When the Christmas items start to appear in the retail stores, it is easy to assume that the 4th Quarter will slow down because consumers will be more focused on holiday purchases and not the everyday things that will help achieve those annual goals. Never assume!  With the changes in the economy, we have also seen changes in consumer spending and disruptions across all kinds of consumer and service industry segments. Make your marketing sparkle like a shiny object to …

Some of the best email marketing that I have seen comes from Motley Fool, the investment guys. Now, this tip is about the message, not the e-marketing style! The graphic was eye-catching because it brought to light the many industries that have already been disrupted and the brands that were associated with them either disappeared or have tried to hang on to reposition their brands to meet the new consumers. While this mentions those industries disrupted, there are still successful …

There is an old marketing adage known as the Rule of 7 that has been mentioned in marketing texts about the times it takes for a consumer to recognize and remember your marketing or advertising message. I have always dubbed it the “Magic of 7,” and it has served to keep the consumer top of mind when creating marketing promotions. Consider that there is a lot of noise, crowded media channels as well as different viewing and listening habits that …

No matter what products and/or services your organization sells and provides to customers or members, you are dealing with money as an emotional issue.  A survey by the American Psychology Association noted that 8 of 10 Americans are stressed because of money concerns.  With that kind of stress, who can you find that is willing to spend money or pay for your products/services? The key is to start with your current database and engage those customers/members who have already plunked …