The brand is a moment in time, a moment when someone reacts to your name — negatively or positively. That moment, more than anything else, decides the fate of your business because buying decisions are driven by emotions and instincts, more than by reason. You can never totally control that reaction, of course, but you can influence it. Brand strategy is all about designing the response you want...

Obama or McCain? On November 4, one of them will get the keys to the Imperial Palace. Until then, eat your heart out Cirque du Soleil. Or should I say Desperate Housewives? With the current financial meltdown, the campaigning begins to look like a Punch & Judy show on the edge of a crumbling cliff. And yet, and yet. Marketers take note. You are getting an astonishing education in positioning, ...

It may seem obvious (and a tad self-serving here at Click for Clients) but the looming economic contraction demands two obvious moves of self-defense: cut your costs and expand your marketing. The only way I know to do that is to use the Internet. Digital marketing brings you an unlimited global audience AND unparalleled demographic targeting. You can spread your message as wide as the planet and ...

On Tuesday, I left off telling you about the sharks I encountered while scuba diving. Well, after a brief, “stare down” with the sharks, I headed towards the cave opening and left their home. It was nerve-wracking, but it was truly the most exciting dive I’ve had so far. In fact, after the initial nerves subsided, all of these “risk-taking” activities (the zip-lining, the hang-gliding ...

I have written on social applications before, but just read this book and it made me re think how we approach technology.  From Amazon: Imagine an almost instantaneous communication system that would allow people and governments all over the world to send and receive messages about politics, war, illness, and family events. The government has tried and failed to control it, and its revolutionary...

Twitter. It’s ridiculous, right? The distractions of visiting a website to provide updates to your “followers” about where you are and what you’re doing. Sounds like such a waste of time! But alas, I beg to differ. From what I’m learning, it’s one of a variety of really effective vehicles to achieve business goals. Developing interaction, relationships and rappo...

As a business owner or entrepreneur, one of the best things you can do for your company is to host an event in your local community. We’ve spoken a lot about getting your business’s name out in the online marketplace and in print, and nothing generates buzz like a well-organized event. You can also personally generate excitement about a big event through your email marketing campaigns. Organi...

I hope everyone had a great and relaxing Fourth of July weekend, and that you are gearing your business up for the second half of summer. Over the course of the summer months, at least in the United States, millions of people go on vacation, take a break from work and travel away from home. As email marketers, it can be hard to gauge the frequency with which to send your email newsletters over the...

I hope everyone had a great and relaxing Fourth of July weekend, and that you are gearing your business up for the second half of summer. Over the course of the summer months, at least in the United States, millions of people go on vacation, take a break from work and travel away from home. As email marketers, it can be hard to gauge the frequency with which to send your email newsletters over the...

Welcome back from Labor Day fellow StartupNation Entrepreneurs! I hope all of you had a wonderful summer full of fun, relaxation and success! But now, it’s time to prepare. Why? The big PR season is ready to start. Not only are there going to be a lot of stories about the political campaigns, economic conditions, and back-to-school activities, but all of the holiday promotions will be kickin...