Ahhh. Fall has finally made it to Michigan and it feels so good. As you leave work today, take a minute to close your eyes and breath in the cool, crisp air. But before you do that, be sure check out a few of our favorite headlines from this week.
From a diagnosis for your failing marketing efforts to a quick discussion of whether September is too soon to start talking Christmas (spoiler: it’s not), we’ve got a fun and insightful roundup for you – all with important lessons you can take away for your business.
Check them out below and, as always, share your thoughts in the comments.
Why Your Marketing Doesn’t Work and What to Do About It
The Takeaway: It’s a beautiful and somewhat painful thing to figure out why a marketing campaign didn’t work. The best thing you can do? Learn from your mistakes and make sure you don’t run into the same problem time and time again. To help you troubleshoot, here are three reasons your marketing efforts might not be working. These each focus on getting to the root of the problem, rather than assuming a specific tactic or channel just doesn’t work.
How can you make your own customers the stars of your business?
The Takeaway: This article shares an important lesson (or reminder) for us marketers. If we believe that our business is about us, we’re bound to fail. Instead, the key to successful marketing – whether we’re talking about products or message – is to remember exactly who it is for.
If you always keep the customer at the head of your story, you’ll create better products, provide better experiences, and always know the right way to communicate your value proposition. Plus, you’ll stand to gain from keeping the customers you worked so hard to attract in the first place. Sounds like a win-win, right?
Direct Mail Evolves With Analytics
The Takeaway: We move to add this to the growing list of evidence that supports something we’ve been preaching for a while now: Direct mail still works. Not only that, but marketers are increasingly able to use digital tools and analytics to measure the impactfulness of a direct mail campaign. (Isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think?)
Whether you doubt direct mail as a viable tactic in this digital age, or you’re simply not sure how to justify the cost of a direct mail campaign, this article is for you.
Does Early Holiday Marketing Ruin Christmas, or Save It?
The Takeaway: In what sounds like a trick question, Thorin McGee of Target Marketing Magazine shares some interesting facts about “Christmas creep.” Namely, that while consumers complain about holiday marketing that starts too early, the stats show that people will still make purchases based on what they like. A key takeaway that goes beyond holiday marketing: Don’t just rely on intuition or stereotypes to guide your marketing. Look for real data to help make decisions, like when to launch that next campaign.
Make Your Next Work Meeting Healthier With These Simple Tips
The Takeaway: For many people, the choice to eat healthy (or not) comes down to the food choices they are presented with. Of course, there are the select few who can resist the temptation of Friday morning donuts; but many people may choose to eat unhealthy foods simply because they’re there. So why not try taking a healthier approach when it comes to your next meeting? Choose meals that are nutrient-rich and low in added sugars, added fats, and carbs. With a little creativity and some simple guideline to follow, the options are endless.
What articles did you find particularly interesting or relevant? Let us know in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter, or in the comments below.
