Paying Attention to Results Builds Strong Teams
I have to admit; I do change my mind on occasion. So, this blog delivers on my prior blog’s promise to address Patrick Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, but not fear of conflict. I think Lencioni positioned Inattention to Results at the top of his 5-part pyramid for a good reason. Addressing...
Is Your Team Dysfunctional? Build Trust First
Several days ago, I listened to one of The Impact On Leadership (IOS) podcasts with moderator Steve Scherrer interviewing Carthage College President John Swallow. I was intrigued for several reasons. First, we currently employ a talented Carthage intern and are excited about Carthage’s new School...
Marketing Techniques Change, But Good Marketing Principles Don’t
Twitter just rebranded itself as “X.” Our industry is still buzzing about ChatGPT that, by January 2023, became the fastest-growing consumer software application in history. And before that Tik Tok made its arrival. And before that social media influencers were big. And before that... They all...
These 10 Tips Will Get You Better Results from LinkedIn
If you're an executive on LinkedIn, you may be wondering how to get more out of your efforts on it. Here are 10 tips to make you more effective and make your experience using LinkedIn more meaningful. Or at least gain more positive results from your efforts. LinkedIn is simply a tool that helps...
Win in Your Marketplace By Making Strategic Decisions
I like to learn from others’ mistakes so I don’t have to make them myself. Even better is to learn from a fellow CEO’s success, especially when the story of success looked like a failure at first glance. Cindy D’Aoust, president of American Queen Voyages, has an interesting situation playing out...
Grip the Minds and Hearts of Customers with Your Company Story
Why Storytelling We all know the power of great stories whether told by humorist Mark Twain or directed for the screen by Martin Scorsese. When marketing your company, remember that storytelling can move your audience in such a way that they remember your company and its products and services, not...
Why Every CEO Needs to Be on LinkedIn Right Now
Business owners and their sales teams often complain about business-to-business selling: too many people are involved in the buying decision; the buying cycle stretching out longer and longer; profit margins being shaved off at the last minute. Some even blame the Internet for complicating their...
Testimonials and Reviews Give You Bragging Rights Without You Bragging
Too often business owners neglect to commit time to something critical after a project is finished—asking the satisfied customer for a testimonial or review. I had an interesting experience recently while working with a client who is an architect and general contractor of custom designed homes. A...
Marketers’ Generational Biases Often Miss The Mark
I never know where I’ll find the next marketing gem, but they do appear from time to time. This time it’s about generational bias in marketing, appearing in the "IdeaWatch" section of the January-February 2022 issue of Harvard Business Review. It’s based on a white paper called “Swiss Influencer...
Much to Celebrate During National Small Business Week
This is National Small Business Week—April 30 through May 6—the week to celebrate businesses defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as having no more than 1,500 employees and a maximum of $41.5 million in average annual receipts. You guessed it. That’s a lot of businesses! In fact,...
How Does Your Company Measure Sales Success?
How does your company measure sales success? Is it a full funnel? Is it the number of leads generated? Is it the number of sales closed in a month? No question, metrics are an important measure of success. But a measure of what success? What sales and marketing strategy have you put in place in...
Win More Customers with Digital Marketing
If it seems like everything is digital today, it’s not your imagination. Traditional media, like newspapers, TV, and print magazines are gasping to survive. Meanwhile, digital marketing media has grown continuously since 2011. Time spent (in minutes) viewing traditional marketing media has dropped...
Make Your Website Stand Out From The Others
Great websites do stand out from others. These website are easily found, build trust, and make it easy for visitors to discover what they're looking for, so they can take the next step. A great website is not about just creating a beautiful design, but about creating a device to convert first time...
5 Ways to Make Email Marketing Work for You
A common question new clients ask me is “Which marketing channel will give me the best return on my dollar?” That’s a good question, in any economy, but especially now. I come up with one consistent answer—Email Marketing. With an average ROI of $45 for each dollar spent, it’s a good choice and...
5 Pillars of Successful Brand Building
Branding companies and their products and services is what I do. As a marketer, I know it’s at the center of helping my clients get recognized, grow and stay top of mind with customers. I’ve distilled forty years of “branding” expertise down to five basic tenants I call “The Pillars of Branding.”...
Is Yours a “Yes, and” Company Culture?
Many of you remember the improv show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” You laughed and marveled as Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, and Colin Mochrie created hilarious skits from a few words tossed to them by Drew Carey and audience members. Their quick wit depended on the “Yes, and” theory that’s not just...
4 Things You Need To Do To Survive a Recession
If, as predicted, a 2023 recession challenges businesses, will you survive it? Here are 4 things you can start to do now to prepare for a recession. Big Tech companies are laying off employees by the thousands. Google is the latest, laying off 12,000. I think it’s a bellwether. Many economists are...
5 Things To Do If Writing Intimidates You
This happens to be a timely topic for me since I’ve resolved to write more often in 2023. And not just more often—daily. For good reason too. It’s one of the best ways to overcome all of the following: writers block, fear of putting thoughts out to the world, and a topic tank on empty. No matter...
4 Exceptional Ways to Keep More Customers in 2023
2023 has arrived with a bang. Happy New Year. You know what would make it really happy for me? Having a crystal ball that can read the minds of my clients. That way I could know what they were thinking. Are they truly happy with my company’s output? Do they value our involvement with their...
Want to Live a Healthier Life in 2023? Have Fun!
Listening to a Ted Talk on a recent road trip, I discovered FUN expert Catherine Price. Her Ted Talk “Why having fun is the secret to a healthier life” addressed both my fun goal for the holiday and one of my new year’s resolutions – leading a healthier life. So, I listened and discovered a few...
Know the Top Color For 2023 is Viva Magenta
Know the Top Color For 2023 is Viva Magenta The Pantone Color Institute, the global color authority, has picked its 2023 Color of the Year. This color choice will affect the graphic design, fashion, beauty, and home décor industries. Even technology, so it’s a big deal. The institute has...
2 PR Must Do’s for 2023
Is it advertising, marketing or PR? Have you ever wondered what is the difference between advertising, marketing, and PR? Writer S. H. Simmons nails it. “If a young man tells his date how handsome, smart and successful he is – that’s advertising. If the young man tells his date she’s intelligent,...
Business Challenges: Does Your Business Have An “Achilles Heel”?
Business Challenges: Does Your Business Have An “Achilles Heel”? Most businesses have a strategic weakness. Let’s find and fix yours
3 Sales Headaches Executives Can Avoid
#1 Too Much Focus on Low Price Having the lowest price is not a strategy. It’s suicide. A company that can only sell its goods and services when they are at the lowest price has a serious problem. Deep discounts, special concessions, and constant “doorbuster” sales indicate the company has a weak...
6 Powerful Things You Gain When You Own Your Market
The company that owns its markets wins big. Consider the following benefits of market ownership: First Choice The company that owns its market is usually “brand dominant”—the first to be considered. It is the “logical choice” or one of only a few considered in the purchase process. This is the...
What Businesses Can Learn from Gonzaga
I love basketball. Played it in high school even if it was split court in the good old days of girls’ basketball when forwards and guards never crossed the center line and were restricted to two short dribbles. Good thing that ended! However, Monday night's Baylor victory over Gonzaga was painful...