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Do you buy advertising like you buy gum?

Samantha: It was an impulse purchase!
Carrie: Gum is an impulse purchase… this is more than gum!

Samantha trying to justify her cosmetic chemical peel decision
as an impulse purchase she has on Sex and The City.

Carrie has perfectly expressed the reasonable expectation of an “impulse purchase.” Much the same can be said about impulse purchases with your business’s marketing – they should be strictly reserved for stands in grocery shopping lines.

There are many scams, tricks, sneaky tactics, dodgy offers, (you get it…), out there – victims often being new businesses. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”.

The issue you face when making an impulse purchase is that you aren’t efficiently thinking about the resulting consequences of this decision, resulting in actions that aren’t working towards the needs of your business as well as wasting a huge amount of money… You need to ask yourself every time, “Is this the highest and best use of my money?”Continue Reading

Never argue with a drunk

20110719-044816.jpg
People will teach you a lot, if you let them. One such life lesson, dealing with difficult people,  came my way decades ago in that building behind me; our family restaurant at the time, Grandma’s Kitchen in Whitefield, New Hampshire. It’s a lesson worth sharing because advertising will bring the occasional knucklehead through your door too.Continue Reading


"Love your T.V. ad....  Beautiful.  A few moments of bliss.  Thank you."

--June, a Nelson Water Gardens customer

It's not enough to do a good job. Your neighbor does a good job. I aim for client delight; going that extra mile to deliver more than is expected, taking the routine to a higher level. This is my tenth year creating television ads for Nelson Water Gardens' annual spring Garden Party. Each year, we hone the idea, bringing a fresh approach to the same message. Today is the first time a customer took time to write a note---to my client---praising the ad. Today I learned, the only thing better than client delight is customer delight for my client because we didn't settle for doing a good job.

Why better stripes build better branding

Pesky details are what separate branding monsters from the also-rans. It’s not one big thing, but a bazillion little things. Mike Dandridge, author of The One-Year Business Turnaround. , says it’s actually about 100 things.

Through his research, Mike has established the 100 specific touch-points affecting your business’ Customer Experience Factor. Through his objective measurement, Mike isolates areas in your business where a little adjustment can make a big difference.

Last week, Mike explained the basic principles of the Customer Experience Factor. This week, he shares specific examples of where something as simple as the striping in your parking lot can have a big impact on your branding and customer experience.  (click the white arrow twice to play)

[audio:https://charliemoger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Dandridge2_web.mp3|titles=Mike Dandridge: applying the Customer Experience Factor]

Next week, Mike shares how the Customer Experience Factor also applies to service businesses where the experience occurs in the customer’s home. Mike will be in Houston speaking at a breakfast being hosted by Wizard of Ads Gulf Coast. Space is limited. So, contact me now if you’d like to attend.

Grooveyard of posts past