Frontline Perspectives

I was talking to a client the other day and in addition to the work we were discussing, they had some questions about branding if they were to acquire another company. Although this is a robust topic that can be quite complex, the main marketing equation you have to consider when you are bringing multiple companies together into one organization is Brand Equity (good) vs. Brand Confusion (bad). Read more »

We’ve all heard that content is king. That to build trust and gain customers, every B2B company should be creating online content that is relevant and valuable. And that’s true. But as communication evolves, what form should that content take? Should we continue to create content that’s a direct extension of our marketing efforts? Or should marketing departments take a more journalistic approach that focuses on content that improves people’s work lives, rather than promoting companies and products, knowing that the “gravy” will be improved SEO, influence and sales?

First, it’s helpful to understand how these two approaches differ. Read more »

You’ve probably seen them: futuristic-looking black-and-white boxes that look like the love child of a barcode and a postage stamp. They’re called QR (for Quick Response) codes and they’re popping up everywhere — like on the side of this bus — as the latest buzz-worthy tool to hit marketing.

Developed in Japan in the mid-90s, QR codes bridge the gap between the physical world and the digital one. Readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and the cameras on smartphones, the black-and-white boxes contain encoded information such as text, URLs and other data. Read more »

Recent research released by HubSpot indicates that Linkedin is more effective for B2B companies. In fact, 61% of B2B users who acquired a customer through a social media channel used LinkedIn, compared to their company blog (55%), Facebook (41%) or Twitter (39%). Read more »

Over the past two years, I’ve had more and more marketing managers ask me about ways to improve communication with their employees. This focus on internal engagement tactics is an important marketing element in a down economy. (Keep valued employees focused and feeling valued at a time when uncertainty abounds.) But as the economy rebounds, these efforts will become even more important in employee retention, recruiting and training efforts. Read more »

There’s no doubt that creating visual content for your customers and sales team is valuable, as we saw in 7 Types of Video B2B Companies Should Use. Read more »

Friday night, I tossed my disposable contact lenses into the trash after realizing I’d been wearing them way longer than the recommended period. When I reached for a new pair in the medicine cabinet the next morning, I came up empty. I’d just bought a year’s supply of lenses with my new, ever-stronger prescription, and they weren’t where I thought they were. Read more »

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world and the fourth-most visited site online according to Earnest Agency. Video is revolutionizing marketing and changing the way prospects get information — including in B2B markets. Read more »

First, a disclaimer: I realize that the quickest way to ruin something funny is to overanalyze it. So before I ruin this, I just want to say:

Here’s a link. Enjoy these posts … some of them are pretty damn funny. Things Real People Don’t Say About Advertising. Read more »

We’re in the process of hiring right now, which means I’m spending a fair amount of time reviewing resumes. I’m continually amazed that the majority of people don’t include a cover letter with their resume. And those who do include one have serious grammar, spelling and clarity issues. What this means is that the majority (and I mean more than 75%) of these people have either made very little, or a terrible, first impression. And because of that, they’re not going to get to the interview stage. Read more »