Last month NBC Universal announced Cesar Conde would take over the entire Hispanic portfolio including: Telemundo Network, NBC Universo Cable Network, Telemundo International, Telemundo Local Stations, Telemundo Digital Media and Emerging Business and NBC Deportes. Basically this means Cesar will oversee all U.S. and International Hispanic outlets. (He officially starts this new role Oct. 12.)

I had the pleasure of meeting Cesar when I worked at Univision and it’s exciting to see a company as large as NBC Universal recognize the importance of the Hispanic segment in the U.S. and abroad.

Back at the home base in Dallas, we experienced first hand the equal commitment for both owned stations: NBC 5 and Telemundo 39.

For the past few years, I had heard how things were changing at Telemundo stations. Several old colleagues had mentioned that NBC Universal Owned Television Stations had made the commitment to treat Telemundo and NBC stations equally.  The reality is that it sounds like an easy task, but the fact is that in media, like any other business, your largest division gets more funding, more space, more resources – period. Telemundo stations are growing, but they are still smaller in audience reach and revenue by comparison to NBC stations.
Much to my delight, the Dallas Telemundo 39 office reflects the exact commitment my old colleagues had described. The two news, sales, and management teams share one roof and the space is pretty much 50/50 – ideal for sharing best practices and collaboration. Even the news studios are a mirror reflection each having comparable state-of-the-art equipment.

I want to commend NBC Universal’s leadership for their commitment and walking the walk they talk at a national and local level. I also want to congratulate the local station leadership including John Treviño, Thomas Ehlmann and thank Rosa Cuellar Khraish for the invitation. As an outsider, it’s refreshing to see companies that get it – and it’s no surprise that the integration is working.

It’s 1985, the transparency goes up and the teacher begins to write “Venn Diagrams”. As my 4^th grade teacher began to explain the idea, I became instantly fascinated by the possibilities of what occurred when two, three or infinite circles met. It’s a concept that I continue to get excited about and even better, it’s a concept I get to apply to my daily business routine.

One recent example of an opportunity to connect circles occurred when a client shared a new solution that combines software and hardware to distribute branded content across TV screens anywhere via the web.

I immediately started to see the possibilities and how this offer could help many of my existing clients distribute and manage branded content in real time. The solution solves for POS and digital signage at the very minimum – and promotes an interactive way to
engage with customers. And better yet, they also offer an amazing content management tool and analytics reporting that help ease the pain of content distribution and managing hundreds/thousands of screens.

Of course all industries have different needs, so the potential intersection varies by client. In the spirit of sharing, here are some examples of the application across three different industries:

Fast Casual Dining

• Digital signage allows owners to save on printing menus and can also be used to feature food, specials and seasonal items
• Adjust pricing with a few clicks and via the web, submit and it will show across all your screens
• Share videos on related content and news that will benefit your guests

Stadium/Professional Sports

• Through interactive digital displays, attendees never have to worry about missing a minute of the game, giving them the liberation to visit the concession counter once or twice
• Engage with fans in the stadium by showing content that will enhance their experience and will build value for your sponsors
• Share maps, Eat/Shop locations and provide special offers for your sponsors

Distribution Services

• Present information on a large dashboard screen that can highlight warehouse performance, sales goals, and HR announcements
• Use screen to share messages from executive team, build morale and promote company culture
• Leverage screens to engage with sales force and merchandising team across markets and warehouses, introduce products, featured items and company messages

The magic definitely occurs in determining where the two can solve a pain point. Our goal is to figure out the intersection that will help drive innovation and provide a better customer experience. And of course with the right team and the right solutions, the possibilities are truly endless.

There are exactly 30 days remaining in 2015 and with the year quickly coming to a close – are you ready for 2016?

I realize the days of long term business planning are long gone. Today’s heavily fragmented media environment means consumers can demand constant on-the-go services 24/7. The smart phones and tablets have forced business leaders to be nimbler, scrappier and creative to ensure their message isn’t lost in the clutter.

Sure there’s still some forward planning involved, but we all know the concept of “annual planning” seems like something out of our college history books. However, as we look forward to the beginning of 2016 – it’s not too late to get that plan in tighter shape.

Below are five questions your plan should address to ensure you’re ready to ring in 2016:

1. What does success look like?

This is a tough question for many business leaders and marketers to answer. The idea here is to define what success for your company, team and you personally entails.  For some business executives this may mean – have a meaningful 1:1 with each employee in the company. For marketers it may be related to sales growth and establishing new clients or new sales channels. For engineers this may refer to innovation and developing new products. The fact is that defining success across your organization is a critical step in your planning efforts.

2. What are your biggest threats?

Do you understand the competitive landscape? The brands that move swiftly don’t necessarily have the biggest budgets – but they do tend to understand their competitors and what sets them apart. In some cases they are the ones willing to take a risk. Understanding your competitors can range from looking at competitive messaging, media spend or even mystery shopping to understand the experience from the consumer point of view. Without this knowledge – it becomes nearly impossible to develop winning strategies that move the needle.

3. Do you have the winning team?

The expression “you are only as strong as your weakest link” comes to mind. One of our business mentors, Brad Herrmann from Call-Em-All put it best in a recent blog; “Don’t invest in finding ways to make people stick around. Just make it easy for them to leave.” Looking ahead, do you have a plan that allows disgruntled people to leave easily? Do you have a program that rewards the “good apples” and ensures your work environment is a destination for top talent? If not, build one.

4. Do you have the right resources?

The right resources may sound similar to the winning team, but there’s a critical difference. The right resources involve providing the right tools that improve the way your team performs key functions. Whether it’s a CRM tool for sales or a project management tool for your work groups, this can be a daunting task for many leaders. This may also refer to funding for expansion, new hires or a new communications campaign. For many small businesses having the right resources may mean additional expenses. There are plenty of resources available to help you in this area. We are also lucky to live in a time where technology has made it possible for any business to have access to resources that streamline operational/communication functions. Apps like Google Apps, XERO and Capsule are a few of the ones we use.

5. Do you have it in writing?

Our team believes in the power of the written word. Besides giving you a good snapshot as to where you’re at today and where you want to go, it also gives structure for your team. Ideally you would have your direct reports heavily involved with areas of your plan and ultimately share it with team leads. You then would need to consolidate it and share a vision, plan or hurrah with your overall company. Knowing where you stand and what the possibilities are is a great way to end the year strong and more importantly begin it stronger.

If you don’t have these areas covered – it’s OKAY! At least you’re discovering this on December 1st and not December 31st. Our team specializes in helping clients answer and develop a plan for these types of questions and we would love to help you define your winning marketing/communications strategy for 2016.