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.

Unless it moves the human heart

Yesterday I came across an interesting full-page colour ad in a prominent newspaper. It featured a headshot photo of a person, and it’s headline continue reading

Why Permission Marketing doesn’t work

The concept of “Permission Marketing” is not new—it simply means to communicate with your target audience (mostly via email) after gaining permission continue reading

What’s the fastest-growing company EVER?

It’s Groupon.
But don’t take my word for it.
Just ask Forbes.

I am sharing this with you for two reasons:
a. Because continue reading

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Simple is smart. Simple is big. Just ask Blendtec.

Yesterday I received a message from a reader asking me to provide an example of how word of mouth marketing can be cultivated. I was thinking about which continue reading

What’s in the name?

What can a sock teach us about life and business

My daughter is a great student (just about to graduate from high school). This is why we weren’t surprised when she was recently accepted at a continue reading

How to divorce a business idea

Divorcing a business idea can be an extremely difficult thing to do.
Even for mature, successful companies such as Coca-Cola. continue reading

Too bad sainthood is not conferred on bakers

One fixture no city neighborhood should be without: a remarkable bakery such as Christies Il Secondo. If you’re fortunate enough to live around Broadway continue reading

How can you start doing something remarkable?

My short answer: stop doing something conventional.
Case in point: BOXPARK continue reading

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The danger of not evolving your brand

Last fall I was hired to help jump-start marketing efforts for a service organization.
Let’s call it Acme Inc.
The goal: to continue reading

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