I’m working on a book project on strategic planning and thinking about all sorts of strategic planning related topics these days. One critical element is the SWOT analysis. Common in large organizations, many small businesses and solo-preneurs may not (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Strategy’
Do the SWOT! – laying the foundation for strategic planning
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010Sure the babies entertain – but do they get results?
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010I *love* the ETrade baby ads. I’ve said it before. I absolutely love them. But, do they work? I really wonder if – aside from the buzz value – these ads have achieved any meaningful, measurable goals.
A recent piece in Fast Company (March 2010) (more…)
The Purpose of Advertising – to Entertain, or to Sell?
Monday, February 22nd, 2010I love the E*Trade commercials with the talking babies. They’re cute and clever and they make me laugh. In fact, every time I see one – regardless of how many times I’ve seen it previously – I laugh. I like them. They’re well done. Good production values. Clever. But, do they sell?
Hard to say. A quick check online reveals that according to E*Trade Financial Corporation’s monthly report for Jan., 2010, U.S. brokerage accounts (more…)
Stop the insanity!
Friday, July 24th, 2009You’ve no doubt heard the definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.”
It’s a common malady in the business world, and particularly evident these days during tough times. Companies know that the results they’re getting aren’t what they’d like to see and are not likely sustainable, yet they don’t quite know what to do about it. So they keep doing what they’ve always done in tough times – they (more…)
Why you need an internal communication plan
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009I gave a presentation on employee communications recently to a group of about 80 HR people representing about 60 different organizations. I asked the group, through a show of hands, to indicate how many had an internal communication plan. None. Wow. Conversely, a majority of the group had (more…)
Difficult Choices Require Strategic Approach
Saturday, March 7th, 2009Supporting the local community can be expensive. Even large organizations have to be careful about how and where they lend their time – and money. Is there value – beyond personal satisfaction – in supporting local events and activities? Which ones? How can you say “no” graciously to the many requests that come your way? (more…)
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