Archive for August, 2015

Don’t Create Strategies or Tactics Without These Critical Insights

Thursday, August 27th, 2015

by Linda Pophal

 

So, you’re in the market for a strategic marketing professional. You’ve screened hundreds of applicants, and it’s down to the handful you’ve picked to invite in for interviews. But this is an inherently creative position, and cookie-cutter interview questions about an applicant’s past experience or about their evaluation of their own qualifications might not give you enough insight to pick the right man or woman for the job. (more…)

Creativity Means Nothing if You Can’t Deliver on the “Brand Promise”

Tuesday, August 25th, 2015

Inc. magazine recently put out an entertaining list called “Top 9 Brand Blunders of All Time.” Most of these blunders were one-off decisions or short-term campaigns that had a major—and negative—impact on an established brand. These blunders highlight some key mistakes, both practically and conceptually, when it comes to branding. (more…)

How Behavioral Science Principles Can Turbocharge Your Marketing Success

Friday, August 21st, 2015
For years, behavioral sciences have been applied to marketing, both consciously and unconsciously. Even when marketers aren’t explicitly tapping into their knowledge of psychology, sociology, etc., they are often thinking in terms of how to satisfy the needs of a potential customer to: belong, to look attractive to the opposite sex, to demonstrate status, to feel as though they are providing for their family, etc. These are all fundamental drivers of human behavior. When we shape our marketing efforts to satisfy those needs, we are guided by the behavioral sciences, whether we know it or not. (more…)

If You’re Not Unique, You’re a Commodity. Why You Need to Stand Out.

Friday, August 14th, 2015

For businesses of any size, the ability to communicate to prospects and customers about why you’re different, and better, in ways that are meaningful to them is critical. Many fail to do so effectively, however. One key issue we often find with clients is a tendency to be too internally focused — they communicate with their audiences in ways that are meaningful to their business, but that may not be so meaningful to their customers.

For example, (more…)

Thanks Google! Content Really is King Once Again.

Wednesday, August 12th, 2015

 

The world suddenly seems to have a voracious appetite for content as online marketers compete with each other in an attempt to capture the eyeballs and eardrums of current and potential customers. Not just any content, but high-quality, unique and relevant content.

It wasn’t always this way. The bottom kind of fell out of the writing industry back in 2008 as the recession hit full force. Media outlets were laying people off in droves, or closing entirely, and the demand for freelancers was rapidly diminishing. I know because I had been a freelancer for a number of years. Even while employed full-time, I made a very nice “extra income” from writing for a variety of trade and professional publications.

It was this extra income that I felt would help provide me with a cushion when I launched Strategic Communications in 2008. But I was wrong.

(more…)

The “Big Rocks” of Effective Strategic Plan Implementation

Thursday, August 6th, 2015
Strategic planning is one of those activities that is often looked upon with either fear or disdain. Why? Because all too often business professionals who have been engaged in what can be a very long and arduous process are disheartened when the plan never really seems to reach fruition. It becomes a document based on an exercise that can take an inordinate amount of time (but doesn’t have to…).
In our experience working with a number of different organizations on strategic planning efforts, and conducting research on strategic planning when writing “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Strategic Planning,” there are a number of reasons that even the most carefully created plans fail to be implemented as planned, let alone serve to achieve the desired results.

(more…)