Never a Lack of Ideas

Four years ago, I wrote the definitive list of marketing communication priorities. First on that list:   Utilize your physical location (if you have one).   The piano teacher who owns the fence pictured here is doing this perfectly. Well done.   There’s never a lack of ideas.

So you want to be a marketer? Then you better develop thick skin because critics are everywhere. Recently, a restaurant chain with which I'm quite familiar started a new Birthday Club. The premise is very simple: register online with your birthdate and email address and you will receive a voucher for a free piece of chocolate cake on your birthday. Here were two of my favorite responses on Facebook about the Birthday Club: "Pass. If I wanted to donate to the GOP, I'll do it directly. I'm not interested in funding the GOP via your restaurant's deep campaign pockets. Or at all. You keep your cake and I'll keep my conscience." "Takes such little imagination to please people nowadays! Cake will bring me to your restaurant? Please I have integrity." Add This To Your To-Do List You can't please everyone, so don't even try. Critics are everywhere and let's be honest — some people are just crazy. Develop thick skin and ignore the ha...

Two years ago, when I wrote the book on setting marketing priorities , inherent in the book, but not specifically discussed in detail, was the need to ignore a lot of marketing opportunities. In theory, it's easy to do this. But in practice, it's more complicated — at least, for me. When I was in college, applying for marketing internships in extremely creative ways but never hearing anything back, I vowed that when I was a marketing professional, I would always reply to everyone who contacted me, even if only to say no. "Saying no is better than saying nothing at all," I thought. But then I became a professional marketer and realized that's just not possible. There just isn't enough time in the day to respond to every opportunity. From marketing vendor inquiries, donation requests, and people looking to network or land a job, I could easily spend my entire day just saying no. This is Hard for Me I struggle with this. I'm a nice guy and I want ...

It's been six great months since I published my book , Hey Marketers, Get Your Priorities Straight. Since then, I've given a TEDx talk about several key points from the book. I've also heard from many of you that my book and talk have provided guidance on a subject in which many startups, small businesses, and non-profits struggle: how to set marketing communication priorities. I've created an infographic (click to enlarge) summarizing key points from chapter six in my book (and the first half of my TEDx talk). I hope you'll share this infographic with everyone you know as we continue to spread the #marketingpriorities message. Share it on your favorite social network ( pin it here ), email it out, and print it out and post it on the refrigerator at work. I would really appreciate it. Enjoy! There's never a lack of ideas.

18 Minutes of Fame On April 12, 2013, I fulfilled a longtime goal: I gave a TEDx talk. I was honored to be one of six speakers at TEDx UofI Chicago. Everyone at the event was a pleasure to work with. It would be very difficult to add up all of the hours that went into preparing for my short, 18-minute talk. I think I practiced it enough to remember large parts of it for the rest of my life. I tried to bring my passion for the subject to the stage — along with a little humor and a little know-how. There's always room for improvement, but I think I did pretty well. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I must admit that I had so much fun doing the talk that I just may have to try and do another one someday. I guess we'll have to see if I have any more ideas worth spreading in the future. Add This To Your To-Do List Enjoy my talk! And let m e know what you th ought of it. There's never a lack of ideas.

Sharing is Caring To thank those of you who have taken time to read my new book and share it with a friend, I'd like to send you a nifty button I've created. Check it out there on the right, worn by one of the people to whom I dedicated the book. I'll send you a free button if you do all of the following: Read my book. (Remember, there's a completely free pdf available.) Share my book with someone. I would love if you'd write a review of it, but you can also simply tell a friend about it or share it via social media. (If you share it on social media, please include #marketingpriorities.) Let me know that you did the first two things and where I should send the button. Then, sport it on your clothes or bag everywhere you go. If you take a picture of yourself wearing it and send it to me, I'll upload it to a little photo gallery for everyone to see. I'm trying to start a movement in which organizations no longer invest time and money into market...

Train Station Take Over In March, the Lincoln Motor Company took over nearly all the billboards in Chicago's Union Station. The ads (examples seen on the right) all talked about "firsts" and invited people to share their firsts on Twitter by using #Linco l nFirsts. Now, I try not to use this blog as a way to critique marketing campaigns very often because as a n observer, I don't know what Lincoln's goals were for this campaign, nor do I know how it performed against those goals. But I can make some educated guesses and I've come to the conclusion that this campaign was an example of marketing priorities gone wrong. Just look at some of the responses Lincoln received on Twitter. I assume Lincoln was hoping for better responses than these actual Tweets : The first time I saw this ad at Union Station I wanted to punch it. The first time I stole a car. The first time I pee'd in a bottle in a car The first time I went to a concert it was PDiddy. A r...

I'm thrilled to announce that my first book is now available in paperback and eBook! Here's where you can get it: Amazon.com – to get a paperback copy Search an eBook store for the book ( Kindle ,  Apple iBook,  Nook, Google Play, and Vook) Free PDF (based on the prin t version) Infographic based on chapter six of the book I invite you to consider leaving a review of the book wherever you acquired it. If you downloaded the PDF, I ask that you please write a review of it on Amazon — it's the least you can do for a free book, right?! #marketingpriorities Join the conversation about setting marketing priorities by using #marketingpriorities on your preferred social networks. Share the marketing tactics you’ve prioritized and those you’ve decided to skip. If you read my book and share it with a friend, I'd love to give you a free button . Just let me know. Indepen dent Reviews If you're looking to give a review of the book on your own media channe...