Hope It Sticks
I was at my bank on Saturday. The teller invited me to go to a special online promotion at “theirwebsite.com/teller.” I noticed this “register to win” promotion was also printed on my deposit slip. So a couple days later I …
No More Fish In A Bucket
It used to be that everyone marketed and bought ads on an age-based demographic. When we were coordinating millions of dollars in radio and TV buys, this was the only way to do it, because that is what Arbitron and …
Change is Inevitable Progress is Optional
Change is often discouraged or debated in organizations until there are no other options, and sometimes at great calamity. Tom Neff, my mentor, taught me that organizations must embrace and plan for change by choosing progress instead of letting inevitable …
Branding ~ Invest in One of Your Best Assets
Your brand should be the focal point of your marketing effort. Many times the sales and operations efforts will swamp the branding and eventually dilute the best. Starbucks saw this first hand in its efforts to improve efficiency when it …
No Dissing On the Bus
One season, we ran a tour with two bands on a tour bus, living on the road together for a month at a time over 9 months. It is typical for folks to chide one another, and it can get …
Socially Speaking, How is Your Word of Mouth?
I recently spoke at the Brentwood Chamber Tech Strategies group about Social Networking. It’s interesting to talk to business owners and leaders about this phenom and their reluctance to embrace it. One attendee contacted me and asked that I speak …
Why Healthcare Doesn’t Need a Band-Aid
Years ago I did a research project about primary care physicians as a gateway to tertiary care. We talked to focus groups, identified problems, and developed possible solutions. The fundamental problems were…well, everything!
But the doctors didn’t really want help. …
Vision of Small Business
Vision of Small Business Over the Next Decade – The Intuit Future of Small Business Series is an ongoing research study sponsored by Intuit and led by the Institute for the Future and Emergent Research. The research
The Worksheet Is Not a Plan
Over the years I have begun projects with companies and organizations, and one of the first things I ask for is their plan. Normally I am then handed an Excel Spreadsheet, ironically followed up by a statement that says “we …