Everyone in Oklahoma, and now the whole world thanks to Megan Mullally on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, knows the simple but massively effective jingle for BC Clark Jewelers. …

Art is for everyone, but your communication needs to be highly focused. Arts organizations should be creating multiple types of communication for different audiences for different reasons, such as event attendance, fundraising (individual and corporate), advocacy, and more. Effective marketing message needs to be focused, tailored, and specific to each…

In a “past life” I worked in corporate manufacturing marketing (as an employee and as a boss). The companies I worked for had a massive market share. They really hung their hat on market share as a point of pride. Which was fine for the time and industry, but in…

Your Audience Will Show You: Without sounding too obvious, you find influencers where your audience finds them. Think and act like your target market and the influencers will become obvious. Who are the people, groups, etc. that your audience is engaging with in-person, online and via social media? …

We (my business The Golding Group) say No to potential clients more often than we say Yes — and you should too. The most common reason is the project is doomed before it starts due to strongly held ideas and attitudes of those in charge. If you’re not willing to…

The most important part of a branding strategy is focused on audience identification. Your brand needs to connect to the most specific target market possible, as quickly and easily as possible. A simple, specific message directed at that target with consistency and repetition will begin to connect your brand to your audience. Message, channel, tone, etc. should all be based on traits of your best target demographic.

Business fails when you don’t focus marketing efforts precisely enough on the primary target audience. The worst thing any business can do is assume “everyone” is their client. Just not true and wasteful of limited time and budget. A successful business is highly focused on their best customer only and…

I started my first business when I was 15 years old. I didn’t know I was being entrepreneurial or what an entrepreneur was. I was just trying to make some extra money. …

I was recently asked about the challenges currently facing the restaurant industry and key areas hospitality professionals need to be focused on. Biggest Challenge: Overpopulation of the industry. Too many entrepreneurs trying their business hand in restaurants and too many semi-successful operators quickly moving to add more locations or their…