Influencer Marketing is widely considered ‘the next big thing’ in the marketing game. Audiences have moved from their couches to their smartphones as the omnipotent power of social media has taken hold. With this huge shift already cemented in place, marketers have been rushing to rethink the way they advertise, and how to leverage social platforms.

Social media has changed marketing in a multitude of ways. It’s become the go-to source for news, connection, socializing, and consumption. Further still, social media has allowed individuals to turn away from traditional advertising and the messaging of brands and businesses. In fact, the Internet has widely created opportunities for people to tune out advertising and marketing altogether (see: Adblockers). Now, the power has been placed in the hands of just (somewhat) regular people who’ve built a loyal following.

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Market Research: every body needs it, but admittedly, the term “research” lacks a certain sex appeal. It could be those flashbacks of being faced with a term paper, and needing to hit a stack of books piled to the outer stratosphere. Toss those eerie flashbacks aside, market research is on a whole other level. And dare we say, it’s fun.

So how can we make market research seem like a sexy investment? What if we were to equate Market Research to a special secret agent man (think: Sexy Spy), I mean, who wouldn’t want to add a sexy secret agent to their business? Take your pick: Matt Damon, Jennifer Garner, Sean Connery, Austin Powers.

Now that you’ve selected a sexy spy, “Secret Agent Market Research”, what are they going to do to benefit your business?

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“Should I hire a marketing manager or marketing agency, a consultant, or maybe a freelancer?”

Have you been wondering about this? If so, this post is absolutely for you.

For those who are still thinking of DIY marketing possibility, please check out my previous DIY marketing post first. Perhaps, it will give you better insight into DIY marketing, but personally, I wouldn’t recommend you to do it yourself.

By the way, do you know what elements there are in modern marketing? For those who are not familiar with it, below is a list of modern marketing elements:

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If you’ve been following our blog, you’ve probably noticed our undying emphasis on strategy. Regardless of the size or shape of your organization, whether B2B or B2C, or even which type of industry you hail from, your marketing needs a strategy in order to effectively drive the results you’re hoping for.

Plain and simple, “A strategy is a course of action carried out to achieve a specific objective.” Now, this differs slightly from a Marketing Plan, but there’s a strong relationship between the two. What differentiates a plan is that it should outline all the deliverables and actions that reflect your marketing strategy. Or support it. See how these two work together? #RelationshipGoals.

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If you’re starting to fantasize about your upcoming marketing strategy, don’t get distracted by the glitz and glamour of the latest digital marketing craze. Sometimes the best marketing approach isn’t the sexiest or flashiest.

Just like in romantic love, the most solid marketing approaches are about what’s on the inside, like, the inside of your e-newsletter. You’ve probably guessed it, we’re talking about Content Marketing. The overlooked but widely celebrated choice tool of strategic marketers worldwide.

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I love data. And over the course of my time learning about data and working with data-driven strategies, I’ve come across a lot of people who are living by this data-driven approach as well. As much as I think this is great, there are a few things that I feel should be addressed.

The term “data-driven” has a strong power that makes people believe they can achieve anything and change the world! What isn’t talked about is how often data can be presented out of context or lead to some bad decisions if not analyzed appropriately.

To help you better understand it, here are the top five myths and misconceptions using data to make decisions.

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As I mentioned in the 5 Common Myths of Data-Driven Decision-Making and 5 Common Roadblocks for DIY Marketing post, even if you base your next campaign on a successful case study, you still might fail.

Now, instead of showcasing “successful marketing tactics” that might not be replicated by your organization, I’m going to share my embarrassing marketing failure so you can learn something from my mistake. Believe or not, there are way more things you can learn from a failure than a success.

I’m going to tell you about my direct email marketing campaign named “Damian Romano”. Who’s Damian Romano, you ask?

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Vancouver has one of the biggest and most celebrated Pride Weeks in North America. The weeklong event, highlight of the summer, draws out the masses for the event. The premise is simple: celebrate love and acceptance, and it’s clear that resonates with many. Events include a charity run, picnic in the park, Legacy Awards, the Davie Street Party, numerous parties and restaurant events, and of course, the iconic Pride parade, watched by over 650,000 people. The overall success of a social event like this relies heavily on social and digital marketing, and some other events around the world are showing us how to do it right.

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