A few months ago, Pepper Group turned 25 years old. I looked back and created a list of the most important things I have learned about marketing. I’m delighted to share those tips with you.

Throughout the year Tim will be posting more of his top 25 pieces of marketing advice.

Give Them What They Want
And how do you know “what” is? Spend a little time doing some market research. Read their industry’s blogs and periodicals. Create a customer focus group, inviting some key clients and ask what their immediate and future needs are, as they see them. Conduct a survey that asks consistent questions from year to year, so you can notice trends of what considerations are paramount. So many variables can influence what they want, when they want it. Priorities change as marketplaces evolve. What they wanted yesterday? Very different than a year from now.

Believe in the Power of Headlines

This is a key tactical technique in today’s content heavy marketing environment. You have to capture the attention of your audiences immediately, if not sooner. Challenge their known biases. Be clever. Create curiosity. Puns are popular. Shock and blindside. Make smiles appear—perhaps even evoke a chuckle. Time spent making your headlines sticky is time never wasted. You need to get them to the body copy and they have to go willingly.