Dear ,

I’m writing this letter from Phnom Penh where the sun
is shining and the birds are chirping. 

Like New York City in December, Phnom Penh glitters in holiday finery.

Christmas trees and decorations shine brightly in arrays of LED lights.

BUT In this part of the world, where most of the population are Buddhists,
Christmas is a fun holiday lacking any religious meaning. 

Instead Christmas focuses on merchandising adapted from elsewhere to appeal to bargain-hunting tourists. Stores windows announce big holiday discounts. 

Every public place plays the same tired Christmas tapes you can hear in the US and elsewhere. Although the words may be in another language.

As a marketer, I appreciate the power of holiday merchandising. This period accounts for the major portion of profitable sales for many businesses. 

Yet this trip has underscored the need for us to focus on more than short-term financial gain. 

I’m talking about more than paying lip service to caring about your audience, customers and employees. Rather you must go further and deeper to respect all people as human beings and truly understand that they have concerns and hopes for themselves and their loved ones. 

The people I met on this trip taught me how universal the life of one person is. While each of us has our own hopes and dreams for the future, our past consists of moments of joy and sorrow.

Yet the specificity of each story makes us human. And more importantly, connected. 

As an American visiting Cambodia and Vietnam, I feel the deep pain that runs through these countries as a result of the horrors of war. Here in Cambodia, due to the genocide carried out by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, everyone has lost at least one relative to senseless killing.

Yesterday we visited the Killing Fields, the national memorial to the horror of rounding up men, women and children to kill them in mass graves. To ensure that the job was complete, the Khmer Rouge covered the graves with DDT and other chemicals. Between 1975 and 1979, three million out of a population of eight million people died.   

Forensic specialists were unable to match skulls with bodies.
Yet there was a dignity to the preservation and presentation of the dead. 

Similarly the Genocide Museum, a school that was transformed into a detention center, remains a testament to that past. I was moved by the photos of the thousands of people tried, tortured and killed there. They look out at visitors just as they did to their captors. 

At this time of year, I hope that you can find it in your heart to help to make a difference in the world, even if it’s only for one person. Make the effort to reach out and reconnect with those in your life.

Actionable Marketing Tip:

• Go beyond the expected for at least one prospect or customer. Not because it’ll improve your bottom line, but rather to surprise and delight them.

Before you leave for the holidays, make sure that you take care of your personal improvement for 2020! The best way to accomplish this is to attend conferences. 
 

► Join me at Project Voice! I'll be at this must-attend event in Chattanooga.
Why? To get the latest on how to get found in a voice-first world.

 

► Attend Social Media Marketing World, either live or virtually. While I won’t be attending this fun and information packed event live, you should put this conference on your calendar if you use social media.

 

► Also, I am keynoting the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference in St. Louis (April 8th to 10th). This conference has a special place in my heart as it’s organized and run by my friend, Professor Perry Drake. Further, Agorapulse’s Mike Allton is part of the conference. (BTW—This reasonably priced conference was rated a Top 2019 Marketing Conference by Forbes!)

► Go to MAICON 2020. This is THE conference to attend to get up to speed on Marketing Artificial Intelligence. This event is on my must-attend list.

Use code:  ACTIONABLE100 to save $100 when you register.

 

If you’re running an event that you would like me to speak at, please let me know. (Just hit reply to reach me.)

Shout out to new readers – Welcome and thank you for joining our community.

In honor of the Christmas holiday, the Actionable Marketing Guide Newsletter won’t be published next week. 

I sincerely wish you and your family, friends and colleagues a time of joy. 

Happy Holidays,
Heidi

PS: Do you have a friend or colleague who would benefit from reading the Actionable Marketing Guide newsletter? If so, please forward this email to them?
 

FEATURED ARTICLE: Core Content Marketing Types

Does your content marketing offering balance your audience needs based on your internal resources (including both people and budget)? 

Before you finalize your 2020 content marketing plans, check this article. 

It ensures your content remains visible over time.

FEATURED ARTICLE: B2B Customers

Do you market to B2B customers?

If so, read and share this article with your colleagues.
It explains how the B2B purchase process has changed 

FEATURED ARTICLE: Voice Marketing Definition

Can your audience and prospects hear you?

With more than 1 in 4 Americans using voice-enabled devices, it's time to give your brand a voice.

 

 

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The fine print:

• Unless noted otherwise, all photos are ©2019 by Heidi Cohen
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