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Marketing Research

Marketing Schmarketing. What does it mean?

April 28, 2010
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When people ask me what I do, I usually say “I’m an on-demand chief marketing officer” which is a fancy way of saying “I’m a marketing guy”. This response is usually met with a blank stare. It’s not that these smart people don’t have an inkling of what “marketing” is – it’s just that the [...]

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Tell me brands don’t matter.

April 6, 2010
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While you may not care about Walmart or how it does business, there is something to be gained from watching them learn marketing and merchandising lessons – especially when they learn the hard way.
Think about it. Walmart is huge. Regardless of how you feel about the company, they represent a giant consumer laboratory – when [...]

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Rule #5 of Marketing: Capitalization

March 19, 2010
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Ok, this is where I break your heart. Effective marketing takes money. That’s just the truth. Take a deep breath now and accept it. it’s not just a question of “how much” – it’s more a question of “how fast”.  The more money you invest, the faster you realize a return. When it comes to [...]

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Why Do People Buy – Part Two

January 14, 2010
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So what does all this mean to marketers? (See Part One)
1. Advertising and marketing strategies should attempt to present an appeal strong enough to stimulate action toward satisfying one of Maslow’s basic human needs.
2. Maslow believes lower levels always take priority over higher levels so you shouldn’t attempt to sell products or services that only [...]

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Don’t Neglect the Sales People!

January 3, 2010
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I had an experience recently that shouldn’t have surprised me but it did. It happened as I started working with a $40 million software company.
My job is to help the company improve it’s value proposition and follow through with detailed marketing and tactical plans. To gather the necessary information, I was participating in a conference [...]

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Marketing Schmarketing. It’s not what you think.

December 16, 2009
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What is marketing? Don’t ask me. And don’t bother Googling it either. And, please don’t ask your boss, your wife, your web designer or marketing consultant. It seems that the real purpose of marketing has been lost somehow over the last few years. I’m not even going to tell you that MY definition is correct [...]

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A life without risk is a life without growth.

November 9, 2009
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Looking back over the years I can see that my path has been what one might call “the road less traveled”. For me, risk and reward are inexorably linked and I have never worried about the possible consequences of zigging where most people zag. Of course this is the mindset of an invincible young man. [...]

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