<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>Trilix</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com</link><description>Trilix | Marketing, Advertising, Web Design and Development, Media Relations, Public Relations</description><lastBuildDate>Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500</lastBuildDate><language>en-us</language><atom:link href="http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/rss/index.php" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><item><title>Manufacturing Marketing Mistake #37: Forgetting That Websites Are Sales Tools</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-37-forgetting-that-websites-are-sales-tools/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-37-forgetting-that-websites-are-sales-tools/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Most companies have had a Website for 10 years or more. They&rsquo;ve probably completely revamped it two or three times. And they&rsquo;ve probably never really found the pot of gold at the end of the cyber rainbow.
That&rsquo;s because they built...]]></description></item><item><title>When It Comes to Branding, Go With the Flo!</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/when-it-comes-to-branding-go-with-the-flo/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/when-it-comes-to-branding-go-with-the-flo/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[I had been with the same car insurance company since I started driving at age 27 (but that&rsquo;s another story). It was a well-branded company with a highly recognizable logo, a consistent use of a specific shade of red and a jingle I probably...]]></description></item><item><title>Internet Neutrality</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/internet-neutrality/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/internet-neutrality/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Internet Neutrality, or more affectionately, Net Neutrality, has appeared lately as a subject of much debate among the technocrati and the key-clickers of angry blogs, yet has captured little attention by the mainstream media.You may have heard...]]></description></item><item><title>The Importance of a Domain Name Brand</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/the-importance-of-a-domain-name-brand/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/the-importance-of-a-domain-name-brand/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[When you build a new website for your company, the process involves choosing a domain name, creating a concept and design, developing content and finally launching the website. Typically, companies pay a lot of attention to the design and content,...]]></description></item><item><title>A Thank You Note To Darren Stephens</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/a-thank-you-note-to-darren-stephens/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/a-thank-you-note-to-darren-stephens/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[When I was 12 years old, I watched you create ad campaigns.&nbsp; I thought it looked like fun and besides that, Elizabeth Montgomery was hot.&nbsp; Needless to say, you sold me on a career in advertising.&nbsp; Like most great salespeople, you...]]></description></item><item><title>Manufacturing Marketing Mistake #10: Decentralized Data</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-10-decentralized-data/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-10-decentralized-data/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Most manufacturing companies operate using some sort of distributed sales force and dealer/distributor network &mdash; a situation that creates as many problems as it solves. One issue that arrives all too often is when customer data exists solely...]]></description></item><item><title>All Good Times Must Come to an End</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/all-good-times-must-come-to-an-end/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/all-good-times-must-come-to-an-end/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[To me, internships are a critical element to achieving a good job out of college. Without one, the only knowledge you have is what you&rsquo;ve taken from class. Classes can only teach you so much when it comes to agency life. Having this internship...]]></description></item><item><title>And the award goes to...</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/and-the-award-goes-to/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/and-the-award-goes-to/</guid><pubDate>Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Every year, local advertising agencies compete in the OUTY Awards for a chance to showcase some fun, creative outdoor advertising. This year, our own Interactive Design Director Paul Burger brought home the win with this board for our new division,...]]></description></item><item><title>Schedule, Plan and Execute.</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/schedule-plan-and-execute/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/schedule-plan-and-execute/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[When taking on your first &ldquo;real&rdquo; project as an intern, a lot of thoughts go through your mind, &ldquo;Am I ready for this? Where do I start? I hope I don&rsquo;t blow this,&rdquo; but none can beat the rush you get when you realize...]]></description></item><item><title>Manufacturing Marketing Mistake #30: Ignoring The Conversation</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-30-ignoring-the-conversation/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-30-ignoring-the-conversation/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[They&rsquo;re talking about you. You may not know it, but your company, its products and employees are being talked about every day online. Blogs, Twitter, Facebook&hellip; all are dotted with mentions that can affect how your company, brand and...]]></description></item><item><title>Finding Your Niche</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/finding-your-niche/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/finding-your-niche/</guid><pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Ah, it&rsquo;s a beautiful morning and you&rsquo;re jonesing for a caffeine fix. You need a cup of coffee STAT. You have two options: brew a pot at home or head down to Starbucks for a cup of joe. Before you know it, you&rsquo;re half way out the...]]></description></item><item><title>Why I Moved to Trilix</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/why-i-moved-to-trilix/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/why-i-moved-to-trilix/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[A lot of people ask me why I closed Genesis Marketing and Research, Inc. and joined Trilix Research after 9 years.&nbsp; The short answer is that it felt about time to do something different. Why?&nbsp; The economy had gotten tougher the last couple...]]></description></item><item><title>The Independent Dealer</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/the-independent-dealer/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/the-independent-dealer/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Your dealers and distributors are one of the most valuable sales and marketing resources you have. They are on the front line of customer interaction and can absolutely make or break a new initiative or product line. Having a dealer/distributor...]]></description></item><item><title>Forgetting That Websites Are Sales Tools</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-37-forgetting-that-web-sites-are-sales-tools/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/manufacturing-marketing-mistake-37-forgetting-that-web-sites-are-sales-tools/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Most companies have had a website for 10 years or more. They&rsquo;ve probably completely revamped it two or three times. And They&rsquo;ve probably never really found the pot of gold at the end of the cyber rainbow.
That&rsquo;s because they built...]]></description></item><item><title>How to Measure Event Success</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/how-to-measure-event-success/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/how-to-measure-event-success/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Ah, trade show season is upon us. Trade shows cost a lot of money &ndash; not only the time employees will be out of the office, but costs for a display booth, collateral materials, airfare, lodging, meals and miscellaneous expenses always come into...]]></description></item><item><title>Too Many Marketers</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/too-many-marketers/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/too-many-marketers/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[When your sales team has a marketing challenge or opportunity, who are they calling? If you&rsquo;re like many of today&rsquo;s companies, there&rsquo;s likely no one to call on, so your sales people end up doing the work themselves. Unfortunately,...]]></description></item><item><title>No Dealer Love</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/no-dealer-love/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/no-dealer-love/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[If your company is like most manufacturing companies, you don&rsquo;t sell directly to customers. There&rsquo;s a dealership, distributor or retailer between you and the end customer. An intermediary you rely on to move product, drive profits and...]]></description></item><item><title>Over Engineering</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/over-engineering/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/over-engineering/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Many of the manufacturing companies we&rsquo;ve come across share a common internal characteristic &mdash; they&rsquo;re consumed by an engineering mindset. And for good reason. But this feature-minded, product-centric outlook causes trouble for...]]></description></item><item><title>Ignoring Your Most Important Audience</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/ignoring-your-most-important-audience/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/ignoring-your-most-important-audience/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Your marketing and sales message has to make its way out to a number of groups... all of which are vital to your success. But if one particular group doesn&rsquo;t get the message and climb on board, everything else is moot.
Your most important...]]></description></item><item><title>Experience.  Experience.  Experience.  A.K.A. - The Internship</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/experience-experience-experience-a-k-a-the-internship/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/experience-experience-experience-a-k-a-the-internship/</guid><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[After chatting with professionals in the field of advertising, I cannot tell you how many times I heard, &ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t have any experience in the crazy world of advertising, chances are you won&rsquo;t be considered for a...]]></description></item><item><title>Failing To Live The Brand</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/failing-to-live-the-brand/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/failing-to-live-the-brand/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[A brand is more than a name, logo or tagline. It&rsquo;s a promise. A promise to customers and prospects of exactly what they can expect when they do business with an organization.
Keeping that promise in every aspect of how a business is run is...]]></description></item><item><title>Experience Great Ape Trust Like Never Before</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/experience-great-ape-trust-like-never-before/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/experience-great-ape-trust-like-never-before/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[If you&rsquo;ve never heard of Great Ape Trust, now is your chance to check out the fascinating science, research and conservation that this world-class organization has to offer.
Trilix recently partnered with Great Ape Trust on a website...]]></description></item><item><title>Failure To Find The Breakeven Point</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/failure-to-find-the-breakeven-point/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/failure-to-find-the-breakeven-point/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[There are few things the CEO or company president hates more than losing money. And that goes doubly when those losses could have been avoided. But doing their homework and using a little common sense can ensure that marketers won&rsquo;t be forced...]]></description></item><item><title>Don't Change For The Sake Of Change</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/don-t-change-for-the-sake-of-change/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/don-t-change-for-the-sake-of-change/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Marketers are always really close to their marketing. They live, sleep, eat and breathe it every day. It consumes them. They roll out a new campaign and are tired of looking at it before it ever hits the streets. And if it&rsquo;s not immediately...]]></description></item><item><title>Keeping Sales Out Of Marketing</title><link>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/keeping-sales-out-of-marketing/</link><guid>http://www.trilixgroup.com/the-agency/against-the-grain/keeping-sales-out-of-marketing/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate><description><![CDATA[The primary goal of a manufacturer&rsquo;s marketing efforts is to generate leads for a sales team and dealer channel. Educating the marketplace, positioning products versus the competition and brand building are all parts of the message&hellip; but...]]></description></item></channel></rss>