Tornado Marketing Tips

Vince Vaughn and his costars caused a marketing sensation when they posed for a set of cheesy stock photos as a part of a brilliant promotion for his movie, Unfinished Business. The photos are hilarious, and they show just how ridiculous overused stock photos can be sometimes. I’m sure you know the “call me I’m friendly” telemarketer. The “sampler of multi-ethnic, but not exactly culturally diverse” boardroom shot. And of course, who could forget the classic intent look into the camera?

While st...

C'mon Spring! Will it ever warm up?

Around this time of year, many of us are suffering from a serious case of cabin fever. Seriously sick of being cold and wet, our souls ache for sunshine, shorts and sandals. Warm weather seems so close, yet so far away. If you're like many companies, you start every New Year with a fresh marketing plan and fresh resolve. And - like the weather that hasn't quite turned warm yet - by this time of year, it can seem like you should have made "way more progress" t...

I love a good story, whether I’m telling them, reading them or watching them. A story pulls you in and makes you care about the people involved. When used for marketing, a story can help you create credibility, generate leads, and illustrate competence.

The problem with many business-to-business case studies, videos, "about us" website pages and other areas where companies have an opportunity to tell a story is that… they don’t really tell a story. They only share the success. They jump right t...

You want to sizzle up your marketing. Create compelling content for social media and beautiful marketing collateral pieces, but you don't want a steep learning curve. 

Which graphic design tool should you use?

You have an ABUNDANCE of options for creating presentations, infographics, brochures, and social media content. But often you have to switch between multiple programs. My favorite content creation tool right now? 

Visme. https://www.visme.co/ 

I’ve tried them all. Believe me.

The big ...

Getting your small local business to stand out on Google Search and Maps is easy – and FREE – but 56% of businesses haven’t even claimed their Google My Business (GMB) listing.

I recently spoke at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce and shared why businesses should claim their Google My Business listing - and the steps to get started. 

Google My Business is critical for businesses today to:

• Get found online (significantly cheaper than traditional SEO) 
• Get found in the real world through Goo
...

A website is the linchpin of any successful digital marketing strategy. It is home base – your online office. In fact, I would argue your website should be an extension of the experience of visiting your office. If your office is open, warm and people-focused, your website should have pictures of people. If your company is highly technical, let your website reflect your dedication to innovation.

The same people who visit your office are also likely to visit your website:

• Potential employees
...

I wish sometimes that marketing was as easy as simple math where 1+1=2. Unfortunately, marketing is more like algebra where you’re solving for multiple variables at once. Just like solving a math problem or puzzle, I recommend starting with the easily solvable parts. Once you have those answers, you’ll have more information to solve the deeper, more complex issues.

A simple marketing campaign has three steps.

1. The advertisement or lead generating activity
2. The landing page where the prospect
...

Do you know Sam the Sales Guy, Ann from Accounting, and Mike in Manufacturing? To improve your sales and marketing efforts, you need to get to know these people intimately – after you create them.

Sam, Ann and Mike aren’t real people. They are the names of personas who represent real people. Personas are fictional characters who are a composite of real-world people and who illustrate the values, goals and behaviors of your typical ideal clients.

These "Fake People"Can Make or Break Your Sales ...

If you’re not getting the amount of business you want, you may be feeling that it’s time to shake things up with new and improved marketing. But what’s the best way to proceed? Do you need evolution or a revolution?

Revolutions are exciting!

Do you ever watch those TV shows where they transform a woman’s life just by giving her new clothes, a make-up lesson and a decent haircut? Or take a house from oh-my-goodness-how-could-anyone-live-like-that to organized, color-harmonized perfection?

If y...

The news is disturbing.

Everywhere you look, there’s bad news that echoes the eerie familiarity of a Zombie movie.

Stop over-consuming the news. Keep calm.

It is time for leadership, personal responsibility and community care. We’re all going to be impacted by coronavirus, whether or not we personally contract the virus or not. Let’s create a circle of community and commitment around the people, businesses and causes we care about.

 Flatten the Curve: Medically and Financially

Flatten The...