Our New Year’s Resolution: No More “Clients” in 2014!
It seems that over the course of the last 10-20 years or so, the word “client” has evolved from having a positive connotation to drawing a line in the sand between companies and the “clients” they are helping. Many of my current “client” relationships are GREAT, and with those individuals we have built a successful […]
To Co-Brand or Not To Co-Brand? That Is The Question
Over the last decade or so, a franchising trend that has been on the receiving end of a great deal of hype is the “co-branding” concept, in which one or more independent brands unite to create a unique product or service. You see co-branding all the time and probably don’t even register it-for instance, that […]
Modern Marketing, Where Integration is King
As social media and mobile apps continue to play an ever-increasing role of importance in the world of marketing brands, marketing has begun to shift and evolve at a rate that is more challenging to keep up with. The constant innovation of web and mobile technology has left some marketers scrambling to keep up and […]
Beyond “The Card”: Exciting Brand Loyalty Programs
Loyalty cards are a great asset to your business (I know – I’ve garnered a ton) but there’s always a way you can offer your customer more. Loyalty cards get lost among all other paper pretty easily; some stores keep cards on file for their guests. You can step it up: give them a plastic, […]
Follow Friday: A Fresh Take on How To Snag Social Media Followers
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of taking part in a social media webinar hosted by Guy Kawasaki, who is known for being a social media guru because of his outrageous amount of followers on various platforms, which total over 7.5 million overall. He once served as Apple’s Chief Evangelist, and is currently the […]
Starbucks Brand Review – Gratis
In the interest of full disclosure: I do “like” Starbucks coffee, and I own Starbucks stock. After a recent trip to the Czech Republic and Germany, I was finally able to see and review how the Starbucks brand is performing in other countries and compare it with my US experience. While I have experienced the […]
Using LinkedIn to Hook Your Professional Biz Network
With over 238 million professionals using LinkedIn, the business-minded social media site offers up an appealing avenue for reaching high-quality potential customers. The appeal is there, whether your online business operates in the business-to-business (B2) or business-to-consumer (B2C) arena. Once you’ve covered the basics of your business, such as installing an SDSL Internet connection and […]
Is Your Site Mobile Friendly??
There’s a lot of talk going on in the technology world about mobile websites vs. responsive websites vs. mobile-optimized sites. ALMOST any website can currently be viewed on a mobile device. However, it’s fairly easy to spot if a company has taken the time to actually produce a mobile version of their site. The best […]
Blogging Your Way To the Big-Time: Why Blogging Is GREAT for Business
As someone who loves to hear herself talk, I’m a big fan of blogging, but I think it’s safe to say that my blog-happy attitude is not the norm. Although my fellow Design the Planet team members love to share their brand marketing/web/design knowledge with the world, the writing part doesn’t come quite so easily […]