Category Archives for Marketing
Humanity-based customer service is the new rule
Since customer service is a top-down equation, poor customer service experiences are clearly designed with pessimism in mind. Which is odd because that’s a person or a team of people working against human nature to manifest experiences they themselves do … Continue reading
Honest marketing begins within
Honest marketing used to be thought of as impossible. I’m not sure why, but I suspect it had to do with romancing a stone, or to put it more succinctly, polishing a turd (ick). Thing is, honest marketing has always … Continue reading
The toxicity of buddy deals
How often do you try to get ‘buddy deals’? People have approached me, saying a ‘buddy deal’ went south and didn’t turn out how they wanted. So they came to me, saying they wanted to do it the right way, … Continue reading
Kablam! Now it’s a marketing blog
KellyHobkirk.com is now a marketing blog. I’ll still be writing about brands and branding primarily on my branding and advertising firm website, trainofthought.net. Inevitable it is that some talk of brands and branding will still be here because marketing and … Continue reading
Good customer service is good marketing
‘Do unto others’ is a great rule to apply to all businesses. It’s good customer service and smart marketing. Treat people with respect, and they will respect you. If you treat them poorly, they will find they don’t need you. … Continue reading
Pink toenails and the end of gender rules
Hats off to J.Crew president and creative director Jenna Lyons who had the good taste, confidence, and authenticity to let marketing send an email out to their database featuring a photo of her son with his freshly painted neon pink … Continue reading
What’s big?
Big is your dream or vision. Big is unconcerned with size. Big is branding with integrity. Big is your passion. Big is marketing with honesty. Possibilities are big. Creating is big. Thinking is big. Acting is the bigger next step. … Continue reading
The business mirror
Big business seems to be coming to a close, and they know it. Why else would they so relentlessly, so aggressively, so ridiculously come after prospects today? No company can be that lacking in good ol’ smarts, can they? Here’s … Continue reading
Bad marketing habits die hard
Bad habits are hard to break. If you are routinely investing time in low-yield marketing methods, you have yourself a bad habit. If you need proof, just take a look at some of your daily non-business habits. Here are a … Continue reading

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