Pollock Marketing Group

Even Our Mountain Lions are Food Snobs!

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:43:52 GMT

"Dumpster for one, please!" "I'm a friend of Alice. She's expecting me." "Venison is fine, but I prefer slow food." I could go on...after the unfortunate demise of a hungry mountain lion that wandered too close to humans in the Berkeley area of the famed, Chez Panise restaurant aka "Gourmet Ghetto" locally. It was the tragic loss of a wild creature, but easy to explain. The 4th bore of the Caldecott tunnel is a 24 hour a day project with bright lights and multi-million dollar machines drilling through bedrock. Projects like this help humans grow, commute yet disturb the balance of nature. We may not be affected by the construction, but sensitive animals are... At least the mountain lion went out in style. I hope it had the tartare...or the snooty, slow waiter we had Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/557-even-our-mountain-lions-are-food-snobs)

Is Your Website Annoying Your Audience?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:09:40 GMT

We've all been to websites that offend our senses. It might be the copy, the color, too much flashing or that "something" you just can't put your mouse on that sends you packing. In working with businesses in all industries and sizes the one common denominator is they all have a website. Unfortunately, not all of them are good and some are flat out annoying. Here are a few easy thought processes you can work through to help provide your visitors with a positive visit to your online office. Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/555-is-your-website-annoying-your-audience)

Magical Marketing - Learning the ropes from Mickey

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:25:26 GMT

After returning from a week in the heat and rain of Florida theme park hopping, I wanted to share my marketing take-aways from my consumer experience. Some are pretty obvious, but since we can all learn from other businesses I wanted to share something fun at the end of the summer. Here's my 2cents from my Disney, Universal and Cape Kennedy visits. Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/554-magical-marketing-learning-the-ropes-from-mickey)

When is it Marketing and When is it Sales

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:46:28 GMT

I had the pleasure of hearing from an ongoing prospect today. He and I have talked, proposed and talked before. He brought a potential project to me that I had to deny because it was in the "sales" bucket, something Pollock Marketing Group doesn't do. I gave him my best advice for meeting this need and we bid each other farewell in hopes of working together soon. The light bulb went off that it's pretty uncommon for the rest of the business world to know where the line-in-the-sand is between sales and marketing when it comes to hiring the right person or firm. Allow me to shed some light on this topic. Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/553-when-is-it-marketing-and-when-is-it-sales)

Small Business: We're What's for Dinner

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:50:22 GMT

Last week was hell for SME - small, medium enterprise in Washington D.C. While bailing out big banks is no problem, trying to pass a $30 billion loan package to help small businesses (that come from small business banks) is being used as political collateral by the GOP and has become a taboo to lobby for by the groups many of us pay regular dues to. Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/552-small-business-were-whats-for-dinner)

Interrogate your Prospects, or Pay the Price

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:24:39 GMT

Business surprises are hard to manage and always costly. Like having a flight canceled that gets you're entire trip thrown off, everyone goes into disaster recovery mode. Some surprises like this are out of your control. But when you get surprised by a client, "Did I forget to mention we're taking next week off and you'll need to get us that research by Friday?" it is a shame-on-you moment. That's where questions, questions and more questions become your best friends. The $300/hour corporate term is discovery. Here are some suggestions to better qualify your potential clients and even current clients as they grow with you. Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/551-interrogate-your-prospects-or-pay-the-price)

Which of Your Target’s Rules Are You Breaking

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:45:03 GMT

The REAL Formula to Work 4 Hours/Day and Make Millions

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:19:57 GMT

About three months ago following a client session, I was completely depressed. It was disheartening. I was always so energized with helping and the excitement my clients had, but this guy was different. So that I wouldn’t carry this feeling around all day I Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/545-the-real-formula-to-work-4-hoursday-and-make-millions)

Lighten Up

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:38:51 GMT

Lighten Up In business, we tend to take things way too seriously. Laughter and levity is what helps get you through those tough days. Here are some of my favorite industry jokes. If you have a good one to share here, send it to info@paulapollock.com. If You Love Something… (#1) THE ORIGINAL VERSION: If you love something, Set it free... If it comes back, it's yours, If it doesn't, it never was yours.... THE BILL GATES VERSION: If you love somebody, Set her free... If she comes back, I think we can charge her for re-installation fees and tell her that she's also going to get an upgrade. THE MARKETING VERSION: If you love somebody, Set her free... If she comes back, she has brand loyalty If she doesn't, reposition the brand in new markets. Marketing 101 (#2) You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/resources/lighten-up)

Choose Your Ad Partnerships Wisely

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:26:58 GMT

Coming from the corporate partnership side of sales and marketing, I am very cautious about my partnerships on every level. With every individual and business having a website or blog these days we are constantly bombarded with ads. Before it was only a banner ad or pop ups. Now, sites are using ads to monetize their sites. But, I need to ask – at what cost? Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/540-choose-your-ad-partnerships-wisely)

How Much Marketing Do You Need?

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:58:54 GMT

Isn't that the $40 million dollar question? We all need clients. We all need sales. But, how much marketing do we need to get there? I ask every prospect what their marketing budget is when we first meet. You might think it's to figure out how much to charge. Not true. I want to know if... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/538-how-much-marketing-do-you-need)

Blogging Sucks! Yeah, I know. Get over it and do it!

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:52:09 GMT

Very few people consider themselves excellent writers. In school we learned that more is better with the “10 pages, double spaced” requirements of our instructors. But now in the blogosphere, less is even more and frequent is tremendous. What’s a journalisticly challenged person to do? Blogging is not going away. It’s proven to... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/515-blogging-sucks-yeah-i-know-get-over-it-and-do-it)

DIY Marketing is Suicide for the Growing Business; Time to Revisit C-Level Outsourcing

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:59:40 GMT

Virtual staff has hit the mainstream now. First it was outsourcing, then off-shoring and now virtual teams are de rigueur in many growing companies. People are located everywhere and with all the fantastic collaboration tools available today, even executives are becoming virtual. Hiring CMOs and CFOs are not requirements during the business growth phase. Some firms hire because they assume that’s the only... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/514-diy-marketing-is-suicide-for-the-growing-business-time-to-revisit-c-level-outsourcing)

Plan Your Social Media Strategy for Lead Generation

Mon, 31 May 2010 16:05:12 GMT

Which Comes First: The Website or Social Media?

Tue, 25 May 2010 01:43:55 GMT

Vidiots Must Reform or Lose High Google Ranking

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:54:51 GMT

Another month, another change by Google that sends everyone into an SEO frenzy. Last week Google made changes to their SERPs (search engine results page). Instead of the usual three Sponsored Links on top... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/506-vidiots-must-reform-or-lose-high-google-ranking)

Top 5 Social Media Best Practices for Generating Business Leads

Mon, 10 May 2010 21:29:40 GMT

Just about everyone with a business is either dabbling or strategically attacking one or many social media platforms intending to convert business. Now, I wasn’t the earliest of adopters but I planned from the start to use a few key platforms regularly. I experimented, charted my time, tracked my results and can honestly say that... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/504-top-5-social-media-best-practices-for-generating-business-leads)

What Fast Food Marketing Can Teach You

Mon, 03 May 2010 18:24:31 GMT

Over the weekend, through a thoroughly crazed family schedule I was forced to participate in the American convenience ritual of the drive-through. “Fast-food” was supposedly made faster with this vehicular addition. Not in our town. I sat trapped in my car, in line, in front of the big menu board while... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/503-what-fast-food-marketing-can-teach-you)

Facebook Profile to Page Migration: Part 1

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:46:34 GMT

{source} {/source}Before I reached critical mass, I decided to try an experiment and start migrating my random Facebook friends to my business page. This was no easy decision or task. I’m still getting regular advice from well-meaning “friends” on how else I can achieve... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/502-facebook-profile-to-page-migration-part-1)

What Marketing and Sales Mistakes SMEs can Learn from Enterprise

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:04:37 GMT

Who is most important in their organization: a marketer, advertiser or salesperson? Interviews with industry thought leaders reiterate a commonly held belief that, “the boundaries of these three functions are... Read more... (http://www.paulapollock.com/superblog/501-what-marketing-and-sales-mistakes-smes-can-learn-from-enterprise-)