tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-328367092012-01-30T09:01:48.648-06:00Phil Sasso's marketing tips on improving sales, advertising, public relations, promotions, and website / Internet marketing campaigns.Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.comBlogger2891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-48132024345545011812011-12-02T12:10:00.000-06:002011-12-02T12:10:56.644-06:00

Yesterday,  I wrote about LivingSocial's Big Mac half price offer [http://bit.ly/bigmac13]. LivingSocial, the smaller social couponing website rival to Groupon, is owned in part by Amazon. In an attempt to wrestle the industry lead from Groupon (who has about three times as many subscribers) LivingSocial has been taking big risks.  This one with McDonald's may cost LivingSocia some cash -- and

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-19839444561154885032011-12-02T11:47:00.000-06:002011-12-02T11:47:07.706-06:00

I haven't had lunch, yet. So, I'm a little hungry. Maybe that's why this story caught my eye.... Crain's Chicago Business reported that LivingSocial and McDonald's are offering a special promotion today: $26 worth of Big Macs and fries for $13. (If you're feeling hungry, too, you can get in on the deal at: http://bit.ly/bigmac13 .) What makes the story interesting is that Groupon and McDonald's

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-51303607657021279692011-11-03T11:24:00.000-05:002011-11-03T11:24:41.279-05:00

I'm at the AAEX / SEMA tradeshows this week. If you were here, too, I hope you had a great show. Every year at this time I write the same basic tip. Hope it serves as a reminder to not let all your hard work as an exhibitor go to waste ... Your trade show or special event is over. Great! Time to breath a sigh of relief and catch up on things. Whoa! Not so fast. Consider using your first day

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-9927873959289543882011-09-01T10:20:00.000-05:002011-09-01T10:20:36.954-05:00

I’ve been busy with lots of new projects, training and writing assignments. That’s why you haven’t heard from me for weeks. Sorry. But I’m back with lots of new tips, like this one... Customers will not buy from you unless they trust you. Sales trainer Orrin Rudolph points out that every relationship, be it business or personal, has a trust bank account. For example, we trust our best friends

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-16484572053939762842011-07-22T11:23:00.001-05:002011-07-22T11:37:49.246-05:00

Like most guys, I like tools. In fact, judging from Beth's collection of kitchen gadgets and cookbooks, women like tools, also. But they don't call them "tools".  A tool is just an item that makes a job easier -- or in some cases possible.  In sales and marketing, we have tools, too. Each tool has a unique purpose. But, sometimes we don't have all the tools we need. Or we use the wrong tool and

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-72975491995476498542011-07-15T12:11:00.000-05:002011-07-15T12:11:32.419-05:00

Do you only communicate with customers and prospects when you're selling something? Think about that. How do you feel about people who only call you when they need something.  Can't they call you to congratulate you, catch-up or connect? Here's an example: I pulled up to the drive-up window at my bank yesterday and was surprised (I promise this isn't another bank rant). Actually,  I  was

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-51514302593476778242011-07-08T12:01:00.000-05:002011-07-08T12:01:46.740-05:00

Baby food is not marketed to babies. It's marketed to mothers. If a mom likes the marketing message -- and the taste, they'll buy it. "Mother knows best", to turn a phrase. Baby food is not the only thing that's not marketed to the end user. Sometimes that's good. Sometimes that's bad. For example, if you owned an automotive repair shop, your technicians would be responsible for buying their

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-32879578298200543312011-06-30T11:51:00.000-05:002011-06-30T11:51:33.364-05:00

O.K. by now you're probably sick and tired of my boring bank rant.   So am I. So let me wrap this up with a lesson on the most important word in customer service... Finally Beth and I scheduled time to go to the bank together to close several of our accounts because they were costing far more in fees than they were paying in interest. The most frustrating account was my son PJ's savings account

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-6184898493060016172011-06-24T11:54:00.001-05:002011-06-24T11:59:29.376-05:00

My “bank rant” continues from last time.  I walked into my bank after complaining about fees and faced a well-designed promotional message on the door: “Earn $240” All I had to do was open a new account. The fine print turned me from intrigued to irritated: “New Customers Only.” Someone in marketing wasn’t thinking. Aren’t 99% of the people walking in the front door current customers? What

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-79349177405365261132011-05-31T09:54:00.001-05:002011-05-31T12:16:06.006-05:00

Sorry it's been a while since my last marketing tip. I've been busy on client projects and some surprises I plan to unveil in a couple of weeks. Let's head back to my bank where my branch manager closed one of my Money Market accounts (rather than waive the bank fees). During this interaction, her staff has been trying to cross sell me while I'm obviously steaming over the fees. Look here for

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-50917363502648886102011-05-26T12:10:00.004-05:002011-05-26T12:23:52.023-05:00

Last tip, my banker offered to close my Money Market account rather than waive bank fees for a loyal customer of 30 years. But he's too busy to even close the account, so he escorts me to the branch manager's office.The saga continues...The branch manager shook my hand and offered me a seat."So, what is it you need today?" she says smiling."Do I have to repeat my story?" I asked. "I thought you

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-63066023364351986612011-05-26T12:09:00.000-05:002011-05-26T12:10:46.933-05:00

Brace yourself for a rant.It's been a long time since I've been reminded how much I loathe my bank.But the other day my strong dislike boiled over into absolute hate.Not that I dislike their tellers who are always friendly and know myname, or their marketing which is pretty well done. What I hate is theirpolicies, fees, comparative low rates, and inflexibility. Until now thehassle of change has

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-35594843288749042282011-03-28T09:44:00.004-05:002011-03-28T11:30:23.674-05:00

Marketing technology is moving at breakneck speed.Take the mobile web. In the fourth quarter of 2010, smart phones outsold computers for the first time ever. Do you know what that means to you as a marketer? Chances are a competitor does.And today using cutting-edge technology is not always bleeding-edge expensive.For example: want to connect with smartphone toting prospects? You can build an app

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-72813421361002814312011-03-11T11:49:00.000-06:002011-03-11T11:50:32.718-06:00

Remember when I thought I cracked my tooth and had to schedule an emergency visit to my dentist?It gets worse.I'll spare you the grizzly details. The dentist is awesome, but suffice to say it was not a pleasant event. And the bill hurt even more. Procrastination is costly. In the same way it's costly in sales and marketing. It's best to consistently be advertising and prospecting and not put it

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-69164942267228547412011-02-18T11:54:00.000-06:002011-02-18T11:55:56.807-06:00

Whether you're promoting a drawing, a contest, or a coupon it's important to create a sense of urgency.Most people are so busy they'll put off almost anything until the last minute. And I mean almost anything.Today, for example, I just made an emergency appointment with my dentist. I've been putting off fixing a lost partial filling for a while. This morning, I lost the rest of the filling --

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-47098328715574316142011-02-14T09:43:00.002-06:002011-02-14T09:46:48.345-06:00

Chicago-based Groupon is the fastest growing company in the world. Groupon (a combination of "Group" and "Coupon") has succeeded by making coupons hip. Their business model is simple: email members a chance to buy one exclusive discount offer a day at a featured retailer or restaurant and split the revenue with the advertiser. It's win-win-win: members get deep discounts, advertisers pay nothing,

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-65235553192900370772011-02-04T11:59:00.002-06:002011-02-04T12:02:08.568-06:00

About 21" of snowfall here in Chicago has eaten into my work schedule. Shoveling out has left me no time to create a new tip for this week. So, I've created a remix of a tip from my 2006 blog archives:---My first car was a1972 Chevy Chevelle.It was gold and primer gray. I lovingly tried to restore the decaying car with fibre glass repair and Bondo until the rust hole in the back floorboard became

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-63991350922096521832011-01-14T09:34:00.011-06:002011-01-14T10:03:56.095-06:00

Don't you love a story of redemption?That's what made the YouTube viral video of Ted Williams, the homeless "Man With The Golden Voice," the first and biggest feel-good story of the New Year.Chicago-based Kraft Foods capitalized on that vibe by asking Williams to be the new voice of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.Listen to his mellow baritone voice in the last 10 seconds of this new Kraft spot that

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-68632209482841733882011-01-10T09:36:00.002-06:002011-01-10T09:42:05.562-06:00

Sorry, I haven't published my blog since my neighbor, Uncle Tony passed away at the end of November. He was my Great Uncle and a great guy.This tip, based on an except from my June 2009 column in Professional Distributor, is dedicated to and about him. (He was a creative, generous, and funny man and is sorely missed...) ---My Great Uncle Tony first helped his dad as a fruit and vegetable peddler

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-61531419225776997672010-11-05T11:30:00.004-05:002010-11-05T11:35:19.978-05:00

I've been at the AAEX / SEMA tradeshows this week. Attendance this year seemed strong. Hope if you exhibited that you had a great show.After these shows every year I share the same basic tip. Hope it serves as a good reminder to not let all the hard work go to waste by leaving the job unfinished...Returning from exhibiting at or attending a tradeshow or special event?Use your first day back like

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-50373516714725855442010-09-24T11:43:00.002-05:002010-09-24T12:01:41.334-05:00

Last week I was pointing out the dependence today's sales & marketing has on technology and lamenting some technical issues I faced.Almost as if a divine joke, this week it got worse.On Monday, when I walked into the office I found that the server that houses a third of the websites we manage was hacked. On Wednesday our phone service went down. The week before was nothing compared to this

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-80034334934582836012010-09-17T11:18:00.001-05:002010-09-17T11:20:05.131-05:00

You may have heard about Chase's online banking system crash this week. It affected millions of customers.Technology failure briefly hobbled Sasso Marketing this week, too -- twice...Fortunately, we only experienced limited downtime. But it felt like an eternity. And it made me begin to beef-up our technology failure plan.One Monday, I was out of town and our DSL modem failed. We now have a back

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-66846380349710380082010-08-27T12:22:00.002-05:002010-08-27T12:27:17.066-05:00

Last week, I mentioned how marketers need to be aware of buyer's expectations, like doctors wearing white lab coats.An astute reader pointed out that there's a difference between projecting a successful image and overdoing it.  For example marble floors and walnut wainscoting may signal success to some and excess to others.Agreed.There is also a difference between your marketing image and your

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-43478088176830460542010-08-20T10:16:00.002-05:002010-08-20T10:37:31.433-05:00

I'm just about over my double ear infection.After being irritable and sleepless for several days, I decided to have pity on my family. I stopped at a local quick care clinic. The process was faster and cheaper than a doctor's visit.And the Nurse Practitioner wore a white lab coat, so I felt well cared for.Last year the AMA considered a proposal recommending that physicians no long wear lab coats.

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-44796015681058590532010-08-12T09:53:00.003-05:002010-08-12T09:59:04.826-05:00

One of PJ's friend's dads called me the other day for advice on buying anApple computer.Since I own an iPhone, a couple iPods and half a dozen Macs, you'd think I'd be a wise person to call. My problem: I knew too much. I had to stop and refocus my thinking. It was harder than I expected to get back to basics.In their book "Made To Stick" the Heath brothers call this problem "the curse of

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-8820407994525825182010-08-05T10:26:00.010-05:002010-08-05T11:25:44.650-05:00

A masters degree in "luxury retail management" will be launched this fall at the International University of Monaco, says the BBC News website. The program will have 35 seats and be taught in English.The postgraduate program will cover topics from trends and competitivedynamics to "codes, symbols and rituals" in luxury retail. The goal of thecourse is to teach how to provide an "exceptional and

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-28899186345164730432010-07-30T11:48:00.001-05:002010-07-30T11:49:27.335-05:00

Did you ever go to a website and find it impossible to find what you're looking for?It happened to me last week. To make matters worse, I had to jump from one company website to another to find what I was looking for.One of the biggest problems I encounter with new client websites (and marketing campaigns) is that they lack a clearly defined objective. If you don't know where you're going, it's

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-47089109577671906612010-07-23T12:11:00.001-05:002010-07-23T12:12:24.929-05:00

Beth celebrated a milestone birthday on Wednesday.As a surprise, I took her and PJ to Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless' [rickbayless.com] restaurant here in Chicago.It was an exciting treat for Beth, a big Bayless fan, to actually see Rick, get an autographed copy of his new book and to meet his daughter Lanie (a frequent guest on his PBS cooking-travelogue.)It was also an exciting treat for me to see

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-43993907220400579882010-07-09T10:51:00.004-05:002010-07-09T10:57:35.358-05:00

My lawn was overrun with weeds this spring.We used to have lawn service. But the lawn looked great, so I figuredI could save a buck and maintain it myself.That didn't work. By end of last fall it started to show signs ofneglect. By spring there were more weeds than grass.I told myself I'd get around to it. Then came days and days of fullschedules and out-of-town weekends. Barely time to mow the

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-78400867289054325052010-06-24T09:41:00.002-05:002010-06-24T10:45:27.311-05:00

Most people pay for recycling pick-up. My local printer gets paid for it. He has a large dumpster behind his shop where he tosses all his scrap. The recycling company pays him by the pound and takes it away for him free.Once upon a time, auto repair shops paid companies to take away their used motor oil. Today, several companies sell waste oil heaters so the shop can cut their heating bills and

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-3665617560487597182010-06-18T09:23:00.002-05:002010-06-18T11:12:40.529-05:00

I started my career in sales & marketing as a teenager.In fact, I put myself through college, in part, by doing telemarketing -- in the days before call screening and the Do Not Call Registry.It was a great, though painful, learning experience.One lesson it taught me was that what sounds great in the executive suite doesn't always work in the field. That's echoed in my work even today.I worked

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-89075022710458479692010-06-11T10:07:00.002-05:002010-06-11T10:12:01.669-05:00

Go Hawks: Teamwork works in sports -- and sales...By the time you get this, I hope to be in the Midst of the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Victory Parade with PJ. It's been a long wait. The Hawks haven't won the Cup since 1961!

It's trite but true: teamwork is as important in business as it is in sports.
Just as the unsung goalie deflects shots with little or no fanfair, the marketing team

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-10474042940239932982010-06-03T10:15:00.000-05:002010-06-03T10:16:54.164-05:00

I just stumbled on an email with an expired Memorial Day coupon. I didn't read the email in time to use the discount. I assume I'm not alone. It's of small consequence to me, but a potentially big loss for the advertiser.If "location, location, location" is paramount in retail marketing, then "timing, timing timing" is the key to successful email marketing.A recent survey by email marketing

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-71331954566913441892010-05-28T09:39:00.003-05:002010-05-28T09:43:19.074-05:00

"Ouch! I think he bit me," I exclaimed pulling my finger from the fish's mouth and examining it."I don't think Blue Gill have teeth," Beth consoled me."Then he just gummed me," I shot back. "Maybe it was the barb from the hook. Anyway, it hurt."Last tip, I compared my first fishing expedition with PJ to a salesperson without a follow-up plan. I hadn't read far enough into the DNR beginner

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-28924627194888613712010-04-09T11:36:00.002-05:002010-04-09T12:03:59.059-05:00

Miss me last week?I was on a relaxing vacation with my family at a lakeside cottage .On a whim, I decided to get a license and take PJ fishing. I'd never been fishing in my life. So I skimmed the DNR's "Fishing for Beginners" booklet and set out.Armed with our new poles and tackle we decided to drop our lines in at the boat dock near our cabin. None of the seasoned fishers were catching anything

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-6495673238106179392010-03-05T12:15:00.003-06:002010-03-05T12:23:25.841-06:00

I'm sad that the Olympics are over. I enjoy watching them.Most of what happened last week is forgotten. Names and faces are fading from memory. Only the exceptional are memorable.The same is true for advertising. Out of sight, out of mind.The key to successful advertising is break thru creativity and on-going repetition. The more prospects hear your brand, the more likely they are to think of you

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-4919641287918981172010-02-26T11:31:00.002-06:002010-02-26T11:36:39.882-06:00

That's all that separated Gold from Silver in the Ladies Super Combined Ski in the Vancouver Olympics. Less than a second made the difference between being first and second. I'm sure some Olympic contests were even tighter this year. Like the .34 of a second that separated bronze from fourth place in the same race.The Olympics are a great analogy for marketing. You win or you lose. And the

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-7308228804734018202010-02-19T11:48:00.000-06:002010-02-19T11:49:18.866-06:00

As I watched the Winter Olympics last night I found a common thread between the skaters and snowboarders: the more time they spent airborne the more they scored.The more time an athlete spends in air means more landings -- and the more chances to fall. It's a big risk with a big reward.The same is true for Marketing. Some marketing strategies require that you take a big leap. The bigger the risk,

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-87048791628711854492009-12-17T09:02:00.000-06:002009-12-17T09:03:27.887-06:00

My workload is over-the-top this week -- but I don't want you to miss me. So, here's a REMIX of a 2006 marketing tip..."Have you had lunch yet?" Beth called to ask me from her cell phone."No. Why?" I responded."You've got to see this," she said. "Johnsonville has their 'World'sLargest Grill' parked in Tony's parking lot. It's a whole semi-truckwith grills from end to end.""Sounds nice, but I'm a

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-73046200729139002642009-12-04T11:43:00.001-06:002009-12-04T11:43:40.876-06:00

A long time ago my dad did something I'll never forget.He felt the owner of a small auto repair shop had ripped him off by charging him hundreds of dollars for unneeded parts. My dad took the shop owner to small claims court, and won.Dad invited me to the payoff in a restaurant parking lot. The owner wrote the check and handed it to my dad."I don't want your check," my dad said."Huh?" the owner

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-42564276316733753242009-11-20T11:58:00.001-06:002009-11-20T11:59:15.499-06:00

For some reason a lot of my marketing analogies have to do with food. (Maybe that says something!)Recently, I went to an Outback steakhouse when I was out of town. I asked my waiter for a recommendation. He said I might like the 20 oz. porterhouse. If I was really hungry they had something like a 32 oz. So I ordered the 20 oz. It was good. I was stuffed and satisfied until he brought me the

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-34020469960677321912009-11-13T12:04:00.000-06:002009-11-13T12:05:07.486-06:00

I don't try to be controversial. Sometimes I just can't help it.I'll get to the point: The current sales management system in mostcompanies stinks.Here's how it usually works:You are hired for a sales job because you're a good talker. But the mostsuccessful salespeople are good listeners.You get a lot of training on your product but little training on sales.(Most sales people know their product.

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-81059970794942716402009-11-06T09:41:00.000-06:002009-11-06T09:42:09.842-06:00

It never hurts to ask.Toyota uses a "5 Whys" problem solving process. In a nutshell, it workslike this: to isolate a production problem, managers are taught to ask"why" at least five times. In the end, by digging deeper, a betterresolution can usually be uncovered.The same thing works in sales. Here's an example:Prospect: We can't afford to advertise this year.Salesperson: Why?Prospect: We don't

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-27612605635773706712009-10-23T11:41:00.001-05:002009-10-23T11:41:29.780-05:00

Bud Light's new Golden Wheat beer was the sole sponsor of last week's Saturday Night Live. I know that because SNL made a special point of announcing that near the beginning of the program Although there were local spots, Bud Light Golden Wheat was the only national advertiser.Sole Sponsorship can be a benefit to both the advertiser and the media outlet.The advertiser gains the unique position of

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-57427558351544888132009-10-09T11:53:00.004-05:002009-10-09T12:13:02.799-05:00

I find it interesting how much bad service we'll let big companies get away with. Here's just a few good and bad examples from this week: • Yesterday, I called my local phone company about a DSL issue. After sucking up my time running me thru a phone labyrinth, they put me in touch with PAID tech support. I hung up and tried again. I got disconnected this time. I finally found someone who helped

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-77806602737731429382009-10-02T12:16:00.001-05:002009-10-02T12:18:23.620-05:00

I got an annoying political call the other night."Hi. I'm Dan Proft the conservative choice for Illinois governor...""Dan?" I interrupted "I'm in the middle dinner right now, can you call back.""In the face of recent Illinois corruption..."I tried to stop him several times but he just kept rambling -- then I realized it was a robocall, an outgoing pre-recorded message.I hate robocalls. Usually.

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-77820255990316235312009-09-25T11:59:00.000-05:002009-09-25T12:00:26.632-05:00

Social Media is all the rage. It's part of what we marketers brand with the hip moniker "Web 2.0"But let me be honest: From a business-to-business marketing point of view, usually it just doesn't work.When is the last time you looked up the Facebook page for your printer manufacturer? Do you follow the local carpet cleaning business on Twitter? Would you read a blog from your mechanic?Even if

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-88213818369585717632009-08-27T09:22:00.001-05:002009-08-27T09:23:40.175-05:00

Print advertising reminds me of a card trick.I'm not saying marketing is magic. Or that advertising is about trickery. Far from it.In fact, I think advertising is one of the few professions that's virtually transparent.If you're a keen observer (think Sherlock Holmes), you can study successful advertising as your textbook. That's because there are few advertising secrets. (Don't get me wrong. I

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-77429587752967236692009-08-20T09:18:00.003-05:002009-08-20T09:30:50.513-05:00

You may have missed my marketing tip the last two weeks. You may have not.But I know Andy Kopp missed me. That's because he emailed to tell me.I'm fortunate. Someone noticed. In a 2007 tip I touched on the importance of advertising continuity to keep your brand on top of a prospect's mind. The same goes for personal selling.Most customers and prospects won't take the time to tell you they missed

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-90795553136548345782009-07-30T09:08:00.002-05:002009-07-30T09:29:18.467-05:00

It's easy to overlook typos & misspellings. Here's why:"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe." -

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-81315433017511996412009-07-24T12:35:00.002-05:002009-07-24T12:38:54.548-05:00

More than 400 Chicago city workers lost their jobs last week. This is because two unions out of more than 20 chose not to make concessions.Chicago's Mayor Daley is the ugly face of the layoffs. Politics aside, I respect him. He is willing to take the heat for the layoff decision -- even if it was a staff member's recommendation.But, I have no idea who the union leaders are. I didn't see them

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-44197940908706189562009-07-10T12:11:00.001-05:002009-07-10T12:11:33.039-05:00

I've worn glasses since I was three.I rarely even realize I'm wearing them.Until recently.I'm getting to be "that age". Now, when reading, I find myself looking around my glasses.It's time to consider either separate reading glasses -- or (gasp) bifocals.It's not the learning curve of bifocals. It's pride. I want to hold out on getting "old".With today's technology, no one would ever know. But

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-59002778075285322842009-07-02T09:16:00.006-05:002009-07-02T09:20:38.551-05:00

I'm swamped this week. So, instead of an object lesson, I have a history lesson.Here's a famous 1958 McGraw-Hill ad...It reads:“I don’t know who you are.I don’t know your company.I don’t know your company’s product.I don’t know what your company stands for.I don’t know your company’s customers.I don’t know your company’s record.I don’t know your company’s reputation.Now — what was it you wanted

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-2473873517335272102009-06-25T09:23:00.002-05:002009-06-25T09:26:48.393-05:00

My marketing tip last week hit a raw nerve.My point was: putting your advertising in a holding pattern because of the recession is dangerous -- if a plane circles too long it will run out of gas.Let's look at that more this week...One reader pointed out the impact on others: "Take too long to land and the ground crew may go home. And who wants to land at an abandoned airport?"Another angle was:

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-29629593412560597352009-06-18T09:38:00.003-05:002009-06-19T09:18:43.437-05:00

My office is a few miles from O'Hare Airport.PJ loves it. I do, too. It’s fun driving past the airport watching the long line of planes queued up in the sky waiting to land. (It looks like a huge connect-the-dot puzzle.) When landing planes come so close you almost want to duck.Exciting to watch things happening from the ground. Not so exciting if you're on a plane in a holding pattern.And that

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-19098796328967751112009-06-15T09:15:00.002-05:002009-06-15T09:17:41.056-05:00

One day a prospect called to ask for my help.He launched into a long-winded spiel about owning two companies, the evolution of his businesses, and everything short of his life story.I listened. And listened. And listened. The more he talked, the more I realized he felt he needed to sell me on working for him. Red Flag One.He told me what great work I did. He kept trying to flatter me. Red Flag

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-45691681605175676852009-06-04T09:14:00.002-05:002009-06-04T09:16:00.357-05:00

When we were newlyweds, Beth made Thanksgiving dinner for my family.To accommodate our Italian heritage, she made a side of pesto. Hoping to surprise my father, she handed him the plate of pesto and penne.My dad just stared at the green sauce on his pasta."What's this?""It's pesto," Beth replied."What nationality is that?" he asked."Uh, it's Italian, Dominic," she said."That's nothing Italian

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-7028651269520854932009-05-21T09:46:00.006-05:002009-05-21T11:05:48.357-05:00

My son, PJ, bought an indoor basketball hoop a few weeks back.The promotional copy on the package proclaimed "Assembles in minutes.""You'll have to put it together," Beth said. "I can't figure it out"That should have been my first clue.I snapped the hoop in place and screwed on the door-hanging brackets. "Halfway there," I thought. Wrong."Can we play with it dad?" asked PJ impatiently."In a

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-17680621735149432622009-05-14T09:20:00.001-05:002009-05-14T09:22:14.685-05:00

You've heard it before. Persistence pays. Sometimes.Other times, you just become an annoyance. Or a noodge -- "One who persistently pesters, annoys, or complains." According to some mysterious source I found cited all over the Internet:2% of sales are made on the first contact3% of sales are made on the second contact5% of sales are made on the third contact10% of sales are made on the fourth

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-54365341193583642522009-05-07T09:34:00.000-05:002009-05-07T09:35:40.948-05:00

Seth Godin's manifesto Permission Marketing was first published 10 years ago this week.The book's premise is simple: traditional ads interrupt our lives. Permission Marketing asks your customers to opt-in to your ads. By getting their permission, you get their attention -- and that's more effective. (He tends to emphasize Internet marketing.)Seth's work tends to be polarizing. This, his first

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-47151941465562353322009-04-30T10:48:00.001-05:002009-04-30T10:50:06.002-05:00

There's something about an authentic person that draws us to him or her.I used to think the best salespeople were poised and polished.They aren't. They're informed, confident and professional. But they're also real.There's nothing fake about them. They're comfortable in their own skin.One of the most authentic salespeople I've ever known was "Ralph".Ralph was the real deal. He wasn't one person

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-88971712690297102262009-04-24T11:41:00.000-05:002009-04-24T11:45:13.429-05:00

Over the past week, I've gotten emails from a former boss, an old college classmate, a long lost acquaintance, and an extended family member. None of which I had heard from in years.It was fun to hear from them -- mostly.Most of them found me through LinkedIn [Linkedin.com] (kind of Facebook for business).Two of the four were job hunting.Today, to get work, many people are relying on networking -

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-79426826815035494482009-04-17T10:34:00.001-05:002009-04-17T10:44:14.577-05:00

My family vacationed in Galena, Illinois for a few days in the beginning of April.Galena, a town of 3200 near the Iowa and Wisconsin borders, was Ulysses S. Grant's home. It’s full of history that predates Chicago (which is about150 miles east).It's also a tourist trap. Downtown Galena is row after row of folksy, historic storefronts carrying stuff I never knew I needed or wanted to overpay

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-79578192855402049512009-04-09T10:29:00.002-05:002009-04-09T10:32:43.773-05:00

About a decade ago, a local attorney with political aspirations asked me to create an ad campaign for his law practice.We developed a series of ads that have run in the local paper and other ad outlets nearly every week since.On Tuesday, that attorney was elected local Village President. (Congrats, Barrett!) I don't do political work, so I had nothing to do with the strategy or messaging of his

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-71267305507008359292009-04-01T10:33:00.002-05:002009-04-01T10:41:41.161-05:00

All good things must come to an end. And this is the end.It's not the economy. Not because of ethical breeches or bad judgments. I just feel it's time.I've been writing my marketing tips for so long I don't remember when I started. It's been at least eight years.My first tips were a paragraph or two of marketing statistics. That evolved into this longer, more personal format with a practical

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-26434164225852499322009-03-26T09:23:00.002-05:002009-03-26T09:25:38.990-05:00

Air can destroy pottery -- and sales (see 03/19/09). Air can also destroy an ad.There are two extremes: I'll call them "Cool Air" and "Hot Air"."Cool Air" is trying too hard to be cool. It's oversimplification. Most effective ads are simple, not simplistic.A few years back, dozens of amateur ads were based on the "Got Milk" ads. For example:Headline: "Got high density-polyethylene pipe?" Graphic

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-66293104130037129302009-03-19T10:07:00.001-05:002009-03-19T10:10:55.381-05:00

PJ and I attended his friend's 10th birthday party at a pottery studio last weekend. He sculpted a rhino with a bowl of macaroni & cheese...When the kids were done with their project, the pottery teacher began poking a few small, discreet holes in each piece with a toothpick."Why are you doing that?" I asked."So they don't explode," she replied."Explode?" I said."Trapped air can make the piece

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-21299793572257270902009-03-13T12:10:00.000-05:002009-03-13T12:11:10.929-05:00

My family vacationed near LaCrosse, Wisconsin a few years back.When we were there, we stopped to visit the LaCrosse Clock Company and bought a Satellite clock that hangs in our kitchen.It's one of those clocks that is automatically updated. Except the clock never knows it's daylight savings time.And last night the clock set itself back 15 minutes. (I tried to reset it, but the satellite keeps

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-21485555946837197012009-02-26T09:31:00.003-06:002009-02-26T11:30:53.132-06:00

"FedEx dropped a package on the front porch," Beth said. "Do you think it's from Moen?""So soon? I doubt it," I said.Last week, I shared how I emailed Moen to get a replacement for the broken sprayer on my kitchen sink.The problem: I didn't keep the receipt. But I did email a photo of the faucet. Anyone familiar with their product line would know the age of the model. And apparently someone did.

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-75676983572173967862009-02-19T11:47:00.001-06:002009-02-19T11:47:49.806-06:00

"Come here," Beth said standing over the kitchen sink. "I need your help."When I walked up, she sprayed the front of my shirt."Hey!" I yelled. "That's not funny.""I wasn't trying to be funny," she replied. "I can't turn the sprayer off."Sure enough, the sprayer was stuck on. I squeezed the button a dozen times and it wouldn't shut off."Just turn the water off," I said. "And leave it there.""And

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-59427369703594362452009-02-13T11:24:00.003-06:002009-02-13T11:33:18.931-06:00

My family visited Springfield, IL in honor of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday yesterday.The Lincoln Library and Museum are amazing. I learned there are over 16,000 books just in English about our 16th president.Why is Lincoln's legacy so big? There are many reasons. But to me, one of the most interesting is that Abe was as honest as his reputation.I heard that repeated again and again as I

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-52690923244954054322009-02-05T09:43:00.001-06:002009-02-05T09:43:53.896-06:00

In good times, one way to grow your business is to buy the competition. There can be a lot to gain by acquiring their assets, staff, and distribution network.In bad times, you might just buy your competition's phone number. Seriously.Think about it. A competitor may be going out (Circuit City) or just cutting back locations (Starbucks). Their brand may be dead. Their inventory may be worthless.

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-47196792930339150502009-01-29T09:21:00.001-06:002009-01-29T09:21:47.940-06:00

"Dad, what was that foamy thing the dentist stuck in my mouth?" PJ asked me the other night at bedtime."Fluoride treatment," I responded. "It's keeps your teeth strong and prevents cavities.""It tasted like soap," he retorted. "I thought I was going to throw up!"I laughed."Brush your teeth," I said. "Let's keep you cavity-free."I thought about the dentist a moment. We'd both had visits that

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-36227043830735832192009-01-23T08:20:00.001-06:002009-02-03T11:45:00.050-06:00

In lean economic times gaining marketing heft seems counterintuitive. It seems like time for belt tightening and budget trimming.Not for Jenny Craig. She's getting fat.In the Jan./Feb. issue of Inc. Magazine, Craig said while her competitors are hunkering down, she is spending a bit more on ads and finding it a huge competitive advantage.For more on this see my March 2007 blog on marketing in a

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-11257464869560104062009-01-08T09:50:00.002-06:002009-01-08T09:53:22.646-06:00

Good marketers all want to find the perfect marketing message that sticks.My wife drew my attention to a different kind of "sticky" ad, recently."I want to show you a clever ad that got my attention," Beth said paging through her magazine."If it was REALLY a clever ad it would come with it's own bookmark so you could find it again," I teased."Seriously. It was very clever," She said slightly

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-36735726762091266312008-12-05T14:47:00.001-06:002008-12-05T15:25:25.368-06:00

O.K., I admit it. I'm a sucker for a good promotion.So, when we got a fax this morning from the local chamber of commerce announcing that the new Subway sandwich shop was having a Grand Opening today and offering Buy-One-Get-One FREE subs, I bit. (Pun intended.)It was a very good deal. Not often can I get a foot long sub sandwich for less than $3. In fact, it was such a good deal the guy in front

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-87067934478555590232008-11-26T09:31:00.003-06:002008-11-26T09:35:28.711-06:00

With the spiraling stock depreciation where is a wise place to invest?If you oversee marketing, it seems one asset is appreciating -- and is appreciated: customer service. According to a recent release from consulting firm Accenture, while customer loyalty is eroding, service is helping customer-centered enterprises remain on top.“Doing the hard work to deliver the right customer experience ---

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-18644702047858917002008-11-14T14:55:00.002-06:002008-11-14T15:05:18.479-06:00

A couple years back a small coffee shop opened a few doors down from my office.The new owner approached me for advice a few days before her doors opened.Hoping to gain a strategic friendship with a nearby afternoon caffeine jolt, I gave her a few moments of my time.After she outlined her ideas and vision for her shop, I asked her what her marketing strategy was."Word of mouth," she

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-64549435677119941942008-11-05T09:45:00.000-06:002008-11-05T09:46:30.449-06:00

I'm at the AAPEX/SEMA/NACE trade shows in Las Vegas this week. Every year while I’m away at Industry Week, I offer the same advice (sing along if you know the tune): 

Returning from exhibiting at or attending a tradeshow or special event?Use your first day back like it's your last day at the event. Remember: It's easy to get swept away catching up and put off following up. But what's more

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-53534170724108580792008-10-31T09:10:00.001-05:002008-10-31T09:17:03.603-05:00

I'll be brief. I'm busy getting ready to attend the SEMA/AAPEX/NACE trade shows in Las Vegas next week. (If you plan to attend email me. Maybe we can meet up.)But, before my next marketing tip the U.S. will have elected a new President/VP. And whichever team wins, history will be made.The winner will likely be the candidate that best stayed "on-message" and who's message resonated with

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-1658574515245352082008-10-23T09:32:00.001-05:002008-10-23T09:33:34.845-05:00

Is Silence Golden?Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since my last marketing tip. I've been very busy.In response to my lack of communication I've been swamped by my loyal readers with -- silence.Not a single marketing tip subscriber emailed to say they missed me -- or wanted to be sure I was well.Don't worry, I'm not offended. I often get comments from readers who enjoy a particular tip. I'm

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-43266296108174548262008-09-25T10:18:00.003-05:002008-09-25T10:41:29.028-05:00

Last night, President Bush warned: “Our entire economy is in danger.” I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to minimize the situation. Nor do I want to fuel the fear. I’m not an economist, nor a politico. I’m a sales and marketing consultant. Here’s how other business managers have been facing the downturn, up until now: About 28% of respondents to a recent Entrepreneur magazine poll said their

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-36518851419005570792008-09-19T11:07:00.000-05:002008-09-19T11:08:02.730-05:00

I'm on vacation in Door County this week so I'll be brief.Yesterday we had breakfast at Al Johnson's Restaurant - the place with the goats on the roof.This is my first trip to Door County but everyone I talked to suggested I eat at the place with the goats on the roof. Some people remember the name, some remember the food, but everyone remembered the live goats on the roof.Sometimes our most

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-52898920496237758612008-09-11T10:31:00.001-05:002008-09-11T11:18:15.509-05:00

I find watching the presidential campaign unfold as we approach the Election quite entertaining. It’s also an interesting study in marketing strategies.Take spin, for example. Politicians are experts at spin.Say there’s an inconsistency in Obama’s voting record. McCain’s staff would probably jump on it charging the Dem with “flip-flopping”. Barack’s camp, on the other hand, would likely defend

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-14433962763812082632008-09-05T11:24:00.000-05:002008-09-05T11:25:05.019-05:00

"You know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin probably used more humor, like the joke above, in her RNC speech than her opponent.Some pundits felt the humor made her more likable. Some felt otherwise.Again, I'll side step politics and address the marketing issue: is funny good in marketing?Humor can be a powerful tool. But it can be a

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-20989860501058747032008-08-29T12:13:00.001-05:002008-08-29T12:15:41.930-05:00

Beth just called me with the news.Right on the heels of Obama's high-voltage acceptance speech comes McCain's buzz-stirring VP announcement: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. What are most people talking about around the water cooler? Obama? McCain? (Last night’s Bears game?)Parties and candidate choices aside, McCain made a clever marketing move.For instance if your competitor's new product announcement

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-43083727222588214062008-08-08T12:24:00.002-05:002008-08-08T13:14:56.010-05:00

The Olympics begin 8/8/08 at 8:08:08 pm Why all the eights? In Chinese culture, the number 8 is a lucky number.I don't know about luck, but I find the Olympics intriguing on several levels. Seeing these athletes from around the world at the top of their sport is definitely inspiring. Their focus, determination and discipline are noteworthy. (On a personal note, PJ was so inspired that he took

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-73205648080448792262008-08-01T11:44:00.001-05:002008-08-01T11:48:28.278-05:00

How are sales going for you?I hear ya. The economy is in a deadly downward spiral, fueled in part, by the media.The more the media tells us how bad the economy is, the more we believe it. As the economist for the Federal Reserve here in Chicago said at an Automotive Aftermarket Symposium I attended in June, we aren't even in a recession, yet! A recession is commonly defined as two quarters with

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-82753105626555952262008-07-24T09:48:00.003-05:002008-07-24T09:52:51.331-05:00

I’m looking for a used car. Don’t know what I want, yet, so, I stop to look at a lot of interesting cars for sale by owner.Usually there’s only a phone number in the window. No mileage. No make, model or year. And most importantly, no price.I called one this week. Here’s my side of the conversation:“Hi, I’m calling about the Mitsubishi …what are you asking? …What year is it? …What engine is that?

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-13386856651877504172008-07-17T11:56:00.001-05:002008-07-17T11:59:05.062-05:00

Beth and I bought a new storm door at a big box store over the weekend.It was a little bit of a process. O.K. it was quite a project. Not installing the door -- ordering it.First, Beth called the store to see if the sale was still on.They ran her through the phone gauntlet. Finally, someone took initiative."I'll find out and and call you back," he said.I laughed."Couldn't the second person you

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-71663757323709500732008-07-14T09:18:00.004-05:002008-07-14T10:16:50.897-05:00

The Common Fruit Fly has been used in laboratory research since the turn of the century. The male is slightly smaller than the female and attracts a mate by singing to it. The fruit fly life span is only about 30 days, which is likely one reason it is the most studied organism in biological research. It has only four pairs of chromosomes and its genome sequence was first published in 2000.They're

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-58173111712564628782008-06-20T12:16:00.001-05:002008-06-20T12:41:20.716-05:00

Earlier this week, I grabbed Taco Bell for lunch.The back of the receipt offered me a chance at $1,000 for taking a quick online survey.I never got around to taking that survey.A month or so back, I grabbed BK. Their receipt promised me a BK Sandwich for taking their online survey.I never took that survey either.I may be atypical, but I don't think so. We live busy lives. We rarely have the time

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-22998042813659661512008-06-13T12:09:00.003-05:002008-06-13T12:44:04.044-05:00

Beth and I watched a couple episodes of “The Flying Nun” this week. In one episode of the 1967 sitcom, Sister Bertrille (the flying nun) starts a “sea grape” juice business in the convent. The problem: there’s no market for the juice. In a comic turn of events, it ferments. There’s no market for the wine either, but they’re now operating an illegal winery. By time authorities trace the wine back

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-17322796725300743372008-06-06T12:53:00.001-05:002008-06-26T22:07:24.560-05:00

This week, I’d like to share an custom-tailored snippet from an interview I’m doing on upselling for a client’s training CD …Interviewer: So if you are upselling a customer, do you show him the next size up fromwhat he has now?Phil:I think showing him just one size up is a disservice to your customer. You’re limiting his choices and your chances of getting a bigger order. I like the good, better,

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-40032107781681519252008-05-22T09:11:00.003-05:002008-05-22T12:18:40.670-05:00

Today, I’m finishing my rant about my local phone company and auto renewal being a poor excuse for marketing. Instead, I recommend making the effort to ask for the renewal.So, how can I think that an expensive proposition like asking for a renewal be more profitable than auto renewal?The reason is obvious. It gives you a chance to do what marketing is all about: SELL. Upsell. Cross-sell. Add

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-23933244567649979632008-05-15T09:49:00.002-05:002008-05-15T09:51:29.360-05:00

Last week, I wrote a rant about auto renewal masquerading as a marketing technique.My phone company had dropped the “introductory rate” and auto renewed me into a more expensive package. I hate when a marketer uses a marketing technique they wouldn’t want used on them. And in this case, I think the auto renewal technique actually weakens the brand and strains the customer relationship.People

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-73604220314981949802008-05-08T12:33:00.001-05:002008-05-08T12:34:57.832-05:00

"Our phone bill came today," Beth said offhandedly. "It's higher than usual.""How much higher?" I asked"I don't know -- about 50 pecent," Beth replied. "Fity percent?!" I responded. "That's outrageous!""And I'm not sure why. It started last month""I'm sure why," I said. "The introductory rate expired. We've been ..."I paused for effect."AUTO RENEWED -- at higher rate!"[Insert suspenseful

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-47750270636014749202008-04-25T09:19:00.001-05:002008-04-25T09:43:20.246-05:00

I hate politics.But I love political campaigns…Sometimes political tactics challenge my marketing perspective. Take the current Primary race. Why do the candidates keep changing their messages? That doesn’t sound wise to me. I’d never advise you do that. “Stay on-message,” is my advice.So, what are they thinking? They’re trying to find a message that resonates with voters. (I won’t touch the

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-69853321194511716042008-04-18T10:06:00.001-05:002008-04-18T10:07:32.869-05:00

Yesterday, I read the following on a package: 57% recycled materials. 100% recyclable. I laughed.Sometimes we get too close to our product or service and lose perspective. But, in this case, the marketers turned around the typical green concept and added another dimension. Rather than just promote what the product is made of like everyone else does, they promoted the recyclability of the product.

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32836709.post-50883878548234161002008-04-11T12:16:00.001-05:002008-04-11T12:16:54.468-05:00

"Suggestive Selling." It's a lot more innocent than it sounds. It's about making suggestions -- not being suggestive.You can really increase your profits with a little suggestive selling. It’s the same technique the magenta-haired cashier at the fast-food joint uses when she asks if you want fries and a drink with your buffalo burger.Only in your business, it's probably much more sophisticated

Phil Sassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15851224618603493393noreply@blogger.com0