Business Archives - Page 6 of 13

11Oct 2018 by Bob Cargill

The Importance of Customer Service

It's known as friction. It's anything that gets in the way of anything less than a stellar customer experience. Brick-and-mortar retail operations can't afford to have any degree of friction come between them and their customers in this day and age. There are simply too many competitors vying for the same sales, whether that competition is located down the street or somewhere on the internet. Customer service can be the difference between success and failure. Poor customer service is not only bad for business, it can put you OUT of business. The best products, the best prices, the best marketing, the best advertising...can't overcome an abundance of friction.

15Jul 2018 by Bob Cargill

Create Content Constantly

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

I was listening to a podcast the other day. Bill Simmons was interviewing Judd Apatow. They were talking about how difficult it is for comedians to come up with new routines day in and day out. It got me thinking. That’s how it is for those of us in the fields of marketing, advertising, PR and social media. We need to come up with new content on a constant basis if we expect to be seen and heard by our customers, connections and constituents. We need to inform, educate, persuade, convince, entertain, even demonstrate that we have a sense of humor if we want to succeed in this revolutionary, new business era. Watch...

30Jun 2018 by Bob Cargill

Podcast: The Importance of Authenticity on Social Media in the Fake News Era

Advertising, Branding, Business, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media

Fake news is all around us. Turn on the TV. Listen to the radio. Read the newspaper. Liars, cheaters and stealers abound. Who knows who and what to believe anymore? That’s why it’s more important than ever for businesses and brands to have candid conversations with their connections and constituents. Honesty has always been the best policy, but today the truth will set you far apart from the competition and the clutter. Today, the more transparent, authentic and immediate you are, the more successful you will be in business. Use social media to engage with your audience as human beings, not logos and corporate colors. Use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the like to establish long-lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships with your customers and prospects. Keeping it real as never been more…

20Jun 2018 by Bob Cargill

Podcast: Do Things the Opposite Way on Social Media

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

Try doing the opposite of what you’ve been doing up until now on social media. That’s right. Take off your sales and marketing hat, and put on a hat that says, “I’m just like you.” Not only are the algorithms on social media not working in your favor, but your audience is tired of the same old promotional messages you’re sharing with them. If you’re not paying to play, chances are you’re not reaching very much of an audience at all, anyway. So, put a face on your brand and a smile on your face. Show that you have a personality, not just a pulse. Do what George Costanza did in episode 86 of “Seinfeld.” Do things the opposite way on social media. Be less promotional and a lot more…

13Jun 2018 by Bob Cargill

Red Tape and Social Media

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

Red tape. Unfortunately, it prevents many businesses and brands from making progress in any way, shape or form on social media. Whether it’s because too many chefs are in the kitchen or there is just far too much adherence to outdated rules, red tape can undermine the success of your very best efforts. The most accomplished social media practitioners have a green light in front of them, not red tape. They get autonomy and support from colleagues and management, not questions and criticism. The most effective social media programs are authentic, transparent and immediate. They’re carried out quickly and seamlessly with very few interruptions. If you expect to be successful as an organization on social media, you’ve got to cut to the chase and cut the red tape.

07May 2018 by Bob Cargill

Immortalizing Your Brand’s Audience on Social Media

Boston Marathon, Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

It feels good to be able to run 26.2 miles on any given day, but I was particularly happy to finish the Boston Marathon on April 16, 2018. For starters, this was the 11th time I've run Boston for charity, the fifth time for Christopher's Haven, raising nearly $2,000 this time around for this ridiculously awesome non-profit organization. It was also especially gratifying to be able to go the entire 26.2-mile distance despite such extremely inclement weather conditions. Pouring rain. Stiff headwinds. Cold temperatures. The long, challenging journey from Hopkinton to Boston this year was about as far from a walk in the park as you could imagine. After I crossed the finish line on Boylston Street, I asked one of the volunteers to take my picture, as I wanted…

18Apr 2018 by Bob Cargill

What Can I Do for You?

Business, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

I'm a traditional marketer. I'm a digital marketer. I'm a content marketer. I'm a social media marketer. I can provide you with strategies and workflows. I can help you manage people and projects. I can provide you with copy. I can provide you with content. Yup. I've been writing in this field for a long time…since 1983. I've written everything from direct mail to email, print ads to banner ads…AND then there's social media. In 2004, I started my blog, "A New Marketing Commentator," and I haven't looked back. Yup. I've done a ton of social media! Frankly, I consider myself an ultra-modern, hybrid marketer who can help you out in a variety of ways, both B2B and B2C, agency and client side. What can I do for you? A…

16Mar 2018 by Bob Cargill

Music to the Ears of Your Audience on Social Media

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

Bruno Mars and Cardi B. Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha. Performers in the music world do it all the time. They collaborate. They form partnerships. They join forces to produce music that they know they couldn’t have done on their own. You can do the same thing on social media. Hook up with other brands, businesses and people to produce content that you couldn’t do on your own. Guest post on their blogs and vice versa. Conduct interviews. Barter services. Tag-team projects. Engage with them in some way, shape or form. Mix it up. Put different faces and voices in front of your audience every so often. The results may pleasantly surprise you. Collaboration. It’s music to the ears of your audience on social…

06Jan 2018 by Bob Cargill

12 Boston-Area Marketing Pros to Follow on Twitter, Part I

Boston, Business, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

There are roughly 330 million monthly active users of Twitter, and who knows how many of them work or live in and around Boston. I’ve identified a dozen of those users who not only fall into the latter category, though, but who also happen to have proven themselves to be ridiculously accomplished marketing professionals. If you’re not following these rock stars of marketing, advertising, PR and social media yet, get after it now. Here is a little information about each of them, including their respective Twitter handles and an aggregated stream of their latest tweets from a public list I’ve added them to on Twitter. You can follow them individually by clicking on their handles below and subscribe to my list, which includes all 12 of them, here. 1. Beth…

Category: Business