issue, and not just leap into ill-considered action.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

Category: Small Business Success | No Comments »

Dropbox – How the heck did I live without it?

August 11th, 2010 by Ingrid Cliff

Every now and again I get asked about favourite pieces of software that I use to boost productivity.  About two months back a close friend told me about Dropbox and I have to admit that I now can’t live without it.

So what is Dropbox? Well if you put your files into Dropbox on one of your computers, provided you have installed Dropbox on your other computers, then the file is instantly synced between your computers.  What that means is if I work on a client file on my desktop, the next time I turn on my laptop I can access the most current client file and make edits, which are instantly synced back to my home computer. I can also access the file online if I need to from a client’s computer.

So what? No more shuffling USBs, no more emailing versions to myself, no more sitting at an airport thinking “darn, I brought the wrong version of the file with me”.

Once you have yourself sorted, then the fun begins – you can grant access to individual files or folders to one or a number of people, and set the individual permission levels from read only to edit and delete.  For me it means my clients can now access drafts without having to email backwards & forwards or hassling with Yousendit or other programs (a much better option if we are at graphic design phase and need to work between client and designer).

Things you can do to really take it to the next level.

  • Small teams can now access all corporate manuals and documentation using Dropbox from whatever computer they are using (which means always having the most current version of corporate policies and procedures).
  • Remote workers or telecommuters can store their stuff centrally, no more stressing about the quality of home backup systems.
  • People on extended leave can stay in touch with work projects.
  • Use it to upload & share photos with your family while you are overseas (without the hassles of Facebook security/privacy).
  • Teams can collaborate on drafts of documents.
  • It covers you in case your house/business burns down (with all your computers & backups with it).
  • Load your MYOB file into it so your accountant can work their magic without hogging your file or stopping you from invoicing.
  • Use Dropbox with your Virtual Assistant to organise audio transcription or file editing.

Did I mention that the first 2GB is free and up to 100GB is available at negligible cost? Yes, it covers both Mac & Windows, and yes, they take your security seriously.  And no – I am not getting any kickbacks or even free space for this post – I consciously chose just to recommend it free and clear (it is that good).  So check out Dropbox for your business and you will very quickly be wondering how the heck did you live without it?

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Copywriter

Category: Small Business Success | 1 Comment »

Oh yeah! If you know so much … prove it!

April 15th, 2010 by Ingrid Cliff

Over the past month my path has crossed with many fantastic people. Some who I consider to be true experts in their field, yet no one knows about them. Others I have met hold themselves up to be experts in the field, and have large followings behind them cheering them on. In some cases, the public experts have the goods in terms of personal knowledge, in others -  well …

Talking with these public and private experts is an eye-opening experience. Most of the private experts know they have some knowledge, but underestimate how much they know. Often a self esteem issue holds them back, and they feel that shadowy “other people” are better than them. The public experts have their own demons. Some have a scared little voice inside their head – telling them that they are going to be “found out” one day. Others have bullet-plated self esteem, where they feel they are the best there is (whether or not that is the case).

So what is the real difference? From what I can see, the public experts have taken the time to document what they know (or have someone write it on the behalf), and hoist their flag over the parapet. It stands to reason that the person who stands up and is counted for their knowledge will be the one getting the kudos and the money, compared to the person who has the knowledge inside their head and only letting it come out to play over a dinner party or with select clients.

If you want to be a thought leader, you need to first start by documenting your intellectual property. Yes, part of doing that is finding what is unique in your approach or thoughts, but the first stage is to get it down on paper.

Once you have it clarified, then tell everyone about what you know through sharing your expertise, systems and processes. People then give you feedback on your knowledge through testimonials and case studies and your reputation as an expert builds.

The hard part is most of us don’t take the time to stop and document what we know. So, to all you silent experts out there I issue you a challenge. Get writing! The worst that can happen is you will realise how much you really do know.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

Category: Small Business Success | No Comments »

As dead as a silent movie

January 6th, 2010 by Ingrid Cliff

This is a tale of two movies. Both outstanding in their own way. Both with lessons for businesses that care to listen.

The first movie is Avatar. Last week ourselves and a good proportion of the world decided that Avatar in 3D was a must see movie. If you haven’t yet seen it the whizz bang special effects are truly mindblowing. And the massive investment by James Cameron and his backers have been handsomely returned as a result. Avatar demonstrates the future of film – with exceptional CGI, sound and blended human acting throughout. From a business perspective, Avatar demonstrates that there is always a market for the “next big thing” – for new ideas flawlessly executed.

But today we went to the other extreme. We visited an ancient picture theatre in the middle of rural Queensland – the Majestic Theatre in Pomona.

When you walk into the cinema you step back nearly 100 years of film. To a time when going to the pictures was an event you dressed up for. To a cinema with rich red velvet curtain walls, candelabra lights and painted proscenium arch.

In the early days of movies, film was in black and white and without sound. The plot was moved along by appropriate text slides and the musical stylings of the local muso who played the organ, changing tunes as the action shifted. CGI was not even a dream in the wildest imaginings.

The Majestic is the only cinema in Australia to still regularly show silent movies, complete with organ accompaniment by Ron West.

Recently when we were helping mum clear the effects of one of her friends who had passed, we discovered a stunning photo album filled with postcards of the silent movie stars of the 1920′s and 30′s. We knew the collection had to go to a deserving home, so donated it to The Majestic theatre. We organised our holiday to coincide with visiting the theatre.

As thanks we were treated to a private screening of the 1920′s film “The Haunted House”, with Ron on organ.

To be honest the kids were initially very sceptical – after all Avatar was their most recent movie. But within a few minutes when the candelabras had dimmed, the curtains opened and the music started to play the kids were lost in the movie. They laughed until tears formed in their eyes. The story was universal and the humour spanned the generations.

It was one of the most memorable experiences I have had in a long time. Sitting in a darkened theatre, bathed in the warmth of Ron’s hospitality and listening to the magic of  my kids laughter.

As any parent would know, the sign of a good movie is the car ride home – the kids couldn’t stop talking about what they had seen.  We talked about my kids grandparents and great grandparents. We talked about the cars, the kitchens and the portrayal of African-Americans they saw in the movies. We talked about the universality of slapstick humour no matter the nationality … we just talked. The silence of the movie triggered an avalanche of conversation – given my kids are teens this was a miracle!

Now, silent movies will never make The Majestic buckets of money. But The Majestic in Pomona is the hub of the local community. People travel for hours to attend one of their silent films. And the richness of the experience they offer cannot be priced.

The Majestic shows the value of a good business, doing what it does best consistently and continuously. It does not want to be main stream – it is the ultimate niche business, and everyone is the better for it being there.

So, if you ever are north of Brisbane, take the exit to Pomona and take in a silent movie at the Majestic.  Sure, enjoy the next blockbuster at your local cinema, but enjoy the living history of The Majestic at Pomona.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writer

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