2012 - Bob Cargill

26Dec 2012 by Bob Cargill

Do You Guarantee Your Performance on the Job?

Business, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

What’s not to like about a guarantee? Anyone in marketing knows how good a guarantee can be for business. A strong guarantee goes a long way toward removing any skepticism among your constituency and helps convert leads to sales. From a consumer's point of view, it’s reassuring to know that a company believes so highly in its products and services that it’s willing to stand behind them, even if it means having to dole out a refund to anyone who claims dissatisfaction. A guarantee not only shows confidence in what you have to offer, it’s a powerful demonstration of good faith, a great way of telling those on the other side of the table that there's no way you'll be happy unless they're more than happy with their purchase. Do…

16Dec 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Picture of New Marketing — The Tablet Computer

Business, Marketing, Social Media

I did it. I got a tablet. I had been thinking of getting one of these small, mobile, touchscreen computing devices for a long time until I finally bought one last month -- on Black Friday, of course -- at Best Buy in Marlborough, MA. I have to admit I haven't exactly broken it in yet. I've only used it a couple dozen times or so, mostly for keeping up with the news on Boston.com and checking my email, not nearly enough to have developed a comfortable, regular routine on it. I have big plans for my Kindle Fire HD, though. I see myself using it for social media consulting over coffee, lunch and dinner with clients as well as for reading eBooks, listening to music, watching movies, shopping and other…

25Nov 2012 by Bob Cargill

If We’re Talking about Social Media, We’re Talking about a Revolution

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

Thanks to the crazy amount of time I spend talking to others about blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like, I've had plenty of opportunities to hear practically every reason in the book why some people still haven't jumped on the social media bandwagon. Many of these folks claim there aren't enough hours in the day for them to be spending any more time online, while others say they just don't understand how to use these new digital tools and technologies. My own personal theory is that a good percentage of these laggards and stragglers are more concerned about their privacy than they care to admit, afraid of revealing themselves so openly and publicly across the social web. But to all of these people, I don't know what to say…

26Oct 2012 by Bob Cargill

Presentation: 10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter

Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Business, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter from Bob Cargill My first job out of graduate school many years ago was as a copywriter for RCA Direct Marketing in New York City. And the rest, as they say, has been history. Since that first gig writing about popular records (yes, vinyl) and tapes (cassettes and eight-tracks, to be specific), I've written about an incalculable number of other products and services, from business cards to books, healthcare to software, magazines to music, travel to tuxedos and more. I've also written direct response fundraising copy for dozens of charitable organizations -- which, by the way, has been some of the most satisfying work I've done over the course of my career so far. I may have worked for a number of different companies, developed new…

12Oct 2012 by Bob Cargill

A Few Words with Victoria Smith about Music, Social Media and More

Facebook, Music, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

[caption id="attachment_3429" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Victoria Smith"][/caption] She’s a prolific songwriter and an incredibly passionate vocalist, a self-proclaimed “rock chick” with a warm, hungry heart. She’s as bold as she is sensitive, as rugged as she is tender. She’s Victoria Smith, a smart, sassy musician who makes it no secret that she plans to take the music world by storm. That’s what I wrote about my good friend and former colleague, Victoria Smith, for her official bio on her website. But you’re about to learn a lot more about her here on my blog. I’ve worked with Vickie, so I can vouch for her industriousness and ambition. She's a go-getter. I’ve seen her perform live, so I can tell you she’s a fantastic singer with a fabulous future ahead of her.…

30Sep 2012 by Bob Cargill

Presentation: 10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media

Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Media, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Social media isn’t rocket science, but it is a big departure for businesses, nonprofit organizations, brands and institutions that have been historically dependent on traditional methods of communicating with their constituents. So to help educate those who are new to using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the like for marketing, advertising, PR, publishing and networking purposes, here's a new presentation of mine based on a list of 10 ways to succeed in social media that I originally wrote and published as a series of blog posts. I invite you to view, download and share this presentation with your friends, colleagues and industry peers. And if you know anyone who might be interested in learning more about social media, I'm always…

12Sep 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Picture of New Marketing — Dunkin’ Donuts

Apps, Branding, Business, Marketing

Their bakery sandwiches, especially the Chicken Salad on a Croissant or the Texas Toast Grilled Cheese, are very tasty. And truth be told, I just love their Caramel Swirl Latte. Their coffee is the best ever. I really like their bagels. And their donuts are always a nice treat. As if those aren't enough reasons for me to be such a big fan of Dunkin’ Donuts, I now enjoy doing business with them even more. That's because I recently downloaded their new mobile app, which makes it possible for me to use my Dunkin' Donuts card to pay for my order with my Android smartphone. What also impresses me about this app is that customers can use it to reward their friends with a virtual DD card – via text,…

20Aug 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Picture of New Marketing — Panera Bread

Branding, Business, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing

I don’t often get out for lunch during the week. I have this stubborn, longstanding habit of eating at my desk, saving myself a little time and money in the process, but missing out on a short, healthy break away from an otherwise long day at the office. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to make in order to cram a little more productivity into my day, a routine that’s always worked well for me. But when I do go out to lunch these days, I almost always go to Panera Bread. There’s a location minutes away from my office in Lexington -- at 1100 Lexington Street in Waltham -- so it’s certainly convenient for me. But that’s not the only reason why I go there. For starters, I like the food…

05Aug 2012 by Bob Cargill

Every Time the Red Sox Win, I’m Making a Donation to Christopher’s Haven (Thanks to Snoball)

Boston Red Sox, Business, Cause-Related Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing, Social Media

If you’re a faithful Boston Red Sox fan like me, this hasn’t been an easy year to root for the team. As quickly as they manage to cobble together a winning streak of any length, it seems like they're on the losing end of just as many games, offsetting any chance of gaining ground on those ahead of them in the standings. But I’m still rooting for them. Always have, always will. Although I've never cheered for this baseball team in quite the same way as I have been lately. That's because I recently made a pledge on Snoball to donate one dollar to one of my favorite local nonprofit organizations, Christopher’s Haven, for every game the Red Sox win. That may not seem like a lot of money, but…