I would like to tell you a story about the significance of brand management. The other day, I was enjoying a cup of coffee with one of my referral partners. She was telling me about a situation her company recently encountered where the owner realized that his brand identity was in jeopardy. This was of…
“Never Leave Your Selling Shoes at the Door”
May 14, 2013 By
Many years ago, my first manager shared with me a valuable piece of advice shortly after starting my new job. Granted, there were a lot of ‘words of wisdom’ that first year in my career, but this one piece stands out as I have called upon it many times since then. No matter what your…
Opportunities Unlimited
May 9, 2013 By
I am amazed at the countless opportunities companies have to market themselves. No matter the business event I am attending, you will find representatives from radio, magazine, newspaper, online, promotional, printing, special coupon advertising, etc. Beyond that are more specific advertising sales professionals from various art venues like the Aronoff, Riverbend, the Pops, and Playhouse.…
Which Is It?
May 7, 2013 By
It is very common to get caught up in the daily responsibilities of running a business. Calling on clients, invoicing, returning calls, attending meetings, lunch appointments, networking…the list can go on and on. We can get so focused on working “in” the business that we forget to work “on” the business. The long-term success of…
“Fire, Ready, Aim!”
May 2, 2013 By
A wise man once said to me that when it comes to marketing a great philosophy to follow is “Fire, ready, aim!” Those three words couldn’t be more true. Too many times, small business becomes paralyzed by inaction with their marketing. Inaction can be due to: Numerous strategy sessions. Fear of a mistake. Further thought…
Sticking to the Brand
April 30, 2013 By
I recently read an article in the Business Courier that really struck a chord with me about the significance of branding. The company featured was a Cincinnati favorite, Graeter’s. Graeter’s has been doing exceptionally well in recent years: new stores are popping up, ice cream pints of Buckeye Blitz can be found in the freezer…
Never Assume
April 25, 2013 By
No matter the size of a company, confusion and mistakes happen. We do not live in a vacuum, where each day can be predicted and people’s behaviors anticipated. Even though we may have our roles within an organization, there is overlap. But with small business, the overlap tends to be much greater, where people may…
Are You Prepared?
April 23, 2013 By
Remember the days of interviewing for that first big job and all the extra research you did on the company you were meeting with? There were reasons you went to all that extra trouble, but do you remember why? I’m sure that we could all agree that there were several reasons, so let’s list a…
“Earned Media”
April 18, 2013 By
A key component to your marketing plan should involve public relations and the media. But what exactly does this mean? In terms of marketing, many people tend to think of paid advertising when they think of the media. However, an often overlooked piece is something that can cost little to nothing at all. This piece…
Your Brand is Weak!
April 16, 2013 By
I recently went to a bodybuilding event to support my wife who is a figure competitor. Just being there got me thinking about all the hard work that leads up to the final event. The competitors discipline themselves and spend hours in the gym every week, monitor their diet, practice their routines, and then reveal…
