There are countless deserving non-profits, benefits, fundraisers, and charities that a company can donate to. None any more deserving than the others. Small businesses need to be very thoughtful about the who, what, where, and when of their philanthropic donations. And here are a few reasons why: Having a clearly identified charitable alliance will eliminate…
The Unwritten Message
July 3, 2013 By
Public Relations. I recently found a great explanation of public relations, one that really resonated with me and I hope it will for you too. “Public relations is to shape and maintain the image of a company, organization, or individual in the eyes of the client’s various “publics”… the “publics” in PR terms is anyone…
Raising the Bar
June 5, 2013 By
My parents always told me when I was growing up to be careful who I surrounded myself with. If I hung around the wrong people, I would inevitably lower my own expectations and make choices that I may regret later on. I know that they meant well, but at the time I didn’t fully comprehend…
Opportunities Unlimited
May 9, 2013 By
I am amazed at the countless opportunities companies have to market themselves. No matter the business event I am attending, you will find representatives from radio, magazine, newspaper, online, promotional, printing, special coupon advertising, etc. Beyond that are more specific advertising sales professionals from various art venues like the Aronoff, Riverbend, the Pops, and Playhouse.…
Which Is It?
May 7, 2013 By
It is very common to get caught up in the daily responsibilities of running a business. Calling on clients, invoicing, returning calls, attending meetings, lunch appointments, networking…the list can go on and on. We can get so focused on working “in” the business that we forget to work “on” the business. The long-term success of…
“Fire, Ready, Aim!”
May 2, 2013 By
A wise man once said to me that when it comes to marketing a great philosophy to follow is “Fire, ready, aim!” Those three words couldn’t be more true. Too many times, small business becomes paralyzed by inaction with their marketing. Inaction can be due to: Numerous strategy sessions. Fear of a mistake. Further thought…
Sticking to the Brand
April 30, 2013 By
I recently read an article in the Business Courier that really struck a chord with me about the significance of branding. The company featured was a Cincinnati favorite, Graeter’s. Graeter’s has been doing exceptionally well in recent years: new stores are popping up, ice cream pints of Buckeye Blitz can be found in the freezer…
Are You Prepared?
April 23, 2013 By
Remember the days of interviewing for that first big job and all the extra research you did on the company you were meeting with? There were reasons you went to all that extra trouble, but do you remember why? I’m sure that we could all agree that there were several reasons, so let’s list a…
“Earned Media”
April 18, 2013 By
A key component to your marketing plan should involve public relations and the media. But what exactly does this mean? In terms of marketing, many people tend to think of paid advertising when they think of the media. However, an often overlooked piece is something that can cost little to nothing at all. This piece…
It’s Research, Not Stalking
March 26, 2013 By
“Is searching for connections on LinkedIn a form of stalking? Like some feel about that on Facebook?” That was a great question asked during one of our recent LinkedIn Seminars. I must admit that there were several chuckles in the room, including from the person who asked, but it was obvious that people wanted to…
