Turn Jargon into Human Speak Source: Wikipedia.org Jargon. It's the worst. We've all heard it, done it and regretted it after. Jargon is more than just lazy; it's marketing air pollution. I call it "Jargon-monoxide poisoning" and it costs you more than you think. Jargon is [...]
While some companies are rewriting the playbook on product and service design, too often storytelling begins after the product is finished. Some of the most important storytelling, however, happens before and while the product is being built. The savviest designers know that telling the story of your customer [...]
I admit it. I want to be one Tough Mudder because it represents grit, tenacity, and the best about competing in a hardcore athletic event: finding your capacity for being better. Create a Customer Movement Tough Mudder is a great example of marketing because the focus is not [...]
Across different content types – from presentations, to articles, to social posts – there is one thing companies can easily do better. And that is to make a YOU-turn. The challenge: too much content uses what I’ve always jokingly referred to as a ‘Beaches’ marketing approach. It's easy [...]
On September 30th, I had the pleasure of talking to one of fellow SNCR Fellows, John Cass, about storytelling and the customer experience. How Storytelling Improves the Customer Experience from Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) Here are some of the takeaways: 1. Content strategy can't exist on [...]
Business Storytelling vs. Storydoing In his recent HBR article, Ty Montague calls great companies 'storydoing' organizations. The premise: great companies are story doers, not just storytellers. Specifically, this means they take action on stories, and run efficiently and more profitably as a result. Montague has also written a [...]
I am a marketer and improviser and that makes me a storyteller. And “digital storytelling” is critical today. Few things stretch your comfort zone (read: scare the pants off you!) like improvisation (Think: Whose Line is it Anyway?). Improvisation is a storyteller’s weight training. There is no safety [...]
Innovation and Culture On Thursday, June 13th, I had the pleasure of talking to my friend and colleague, Mary Beth Deans, about the importance of business culture in innovation. We're obsessed with innovation today. Yes, we need to innovate products, business models, experiences to stay relevant. Why aren't [...]
As a stage improviser, I love playing with the audience and creating stories in real-time. As a marketer that often applies improvisational tools to improve client outcomes, being prepared and still knowing when to ditch the playbook is a very important balancing act. Improvisation does not mean “winging [...]
I had the great pleasure of chatting with my friend and fellow marketing colleague, Jennifer LeBlanc, on Thursday, May 9th about leapfrogging your brand. Your brand is an asset and one we don't give as much attention to these days - we're too busy being buried in tactical [...]
