The Gonzo Blog
Welcome to Notes from Beyond the Boxes.
The bulk of this blog is about marketing and branding; more specifically Gonzo-style marketing and branding. So if you’re looking for a blog on Icelandic poets from the 17th century you’ll have to look somewhere else. Similarly, if you’re looking for a stuffy agency using the latest “corp-speak” buzzwords you should hit your back button now. However, if you’re looking for marketing info you’ll find useful and fun to read, ways to trim your costs without sacrificing quality, and info to help you brand your business without breaking your bank account – stick around.
Just Be Creative – I Trust You
The title of this post is a phrase that usually leads to disaster for everyone involved. Every design or creative project I work on starts with a strategy meeting with the client. I interview the client about what they like and don’t like. I gather information to...
Warning: Website Owners Beware of this Scam
I'd like to tell you, and warn you, about a little marketing scheme (scam) that was attempted on a couple of my clients. While I had to admire the company's nerve - in the same way I admire the Kardashians (i.e. I'd never do anything even close to what you did, but...
You Can Avoid This Painful Marketing Strategy Blunder
Your marketing strategy should be based around removing a “pain” for your clientele. But you have to make sure the pain you solve is real one and solving this pain doesn’t conflict with your customer’s somatic markers (hard wiring in the brain that influences buying...
Branding Essentials: Understanding Pixels
Last time I talked about the different types of electronic artwork and the differences between pixels and vectors. Since I spent most of my last post discussing the importance of vectors I thought it fair to give pixels equal time. When it comes to using images and...
Branding Essentials: Why You Need to Know About Vectors
“When it comes to branding, Vectors make the world go ‘round” Recently I was working on setting up a promotional product for one of my clients that needed to include logos and branding from a variety of businesses in the Fort Worth area. When I asked for vector art,...
The 3 Letters You Need To Know To Market Your Business
Ages ago when I was teaching a class on marketing for small businesses and start-ups one of the students asked a question that still makes me chuckle. He said, “Can’t you just tell me what works and I’ll do that.” If I had the universal answer to that question I...
“Me Too” Is a Dangerous Marketing Strategy
As someone who eats, sleeps, and breathes marketing; there's a common tactic I see that just makes me cringe. I don't cringe because it's offensive or tasteless. I cringe because I know the business using it is on a dangerous path. The tactic I'm talking about is...
One Day, Seven Sessions, Hundreds of Answers
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I’m a total marketing geek. (I’m also a Star Trek freak and a Dr. Who nerd, but that’s another story.) Luckily I’m not the only Fort Worth marketing geek. This month I’m teaming up with some of my favorite co-geeks and our...
The Secret to Making Money at Tradeshows & Expos
People who attend an expo or tradeshow don’t usually plan to buy at the show. You probably won't leave the show with a fistful of cash, but exhibiting at a show gives you a unique opportunity to connect with your target audience because they’ve made a special trip to...
If You Don’t Know What To Do – How Will You Know If You’ve Done It?
When I teach my class on exhibiting at a show the lights come on in people’s eyes at different points in the presentation as they think of new ideas. But one concept seems to make all the student's eyes tell me, "I never thought of that" in unison, and it happens at...