How do you measure success? There's a lot of conversation around business success, what it means, and how to measure it. (And we probably talk even more sometimes about lazy metrics and poor measurement.) I'm not going to talk about measurement at all today. Just...
You've probably heard that Lowe's pulled its advertising from reality TV show All-American Muslim. The home improvement company says it made a business decision based on its assertion that the show is a "lightning rod" for "strong political and societal views." The...
What's up with the "2 for 1" sales trend these days? My thinking on pricing, rates, and value is pretty clear. And I don't understand why some people think every deal is a bargain: "Buy 1, get 1 free" suggests the item is overpriced. "Buy 1, get the second free (just...
Is brand loyalty dead? One of the interesting findings in the IBM survey of CMOs ( here is is my take on the overall report) is that companies are unprepared to deal with "decreasing brand loyalty." They're asking the wrong question. Were travelers loyal to Wells...
Write a book. Call it a manifesto. Give people a choice between Wonder Bread and funkiness. And then, when you get to the end, tell your readers that you've both wasted your time if you think you've got it figured out. Seth Godin is a brilliant marketer. We Are All...
F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that "the rich are different from you and me." (And Ernest Hemingway, unblinded by bling, is said to have replied, "Yes, they have more money.) Turns out, when it comes to marketing, money doesn't seem to yield a big advantage. According...
I'll be the first to admit that conversations about CRM, lead times, funnels, and sales systems make my eyes glaze over. Maybe it's because I'm a small business. Or that I'm a fan of paper, pen, business cards, big red desk calendar. Or that every time someone starts...
I received the following letter the other day: Dear Valued [name of organization] Member, Please excuse this form letter, but it is an inexpensive way for us to let you know that your membership is up for renewal. We wanted to be sure you have the opportunity...
I really dislike the early iterations of location-based marketing. They're interruptive rather than integrated. And gamification turns me off. (Seriously: being the mayor of your local coffee shop matters to you?) Then there’s the whole tweeting-about-it thing....
In the age of The Google, you're nowhere if you can't be found. Especially by your prospects. As a result, pretty much every business has to be a publisher, and every company has to have something to say besides “BUY ME.” Content matters. In Content Rules, co-authors...