The point of a strong brand – a unique position in the prospect’s mind – is to make it easy for those same prospects to find and choose you when they have a need.  But a strong brand should also repel some people.  Here’s why. Unless you’re Amazon, you don’t want everybody in the world…

Your brand is the perception people have of your company.  And among those people are two really important groups: the ones who work for you, and the ones you need to work for you. Ever wonder why some companies just have an easier time recruiting and keeping good employees?  It could be a couple reasons,…

Your brand is the perception people have of your company.  And there’s a good chance that your digital advertising is eroding your position in the marketplace.  Here’s why. First is the intrusive nature of so much of digital advertising itself.  In its relatively short lifetime, it has become the antithesis of permission-based, opt-in marketing. If…

Email is still one of the most effective — and cost-effective — targeted marketing tools available.  But knowing when to send is nearly as important as what you send.  Luckily, a review of several different studies conducted by companies as diverse as HubSpot and MailChimp revealed a few patterns. Three metrics matter most to email…

Imagine an organization that provides its members with professional development workshops.  After each program, they survey the participants to get their feedback.  So far so good.  But in actual execution, they make three mistakes that make the responses they receive almost completely invalid. First, they ask all participants to rate the event.  If the event…

People talk about branding a lot.  And they should.  A strong brand gives you enormous advantages.  But before you can have a brand, you have to find your unique position in the market — a niche that belongs to you and no one else.  And very few companies own a position, for at least three…

There’s one caveat to the item above.  In your enthusiasm for being different, don’t forget that you still have to sell.  So yes, your marketing has to push the envelope enough to get your prospects’ attention — but if they move on without knowing what you offer or why it’s better, you’re like one of…

Most marketing is terrible.  If you don’t believe it, take a drive and count how many billboards make you want to know more.  Or even make you smile.  Go online for awhile and see if a single digital ad intrigues or inspires you.  Or makes you click.  Do the same with TV, or radio, or…

Nearly every company has a group of best customers or clients: those people who are intensely loyal and use more of what you sell or use it more often.  In addition to being more profitable, these customers may hold the key to growing faster.  If you spend time with these “enthusiasts,” you can learn why…

According to a study reported in Scientific American, people comprehend and retain what they read on paper better than what they read on screen.  The tactile aspect of handling paper — the feel and even the sound and smell of it — have a positive effect on the brain that boosts understanding.  This is especially…