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We're feeling a little uninspired by the invariable New Year's resolutions that are popping up these days. Lose weight. Quit smoking. Drink less. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Like fruitcake and ugly sweaters, it's becoming a tradition for many companies to wrangle over whether their seasonal messaging should include "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays."

In honor of Halloween, we've assembled some of the most spine-chilling, hair-raising, blood-curdling marketing tactics we've come across. Bottom line? This kind of marketing is scary. Scary, because of the damage this can do to a companies' brand.

What does your company's brand stand for? If that's a hard question for you to answer, then your company doesn't have a focused brand.

One of the most challenging aspects of landing a new customer is getting their attention. Over the years of helping clients with this challenge, we've learned that one of the most effective ways to tackle this is to send an engaging key account mailing.

A lot of people think branding is something for big companies. Something that requires a high-priced agency and a huge budget. Not so. Branding is not advertising. It's not a logo. It's strategy.

We live in a buzz culture, where the best kind of exposure often comes from word of mouth. Word of mouth is the type of publicity that will fire up your sales and ignite brand recognition.

When it comes to making decisions about which product or service to purchase, who do you trust? Newspaper articles? TV ads? Company web sites?

The shaky economy has prompted consumers to make some tough purchasing decisions. But when it comes to brands consumers are loyal to, those decisions are pretty straightforward.

A solid brand can be the difference between business success and failure - especially in this economy. A strong brand helps you stand out from your competitors, adds value to your product or services, and helps you connect with your consumers.

A recent EquiTrend study by Harris Interactive revealed that when the goin' gets tough, consumers tighten their grip on brands they are loyal to, instead of gravitating towards the product with the lowest price.

What the recent swine flu outbreak and the resulting pangs of the pork industry teach us, is that there is no substitute for careful listening and quick action. You can NEVER be too prepared when it comes to upholding your brand's reputation in the market