What do you say when your child complains about their math homework and asks, “When will I ever need to know what 2,247.67 divided by 96.7 equals — when will I ever use that?” You probably say something like, “You won’t need to know that exact answer, but it’s helpful …
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.” So declares Juliet in Shakespeare’s classic story of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet seems to argue that it does not matter that Romeo’s family name is Montague — the hated rivals of her …
“Be careful what you wish for. “ Have you heard that one before? Sure you have. If you owned or handled the marketing a small business in the 80’s or 90’s, I’ll bet you wished for a new type of media. You wished you could reach your market someway that …
You’re watching the game alone at home while your spouse is shopping, and your kids are with friends. Ten minutes into the first quarter, your pizza is delivered. As you sit down and lift that first slice to your mouth, as a time out is called. A commercial for a …
What’s your favorite part Thanksgiving? Is it getting together with your extended family, the non-stop NFL games? Is it the the turkey and mashed potatoes? PUMPKIN PREVAILS One Thanksgiving dessert is on top of almost everyone’s favorites lists. Pumpkin pie is more like a holiday obsession than a holiday tradition. …
Has it been tough to market your business? Maybe you’re in accounting or wealth management, real estate or medical services. Perhaps you own a restaurant, hair salon or car dealership. Sometimes it’s tough to find the right message. But what if you owned a service or product not most people …
Burger King has been using the well-known tagline, “Have it Your Way,” for more than 40 years. So when they announced at the beginning of October, that they were changing the tagline to “You Rule,” they were expecting quite a reaction from U.S. consumers. For the most part, the reaction …
You’ve probably heard stories about small unknown companies using unique and aggressive marketing approaches to take on and beat an established industry giant. But what happens if the established industry giant also has some pretty awesome marketing chops? Which company wins in a war between those two? Nike vs AND1 …
Seems a little silly, doesn’t it? A little old lady, wearing a crown, walks out on to the balcony of Buckingham Palace. For next ten minutes, the late Queen Elizabeth offers her royal wave to thousands of her adoring English subjects, many whom have waited hours just to see that …
Tony Soprano parked his Chevy Suburban in front of Grab & Go Liquor. As he walked into the store, two policemen were leaving. “He’s all yours.” said one of the cops. Tony gives them a thumbs up. When Tony sees the store owner, he says, “Hey Mr. Quan, I’m sorry …
Imagine you’re picking up your “perfect angel” seven-year-old daughter from a birthday party of one of her school friends. You walk in and see a drowsy kid on a couch. Another is stuffing his face with cake, while one appears to be puking. Not that unusual for a kid’s party. …
How do you increase sales when the market is nearly saturated with products similar to yours? One way is to produce another version of your product that appeals to a new or wider market. That’s what Miller Beer did in the 70s, when they took advantage of the new fitness …
84% of TV commercials viewed by consumers are either not remembered or not attributed to the advertiser reports a study by Ipsos Market Research. Ouch! If you’ve got a lot of the budget tied up on the tube, that statistic has to hurt. But it’s not just ads on TV …
Paid advertising has some fundamental goals. You want to stand out from other ads, differentiate your product, increase brand recognition, and add value to your brand. You also want to move viewers to act — make an immediate purchase or seek more information.. But achieving these goals is no easy …
Who the #1 toy manufacturer in the world? Take a guess. Is it Xbox? Meta (aka Facebook) — makers of the Occulus Quest Virtual Reality headsets and games? It has to be a company that makes something electronic or high-tech — like drones, right? Wrong. The #1 toy company in …
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” is a quote often attributed to author Mark Twain when told about rumors that he was gravely ill and died while on a speaking tour. A similar exaggeration may have been applied to the movie theater industry during the COVID 19 pandemic. …
Imagine you’re in your autonomous vehicle on a trip to Cleveland from Youngstown, Ohio — roughly an hour and a half journey. That’s 90 minutes of solitude that give you — the veteran of driving your own car for decades — free time you never had before. Once on the …
What’s your dream? How are going to bring your new idea or existing business to the next level? What is your plan to help you reach your vision? You need a proven strategy to be successful — a strategy that includes these key components — (1) SOLID KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR …
Imagine you’re the owner of a small business attending an event with lots of other small business owners. Most of them, you’ve never met. It’s a diverse group of people: male and female, old and young, black and white. Their businesses are diverse too: bakery, craft & hobby, shoe store, …
What’s your strategy? How are going to bring your new idea or existing business to the next level? Do you know how to reach the right market? What’s your plan? Your strategy needs these key components to succeed — (1) SOLID KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR MARKET You must identify your best customer. …
What’s your plan? How are going to bring your new idea or existing business to the next level? Do you know how to reach the right market? What’s your marketing strategy? Your plan needs these key components to succeed — (1) SOLID KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR MARKET” You must find your best …
Four friends head to Miller Park in Milwaukee to see a Brewers baseball game. They have a lot in common — each is over 7-ft tall and made of pork. There’s Brett Wurst the Bratwurst, Stosh the Polish Sausage, Guido the Italian Sausage, and Frankie Furter the Hot Dog. They …
When you come across news about the development of autonomous vehicles, what’s your first thought? If you’re like most people, your first thought is probably a question— “Why do we need autonomous vehicles?” Companies in that category may tell you the key benefit of their end product comes down to …
What’s it going to take to bring your business to the next level and reach the success you have made your goal? What’s it going to cost? What has to be done? What’s the marketing strategy? Whether you have start up business or you are beginning to revamp your existing …
“Go Easy on Me,” Adele sang to her lover. The Eagles suggested you “Lighten up while you still can….and Take it Easy.” And Lionel Richie was “Easy Like Sunday Morning.” “Easy” is a special and often-used word in every language. Search “easy” in Google and you’ll get 8.9 billion results …
Buying marijuana is not something Americans are used to doing out in the open. Many recall a scenario in which one friend scored the pot and brought it to his or her friends. Comedians Cheech and Chong had a routine featuring a character named “Dave,” who runs out to buy …
The 1962 movie The Manchurian Candidate is a psychological political thriller about the Cold War and sleeper agents. The plot centers on Raymond Shaw, a U.S. soldier in the Korean War who is captured and brainwashed by communists. He is released and returns to civilian life in the United States. …
If you watch Christmas movies this time of year, you’re not alone. A survey of American households by Statista.com says 60 percent of respondents watched at least one Christmas film with family during the holidays. According to YouGov.com, the most popular Christmas movies are Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, …
Imagine your 18-year old daughter introduces you to Rowan — her new boyfriend. Rowan has no job or education, but he does have a great collection of tattoos on both arms and several safety pins through his eyebrow. No daughter? OK, imagine your assistant buzzes you on the intercom and …
Sinclair gas stations were cool. The logo featured a green dinosaur and the local station had a giant blow up of the “Dino” mascot tethered to its sign. When I was nine, I’d go cruise in to the Sinclair near my home on my bike to put air in my …
“Hello this is Tradio, are you buying or selling?” says the radio DJ. “I’m selling a five-horsepower lawnmower from Sears. It’s six years old and in good condition. I’ll take $35 or best offer.” replies the caller. “Thank you, Hello this is Tradio, are you buying or selling?” the DJ …
Do you remember reading print magazines? I’m talking about the paper and ink versions of Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Time, Good Housekeeping and the other top titles. One of my favorites was Psychology Today. Many of the articles were written by psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, medical doctors aimed at helping you solve …
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William Morrison emigrated from Scotland to America in 1880. He was a watchmaker by trade, but an innovator by DNA. Like other inventors of his era, he wanted to build a horseless carriage. But unlike other early automobiles, Morrison’s was powered by battery, not a combustion engine. Morrison’s electric vehicle …
Yes, small businesses …
Baby pictures. We’ve all seen them. When a new parent or grandparent sticks that smartphone under your nose to show you their precious darling, you automatically start to spit out compliments. “He’s definitely his father’s son,” you say, as the proud papa swipes through the first 200 digital images for …
