By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Meditation may decrease the risk of heart disease, according to a first-ever statement on the practice issued by the American Heart Association. But the key word to remember is “may.” “The research is suggestive, but not definitive,” said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., chairman of the […]
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Published Sept. 27, 2017 Too Early By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Full-term babies are born between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. However, new research suggests those born between 37 and 38 weeks are more likely to have poor cardiorespiratory fitness as teens and young adults. Source: Journal of the […]
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When TaylorMade launched the Ghost line of putters, it had a story. The offering was something totally different. With input from optical experts, as well as putter guru Dave Stockton, the company claimed its Ghost putters were scientifically proven to be easier to line up. The putters were white because of science. The new TP red putters are red because well, Jason Day said make me a red putter.
Forgive us if we sound a bit cynical, but the red putter trend and the layers of plagiarism upon plagiarism in the putter category are boring. Jason Day asked for a red putter because red is his favorite color, and so red putters became a thing.
Sergio finally won the Masters using a red Spider, one of approximately 212 different putters he has used this season, while Jon Rahm has also looked like a superstar holing putts for fun with his Spider.
Professional golfers are a funny bunch, and some equated Jason Day's success with his red Spider and borrowed inspiration from it. What everyone seems to forget is all the success Day had with his dinged-up Ghost White Spider (incidentally he’s recently been seen testing a new version of that one). Jason Day is one of the finest putters of his generation. The fact he was putting well with a red flagstick had nothing to do with it being red, but it was easy to spot, and golfers seemed to take to it, and so now we have an entirely paint-driven putter trend.
Putter innovation being what it is, Odyssey quickly launched its own range of Works Red putters, including their now ubiquitous #7 Fang model. Turnabout being proverbially fair play, TaylorMade has launched its own version of the Fang in - you guessed it, red. Perhaps uninspired, perhaps an overt middle finger pointed in Odyssey’s direction; it certainly feels like TaylorMade is copying the copier.
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So what new technology has TaylorMade brought to the party? Diddly Squat, if we’re being honest. All of the new putters feature the 6061 Aluminum Pure Roll insert used in the TP Collection. It's a polymer filled groove design, not essentially different from what TaylorMade has been doing for the last ten years. Purportedly, the groove grips the ball to impart topspin and promote a faster time to roll. It feels soft and the roll is good, but with 3.5 degrees loft, there’s an argument to made that the company is a bit behind the curve for modern greens.
Each putter has movable/adjustable weights, which can be purchased separately, and come stock with a love it or hate it Super Stroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip.
There are technically six new models in the new family. But really, there are a two and a half, with some variations.
First up is the Ardmore. A full mallet design, this is a classic shape, very much like an Odyssey V-Line. There is also an Ardmore CTR, a center-shafted design. While not generally a good fit for a majority of golfers, it’s good to see them in OEM lineups for those you the design works for.
The Ardmore 2 pays homage to the Odyssey #7. Remove the center portion from the Ardmore, and voila you've got the Ardmore 2 - wings and all. Featuring a simple alignment aid; the Ardmore 2 is available in with a face-balanced, double-bend hosel and an Anser style L neck.
The Ardmore 3 features a single alignment line inside the cavity, and with the short heel hosel design most recently popularized by Jason Day, offers significantly more toe hang.
Finally is the Chaska. We understand golf brands follow naming conventions, and those designs undergo iterations, but an Anser will always be an Anser. So, we can’t quite understand why the Corza, a design that has been knocking about since 2010 is now called a Chaska.
Outside of the new TP Red line, there are two updates to the TP Silver Collection. Again, we have the Corza, sorry Chaska. And we also have the Balboa. Now that is a punchy name. Often called a No.9 now, following Odyssey and Phil Mickelson re-popularizing the heel shafted small mallet design, the connoisseur will know it’s actually based on the old TPA XVIII design from the 80's that was originally a TaylorMade model.
These are by no measure, bad putters. In fact, the Ardmore models look particularly good at address. They’re just not particularly inspired. TaylorMade has been playing it safe for a long time with their putters, and frankly, we’d like to see them innovate beyond the paint can. With these likely being the last models of the TMAG era, perhaps the next putter release will offer more of a legitimate technology story.
By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Studies have shown strong links between preterm births and future health risks such as heart failure. But being born early, yet still within the full-term range, may also pose heart-related risks later in life, a new study suggests. The findings could have far-reaching implications in […]
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By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Lea en español Some of Ronaldo Linares’s earliest memories are in a kitchen. He remembers at age 5 standing on a milk crate, peeling potatoes at his parents’ restaurant and nightclub in Medellin, Colombia. To keep him out of trouble, they also put him in […]
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Por AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Read in English Algunos de los primeros recuerdos de Ronaldo Linares son en una cocina. Se recuerda a la edad de cinco años parado en un cajón de leche, pelando papas en el restaurante y club nocturno nightclub de sus padres en Medellín, Colombia. Para […]
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PXG recently announced a sponsorship platform where it will provide tour level fittings and equipment to both men's and women's programs at six major Division I schools - Duke, Cal, SMU, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt. However, in a departure from typical pieces on PXG, the equipment itself isn't the most important part of the story.
Providing elite amateurs and collegiate players with free equipment isn't new. It's the reason why you see a plethora of Ping and Titleist clubs in matching Ping and Titleist bags at high-level state and national junior tournaments. The idea is simple; build (or technically buy...or maybe rent) loyalty during a player's formative years, and if player goes on to play professionally, it's likely that player will stick with the brand as his career progresses. There will always be Bryson DeChambeau scenarios where a player works closely with one OEM (Edel) during amateur play only to sign with another (Cobra) for more money, but this is more the exception than the rule.
The costs associated with this version of marketing are simply a part of doing business for many OEMs, but there is a spending limit. Because budgets allow for a finite amount of equipment to distribute, the equipment sponsors must decide who are the haves and who are the have-nots.
When it comes to equipment sponsorships, every OEM targets the elite of the elite – those with more robust playing resumes. From a quantitative perspective, this group represents a higher-percentage wager. These are the equivalents of First Round draft picks and they get taken care of regardless of gender, college attended or their duration of stay. See: Jordan Speith, Leona Maguire.
Then, there's the "at large" population. These are players who are good enough to make a roster at a Division I school but have procured equipment through more traditional means during junior golf. Put bluntly, male players have a distinct advantage, and according to the current Division I coaches I spoke with, are routinely provided OEM (TaylorMade, PING, Titleist, and Callaway) equipment, free of charge, while members of a collegiate team.
Conversely, female players at the same institutions, at best, can hope for reduced prices via collegiate pricing programs. There are, however, times when coaches call in favors from other sources to gain access to equipment for players, but again, these are exceptions and not indicative of a well-balanced system. With that, I'm not suggesting the system has any moral obligation to treat male and female athletes equitably, and that's what makes this move by PXG noteworthy, if not entirely unprecedented.
Often, this is collegiate discounts are the same as those offered to high school players across the nation. In a strictly monetary sense, female Division I scholarship golfers are often treated the same as the local high school golf team – which speaks volumes regarding the equipment industry's view of female players in so far as their collective ability to provide exposure and bring value to the brand is concerned. I don't believe any company purposely excludes female golfers because of gender; rather it's a matter of resource allocation and the reality that a line has to be drawn somewhere. In this case, the delineation is largely gender-specific.
There's no revelation in suggesting men and women are not treated equally. In the arena of professional golf, prize money is dictated by how (and how much) revenue is generated by each tour. The PGA Tour (via TV contracts and corporate sponsorships) brings in nearly 10X the revenue of the Ladies PGA Tour, and thus the men play for much larger purses on a weekly basis.
Comparing players who won similar events, women received approximately 20% of what their male counterparts made.
The revenue-driven argument loses some of its luster in an examination of an event like the U.S. Open, which is put on by the USGA; an organization charged to act in "the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it." Given the USGA's non-profit status, one would think it would be committed equally to both men and women, but monetarily speaking, it's not even close. Men's US Open Winner, Brooks Koepka, took home nearly 2.5X what Park Sung-hyun did for winning the women's version of the same event. For those scoring at home that's 2.16 million vs. 900K.
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Within the collegiate golf world, the differences are equally as stark. One coach I spoke with detailed the awkward, yet undeniable contrast of watching the men's team go through a fitting with a large OEM for its newest gear, while her girls practiced on the opposite side of the range. It would have been more bothersome if it wasn't so commonplace.
Another coach recounted her numerous conversations with players asking for equipment, which puts her in the position of trying to sell the idea that getting a significant retail discount is something special. However, the scores of Pro V1s and stacks of long brown boxes full of free equipment for the men's team sprawled all over the back of the office say pretty much all that needs to be said about the way things are.
At some point, the inequality becomes normalized and female golfers (and coaches) became resigned to the realities of lesser treatment. This is the backdrop against which PXG entered this conversation and when Bob Parson's stated “It is beyond me that the men’s and women’s golf teams are frequently afforded different levels of support,” his response conveys a moral imperative to work to level the playing field – or in this case, the tee box.
I reached out to numerous college coaches for this piece and unsurprisingly, only two replied, both women. The implicit message is this move by PXG meant more to women's programs because frankly, they needed it more.
Can you imagine asking a Division I football player to buy a helmet? It sounds ridiculous because it is. Why major OEMs provide equipment to one gender and not the other is treated as a matter of simple economics, but maybe that rationale won't' suffice any longer.
Should OEMs be required to provide equal support for men's and women's programs at the same institution? You tell us.
Doing a market analysis might sound overly daunting and formal, but don’t be dissuaded. It’s actually really important, and it’s not all that complex.
The market analysis is one of the most important parts of any startup strategy. It can actually help reduce risk because if you really understand your potential customers and market conditions, you’ll have a better chance of developing a viable product or service.
It should also help you get clear on what exactly makes you different from your competition, which can make or break your chances of standing out in a crowded landscape.
However, don’t fall into the trap of simply saying that your solution is for everyone. Ultimately, setting some parameters around your target market will help you focus your resources.
Bear in mind that all new businesses are different, and strategies for structuring a business plan can be different depending on the goal of the plan or the intended audience. If your business is quite small and you know your customers inside and out, a deep, formal market analysis might not be the best use of your time.
For instance, if you are writing an internal business plan, meaning that you’re not going to use it to try to secure a loan or other funding, you may not have a specific reason to spend time reviewing industry data to corroborate your financial forecast. Be sure to assess the value of this information for your business; determine why you’re doing an analysis in the first place so that you don’t waste time and energy on an unnecessary aspect of your plan.
On the other hand, if you’re not absolutely clear on what makes your business different from the competition, or if you have made (but not tested) some assumptions about who will be interested in your product or service, you might want to consider at least an abbreviated market analysis. You’ll want to make sure that the business you’re building is solving a real problem, and that consumers both desire your solution and are willing to pay for it. A market analysis is a good way to get clarity.
Finally, if you are seeking funding, a market analysis is going to be key data to convince your audience that your business idea has the facts and hard numbers to back it up.
It’s smart to write a business plan, especially if you are beginning a new business venture. Even if you’re a sole proprietor or don’t intend to borrow any money to get your business off the ground, it’s important to have a clear plan in place. The market analysis isn’t just one part of a successful business plan—it’s one of the best reasons to write one.
If you do need banks to lend you money or investors to jump on board, a market analysis section is required, as savvy lenders or investors will need to know that the business you’re pitching has viable market appeal.
Either way, a solid formal business plan or Lean Plan complete with market analysis will be invaluable. You’ll need to identify your potential customers and attract investors, and it will help you to be clear about what you want to do with your business, both now and in the future.
The time you spend doing the research and putting it all together will come back to you many times over in dollars earned and heartbreaks avoided. You’ll look like a professional, and you’ll outshine the competitors that didn’t write one.
Because you’ll know the size of the mountain you’re about to climb, you’ll be able to pace yourself and prevent problems in the future. But most importantly, thoroughly understanding your market means that you’ll be able to build the best solution possible for your customers’ problem.
Your market analysis should include an overview of your industry, a look at your target market, an analysis of your competition, your own projections for your business, and any regulations you’ll need to comply with.
This is where you’ll outline the current state of your industry overall and where it’s headed. Relevant industry metrics like size, trends, life cycle, and projected growth should all be included here. This will let banks or investors see that you know what you’re doing, and have done your homework and come prepared with the data to back up your business idea.
In the industry section of your market analysis, you focused on the general scope. In this section, you’ve got to be specific. It’s important to establish a clear understanding of your target market early on. A lot of new entrepreneurs make the rookie mistake of thinking that everyone is their potential market. To put it simply, they’re not.
For example, if you’re a shoe company, you aren’t targeting “everyone” just because everyone has feet. You’re most likely targeting a specific market segment such as “style-conscious men” or “runners.” This will make it much easier for you to target your marketing and sales efforts and attract the kinds of customers that are most likely to buy from you.
This is a good thing; by narrowing in, you’ll be able to direct your marketing dollars efficiently while attracting loyal customers who will spread the word about your business.
This is the section in which you get to dissect your competitors, which is important for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it’s a good idea to know what you’re up against, but it also lets you spot the competition’s weaknesses. Are there customers that are underserved? What can you offer that similar businesses aren’t offering?
At this point, your projections are educated guesses, so don’t worry about absolute accuracy. However, it pays to be thoughtful and avoid hockey-stick forecasting.
Are there any specific governmental regulations or restrictions on your market? If so, you’ll need to bring them up here and discuss how you’re going to comply with them.
You will also need to address the cost of compliance. Addressing these issues is essential if you are seeking investment or money from a lender, and everything has to be legally squared away and above board.
Market analyses vary from industry to industry and company to company. The hard truth is that some of the information you wish to include may not be publicly available. A little estimation is okay, but the bulk of your numbers need to be based on facts. Here are some good places to start your market research:
Ultimately, conducting a market analysis will help you uncover any blind spots. It should help you do some initial tests that will verify that your solution is actually addressing a real problem—and many startups don’t last simply because founders failed to figure out if anyone was interested enough in their solution to pay for it.
Whether you do a comprehensive analysis, or just spend a few hours on a leaner version, what you learn can be the difference between thriving and struggling.
Picking the best carpet fiber isn’t as easy as you think. Because there are a number of types to choose from, you have to weigh each of their characteristics. Let’s compare two of the most popular synthetic carpet fibers and find out which is a better fit for your home.
One of the biggest considerations in any carpet purchase is over the carpet’s durability.
Most consumers want a carpet that will stand up to daily wear and tear and still manage to look good for the next decade or so.
Nylon carpet fiber is well-known as being very durable. It has long been considered to be the most durable synthetic carpet fiber available (although some would say that PTT triexta is now a worthy contender for this title). The secret to nylon’s durability lies in its resiliency — its ability to literally “bounce back” from compaction.
Polyester is generally considered to be a less durable fiber than nylon. It lacks nylon’s high resilience, and will typically begin to show signs of wear due to foot traffic in less time than nylon.
It’s important to note that both nylon and polyester carpets are available in a wide range of qualities, and so a high-grade polyester carpet may outperform a low-grade nylon carpet. As always, when comparing two different carpets, be sure that they are of equivalent quality. Source: TheSpruce
Both nylon and polyester are easy to wash and are mildew resistant. Both can be washed in a washing machine and dried on a low heat cycle. Articles made from nylon or polyester should be removed from the dryer immediately. A warm iron can be used on either nylon or polyester. Polyester generally can be dry-cleaned, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions. However, nylon cannot be dry-cleaned as the solvents melt the material. Source: Diffen
Nylon Carpets are made from nylon fibers and considered to be the toughest carpets available on the market. Even in a high traffic area your nylon carpet shouldn’t show signs of aging.
Polyester Carpets are second in line to nylon carpets, but have a tendency to get matted and not spring back to its original shape. It will show wear in high traffic areas. If it comes in contact with high heat, polyester carpet can melt. Source: DifferenceBetween
Make sure you get your money’s worth by properly maintaining the carpet you just bought. We can help you out! Call us today!
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This post first appeared on Beautiful Canadian Laser & Skin Care Clinic.
Concealing dark circles all the time requires so much work and cosmetics – it’s a stressful process. Why don’t you try the following tips for a fresher, dark circle-free look even without makeup on! Cool down. If you need to minimize the appearance of dark circles and under-eye bags STAT, cooling down the area is […]
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By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS The blood from a baby’s umbilical cord is teeming with stem cells — the “blank slate” cells with the ability to become a muscle cell, a brain cell or any other type of cell in the body. A team of scientists in Chile have used […]
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By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Minnesota Vikings Everson Griffen and Kyle Rudolph are the latest in a long line of NFL players tackling the issue of children’s health. The players (and plenty of kids) star in a new video released Tuesday as part of the NFL Play 60 Challenge, a nationwide […]
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The Best Golf School in the World.
That’s a mighty bold statement – one that admittedly doesn’t fit well with MyGolfSpy’s Datacratic model. So, if you want to have a small rant about clickbait before moving on for the day, no hard feelings, but I’ll tell you this much; Martin Chuck believes he operates the best golf school in the world, and he’s stepped-up to try and prove it.
I know what you’re thinking: That’s an entirely subjective opinion. It’s next to impossible to quantify, and not for anything, as the owner and operator of the Tour Striker Golf Academy, Mr. Chuck might be a little biased on the subject.
Yup. I don’t disagree
What’s also true is that in MyGolfSpy’s near decade of existence no other golf coach has reached out to ask us to be evaluated. Martin Chuck wants his Tour Striker Academy reviewed to the Most Wanted standard. In fact, all of this started when Martin contacted us to ask why we don’t have a Most Wanted Golf School Category.
Short answer: Logistics.
Longer Answer: As much as I’d love to travel the world in search of the Svengali golf coach who can fix my abysmal golf game, there are prohibitions, not the least of which is my wife. I’d also hazard a guess that some of the guys with reputations to lose want no part of opening up their schools to MyGolfSpy.
Fortunately, we found a simple workaround that also creates an awesome opportunity for one of you.
Martin Chuck has invited one of you to spend three days at his Tour Striker Golf Academy at the Raven Phoenix Golf Club.
He’ll cover the cost of airfare, lodging, and the golf school. All Martin asks in return is you show up with a desire to improve your game and a commitment to provide a fair and honest assessment of your experience.
Here’s what the winner can expect during the 3-Day Tour Striker Experience:
Martin believes that, above all else, it's the continuing relationship with his students that truly separates the Tour Striker Golf Academy from the pack. Perhaps that's why he's received so many consistently positive reviews from his students.
It’s not pixie dust. It’s knowledge and the right plan. – Martin Chuck
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As you know, MyGolfSpy takes its product testing very seriously and that’s true of this Golf School review opportunity as well. All of our reader reviews are published in our Community Forum (click here to check them out). We expect a lot from our reviewers – writing a thorough, detailed and honest review is a commitment, as well as participation in the Forum itself to answer questions and discuss your experience at the Tour Striker Academy with other golfers.
That means that to enter, you must be a registered member of the MyGolfSpy Community Forum, where you’ll find thousands of like-minded golfers from all over the world anxious to talk about golf equipment.
To apply to attend a 3-day golf school at the Tour Striker Academy, here's what you have to do:
- First, if you haven't already, please sign up for the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here to register).
- Second, apply ONLY in the Official Tour Striker Academy Thread in the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here to enter).
We'll be announcing our golf school reviewer in the MyGolfSpy Forum in two weeks.
You’re riding in an elevator with just one other passenger and the guy looks familiar somehow. He smiles and you smile and he says something like, “Hey did you drop this?” He hands you your driver’s license which you’d just shown to security and suddenly you realize this person is one of the biggest angel investors in the universe.
The two of you strike up a conversation and he asks what you do, and you just happen to be seeking funding for your startup. You notice you’re already on the 14th floor and you do a quick calculation in your head. You’ve got exactly three minutes (it’s a really tall building) to tell this angel about your brilliant idea before the elevator reaches the top floor where, being an angel, he must certainly perch.
Okay, so that would never happen. But then, how many elevator pitches actually take place on elevators? Yet these mini-orations happen all the time, and some of them bear fruit. If you get upgraded on flights, you have almost certainly heard an aviation version of an elevator pitch. People pitch at parties, in convention center hallways, public swimming pools—I once delivered an elevator pitch to a stranger at the top of a mountain.
Even if you’re not starting up a company but just have an idea you hope to elevate to the C-suite, it helps to know the techniques for delivering a perfect pitch. The same techniques can help you get respect in meetings, and even improve your toast at a friend’s wedding.
I picked up these tools from years of studying rhetoric, the 3,000-year-old art of persuasion. Aristotle literally wrote the book on rhetoric. He tutored Alexander the Great in the art, helping spread one of the first great western empires.
Julius Caesar was a master rhetorician. So were Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, Churchill, and Martin Luther King. All of them studied rhetoric. In more recent times, rhetorical principles have been backed by modern neuroscience. As someone who coaches people to give presentations and has helped fundraisers and salespeople polish their craft, I have seen the tools work in the business world. So let’s get started.
It may seem strange to apply an art invented by ancient Greeks to an elevator pitch. But the ancient Athenian orators delivered speeches of as little as several minutes, with frequent interruptions by the hoi polloi (the masses). A Greek speech was more “Shark Tank” than commencement address. The orator had to make his point, and make it fast.
To help speakers zero in on their topic, Aristotle came up with a logical one-two punch called the enthymeme. (The Greeks probably found it easy to pronounce.) It consists of just two parts: the proof, and the conclusion.
The proof can be a fact or a story. To illustrate, let’s suppose you want your company to design, say, a new line of lingerie for cats. Your proof should be the best possible reason, either a fact or anecdote, for cat lingerie.
The first fact shows an unmet need: cats in costume, humans in lingerie—Venn diagram! The second fact is a more direct proof. Popular meme plus popular equals wildly popular marketing white space. And the anecdote is an origin story. Part two of your enthymeme is the conclusion.
The enthymeme serves as the seed of your pitch. Of course, you’ll have many reasons for starting your feline lingerie line. But audiences aren’t very good at absorbing new information more than one fact at a time. If you have only one or two minutes, focus on just one proof.
One way to draft your proof is to think of a logical brand statement. Write down your conclusion:
We need to design a line of designer cat lingerie.
Now write your proof. Begin with the word “Because…” and go from there. (Personally, I would go for any proposal with the proof “Because cats. And lingerie.”)
You generated your logical seed, the proof-conclusion enthymeme. The temptation is to go straight into noodling up the rest of your pitch. Hold on. You need to work first on your period.
We think of a period as a, you know, a monthly thing. Or as a punctuation mark. The ancients saw the period as something much cooler. They theorized that the patterns of the brain work in sync with the rhythms of the rest of the body. A single expression tends to last as long as the speaker’s breath.
Therefore, they believed, an audience can absorb a thought that’s the maximum of an orator’s single long breath. They called this span periodos, the period. Try timing it yourself. Take a deep breath and talk steadily; if you don’t smoke and you’re in reasonable shape, you should be able to last about 12 seconds. That’s a period. The ancients made the period the climax of a speech, the emotional part toward the end; the biggest applause line.
What does this have to do with an elevator pitch? A great deal. Just bear with me.
To see whether the period still exists in modern orations, I went online and found videos of the most famous political addresses, as well speeches in Hollywood movies—ranging from “Braveheart” to just about every sports movie ever made. True enough, the big memorable lines in political speeches lasted 11 to 13 seconds. For movie speeches, I hit the timer whenever the music began to well up, then stopped when the star ended. Twelve seconds on the dot, just about every time. While few modern speechwriters and screenwriters have studied classical rhetoric, they employ the ancient period through sheer experience and instinct.
Even before you write the outline of your pitch, craft your own period, the climax of your mini-speech. This climax is your audience’s rainbow, the finish line, the promised land that your pitch leads to. You don’t have to sound like a blue-faced Mel Gibson or a deranged basketball coach. But your period should convey absolute belief and commitment while portraying a beautiful vision of the future. In 40 words. Twelve seconds of speech equals about 40 words.
In our own climactic passage, we can envision adorable little cat outfits flying out of stores departments, getting millions of clicks on Amazon and eBay, just about owning Instagram for all eternity, and all to make the world a better place in these troubled times.
You have your logic packet of proof plus conclusion. You drafted your (okay, slightly creepy) vision. It’s time for your outline.
Just about every great speech, short or long, descends through tradition from the great Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero—who, according to Cicero himself, was the greatest speaker of all time. He not only ran the Roman republic before Caesar became dictator. Cicero also wrote rhetoric textbooks that students still pour over.
The Ciceronian outline, a framework for putting your pitch in order, comes from the man’s deep understanding of human nature. He knew that the most powerful tool of persuasion is trust. If the audience trusts the speaker, they’ll follow him anywhere.
To build that trust, you have to make yourself fit in with your audience. In this case, you’re given only a few minutes, so you have to rely on the old standbys of eye contact, good handshake, posture, and the appearance of confidence.
You want to enhance your ethos: your image or projected character. If you do have time, you can reveal your understanding of the subject, refer to your experience (you have a veterinary degree and ran the design department of a lingerie boutique), and have mutual friends who will vouch for you.
Next, comes the logic part. Reveal your enthymeme in just a sentence or two.
And finally the peroration—your persuasive conclusion. In this case, your peroration is probably your vision of a hilariously beautiful furry future.
For the record (and in case you’re ever asked to give a commencement address), the actual Ciceronian outline goes like this:
For elevator purposes, you can simplify the outline to comprise trust, enthymeme, and period. Or, if you like, character, logic, and vision. Follow this outline and write out your pitch. Rewrite it at least a dozen times. Practice it in front of friends and colleagues. Then deliver it to the toughest audience: adolescents. Note when they look bored or fidget or turn to their smartphones; that could signal a boring passage.
Now you’re ready. You’re as well armed as the most eloquent Greek or Roman. Deliver it and build your empire.
Meanwhile, ping me if you start selling cat lingerie on Kickstarter. I’ll totally back you.
Jay Heinrichs is the author of the New York Times bestseller “Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion” (Penguin Random House). A former manager at Rodale Inc., he implements digital, publishing, and appearance strategies for Southwest Airlines, Wharton School of Business, NASA, European Speechwriters Network, and Arixa Capital, among others. He is a professor of the practice of rhetoric and oratory at Middlebury College. You can see a short video he did on the period in political and movie speeches.
By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS For heart attack survivors and people at high risk for one, a low-dose aspirin is part of the daily routine to prevent a heart attack or stroke. But for those who don’t stick to that routine, the rate of heart attacks, strokes or deaths from one […]
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By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Dozens of patients and advocacy groups including the American Heart Association gathered on Capitol Hill on Monday to demand a stop to a proposed bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Wearing red T-shirts with the phrase “I Am A Pre-Existing Condition,” […]
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Longtime President and CEO, Wally Uihlein, has notified the Acushnet Board of Directors of his plan to retire, effective January 1, 2018.
Here are your requisite bullet points:
While most recognizable as a golf ball brand, under Uihlein’s leadership Titleist has developed an immutable product-centric identity with a clear focus on the avid, and arguably, more accomplished golfer. Principled and consistent is how I would describe the Acushnet family of brands under Wally Uihlein.
Mr. Uihlein’s retirement marks the 3rd noteworthy leadership change within the golf equipment industry over the last several years.
When Chip Brewer took over the helm at Callaway from interim CEO Tony Thornley, he executed a business plan that would rapidly change the culture of the company and the disrupt the balance of power within equipment industry.
TaylorMade has endured two CEO changes since Mark King was assigned to adidas North America. Ben Sharpe’s tenure lasted barely six months before he was replaced by current CEO David Abeles. Over the last two years, the company has lost its leadership position in both metalwoods and irons (based on retail sales). Little of that is on Abeles who inherited a mess, and there are signs that the bumps are smoothing as company transitions from the adidas umbrella to KPS-owned.
Two, arguably three, significant leadership changes, two significantly different results. What can we expect from Acushnet under new leadership?.
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Change at the top is almost always accompanied by change in other forms, but unlike the situations at Callaway and TaylorMade, Titleist’s identity will be firmly intact at the time of transition. That’s not to say there won’t be challenges ahead. We’ve discussed the changing nature of the ball market and its impact on Acushnet’s bottom line. It’s also likely that we’re only beginning to understand what public ownership means for the company.
Still, I’m not expecting any radical changes. Efforts to modernize the delivery of the brand message and re-engage with the core golfer are ongoing, and while the company will never make as much literal noise as some of its competitors, that too is part of its identity, and what many Titleist’s loyalists find appealing about the brand. These are efforts to upgrade, not overhaul.
Unlike Brewer and Abeles, Mahar won’t be asked to chart an entirely new course. Steering around a few patches of turbulent waters, but otherwise mostly staying the course is the task at hand.
Haphazardous isn’t in the Achushnet vocabulary. There’s little doubt this transition has been planned for months, and with Acushnet’s identity is firmly rooted both corporately, and with the consumer, unlike the industry’s previous CEO changes there’s not the same degree of urgency or even necessity.
Because of that, while nether Uihlein’s contributions to the industry or the success of the Acushnet brand can be overstated, we expect the transition to a new CEO will likely be smooth and uneventful.
As far as the longer-term implications go, it’s far too soon to speculate.
Even though shopping online has never been more popular, you may be surprised to hear that many customers still prefer to shop in good old-fashioned brick-and-mortar stores. According to a recent survey by IBM and the National Retail Federation, this is true even for Generation Zs, the very people who grew up during the ecommerce revolution.
While this is great news if you’re a brick-and-mortar store owner, this certainly isn’t a reason to slack off. Customers who are willing to forgo the convenience of shopping from their own homes and venture outside to shop at physical retailers are going to have higher expectations than ever.
With that in mind, here are some ideas to help create a truly exquisite in-store customer experience that will always be irreplaceable—no matter how popular online shopping becomes.
How do these headphones feel over my ears? Will this shirt fit me? This sofa looks comfy, but is it really? While it’s one thing to read online reviews or see how a product looks on a computer monitor, there’s nothing quite like trying something out for yourself in person. In fact, the ability to “see, touch, feel, and try out items” is the number one reason why people prefer shopping in physical stores instead of online, according to a survey done by Retail Dive.
Of course, allowing your customers to try and test out your products is simply the first step toward creating a more hands-on experience. Many stores already do this. To go a level beyond, you’ve really got to incorporate this hands-on principle as a part of your company’s identity—and here’s how:
Best Buy is an awesome role model when it comes to this. Anyone who walks into a Best Buy store is immediately given the sense that things are set up to be played around with. TV screens are neatly lined up and on full display so that customers can compare them side by side. Computers and tablets are all plugged in and ready to be used. Everything is arranged and displayed in a way that openly invites customers to try things out for themselves.
This is so important. Even after displaying your merchandise in the right way, many customers still won’t get the hint and will assume that everything is set up mainly for show. Often times customers will err on the side of playing it safe when it comes to tinkering with the products on sale. So it is extremely important that your employees take every opportunity to encourage customers to really get in there and test out all the awesome features of your merchandise firsthand.
Testing things out is contagious. If customers see another person playing with a cool new gadget, they’ll be tempted to try it out too. This is why Apple stores have such compact yet open layouts; Apple wants customers both within the store and outside its doors to see that everyone is eagerly trying out its products and having a blast.
While parents may be interested in shopping at your store, unfortunately, their kids may not be. In fact, some kids really hate it, and this can easily lead to situations where kids are nagging their parents to stop shopping and leave your store. Obviously, this is problematic and can create an unappealing experience for your customers—even if it’s not directly your fault.
Admittedly, creating a kid-friendly environment can be difficult, but there are companies that have found solutions. McDonald’s, for example, has mini-playgrounds at some of their locations to keep children occupied. On top of that, they offer a “Kids Meal” that has always been in huge demand because of the collectible toy it comes with. Electronics stores like Best Buy have gaming systems set up so that kids can entertain themselves while their parents take their sweet time to shop around.
Sometimes even the most simple things can do the trick. Kids can easily get tired from following their parents around all day; simply giving them a place to sit can work wonders.
Did you know that the type of music played at your store can affect how much money customers are willing to spend? The Association for Consumer Research found that customers who are between the ages of 25 and 49 tend to shop longer and buy more when foreground music—in particular slower, more contemporary music—is played. On the other hand, people who are 50 and older have this same buying tendency when they hear background music—faster tempo instrumental music instead.
While a store’s visual appearance is something all store owners understandably focus on, don’t ignore the other four senses. As a customer, think about the comforting feeling of the smell of freshly baked bread at the local bakery, or the familiar scent of roasted garlic in your favorite Italian restaurant. Imagine stepping into a Starbucks and not smelling the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. If you’re unsure about what scent your store should use, or even what scents are out there, here’s a guide to help you figure it out.
Studies have found that moods are contagious. If customers are surrounded by happy employees, then they are more likely to be happy as well.
Of course, this is easier said than done. How do you keep employees consistently cheerful and engaged (that is, without breaking the bank and giving everyone raises)? Here are some techniques that have worked for me throughout my years as a manager:
While you might be tempted to pick the person with the most impressive work experience and credentials for the job, this isn’t always the best strategy. Instead, hire candidates who seem as though they would enjoy working at your store the most, the ones who have a naturally uplifting personality and that infectious aura of happiness about them.
People are happier when they get to make their own decisions and choose some of their own responsibilities. Often times roles are fairly interchangeable. So why not let your employees choose what they want to do instead of arbitrarily assigning them tasks?
Employees who aren’t properly trained will always be worried about not screwing up while on the job. This creates stress, and that stress can make them unpleasant to be around. To avoid this problem, make sure you provide everyone on your staff enough education and training.
Moods are contagious, remember? You want happy employees, and you can get them by infecting your staff with a pleasant management style. As part of the management team at ResumeGo, I always remember to praise our employees for their hard work. Even when someone trips up or makes a mistake, it is better to give positive encouragement instead of getting irritated or upset.
Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a customer’s experience at your store a memorable one. I remember being pleasantly surprised when Whole Foods began offering free sanitizing hand wipes at the entrances to its stores. It was a very simple addition to the shopping experience, but one that had a profound psychological effect.
Another example is when restaurants offer complimentary desserts as a token of their appreciation. This costs them very little compared to the revenue they earn from a full course dinner, but it adds a nice touch to the end of the night that makes a lot of customers want to return for another meal.
In conclusion, remember that there are certain customer experiences that brick-and-mortar stores can provide which online stores simply cannot replicate. Identify what those are for your particular area of business and do your best to provide them. Succeed with that, and you’ll be able to create a truly unique experience that will result in more sales and repeat customers.
Peter Yang is the co-founder of a resume service, ResumeGo, which offers resume help and career coaching from its professional resume writers. He has also worked as a Human Resource Manager and Content Marketing Manager for IBM and HP, and is eager to share his work experience with readers.
