Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: July 1, 2009
People have many different definitions of Marketing. Unfortunately, most of it focuses on what we call the “back-end” functions of advertising, promotion, etc. Since that is where most of the money is spent, we understand that focus, but that does not suggest that is where the leverage is.
We have stated for many years that more [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: April 3, 2009
A year ago we published a paper on marketing in a down economy. We identified 11 key tactics. I will share them in this blog over the next few weeks, but if you want them all at once you can download the paper free.
The first one is to “Eliminate non-value added activities.” There is nothing [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: January 9, 2009
We love seeing companies that are innovative in their approach to helping customers, and in so doing, help themselves. We criticize the automobile industry a lot (for valid reasons we think), but in this case we can report on an innovative approach to selling more new cars.
In today’s US economy people are reluctant to spend [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: October 29, 2008
While we often make fun of the airlines on this blog, this is an example of really good marketing. It has to do with Southwest Airlines. If you do not fly them often or at all you probably think they still have the “cattle call” boarding process that rewards people who arrive at the airport [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: October 3, 2008
As we have preached for many years, one area where companies do themselves in is lack of focus. In an effort to “spread their risk” or not “put all their eggs in one basket,” too many companies diversify into mediocrity. As my friend Ted Steinberg likes to say, “They confuse showing up for business with [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: May 31, 2008
Ok, another airline example, but this is a good marketing example. It has to do with Southwest Airlines. If you do not fly them often or at all you probably think they still have the “cattle call” boarding process that rewards people who arrive at the airport hours early with the best seats on the [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: May 1, 2008
This is a guest post from one of our co-workers, Jeff Krawitz. He is referring in this post to the Who/What/How marketing/sales framework used by us in our work with clients. Who refers to Who is buying, What refers to What are they buying, and How refers to How do they want to buy it. [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: January 3, 2008
In 1983 I met with the founding team at Sun Microsystems on several occasions to discuss an OEM contract for the original Sun Workstation. Negotiating with the team was tough as they had never put together an OEM deal. At one point in a conversation, I asked them when they were going to hire a [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: December 18, 2007
But how can that be true you say, the Razr ads are cool. The brand is well known. How did failed Marketing cause Mr. Zander’s (don’t know him, so Ed seems a little presumptuous) need to step down?
If you have been reading this blog for a while, or if you have read our book, Value [...]
