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The Importance of Mission-Driven Marketing

It’s 4:26 a.m. and my alarm goes off for the first time. I hit the snooze and doze off. It buzzes again at 4:31 and the war of voices in my head begins. “Get up and get to the gym,” says one voice. “Stay in bed,” says another. “You ate …

The Ultimate Positioning – Being Known as “My Guy”

My wife is crazy about another man. I’d be jealous, but I’m crazy about him too. He’s my lawn guy Brian. Brian has a small landscaping and lawn maintenance company. His was the third lawn service we tried this past summer. The first two didn’t cut it (pun intended). My …

Marketing Mysteries — The Lost Sales Pitch

Janice Prion and Tim Smith were veteran sales people from Acme Fasteners. Acme was invited to make a sales pitch to Banner Manufacturing for the opportunity to supply fasteners for a huge new product line. Banner also invited Acme’s competitor, Carlyle Fasteners, to make a pitch. Carlyle and Acme went …

What’s Your Brand Personality?

You may have heard the term brand personality being used lately. But what is it, and is it useful as a marketing tool for you? Or just another useless buzzword? What Is It Brand personality is really a set of human characteristics that is associated with a brand. Harley-Davidson might …

The Brand Name Game

Do you know all you need to win? The Brand Name Game… NIKE! Nike, Nike bo Bikey Bonana fanna fo Fike Fee fi mo Mikey, Nike! APPLE! Apple, Apple bo Bapple Bonana fanna fo Fapple Fee fi mo Mapple, Apple! Come on everybody! I say now let’s play a game …

Shale Gas Boom Has Big Impact on Small Business

Everybody wants their share of the shale energy boom. And there’s nothing wrong with that — it’s as American as apple pie. The enormous checks for mineral rights leases that were given out recently in northeastern Ohio have gotten a lot of people excited and talking about a midwest version …

Marketing: Is It Art? Or Is It Science?

Everyone wants to be good at marketing. But few of us truly understand what marketing is, and few can describe it easily. The official definition seems to change each year. All I can do is tell you what it means to me. Marketing Is Power I was drawn to marketing …

Famous Ribs — and Other Marketing Lies

“Your menu says your ribs are famous,” I remark to my waitress. “Do you think I can get their autographs?” She sighs at the lame joke and looks at my wife as if to say “Can’t you control this idiot?” My wife looks back as if she’s saying, “See what I …