Manizesto

If you don’t follow the sport of racing, you may not have heard that the Dakar Rally was cancelled for ‘07 following fears of that terrorist violence in Mauritania would make the race unsafe. The rally takes place in some of the world’s toughest terrain, with much of it running through long stretches of isolated deserts.

Cancelling the 28-year-old competition was a tough decision to make, especially since organizers have never had to do it before, but luckily the world is full of great marketing minds. Chile’s Head of Tourism, Oscar Santelices, has offered up the Chilean Atacama Desert to hold the race.

Making Chile a warm door to knock on is a fantastic move, and one that will build trust and probably make for good publicity and great opportunities down the road.

Here’s what Santelices did that you should do:

• Know what is going on around you, especially the competition
• Be in a position to make big decisions quickly
• When your competitor drops the ball (or gets it taken away), be the first to pick it up
• Have strong relationships with the right people so your idea or offer gets a second look
• Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone

Learn from Chile and you’ll be on your way to making great opportunities for yourself.

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