5 bullshit metrics you need to stop using

Posted by on Jul 7, 2017 in Brand Thinking | No Comments

A very enlightening must read by Daniel Hochulifor those of us who geek out on our marketing metrics and how they influence actual customers:

5 bullshit metrics you need to stop using to measure content marketing success.

They are:

  • Impressions
  • ROI
  • Bounce Rate
  • Benchmarks
  • The Funnel

The way you talk about them and the way you measure them is bullshit.

Read the full article HERE>

Authenticity

Posted by on Jun 7, 2017 in Abso-effing-lutely, Brand Thinking | No Comments


“Authentic brands don’t emerge from marketing cubicles or advertising agencies.
They emanate from everything the company does.”
—Howard Schultz

Nickels and dimes are worth less than that


“The real asset you’re building is trust.

And even though it’s tempting to cut a corner here and there to boost profit per interaction, the real cost is huge.

No one will say anything, no one will put up a fuss, until one day, they’re gone. Those extra few dollars you made with some fancy footwork have now cost you tens of thousands of dollars in lost value.

The opposite is clearly true: invest a nickel or a dime every chance you get, and the trust you earn pays for itself a hundred times over.”
~ Seth Godin

10 traits of highly sought after designers

Posted by on May 15, 2017 in Brand Thinking | No Comments


Great work can be found anywhere. But a relationship? A trusted partner? Those things require much more than software skills.

I’ve learned that most people are looking for the same 10 traits in every designer. Spoiler: Actually being good at design did make the list.

Read the full article here >>

Cost reduce or value increase?


Again, Seth Godin is spot on:

Organizations that want to increase their metrics either invest in:

Creating more value for their customers, or

Doing just enough to keep going, but for less effort and money.

During their first decade, the core group at Amazon regularly amazed customers by investing in work that created more value. When you do that, people talk, the word spreads, growth happens.

Inevitably, particularly for public companies, it becomes easier to focus on keeping what you’ve got going, but cheaper. You may have noticed, for example, that their once legendary customer service hardly seems the same, with 6 or 7 interactions required to get an accurate and useful response.

This happens to organizations regardless of size or stature. It’s a form of entropy. Unless you’re vigilant, the apparently easy path of cost reduction will distract you from the important work of value creation.

The key question to ask in the meeting is: Are we increasing value or lowering costs?

Race to the top or race to the bottom, it’s a choice.

When our work matters

Posted by on May 1, 2017 in Creatives I admire, Ipso Fabulous | No Comments


Simon Sinek shares insights on millennials, technology, and the importance of empathy in good leadership. We flourish when we’re seen, when our work matters, and when we connect with and understand one another. Promising that it will be the most profound 30 minutes of your day.
Watch now >>