Begin with the end in sight. That’s a central theme in upstream marketing.

It involves envisioning where you want to be in the future and then working backward to fill the gap, using a create-test-and-learn approach.

Begin with the end in mind…

Sound familiar? If you know Stephen Covey’s bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you […]

Upstream marketing: Is it a strategy or a process?

Actually…it’s neither.

Rather, it is a set of:

• Principles
• Framing questions
• Underlying practices

…all of which must be applied consistently. It is about identifying opportunities and fulfilling customer needs. It takes place at a much earlier stage than downstream marketing by developing a clear market segmentation map, and then identifying and […]

When it comes to strategy development, there is a great statement that applies: “A problem well stated is half solved.”

Meaning, when a problem is clearly defined, it’s that much easier to answer.

What is the first step you take when you have a problem to solve? Not everyone will have the same answer.

Consider Albert Einstein, who […]

Who doesn’t want to improve their business performance? There is an innovative, very effective way to meet this one objective every business owner has: Upstream marketing.

When executed well, upstream marketing:

• Delivers substantial new revenue and profit streams that extend far beyond the core business
• Opens up uncontested “white space” market opportunities, making competition irrelevant

After adopting upstream marketing […]

In today’s world, business and marketing changes happen much faster than it did when leading companies like Apple, Amazon, and Google were in their early stages. The “digital economy” – which has become one of the key drivers of our economy – was just beginning to take shape. The emergence of AI will only increase the […]

Amazon, Apple, Google, Nike, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and The Walt Disney Company.

How have these companies – and others like them – been able to consistently grow their business compared with others in their respective industries?

3 Core, Game-Changing Principles

As different as these companies are in terms of the products and services they offer and the markets […]

I’ve got a question for you:
What do all the following forms of marketing have in common?

• Content marketing
• Influencer marketing
• Search marketing
• Social media marketing
• Inbound marketing
• Outbound marketing
• Re-marketing marketing

The answer is simple:

All are proven, effective ways to promote your business.
They also share a distinct commonality: all are downstream in nature.
This means that they’re […]

When it comes to marketing, there’s an endless array of literature available. However, if you’re serious about elevating your marketing game, diving into the very best marketing books can provide timeless strategies, foundational theories, and innovative ideas. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting out, this list compiles the top 10 marketing books of […]