Last week marked the 100th birthday of David Ogilvy, legendary advertising executive. Nicknamed “The Father of Advertising,” Time called Ogilvy “the most sought-after wizard in today’s advertising industry.” It’s no secret that I’m a big, BIG fan of David Ogilvy, and have been heavily influenced by his words and wisdom. So to celebrate his 100th [...] Read more »
Strategic Questions #6 & 7: What is the felt need of your customer that you are willing and able to meet?
(This post is a continuation of our detailed look into the 13 strategic marketing questions that every marketer must answer.) What is the felt need of your customer that you are willing and able to meet? Persuasive communication demands relevancy. Which means your marketing message must communicate an idea, feeling or outcome that the customer [...] Read more »
Strategic Question #5: What are your limiting factors?
(This post is a continuation of our detailed look into the 13 strategic marketing questions that every marketer must answer.) What are your company’s limiting factors? What’s holding your business back? What are the distractions and limitations preventing you from reaching your goals? Okay, this one’s pretty straightforward. But that doesn’t mean thinking this through [...] Read more »
How Observing The Law of Polarity Can Attract an Army of Loyal Customers to Your Door
Bland and colorless marketing is the result of trying to be all things to all people. And far too many ads are written NOT to offend, rather than persuade. But, as I’ve said before, persuasion is the goal of marketing. And convincing your customer to take action often requires that you choose a segment of [...] Read more »
Strategic Question #3: What Are Your Company’s Core Values?
(This post is a continuation of our detailed look into the 13 strategic marketing questions that every marketer must answer.) What Are Your Company’s Core Values? Every successful brand is built upon a backbone of core values; those principles that you stand for, and oppose. And I’ll bet dollars to donuts that your business is [...] Read more »
How Under Armour’s Marketing to Women Strategy Annihilates the “Shrink It and Pink It” Myth
Prevailing wisdom, for more than a decade, has sold business owners a marketing to women magic elixir dubbed “Shrink It and Pink It.” Seems pretty enticing. Probably works like gangbusters, right? Baloney. Prevailing wisdom is wrong… Shrink It and Pink It is pure crappola. And anyone who believes that this strategy is the path to [...] Read more »
$H*! Or Get Off The Pot!
My dad hates when you beat around the bush, and he’s easily frustrated by indecision. When a moment of fuzziness arises, he’ll tell you to, “$H*! or get off the pot!” Yes, it’s a bit crude, I know. But dad’s message snaps you out of your funk, and springs you into action. And I’m often [...] Read more »
Monday Morning Marketing Quote: When Does This Go On Sale?
Are you training your customers to ask, “When does this go on sale?” Today’s Monday Morning Marketing Quote discusses the pitfalls of limited-time offers and comes from my partner, Roy H. Williams and his book, Magical Worlds of the Wizard of Ads: Tools and Techniques for Profitable Persuasion. “Yes, limited-time offers, when they work, cause [...] Read more »
Tom is in high demand as a 
