October 7, 2013

Fake Reviews – Part 1

Issue #300

The Spread of Astro-turfing

It’s been said that people do business with people they know, like and trust.  That is considered by many to be a basic truth of business.  The key ingredient of that formula is trust.  Customers want to do business with companies that they trust will do a good job and treat them fairly and courteously.   Long before the Internet, consumers used the old-fashioned but reliable method of identifying worthy vendors:  Word-of-Mouth.  It was understood that past performance was the best indicator of future behavior.  From doctors to department stores and from Realtors to restaurants, people would frequent nearby businesses recommended by a family member, friend or colleague.  A business that was highly recommended generally could be trusted to deliver a good product or service.

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September 30, 2013

Dressing for Success

Issue #299

While it’s been said many times that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, marketers know that people do just that.  That’s why product packaging plays such a pivotal role in product sales.  Product packaging designers know that looks matter, and without a properly designed package a product is hard to sell regardless of how good its other attributes might be. Indeed, packaging design represents what the brand stands for as much as other elements of the brand visual identity do, and in certain cases the packaging is almost as important as the product itself. Continue reading →

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September 16, 2013

Untying the K”nots”

Issue #298

What is standing between you and success?  Is it a person, place or thing?  For many, a person is the biggest obstacle to achieving their greatest dream.  It might be an enemy or nemesis.  Or perhaps it is a competitor.  Or it could be a coworker.  It might even be someone much closer, such as a friend or family member.  But for some, it is someone even closer than that.  For some, the most daunting impediment to achieving their goals is their own face in the mirror.  That’s right.  For some, the biggest barrier to achieving their dreams is themselves and the negative self-talk inside. Continue reading →

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September 9, 2013

The Scoop on LinkedIn’s Skill Endorsements Feature

Issue #297

About a year ago, LinkedIn — the preferred social media site for professionals (especially in the U.S. and U.K) — rolled out a new feature called ‘Skill Endorsements’.  According to LinkedIn, skill endorsements were meant to be “a great way to recognize your 1st-degree connections’ skills and expertise with one click.”  They were also supposed to “let your connections validate the strengths found on your own profile.”  In short, Skill Endorsements were meant to be a simple and effective way of simultaneously building your professional brand and engaging your network.  Fast forward one year.  LinkedIn has recorded over 1 Billion Skill Endorsements to date.  Yet, it also appears that the Skill Endorsements feature typically either baffles or bothers users most. Continue reading →

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September 3, 2013

Warning: Selfishness Is Bad For Your Health

Issue #296

In a dog-eat-dog, competitive marketplace, many people develop a ‘me first’ mentality.  Those adopting this mentality choose to do what is best for himself or herself first and foremost and then — if time, energy and resources allow — might deign to help others.  And, it seems that this ‘looking out for number one’ attitude is becoming increasingly pervasive in today’s modern society.  To many, this egotistical approach to life is justified as the best way to ‘get ahead.’  The question is:  does selfishness pay? Continue reading →

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August 26, 2013

Embrace Office Organization

Issue #295

Organization and time management are two of the biggest challenges that people face day-to-day.  Busy lives often result in messy lives.  This is true both at home and work.  In fact, lack of time often leads to clutter.  At home, it might be the medicine cabinet that needs tidying.  Or it might be the utensil drawer in the kitchen that needs sorting.  Or it might be financial records that need organizing.  For some, clutter is confined to one area.  For others, mess is found in every drawer and closet… every nook and cranny.  Lack of organization is not just irritating to the eye and stressing to the mind, it can actually cause real problems.  For example, a person can’t take medicine if they can’t find the medicine.  Bills not paid on time can result in a lower credit score or worse.  Cluttered closets can hide resources that result in unnecessary purchases. Continue reading →

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August 19, 2013

101 Questions to Ask When Considering Marketing Strategies

Issue #294

The best marketers know that, when it comes to marketing, variety is necessary in order to cut through the fog of competition and the vast noise of the marketplace and be able to reach each customer where he or she lives.  Regardless of the industry, there is no single marketing channel that is best.  The key to successful, long-term marketing is to reach people in the myriad of ways in which they prefer to receive or are most open to accepting messages about products or services.  Just as people come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, religions and cultures, so do their preferences for interaction and their receptivity to messages.  Some people prefer email promotions.  Others look at direct mail circulars.  Still others are influenced by billboards.  And others listen to radio ads.  Some even look at good, old-fashioned print ads. Continue reading →

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August 12, 2013

In Search of The Best Marketing Channel

Issue #293

It’s been said that variety is the spice of life.   Different strokes for different folks.  To each his own.   These expressions all communicate the fundamental truth that every individual has their own preferred way of doing things or approaching life.  What resonates with one person may make no sense to someone else.  What one person loves, another may detest. Continue reading →

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August 5, 2013

Poison Pill: How to Deal with a Toxic Employee

Issue #292

No employer ever wants to think of any employee as ‘toxic’ or ‘poisonous’. Yet anyone who has ever worked with or managed a large team of people can attest that there is occasionally an individual who is so negative and damaging to the workplace that he/she is secretly thought of as a ‘poison pill.’  It could be an employee who is great at her job, but speaks to customers with utter contempt.  It might be a stellar salesperson who is a top producer but treats support staff like lowly peasants.  Perhaps it is a manager who is wonderful to customers but rude and harsh to his direct reports.  Or maybe it is an employee who says all the right things to management but then turns around and bad mouths the company to other employees and customers.  Whatever the scenario, the problem of a poisonous employee is not one that can be ignored. Continue reading →

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July 29, 2013

The Power of a Winning Smile

Issue #291

It used to be that a salesperson or company employee could deal with a client for months or years by phone, mail and (most recently) by email and never know what they looked like or vice verse.  The advent of social media, digital photography and video has changed all that.  Most businessmen and professionals now have a profile on at least one social networking site (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, etc.).  Such profiles often feature the person’s picture.  Suddenly, a salesperson or employee is not just a faceless name and a headless voice.  A picture makes the person ‘real’. Seeing an actual face establishes a deeper connection.  And, arguably, the most important part of a person’s facial expression is the smile. Continue reading →

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