Three Tips for Influencing People That Think Fast and Slow
Culture & Communication, Marketing

Three Tips for Influencing People That Think Fast and Slow

A couple years ago, while writing an economic policy paper, I read Daniel Kahneman’s book, Thinking Fast and Slow – a must-read on human behavior, rationality, and the lack thereof. This book validated my own professional experiences doing business with a diverse lot of characters, and opened my eyes to so much I didn’t realize about decision-making. Kahneman won a nobel prize for defining prospect theory, which evolves the longstanding utility theory, by finding that we make decisions not merely by seeking economic rationalization, but by allowing behavioral biases to envision prospective value. Continue reading …

Trust First – Cold Calling in a World of No Solicitation
Marketing

Trust First – Cold Calling in a World of No Solicitation

When I was 17, I cut my teeth in the sales field by cold calling small businesses in Northern Virginia – always ignoring that absurd “no soliciting” sign. My products were those logo-imprinted goods categorized as “promotional products.” That, they were, but there was more to these branded items than the name implied – and the other name, “advertising specialties,” did the same disservice to their value, undermining the product category even further by labeling them “special” – they could’ve just as well been termed niceties, sundries, or what-nots. I’m not even sure how you’d name the category – but business people simply didn’t know what they were by name. Continue reading …

The dehumanization risk that can slow down high-growth businesses
Business Strategy

The dehumanization risk that can slow down high-growth businesses

High-growth businesses need to rely on people that are invested in the company’s success. These individuals are encouraged to speak their minds in a proactive, structured manner; further, they are receptive to other team members’ opinions and are objectively aware of everyone’s contribution. When we look at employees as people, rather than mere resources in a project plan, we establish a culture of true teamwork that fuels sustainable growth.

This seems like common sense, but I’ve seen many high-potential businesses launch or turnaround with a strong and viable business strategy only to become hindered by a poor teamwork culture. In the absence of a leadership-nurtured teamwork culture, teams default to working within the bounds of processes – because at the very least, work is getting done and delivered on time.

Continue reading …

Before Niche Marketing, Find Your Objective Self
Marketing

Before Niche Marketing, Find Your Objective Self

The ability to create successful niche targeting begins with the realization that as marketers we are biased – by default, the decisions we make on behalf of a brand are subjective. When we understand this fact, we can evolve our thinking beyond simple subjectivity and begin thinking like the very audience profiles we seek to target. We step in their shoes, and walk through their buyer journey – observing creative, requesting information, kicking tires, asking friends for recommendations, etc. This approach is beyond what’s apparent to the naked eye – it’s about truly being in tune – so ditch the basic demographics that match up men with sports and cigars, and empty nesters with bucket list travel destinations and time with the grandkids. Continue reading …

Dos Equis, Sunsetting a Strong Campaign Before It’s Too Late
Advertising, Marketing

Dos Equis, Sunsetting a Strong Campaign Before It’s Too Late

Several years ago, Dos Equis woke up consumers and the beer industry by introducing the iconic “the most interesting man in the world.” It was a brilliant idea: this classy man, of ambiguous but almost Latin ethnicity, was a successful silver fox, captured on each ad spot while savoring the bounties of fine earthly living, speaking succinctly with authority and righteous pomp to consumers that can only dream of his lifestyle, the pinnacle alpha male, winning, with gorgeous super models vying for his attention.

Continue reading …

Samsung Korea SSD Advertisement…cringeworthy. But the audience loves it?
Advertising, Marketing

Samsung Korea SSD Advertisement…cringeworthy. But the audience loves it?

Would love to interview the team behind this ad – the actors speak in well-pronounced, basic English at a very slow pace. Facial expressions and body-language are over-emphasized as well…to the point that it feels like an SNL skit. But, does this method activate the new product with the target market?

As a native English speaker…this is painful to sit through. Toddler television moves much faster. One of the actors, the businessman, apparently went to Reddit to explain why the acting seems so…bad? This is apparently how English-language is done on Korean media.

Continue reading …

On-demand Digital Marketing, Powered by technology, expected by the consumer
Marketing

On-demand Digital Marketing, Powered by technology, expected by the consumer

Great article from the McKinsey Quarterly: The coming era of ‘on-demand’ marketing | McKinsey & Company.

[…] marketing is headed toward being on demand—not just always “on,” but also always relevant, responsive to the consumer’s desire for marketing that cuts through the noise with pinpoint delivery.

The article walks through a couple scenarios of how digital media, analysis, and automation will personalize marketing touches with consumers and prospects more than ever. We’re beyond the age of worrying about cookies – and on to the age of Near Field Communications (NFC) (tapping devices with each other or with NFC tags to transfer data!), and automated, granular, rules-based targeting, retargeting, and co-branding that retargeting!

This is a good read for staying ahead of the curve.

Private Cloud Services Reduce Security Risk and Liberate Users
Tech & Web

Private Cloud Services Reduce Security Risk and Liberate Users

When you use Google’s “free” services you give up a certain degree of control over the data you push and receive through those services. This is why you’ll see Microsoft take an opportunistic strike at Google with its well planned, multi-channel campaign called Scroogled. Very creative, essentially Microsoft took off their gloves and is now taking strong jabs at the methods Google uses to make revenue by utilizing your personal data. Your personal data is extremely valuable and when you use the internet you give up so much of that data by allowing websites like search engines, cloud e-mail accounts, and social networks to collect, compile, categorize, manipulate, code, and store your usage patterns and information you transact through those websites. Continue reading …

Retail Commerce: Old Brands in a New World, Sears and JC Penney
Advertising, Marketing

Retail Commerce: Old Brands in a New World, Sears and JC Penney

Sears: An Innovator and Market Leader
In 1893, Richard Warren Sears and Alvah C. Roebuck started one of America’s retail pioneers, Sears, Roebuck and Co. The founders had some great ideas, in the earliest days they launched the famous Sears catalog to allow folks to order through mail – this was an innovation at the time because farmers used to have to come into town and haggle deals for their supplies. They made so much money that they opened a printing plant just to be able to print the infamous Sears catalog, which by the early 20th century had over 500 pages to it and sold everything a household would need, including hardware, groceries, and stoves! Continue reading …