"More" from Decker Marketing

Mike and I like to visit sites that visit us. We are curious about what brings someone to our site and can we learn something from what the visitor is doing?

Today we were visited by Decker Marketing and we found a number of interesting marketing ideas. What really caught Mike's eye was this piece written on February 06, 2005. It reminded Mike of his stockbroker days when after a great year the managing partner visited their office and announced they were awesome! "Just wait until you reach your potential." The next year business was up 100%, he visited again and announced, "You guys are awesome! Just wait until you reach your potential."

From Decker Marketing Defining "More"

Is your mission statement "More"? There is always more you can do in work, and there's always more you can do in life. How to balance? Consider this perspective...

An American consultant was at a pier in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied only a little while.

The consultant then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

The American then asked the Mexican how he spent the rest of his time.

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American consultant scoffed, "I am a business consultant and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and, with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.

"You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American consultant replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, senor?" asked the fisherman.

The consultant laughed, and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public. You'll become very rich, you would make millions!"

"Millions, senor?" replied the Mexican. "Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

It is easy to get caught up in "more". When Mike and I go to dinner we tend to talk about business and marketing and how to deal with problems. So we say enough, after awhile, and talk about family, health, the dog, plans for vacation, books we are reading, and how much we care about each other. It is too hard to relax when all you want is "more".

Bev & Mike