For some, the sole purpose of social media is ruthless self-promotion, if not outright narcissism. At the very least, they consider social media an outbound marketing tool
Read more →
Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and the other social networking websites have supplanted the water cooler as the place to go when you need a break from your work day.
Read more →
Marketing campaigns, sales quotas, and sales awards are soon forgotten. Yet, your reputation seems everlasting; it is the essence of what others remember about you. How will you be remembered?
Read more →
Trust is hard to define, but we know it when we see it or feel it. And this is particularly true with e-mail marketing.
Read more →
For some, the sole purpose of social media is ruthless self-promotion, if not outright narcissism. At the very least, they consider social media an outbound marketing tool
Read more →Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and the other social networking websites have supplanted the water cooler as the place to go when you need a break from your work day.
Read more →Marketing campaigns, sales quotas, and sales awards are soon forgotten. Yet, your reputation seems everlasting; it is the essence of what others remember about you. How will you be remembered?
Read more →Trust is hard to define, but we know it when we see it or feel it. And this is particularly true with e-mail marketing.
Read more →Have you ever had the feeling that you have experienced a sales and marketing challenge before, but were uncertain about what to do next? Have the conventional tools become less effective for you? You tried direct mail, networking, print advertising, and cold calling. Nothing seems to work anymore. Welcome to the “new normal.”
John Bradley Jackson is Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at California State University Fullerton. At CSUF Jackson is a Lecturer on Entrepreneurial Marketing, New Venture Creation, and New Venture Launch. Known affectionately as “Professor JJ,” Jackson brings practical marketing and sales knowledge to the classroom from both Silicon Valley and Wall Street…
Déjà Vu. Do you ever get the feeling that you have experienced something before, but you are not sure what to do about it?
If you are like me, it happens a lot. This happens when I confront a familiar marketing problem or opportunity. While I may have experienced or witnessed a similar marketing challenge before, my previous responses or reactions just don’t seem to work so well any more. For whatever reason, new marketing solutions are needed if I am to remain…
Continue →Certain words convey certain emotions. But not all words are created equal; some combinations of words work better than others to convey certain emotions or themes. An advertiser might lure shoppers to a big sale by saying, “Hurry! This is a limited time offer!” It would not be as effective if the advertiser said, “Want [...]
Read MoreThe concept of personal space affects nearly every facet of our daily lives. It determines how close we stand to strangers in an elevator, and how long we linger in an embrace with a friend. Personal space is the immediate area surrounding you that you recognize as “your” space. It violates social norms if someone [...]
Read MoreYou have probably heard the buzz surrounding Pinterest, an image-sharing platform that links products back to their websites. According to Shareaholic, an online sharing service, Pinterest has generated more referral traffic than Twitter, StumbleUpon, Bing, and Google. Back in January, Pinterest first beat Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube – combined. In February, Pinterest finally beat out [...]
Read MoreIt is important to make your website friendly for social sharing. This means being flawlessly connected to social networking websites, and encouraging social interaction on your website in general. We’ll address both aspects of social optimization and also provide some general tips. Make it easy for users to interact and share through social media: Include [...]
Read MoreIf your goal is to reach as many people in your target demographic as possible, then here’s the bottom line: Know your audience. For many people, this means posting during high-traffic times online. Research firm iMedia Connection says that page views fluctuate based on the time of day. The lowest point is usually in the [...]
Read MoreThe short answer: not very long at all. When you post a link or something else online, you have probably noticed that people will “Like” or comment mostly within the first few hours after posting. After a couple of days, the post is all but forgotten, and the chances of anyone noticing it then are [...]
Read MorePinterest, an invite-only social platform that lets you ‘pin’ images of your favorite things, has been around since 2010, but recently it has exploded in popularity. So what is the big deal? In a nutshell, Pinterest lets you browse countless images of practically anything that interests you, from scrapbooking ideas to sport cars. You can [...]
Read MoreMost of us have heard of SEO and know that it’s important if you have a website, but few truly understand how SEO, or “search engine optimization” really works. Let’s de-mystify the elusive process of SEO. The goal of SEO is to promote a website through the use of powerful search engines like Google, Yahoo!, [...]
Read MoreMany brands come and go, and a few even stand the test of time. An even smaller number are among those that customers truly consider to be trustworthy. Why do we trust certain brands, and distrust others? It boils down to whether we perceive the company acts in our best interest, or in theirs. An [...]
Read MorePositioning is about strategically marketing yourself so that you fulfill a perceived need in someone else’s mind. Jack Trout pioneered the concept back in 1969, and has been writing about it ever since. Positioning is about finding the most advantageous position against your enemy. It’s how you differentiate yourself in your customer’s mind. Positioning is [...]
Read MoreWhere would we be without friends? Friends can help piece together a broken heart and get us through all the twists and turns that life throws our way. We share fun-filled memories, secrets, and inside jokes with our friends. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of [...]
Read MoreA trip to a typical pet supply store like Petsmart or Petco can be overwhelming. Usually in a warehouse-style building, these stores stock a seemingly endless supply of products for dogs, cats, birds, and more. A simple trip to pick up some kibble can turn into multiple impulse buys ranging from squeaky toys and rawhide [...]
Read MoreIf your business isn’t actively marketing to women, you’re missing out. Women tend to make more of the spending decisions in the average household and also spend more time online. Some companies have caught on, but choose to market to women in very stereotypical ways that prove ineffective. Though the exact numbers vary by study, [...]
Read MoreWelcome to the future. More Americans today are living well into their 90s than ever before, and this has major implications for the rest of us. According to the Census Bureau, the median age of Americans rose from 35.3 years old in 2000 to 37.2 years old in 2010. By comparison, the median age in [...]
Read MoreAt Thanksgiving, we often go around the table and discuss what we are thankful for. But don’t stop there. Expressing gratitude is an exercise that can dramatically improve your life if practiced regularly. It is all too easy to dwell on the problems in our lives, and far too often we overlook how lucky we [...]
Read MoreWe may live in an extroverted world, but it is becomingly increased geared toward introverts. While both personality styles have their strengths, extroverts have had greater advantages in many fields, especially business, because of their outgoing and sociable natures. We want our children to be gregarious and assertive, not shy and quiet. Yet this inward [...]
Read MoreYour domain name is your online identity. It is the first thing people know about your website and therefore it is the first thing people know about you as an online presence. Like it or not, before someone even reaches your home page, they have already made a judgment about you based on your domain [...]
Read MoreThe global candy market is a fascinating world, with large candy corporations often competing with regional candy favorites. Because of its low-cost and “comfort food” status, candy sales remain a powerful industry in an otherwise shaky economic climate. Candy is popular worldwide. According to a new January 2012 report by Global Industry Analysis, the top [...]
Read More“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.” – Groucho Marx No, this is not a blog about ancient dinosaur species or prokaryotic cells. It is about, however, the wonderful world of paraprosdokians. A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech where a sentence or phrase ends unexpectedly, often for comedic or ironic effect. [...]
Read MoreEach generation is different from the last. Culture and events that take place during our lifetimes mold and shape our identities. You have probably heard the term “Generation X” used rather disparagingly about the “youth today”, but this term is obsolete when it comes to today’s young people. They are a different breed and prefer [...]
Read More“Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me? And why should I not speak to you?” – Walt Whitman “Nothing can be done with solitude.” – Pablo Picasso Each of the previous quotes embodies the philosophies of extraversion and introversion, respectively. You have probably [...]
Read MoreFacebook seems to update and change its privacy settings more often than Lady Gaga changes outfits. The outcomes for both are typically bizarre and confusing. Anyone who has had a Facebook account for more than five seconds can probably attest to these frequent and often frustrating “updates” that revamp and change users’ privacy settings. But [...]
Read MoreProduct Pricing Strategy Pricing may be the most important decision that the entrepreneur makes. Often this decision is rushed and done by the seat of the pants. Most entrepreneurs think pricing is easy. Many small businesses use mark-up pricing. Mark-up pricing uses some multiple of cost such as three or four times the “estimated cost”. [...]
Read MoreMany salespeople will tell you that texting is rising in popularity. We now have evidence. “According to a study by Pew, 83 percent of American adults own cell phones and 73 percent of them send and receive text messages. Pew surveyed more than 2,200 people and asked those who text to cite their preferred way [...]
Read MoreWhile I am obviously partial to blogging, I am told by many “wannabe” bloggers how hard it is to get started. The reasons for not blogging are many and include a lack of big ideas to write about, too little time to write, and an extreme distaste for writing. In my opinion, blogs may be [...]
Read MoreSearch engines enable your customers to find you on the web. But, how do they do that and what is important to them? The prime objective of any website owner is to be found by the search engines; if it cannot be found, your website is a waste of time and money. The big three [...]
Read MoreTo Whom it May Concern I have been thinking a lot about you since we last met. You are truly a wonderful person and I am honored to know you. I know that you have some tough choices to make. Some choices are black and white, but many are just shades of gray because we [...]
Read MoreThe 4th of July holiday is just around the corner. For many people, this U. S. holiday means barbeques, fireworks, family, friends, and relaxation. It is wonderful time of year. Why not use this grand occasion to express appreciation to others? Most people choose to express gratitude during the Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s holidays. [...]
Read MoreVilla Park High School 2011 Baccalaureate Speech Good afternoon, it is truly my honor to be here. Villa Park High School 2011 graduates, please accept my sincere congratulations for a job well done. Everyone here tonight is proud of you and what you have accomplished. Yet, soon you have big choices to make such as [...]
Read MoreListen to the radio (recorded) interview with the Deja New Marketing Author, John Bradley Jackson, and Aaron Barkenhagen of Bootleggers Brewery. Aaron is a former student of Jackson who has launched a microbrewery in Fullerton, California. This interview was hosted by Theresa Harvey of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce. Issues addressed include: • What it [...]
Read MoreWhile everyone wants more or better, the key to getting what you want in a negotiation is to make sure the other party is also getting what they want. That means that you need to understand the true motivation of the other party. Understanding the other party’s true motivation is not hard. Sometimes, all you [...]
Read MoreMobile devices are quickly being adopted by consumers. The Nielsen Company provides a view of the device usage and audiences in the U.S for 2010. * Number of Mobile Phone Users (13+): 228M * Percentage of U.S. Mobile Subscribers with Smartphones: 31% * Number of mobile phone web users: 83.2M Why this matters is pretty [...]
Read MoreOur aging population is creating some very exciting opportunities for new ventures and existing companies. These “old” folks have money, expect to live longer than the previous generation, and have some special needs which progressive marketers can provide. Here are facts about aging: – The nation’s population of people 65 and older are expected to [...]
Read MoreForecasting sales at for a new venture requires in-depth research along with educated guess work. There is no substitute for knowing your customers and why they will buy your offering. Buyers will choose your product over the competition because it is different or better. They buy for their own reasons and not yours. Presuming your [...]
Read More“Quick response” codes or “QR codes” as they are more commonly known, are little bar-codes which can be read and scanned by your smartphone. The codes can be stored with no typing required. URLs are the most commonly scanned QR codes and the typical message is to visit a website or to see something. The [...]
Read MoreMy friend Mahdy Khaiyat encourages me to express myself freely — to let my creativity flow with abandon. He says that if I do this I will subvert conventionality. Creativity may be the crude 0il of innovation and a basic requirement for successful entrepreneurship. While many people have great ideas, few apply them or put [...]
Read MoreThe ubiquitous business card is a critical tool for communicating your brand. Make sure it reflects your image and that you maximize its usefulness. Here are 12 tips for better business cards: 1. Print the card using color. Study after study shows that color printing significantly impacts the readers’ ability to notice and remember. 2. [...]
Read MoreHere is a blog written by Dr. Stephen Duarte: There is no question that the economic conditions have affected your revenue generating potential. The tendency is to get tougher on the sales force when revenue heads south, but you might want to rethink that strategy. Pressure is met with resistance! The more pressure you apply [...]
Read MoreConsumers are flooded with advertising messages. It is estimated that the average American sees over 3,000 advertising messages a day. These messages come in all forms: e-mail, newspaper, direct mail, web advertising, radio, TV, and others. Increasingly these traditional advertising methods are loosing effectiveness. Yet, direct-to-door advertising seems to be increasing in effectiveness when marketing [...]
Read MoreClever headline? OK, maybe not, but as least it got your attention. Welcome to the world of the paraprosdokian, which is a figure of speech used in the last part of a sentence or phrase that is surprising or unexpected. Comedians use this device to amuse or surprise us. Groucho Marx once said, “”I’ve had [...]
Read More“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Charles R. Swindoll Opportunity is everywhere, but we have been trained since childhood to say “no” or to look the other way. All our lives we have been taught to fear the unknown, to avoid strangers, and to play it [...]
Read MoreFacebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have replaced the water cooler as the customer hangout. Business owners need to understand that social networks have quickly become the preferred way to communicate for many people. This means that many of the conventional ways to promote and sell products and serices don’t work so well anymore.
Read MorePublic Relations 101: First, crash the plane. Second, declare the pilot a hero for not killing everyone. Third, blast the media with images of grateful passengers all chanting, “we did not die today.” Fourth, repeat the PR spinning until everyone forgets that the plane was not supposed to crash in the first place. Delta Flight [...]
Read MoreThe marketing mix or the “4 Ps” were coined by author E. Jerome McCarthy in the 1950s and they are marketing gospel today: product, place, price, and promotion. • Product is the goods, services, or solutions that the provider delivers. This is really the end game for the entrepreneur since it is all about the [...]
Read MoreFacebook is the real deal. In fact, it is changing our culture, our recreation, and our work. It consumes us. Don’t believe me? Read on. Market research firm Morpace says, “U.S. Facebook users are on the (Facebook) site for 1 of every 3 minutes of time spent online. Users 18 to 34 years old spend [...]
Read MoreAmerican use of land line phones and television is significantly down from previous years. According to Pew Research Center, only 74% of U.S. households have a land line phone in 2009, down from over 97% in 2001. This contrasts to 82% of Americans who now carry cell phones, which is up over 53% since 2000. [...]
Read MoreDeja New Marketing author John Bradley Jackson moderated a panel on August 4, 2010 called “Social Media As a Revenue Generator.” The panel discussed the use of social media by small to medium size firms as a tool to enrich relationships on the web. The event included keynote speaker Kogi Group founder and CEO Mark [...]
Read MoreA new study indicates that the personality of a first grader is a likely indication of personality as an adult. Thus, if you were shy and quiet as a six year old, your adult personality may be the same. A University of California, Riverside research project studied the personality traits observed in small children. The [...]
Read MoreThe business press is worried about a double dip recession. Are you? There may be better questions to ask. For instance, what is a double dip recession? By the way, what exactly is a recession? Details. Details. A recession happens when growth of GDP (gross domestic product) goes negative. This usually happens after a period [...]
Read MoreAdvertising has struggled during the last decade with the traditional delivery formats all in decline: newspaper, magazine, network TV, and radio. Yet, all is not lost since the giant advertising industry looks like it has found a new savior in the tiny cell phone. More specifically, the Smartphone is a perfect delivery mechanism for brief [...]
Read MoreIf the other party in a negotiation is fearful, you might have an advantage over them, but the likely outcome is a lopsided deal. You might get what you want, but you will never do business with that person or firm again. Overly aggressive negotiators prey on this type of opponent and delight in carving [...]
Read MoreIn the age of Twitter and pandemic-like Adult ADD, it is increasing important to be able to describe who you are or what you do in a few short words or phrases. The words chosen must quickly communicate your value proposition, be search friendly, and fit within the short space allowed. For instance, on Twitter [...]
Read MoreThe collective works of fiction writer, James Patterson, have now sold over a million books as e-copies. AOL reports that “Patterson’s publishing company, The Hachette Book Group, claims that his novels have now moved 1.14 million copies in electronic form, making him the first author to sell over 1 million e-copies of his books.” Patterson’s [...]
Read MoreRed sky at morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Sounds like a nursery rhyme. In times past, a red sky at dawn was a signal to seaman that the weather was changing for the worse. This weather rhyme is centuries old. Like folklore, some myths are actually true. A red sky [...]
Read MoreAccording to a study by Millward Brown, Amazon.com is the top performing brand in the U.S. based on “trust” and “recommendation”. The study uses a “TrustR” standard to judge different companies, which it arrives at by asking consumers two questions – “how trustworthy is this brand?” and “would you recommend this brand?”. Running a close [...]
Read More“Print advertising spending in U.S. consumer magazines is set to decline again in 2010, 2011, and 2012. After losing 21% of their print ad revenue in 2009, U.S. consumer magazines should expect print ad revenues to decrease 7% this year, 3.5% next year, and 1.1% in 2012. Print ad revenue will total $9.1 billion in [...]
Read MoreA new book called “Drive” by Dan Pink challenges us to rethink what really motivates us. In a nutshell, simple mechanical tasks can be encouraged with rewards such as money. A factory worker who assembles items repeatedly may respond very positively to cash bonuses for quality or quantity goals achieved. Yet, as tasks become more [...]
Read MoreA lot gets written about social media and how companies do or don’t use it effectively. Seldom do you find evidence of how CEOs have responded to or embraced it. My favorite social media blog, Mashable, offers some insight with this article: “How CEOs are Using Social Media for Real Results.” http://mashable.com/2010/06/14/ceos-social-media-real-results/ John Bradley Jackson [...]
Read MoreThe internet age is one that has lost its personal touch, if not its humanity. Little personalization is done. Everything is digitized, automated, and delivered but is done without compassion or style. Letters are addressed to “Dear Occupant”; “Please insert your name here.” Seemingly, every letter received has a label created from a database by [...]
Read MoreHave you ever had the feeling that you have experienced a sales and marketing challenge before, but were uncertain about what to do next? Have the conventional tools become less effective for you? You tried direct mail, networking, print advertising, and cold calling. Nothing seems to work anymore. Welcome to the “new normal”. New and [...]
Read MoreTrust is hard to define, but we know it when we see it or feel it. And this is particularly true with e-mail marketing. The truest measure of trust in commercial e-mail marketing may be the “reputation score” which is calculated by all the individual ISPs. A reputation score is a complex algorithm used by [...]
Read MoreWhy do I Blog? I get asked this question a lot. Yes, it takes a lot of time and brain cells, both of which I have a very limited supply. To blog regularly requires research, fact checking, writing, and editing. It is hard work. And, yes, I don’t blog for the money; my blog is [...]
Read MoreGiven the many options for new products and new ventures, why not create an offering that solves a problem or relieves a pain for your customer—a problem that the customer wants to fix right away. When people have headaches they reach for aspirin or other pain relievers. The need is clear and immediate. The value [...]
Read MoreFacebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and the other social networking websites have supplanted the water cooler as the place to go when you need a break from your work day. I suppose for many of us in this increasingly virtual world having a chat with a cyber friend brings some meaning, if not a respite from [...]
Read MoreFor some, the sole purpose of social media is ruthless self promotion, if not outright narcissism. At the very least, they consider social media an outbound marketing tool. It is my opinion that that they are missing the point of social media: social media is all about two-way communication. For example, we all know that [...]
Read MoreMarketing campaigns, sales quotas, and sales awards are soon forgotten. Yet, your reputation seems everlasting; it is the essence of what others remember about you. How will you be remembered? Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth you won’t have to remember anything”. This adage makes sense to me. I don’t want to have [...]
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