7 Ways to Use Your Value Proposition in a Marketing Strategy
B2B Marketing, branding strategy, Content Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy B2B Marketing, branding strategy, Content Marketing, Creative, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

7 Ways to Use Your Value Proposition in a Marketing Strategy

Understanding and articulating the unique value your organization delivers to your customers – your value proposition – is crucial for smart marketing. Here are seven ways to use the value proposition insights gleaned from customer interviews in a smart marketing strategy.

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7 Ways to Avoid Overcommitting with Marketing
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Websites

7 Ways to Avoid Overcommitting with Marketing

Even if you have the budget to execute marketing projects and a marketing agency standing by to help, there’s another factor that can impact your success: Your internal marketing bandwidth. Someone on your team has to make all that marketing happen -- and it's easy to get in over your head. Here’s how to prevent this problem in your smart marketing strategy.

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5 New Rules and 5 Proven Principles for Marketing Success
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Social Media Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, CRM, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Social Media

5 New Rules and 5 Proven Principles for Marketing Success

In this new, technology-driven world of marketing, do the proven principles of marketing strategy still apply? Or are there new rules for marketing success? Here are five new marketing rules created by the enormous impact of technology plus five time-tested marketing principles -- and the reasons to consider both in a smart marketing strategy.

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6 Marketing Lessons I Learned as the Mother of the Bride
Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

6 Marketing Lessons I Learned as the Mother of the Bride

Brides are spending big money on weddings. According to the Wedding Report, the cost of an average wedding in the U.S. is $25,200. Market research firm IBISWorld estimates that the U.S. wedding industry has grown to $55 billion in annual sales.That’s a lot of cake, tulle, and flowers – and as the mother of the bride, I can tell you from personal experience that it’s also a fascinating example of what works (or doesn’t work) in sales and marketing. Here are six lessons for your smart marketing strategy that I learned as the mother of the bride.

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Is that Super Bowl Ad a Smart Marketing Strategy?
Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Is that Super Bowl Ad a Smart Marketing Strategy?

The Super Bowl is marketing nirvana for advertisers. Not only is it the most-viewed TV program of the year, but viewers are almost as interested in the ads as the game. But how do you know if a Super Bowl ad will be a winner -- and a smart marketing strategy? Here's my annual guide for how to evaluate the marketing effectiveness of Super Bowl advertising.

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Is That Super Bowl Ad a Smart Marketing Strategy?
Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Is That Super Bowl Ad a Smart Marketing Strategy?

The Super Bowl is the most-watched event on live television. Marketers spend millions to buy 30-second ads.But many of those ads will fail. How can you tell if a Super Bowl ad is a smart marketing strategy? Here's an encore post about to evaluate the marketing effectiveness of Super Bowl advertising from my viewpoint as a marketing consultant. I'll be tweeting comments throughout the game; follow me on Twitter: @jeangianfagna

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Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Mocking or Mean? When Ads Go Too Far to Be Funny

One of the most common creative approaches in advertising is making fun of someone or something.When it’s on point, an ad that mocks can engage and entertain. But when it goes too far, it feels mean, casting the marketer in a bad light and unsettling the audience.How do you know when funny goes too far in advertising? Here are five tips for developing a creative approach for your smart marketing strategy that mocks without being mean.

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10 Bad Marketing Habits to Break in the New Year
Advertising, B2B Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites

10 Bad Marketing Habits to Break in the New Year

Even the best marketers can find themselves stuck in bad habits – harmful behaviors that limit the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and waste valuable marketing resources.Like breaking any bad habit, the New Year is a good time to make a fresh start. Here are 10 ways you could be hurting your marketing and recommendations for a better approach from a Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant.

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Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Social Media, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Social Media, Websites

Association Membership Marketing: 12 Steps for Success

Member acquisition is a constant challenge and a top priority for most trade associations. Who do you target? How do you reach prospective members? And how do you convince them to join your organization?Here’s how the American Advertising Federation-Cleveland (AAF-CLE) developed a successful membership marketing strategy and campaign that exceeded its goals and laid the foundation for future member acquisition.

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Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Social Media, Websites

11 More Timeless Tips for Smart Marketing

How to be a smarter marketer:11 more timeless tips for creating smart marketing strategies from Cleveland, Ohio marketing consultant Jean Gianfagna -- part 2 of a 2-part post

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Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Social Media Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Sales Strategy, Social Media

When Does “Edgy” Marketing Go Over the Edge?

Have you seen the new “Ship My Pants?” ad campaign from Kmart?The TV spot is a viral sensation with nearly 16 million YouTube views. It’s been featured on CNN and The Today Show and it’s everywhere on social media.But just imagine the discussion that took place at Kmart when the company’s ad agency, Draftfcb Chicago, proposed an idea that sounds a lot like what happens when you don’t have time to make it to the bathroom.When is “edgy” marketing over the edge? Would you have said yes to “ship my pants?”Sometimes it's hard to know where to draw the creative line in marketing. Here are 10 tips for your smart marketing strategy.

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Advertising, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, CRM, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

A Peek Inside the C-Suite: CMOs Re-define Marketing’s Role

Chief marketing officers at top companies are using customer insights and passion to build brand equity and increase the strategic value of marketing within their companies, according to new research by Dr. Rachel Talton, an award-winning marketing and branding consultant, researcher, and author in Cleveland, Ohio. Here’s what Talton has learned about today’s CMOs and some tips for how marketing agencies can help clients create smarter marketing strategies.

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Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Should You Hire that Marketing Agency? 7 Questions to Ask

Choosing a marketing agency to help you develop and execute a smart marketing strategy is a critical decision for your business. But how do you know if a new agency is right for you? And how can you avoid making a mistake? Here’s some advice for advertisers about evaluating agencies, from my experience on the agency side and as a former client.

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Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy Advertising, B2B Marketing, Creative, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy

More than Swag: Why Branded Premiums are Smart Marketing

Branded premiums and promotional products can be an extremely effective tactic in a smart marketing strategy, especially for business-to-business (B2B) marketers. Here’s why you should be using branded premiums and seven tips for selecting a premium for your business.

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Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy Advertising, Creative, Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Strategy

Marketers, Please Stop! 6 Creative Themes to Banish Forever

It was the Honda Presidents' Day Sale TV spot that finally put me over the edge: Yet another marketing campaign with an overused creative concept that makes consumers roll their eyes and wonder what marketers and their agencies are smoking.Why do so many marketers continue to develop ad campaigns that have no originality or insult the audience? Can’t we agree as agencies and marketers to stop the madness?As a marketing consultant, I’m sure I speak for millions when I say I’ve had enough. Here are six marketing approaches I’ve seen far too many times and hope never to see again.

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