In interviewing for a job several years ago, I went through a round of interviews with various members of the organization. When meeting with the Chief Administrative Office (CAO), he handed me a brochure and said: “What do you think about this brochure?” My immediate thought was: “In what regard?,” but I resisted the urge to say that and, instead, said:
Posts Tagged ‘marketing strategy’
If Your Goal is “Implied,” You Don’t Really Have a Goal
Thursday, September 8th, 2022The (Absolute) Power of Product and Its Impact on Your Marketing
Tuesday, September 6th, 2022
Marketing is a must-have for businesses of any kind and any size. In fact, all businesses are using marketing to some degree whether they know it or not.Are You Making Your Customers Work Too Hard? They May Just Give Up.
Thursday, August 25th, 2022
Sometimes I think the most simple thing that we can do as businesspeople and marketers is “put ourselves in the shoes” of our prospects and customers. Are we making it easy to buy? Or are we setting up unintentional barriers, however slight, that may interfere with—or obliterate—the purchasing process?
You’re Using LinkedIn the Wrong Way—Here’s What We Recommend Instead
Tuesday, June 7th, 2022
I’ve had a LinkedIn profile since 2009. It has become the top source of referrals for my content marketing and marketing consulting services. Not because of the “brilliant” posts I share. Not because I get tons of likes and shares. Not because I write clever copy.
So how have I successfully leveraged LinkedIn to generate leads—and new clients—consistently? (more…)
Should You Be Upfront About Your Pricing?
Thursday, May 26th, 2022
A recent LinkedIn question resonated with me—”Why don’t people like to talk about pricing UPFRONT?” Why indeed?
Have you ever been frustrated when trying to make a purchase decision because you can’t get pricing information from coy salespeople or cryptic web sites? In my opinion, (more…)
How Can You Find the Right Focus For Your Marketing Messages?
Friday, May 13th, 2022
A prospective client contacted us recently wanting to produce a white paper to serve as a promotional tool. The white paper needed to include: a focus on the new national campaign theme, a focus on the new local campaign theme, a focus on the areas served, a focus on the organization’s new direction for the coming year, a focus on…OK, hopefully, you get the point.
If you focus on everything, you’re focused on nothing!
It’s tough to focus. Any organization has multiple objectives and messages that need to be conveyed and there can be a tendency to try to “do it all” in one message. The trouble with that, though, is (more…)
Strategy Matters – Here’s Why
Tuesday, January 18th, 2022
Our company is named Strategic Communications to emphasize our belief that to be effective, communication must be strategic. Too often, marketing initiatives are focused more on tactics (let’s get on TikTok! let’s put up a billboard!), rather than strategy. That’s probably one of the biggest mistakes that marketers can make. Why? Because unless you just “get lucky,” and you might, simply picking tactics may result in doing the wrong things, wasting time, effort, and money.Challenging the Notion of TOFU, MOFU, BOFU – What Does Today’s Buyer’s Journey Really Look Like?
Tuesday, November 16th, 2021
First there was AIDA, then the notion of a sales “funnel” emerged and the concept of a buyer’s journey that began at the top of the funnel (TOFU), moved to the middle of the funnel (MOFU) and ultimately ended with a sale at the bottom of the funnel (BOFU). But is this concept too simplistic—and too linear—to truly represent today’s buyer’s journey? Was this model ever relevant in a business-to-business environment? Are content marketers wasting their time attempting to create copy that focuses, discreetly, on TOFU, MOFU, BOFU?
Marketers Must Have Good Products But Sometimes Good Isn’t Good Enough
Tuesday, August 10th, 2021
Not many people remember a product called Zima, and that’s the point of this post. As a marketing professional, I’ve always been interested in new product introductions and advertising campaigns in general— how well do they work? how long do they “run” (suggesting that the positive effects are continuing to produce results or, if nothing else, that the agency and client haven’t “pulled the plug” prematurely).
In addition, as someone who is not a “beer drinker,” I was interested several years ago when a new product was introduced—Zima—a beer-based beverage that was supposed to be light and refreshing. Hmm. Sounded interesting. The campaign was extensive, attention-getting, and effective—to a degree. It raised awareness. It generated preference (at least initially). All was good. Right? Wrong. (more…)
Then and Now: The Biggest Difference Between the Traditional and Digital Marketing Environments
Thursday, June 24th, 2021
I have been fortunate enough to practice marketing before and after the emergence of the internet, social media, and digital marketing. While the channels for communicating have changed and grown significantly, the basics of good marketing have remained the same. These new channels also often come with something that traditional marketing efforts usually lacked─analytics. Or, at least, lacked the sophistication that now exists to understand the nuances of the target audience’s response. (more…)
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