Then everything changes. He is looking at my old mercury fillings and points to a flat screen monitor on the wall and shows me what he’s looking at through the camera in my mouth. It’s gross, but cool. I’m having an old mercury filling removed and a new crown put on that is molded on a computer the dentist is creating from a 3D model of my tooth. He pushes a button on the computer and 8 minutes later, my crown is ready to put in my mouth. Amazing.

Everything goes well with the procedure and a week later, I receive an envelope in the mail with the “before and after” pictures of my mouth and now the dentist really has my attention. What a great Guerrilla Marketing tool as I passed the images around the office.  He also included some free dental visit coupons for any friends.

Dentistry has come a long way and some dentist’s marketing has come even farther.

Open wide. You might be surprised at what you see.

This is the point in many organizations fiscal year when managers are tasked with developing their annual plans and budgets for the upcoming year. Many organizations already have an existing 3 or 5 year “strat plan”, but annual plans are a normal part of the every year business management cycle.

Strategic planning can be a tough process. There are decisions to be made based on performance results and trends of the current, and recent past year’s sales and / or objectives.  Very often organizational biases, politics or even personalities can control the process and decisions made. It takes leadership, and sometimes personal courage to confront internal conventional thinking. Someone has to ask the uncomfortable questions that people think about but never have the guts to raise. Typically there is a strong temptation to just get through the process, be quiet, keep your head down – just get it over with.

But asking the tough questions very often produces some startling answers – and sometimes can mean the difference between success and failure.

Remember, the objective isn’t simply to produce words on paper, a thick binder for the bookshelf or create a deck of Power Point slides to get you through the review meetings. The actual process goal is to produce workable plans that have tangible anticipated results, and the corresponding plans of how to get there. Very simply put – the “What?, “Why?”, “How?” and don’t forget “When?”

Nobody intends to make bad decisions. Usually, someone with very good intentions attempts to make that good choice that ends up as a bad decision. Typically, bad decisions or poor planning are derived from things like external and internal pressures, poor communication, lack of research / knowledge, perceived messages, time constraints, and personal fortitude. If no one asks the tough questions, change and growth doesn’t happen.

So what are those tough questions to help a business teamwork through the planning process? Those bold, direct, “nothing sacred” type questions? Read on.

Tough Questions to Ask:

1. What are we trying to do? Why?
2. Do we have true, rational and factual reasons for doing this?
3. If there were no existing organizational rules, biases, or politics involved – how would this project or decision change?
4. Is everyone really engaged in doing the work to the best of their ability? If no – do you actually need those people who aren’t committed to growing the business?
5. What are the 3 – 5 primary things we can do with our customers that would have the greatest positive impact on their business, and ours?
6. Are our products or services really different? Is our Unique Value Proposition actually “unique and valuable” to existing and future customers?
7. If yes – how?
8. Are we easy to do business with?
9. What is our company doing to take business from our competitors?
10. What are we doing to retain and grow existing business customers?
11. Are we developing business strategies to grow our business or just protect what we’ve already got?
12. Are our marketing initiatives attracting the target businesses we truly want – or just the business that wants us?
13. Is the business we currently have the same business or customers we want and need 2 to 4 years from now?
14. How do we evolve our business model to get the new customers we want?

What’s really been stopping us (no excuses)?

If it’s business-related, Mike’s probably done it. His stellar marketing résumé includes over 20 years of experience in public and private business sectors. He’s not only worked in but has also held senior management roles in product development, marketing and sales, strategic planning & acquisitions, general and executive management – in healthcare, consumer, industrial and technology based industries for names such as Ecolab, Inc. , Lifecore Biomedical, Huntington Laboratories, and Barq’s Inc., along with clients such as Target, Walmart, Coca-Cola, Zimmer, DePuy, Henkel Intl., Baxter Healthcare, Cardinal Health and Dial Corp. He holds a degree in marketing from Indiana University and another one from Purdue University in business management and supervision.

A: This is a question we hear quite often, and the answer is actually rather simple. It’s because search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing (which are actually in the process of merging) drive an enormous amount of traffic to Web sites. Every day, millions of Internet users turn to these search engines to get their news or learn about goods and services. Having your business displayed as high as possible on the search results is essential—especially considering that 9 out of 10 users find what they’re looking for in the top 10 results.

Search engine optimization is not something that is a one-time, set it and forget it type of solution. To truly optimize your website, you need to do continuous work to it. Is your content fresh and current? Do you have quality sites linking to you? Are you linking to other quality sites? These things, and more, make up a lot of what search engines look for when deciding how relevant you are to any particular search. If they decide you are, there is a good chance you will appear within the first 10 results on page 1 of each search engine.

Tips for search engine optimization

• Work with search optimization specialists to learn how your online constituents are finding out about your company.
• Brainstorm a list of keywords your audience uses when searching for news or information related to your organization.
• Carefully select the top keywords and phrases specific to your business.
• Write copy for your site that is relevant and targeted to your audience.
• Use your keywords when issuing press releases and other communications regarding company.
• Keep flash to a minimum.
• Include unique, descriptive, relevant and succinct title tags on each page of your website.
• Make sure all images have relevant, keyword related names.
• Sign-up for Google Analytics (it’s free.) Let it run for 2 weeks before executing any SEO. You’ll need to establish a baseline of your current traffic in order to accurately measure your success later on.

Words to the wise: Be wary of those companies who guarantee they can get you listed as the #1 result on Google, Yahoo or any other search engine. This isn’t true, as it is impossible to know exactly what each search engine is looking at, especially since most search engines change their search algorithm each and every day.

Also known as the “Iceman,” Aaron’s cool competence and quick thinking enable him to transfer traditional marketing techniques to the e-marketing universe. A certified Google Advertising Professional (GAP), Aaron is responsible for building and maintaining a Web marketing presence for clients using paid search (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), e-mail marketing and affiliate programs. Prior to joining Big, Aaron worked as the Internet Marketing Specialist at Dynamic Resource Group and before that was Project Manager at Author Solutions, Inc. Aaron holds a bachelor’s degree in informatics from Indiana University and an MBA from Taylor University.

This isn’t just the next hilarious video to show up on You Tube, but it has started another accidental viral campaign complete with spoof videos, tee shirts, iTunes songs, and network television appearances. What I like is that it feels real, genuine and legitimate, not like a marketing company planted it on You Tube. People love to share it, thats what makes it a viral success.

We have been playing this song in the office non stop, enjoy:

Ben Hoeppner is a graphic designer here at Big. He’s practicing the art of origami and makes popsicles from scratch.

“Baby’s skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.”

Baby is now the size of an onion, according to thebump.com. I love this website for a number of reasons, but the one that sticks out to me the most is their “how big is baby?” section.

Throughout the course of your pregnancy thebump.com sends emails out to their expectant mother’s with information on the size of your fetus, what your baby is developing that week and they explain what is happening to your body during the week also. It always leaves me wanting more information about the development of my child and I can’t help but go to their website and surf through the plethora of information they have. It’s very easy to see your belly grow and not realize just how small the baby actually is!

My little peanut is getting so big, next week a “sweet potato” and in 20weeks a watermelon. They grow up so fast, don’t they?

Audrey Andersen is the Office Coordinator at Big. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their kids, scrapbooking and baseball.

We can all take away an important lesson from this accident: Do the Right Thing from the start.

Nothing says more about your brand than the decisions you make on a day-to-day basis. Run your business with integrity. Make decisions carefully and consider all the possible outcomes. When something does go wrong, man up, act swiftly, take responsibility and show compassion. The tactics you employ in your PR efforts and marketing campaigns will only be as good as the company they represent. Your image is something no amount of money can rebuild after the fact.

Connie Costello is a communications strategist at Big who works with clients on social media and web strategy, publicity, crisis communications and image management. Prior to joining Big, she managed a corporate PR department and also worked in Chicago PR firms on some high-profile national brands. She earned her master’s degree in public relations from Ball State University.

Ever had an employee or client say something you knew was wrong, but they were convinced they were right?

Years ago, when I was a full-time writing professor, I had a student in a business writing class stop by my office unhappy with his grade. In the midst of venting his frustration, this business major snarled, “I don’t need to know how to write because I’m going to find a job where I don’t ever have to write anything!”

I didn’t say anything, but I thought, “Good luck with that.”

Unlike my student, most professionals today—no matter their job—are writing more than ever and, thanks to electronic communication, writing faster than ever.  Thus, it’s more critical than ever to know how to write well in the workplace. After all, you’re not simply representing yourself; you’re representing your brand every time you hit “send.”

Still not convinced of writing’s importance on the job? Consider these findings from a landmark National Commission on Writing survey of 120 major corporations:

• Writing is a “threshold skill” for hiring and promotion, particularly for salaried (professional) employees. In other words, how well you write could determine if you’re hired in the first place and impact your upward mobility once employed.
• Two-thirds of salaried workers have jobs requiring writing.
• Businesses spend $3.1 billion annually on remedial writing training.

Statistics aside, let’s just be honest. We often judge a person’s competence (especially those we don’t know) based on their writing skills. Think about it. . . if you received a résumé today filled with spelling or grammar errors, how likely would you be to interview that person for a professional position?

Join us for “Reply All” Ruined My Life

Against that backdrop, we’ve designed our next Lunchbox Series to strengthen your writing skills and give you a taste of training you could provide your employees.

“Reply All” Ruined My Life – 7 Secrets to Never-Fail E-Mail

Tuesday, 8/3

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Come and learn the seven secrets to effective e-mail writing (also applicable to presentations, reports and letters) and leave with tips and techniques to implement the minute you return to the office.

To register, click here. That is, unless you’re one of those folks who never writes anything.

Susan Sigworth, senior communications strategist, will be leading “Reply All” Ruined My Life—7 Secrets to Never-Fail E-Mail. In another life, she served as a Taylor University professor and managed a corporate communications department. Prior to coming to Big, she freelanced for some of America’s best-known brands. Susan holds a master’s degree and the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation.

If you’ve seen my office, you’ll notice a big Harley-Davidson collage hanging behind my desk. No, I don’t own a Harley. Not yet. But I do admire the Harley brand. It represents so many things that appeal to a middle-aged, number-crunching, paper-pushing desk jockey like myself.

The Harley brand evokes strong emotions whether you love them or hate them. If you asked what word comes to mind when you hear the name Harley-Davidson, I believe most responses would fall into one of these categories: freedom, American and rebel. I have a hard time thinking of another brand that is so strong. And everything from the motorcycles themselves to the accessories and clothing line build and complement the brand.

Check out the latest models and see my dream bike – the Fat Boy.

Mark Felger is Big’s business manager. He loves Excel, Harleys and his family – but not in that exact order.

Portugal:

Designed by Nike this simple approach uses Portugal’s strong complementary red and a green colors. The red broken up by a green stripe gives this a very modern feel while still holding influence from the 1960 Portugal home jersey. The well placed logos and numbers fit right in and give it just enough detail.

Australia:

Also designed by Nike the Australia home jersey is simple and modern with a retro feel. The green on the top and gold on the bottom are separated by a clean white stripe. I like where the colors break on the jersey and the placement of the logos and numbers feel just right.

Those are my top two, with honorable mention going to Holland. Take a look at all the 2010 World Cup Jerseys.

Ben Hoeppner is a graphic designer here at Big. He’s practicing the art of origami and makes popsicles from scratch.

At the end of the school year my daughter was assigned a “multi-genre project” for writing lab.  The teacher had students pick a subject and then kept them digging deeper to narrow the focus to a specific subject.  My daughter, a fan of the arts, fine-tuned her chosen subject art… artists…painters… Salvador Dali and eventually down to the surrealism within Dali’s art.

In Greg Stielstra’s book, Pyro Marketing, he states, “Dig deeper.  Profile likely prospects and then look for subsets of that group that are even more passionate.”  As a sales growth agency we work with clients using the same concept.  Working together we dig to find the one, or several, things that make our client’s story stand out.   We narrow the audience down to the ones most valuable to them.  It is only after this that a strategy is developed, even before the great creative and tactics are put into play.

Getting to “dig deeper”, learn about and grow new business for our clients is what all of us at Big are passionate about.

Tom Carroll is Big’s Client Development Director.  An army brat, he enjoys art, reading and spending time with his daughter traveling and watching her soccer matches.