Word-of-mouth, or WOM, has become the buzzword in many marketing and advertising circles. Whether you are working in the B2C or B2B space, having your customers tell their friends, family and work colleagues about your product or service is what we all hope to achieve (and translate) into new leads, ... more

There is an emerging group of business mavens—mompreneurs. Mompreneurs are more than just a great tale of free enterprise. They're a market phenomenon that has emerged for several key reasons. more

Are all the consumer options available today actually serving customers better, or does the exhaustive selection overwhelm (and ultimately discourage) potential buyers? What if all the great new products and models lining the shelves were actually inspiring would-be buyers to decide...well, not to decide? That's where doing your homework of ... more

This is an open letter to major advertisers and marketers from one of your own ranks who is also (like us all) a consumer. The author is unhappy, worn out, and ill-tempered. When you think of him from this point forward, he says, hear the words "diminishing returns." more

Imagine a world where video, photography, text and music are all available from any device that can connect to the Internet at any time. Whether you're using your computer, iPod, television or mobile phone, you will have the information you need and the diversion you want. Such a fantasy world ... more

In a world that's increasingly inundated with massive choice, filters are a critical market phenomenon. Consumers rely on trusted filters to sift through the raw data and identify the top picks. As a result, many savvy brands are learning to build filtering mechanisms into their brands, their products and Web ... more

People of Caribbean heritage remain a large and diverse market. Marketers who ignore them are missing on the opportunities to showcase their products and services to a fast-growing segment with significant buying power. Unfortunately, some of the marketing campaigns of companies who are marketing to people of Caribbean heritage are ... more

Last April, the last European Union member states implemented Article 13 of the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications -- the "Spam Directive." The first paragraph of Article 13 states that sending commercial email messages is only allowed if recipients have given their prior consent. So what's the state of email marketing ... more

Marketers who choose not to devote significant time and effort to the Hispanic population are missing out on a vital consumer segment that is growing faster than any other minority group in the United States. In fact, businesses should consider implementing new approaches and strategies to target Hispanics. Perhaps the most ... more

Many industries are experiencing major growth, fueled by the purchasing power of the "adventure-seeking woman." This woman crosses all ages, family configurations and fitness levels. She's carving time in her schedule and finding wiggle room in her budget for new adventures that involve everything from rock climbing to Tuscan cooking ... more

This week, add your two cents to the following: Which marketing efforts and methods works best when marketing dollars are scarce? Join the conversation! Also, read your answers to last week's dilemma: How do you go about promoting a product on a global scale? more

When you are drowning in numbers from your quantitative efforts, talk to women to gain clarity. Remember: women make or influence over 80% of all consumer purchases. So, they are basically your boss. (You listen to your boss, right?) There are eight traps to beware of during qualitative research. If you ... more

Hispanics have recently become the largest minority in the US, and a lot of marketers are trying to tap into this growing market. While many businesses now publish their information in Spanish and advertise in Hispanic print media and TV, relatively few are considering the Internet as a medium for ... more

What do Target, iPod and Hoover have in common? These brands have learned how to catch a woman's eye. I know. Enough already about Target and iPod, you say! Still, for those of you interested in the women's market in particular, the connection between increasing sales with your female customers ... more

Successful sites don't happen by chance. A compelling online experience geared toward women is developed with care and the understanding that she has to be considered from the very beginning of the process. To help your site take up residence in her bookmarks, here are suggestions for developing a Web ... more

You want to keep up with your marketing reading. But there's so much out there that you don't where to start. Here are four of our favorites from '04. And these recommended titles are as good a place to start as any. more

Apple's iPod is a necessity with travelers, teenagers, fitness fanatics, students, business executives and, yes, even grandmas and grandpas. So did the iPod break the rules of staying with one target audience? How can you argue with one billion dollars in sales? Find out how the iPod looked at "target audience" ... more

Growth opportunities are everywhere—especially when industry sales have flatlined and new prospects look grim. Sounds impossible? Not if you understand that there's a new breed of adventurous female customer waiting in the wings, ready to experience your products and services. Here's the story of one company that got ... more

At almost 80 million, Baby Boomers make up the largest generational demographic today. And, among Boomers, women not only outnumber men, but they also influence as much as 80% of household purchase decisions, from food and finance to travel and technology. In other words, Baby Boomer women are the greatest ... more

Generation Y is the segment born between 1979 and 1994. They are anextremely marketing-savvy group that understands how numerous companies actively covet their business. As a result, Gen Y-ers greet new brands with intense skepticism, making it increasingly imperative for Gen-Y businesses to focus on brand strategy. more

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How well do you understand the "customers" of your university, and what do you know of their lifestyles and buying behaviors? more

Marketing to the college crowd is taking on a new urgency. more

If marketing to women is just good marketing, why are so many companies missing the boat? more