6 Ways a Weak Brand Costs You Money.

Your brand is the unique position your company holds in the minds of consumers. It’s not what you say it is. It’s what they believe it is. And most companies don’t really have one. Here’s how that’s hurting you. No Reason to Buy A brand makes you the provider of choice. All other things being equal, buyers prefer you. When you don’t have a strong…

Media vs. Message? No Contest.

Many marketers devote much more time to their media choices than they do to their message. This is like the military focusing on the latest weapons, but ignoring strategy and execution. It’s also why so much marketing gets ignored — and why real marketing ROI is becoming a rarity. A strong marketing message can amplify a small…

Considering a Rebrand? Don’t.

You see it almost daily. Some post on social media announcing that another company is “rebranding.” Except that they aren’t. Your brand is the unique position you occupy in the minds of everyone. It’s not your logo, your tagline or even your company name. Those represent your brand — that unique position — but they’re not your brand. When companies talk…

Are You Using the Wrong Marketing Tools?

Imagine a huge table. On the table is every tool you can think of. Now imagine you have to build a house. Try to do two things. First, take away the one tool you could do without. Second, pick up the one tool that can handle the entire project. You can’t do either. Every tool has a purpose, and…

Highlights from May’s Brews & Brands

While our May Brews & Brands session was remote instead of in-person, that didn’t slow the flow of practical insights shared by our participants. Here are just a few of the highlights. Rethinking everything was a major theme, from finding ways to partner with your competitors to looking beyond your traditional audience for prospects. A question…

5 Questions to Jumpstart Your Creative Process.

Your message has to stand out if your business is going to. But getting there can be hard. Here are 5 questions that can jumpstart the process and help you arrive at stronger marketing. 1. What is life is like without you? What challenges does your prospect have? How do you eliminate or resolve those challenges? Show prospects what…

The 7 Cs of Compelling Copy.

To make your marketing message stick with your audience, check these seven “C’s” off your list. Clear  If you’re not clear, nothing else matters. Say what you sell. Say how it helps. Say why it’s the best choice. Lose anything that gets in the way of clarity. Creative  If your message sounds like everyone else’s, no one will remember…

World War Z, the Tenth Man and You

In the 2013 Brad Pitt film, World War Z, a deadly virus washes over the globe unchecked, turning millions into zombies. But one place remains a safe harbor: Jerusalem, which managed to erect high walls around its perimeter before the outbreak reached the city. Pitt’s character asks one of the city’s top officials how they were able…

What You Missed at Brews & Brands

April Brews & Brands went virtual via Zoom, but that didn’t slow the flow of great ideas and insights. Here are a few of the highlights that can help you get your message and marketing right, right now. Say Something Different. There has been such a torrent of emails with “Coronavirus” or “COVID-19” in the subject…

Put Four Things On Your To-Do List.

During a crisis like this one, marketing can feel insensitive — and ineffective. But it’s not — if you do it right. Here are four things every business owner or marketer should be doing to quietly build momentum toward a recovery. And one thing you shouldn’t be doing. SEO Use all that free time and talent to optimize your website…