ven the best marketers can find themselves stuck in bad habits – harmful behaviors that limit the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and waste valuable marketing resources. Like breaking any bad habit, the New Year is a good time to make a fresh start. Here are 10 ways you could be hurting your marketing and recommendations for a better approach from a Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant....
View MoreDan Malley is a third-generation chocolatier in Cleveland, Ohio with 21 bright pink and green retail candy stores across the region. He’s also one of the area’s most creative marketers. Here’s how a savvy retailer in Cleveland consistently comes up with fresh ideas for a smart marketing strategy....
View MoreMember acquisition is a constant challenge and a top priority for most trade associations. Who do you target? How do you reach prospective members? And how do you convince them to join your organization? Here’s how the American Advertising Federation-Cleveland (AAF-CLE) developed a successful membership marketing strategy and campaign that exceeded its goals and laid the foundation for future member acquisition....
View MoreHow to be a smarter marketer:11 more timeless tips for creating smart marketing strategies from Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant Jean Gianfagna -- part 2 of a 2-part post...
View More"Football on Your Phone," the hilarious hip-hop spoof featuring the Manning brothers rapping for DirecTV, is a viral sensation. It’s also very smart marketing. Here’s why “Football on Your Phone” broke through in a crowded media marketplace and what makes this ad a smart marketing strategy....
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Remember when “cookies” on websites were controversial? People used to be uncomfortable having cookies track their activities on the web. But cookies are nothing compared to the tracking technology available to marketers today. Sophisticated tools enable marketers to follow your every move online and even in real life in a retail store. Having such in-depth customer knowledge and the ability to pinpoint prospects so precisely is a marketer’s dream – but some of the latest technology makes me wonder if we’re on the verge of going too far. Here are some thoughts on the...
View MoreHave you or your business won an award? Congratulations! Once you’ve toasted to your success, it’s time to capitalize on your honor to promote your business. Here are 13 ideas for showcasing business awards in a smart marketing strategy. Why Awards are Great for Marketing Awards offer your business powerful marketing advantages. Winning an award enables you to: Stand apart from your competitors; Position your company as tops in your field; Instill pride in your staff; Spotlight your staff’s capabilities and achievements; Remind clients and prospects of your commitment to excellence; Generate positive...
View Morere you creating a new website for your business? You may want to build it on WordPress. WordPress is a free blogging and content management system and a hugely popular website platform. More than 60 million sites are on WordPress, with 330 million visitors viewing 3.4 billion pages each month. We recently created WordPress sites for one of our clients and for our strategic marketing consulting firm in Cleveland. Here are some tips and tricks we learned about WordPress that could be helpful to your smart marketing strategy....
View MoreTrader Joe’s, the quirky grocer and wine merchant, is destination shopping for many consumers. There’s a Trader Joe’s near my home in Cleveland, Ohio and my friends often find a way to squeeze in a trip to Trader Joe’s when they visit. Why is Trader Joe’s so popular? Because it does two things exceptionally well: It sells high-quality food and wine at value prices and masterfully brands itself and its private label products. Here’s how Trader Joe’s turns an ordinary private label product – a box of facial tissues – into a...
View MoreHave you seen the new “Ship My Pants?” ad campaign from Kmart? The TV spot is a viral sensation with nearly 16 million YouTube views. It’s been featured on CNN and The Today Show and it’s everywhere on social media. But just imagine the discussion that took place at Kmart when the company’s ad agency, Draftfcb Chicago, proposed an idea that sounds a lot like what happens when you don’t have time to make it to the bathroom. When is “edgy” marketing over the edge? Would you have said yes to “ship my...
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