LinkedIn is a social network that most of you are already familiar with. It’s largely a network for business professionals. It helps put people together and sets up new and potentially profitable business relationships and opportunities. Here’s a secret (well now it’s out of the bag) that few people know about. Besides being a great […]
CGT Newsletter
Didn't Buy a Super Bowl Ad? Why You May Be Smarter and Richer For It.
Wish you were one of those advertisers bathing in the glory of one of those $4 million ads that aired during the big game? Actually, you’re probably smarter and richer for not doing it. Investing $4 million in a 30-second TV commercial (plus the huge production costs) is not a sound investment for your business […]
Why Your Company Needs to Write its Own Top-Ten List
There’s a reason that people are fascinated with lists: They’re easy to read, easy to remember and easy to talk about. Lists play an important role in your company’s marketing efforts by educating people in an easy format about the value of your product or service. Does your company have a top-ten list of the […]
Essential Thinking About Your Competition
Sustaining a successful business includes knowing everything about your competition. Most companies don’t take the time to truly think about their competition, and that’s a huge mistake – and a potential risk of your customers flocking to competitors for something you weren’t aware of. When it comes to your competition, there are three issues to […]
Another Year, a Similar Question: Does Social Media Work for Your Business?
With sales results from social media marketing efforts still relatively unclear and the amount of dollars spent towards those efforts directly affecting the bottom line, each January business executives pose the question, “Should I continue to increase social media spending?” This year, with more budgets tightened, expect to see companies re-examine this spending, trying to […]
Is Your Business Healthy Enough To Survive 2013?
One of the most difficult things for companies to do at the end of the year is a physical fitness review of the past 12 months’ performance in order to right what was wrong and re-invent what was status quo. Key areas to check include: 1. Corporate Health: How well did your company’s purpose, position, […]
How to Win the Email Game and Get Higher Response Rates
If you’ve been “blasting” emails to everyone on your customer list over the past umpteen years, then you’ve left a lot of money on the table – and have probably lost a lot of customers as well – customers who have continuously received emails from you that just aren’t of interest to them. And one […]
Leadership: The New Face of Marketing
Leadership – how you lead the business or the department you manage – is the new face of marketing. It’s not the campaigns, media buys or the “top 50 ways to increase sales” that will sustain your business long-term; it’s your leadership qualities and the culture instilled in your team. The degree of success for […]
Changes By Election Cycles: The Most Powerful Marketing Advice Ever
Change happens fast – if you don’t see them coming and don’t react, you get left behind. The uphill battle to restore your position as a market leader becomes a fight for survival. From one presidential election to another, changes can occur at a dizzying pace. In just four years: 1. Twitter and Facebook […]
Six Elements Your Company's Web Site Homepage May Be Missing
With more and more social media platforms to establish a presence on, it may be easy to forget that the headquarters for your company’s digital or online efforts is your website. As more visitors are drawn to your website, it’s important to understand that you’ve got eight to ten seconds, to not only impress the […]
Underestimating the Power of Local Search
Optimizing your website for local search is paramount if you want to be found in Google’s search results within a specific geographical area. Once a user searches for your company and adds geographical criteria, the search then becomes “local” and Google’s geographical algorithm – which of course is a secret – will have a dominating […]
The Small Details of Marketing and the Huge Difference it Can Make
Sure there’s a focus on the heavy artillery of marketing – traditional and online, but the most successful marketing – things that your customer notices the most – are the details. One company that does this well is The Disney Institute. One of the areas that this organization focuses on is the details: the doorknobs, […]
Is Your Participation in Social Media Worth the Investment?
The question many business executives are asking lately with regard to social media seems to be “What’s the return on investment?” There may not be a solid answer for you so far – especially if you’re seeking a monetary return. Social media is a transformational way of communicating and its effects have yet to be […]
Pandas and Penguins: Google's Changes Upset Website Rankings
Over the past three months, Google has been refining its algorithm with updates named after animals. The first major update was Panda, and the most recent was Penguin. Both updates threw the SEO world into a frenzy; websites that once enjoyed top positions on Google have been penalized for infractions such as keyword stuffing, low […]
How to Develop a Social Media Strategy
Developing a true social media strategy is not as easy as hiring an intern to do everything and hoping it works. There are many moving parts and people who have to get involved in order to make social media a long-term success. We recommend formulating a plan and getting a top-down corporate commitment on why […]
Does Your Company Have a Gold Standard of Service?
In all business categories, the defining decision a customer or client makes in determining whether to purchase from you or your competition comes down to one single element: service – the overall experience and delight of dealing with your company. How you structure your customer service experience is a critical part of your marketing plan, […]
Your Site's About Page: Don't Lose This Great Opportunity
Many companies overlook the importance of the About page on their website. When analytics may indicate that it’s one of the most highly visited pages, it’s critical that this page works to your advantage and you’re not losing sales opportunities. Here are some guidelines to follow: Call it an About page. Don’t confuse users with […]
Changing Your Company's Facebook Page: The New Timeline is Here
Notorious for making format changes, Facebook is still on a roll – and now with one of the most dramatic redesigns ever. Recently completing the addition of Timeline for personal profile pages, Facebook has announced that the same Timeline feature, along with a new creative layout, is now being added to business pages. In other […]
Is There a Direct Relationship Between Facebook Likes and Sales?
While companies of every category encourage people to click their Facebook Like buttons, the accountability questions continue to surface: “How much does liking a company influence a purchasing decision and increase loyalty to the business?” The best way to determine if there’s a relationship between fans who’ve actually liked and purchased is to directly ask […]
Harness the Power of a Blog
Don’t underestimate the power of using a blog as part of your online marketing and publicity efforts. A corporate blog can establish your company as a thought-leader in its business category and enhance its overall Internet presence. In addition, a corporate blog can drive traffic to your website, attract new customers and clients at a […]