Picture this: You’re presenting to a room full of skeptical marketing executives. Half are making little notes, the other half appear to be already mentally drafting their “this won’t work in our industry” rebuttals. Sound familiar? That was me in 1999, standing before a skeptical...Read More
Business Practices
Jul 31, 2025 | Business Practices
The marketing world is undergoing a rapid, transformative shift—and many organizations are only beginning to grasp its implications. New research shows that 58% of consumers now prefer product and service recommendations from generative AI (GenAI) tools over traditional search engines. Even more significantly,...Read More
Nov 27, 2024 | Business Practices
As strategic plans and thoughts turn toward a new year, words like “crushing,” “disruption,” and “drive” often appear. Hard-charging and brash leadership attributes from people like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Larry Ellison can fuel a competitive, winner-take-all focus. Assertiveness and...Read More
Aug 30, 2024 | Business Practices
In a world of transformational shifts and organization-busting chaos, high-impact effective leadership is more important than ever. iStock Here we write of the aspirational beyond-the-barricade kind of leadership. That’s the kind of referent power that doesn’t need authority. That’s leadership...Read More
Aug 30, 2024 | Business Practices
You’ve done the research. The SWOT and Stakeholder Analysis are wrapped up. You’re armed with data. You’ve set the goals and objectives. Now, how does your team assemble the 2025 strategy and tactics – and execute? Here are ten roadmap questions that can help frame up the development of actionable,...Read More
May 31, 2024 | Business Practices
How does your brand stand out in the midst of a hypercompetitive, cluttered, commoditized, cacophony of a marketplace? With so many similar products and services vying for attention by piling on keywords, intrusive ads, and endless messages draining out authenticity, what can make a difference? Each...Read More
May 31, 2024 | Business Practices
In the first 34 seconds of a crisis-related presentation, perception rules and builds the level of brand and communication success. Even when you have great content, at that moment when a CEO or spokesperson steps in front of the mike to explain what happened and what will follow, media professionals...Read More
Apr 11, 2024 | Business Practices, Trends and Insights
The Site Selection magazine headline recently summed it up: “When Being Small Is a Big Advantage.” Over the past four or so years, rural America has experienced an unexpected and remarkable growth trend. As the magazine noted, “record inflation, remote working, rising big-city crime, and lifestyle...Read More