Very recently, we had a conversation with a client who wanted to better understand why or how one of their ‘competitors’ was so successful on social media regarding engagement and transactions.

Between your own research and that of your stakeholders, you probably have a good bit of visitor feedback. You know to varying degrees what people like, and what could use some work.

"Trust the process" is a phrase often heard in professional sports and something we live by. Whether it's developing a new campaign, or consulting with a client on a new marketing CoE, a sound process bears results.

The media recently took aim at Wendy's talk of dynamic pricing, conflating it with Uber “surge pricing,” saying it will result in higher prices.

Too often, CEOs and their very capable executive teams, operating within siloed industries, lack a more universal depth and breadth of experiences. The result?

Goals are merely wishful thinking without strategies to achieve them @Freek_Vermeulen. Know the difference.

Does your strategy value Net Promoter Score (NPS)? Per @jmspool you may want to consider more reliable research. A worthy 15 minute read.

If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, Any Road Will Get You There.

With marketing, it’s pretty easy to convince yourself doing anything is better than waiting, especially in uncertain times. We would argue the opposite.

It's really not about hunches and luck. To quote Maria Konnikova, "what if he (you) had to bet on it?" Knowing what you don't know is a powerful advantage.

Knowledge is a crutch that can make our thinking a little stale & predictable. When we focus on the things we're not so sure about, it opens up our natural rhythm of curiosity…

Marketers: outside in always beats inside out. Real answers for real problems per Harvard Business Review by Larry Minsky and David Aron.

Sometimes, it's not what people say about your business that matters but how they say it. And then how you react. Don't let the future pass you by.

Put simply, people buy the brands they want. Not the cheapest. Not the best. Not the most purpose-driven. And so on. Ask why, and the answer is different. Think Apple.

Too few CEOs recognize marketing as an investment: "Net revenues up 48%, client assets up 39%, earnings per share up 80% from a year ago." Good read from @KimWhitler.

To all marketers: bad ads do not persuade. Even if they are well-produced and are shown during every break in every football game.

Things get off track too often because we don't say "no" or ask "why" per @FastCoDesign and #MikeMonteiro.

In our commoditized world, marketing can be the difference-maker per @NirajDawar.

Scott Berinato: "storytelling with data is not about PowerPoint slides and numbers but about setup, conflict, and resolution" Something #SpikeLee does time and again.

We’ve all seen the stats. CMOs have a shorter shelf life than ever. And for most, it’s not for a lack of ability or intention. So with all of our marketing classes, MBAs and best-selling gurus with quotable quips of wisdom, how is it that marketing efforts so often miss the mark?

Qualitative research will tell you what people really think. Surveys will tell you what they want you to believe per @gkkenny. Choose wisely.