Latest posts
How to Easily Invest Your Marketing Budget
Traditionally, marketing dollars are allocated by individual lines of business. More often than not, the largest lines of business command the biggest percent of the marketing budget. After all, they are the “cash cow.” But this way of thinking is outdated,...
14 Prudent Questions to Plan for Next Year
As we approach the end of the year, many firms are moving deep into the planning and budgeting process for next year. So, I thought this would be a great time to reflect on year-to-date performance and look forward to the opportunities of next year. Earlier this year,...
22 Take-aways from AMCF’s Taking Social Media to the Next Level event
Last week, I spent time with some smart marketers from the worlds’ best management consulting firms, along with great people from Forbes and HBR. The event was hosted by the Association of Management Consulting Firms (AMCF). John Furth, the President and CEO of AMCF,...
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...