I’m helping a friend in a job search. He wants to move on from his current employer. His job is stressful, it has plenty of unknowns and its industry is in flux. I understand his need for change. But, as he looks for alternative careers, he has to realize that many of the problems he thinks [...]

Years from now, will we look back and realize that Apple’s
biggest innovation was not a device, but rather a physical gesture? 

The right-to-left swiping motion used with Apple devices to
sort through photos or to navigate certain apps is quickly altering how we seek
and absorb information.

David
Payne, chief digital officer of Gannett
& Co. Inc., parent [...]

What is the “Next Level” and why do so many of us want to take things there?

It’s cliche to say we want things taken to the Next Level when most of us haven’t stopped and determined three things:
1) What is the Next Level?
2) Why is it so important to change things?
3) Assuming you have defined [...]

Large companies have long
recognized the opportunity to address the needs of small business (26 million
firms <99 FTE’s).  Over the years,
companies like IBM, American Express and Google have spent millions to try to
understand the segment and convince business owners that they have the products
and services owners need.  

Yet, marketers still struggle to
capture of the opportunity in this [...]

There’s only 2 reasons people will part with their money.

Pain. “My car’s transmission is shot. I need to fix it, or replace my car.”
Pleasure. “I really want to see my grandchildren next week. Take the car in for a tune-up so I will be able to drive without any hassles.”

Apply this to your [...]

For the last two years, I’ve been part of an effort to better understand how technology has blurred the lines between our personal and professional lives. Today gyro released the results of extensive research project that shows the impact. gyro collaborated with Forbes Insights, speaking to 543 marketers at Procter & Gamble, Hewlett-Packard and [...]

Many brands create customer communications, whether they be magazines, emails, newsletters or blogs. Taking a good look at them, one thing will emerge:

Many customer communications are not of interest to the customer.

Well-intentioned brands all too often communicate in a language that only they will appreciate. If I buy a computer, I don’t want to [...]

Remember the old cartoon where a bunch of soldiers were lined-up and their commander asked for volunteers to step forward and everyone but one poor sap stepped backwards? Ever feel like that?

As I’ve become an old codger, I’ve adopted a response to being “volunteered.” I’m okay with it as long as the following are true:

1) [...]

Most Stupid Offers are created by marketing and business folks who are looking at things backwards.

Mr/Ms Business owner:

If you run a sale to get rid of stuff you want to sell, for whatever reason you have, you are likely to create a Stupid Offer.

Turn it around.

Run a sale on stuff that your customers want to [...]

To leverage a popular phrase: “culture trumps strategy.” I can safely say that “execution trumps strategy” as well. Therefore, “culture” and “execution” are linked by their common ability to trump a sound strategy; don’t overlook one at the expense of the other.

Applying this insight to channel programs, I will state that the reason that most [...]