Installment 9 in a 10-Part Series In this #strategicplanning series I’ve been drawing on knowledge gained over my #marketing and #consulting career seeing #planning processes break down and fail. I’ve shared specific insights into where and why it happens and offered counsel around various pieces and parts in hopes of helping you experience greater planning success. I addressed how budgeting cultures suffocate planning; showed the benefits that can accrue when a planning cul

Installment 7 in a 10-Part Series Installment 7 in a 10-part Series I spent 25-years in three really good advertising agencies. Early on, we were strictly selling products and services. The focus on the product spawned the #UniqueSellingProposition (USP). It taught you to identify that one thing that would clearly differentiate your product versus your competitive set. Then came #RiesandTrout. They taught marketers the value of occupying a richly-rewarding #position in a

Installment 1 in a 10-part Series In my mid-20’s I crossed the street with my boss from the Tracy-Locke advertising agency in downtown Dallas and entered the gleaming new 56-story First International Bancshares Tower. I was a rookie there for my introduction to annual planning on the First National Bank in Dallas advertising account. My instructions were clear. Speak if spoken to and then keep the conversation to the personal basics – the equivalent of name, rank and seria