actionable marketing guide

Dear ,

I hope that you enjoyed whichever holidays you celebrated this weekend, even if it was only the sun filled days.

On Friday, my husband and I hosted our first Seder, the traditional meal that starts the Jewish holiday of Passover. It’s the meal depicted in Leonardo DaVinci’s The Last Supper. 

Whether you’re Jewish or not, the Seder meal can teach you important marketing lessons.

Our table was filled with pieces from both of our parents’ households. Each piece was rich with memories and stories

My mother bought the sterling silver candlesticks at a local resale shop. She used them at every holiday meal and family gathering. My dad negotiated and purchased the blue and white cotton tablecloth while they were in SouthEast Asia as their boat left the dock.

By contrast, my mother-in-law kept her silver-plated flatware in special cloth organizers to protect them. I feel the love she showed them every time I set the table with them. Unlike my machine washed everyday stainless flatware, I wash and dry these utensils by hand.

Actionable Marketing Take-away:

• While you create pre-sale content around key product details, gather the powerful stories your products gain once they become part of your customer’s possessions.

Unlike many Jewish holidays, Passover focuses on the children at the meal. It tells the Old Testament story of the exodus from Egypt to the children. It starts with the youngest child asking “The 4 Questions”.

Actionable Marketing Take-away:

• Target your product appeal to a specific segment. In the case of Passover, the Exodus story is simplified for children. For your products and services, focus on the special details your audience seeks. Where possible, use their stories to make these specifics memorable.

Our Passover table included new traditions, such as a glass of water for Miriam and an orange. Miriam’s glass of water symbolizes both inclusion and the availability of water in the desert. Similarly, the orange symbolizes inclusion. It applies to women and the LBGTQ community.

Actionable Marketing Take-away:

• Select symbols that represent your business’s higher goals. Use them along with your branding. This is particularly important to attracting millennial customers.

As we enter the second quarter of 2018, are your marketing plans on track to succeed?

• Start by tracking and analyzing your results to-date making modifications where appropriate. Pay particular attention to how your Facebook organic and paid marketing is performing.
  
  
• Broaden your social media use and find alternatives to Facebook. While Facebook marketing remains a large element of many marketers’ plans, gain experience and data for your digital marketing going forward. Your options include LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.
  
  
• Take another look at your blog. Not only is it owned media, it also provides a consistent social media option that attracts influencers and search.
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• Audit your existing content from previous second quarters. Is there content that you can update and transform into high performing audience magnets?

I’m very excited that Marketo chose me to be a Social Media Ambassador to their Marketing Nation Summit in San Francisco (April 29^th through May 3^rd). I’m thrilled to be in the company of amazing colleagues including Madalyn Sklar, Jeff Bullas, Neal Schaefer and Drew Niesser.

If you want to join me, you can save $300 on your ticket by using Cohen300. Please note that I don’t make any affiliate revenues on these sales.

Have a productive week and take time to get outside and smell springtime. It’ll help your creativity! 

Happy marketing,
Heidi

Heidi Cohen
Actionable Marketing Guide

• ​​​​​​​Feedspot’s Anuj Agarwal rounded up and ranked the Top 100 Marketing Blogs. Heidi Cohen’s Actionable Marketing Guide clocked in at number 66!
  
  

• LinkedIn's Jason Miller included Heidi Cohen's Actionable Marketing Guide in his 50 Blogs Every B2B Marketer Should Follow.
  
  

• Heidi Cohen was asked about how to measure marketing campaign success in this roundup on AdStage written by Pamella Neely (a former student of mine!). This post is full of useful information nuggets.
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• Marke8ing selected Heidi Cohen as one of 20 inspiring digital marketing experts. It’s a useful list to fill your Twitter feed.