- The King is Dead, Long Live the KingMarketing Inspiration
As it files for bankruptcy, the once-mighty General Motors faces a public-relations crisis of tremendous proportion: How does it convince customers, employees, suppliers and the American public that it not ...
- Case Study as Mirror: Reflect Your Audience's ConcernsHigh-Tech Mktg & Sales
Imagine this scenario: Your engineering team is about to close out a flawlessly executed systems job, and your customer is thrilled because the solution is already performing beyond expectations. ...
- Now That's a Good Release!Small Business
"As many of you know," begins an article in a recent edition of the Editorial Emergency newsletter, "[cofounder Julia Rubiner has] been cranking out publicity communications—bios, press releases, one-sheets, corporate ...
- Try not Pitching at AllSmall Business
Valeria Maltoni receives four or five press releases on a typical day—and most leave her singularly unimpressed. "'I think you're fabulous' may seem like a good idea for a subject ...
- The Two-Edged Sword of the TestimonialSmall Business
Holly Buchanan opens a post at the FutureNow blog with a pair of seemingly contradictory ideas: that testimonials work very well and that they don't work at all. Both are ...
- The Deep Pockets of ChattersCustomer Insight
Do Chatty Cathies spend more money online than other cyber citizens? New research says indeed they do. A recent survey of regular online shoppers from BoldChat and Bravestorm, LLC presents ...
- Be Professional: Act Like It's a Cocktail PartyMarketing Inspiration
You might have seen the PSA in which a teenage cyber-bully reads her hateful words from the podium of a school assembly. The absurdity of the scene illustrates a disconnect ...
- Tell It Like It IsMarketing in a Downturn
We can't escape bad news—story after story about layoffs, closures and falling profits. It's only natural that employees are worried about the safety of their jobs. "Am I next?" they undoubtedly ...
- Too Smart to Lose Social Media
Last year, Southwest Airlines refused passage to two young women for obnoxious behavior. The ladies immediately went out and told the press they weren't permitted aboard because they were "too ...
- Me, Myself and My CompanyMarketing Inspiration
Especially in the last few years, the concept of personal branding has begun to take hold. Many of your employees now see themselves—and not just your company—as a brand they ...
- Now That's Good FeedbackSmall Business
You're having a casual conversation with someone from your customer-service department when he makes an offhand statement: "Oh, you should hear how much customers love [fill in employee name/company product]." ...
- It's Not Me, It's YouSmall Business
Good PR doesn't come cheap, and if you're not seeing results from your agency, it's only natural to consider other options. But before firing your agency, Todd Defren at the ...
- Take the Twit out of TwitterMarketing Inspiration
In a post at his blog, David Reich recounts the story of a PR executive who wasn't exactly thrilled about traveling to Memphis for a meeting with clients. Unfortunately, the ...
- The Right Way to Join the FraySmall Business
In a post at the MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog, Mack Collier tells the story of Alison Heath, the director of marketing for a small company that received favorable coverage from ...
- Throw the Curve!Small Business
In his roles as a successful blogger and an executive at Ogilvy, Rohit Bhargava works on both sides of the public-relations equation. The juxtaposition gives him a unique perspective on ...
- The 411 on 420Marketing Inspiration
You log on to your computer and discover—splashed across the news section of your homepage—a candid snapshot of your celebrity spokesperson inhaling from an enormous bong. Quick, what do you ...
- Loose Lips: You Know Exactly What They Do to ShipsSmall Business
Despite the obvious benefits of Web 2.0, the largely unregulated world of social media also poses some unique challenges for companies concerned about a host of issues ranging from legal ...
- Embrace the RebukeMarketing Inspiration
If you've ever been to Fort Collins, Colorado, you've likely ventured to the outskirts of its historic district to sample popular beers like Fat Tire and 1554 at New Belgium's ...
- We're Corporate! We're Capable! B2B Marketing
"To get a running start on 2009 projects, yesterday we googled-up some corporate capability brochures to get some ideas," writes Dave J. in a recent B2Blog post. "Immediately, I was ...
- What Does 'Embargo' Mean Again?Marketing Inspiration
Last year, Chris Anderson of Wired magazine made news with the controversial decision to publish the email addresses of PR practitioners who consistently bombarded him with irrelevant pitches. Now, Michael ...
- So Many Tweets, So Little TimeSocial Media
You already know why you need to be on Twitter. And if you've taken the leap into the great microblogging beyond, it's likely you've come across some issues:
It takes so ...
- Are You Lazy in the Email Department?Small Business
The informality and low cost of email has changed the way we communicate—but not always for the better. In a post at her Marketing Interactions blog, Ardath Albee reminds us ...
- Testify!Small Business
"Testimonials are critical to any website that's marketing or selling products or services," says Rick Sloboda of Webcopyplus. To make his point, he cites the Robert Cialdini book Influence: Science ...
- Stacking the DeckMarketing Inspiration
If you use Twitter the way Mack Collier does, you might feel overwhelmed as you try to keep up with the constant stream of conversation, and stay connected with actual ...
- Shut Up and Listen. Please.Small Business
"Most people are not very good listeners," write Don and Sheryl Grimme in The New Manager's Toolkit. The reason, the say, is that we spend our days juggling personal and ...