I blame the guarded attitude of many folks towards the sales process in business solidly on the shoulders of Willy Lowman, the hapless salesman, and feature character in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. This 1949 classic was mandatory reading for most Canadians of my generation. And it's lasting effects reached far beyond our impressionable years of English 11. While it … [Read more...]
3 business cards that spark a conversation
If you're like me, you likely have stacks of business cards you've collected at various networking events, sitting on or in your desk. While they serve at the time as trophy proof that you made some connections at an event or meeting, the contents usually end up in an electronic database of some sort, for easy retrieval later and follow up. In fact I've encountered a couple … [Read more...]
Earned media & curated content: What Facebook Newswire might mean to you
Oh how things have changed. Gone are the days of typewriters, crumpled paper, rotary dial phones, collapsible cameras, cigarettes, and coffee. The world of journalism has arguably shifted dramatically in the age of the internet, but as of this week, it shifted yet again. This past Thursday Facebook made an interesting move in the media space that small businesses, … [Read more...]
Dove patches: from tricks to truth & remaining true to their positioning
I'm a huge fan of Dove. I love the approach they have taken over the last 11 years with their "real beauty" campaign, advocating empowerment and beauty from within. I've commended them many times for remaining true to a big idea, as part of their brand values. That said, they've taken some heat with their latest campaign installment called Dove patches. It was launched … [Read more...]
Disruptive “first kiss” content marketing: taps emotion, vulnerability & voyeurism
This week Melissa Coker did what most advertising industry folks would have thought impossible. On a budget of $1,500 (and she only actually spent $1,300), she created a content marketing viral video sensation for the fall line of her LA based fashion label, Wren, that as of March 24 had achieved well over 69 million views on Youtube. The 3-minute video, shot artistically in … [Read more...]
