When we’re talking to businesses about marketing, I hear a common pushback. It sounds something like this: “Our industry is so niche, we already know all the customers.” Or similarly….. “Our industry is niche so marketing will never work.” Now don’t get me wrong, there are some very niche industries. But if your product solves […]
Today I got a call from a salesman working for a marketing company. Now I run a marketing agency, but this gentleman claimed to be able to “help agencies grow”. I’m normally skeptical of cold calls, but I told him I’d give him 30 seconds to give the pitch. After all, I don’t try to […]
McDonald’s treats me better than virtually any other restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. At least their marketing department does. If you’ve ever downloaded the McDonald’s app, you know that it’s quite good. They regularly offer specials – and not just discounts, but free things. They’ll give away free food regularly. And none of this “purchase […]
If there’s one thing wrong with the way most business owners look at marketing, it’s this: ***Marketing is an investment, not an expense.*** Stop. Read that again. It’s important that we’re on the same page. Let me explain. Investments are things that pay you more money as you put more money into them. When you […]
If you follow the newsletter, you know we spend a lot of time talking about ad copy. Specifically, how important it is to write good ads. But sometimes that’s an abstract concept. What’s a “good” ad and what’s a “bad” ad? Well, you’re in luck. Recently I was reading a great book on copy called The […]
I get asked a lot about setting prices. With virtually every client, this discussion surfaces. Here’s what you need to know about pricing your products and services. Bad Pad Thai: Friday night I was working late. As such, I ordered take out. Pad Thai is one of my favorite meals, and there’s a new place that […]
There’s a new hospital going up about two miles from my house. The problem is, over the past two months, they’re also rebuilding the road right in front of the hospital. Some days it’s closed completely. Other days it’s partially open. I don’t work in road construction, but they are taking a long time to get this […]
Let’s be honest, almost all your ads suck. And many of the ads I write suck. It’s not because I want them to, but it’s because I’m still learning about people. This is a major problem in marketing. I spent 4 years in undergrad (and earned an MBA on top of that). I spent hundreds […]
At Analytive, we are working with a client who is in an ultra-competitive niche. On top of that, their product is not differentiated. There are small differences, but overall the product is almost a commodity. As we’re developing a marketing and branding strategy for this client, we opened up discussions about words. In The 22 Immutable Laws […]
In the old days of marketing, we used to sort people by demographics. “Our product is for 35-45 females who make between $40,000 and $60,000 a year” And sure, for many mega companies, this might make sense. It makes sense if you plan to sell over one million units. It also makes sense if you’re […]