Posts under ‘Best Practices’

The blogger is a strange creature. Existing in masses, clamoring in drones and all vying for our attention, they vary on the scale of relevance and are capable of attitudes that range from complete narcissism to apparent altruism. For social media cynics, bloggers may be the banes of their existence – but for PR professionals, […]

Con·ver·sion n. What Does it Mean to You?
The extra point or points scored after a touchdown. Exchanging one type of money or security for another. The adoption of new religious beliefs. “Conversion” can mean different things to different people based on their perspective. As a marketer in today’s digital world, what does conversion mean to you? […]

If your mother was like mine, she probably rewarded you for good, consistent behavior.
And she might have had fits when you behaved like Jekyll and Hyde. So here’s a lesson in congruency for online marketers that most mothers would approve of. You’ve probably seen ad campaigns that direct you to a web site or landing […]

What if you knew it could “sleep” for 12 minutes?
I still wouldn’t pay for it. But then again I’m not a Yo-Yo enthusiast. For die-hard Yo-Yo fans, this one is likely a must have item. And one they will talk about.
In his presentation, Sliced Bread, Seth Godin discusses this Yo-Yo and other examples of remarkable brands that […]

If a brand offers you an experience that feels intuitively like it’s made just for you — then that brand tends to get your attention, respect, and in some cases, even your affection. Some of the most storied innovators of the last decade — firms like Apple, Google and Nokia, have demonstrated just how important […]

(*Death By PowerPoint)
Recently we had a client solicit our support in developing a presentation for a very, very, important meeting. The content was deep, and the meeting duration long. In other words, the prospects for “Death by PowerPoint” were extremely high.
As we began to tackle the assignment, we felt it was a good idea to set out […]

Agrimarketers might be badly misreading farmers when they judge the effectiveness of direct marketing. Increasingly, clients and other agrimarketers are saying:

“Farmers are inundated with junk mail. We need to find a better way to communicate with them.”

But is their belief accurate? Many public and proprietary research findings – including quantitative and qualitative research – tell us that, to most farmers, direct mail is a valued source of information on products and services.

Let’s look at the issue more closely. Certainly all consumers, including farmers, are at the receiving end of a constant stream of communications. But what constitutes “junk” as opposed to useful information?

You must try new tactics to move forward. The safe, proven approaches you’ve used in the past are not going to be enough to move the needle to the extent your business requires. But innovation brings significant risks that you need to manage. 
Piloting — trialing an initiative on a small scale before rolling it out in full — […]

This is the seventh in a series of articles examining ways to thrive, not just survive, in 2009.
You all know the deal. During periods of economic instability, your organization will focus with laser-like precision on the bottom line, allocating dollars to only those areas they know will deliver positive business results.
While clicks matter, it’s the outcome of the click, not […]

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.”
– African proverb

If this proverb is true, marketers and salespeople, get ready to adjust your sails and set new courses if you’re to weather the economic storm of 2009.
But where should you focus your efforts to thrive, not just survive, in the year ahead? And how can new […]