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The Monkeyz Blog helps brands thrive, learn, and innovate—sharing expert insights from the Barrel O’Monkeyz team to spark growth and fresh ideas.
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Cause and Effect
I was in a local big box store over the weekend. There in the seasonal aisle section what did I see? There were Halloween decorations, costumes, and candy by the bagful . . . and amazingly there were also lots and lots of Christmas decorations, ranging from lighted trees to bows and ribbons. Really, in…
Meetings that Deliver
We’ve all been there: meetings that are at conceivably the worst times possible, lack focus, just seem to go on endlessly with little to show for progress, or tend to become forums for self-aggrandizement. It’s Monday morning and someone had the bright idea to kick off the week with an early morning meeting. So-and-so, who…
Back At It
It’s post-Labor Day, which means it’s time to put the summer vacation plans in the rear mirror and look ahead to Fall and beyond. For many of us, it also means it’s time to “get back at it” school-wise, business-wise and even career-wise after the summer doldrums, what with family vacations, schools being out, and…
Taking Care of Business Means Taking Care of Self
Do you focus more on the health of your business than you do your personal wellness? What if I told you the two go hand-in-hand? If you are not rested, stress-free, and well-nourished, there’s no way you can maintain the high energy and focus required to build and maintain a successful business. Your business health…
Difficult Conversations Don’t Have to Lead to Hurt Feelings
One of the things I’ve learned in my career as a Marketing and Product Development Executive and Entrepreneur is that difficult conversations are often necessary and productive. I don’t know about you, but when I hear the phrase “difficult conversations” the first things that spring to mind are images of people arguing and going away…
Jumpstart Those Creative Juices
Whether you’re a prolific novelist, journalist, musician, poet, or blogger, I’ve got to believe one of the worst feelings in the world for a writer is to have writer’s block—to struggle to find the words when the words have always seemed to be there before. Ditto for content marketers, when the lifeblood of their businesses…
Saying No: It’s Harder than You Think
Do you have a hard time saying no? Lots of people do, including me. It must have something to do with my entrepreneurial spirit or some fear that I’ll miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Or maybe I’ve just got this nurturing soul deep down inside that never wants to let anyone down…
Look Before You Leap (otherwise, how do you know you’re solving the right problem?)
Do you LEAP before you LOOK? Chance are you don’t . . . and chances are you wouldn’t buy a new car or home or invest money without first doing your homework. Why then do many agencies start with “how” a thing is going to be done before first fully understanding what it is you…
Here’s the Problem . . .
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s recent comment, “To put it mildly, the world is a mess,” pretty much sums up the news these days. Seems like every potential hotspot, from the Middle East, to the Ukraine, to western US wildfires, are heating up . . . or worse. This got me to thinking about…
The Business Development Funnel
Are you operating at your full sales potential? Business Development is all about identifying the right target audience for your product or service and building strong relationships to understand and meet client needs. In Business Development parlance, we know this as the “Sales Funnel.” Into your “Sales Funnel” go all your prospects—and through relationship building,…
Rounding Out Your Inner Circle
The life of an entrepreneur or small business owner is often times a lonely island. You’re usually at work long before anyone else arrives and you stay long after others go home—and that’s if you’re fortunate enough to have a team working with you. Many times, entrepreneurs work alone. They are their Accountant, IT specialist,…
Heard Any Good (Brand) Stories Lately?
Success comes from being able to tell the story of your brand and engage audiences in ways that are creative, non-intrusive, and fun. Below is how we tell our brand story at Barrel O’Monkeyz. As our name suggests, we are energetic, nimble, and don’t believe business has to be stuffy to be effective. Our formula…
New Tools, Same Fundamentals
Time and time again I am struck by how new technologies and new ways of communicating tend to make some of us think certain “old ways” of doing things are no longer useful, especially when it comes to marketing. Sure, the rotary phone and telegraph have gone the way of homing pigeons and the pony…
Cold Calling Know How
Do you dread cold calling? Do you wonder if it’s just a waste of time? Don’t toss cold calling out of your marketing tool kit just yet. Even in this day of digital and social media, some traditional techniques never get old. When done right—when done with purpose, authenticity, and targeted at the right audience…
What Makes Your Brand Unique?
What does the story of your brand tell your audience about your products or services . . . about your company? Is your brand nothing more than a logo, a tag line, and a business card, or does your brand connect emotionally with those you serve? (Hint: If it doesn’t, it should.) Your brand represents…
How Are Your Soft Skills?
More news watching this week got me to thinking about “soft skills.” You know what I mean—those “people” skills such as an ability to listen, to communicate, and be friendly, among other things. It seems no matter where I look, whether locally, nationally, or even the world stage, these soft skills are in short supply…
