June 2009
2 posts
cpmccrory: Capital One goes for the absurd and... →
cpmccrory: About to read 12 Dancing Princesses to... →
April 2009
5 posts
cpmccrory: Hampton Inn branding good look and... →
cpmccrory: Airport security lines are still too... →
cpmccrory: @giggeyrob I agree. That is a huge... →
cpmccrory: Happy Easter, Masters final round, just... →
cpmccrory: Did taxes and bills today. Watching... →
October 2008
2 posts
Misalignment →
I heard the most remarkable thing the other day from none other than the brilliant Alan Greenspan. When questioned about his feelings about the current financial crisis, he said (I’m paraphrasing…
Collaboration along the Chain →
I revisited Michael Porter’s Value Chain recently. I am big fan of his model and have used it for several years.
One thing occurred to me: moving along the chain from left to right requires…
September 2008
5 posts
Be Timely →
So I’m standing in front of my house this weekend, watching the kids scooter around, when we’re suddenly accosted by various people passing out flyers. One gentleman asked me if he can share some…
From the Same Songbook →
Proper messaging is a critical component for a company’s success. Organizations spend millions of dollars over months, or even years, getting their message to consumers just right. It is that…
Not Sure What They Are Selling →
I’ve been seeing a number of different car commercials lately, but, other than the obvious, I’m not really sure what they’re selling. Some examples:
GM, yet again, is offering employee pricing…
Focusing on Patient Needs →
I have been dealing with arthritis in my foot for about a year now. On the recommendation of an acquaintance, I made an appointment to see a physical therapist who apparently works wonders.
As…
The Window Can Be Dangerous →
People want to know. Maybe not everything, but most things. There is still some bliss associated with ignorance, particularly for those messier details. So, companies are putting more of…
August 2008
10 posts
Realistic Product Placement →
I got the Madden ‘09 for the Wii this past week. It’s amazing that the franchise is 20 years old. It certainly has come a long way since I played the first version way back when. That includes…
Losing that Loving Feeling →
When an organization really connects with people, something special happens. A bond forms. A mutual respect and admiration drives the relationship. The organization is driven by its passion to…
Target Customer Intelligence →
I’m stunned at the number of companies targeting fools and idiots in their commercials. Geico continues with its ridiculous caveman ads, Cox has their talk show ads, Dunkin Donuts introduced a…
Lessons from a Bike Saddle →
I’ve come to realize that managing the life cycle of a product or brand is similar to riding a bike. It’s about shifting gears appropriately and making adjustments in rough terrain. Let me…
Political Ads Still the Same →
It’s a little disappointing, but I’m not all that surprised. The political ads over here in sunny Phoenix, Ariz., are pretty much the same as what we had in steamy New Orleans. Bad.
Maybe it’s…
Do or Do Not →
The new school year is upon, and we have been working with our daughters, getting them back into routine. Part of that routine means getting up at 6:30 each morning.
So, about a week ago, my…
Recanting a Rant →
Yesterday, I started to rant about the hoops I was jumping through to cancel an account. I am going to say that, on the surface, I was getting ahead of myself. Any company has a right…no, a…
Cancelled Accounts →
I’ve been cancelling a few accounts lately, for a variety of reasons. Two are credit cards I no longer want to use and one is a service I never use. I have had three completely different…
Unknown Is Just Fine →
We are working on a project that could partner us with another company. It is quite exciting, to say the least! A small group of us met last week putting the structure together for an upcoming…
Manufacturing Risks →
A significant number, if not most, marketing organizations rely on others to manufacture their products for them. And there is nothing inherently wrong with that. Using quality contract…
July 2008
32 posts
Politics Are Not for the Savvy →
It mustn’t be, given some of the less than brilliant stuff that came out just this week.
First case in point: a politician from Tennessee, facing a difficult time in the November election,…
Managing Internet Sales →
One of the biggest challenges for any company that sells a product is protecting its trademark and MSRP online. It’s even worse when you sell through others, whether they are distributors or…
30 Seconds →
Businesses live and die in 30 seconds. It’s not a lot of time. True, given certain circumstances, it can seem like forever. But in reality, when you have to make a point, 30 seconds is never long…
Compensate for the Right Goals →
Last week, there was a story on the news about a guy in Tucson who followed a speed camera van around and held a sign warning drivers the van was there. He reasoning was that there was…
The Thing about Expectations →
I’ve written before about expectations, especially managing them. But there is another side. For the greatest success, you must exceed whatever expectations exist.
Here’s the thing, once you…
Making Something Different →
I’m watching a repeat of the season premiere of Project Runway (yes, I am a fan). The challenge for the first week was to take grocery items and repurpose them into something fashionable. Many…
You Still Have to Earn It →
I’m finally starting to catch up on some of my magazine reading. I have the May 2008 issue of The Atlantic right now. In it is a piece titled “This Is How We Lost to the White Man”. It’s about…
Walk the Talk →
We’ve been interviewing a number of local PR agencies lately, and I have to say, for the most part, it has been a disappointing exercise. They talk and talk without truly understanding that this…
cpmccrory: About to ride Dreamy Draw and some... →
Execution Matters →
I was speaking recently with my CEO, and the conversation took a rather predictable turn. For the last several years, I have held firm to the belief that ideas, in and of themselves hold no…
Leave Me Alone →
Since purchasing our new house, we have received an obscene number of mailings, all looking alike but from different vendors (I think) telling us that we have to enroll in bi-weekly mortgage…
Ensure Your Customers Are Successful →
Here’s a quick question for you. When you sell to your customers, what are you doing to ensure their success? This most likely is targeted to you B2B folks, but it could go to just about anyone…
You Said It →
Last week, the big news on the campaign trail was Jesse Jackson’s remarks on The O’Reilly Factor. Well, the remarks were during a commercial break when he though the microphones were off. Oh, and…
Managing Expectations →
On Friday, I wrote about closing loops on everything—questions, requests, complaints, whatever. One thing that will make closing those loops much easier is by properly managing expectations.
…
cpmccrory: Wow! People mag looking more like a... →
cpmccrory: I just don't get people who insist on... →
cpmccrory: Thinking about how to match what my... →
Closing Loops →
Quality service is the key to business success. That means meeting or exceeding the needs external as well as internal customers. And to do that, you have to close the loop.
Closing the loop is…
Managing Staff →
Whenever you enter a management position that includes managing a staff, there are two types of people you will manage: the people you hire and the people you inherit.
When it comes to hiring,…
cpmccrory: Worked to do the right thing for a... →
Ads 2.0 →
I set up some Google Alerts for certain keywords I want to track. One of the neat things about the alerts is that they can include blog posts and new web pages. Some of what I am finding is a bit…
Misguided Crusaders →
This week, a coworker received calls from some of our customers concerned about a report they had seen on the news. Apparently, according to the report, certain products posed a moderate hazard….
Service Contracts →
Since moving into my new house, I have had the occasion to work with a couple of companies using service contractors and one using its own staff. In each instance, the experience has been fine….
Selling It Back →
This past weekend, I heard a co-worker talking to a customer, and she said she didn’t want the customer to sell the product back to her. I hadn’t heard that phrase in several years. But it’s one…
Your Video Says A Lot About You →
If you’ve seen some of my tweets from the weekend, you know I was in Las Vegas for a tradeshow. Normally, I would have flown Southwest. This time, however, US Airways provided my transportation.
…
cpmccrory: @FreshPeel Thanks for the props on the... →