Second, learn to think in "English" – or Finance, the language of business.

Second, learn to think in English – Finance, the language of business.  So it is one thing to learn to speak finance, it is another step to learn to think in finance.  While this may seems like semantics to some, it is truly an evolutionary step in your approach to all things business.

What do I mean when I say to “think in finance?”  Simply stated, you will perceive your business world from a new perspective that is always through the lenses of senior managers.  Let me use an analogy.

When I was at West Point, I was a member of the mountaineering and rock climbing club.  After you learn the basics of rock climbing you are capable of climbing defined routes without the fear you may have initially perceived.  During your training, you will become familiar with “looking ahead” at the route – trying to figure out not what THE NEXT MOVE IS, but rather, what THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR MOVES ARE!

The reason for this is readily apparent.  If  you choose the single easiest move for the next move, you may have inadvertently made the subsequent move a very, very difficult effort.  The combination of the next three to four moves in totality is really the best route to reach the top of the climb. 

Soon you start looking at all rock walls you drive by on the highway for a possible route.  How would you attack that wall?  What are the most obvious and protected climbing holds?  Without really thinking about it, when other people see a rock wall that was cut from the hill/mountain for the road to continue at an acceptable grade, you’re seeing patterns and holds and ultimately routes to climb it.

What this means for the marketer.  The same is true with the language of finance.  When you learn finance, you start seeing the world through the lenses of a senior manager that is always trying to identify dangers in the current route and how to improve the chances of success by defining and limiting danger!  Instead of seeing “signage” at a ball park, you start looking for kiosk locations to promote your product  that you can measure and turn into sales!  You are now THINKING in finance.