In Cool Hand Luke, the famous 1967 film staring Paul Newman, the captain of the prison guards tells a prisoner named Luke that the sound of his chains clicking should remind him that what he was being told was for his own good. The wise-cracking Luke replies, “I wish you’d …
Most of us have been on both sides of the fence. We’ve been treated poorly — or at least with indifference — by a customer service rep, manager, retail worker or phone person. And if you’re in business, you’ve probably had the occasional upset (or maybe even unreasonable) customer to …
In this age of reality TV shows like SharkTank and viral videos on YouTube — everyone is becoming more aware of marketing. That represents a giant increase in awareness, because until about 15 years ago, most people thought marketing was a trip to the grocery store. Of course, marketing could …
It’s a very rare thing: a true story about a successful company or organization in which marketing is the recognized hero. Usually, successful organizations like to point to “getting into the market at the right time” or “answering a need” as the reason for the cash register’s continued ringing. That’s …
July is usually the hottest month of the year in Ohio. In July of 1966, I was just a kid, and it seemed especially hot. Air conditioning was still a rarity. If you wanted A/C, you went to a movie. In cars and in homes, it was practically nonexistent. But …
It’s five o’clock. You’ve had multiple text messages from friends urging you to join them for a drink at the local watering hole. You’d like to go. You could use a drink. But you also need to do some laundry tonight or you’re going to be wearing YSU sweatpants and …
I like being alone sometimes. I’m not a hermit or a monk. But I could be Elton John’s Rocket Man or the guy that does a solo crossing of the ocean. Of course I want to come to back to civilization, but I don’t mind leaving for a good stretch. …
I drink a lot of coffee. So I have those Keurig coffee machines at home and in the office. I’d have one in my car but I’m pretty sure K-Cupping would be more distracting than texting. You know how it works. You just put your cup underneath the spout, press …
American’s love dogs. More than 83 million of our four-legged friends call the U.S. their home. Well, they would if they could talk. The percentage of U.S. households with dogs has tripled since the 1970s. According to the American Pet Products Association, 47 percent of American households now own at least one dog. …
“Scott, did you murder your wife?” shouted the reporter. Scott Peterson ignored the question and hurried to his car. Rumors started to surface that he was going to be arrested and he didn’t want to answer questions. Most business owners and executives will never face a scenario like Scott Peterson, …
If you want the best chance of being successful at social media marketing, you need to first understand and acknowledge that you’re using social media as a tool. This is work, not play. It will take time and effort. That’s not to say you can’t have fun with it, or …
Your brand is not your product, service or company. Your brand is how people recognize your product, service or company and what they think about it. Branding is a function of marketing. And let’s face it, the super brands usually become super brands because of their marketing. A super brand …
Your business is not special. I’m sorry if that hurts your feelings, but it’s not. I don’t care how many people you employ, how long you’ve been in business or how many awards you’ve received from Rotary or your trade association. Consider these facts: According to SBA.gov, there are 23 …
We decided to have a little fun with the print advertising that we place in The Business Journal to bring attention to an issue that is slipping by many organizations. A large portion of the people that view the organization’s website are viewing it on a cell phone or tablet. Both …
“What kind of animal is this?” asks my 2 1/2 year-old grandson Nico. He and his one-year-old sister Ava are sitting on my lap while we’re reading a children’s animal book. Nico is pointing to the photo of a strange-looking creature. “That’s a platypus.” I say after double-checking the caption. …
For more than three decades, they have been known as MVEDC. But they were not known by many and even fewer knew what services they offered. That’s a shame because they do important work. The Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation is a partnership of public and private interests focused on …
Could your organization continue marketing its products or services during the annual 24-hour “Digital Detox” known as The National Day of Unplugging? Maybe the question is “Should you?” Would your efforts be effective without electronic and digital media? This year’s event started Friday, March 7 at sundown and ended at …
OK, everybody sing along with me to the tune of “The Locomotion.” (Check YouTube if you want to hear it.) Everybody’s doing a brand new thing now Come on baby, do some Social Media I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now Come on …
Were the 2014 SuperBowl mistakes or money makers? There were plenty of both. None of the spots hit it out of the ballpark like the first E-Trade baby spots, but everyone had favorites. A good TV spot should stand out, connect with the audience and have some call to action …
The new year is right around the corner. What changes are you going to make in your marketing in 2014? What changes are you going to make in your life? Everyone believes they need to make big changes but the only big change you need is the change to your …
Every once in a while, the CEO of an organization should have to make a few new business sales calls. Yes, cold calls (gasp!). The CEO should not imitate an episode of “Undercover Boss” by making the call anonymously. And he or she should not be calling friends, associates and …
This is a series of “indoor billboards” we developed for Cardinal Mooney High School. They are displayed in hallways throughout the school. The goal is to inspire students and teachers every day. They also appeal to prospective students and parents who tour the school. Note these are draft mock ups. …
In the early years of Farris Marketing, we had a lot of retailers as clients. That’s because — before the age of international retail giants — the Valley had quite a few large department stores, and multi-location clothing, hardware and drug stores that were locally owned. We produced tons and …
Most nights, I hit the sack around midnight and fall asleep within a half hour. I wake up refreshed and raring to go. Then I look at the clock and see it’s 2:15 a.m. Oh, oh. Here we go again. I look over at my spouse. She is sleeping soundly. …
Most reality TV shows make me cringe. I’m not sure why anyone would find the lives of Beverly Hills housewives and bearded duck-hunters so fascinating that they tune in to watch in record numbers. But when a friend asked me to name my favorite TV shows, I realized that my …
It was the spring of 1966 and we were almost teenagers. Me and my buddies from the sixth grade at St. Nicholas Grade School were pretty excited about going to our first mixed party of boys and girls. We wanted to stand out…show the girls how we were different. We …
Want a fast car? The Isuzu Impulse was faster than a speeding bullet. Want a roomier car? The Isuzu Impulse had more seats than the Astrodome. On a budget? The Isuzu Impulse cost just one dollar. Why do you find those statements hard to believe? Is it because they were …
On my first day as a freshman in high school, I spent a lot of time picking up books that seniors and juniors knocked out of my hands. The perpetrators would be laughing 20 feet down the crowded hallway before I could even react. I had to scramble to pick …
A few years ago, I heard Sam Rutigliano, the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, use a story about his dog to explain why his Kardiac Kids were one of the most successful Browns teams ever — even though they didn’t have the most skilled players. Coach Rutigliano told …
“Papa! Papaaaa!” pleads my two-year-old grandson Nico. He’s standing on the edge of the pool. I’m in the pool, treading water. He’s getting ready to jump in but he wants me to climb out of the pool and jump with him — as we’ve already done 23 times in the last 24 …
Think of all the marketing lessons we learned from our mothers. Naturally. Free. With no college tuition. All we had to pay was attention. Here are a few lessons I learned from my marketing teacher (my mom): Incentives: “You better clean up your room before your father gets home.” Sampling: …
Just a couple weeks ago, I went to see the 3D version of the Superman movie “Man of Steel” with one of my adult sons. About a half-hour into the movie, I got up and went to the concession stand for popcorn. Within a few minutes I returned to the …
The worst pitch of my life took place during August of 2006 in Tampa, Florida. August in Tampa is characterized by essentially constant daily high temperatures — around 90°F or higher throughout the month. Humidity ranges from 58% (mildly humid) to 93% (very humid). That’s great if you’re going to the beach. But it’s brutal if …
Beep. Beep. Beep. There it is again. That faint, tinny-sounding noise. Beep. Beep. Beep. It’s difficult to hear because oxygen deficit is causing my ears to ring. I’m “sucking wind,” and my labored breathing is the sound I hear the loudest. Beep. Beep. Beep. It’s my heart rate monitor telling …
It was a Friday night (technically, Saturday morning) at one minute past midnight on August 1st, 1981 when MTV (Music Television), a new cable channel, debuted its first music video. The first video featured the song “Video Killed the Radio Star” by a British New Wave duo called The Buggles. …
This column contains about 600 words. I would prefer it was only about 350 words. That’s because I can cover most of the relevant points I have to make on just about any subject in about 350 words. After that, my concentration and my writing gets kind of weak. Don’t …
