tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384151482012-02-16T06:11:28.071-06:00Each entry in quotes represents part of a bigger article. Click the title of the post to read the article in its entirety...Michael Wentworthnoreply@blogger.comBlogger771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-37815177000505457692008-08-12T09:28:00.000-05:002008-08-12T09:29:49.521-05:00

Customer insights are what many marketers need most. Not just the top line data available through traditional research methods, but the real drivers behind the customers' purchase decisions and their brand relationship.Focus GroupsFocus groups no longer work at uncovering customer needs because customers are not honest in front of other people. Asking people directly what they think doesn't work

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-59724878797815027452008-08-12T08:45:00.000-05:002008-08-12T08:45:24.877-05:00

How to Get More Out of Your Data - Advertising Age - CMO Strategy: "How to Get More Out of Your DataWho's the Best Target? If You're Not Fully Leveraging Customer Information, You May Never KnowBy Chris DickeyPublished: August 11, 2008Chris DickeyDo you really know who your best customer is? You'd be surprised how many marketers find this question difficult to answer. It's often because the

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-82974020401529874862008-07-31T08:31:00.000-05:002008-07-31T08:32:50.646-05:00

Offer Consumers a Meaningful ServiceUnderstand What Your Target Needs, Deliver It and Stick With ItBy Drew Neisser Published: July 28, 2008Drew NeisserIt's just common sense that if you give a little, you'll usually get a little in return. But to paraphrase President Harry S. Truman, that (inadvertent) font of marketing wisdom, "If common sense were so common, more [marketers] would have it."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-5233707319724865372008-07-28T15:43:00.000-05:002008-07-28T15:44:12.159-05:00

Value innovation logicBy Albert T. VilladolidPhilippine Daily InquirerFirst Posted 22:08:00 07/20/2008BUSINESS MANAGERS who use conventional logic are often thinking of how they can catch up and stay ahead of their competition. They focus on building competitive advantages aimed at beating competitors. They pay attention to retaining and expanding their customer base through further segmentation

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-410207929594033632008-07-18T12:44:00.000-05:002008-07-18T12:44:59.544-05:00

Survey Finds CFOs Skeptical of Their Own Firms' ROI ClaimsANA Confronts Lack of Confidence at Marketing Accountability ConferenceBy Bradley JohnsonPublished: July 15, 2008DANA POINT, Calif. (AdAge.com) -- Financial executives don't think there's much truth in advertising.According to a new study, six in 10 financial executives believe their companies' marketing departments have an inadequate

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-7028141490483266812008-07-15T10:03:00.000-05:002008-07-15T10:03:37.647-05:00

2008 » Jul » 15 » More People Use Internet in New Ways, Embrace Web 2.0...More People Use Internet in New Ways, Embrace Web 2.0'Net garners plenty of loveNearly a quarter of the world's population (some 1.4 billion people) will use the internet on a regular basis in 2008. That number is expected to surpass 1.9 billion, or 30 percent of the world's population, in 2012, according to IDC's Digital

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-13253474342664180842008-06-26T09:04:00.000-05:002008-06-26T09:04:37.461-05:00

"How Content is Being Consumed (Hint: Online)June 5, 2008The E-Media Circus: The overwhelming majority of media and entertainment industry leaders generate revenue from new forms of media, according to Accenture's 2008 Global Media Content Survey. The poll revealed that such revenue has grown tremendously, even though it is proportionally small (less than 10% compared to older media). In fact:"

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-90934986321669097872008-06-24T14:55:00.000-05:002008-06-24T14:55:45.220-05:00

"Marketers committed to ROI and measurementStory posted: June 24, 2008 - 2:02 pm EDT Manasquan, N.J.-While overall adoption may be slow, marketers' commitment to ROI and measurement is high, according to the fourth 'annual Marketing ROI &Measurement Study' conducted by Lenskold Group, a marketing consultancy, and sponsored by Kneebone, a marketing performance management softwarecompany.More than

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-77309541530324036582008-06-19T09:12:00.000-05:002008-06-19T09:12:38.865-05:00

"82% of Gamers Don't Mind Contextual In-Game AdsIn-game advertising canraise brand appealMost video-gamers react positively to in-game ads: 82 percent say the games are just as enjoyable with such ads as without them, according to a study by Nielsen BASES and Nielsen Games on behalf of in-game advertising network IGA Worldwide, writes MarketingCharts.Moreover, integrating dynamic advertisements

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-66054543276386942892008-06-16T08:24:00.000-05:002008-06-16T08:24:43.141-05:00

"MySpace: Next Big Web Portal?Co-Creator DeWolfe on How Site's Redesign Will Benefit BrandsBy Claude Brodesser-AknerPublished: June 16, 2008LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Chris DeWolfe created the original MySpace.com in 1998, relaunching it in 2003 with President Tom Anderson as a place for musicians to connect with their fans and share music. Almost three years since Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-78240370406346096542008-06-13T14:00:00.000-05:002008-06-13T14:01:15.679-05:00

Las Vegas—In an unusually candid keynote presentation at the annual Business Marketing Association conference Thursday, Judith Sim, senior VP-CMO of Oracle Corp., revealed how the company has achieved increased return on investment with a declining marketing budget. “Our marketing budget has been going down every year for 10 years,” Sim said, pointing to a budget that is currently 1.7% of the

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-7781871891727944742008-06-04T14:25:00.001-05:002008-06-04T14:27:07.835-05:00

By Robin Ragle-Davis Published on May 20, 2008 Deep down below the layers of interface, CSS, HTML, and XML—down where only the geekiest among us roam—everything comes down to this: it’s all zeroes and ones. On or off. The digital switch. It goes without saying that clean, CSS-based, standards-compliant code is called for here so users on slow connections, with old browsers, or using screen

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-34935208928594856002008-05-29T09:01:00.000-05:002008-05-29T09:01:34.515-05:00

Study Shows Blogging Now 'Mainstream' Among Women Many Web Users Actively Contributing, Not Just SurfingBy Beth Snyder BulikPublished: May 28, 2008YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) -- 'Blogosphere' may not be a pretty name for it, but it is a pretty attractive destination -- for women at least, and maybe for marketers courting them, too.According to a recent study by BlogHer and Compass Partners, more than

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-27815529768255659942008-05-21T15:48:00.000-05:002008-05-21T15:48:54.951-05:00

The Internet on SteroidsMobile advertising wields great power, and demands great responsibilityMay 21, 2008-By Paran JoharIf advertisers thought online/digital advertising was a challenge, there is bad news. A tidal wave is about to hit a brand near you. It has few standards or metrics and hundreds of hardware and software configurations and interfaces. Yes, this is mobile advertising, and it's

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-16352418454189809472008-05-19T09:20:00.001-05:002008-05-19T09:22:42.749-05:00

Roundtable: Taking measure of which metrics matter By Ellis Booker Story posted: May 5, 2008 - 9:22 am EDT OAS_RICH('Middle1'); Marketing metrics have never been more important. The weak economy, which has caused scrutiny of all budgets, has given marketers yet another reason to put in place processes to measure the impact of their efforts.But are they acting on the volume of

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-76278112277635826692008-03-03T12:42:00.000-06:002008-03-03T12:42:46.070-06:00

"Senior marketing executives in several countries agree that the use of social media for corporate, brand and product marketing is not a passing fad — with nearly half saying it is a vital component — according to research sponsored by TNS media intelligence/Cymfony, MarketingCharts writes."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-89342918268400325682008-02-21T14:30:00.002-06:002008-02-21T14:35:16.653-06:00

NEWS RELEASENuTerra Strategies Launches Wisconsin’s FirstMedia-Neutral Ad Agency: The ROM GroupFebruary 20, 2008 – NuTerra Strategies LLC, a Wisconsin business strategy and market analysis firm (www.nuterrastrategies.com), announced today the official launch of its media-neutral ad agency: The ROM Group, www.theromgroup.com.The ROM Group is a new breed of advertising agency focused on delivering

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-45500907772350801912008-02-12T17:13:00.002-06:002008-02-18T14:52:59.756-06:00

Coming Soon!The ROM Group

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-89934707270230391112008-01-15T06:33:00.000-06:002008-01-15T06:33:28.837-06:00

Social networks starting to clickStudies show social networking growing in the b-to-b space, even as marketers acknowledge need for measurementBy Rebekah Tsadik Producer and host Eliot Masie interview author Dan Pink at the learning conference.As b-to-c marketers dash ahead adopting new media platforms—blogs, viral videos and social networks—their b-to-b counterparts struggle with questions

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-5763661329044342232008-01-15T06:30:00.000-06:002008-01-15T06:30:42.230-06:00

American Marketing Association releases new definition of marketingChicago—The American Marketing Association has unveiled a new definition of marketing to reflect the discipline’s broader role in society.The new definition reads, “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients,

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-40880605890254881342008-01-15T06:26:00.000-06:002008-01-15T06:26:15.175-06:00

Blogger Maria Popova on the Business of the New Business ConsumerBoomers are old news. There's a new class of consumers en route to becoming the latest, hottest marketing commodity, sneaking up on the business world from the least expected direction: within."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-72887946719640673352008-01-14T09:04:00.000-06:002008-01-14T09:04:08.025-06:00

A Market Strategy to Copy By Geoffrey James January 11th, 2008Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been ragging on Marketing. I’ve accused marketing groups of wasting money on pointless activities that do nothing to make it easier or cheaper to sell. Well, I take it all back, because this week I came across such an incredible example of effective marketing that I simply must share it with the

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-86494579434208088472008-01-14T07:56:00.000-06:002008-01-14T07:56:08.884-06:00

McD's Grande Plan: Become Java GiantStarbucks' Woes Turn Critics Into Believers That Arches Can Win in CoffeeBy Emily Bryson YorkPublished: January 14, 2008CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- As little as two months ago, critics scoffed at the idea of high-end coffee drinks succeeding at McDonald's. But that was before Starbucks reported a bad quarter, posted its lowest share price in more than three years

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-86843593285777179822008-01-14T07:54:00.000-06:002008-01-14T07:54:11.474-06:00

Recession Hits: What It Means for Ad BizTen Industry Leaders Offer Their Takes on the Approaching DownturnBy Jeremy MullmanPublished: January 14, 2008CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Merrill Lynch last week became the first major U.S. investment bank to declare the U.S. economy in recession. Two days later, Goldman Sachs jumped in, predicting that the economy would enter recession during 2008, if it

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-45762639574954945622008-01-11T09:47:00.000-06:002008-01-11T09:47:25.814-06:00

"Forethought Competitive Advantage Seek Strategy the Right Way at the Right Timeby Giovanni Gavetti and Jan W. RivkinAmong managers who make strategy and researchers who study it, fierce battles have been fought over the right way to discover a strategy. In one corner stand advocates of analysis, deliberation, and planning: Managers should study the competitive forces in their environment, deduce

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-23688137628793077772008-01-11T09:29:00.000-06:002008-01-11T09:29:05.223-06:00

"Nielsen Product-Placement ReportThe Green Bay Packers Tops Week of Dec. 24-30"

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-44055279348935694062008-01-11T09:19:00.000-06:002008-01-11T09:19:48.776-06:00

"Producing White Papersby BNET EditorialWhite papers are an important tool for communicating with technical decision-makers. They are widely used by companies marketing business-to-business and technology products. They should be clearly written and illustrated and may need the skills of a writer and editor, as well as a technical specialist. Making high-quality technical information available

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-72524114978959219152008-01-09T11:53:00.000-06:002008-01-09T11:53:23.557-06:00

"The Five Competitive Forces That Shape StrategyAwareness of the five forces can help a company understand the structure of its industry and stake out a position that is more profitable and less vulnerable to attack.by Michael E. Porter"

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-42462279391301089072008-01-09T11:50:00.000-06:002008-01-09T11:50:40.393-06:00

"8 important consumer trends for 2008Happy 2008!Last year, we highlighted trends like (STILL) MADE HERE, FEMALE FEVER, TRANSPARENCY TYRANNY, TRYSUMERS and more. To get you going this year, here are 8 trends to make the most of 2008. And yes, more to follow in the months to come ;-)"

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-6798988386294878912008-01-09T11:43:00.000-06:002008-01-09T11:43:22.721-06:00

"Recognize the Power of the Cultural ConsumerThe Segment of Creative-Minded Americans Is Expanding and Creating a Big Opportunity for MarketersBy Patricia MartinPublished: January 07, 2008Here's a riddle for the new marketplace being formed by the convergence of art, technology, business and education: If creativity is the gift of a talented few, why are so many people suddenly creative?"

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-3157406981124112232008-01-09T11:41:00.000-06:002008-01-09T11:41:17.342-06:00

"Setting the Bar for Digital Creative: A Guide for MarketersEight Things You Should Be Talking About With Your AgencyBy Mat ZuckerPublished: January 07, 2008Digital creative is still new for most folks judging it. Here are some thoughts to help demystify, debunk and better prepare for the present future."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-31563612638633802552007-12-20T10:58:00.000-06:002007-12-20T10:58:25.760-06:00

Use Word-of-Mouth Marketing to Generate Buzz About Your BusinessEver wish you could attract new customers without spending a penny on advertising? You can, provided you leverage word-of-mouth marketing. Specifically, by maintaining an active and useful blog, you can generate goodwill among existing customers and land new ones."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-43154971250989433612007-12-20T07:24:00.000-06:002007-12-20T07:24:20.053-06:00

"Just In Time -- Manufacturers are From Mars, Politicians are From VenusElected officials speak a much different language than manufacturers when it comes to basic concepts and ideas"

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-13502861532772045552007-08-30T10:25:00.000-05:002007-08-30T10:25:15.979-05:00

"We are moving swiftly from the Ford economy, where the idea was to mass merchandise on a low-cost, standardized basis, to the Starbucks economy, where the organizing principal is to improve personal satisfaction based on the niching of America."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-22469881324172809382007-08-23T06:50:00.000-05:002007-08-23T06:58:52.873-05:00

"Is Lean for the benefit of the customer or producer? One of the primary tenets of lean manufacturing is that it is all about the customer, i.e., the customer is considered to be the primary constituency of the producer and so the producer is expected to enhance the wellbeing of the customer above other stakeholders. Lean proponents suggest that the interests of the producer and its owners are

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-48852823416093262222007-08-14T13:19:00.000-05:002007-08-14T13:19:05.715-05:00

"Not so long ago, sales professionals rarely advanced beyond the executive rank of the sales function. VP of sales was considered the top of the line. Those days are gone. Today’s C-suites are literally bursting with sales professionals who sold their way to the top. Find out how they did it."

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-77332918632478139272007-08-13T15:35:00.000-05:002007-08-13T15:35:48.840-05:00

"For the first time since 2003, Wisconsin's manufacturing employment declined compared with the previous year, with the decrease driven by large numbers of small businesses closing shop, according to the latest edition of an industrial guide. Manufacturing employment in the state dropped 1.5 percent over the past 12 months, according to the 2008 Wisconsin Manufacturers Register, an industrial

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-51502326844608064722007-08-08T11:43:00.000-05:002007-08-08T11:43:32.049-05:00

"Delivering feedback is among a manager's most important tasks, yet many managers struggle to do it fairly and consistently, and--above all --in a way that drives improved performance. In the chapter on people development in his recently published book, Lessons on Leadership: The 7 Fundamental Management Skills for Leaders at All Levels (Kaplan, 2007), Jack Stahl, CEO of Revlon and former

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-80639557951454364422007-08-01T10:30:00.000-05:002007-08-01T10:30:46.355-05:00

"A recent sampling of enterprise sales organizations revealed that the cost per lead is up 21 percent while lead conversion rates are down 33 percent. Are you getting an ROI on your lead generation investment? How do you know?The ability to judge which leads are most productive takes some analytical skill and a penchant for numbers – just the sort of skills found in a good sales operations person

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-84678037803695933832007-07-19T15:21:00.001-05:002007-08-04T06:05:18.583-05:00

In too many companies, Sales and Marketing feud like Capulets and Montagues. Salespeople accuse marketers of being out of touch with what customers really want or setting prices too high. Marketers insist that salespeople focus too myopically on individual customers and short-term sales at the expense of longer-term profits.Result? Poor coordination between the two teams—which only raises

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-83196916697252487112007-07-19T15:17:00.001-05:002007-08-04T06:10:44.294-05:00

Why should you care if your customers actually use your products? Isn't it enough that they buy them? Not if you want repeat business.Consider this counterintuitive impact of price on customer loyalty: When your customers are aware of your product's cost, they'll likely use the product—to feel they've gotten their money's worth. And the more they use it, the more likely they'll buy it again.For

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-88411057252989106212007-07-12T11:38:00.000-05:002007-07-12T11:38:55.599-05:00

"The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence, which had improved to 53 in the first quarter of 2007, fell to 45 in the second quarter. A reading of less than 50 points reflects more negative than positive responses.The survey includes about 100 business leaders in a wide range of industries across the nation.Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said, 'Several

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-43994196362258710382007-07-09T06:19:00.000-05:002007-07-09T06:22:57.474-05:00

Thirty thousand new products are launched each year in the U.S. and an astounding 90 percent fail—despite marketing professionals investing millions of dollars on research trying to understand what customers want. Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen argued in his article “Marketing Malpractice,” (Harvard Business Review, Dec. 1, 2005) that the traditional methods used by

Michael Wentworthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-68861538709921538442007-06-13T13:36:00.000-05:002007-08-04T06:13:05.102-05:00

"LeBron James is good for the NBA and the game of basketball. With style, sizzle and a lunch-bucket work ethic, LeBron of the Cleveland Cavaliers is an upbeat spokesman for the league. He plays hard on the court, but disappears off it except when he’s serving as a celebrity pitchman. For a twenty-two year old he leads a quiet life – away from the glitterati.That quietness is reflected in his play

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-49450377479206725942007-06-12T05:35:00.000-05:002007-08-04T06:07:03.356-05:00

"In a world where we associate technology with progress, we automatically assume that having a technological masterpiece in place is automatically going to produce dividends. This is not the case. Tiger Woods is not a great golfer because he uses the most expensive graphite golf clubs. In the hands of a novice, those same golf clubs will not produce the same results. Similarly, the software

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-73905502570171702432007-05-14T04:59:00.000-05:002007-05-14T04:59:14.812-05:00

"DaimlerChrysler appears close to selling the struggling Chrysler Group to a private equity firm that specializes in restructuring troubled companies, unwinding a 1998 merger that was meant to create a trans-Atlantic automotive powerhouse, people with direct knowledge of the discussions said on Sunday.An announcement could come as soon as Monday, though last minute details could delay a final

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-63690650808608414012007-05-14T04:58:00.000-05:002007-05-14T04:58:16.636-05:00

"Maybe Americans don’t need dressing rooms after all.For the first time since online retailing was born a decade ago, the sales of clothing have overtaken those of computer hardware and software, suggesting that consumers have reached a new level of comfort buying merchandise on the Web.In 2006, revenue from skirts, suits and shoes reached $18.3 billion, surpassing that from PCs, printers and

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-69994703128775244902007-05-08T15:16:00.000-05:002007-05-08T15:17:02.491-05:00

"In a recent survey, U.S. CEOs of companies with less than $100 million in revenues identified their top five concerns for 2006 as the following:1. Sustained and steady top-line growth2. Consistent execution of strategy by top management3. Customer loyalty and retention4. Profit growth5. Product innovationIn the study, called the Conference Board's CEO Challenge 2006 Survey, more than 650 CEOs

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-48579075960215658492007-04-29T07:54:00.000-05:002007-04-29T07:54:31.429-05:00

"Whatever the reason, whatever the story, every salesperson, manager, and business owner has their own opinion on what it means to close a sale and why they can or cannot do so successfully."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-28299818799646345632007-04-28T07:58:00.000-05:002007-04-28T07:58:05.165-05:00

"On most days, I wake up extra early in the morning to get stuff done. It doesn’t always work, but it’s part of the productivity rhythm I’ve developed over the last year. This time is critical for me; no one else in the house is awake, the phone isn’t ringing and there are very few people online to chat with (no offense to people I chat with!) It means I can focus on a few important things to

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-89258503663462742722007-04-23T12:26:00.000-05:002007-04-23T12:26:26.652-05:00

"According to my friend Howard Stevens of The Chally Group, there are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States and fewer than three dozen of them teach sales. Yet, of college graduates without a professional certification, fifty percent of them will find themselves in sales as a first job! The market in the U.S. needs an additional 1.5 million new sales candidates per

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-19069281260216453712007-04-18T10:14:00.000-05:002007-04-18T10:14:07.911-05:00

The Future of Supply Chain Management The importance of supply chain management continues to grow as managers increasingly understand how well-run supply chains enhance the ability to compete effectively in the marketplace. Just managing a firm well and using lean processes and lowcost components is no longer a guarantee of success. Find out what professionals need to know to manage supply chains

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-28557400292062256232007-03-30T15:47:00.000-05:002007-03-30T15:47:20.261-05:00

"Sales representative is the hardest-to-fill job for U.S. employers, according to a new survey unveiled this week by Glendale-based Manpower Inc.Coincidentally, Small Business Times had instinctively been conducting research on that very premise for the past two weeks. The result is a cover report headlined, “Dearth of a Salesman,” in the new issue of SBT, which hits the newsstands today."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-20347492011543834602007-03-22T04:43:00.000-05:002007-03-22T04:43:51.857-05:00

"It's a question as old as time itself: Are winners born under a special star or do they create their own success? Although I'd love to be able to tell you here and now that I have the definitive scientific answer, I won't lie: I really don't know for sure.But I'll be happy to bet on one sure thing: A person with a positive attitude will always win out over someone who dwells on the negative. "

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-65759121132602257522007-03-13T18:04:00.000-05:002007-03-13T18:04:08.421-05:00

Be a Catalyst for Creativity: "If you’re simply producing the same products day after day, year after year, it may not seem like there’s any need for creativity but rather only to ratchet up quality as much as possible, hike deliveries to as soon as possible and cut costs to near zero. To do this, you have some equipment, some time, a place, a budget and some people. Therefore, in reality, to

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-53807291030190013852007-03-12T20:29:00.000-05:002007-03-12T20:29:19.933-05:00

Strategy: Understanding the Customer Process: "How does a company know when it has a useful business architecture? * The architecture can be explained in a one-page picture. * The architecture ties departments together into processes which customers care about. * All departments can find themselves in the picture. * Each person can trace a line-of-sight from their work to a customer.

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-47623917154738190142007-03-06T05:54:00.000-06:002007-03-06T05:54:04.941-06:00

Changing a Company's Culture The impetus needed to move an entire organization is monumental and all efforts must be focused to achieve these aims across an entire company. It is never enough to have single points of focused action throughout the organization - the full effort needs to be coordinated. Usually the best intentions of staff are not aligned to the needs of the whole organization and

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-49894854210459216622007-03-06T05:40:00.000-06:002007-03-06T05:40:00.694-06:00

"Here’s a concept: Hire an athlete. It may help you as an employer to make the right choice, or at least a better choice. And it’s a reality check if you’re an individual striving for a career win.Here’s a concept: Hire an athlete. It may help you as an employer to make the right choice, or at least a better choice. And it’s a reality check if you’re an individual striving for a career win."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-30856511110457867332007-02-25T05:59:00.000-06:002007-02-25T05:59:12.195-06:00

"The study, which was conducted between September and December 2006 and will be formally released in March, surveyed 385 respondents in an attempt to find out what goes on in the minds of business professionals when they are faced with the stress of taking on a more challenging gig."To read more, click the article title...

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-52170207175442722992007-02-22T06:17:00.000-06:002007-02-22T06:19:41.985-06:00

Is the lower end of the consumer segment really profitable? If yes, why are so few brands pursuing it? What does it take to make this segment really work for your brand? This is a sample of emailed questions I received to my previous blog. I am not the least bit surprised, because these are exactly the kind of questions some of my American clients are trying to answer, as they go about expanding

Michael Wentworthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-11551153028829757982007-02-22T05:27:00.000-06:002007-02-22T05:27:37.853-06:00

"The days of vertically integrated companies reaping the benefits of their size has all but come to an end. They proved to be too slow, too complicated and too isolated from what the outside world was up to. "

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-60110168364083723402007-02-21T07:11:00.000-06:002007-02-21T07:11:15.762-06:00

"Boss, if I can just drop the price another 3 percent we’ll have ‘em.” Does that sound familiar? As a sales manager, you’ve probably heard all manner of pleas for the authority to lower your price to seal a deal. And in many cases, you’ve probably granted that authority. But do you know exactly how much those discounts are affecting your bottom line? The numbers might surprise you."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-71669087553701714562007-02-16T06:02:00.000-06:002007-02-16T06:02:50.281-06:00

"How many sales teams suffer because their sales manager is not doing their job at the right 'level'? Sales figures suffer, sales people suffer and the sales managers feel pressured and possibly even stressed. I want to look at some of the reasons why this occurs and offer some initial ideas for how sales managers can carry out their roles more confidently and effectively - for everyone's benefit

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-71457815936047109202007-02-15T16:35:00.000-06:002007-02-15T16:35:50.875-06:00

"February 13, 2007What You Should Know About Data on the FloorBy David R. ButcherShop floor data today is being integrated into all facets of the enterprise, from equipment maintenance to quality assurance to improved decision making. And tomorrow’s productivity gains may come from driving plant/enterprise information down to the manufacturing floor, where operators can use it to make on-the-fly

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-71691477275226481352007-02-05T05:25:00.000-06:002007-02-05T05:25:32.412-06:00

"Leadership is personal.When Ulrich asked his missionaries what made a good leader, they told him leadership depends on personal relationships. 'I'll be honest,' he says. 'I had not picked up on that. Here I am talking about the nice academic model of leadership. I think that was a blindingly obvious fact: Leaders manage personal relationships. They build trust.'"

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1170420431738388382007-02-02T06:46:00.000-06:002007-02-02T06:47:11.750-06:00

"Where PE once focused more on smokestack industries, now any company with high cash flows and low valuations will be in play. Sectors mentioned by multiple dealmakers include health care, pharma, financial services, and homebuilding. Giants such as Dell, Gap, Home Depot and Unilever are now routinely bandied about as potential targets."Price inflation is acute in middle-market transactions. That

Michael Wentworthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1170158025634362912007-01-30T05:53:00.000-06:002007-01-30T05:53:45.663-06:00

"Brands mired in the middle have faced similar dilemmas for years, of course -- think network TV, or Sears. But the continuing triumph of omnivorous big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target has made the challenge particularly acute for specialty retailers such as EMS, says Larry Selden, a Columbia marketing professor and author of Angel Customers & Demon Customers (Portfolio, 2003). The

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1170072329479455452007-01-29T06:05:00.000-06:002007-01-29T06:22:37.830-06:00

There are continuing questions about the relationship between Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma techniques. This relationship has been expressed as follows: * Stretch the process applying Lean techniques * Solve the problems of deviation from the standards * Ensure maintenance of the improved status using Six Sigma techniques * However, if the system and processes are too poor, stretching it

Jim Autennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1169992691417928862007-01-28T07:58:00.000-06:002007-01-29T06:21:52.436-06:00

"I think that the current perceived `bubble' in private equity is unlikely to burst anytime soon."

Michael Wentworthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1169837364984035292007-01-26T12:49:00.000-06:002007-01-26T12:52:24.000-06:00

"Most people (you included and me included) expect someone friendly, someone helpful when you need them, to be served in a timely manner, to be given fair value, to be presented with a quality product, to make the process quick and easy, and to be thanked whether you give them the business or not."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1169557621947116602007-01-23T07:07:00.000-06:002007-01-23T07:07:01.980-06:00

"Application software companies frequently talk about expanding their markets. Often this idea represents wishful thinking rather than a well-thought out rationale and business plan. If your business is discussing expanding its market, here are 10 questions to answer before you decide."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1169551720489559152007-01-23T05:28:00.000-06:002007-01-23T05:28:40.546-06:00

"Tempered by a housing market hangover, a slumping American automotive industry and the costly war in Iraq, most economists are projecting slow growth of 2 to 3 percent for the U.S. economy in 2007. As the figures suggest, growth will be attainable. However, that growth will have to be earned, and it will usually come in small increments, as companies that are prepared to make the slow climb are

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1169466636824389172007-01-22T05:50:00.000-06:002007-01-22T05:50:36.846-06:00

"Think about how you feel when someone yells at you. Not the most pleasant feeling in the world. Most people have an instant reaction to defend themselves, blame someone else, or apologize profusely. With a YES! Attitude, none of these are acceptable.If you say, “Thank you, I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Now that I know about it, I can fix it right away,” your words clearly state

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1169383174767569092007-01-21T06:39:00.000-06:002007-01-21T06:39:34.830-06:00

"U.S. private equity firms in 2006 smashed their previous fund-raising record, reaping $215.4 billion among 322 funds by the close of the year, according to a report released Thursday."

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1167736393246008132007-01-02T05:13:00.000-06:002007-01-02T05:13:13.256-06:00

"Where are you going?No, I don’t mean where are you going on your next appointment. I don’t mean where are you going out to dinner. And I don’t mean where are you going when you get to the mall. I’m asking: Where are you going in life?"

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1167395429371411332006-12-29T06:30:00.000-06:002006-12-29T06:30:29.380-06:00

"You have opportunities to think every day. The big questions are: How do you do it? And, once you’ve arrived at your thought, or your idea, or your response, how do you deliver it? Or better stated, who is the message in terms of?Everyone will tell you to “think things all the way through.” But no one is able to teach that methodology effectively, UNLESS they think: OUTCOME. And UNLESS they

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38415148.post-1167390750247377912006-12-29T05:12:00.000-06:002006-12-29T05:20:17.733-06:00

"Companies spend vast amounts of time, effort and money to provide their salespeople product training. It isn't unusual for organizations to have product training budgets ten to twenty times their sales training budgets. As the name implies, product training tends to be product-centric vs. customer centric. Unfortunately, making that transition in most organizations is left up to individual

Todd Lohenrynoreply@blogger.com0