Google Authorship and SEO
You may have seen the ever-growing number of photos showing up in Google search results. Google is allowing you to claim ownership of a website, blog or guest blog post and they will display your...
View ArticleHow to Better Understand the Emotional Impact of Your Brand on its Customers
Today’s successful brands almost always deliver customer benefits that are more than just functional. To gain insight into your brand’s values and its emotional, experiential and self-expressive...
View ArticleCrafting the Brand Positioning Statement
A complete brand positioning statement would include the following: Brand Essence [Adjective] [adjective] [noun] (the “heart and soul” of the brand, its timeless quality, its DNA) Brand Promise Only...
View ArticleCreating New Categories Versus Battling it Out for Market Share
I have written about creating “category-of-one” brands before. Most brands spend their time trying to increase their share of existing markets. They pursue many different tactics to do so, from...
View Article4 Reasons to Use Client Testimonials
Want a fast, cheap and easy way to increase sales? Add customer testimonials to your website and marketing materials. Studies show that prospects care more about what other customers have to say about...
View ArticleAll Links Are Not Good Links
If you have experienced a decrease in your rankings and traffic since the 2013 Google Hummingbird Algorithm shift – you may have spammy links to blame. All the best SEO work can be undone today with...
View ArticleThey Say A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
But It Tells a Better Story With A Caption Even a copywriter like me can understand the power of visual images in marketing. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. But far too often, clients...
View ArticleTribal Branding
With declining trust in traditional institutions, people today are increasingly using brands and consumption to express their identity and signal their values. Tribes come together under what they...
View ArticleThe Subject is…Subject Lines
And how they get your emails opened and read. I’m sure you’ve all seen articles on how to write a killer email that will inspire your readers to take action—whether that’s buying your products and...
View ArticleRepositioning Versus Rebranding
Question: What is the difference between repositioning and rebranding? Answer: Rebranding has become quite popular, especially for brands that want to shed a previously negative image. For instance,...
View ArticleHow a Tagline Can Benefit Your Company – Or, how to grab your prospects’...
Taglines are short, notable phrases that help define your company and distinguish you from your competitors — all in just a few well-chosen words. Personally, I think every business should have a...
View ArticleAre You Giving Your Business a Bad Name?
Here’s a quick refresher on naming your business, product or brand. I’ve written in both my books about the importance of naming your business, but in my experience, it’s still overlooked as a critical...
View ArticleCMOs and CEOs
According to Robert Rose, Chief Strategist at Content Marketing Institute, “The Fournaise Group conducted a study that found that while 90% of CEOs do trust and value the opinion and work of both CFOs...
View ArticleThe Evolution of Branding
People have branded their livestock to indicate ownership since ancient times. Artisans and other merchants put their marks on their wares to indicate source, and with that, a level of quality...
View ArticleThe Evolution of Branding II
I had mentioned in the previous post that branding goes as far back as recorded history. However, in the modern era, outside of brand identity development, branding activities were largely confined to...
View ArticleEffective Marketing Takes Creative Risk
“Safe advertising is the riskiest advertising you can do.” – Bill Bernbach, Co-founder, BBD Advertising Agency In my book, Branding Insights for Small Business, I point out that creativity is...
View ArticleThe Ultimate SEO Checklist for Website Redesign: Part I
Without proper planning during a website redesign you can decimate your organic traffic. This article is Part I in a series of articles that will create the ultimate SEO checklist for consideration...
View ArticleBusiness Anniversary Ideas: Let the Sell-abrations Begin! by Pauline...
Here’s a cause for celebration – your business anniversary! Why not throw yourself an anniversary party where you get some fabulous gifts: New and Repeat Business. Celebrating your business...
View ArticleCreating an Emotional Connection
We have been hired by a number of companies to move them from a brand position based on unique product attributes and features to a brand that is highly emotionally connected to its customers based on...
View ArticleTop 15 Actions to Build your Brand Online
One can use the Internet to: • Increase brand awareness • Reinforce the brand’s unique value proposition • Tell the brand’s story • Identify customers and build lists • Create a dialog with customers...
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