Unfettered Growth

A great brand is a story in the making, that’s what makes it exciting. Never stop telling your story in new and exciting ways. One way to do this is to create an open story loop.     An open story loop creates tension – and the only way the reader can release that tension is by…

In a crowded market, some marketers try to shout their message.   A better way is to make your message clear and build the workflows that move it closer to the people you are speaking to.

In the beginning, the promise of success brings everyone together. It is when things get hard and go wrong that relationships are truly tested. To some, failure can be devastating—not only the failure itself, but the mindset it creates, as we fight to regain what was lost. A better way is the way of reason—to…

The quote goes something like: “you spend your life climbing the ladder, only to find, when you get to the top, it has been leaning against the wrong wall”.   There are a number of variations of this quote, but what is the same is the meaning. To me it’s about the new year and…

Most financial advisors know that the Northwest Quadrant on a Risk/Reward chart is the optimal place for an investment.    This is the idea behind Northwest Branding—“Leave all the noise behind for a place where your message is clear and your marketing is automated”.   We are excited to launch this amazing program in the…

Winging it is doing something without planning or preparation. You would never think about winging it when it comes to designing and delivering your products or services.Then why do so many businesses wing it when it comes to marketing, especially when, today, any business has the same access to its market as a Fortune 500 company?Make…

The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias where an individual assumes others have the background to understand — or even care about — what he is saying.  We see the curse of knowledge play out every day, on advisor websites and in asset manager webinars. To avoid the curse of knowledge, start by acknowledging it exists, then put…

A great marketing message tells people the experience they will have because of your brand—the problems they will solve, and what they will get.    

Every compelling brand possesses 3 essential elements: A unique value profile, a focused business plan, and a clear marketing message.    Your value profile tells people who you are, what you do, why and how.    Your business plan communicates your vision, mission, goals, strategy and key objectives.    And your marketing message pulls it all…

Many problems are just symptoms of deeper issues. A good way to get to the heart of the problem is to apply Sakachi Toyoda’s 5 Whys method. To apply the method, start with the problem you're facing and keep asking “Why?” until you get to its root cause. But not all problems have a single…