Traditionally, larger companies devote a portion of their budget to public relations, or PR, by hiring experts, either in-house or through a public relations firm, to manage the company’s messaging. The communication needs of a larger company can be time consuming and costly, especially if the strategy includes crisis communication. Most small companies avoid investing in PR and place an emphasis on traditional marketing or advertising to spread the word about a company’s services, but both are necessary. Marketing, especially digital marketing, provides a visual aspect to putting a company’s brand in the right place, but PR provides additional benefits …more

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million. Video marketing is a major part of many businesses’ strategy today. In the past, video production was much more expensive and therefore less accessible. Today, videos are more economical than ever to create and present to the your customers. VIDEO MARKETING 101 Your viewer wants something of value—something that makes it worth their time to watch the video. Knowing your market or customer base is important to creating valuable video content. The benefits of video marketing speak for themselves: Increase clicks of emails and online content …more

The Two Money-Making Functions of Businesses Peter Drucker, often called the father of modern management, famously advised that businesses have only two money-making functions—marketing and innovation. Everything else is an expense, Mr. Drucker said. These two profitable pursuits have one common channel running between them that should drive all business and marketing efforts—change. Innovation creates important changes in the marketplace. And marketing, at its finest, changes consumer behavior. Marketing is About Change Many people, assume that marketing is all about creativity. While creativity is important and helpful to the process, it isn’t the central driver of a successful strategy. It …more

  As a business owner, you know how important online customer reviews are to your brand’s image, and how they affect your overall marketing strategy. Facebook, Yelp!, Angie’s List, Google Places, Better Business Bureau (BBB)… the list of places for customers to leave reviews is extensive. The experience your customer has with each employee they encounter will determine what type of review the customer leaves for your business. Happy employees are good employees, and they are driving your business’s online review presence. Do they understand how appreciated they are? Are they providing your customers with a positive experience? According to …more

  As 2015 picks up momentum, we’re taking a look at the top 5 online video advertisements of 2014. Ranked by most views on YouTube, the top viral online ads are: Nike”Winner Stays” Wren “First Kiss” Nike “The Last Game” Budweiser “Puppy Love” Always “#LikeAGirl” To understand why these videos are successful, let’s take a closer look. For 3 out of the 5 ads, timing was crucial. Nike’s two ads and Budweiser’s ad took advantage of major sporting events. Nike’s ads premiered during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. According to FIFA.com, over 1 billion people took part in the world …more

Most business owners want their business to grow, but many are so busy with daily operations that growth happens more slowly than they’d like.  Coming up with a long-term growth strategy and getting the process started can seem like a daunting task when your days are filled with managing your business. What many people don’t realize is that the first step in growing your business is the opposite of what you might expect: 1)      Simplify How long has it been since you stood back and looked at the overall picture of your business? High-growth companies often move off in tangents …more

Business owners often find themselves entangled in a web of marketing activities without a clear vision of what they’re trying to say.  They believe that if they sprinkle enough money on their marketing seeds, new customers will grow.  What many don’t realize is that watering one clear message will produce better results. Where Did Your Marketing Message Originate? Think back to the beginning days of your business.  It all started with a great idea.  After refining the product or service, you opened for business.  You likely engaged in several activities to get your business going. Many business owners get involved …more

You’ve successfully attracted a potential customer to your website.  Now that they’re there, it’s your job to be sure they have the best possible experience and find what they’re looking for.  One way to encourage website visitors to spend more time browsing your website is by featuring a quality video on your website. Advances in entry-level camera technology have put the ability to create videos in the hands of the masses.  What it has not given everyone are the skills necessary to effectively use video for marketing their business! Is your video content making the grade? Sure, a video production …more

  If you’re in charge of marketing for your business, you know it’s not optional to be using social media.   Hopefully you’re monitoring your company reputation on review sites too.  Did you know both of these activities are important components to help customers find you in search engine results?! How many people look at online reviews? A recent survey showed that 90% of buyers are influenced by reading online reviews.   Many turn to Google to begin their search which means that when you stand out, you’ll be the first to get noticed. Why should I use Google+ for my business? …more

It’s no secret that almost everyone is online these days.  A recent study found that 78% of Americans use the internet daily.  At one time just having a company website was a good start to staking your claim to a spot in the cyber universe.  Not anymore. Nowadays, an outdated website with no internet marketing behind it might as well be your company’s tombstone. More and more businesses understand that winning the race for new customers means understanding the importance of internet marketing to stand out from the sea of competitors.  With Google receiving at least 65% of all search …more