12 business books to read this year
If you listen to Dave Ramsey, you’ll know he often quotes Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, who once said, “You’re the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things—the books you read and the people you meet.” The …
Client relationships are an improv scene
“There are two types of people in this world: Those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don’t. My ex-wife loves him.” – Bob Wiley, What About Bob? (1991) The cornerstone of all improvised theater is the almighty two-person scene. In …
Why do successful companies keep investing in ongoing marketing?
Seasoned Fortune 500 companies have a deep understanding and appreciation for marketing. Coca-Cola may already one of the most recognized brands in the world, but they nevertheless spend billions of dollars every year on their marketing efforts. (And you can …
Officers eat last: Simon Sinek’s revelations on purpose and leadership
Simon Sinek is one of my favorite leaders and speakers in business. I discovered Sinek in early 2010 when I saw his TED Talk on how great leaders inspire action. The core of this presentation was a simple but compelling …
It’s a waste to start anywhere but the beginning
Whenever someone discovers there’s a problem with their business or has a marketing project to tackle, they want it done NOW. They get anxious, excited, and can’t wait to see the solution or finished product. That’s totally normal, and it’s …
The benefits of a web typography style guide
When designing website mockups, I always do my best to stick to a reasonable number of typography styles, and make sure there is clear intent behind the hierarchy and styles. Doing so keeps the final result more consistent and it …
Marketing and sales: you got your chocolate in my peanut butter
Having been in sales for my entire professional career, I’ve witnessed one side of the ongoing jihad between marketing and sales. Now that I’m the newest member of the Forty team, I can finally come clean and admit that I …
Your website is not a silver bullet
One of the most common opening lines we hear from business owners is, “I need a website.” In reality, 99% of them need something different than (or additional to) a website, whether it’s strengthening their brand, help communicating with their …
10 tips on how to be a social media superstar (Part 2)
Pick your poison! Watch a video recap of this blog post, or read the full article below. In our last installment, we gave you a little background on some common social media fails, along with five ways to avoid them. …
10 tips on how to be a social media superstar (Part 1)
Pick your poison! Watch a video recap of this blog post, or read the full article below. Since we live in a world with such fast-changing technology, there’s always a new marketing tool at your disposal. Social media is one …
Now that’s how you handle price changes
It’s rare that you receive news that a product or service you love is changing their prices, and you’re totally ok with it. But, that’s exactly what happened this week. Our beloved group chat/IM app, HipChat, announced they are changing …
What is a marketing plan? (Plus 9 steps to creating your own)
In our last “What is…?” post, we demystified content marketing and explained it in layman’s terms. Now, we’ll do the same for another industry buzzword: the marketing plan. A marketing plan is a document that outlines your current market position, …
Is money really real?
Money is just a metaphor My relationship with my own money is usually played out in front of a screen. I spend a lot of time in front of our family budget spreadsheet, and sometimes I’m on my bank’s website …
What is content marketing?
Almost every industry has their own jargon and language that unite members of the tribe and provide shortcuts for common concepts. Although our job as marketers is to cut through the jargon and make things easy to understand for your …
Creativity happens when you throw out the obvious ideas
One of the most important parts of the creative process is brainstorming. Some of us like to do it alone, some prefer to collaborate with others, and some enjoy a combination of both. Normally, here’s how this scene goes: Step …
10 tips for writing effective, attention-grabbing headlines and titles
Whether you work as a copywriting professional or just dabble in blogging, it can be tough to summarize hundreds or thousands of words into one, short headline. Here are a few quick and easy tips to take your title or …
The thing about “new” business: why focusing on people isn’t really new at all
Here at Forty, we’re big proponents of championing humanity. Maybe we’ve just become super aware of the subject, but we’ve been noticing an onslaught of articles popping up all over the interwebs that preach this same message, deeming it the …
Dealing with your customers’ Friend-or-Foe response
Let’s skip all the high-concept marketing talk, and get back to basics for a few minutes here. Branding and marketing isn’t about fluff, or trickery, or opinions, or manipulation, or creativity, or preferences, or fanciness. It’s not a layer of …
You are not your target audience
One of our most common tendencies as people is believing that our own thoughts and opinions are true or the best option. It’s human nature, and a lot of times your gut will lead you in the right direction. However, …
Do you have Wonka Vision? Making products stand the test of time
Have you ever thought about the staying power of your brand? Is it worth the effort? At one time, it was supremely important for the Quaker Oats company, as they sought to create a powerful, interesting, and lasting effect for …