Be Patient – Just Gimme a Minute
Right now I find my patience is wearing thin in nearly every aspect of my life. Collectively, patience has been in a steady state of decline — and the state of current events is only exacerbating this. In the business world patience is anathema. I love Gary Vaynerchuck’s view of patience. It’s the long game. […]
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. […]
Why Columbo Could Have Been a CMO
I loved Peter Falk as Columbo. Columbo was a TV crime series starring Falk as a frumpily-dressed seemingly disorganized homicide detective. He had a distinctive style of asking “just one more thing.” Here’s an example. Columbo would have made an amazing CMO by applying this questioning style to the marketing. Columbo was dogged in his […]
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 […]
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 […]
