business plans – Ask Mr. Marketing

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

January 7, 2019 b2c marketing business plans consumer marketing customer service market research Online marketing Sales Strategic planning technology Web site marketing

Analytics help the bottom line

Seemingly every week there’s a story about someone’s massive database being hacked. The thieves are all after personal data and credit card information they can... Read more

December 27, 2018 b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging direct marketing Marketing trivia product marketing Sales sales promotion Strategic planning

Getting A Customer’s Attention

While rifling through an envelope of coupons, I encountered one saying “HURRY! Limited Time Offer.” I’ve seen the coupon before, but without this warning message.... Read more

December 13, 2018 B2B Marketing b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Customer relations direct marketing Email marketing Monthly newsletter Online marketing political marketing product marketing Sales sales promotion Strategic planning Web site marketing

An active, growing prospect list

For twenty years, on the first of each month, I’ve sent out a free newsletter to prospects, contacts, and friends. Not a templated item with... Read more

November 29, 2018 advertising specialties B2B Marketing b2c marketing branding business plans consumer marketing corporate messaging Customer relations Marketing trivia non-profit marketing political marketing product marketing Public relations Sales sales promotion Strategic planning Trade show marketing

What’s your name, Cookie?

Never in my years have I met a cookie I didn’t like…until now. It was from a trade show where a golf cart manufacturer was... Read more