The Importance of Storytelling in Ecommerce

Humans love stories. From an early age, we’re told stories to entertain and inspire us. It’s no surprise the marketing world has embraced storytelling; it’s one of the most effective ways to connect on a deeper level with consumers and humanize a brand. In ecommerce, storytelling is vital, because brands need to cut through the barrier of the computer screen to connect with strangers. But when it’s done right, any brand can stand out online. What is Storytelling in Ecommerce? Storytelling is simply building a narrative around your company and its products. Everything you tell readers about you, your company, your products, and your services is part of the story. You can use storytelling on your homepage, about page, product pages, and across your social media accounts. It all helps to create a context in which potential customers can understand who you really are. For example, if you’re selling a brand of coffee, you don’t just say it tastes good; you talk in detail about how your company founders travelled the world, looking for the perfect blend of coffee beans. It can add a sense of adventure, credibility, and exclusivity to your brand. Why Storytelling is Important for Ecommerce Brands Stories add authenticity to your content. They grab the attention of readers and help you communicate on a more emotional level. They’re a crucial part of developing a memorable brand, attracting new customers, improving your credibility, building customer loyalty, and driving sales. Storytelling can give your brand depth. It shows that you offer more than just a product or service; you have values that people can relate to and be a part of. Information overload It’s no wonder most â€Å"tune out† of traditional advertising methods. The volume of data consumers is exposed to is overwhelming: Every minute, more than 2 million Google searches are performed Every day, consumers process around 100,000 digital words, and see approximately 5,000 marketing messages Every year, 3 trillion ads are sold online Ignoring marketing messages has become almost automatic; around 79 percent of people scan content, rather than read every word. But storytelling has the potential power to stop people from tuning out. Develop stronger relationships To make your marketing messages more effective and to strengthen the bond you have with customers, you need to make your audience feel like you understand them. The most successful brands build relationships with their audience by defining their brand with a core set of beliefs. This adds a perceived value to the products and services, makes consumers feel a part of something great and can create brand ambassadors. The most obvious example of this is Coca-Cola. People don’t mind paying a higher price for the product because they feel an emotional attachment to the brand. In the same way, Nike uses storytelling by associating its brand with star athletes – it’s not just selling the shoe’s features, it’s selling the feeling you get by wearing the shoes. The trick is to select stories that potential customers can relate to and speaking the language of your target audience to connect with them on a more personal level. Stories are motivational The best stories motivate people to take action more than a standard sales pitch. Before you share a story, think about what you want your audience to feel and what you want them to do next. When you weave into your story a call-to-action, people that relate to the story are more likely to take the desired action. So how do you harness the power of storytelling? Here are 10 ways to make your stories more captivating and hopefully give you the competitive edge. Need help writing a brand story? Learn more about our ecommerce content service. 10 Ecommerce Storytelling Strategies That Work 1. Focus on emotions. What do customers experience when using your products? Explain how customers accomplished a task before they had your product and how they felt. Then describe them using your products and how they will feel. Use words and phrases that focus on positive emotions. Casper, the mattress company, does a good job of reinforcing positive emotions on their website. 2. Talk about how your product makes the customer’s life better. In other words, sell the benefits, not the product. What makes your products and services unique, and what do they help customers achieve? Perhaps your product allows people to spend more time with their family. Use images and videos alongside your copy to bring the ideas to life. 3. Explain how your company solves customer problems. State the problem, show that you understand the problem, and then explain how you developed a solution to make customers’ lives easier. 4. Make the story shareable. What is the core value of your brand? Build your messaging and imagery around this, and create a catchy hashtag that summarizes your core message. Encourage customers to tell their story using the hashtag, and use social media polls to promote your campaign. Have a look at this print ad from 1990 by Nike. This is copywriting and storytelling at it’s finest. 5. Be more transparent. You could explain your manufacturing process, describe your company culture, explain product costs, or describe company setbacks and how you overcame them. 6. Be socially conscious. Can you give something back to the local community? You could donate your time to a local event, donate gifts to a charity, or sponsor a local project. Whatever you do, it can be built into the story of your brand which you can share with your audience. TOMS started with a buy-one, give-one system where every paid of shoes purchased meant that a pair was donated. 7. Highlight your brand’s origins. If you have an interesting story to tell about the evolution of your brand, share it. What setbacks did you overcome? You could bring your location into the story. 8. Humanize your brand. Talk about individual staff members and the many different ways they contribute to your company. How did you become who you are today? Frozen-foods company Amy’s Kitchen nails this technique on their website. They tell readers how they sold handmade pot pies out of the family kitchen during the early days of their business and never imagined the enormous success that lay ahead. 9. Enhance product descriptions. In the final stages of the buying process, storytelling can push the customer toward a purchase decision. Use product descriptions to build authenticity. How was it made? What unique materials do you use? Again, you can highlight how a product will improve the lives of consumers. 10. Use real-life stories from customers. Either interview customers, or ask them to share stories about your company, products, and services. User-generated content adds authenticity to your storytelling. Connect with your followers on social media. You can even offer prizes for the best story or picture. CoSchedule does a great job of incorporating real-life stories on their website. The callout below is from a quote from a solopreneur and includes a link to a blog post that tells the story in-depth. How to Tell if Your Story is Good If you’ve put together a brand story and aren’t sure how effective it is, here are a few things to look for: Publish stories that are relevant to the time of year and current events. Craft each story from the perspective of your ideal customer. Find new or unusual ways to tell your story. Surprising stories are more memorable than predictable ones. What is the challenge your customer has to overcome or the problem your product can solve? You’re not trying to sell a product or service; you’re selling the results you offer and the feeling people get from using your brand. You’ll lose credibility if your audience thinks you’re being dishonest. Don’t appear evasive in your motives and avoid using jargon. Final Thoughts In a crowded ecommerce world, companies that use compelling and emotive stories are often the ones experiencing greater brand loyalty and increased profits. It may take more effort to weave stories into your ecommerce content, but when you get it right, it can be one of the most effective ways to connect with customers, strengthen your brand, and drive sales. What stories can you use to make your brand stand out online? Interested in using storytelling to elevate your brand? Our copywriting service connects you with professional writers able to create copy that sells.

Chemistry is Life! essays

Chemistry is Life! essays Most people have chosen to write their essay about how chemistry has played an important role in everyday life. I have chosen to ask, how doesnt it play a role in everyday life? The simple fact is that chemistry plays an important role in every persons daily activities from the moment were born. So what role does chemistry really play in everyday life? Well, this involvement usually begins first thing each morning. Most people wake up to an alarm or radio. These common household items contain batteries, which make them very chemically dependent. These batteries contain positive and negative electrodes. The positive electrode consists of a carbon rod surrounded by a mixture of carbon and manganese dioxide. The negative electrode is made of zinc. Chemistry plays an important role in the discovery and understanding of materials contained in these and many other common household items. Things like household cleaners and water purification systems are vitally dependent on chemistry. Without chemistry something as simple as scrubbing a toilet without fear of severe burns or small explosions might not be possible. Next, though it isnt widely known, chemistry is also heavily involved with the manufacturing of things such as makeup and soap. Each time you bathe you are witnessing chemistry at work. Chemicals such as cetyl alcohol and propylene glycol are typical ingredients in the soap used to wash your hair and skin. Without chemistry, these materials (or combinations of these materials) might be hazardous or might not exist. The chemical coloring agents used in makeup and nail polish would not be possible without an understanding of the chemicals involved. Almost anything you do during the course of a normal day involves chemistry in some way. The gas and tires in cars we drive, the makeup we put on our faces, the soaps and cleaners used everyday, burning wood or other fossil fuels, chemistry is all around y...

Babson College (GPA, SAT and ACT Scores for Admission)

Babson College (GPA, SAT and ACT Scores for Admission) Babson College GPA, SAT and ACT Graph Babson College GPA, SAT Scores and ACT Scores for Admission. Data courtesy of Cappex. How Do You Measure Up at Babson College? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex. Discussion of Babsons Admissions Standards: Far more applicants are rejected than accepted by Babson College. Successful applicants will need to have standardized test scores and high school grades that are well above average. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that most successful applicants had high school grades in the B / A- range or higher. Admitted students tended to have combined SAT scores of 1250 or higher (RWM), and ACT composite scores of 26 or better. Strong math scores are particularly important at Babson. Note that there are quite a few red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue in the middle of the graph. Many students with grades and test scores that were on target for Babson College did not get in. Also note that a few students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm. This is because Babsons admissions process is based on more than numbers. The college uses the Common Application and has holistic admissions. The admissions folks will be looking at the rigor of your high school courses, not just your grades. Also, they will want to see a winning essay, interesting extracurricular activities, an engaging short answer, and strong letters of recommendation. You can further strengthen your application by doing an optional interview, and all applicants must do a supplemental essay in the form of a letter to your Babson roommate. To learn more about Babson College, high school GPAs, SAT scores and ACT scores, these articles can help: Babson College Photo TourBabson College Admissions ProfileWhats a Good SAT Score?Whats a Good ACT Score?Whats Considered a Good Academic Record?What is a Weighted GPA? Articles Featuring Babson College: Top New England Colleges and UniversitiesTop Massachusetts CollegesBoston Area Colleges If You Like Babson College, You May Also Like These Schools   Bryant University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphVillanova University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphStonehill College:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Connecticut:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphFordham University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphProvidence College:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNortheastern University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphGeorgetown University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBoston College:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Pennsylvania:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNew York University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBentley University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDrexel University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

S.W.O.T. Analysis of Maaco Auto Body & Painting Research Paper

S.W.O.T. Analysis of Maaco Auto Body & Painting - Research Paper Example Experts in franchising have recognized MAACO for its overall excellence, growth potential and helpful support systems for store operators† (MAACCO: About MACCO, par. 2). The positive image of the company contributes to the increase in outlets and clientele since its inception. Gaebler Ventures aptly describes MAACO as a winning retail operation with extraordinary brand recognition, no national competition, and about a 47% U.S. market share. Maaco is more than a franchise opportunity. It is a proven system that provides continuous support and training to position you to grow a prosperous business. With Maaco, you receive expert assistance, so you never feel alone† (Gaebler, par. 1). The competitive advantage of the company is manifested through leadership in the automotive repair industry. According to IBIS World, the nature of the work for auto body shops in the US encompasses repairing the interior and the body of passenger cars, trucks, vans and trailers. These firms also carry out customization work on the interior and body of vehicles. Some firms specialize in certain auto repairs; for example, paint shops specialize in post-collision paint jobs, while automotive glass shops replace, repair and tint windows. Restoration shops, which typically represent a niche market, are involved in restoring classic and antique cars† (IBIS, par. 10). In this regard, this essay aims to proffer a SWOT analysis of MAACO, by reviewing the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), to explore its competitive advantage in their field of operations.... Strengths MAACO was recently ranked by AllStar Franchise as an organization worthy to be included in its AllStar list due to its strengths in terms of longevity which is likewise tantamount to years of experience in their business. As revealed by All Business, â€Å"the company has ranked high in financial strength for two consecutive years, and this year its Web visibility improved significantly (from #202 to #106). Maaco offers a conversion program to turn independent auto body shops into Maaco franchises, which is appealing to many independents in a tough economy. Parent company Driven Brands, which owns several automotive-related franchise companies, also has a Dealership Jump Start program that converts car dealerships to Maaco centers† (All Business, pars. 2 & 3). From its 149 AllStar ranking in 2010, the rank improved to 84 in 2011 proving that MAACO continues to utilize its internal resources effectively and efficiently. It boasts of according customers a price for rep airs which is 33% less than those quoted and charged by other repair shops (MAACO: Home, par. 1). As revealed by White, â€Å"in 2011, MAACO was ranked #1 in class by Entrepreneur Magazine† (par. 4). The unique franchising strategy entices investors to open new shops due to the financial prospects and the number of clientele who continue to patronize MAACO auto body shops. Further, Gross revealed that various customers in Canada expressed their content and satisfaction from the services provided by MAACO. Gross averred that â€Å"Maaco is the collision shop that paints cars. We do it all, and just as importantly, give you much more Value than anyone else can. By bringing your car to Maaco, North America's Bodyshop, you benefit from our encounter, buying power,

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 154

Summary - Essay Example as led by different members of the family for example Chaghri was allowed to rule the area of Khurasan, while the overall power was in the hands of Toghril. The chapter even focuses on the period when the empire consolidated and this period spans from 1063 to 1092 (Holt 26). The consolidation started with Alp Arslan taking over the rule after Toghril. One of the greatest achievements under Alp Arsalan’s belt was the defeat of the Byzantine Empire in which Alp Arsalan’s empire gained controlled of areas that were quite essential for the economy of the Byzantine Empire (Holt 28). The chapter ends with the discussion of Saljuq conquest of the region of Persia impacted the region and its stakeholders. One of the impacts that are discussed was the increase in the Turkish population in Persia (Holt 33). Chapter number four focuses on three subjects including the division of empire and who had the main control and the institution of

Creative Writing Piece on Friendship

Creative Writing Piece on Friendship ‘TIL THE END February 14th, 2014 As I filled my last luggage, I looked around my, now empty, room. My last hour here, in New York. I guess it didn’t matter anymore, since all my friends had left me; they all turned their backs on me when I needed them the most. On the bright side, my departure would be less painful, since there was no one to be missed. It was a bright sunny day of August and I was moving; to start a new life in California. We had been driving for four straight hours now, and there was no turning back. I was sitting in the passenger seat alongside my mother, who was driving silently. The last few months had been very dark, filled with sadness. Ever since the incident, we had barely said a word to each other, for the time had been too painful to even think. â€Å"This is it,† she smiled. â€Å"Our new home. The moving trucks will arrive soon, so go ahead, go take a look at your new room. I got the whole house painted a while ago, your room is a light cream color, just as you love.† â€Å"Thank you.† I gently hugged her, and entered the house to find my beloved room. Even if the house was a lot smaller than my older one, this room was bigger. Indeed, the color she chose was gorgeous. â€Å"This is the start of something new,† I thought. â€Å"Meet new people, make new memories, and forget the old ones that haunt me.† My thoughts disconnected when the doorbell rang. â€Å"Probably the moving trucks,† I thought, going downstairs to open the door. To my surprise, there stood a boy, probably my age, smiling. â€Å"Hey, I’m Scott, and I’m your new neighbour,† he smiled, warmly. â€Å"I’m Paige, nice to meet you,† I smiled back. He had crystal clear, blue eyes, lightly ruffled brown hair, and an irresistible smile. He was a little taller than me, which made me look up every time he spoke. â€Å"Do you want me to show you around?† He asked, politely. â€Å"I don’t-â€Å" â€Å"Sure she can!† My mother cut me off. â€Å"Paige, just be home by supper.† And out I was, with a guy I barely knew, wondering around the streets of a town I barely knew. â€Å"This is the park I often go to with my friends,† he pointed out to a cute little playground, with a vast area of grass. â€Å"Do you have a lot of friends?† â€Å"I have a few,† he laughed. â€Å"Oh, and, this is the school I go to, probably the one you’ll be attending, too, since it’s the only one around.† I looked up at him, and smiled. Why couldn’t we have more guys as sweet as him in my old town? Most of them were jerks. â€Å"By the way, how old are you?† He asked. â€Å"I’m fifteen, but I’ll be sixteen in a few days, but, you know, whatever,† I laughed. â€Å"You?† â€Å"I’m sixteen. I actually turned that age a few days ago!† â€Å"That’s great! Happy late birthday, I guess,† I giggled. â€Å"Thanks.† As we walked back home, I couldn’t have felt happier. I just hoped my mother wouldn’t ask too many questions. â€Å"Your mom told you to be home by supper, so here you are. See you around then?† He smiled. â€Å"See you around,† I smiled back. Luckily, my mother didn’t ask too many questions. The rest of the week went by very quickly, and I didn’t even get to see Scott again. The next thing I knew, it was my first day at a new school. As I stepped outside, I noticed him sitting on my porch. â€Å"You didn’t really think I was going to let you go to school alone on your first day?† He got up. â€Å"Actually, I did. But I’d definitely love to walk to school with you,† I smiled. During the whole walk, he spent most of the time asking me about my home town, but never asked about my friends. â€Å"So, what do your friends think about this whole moving thing?† The only question I didn’t want to answer. Crap. â€Å"Well, um, you see†¦ I don’t really have any friends. They all left me after, um, something happened.† â€Å"What happened?† He looked confused. â€Å"It’s a long story.† I barely knew him. Could I trust him? Yet, he was my only friend. He stopped. â€Å"We have time,† he smiled. â€Å"Classes don’t start until an hour from now. I checked my schedule, and we’re in most of the same classes, by the way,† He smiled. â€Å"Well, um†¦ Basically, my father left town for a week, for a business trip. Three days after his departure, someone he worked with called us, and told us that he, um†¦ He died. A heart attack.† Oh god, my eyes were already teary. Surprisingly, he wrapped me in his arms. â€Å"You’ve never told anyone before me, huh? It shows†¦ Your emotions. Don’t worry, I’ll never leave your side.† He squeezed me tighter. I felt secure in his arms. After wiping away my tears, and fixing my mascara using my phone as a mirror, we continued our walk to school. It was huge. The walls were tall and full of colourful designs; my old school was nothing compared to this. â€Å"What do you think?† he asked. â€Å"I think I think it’s amazing! I hope the people here are just as great,† I joked. â€Å"Um Depends who,† he laughed. I guessed that was reassuring. He showed me around, and then led me to my locker. It wasn’t far from his, so I at least knew someone nearby. During the two first periods, we didn’t do much in class. The teacher introduced me to everyone, and made me talk a bit about where I came from. A few people came to talk to me, which was really sweet. One girl, Angel, helped me to organize my locker according to my schedule, and helped me around when Scott wasn’t there. Scott. He was probably with his friends, which I haven’t met yet. They must be cool. â€Å"Paige, do you want to have lunch with me, today? Well, me and my friends,† Angel asked. â€Å"Um, sure! I’ll just go tell Scott to not look for me.† â€Å"Scott, huh? Yeah, he’s a really nice guy.† She smiled. â€Å"Indeed, he is,† I smiled back. Then I left to go find him. He was at his locker, and to my surprise, he was alone. â€Å"Scott! Hey!† I approached his locker. â€Å"Oh, hey. How were your first classes?† He asked. â€Å"They were cool. I met a girl, Angel Well, I’m actually going to have lunch with her!† â€Å"Oh, um, really?† He looked at me. â€Å"I I thought Um, anyway, just Her friends Be careful. She’s sweet, but the others† He stopped. â€Å"What about the others?† â€Å"I don’t like to judge. Have a nice lunch, though, see you soon.† Then, he left. What was wrong with him? Anyway, I left to go find Angel, who was sitting with four other girls. â€Å"Hey, Paige! Over here!† Angel shouted. I smiled, and walked to her table. As I sat next to her, one of her friends whispered to another. â€Å"That’s the new girl, right?† â€Å"Yeah I didn’t think Angel would actually go talk to her Urgh, that girl is too sweet And that wasn’t a compliment.† â€Å"Why is the new girl even eating with us?† â€Å"Well, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have any friends here She probably won’t make any, either.† Then they laughed. They thought I couldn’t hear them, but I could. And it felt like my old high school all over again. â€Å"Paige Are you alright?† Angel looked at me. I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore, this was too much. â€Å"I I’m sorry, I have to go.† And with that, I left the cafeteria, my face dripping with soaked mascara, trying to find a place to hide. â€Å"Paige Paige! PAIGE, SLOW DOWN!† I heard someone scream. Then, someone grabbed my arm, and turned me around; It was Scott. â€Å"Don’t Scott† My breathing was uneven. â€Å"What happened? Wait Don’t answer that The girls, huh?† I was incapable of saying a single word. I just looked up at him, trying to wipe away the tears. â€Å"That’s what happens when you don’t listen to my warning† He giggled, and wrapped me in his arms. We stayed like that, until someone came. â€Å"Oh god, Paige! I’m so sorry about my friends They always do that to the new kids I should’ve just spent my lunch time with you, alone! I Wait, am I interrupting something?† She smirked. â€Å"No, oh, no, haha! It’s fine, I don’t blame you,† I smiled. She gave me a gentle squeeze. â€Å"Tomorrow. Just the three of us,† she winked, and then left. The rest of the day went perfectly fine, with my new friends. Actually, the six months that followed were probably the best six months I’ve ever lived. Scott and I become extremely close, to the point where I started to feel something for him. That feeling made me a little uncomfortable, since we were only friends. Yet, he didn’t seem to be himself, lately, either†¦. Today, a Saturday, we were going to spend the day together, Scott and I. He said he had something important to tell me†¦. I wonder what†¦ Just then, someone knocked on the door. â€Å"Hey!† He chirped. â€Å"Hey,† I smiled. I told my mother that I was leaving, then left with Scott to a park nearby. We sat on the bench, and stayed there, in an awkward silence, for about five minutes. â€Å"Scott, what was that important thing you needed to tell me?† I asked. â€Å"Um, well, um†¦ Listen†¦ I†¦ I just†¦ Would you†¦ I mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What? At that moment, I felt his hands turn my face against his, and gently pressing his lips against mine. It felt like an explosion of paradise†¦ And questioning. â€Å"Scott, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have. You see, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was extremely nervous, but it was cute. â€Å"Yes, Scott, I’ll be your girlfriend,† I giggled. At that moment, his face lit up like I had never seen him before. â€Å"But, the thing is†¦ We’ve known each other for six months, only†¦ But I am willing to try, because I love you,† I smiled. I had never said these three last words to a guy in my life, and somehow it felt good. â€Å"I’m glad. And, I love you, too,† he blushed, then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Honestly, I had no idea how these relationship things worked, but I guessed that I’d just have to follow his lead. After a few weeks of being together, we finally went public. To my surprise, no one, or almost, judged us, not even Angel’s brat gang. Although, going public didn’t mean trying to make everyone jealous or uncomfortable. It meant not being shy or afraid to hold hands, or even kiss, around other people. When I talked about us to other people, it almost sounded like a perfect fairytale couple, even thought we weren’t. We fought a few times, nothing extravagant. I can’t imagine myself without him. Yet, another part of me knows we’re only sixteen, and I feel like that doesn’t really bother him†¦ â€Å"Hey, Paige,† said Scott, as he came over to me and kissed me. â€Å"Hey,† I smiled. â€Å"Listen, I have something to ask you, and I’ve been wanting to ask you for a very long time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes?† What now? â€Å"Will†¦ Will you love me†¦ Forever?† Oh, god, what kind of a question was that? I can’t possibly†¦ â€Å"Scott,† I chuckled. â€Å"We’re only sixteen, remember? I love you, a lot, but you know†¦ Anything can change between now and later†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What else could I say? â€Å"I know, but still†¦ Please answer my question. Will you love me, forever?† Damn, he was determined. â€Å"I†¦ I don’t know, Scott. Please ask me some other time.† He looked down. â€Å"Alright. Well, I have to get going, I have, um, stuff to do.† With that, he left me, standing on my porch, alone, wondering about what just happened. Later that night, I tried to message him, but he never replied. Maybe he was really busy? I tried to concentrate on something else, to get my mind off things. As I took out a piece of blank paper and a pencil, I heard a loud gun shot, not far from where I was standing. â€Å"Mom? What’s going on?† I asked, rushing downstairs. â€Å"It’s nothing, honey. Probably just some loud thunder. Now, please, go back to your room.† I barely had the chance to speak, that I was already in my room. As I laid in my bed, I wondered†¦ What happened? Where did that gunshot come from? I hoped it didn’t come from Scott’s house†¦ Then, I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning with a disastrous call from Angel. â€Å"PAIGE! IT’S IMPORTANT!† Angel yelled. â€Å"What’s more important than my sleep?† I yawned. â€Å"Scott.† She answered. No way. That gunshot, it couldn’t be†¦ â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"He†¦ Last night, a robber barged in his house†¦ Scott tried to defend himself, and get the guy out†¦ And he was armed†¦ He†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She cut her breathing. â€Å"He got shot, Paige. Scott got shot, and he’s in the hospital.† â€Å"No, this can’t be possible! No, please, please tell me this is a lie!† I cried. â€Å"I’m so sorry, Paige†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sniffed. â€Å"No. I have to go, sorry. I’ll talk to you later, okay?† I tried to keep myself from falling apart. â€Å"It’s fine, take all the time you need, I’ll be here.† â€Å"Thank you, I love you.† With that I hook up, and rushed out the house to the nearest bus that could take me to the General Hospital. â€Å"Scott†¦ Where is Scott Adams?† I shouted. There was no point in staying calm. I couldn’t. â€Å"You must me Paige. He’s right here, follow me. Beware though, he just came out of surgery so he won’t be looking so good.† This couldn’t be happening. 8 months of happiness, and this how it all crashes down. I can’t lose another person. As I walked into the room, I noticed his mother waiting outside the room, with a bunch of tissues filling her puffed face. â€Å"Scott! Oh, Scott, please be alright,† I said, worriedly. â€Å"Paige†¦ I’m fine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He tried to smile. â€Å"Don’t†¦ You’ll be out in a week, right? Back home, smiling, talking long walks in the streets, holding hands†¦ All that fun stuff, in a week,† I tried to cheer him up. All he managed to do was smile. He was barely able to do anything. That gunshot hit him too hard, as hard I would want to hit the guy who did this. For the rest of the week, I visited him, everyday after school, until very late at night. I couldn’t stand seeing him like this, yet I didn’t want to leave his side, in case they were my last moments with him. Angel has been helping me a lot, trying to get my spirit back up, but it was useless. Everyday, I brought him a red flower, reminding him that my love stands by his side. He was strong, and I was sure he would be able to face this. On Friday, after school, I went to see him, like I did every other day. As I was about to enter the room, the nurse stopped me. â€Å"Miss Brooks, I just wanted to tell you that Scott will be fine, he’s weak, but he’s getting better,† she smiled. â€Å"Thank you, this makes me feel a lot less stressed,† I grinned. She smiled, and left. â€Å"Did you hear that, Scott? You’ll be alright! You’re getting better, and soon you’ll be out of here,† I said, cheerfully. â€Å"Paige, I†¦ No, I won’t make it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice was fading. â€Å"What? No, you’ll be fine, please stay with me, okay? It’s going to be fine.† I took his hand, and gently squeezed it. â€Å"I love you, Paige†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes were slowly shutting. â€Å"No, shut up, don’t say that, please. Don’t think like that, you’ll be fine, I†¦ The nurse said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was extremely worried. â€Å"The nurse came while I was sleeping, she couldn’t tell†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes slowly shut, and his hand started to cool. â€Å"No, no, don’t†¦ Please, Scott,† I couldn’t take this. â€Å"I’m sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He whispered. â€Å"Yes,† I slowly approached his ear. â€Å"Yes, I will love you forever.† He smiled slowly, as his heart rate slowed, too. At that moment, his chest stopped moving, his eyes shut, along with the rest of him. This couldn’t be. He couldn’t be gone. â€Å"Scott! Scott, please wake up! Someone, help, he just†¦ He just†¦ He’s dead,† I cried, loudly. Tears poured down my face, as I couldn’t control my emotions. The doctors came rushing in, checking his pulse, trying to get him going again, but it was no use. The doctor turned to me, shaking his head, as a sign he was gone, forever. The doctors took him away, and I was too shocked to even breathe. I couldn’t hear anything, except for my heart beating faster than ever. â€Å"Paige†¦ Paige! Paige, we have to go,† Angel shook me. â€Å"I came here as soon as I got the news. It’s very tragic, but you can’t stay here forever.† â€Å"No!† I protested. â€Å"I don’t want to leave! This is a dream, he’s not dead! He’s not! I’ll wake up tomorrow morning with a cute text from him telling me how much he loves me, and I’ll smile, just like every time he texts me. This is just a dream. Angel, please tell me that this is just a dream,† I sobbed. â€Å"It’s†¦ It’s not, Paige. I’m sorry,† she hugged me. I cried even louder. It’s over. He’s gone. I’ve lost two of the most important people in my life during the past year, and I just couldn’t bear it. Angel walked me to her car, and drove us to her house. Four days later, it was time for the funeral. I had to do a speech, and I wasn’t sure if I could make it. As they called my name, Angel gave me a quick hug, and helped me get up and go to the microphone. â€Å"Um†¦ Scott Adams was probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. He was the first person I met when I arrived here. He was also my only friend, at first. His smile was contagious, and he could make anyone smile, even during their darkest days. He was a special guy, someone I’ll never forget, someone I’ll never replace. At first, seeing him disappear in front of me was probably the worst thing ever. Yet, I now know that I was with him during his last moments, and that I loved him, very much. Someday, we’ll meet again, in another world. We had know each other for eight months, and been together for two. I will never forget the best times we had. To all of you who were also very close with Scott, I’m sure his spirit is with us, right now, smiling to the fact that we’re all here, for him. Scott was different, and I think we all know that. He will be missed, but someday, many years from now when we’ll also fade away, weâ€⠄¢ll all meet again, we’ll all be happy again. Scott isn’t in any pain, he left us peacefully, and I am grateful to have known him. Thank you very much.† I exited the stage, seeing everyone crying and clapping for my speech. Before going back to my seat, I approached the coffin where he laid, peacefully, saying my last words to him, â€Å"Forever and ever.†

Change: Discovering the Leader

Introduction:This paper seeks to prepare a book report for Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within by Robert E. Quinn. The paper will discuss the perceived purpose of the author in writing the books and how he tried to support his claims. The paper hopes to either confirm or deny what the author tries to impart on the basis of the relevance of the author’s claims to reality and the personal experience of writer of this paper.The purpose of the authorThe purpose of the author (Quinn) in writing the book is to challenge the reader to recognize that everyone is a potential change agent. The author believes that people are capable of deep changes if they willing to take the difficult but essential steps to experience the same.   He built his thesis on a strong foundation by first contrasting   between deep change and incremental change. He argues that in general, most change that takes place in the life of an individual is incremental due to the fact that people are uncomfo rtable with major changes.   Incremental changes just involved movement in small steps that most people would like to take.The authors provided possible exception to the choice of incremental change and that this occurs when a person is faced with a major crisis.   To explain the author’s position, the case of a person who experienced a heart attack may be used as an example of major crises. It is common knowledge that people would like to survive and would do everything to prevent another attack after the first one. Under this scenario the person who suffered attack would be motivated to make deep lifestyle changes in habits.These changes could include changes such as stopping smoking and become choosy about dietary requirements.   The same major crises may also be observed when a family marriage is on the brink of divorce. Under said situation, marriage partners will be forced to make comprehensive changes in these communicate or handle conflict. But, when there are n o major crises in the life of during periodic times many people will agree that people typically make changes in a slow and incremental manner instead of making needed deep change.The observable fact that was illustrated above on a personal level can also be could also be observed in the life of organizations. The tendency towards small incremental change rather deep change happens because people are normally resistant of change of big changes in their personal lives.   It could be argued that such is observation is a natural phenomenon since people in their individual capacities are still the same people when they find themselves in organizations.   It could also be argued that leadership needs to be mindful of bringing people along in the midst of change, but in the life of organizations there are really times that organizations need to experience deep change to survive.This could be observed in the case of joint ventures and mergers.   These business combinations are someti me reactions to economic changes in the environment.  Ã‚   Managers need to have better returns and they find the expected synergy that would be created from mergers and joint ventures. If companies would stay as they are, there are possibilities that the they have reached their points of stagnancy. This could be observed in the case of cell phone companies.Sony are Ericsson are separate companies until they see the need to compete with other mobile companies there companies that dominate the market. Seeing the profitability of the industry, Sony and Ericsson combined in a joint venture (Steinbock, 2002) to product to produce Sony Ericsson cell phones. If one analyses however what happened, one could see that the cause was external to the organizations.   Without the mergers, the separate companies might be just earning much to sustain operations and before they know it, they would have forgone the great opportunities that they are now enjoying after the merger.   In this cont ext, author Quinn is correct in stating that without deep change, habitual patterns may just make organizations to move continuously toward decay and stagnation (Quinn, 1996).While it may be argued that organizations must react to changes in the  environment, there seems to be more wisdom in the belief that organizations must anticipate changes by doing strategies that would help the company make use of is internal strengths to taking advantage of its opportunities.   In other words organizations must have its plans for the future implemented by considering what it has internally and not just reacting to external events. The latter makes the company responsible and control of its purposes while in the first the companies by analogy just get swayed by waves of external changes.The logic of task pursuitWhat could be keeping organization to seek their chances for deep changes for growth without the external factors?   In answer to this question, Quinn has discussion of the logic of task pursuit.   A good number of people, when under pressure for task completion, simply manifest lack of chance to consider routine maintenance. This could be illustrated by the fact that if a person does not take time to experience physical regeneration by resting and exercising, his or her body will experience exhaustion.This is applicable with the spiritual life of such person. People need to spend some time to detach themselves from the pursuit of tasks to spend time alone. Solitude could generate strength in character. If applied to an organization, it would appear that each person in management needs to set aside time to revisit its company’s mission and to ensure that the work of the company is in alignment with that mission. The failure to set aside the logic of pursuit to visit the company’s mission and vision provided the grounds for Quinn's observation that organizational change doesn't take place. He posits that that the leading coalition in an organi zation is rarely interested in considering deep changes of this logic of task pursuit.   He supported his theory by the fact of pressures within most organizations to conform to the prevailing structure (Quinn, 1996).Based on this, the author could be credited for a wonderful job of identifying the barriers of bureaucratic culture, ingrained conflict, and personal time restrictions. The author is therefore very much meaningful to suggest to management of companies to give time for managers to develop deeper relationships within themselves to prepare to be ready and willing to that deep change.   Ã‚  In opting for the need to reflect, it could be argued that in most cases people do not need new skills and competencies.   What these people really need is a new perspective that permits them to act as empowered leaders in a changing organization. This new perspective must come from within the personal reflections of the organizational leaders who have renewed their commitment to t he company.There is therefore basis to agree with the author that that personal deep change must come before deep change within a system or organization. He argues while normally if not most of the time organizational change must come from the top as it flows down below, he strongly the author believes that it can also happen to start from the bottom towards the top.   In subscribing to the fact that deep change requires a personal evaluation of the ideologies that under bind the organizational culture, the author saw that in the final analysis it is still the people who will make the decision. Thus Quinn believed that as people desire to see change in the lives of others, from many areas like in parenting, marriage or work relationships, these same people must examine first what changes need to happen in themselves.   He observed that it is true that people do not easily recognize the part that they play in the problem; this it is really very hard to realize that one is part of the problem (Quinn, 1996). It is easier for people to blame others that to accept the responsibility for the error. If is easier to judge people by looking at the speck in one’s eye than to not one plank in is his or her own eye.ConclusionThe author believes in deep changes that people experience when under major crisis in their lives. His observation that people normally choose incremental change   over deep is very much validated in the lives of people The   fact that he also has observed deep changes in cases of   major crises among people has helped him to discover that deep changes do happen the same way in organizations in case of external events. Such external events are normally challenges for survival for these organizations.In explaining the reason why changes could not happen with out the external changes to organizations, the author found the logic of task pursuit with out routine maintenance.   In arguing therefore that the organizations need to go back to its mission and vision to redirect its efforts toward the proper direction, the author appears convincing in his position that personal deep change must precede deep change within a system or organization. Based on authors claims and supporting examples this paper humbly confirms the validity of the claims made as discussed in the text.Reference:Quinn, R. (1996) Deep Change: Discovering the leader within, Jossey-BassSteinbock, Dan (2002) Wireless Horizon: Strategy and Competition in the Worldwide Mobile Marketplace, AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn