Newsletter/Blog
Should You Charge for Your Newsletter?
If I had a dollar for every time someone predicted the death of email, I could probably pay for a flight to Paris. Peak season, first class. It’s the misguided prognostication that keeps popping up like dandelions in your yard. Ninety percent of people in the US use...
The Truth Behind Barnes & Noble’s Turnaround
As a mother of two young children in the early 2000s who worked from a home office, occasionally I would need a break. A few hours out of the house on my own to remember who I was without any obligation to feed, clothe, wash, educate, entertain, or otherwise support...
M&M’s Marketing Mayhem
For decades M&M’s conjured memories of focus groups for me. During my years in consumer insights departments (aka marketing research) for Veryfine Products and Dunkin’, I sat behind the mirror watching customers react to new product ideas, ad campaigns, and new...
Avoid This Crappy Research Trap
Zappos disappointed me recently, but not with their shoes or their service. I had ordered five pairs of sneakers from them with the hope I’d find one I liked that fit. To my joy, three pairs fit. I liked all three but only needed one. I kept the one I liked most. As I...
Small Marketing Gestures Have a Big Impact
I may be single-handedly keeping the post office in business. Few days pass when I don’t mail a card to someone. I buy 5 books of stamps at a time and cards by the dozens. Cronin Cards, a small business selling cards specifically for business communications, is a...