How Can You Personalize Your Customer’s Experience?

by Holly Buchanan
It’s the buzzword on everyone’s 2009 prediction list - personalization.
Companies are trying to create customer products and experiences that can be personalized.   I’m convinced that in today’s society, cell phones are the new cars.  It used to be your car alerted the world to who you really are.  It conveyed your status, style, [...]

The Secret to Success in 2009

by Holly Buchanan
Recently a good friend of mine gave me one of those self-help/business fable books to read.  They say when someone offers you a breath mint, always accept.  I had a feeling this was a similar situation - there was something in this book she felt I needed to hear.
Well, as it turns out, [...]

Will Your CEO Get Down on His or Her Knees?

by Holly Buchanan
I recently wrote about the dangers of using your CEO as your marketing spokesman right now. With all the bad publicity CEO’s are getting lately, that’s a dangerous tactic. The public is in no mood to bond with a CEO.
Unless….
Is your CEO willing to get down on his knees and shine shoes to [...]

How To Give Bad News To a Woman

by Holly Buchanan
Recently I noticed a strange noise coming from my car engine.  The next day, the seat heaters stopped working, then the air stopped coming through the main heater vents.
So, I took my car in to the auto repair shop.  I was thinking this wouldn’t take that long, so I decided to wait.
Half [...]

Want More Sales? Make Her Feel Important

by Holly Buchanan
I’m reading Guy Kawasaki’s Reality Check.  It’s packed chock full of great insight and advice.
One of my favorite quotes from the book was at the opening of the chapter - The Art of Selling.
Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, “Make me feel important.”   Not [...]

Mine Social Media for More Persuasive Messaging to Women

By Holly Buchanan
It’s that time of year again.  Tis the season for predictable cliche ridden holiday copy: “Put a smile on a child’s face” “”The gift on everyone’s list” “Show her how much you love her.”
I spent many many years of my life as a copywriter. So, believe me, I know it’s tough when [...]

Motrin Moms Are Giving Brand A Headache

by Holly Buchanan
The beautiful thing about social media is that it allows customers and brands to have a two-way conversation.  Before, brands talked at customers, and that was that.  Now, blogs, Youtube, Twitter and other platforms have given customers a voice in the conversation.
Well, moms are certainly speaking up about Motrin’s new video - below [...]

Marketing to Women Conference in NYC

by Holly Buchanan
I can’t tell you how excited I was to hear about a conference October 29th in New York - It’s the EconWomen Conference, focusing on the economics of women-centric digital media. 
It’s a half-day conference focusing on my favorite subject - women and digital media.  With the interest, and for goodness sakes the money [...]

How Texans Can Communicate Better

As they say in the song, “God Bless Texas.”   It really is a great state.  I do a lot of business in Houston and Austin (one of my favorite cities).
On a recent trip to Houston, post-Ike, I saw they are still struggling to recover.  Almost all the hotel rooms were sold out.  But my co-worker and I [...]

Is This the Right Time to Use Your CEO as a Spokesperson?

By Holly Buchanan
I’m watching a news channel, hearing story after story about the mess on Wall Street and the unchecked greed of so many of these companies.  There’s heated talk about allowing these CEO’s and top executives to retain huge golden parachute packages despite running their companies into the ground. It brings back visions of [...]