Seven Keys to a Happy Sales Channel
Agency founder Jim Huebner records the seven tried-and-true keys to a happy sales channel in his free e-book, available now.
Relevant know-how, how-to, and how'd-they-do-that
from a team obsessed with strategy.
Agency founder Jim Huebner records the seven tried-and-true keys to a happy sales channel in his free e-book, available now.
Acquiring new brands is part of growth for many Private Equity firms, and each acquisition requires strategic planning from due diligence through portfolio alignment and new brand integration. Bolstering the bottom line is undeniably the main motivator for purchase, but the path toward profit can be very different for each brand acquired, depending upon the […]
Do you know who is buying your product? Have you dug deeper than the standard M/F 35-60? Breaking through the surface demographic data can help you effectively market and sell your product or service, allowing you to align messaging and messaging channels to the specific needs, interests, and preferences of YOUR ideal customer. In short, […]
The complexities of digital marketing require more than a see-what-sticks approach. Learn why strategy matters and how to get started.
There are some standard practices that will make crafting your 2023 marketing plan as easy as it can be. Let’s cruise through them.
Learn how a solid multi-brand strategy serves as the foundation for a healthy collection of businesses and product lines.
New Account Director, Director of Creative Content, and Content Specialist bring diverse expertise to our B2B clients.
B2B Marketing is our bread and butter. So you can imagine how honored we are to be named among Inc. Magazine's B2B Power Partners.
Pricing strategy is an ongoing conversation in both B2B and B2C businesses. Should we raise the price to increase our profile as a premium product? Or offer discounts to build loyalty and good will with our customers? In this post, we’ll dig into the science and the art of pricing strategy with a focus on […]
Brand relevance is so important to your business’ well-being and longevity. We're unpacking 7 common roadblocks to that relevance, so you can avoid them.
Founder Jim Huebner shares the final of his four pillars of brand relevance: E is for Endless Quest. Learn more in this excerpt from Jim's book, "The Irrelevant Old Brand."
Founder Jim Huebner shares the third of his four pillars of brand relevance V is for Value Exceeds Price. Learn more in this excerpt from Jim's book, "The Irrelevant Old Brand."
Founder Jim Huebner shares the second of his four pillars of brand relevance - I is for Inspired Difference. Learn more about this foundational principle to our brand positioning work in this excerpt from Jim's book, "The Irrelevant Old Brand."
New book from agency founder Jim Huebner unpacks proven tactics to remaining relevant to your customers through an engaging business fable.
Mergers and acquisitions present an incredible opportunity to strengthen every brand involved. Use this checklist to ensure brand positioning remains a central part of your acquisition strategy and not an afterthought.
The Huebner team is honored to be recognized by The Web Excellence Awards, a leading international interactive web awards competition, for our recent work.
A great marketing agency will bring strategic ideas to the table and execute on tactics designed to meet those objectives. Here at Huebner Integrated Marketing, we believe that effective marketing starts with defining your brand’s story in a way that really resonates with your customer.
Founder Jim Huebner shares the first of his four pillars of brand relevance - G is for Grateful and Generous. Learn more about this foundational principle to our brand positioning work in this excerpt from Jim's book, "The Irrelevant Old Brand."
Baking soda was originally sold for, believe it or not, baking. So why do we now use it for so many other things? Our Director of Client Services, Ashton Belk, unpacks this case study in brand positioning and relevancy.
Whether you’re acquiring a new company, merging your brand with another, or looking for a marketing solution to a complex business problem, our Relevancy Report offers a proven process to help you build a stronger brand, inside and out.
An effective website can be a powerful tool in marketing your manufacturing brand. Keep your site working for you with a refresh or redesign at the right time.
72% of dealers say sales enablement and marketing tools from the manufacturer are very or extremely important. But which are most important? We did the research so you don't have to.
For those of us tasked with marketing in the manufacturing industry, the to-do list can seem never-ending. From internal communications to brand awareness to sales channel support, measuring what’s most impactful is key to prioritizing your efforts to support business objectives and, of course, drive sales. As we’ve worked with manufacturers in the last 30 […]
What is Agile Marketing? And how could it lead to faster, more efficient execution of your marketing tactics? Let's dig in.
Business review site Expertise.com released a new list of top web development teams in our area, and we are proud to be on the list.
Recent research into brand/dealer relationships in the big-ticket outdoor space showed a clear segment of dealers who are poised for growth. How can manufacturers tap into this growth potential?
In this guide, we explore the basics of Brand Architecture and the two most popular models for combining brands: Branded House and House of Brands.
Outdoor fan favorite Osprey Backpacks provides a perfect lesson is successful brand building through a network of dealer retailers.
Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to to bring the world and their customers closer to an ideal life.
Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to provide structure for their customers—and the world.
Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to build a Connection with their customers above all else.
Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to Make an Impression on their customers—and the world.
What does Carl Jung have to do with your brand positioning? Our guide unpacks the power of identifying your brand archetype as a lens for marketing strategy.
These five trailblazing brands touch everything from the way we build airplanes, package our snacks, drive our cars, and make our clothes.
This year, we’re celebrating the diverse and vibrant world of manufacturing, starting with a look at 5 iconic manufacturing companies that have remained relevant for 100+ years.
Mission. Vision. Value Proposition. Every company has these statements buried somewhere in their brand guide or website. But are they doing any good beyond the "About Us" page? Could they better connect with employees and customers?
After 33 years as President, Founder Jim Huebner is passing the torch to Ashton Belk. Learn more in this note from Jim.
How can dealers and brands maximize the benefits of this booming industry?
Is your marketing selling benefits or features? Which is most relevant to your customers? Here are three great examples of benefit-focused marketing that hits the mark.
New year, same goals for being a radically relevant brand. Click through to catch Ashton's three tips for getting and maintaining brand relevancy in 2022.
When it comes to marketing tactics, you must consider all three legs of the stool: is this the right action, at the right time, and in the right order? Like following a recipe, order of operations matters.
The tireless work of US Postal Workers is captured in their famous creed. But does it match up with how employees feel about working for USPS? And what does it mean for your brand?
We asked 279 dealers what they want from their OEMs. The results are packed with valuable insights into their challenges and what they need from OEM teams.
Huebner Marketing announces two key personnel changes on its leadership team alongside a recent brand refresh. Ashton Belk has been promoted to Director of Client Services and Abby Fraser joins the team as Senior Director of Content.
Picasso's "Untitled "sculpture stirred up a lot of controversy and started a movement in Chicago we're still talking about today. But what does it have to teach us about branding?
John Deere remains a prime example of premium branding that's lasted centuries. What have they done right to maintain their status for so long? And what can we learn from their story for our businesses today?
Believe it or not, small business marketing starts in the same place it does for big companies ... with a great product or outstanding service, followed by brand differentiation and consistent communication.
Most mornings, I start the day out on the elliptical machine. I can't say I enjoy it, but there is one benefit in addition to breaking a sweat I get to watch a lot of television ads. Yes, while most people are fast forwarding or channel surfing during commercial breaks, I'm actually looking for them. I guess it sort of goes with the territory in which I live.
I do some of my banking at Wells Fargo. They have the best in online banking, lots of locations, and very friendly people. In fact, it crossed my mind recently that their people might just be TOO friendly. Let me explain. When you walk in to Wells Fargo, you're first greeted by the greeter. Then the personal banker chimes in with a "hello" from behind her desk.
When consumer decisions are made on price alone, it can be a sign of missing relevancy. And it's this relevancy that may steer the consumer from a decision based on price, to one that might enable the brand to be more profitable.
Auto industry reporter Phil Lebeau sheds light on Jeep's brand marketing success despite dismal Consumer Reports' auto guide ratings, and it's product relevancy that plays a key role in Jeep's ever-growing sales.
If you've seen the classic sports movie Jerry Maguire, (yes, it was on a few nights ago and I just had to watch it...again), you might remember the final scene between NFL player Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and his agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise). The two had gone down an extremely rough road together, but their perseverance finally pays off when Tidwell lands a big NFL contract.
For a number of years, there’s been a guy that stands on a street corner in Fort Collins, Colorado, promoting M&E Painting. Now, you might say, “Big deal." But make no mistake — Tim Farnsworth does it differently.
We work with manufacturers who typically sell their products through independent sales channels. While those dealers, distributors or franchisees often say they're just looking for the best price, the truth is they're looking for a hero.
It's that time of year again, when I blow the dust off the DVD player, grab a couple of hankies, and plug in one of my many copies of It's A Wonderful Life for the annual viewing. The movie has been my favorite since the mid-1980's, probably because it's so easy to relate to George's quest for greener grass.
I am a fairly loyal Best Buy® customer. How do I measure that? Well, I was recently inducted as a Premier Silver Member (not based on my gray hair, but based on my volume of purchases). And when I need a computer, printer, TV, phone accessories, cameras, etc., Best Buy is the first place I typically think to go.
Whether it's the difference between near-identical bottled water suppliers or the insight a television show can bring when you least expect it, it all comes down to this: Advertise. Publicize. Sponsor. Promote. Market.
Over the past few weeks, I've heard a similar comment in different meetings with clients and prospective clients. It's been something to the effect of... "We want customers to come looking for our products instead of us having to go to them!"
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, several years ago, CEOs from around the world reported that the equity in their brand represented about 40% of their total market capitalization. More recently, Brand Channel stated that 70% of McDonald's shareholder value was generated by the brand alone.
If you think about it, every business sells the exact same thing. We may each approach it differently. But in the end — when it comes right down to what EVERY one of us in business is actually selling — it IS the same thing.
There seems to be a common theme in many of our client meetings so far this year . . . Cutting Costs vs. Adding Value
Whether there's snow on the ground or not, once March hits, I can't help but start thinking about four of my favorite outdoor activities: mowing, trout fishing camping, and grilling. While there are plenty of branding issues to discuss when it comes to fishing and grilling, this time I want to focus on mowers...specifically, my John Deere mower.
If you hadn't noticed, the buzz about content marketing and its importance in the mix only seems to be growing louder. And that might seem strange due to the fact that the strategy has been around for ages.
I don't typically make much conversation on the plane. It's not that I'm not interested in other people it's just the whole process of air travel can be taxing, especially if you've done it multiple days in a row. So when I boarded a plane headed for Manchester, NH a while ago, I was ready to put the headphones on, crank up the music, pull out the most recent issue of Forbes...and check out.
I've always admired this ad. It originally ran in 1958 for McGraw-Hill Magazines. And even though it's more than a half century old, I love how timeless the message is...
If you're in business, you've undoubtedly heard this line more than once over the years... "If it wasn't for the customers, I'd love this job." And then just last week, a friend of mine asked me this... "I know you guys say you help make the manufacturer a hero to the dealer network, but don't you find that the manufacturers just really don't like the dealers... and usually, vice versa?"
The birthing of a trusted brand doesn’t generally start in the marketing department at all. Oftentimes, it starts in engineering. Or in customer experience planning. Or even with dealer loyalty programs.
At Cabela's, Christmas ideas and brand stories literally jump off the shelf. Here's a look at two great products from the store's shelves, both with one-of-a-kind stories that have long helped these brands deliver premium prices.
Gemutlichkeit is a real word. A German word, in fact. And, oddly enough, how it related to branding was the topic of a conversation I had with my mom over the weekend.
There has been so much discussion about building brands online some meaningful and some completely misguided that I thought I might offer my somewhat unique perspective of a marketer who works specifically with manufacturers and their dealers to build brands both on and off-line.
When I arrived home from our client's annual dealer meeting, I had once again been invigorated by the connections we'd made at the event. We often look forward to these events because they offer such great opportunities to connect with both corporate personnel as well as their dealers.
Walker Mowers, a firm believer of supporting its dealer network through stellar frontline marketing services and generous marketing co-op programs, has helped more than 30 dealers transform their showrooms.
My first job out of college on the client side was advertising manager for some Ace Hardware stores. It was a great experience because I had the chance to do it all research, media buying, ad concepting, layouts, copywriting, outdoor advertising, tv and radio commercials... even grilling hot dogs at weekend promotions.
We've seen more than our fair share of retail shows thanks to our fabulous manufacturing clientele, but this year’s John Deere booth takes the cake for customer experience thanks to the brands' booth makeover.
Huebner Marketing was awarded a Gold MarCom Award in the Digital Media category of “Outstanding Web Video" for its Dutchmen RV brand video. Check out this video marketing agency accolade.
I must say, it warmed my heart a little when the 50th Anniversary of the Christmas classic "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" was announced a few years ago. I have fond memories of the show and the anticipation that built up before it aired every Christmas season.
There's a time and a place to do things yourself. When it comes to survival, you can definitely make the case for doing it yourself. I remember watching Rambo for the first time and being in awe of his grit when he stitched up his own wound.
“Bombshell report claims US ad agencies unethically pad their profits with secret rebate schemes.” So why do advertising agencies—and so many other professions—struggle with trust in the marketplace? Let's discuss.
A while back, I had the opportunity to sit in on a live webinar hosted by the Marketing Science Institute. To be honest, I typically don't have time (or at least don't make the time) for webinars. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of webinars I've attended in the last ten years.
My son-in-law is a stud in every sense of the word. He's an Army Ranger and currently a Captain in the Army's Signal Corps. He's finishing his master's degree in information technology. He's a great dad to our granddaughter, consistently sending her videos of himself reading books to her while he was deployed to the Middle East for seven of the first months of her life. And he's a loving husband and great provider for our daughter.
I ran across a really interesting article a while back from the Marketing Science Institutes
I travel frequently for work, and this has made me an A-List Preferred member, which means I get free internet usage on the plane. They give me a Companion Pass allowing my wife to fly free with me. I have Priority Boarding, so I usually get my pick of the litter when it comes to […]
While the focus of the article was on consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers and their retailers, it certainly applies to durable goods manufacturers as well. The researchers found that the retailer actually plays a major role in the success or failure of any product innovations the manufacturer introduces to the market. The reason Huebner Marketing […]