Most marketing people I know worship at the altar of Seth Godin. He’s a larger than life marketing guru — a best-selling author several times over, an accomplished entrepreneur, an in-demand speaker and teacher, and a revolutionary thinker.

In Seth’s own words:

My favorite thing about Seth Godin, though, is his blog. It’s always an eye-opening, thought-provoking, perspective-shifting few words that arrive in my inbox every day. For the past 11 years. It’s a streak.

“Streaks are their own reward.

Streaks create internal pressure that keeps streaks going.

Streaks require commitment at first, but then the commitment turns into a practice, and the practice into a habit.

Habits are much easier to maintain than commitments.”

Frequently his blogs are just a couple of paragraphs, sometimes they’re longer and more involved. Sometimes they’re deep, and sometimes they are lighter fare. It doesn’t matter. He gets his ideas out there and he does it regularly. And people love him for it.

We preach this philosophy to our clients all the time. The important thing is to blog. Regularly. Dependably. Habitually.

It doesn’t need to be overthought. We hear it all the time – How will I find the time? What will I write? Are my ideas worthy of a blog? Do people really want to read it?

The answer is yes. Your customers (and your potential customers) want to hear from you. They want to get to know you and what you have to offer. They want to make an emotional connection with you. Blogging does that.

So just do it. Take a page from Seth Godin’s play book – start a streak and allow it to become a habit. You’ve got this.

It’s been a rockin’ year at Front Porch Marketing and for our blog, Off Our Rocker. 

Our team shares their musings, wisdom and counsel about branding, marketing, trends, pop culture, being a working mother and motherhood in general here.

We love to blog for clients, our team members, advocates and ourselves and have decided to countdown and share with you the five most-read blog posts for 2016.

We would love for you to look back and read them again or maybe read them for the first time.

So, we will leave you with these.

Happy almost New Year.

No. 5 Blog

Motivation: 5 Ways to Find It When You’ve Hit a Wall, by Ann Marie Bishop

No. 4

Do Your Actions Speak Louder than Likes?, by Darcey Newsum

No. 3

4 Lessons Learned By Losing, by Vanessa Hickman

No. 2

5 Rockin’ Things About Branding & Marketing Businesses, by Julie Porter

No. 1

Being a Working Mom: Five Things That Saved Me This Summer, by Jacqui Chappell

Trade show marketing rocks. I sometimes forget how much until we get in the throes of one with a client, which is happening for us at the pace of about four to five a year.

This is something I have been honored to do since I was right out college, and I have definitely learned a lesson or two along the way. Thankfully, however, we at Front Porch Marketing have a team of people who can do trade show marketing better than me.

And, a few things have changed over a few, okay, over the (cough cough) years. There’s now an app for this and a portable device for that, all of which enhance trade show marketing, sales initiatives, and the visitor experience, which is fab.

Typically, we have months to plan and execute on our clients’ trade show marketing fun … but recently we may have just pulled off a holiday marketing miracle on The Porch over the last seven days (hence the bags under my eyes). Story about the 2016 POWER-GEN International in Orlando, Florida, happening now, is for another bloggity-blog day.

Key Trade Show Marketing Takeaways

So, what can you learn from our Flashdance that has happened over the last week? Here are four things:

Market early and often. The earlier you can develop your strategy, plan and campaigns and start rockin’ and rollin’, the better. There are many other exhibitors, etc., vying for the attention of the speakers and attendees.

If you can’t market early, it can still happen. We have proved almost anything can happen with a rockin’ marketing partner alongside you, but getting there isn’t the prettiest and sure isn’t the cheapest.

Use multiple channels. Send emails. Advertise. Maximize the show’s online and traditional opportunities. Develop a micro-site, website banners and collateral materials. Write blogs. Develop press releases and put them on the wire. Send MORE emails.

Keep it light. Keep it bright. Especially during this time of year and on this of all years, keep it light and bright. Inside and out. We all want a break from seriousness. Holidays can be a stressful time, and moving at light speed may cause a few, tiny bumps along the way.

If you need to get your trade show marketing or any other branding or marketing on the go, holla! We are here and happy to get your strategies, plans and campaigns into high gear and pay attention to how your target responds.

Asta pastas! Going to check in with the folks in the Sunshine state on today’s POWER-GEN International happs.

That’s all she wrote.