Marketing Communications & Recruiting / Retaining Employees in a Competitive Market

By on   /   Blog, Brand Marketing, Branding, Case Studies, Education and Training, Marketing, Strategy  
emplyee recruting marketing communications

In a recent conversation with a client, we discussed their struggles recruiting and retaining quality employees. While this is not an uncommon issue these days, we’re seeing companies turn to the marketing communications side to support and augment HR efforts in these matters. Some items we discussed to help gaining traction and retention with new employee recruitment: DEFINE YOUR PRODUCT (Is this the job for them?): Start with the job description. Be upfront with the need each applicant will fulfill as well as the value the hire will provide to the company. The job description and subsequent posting (on your

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Content Marketing: 4 Simple Ways to Feed and Support Your Sales Team

By on   /   Blog, Education and Training, Marketing, SEO, Social Media Marketing, Strategy  
content marketing and sales strategies

More than blogging, more than newsletter fodder or search engine optimization (SEO) and keyword depth, the content you develop within a strategic content marketing program has the power to truly impact sales. The more you can tell the story of your company, the stronger your team can present itself to your customers. For your sales team, content marketing provides a voice beyond product specifications, statistics and pricing. It offers depth, knowledge and leverage. While many content marketing campaigns focus on external distribution in a public-facing approach, imagine the value of crafting these stories to empower your sales team. The information

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Use Video To Generate Interest In Your Brand

By on   /   Blog, Brand Marketing, Education and Training, Social Media Marketing  

A client asked me the other day, because I work quite a bit in video, if I encouraged others to use video to generate stronger interest in their brand.  Generally… YES.  But why? At the time, I couldn’t give him a definitive answer. I use many sources to create interest in the brands I manage, so to single out video made it difficult to communicate the sole benefit to their brand. Eventually, the conversation diverted to other topics, but I just couldn’t forget the question. So, out of curiosity, I clicked on the YouTube link on one of that customer’s

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Leadership & Parenting: “Just Do Your Best?”

By on   /   Blog, Education and Training  

My parents told me, from kindergarten through college as well as all of my years in competitive sports, “Just do your best,” and with that, I went on into the world a “fairly well-adjusted, happy kid.” I never quite excelled in school. I never quite excelled in sports. Sure, I was a good student and student-athlete, but was “good” really my best? Just do your best? While I love my parents, I have to say it was a mistake to tell me (an incredibly insecure, sensitive, creative child) to “Just do your best.” Think about it.  What are the benchmarks?

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VIDEO: “Are You Too Big To SMILE?”

By on   /   Blog, Brand Marketing  

CreateWOWmarketing travels through rural Iowa asking the simple question, “Is your brand too big to smile?” Finding that small town courtesy and respect seems to reflect in a size of company brand as well, Andrew B. Clark (The Brand Chef) questions why and how your brand could benefit from just a simple smile. 🙂

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Small Business Still Requires Big Planning

By on   /   Blog, Social Media Marketing  

There are a lot of positive signs that small businesses are starting to adopt social media marketing as an integrated component of their overall business plans. One significant change, based on a February 2010 Small Business Success Index report, is the fact that social media usage among small business jumped from a meager 12% in 2008 to 24% in the following year (Yes, doubled). Of those using social media, 69% post regular updates / articles of relevance to sites like FaceBook and LinkedIn. Two additional stats that made me smile were: 54% monitor positive / negative feedback via social networks,

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Holiday Gifts & Branding – A Cautionary Tale

By on   /   Blog, Brand Marketing  

This is the time of year that family, friends coworkers and clients alike gather to exchange the gift of cherished relationships and good wishes for a New Year.  From the obligatory Christmas card and phone call to the newly added FaceBook posts and tweets this week, the requisite merriment and well-wishing is in full swing! At the office, co-workers will play “Secret Santa” to those they generally don’t speak to for the other 51 weeks of the year. And vendors by the bus load will show up in your waiting rooms and reception areas adorned with tins-upon-tins of popcorn and

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You Can’t Rely on Gimmick Branding

By on   /   Blog, Brand Marketing  

Differentiation. It’s one of the keys to good branding. Branding and marketing professionals have been beating that drum since the dawn of communication. But being “Different” in simple separation from the competition isn’t enough. Differentiation needs to add value. Otherwise what good does it do for the consumer? Take for instance the recent “change” MillerCoors Brewing has made to their packaging. We’ve all seen the “Vortex Bottles” and the new big-mouth aluminum bottles. Sure that’s different, but the product is the same, watered down, tasteless swill. There hasn’t been any value proposition or improvement in the actual product. So unless

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Sweet, Intrinsic Brand Differentiation

By on   /   Blog, Brand Marketing  

How does your brand stand out in a crowded market?  It’s not enough to tout “great customer service” or “our focus is on quality.” Those are feeble excuses for separating your company brand from the rest.  It’s when you have a proven, quality product and recognizable trait to your brand that the differentiation will emerge.  And most times it’s not something that your marketing department or even the CEO can define. In an article from William Lozito (@WilliamLozito on Twitter) he talks about the unexpected success Sweet N’ Low has had with their current “Think Pink” campaign.  And while what

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