Marketing – it’s like sailing on the Aegean Sea

I just returned from 12 days at sea on a 42’ sailboat.

I’d never sailed before.

Fortunately, I hired a skipper.

And the boat had a small group of people that I trusted and wanted to spend time with.

Here is what I learned.

• If you don’t have exceptional talent and leadership, like our skipper, you’re sunk.
• Working with people you trust and care about is the difference between great teamwork and mutiny.
• Fashion is irrelevant – Function is paramount.
• You need to make quick decisions and then adapt as needed (e.g. adjust the sails). If you don’t, you’ll be defeated by your competitors (i.e. rocks, tides, gale force winds).
• Indecision is dangerous. Remember sharks are always there.
• Planning (think strategy or maps/GPS) can mean the difference between reaching your destination and aimlessly going around in circles.
• Keep what you need to succeed, everything else goes overboard.
• Clutter (think tangled ropes and excess water), be they physical, mental or verbal can trip you up. And tripping is dangerous on land and sea.
• Being idle when sailing is called adrift at sea. Adrift in your marketing is just as perilous.

I learned a lot on my trip.

Hmmm…Do you think I can write my vacation off as a business expense?