Starbucks: Please Don't

There they go again. Starbucks Corp. is on a mission to boost sales of glittery snow globes and other non-coffee items. Been there, done that, and not very well.

So What?

Well that certainly is a direct -- if not offensive -- title, isn't it? Stay with me a little while longer, and you will understand its significance. Many of us realize that, to get a buyer's attention, we have to tell them about benefits. As Jack Trout and Al Reis wrote in their best-seller, Positioning, everyone listens to the same radio station, WII-FM (What's In It For Me?). No one really cares about us as businesspeople; they care about how our businesses can help them achieve their objectives.

What Does Your Environment Say About You And Your Business?

Does your physical environment present the image of a successful business or does it look like you're trying to save money? Do your marketing materials present an image that resonates with your target or do your brochures look like you printed them at home? Does this stuff matter?

Repeat Until Memorized

Say it once - it is forgotten. Say it often and it will become memorized.

How To Create A Unique Personal Brand

Millions of people are starting online businesses in hopes of creating additional income for themselves and their families. With many men and women sharing the same names how do you get your name to stand out? The only solution is to create a Unique Personal Brand. What is a personal brand?

Business Brands; The Branding of Hezbollah Case Study

The young man who is running Hezbolla in Lebanon has told CNN news that he does not want his organization to be called an international terrorist group anymore. Of course I say how does it feel to Want?

Effective Online Logo Designs

For those individuals seeking inexpensive logo designs, look no further, online logo designs fit the bill very nicely, thank you. The Internet truly can be your best friend, especially when you're starting up a small business.

Beyond Branding

Is a flashy image, a catchy slogan and marketing plan enough to keep clients coming back for more? Are your clients able to see beyond the facade of a business image? Do you want to keep your clients coming back for more?

Small Business Marketing Tip - Brand and Customer Referrals

It's true: Good customers want to help your business succeed. Let's help them out. Lots of people talk about word-of-mouth advertising. Creating successful word-of-mouth is much more art than science. Think of it as having your customers and employees carrying a Brand Banner for you.

Hip-Hop's Influence on Brands

Music has always been the heartbeat of society. Its influence is both broad and longstanding. No other genre has had an influence on brands like hip-hop music. Within the past decade, hip-hop has morphed into a global moving force. Read how the $4 billion-a-year industry influences everything from fashion and the media to cola and hamburgers.

Small Business Marketing Solution - Create Your Own Story

As a small business marketer you need emotional ore--raw material from your customers that you can try and build on to create a stronger bond with them. You are trying to create a sticky position in their minds. The master jeweler needs the stones and the gold before he crafts that dazzling wedding ring. The same is true for the master marketer; you need to gain at least some hint of how your customers feel about your small business. And the best way to extract that info is to ask them.

Company Letter Head Designs Top 4 Worst Mistakes: Don't Be Caught Making These!

Here is a list of the Top 4 don't ever do these at home or in business letter head design mistakes. Read these to make sure you don't reapeat the same mistakes that others have it can be detremental to your business credibility as well as your health.

The Meaninglessness of Ford Motor Company

It seems like whenever when we turn on the radio or television, we see or hear another story about the sad state of affairs for domestic auto manufacturers. In short, precepts enable the brand to actually mean something to those it wishes to influence and meaning is what Ford has been lacking for years.

The Value of Clothing Labels

The Value of Clothing Labels; the importance of a good quality label and the impact it can have.

Will Your Brand Take Root This Spring? - Part 2

Many people use the terms advertising and marketing interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. Marketing refers to everything a business does to promote itself in the marketplace, and to create or strengthen its reputation in the minds of consumers.