Military-Grade Persuasion for Your Branding
4 factors of messaging that make rivals clutch their pearls and whine at their inability to effectively counter you.
When Good Advertising Advice Conflicts — And How to Reconcile It
Buyers want to hear what's in it for them. They also need to know “why can I trust you?”
The Wooing of Lifelong Customers
Jail time or love? It all depends on if you skip these steps.
Why Branding Is the Cheat Code for Long-Term Growth
You'll eventually reach a point where you can no longer grow based on short-term advertising alone.
Farming Versus Fishing
It's attractive to fish for customers, reeling in a huge catch with flashy sales. But only farmers can create a bumper crop of future revenue.
Navigating From the Rear View Mirror
Focusing on business output metrics instead of customer-centric input metrics leaves you with little insight into how to improve and grow.
Feeling Spring Sluggish? Tap Into The “Vacation Effect” For Your Business
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. Or right now. The same applies to crafting your branding & strategy.
Are You The SAFE Choice? Or, How One Weird Trick Boosted Sales by 30%!
The safe, easy choice wins out over the potentially better choice that carries more risk.
Repurpose The Proven
The proven "Mother's Day macaroni" ads were sappy and flowery, but man, did they work. Right up until they didn't.
How To Build a Multi $100 Million HVAC and Plumbing Company
80% of executives believe they deliver a “superior experience”. But only 8% of customers agree. How can that be?
People Don’t Care About You, They Care About Them — Unless…
As a social species, we’re hardwired to care about each other — so long as you (or your brand) are part of their tribe.
Journalism and Great Ads
Never write ads like a journalist, write like a poet. The best ads build curiosity and engagement while leaving some things unanswered.
Pro Tip: Talk to Your Customers Like Friends
Most owners get this wrong in their preoccupation with delivering factual information. But buying decisions are almost never rational.
Ad Fraud: How Much of Today’s Internet Is Fake?
According to one study, 20% of ad impressions served programmatically were fraudulent. And that number is growing.
Search Engines Don’t Pay You, Only Customers Do.
You don't just need a marketing strategy that attracts traffic, you need the right kind of traffic.