This week I’m coming to you live on video from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a poem straight from the speaker lounge:

Trade shows only work

When goals and reality

Converge at your booth.

In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, I reflect on the disconnect that often happens at trade shows—where expectations for lead gen and sales don’t match the reality of what the event actually delivers. Whether you’re walking into a massive industry showcase or a small regional expo, your investment only pays off when your goals align with what the show is truly built to offer.

If you’ve ever left a trade show wondering “was that worth it?”... This one’s for you.

This week on Poetry in Marketing, I’m digging into one of the biggest misconceptions in branding, with a poem that gets right to the point:

Building a great brand

Takes more than just designing

A cool new logo.

Your brand isn’t your logo. It’s not your color palette or your new font. Your brand is your company’s skin: the interface between you and the outside world. It’s everything your customers see, hear, touch, and experience. In this episode, I talk about why rebranding is about far more than visual design, and how to approach your brand with the kind of intentionality that actually makes a difference.

In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, we’re talking about that sneaky force that helps you get things done… but might be holding you back:

Inertia works great

When you want to get things done

But comes at a cost.

Inertia can be a gift: it smooths out workflows, makes marketing predictable, and keeps things moving. But it can also be a creativity killer. In this episode, I share how sticking to what’s familiar — just because it’s familiar — can box us in, dilute innovation, and keep us from asking the bigger questions that lead to real growth.

If you’ve been running on autopilot with your brand, your content, or even your business model, this one’s your wake-up call.

Today’s Poetry in Marketing episode might be stating the obvious, but too many companies still get this wrong:

Your firm’s marketing

Is supposed to make money

And not just spend it.

In this episode, I dig into one of the biggest mindset problems in marketing: treating it like a cost center instead of an investment. Office supplies are expenses. Marketing is supposed to deliver a return. But that only happens if you plan it that way—by connecting your budget to your business goals and backing it with the right strategy.

If you’ve ever looked at your marketing spend and thought, “What exactly are we getting out of this?”—this one’s for you.

You'll also notice that I'm literally wrestling with my dog while I record this.

In today’s episode of Poetry In Marketing, we tackle a classic trap with this haiku:

Say you want tactics,

And tactics are all you’ll get,

Not a strategy.

In this episode, I unpack one of the most common mistakes I’ve seen in 25 years of marketing: asking for tactics when what you really want is results. You think you need SEO, a trade show booth, or a shiny new website... But what you actually need is more revenue, better retention, or higher-quality leads.

If you skip the strategy and dive straight into execution, don’t be surprised when you end up with deliverables that look great but don’t move the needle.

Today on Poetry In Marketing, I'm having a little fun:

If marketing is

A haiku, then sales is a

Dirty limerick.

Now before the salespeople come for me, no: I’m not taking a shot at the profession. What I am doing is challenging the outdated belief that sales has to feel slick, manipulative, or greasy to be effective. It doesn’t. Great sales, like great marketing, is about creating value for your customer. Period.

In this episode, I explore why we all need to let go of the “used car salesman” stereotype once and for all.

Hey, it’s Erik Wolf and I’m coming to you from vacation in Sedona, Arizona, with a Thanksgiving-themed haiku (while actively lost on a hiking trail looking for a vortex):

Great service firms know

Strong customer retention

Runs on gratitude.

In this episode of Poetry In Marketing, I reflect on why every business — no matter what you do — is ultimately a service business. And the most successful ones? They thrive because they understand the power of gratitude, especially in customer relationships.

I share a personal (and slightly chaotic) story about getting lost on a vortex trail while one of my dogs makes mischief back at the Airbnb, and still choosing gratitude when things don’t go as planned. The same applies to marketing and customer service: things will go sideways—but how you make people feel in those moments matters most.

As promised, here's the link to the photos I took while lost on the trail this morning!

Today’s edition of Poetry In Marketing is a reminder that not all data comes with a neat little number:

Don’t undervalue

How qualitative data

Can help you succeed.

In this episode, I explore the difference between metrics that measure and insights that guide. Quantitative data is great for benchmarks and trendlines... But when it comes to knowing what to do next, qualitative feedback is often more powerful. From customer interviews to win/loss analysis, we dive into the tools that reveal what your customers really think—and how that can shape smarter marketing decisions.