Branding jargon is a curse that plagues businesses around the world. It’s hard for me to wade through the bullshit that branding firms and marketing agencies spew out to sound smart—and I’ve been in branding for 16 years. But not all branding terminology is for posturing and show. Take the concept of a brand promise…
Branding vs Marketing: The Role Of Each In Growing Your Business
You came here to learn the difference between branding and marketing. I won’t dance around the subject. Let’s use sports to make the explanation easy. Marketing gets you to buy a ticket to your first game with a clever, “First 5 beers free” promotion. Ok, it’s probably a first beer free, but I’m allowed to…
Demand Generation: The Best Way To Grow Any Business
Let’s start with what demand generation is not—it’s not growth hacks or shortcuts. Real demand generation takes a coordinated effort across your organization. When properly planned and executed, it’ll pave the way for market domination. Now let’s look at a proper definition before we dig into how you can use the four pillars of demand…
How To Build A Brand That’s Made To Stick
Here’s a little secret nobody tells you about building a brand… You can be average in almost all categories as long as you’re ‘The’ best, largest, fastest, or some other …est in one category that matters to your customers. I love the story they tell about this in the book Made To Stick. Southwest Airlines…
How Slack Changed The Way We Communicate At Work With A Brilliant USP
And what you can learn from their Unique Selling Proposition.
Slack is one of the best accidents in history. Stewart Butterfield, the founder & CEO of Slack, didn’t set out to build the fastest growing business app in history, but he did. I’m going to share the origin story (because it’s interesting) and then we’ll dive into what you can steal from their unique selling proposition.…
How To Build A Brand | Quick Wins #5
Should startups be focused on building a brand from day 1? This video dives into the difference between your logo and your brand, and what to focus on if you want to build a brand that leaves a mark on the world. Cast votes, build your reputation, and grow a brand that makes a difference.…
Less, But Better
The cure for mediocre marketing.
We all feel compelled to do more. More features. More marketing channels. More products. More services. More words to explain it all. Too much leads to mediocrity. If you always feel like you’re starting over and never getting traction, I’m willing to bet too much is your problem. I naturally want to deliver more for…
Create A Pattern Interrupt
Did the subhead of this post make you stop and read a little further? There’s a reason for that, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Let’s talk more about, “I Heart Butt Drugs” first. That’s a direct quote from a billboard I came across as my family drove from Louisville, KY into Indiana.…
Does Your Brand Have Bad Habits?
I can go out and ride my bike for an hour, or I can go to the bar and drink two beers. What vote will I cast today? “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes…
How To Win The Hearts & Wallets Of Customers
Walmart. Save money. Nike. Just Do It. Disney. Most magical place on earth. Great brands focus on conveying one story. Relentless execution of a clear story is what made them remarkable brands in the first place. I’m not talking about taglines, although a tagline may be an important part of conveying your story. Walmart has…
