Many industries use The 3-Legged Stool metaphor to describe the foundation of success. The metaphor is based on the minimum number of points needed to define a 2-dimensional plane in 3-dimensional space. This lead to the development of the actual 3-legged stool, having the minimum number of legs needed for stability. The idea was later…
“Big opportunities come infrequently. When it’s raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble.” | Warren Buffett, 2009 letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, page 15, paragraph 1. This was one of Buffet’s statements during the 2000s Great Recession and it’s worth thinking about as well as looking at the numbers from this particularly…
It’s no surprise that word-of-mouth remains the best method of advertising. But contrary to what seems logical, your successful marketing strategy should revolve around identifying and engaging with The 2nd Person who is interested in hearing and retelling your story. While these people are still part of your extremist/early adopters (Otaku as Seth Godin describes),…
“…and so we decided to develop our new product based on who we didn’t want as a client.” I’ve used this unconventional long-term strategy to launch successful businesses, help not-for-profit organizations (NGO) to grow, and to teach strategic planning during interactive training retreats. Note | Competitive Intelligence (CI) is Part 2 of a multipart series…
Joséphine Bonaparte, Empress of France, was a self-taught master of client service. Without her diplomatic work, there wouldn’t have been an Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte or French Empire. What can she can teach us about the nature of client service and how it exceeds customer service? Note | Client vs. Customer is Part 1 of a…
This is a story for small and mid-size businesses; the ones who have been around for at least 2 years. Why? The strategy for startups is significantly different. I’ll cover that area in a future series of stories. And, as I claimed in the first part of this series: “This story isn’t for Fortune 100…
Blue Ocean Strategy, is an excellent marketing strategy book, one that I regularly reference Check it out on Amazon.com. Here’s a little bit about the book from the authors | “The global phenomenon that has sold 3.5 million copies, is published in a record-breaking 43 languages and is a bestseller across five continents—now updated and…
“When consumers today need or want something, they reflexively reach for their phones. They want the right answer, right away. Is there room for brands in these moments? [Google’s] latest research says “yes.” Mobile viewers are in fact more likely to watch, share, and feel connected to ads and branded video. ” Learn more from…
Video is the future of social media. Not surprising, since it remains the best method for communicating critical information AND provoking a particular feeling in people. In 15 to 60 seconds a successful video must accomplish the same things that a 90-minute feature film accomplishes. Plot The Greeks had it right: we love drama. They…
One of the most challenging goals for any organization is how to successfully get the word out about your product or service. I’ve tried everything from traditional media ads (TV, radio, newspapers, billboards) to social media (Websites, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Google Ads, etc.), to stores (Amazon, Etsy, Apple, Google) to interviews/earned advertising (newspapers,…