Waste Management is not in the garbage-hauling business, thank you very much. It’s actually an environmental services company. That’s the brand-bending message contained in the $25-30 million a year the company spends on print and TV ads. To reinforce its message, the New York Times report, the ads highlight: “… the amount of energy it […]
Author Archives: Tom McKay
Do your online ads irritate instead of sell?
I’m a big fan of intelligent marketing. You know, giving the customer credit for being intelligent, not treating him/her like a total dunce. And using facts and information to make a persuasive case for why you should buy. I hate ads that are annoying, intrusive and insulting. (Just like you, I suspect.) So I was […]
Why you should be grateful for your competition
Wouldn’t it be nice if your business had no competitors? Imagine — if customers wanted to buy what you were selling, they’d have to buy it from you. Or do without. Think again. If your small business really had no competition, something would be very wrong. It could mean there’s simply no market for your […]
What you can learn from Hollywood
Southern California isn’t the only place that’s burning. A big chunk of Hollywood box office is in ashes, too. Sunday’s New York Times examines the cause of several of this fall’s big-name box office disasters. “Gone Baby Gone” tanked, despite star Ben Affleck appearing on virtually every talk show except “Wall Street Week.” The heavily-promoted […]
Where'd he go??
I apologize for disappearing. I have been trying to post but something got screwed up — I believe a Blogger setting somewhere — and as a result, nothing I wrote actually showed up. Very frustrating. After a while, I just gave up. Oh, I’d hack at it now and then, but seemed to be getting […]
Sales letters, brochures and e-mail marketing
Seth has a cogent observation about the differences between direct mail, brochures and emails. Basically, most direct mail pieces — and this includes those long direct response Web pages — try to make the sale in one step. The famous (and challenging) “one-call close.” The copywriter tries to think of every possible objection you might […]
How to promote your new Web site
Give something away! Something big, something that appeals to your target market. Something that vividly shows prospects (that’s what they are, right?) how great your service or products are. That’s the time-honored marketing strategy, and it’s exactly what IKEA is doing to promote its new website aimed at small businesses (rather than home furnishings). An […]