Every year, right around Superbowl time, a phenomenon occurs that is nearly non-existent the rest of the year. Companies actually promote their ads across other platforms. And it works. A lot more people see the ads — and if they’re good, a lot more people buy stuff. So why doesn’t this happen all year? And…

Have you ever been to a seminar or workshop you really wanted to attend, but the presentation was so mind-numbing that you kept drifting? Do you think anyone ever felt that way about one of your presentations? Here’s how to avoid it. Imagine that you’re presenting to a roomful of fourth-grade boys on Friday afternoon.…

Your brand is the aggregation of what people think and feel about your company and what you sell. And some of those people are your people. When was the last time you asked your own team what they think your brand is? Here’s why it matters: if the people who are actually delivering the products…

Companies continue to invest heavily in SEO and SEM to drive web traffic. And that’s all good. But what if your site doesn’t offer visitors what they’re looking for when they arrive? They won’t stick around, and that investment gets wasted. So even as you optimize your site for search engines and plan a strategic…

Let’s be frank. Unless you are wired up completely different from most people, there’s nothing sexy about a tote bag, sparkly or otherwise. But calling it sexy is smart. Especially when you’re Victoria’s Secret, and sexy is what you sell. It’s like adding “Brazilian” in front of…well, almost anything. What Victoria’s Secret knows, and what more marketers…

When it comes to your company, what new things do you resist? New ideas? New products or services? New approaches? Why? Psychologists will tell you that most resistance is based on fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure. Fear of looking foolish. But ask yourself this: what’s the potential upside if you — or…

The more a visitor can do from your website, the more likely it is that your website is selling for you. Can a visitor ask a question? Sign up for a newsletter? Follow a blog? Download a whitepaper? Follow you on social media? Take a survey? Buy something? The more ways you can engage that…

Take a close look at your ideal target audience. Now look around. Someone else is trying to reach that exact same audience. Probably several someones. Who are they? Do you know them? Should you? What if you teamed up with one or two of them and went hunting together? Lower costs. More impressions. Which means…

Studies show that positive word of mouth is twice as effective as “traditional marketing.” That’s an important finding. Unfortunately, it’s widely used as an excuse by companies who want to invest little or nothing in marketing, citing “word of mouth” as their best marketing tool. But word of mouth can be created, cultivated and encouraged.…

It’s safe to say that at least 95% of all marketing messages go relatively unnoticed…and for one simple reason: they don’t command attention. Regardless of the medium, effective marketing makes you stop and look or listen. It distracts you from everything else. Then, it does one more thing: it sets the hook. It gives you…