Rules We Live By

1. The client isn’t always right.  If they were, they wouldn’t need to hire someone like us.

2. If we don’t know something, we’ll tell you we don’t know it.  With around 3 billion and counting social media sites, we’re bound to have missed one.

3. If you can’t write well, find someone who can.  Even the best marketing campaigns can be ruined by poor writing.

4. If you’re not tracking your marketing in some form or fashion, then why market?

5. Sales and marketing don’t need to be best buddies, but they better be at least acquaintances if your business is going to succeed.

6. Referrals are fantastic.  Every business loves them.  Referrals ought to be just one piece of the puzzle.  Name the last Fortune 500 company that relied exclusively on referrals to drive their business.

7. Social media is a very interesting topic, and one that merits plenty of discussion from marketers.  That being said, name the last Fortune 500 company that relied on social media exclusively to drive their business.  Social media is just one piece of the puzzle. 

8. Don’t listen to anyone that says they know what’s going to happen in the next 10 years on the internet.  And if you find someone that can make an accurate prediction, I’d like them to fill out my March Madness brackets next year…and the year after…and the year after.

9. Marketing isn’t nearly as much fun as it used to be, yet your marketing department should be far more effective and accountable than ever.  That’s why your VP of Marketing or CMO deserves the same status as your VP of Sales, CTO, COO, etc. 

10. Salespeople do have it really easy…if they have the right product and a kick-ass marketing team behind them.  Without that, yes sales folks…your jobs are really, really hard.