Posted on July 21, 2008 by cpmccrory
We’ve been interviewing a number of local PR agencies lately, and I have to say, for the most part, it has been a disappointing exercise. They talk and talk without truly understanding that this is the equivalent of a job interview, and we expect them to be at the top of their game. [...]
Filed under: Communication, Consumer Experience, Promotion Strategy, Sales, brand strategy, message | Tagged: agencies, agency, clients, pitches, PR | No Comments »
Posted on July 15, 2008 by cpmccrory
Here’s a quick question for you. When you sell to your customers, what are you doing to ensure their success? This most likely is targeted to you B2B folks, but it could go to just about anyone selling anything.
Because to the best companies, selling isn’t just about the sale. Or even the [...]
Filed under: Customer Service, Sales, brand strategy | Tagged: B2B, Customer Service, Sales | No Comments »
Posted on July 8, 2008 by cpmccrory
I set up some Google Alerts for certain keywords I want to track. One of the neat things about the alerts is that they can include blog posts and new web pages. Some of what I am finding is a bit perverse. Fortunately, the limited execution should mean a short life.
It happens [...]
Filed under: Advertising, Promotion Strategy, brand strategy, marketing | Tagged: ads, Advertising, blogs, marketing, posts, promotion, web 2.0 | No Comments »
Posted on June 30, 2008 by cpmccrory
Segmentation is a difficult thing to wrangle sometimes. When internet-based sales starting picking up steam ten years ago, people weren’t sure how to respond, though the thought process really shouldn’t have been much different than for catalog sales. The main difference is that the catalog was now online and accessible to anyone who [...]
Filed under: Consumer Experience, Customer Service, Marketing Integration, Pricing, Sales, brand strategy | Tagged: branding, catalog, internet sales, online, pricing strategy, sales channel | No Comments »
Posted on June 20, 2008 by cpmccrory
Many companies approach managing their brand in one of two ways. Some will take a conservative approach, wanting to stay true to the brand and not take too many, if any, risks. Others focus on shiny new objects, looking to use the latest and greatest or the next hot thing.
For a company’s long-term [...]
Filed under: brand strategy, growth | Tagged: balance, branding, growth, strategy | No Comments »
Posted on June 19, 2008 by cpmccrory
I am working on a new project that started with one purpose but morphed into another because of one “little” question: What is it we are really selling? At first glance, the answer may be obvious, but as you dig deeper and talk with your customers, you’re likely to find there’s more to it [...]
Filed under: Market Research, brand strategy, marketing | Tagged: branding, Coca-Cola, Communication, Honda, message, positioning | No Comments »
Posted on June 18, 2008 by cpmccrory
On Monday, I wrote a piece focusing on what Apple is doing from a business perspective to out maneuver PCs. My intention was to stay out of the PC versus Mac debate. In fact, I wanted to take a neutral position. Instead, my statement that “neither one is truly better than the [...]
Filed under: Communication, Promotion Strategy, brand strategy | Tagged: Apple, branding, loyalty, Mac, PC, volume, Windows | No Comments »
Posted on June 17, 2008 by cpmccrory
Well, we knew the time was coming when airlines would start charging us for darn near everything. Now they’re going to charge us for the first bag we check. Forget the fact that most travelers will attempt to cram everything into a carry-on bag too big to fit in any overhead compartment. [...]
Filed under: Customer Service, Pricing, Promotion Strategy, brand strategy | Tagged: airlines, baggage, gas, hedging, luggage, options, Pricing | No Comments »
Posted on June 16, 2008 by cpmccrory
I’ve never really gotten into, nor understood for that matter, the ongoing fight between PC and Mac users. Each has its own features, benefits and drawbacks and caters to two distinct audiences. Neither one is truly better than the other. As things progress, each one is nudging closer to the other, blurring [...]
Filed under: Brand Value, Consumer Experience, Customer Service, Promotion Strategy, brand strategy, marketing | Tagged: Apple, loyalty, Mac, PC, switching costs | 7 Comments »
Posted on June 11, 2008 by cpmccrory
One of the main changes we face when we marry is a change in our identity. That same identity changes even more when kids enter the picture. Notice I said change and not loss. It’s an important distinction, because you still are who you are, just in a different context that includes [...]
Filed under: Marketing Integration, brand strategy, marketing | Tagged: brand, identity, Image, logo, partnership | No Comments »