Would You Stay Married to Your Brand?
If my wife is reading this, “Don’t worry! I’ve been researching divorce rates for a blog post. Really!” I came across a list from Accenture of reasons that people break up with brands and it sounded eerily like why marriages end in divorce. So for fun, I looked for the top reasons that people get divorced. […]
A Radio Shack TRS-80 Taught Me Marketing Automation
In 5th grade being one of the top three in math had its perks. It meant that Eric, Jeanine and I got to pack into Mr. Hourigan’s sedan and drive to the high school and spend fourty-five glorious minutes being taught BASIC programming on Radio Shack TRS-80 computers. This was the Silicon Valley of our […]
Walking a Mile in Your Customers Shoes: Three exercises to use empathy in your marketing efforts
Empathy is an undervalued skill in marketing. It’s hard to empathize with what customers are experiencing from an office or conference room. With today’s instant feedback and review culture, the theory of customer centricity is putting pressure on organizations to deliver positive experiences and for marketers to better understand customers. Understanding customers’ needs, and the […]
The Tale of Two Mailings
This is going to be unfair. I received two different pieces of direct mail on the same day. And the impression they left could not have been more different. Yes, they were from different industries, for sure. But there’s no reason that they couldn’t both speak to me personally and create a positive experience. MAILER […]
It’s Not You, It’s Me
You’ll have to trust me on this one, I’ve never stalked anyone. Neither in my personal, nor in my business career. I’d like to think that during the various relationships I’ve had, I’ve been able to toe-the-line of being too forward and obsessive and being attentive and engaged. Sometimes it’s difficult to be poised, holding […]
Tom Webster: Big Data, Small Data and FOMO (fear of missing out)
If you’re deep into data or scared of it, Tom will dispel the myth of big data and show you how to get comfortable using the data you already have. Tom has been interpreting and telling stories with numbers for 20 years. He will share his experiences and insights on keeping the customer at the […]
Frank Oswald: Why Your Brand Positioning Should Be Idiosyncratic
Frank Oswald is a writer and strategist who, for 30 years, has worked with the biggest brands across diverse industries — from Accenture and American Express to Samung, Reebok and Yahoo!. In this 6 minute video Frank discusses how making your brand idiosyncratic will help you target the right audience. And keep listening for his […]
Segmentation or Personalization?
Is that the right question to be asking or is it a case of tomayto or tomato? Are segmentation and personalization the same thing? Can you do one and not the other? Can You Start with Personalization? Personalization is the hot topic of the day. Some argue that segmentation has given away to personalization. So […]
Ring Around the Customer, Journeys – Not Funnels, and Getting Engaged
Integrated Marketing Week Wrap Up Last month I was fortunate to attend the DMA’s second-annual Integrated Marketing Week in New York City. It was interesting to see what trends have gained steam since last year’s event. Judging from the new partners that were rounding out the showcase area, data and marketing automation are top of […]
4 Pickup Lines for Personalized Marketing
So you’re ready to deliver personalized marketing to your customers and prospects. Great! But before you get out there and start mingling, make sure you’ve got your website SEO ready, landing pages loaded, marketing automation fired up, and content marketing plan maxed out. They may sound like pickup lines, but hey, aren’t they? What’s your […]
