It is much easier to be a critic than a creator; easier to respond and react than to innovate and initiate; easier to correct and follow than to map and lead. Opinions flow freely from the comfort of the cheap seats, where no investment in the possibilities of the future is required. Charting new territory … Continue Reading
Stepping down from anything that might resemble a high-horse, we should stipulate that succeeding at enterprise is not a piece-of-cake. There are far more ways to false-start, stumble and falter than one could enumerate — and many of us have first-hand experience with at least a few. That said — and notwithstanding the lessons to … Continue Reading
Ask a dozen professionals from a variety of endeavors to define marketing and you will likely receive variations on two or three different themes. Retailers, B-to-B enterprises, service providers, Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurial start-ups — and everything in between — often view, plan and budget for marketing from unique perspectives. But all of us, unique … Continue Reading
This post is a reprise of a Guest shot for my friend Alicia Arenas (follow Alicia on Twitter), and her March Marketing Madness week. I offer it here knowing that focus always wins. Few things have as much to do with the fabric of our communities as the vision that resides in business leaders. Certainly, … Continue Reading
Time to acknowledge the obvious: few things have had as much impact on the fabric of marketing as has the emergence of “Social Media.” In his book – The Chaos Scenario (see video above) – author, AdAge columnist and NPR commentator Bob Garfield goes as far as heralding the end of mass marketing as we know it. Overstatement? We are, after … Continue Reading
When it comes to communication that is critical to the future, it’s easy to let the negatives we know (and probably understand very well) completely determine the framework of important messages. Case in point — when talking to my teenage daughter about dating, it’s difficult for me not to speak completely out of personal experience, … Continue Reading
For more than twenty years Allen Fuqua has led marketing organizations and efforts in industries in the midst of high-consequence change, including healthcare, professional service consulting and most recently as a CMO in the legal industry. He is not only a colleague, but a friend; and – as the saying goes – most of what … Continue Reading
Look — I don’t want to leave the impression that even in the middle of a high school football game I’m thinking about communication theories. But last week, the Friday night lights of Texas high school gave me a headache. Turns out those lights must trigger a screaming/screeching gene in some grown men and women — … Continue Reading
One of the first questions that must be answered by advertisers, marketers and anyone wishing to communicate an idea in today’s market is what does it take to rise above the noise and connect, as opposed to simply raising the decibel level. And at the risk of being accused of gross oversimplification, I offer this … Continue Reading
As a target-driven business developer, understanding why so many professional service providers (accountants, consultants, lawyers) resist client feedback programs continues to be a puzzle I am unable to solve. Simply put, client feedback is the easiest, most cost effective, highly targeted business development you will ever invest in. Perhaps it harkens back to report card … Continue Reading
