by Jeff Slater | Jan 13, 2017 | Marketing Advice, Marketing People, Marketing Start Ups
I heard a TV commercial that promoted an art term that was unfamiliar to me – sofa sized painting. They were selling oil paintings based on a different set of dimensions- filling an empty space in in a living room and specifically over the sofa. I studied art history...
by Jeff Slater | Jan 11, 2017 | Branding Issues, Marketing Advice
After several years of product development, a start-up in the sofa industry determined that it was time to market their product. They knew who they wanted to reach and what they wanted to say. They were finally ready for prime time. But they waited to get every part...
by Jeff Slater | Jan 9, 2017 | Marketing Advice, Marketing People
Melissa and Doug started a toy company twenty-five years ago, with virtual no money or a big idea. Melissa had worked in finance, and Doug worked as an assistant to the president in another business. When they met, they knew they wanted to do something with their...
by Jeff Slater | Jan 6, 2017 | Marketing Advice, Marketing People, Marketing Start Ups
Offices can be one of the most difficult places to get work done. Seems counterintuitive, but you know it is true that most offices are dysfunctional. Jason Fried, the CEO at Basecamp, the Chicago-based software company has several excellent ideas that his company...
by Jeff Slater | Jan 4, 2017 | Marketing Advice, Marketing Start Ups, Personal Stories
I have worked for three companies who have failed at implementing CRM or customer relationship management systems. What went wrong? Why didn’t these projects succeed? Could marketing have played a role in making these project work and avoided having CRM plans...
by Jeff Slater | Jan 2, 2017 | Marketing Advice
Do you jump into solutions too fast before the problem is clear? Would it help to reframe the question and confirm that you understand what problem you are trying to fix? Are you jumping into tactics too soon? Reframing a problem may be a better approach to...
