According to a recent analysis from Starch Advertising Research, celebrity endorsements provide nearly a 10% lift in print ad readership, with boosts ranging from 7% for sports celebrities to 15% for entertainment celebrities.

It seems everyone is Tweeting these days. Although Twitter, as a social media tool, is well entrenched in the market, many business professionals with whom we speak are still trying to grasp the value of regular sharing of information and how to use Twitter effectively.

The average Facebook user has 130 friends. Making friends on social networking sites can be very addictive. It’s not uncommon for individuals to have hundreds of “friends” or, more accurately stated, “acquaintances”. But, Challenger Brands understand the importance of real and meaningful connections and that they cannot be all things to all people. You want to be close enough for the connections to translate into referrals, both business and personal, which are often times intertwined.

Challenger Brands instinctively realize the value that a Chief Values Officer (CVO) can bring to their organization. Because Challenger Brands operate in an authentic and transparent nature, the CVO offers the reality check necessary for the company to remain true to its core values. And, before you start to think that we’re suggesting you add another C-Suite title and layer of bureaucracy to your organization, it’s important to point out that the title and responsibilities of the CVO is one that Challenger Brands delegate to their entire roster of employees.

If your website still looks and acts like an online brochure, then chances are you’re not maximizing one of the greatest marketing opportunities available to your organization. Website strategies have changed dramatically over the past year or so. It’s no longer a programming exercise, but a strategic marketing exercise. Understanding these new rules can make the difference between having a good website and a great website.

All reputable companies strive to do things right. It’s hard to maintain a sense of order and consistency without some sense of direction. Typically, policies and procedures provide the guide to that sense of order. But customers do not easily warm up to policies and procedures even when alerted to them early in the relationship.

What would you prefer, a very large number of individuals aware of your brand or a fraction of that number accepting your brand? Challenger Brands can answer that question unequivocally, as they don’t have the luxury of being able to chase brand awareness. Challenger Brands seek brand acceptance from the onset.

In the previous edition we discussed the hierarchy of leadership theory espoused by author Jim Collins (Built to Last and Good to Great) and recounted the professional side of the attribute ledger for level 5 leadership, and the commonality to Challenger Brands. The following are the personal attributes of a level 5 leader:

Online and social media marketing to your customers and prospects has proven to be a very cost-effective and powerful strategy to build brand loyalty and sales. As you know, getting your customers and prospects to follow you on Twitter and Facebook, or to opt-in to your email messages can be extremely challenging for many companies.

As any follower of this column knows, we are fans of researcher and author Jim Collins (Built to Last and Good to Great) in that the qualities that “make up great companies” and “make companies great” are also qualities possessed by true Challenger Brands. In his book Good to Great, Collins suggests a hierarchy of leadership with level 5 being the epitome of a great leader – a relatively rare achievement.