innovation

Kids on summer break are like a force of nature unleashed—a whirlwind of energy and imagination. They’re ready to leap off the high dive. They see adventure around every corner. Their appetites for fun can serve as an inspiration for every brand.

For many, branding involves only 1 or 2 sensory experiences. But brands that engage all 5 senses create something super sticky. Like double stick tape, 
it's nearly impossible to put down. Here are 5 ways to bond your brand to its fans.

The strongest brands on earth have a two-sided relationship with their fans. Like any real life relationship, there’s give and take. Speaking and listening.

If you’re only focused on advertising, posting, tweeting and shouting, you’re going to miss what people say—and think—about your brand.

The television series Burn Notice features a spy, a retired Navy SEAL and a former IRA operative working together as unlikely do-gooders rescuing underdogs and making bad guys quake in their boots. While the characters run full-tilt into danger (like most reasonable people won’t) they offer lessons every marketer should take to heart.

"Things change so fast, there's no room for a plan," we've heard more than once—from more than one CEO. They don't want to be tied down, so they throw out random tactics and wait to see what sticks. Here are 3 ways to be ready for change while still working a smart plan for your brand.

Many community financial institutions say they’re customer-centric, yet have a brand promise too focused on the bank. What if your brand difference is about helping your customers win with their customers?

That would merit some roaring fans. Here's how:

Often unseen, corporate culture is your essential power supply that keeps everything moving full speed ahead. And like technicians who conduct an energy audit, or engineers who design bridges, you need to ensure your organization is fit from the inside out.

Here are three ways to ensure your infrastructure supports a powerful future.

I recently heard someone in the c-suite of a company say that a key business development strategy hadn’t been launched because nobody told him to do it. I was shocked.

Why is he waiting—and by whom—to be told? Is this laziness or a symptom of something else?

In recent years, being busy, overworked and sleep-deprived has become a badge of honor. Ask how they’re doing at a cocktail party or a Zoom meeting, and inevitably, people proudly reply, “I am so busy.” Or they just answer emphatically, “BUSY!”

And especially in times of crisis, these same people feel ashamed to say they have down time or that they took some time away.

While many people say they want to be more innovative and solve problems better, they tend to get stuck in comfortable routines. Alas, a comfortable brain quickly becomes a lazy brain. In this new year, resolve to put your brain on an exercise regimen and find new power in your ideas.

A MarketingMastermind

“What if I told you none of it was accidental?"