Author: Miriam Vializ-Briggs

| Categories: Promotion, Small Business

Not a ton is written about the importance of case studies, uses cases, and customer references–much is lost in the flurry around social media marketing tips. But we think these are 3 content pieces that are a must in your marketing and sales toolkit.

Several months back, I attended an event where entrepreneurs and inventors were pitching their products and services for investment funding. This was the first time I had been at an event with this focus. I must say that it was very cool to see so much innovation going on up close and personal. One…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

How to Create an Advisory Board for Your Business

May 29, 2018

| Categories: Small Business

I got a question from someone the other day who just launched her business. She was interested in knowing how to get feedback from trusted sources on her initiatives. It’s a good question. In addition to using the standard consumer research techniques, my advice was this: create an advisory board.

I am not talking about how to create a board of directors. That has financial and governance responsibilities. Rather, we’re talking about how to create an advisory board. An advisory board is a group of individuals…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

What a Great-Grandmother Reminded Me About Sales

February 1, 2018

| Categories: Life Lessons, Small Business

Recently, on holiday to Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, I was reminded by a great-grandmother of one of the keys to being a successful salesperson. She said, “give your customer your best advice.” Sounds simple, right?

But first, let me tell you how I came to meet this wonderful great-grandmother. Touring around Tenerife, we visited the village of Vilaflor, as recommended by the guide we received at the airport. It is a beautiful place, known for the “roseta,” a special type of embroidery. Walking around the tiny village, a…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

Channel Sales Strategies | 4 Tips to Boost Your Sales

March 11, 2017

| Categories: Market Research, Small Business

Maintaining strong relationships with your customers, prospects, and partners is key to help your business stay top of mind against your competitors.

In this article, we will take a look at a number of channel sales strategies, plus four tips to help you boost your sales, at any time of the year.

One of my favorite inspirational ideas comes from world-renowned poet and writer, Maya Angelou. She said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

5 Tips for Creating and Managing Joint Marketing Partnerships

November 1, 2016

| Categories: Promotion, Small Business

Are you interested in OPM–other people’s money? I am! So what exactly does that mean?

No, I am not talking about doing something that is illegal. Ha!

It is actually a phrase coined in one of my past marketing roles. For our team, it was shorthand for securing funds from prospective partners for marketing activities. This was very serious business; it meant the difference between running a sustained, strategic campaign and dabbling in short bursts of tactical messaging.

I get asked frequently about getting sponsorships or creating jointly funded and mutually beneficial…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

What Goes Into a Successful Marketing Plan?

July 27, 2016

| Categories: Market Research, Promotion

What does it take to create and implement a successful marketing plan?

We always say that everyone is in “marketing.” That everyone is in “sales.”

Why?

Because no matter what role you have in your organization (an entrepreneur, a manager, or a subject matter expert), you need to be able to identify trends, to figure out how to create and sustain value for your customers and partners (whether external or internal), and to develop effective ways to get that message across.

That’s the perspective we’ve thought about as we assembled the content for The Marketing Plan Blueprint course: to walk…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

How to Get Help With Your Marketing Plan

July 20, 2016

| Categories: Market Research, Promotion

Going through a structured planning process and then writing and sharing your marketing plan will go a long way towards addressing many of the issues you struggle with to grow your brand.

Are you struggling with getting funding from potential investors?

Are you struggling with getting your employees engaged to support your goals?

Are you struggling with positioning your brand so it can compete effectively to win more business?

One way to sort this out is by thinking from the outside in and not from the inside out.

Try saying that five times fast!

What we mean is that understanding the implications of what’s happening in…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

What Do I Get out of Writing a Marketing Plan?

July 13, 2016

| 2 Comments

| Categories: Market Research, Promotion

With so many communication platforms out there, it is hard not to get sucked into worrying about your next blog post, your next tweet, or your next event at the expense of thinking about your overall marketing strategy.

We know you’re busy running your business or you’re busy conceiving the details of your new venture.

So why does it make sense for you spend time writing a marketing plan?

For us, the benefits are many. Above all, it sets the foundation for how you are going to serve and win customers. It ensures that you are connecting all of the dots, from…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.

Every Day is a Good Day for Marketing Planning

July 6, 2016

| 6 Comments

| Categories: Market Research, Promotion

Every day is a good day for marketing planning.

Really?

Yes, because a well-thought-out marketing plan will help you to win new business and customers, to get more investments if you need them, and to have your team more aligned and committed to your goals.

I remember the first “big” marketing plan I had to write for a business I was responsible for.

It scared the heck out of me!

Why? Because the stakes were high.

I had to develop one that convinced senior management that my business was worth investing in as much as I did AND it had to deliver results for the…

Miriam Vializ-Briggs is a marketing consultant with 25+ years of marketing strategy and execution experience, garnered as an executive at IBM, American Express and Kraft General Foods. She has created solutions and marketing strategies in a number of industries including banking, biotech, packaged goods, energy, healthcare, industrial, insurance, restaurants, retail, and travel & entertainment.