The economy is slow, but this is a different economy than we have encountered before now. I suppose this is always true since the economy is completely dynamic so no two points in time are ever the same. Nonetheless, abcnews.com offers us this story – Job Winners and Losers in Hard Times – which has an excellent bit of information regarding this economy: In an environment of a sluggish economy and rising unemployment, analysts said there will be some safe harbors where job demand will keep growing. First and foremost in this group will be health care, where the demographics of an aging population mean the demands for medical care… Read More
Continue ReadingBenefits Of A Recession
BusinessWeek.com offers up a provocative article about the slowing economy – The Upside of Recession. Interesting opening: Pop quiz, hot shot: What do MTV, Trader Joe’s, and the iPod have in common? Yes, of course, they’re all now ubiquitous and make our lives much more agreeable. But to us, the most interesting thing about all three is that these great brands were born during recessions. (Trader Joe’s: 1958; MTV: 1981; iPod: 2001, if you are scoring at home.) The authors are just warming up: Cutting (ed.- lay offs) across the board is the coward’s way of dealing with a downturn. It assures that no one is going to yell—how could… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Pain Of Change
We’re big fans of Jeff Thull here at The Hire Sense and we always try to keep up with his articles. This one from Inc.com – Three Keys to a Successful New Year – is well worth the read. Ok, we might be a bit late getting to this one since it’s theme is for the new year. I have always appreciated a doctor analogy for selling and I think Thull lays out a good example here: Like an experienced doctor who continually diagnoses for problems and recognizes symptoms, you see the issues your solutions address far more frequently than your customers do. You know the business drivers that your… Read More
Continue ReadingCompany Mission Statement
This BusinessWeek.com article – How to Avoid the Commodity Trap – caught my fancy but I have to admit, it is a bit short on the “How to” part. The main thrust of the article is to treat your customers with respect. That is solid advice, but I was looking for more. But what the article lacks in tactical description, it makes up for with anecdotal stories. The article is a fun read. It closes with the author retelling a personal experience: My last example is personal. Two years ago, I dented my car and took it to a body shop for an estimate. A large tattoo-covered man stood behind… Read More
Continue ReadingNow THIS Is Marketing
I heard a radio commercial this morning for one of these credit card debt consolidation companies. The closing line from the commercial: Must have over $10,000 of credit card debt to qualify. Qualify? Exclusivity in a club for which most people would not want to qualify. Excellent spin.
Continue ReadingReaction Is Worth More Than Visits
From the Website Notes enewsletter from Web Pro News: Matt Bailey, President of SiteLogic said, “Simply getting more and more numbers to your Web site, is not the answer. It’s getting them to react.” There are three types of searcher: 1. Specific searcher (Sharp shooter) 2. Concept searcher (Shotgun) 3. Idea searcher (Artillery) He said writing content is just as important as the design of the content. Content should answer how it will make life easier. Call things what they are and speak in user’s language. That is a good point about simplicity …a point I think is often lost in websites. I know we get caught up in our… Read More
Continue ReadingURL Tips
I’m not much of a web address guy though I know their are many who enjoy purchasing domain names. This Search Insider article provides a good, quick list of suggestions for good (and bad) web addresses. What Makes a Good URL? On GoodURLBadURL.com I list some best practices for marketing professionals who, like me, take this URL thing seriously. Here are the Dos and Don’ts I’ve come up with for selecting and promoting URLs. I’d love to hear yours, too — either in the Search Insider Blog or the comments section on my site. Dos 1. CapitalizeTheFirstLetterOfEachWord. 2. UseDifferentColorsOrBoldToHelpEachWordStandOut. 3. Whenever possible, use YourBrandName.com. 4. If .com is not available,… Read More
Continue ReadingJurassic Marketing
I was listening to the radio this morning when I heard an ad for a company that mentioned their website. This company doesn’t sell anything over the web – this was simply a corporate website. Here is what caught my ear in the ad: “Our website is available 24×7.” We are not professional marketers here at Select Metrix, but I’m not sure that is a strong value proposition. In case it is, I am here to proudly announce that The Hire Sense is available 24×7.
Continue ReadingThis Makes Banner Ads Look Cheap
From the JustSell.com newsletter: The doctors of “Grey’s Anatomy” are reaping rewards “Grey’s” is the most expensive show this television season, bringing in $419,000 per 30-second commercial, according to AdAge.com. That’s $25,000 more than last year’s top show, “Desperate Housewives,” commanded per 30-second spot. Here’s the fall lineup, in terms of advertising dollars… “Grey’s Anatomy” – $419,000 “Sunday Night Football” – $358,000 “The Simpsons” – $315,000 “Heroes” – $296,000 “Desperate Housewives” – $270,000 “CSI” – $248,000 “Two and a Half Men” – $231,000 “Survivor: China” – $208,000 “Private Practice” – $208,000 The show that has them all beat? A 30-second spot in this year’s Super Bowl cost $2.6 million.
Continue ReadingMissing The Boat On Blogging
Inc.com’s article Business Owners Rank Internet as Most Important Marketing Tool speaks to the marketing efforts of small companies. The poll only involved 250 business owners so it is a small sample size, but let me unpack the article this way: While e-mail may top the list of Internet-related activities, many small businesses have begun implementing online advertising strategies. Of survey respondents, 59 percent use online ads and 68 percent utilize search engine optimization “sometimes” or “often.” Business owners are making efforts to increase their Internet presence. Forty-four percent say they plan on spending more on Internet tools this year compared to 2006, while 27 percent plan to spend the same amount… Read More
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