Archive for August, 2006

The Eight Questions to Ask Yourself if Your Company Doesn’t Have a Blog »

By Tom Chandler on Aug 28, 2006 in Blogging | 0 Comments

Does your company operate a blog? Should it?
I think most companies - especially those selling in passion-based markets - should answer “yes.” To see why, simply ask yourself the following questions:

Has your company created an online community for committed product loyalists - a place that offers customers a voice, but won’t sink to the lowest [...]

Build a blueprint. Or market into thin air. »

By Tom Chandler on Aug 25, 2006 in Marketing Consulting | 0 Comments

Today I had lunch with a very, very smart woman. We talked about her non-profit, and how she wanted to move her organization to the next level.
Among other things, she needed a complete marketing overhaul, and she even listed the elements; new logo, new Web site, new tagline… right down the line. And right off [...]

Where’s the passion in your marketing plan? »

By Tom Chandler on Aug 22, 2006 in Engagement Marketing, Marketing Consulting, The Best Of the Underground | 0 Comments

Your strongest marketing tool? It’s not your SEO strategy, your finely tuned messaging platform, or even your copywriter.
It’s the passion of your customers.
Tap into that, and you’ve created a mobile sales force that can’t wait to sell your product. They’re engaged. They’re credible. And they’re chomping at the bit to spread your message.
Passion-based marketing? It [...]

Blog Success Primer: Marketing goals first, blog second… »

By Tom Chandler on Aug 12, 2006 in Blogging, Engagement Marketing, Marketing Consulting | 0 Comments

Blogs are finding their way into the arsenal of corporate marketing departments, and for those willing to try this new marketing channel, the payoffs can be significant.
A marketing blog can build customer loyalty, help recruit new customers, drive revenues, unify fanatic users (who sell your product for you), and help you retain control of your [...]

Marketing Smarter #2: The Messaging Platform’s Building Blocks »

By Tom Chandler on Aug 12, 2006 in Copywriting, Marketing Consulting | 1 Comment

Welcome to Marketing Smarter #2 - the second in my series on the Messaging Platform. This describes the elements of the Messaging Platform – the document that drives your marketing efforts. My essential messaging platform includes a small, simple handful of elements:
Research Elements (the parts I dig up)
Current Situation
Includes information on the state of your [...]

Marketing Smarter #1: Market without a foundation and you’ll sink from view »

By Tom Chandler on Aug 2, 2006 in Copywriting, Marketing Consulting | 1 Comment

Build an expensive house without a foundation and you’ll watch your investment simply sink into the earth.
Yet that’s exactly what many marketing organizations do. They build their marketing plan without a foundation, so their marketing efforts slowly sink from view.
Fight Message Drift
The Messaging Foundation is the building block of your marketing efforts – the document [...]