123 eGuides

123 eGuides. 3 Proven Steps, Just 3 Bucks.

123 eGuides are authoritative guides published exclusively in electronic format to provide maximum value at minimum cost. Every 123 eGuide is just 3 bucks or less ($2.99 to be exact).

123 eGuides are designed for today’s reader who wants information in a quick, convenient, easily readable format. Each 123 eGuide is intended to provide a functional overview rather than a detailed roadmap. Every 123 eGuide always includes additional resources if the reader wants to learn more.

Check the "Available 123 eGuides" link above to see what's available. 123 eGuides are available wherever eBooks are sold, including the Amazon Kindle store and in any eBook format at Smashwords.com.

1 Minute Advice: Learning from the Failures of Major Marketers

What do major marketers including Apple, Heinz, McDonald's and Nike have in common? All of them launched products that were failures:

• Apple tried to take advantage of gaming in the 1990s with the unsuccessful launch of its "Pippin Console"
• Heinz thought changing its iconic red ketchup to green in 2000 would intrigue kids but it was a big flop
• A fine dining chef created the "Arch Deluxe" as a kind of "grown up" burger for McDonald's but it fizzled
• Nike Magneto sunglasses were designed to hold onto athlete's faces with magnets but the idea didn't stick.

Read how these and other marketing mistakes have been immortalized in the "Museum of Failures" here:
https://bettermarketing.pub/what-you-can-learn-from-the-museum-of-failure-21771a44f4b5

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Retro is Trending

Maybe consumers are looking for a return to the good old days... or maybe they are tiring of too much in-your-face media. According to Insider Intelligence from eMarketer, "consumers are turning to the past" for entertainment. A few examples:

• For the first time since 1986, sales of vinyl records exceeded $1 billion last year
• CDs and even cassettes have increased in sales; CDs grew 21 percent year-over-year, and cassette sales doubled between 2020 and 2021
• Vintage home decor is expected to be a major 2022 trend, according to 70 percent of home designers.

The above are just a few examples of the retro trend. Says Insider Intelligence, "As Gen Z consumers reach for comfort in nostalgia, they are breathing new life into lower-tech and vintage products, which made their shelf debut decades ago."

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Most Valuable Global Brands Keep Growing

The value of the top 100 global brands increased by 23 percent over the previous years, according to the latest annual study produced by Kantar BrandZ and reported by Marketing Charts. "Consumer Technology was the category that saw the fastest growth over the past year, with top-100 brands in this sector growing their value by 45%. Right on Consumer Tech’s heels was the Luxury category, with its brands enjoying 45% growth from last year," says Marketing Charts.

The most valuable brand was Apple, with a 55% increase year-over-year in brand value. Of the top ten brands, however, Google had the fastest growth rate (79% year-over-year). The top five most valuable brands in descending order were Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Tencent.

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Here's What Influences Online Purchases

A recent survey of consumer online buyers asked the question, "Which of the following marketing efforts influence your decision to make online purchases?" It may surprise you to learn that the old standbys -- namely email and postal mail -- topped the list. According to Marketing Charts, who reported on the survey results, general email and catalogs/other printed material via postal mail, received 44 percent and 43 percent, respectively consumers answering the question. "Advertising on content I visit online" came in third at 32 percent.

See full results of this survey here: https://www.marketingcharts.com/brand-related/brand-loyalty-226116?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

All eGuides Half-Price During July 2022!

During the month of July, you can purchase any 123 eGuide at half price. This special promotion is only available at Smashwords.com, where you can select your choice of eBook format, including Kindle (mobi), EPUB and PDF.

To take advantage of this half-price sale, click on the eGuide titles below that interest you. When you check out, simply use the code SSW50 to get the eGuide of your choice at half price -- regularly $2.99, just $1.49 each. Offer good through July 31.

Branding 123
Building a Breakthrough Brand in 3 Proven Steps
Third Edition

Low Cost / No Cost Marketing 123
3 Steps to Effective Marketing with Little or No Money

B2B Marketing 123
A 3 Step Approach for Marketing to Businesses

Product Launch 123
Launch a Product or Service in 3 Proven Steps

Sales Leads 123
Generating, Qualifying, and Converting Sales Leads in 3 Proven Steps

On Your Own 123
Launch a 1-Person Business in 3 Proven Steps

Take advantage of this limited time offer today!

1 Minute Advice: Consumers Want Personalized Communications

A recent report from eMarketer indicates that 73 percent of respondents expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, and 62 percent think companies should anticipate their needs, according to Salesforce (May 2022).

Nearly 9 in 10 respondents are likely to enjoy receiving personalized offers based on their interests and browsing/purchase history; about the same number are willing to provide more information after a positive experience with a brand, per a February 2022 Merkle study. Consumers are especially willing to share personal information if they receive custom offers or products tailored to their interests, according to eMarketer.

Read more here (free subscription required): https://www.emarketer.com/content/most-consumers-want-brands-personalize-their-communications?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Brand Map Your Way to Success

The most successful brand marketers practice "brand-mapping," according to an informative article in MarketingProfs.

In the article, you can learn about these five steps to brand-mapping:

1. Identify your current market position
2. Do a competitor analysis
3. Determine your USP
4. Draft a positioning statement
5. Test your position with a brand map

Read about brand-mapping here (free subscription required):
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2022/47409/how-to-use-brand-mapping-to-position-your-business?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Improving Your SEO Strategy

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a key part of a marketer's digital strategy. MarketingProfs shares a handy infographic from Semrush that features 11 ways to improve your SEO strategy, including:

• Use Google Analytics to track metrics
• Create content based on keywords
• Diversify your backlink portfolio
• Optimize on-page SEO factors

Find out all 11 here (free subscription required):
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2022/47351/an-11-step-plan-for-improving-your-seo-strategy-infographic?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: Brands with the Best and Worst Reputations

Recent research from Axios and The Harris Poll indicates what U.S. consumers believe to be the brands that have the best and the worst reputations. The top ten brands with the best reputations are:

1. Trader Joe's
2. HEB Grocery
3. Patagonia
4. The Hershey Company
5. Wegman's
6. Samsung
7. Toyota
8. Amazon
9. Honda
10. Sony

The brands considered to have the worst reputations are:

1. The Trump Organization
2. Wish.com
3. Twitter
4. Facebook
5. Fox
6. Spirit Airlines
7. TikTok
8. Sears
9. Wells Fargo
10. Uber

Read more here (free subscription required): https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2022/47316/the-10-brands-with-the-best-and-worst-reputations-in-the-us?

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.

1 Minute Advice: How Important is "Brand Intimacy"?

There's a widely held belief in brand marketing that brands operate on both a rational and emotional level -- and it's often the emotional side that results in brand loyalty or even brand love. Recent research cited in MarketingProfs assigns a "Brand Intimacy Quotient" to global brands. The higher the score, the more intense emotional relationship consumers have with the brand -- i.e., "brand intimacy." The research is based on an AI-enabled analysis of keywords and social media mentions to determine brand sentiment.

Here are the top ten brands that light up brand sentiment, in ascending order:

1. Disney
2. Tesla
3. Apple
4. Sony
5. YouTub
6. Mercedes-Benz
7. Trader Joe's
8. Netflix
9. Android
10. Sega

Read more here (free subscription required): https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2022/47246/the-10-brands-people-feel-most-intimately-connected-to-in-2022

This post is brought to you by 123 eGuides, publisher of authoritative, affordable guides to help small businesses get the most from your marketing. Now available: The updated, revised Third Edition of the popular eGuide, Branding 123, that details a 3-part system for how small marketers can build a breakthrough brand. Included in the Third Edition are profiles of 5 small brands that grew up using techniques similar to those outlined in Branding 123. Read more about this eGuide here.