Not Everything in Marketing is About You

The struggle to connect with our audience might be a problem with the methods WE’RE using. In our latest blog post, we highlight 3 examples that show how effective we can be when we tailor our methods to our audience’s preference and not our own.

Word of Mouth Still Beats All Other Marketing

Picture of Fairbanks Masters Swimming Practice

I thought I heard Coach Kristina wrong. Did she really say 21 masters swimmers had showed up to Saturday swim practice? Attendance had been down during vacation. We thought everyone was suffering from guilt. Then it happened again on Thanksgiving morning. 26 masters swimmers showed up for a holiday swim. I asked her exactly who …

A New Approach to Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday Picture with Pop-Up Market Info

I learned about Small Business Saturday 3 years ago when I saw someone walking around with a Shop Small canvas bag. What is Small Business Saturday? The quick history: In 2010, small businesses are hurting from an economic recession. American Express deems the first Saturday after Thanksgiving as “Small Business Saturday” and launches a campaign to …

Do Your Products Reinforce Stereotypes?

Picture of Asphalt with 'Men' and 'Women' sprayed into the ground with opposing arrows

I don’t spend a lot of time in tourist shops. I visit one whenever I travel assuming all the rest carry a variation of products with the town/city/state/country name. The exception is Skagway, Alaska.  For the past decade, I have made an annual trip with my run team for the start of the Klondike Road …

Don’t Let Ego Ruin Good Customer Service

Picture of Touch Screen Register

I entered our local grocery store at 5pm on Friday to purchase beer for a post-work celebration. The liquor department had a number of people selecting items, but the lone cashier only had three people in line. Already knowing what I wanted, I grabbed my 4-pack quickly and made my way to the counter. There …

Names Matter: Setting Up Expectations Without Knowing It

Man Holding New Member Card

Marketing articles often use terms like ‘customer,’ ‘client,’ ‘consumer,’ and ‘patron,’ interchangeably. For the most part it doesn’t matter, but my friend did identify one instance where it does. He was interviewing for a manager position at an athletic club when the General Manager began describing their ‘customers.’ My friend stopped her for clarification. “Are …