Upstream blog

Posts tagged as:

planning

If you’re in business, chances are you have a LinkedIn profile. Currently more than 100 million of us do. And, if you’ve been following the financial news, you know that LinkedIn recently went public. The first major social media IPO. So lots of eyes were on the stock price which opened at $45 a share [...]

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ReThink Customers

by Craig Gagnon on December 29, 2010

#4 in a series on how to respond to a rapidly changing world and the need to ReThink key elements of marketing and planning. Marketers all recognize the importance of knowing their customers. But do you know them as well as you once did? Or have they changed while you weren’t looking? And, given the [...]

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ReThink Agency Relationships

by Craig Gagnon on December 23, 2010

#3 in a series of posts on how to respond to a rapidly changing marketing landscape and the need to ReThink key elements of marketing and planning. Let me begin by saying, emphatically, that if you have a good, strong agency relationship, hang on to it. Far too many marketers are too quick to look [...]

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Marketers Must ReThink Everything

by Craig Gagnon on December 3, 2010

Marketing is in the midst of a revolution. The world is changing and it’s changing fast. Time honored “best practices” have become irrelevant and new practices have yet to be proven. Advances in technology are responsible for many of these changes. Traditional media has declined. New media has emerged. Social media has allowed consumers to [...]

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Planning for today

by Craig Gagnon on November 25, 2010

This blog is all about planning and strategy and marketing and related subjects. Today is no different, and yet it is. Our day will be great because we’ve planned ahead for a relaxing unstructured gathering of family and extended family. The big plan: enjoy one another’s company and be grateful for the time together. The [...]

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When was your last marketing physical?

by Craig Gagnon on November 4, 2010

I’ve moved several times in my life. After each move I found a new doctor. And each new doctor started with a medical history, physical exam and blood work to determine the state of my health. However, almost every visit thereafter is due to a specific problem: the flu, a turned ankle or some other [...]

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It’s February. Do you know where your plan is?

by Craig Gagnon on February 2, 2010

You’re one of us. You believe that a carefully crafted plan is critical to success in the marketplace. You’ve convinced the authorities that you can’t simply start implementing marketing campaigns without understanding the audience, examining the competitive environment, defining the overriding brand promise, creating a compelling strategy, efficient tactics and a tight budget. You’ve even [...]

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Planning for the "bad bounce"

by Craig Gagnon on January 8, 2010

Ever since the days of Bud Grant and Fran Tarkenton, I’ve been a fan of the Minnesota Vikings.  I’ve watched them through ups and downs and, for the first time in awhile, I’m optimistic about the post season. So, like many of you, I’ll be watching a lot of football over the next few weeks. [...]

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