Ramping up your business is easy to do, right?  Before settling on that conclusion, check this. A careful understanding of your market and your customers is essential.
Now that you have launched your new product or your new company, the sales are starting to roll in. Your beta testers have been enthusiastic and you have made [...]

[Read more →]

I deal with a great many business in a variety of fields and find that a distressing number of the people consider many things and miss one of the most critical elements in that decision.
Businesses in trouble often run hither and thither trying solutions again ignoring this critical element.
That critical element?  Market Research!
Anyone, at the [...]

[Read more →]

Here is a classic example of a large corporation’s failure to effectively take the customer’s psychology into account.

While I’m certain Macy’s spent a lot of money on marketing before they made all the changes described in the New York Times article, they only concentrated on the proper things with the proper scientific testing after they had lost billions of dollars and run off some valuable customers forever! And this doesn’t even count a dramatic drop in Macy’s stock price!

[Read more →]

Seth Godin is one of my favorite bloggers.  He always puts out his best stuff and does so regularly.  One of his recent blogs is really on the subject of personal integrity.  He said you should only produce something if it is your best.  He has the proper answer to “good” or “good enough.”
If your [...]

[Read more →]

Most businesses claim to cater to the customer.   They may make a strong point in their marketing and advertising.  Unfortunately, many fall far short of that goal.  Look at some of the experiences Mr. Merholz had with major airlines.

Where do we fall short?  Usually in failing to have true customer service as a part of [...]

[Read more →]

 DISASTER PLAN: How Lose Customers In A Single Move!
At times it is surprising how easily large corporations make huge errors in judgement!
In this case the company which produces the Absolut Vodka brand produced a TV advertising campaign for airing in Mexico that played on the longstanding rub the Mexicans have had toward the U.S. for having lost [...]

[Read more →]