Archive for February, 2009

I have had the privilege of traveling extensively and enjoying a variety of climates throughout the world. Without consciously realizing it I think I have always been a sun person and now happily find myself living in the arid heat of Tucson, Arizona where we get to enjoy the sun 350 days a year.
Grey clouds and rain never really appealed to me, but back when I traveled more extensively on business, I had experiences in two rainy climates that helped me to see “rain” a bit differently and taught me a valuable lesson about business.  I worked for 6 months in Amsterdam and then transferred for 3 months to Seattle, Washington where I noticed a distinct difference in the “rain” cultures between the two cities.
In Amsterdam, umbrellas sprout like mushrooms when it rains.  In fact, the higher-end local hotels offer umbrellas for guests to take out as they leave to go on an afternoon walk.  The hotel guests stay dry and the hotel benefits from a low cost advertising and brand awareness campaign as their guests sport the hotel’s prominently logoed umbrellas.  Locals use umbrellas as well.  In fact, it is quite common to see Dutchmen or Dutchwomen expertly riding a bicycle in the rain with one hand perched on the handlebars and the other holding an umbrella.

Read When It Rains, Sell Umbrellas… and Other Winning Business Strategies »