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handprop
11-19-2009, 10:44 AM
Teaching a 6 year old chess

I thought I would write this before I traveled up north for hunting season.

I have played chess since I was a child and have come to love the game for its strategy. My daughter wanted to learn how so we could play together but it was hard because I’m a terrible teacher. It didn’t take long for her to understand the principle behind the game, she just couldn’t win. As a parent it’s hard for me to play poorly just so she could win because that in itself is kind of like cheating.

My solution was to teach her strategy. Chess strategy can get really complicated and my daughter was beginning to get really frustrated. I came to the conclusion I was doing a poor job as a teacher and needed something simple for her to at least have a chance.

Many years ago a chess player explained to me that you can win chess 90% of the time if you can occupy the middle four squares of the board with any of the pieces in the back row, it didn’t matter as long as you held the four square position.

It’s funny because after about a week she learned how to get to the four squares and she won her first game. I began to think how amazing it was that a 6 year old could actually compete with an adult who has played chess for many years just by holding a four square position. Once she learned about the four squares she began to develop other strategies working off the four square principal. My daughter is now 8 and is considered a competitive chess player.

Isn’t marketing a business similar? I think it is. My question is what are your four squares and do you occupy them each and every day?

Each business is unique and what’s in the four squares is also unique as it pertains to each business. I look at what I do for a living and I always need to ask myself if I’m concentrating on the four squares. That by itself can really build a strong marketing strategy and the rest of the strategy is built off the four squares. It’s easy for a business to think of marketing as a complicated assortment of thousands of pieces working together but many times if you can concentrate on just four marketing methods that are required to have a great company the rest will sort itself out and be easier to manage.

Something to think about.

Mike

Spider
11-19-2009, 11:11 AM
Great story! Thanks for sharing, Mike.

Have a pleasant trip. Don't get too cold. See you when you get back!

KristineS
11-19-2009, 12:36 PM
That is something to think about. I like the bit about the four squares being different for every business. I'm always wary of cookie cutter theories.

vangogh
11-20-2009, 12:39 AM
Interesting story Mike for two reasons. One I like to play chess and hadn't heard that 4 squares strategy before, though I do know the importance of controlling those 4 squares.

Two it does make for an interesting parallel to marketing. I'll have to think about what my 4 squares would be. I have a sense what they might be, but it needs some thought. I want to say it all stems from being myself or rather being true to myself. I never try to be something I'm not and I don't try to pass my business off as something it's not. Maybe that's one square. Another being hard work. When something doesn't work out like I had hoped I try to figure out why and try again often working harder than I had before. Hmm? Education. I'm always looking to learn new things as a way to improve myself, my skills, and my business. And communication to build relationships with real people, some of whom may be clients and some of whom may be networking friends.

I realize 4 squares didn't necessarily mean I had to pick 4 things, but these came to mind

Be true to yourself
Work hard
Continue to learn and grow
Build honest relationships through communication

greenoak
11-20-2009, 09:40 AM
good reminder to figure out the main things and keep them healthy....for us in our marketing it would be........ mailing list....web...billboards and word of mouth....meaning keep the instore experience great which leads to good word of mouth..r.........

Paul Elliott
12-06-2009, 08:36 PM
Thanks for the analogy, Handprop. I would further suggest that in marketing one needs not only to occupy those 4 squares but dominate, or at least, control them as well.

Paul

handprop
12-06-2009, 08:58 PM
Yes indeed Paul, good point!

esprithk
12-31-2009, 02:14 AM
excellent story. this is first time I heard of this, but I like it.
a very good story telling to inspire other people.

business is somewhat different.
but I think I understand what you are saying

the 4squares are
(1) relationship with people *marketing & customers
(2) the right product *and make sure it's the best product available
(3) service
(4) improvement *update the product/ service with the change of the world

vangogh
12-31-2009, 03:22 AM
All good squares I'd say.


the right product

Interesting you use the word "right" I think that's really important to match the product with the market. You can have a great product, but if it's not the one the market wants it won't sell. You have to match the right product to the right market.

Spider
12-31-2009, 09:43 AM
... Interesting you use the word "right" I think that's really important to match the product with the market. You can have a great product, but if it's not the one the market wants it won't sell. You have to match the right product to the right market. Every product is a "right" product. If it doesn't sell, one of the possible reasons is that it is being promoted to the wrong market. But that is only one of the possibilities - others might be wrong advertising message, wrong advertising medium, wrong price, wrong packaging, wrong distribution, etc.

One is never locked into a particluar market, so any product can sell, if sold correctly. Of course, it might be easier to replace a non-selling product if one is especially knoweldgeable about a particular market and enjoys working in that space.