Mesmerizing Appeal

National marketing guru Sally Hogshead — she swears that's her real last name — has a message for any executive who seeks to increase sales: Forget about being well-liked and focus on being well-known.

It's one of a few key themes Hogshead says can separate a business from its competition. “It doesn't matter if you're the best if no one cares,” says Hogshead, a speaker and brand consultant whose clients have included Coca-Cola, Nike and BMW. “The question isn't just can you be good. The question is, can you be known?”

Adds Hogshead: “If you're not creating a negative reaction from somebody, you probably aren't fascinating anybody.”