Biznology

I’m a big baseball fan. Big. Huge. And, we’re in my favorite part of the baseball season: the World Series. Right now, just a couple of teams remain, to determine baseball’s best team. And while it’s easy to tire of sports metaphors, hang with me for a minute. Baseball may look like a kid’s game, but it’s also a multi-billion dollar business. The average ball club achieved over $200 million in revenue in 2011, with some teams taking in billions. These teams may play a game, but they’re playing for keeps. And there are some key traits winners possess whether they’re managing paid search, building a brand, or, yes, playing baseball.

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Photo credit: Lulu Vision

Many businesses spend their time each fall trying to predict the future. They’re diving deep into historical data and trying to overlay that onto their expectations for next year. How many customers will purchase from us again? Which channels require a larger presence? What larger economic factors must we account for? And so on. This process didn’t just exist for annual budgeting, however. The very nature of old media marketing dictated this exercise as much as internal budgeting needs. Old media depends on predicting the future — and largely explains the limited lifespan of the modern CMO. Does this need to be the case? I’d suggest not. And here’s why.

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Photo credit: Wikipedia

SEO is dead! SEO is dead! It’s always a great headline, and I know, I know, you’ve heard this story before. Every time Google changes its algorithm or a new social media technique takes off, it’s tempting to say that SEO is dead. And, viewed narrowly enough (SEO is keywords in titles or SEO is links), any of these changes might mean that SEO is dead for you–if that is all SEO was to you. But let’s take a look at some signs that SEO is really dead. Read the remainder of this entry »

Photo credit: 401(K) 2012

So, we’re beginning to enter the dog days of summer, when thoughts turn to family vacations and fun in the sun. We’ve long since stopped worrying about fitting into our swimsuits and now just want to enjoy the surf. In fact, we’re right in the thick of summer movie season with one of the most anticipated movies of the year due on our doorsteps this week. Hollywood has a lot riding on the success of the latest Batman movie, having dropped at least $250 million into making the film. And that’s before marketing expenses. Unfortunately, I see a lot of businesses taking a similar, “Hollywood blockbuster” approach to their marketing, putting all (or many of) their eggs in one basket and hoping for a monster hit. But is that the right approach? Let’s take a look.

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(Photo credit: Christopher S. Penn)

A few days ago, our fearless leader noted “nobody needs both Pinterest and LinkedIn.” And, generally, Mike’s absolutely right. Too many guys in black turtlenecks and very cool eyeglasses try to fit their standard portfolio of tricks and tips to your business, without really considering how to various social channels fit your brand’s needs. But…Why don’t you need both Pinterest and LinkedIn? Actually, you might. Read on to find out why.

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