Grab a handful of darts, close your eyes, and let them fly across the room. You’ve just demonstrated the marketing strategy far too many companies use. I’m not saying those companies are run by stupid people. In fact, they’re usually remarkably bright people who have outstanding products or services to offer in their marketplaces. But when [...]
As a marketing and advertising agency, it makes sense that our primary contact at most clients is the individual who oversees marketing. But we usually find ourselves navigating around many masters. When a company draws upon outside accounting expertise, that firm normally works with the controller or the CFO. If legal help is what’s needed, the [...]
If your objective is to increase the number of customers you serve, a prudent way to start is by taking a closer look at the customers you already have. If that sounds odd, consider that the customers you already work with are presumably happy with the work you perform on their behalf. If you use [...]
Want to fix a kitchen sink, restore a broken dryer to health, or create the perfect crème brulee? A quick trip to YouTube will give you dozens of do-it-yourself videos. People like the DIY approach because they feel it empowers them and saves money. Entrepreneurs in particular love to boast about “bootstrap” approaches to their business [...]
The internet broke down geographic barriers for businesses, making it possible to find lower-cost suppliers around the world. But if companies lack the knowledge and skills to manage those suppliers properly, they may end up spending far more than expected. We’ve worked with companies all over the globe to help our clients meet their advertising and [...]
As the client reviewed our estimate for their new website, they had no problem with the numbers for the design, the hosting, or the programming. But they didn’t understand why we recommended they should pay for writing. Couldn’t they just do that part themselves? Well, yes, they could. But we didn’t think they should. It’s a [...]
It's no surprise that an estimated 8.8 trillion photos were taken worldwide during 2018, given that most of us carry high-quality cameras in our phones. But shooting all those photos doesn't make us photographers. Digital technology has become a powerful equalizer in so many ways. Everyday people have access to tools that are far more sophisticated [...]
Does this make me look fat? The classic question and deadly measure of spousal honesty illustrates the inherent dilemma in conducting customer surveys. Just as spouses typically hesitate before responding, wondering whether the asker is truly seeking honest feedback or fishing for a compliment that might be a little untruthful, many companies claiming to be interested [...]
Ask a business owner how her customers think about the services they receive or the products they use, and you’ll hear comments like "they love us." But when a third party asks those customers the same question, the results can be eye-opening. I recently shared the story about developing a customer profile for a professional services [...]
We had carefully studied the client's stated objectives and analyzed the budget, then created a strategy that addressed both with great efficiency. So we were startled when our plan was completely tossed out the window. The reason? One of the executives walked into the meeting and said he really liked a particular technology, so using that [...]
