5 keys to a successful website refresh...

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Living between a paper and a digital wor...

I recently discovered Nxtbook Media, a company that helps organizations migrate print materials online – in a way that feels much like you’re flipping through an actual magazine or catalog, yet it’s all through Flash. It’s very cool, and worth a visit (http://nxtbookmedia.com/). I spoke with one of their senior executives, Marcus Grimm, recently by phone and hope...

How solid is your brand?...

A recent BusinessWeek piece cited six key characteristics of a strong brand. Which one stands out as the most...

Accessibility...

One of the great challenges of our time is finding ways to give people access to the vast amounts of information out there that are at the same time easy and impossible to find. On one hand, technology and the Internet make much of it readily accessible. On the other, it’s daunting to know where to start and critical information is practically invisible. It’s more than just...

String Theory in 120 seconds...

Imagine the power of condensing something so complex into such a compressed time frame. If school kids can do it, corporations can too. Take a look...

Modern CMO: artist or scientist?...

In the May 7th cover story of B to B magazine, the headline screams: “CMO under pressure to develop new skills.  Increasing influence in corporate strategy brings new expectations, responsibilities.”The job description of today’s chief marketing officer is often not well defined. According to the story, “this new breed of CMO must possess not only traditional...

A strategic dilemma for PR: agency excel...

The May 14th issue of PR Week exposes a glaring weakness with PR agencies.“Maybe the alarmists were right. One of the most interesting bits of information gleaned from the 2007 PR Week Agency Excellence Survey was how poorly PR firms fared when their clients were asked what type of agency they would hire to implement a digital strategy. Perhaps predictably, respondents were most...

Five keys to succeed with direct mail...

Make them an offer – give them something worth responding to now Create a follow-up strategy – expect them to ignore you at first, and plan how you will follow up Be creative and compelling – ensure that your piece stands out against competing offers Speak to the needs of the audience – can the recipient even relate? Build or buy a bullet-proof list – will...

Recommended reading list...

In an effort to stay informed, I think it’s critical to have a short list of regular reading. In order of importance, here are my favorites: Wall Street Journal BusinessWeek Yahoo News Fortune PRWeek MediaPost’s Media AlwaysOn Fast...

Bloggers as target influencers...

  Online advocates and critics can build up and take down brands literally overnight. As words travel quickly online, corporations are getting savvy on interacting with influential bloggers to bolster support. The tough part: how do you decipher who really yields such influence? Who deserves your attention? How do you interact with them? What is proper protocol? A few suggestions come...