Tag: marketing strategy

Why Profiling is Good For You

diversity, profiling, marketing segmentation, targeting, positioning, writing copy, targeting minority audiences

I’ve been in marketing for many, many years — in fact, I could say for most of my life. I grew up in a family-owned business that I was forced to work in at a very young age. My father had some unique ways of promoting his business that my brother and I were conscripted into. One of those was riding through the streets and neighborhoods of Milwaukee as our dad drove a van painted with do-nut characters, with speakers on the top blaring out Chuck Berry songs. Continue reading “Why Profiling is Good For You”

6 Steps and 6 Days to an Effective Content Strategy: Day 4

content marketing, content management, content strategy, strategic marketing, marketing strategically, strategic communicationsJazz Jones has a clear focus on her goals, objectives and her target audience. She knows who she’s attempting to influence and she’s done thorough research into their AIOs (activities, interests and opinions). Now, she’s ready for the next important step in creating a content strategy. Continue reading “6 Steps and 6 Days to an Effective Content Strategy: Day 4”

Small Business and Content Marketing: Opportunities Abound but Strategy is Key

Content Marketing Institute’s 2015 “Small Business Marketing Trends-North America” study, sponsored by Copyblogger Media’s Rainmaker platform, focuses on how small business marketers are changing their marketing practices. It also points to some potential opportunities for these small businesses and others to better leverage the value that content marketing can provide. Chief among the keys to content marketing success is having a strategy. Continue reading “Small Business and Content Marketing: Opportunities Abound but Strategy is Key”

Don’t Create Strategies or Tactics Without These Critical Insights

by Linda Pophal

 

So, you’re in the market for a strategic marketing professional. You’ve screened hundreds of applicants, and it’s down to the handful you’ve picked to invite in for interviews. But this is an inherently creative position, and cookie-cutter interview questions about an applicant’s past experience or about their evaluation of their own qualifications might not give you enough insight to pick the right man or woman for the job. Continue reading “Don’t Create Strategies or Tactics Without These Critical Insights”

Think Before You Give That Next Customer Discount

A few years ago I was lamenting my cable bill with a friend who told me she had recently told her cable company she wanted to cancel her service because, based on how little she watched TV, she couldn’t justify the monthly fee. Rather than lose a customer, the cable company offered a steep discount. I’ve heard of others who have used the same strategy successfully.

I recently came across a Harvard Business Review piece called “The Downside of Discounts,” which reminded me of these cable company discounts. Continue reading “Think Before You Give That Next Customer Discount”

Are You Engaged in Marketing Malpractice?

I responded to a reporter’s query this week related to best (or I should say worst!) practices in marketing. His question was related to “marketing tactics that don’t work.” I had two initial thoughts about that query:

  • I definitely believe that many of the marketing tactics being deployed today are ineffective—not worth the time or money spent on them and not generating relevant results
  • The reason this is true, though, is not because of the tactic–but because of the strategy, or lack thereof Continue reading “Are You Engaged in Marketing Malpractice?”

How Can You Measure Your Advertising Effectiveness?

It’s very important for businesses of any size to track the results of their marketing campaigns. Small businesses, in particular, are often “budget-challenged,” so it is especially important that they know that their marketing efforts are achieving desired results. The biggest benefit is that they will have information to tell them how to use their marketing budget most effectively.
There are a variety of ways they might track the effectiveness of these campaigns: Continue reading “How Can You Measure Your Advertising Effectiveness?”

#1 Marketing Tip

  • What does it take to be an effective healthcare marketer?
  • What does it take to be an effective B2B marketer?
  • What does it take to be an effective retail marketers?

Regardless of the audience asking, or the way the question is posed, my #1 recommendation is always a two-part recommendation and it’s one that I convey to clients and students communicating in both internal and external settings. Continue reading “#1 Marketing Tip”

What to Avoid When Marketing to Women? Defining the Audience Too Broadly

Marketers often pose questions like: “What are the best practices when marketing to women?” In my opinion, that question is far too broad. Women are not a homogeneous market segment. There are a myriad of variations among them. I was recently asked this question; here’s how I responded: Continue reading “What to Avoid When Marketing to Women? Defining the Audience Too Broadly”

How to Generate Leads With a Limited Marketing Budget

In our technology-driven world, the good news for marketers is that lead generation does not have to take a huge investment. Traditional media still have a place, but the Internet and social media make it more cost-effective than ever to raise awareness, generate leads and ultimately create sales.
The process of lead generation is the same as it ever was, but Continue reading “How to Generate Leads With a Limited Marketing Budget”