Category: Monday Mash-Up

Monday, October 14
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Know Your Customers, Strengthen Your Business

I like this article that offers four simple ways to “know thy customer.” As the article notes, “To increase brand loyalty and relevance in this competitive digital era, you have to show customers that you “get” them.” Amen.

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Marketing Tips
How to Use Simple Surveys to Improve and Grow Your Business

One of the recommendations in the article above: Survey your customers. I agree. In fact, last month, I shared that same advice (and tips on how to do it) in a live presentation at an Experts 4 Entrepreneurs (e4e) event. Here’s the video from this presentation.

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Funny Advice
Video Reminds Us to Get to the Point
Speaking of e4e, thanks to e4e founder Bill Prenatt for sharing this hilarious video with me. I now share it with you. The simple idea: Why say in 10 words what you can say in one? 

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Great Advertising
Job Posting Site Captures the Misery of Being Stuck in a Bad Job

I love the print advertising campaign from PNet, a South African job posting service. Good marketing leads prospects to say, “I can relate.” If you’ve ever been stuck in a bad job, you can relate to this.

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Quotable 

On this day in 1926, “Winnie the Pooh” by A.A. Milne was first published. Here’s something Pooh said:

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, October 7
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Marketing News
Email Still Getting It Done

This article from the Data & Marketing Association (Great Britain) caught my eye. Average open and click rates for email marketing campaigns are going up. Email marketing continues to be an effective way to connect with your target audiences. 

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Marketing Tips
Great Advice to Improve Content

We agree with the advice in this post: How to improve email ROI through content advice to improve content

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Marketing Funnies
A Picture is Worth…? 

I don’t mind a cute or funny picture on social media or in email — if it delivers a meaningful point in line with the value of the content. But I tire of all the “cute” stuff businesses post in their content for no apparent reason other than… it’s cute. 

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Speaking of Cartoons
The Far Side is Returning

My favorite comic was The Far Side. I was sad when cartoonist Gary Larson retired his creation. Now, it’s coming back, we think. Here’s the news…

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Quotable 

“A person is a person because he recognizes others as persons..” 

Desmond Tutu, born on this day in 1931

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Monday, September 30
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Presentation Tips
Don’t Be That Person with the 15-Bullet Slide

Here’s a good article with tips on how to improve your presentation from “good enough” to “great.” I’d heard some of these tips before, but not all of them. Some fresh, strong advice.  

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From the Blog
Wield Your Power of Persuasion Responsibly
 
I published this post on the MarketVolt blog after yet another salesman resorted to stupid tricks to get me to open his email. Ditch the tricks, dear marketers. You have the power of persuasion. Wield it responsibly. 

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Great Public Service Ads

Denver, Colorado faces constant water shortages so its city government encourages residents to conserve. The marketing campaign to promote conservation is great. Here are some highlights. Very entertaining and creative!   

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Recommended Listening and Viewing
Ken Burns’ “Country Music” Film is a Masterpiece

You don’t have to love country music to enjoy the latest PBS documentary from Ken Burns, but that would help. Broadcast this month on PBS over eight two-hour episodes, the film is loaded with incredible stories about fascinating people.

If you missed the broadcasts (or want to watch again), you can stream the episodes here. 

You also can listen to the featured music by buying the soundtrack here. 

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Quotable 

“Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.” 

Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Nobel Laureate, and author who was born on this day in 1928

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, September 23
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Marketing Tips
How to Increase Revenue from Existing Customers

We preach this all the time: Develop strategies to maximize the value of existing customer relationships. So many businesses focus all their marketing energy on chasing new leads. That’s important, but it’s far less expensive to build on existing relationships. Here’s a great article from Forbes to spark some ideas on how to do it.

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Great Advertising
Creative Print Ads Remove the “Blur” from Great Paintings
 
I came across these ads from five years ago recently by the eyewear maker Keloptic. Funny and effective.

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Marketoonist Mocks New Product “Innovation”

Apple released a new phone last week. (Yawn!). Remember the days when people waited breathlessly for the next new thing from Apple and other “innovators?” My favorite marketing cartoonist offers a hilarious take on how times have changed.  

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Great Advice
Freshen and Re-Use Old Content

Many businesses struggle with content marketing because they find it difficult to produce new content regularly. Here’s a useful post from Duct Tape Marketing’s John Jantsch that will help: “How Repurposing Your Old Content Brings New Life and New Traffic.” 

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Quotable 

“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!” 

Bob Marley, who appeared on stage for the last time on this day in 1980.

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, September 16
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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From the MarketVolt Blog
The “Next Big Thing” Is Not Necessarily the Best Thing

In last week’s Mash-Up, I paid homage to marketing genius Dan Kennedy. Here’s a post from MarketVolt’s blog that was inspired by advice I received from Dan several years ago. The lessons still apply today. 

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What Matters Most in Marketing
 
I’ve seen lots of businesses struggle, even when they have a great product or service. The problem: They don’t develop strong relationships with prospects and customers. Here’s a short, profound and powerful post from Seth Godin that gets at this idea.  

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Vanity Metrics Don’t Pay the Bills

I say this often: You can’t cash a Facebook “like” at the bank. Yet some businesses spend big bucks chasing likes (and other vanity metrics) and then celebrate when they generate big numbers. My favorite marketing cartoonist captured this insanity with this cartoon/post all the way back in 2011.   

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Recommended Listening
Sheryl Crow’s Latest (and Last) Album is a Gem

Sheryl Crow says her latest album, Threads, will be her last.

Talk about last, but not least! This is a great album. Crow collaborates on each song with famous artists from various genres — Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, James Taylor, Joe Walsh, Bonnie Raitt, Jason Isbell, Sting, Eric Clapton, Stevie Nicks and more. 

By the way, Crow isn’t retiring. She’ll continue to release music, one track at a time. But she believes music consumers no longer want or need full-length albums. Maybe so, but I’ve been playing this one repeatedly from start to finish since I bought it. 

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Quotable 

“No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere.” 

Sheryl Crow

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, September 9
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Marketing Genius
Thank You Dan Kennedy

I’ve learned more about marketing from Dan Kennedy than from all other marketing experts combined. So it’s with a heavy heart that I tell you he’s on his deathbed. For those of you who don’t know Dan Kennedy, I recommend his book Magnetic Marketing. You can get a free copy here (you pay shipping). 

I learned about Dan’s condition by reading a letter he wrote last month. It begins, “I find myself in the unusual position of regretfully announcing my death.” What follows is an explanation that brought him to this point and, more importantly, a beautiful expression of gratitude and his hope for us marketers who will outlive him. 

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Life Imitating Art
How a TV Drama Generated a Real-Life Ad
 
Here’s a fascinating and informative article about great copy-writing over the years. Read example #4 to learn how a fictional ad, developed by a TV character named Don Draper, evolved into a real campaign. Real life imitating fiction. 

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Recommended Viewing
How to Power Your Business with Customer Feedback Surveys

Last month, I shared some advice about customer feedback surveys at an event hosted by Experts 4 entrepreneurs in St. Louis. Here’s a video of the presentation in which I reveal how to craft a great survey, analyze results intelligently and follow-up effectively. (Note: You have to register with your name and email address to see the video. When you register, you’ll have access to a huge library of business tips from other experts).  

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Marketing Tips
Make Your Content More Accessible

This is a great article that begins, “We have, for a long time, ensured that our emails read well. We check if they render correctly, display in all email clients, have a fallback image (should there be interactivity or animation), all while trying to be innovative and creative. One thing we haven’t always considered is whether everyone can read the emails we send. Our emails need to readable for people with impaired vision, color blindness, dyslexia and even epilepsy.”

The article offers some great, simple tips to make your content more accessible. 

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Quotable 

“I think a dream is just a suggestion to start something out, do something.” 

Col. Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, who was born on this day in 1890

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, August 26
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Marketing Tips
Are You Engaging Your List?

This article is right on!  It’s short and sweet and it makes the point: They only way to drive business from your email list is to engage your list. Read on for more… 

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From the MarketVolt Blog
Want Referrals? Just Ask
 
Here’s a column I wrote for St. Louis Small Business Monthly that we republished on our blog. If you don’t have a referral program or you’re not driving as many referrals as you wish, read this. It should help. 

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Recommended Reading
US Voting Rights Through the Years

My grandmother, who passed away just last month at age 103, was born at a time when American women did not have the right to vote. That blows my mind. Ninety-nine years ago today, the USA officially adopted the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, finally giving voting rights to women. Here’s an interesting (and sobering summary of US voting rights through the years.
 

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Recommended Listening/Watching
Check Out the Milk Carton Kids

I’ve had the great pleasure of seeing the Milk Carton Kids multiple times, including last night at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis.

Great musicians. Excellent songwriters. Lots of witty banter. 

Here’s a video of them performing “I Still Want a Little More.” 

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Quotable 

“It is downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government: the ballot.” 

Susan B. Anthony

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, August 19
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Marketing Funnies
This Cartoon Cracked Me Up

I love Tom Fishburne, the brain behind the Marketoonist cartoons.

I especially love this one. The lesson: 

If you deliver the wrong marketing message, your prospects will tune out or, worse yet, be annoyed. 

Trying a different technology won’t fix it. Tuning up your message will fix it. 

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Is this Progress? 
 
At first I thought this was a joke: Burger King now delivers food in Mexico City to vehicles stuck in traffic. But it appears to be true (see article or watch video). I admire the company for the innovation and operational efficiency it takes to pull this off. I’m not sure I like it, though. What do you think?

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Marketing Tips
Avoid These Pitfalls When Email Marketing

Here’s a good article that outlines some common email marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. 

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Recommended Listening
The Future of Marketing

Seth Godin and Brian Clark (copyblogger) are two of my go-to marketing experts.

So when they’re together in the podcast studio, discussing their craft, that’s must-hear podcasting. Here’s the episode from Brian’s podcast in which he and Seth dive deep into the future of marketing. Tons of lessons for all of us. 

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Orville Gets it Right…Then Wrong

Orville Wright was born on this day in 1871. Here are two interesting quotes from Orville. The first is good advice for anyone who wants to innovate. The second quote? Let’s just say it’s a good thing Charles Lindbergh didn’t accept Orville’s word. 

“If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance.”

“No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris”

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom

Monday, August 12
MarketVolt’s Monday Mash-Up

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Outstanding Advertising
Apple’s New Ad for Airpods is a Stunner

Apple has a history of great television ads. Here’s their latest: A pitch for Airpods (wireless earphones). This is great, technically stunning, highly entertaining advertising. Watch for the email I send on Wednesday. I’m going to talk more about this ad in that email. 

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Dumb Marketing
Two Big Brands Miss the Mark with Women
 
Here’s an interesting article about how mega-brands Macy’s (department store) and Forever 21 (apparel) suffered big-time backlash after playing to women’s fears about their weight. 

This is a good lesson about how businesses must be attentive and careful about how their products and marketing may be perceived by their target market. It also reveals how quickly social media backlash can punish a business that missteps. 

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“Outlaw” Marketing Rarely Pays Off

My friend Will Hanke (Red Canoe Media) is a great marketer who knows a ton about search engine marketing. In this blog post, he describes how some search marketers use “black hat” methods to game the search marketing system. Will prefers and recommends “white hat” methods. Here’s why…

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Free Course
Get Noticed and Attract Followers in Your Industry

Want to be a thought-leader in your industry? Then you must have a message and an audience who is ready to hear it. I recommend a free online course that will reveal how to develop both. 

“How to Use Article Writing to Develop Your Personal Thought Leadership Brand” is a great course, published by EQ and taught by Dixie Gillaspie who really knows her stuff. Highly recommended!

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Quotable

Speaking of Apple (see above), here’s something its founder Steve Jobs once said that I think is right on: 

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the values, the vision and the agenda for an entire generation to come.” 

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Any reading, listening, quoting, resourcing that you think we should share? Send us a tip.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of this week and the weekend.

Tom