Fear the underdog
May 6, 2008
“You got no time for the messenger,
got no regard for the thing that you don’t understand,
you got no fear of the underdog,
that’s why you will not survive!”
– “The Underdog,” Spoon
Being the best is an honor and privilege.
It’s something you’ve gained through years of hard work and smart thinking. Being the best takes a keen marketing mind and a little bit of luck. It takes a different look at the industry – an expertise that no one else can offer.
But don’t forget. The best didn’t start that way. The best built themselves up from the bottom. The best overcame another “bests.” The best was once #2. And #3. And #10.
Now that you’ve made it, now that you’re at the top, the worst thing you can do is think you’re untouchable.
You’re not.
Because just like you were once a eager startup, or an unproven talent, or a free-thinking self-employed vendor, there are hundreds out there trying to outthink you. And they’ll surely outthink you, my friends.
If you let them.
Never stop asking for the business. Never stop thinking. Keep improving. Think five years ahead. Anticipate trends and create marketing with the future in mind. Solidify your brand and wipe out weaknesses.
Stay relevant. Embrace change. Take risks. Be willing to accept that the industry – whatever industry that may be – is always moving ahead.
If you stay stagnant, you can bet the gap will start narrowing. And once your competitors have momentum on their side, they’re difficult to stop.
Always fear the underdog. It’s the only way to survive.
Comments
Leave a Reply
- Jetpacks in South Dakota
- The Difference Between the Colas…
- Happy Election Day
- HS Happenings
- E-mail Subscribers…
- The Good, the Bad, the Nike
- Saying what you mean. Showing what you say.
- When the audience helps. Or not.
- How Mad Men is doing it wrong.
- New. Improved. And all of that.
- bg: This election is too important too not vote early—and often!
- Paul: Worthington, MN is the Turkey Capital of the world. Much love.
- Deane: Loved that.
- Clint: that IS a thing of beauty… makes me want to go buy some shoes, and watch a Rocky movie.
- David: A very interesting post - I hadn’t heard about the Best Buy/decorating idea. And thanks for the...
- November 2008
- October 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- January 2008
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
About HenkinSchultz
HenkinSchultz is an agency. An advertising and marketing and branding and design and production agency. All of those things, and then some.
But, underneath all that, we're really a bunch of thinkers. As in, we think about stuff, both pertinent and not, with and without boundaries, as if our lives depended on it. And this right here, Post Haste, is where we write about it.
Visit us at http://www.henkinschultz.com.