Have you seen the Oreo Cookie holiday commercial? It’s here, for your viewing pleasure. We at CGT have watched it, shared it and joked about it. And here’s what makes it a success: It doesn’t take itself too seriously. Hip hop artist Jinx raps in the background, as cartoon Oreo cookie balls dance around. It’s […]
Marketing
Does Your Brand Need a Miley Moment?
MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs) happened weeks ago. But people are still talking about the night’s major event: Miley Cyrus’s twerking performance with Robin Thicke. It was the most news-worthy performance of the award show, one of the most reported on occurrences of the show, beating out Lady Gaga’s opener, Justin Timberlake’s Video Vanguard award, […]
Look to the Future With an Email Redesign
In terms of mobile marketing, we hear a lot about whether or not ad spending is worth it – many marketing dollars are wasted on false clicks. But what about email marketing? According to a report by Forrester Research, 78 percent of email users will access their emails on their phones by 2017 (“Email Marketing […]
Top Web Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
For small businesses, smart web marketing is key. Here are our tips: Content If you want major search engines to find your website and place you higher on their results listings, your site must have highly relevant content. The text and images must relate to their keywords. The more informative content, the more the search […]
Asking the Right Question: What is Your Business Problem?
Compared to four years ago, there are a myriad of solutions to challenges that businesses face in managing and increasing market share. The choices can be overwhelming; the wrong ones can be disastrous. The best “million-dollar idea” won’t solve the problem unless you understand the issues. This leads to the question, “Which problem-solving stage comes […]
Marketing Your Company As a Great Employer Can Bring Huge Dividends
While most companies focus on marketing their products and services, many are missing a huge opportunity by not marketing themselves as a great company for employees. Talented people naturally want to work for great employers, and those who appreciate their employees. Furthermore, customers prefer to purchase products and services from companies that tell the story […]
The Best Research: The Gold Is in Discovering What You Don't Know
It’s easy for businesses to conduct research asking their own customers to rate their experiences. If you’re a successful business, you’ll likely get information you already know. While it’s good to have this information confirmed by your customers and clients, it won’t necessarily help you increase your business; you still have to find out why […]
The Clue Train Manifesto: Not Too Late to get Onboard
In 1999, The Cluetrain Manifesto documented what businesses would have to do to become successful in the new digital era. With the Cluetrain’s 95 Theses, it’s easy to identify – 12 years later – which companies are on track and which have derailed. Here are 10 of those 95 key points. Determine if your company […]
BankAmeriDeals: Sabotaging Businesses?
By now you’ve probably seen commercials or information about BankAmeriDeals. It’s a new program Bank of America launched last month wherein its customers can get cash back deals for purchases from participating retailers. Using an outside service, the bank takes a look at your shopping habits and provides you with cash back incentives to continue […]
40 Percent of Mobile Marketing Dollars Wasted
Is mobile marketing worth the investment? Even though 10 percent of internet visits come from smartphones and tablets, businesses are not spending a lot of digital marketing dollars on mobile marketing or advertising (comScore). A study from Trademob found that 40 percent of display clicks from people who do advertise on smartphones were in fact […]
Don’t Ignore Direct Mail in Today’s Social Media Marketplace
With the immediacy and excitement of social media, it’s easy to forget about direct mail. But this can still be a valuable part of your marketing strategy. Here’s why: Longevity. A tweet lasts for maybe a minute before it gets swallowed up in the feed with thousands of others. When someone receives a catalog or […]
Google and Google Mobile: Two Separate Search Engines
With recent reports stating that there will soon be more smartphones than people in the world, Google is rushing to refine its mobile search capabilities – and your business will want to be part of it. Google will have two entirely different search engines: Its search index for mobile and its main one used for […]
Facebook for Advertising: The Best Strategy for the Best Results
Since General Motors pulled its advertising budget from Facebook, claiming its ads had little impact on car purchases, many have questioned the value of Facebook as a results-oriented advertising medium. We take a different approach, feeling that not enough advertisers have focused on the best way to utilize Facebook. You’d never think to slap together […]
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 […]
Using Google to Get a Mobile-Friendly Website
With more and more people accessing websites through their smartphones, it’s important that your site is easy to read and navigate, with links that are “thumb-ready” for a smaller screen. Your mobile site needs to have three pieces of information instantly available to users on the go: your address, phone number and hours. Keep in […]
The Top 5 Website Design Mistakes
1. Jamming too much information on the home page. Most companies try to show and tell everything about their company and products on the home page. They seem to think that if the viewer does not see all of the company’s products immediately they will leave the site. Not only is this not necessary, it […]
What's Pinterest, and Why You Should Take a Look
Are you “pinning”? If not, maybe you should be. Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board, where users can pin images from all over the web to themed boards. The title of your boards are up to you, but you place them into categories, ranging from DIY & Crafts, to Architecture, to Geek, to Women’s or […]
"In and Out" 2012 Marketing Trends
OUT: Advertising in all the wrong places IN: Connecting in all the right places OUT: Websites that look like billboards IN: Websites that include videos OUT: Focusing on your business IN: Focusing on your staff, customers/clients OUT: Mediocrity – no one will remember your product or service IN: “Remarkability” – an experience customers/clients will share […]
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 […]