If it is your job to differentiate and grow your business, you own a tall task—especially in this environment of information overload, when all of us are overwhelmed with new platforms, media channels and ways to get noticed.
5 Baltimore Eateries With Unique Branding
Good branding is all around us.
While we write much about the audience we serve, B2B professional services and advisory firms and nonprofits, we can learn much from the consumer branding all around us. Today we look at some food establishments. Remember, branding is not just a logo, a color scheme or graphics on your website. It’s a compilation of those things and more. Visual branding (logo, imagery, color scheme) is important but branding is also about messaging and how your audience feels about your business and the perception that prevails. If your company sends a message and makes a promise (we have the best crabcakes in Baltimore!) and delivers on that promise, your establishment is building brand trust.
Spring and Bunnies
With today being the official start of spring, I thought it would be only be fitting to talk about BUNNIES. Although, with the harsh winter temperatures we are still experiencing, I am not sure we will be seeing baby rabbits anytime soon, but they are certainly on the horizon to come!
Tips for meaningful holiday gift giving
Remember when you were a kid and the only thing you had to worry about over the holidays was to make sure you were on your best behavior and that you left Santa a nice note with some cookies for his reindeer before bed so that when Santa arrived he would leave you some presents as a reward for your good behavior? As I get older, the list gets bigger as to what needs to be done and way more stressful – trees to decorate, parties, cookies to bake, an overwhelmingly long list of people to buy for…With less than two weeks left go, I thought I might give you some helpful tips for choosing a meaningful holiday gift for your clients.
Leaving Thanksgiving to "Luck" and Engaging Clients
It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a week away.
If that realization strikes panic inside of you, take a breath, I have a little something fun to help ease you into the holiday and maybe help take some stress out of planning that perfect meal. Every year I go through the same drill of trying to decide whether or not I actually want to host Thanksgiving at my house or not. I am not sure why I always do this because there really isn’t any need for the anxiety. I cook dinner every night for the most part, so why is this day any different?
Seven tips for coming up with great content when you're stuck
Where do you come up with content?
It’s that time. You know you need to write another blog post, but you’re just not feeling it. Where do you start? If you are an expert advisory firm, you are aware of the importance of providing valuable thought leadership, also known as lead-generating content. Your website needs to substantiate the work you do for your clients. When a prospect who is “on the fence” about your services comes across your site, your content can make the difference.
Overwhelmed? Seven Apps That Might Help
As another September approaches and the beautiful summer slips away, my head is exploding with ideas and possibilities. As much as I’m trying to hang on to the peace and calm of a wonderful unplugged vacation hiking in the beautiful High Sierras in July, I’m also energized by the thought of fall. We have actually had a very busy summer, a little less laid back than some, but we’re counting our blessings for being busy with some great clients.
Three Important Stories About Your Business
As you enjoy your summer reading list…
I’d like to suggest you make time for a little writing as well. There are three types of company stories that can help propel your business to the next level in the mind of your customer:
Strategic Marketing Explained
If I asked you if you were engaged in strategic marketing, you’d probably say, “Yes, of course I am.” But strategic marketing is more than just finding your audience and marketing to them.
Avoiding Marketing’s Shiny Object Syndrome
We’ve all experienced it at one time or another – that uncontrollable urge to spend time or money on the latest gizmo, app, online tool, trick or offer. Remember Dug, the adorable talking golden retriever from Pixar Disney’s movie, Up, who in the midst of conversation would become distracted and exclaim, “Squirrel!?” You may chuckle, but Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS) occurs all the time, including in our marketing.
It's not all about you.
We’ve all been there. You’re part of a great presentation or meeting among your peers or clients; great discussion ensues; wonderful, meaningful questions that apply to the whole group are being presented and answered and commented on; and then it happens. One person asks a question that pulls the focus away from the tremendous momentum that has been occurring and focuses on his or her specific issue. It sucks the energy from the room. Do you know what I’m talking about? It’s frustrating, discourteous and ultimately disheartening. Even masterful facilitators can find it difficult to get back on track. And that is a great reminder for those charged with developing website strategy and content. It’s not always all about you.
Holiday Gifts: Making the List, Checking It Twice
Corporate gift giving is a long-standing tradition and gift options run the gamut from greeting cards to custom imprinted laptop bags. But it can be challenging to decide what to give and to whom. Most businesses give the same gift to everyone on the list, while others give individually chosen items. So, as an advisory services firm, what should you do? Here are a few things to consider:
