When confronted with a portfolio of samples from a writer, designer, or web wizard, intelligent businesspeople typically become less than savvy. Losing sight of the fact that they’re about to make a critical business decision, they scan the contents, nod their approval, then point to an example or two and say, “I really like this … Read more
Famous television doctor Mehmet Oz invested millions into an unsuccessful effort to capture one of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seats, and I’m pretty confident a single word had plenty to do with his defeat. While trying to prove he was just a regular guy by stopping in a supermarket to grab items for dinner, the celebrity … Read more
I’m not sure that a welcome mat in front of a business ever made anyone feel truly welcome, or a notation on a receipt saying that it has been someone’s pleasure to serve you made up for the indifferent treatment delivered by the server who dropped it on the table. Businesses put a lot of … Read more
If I mention the word “psycho,” there’s a good chance a certain image will spring to mind. An image in black and white: water trickling into a shower drain, slowly being supplanted by a darker fluid, all punctuated by ear-piercing shrieks. There’s also a good chance that you just shuddered a little. Assuming that image … Read more
White papers support a robust sales approach, particularly in scenarios where the decision-making process involves multiple stakeholders. If your company provides a high-value product or service that significantly influences a prospect’s organization, the primary contact may lack the authority to make the purchase decision independently. Using a white paper can assist them in reinforcing their … Read more
When people ask me whether they should create an email newsletter, run radio commercials, step up their social media, or use billboards, my answer is always the same: yes. It’s not a matter of being indecisive. It’s just that the expectations of consumers (and by “consumer,” I also mean those who buy business-to-business services and … Read more
I have a confession to make, and I freely admit that it’s a symptom of being male: whenever I’m at the home improvement store, I find an excuse to wander through the power tool section and dream of adding the latest gizmo to my crowded workbench. Of course, when I bring that shiny new toy … Read more
You’ve seen them in your industry and your community: the names you recognize instantly, sharing their knowledge. We call them thought leaders, and joining their ranks may be easier than you expect. You may have sat in the audience at conferences or other industry meetings, listening to people whose backgrounds were similar to yours. But … Read more
Much of what we learn from politicians teaches us how not to do things. But there’s something that the folks on the national political scene do exceedingly well, and that’s speak with a common language and a common voice on key issues. There’s a valuable lesson in that for companies and other organizations. The lesson … Read more
Rapidly tap your wrist in front of an AARP member, and she’ll assume that you’re worried about running late. Do the same thing in front of a 23-year-old co-worker, and you’ll get a blank stare. As times and technologies change, expressions based on those technologies change right along with them — and an experience that’s … Read more