In the history of supermarket chains two major inventions stand out. The net packaging (this stuff) allowing us to purchase 3 onions whilst minimising the inconvenience of carrying them individually… and the shopping cart. This is a story about the trusted shopping cart and conventional logic. The shopping cart (the offline … Read More

10 years ago I wanted to change the guitar world. I’d been fed a diet of brand names emblazoned on guitar headstocks since a very young age. The vast majority of guitarists dream of owning a rack of Gibsons or Fenders. The older the better. So, instrument retailers stock their … Read More

We spend time thinking about what makes people, our prospective buyers, tick. How they research. How they choose. We spend time thinking about our competitors. What can we learn from them. How do they present themselves. We spend time thinking about our own brand. The methods that entice customers. How we … Read More

One of my favourite restaurants doesn’t have a menu. It has a specials board. One single waist-high blackboard that travels around the restaurant with the waiter. When the restaurant is busy it may take 5-10 minutes before you get to witness the specials board first hand. Prior, you’re twisting and … Read More

Marketing automation will make the marketer’s life easier. Not because of your new found ability to communicate with 100s of customers in the time it may have taken you to communicate with one. Not because of your ability to tailor each piece of communication with ‘Hi Jeff’ rather than ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. Not … Read More

Has the use of generic website templates, bland copy and stock photography left your online business instantly forgettable?

Smart marketers are a remarkable asset. When they believe in the craft and the story that they represent, they can deliver your message, your meaning, to a far greater audience than you would think possible. Knowing how to trigger a positive audience response isn’t a skill you learn overnight. It takes practice. It takes patience. … Read More

Whatever you do in your office today,whether that be your global HQ, a cubicle or your home, please take a picture. Not an instagram snap, but a picture taken with the best camera you have available to you. Take a picture of your business in action. It may just be … Read More

We’re marketers. We’re full of ideas. We constantly look at how we present our products, how we distinguish our craft and how we price our output. It’s the nature of reinvention. It’s nothing new. Whilst we have access to platforms to test our ideas, 100 years ago, few had the … Read More

So, you’re starting a retail business? Exciting times, before you do, don’t forget to follow the key rules. First thing’s first, make sure you define your market, create buyer personas and maintain a consistent brand message throughout. Correct? Of course. What’s the most important ingredient? Where’s everybody spending their money? … Read More