Kem Meyer on Less Clutter & Noise

Coming in 2009

I am in the final leg of the writing marathon. Less clutter. Less noise. THE BOOK comes out in March and pre-orders open in January, but I couldn't wait to share this.

The pieces are falling into place.

Smart, free marketing

Practice random acts of corporate kindness. Specifically? Share what you know — no strings attached. Want an example?

Dustin works for Crowe.

• He's also a Microsoft MVP and has won this distinction from Microsoft 3 yrs in a row.
• He uses his personal blog and twitter not to promote Crowe but to share technology tips and tricks about Microsoft products that make life for his readers easier. It’s natural. He loves what he does. He’s passionate about it, loves the products and is loyal to Crowe.
• From a corporate consumer perspective, it makes me trust Dustin. I'm looking to him as a trusted source who really believes in “making my technology better”. Not only is he personally smoking what he's corporately selling, he adds value to my life. He finds the needles in the haystack (so I don’t have to) and then puts them out there for me to grab, if and when I want to.
• He doesn't give me links to all the blogs and books he's reading to pour over. He's already doing that. He just posts the best of the best of what he finds. He's got a depth of knowledge and shares the cliff notes to make me look like a rock star.

The result?

• As a consumer with influence and buying power, Dustin is one of the first people I'll go to if my company had money to spend on Microsoft products or needed a technology upgrade. I trust the company Dustin works for because I trust Dustin.
• Because Crowe gives Dustin the freedom to share what's he's learning — un-edited, in his personal space, no strings attached — Dustin drives the leads back to Crowe. Customer confidence and loyalty is gained in the little things. In turn, they write checks for the big things.
• If Crowe doesn't end up having the product or service I ultimately need, I still have a dependable source of help as I take my next steps. I have confidence that I won't drive myself into a ditch with any purchasing decisions and that I'm not driving down any dead-ends entering into working relationships with the wrong people.

What does this have to do with the church?

• Be like Dustin. Practice random acts of corporate kindness. Don't expect people to read all the blogs and books you're pouring over. Find the needles in the haystack and make them easy for to find.
• Invest in leaders like Dustin. Encourage and empower them to share what they're learning.

Think about it.

• Dustin is just a regular guy with regular resources — he's not some public figure like Bill Gates or Robert Scoble. He lives right here in South Bend — not some major metropolitan epicenter. He works for a regular company — not some global mega-brand. None of these facts limit his power to share with influence and impact. The same is true for your church, no matter who you are or where you are; you have the potential to influence and impact. Are you using it?
• If you give your loyal, passionate, smart staff leaders the freedom to share what's they're learning — un-edited, in their personal space, no strings attached — they will drive people back to the church. People trust people, not institutions. Where is the majority of your content coming from; your people or your institution? 
• Leader blogs provide a dependable source of information and inspiration for people. It helps them take their next steps, make better decisions and develop better relationships. You win people's confidence and loyalty by investing in the littlest things. In turn, they trust your church for the biggest things. What are you doing to invest in the little things?

Free, smart marketing.

Simple Family

This weekend's service was a life-preserver in uncertain and misguided times. My pastor delivered a fresh, bold, real-life message. He is not out of touch with reality. The man is wise and tuned-in to today's topic and he gave us handles to hold onto as we left the service that will sustain us through any season.

Are you feeling the pressure of the economy and the chaos of holiday expectations? Are you or someone you know struggling to hold their family together? Do you know anybody who could use something helpful and hopeful right now?

Here's what we hear and see everywhere we go.

• "You can't do it."
• "You don't have enough."
• "You're not good enough."
• "You're broken beyond repair."
• "It's too late."
• "You're up a creek without a paddle."
• "Our country is falling apart it's going to get even worse."

But, that's not the truth. We are not defined by our circumstances. The truth? A surprising relief.

All of us — nuclear family, single parent family, blended family, employed, unemployed — have everything we need, on our side, to build a foundation to make our family a success.

Here's your lifeline. FREE and NOW. If you don't have 89 minutes to watch the entire service, then just listen to the 38 minute message alone.

I'm serious. Make time for it. And, then...share it with someone else.

Self-induced audit

Earlier this summer, we performed an audit of our communication materials. We were evaluating if we were producing more content than people could absorb. We made changes to our web site.

Another place we're attempting to make it easier for people to find what they're looking for (amid all this chatter in the world) is our bulletin. Not only did we decrease print expenses, we increased awareness.

• Bulletin BEFORE
• Bulletin AFTER

It's a moving target, but we recognize our audience needs exposure first to the basics before we can drill down and motivate them to respond to specifics.