Did you see Ben Murray’s recent case study in Ad Age about the data-driven marketing his agency, Blue State Digital, has done recently with the NAACP? They’ve been mining their email-response data, looking for better ways to read their membership, engage their supporters and take lightning-quick advantage of The News Cycle to build response and relevance to very fluid stories. …
Does “Brand” Mean What You Think It Means?
It’s good to revisit regularly Seth Godin’s definition of brand: “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that…account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer…doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.” [Read the rest of Seth’s …
Build a Business That Can Survive on Customer Recommendations Alone
Pretend there were no more radio, no more TV, no more print or Twitter, Facebook or coupons, direct mail or robo-calling. Pretend the only way you could win new customers would be via existing customers. And maybe former employees. Could your business sustain itself that way? In his marvelous 2013 book, True Story: How to Combine Story & Action to Transform …
What Chris Anderson Said
View PostMy New Rule For Selling Things
View PostThe Secret to a Jolly Holiday (Sales) Season
Plenty of businesses see the holidays as a time to attract new customers. They open their sack full of gifts and offer discounts, coupons and generally get into the spirit of the season. But I’m nagged by doubts about this strategy. Nagging Doubt 1: Will they come? You’ve got to place some bets when you discount, right? You want to …
Day 1 – Top 6 Takeaways
What a great first day of speakers and panels at the National Arts Marketing Project’s annual conference here in Charlotte. Before I get lost in another stack of great ideas tomorrow, allow me to share some insights from today’s sessions: From Eric Ryan, co-founder and brand architect at Method: Always ask for participation – create something worth joining. From Charlie …
Who’s In Your Spotlight?
View PostPut Some Romance in Your Brand!
View PostStrategic Planning: Are You Hoping for an Extreme Makeover?
Did you see this recent New York Times article called “After the Cameras Leave the Kitchen,” in which David Segal focuses on the long-term effectiveness of “Restaurant: Impossible” makeovers? If you don’t know the Food Network show (and I didn’t), a family-owned restaurant on life support orders up a two-day extreme makeover by host Robert Irvine. He and his team …