The straight story always works better
If you are selling, telling it straight is always the better tact. Sure, adding a dash of romance never hurts, but shifting story midstream is a surefire way to undermine trust. If the customer asks … Read more
Posts in Category ‘Brand’
How to please everyone and keep your soul intact
There’s some ancient business wisdom that says you can’t please everyone, and it’s partially right. Yet it’s also confusing. The fact is that everyone in your market can be pleased. All they have to do … Read more
Are you doing the opposite?
Successful brands occupy a specific niche, one by which they define themselves. They begin by seeing a need and wanting to fill it, then creating a way to deliver. They state who they are, and … Read more
Branding is not your brand
Imagine for a second that you are named ‘Ted’, and when people refer to you, they call you ‘Teding‘. That’s just like calling your brand ‘branding‘. You can’t change your branding, and you can’t hand … Read more
Finally, a new Train of Thought website
The new Train of Thought website has finally launched. This is a quick reminder to not put off until tomorrow what your marketing needs today. A client (accidentally) told me one day that they didn’t … Read more
The end of complete thoughts and the homogenization of brands
Have we reached the end of complete thoughts, sentences and brands? The latest trend in marketing copywriting. Is incomplete thoughts. Like this. For the entire family. In short non-sentences. In school, we are taught how … Read more
Ouch wow, the wrong kind of wow
Wow is often problematic because it provides a wow moment (oh boy!), then does nothing at all in regards to selling, instead prompting the viewer to look for the next wow. Of course, you can’t … Read more
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 … Read more
How good customer service keeps you healthy and wealthy
There are two choices in every customer service interaction. You can satisfy the customer, or tell them you don’t want their business. Every single interaction boils down to those two options. Investment of time in … Read more
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 … Read more