Cigarette packaging has come a long way since the introduction of the rugged and handsome ‘Marlboro Man’ of the 1950s. Aimed at promoting a smoking lifestyle by establishing an association between ‘manliness’ and lighting up a Marlboro cigarette, he was part of Marlboro’s campaign for almost half a century. Canadian tobacco packaging looks a lot … Read more →
What do you call an incorrectly labeled spaghetti diagram? An impasta! Bad joke aside, spaghetti diagrams may be the answer to your space-planning woes. Simple to make and containing powerful insights, spaghetti diagrams help increase the efficiency of your office and manufacturing spaces with little more than pen and paper. Is your space in hot … Read more →
If you’re the owner of a printing company, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Your days are likely spent focused on the necessary details to ensure jobs get out the back door on time and are up to quality standards. Your days are also probably spent on the big picture, strategic next steps to … Read more →
Be remarkable, tell a story, date your prospects and create a ruckus! Author, speaker, educator and thought leader Seth Godin needs little introduction in the marketing world. He’s blogged nearly every day for a decade, written 19 best-selling books, created the highly-successful ‘altMBA’ program, and been inducted into not one, but three, marketing Halls of … Read more →
How do you take a group of strangers and bring them together quickly and effectively to solve big problems? Amy Edmondson, Harvard Business School Professor of Leadership and Management, insists that the answer lies in the concept of ‘teaming’. But she points out that there are differences between today’s teams and teams of the past. … Read more →
Avatar, muse, ideal customer profile, customer persona – whatever you call it, putting a face to your ideal customer is not only a smart marketing tactic, but a strategic move for your entire organization. The word ‘avatar’ (which is the term I’ll be using) is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘descent’, referring to the … Read more →
Understand which leads will turn into sales and which are a waste of time We could all use more time. Particularly in a sales role—which tends to be more autonomous than other roles in an organization—time can slip away if you’re not attuned to prospects that are more or less likely to lead to a … Read more →
When we try to multitask all we’re doing is becoming less efficient Take a second to put down your phone and take a break from anything you’re currently working on. Really, do it. I dare you. You’re about to experience the joys of unitasking. What is unitasking? Unitasking is the simple art of doing one … Read more →
Follow the Goldilocks Principle: not too big, not too small In last month’s issue, I explored some of the whys and hows of making everyday documents—both printed and digital—more accessible: namely through the use of establishing hierarchy, not relying on colour alone in charts, and captioning images to add context and increase understanding. There’s a … Read more →
Higher revenue and positive brand association are just a few of the benefits It’s just another day for Erik Weihenmayer as readies his climbing gear at the bottom of a tall rock face in Colorado. He laces up his climbing shoes, tightens his harness, and straps on his helmet. With the help of his climbing … Read more →
Technology is changing how you hire, but the basics are still worth remembering The world is changing and so is the field of recruiting. As the number of students graduating from universities each year grows, so does the talent pool of highly educated, employable workers. However, a 2017 ManpowerGroup study found that a staggering 40% … Read more →
We look at three companies that do it right What do Barack Obama and J.K. Rowling have in common? What about Walt Disney and Malala Yousafzai? Barack Obama changed the course of history in 2008, winning the US presidential election by uniting the nation through story. J.K. Rowling has told some of the most … Read more →