A few summers ago, my daughter and I spent some time in South Africa on a safari. When we first got there, all of the zebras pretty much looked the same, other than their relative size. But as we looked more closely (and our guides patiently pointed it out), we began to recognize that every […]
Drew McLellan
2021 Planning Deconstructed
Big, small, for-profit, or not for profit – every organization needs a marketing plan, and that marketing plan requires a refresh every year. Now is the time to get your ducks in a row for 2021. The channels, audience expectations, and possibilities are changing faster than we can keep pace. A three-year-old marketing plan is […]
Report: Brand Leaders Seek More Media Cohesion
New CMO Council research provides insight on creating more effective integration between public relations and marketing The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, produced in partnership with Cision, published a new report – Bridging the Gap for Comms & Marketing: Building Cohesion in the Age of Customer Disruption. The report details the best practices and technologies […]
3 Most Essential Rules of a Viral Marketing
Pre-COVID, my daughter and I flew to Vegas to see a Lady Gaga concert. We were fortunate and had terrific seats. Right before the show started, security walked Bradley Cooper to the seats directly in front of us. As you probably know, he and Lady Gaga co-starred in A Star is Born and everyone was […]
Are You Selling From a Position of Confidence?
Given everything we’re all carrying on our shoulders right now, how in the world do we muster up the confidence to sell? Marketing and sales are all about confidence. When you believe in what you’re selling, know it is the right answer for the prospect, and can see the benefits the prospect could enjoy – […]
The ROI of gratitude
When you focus on being thankful, there’s nothing but good that can come from that emphasis. I have always believed that gratitude can be a business’s secret marketing weapon when it’s baked into the company’s values, policies, and behaviors. I believe that most people are grateful by default. But I do not believe most people […]
How to Get Ratings and Reviews for Your Small Business
A couple of summers ago, my daughter and I went on a three-week African adventure. As you can imagine, we stayed in many different hotels, resorts and safari lodges while we were there. We also enjoyed the company of several different tour guides, tour companies, restaurants, and venues. Every one of those businesses survives and […]
The Art of Overcommunication: 13 Ways to Be Transparent
Overcommunicate Upfront As businesses reopen and invite customers back into their establishments, it’s safe to say everyone is on edge. Business owners are understandably concerned. Just because they’ve reopened or their employees are coming back, that doesn’t mean the clients will. Employees are anxious too. They are worried about their physical safety, but they’re not […]
Do You Keep Score?
In marketing, keeping score matters. There was a time when being funny or memorable was enough. Back then, there was an obvious line between marketing and sales and we marketing types didn’t need to worry as much about ROI. Today, that’s how a CMO or agency gets fired. Every dollar spent needs to contribute to […]
Do You or Don’t You Gate Your Content?
Your website is your marketing workhorse. The more people who visit it and find the content compelling, the better. It should reflect not only what you sell but also who you are as a company and how you connect with your customers. Unfortunately, it’s not a “build it and they will come” sort of a […]
