OK, you HAVE to cut back on advertising and promotion. You have no choice, the money isn't there.
At least do it intelligently. There's a constant balancing act in marketing: Reach vs Repetition. Reach is how many people you ...READ»
Try a simple test: cover the logo of a range of car print ads, or try to remember the car commercial that came on screen 15 minutes ago, and see if you can tell who the advertiser is.
Chances are, you can't. If you've seen one ...READ»
Have you cut back on advertising and promotion? Too many small business owners consider marketing to be an expense rather than an investment. When times get a little tough... and let's face it, they are now... they look for ways to ...READ»
The division of left brain / right brain in marketing, sales and advertising is dead.
Clients no longer appreciate, nor respect, the inability of agencies to follow traditional business practices, and be beholden unto ...READ»
I was in a car accident a few weeks ago, and like everyone that has that misfortune, I also was not looking forward to dealing with the insurance company.
A little damage to the cars, but I tweaked my neck. All is well but I ...READ»
Should you offer lower prices to stimulate business in slow times...like we're in NOW?
I've always been against discounting. I always recommend doing "buy three get one free" or "$100 off your second ...READ»
On the Internet, your process is your brand. Have a good process, and people will keep coming back to buy, read, interact. Have a bad process, and you need to re-think your business or communications goals. Amazon, eBay, GE, iTunes, ...READ»
With my home base in the Midwest, I have had the privilege of working with local businesses with a few employees, and multi-billion dollar corporations. One day I can be traveling overseas and the next day I can be meeting with a ...READ»
Little doubt exists in the mind of most business people that
the days in which we live are perhaps the most turbulent of any in recent
memory. Truth is, any time there is a
downturn in the amount of business activity available ...READ»
Are your video interviews compelling?
Does your audience feel naturally connected with the people featured in your company’s video?
Are you asking questions that create “one-of-a-kind” responses your viewers will remember ...READ»
We all know Apple gets "it." iMac. iTunes. iPod. iPhone. All-in-one monitors. The list goes on. But what is "it" and why do they so consistently get "it"? Vision? Innovation? Is it all wrapped up in ...READ»
I just spoke to a group of motorcycle dealers, and the number one question on their minds was "Where should I be investing my advertising dollars?"
The first question you have to answer is: "Who do I want to talk ...READ»
Karen Post, Fast Company Resource Columnist shares:
"For over twenty something years I've been a hired gun to help companies create and build brands, which is great fun. And yes, while I've been on the executive team in many cases, ...READ»
While many marketers obsess abouts costs and ROI, writes Tim Manners, some brands have succeeded by spending money where the bean counters would rather they didn't.
He says:
"So, the next time a bean-counter tells you that spending ...READ»
In the world of boy's play, Hot Wheels and Matchbox just don't cut it anymore. And neither does Batman, nor Superman action figures. So what's a toy maker to do? Mattel has presumably figured out a solution. If boys are playing ...READ»
It's nothing new to come up with aggregate fictional personas and characters to represent the different kinds of customers and clients a company might work with. Knowing more about who you're trying to do business with can only help ...READ»
Amid the mad dash for TV-to-computer-to-PDA, TiVo's move this week allowing users to transfer recorded television shows to iPods or Sony PlayStations may prove something of a false start.
The new feature won't be open to some ...READ»
Every so often, an active business community or region will try to rebrand or reposition itself. And sometimes, outsiders will apply a brand to a community or group of communities. Case in point: Fast Company's recent Fast Cities ...READ»
Almost two years ago, Linda Tischler wrote up about the trading up phenom: people putting a premium on new luxuries. Now there's a new wrinkle on aspirational consumerism: renting up.
Wall Street Journal writer Nick Wingfield takes ...READ»
It's been awhile since an FC Now entry has taken a look at innovation in the credit card industry. Long-standing, silver-haired American Express is beginning to target a younger, "cooler" crowd.
While the company's Blue program ...READ»
Harvard Business School has just given a name to a marketing trend that has made shopping particularly annoying lately. It's called "overchoice" -- giving consumers too much product variety. The expert on this, John Gourville, says ...READ»
Last night I laughed when I saw a Heineken TV commercial that featured superheroes -- an obvious attempt, if you ask me, to appeal to comic book readers and sci-fi fans. There's also an Earthlink spot in which their customer service ...READ»
The body hasn't even cooled on my last post about marketing in church (and at funerals) and I just saw this today! Please, when I shuffle off this mortal coil, just burn my corpse and throw the ashes to the wind.
(And no ...READ»
