It is now easier than ever before to find the components that are required for marketing planning as well as instruction to get it done.  Templates differ but all contain the basics for creating and delivering a product/service of value to a defined segment of consumers using company resources and tactical tools.  There’s nothing wrong […]

Many small business owners are driven by short term needs and don’t differentiate between strategy and tactics.  Their first thoughts go to the web ad, direct mailer or newspaper insert they think they need.  The operative phrase here is “short term”. A simple example illustrates the difference between strategy and tactics.  Let’s say you want […]

Mobile marketing is a broad term. And although different websites and agencies sometimes use different definitions for mobile marketing, most will agree that it includes marketing campaigns on mobile internet browsers, social media, apps, and even SMS text messages. These ads can take many different forms, from simple text to display images to videos. And […]

I bet you already know what they are: “It’s how we always do it” These simple words represent an attitude common among lazy marketers that wonder why the results of their campaigns show steady declines.  Any given set of tactics may work once, but it is no guarantee the same approach will always yield the […]

We’ve all seen the dire predictions…online commerce in general, and Amazon in particular…is going to kill brick and mortar retail.  The rapid growth of e-commerce certainly feeds that emotion and statistics show a drop in foot traffic at retail locations year after year.  However, a closer evaluation of the numbers is in order. Forrester Research […]

Figuring out how to market to millennials is not a discussion for the future, it’s not something that can be put off for a few more years. Millennials are in the workforce and earning a steady income, so now is the time to capitalize on this generation. For the sake of your profits now and […]

In the not-so-distant past the line between editorial and advertising was more like a wall.  Journalists were literally forbidden to speak with the sales team and marketers. Marketing messages that looked like articles were clearly marked as “advertorials” or identified as advertising messages. The current situation is quite different.  First, product placements in movies, TV […]

Yes, you read that title correctly: Direct Mail Marketing. Although digital advertising is taking the marketing world by storm, direct mail is not a lost cause for furniture retailers. With the right strategy and process, direct mail campaigns can help you effectively turn leads into sales. Why Direct Mail Marketing? Direct mailings are pieces of […]

When it comes to how you think about marketing and expectations for results a little context is in order. Is marketing a button you can push for instant gratification?  Or is it an on-going exercise that only shows true results in the long term?  History (and research) supports the latter.  Too many marketers think it […]