Who's your George Mason?

It's NCAA tourney time, and as we look over our brackets, we wonder: What underdog (Bulldog) has what it takes to make a run like the George Mason Patriots in 2006? Who has a hidden strength that can take the big names by surprise? Who will capitalize on the lucky breaks that come their way and capture the imagination of fans?

Now replace that bracket with your brand and competitors? What under-the-radar product or service do you have that is ready to go from obscurity to a household name? Are you bold enough to bet on customers like Hyundai's Assurance Program (which helped increase their sales despite the economy), shrewd enough to offer a lower-cost point of entry like KFC's new dollar menu or savvy enough to make yourself the center of the conversation through your creative experimentation like Skittles?

Right now, we're helping a client with ideas to bring their geothermal systems from the fringe to the front of customers' minds. It's green. It's highly efficient. And it doesn't hurt that thanks to the recent economic stimulus bill, homeowners can take a 30% tax deduction on the total value of the installation with no limit. It's a bigger trifecta than the one Bryce Drew hit for Valpo in '98.

So show some poise, dig deep and play to your strengths. Even if that means rediscovering what your strengths are.