Many of you have probably been at goal-setting seminars or workshops where the leader will pose a question like: “Would you like to make more money?,” and, of course, everybody nods or raises their hand. Then the leader will approach a workshop participant and (more…)
Archive for the ‘Small Business Strategy’ Category
When Considering Your Marketing Goals and Objectives, Get Real!
Wednesday, December 28th, 2022Unless You’re Starbucks, Target or Another Big Brand Player, Market Share Doesn’t Really Matter
Thursday, December 22nd, 2022
And, quite honestly, it may not even really matter to them.
A lot of businesses worry unnecessarily about market share. It’s understandable because we read a lot about market share in the media. It’s something that big companies worry about a lot and, to a large degree, they need to. Smaller companies, though, really don’t need to be worried about market share. In fact, (more…)
Stop the Insanity! Are You Continuing to Make These Same Mistakes Over and Over and Over and…?
Thursday, June 30th, 2022
You’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…)
Does Market Share Matter? Maybe. Maybe Not.
Wednesday, May 18th, 2022
Does market share matter? It’s an old argument I had a number of years ago with an organization I worked for. They were very focused on market share. I didn’t think they needed to be. That focus, I felt, kept us from pursuing other marketing objectives that IMO would have been more meaningful.
Despite the fact that many large companies and brands do focus on market share, it doesn’t always matter.
A simple example will illustrate: (more…)
Creating Content: A Role for Your Contacts and Connections
Wednesday, September 1st, 2021
Group Of Multi-Ethnic People Social Networking
As content marketing has emerged as a top go-to tactic for marketers of all kinds in all industries, the challenge that many have been faced with is how to generate the massive amounts of content often required to feed the funnel. Even large organizations with internal staff dedicated to marketing and communications often find themselves turning to others for content creation.
That’s certainly a great thing for firms like ours, and we help a number of individuals and organizations create a variety of content. But there’s another great source of content that can be leveraged in big and small ways to help feed the demand for content: (more…)
Tips for Finding Experts in Content and Content Marketing
Tuesday, August 17th, 2021
I do a lot of presentations (and since the pandemic emerged, webinars) on marketing-related topics. When I do, I try to provide as much practical and useful advice as I can. I don’t worry about “giving away my secrets” for a couple of reasons:
- They’re not that secret—they’re just good, proven, elements of effective marketing and communication.
- Telling someone how to do something rarely translates into the ability to actually do that something.
- The small business owners and entrepreneurs—and, often, even senior and very seasoned marketing executives in large organizations—simply don’t have the time to do it themselves.
They often need to call upon others—agencies or freelancers—to help them out. (more…)
When To Give Your Work Away, and When to Charge
Tuesday, June 29th, 2021
I saw a very interesting question in an online group I monitor recently: “Is it ever a good idea to give your work away?”
In this case, the question was related to consulting services but the question could just as easily apply to companies selling tangible products. And, perhaps, it is in comparing the two ─ services and tangible products ─ that this answer can make the most sense: “Yes, there are definitely times when giving your work─or your products─away can be a good idea!”
But when?
Companies That Stand the Test of Time: What Does It Take?
Tuesday, June 8th, 2021
Vinyl records. Audiotapes. Typewriters. Carbon paper. That white stuff that Mike Nesmith’s mom invented that we used to use to correct typing errors. Rotary phones. The Post Office (well, not yet…). Look back over the past 10, 20 or 50 years, and you’ll find countless examples of products and services that simply no longer exist — or that have morphed into something else. Products and services that, for whatever reasons, have become obsolete.
We tend to think primarily of obsolescence being driven by technology, and that certainly is common these days. But obsolescence can occur due to non-technology-related impacts as well. (more…)
Top Tip for Brick and Mortar Businesses: Create an Experience!
Tuesday, June 1st, 2021
Over the past several years, a growing number of wineries, microbreweries, and distilleries have been springing up across the Chippewa Valley where we’re based. It’s a trend that is mirrored in other states around the country, as entrepreneurs seek to address a growing market not simply for alcoholic beverages but for local destination experiences.
Consumers have long been able to buy wine, beer, or spirits at local liquor stores with no discernable lack of brand options available at varying price points. Why, then, are these relatively small players having such a big impact on the economy?
Creating Customer Journey Maps
Saturday, August 29th, 2020
Marketers often speak of the “customer journey.” It’s a concept that describes the various decisions customer make and the interactions they have with a company from the point where they’ve identified a need until the point when they make a purchase—and beyond. A customer journey map is important because it helps marketers visually depict the customer journey and identify areas that may represent barriers or risks of loss. It provides a documented, explicit vision of how customers will interact with your company and is a good tool for sharing with employees to help them understand the journey and the role that they play in engaging and retaining customers. (more…)
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