A Straightforward Approach to Search

There are so many gorgeous, functional websites and so few are optimized effectively for search engines. I think that creating a beautiful website should be the beginning of the journey, not the end. We’re in a time of “build it, and they won’t necessarily come.” For most sites, the vast majority of traffic comes from… Read More

4 Common Marketing Automation Questions, Answered

Breaking It Down In short, marketing automation is a tactic that allows organizations to engage people in a highly personalized, scalable fashion. In long-form, it’s a majorly important tactic you should have in your tool bag that will help you attract prospects through a wide variety of channels, engage those prospects with valuable content to… Read More

3 Small-Town Marketing Lessons that Madison Avenue Tends to Forget

There is a notion that life on Madison Avenue moves infinitely faster than in a place like Salt Lake City. Having seen both sides of the street, I agree; in some ways, this assessment couldn’t be more true. Salt Lake City—affectionately dubbed “Small Lake City”—has wide pioneer streets built on a grid and will never… Read More

Effective Leadership Is Not About Running for Class President

Opting for respect over esteem is not easy medicine, but it’s necessary. Follow the leadership principles of an iconic CEO. “I am not running for class president.” Such was the reply from Dan Akerson during my time running corporate communications days at XO Communications. It came when I cautioned that an audience might not embrace… Read More

Hook Your Audience With These 4 Storytelling Tactics

Compelling stories have a strange hold on people. You can lose an afternoon to binge-watching your favorite show or experience a range of emotions while reading a novel. The reason people love stories is biological. Stories put the world in perspective and help people see their place in it. As a marketer, a carefully crafted… Read More

Why Leaders Should View Themselves as Servants

Show your employees you really care about each and every one of them. Success will follow. This article is included in Entrepreneur Voices on Effective Leadership, a new book containing insights from more than 20 contributors, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Twenty years ago, I received a unique gift. This gift impacted my career by introducing… Read More

3 Signs You Need to Pivot

With any business or marketing effort, there’s always the chance of falling short. No venture is perfect in its first iteration. In fact, some of today’s most famous companies built their current incarnations off former failures — companies such as Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare and Groupon all owe their success to major pivots. Another well-known example… Read More

Straight Outta Marketing: Lessons From The Rap World

We hear easy-listening music just about everywhere: while riding in elevators, shopping at the grocery, or waiting on hold. We know this kind of tune all too well: It’s background music—Muzak—engineered to make the passage of time less noticeable. The music is familiar, likable, and forgettable. But as marketers, that is the last thing we… Read More