Posts tagged as:

experiential-branding

Book review: “The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build Your Business”

12.18.2009

If you’ve spent at least a few months reading blogs about social media (Tara missrogue Hunt writes one — Horsepigcow — herself), little in The Whuffie Factor will come as news. Consider reading it anyway, if only as a useful reminder and for a different conceptual perspective.
This may be the first business book to take [...]

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The (un)sustainability of pop-up retail: Downtown Portland, Oregon

12.12.2009

The latest Portland Development Commission e-newsletter is touting pop-up shops (temporary retail spaces) in downtown Portland, Oregon as a “success story”:
“Ten days in, designers recoup their investments, exceed sales expectations and gain extra exposure…and Portland shoppers discover one-of-a-kind gifts for the holiday.”
How do pop-up retail stores stack up against the triple bottom line criteria of [...]

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How two local businesses defy conventional wisdom and do well

12.05.2009

Two recent experiences have made me question conventional wisdom.

A co-owner of a small business, which is a seasonal activity destination popular with families, replied this to my question about what her customers want: “I don’t care what our customers want. They’ll come anyway and take  whatever we give them.” (I’m paraphrasing, but only slightly.)

The receptionist [...]

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Design and build with lovability in mind

11.25.2009

My recent challenge to coin the one rule of sustainability yielded more than 100 responses. The Wordle of all the submissions revealed a slant among the definitions toward energy.
Sustainability, meet lovability
A few days later, I read this passage in Wayne Curtis’s article in The Atlantic:
Two years ago, at a conference on traditional building held at [...]

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Engagement through Place: Mercy Corps Action Center

10.10.2009

I rarely get to experience public places before they’re open to the public. Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit, the day before ribbon cutting, the Mercy Corps Action Center, located in the nonprofit agency’s new global headquarters in downtown Portland.
Mercy Corps and Portland Spaces Magazine presented a discussion with Ed Schlossberg, principal of [...]

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Loving your customers means never having to say you’re sorry

10.03.2009

One afternoon last week I arrived for a meeting at The Funky Door Cafe in Southeast Portland to be greeted by a notice on the door: “We’ll be closing at 2 pm today. Sorry for the inconvenience.” No big deal: there’s another coffee shop a few blocks up the road (a Starbucks nonetheless). Still, the [...]

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Creating buzz with special events: National Hockey League

10.01.2009

I’m excited! The 2009-2010 National Hockey League season starts today. It’s promising to be another awesome season, with teams having rearranged their lineups last summer to compete, over 82 regular season games and four grueling playoff rounds, for the ultimate sports trophy, the Stanley Cup. Whether you’re a hockey fan or not, the NHL offers [...]

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How to generate word of mouth with launch events: Ecoroofs Everywhere

09.30.2009

Launch events are a prime opportunity to generate word of mouth for your company/brand, product, or service. How best to harness their potential?
Yesterday I attended the launch of the Ecoroofs Everywhere campaign, which aims to cover in 5 years more than 12,500 acress of conventional roofs in Portland, Oregon with ecoroofs. The social included a [...]

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How to use education to attract customers

09.28.2009

One of the most frequent questions I hear from small business owners, particularly those just starting out, is, How and where do I find my customers? We start the discussion by analyzing the customer in question: Who is she? What are her pains and frustrations? What does she need – what is she looking for? [...]

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