Due to a lack of foresight, leadership, and national commitment, unfortunately, the coronavirus and its consequences will be with us for a long time. What does this mean for business and more specifically, how your brand is perceived? Simply, is it viewed as a necessity or...
Whether it’s a phone call from someone you know or a video chat with a familiar person, the cloistering of society has opened the door for real time communication. We all now need live acknowledgement that we are important enough to spend exclusive time with. There...
It’s clear that the direct-to-consumer business just got a big shot in the arm from the shelter-in-place orders that many of us are now living under. Even though these restrictions are temporary, they have trained many new consumers to use online services to order their CPGs...
You’d think that the Great Recession, only 10 years ago, would have made it clear that the businesses that thought they were somehow insulated because they were B2B …weren’t! They took a big hit with everybody else because the business they were selling to was selling...
All the time, money, and effort you have put into building your brand pales in comparison to the good will and brand recognition you garner by stepping up to the plate right now during this time of need. We clearly don’t have enough protective gear. We...
“We are hiring!” says Jeff Stevenson, who runs a wine marketing business called VinoPRO, Inc. that focuses on remote sales. “We literally had our single largest sales day of the year last Wednesday!” As reported in The Wall Street Journal by Jon Hilsenrath, contrary to most...
We often say, “Face time beats Facebook” and “High touch beats high tech,” but we don’t always have the luxury to meet everyone in person. Especially now, with the “Shelter-in-Place”, and, “Stay-Home” orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That’s why we recommend Zoom, GoToMeeting, Skype,...
Although the implications to business from the COVID-19 are many and still unfolding, one already established growing trend will get a big boost: home delivery. Several retailers are already offering this service. But now this business is about ready to explode. Convenience Many customer who prefer...
So often we see great brands derailed. They seem to have lost track of their purpose and style, their principles and commitments. They often get watered down and diluted by corporate governance, standardization, and complacency. What happened? They lost their spirit, that’s what happened! They degenerated...
The American consumer is the backbone of the economy. It is their insatiable appetite for products that spins off into income for thousands of other businesses including such far-fetched markets as real estate. When they go to the store or shop online, they see finished goods...
As you know, we believe the best way to convey business principles is through story. And the best way to convey story is through theatre where actors play the parts of characters to demonstrate the principles. The characters have differing goals, attitudes, and behaviors, which through...
Over the years, brands risk becoming just another label. When a brand loses its spirit, it winds up as no more than a distinctive symbol (or logo). And as the logo becomes more standardized, it begins to lose even that distinction. The once proud brand has...
You’ve finally taken a big chance on your first new territorial sales representative. They’ve made it through the application and interview process. You have offered them the 90-day probation period. If they get through that, they’re in! This is your first employee. You’ve got a lot...