Changing People’s Minds

We spend a lot of time trying to convince people of our opinion at work, in business and in life. If only we could attract more customers. If only the customers we had could be persuaded to spend more. If only our colleagues could see the sense of doing it this way? If only the…

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The Most Underrated Sales Tactic In The World

The woman who was shopping for a travel wallet asked the assistant if there was anything available in the sale. “Not in store, but you could try our website. There could be something there,” she said. The customer explained that she was travelling tomorrow, and left the store disappointed and empty-handed, even though there were…

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Clever Vs. Consistent

The advert for cheap flights to L.A. simply read: Brad is single Los Angeles. From/one way, incl taxes. £169* It was clever of the marketing department to pick up on the news that’s top of mind and there’s no doubt the ad got plenty of attention in the moment. Maybe the airline even sold some…

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Here Today, Here Tomorrow

In a digital business world where it’s believed everything can be measured there is an assumption that an action will result in a reaction. Much of our marketing is now created with the expectation that it will deliver an immediate (albeit short-term) reward. Of course, the best marketing doesn’t work this way. Immediate payoffs rarely…

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Kickstart Your Marketing Strategy With The Right Question

The advert at the tram stop tells passers-by to use this brand of mouthwash if they want to ‘wake up with a bang’. How did the company make the leap from their product to that story—the one they believe their prospective customer wants to hear? Every brand story or marketing strategy starts a question. That…

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The Feedback You Invite Vs. The Feedback You Need

The air stewardess in the business class cabin was busy, but not overrun. She spent the majority of her time with one executive passenger in her section throughout the flight. A friend who was returning from an overseas holiday asked for a cup of tea. Ninety disappointing minutes and four more requests later it eventually…

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What’s Your Customer’s Value Story

You may have read some version of the recent Tech Crunch article by Tom Goodwin that began with this observation. “Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns…

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The Weight Of Our Words

The laminated sign next to the order and pay point at the cafe read: “We can’t and we won’t serve you while you are ON the phone. We need to engage.” These are the first words that greet every single customer (not just the rude ones). On the flip side, when I email a colleague…

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The Three-Act Structure For Brand Stories

Every movie you’ve ever watched follows a three-act structure. The screenwriter sets the scene, introducing us to the hero and the main characters. We get a glimpse of his world, relationships and challenges. In the second act, we see the hero attempt to solve his problems or overcome obstacles. In Toy Story, we’re introduced to…

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Why Do They Come?

There was a twenty-minute wait for croissants at Lune long before the New York Times announced that the best croissants in the world might just be made in Melbourne. Now you can wait for thirty, but people still get up early and hang in there just to try one. Why would they take a tram…

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