One of the biggest trends right now is the “group buying” site – Groupon, Livingsocial.com, Couptessa and other discount sites where companies offer jaw-dropping discounts to a certain number of pre-determined group coupon buyers. Sites like Groupon are often a good deal for consumers, but the results can be a mixed bag for the businesses that give the discounts….

Southwest Airlines has been one of the few big success stories of the American airline business. While other airlines constantly lose money, go bankrupt, and disappear, Southwest Airlines is consistently profitable, with a great reputation for low fares, on-time flights, friendly service and a fun-loving culture. The regional airline that started out offering flights between…

A Thriving Travel Business – In a “Down” Economy? There’s no question about it, 2010 has been a challenging year for many businesses, particularly for those in the travel and tourism industry.  In an economic slump, the “extras” are the first things to go – fancy dinners out on the town, lavish gifts and extravagant…

Some businesses are seasonal – Christmas tree farms, pool maintenance (in colder weather climates), lawn care and landscaping, pest control, fireplace sellers, resorts, boat rentals, Halloween costume shops – depending on what you sell, there might be certain times of year where business is incredibly busy or completely slow. There are also seasonal aspects to…

For the past 10 years, American car companies have been the poster children for boring, run-of-the-mill marketing. Most car advertising looks and sounds exactly the same – shimmering visuals of shiny cars, swaying along a roadway through mountains and forests. Close-ups and slow pans of the vehicle itself, with the price highlighted below. One of…

Everyone knows that McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast food chain – the Golden Arches are everywhere. Burger King is #2, but it’s nowhere near catching up with McDonald’s – and now that Burger King has been bought by a private equity firm, many industry analysts are predicting a major strategic shakeup in Burger King’s marketing….

Now That you got Their Attention – Make Sure to Close the Sale The “D+” campaign was successful in getting a lot of attention from prospective students – but now Drake University needs to take the next step – dazzling the prospective students with their competitive advantages to explain, “Why Choose Drake University?” Here are some good examples of…

Drake University’s D+ Campaign Gets Them Noticed Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa recently unveiled a new marketing campaign, based around a visual of a “D+.” The campaign intended to focus on the perceived advantages of a Drake University education, but some critics have argued that it puts the school in a bad light. Drake University administrators…

When Chasing New Customers, Don’t Forget your “Bread and Butter” Magazines are always offering special deals to new subscribers – “Save 80% off the cover price! Special offer for new subscribers!” But what about the “old” subscribers who have been loyal customers for year after year? Why do so many magazines make an effort to…

Say it Before Your Competitor Does One of the best ways to stake out a competitive advantage is to take credit for what everyone else in your industry is already doing. State “it” before your competitor does. This doesn’t mean you’re being dishonest – it means that you’re helping to educate customers about how your business works,…