What kind of marketing is the most effective?

sneezr.ca Have you ever asked yourself that question? I did. In fact, many years ago I spent countless hours trying to figure it out.
The answer turned out to be quite simple: word of mouth marketing. Or as I call it: the art of cultivating recommendations.

Surprised? Probably not. With recommendations, there is no sales pressure and no credibility issues. When your friends, family members or trusted co-workers recommend something or someone to you, they are genuinely trying to help you. That means a lot, which is why you usually remember it for a long time. But here is the catch: recommendations must be earned. How do you do that? Where do you start? How do you give people a reason to talk about your products/services? How do you nudge your story into every day conversations? I launched sneezr.ca to help you answer those questions.

Why in advertising simple is almost always better

A reader from Montreal wrote to me earlier today.
The reader challenged me to ‘defend’ the notion that in advertising simple is almost continue reading

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FYI: Why good coffee doesn’t come in vacuum-packed cans

Image via stock.xchng

This is long, so feel free to skip.

“One of the reasons that I think the local grocery store has lost coffee is that Starbucks continue reading

LifeStraw — a simple idea that shines

This innovative drinking straw designed by Vestergaard Frandsen will give you easy access to safe and clean water. LifeStraw with integrated water filter does not use chemicals, continue reading

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Why most advertising stinks

Image via iStockphoto

A reader from Colorado asked me to tackle the above question. Allow me to answer it indirectly, by sharing with you something continue reading

How to be creative

Ask: What would my friends love?
Case in point: Lockitron — beautifully designed gadget to help you unlock your doors with your smartphone.

My 2¢: continue reading

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What can Steven Spielberg teach us about life & business

Image via beyondthemarquee.com

Steven Spielberg once said that he prefers movie ideas that can be pitched in a sentence.
Case in point: Lost alien befriends lonely boy continue reading

Shrink to grow (your wallet)

Is there a particular group of people/businesses you really enjoy working with?
Have you considered specializing in working with them?

Fact: You continue reading

Why and how to divorce a business idea

Image via ibm.com

In early 2002 Lou Gerstner retired after an exceptional nine-year run as Big Boss of IBM. The company grew by about $20 billion in sales during his reign. continue reading

An inexpensive yet highly valued way to be innovative?

Jay Ingram is a prominent Canadian writer and broadcaster.
An interesting fact about continue reading

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Are your skills on par with your ambition?

My 2¢:
Sometimes a remarkable product/service arrives with no story.
But for the most part in life, all great things start with a story.

In my experience, continue reading