Latest posts
Swagger Wagon and the Art of Market Segmentation in Professional Services
Right now, Toyota’s Swagger Wagon video is a big hit in the McKay household. I share this fact because I recently found myself explaining market segmentation to my children (Don’t ask. Just know that father-child marketing discussions are at least a four-generation...
“We want a brand like Apple.”
Many firms want a brand like Apple, but they lack the vision, courage, grit, or culture to create what is behind it.
A Lock on Innovation
A good friend (and one of the sharpest marketing minds I know), Gunnar Branson, taught me that innovation is not driven by profit, but by irritation. By understanding what annoys our clients and asking them how they would like to make “it” (whatever it is) better, we...
A 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
I just spent the last 20 minutes completing a client satisfaction survey. As a marketer, I am sensitive to the request, but I seldom take the time to complete the surveys that I receive. From my perspective, the requests often seem vacuous and insincere. Who knows?...
Brand the firm or the people?
I am often asked by leaders and marketers of professional service firms whether they should emphasize the firm's brand or the personal brands of its partners and thought leaders. Normally the argument goes something like this: "This firm has been here for more than X...
Time to Think
Do you set aside time to think, to ponder, every day? If so, where do you do your best thinking? At your desk? On a quiet walk? At the gym? While you sleep? If you're an extrovert, perhaps you talk it out with a confidant or peer. For my daughter, Alejandra, it's in...