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08.09.11

retail evolution

In just the past week, I’ve had several conversations about the future of retail – and how drastically shopping as we’ve known it is going to change. From these provocative discussions, it’s become clear to me that retailers must change the way think about and build their brands, or face extinction. […]

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For the retail industry, the Great Recession has become the Great Malaise. Last week, Karen Talley reported in the Wall Street Journal that most retailers missed expectations for May. While there were some bright spots, the 25 retailers tracked by Thomson Reuters posted 4.9% growth in May same-store sales, instead of the expected 5.4% gain. […]

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Change happens.  That’s not just a bumper sticker slogan; it’s the state of business today.  Mastering change requires new ways of thinking, talking about, and doing business. I believe the leading companies in 2011 and beyond will distinguish themselves by embracing these five ideas: […]

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What happens when a $2.1BB+ organization re-commits its 20,000+ people to its vision and values?!   I got to find out last week when I attended “Extraordinary: The Power of Ten” the All-Staff Assembly put on by Sharp Healthcare. Thanks to a generous invitation from Mark Tomaszewicz, the director of The Sharp Experience, I got […]

Forrester’s Customer Experience Forum 2010:  Creating Breakthrough Customer Experiences featured a fantastic line-up of speakers — including company leaders from client organizations as diverse as H&R Block, FedEx, and Sprint, as well as thought leaders from Forrester and other service providers. From all of the presentations, it was clear that “creating breakthrough customer  experiences” (defined […]

fast-food

Attention:  fast food marketers – you’re wasting half of your advertising! But I’m not talking about the waste that John Wanamaker was referring to in his famous quip about not knowing which half of his advertising was being wasted.  I’m talking about the average of 48% of people who say there’s a big difference between […]

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I’ve been working with a major retail brand and my engagement has included an audit and assessment of retail best practices.  Although most of my work is proprietary, I wanted to share some of my findings here because I’ve found some really interesting patterns. […]

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The following is a guest post from Dan Phillips, the co-founder of Skybend, a design and brand company focused on helping businesses navigate the gauntlet of electronic media. A classically trained artist turned graphics designer turned entrepreneur, Dan brings his unique perspective to branding efforts for businesses around the country. Contact Dan through his website […]