How’s this for a massive marketing fail? Go into a supermarket in Israel and take a look at this new marketing campaign for a children’s cereal.
Where on Earth Do You Start?
No, that’s not a literal question. You can start your business from just about anywhere and keep it going from just about anywhere, too. That’s one of the joys of the Internet age. A better question is: Where Do You Start When You’re Just Starting Out? I’m talking marketing here. When your business is brand…
The Marketing Power of Saying “Thank-You”
Saying “thank-you” isn’t just good manners. It’s actually an incredibly powerful marketing tactic. Take this small example: I was talking to a friend of mine this morning about her recent experience giving birth in a local hospital. The small details of her stay impressed her – the way the nurses always introduced themselves at the…
Market Research Questionnaire To the Rescue
So it’s that time of year again. The season for resolutions, new starts (is there such a thing as an old start?) and good intentions turned into actions. It’s also the perfect time to put a market research questionnaire into action. No kidding. And no, it’s not nearly as dull as it sounds. Typically, small…
Don’t Get Short-Changed – Shop Around
I recently needed some graphic work done for one of my projects. I started out by asking for a quote from a graphic designer who had worked on a previous project, on which this new project would be based. He was unavailable this time around, so I moved on. My next call was to a…
Marketing Plans Fail: How to Get in My Bad Books
Successful marketing is built on a foundation of strong, trusting relationships. I get to know you, you get to know me. Together we help each other out. That’s the way is should work. But marketing life isn’t always like that. I’m in the middle of writing a series of posts about Bite-Size Marketing Plans. As…
Bite-Size Marketing Plans – Part 2
If you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and write a marketing plan for your business, where do you start? Well, as I wrote here, I’d recommend starting with a bite-size marketing plan rather than a full scale effort. Just understand that I’m not advocating that this is all you do – just that this…
Bite-Size Marketing Plans
Most small businesses I work with don’t actually have a marketing plan. Shock. Horror. Yes, they know they should have one. No, they don’t have time to write one – at least that’s what they tell me. And, yes, as I’ve argued elsewhere, it’s very often a good idea to just forget about writing a…
Bite-Size Brainstorming for Your Business
When was the last time you held a brainstorming session connected to your business? Last week? Last month? Never, more likely. Most business owners are far to busy putting out their daily business fires to stop and devote time to nothing more active than merely thinking. And that’s a shame. With a little thought, instead…
The Small Stuff Makes a Big Difference
In marketing, it’s the small stuff that makes all the difference. Sometimes it’s stuff that you wouldn’t even notice. But know this: your customers and clients notice. And very often it’s the small stuff that sways their decision-making. Here’s an example. I recently signed up for a forum on Internet marketing. It’s a forum with…
