Archive for the Methodology Category

Website overhauls often cause a rousing and lively discussion leading to long meetings, lists of lists to be collected, strategic decision-maker input, and sometimes even talking to the end users about the site. And it seems inevitable that all of these goals and ideas need to be wrapped in a cleaner and newer interface design [...]

Strategy and tactics are two of the most common terms in the marketing world. Yet, perhaps because they are so common, it’s hard to know what they really mean. The trouble with this is two major challenges. If we don’t know what these things really are, then how can we evaluate them? That is, without [...]

Both missions and revivals try to attract converts, but they work in different ways. The “downtown mission” of movie lore attracts people by offering food and shelter. And, usually in unspoken exchange, they seek to convert these people. A revival directly caters only to those people who want to be converted. Which one is more [...]

It’s a common phrase: “strategic project”. It’s used a lot, but what does it mean? All too often, it’s used to mean that a company’s strategy is coincident with a project. But, this is exactly the wrong way of thinking.

It’s a common goal of marketers to start projects with research. (Well, most people want to, but they seldom do it. That’s a topic for another time). The idea is that, armed with some measurements of the audience’s attitudes, needs, and so on, we will have a better chance at structuring a successful solution. It’s [...]

Last time, we covered 2 main reasons that communications fails in execution. This time, we will wrap up the series with discussion of 2 more reasons.

Last time, we considered that it’s hard to execute a communications strategy. This time, we’ll examine 4 detailed reasons that this execution fails.

With most of our clients, we see a considerable gap between their communications goals and communications results. And, almost all of these clients immediately identify the primary solution to be a new strategy. The question is, however, whether this is the right choice.

It occurred to me, after I posted my last remarks, that I never even mentioned why consultants and agencies would want to work together in the first place. This time, I’d like to offer 6 reasons that this relationship is worth pursuing.

It’s commonly (sometimes famously) tried. But, it never seems to work. I’ve seen this arrangement up-close over many years. I’ve learned what to do, and what not to do. I’d like to offer 7 tips in getting this relationship to work.