Marketing that Matters

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‘Tis the season to make our impact resonate where it matters most. Where is your focus this Thanksgiving season?

Need some marketing help?

Don’t fade in the background. Setting your business apart is a must. Discover the strategies and tactics that can transform your brand into a distinctive choice.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from social impact marketing through more meaningful connections with customers and employees.

Sometimes, all it takes to overcome challenges is to view them from a different angle. Are you open to seeing things differently? 

If you had to pick a side between Sales and Marketing in your organization, remember, you’re actually picking the same team – the one driving business success.

In business, sometimes you have to “kiss a few frogs” before finding your perfect match. But you don’t have to do this perpetually. There is help.

When customers experience products or services that align with the claims made in advertisements, they are more likely to become loyal advocates, spreading positive word-of-mouth and contributing to a brand’s growth. Does your advertising reflect your offering?

Do you ever find yourself grappling with the overwhelming buffet of social media platforms? Tailor your social media strategy to your business’s unique flavor.

The importance of brand affinity lies in its ability to create a lasting impression on customers. When customers feel a connection to a brand, they are more likely to become repeat buyers and advocates. 

Knowing what channels are most important for driving your customer purchase behavior can improve your marketing performance and drive sales.

In uncertain times, businesses cut costs, often starting with the marketing budget. But slashing spending across the board isn’t the way to go. CFOs know it’s about strategic cuts and efficient spending.

Despite economic volatility, technology disruptions and changes in consumer behavior, now is not the time to give up on your business. Keep going!

Derivative work sounds a lot like what we get out of generative AI tools like ChatGPT because it is. But without permissive use from the original content owner, who owns the newly generated content?

One key responsibility of your marketing team is to help the customer understand how your solution meets their needs. Great marketers do this by identifying and getting to know your best customer.

Having very little data leaves much to interpretation. It leads to rich and interesting discussions of alterative paths. How do you choose the right one?

Are you a Coke or Pepsi person? Mini cans or full-sized? Coca-Cola’s decision to introduce mini cans was a smart move that teaches us the importance of understanding customer behavior.

The cost of keeping existing customers is lower than the cost of acquiring new ones. A downturn is a good time to focus on keeping current customers satisfied.

The cost of keeping existing customers is lower than the cost of acquiring new ones. A downturn is a good time to focus on keeping current customers satisfied.

As a business leader, to find the right partner, you must be keenly aware of your own core competencies. With this knowledge, you can create a clearer vision of what you need to invest in and what you need a partner to bring. 

For the next several weeks, we’ll discuss 4 Ways to Upgrade in a Downturn. In part one, I review what focus can do for your business.

What do you do when the data you have is inconclusive and your business or team needs action?

The year ahead is uncertain. Businesses (and especially startups) must ensure they have enough runway to make it through what will likely be an unsteady season.

With the new year comes a fresh start. What do you need to reframe as you head into the new year?

Head into the new year with a winning strategy. Don’t wait until things go from bad to worse to change the trajectory of your business.

In business and in life, you need the right skills and resources based on where you are in your journey. What got you here, won’t necessarily get you “there.”

Who you align yourself with matters. As a human and as a brand. Partner with those who help your brand shine.

Spray-and-pray is an ineffective content distribution strategy. Content distribution must be purposeful driven through owned, earned and paid marketing channels.

Follows, likes, comments and retweets are admirable, but don’t let unwanted clicks drive up your expenses and drive down your business performance.

Some things are better left to the professionals. Why do so many of us have to learn this lesson the hard way?

Front-line employees deliver your brand experience. They need accountability, knowledge and training to make the right decisions.

We have a choice in the legacy we leave. If we don’t focus on it, it will create itself.

I’m not promoting eavesdropping as a research strategy but paying attention to what’s going on with consumers should be part of your routine.

When you are creating, you might find that you don’t have all of the ingredients. You may need to make substitutes. But when you get it right, the creation is uniquely yours and beautiful.

Want to know what customers want? Ask them. Customers don’t always know what they want, but be flexible in how you listen.

Self-service is service for businesses, not customers. From self-checkout at stores to booking travel online, customers are drawing the short straw. Businesses that start offering service to customers will be the next industry winners.

Don’t blindly accept AI marketing tools that give you little control over the performance of your ads. Use a disciplined approach that leads to healthy business growth.

Consumers are breaking up with subscription services and opting for free content. Bring on the ads!

Broadcast media allowed advertisers to reach the masses. Online tracking cookies allowed advertisers to reach individuals. With the death of online cookies, marketers are looking for new ways to reach potential customers.

Identifying and inspecting the right metrics is critical for peak marketing performance. Gathering relevant information is key to understanding the landscape.

You don’t know what you don’t know about your business until you shine a light on what is uncertain. Light can bring clarity that will help you make better decisions.

Delivering on a brand promise is the single most important thing a company can do to build trust with its customers.

Good coaches know the rules of the game and how to be strategic about their timeouts to improve their chances of winning.

When launching a new product, it is critical to identify your niche in the market. Your product or service should fit your target market better than any other segment of the market.

Continuous assessment of your business and threats to it will help to keep it healthy and strong.

I Just Want to Be Liked

You need more from your social media assets than “likes”.

If you are not meeting your growth goals, you cannot continue to do what worked in the past. It’s time for a change.

Here’s the problem with blending in: It works! You literally get lost in the crowd when you conform.

It’s time to stop thinking about the product or service you sell and start thinking about the experience you deliver.

What does it take to build a brand as large as Coca-Cola in today’s digital-first world?

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