Whether you are trying to launch your entrepreneurial vision, close a big deal, land your dream job, get that promotion or support a philanthropic effort, we are all looking for that spot-on gesture that’s the perfect balance of clever, classy and creative to help us move our intentions forward.

The quest for great ideas to stand out from the competition is challenging, but it can also be a fun adventure.

My friend Terri Sjodin, a public speaking and communications consultant, suggests, “It may be time to get a little scrappy -- make a bigger effort and shake things up to create new opportunities and connect with key decision-makers.”

A scrappy effort is a winning mix of attitude, strategy and execution. (And, when it comes to the big picture, whatever your goal, keep in mind that you don’t have to score on every play -- just advance the ball.) Small actions can have a big impact. Then again, sometimes you need the big ideas to get the big results.

To help you to connect with that key contact, here are a few simple, easy-to-execute ideas to get you started from Terri’s book “Scrappy: A Little Book About Choosing to Play Big.”

Small efforts might include:

-- Handwrite personal cards and notes. I’m a big believer in this strategy and like to say that small notes yield big results, in part because they are a rarity today. Don’t just send a generic holiday card with no personal sentiment or note. Terri says that “doesn’t make an impression, except to say, ‘You are one in a large stack of people on my list.’”

-- Reach out to people on unique holidays or occasions. Why send a traditional holiday greeting card and get it mixed in with all the others? Send a Thanksgiving card instead. And don’t forget New Year’s or St. Patrick’s Day for your Irish friends.

-- Perform random acts of kindness. Simple gestures like volunteering to help at an event or stay late to work on a project can go a long way.

She also suggests medium efforts, such as walk meetings. “Instead of sitting down for a meal and taking in extra calories or having another boring office meeting, why not step outside and change the view,” Terri writes. “Invite somebody you want to visit with to meet you for a beach walk, nature walk, power walk. Change things up and stay active at the same time.”

Terri also lists several medium items that are near and dear to my philosophy, like using your social calendar to network; inviting people to breakfast, lunch or dinner and picking up the check; and sending creative and unique gifts.

Among the large efforts she recommends are:

-- Hire a ride or provide the ride. If you are going to the same event, why not offer to pick that person up or possibly even hire a chauffeur and go in style? Offer to be a designated driver or take someone to the airport.

-- Treat your guest to a special outing. I built my envelope manufacturing company on T and E -- tickets and entertainment. There are lots of events to take clients to -- concerts, sports and charity galas. Golf can be a strategic play for me because if I can get a key contact out on the golf course, it provides me four hours of time to connect.

In all, Terri provides a wide range of creative ideas on scoring points and building relationships. It doesn’t have to be an over-the-top gift -- it is about creating authentic connection. What I noticed in all these points is the importance of knowing your customer or key people. That’s where the Mackay 66 Customer Profile comes into play. Get to know your decision-makers inside out -- their families, hobbies and interests. Discover what turns that person on, and then use this information to humanize your selling strategy. Find the Mackay 66 on my website: harveymackay.com.

Terri’s book puts you in the right mindset and provides creative examples and tactics from scrappy people who crafted a “clever work-around” and got the win, the deal or the opportunity.

She stresses that scrappy execution comes down to the little things. Or as I like to say: Little things mean a lot -- not true. Little things mean everything." Terri stresses that you must take action and launch an effort, adding, “Execution kicks strategy’s butt! Stay Scrappy!”

Mackay’s Moral: Don’t worry, be scrappy.

Seymour Cray, the founder of Cray Research and a legendary free spirit in the management community, was once asked -- according to a Wall Street Journal story -- to produce a one-year and a five-year plan.

The next day, he produced two three-ring binders, each containing a single sheet of paper. In the first binder, Cray had written, “Five-Year Plan: To produce the world's fastest computers.”

The sheet in the second binder read, “One-Year Plan: To complete one-fifth of the Five-Year Plan.”

That probably wouldn’t pass muster at most organizations; it might in fact be considered insubordinate. Or was it just an example of Cray's innovative nature?

Innovation is one of the buzzwords of the decade for business. Innovation is crucial to an organization’s long-term success. An article in Forbes Magazine said that CEOs believe innovation is the most important factor for growth.

A mission statement is important, but it is just a first step. The goals of the organization should constantly be reinforced with an eye toward innovative processes that will help achieve those goals.

If you want more imagination and innovation in your workplace, you have to give people space: physical space in which to work uninterrupted and creative space to develop and test ideas without interference.

The best way to motivate employees to become more creative and innovative is by developing job descriptions that focus on what they can do instead of what they cannot. Set clear expectations for innovation. Talk about the kind of ideas you want to see, and what you don’t. Clarify deadlines and requirements for everyone.

Stretch people’s skills and imagination by challenging them to excel. Give them a jolt from time to time -- a tough problem or a tight deadline that forces them to think differently.

Allow people to take chances and fail. That doesn’t mean being reckless, but being willing to try something new, even if it’s not guaranteed to succeed.

Bring a wide mixture of personalities and skills to your team. The more exposure to new ways of thinking people have, the better their ideas will be.

A high-performing team thrives on creativity and innovation. If the status quo is a default position, or if it’s just easier to rely on what’s worked in the past, chances are the results will not reflect anything close to innovation. If you aren’t asking these questions, you could be missing golden opportunities.

How do you define innovation? You don’t want to be too open-ended, but at the same time you should avoid unnecessarily limiting the scope of ideas. Just be sure that innovation has a clear, positive effect on how to get things done.

What are your goals? Let everyone know what you’re looking for. You want to launch a brand-new product every year, for example.

How do you measure success? If you can’t track the impact of innovation, no one will take it seriously. Maybe you want 10 percent of your revenues to come from products that are less than five years old. Or maybe you want to cut your energy bill by 20 percent in the next six months.

How do you encourage innovation? Analyze your process for generating, testing and implementing new ideas. What obstacles does your team face? How could you streamline things?

Do you have a pipeline? Ideally, innovation should happen all the time. Your team should have new ideas coming in and being tested on a constant basis. If that’s not happening, dig deep to determine what you can do to spur more creativity.

Do you have an end game? You can debate, test and adjust your ideas, but your team needs to be able to commit to a specific direction or conclusion. Determine how you will decide which projects to support and when enough is enough. You have to know when to leave the experimental phase or you’ll never get the results your organization needs.

Elias Howe, who for years had been trying to invent a practical sewing machine, fell asleep one night and had a nightmare. He dreamed that soldiers had captured him and were threatening to run him through with their spears. Howe noticed that the warriors' spears all had holes through them at their pointed ends. When he suddenly awoke he realized the idea that would lead to a perfected sewing machine: use a needle with a hole not through its base or middle but through its tip.

Mackay’s Moral: Innovation is a decision that successful organizations make every day to ensure successful tomorrows.

If you’ve ever had to deal with the thoughtless behavior of someone, you’ll appreciate this story about the great composer and pianist Franz Liszt.

The virtuoso musician once found himself at odds with a very important member of his audience. The czar of Russia, Nicholas I, made a late entrance during Liszt’s concert. Even after being seated, the czar continued to talk loudly with members of his entourage. Liszt realized that Nicholas had no intention of ending his discourse, so he stopped playing and bowed his head.

Noticing the silence, Nicholas dispatched one of his aides to find out why the pianist was no longer performing.

“Music herself should be silent when Nicholas speaks,” Liszt replied.

After that, Liszt was able to finish his recital with the czar’s full attention.

Poor manners are difficult to navigate around in most arenas. No matter what your rank or position, there is no excuse for rudeness. Bad manners are bad form.

At work, where many of us spend a large share of our waking hours, bad manners are bad business. Good manners build good relationships.

The key to a good relationship at work can be as simple as saying “please” and ”thank you,” and asking people how their children are or how their spouses are, according to an article in the Harvard Business Review. Manners are the lubricating oil of any organization -- or any society, for that matter.

Good manners are not phony or forced. They are a habit that has been developed and nurtured so that they are an automatic response. Good manners are not an invitation to let others take advantage of you, either. Rather, they provide you with the confidence and responses that will allow you to take the high road no matter how nasty the other party gets.

Good manners also provide a leg up when it’s time to find a new job, whether it’s starting your career or moving up the ladder.

Getting your foot in the door is hard enough, so don’t let your manners slam the door on you. Looking for a job has always required impeccable behavior on the part of the job-seeker. According to etiquette consultant Jodi R. R. Smith (mannersmith.com), it’s important that job-seekers not overlook propriety in their search. Here are a few of Smith’s tips:

-- Be professional, especially when communicating electronically. There are a lot of people out there crafting outrageous emails when they are inquiring about job openings, Smith says. Don’t relax the old rules of job-hunting and interviewing just because you’re using modern modes of communication. As Smith says, an email that reads, "Dude, so what is this job about?" just isn’t going to cut it.

-- Have an error-free resume ready to go. When a recruiter calls, you should be able to email your resume to him or her while you’re speaking.

-- Make sure you have a professional-sounding voicemail message on whatever phone number you give to recruiters. You don’t want a potential interviewer to call you and get a long, silly message you’ve designed for your friends’ amusement.

-- Smile and be pleasant. Your disposition makes the first impression on interviewers. Extend kindness to everyone you meet, including receptionists and anyone else who may not be involved in the interview process.

Interpersonal relations will always make a difference. Displaying good manners will never hurt you, so don’t be afraid to be nice. You can still be funny, serious, self-confident and determined.

The old adage still holds true: You only get one chance to make a good first impression.

A man was seated on the bus having an animated conversation with someone via cellphone. He fumed. He swore. He shouted and swore a lot more. The other passengers dared not look at him for fear of being on the receiving end of his ire.

“I need to get off here!” he shouted as he raced to the front of the bus and disembarked.

“Excuse me, sir,” the bus driver said to the man, “you left something behind.”

The man stood outside of the bus checking his pockets. He then asked, “What did I leave?”

“A very bad impression,” the bus driver replied as he closed the door and drove away.

Mackay’s Moral: Good manners are never a bad idea.