We hear it all the time in blogs, white papers, newspaper articles and from industry experts. “….marketing budgets continue to be slashed, programs are being dropped and marketing staff are being laid-off.” This creates the challenge of strategically choosing the marketing tactics that make the most sense for your firm and your brand.

I was playing Scrabble the other day and it dawned on me that the same strategies I used while playing are applicable to the development of a marketing strategy for a client. In Scrabble, you have to create words with letters selected at random. You have to manage them carefully and decide which placement gives you the best competitive advantage. You might not always start out with the letters you want, and sometimes realize you are short one letter needed for the perfect word, but, in the end, your goal is to earn the most points with the tiles you have.

A new season of television is upon us and with it, one of my favorite shows – "The Biggest Loser." I'm always moved and motivated by how Bob and Jillian help each season's contestants shed pounds, sculpt their bodies and lead healthier lifestyles. But what I love even more is watching how the show's contestants discover and then reveal their true selves as they slough off the fat and health problems that junk food, lethargy and self-doubt have layered on.

GUEST BLOGGER: Jonathan R. Fitzgarrald, Director of Marketing - Greenberg Glusker

Five tips for turning introductions into opportunities

It is 7:45 a.m. Cup of coffee in hand, you find a seat and wait for the networking meeting to begin—you are visiting for the first time. The group leader welcomes everyone and says, “With so many new faces today, I thought it would be a good idea to go around the table and have everyone take a few moments to introduce themselves and what they do.”

Would you build a white picket fence around your beautiful new home without knowing the dimensions? Let me answer the question for you –  “most likely, no”. You would never cut corners building a home. Having a sound structure that is functional and keeps your family safe is essential, right?

Last week, Moiré Marketing Partners attended the Los Angeles Legal Marketing Association’s Continuing Marketing Education Conference, where law firm leaders and marketers gathered to discuss the pressing issues facing their firms. One of the most common themes we heard was the need to update law firm websites and improve their search engine rankings.

If I google the definition of “brand”, will my URL eventually take me to an actual company or to the website of a child still in utero?  Recently, I came across some articles that report on a growing concern among parents about how to raise their children in an age of rapid technological advances and the lengths they must go to in order for their child to “succeed in a world where he/she will be judged by their digital footprint.” (Wired, James Seddon)

GUEST BLOGGER: David Grenham, Director of Client Services & Marketing - The Ferguson Group

We all get busy with a multitude of marketing tasks, but it’s important to find ways to step back from all the deadlines and think about bigger picture issues that affect our businesses. For me one of those issues is trying to remember the important role that client service plays (or should play) in most every major marketing decision I make during a work day. Ideally I try to always ask myself:

Q: You speak 5 languages and are a double major in Political Economy and Computer Science. Why marketing?

A: I feel that versatility is the biggest merit in being young. Taking chances, experiencing new things and finding the right niche is my approach to finding the true passion that will build my career.

Can we learn anything about account management from AMC’s Mad Men? Lets start by questioning what it is that we really love about the show. Sure, those whiskey-infused morning advertising meetings and the banter between Don Draper and his partners are amusing, but I think the reason we are eager to view the next episode is because we are intrigued by the various business relationships and the behavior of management that makes or breaks deals in the advertising world.