Articles

It's been said that their perception is your reality.

Many companies believe that they have complete control over their brand. They believe that whatever they say, their customers, prospects and the market will blindly believe! Some of these companies also believe this to be true for their employees—as if it isn’t possible for them to discover the company's skeletons.

There was a time when that may have been true, but in the world of yelp, Facebook, and every other social media tool on the m…

You have probably heard about the “RACE: Are We So Different” exhibit at the Pacific Science Center (http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/Exhibits/race) on display from Nov. 2013 through January 5, 2014. What you probably don’t know is that I am one of the facilitators for it! The exhibit has sparked conversation and contemplation in over 25 cities all across the United States.

If you go as a part of a group, you will have the opportunity to attend a pre-event and a post-event exhibit sessions fo…

Business structure is changing. Priorities today demand a new way of thinking about business, operations, marketing, and communication as a whole.

I was reading the Accenture report, "The CMO-CIO Disconnect: Bridging the Gap to Seize the Digital Opportunity" (http://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/accenture-report-how-cmos-and-cios-can-play-nice-together-022230.php.) According to this report, by 2017 CMOs will spend more time with technology and analytics than CIOs. This trend has been wo…

I have been a member of Toastmasters for two years now. I am well-trained and used to the fact that when I go to a meeting, I will be critiqued. And believe it or not, I actually like it because it helps me grow and improve.

Last month, I was asked to present at my local district’s leadership training or Member Education and Leadership Expo (MELE). I was one of the breakout sessions and presented “Business: Table Topics on Steroids.” As you can tell by the name, I focused in on how Toastmasters n…

Like everything else in life, corporate cultures change over time. They change because the company grows, changes, moves into new markets, offers new services, different locations, or because the staff has changed. They also change because of society’s expectations of companies and the work force. For example, there has been a lot of talk about employers being more flexible—allowing their employees to work from home or to not be so rigid in what time an employee shows up for work. Let’s take a l…

As you know by now, I believe in and practice continued self-improvement—or life experiences as they end up becoming. This is no different!

I’ve volunteered for DECA for the last four-plus years and this year I was asked to present at Washington Business Week. “Sure I can do this!” I thought. I can present to what is considered the hardest audience! I saw it as a challenge. I saw it as a way to test how good of a speaker am I really and am I really able to change to fit my audience?

Having had no …

I was reading an article about how Starbucks handles their social media in the Seattle Times. While that alone was interesting, what was even more interesting was when the author mentioned the top brands on social media. Here are the top 10 for each:

• Facebook: Coca-Cola, Disney, Red Bull, Converse, Starbucks, Oreo, PlayStation, Walmart, McDonald’s, and Blackberry
• Twitter: Samsung Mobile US, NASA, iTunes Music, Starbucks Coffee, Claro Ronaldo, Whole Foods Market, Samsung Mobile, Zappo’s, Dis…

Is it the sales department’s fault or the economy’s?

You have probably already formed an opinion, either blame or excuse. No I am not naive as to what is going on in the world. I simply asked a generic question and you most likely have already formed an opinion. Let’s look at some details about the particular situation I have in mind then we can see if your answer is still the same.

I recently met with a company who wants to grow their service department and they have high turnover in their sales …

We have all heard that the only way to grow your business is through word of mouth marketing. But relying on it is a HUGE risk­—so what do you do?

A study done by Ketchum and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center proved that word of mouth can make or break a communications campaign. Yikes!

Advice from family and friends is used by 44% of consumers when making purchase decisions, and nearly one in four follows the advice from co-workers. Credibility is …

Fact or Myth?

I know you have heard of Brand Loyalty. Many will say you need it—that it is the ultimate goal of marketing. Go ahead, Google it! Read the results and you will say “I have to have it!”

But what you won't find is the truth that brand loyalty is actually a MYTH!

Brand loyalty implies that the consumer is willing, at least on occasion, to put aside their own desires in the interest of the brand. Would you put your own personal needs below the needs of a brand? Not many would--and if they…