Smart leaders (and boards) recognize that brand balance choices are as strategic a decision as any other marketing one. Here are the five levels of brand balance, and why each may have a role. Level Zero, Irrelevance: At this level, a leader's brand makes no difference, internally or externally. While [More]
Traditionally, journey mapping and touchpoint analysis starts at the very first "touch", and continues through to commitment: the contract signature. But what about the touchpoints after the ink is dry? There are several categories of touchpoints that are traditionally ignored, but can make a significant difference to the client experience. [More]
It's terribly disappointing, especially since the cost of putting together the proposal, prepping the pitch—let alone the cost of prospecting and pre-sales activities—is huge. So what to do? One alternative is to pretend that the entire episode didn't happen, and focus on the next opportunity. For some people, it also [More]
Many organizations have taken initial steps on this path, but most have taken a "risk minimization" approach, rather than seeing the effort being one of investment into their brand. Here are nine different ways that you can improve privacy within your organization — and build a higher level of trust [More]
Here are fourteen: Unnecessary web and app trackers: These ostensibly exist to allow better evaluation of marketing effectiveness at the macro level, and user behavior at the micro level. But as privacy — and transparency — are becoming more important with individuals (and regulators), these trackers are quickly being seen [More]
Dark patterns rely on a strong understanding of human psychology and online behavior to shuttle people along a path, usually with an unexpected outcome. Two examples come to mind. When one registers a domain name, there is usually a price attached to it, usually about $15. But on the way [More]
While these thoughts may occur with some successful leaders, there are also some people who truly are fake. The question is how to tell the difference. An exceptionally useful filter are the Ten Tests of Thought Leadership*, but there are several other tell-tale signs to watch out for: The ratio [More]
I would like to suggest another definition: Trust is the currency of transactions. Or said another way, at every touchpoint — for every transaction and for every interaction — trust either increases or decreases. Consider these scenarios: Scenario one: Someone you barely know asks you for a favor. When this [More]
Not sure of the weather? Check Google. Need directions? Check Google. Currency exchange rates. Ditto. Definition of an unfamiliar word? Google. The credibility of a particular person? Yes, Google. When someone wants to understand more about you, Google can provide an interesting, and supposedly unbiased perspective. Unpacking the Google test [More]
I was talking to someone at a conference who had seen a presentation I had done on digital strategy, when he said that he, too, was a digital strategy thought leader. I was looking forward to finding out his background, so asked what he'd done before: he said that he [More]
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