When Sissy Spacek had an audition for a movie based on Stephen King’s “Carrie,” she did more than read the book.  The morning of the audition, she didn’t brush her teeth or wash her face, she put Vaseline in her hair and she wore an old dress her mother had made for her when she…

Because consumer companies want lots of Facebook fans, they often “buy” them with contests or deals.  But research shows that this kind of fan rarely engages with your brand.  They take the deal to become a fan, then rarely, if ever, visit your page or interact with you on it.  This is the polar opposite…

Most companies who sell to other businesses would love to get referrals from existing customers or clients.  Here’s the fast way to make it happen: start promoting their businesses for them.  Talk about them on your website or in a blog, refer them to each other — look for ways to help their businesses grow. …

Most visual marketing — print advertising, posters, billboards, brochures, even TV spots — is a study in missed opportunities.  Potent visual marketing combines an arresting headline or script with an image that takes that headline or script and amplifies it.  But in actual practice, most examples simply toss in an image that kind of goes…

Group dynamics make for miserable marketing.  Here’s why.  Most groups exist over long periods of time, so they have to work together.  Say one person in the group expresses a strong opinion.  Maybe everyone agrees.  Maybe no one agrees.  But because everyone has to continue to work together, no one wants to disagree out loud…

In the family film, “We Bought a Zoo,” Matt Damon’s character shares a tip with his teenage son.  If you’re nervous about doing something, force yourself to put all your fear aside and plunge ahead for twenty seconds, with no regard for how embarrassing it may turn out.  That twenty seconds is often just enough…

What would you do if an ad agency offered you a money-back guarantee?  Seriously.  What if they said that, if you followed their media recommendations, invested an agreed upon amount for an agreed-upon period, and gave them free rein over the creative approach and message, they would guarantee you a specific return on your investment…

It’s possible to target your audience and still use too broad a brush.  For example, maybe you believe your target audience is made up of moms.  Simple enough.  But which moms?  Homemakers or moms who work outside the home?  Busy moms who put convenience at the top of their list, or moms who value qualities…

Recently someone was praising a competitor’s publication.  “I love the stories,” they gushed.  “I know,” their companion replied, “I read it cover to cover.”  Did you catch that?  It’s the stories.  It’s always the stories.  Pick your medium: Facebook, TV, print – stories sell.  Stories create your brand’s personality and make you easier to remember. …

One of the big problems with GroupOn is that their frequent users rarely return to a business once they redeem their offers; they just move on to the next bargain.  This undercuts the basic premise that a person who samples your wares at half price will return at full price.  But another, less obvious problem…