AirBnB – Airbed and Breakfast dot com
How do two arts graduates with no travel or tech experience build a six-billion-dollar empire in only fourteen years?
Lead Generation and Demand Generation: What’s the Difference?
“Advertising is a tax we pay for not being remarkable.” So how do we become remarkable?
How the World’s Best Brand Creates Generational Loyalty
The techniques work because they tickle the human brain in just the right way.
The Frame Game — If You’re Not Playing, You’re Losing
Don’t hide from your downside. The best thing you can do is to reframe the negative.
THE WIZARD (bi)WEEKLY
Twice a month we’ll send our best advice, no strings attached.
Let’s grow your business.
No spam. No nonsense.
Kodak – The fall of an Empire
Why couldn’t they successfully transition into a digital company when they invented digital photography?
Unleash the Power of Google Ads: Your Path to Business Success
By following six key steps you can achieve remarkable victories and witness the growth of your businesses.
How To Achieve Higher Average Sales In Every Sales Department
You must utilize all the tools available to you to ensure revenue is always moving up in succession.
Outsourcing vs In-house: Which is the Best Choice for Your Business?
The promise of cheap labor. When is it the right bet?
Partner Book of the Month
Latest Monday Morning Memo
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Differentiated vs Distinctive
Becoming distinctive can actually be much easier and less expensive than the cost to differentiate…
Warren Buffet on the Importance of Branding In 2023
If and when the economy turns south, you’ll be tempted to cut advertising costs.
Proper Employee Onboarding: The Best Retention Strategy
Employee turnover costs as much as 33% of an employee’s annual salary.
Captain Pabst – Could I ever use a cold beer!
Discover the origin of the blue ribbon lager with a ship captain that lost his ship and knew nothing about beer.
Should your logo have a face?
“Branding experts” routinely ignore the overwhelming weight of this scientific evidence.
The Biggest Lesson AI Can Teach You About Branding
Psychologists were studying human-AI interactions and came across this fascinating pattern.
Everyone is replaceable
Employees work best when they think they are needed, but slack off when they think the company can’t live without them.
What Core Values Matter Most?
It is difficult to choose what you value and be prepared to defend it when things get hard.
Milton Hershey – How do I make Milk Chocolate?
Discover how he transitioned from Caramel to Chocolate after the world’s fair in Chicago.
Why You Want Your Branding Ads to Reach EVERYONE
Do you really mean everyone? Yes. Everyone. Well that’s just ‘cause mass media isn’t really targetable, right? No.
Where the Heart Goes, the Wallet Follows
We’re taught to think of customer relationships as something entirely different from personal relationships. And that’s silly.
How to Avoid the Perils of Promoting People Based Primarily on ‘Fairness’
I have seen dozens of bad promotions stifle growth and create a toxic vortex for the company.
What Is My Company’s Mission?
You posted core values on your wall, maybe a code of ethics and the employee handbook. Why didn’t they do as they were asked?
Why 60 Is The New 30
Recent studies show that ads aimed at creating implicit associative beliefs work better in longer formats.
Milwaukee Tools – The Hole Shooter
The better product struggles to become more popular until they demonstrate it in a store window.
Unravel the Mystery of Google Ads Success for Small Businesses
Before embarking on your Google Ads journey, you must learn to read the map.
What Is Your Company’s Purpose?
You see them everywhere. Customer-centric aspirations that feel nice. They seem nice. I bet they’re nice. I call shenanigans.
Self-Image and Advertising
You want them asking: What kind of person am I, and who would that person hire or trust in this situation?
Black Pearls – A New Gem Is Born
Pearl farming became French Polynesia’s most significant export because two yachts were docked next to one another, and the owners knew a guy.
Don’t Mess With My Rewards!
I was pissed off before I even read the email because I knew what it was going to tell me.
What Is A SMARTER Vision For Your Company?
Aaron had no money, no prospects, and owed a bunch but he wasn’t a quitter and is now running a 44-million-dollar plumbing company.
9 Common Branding Mistakes
Unless your ads sound, feel, and look different from everyone else’s, you’re doing it wrong.
Sales Process Fail: How Many Dollars Are You Leaving On The Table?
While the signs of sales underachievement are obvious and endless, the root causes are usually very specific.
Vincent Van Gogh, Torture of Belief.
He knew what he wanted, and he was going to get it. Surrounding yourself with people who believe in your dream makes the difference.
Wendy’s Dave Thomas – Dave Thomas’s Ideas Grew KFC
The double burger becomes Wendy’s best seller without changing the price or the size.
Simple, True, Distinctive, and Sticky
You’re probably expecting something else from a “greatest of all time” beer campaign. Here’s why it worked.
What Do You Want to be Known For?
The NCAA championship game demonstrates how the impression your organization creates ultimately stems from leadership.
The 4 Humors Of Buyers (And How To Sell To Each)
If we unmask how the sales process works, it’s simple: You make the sale when your beliefs align with your buyers’ beliefs.
7 Benefits of Google Ads for Small Business Owners.
Tracking metrics such as lead quality, conversion rates, cost per conversion, and overall ROI is essential.
Character, Characters, and Advertising
No one will believe that a business owner has character unless he’s willing to be seen as “quite a character.”
Which One Do I Choose?
Does offering multiple products and brands hamper your ability to make the sale?
Apple 1984 Ad – Most Impactful Commercials Of All Time
The teaser campaign, glamour techniques, and the current conversation’s tie-ins sold record numbers.
3 Common Hiring Mistakes And What To Do Instead
One of the most common mistakes that I’ve had to correct is to hire people who you like.
The most expensive answer you should know
“How Much” has one answer. Correct answers advance a sale. Wrong ones detour around it.
Bing and the Secret to Brand Dominance for Local Business
Most customers go with the option they think of first (so long as they feel something positive about them).
How To Get The Most Value From Your Sales Training
Ebbinghaus would tell us that most of our training is quickly forgotten, never applied and never placed “in service.”
PODS – What Do You Have In Your Storage?
How storing your stuff got easier, the story of portable on-demand storage.
Learn how to make Google’s success your own. Use search intent to grow your business.
Here’s how John tailored his marketing strategy to cater to the different types of search intent.
Full Price and Free — The Only Two Prices You Need
The public thinks that if you’re “still making money” at a discount, then the discounted price is — or ought to be — the “real” price.
Reframing Art, Bridging Generations.
Reframing brings old ideas into new perspectives, which changes the way you feel about something and leads to new decisions.
Kenners Star Wars Toys – Thinking Outside The Empty Box
Kenner and Lucas make a last minute deal and an unconventional sales strategy wins the Toy Wars.
5 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Be Servant Leaders
Servant leadership has been shown to increase participation from team members, as they feel more valued and appreciated.
Your Branding Is Bass Awkwards. Here’s Why & How to Fix It
You think I’m exaggerating. Other people might be making this mistake, but not you. But you’re wrong.
Sleemans – John Sleeman – My Aunt Had The Original Beer Recipe Book
What do pirates, Al Capone, and getting your name and trademark have to do with Sleeman’s beer?
3 Fundamental Misperceptions About Local Advertising
Number One: Assuming you have to rationally explain why you’re better than the competition.
Are you considering using Google Ads to promote your business online?
Before you invest your time and money, consider these essentials.
THE ROYAL WHOREHOUSE CHICKEN LAMP Or How to Attract Better Customers & Keep Them Longer
In the next few minutes, I will explain. And blow your mind.
RX Bars – Could you fire your Mom?
CrossFit and paleo diets led to the creation of RX Bars. Starting with only $10K, they sold for over $600M.
The Fundamentals that Remain
The fundamentals in marketing are explained brilliantly by Professor Mark Ritson who breaks it down into 3 logical parts.
Measuring Employee Engagement And Satisfaction (The Right Way)
High worker satisfaction companies outperform low worker satisfaction companies by 202 percent.
PPC Is Not Advertising
PPC is to advertising what those blue services signs are just before a freeway exit; I want gas, there’s a list of them. Which gets picked?
Famous Amos – We Hope He Made $100M In The Last Sale
He got brought back and might have got a return on the final sale just because he liked baking cookies.
What NOT To Say In Your Advertising
Here are three steps to determine what to NOT to say. Pinky-swear that you’ll never, ever, EVER forget this in your advertising.
Why Character-driven Ads Outperform Logic-driven Ads
They stand out because they elicit emotions and, more importantly, bond with your audience.
Dyson – It sucks, but not enough.
That is the prospect’s dissatisfaction. 5,136 iterations later the problem is solved.
For Everything Else There’s — Perhaps the Most “Priceless” Ad Campaign of the Last 25 Years!
Repetition-Break ads are more creatively awarded, and, yes, creatively awarded ads create better ROI.
Someone’s Head Has Got to Roll
Since Marketing Heads are evaluated on a short-term basis, they don’t have enough runway to see returns from investing in brand-building.
Bundle Pricing: The Best Way To Differentiate Your Product
It takes courage and confidence to bundle. But done right, you will increase your conversions, average sale, and profit (C.A.P.).
The Jet Business – Close To The Money, Not Close To The Airport
I just had to walk in. Who puts a jet in the front window of an office building in London’s financial district?
The Seattle Kraken’s Secret Revealed and Fool’s Gold.
You know how the Wizard of Ads is always talking about third-gravitating bodies? You can see it being used here with the colour.
Doritos, Brand Codes, and that Super Bowl Ad
Why would Doritos pay $12 million to waste, like, 55 seconds NOT showing the product? The answer is Brand Codes.
Curiosity is Creativity’s Roommate
The process of thinking creatively is not easy for most. Let me explain using a body part that looks the same but is not equal.
The 3 Most Important Advertising Charts You’ll Ever Lay Eyes On
Chart 3: Why small companies and large companies require opposite media strategies.
Black & Decker – Making A Better Drill.
Other businesses failed when the war ended because what they were manufacturing was no longer needed.
The Best Blog Post Ever Written
I drove past a place called “Best China Restaurant” hundreds of times and instinctively knew that this was not, in fact, the best out there.
Leadership And Culture: Catalysts For Sustainable Success
Workers are raising their standards on what they expect from their working environment.
The Only “Brand Attribute” You MUST Own
This is why IBM could famously charge more for less capable systems than upstart, hi-tech competitors.
The secret sauce of persuasion: storyselling
Stories live between what is real and what the consumer wishes were real.
Mrs. Fields – Why Does The Mall Smell So Delicious?
How giving away free samples created an empire of 250 stores worldwide in just 15 years.
The 4 Major Jungian Archetypes
You’re thinking, “Jungian archetypes? What can I do with that?” Understanding what resonates with customers can help you speak to their needs.
Faster, Bigger Ad Results Through Social Engineering
Check out this recent McDonald’s ad directed by the legendary Edgar Wright to understand how it works.
Leatherman – Is It A Tool? Is It A Knife? That Was The Problem.
Why did it take ten years to make the first sale?
How To Use A Closing ARC To Sell More Stuff Today
Closers aren’t pushy, but they are persistent as all get out. Why? Because they have a secret weapon to close the sale.
Creating authentic conversational radio ads step-by-step
Conversation is, unfortunately, incredibly difficult to write — especially when you write by the rules of good grammar.
Why WOM & Viral Marketing Can’t Drive Growth
This isn’t opinion, it’s the result of an internet study of “a billion diffusion events on Twitter.”
Demographics – Why There Is Such A Shortage Of Workers
For the first time in 70 years, people leaving and joining the workforce have reached the balance point.
Branded vs. Unbranded Keywords (A Case Study of a Real Company)
If we didn’t track them separately, we wouldn’t see unbranded keywords were losing us money.
A Powerful Secret to Great Ads
Powerful ads are the few that stand out in your mind because they made an impression. Here’s how that happens.
Shreddies – Good good whole wheat Shreddies
Find out how a simple twist made all the difference to their advertising and promotion.
What Can You Do To Motivate A Team?
How do you know when your team is lacking motivation? What are the telltale signs you should look out for, and what can you do?
Brand Codes in a World of Continuous Partial Attention
We are all, as T.S. Eliot wrote, “distracted from distraction by distraction.” So how can you craft ads capable of working?
Bringing Newcomers into the Labor Pool
Find better people by focusing less on hard skills like technical training. Look for attitude and coach-ability instead.
Marketing Predictions for 2023 (?)
Before I question my Ogilvy & Mather Tarot Cards and tell you exactly what will happen, let’s see if past predictions have held up.
Heinz – his favorite number was 5, and hers was 7
From debtors prison to the fastest-growing company in America.
How CORE Principles Shape Your Ultimate Success
You can’t bring all of your employees into a room and shout out what you think makes you successful and hope it works.
Persuasion, Pre-Suasion, and the “Privileged Moment”
Changing prospects’ state of mind prior to asking more than doubled the success rate.
Hire Veterans Reentering the Local Job Market
Over and over we hear employers raving that their best employees are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Oldsmobile – launched the car industry by outsourcing, creating spinoffs like Dodge
He came up with how to outsource parts to smaller manufacturers before outsourcing was even a word.
The Dream of Discomfort. The dreams of millionaires.
What if you created more discomfort by doubling your sales leads? How motivated would you be to solve the problem then?
Value Proposition: Stand Out From The Competition
The only way you can have a clear message is if you speak the same language as your customers.
Advertising in Hard Times: 3 Quick, Easy, and Essential Lessons
If you continue to invest in long-term brand building through an economic downturn, you will overtake your competition.
Fables are Better than Facts
If all you do is list facts, you’ve created a documentary… not an advertisement. Advertisements are made to persuade.
Uncle Nearest – Story trumps almost everything
Learn how Fawn, with no distilling background, turned this story into one of the fastest growing whiskey distilleries in America.
Consumer Behaviour’s Reliance on Today’s Social Media
The real trick to winning on social media today is entertainment.
Labels are tattoos on your brain
The label is based on absolutes, like everything is binary: black or white, truth or lie, right or wrong.
Brand Codes: Lessons from a $65 Million Re-Branding Disaster
First, what the hell are brand codes? And how do they strengthen memory structures while increasing profits?
The Personality Prescription, Part 14 – The Local Labor Pool
Prospective employees who only skim will miss the specific instruction that will get their resume considered.
M.M. Lafleur – High Function, High Style
They said, “Fashion’s not bought that way.” And she looked at them and said, “But you guys are all fashionistas.”
An Epic Guide To Local SEO
46 percent of all Google searches have local intent. Every business with a physical location needs to understand local SEO.
These dreams are made of these
Our son, not yet 16 years old, left home. He has a dream to play professional baseball. I love dreams, but they come with sacrifices.