Viva’s Blog: 7 Tips to Improve Your 2018 Marketing Plan

Without customers, your business will die. Without marketing, customers and prospects may not be aware of how you can help them. Without a really smart marketing plan, how can you ensure your marketing activities are reaching the right people, delivering the right message, and using the right media approach to achieve your business objectives? Incorporate these tips into your marketing planning process and you’re more likely to reach your goals. Tip #1: Start with your business goals. Marketing’s job…

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Nov 2017

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Are you data-rich but insights poor?

Great data is crucial to understanding your customer. However, data alone won’t result in a win for your brand. Data are the raw materials needed to produce insights, the heart of effective advertising. It’s insights that enable you to develop messaging to create an emotional connection with your customer. So, once you have the data to develop insights, how do you determine if the insights are GREAT? Here are examples of companies that have used data to…

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Oct 2017

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Customers crave simplicity: Do you deliver?

Consumers today have more choices than ever and are bombarded by sophisticated solutions to their problems. However, no matter how advanced technology becomes, customers prefer simple solutions. According to the newly released Global Brand Simplicity Index study: Simplicity earns a premium: 64% of consumers are willing to pay more for simpler experiences. Simplicity builds loyalty: 69% of consumers are more likely to recommend a brand because it’s simple. HAPPY BELLY GETS IT Familiar with Happy Belly,…

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Aug 2017

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Why Snapstreak is a thing

No one likes losing things. Especially when you’ve worked on them every day for a year and a half. That’s how Gen Z’s (the iGeneration or Post-Millennials) feel about keeping their Snapstreaks alive. A Snapstreak is when you send snaps (videos and photos which self-destruct a few seconds after a person views them) back and forth with a friend for consecutive days. The longer you go without breaking the chain of communication, the longer the streak. To…

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Jun 2017

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Learn from Antonio Vazquez (Who?)

Antonio Vazquez is a guide for Spain’s Sevilla Bike Tour Company. While “guide” may be his title, he’s really a master marketer. Lesson #1 from Antonio: PASSION MATTERS You don’t have to be passionate about your product, service or company to market it, but it helps a lot. Just like you don’t have to love the game of basketball to be a good player, it is almost impossible to be a superstar without passion. Passion is the…

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Apr 2017

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: 4 Brands Bet Big on the Super Bowl

Got $5 million? That’s what it took to buy a 30-second Super Bowl ad this year. That’s double the 2010 tab and 119 times the cost of an ad for the first Super Bowl in 1967. Careers can be defined by a Super Bowl performance, not just for players or halftime entertainers, but for actors, directors and brand managers responsible for the game’s much-anticipated commercials. Is it worth it? Marketers selling everything from water to websites attempt…

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Jan 2017

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: 8 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid in 2017

Viva’s Blog: 8 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid in 2017 ‘Tis the season for resolutions. Which of these 8 marketing mistakes do you resolve to avoid in 2017? Mistake #1: Focusing on your product. It’s not about what you’re selling but rather the job you’re doing for your customers. Clayton M. Christensen, Harvard Business School Professor extraordinaire and author of multiple business best-sellers, believes that the secret to winning the innovation game is for executives to ask:…

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Dec 2016

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Why is Snap(chat) worth $25 billion?

It’s not just for kids. More than 100 million people view over 10 billion videos a day on Snap, known as “Snapchat” until a few weeks ago. Ad revenues are projected to reach $2 billion in 2018, up from $60 million in 2015. Why is Snap now valued at $25 billion and the most popular app among millennials? What can you learn from its success? 1. Focus on a narrow audience. You can learn a lot…

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Oct 2016

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Would YOU buy from YOU?

Savvy marketers understand that it’s not about what they’re selling, it’s about what their customers are buying. It’s about solving a customer’s problem and then clearly and succinctly explaining why your solution is different and better than any other. Today Amazon alone sells over 200 million products in the USA. Some are winners; plenty are losers. Consumers have more choices than ever before, so it’s imperative that it’s easy to buy from you. This concept applies to…

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Jun 2016

By Laura SheridanBlog

Viva’s Blog: Learn from Prince

The world is still reeling from the death of Prince Rogers Nelson, the multi-platinum-selling music producer, songwriter, musician, business mogul, and marketer who achieved wide fame for ‘1991’ and ‘Purple Rain’. Savvy marketers can learn a lot from Prince. Lesson #1: Be true to your brand. Prince didn’t just luck into a net worth of $300M and an iconic, highly emotional brand. He knew that everything from the people he surrounded himself with to his ruffled attire, bright colors, and…

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Apr 2016

By Laura SheridanBlog