Archive for April, 2013
Monday, April 29th, 2013
The Evian babies are back! In a new spot, which has received more than 41 million views on YouTube, adults find themselves face-to-face with their younger selves in a large mirrored window–and the dancing ensues. It’s adorable–but does it sell water? Where’s the relevance?
Contrast this spot to an equally creative–and far more out-of-the-box–spot (more…)
Tags: Advertising, Brand Management, Strategy, viral marketing, word of mouth, YouTube
Posted in Marketing and Branding, Media Relations/PR, PR and Media Relations | No Comments »
Thursday, April 25th, 2013
The skills of great marketers are many, but are primarily rooted in an understanding of consumer or human behavior and all of its complexities. Marketing is a challenging field of endeavor because, while there are certain principles and tenets of practice that are widely accepted, there are also many exceptions that challenge the rules. I’ve been a marketer, I’ve worked with marketers, I’ve hired marketers–both as staff people and as external consultants or vendors. I’ve worked with both effective and not so effective marketers. What does it take to join the ranks of the effective marketers? In my opinion, those who will be most effective in marketing-related positions are those who: (more…)
Tags: effective marketing, Marketing, public relations, raising awareness
Posted in Marketing and Branding | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013
Leaders lead. Managers manage. Followers follow. Each of these roles within any organization is important, but there is often confusion about what leaders do vs. what managers do.
To me the distinction is clear. (more…)
Tags: leaders, leadership, leadership development, management, senior leadership, Strategic Planning, Strategy, succession planning, Training
Posted in HR Management | No Comments »
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
I was interviewed recently by a reporter with Inc. Magazine about the prevalence and value of outsourcing the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role. It’s a topic that I definitely have an opinion about–one that may seem to be at cross-purposes with my own self interests. As a marketing communication consultant I’ve actually served in the role of an “outsourced CMO” on a couple of occasions. In one instance, the client was looking for not only my assistance with current marketing efforts, but my recommendations for how they should proceed in the future — should they continue to outsource this function, or should they hire someone to handle their marketing efforts on staff?
(more…)
Tags: Chief Marketing Office, CMO, Marketing, marketing communication, outsourcing, staffing
Posted in Marketing and Branding, Marketing Communication, Strategic Communications | No Comments »
Monday, April 15th, 2013
I admit to being somewhat flummoxed (I like that word!), by the use of the hashtag (#) on Twitter. Sure, I get the general idea and I use hashtags myself. I understand that using this symbol in front of a word or phrase will help those who are interested in certain issues readily find relevant posts. But, doesn’t that happen through organic search anyway? Recently, I came across an article that I thought might shed some insight into the issue and, while it included some relevant tips and suggestions, I’m still left wondering:
“Can’t I achieve the same thing through just regular search results?”
Where hashtags seem to have the most relevance, and where I think they’re most effectively used, IMO, (more…)
Tags: @dmscott, @GuyKawasaki, hashtag, Social Media, twitter
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013
I assist some clients with their social media activities, including the managing of online groups–some are more successful than others. As I’ve managed and monitored their groups, dabbled with my own, and evaluated other groups I’ve noted a number of factors that seem to impact their success. (more…)
Tags: blog, blogging, Community Relations, Customer Communication, forums, linkedin, online communities, Social Media, web communities
Posted in Business Development, Marketing Communication | No Comments »
Thursday, April 4th, 2013
With so many different social media outlets to choose from, how do businesses decide which one or two they should focus their efforts on? It’s a question that many are pondering these days. The good news?
Social media decisions are no different than any other communication decisions you may have dealt with in the past. There are multiple ways that you can communicate and connect with any audience. To make the best choices you need to (more…)
Tags: Advertising, communication, Hootsuite, linkedin, marketing communication, Social Media, twitter
Posted in Marketing and Branding, Marketing Communication, Strategic Communications | No Comments »