More articles about Marketing, Sales, and Business

Featured image for “The Importance of Marketing Strategy in Today’s Evolving Free Market”

The Importance of Marketing Strategy in Today’s Evolving Free Market

Any great marketing strategy has at its core a deep and fundamental understanding of customer behavior.
Featured image for “Choosing The Right Marketing Agency For Your Small Business”

Choosing The Right Marketing Agency For Your Small Business

Is your marketing agency a ‘supplier’, or a ‘partner’? Here are some tips on evaluating your current marketing firm, and what to consider if you’re looking for a new one.
Featured image for “Better Business Marketing Means Having A Better Business”

Better Business Marketing Means Having A Better Business

At its most fundamental, marketing is about effecting change. The challenge is educating, informing and/or entertaining your audience to be perceived as the change you want to happen.
Featured image for “Why The GDPR Will Improve Your Marketing”

Why The GDPR Will Improve Your Marketing

The European Union’s GDPR legislation provides perhaps the single biggest opportunity for businesses of all sizes (and locations) to improve their marketing performance.
Featured image for “Most Business Marketing Advice is Wrong”

Most Business Marketing Advice is Wrong

Most advice from so-called marketing gurus aren’t worth the blogs they’re written on. That’s because most of them have little basis in reality and are merely regurgitations of everyone else’s marketing articles with the same hopeless and ineffective ideas.
Featured image for “Why “Good Enough” Leads To Marketing Mediocrity”

Why “Good Enough” Leads To Marketing Mediocrity

“Good Enough” is no longer good enough. Today’s business marketing successes are where someone refused to accept the status quo, and instead set out to change a fundamental rule of that industry.
Featured image for “Growing A Business: When Bigger Isn’t Better”

Growing A Business: When Bigger Isn’t Better

The problem with building widgets faster and more cheaply is that you’re assuming the demand for those widgets will never wane – but that day will surely come. Today the innovation opportunity lies in the ability to address more transient customer needs.
Featured image for “Sales Lead Nurturing: Keeping Prospects On The Boil”

Sales Lead Nurturing: Keeping Prospects On The Boil

Lead nurturing is the process of building relationships, reputation and trust with sales prospects in ways that are consistent, timely and relevant.
Featured image for “Selling Means Knowing When To Shut Up”

Selling Means Knowing When To Shut Up

I don’t want salespeople repeating marketing copy or technical specifications from the website. If I want a parrot, I’ll buy one.
Featured image for “Small Business Marketing: You Can’t Be Half Pregnant”

Small Business Marketing: You Can’t Be Half Pregnant

Your business marketing is struggling because your value proposition is no longer perceived as having the same relevance with its target audience.
Featured image for “Sorry, HBR. Marketing is most certainly NOT dead.”

Sorry, HBR. Marketing is most certainly NOT dead.

Marketing is everything from what you sell, to how you sell it. To say that Marketing is dead is like saying that business itself is dead.
Featured image for “Every Business Is A Global Business: The Illusion Of Location”

Every Business Is A Global Business: The Illusion Of Location

20 years ago the very fact your business was local was enough for customers to buy from you. Today that’s no longer enough.
Featured image for “Even The Best Salesperson Can’t Save a Poor Product”

Even The Best Salesperson Can’t Save a Poor Product

Today – more than ever – you better make sure that your product delivers on its promise. In today’s connected-customer environment where product information is so freely available, the sales division can no longer cover-up product weaknesses in the same way that it used to.
Featured image for “Business Change Is Inevitable”

Business Change Is Inevitable

If you’re not happy with the way things are going, what fundamental, radical, extra-ordinary changes are you prepared to make to your business to change things?
Featured image for ““Fight or Flight” Business Marketing”

“Fight or Flight” Business Marketing

The vast majority of companies aren’t very good at producing marketing experiences that pass the “Fight or Flight” test. I’ll go as far as to say that I’m betting that your company is one of them.
Featured image for “Marketing Your Business Means Simplifying Your Business”

Marketing Your Business Means Simplifying Your Business

When marketing your business value to customers it’s imperative to match your communication to their expectation level at the time.
Featured image for “Trying To Out-Google Customers: Why You’ll Lose At Web Search”

Trying To Out-Google Customers: Why You’ll Lose At Web Search

Don’t try to go up against your customers when it comes to content for web search results. You won’t win.
Featured image for “Dollar Shave Club: Definitely Standing Out”

Dollar Shave Club: Definitely Standing Out

The genius of how a young upstart took on the big guns.
Featured image for “If Your Business Doesn’t Stand Out, it’s Invisible.”

If Your Business Doesn’t Stand Out, it’s Invisible.

Today it’s about standing out, not fitting in. It’s the only way that your customers can see you. So, why do so many businesses choose to blend in, rather than stand out? One word: Fear.
Featured image for “Marketing Is About People, Not Technology”

Marketing Is About People, Not Technology

Business marketing today is not about the technology behind the initiatives. It is about connecting and providing value to meet customer expectations.
Featured image for “Yesterday’s Marketing Doesn’t Work Today”

Yesterday’s Marketing Doesn’t Work Today

We don’t care about marketing because most marketing doesn’t care about us. Businesses need to create an environment where customers will market stuff to each other.
Featured image for “Shouting Can’t Compete With Storytelling”

Shouting Can’t Compete With Storytelling

Today’s communication is less about shouting your message AT your customers, and more about telling your story TO them. Creativity is the new currency.
Featured image for “Customer Experience: The Difference Between Marketing & Selling”

Customer Experience: The Difference Between Marketing & Selling

How is your business promoting its value offering? Are you still talking about acronyms, minutiae and and techno-jargon that no-one but you and your staff care about?
Featured image for “Customer Communication: Stop Talking Gibberish”

Customer Communication: Stop Talking Gibberish

Customers today are more demanding than ever before. They’re smarter than ever before. Because they have more knowledge – and therefore more POWER, than they have ever had. So why should they buy from you, as opposed to the company down the street, or the next town – or half way across the world?
Featured image for “21st Century Sales and Marketing”

21st Century Sales and Marketing

Update your marketing perceptions to delivery more effective customer campaigns.
Featured image for “Less Shouting, More Communicating: Advertising Grows Up”

Less Shouting, More Communicating: Advertising Grows Up

Customers are more savvy than many marketers give them credit.
Featured image for “Business Value Can Be Stating The Obvious”

Business Value Can Be Stating The Obvious

What’s obvious to you may not be so obvious to your customer.
Featured image for “The Greatest Customer Service Strategy”

The Greatest Customer Service Strategy

What’s the best customer service strategy? The answer is more obviously than you may imagine.
Featured image for “Risk & Assumption: Making An Ass Out Of U and Me”

Risk & Assumption: Making An Ass Out Of U and Me

Assuming anything in the customer buying journey makes as ass out of you and me.
Featured image for “When All Businesses Are Remarkable, They’re All The Same”

When All Businesses Are Remarkable, They’re All The Same

You cannot position your company based upon attributes that can be used by your competition. Your business value proposition needs to be something that the other guys can’t claim as their own.
Featured image for “Cold Calling Sales Conversation Over A Ruby Murray”

Cold Calling Sales Conversation Over A Ruby Murray

Cold sales calls haven’t died. They’ve evolved.
Featured image for “Content Isn’t Everything. It’s The Only Thing.”

Content Isn’t Everything. It’s The Only Thing.

Few businesses take the content of their customer-facing collateral as seriously as they should.
Featured image for “Middlemen Are An Endangered Species”

Middlemen Are An Endangered Species

The irrelevance of intermediaries.
Featured image for “Maintaining Credibility In The Eyes Of Your Customer”

Maintaining Credibility In The Eyes Of Your Customer

If you don’t seem credible to your customer, they’ll buy elsewhere.
Featured image for “It’s not WHAT you sell, it’s WHY you sell”

It’s not WHAT you sell, it’s WHY you sell

Customers buy into why you’re in business, as much (or even more) than what you’re selling.
Featured image for “Review: “Enchantment” by Guy Kawasaki”

Review: “Enchantment” by Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki’s new book “Enchantment” talks about the importance to go the extra mile in customer service and satisfaction before, during, and after the sale.
Featured image for “Media Companies: Stop Trying To Save The Past”

Media Companies: Stop Trying To Save The Past

Media companies will fail in their efforts to put obstacles in the way of content distribution.
Featured image for “Why Didn’t I Think Of That? Asking The Right Business Questions”

Why Didn’t I Think Of That? Asking The Right Business Questions

Asking questions is only important if you’re prepared to act on the answers – no matter how painful they may be.
Featured image for “Mainstream Media Is Broken: The Growth Of Online”

Mainstream Media Is Broken: The Growth Of Online

In the same way as publishers, newspapers & music companies before them, film studios must change to a customer-centric model in order to survive.
Featured image for “Stop Selling”

Stop Selling

There’s one common trait that the best sales and marketing people all seem to possess: Passion.
Featured image for “Don’t Be An Expert”

Don’t Be An Expert

Don’t have all the answers? That’s fine – none of us do.
Featured image for “Show Your Customers Some Love”

Show Your Customers Some Love

The world needs more lovecats.
Featured image for “Building Real Customer Relations”

Building Real Customer Relations

The importance of building real, authentic, and lasting relationships.
Featured image for “It’s Not Voodoo. It’s Marketing”

It’s Not Voodoo. It’s Marketing

Social media marketing isn’t a quicker route to the pot of gold.
Featured image for “Change Your Business, Or Watch It Die”

Change Your Business, Or Watch It Die

Change is a given. React and adapt – or die.
Featured image for “Do you have Followers, Fans or Evangelists?”

Do you have Followers, Fans or Evangelists?

Getting your customers to help out with your marketing. Why? Because they want to.
Featured image for “The Fragility Of A Business Model”

The Fragility Of A Business Model

Disrupt your own business and industry – before your competition does.
Featured image for “Friendship Is The New Partnership”

Friendship Is The New Partnership

We don’t have customers – at least, we don’t see them as such. Instead, we have friends that we do business with.
Featured image for “Start With “Employee Service” and “Customer Service” Will Follow”

Start With “Employee Service” and “Customer Service” Will Follow

Your employees are your first-line brand ambassadors. Treat them well.
Featured image for “Today’s Game Is About Changing The Game”

Today’s Game Is About Changing The Game

The fact remains: your industry and customer expectations will change. You can either lead that change, or follow it.
Featured image for “Asking For Permission With Your Marketing”

Asking For Permission With Your Marketing

Seth Godin’s “Permission Marketing” was ahead of its time.
Featured image for “Do As I Say, Not As I Do”

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

There has to be buy-in at every company level in order for any marketing initiative to truly work.
Featured image for “Customers Are Lazy”

Customers Are Lazy

Regardless of the size of your company, customers are expecting it to be as easy to do business with you as with some of the biggest companies in the world.
Featured image for “Taking The Initiative”

Taking The Initiative

Maybe your customers aren’t asking you about something because they’re getting answers from someone else.
Featured image for “Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail”

Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail

If you don’t have a marketing budget, you don’t have a marketing plan. Which means you’re going to fail.
Featured image for “Spoilt for Choice”

Spoilt for Choice

Customers are spoilt for choice. How do you make them choose you rather than the competition?
Featured image for “If We Build It, They Will Come”

If We Build It, They Will Come

Whether it’s tradeshows, PR, social media or whatever else: today you need to be in the minds of your target market before the show starts.
Featured image for “Your Business Isn’t “The Best”. Stop Lying To Everyone”

Your Business Isn’t “The Best”. Stop Lying To Everyone

You’re NOT the best at what you do. If you were, you wouldn’t have to say it.
Featured image for “Saying No to ‘No’”

Saying No to ‘No’

Dear Middle-Managers: Stop being part of the problem.
Featured image for “What Does Your Company Sell?”

What Does Your Company Sell?

Are you selling price, or customer value?
Featured image for “Are Your Salespeople Selling? Or Are They Begging?”

Are Your Salespeople Selling? Or Are They Begging?

If all you are doing is asking for the sale, then you are not selling. You’re just begging the customer for the order.
Featured image for “2010: The Year Of The Video”

2010: The Year Of The Video

Your company can no longer afford to ignore the potential that online video offers for your business value messaging.
Featured image for “New Thinking For A New Decade”

New Thinking For A New Decade

If you’re marketing this decade like you marketed the last decade, you will most likely be disappointed with your results.
Featured image for “It’s Not What You Know…It’s Who You Know”

It’s Not What You Know…It’s Who You Know

How the internet, and social networks, have helped break down barriers to commerce.
Featured image for “Do the Right Thing: Fire Your Worst Customers”

Do the Right Thing: Fire Your Worst Customers

Not all customers are worthy of your time.
Featured image for “Small Business Marketing: The Future’s Mobile”

Small Business Marketing: The Future’s Mobile

The mobile internet is coming fast. How does your company plan to take advantage of the opportunity that online mobile devices will provide?
Featured image for “Apples To Apples: Comparing Your Business To The Competition”

Apples To Apples: Comparing Your Business To The Competition

Don’t be afraid, or in denial, about your business competitors. You know they exist, so do your customers. So stop pretending.
Featured image for “The Thrill Of The (Sales) Chase: But Don’t Forget Existing Customers”

The Thrill Of The (Sales) Chase: But Don’t Forget Existing Customers

Selling to new customers is great. But selling to existing customers is easier and cheaper.
Featured image for “Hanging On The Telephone”

Hanging On The Telephone

Unscrupulous sales behavior always gets found out.
Featured image for “Now What Do You Do?”

Now What Do You Do?

Know your market. Existing customers need different collateral to new ones.
Featured image for “Your Customers Don’t Care”

Your Customers Don’t Care

If you’ve got nothing worth saying, why should they bother listening?
Featured image for “A Taste Of Your Own Medicine”

A Taste Of Your Own Medicine

Stand in your own queue.
Featured image for “Trash The Template”

Trash The Template

Are you re-using the same old sales proposal that you’ve used for the past three years? Copying and pasting the content and simply changing some details to fit? It’s important to break your business out of its routine now and again.
Featured image for “Want To Change The Business Game? Then Change the Rules”

Want To Change The Business Game? Then Change the Rules

There are hundreds of ways of changing the game. Most established companies can’t – or won’t – do it, because they see it as upsetting the status quo and destabilizing their own business model.
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