business plans – Ask Mr. Marketing

I’m Dropping My Presidential Bid

At this writing, there are 25 major competitors for the presidency. Each claims to have the answers, vision, and infrastructure to lead America through 2024.... Read more

June 1, 2019 b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging market research Marketing trivia Monthly newsletter product marketing sales promotion Signage Strategic planning

57 Varieties–And Then A Few

Henry J. Heinz was a failure! Here it was the financial panic of 1875, and at the ripe old age of 31 he had gone... Read more

May 30, 2019 b2c marketing business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Customer relations customer service product marketing Sales sales promotion Strategic planning

What’s Your Time Worth?

There’s a guy I know whose time apparently isn’t worth much money. Every two weeks he goes grocery shopping, taking roughly six hours to visit... Read more

May 16, 2019 advertising specialties b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging direct marketing market research Marketing trivia non-profit marketing product marketing sales promotion Strategic planning Trade show marketing

A Colorful Non-Promotion

At a recent networking event, vendors handed out the usual items: pens, brochures, candy… Assuming someone in the room must have some marketing savvy, I... Read more

April 20, 2019 b2c marketing business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Customer relations customer service product marketing Public relations Sales sales promotion

How Honda lost a sale

In my family we drive our cars into the ground, typically retiring them after 16 years. The only reason I stopped driving my 2002 Saturn... Read more

April 4, 2019 b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Customer relations market research Marketing trivia political marketing product marketing Public relations Sales Signage Strategic planning Web site marketing

Paying Attention To Headlines

When my family moved from Boston to San Diego, we maintained many of our old friendships. So it wasn’t unusual to meet halfway in Chicago,... Read more

March 1, 2019 b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Marketing trivia Monthly newsletter product marketing Sales sales promotion Signage Strategic planning

A Lesson From The Valley

On a cool evening in 1903, Carson Cosgrove called 14 businessmen together in his brother’s harness shop. The subject of the discussion: a new company... Read more

January 24, 2019 business plans corporate messaging Marketing trivia political marketing Signage

Building The Wall With Marketing

DISCLAIMER: Regular readers of this column know I look at everything in the world through a marketing filter in search of lost opportunity. Recognizing how... Read more

January 18, 2019 B2B Marketing b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Online marketing political marketing product marketing Public relations Sales Strategic planning Web site marketing

Wearing a different hat

This year’s New Year’s Eve found me at a Carmel Mountain party. The 41-degree night and the possibility of rain persuaded me to replace my... Read more

January 14, 2019 B2B Marketing b2c marketing business plans corporate messaging market research non-profit marketing Online marketing political marketing product marketing Sales sales promotion social networking Strategic planning

Nobody’s Paying Attention To Details

A radio commercial ran December 27th for a car dealership hustling year end business. Everything was fine until the announcement that the sale ends November... Read more