Women hold an immense amount of buying power, driving an estimated 70-80% of all consumer purchasing decisions. Yet research shows that 91% of women believe advertisers don’t understand them. Market to women At refine+focus, we’ve worked with both large and small brands to help them succeed at marketing to women. The catch? It’s not just about marketing to women—it’s about marketing to a specific customer segment that you’re trying to target. Our experience has taught us that

At refine+focus, we believe in the power of storytelling. Sometimes, all it takes to tell an impactful story is the right analogy. It’s a simple tool that can instantly create clarity by bringing together unexpected ideas and spotlighting the connections between them. One of our favorite analogies combines two of our passions: cooking and innovation. Our Story We at refine+focus are not just experienced innovators—we’re also proud foodies. We love traveling the world to eat,

You’ve done the research, planned the plan, and developed a strategy. You’re ready to move into the action phase—and here’s how you ensure your success. From Plan to Action Pay attention to the handoff. The people involved in the planning phase aren’t always the ones involved in the execution phase. That could result in misalignment and varying objectives. Prioritize communication between different folks in the project so that all parties have a realistic understanding of the

There are generic and overused questions, and there are questions that resonate, excite, and cut through. Asking the right questions can stop people in their tracks and even lead to a transaction or a new business opportunity. We at refine+focus have seen firsthand the power of a good question to transform and enrich communication. Whether it’s in a business or personal setting, here’s how you can enhance your questions to get the results you want. Ask better questions Aim to

Not the same stories with more tools, or the same stories on different marketing channels. Better. Stories. Tell Better Stories Start with your LinkedIn summary section. Imagine you were asked the perfect question that set you up to tell a powerful story. Try it and answer it. For example, “tell me a story that shows me how much you love what you do.” If you’re a brand, start with gathering the many stories about you. Discuss what you like about them. Explore them by acting (

Maybe she’s born with it… or maybe she’s worked to cultivate it in her life and career. The word is creativity—not an inherent trait, but a skill that anyone can build. It’s the lifespring of innovation, and the difference between lackluster and brilliant work. It’s so significant that LinkedIn named it the most important skill in the world. Foster Creativity in Your Work and Life Creativity is as important to business as it is to traditional art. It’s vital to generating nov

“Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth” — Mike Tyson COVID-19 was the punch in the mouth to many of our best intended strategic growth plans. This created new demand for approaches to planning that incorporate agility and resourcefulness. Add innovation to your strategic planning The traditional process of strategic planning involves growing existing revenue streams and scaling what already works in your business. But the uncertainty of COVID-19 demands innov

As quarantine labors into the summer, refine+focus is here for you with fresh ideas to reignite your wonder. We recently held our signature event, Curiouser & Curiouser, which is dedicated to growing innovative ideas and building meaningful new relationships. Read all about the exciting selection of pieces that our team shared below. Must Attend Want to meet other innovative thinkers? Connect by attending an event. Our events calendar is packed with carefully curated events a

Your customer has all the answers. The art, however, lies in being able to gather those insights efficiently and act on them effectively. Why getting it right matters Sustain growth. If you care about your customer and meet their needs, you won’t need to worry about the competition. Save resources. According to research by Vonage, an estimated $62 billion is lost by U.S. businesses each year following bad customer experiences. By understanding your customer and their customer

Remember the eye-opening 2007 statistic that we spend one-third of our lives working? In the era of remote work where the line between our professional and personal lives have become increasingly blurred, we can no longer pretend that our purposes are entirely separate too. Investigating and reflecting on your why is critical to feeling fulfilled in your life and it can even make you a better employee. Yet many of us don’t know where to start. Here’s our actionable roadmap to

Not all organizations approach continuous learning from the same place. Some industries organically attract curious people and companies must sustain that curiosity. Other times, organizations need fresh ways to inspire the curiosity of their employees to foster a continuous learning community. Regardless of the starting point, investing in a culture of continuous learning has clear benefits. One study found that curiosity increases job satisfaction, engagement, and innovativ

Continuous learning is a way of life. And like exercise, those who are committed to it see numerous benefits in their health, wellness, and careers. Yet not everyone encounters continuous learning the same way, which is why we must approach the topic differently for each type of person. The Skeptic If you need a reason to believe the benefits of continuous learning, start with the fact that those who learn continuously succeed. Research has found that “continuous training giv

Although refine+focus is seasoned at building strategy, creating diversity, and strengthening brand positioning, the events of the past few months have caused us to reflect on our methods, values, and culture in new ways. Here are a few of the processes we’ve turned to and how we applied them when making decisions about communicating our approach to the pandemic and Black Lives Matter. Step 1: Identify simultaneous complexity and simplicity When you encounter complexity in de

Just a decade ago, many people believed that the future of retail was online. Now, it seems like e-commerce needs brick-and-mortar to fly higher. In 2017, Amazon, the world’s biggest e-commerce player took a surprising move. It acquired Whole Foods and hence controlled more than 450 physical stores. It was enough to raise analysts’ eyebrows: where is the online “game” heading? For example, Warby Parker has also been opening more physical stores. Personally, I thought these ph

Customer experience (CX) is more than a buzzword: it is a decision to understand your customer, place their needs at the center of your business and use the insights it creates to drive growth. With more data, tools, methods and sources than ever before to accomplish this, it can be both easier and more overwhelming at the same time. We see the opportunity to get to know the customer, a chance to build meaningful relationships and test hypotheses. This practice is at the cent

We hosted the last Curiouser of 2019, coming together as a cozy group of colleagues and friends. As the weather gets colder, our excitement for learning and innovation has only warmed. We sowed our curiosity, waiting for it to sprout in the new year. The Event The event brings together people from all walks of life. We talk about our ideas, developing them into powerful insights. Even though all Curiouser events are unique, this event was special for multiple reasons. A small

We believe that curiosity is an antidote to prevent obsoleteness and stale growth. We believe it so hard that we made curiosity part of our corporate culture, and our daily projects. Every week we attend events in marketing, science, innovation, creativity, design and investing. We love exploring the subject matter and enjoy sharing with attendees before and after each event. These sessions lead us to discover new relationships, insights, projects and ideas. We know this woul