When it comes to marketing, one of the most common mistakes I’ve seen companies make is basing their decisions and efforts on whatever troubles them most. It may be an aspect of their product or service about which they’re particularly sensitive. Could be a perceived flaw they worry the competition will exploit. It can even … Read more
Long ago, Sir Walter Scott penned some advice today’s business leaders would be wise to remember: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive!” That quote came to mind after a greeting-card envelope appeared in this week’s mail. No return address, no stamp, just a colorful envelope. I slit it open … Read more
As social media grows, all sorts of companies and organizations have been trying to court followers. You probably receive solicitations through Facebook and other platforms asking you to like their pages, follow them, or take whatever action fits the specific channel. Visit a store or a restaurant, and you’ll see the same. I drove past … Read more
If you’re looking for a powerful way to differentiate your company from your competitors, I have a simple suggestion: just fulfill your promises. I know that sounds ridiculously simple, but recent experiences with companies that depend upon top-notch service to draw repeat business have convinced me that far too many organizations see promises as tactics … Read more
The client wanted to advertise in a local publication for the first time in years. I had sent other business to the printer who produced it in the past, so I emailed my customer service contact with a simple question: is your company still printing this publication? Instead of answering my question, she replied with … Read more
Companies have many reasons for trying to handle their marketing communications needs in-house. Sometimes, budget is the main reason, but a more common justification is the belief that nobody in the outside world could ever understand the company as well as its employees. Hard to disagree — but it’s the very reason working with an … Read more
Back in high school, I learned a valuable lesson about marketing materials while working as a dishwasher for a chain steakhouse. Washing dishes may be the grimiest job in most eateries, but I didn’t mind it. There were clear objectives and performance measures, the work was predictable, my co-workers left me alone, the radio made … Read more
You launched that new marketing campaign three months ago, and you’ve had it. Sales just haven’t increased. So you’ve decided to toss it aside and come up with something new. Bad idea. And I say “bad idea” as someone who benefits financially when companies need brand-new marketing approaches, because it usually means that they need … Read more
I spent a few years working for an advertising agency at which every logo design and brochure had to pass a painstaking critical analysis. At the end of the day, one of the partners put whatever had been created in his briefcase, brought it home, and showed it to his wife. Not surprisingly, new members … Read more
I’ll be the first to admit that the ampersand (that familiar little “&” mark) can be handy now and then. But it’s one of the most-misused tools in the punctuation toolbox. The ampersand is a graphic replacement for the word “and.” Used properly in graphic design, it can even be a thing of beauty — … Read more