The Scratching Post

Strategic insights and real-world examples that help you fix what’s actually costing you leads and sales.

Marketing and sales – they need to align

By Nicole Gallant / August 7, 2018

Is there a difference between effective selling and sleazy selling? Heck yeah!! Have you ever attended a learning workshop where you thought you were going to learn one thing and it turned out you were getting a sales pitch on a product you don’t understand? Even worse, it’s being offered at a price that makes…

What does trust mean in your business? (part 2)

By Nicole Gallant / December 11, 2017

Yes, this is a loaded question. It can also be interpreted in several different ways. However, there are better ways to interpret trust than others. Based on the relationships with my clients and experience running SmartCat Marketing, here is my interpretation. Trust should mean working with someone who has your best interest at heart. When…

Trust and how it affects your business

By Nicole Gallant / November 22, 2017

What is the nature of trust? By definition, to trust is when you rely on the actions of another person. You carry a belief that they will behave honestly and sincerely. It’s easy for us to put trust into family or friends, because we have existing and strong ties with them. But when it comes…

The importance of identifying who your customer is

By Nicole Gallant / October 13, 2017

It’s safe to say that not much happens unless we have a customer. They make up the foundation of what we create, how we present it, how we market, and how we interact with the world. Heck, our customer even dictates if what we’re offering even fits into the world we’re interacting with. As businesses,…

How to drive traffic to your website and social media

By Nicole Gallant / September 19, 2017

Driving traffic to your online spaces is like planning a party You and I both know how important your online presence is. There’s your website, your social media, and online group discussions. What’s your strategy for making that happen? Allow me to propose a change of perspective. What if you viewed your online efforts as…

5 Signs you may need a brand refresh

By Nicole Gallant / June 16, 2017

There are red flags to look for when questioning your current visible brand. If you are constantly making excuses for why your website is visually outdated and if your social doesn’t match the messaging and visuals of other media, you most likely need a refresh.