Archives tagged: business strategy

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Business Marketing Association 2011 Conference Unleashes Torrent of Content & Data Strategy

By David Dalka June 19, 2011

In the first week of June, the Business Marketing Association (BMA) held its annual B2B marketing conference in Chicago. The show over-delivered on its “Unleash” theme with a tidal wave of information about the changing nature of strategic marketing, business models, content and data strategy. Incoming BMA chairperson Al Maag, Chief Communications Officer of Avnet, had this to say about outgoing chairperson Gary Slack, “The annual conference is the jewel in our thought leadership BMA crown thanks to Gary Slack.

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The Starbucks logo wasn’t broke, but they fixed it anyway

By Tim J. Smith, PhD February 3, 2011

Chief executive Howard Schultz had the right idea about evolving the Starbucks logo, but his solution shows some of the hubris that got the company into trouble a few years ago.

The best brands are built upon a clear business strategy translated into a clear brand strategy. A brand strategy is consistently communicated to both internal and external audiences until it becomes the DNA of both employees and customers. Starbucks accomplished this mission, and then killed it.

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Creating a pricing function to adopt value based pricing and stop margin leakage

By Tim J. Smith, PhD September 1, 2010

Imagine, your executive just read an article that said she can expect at least a 1% improvement in her bottom line profit if she introduces a pricing initiative. Now, she wants to know what steps you will follow to create a new pricing function with the goals of implementing value based pricing and stopping margin leakage. What resources do you need to be successful and where do you focus first?

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11 Lessons From Chick-fil-A on Entrepreneurship and Marketing Strategy

By David Dalka May 3, 2010

Recently I attended an event where Dan Cathy, President and Chief Operating Officer for Chick-fil-A in Chicago, speech. During the talk Dan evangelized the values of Chick-fil-A which include treating customers and employees with respect. Dan also stated that “We distinguish our product based on the value we provide rather than price.” Though I had never stepped foot in a Chick-fil-A restaurant, that comment tripped me off to the fact that I was about to experience a story about a unique entrepreneurial enterprise known as Chick-fil-A!

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Hip, Hip, Hooray, the Recession Is Over … Long Live the (Weak) Recovery

By Tim J. Smith, PhD October 7, 2009

By most indicators, the major economies of the world are coming out of the deepest global recession a lifetime. Yet, the recovery is far from a return to pre-recessionary trends. Executives might be hoping for return to strong growth, yet most of should expect a tepid climate at best. How should they react? Read on.

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Multicultural Marketing: A Misunderstood Concept and Untapped Business Strategy

By Tim J. Smith, PhD June 13, 2009

Newly released census figures show that the nation’s minority population has reached 102.5 million people, or one in three Americans. This burgeoning population—and the buying power it represents—makes effective multicultural marketing imperative for businesses to succeed. Yet many firms in our businesses community lack both a clear understanding of these diverse consumers and a disciplined approach to investing in and managing multicultural marketing. So, how can companies begin or improve multicultural initiatives?

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Chicken Feed, Nothing To Laugh At: Manage the Customer Value Proposition to Stave Off Hemorrhaging

By Tim J. Smith, PhD November 1, 2008

While Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, Pilgrim’s Pride Chairman, has sailed his ship into near abyss, A.G. Lafley, CEO of P&G, is guiding his…

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Pragmatic Business Strategy: Seven Ways to Make Marketing Work in a Challenging Economy

By Tim J. Smith, PhD May 15, 2008

In a challenging economy, you must find new ways to make marketing work more effectively, get more out of marketing investments, and…

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Review of Don Tapscott’s and Anthony Williams’ Wikinomics

By David Dalka March 1, 2007

Wikinomics explores an emerging business strategy in a world where consumers promote and, to a degree, own your brand. In his latest…

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GM May Be Learning Price Discipline
Growing Margins While Lowering Prices by Tilting the Price Waterfall Vector

By Tim J. Smith, PhD December 1, 2006

When a marketer wants to signify that they are selling a high quality item, they can raise the price. This tactic of…

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