So What’s Your Social Media Strategy?
So, what's your social media strategy? I'm sure that when it comes to most marketing endeavors, you attach some strategy to it. Have you done that for social media? No,...
Branding a Local vs National Company
I had the opportunity the other day to chat with a friend who is a national brand marketer. During our conversation, I was struck (again) by the sameness and, simultaneously,...
Are You a Pioneer or a Settler?
All sorts of numbers are being thrown out there regarding how many companies have implemented social media plans and strategies. Most numbers are probably a little inflated. It's going to...
Where is Your Audience?
As a small business owner, one of the most critical questions you must ask is: Where is my audience today? Years ago, reaching customers was more straightforward. Placing an ad...
Visual Identity on a Budget: Strategies for Small and Mid-Size Companies
Building a visual identity on a budget doesn't mean compromising quality. A strong brand presence is crucial for small and mid-sized businesses, but significant branding initiatives can be costly. Fortunately,...
Tweeting is Word of Mouth
We were recently out of state attending a client's strategic planning session. We didn't know much about the area and had been very busy in the weeks leading up to...
Selling Your Brand Internally
One of the most important places to spend time and energy "selling” your brand is internally. No audience is more important to have completely understand and believe your brand position....
Social Media-Build Your Own Audience
Traditional Media has been doing it for years, building an audience through programming and marketing and then turning around and selling your business the opportunity to talk to its audience....
What’s Your Brand Story?
From start to finish, a well-executed brand is just about telling a good story. Well-written stories are pretty predictable in their format; they have a beginning, middle, and end. The...
Using Product Promotions to Extend Your Brand
Once you've established your brand position and even created a branding commercial or two -- it is inevitable that the next call you receive from your boss (or the CFO)...
Branding Consistently
The hardest part about branding is keeping tight control of your branding consistency—always using the same logo, sticking with your tagline, maintaining your presence in the media, and sticking with...
Branding with Actions – Not Words
Too often, when we consider Branding, we focus entirely on the name of the business, the smartness of the tagline, or the commercials we produce. However, branding should be about...
Online Advertising in the Age of Adwords
With the advent of our new economy, we're seeing a significant shift from traditional media spending to online advertising. This transformation has been driven by the evolving landscape of how...
Using and Buying Media Wisely
Before we get into planning season, this seems like a good time to discuss the best ways to think about buying media. I touched on this briefly in my recent...
Traditional Media Created Social Media
Before conglomeration, there was a time when radio, television, and print were local community outlets. The big three were locally owned and focused on the local community. Most decisions for...
5 Reasons Social Media Should be in the 2011 Marketing Plan
Social media certainly is all the rage right now - but will it be in your 2011 Strategic Marketing Plan? If not, here are five reasons it should be: Your...
What’s Next For Social Media?
While the big brands and big boxes have taken early advantage of social media, if social media continues to grow, it will be because of the smaller local businesses. Big...
Marketing Plan: Intersection of Planning and Improvisation
Before the frenzy of annual strategic planning begins, I thought I'd take a moment to discuss some strategies you might want to consider as you build your strategic yearly marketing plan....
