Archive for the 'Branding' Category

Branding Blunders To Avoid When Choosing A New Business Name

As I previously blogged, coming up with a great business name is not easy. Especially now that we have to deal with other businesses from around the world that might be using the name. With the Internet, we need to think globally instead of locally. I followed up my original blog article with a 9-point […]

Selecting A Business Name That ‘Sticks’

If you are a subscriber to this blog, you know that I have covered how to go from Bland To Brand by creating A Persona That Precedes You with ample real case studies and successful examples. I just recently published an extensive article on the Internet’s #1 registrar GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy is a great service I […]

Anatomy Of A Great Business Card – Infographic

Looking to design a business card, have a look at the infographic below of the anatomy of a great business card.

Retail Strategy: Book Blind Date

This is such a great concept I saw at Elizabeth’s Bookstore in Sydney!

Antimimeticisomorphism: Poo Pourri

Every once in a while, someone comes out with a really great product… but the only way it can sell is by being provocative. Here is one BOLD example –  enjoy!

Marketing Case Study: Value Proposition

This is a Kickstarter campaign for Strongbody apparel. A great example of presenting the product’s “value proposition” clearly and convincingly. Thank you Ray Keefe of Successful Endeavours for sending this through!

Weird Al Yancovic – Mission Statement

I am not into buzzwords and business jargon even though I have my own list of definitions for what I do… This video shows how you can talk a lot without saying anything… Courtesy of Weird Al Yancovic – the master of this art of parody.

Message getting lost in the crowd?

Do you feel like no matter what you do, no one is getting your message? Getting noticed is not about being provocative or sensationalistic, but without extreme measures these days, it IS harder than ever to get noticed and have your message reach your intended audience. There is however a tried and tested way to […]

How many awards are enough?

Ray Keefe and his team at Successful Endeavours in Melbourne have been on quite a winning streak these last few years, amassing a collection of 18 business and innovation awards, the 2 most recent ones a few weeks ago… Here’s the thing about winning awards: Awards create instant credibility (if you don’t have enough of […]

How to leverage testimonials and case studies in a retail shop

This is a BRILLIANT example of a retail shop that knows the value of testimonials and “case studies”… It is so good, it’s self-explanatory!

Open 25 Hours

As you know, I am a proponent of Antimimeticisomorphism. This is an example of that kinf of out-of-the-ordinary thinking. This is a sign for a convenience store in Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. If you come across across examples like this – people doing out-of-the-ordinary things to create extra-ordinary results, please […]

Running Room – Outstanding customer service

Every once in a while* someone does something so out-of-the-ordinary that you have to do something about it. In this instance, it started about 3 years ago when I walked into a Runner’s retail shop called Running Room. First of all, this was in Richmond, Vancouver, Canada.  Well Steveston if you want to be specific […]

Killer Kopywriting

Whenever I teach Killer Kopywriting – using words that sell – I make sure to emphasise that there is always a balance between what is said and is meant. Sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it’s lost in translation… 😉

Is Print Dead?

I recently blogged that print media is alive and well, but there are still some skeptics out there who don’t fully understand why that’s the case. First, let me deal with the obvious issue – print IS declining. There is no question that it has peaked and it’s decreasing quickly, but it’s far from dead […]

Are you playing your instrument in the wrong place?

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way […]

Commercial – Pushing The Envelope

Watch this video and ask yourself the question – would you sit down? When I explain Antimimeticisomorphism to my clients, I always specify being different for a deliberate purpose without being provocative. This commercial pushes the envelope and makes the point without being offensive or being too serious. Thank you to Andrew Powell of Montreal, […]

The evolution of advertising

Today’s blog post is a colourful overview of the history of advertising that captures the evolution of sales and marketing over the past decades. It’s always worthwhile to see where we’ve come from to determine where we’re going. Even though it has an American slant to it, it’s still interesting to review the milestones retrospectively. […]

Muddled Messages

I recently blogged and asked if your clients understand you. Today’s photo of the week is a great reminder of the need to avoid muddled messages. In marketing and sales, the clarity of the message is a key component of success. That being said, all too often, messages get muddled by the time they reach […]

Benefits Versus Features

We all know how effective Apple’s commercials and advertising are, but why are they so persuasive? In this instance it’s the singular focus on benefits rather than features. In our Killer Kopywriting System, we explain this in full detail, but for today’s blog post ‘exercise’, just watch this video and see if you can do […]