Brands: Is Looking Stupid Ever A Good Thing?

“There’s no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary.”                                                                      -Brendan Behan, Irish writer Even in the constant onslaught ofContinue reading “Brands: Is Looking Stupid Ever A Good Thing?”

Facebook Messenger Is Now a Platform — And Open For Business

Facebook Messenger is open for business — to businesses! One of the biggest announcements made at Facebook’s F8 Developers Conference last week is that Messenger is becoming a platform and is open for business. As business owners and consumers, we’re excited. Why? Peer-to-Peer Payments Feature Facebook is adding a feature to Messenger that will allowContinue reading “Facebook Messenger Is Now a Platform — And Open For Business”

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Business

Spring is in the air! Maybe it’s the rising temperatures or longer days, but optimism abounds this time of year. If spring cleaning is on your to-do list, don’t forget about your business! How can you spring clean your business? Try these tips: Get Organized — Go through your paper and electronic files and form aContinue reading “Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Business”

Social Media 2014: Traveling At The Speed of Light (And A Look Ahead!)

Social media. This ever-changing, real-time world is unbelievable — both in the marketing opportunity it presents and in trying to stay on top of the constant changes. Are you utilizing the new features that popped up in 2014? Let’s take a quick look back… Facebook Graph Search is expanded to include individual posts and statusContinue reading “Social Media 2014: Traveling At The Speed of Light (And A Look Ahead!)”

Social Media: Sales or Marketing Tool?

The big discussion on social media revolves around selling. Is it for hard selling? Creating and maintaining relationships? Building a community? Social media creates opportunities. It’s up to you to close them. Social media is one tool in your marketing mix. The confusion lies in the merging of sales and marketing — two separate functions (thatContinue reading “Social Media: Sales or Marketing Tool?”

Saved: Facebook Scrolls Into the News Game

Let’s face it. Facebook desperately wants to be the center of your online activities: your home page, your entertainment hub, your news source. Especially your news source. The social media giant may have finally arrived in this last sector. The recently introduced Save feature finally allows you to store interesting news stories and posts away for laterContinue reading “Saved: Facebook Scrolls Into the News Game”

Get Visual With Content Marketing: 5 Tools To Help

We’ve all heard that ‘a picture’s worth a thousand words,’ but the proof is more personal. When you flip through a magazine, browse online or read a blog post, where do your eyes go? To the pictures. So it should be no surprise that images are the number one most important factor in optimal social media content.Continue reading “Get Visual With Content Marketing: 5 Tools To Help”

Warning: Appropriate Hashtag Usage on Instagram Will Result in Major Traffic Increase

Hashtags: you either love them or hate them. This blog has pondered hashtag usage before and received a mixed response from readers on their effectiveness and aesthetic appeal. But more than a year after that discussion, one thing is clear. Hashtag usage should be defined more than ever by social platform. Social Platform Hashtag Usage Twitter?Continue reading “Warning: Appropriate Hashtag Usage on Instagram Will Result in Major Traffic Increase”

Should You Slim Down (on Social Media)?

One of the first things I always discuss with clients (or even prospects) is that you can’t be everything to everyone — even on social media. We all know that, but as small business owners or business professionals, it can be difficult to weed out any ‘potential’ customers. Do what I say, not what I do.Continue reading “Should You Slim Down (on Social Media)?”

Social Media: For Better or Worse?

In honor of the fifth annual Social Media Day yesterday, we wanted to stay on subject. While pouring over the coverage, it reminded us how much social media and the digital revolution has changed our lives — for better or worse.   How has social media changed our lives? For Better Connecting people around townContinue reading “Social Media: For Better or Worse?”