Tag Archives: change management

Mixed marketing metaphors.

I have a mate who is an academic economist, a really smart guy used to arguing a point of view, and with a box of stats on call to support any contention he makes, alternatively to pull down anything that … Continue reading

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6 strategies to be successful, in everything

  In life, and all its aspects, business, social , relationships, there are no shortcuts, just easier and simpler ways of doing things. It is just that it takes time and effort to find the easier, more productive, and value … Continue reading

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5 classic marketing steps that still work.

In 1968 a seminal Book called “Consumer behaviour”  Engel, Blackwell & Kollat described the 5 steps in the marketing process that dominated marketing thinking for the next 45 years. It is clear that they are still as valid now as … Continue reading

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6 ingredients for SME success

The post on the 2 tools SME’s need  in early August  led to a comment that, whilst the headlines of focus and discipline made sense, the challenge is in implementation. Fair comment. So, how do you build the needed focus … Continue reading

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12 key success factors for SME’s

Small businesses make up the vast majority of business numbers, make a huge contribution to economic activity and health, but most do not last 5 years. Over  20 years of observing small businesses as a contractor and consultant, I have … Continue reading

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2 tools SME’s have to have

  Most SME’s I see are run by a single person, without the benefit of any sort of advisory board beyond those with whom he/she has dinner sometimes, when they get the time. The hats they wear  make Josephs coat … Continue reading

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7 parameters of a C21 marketing scorecard

Developing metrics to measure the impact and ROI of marketing is becoming a game of choice around competent boardroom tables. Given the level of marketing engagement around many of those tables, it seems sensible for marketers to take the initiative. … Continue reading

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Design doing

Steve Blank is one of the real thinkers in the innovation space who gets out there into the weeds and gets stuff done. The illustration at the top of this post is one from a recent post on his blog … Continue reading

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Digital body language

  Prospecting, lead qualification and nurturing, prospect management and the transaction itself have all changed forever. The salesman with a bag has been relegated, at best,  to the transaction end of the prospect to transaction continuum. In the process, we … Continue reading

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Conferences are for marketing.

  Few things are more important than how we feed ourselves, and get access to clean water. Without these, our species will not survive,  our numbers are increasing rapidly, as the resources of the planet, particularly available water, are being … Continue reading

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Future of Urban Agriculture

  How we deliver good quality food and water to an urbanised and growing population around the world is the challenge of the 21st century. We have gone from a largely subsistence existence to a highly urbanised one in 200 … Continue reading

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SME Marketing capability gap

  Marketing technology is rapidly taking over from the hit and miss, ad hoc research, customer and prospect management, and  performance measurement practices that  have dominated to date. This is a particularly critical evolution for  small businesses who are generally … Continue reading

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Do you need a telephone?

I asked that question a week or so ago of a group of SME’s, most of whom did not have any digital presence. None said their businesses would survive without a phone. Why is it then that they think they … Continue reading

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Energy, Innovation, technical capability, and common sense.

It seems to me that the most important emerging driver of success in the economy that must drive innovation and value delivery, is the intersection of technical capability and power generation. Oil has driven the geo politics of the C … Continue reading

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Sporting analogies don’t always work.

Tonight is the first Origin game of 2014, and so  I expect to hear lots of people using sporting analogies  over the next few weeks, particularly football. Sporting analogies abound in business, “A team of champions does not make a … Continue reading

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Predicting the future Vs leading edge of current

The future prediction business has so far failed to find a sustainable business model, apart from the fun stuff in the tent with the funny lady with the cards and crystal ball. About the only serious people who still profess … Continue reading

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FMCG conga line rides again

Years ago I worked as a junior marketing bloke for Allied Mills, which became Meadow Lea Foods, then Goodman Fielder. I returned  25 years later as a contractor running a specialist unit of the ingredients  division in a pre-sale “polish-up” … Continue reading

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6 Steps in Managing Serendipity

“Serendipity” .  Luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for. Websters Dictionary. My old Dad used to say “Son, the harder I work, the luckier I get” and it has usually worked … Continue reading

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The 3 second test of a website.

When my kids were young, stuff always headed towards the floor. If it happened to be a piece of bread, it always landed buttered side down, so we had the “3 second test” Story to the kids was that it … Continue reading

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Slow death of twitter?

The Atlantic has made the call,  at least asked the question. Is Twitter dying? I have no idea, as I am not a real twitter fan, never have been, simply because I do not see the sustainable business model yet, … Continue reading

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