More articles about Marketing, Sales, and Business

Featured image for “Your Business Communication Sucks”

Your Business Communication Sucks

Your company’s marketing sucks big time. Sorry, but it has to be said. So what are you going to do about it?
Featured image for “Marketing To Your Ideal Customer? Be Careful What You Wish For”

Marketing To Your Ideal Customer? Be Careful What You Wish For

Rather than focus everything around a solution-driven proposition, try extending your marketing and lead-generation efforts around creating greater awareness to the factors that contribute to the problem.
Featured image for “Fake It Until You Become It”

Fake It Until You Become It

If you can’t be confident, passionate and enthusiastic about your business value proposition, then how can you reasonably expect your prospective customers to be?
Featured image for “What Does It Mean To Do Business With Your Business?”

What Does It Mean To Do Business With Your Business?

Today’s digital lifestyle is tightly woven into the fabric of a new “networked” customer experience. How relevant is your business in this new world?
Featured image for “How Social Media Puts The “Service” Back Into Customer Service”

How Social Media Puts The “Service” Back Into Customer Service

It seems inevitable that as Customer Service embraces social media, it becomes part of Marketing – which, in reality, it always has been.
Featured image for “Customer Lifetime Value: A Marathon, Not A Sprint.”

Customer Lifetime Value: A Marathon, Not A Sprint.

Companies must assess the real worth of their customers’ business over the course of the buying relationship – and treat them accordingly.
Featured image for “Being The Best In Your Business”

Being The Best In Your Business

Customers need to be sure that you’re the best choice – for them, at this particular point in time, based upon their list of influencing factors. What are you doing to help them make the right choice?
Featured image for “Your Business Is Competing With Apple”

Your Business Is Competing With Apple

Or Coca-Cola. Or McDonald’s. It doesn’t matter if you don’t think you’re competing with such commercial giants. You’re not the one who’s making the comparison. Your customers are.
Featured image for ““Agile” Business Marketing: Repeating and Refining”

“Agile” Business Marketing: Repeating and Refining

Call it persistence, stubbornness or sheer bloody-mindedness, but sometimes marketing your business means doing something knowing that it will fail, simply so that you can do it over and make it a success.
Featured image for “Change Your Business? Change Your Perceptions”

Change Your Business? Change Your Perceptions

If you’re a business owner today, the single most important thing on your mind right now should be focused on how to keep your business value remaining relevant in the minds of your customers. Change is always going to happen. What we see as novel today becomes trite and cliché tomorrow. The challenge is refining your value perception at the
Featured image for “The New Definition Of Business Marketing”

The New Definition Of Business Marketing

Who is responsible for your business marketing? Most would assume that it’s the Marketing department. While that’s still partially true, the responsibility of a company’s marketing has transitioned to a wider sphere.
Featured image for “Selling Margarita Pizza Is Boring”

Selling Margarita Pizza Is Boring

Today’s commercial opportunity exists in the periphery. The product or service that’s been made to appeal to the widest possible audience already exists.
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 “It’s not what you’re selling. It’s what customers are buying.”

It’s not what you’re selling. It’s what customers are buying.

If you want to grow revenues, increase customer satisfaction and drive your brand’s visibility and awareness, then you need realize that “selling” has changed. Customers don’t buy what you sell; they buy what they see as your value to them.
Featured image for “People To People: Business Comes Full Circle”

People To People: Business Comes Full Circle

Every business is a people business. Thanks to a newly-empowered, more demanding customer, businesses must treat their customers as individuals if they are to compete.
Featured image for “Why Small Companies Beat Big Companies”

Why Small Companies Beat Big Companies

Small companies have the flexibility to react to market changes and capitalize on opportunities. Why? Because they have to.
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 “Using Flickr To Help Generate Backlinks”

Using Flickr To Help Generate Backlinks

Flickr (and other image sites) can be an effective backlink strategy for SEO.
Featured image for “Email Marketing: It’s a Question Of Value”

Email Marketing: It’s a Question Of Value

It may not get the headlines any more, but email is still an amazingly effective communication medium.
Featured image for “Buyers Are From Mars, Sellers Are From Venus”

Buyers Are From Mars, Sellers Are From Venus

Buyers and sellers often have different opinions on the reasons of buying a particular product or service.
Featured image for “Trying to Please Everybody Is Pleasing Nobody”

Trying to Please Everybody Is Pleasing Nobody

Trying to please as many people as possible with your marketing ends-up pleasing no-one, as the message gets diluted.
Featured image for “The Price Of Value: When A Gold Card Loses Its Shine”

The Price Of Value: When A Gold Card Loses Its Shine

More and more, customers are looking for product packages centered around them, not the vendor.
Featured image for “Howzat! Communicating Information like Twenty20”

Howzat! Communicating Information like Twenty20

Customer content consumption habits have evolved. Attention spans have decreased. Your marketing information needs to be shorter, sharper, and to-the-point.
Featured image for “There Are Lies, Damn Lies – And Social Media Marketing”

There Are Lies, Damn Lies – And Social Media Marketing

The reason your social media marketing is failing is because you’re missing a key point.
Featured image for “Review: “We Are All Weird” by Seth Godin”

Review: “We Are All Weird” by Seth Godin

Every marketers’ favorite blogger has a new book out.
Featured image for “Fame at Last: KEXINO blog now featured on Alltop!”

Fame at Last: KEXINO blog now featured on Alltop!

We’ve hit the big time. Well done us.
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 “Social Media Hasn’t Killed Company Blogs”

Social Media Hasn’t Killed Company Blogs

Think social media channels means you can kill your blog? Think again.
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 “When’s The Best Time To Change My Company Logo?”

When’s The Best Time To Change My Company Logo?

Your logo is an important marketing asset. But it’s not the most important.
Featured image for ““Google & Microsoft Are History” Video”

“Google & Microsoft Are History” Video

Some great insights from an industry veteran.
Featured image for “Stop Trying To Please Everyone – Or Die Trying”

Stop Trying To Please Everyone – Or Die Trying

Narrowing your target audience with your marketing can help you stand-out from your competition.
Featured image for “QR Codes Aren’t Just For Print”

QR Codes Aren’t Just For Print

QR codes aren’t just for print applications. You can use them for video too.
Featured image for “The Death of “Three Screens”: Content Has No Limits”

The Death of “Three Screens”: Content Has No Limits

New content presentation technologies blur the lines between format and device.
Featured image for “Using Video To Help Launch Your Product / Service”

Using Video To Help Launch Your Product / Service

Adding video to your website not only attracts more visitors, but it can help keep them on your site for longer.
Featured image for “The Future Of Magazines – and it’s not (just) the iPad”

The Future Of Magazines – and it’s not (just) the iPad

The future of publishing is in developing content on an open platform that’s compatible with a variety of devices – and that means HTML5, not iOS, Android Windows Phone or any other proprietary system.
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 “Keeping Your Fans Happy With New Content”

Keeping Your Fans Happy With New Content

Saying the same as everyone else, just to post something out there, is a surefire way to irrelevance.
Featured image for “Vid.ly: The Biggest Development In Online Video?”

Vid.ly: The Biggest Development In Online Video?

An interesting new player (sic) in the video space.
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 “The Attention Span Of A Goldfish”

The Attention Span Of A Goldfish

Keep your communication short, sharp – and simple.
Featured image for “Playing To Win In Business”

Playing To Win In Business

Today’s marketing is about going all-in.
Featured image for “Think Different”

Think Different

Being different is the only tactic that makes any sense. So why do so few businesses waste their time/money with playing it safe?
Featured image for “Saying What You Mean”

Saying What You Mean

It is easy to confuse your target market by using what they might consider to be strange or unusual vocabulary.
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 “Where’s the Center of Your World?  You’re Already There”

Where’s the Center of Your World? You’re Already There

Geographic location no longer has the advantage – or disadvantage – it had.
Featured image for “The Price Of Everything, The Value Of Nothing.”

The Price Of Everything, The Value Of Nothing.

Relying on price as being your main selling point positions your value offering as a commodity – and a race to the bottom.
Featured image for “How Long Did It Take You To Learn How To Ride A Bike?”

How Long Did It Take You To Learn How To Ride A Bike?

The time it takes to learn a new skill.
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 “Bad Marketing Is Worse Than No Marketing”

Bad Marketing Is Worse Than No Marketing

Lazy, incompetent marketers have less places to hide.
Featured image for “How Do You Make A Sculpture Of A Duck?”

How Do You Make A Sculpture Of A Duck?

As a sculptor removes the superfluous, your marketing must remove the unnecessary in order to reach your target audience. Keep your messaging short, sharp and to the point.

Online Video: Much More Than Just YouTube

People like watching moving pictures more than static ones.
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.

Why Video Speaks Louder Than Words

Your text-only website was fine five years ago. But today, customers expect more.
Featured image for “Business Designs On Commerce”

Business Designs On Commerce

How you present something is at least as important as what you present.
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 “The Right Person For The Job”

The Right Person For The Job

Your in-house marketer is great at social media, but their web chops aren’t all that? That’s perfectly normal.
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 “Are you Persuading, Informing, or Re-affirming?”

Are you Persuading, Informing, or Re-affirming?

Customers will resist marketing sales and messages that do not resonate with their own way of thinking.
Featured image for “Blending Into The Crowd: The Problem With Price Comparison Sites”

Blending Into The Crowd: The Problem With Price Comparison Sites

If all you have to go on is your pricing being lower, you’re on a one-way ticket to irrelevance.
Featured image for “Saying No to ‘No’”

Saying No to ‘No’

Dear Middle-Managers: Stop being part of the problem.
Featured image for “The Importance Of A Content Marketing Strategy”

The Importance Of A Content Marketing Strategy

Blasting messaging without a clear content marketing strategy is doomed to failure.
Featured image for “What Does Your Company Sell?”

What Does Your Company Sell?

Are you selling price, or customer value?
Featured image for “Don’t Blame The Tools For Your Lousy Presentation”

Don’t Blame The Tools For Your Lousy Presentation

The reason your PowerPoint sucks is because you’re expecting the software to do your work for you.
Featured image for “Is Conventional Marketing Dead?”

Is Conventional Marketing Dead?

If conventional marketing is dead, it actually died a long time ago.
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 “Companies Don’t Control Their Brands: Customers Do. It’s Time To Rebrand Branding”

Companies Don’t Control Their Brands: Customers Do. It’s Time To Rebrand Branding

Think you control your brand? Think again.
Featured image for “Has The Term “Outsourcing” Become Obsolete?”

Has The Term “Outsourcing” Become Obsolete?

Business process outsourcing hasn’t just changed the way companies of all sizes operate and deliver their business value. Its presence can be felt in pretty much every level and department.
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.
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Russian Roulette

Marketing without targeting is like a broken pencil: pointless.

Who’s Damaging Your Brand?

Customers are looking at every touchpoint they see of your business – and judging you accordingly.
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