Business websites are a lot like homes. We devote a considerable amount of thought, time, and effort to building or buying the perfect one. And moments after we settle in, we notice imperfections we’d really like to change. It would be nice to have a mudroom. Is there a way we could move the kitchen sink [...]
It’s not unusual for business owners to have healthy egos. It takes a great deal of confidence to launch and guide a business through the ups and downs. Unfortunately, egos can inflate into so much self-confidence it impedes success. I thought about that after I concluded a conversation with a business owner who responded to my [...]
A famous man quoted the Russian proverb, “Doveryai no Proveryai.” Translated it means trust but verify. Experience has taught me that’s a sound piece of advice for business leaders, too. I say that after dealing with countless business owners who have said “I trust my gut” when making important decisions about marketing or other strategies. What [...]
I’ve long found it amusing (and amazingly frustrating) that the two departments focused on driving most companies’ revenues are rarely in sync with one another. Often, their conflicts rise to the level of sworn enemies. Instead of taking a symbiotic approach, both departments avoid and sidestep each other, impairing their success and that of their employers. [...]
I learned a long time ago that a large part of serving as the marketing partner for companies is acting as a translator and cultural attaché. No, I’m not multilingual or an expert in etiquette, but so much of what we do involves bridging gaps between people. In fact, it’s rare to find a company or [...]
There’s an old-fashioned marketing tool that’s become even more powerful in our age of digital marketing. It’s called split testing, and it can help you refine your marketing efforts so they become far more effective. Some of today’s companies are unfamiliar with split testing (also referred to as A/B split testing) or assume that since it’s [...]
I was excited to open it. The website had been compelling, and the box was beautifully designed. The product was exactly as advertised. And then I saw the sheet. It was a simple slip of paper, containing the assembly instructions, apparently cranked out on the company’s photocopier. The text was skewed on the page, so whoever [...]
The disagreement grew increasingly intense. His frustration was obvious as he angrily snapped, “I’m the customer! I’m always right!” I didn’t yell back. I simply resigned his business. “The customer is always right” is an outgrowth of the intense competition among early big-city retailers. 19th century titans like John Wanamaker and Marshall Field wisely emphasized customer [...]
We’ve all heard a photo is worth a thousand words, but if you’re in the business of making or selling products, you might be surprised to learn there’s a better alternative that’s worth infinitely more than those thousand words.Marketing and advertising efforts took a giant step forward when high-quality photography became available. Photos offered not only [...]
The marketing director worked hard on the new campaign and convinced the CFO to budget extra dollars for the launch. It was an exciting promotion with an impossible-to-ignore offer that was certain to boost sales to new highs. Only one problem: nobody told the sales team about it. So an hour after the email blast went [...]
