New mini-guidebook! How to build a Persona

The Marketing High Ground series: PERSONAS is now available in both paperback and Kindle versions.

Storytelling vs. Corporate Speak, as revealed by Lou Hoffman

Today I ran across this wonderful blog post by Lou Hoffman. His infographic is a helpful reminder that we should all make 2012 the year of the customer and focus on building an interactive dialog with them regarding their concerns and interests, rather than pushing jargon-rich, feature-focused, one-off messages which are usually taken out of context of the problem the customer is trying to solve. Lou’s graphic is a perfect addition to the message box technique for developing customer-ready messaging.

The difference between “positioning statements” and “value propositions”

Confused about the difference between positioning statements and value propositions? You’re not alone. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things.

Coaching on the Message Box: 3 signs that you may be misusing the tool

The message box is a powerful tool that can help you construct and deliver customer-ready messaging. Yet it is not the only tool you need in your messaging arsenal. Occasionally, some marketers may be trying to use the message box technique to do too much. Here are three common signs of trouble, and what you can do to keep your messaging on track.

Setting your 2012 business plans? Don’t forget to talk to your customers

Recently, a company decided to interview a few customers.  With the 2012 planning season in full swing, they were eager to include direct, candid customer input as part of its process.  They thought they would validate why they won deals; instead, they found out where and why their business was at risk.

A Q&A with Mike Gospe (Part 5): on tips for communicating your marketing plan

Recently, I was interviewed by the editors of DemandGen Report. Here’s part 5 of 5.

• Many BtoB organizations struggle to communicate marketing plans internally. In the book, The Marketing High Ground, you offer steps for “socializing the output.” Can you expand?

A Q&A with Mike Gospe (Part 4): on mapping messages to the customer’s buying process

Recently, I was interviewed by the editors of DemandGen Report. Here’s part 4 of 5.

• You break down “The Message Box,” a tool for marketers to tell their stories. Can you explain how this works and why “storytelling” has become a successful way to communicate the value proposition?

A Q&A with Mike Gospe (Part 3): on competitive differentiation

Recently, I was interviewed by the editors of DemandGen Report. Here’s part 3 of 5.

• In The Marketing High Ground you discuss competitive differentiation, which every organization is challenged with. Can you expand on what it means to truly differentiate products and services?

A Q&A with Mike Gospe (Part 2): on why market success requires having a focused positioning statement

Recently, I was interviewed by the editors of DemandGen Report. Here’s part 2 of 5.

• The Marketing High Ground explores why positioning statements are critical for success and includes case study examples of the pitfalls companies without a statement have faced as a result. What is the primary consideration for mapping out a positioning statement?  

A Q&A with Mike Gospe (Part 1): on the dangers of being seduced by new marketing tools

Recently, I was interviewed by the editors of DemandGen Report. Here’s part 1 of 5.

• In The Marketing High Ground, you include a chapter on “Marketing Lessons for the 21^st Century” where you advise that successful marketing is not about technology, rather it’s about understanding the target customer. Can you expand?