Unafraid of Greatness: New Ways to Market with Social Media
Marketers have learned how much social media matters in a marketing campaign, and companies are starting to learn too. We all know the most popular and trusted platforms to be on: Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and LinkedIn. But other platforms pop up like weeds all the time. Which ones have staying power? Which ones should we, as marketers, jump on? The […]
Going Beyond Past Success: Learning to Survive in Changing Markets
My firm gets paid to find patterns in the world. It’s what our clients come to us to help them do, so they can find the stories that work for their brands. Lately I have been overwhelmed with sightings of a business pattern where leaders focus on the tried and true, and avoid the risks of […]
Safe Data or Risky Creative; Is Your Marketing Strategy Too Safe?
Creative freedom A common discussion among marketers tends to be the intricate juggle between creative freedom, calculated risks and data-driven research. Whether it’s B2B or B2C, the same conversation seems to surface. The popular mindset tends to veer toward the data end of the spectrum versus the provocative risk-taker. In fact, as a chief marketing […]
12 Tools to Put in your Agile Marketing Toolbox
We are beginning to hear more of the term “agile marketing,” and we believe there are some powerful ideas within—but who has time to reinvent how they do their marketing? So we’ve broken down agile marketing practices into smaller parts that can be added in stages. Here are 12 concepts we think should be part […]
Don’t Brag or Sell Product. Chat Instead.
Multiple sources have called 2016 the “year of the customer.” We’ve always believed in customer-focused marketing, and lately we’ve been thinking about it even more. This past month, Small Business Bonfire had an interesting idea about how a brand’s website copy should have a customer-focus. Often, a brand’s website is the customer’s first impression of […]
Cause Marketing…How Can You Make a Good Thing Great?
Cause marketing is nothing new. When a for-profit business supports a nonprofit, the company mission is about something bigger than itself. Sponsoring a cause is beneficial to both the company and the organization, which is why it’s a concept often-executed. Being viewed as a company who is helping a good cause appeals to customers. And […]
Forget the Technology, Focus On The Customer
We often remind our clients not to worry about the competition, just focus on your customers. We’ve held that belief for a long time, and loved it when Jack Ma brought the idea to the world. So we were very interested to read a Marketing Land interview of John Scully, The ex-CEO/Chairman of Apple and President/CEO […]
Ballet Dancer Misty Copeland Shows the Will and Why
Great brands emerge from clear purpose and strong organizational culture. A great brand starts with a strong company culture. As a marketing company, it’s our job to connect the client branding and marketing work we do for them, to their company culture. So often marketing campaigns are battlegrounds for corporate egos. And when a business fails […]
2016 Forecast: The Year of the Customer
Tis the season for forecasts! And I’m pushing “customer focus” to the top of the list. There are many reasons for this, all summarized with the idea that relationships are key in running a small marketing company like Torque. In addition to customers, other vital relationships include relationships with the best talent, vendors and partners. […]
Culture Defines the Brand And The Customer Experience
Culture and Business Style I often have the chance to talk to business leaders about their most pressing concerns. I’ve noticed that in these talks, company culture is an often-mentioned topic. This post is inspired by a recent conversation I had with the CMO of a company in a notoriously dull and boring industry. But […]