A few months ago I read an article discussing the all-round benefits of laughter in the workplace which really struck a chord with me. The article caught my eye not because the content surprised me (laughter = happiness = productivity) but because I was surprised more businesses hadn’t caught onto this simple and healthy way to boost staff morale.
Explore our historical blog articles for nuggets of wisdom (and random musings) from our crew.
So you’ve spent considerable time and resources developing a business or marketing strategy. You’re clear on where you’re going and you’re excited about the future. But soon enough, you get bogged down with the day-to-day, the strategy is retired to the shelf, and in 12 months time when you have the chance to think about it again, you realise that nothing has changed and you are no-where. Unfortunately, this story is an all too common reality for small businesses and for strategists such as myself. But how do you prevent it?
Okay…so you’ve spent big dollars on a new campaign. You’ve thought of everything. TV Commercial, brochures, email newsletter, point of sale material. You even dedicated yourself to commissioning some market research along with an update to your website to ensure that it reflected your campaign. You have it all covered, right?
For the last few months Lee and I have been talking it up about going for a mountain bike together. So finally last weekend Lee and I decided to hit the Ferguson Valley hills on our mountain bikes, only to find when we got to the trails that the Department of Environment and Conservation had decided that this fine mountain biking day was perfect for a controlled burn off (the first there in 15 years!).
Let’s face it – marketing is about sending signals. Signals to your customers about who you are. What you sell. What you stand for. How long you have been operating. What prices you charge. The list goes on. The answers to these questions are drawn from how you project yourself externally. So what signals do consumers pay attention to? How do you send the right message?
Hands up who’s ever had a gallstone? Or a severe gut ache? Maybe a really bad stitch or most horrid sickening feeling in your stomach. Well those of you who don’t have your hand up…you haven’t lived. This is the feeling I get every time I see someone tackle their anniversary with a vacuum cleaner on blow rather than a fine bristle paint brush!
I have been super organised this year with my Christmas shopping and, being a big fan of shopping online, my first present for a dear friend was delivered to me from America this week. I must admit though I love online shopping, there is always a level of trepidation in purchasing this way – will it arrive, will it be as I imagined, etc, etc. Well I needn’t have worried about this gift, it arrived in record time, the packaging protecting the gift was perfect, the gift itself was perfect! I was one happy shopper. Then I noticed it. A small handwritten note attached to the bubble wrap from the artist thanking me for my purchase.