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marketing

Advertising, audiences and getting the word out.

2010

Me, Too!

Mar 17

Ante-in features are what the market expects, not what sets you apart. Sony’s PlayStation Move arrives nearly four years after the Wii with the same technology: a lesson in shouting “me, too!” instead of improving on a competitor.

3 min · marketing · strategy

2009

Creative Voice

Dec 18

Whatever you intend, your words can be misunderstood — just ask James Joyce, or the ad urging men to give a PAP smear for Christmas. What the tone of your marketing copy says about your brand.

2 min · blogging · marketing
Bayesian Statistics – Conclusion

Dec 12

Most marketing decisions come down to numbers. Revisit yesterday’s case study without assuming everyone rated every product, and Bayesian averages flip the result: the product that looked weakest turns out to be the highest rated.

3 min · Series: Bayesian Statistics, 5 of 5
Bayesian Statistics – Part IV

Dec 11

Simple averages say drop Product C. Weighted averages say drop Product A. A Bayesian average says drop Product B. A case study in comparing product ratings across market segments, and why the method you choose changes the answer.

4 min · Series: Bayesian Statistics, 4 of 5
Bayesian Statistics – Part I

Dec 8

When one widget gets eighty ratings and another gets five, a simple average lies to you. Thomas Bayes, an 18th-century statistician, offers a way to weight those ratings fairly — the first in a short series on putting his method to work in marketing.

2 min · Series: Bayesian Statistics, 1 of 5
Critical Mass

Nov 9

How do you know a product launch has succeeded? When you reach critical mass. Two ways to measure it (share of the market and internal-versus-external customer ratios) and why, when they disagree, you should go with the larger number.

2 min · marketing · strategy
Self-Marketing: Track your accomplishments

Nov 4

“I helped increase business” is less impressive than “I brought in $100k in new contracts.” Write down your accomplishments as you finish them. Six months from now, you won’t remember the details.

2 min · marketing · productivity
Statistical Relevance

Oct 23

Statistics are monotonous, boring — and one of the most important facets of marketing. No formulae here, just one question every marketer should ask: are my assumptions based on statistically relevant and reliable data?

2 min · data · marketing
Using Twitter for Business

Oct 2

Twitter isn’t just another gimmick. It’s a serious application with a considerable following. Five tips for using it to promote your business, from tweeting real news to weeding out spam followers.

2 min · marketing · social media
The 10 Commandments of Branding

Aug 19

Branding isn’t an endgame, there’s no branding department, and it shouldn’t be expensive. Ten dos and don’ts to help you avoid the pitfalls and minefields of building a brand.

3 min · branding · marketing
Social Media

Aug 14

Social media is not a megaphone. Five tips for using Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and blogs in business: keep a personal tone, don’t annoy people, have a purpose, stay professional, and listen as much as you talk.

2 min · marketing · social media
The 10 Commandments of Marketing

Aug 12

Marketing has its own rules, just like web development. Ten of them, from “do not lie” and “respect no-call lists” to the one business schools won’t tell you: there’s no such thing as a blueprint.

3 min · marketing