The World of Marketicity

How Do We Deal with the Daily Deal?

2011-09-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

Everybody wants to save a buck. I know I definitely do. After all, that’s why coworker Allison and I swap deals and coupons we hear about. And it’s no surprise that I’m not alone in my nearly overwhelming obsession to snatch up a discount. That’s why daily deal sites have drawn millions of customers since their inception.

An infographic released by Lab42 on Tuesday, September 13^th shed some new light on daily deal trends. There were a few findings reinforcing my opinion that not every business is qualified to withstand a go on heavy hitters like Groupon and LivingSocial.

One of the most notable findings in the infographic was that 60 percent of daily deal subscribers have purchased a deal from a company which they’re familiar. Only 13 percent of subscribers have purchased a deal from a company without doing any research. And now the research aspect brings me to my main argument.

Customers want that fuzzy comfort when purchasing a product or service. I fall perfectly into this statistic. Odds are, unfortunately, I’m not going to buy from a company I know little to nothing about. And if I’m the slightest bit interested in an unknown, I’m going to do my research. I’m going check reviews on Yelp, ask on Facebook and Twitter and check out their site – hoping they have one. I need them to gain my trust. I need to know that the $5, $15, $30 I’m spending is worth it. Is it worth to other people who have tried them before?

Take the recent Whole Foods LivingSocial deal. Spend $10, get $20. They capped the number of available coupons to one million and you better believe they met their mark. (And you better believe I scooped mine up.) Reports indicate the coupons we’re going 30-80 per minute. Why is that? Trust. Confidence. Brand loyalty.

I find it affirming that the success of companies who provide deals like above is because they know they’ll have buyers. They’ve already captured their customer base. Lesser known companies who are trying to ‘get on the map’ just may struggle because they haven’t gained that whole-hearted following. They’re attempting to build their brand by giving consumers something super cheap. Are they cheapening themselves just to get some business? Will the customer return after using their discount? That’s questionable.

Closing that trust gap for these companies is the key to gaining a consistent customer base. I say it’s better to build your brand, work towards gaining loyal followers and then reward them with the discount. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying lesser known companies can’t gain a swift following by tossing out a deal, but you have to wonder – is it that the way they want to position themselves for a consistent customer base?

I say we grow grassroots, you know, go “old-school”. It’s been done before. Coca Cola, Apple, Trader Joes and Target are all doing great – and I sure don’t remember seeing a buy one get one in my inbox.

Weighing the Value of Brand History

2011-09-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

I've seen two changes for well-known brands taking place in recent weeks -- one local, one global -- that have made me think about the good/bad in changing your brand. I believe one brand came through the change in a positive manner. I'm afraid, however, the other brand may have made a move they'll regret.

Overstock.com is changing and/or co-mingling their brand to be known as O.co. As an online company, their domain name is crucial to their brand (duh). I think this will work, however, because the updated brand is shorter, catchier, easier to remember and is supported by their branding history.

How so? You may recall their series of television ads in recent years promoting "The Big O." These ads often featured an attractive woman and succeeded (with intended sexual overtones) in associating the Overstock.com brand with the letter O. Overstock.com's recent branding efforts have also included specific branding/logo references to O. As a result, it appears to me that they've made a well-planned change and transition.

On the other hand, St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo., is changing its name to Mercy Hospital St. Louis. This is a branding change I do not understand. St. John's is a well-respected institution with decades of invested brand history. Why throw that away?

The hospital is a baby factory -- both of my kids were born there -- and they will have generations of St. Louisans still referring to their (or their children's) place of birth as St. John's. The name isn't going to go away for many, many years. In addition, the hospital has the area's most respected burn treatment unit. If you hear of someone being seriously burned, you assume they'll be treated at St. John's because that's how it has been for decades.

Those are just two examples of the hospital's strong brand recognition. So why make the change? Is it to avoid confusion with other hospitals also named St. John's? If that's the case, changing the brand to Mercy Hospital isn't a novel solution in my mind. You can't swing a stick in the medical community without encountering the word Mercy. It also causes additional confusion with the myriad of health care networks in St. Louis that seemingly have the word Mercy in their name.

In short, I still like the hospital but don't like their change. They've spent years building their brand and have nothing to show for what had been a worthwhile investment. What do you think?

Prepare Yourself for a Career in Marketing, Advertising and PR

2011-08-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

As summer winds down and the school year begins again, college students have to turn their focus from tan lines and barbecues to studying and working toward a successful career. Whenever we visit college classrooms to talk about the marketing and advertising industry, students ask our team, "What can we be doing now to make ourselves competitive in the future job market? How can we better prepare ourselves?"

In this day and age, having many talents and skills, or being a jack of all trades, is crucial to a newbie in the industry. The more you know, the better, the more valuable you become in the eyes of a potential employer.

Not sure where to start? Never fear-we've created a list for you:

How to Prepare Yourself for a Career in Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations

1. Read the newspaper. Okay, okay, you don't have to read an actual newspaper, but you should be reading the news every day. Visit cnn.com or your local online paper every day for just ten minutes. You never know when someone is going to ask about a current event, and you don't want to look like an idiot, trust me. It's important to read publications from more than one perspective as well. Not everyone shares your views.

2. Learn as much as possible about social media. Understanding the basics (i.e. updating a status, uploading photos, checking in, etc.) isn't enough. Teach yourself about social media ads and how to interact with a target market with these tools.

3. Set up a portfolio website. There are many free platforms available, and if you have the extra cash, a personalized domain looks great to future employees. It's something extra to put on your resume and allows future employers view more of your work. A portfolio website is also a great place to showcase your writing skills, which brings us to our next point.

4. Practice blogging. Start a personal blog and write things you wouldn't be embarrassed for a potential employee to see. This allows others to get a feel for your writing style and is excellent practice for you.

5. Learn about content management systems (CMS). Many websites are built on simple platforms that many non-web saavy industry professionals need to learn how to edit in right away.

6. Be creative. Whether it be through music, art, writing or another outlet, allow yourself at least a few minutes a day to be creative.

7. Intern somewhere. Anywhere. Companies want to see that you have experience and can perform in an office environment.

8. Business savviness is a growing need among young professionals. Companies are reluctant to hire someone who doesn't understand the basics of a business, i.e. profit and loss, growth rate, etc. Your basic Business 101 most likely can teach you everything you need to know.

9. Knowing AP style is a must. As a writing professional, it's crucial that you understand how to use correct wording and form. Businesses won't expect you to memorize the entire style guide, especially since it changes every year, but they do expect you to know the basics and reference it often.

10. Get involved. Your future employer knows that you had fun in college, but what else did you do? Extracurricular efforts show companies that you have drive and dedication, especially if you hold a leadership position. It doesn't necessarily have to be related to your industry-just show passion about a subject and commitment to your organization.

These days, putting in the minimum time and work for your degree isn't enough to land you a job after graduation. Follow the tips above and you should greatly increase your chances of finding a great first job. If you have any questions or would like to inquire about an internship, feel free to contact the Marketicity team.

Don't Forget the Bottom Line

2011-07-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

As a marketing and advertising professional, it's easy to get wrapped up in all of the fascinating ways that ideas can be expressed. First I think of a great idea, then I find a creative way to tell others and I sit back and watch the target audience become enthralled with my brilliant work.

With all of this going on, it's easy to get lost in the fun of advertising and forget its purpose–the bottom line. Our clients love when we come up with engaging ideas but do great ideas always make them money?

Not necessarily. It's important for us to take a step back from our work and ask ourselves, is the target audience going to visit this store because of this work? Will they pick up the phone and call our client about this product or service? Will they make a purchase? Will this generate revenue and profits for the client or will this just be an advertising piece that generates discussion, not money?

Great advertising isn't about how funny, interesting or confabulatory (oh yeah, I just used that word) something can be, it's about how many viewers turn around and purchase a product or service from the brand.

Word of mouth marketing does wonders for brands–don't get me wrong. However, if it doesn't translate into leads and sales for the client, it's accomplished nothing. However, marketing efforts don't have to successfully bring customers in right away–after all, the point of social media is to engage customers and show a brand as approachable. Consumers aren't going to run out and immediately start throwing their money at a brand just because they read a great blog or interacted with a business on Facebook. However, if these interactions don't eventually translate into a sale at some point down the road, the marketing efforts haven't been successful.

What do you think? Do you know of an example of great advertising that you think did nothing to increase revenue for the brand? Share your thoughts by commenting below. We'd love to hear what you think.

Have any questions about how to determine your advertising and marketing's return on investment? Contact us today.

The Impersonal Peril of the Scheduled Tweet

2011-07-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

The dawn of programs such as Hootsuite and TweetDeck have been a blessing to social media managers. Supervising and controlling several company accounts can prove challenging when you have a presence on multiple social media outlet. But the thing is – the certain features of these operating systems that we love so much can be brand killers. Come along and let’s talk.

Automated Direct Messages

Yes, we can agree that personally thanking someone for following you on Twitter is a polite gesture. But guess what, consumers know it isn’t genuine when they receive a general statement in the DM Inbox within seconds of the follow. As a ‘victim’ of this annoying occurrence, my first impression is that none of their tweets will be personal or direct, just a broad self-promoting callout. Meh, I will most likely pass. Businesses big and small need to rethink this action. People on social media, Twitter especially, are looking for conversation – and you’re not delivering.

Not Monitoring your Scheduled Tweets

Listen. No one cares about what promotion you have going on when significant national and local event is occurring and it’s all everyone is talking about. This is more challenging for national companies, and I usually let those slide because they can’t necessarily relate to substantial local events. But when a tornado is ripping through Lambert International – please don’t try to convince us to ‘come sit on your patio this evening for half priced martinis. Keep an eye out for situations like this and prevent appearing like an oblivious Twitter robot.

Not Responding to @ Tweets

The reason why I am such an advocate of Twitter is due to the power of obtaining instant gratification by means of a reply, especially when it comes to communicating with a business. I’ve had fantastic experiences with companies such as @redbox and @SouthwestAir with near immediate or quick responses to inquiries about policy, status, etc. While I salute companies who exhibit this behavior, I still get tripped up on the ones that take days to do so OR not even at all. Now I have to let you know that the ones I’m referring to are smaller, local companies. I would ask a question, eliciting a response and…nothing. It’s one thing to get to the game, but if you only want to sit on the bench, don’t bother.

The apparent attraction for a business to belly up to the social media bar is the opportunity to converse with their audience, the consumer of their product or service, or in some cases, sway potential consumers. As a company marketing on social media, it is your job to listen first, and then reply. If you’re not replying, you’re already losing.

This Is an Event...

2011-07-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

PR pros will tell you to establish your key messages and stick to them as part of media interviews. This is particularly important for unannounced interview requests. Our local FOX affiliate, KTVI, recently aired an interview conducted by their well-known investigative reporter, Elliott Davis, that demonstrated this point. The subject of the interview was St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, and I have to admit that this man REALLY knows how to stick to a message.

Those who have watched KTVI's You Paid For It segments know that Elliott Davis specializes in unannounced interviews, being prepared to question several angles of an issue and an infinite willingness to be direct. Mr. Dooley, however, managed to control the interview by not allowing Elliott Davis to further probe the topic. In other words, Mr. Dooley stuck to his key messages.

Some may say the county executive was uncooperative. I would say he knew what was coming in terms of the tone of the interview -- the You Paid For It segment is well known -- and was nothing more than prepared to ensure his message was heard. I found myself chuckling after watching Elliott Davis literally drop his head and slump his shoulders after Mr. Dooley repeated his key messages for the third or fourth time.

You may or may not like the style of Elliott Davis, but it is rare that he comes out of an interview without much of a confrontation. This interview is an exception. As Mr. Dooley would say, "This is an event..." Enjoy the footage.

http://www.fox2now.com/videobeta/?watchId=e0c4f92c-cc3c-433f-ba65-5b9245dc42a8?video=YHI&t=a

Arrested for Possession of Poor Branding Grammar

2011-07-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

I believe all professions have their pet peeves. Carpenters can spot a crooked wall, house cleaners see the lint in the corner of the room, accountants notice columns that are not right justified, etc. For me, it's spelling and grammar.

I'll also be the first to admit that I make spelling and grammar errors. I hate when it happens and, on some days, it happens more than it should.

But -- with that disclaimer out of the way -- I'm seeing more and more errors when it comes to using an apostrophe. Is this a major, world-shifting crisis? No. Is it annoying beyond belief? Yes, especially when the error is part of a company's brand.

What pushed me over the edge on this thought was a billboard on I-70 in Missouri. It was for a barbecue joint: Two Dude's Bar-B-Que. Because I love barbecue so much, my anal, journalistic mind is willing to overlook the fact that they do not use AP style in spelling the word barbecue. No biggie.

What blows me away, however, is that they've included a punctuation blunder in their name that guarantees everything they create for their brand -- from menus to bibs, ads, billboards and shirts -- includes an error. I'll explain.

Two dudes own this barbecue joint. The word dudes is obviously plural. There are, after all, apparently two dudes involved. The fact that they own the joint makes it possessive. So, we have a plural possessive. The correct use of grammar in this case would be Two Dudes' Bar-B-Que. Just move the apostrophe to be behind the s and you're good to go.

Or, change the name to Two Dude's With Poor Grammar Bar-B-Que. Although somewhat funny, that would be a real son of a gun to fit on a logo.

I have one last apostrophe thingy to get off my chest. When describing a span of time such as a decade or century, please don't use an apostrophe unless the span of time is a possessive. If you're discussing your love for Devo or Belinda Carlisle, it's the music of the 1980s, not the 1980's.

Okay, I feel better now. Carry on.

Twitter Gets a Religious Experience

2011-07-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

With more than a billion members, the Catholic Church looks to His Holiness, the pope, for direction and guidance. Now those who wish to find a more intimate relationship with the church don't necessarily need to visit the Vatican City. They can communicate with the head of the church through a social media website they are already familiar with–Twitter.

The Church's acceptance and use of this new form of communication further proves the prevalence of social media in today's world. Consumers and parishioners alike are no longer reaching out to businesses and organizations the way they used to. They now expect those entities to come to them.

This presents several opportunities for the Catholic Church. It has the large opportunity of spreading the word of God and his teachings among their followers. It also may renew an interest in the church and attract new members. This move could renew the faith of those who have lost interest. It also serves as a direct line of communication between the Vatican and the world. Any news can immediately be relayed to the public.

However, the addition of a Twitter account could also pose several problems and threats for the Vatican. The Church faces many opponents and Twitter allows their comments to become much more public. However, as long as these negative comments are handled appropriately and quickly, the Vatican can spread its messages in face of adversity.

The success of the Vatican's new Twitter account will depend on how carefully and quickly representatives respond to questions, positive feedback and address negative comments. A designated staff member from the Catholic Church's communications department should manage this Twitter account full time to ensure vigilant monitoring. As we tell our clients, social media can work wonders for a business but only if it is handled well.

Do you have questions about how to manage your company's social media? Contact us today. We'd be happy to help you out.

Get In the Game

2011-06-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

In-Game Advertising is on the Rise

As social media expands and draws bigger audiences, a veteran industry quietly gains strength in advertising. Video gaming, a force since the 1980’s, and online gaming, as old as the Internet itself, have emerged as a powerful advertising alternative.

Because gamers usually concentrate on only one medium while playing, their attention is undivided, and they are more likely to remember the brands within the game. In a day in which TV viewers can fast-forward through commercials, brands have the opportunity to gain more awareness. In fact, a study by BlueNoodle shows that gaming advertising is more effective than traditional TV advertising.

There are several avenues that a company can take to advertise within a game. A business can promote itself directly in the game, such as on a billboard or through a strategic placement in which a character uses the product. For example, some sporting games allow companies to place signs on the playing field or have characters drinking its beverages. A company can also place a basic image advertisement in between games or levels. If clicked on, the user moves to the advertiser’s website. A new trend emphasizes a gamer’s need for currency within some games. A business can convince users to buy its product in exchange for game currency or goods.

While some gamers find the advertisements annoying, most do not mind the small pauses in their games. In fact, in-game advertising keeps most games free, which most users prefer. A study by EA and Activison shows that 82% of gamers find games with ads just as fun as games without them. For the time being, in-game advertising is not only profitable, it’s also safe from deterring gamers.

Businesses can greatly benefit from gaming advertising. However, there are several important points to remember:

Your placement must make sense in the context of the game. In a sporting game, a beverage advertisement makes much more sense than one for a doll store.
The advertisement must resonate with the gamer demographic. Games can provide this information before advertisements are developed and purchased, and it’s something to take seriously. If users of a certain game are teenage boys, advertising alcohol is not the best idea.
A unique angle must be found. While the gamers’ attention is usually fully on the game, a great eye-catching ad will remain in their mind long after the game is over.

If you’d like to learn more about these advertising opportunities, contact the Marketicity team. We’re happy to tell you more about them.

Social Media and Mother Nature

2011-05-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Born and raised in the Midwest, I believe in one way or another we all acquired a keen fascination (or terror) for meteorology and the wrath of Mother Nature. As we saw this week in Joplin, last month in Tuscaloosa and last year in Hammond – destruction of tornadic magnitude is out of our hands. But as we’ve also seen when these disasters hit (whether as severe or not) what we do have in our hands is the power to inform. And we’re informing on social media.

Sunday evening, as I sat on the couch in my South City home, I had the TV on, iPhone in hand, laptop on, well, my lap. Each avenue of technology was delivering the bits of information I was anxiously awaiting. Local TV stations have long been the go-to source for up-to-the-minute weather information and warnings in unstable situations such as those displayed yesterday. But I already knew there were storms coming; I wanted to know what they were doing.

Twitter was abuzz. I follow over 1,000 users, most of who reside in the St. Louis Metro. My Hootsuite feed could barely keep up with the 10 tweets per second. Photos of damage, hail measurements, rain intensity and simply, descriptions of the sky as the storm rolled in. By the time the impending storm reached my neighborhood, we endured a bout of heavy rain and some thunder. But once all was said and done with the evening storms, I wasn’t quite ready to power down my up-to-the-second newsfeed. Joplin was destroyed and I wanted details.

Retweets were flying through my stream faster than I could keep up. People were tweeting to make contact with family and friends in and around Joplin; survivors were clarifying their well-being; Red Cross was directing folks to their Safe and Well site; raw audio and video began erupting; pleas were made to medical personnel to flock to southwest Missouri, and info on crisis center locations were being established.

A Facebook page, Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery, was created that evening on the relief efforts already being set in place. At 9pm on Sunday, it had already gained 6,800 likes. At 9am on Monday, over 50,000 and not even 48 hours after the tornado struck, nearly 150,000. Because of this Facebook page, people have gained contact with loved ones affected by the storm, provided resources to Joplin area residents established opportunities for donation and simply been a way to say, ‘Joplin, we’re with you’.

My respect and fascination with social media takes on a whole new meaning when such monumental national and international events like this occur. Social media is no longer just another option to chat with old friends, potential colleagues and fellow professionals. It’s a commercial-free instantaneous avenue for answers and if you’re not on-board now, you risk being left behind.

To make a donation to the relief efforts taking place in Joplin, please text:

REDCROSS to 90999 for a $10 donation to the American Red Cross

Joplin to 864833 for a $10 donation to the Heart of Missouri United Way

JOPLIN to 80888 for a $10 donation to The Salvation Army

New Job Opportunity at Marketicity

2011-04-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Marketicity Inc., an award-winning advertising and public relations agency since 1994, is reviewing applications for a SEO/Social Media Specialist. In this role, the individual will be responsible for recommending, creating and implementing marketing communications projects and campaigns using advertising and PR strategies. The role will include opportunities for account management. Proven agency new business development skills are an advantage, as well.

Confident and creative self-starters will be successful in this role and enjoy the wide array of projects available through our growing base of clients. Our firm will be a welcome challenge for those who are tired of being pigeonholed in a large agency or organization with rigid roles that make for a boring (or frustrating) work day.

Requirements:
· Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism or similar field
· Exceptional creative writing skills and thorough knowledge of AP writing style
· 2-5 years of communications/advertising/public relations experience
· Demonstrated SEO strategy skills
· Demonstrated use of effective social media campaigns
· SEO copywriting, PPC ad writing skills
· Strong agency new business development skills
· Familiarity with progressive mobile/e-marketing campaigns
· Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and basic ad design (preferred, not required)
· Excellent proofreading skills and attention to detail
· Strong project coordination skills
· Strong public speaking, persuasion, presentation and interpersonal skills
· Ability to manage and work with vendors and freelancers
· Familiarity with print and Web production processes
· Critical thinking, originality and the ability to work independently, i.e., self-starter
· Media buying experience a plus, but not required

Position salary is commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience and skill set. Marketicity offers medical insurance, a SIMPLE 401k retirement plan and other benefits.

To Apply:
Mail or email three writing samples (one news release, two creative writing samples/articles/ads), a resume, salary history and salary requirement to:

P.O. Box 168, Columbia, IL 62236
theteam@marketicity.com
Phone: 618.281.6648 (ext. 1)
Fax: 618.281.6667

HTML5: The Wilderness Downtown

2010-09-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

HTML5 what is this?

HTML5 is the next major revision of the HTML standard. This language brings features such as video playback, geo-location, as well as, new elements including header, nav, section, aside, footer and canvas. Currently, HTML5 is not supported by all browsers, but Chrome, Safari and Firefox are among the advanced and leading the industry. Find out how well your browser supports HTML5.

Marketicity explores a Chrome Experiment

The Wilderness Downtown, created by friends from Google, was built in HTML5. This interactive film uses imagery from Google satellite images and music by Arcade Fire to walk you through the days of old. Marketictiy explored Chris Milk’s downtown adventure. Imagine a whimsical Indie alternative sound taking you back in time to the streets of your childhood. This film uses the new video tag to play all videos and the canvas tag to draw a message to your younger self. Marketicity utilized the dynamic 3-D drawing tool and left a message for others who occupied our building at 109 North Main. Audio and video stream directly to your browser without a third party plug-ins such as Flash or Silverlight through the technology of HTML5. Casara Heaton, Marketicity's own graphic design specialist, sees the wave of the future in HTML5 and this video is a great example of its capabilities.

Walk through The Wilderness Downtown and see how HTML5 is pushing the future of Web.

SEO/Social Media Account Manager

2010-07-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Marketicity Inc., an award-winning advertising and public relations agency since 1994, is reviewing applications for an SEO/Social Media Account Manager. In this role, the individual will be responsible for account management, business development, and recommending, creating and implementing marketing and communications projects for a wide variety of clients.

Confident and creative self-starters will be successful in this role. Our firm will be a welcome challenge for those who are tired of being pigeonholed in a large agency or organization with office politics and rigid roles that make for a boring (or frustrating) work day.

Qualifications:
Basics
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing or similar field
• 2-5 years of communications/marketing/advertising/public relations agency experience

Writing/PR
• Exceptional writing skills and thorough knowledge of AP writing style
• Excellent proofreading skills and attention to detail

Business development
• Skills to aggressively develop/increase our client base
• Proven ability to build relationships with clients

Social media/digital marketing
• Familiarity with commercial social media/digital progressive marketing campaigns with the ability to locate/record conversation
• Ability to implement and guide ongoing strategic social media tactics
• Develop and manage digital communication programs

SEO/advertising
• SEO copywriting, PPC ad writing skills
• Media buying is a plus, but not required

Design
• Adobe Suite skills are a plus, but not required
• Knowledge of HTML/CSS is a plus, but not required

Personality
• Ability to work with designers to ensure aligned and consistent branding
• Strong project coordination and organizational skills
• Strong public speaking, persuasion, presentation and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage and work with vendors and freelancers
• Critical thinking, originality and intellectual curiosity
• Entrepreneurial spirit with driven mentality
• Ability to work in a multi-faceted and deadline-oriented environment

About the Position:
Position salary is commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience and skill set. Marketicity offers medical insurance, a SIMPLE 401k retirement plan and other benefits.

To apply:
Mail or email three writing samples (one news release, two creative writing samples/articles/ads), a resume, salary history and salary requirement to:

E-mail: theteam@marketicity.com

P.O. Box 168
Columbia, IL 62236

St. Louis PR, Marketing and Design Firm Internships

2010-06-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Marketicity offers year-round internships in marketing communications and web design/development. An internship at Marketicity provides first-hand exposure to the world of marketing and design.

Internships are open to college juniors, seniors and graduate students. Hours for the position are flexible and would vary from 15-20 hours per week. Internships are paid and available for credit.

Fall Internship Application Deadline - July 15
Spring Internship Application Deadline - November 15
Summer Internship Application Deadline - March 15

Build Your Skills | Build Your Portfolio

Marketing Communications Internship

2010-06-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

As Marketicity’s Marketing Communications Intern, you will create text for newsletters, websites, blogs and social media outlets, while conducting Internet research, managing web content and assisting with other marketing related projects. Confident and creative self-starters will be successful in this role and enjoy the wide array of projects available. Interns will participate in creative brainstorming sessions, team collaboration and client activities.

Requirements:
• Ideal candidates will have progress toward bachelor's/master’s degree in communications, public relations, marketing, journalism, English or a similar field
• Exceptional writing skills and thorough knowledge of AP writing style
• Excellent proofreading skills and attention to detail
• Strong project coordination skills
• Adept public speaking, presentation and interpersonal skills
• Social media and blog management
• Computer literacy with Internet navigation, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook

Details:
• Originality, creativity and the ability to work independently
• Ability to think critically, meet deadlines and solve problems
• Open to college juniors, seniors and graduate students
• Hours for the position are flexible and would vary from 15-20 hours per week
• Internships are paid and available for credit

Application deadlines are: fall internship (July 15), spring internship (November 15) and summer internship (March 15).

To apply:
E-mail resume and writing samples including but not limited to one news release, two marketing communications pieces and/or link to online portfolio to theteam@marketicity.com

Web Design/Developer Internship

2010-06-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Marketicity is looking for a part-time Web Design/Developer intern who is eager to participate in and adapt to creative decisions. As an intern, presentation skills, an eye for design and the willingness to search for creative and technical solutions is required. Interns will participate in creative brainstorming sessions, team collaboration and client activities.

Requirements:
· Excellent knowledge in CSS and HTML
· Working knowledge of PHP, Javascript and MySQL database management
· Dreamweaver CS3+
· Photoshop CS3+
· Ability to convert design comps into web standards compliant, cross-browser websites
· Mac friendly

Interest in the following:
· Content management systems (Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal)
· jQuery
· Open Source software
· Google tools
· Mobile web and application development
· SEO management
· Flash CS3+
· Actionscript 3

Details:
· Originality, creativity and the ability to work independently
· Ability to think critically, meet deadlines and solve problems
· Open to college juniors, seniors and graduate students
· Hours for the position are flexible and would vary from 15-20 hours per week
· Internships are paid and available for credit

Application deadlines are: fall internship (July 15), spring internship (November 15) and summer internship (March 15).

To apply:
E-mail resume and link to online portfolio to theteam@marketicity.com

Welcome Marketicity Summer Interns 2010

2010-06-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

As of today, we're extremely proud to have both of our summer interns in house and working with the Marketicity team. Gabriele Bladdick, a senior majoring in public relations at Valparaiso University, joined us May 17 and is working on a variety of marketing communications projects. Gabby is president of Valpo's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and has already delivered great work in her brief time at Marketicity. We've determined she may also quite possibly be the biggest St. Louis Blues fan in the history of the franchise.

Our second intern, Jacob King, joined us today. Jacob is a native of Louisiana and is pursuing his master's in computer systems technology at Louisiana State University - Shreveport. In addition to his Web design skills, Jacob is proficient in graphic design. It's great having him in the office and he's already getting his feet wet becoming familiar with several client projects. Jacob is eager to experience life in the St. Louis area this summer and ready to become a Cardinals fan (which is a mandatory requirement for working at Marketicity).

Welcome Gabby and Jacob...

Moving Day Boxes

2010-05-05T07:12:00.001-07:00

Marketicity made the big move last week to 109 North Main Street. Marketicity now resides in Columbia's historic William Vogt Building. The boxes are unpacked, the desks are set up and the computers are online. Our office looks rather different today than when it was originally occupied in 1893 as a department store selling everything from groceries, tin ware, stoves, farm equipment, guns, hardware, china and glass ware. And now – 117 years later a company moves in that helps market and promote those items and more. Marketicity is a full-service marketing and public relations firm that has an entire staff of professional writers, graphic artists and web developers.

Stop in to see the place, say hello and a sample of our services.

Web Developer Summer Internship

2010-04-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

OPPORTUNITY: WEB DEVELOPER INTERNSHIP

Requirements:

XHTML & CSS, HTML
PHP, Javascript
SQL database management
Dreamweaver CS3+

Additional qualifications:

Problem solver - "can't" is not in his/her vocabulary
Ability to convert design comps into web standards compliant, cross-browser web sites
Eager to participate in and adapt to creative decisions
Presentation skills
Ability to work independently and multi-task
Team player
Willingness to search for creative and technical solutions
Eye for design

Interest in the following:

jQuery
Open Source software
Developing with Google tools
Mobile web and application development
SEO management
Knowledge of content management systems (Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal)
Flash CS3+
Actionscript 3

Details:

10-week summer internships June-August
Open to college seniors and graduate students
Hours for the position are flexible and would vary from 15-20 hours per week
Internship available for credit and is paid
Internship would work in Marketicity’s office at 109 North Main Street, Columbia, Ill.

To apply:
Email resume and link to online portfolio to theteam@marketicity.com.

Marketing Communications Summer Internship

2010-04-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

As Marketiticity's Marketing Communications Intern, you will be responsible for assisting in creating and implementing marketing communications projects and campaigns, writing public relations/social media articles, and providing some agency clerical support. Confident and creative self-starters will be successful in this role and enjoy the wide array of projects available through our growing base of clients.

OPPORTUNITY: MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP

Requirements:

Progress toward Bachelor's/Master’s degree in communications, journalism or similar field (Junior year students, at minimum)
Exceptional creative writing skills and thorough knowledge of AP writing style (please do not apply without extensive knowledge of AP style).
Computer literacy with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Internet
Excellent proofreading skills and attention to detail
Strong project coordination skills
Strong public speaking, presentation and interpersonal skills
Familiarity with social media
Critical thinking, originality and the ability to work independently, i.e., self-starter

Details:

10-week summer internships June-August
Open to college seniors and graduate students
Hours for the position are flexible and would vary from 15-20 hours per week
Internship available for credit and is paid
Internship would work in Marketicity’s office at 109 North Main Street, Columbia, Ill.

To apply
Email resume and two writing samples (one news release, two creative writing samples/articles/ads) to theteam@marketicity.com.

Summer Internships

2010-03-31T14:36:00.000-07:00

Looking for an summer internship?

Marketicity is offering 10-week summer internships June-August to college seniors and graduate students. Hours for the position are flexible and would vary from 15-20 hours per week. This internship is available for credit and is paid.

The internship would work in Marketicity’s office at 109 North Main Street, Columbia, Ill.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP
WEB DEVELOPER INTERNSHIP

SEO 101

2010-03-02T10:35:00.001-08:00

SEO vs. SEM
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) "is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" or un-paid ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results," according to Wikipedia. Search Engine Marketing refers to paid online efforts such as AdWords, banner ads or Facebook ads to drive Web site traffic.

Why Care about SEO?

US Internet users spend an average of 17 hours per week online.
65% of Internet users look for information about various products and services on the Internet and buy online
22% of users have a specific search engine dedicated as their home page.
66% of Internet users make purchases online.
52% of Internet users do not click on online ads.

What does SEO include?
SEO is not just about keywords or programming or links. In fact, it is a heavily evolving myriad of multiple elements that help your Web site rise to the top of the organic search effort. Some measurables that pertain to your SEO ranking include:

Page Rank
Page Speed
Hits
Relevancy
Frequency
Bookmarks
Programming elements
Links
Listings
Keywords
URL Structure
Domain redirects

Some of these items require the ability to navigate and edit a Web site's code. However, other elements, such as external links, hits, bookmarks, frequency and relevancy are easier to manage. Efforts to drive Web site traffic often assist with improving many of these efforts and include maintaining a news page on a Web site, social media and local listings.

Page Rank
The primary item - Page Rank - is unfortunately the least definable. Yet, it is believed that quality external links significantly contribute to boosting this score. Read an older post about what qualifies as quality. this is how Google defines Page Rank:

PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important."

And this is how HubSpot defines the scoring system in their article The Importance of Google PageRank: A Guide For Small Business Executives:

0-3: New sites or sites with very minimal links
4-5: Popular sites with a fair amount of inbound links
6: Very popular sites that have hundreds of links, many of them quality links
7-10: Usually media brands (NYTimes.com), big companies or A-list bloggers.

Call Marketicity to learn more about SEO, and it's importance to your business.

Is Your Web Site Mobile Ready?

2010-02-26T09:24:00.000-08:00

Web sites are not typically created to perform well on the significantly smaller screens of iPhones, BlackBerries and other mobile devices flooding the market right now. However, if your Web site is coded correctly, then mobile surfers should be able to access and view your Web site.

Right now, numerous solutions exist for making your Web site mobile ready. Solutions vary from redirecting to a smaller, simpler site to recoding your current site.

Why be mobile ready?
A Pew research study released news this week that 26 percent of Americans use their mobile phones to find news content. So, you better believe that finding other information is most certainly happening on the Web. In fact, Ebay, Orbitz and Amazon are among the many that have made their Web sites Web ready.

Is your Web site mobile ready?
Simply, check your Web site on a mobile phone browser. Do the pictures appear? What text appears? Is the formatting different? If your Web site is not easily read or is unviewable in a mobile browser, then you should respond quickly to making your site mobile ready.

Another good way to know how soon you need to consider making your Web site mobile-ready, use Google Analytics to track how many hits you are receiving via a mobile device. Google conveniently tracks down what types of mobile devices are connecting to your phone. If you are seeing an increase in mobile traffic, month-after-month, then it is time to talk to a professional about updating your Web site's coding.

Inspiring Printing Processes from Sappi Fine Paper

2010-02-23T06:38:00.000-08:00

Inspiration was just waiting in our mailbox.

It is really fantastic how going to a design conference gets your name into so many mailing lists. Now, granted, everyone hates junk mail. But getting packages of free paper and product samples showcasing great flexibility in what the final product can look & feel like - I will never complain. Be inspired by printing processes. From a soft touch spot on a chocolate to a foil with emboss on a fun heart shape - Sappi's greeting cards were a nice surprise at the end of the day.

"Design is art people use"
~Simply stated from the book D.I.Y Design It Yourself edited by Ellen Lupton

So, thank you Sappi for your greeting cards, created by Michael Osborne Design. I am surely to use them to brighten another designers' day.

YouTube 101

2010-02-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

YouTube is an easy and cost-effective way to increase Web site traffic, boost rapport with customers and build interest in a brand. There are a number of ways to utilize this tool. For instance, the IRS has an informational YouTube Channel that is frequently updated with commercials, tips and how to's. For our client Garden Place Senior Living, they posted their Charter commercial so that it could reach additional audiences. David Siteman Garland - a popular regional entrepreneurial mentor - also uses regular casts to interview other professionals, provide advice and televise events. These things do not take a grand marketing budget. In fact, they can easily fit into a small- or medium-sized businesses marketing plan.

It's a simple as having a digital video camera (and yes your iPhone counts), some basic editing software, a YouTube account and some creativity. Follow this step-by-step instructional from eHow and make a YouTube video for your business Web site.

Link Up to Build SEO

2010-01-27T14:01:00.000-08:00

Web site Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves a myriad of elements. First, there is the programming - how things are tagged and written in the code of your site. Second is the strategic and frequent placement of Keywords throughout the site. Third.... well, the list keeps going.

But one of the major keys to increasing SEO is LINKS.

It is important to know that there are two types of links - external and internal. The latter is easy to accomplish since it is linking within your own Web site to direct people through your pages. External links are a bit trickier.

The key to external links is to acquire QUALITY links. What is a quality link? It's when a trade or industry site links to your Web site. It's when people bookmark your pages and continue to link back to them. Technorati.com writer Sally Ormand writes:

"The more relevent the links are that point back to your site, the more Google (and the other search engines) will see you as an authority on your particular subject matter. After all, if you are getting links from respected sites in your field, you must be an expert, right?"

Now, how do you acquire these authority links?

1. Create lists and submit them to bookmarking and social media sites that entice people to bookmark them. Popular bookmarking sites include Delicious and Digg.

2. Update local listings, such as your Google Maps listing, Yelp.com, SuperPages, MerchantCircle.com, etc.

3. Syndicate trade articles or reviews through sites such as EzineArticles.com or GoArticles.com that link back to your site.

4. Add your blog page to directories such as LoadedWeb.com or swap links with local organizations such as LocalAutoSpot.com (if your business is relevant to cars), the Better Business Bureau or a BNI chapter.

5. Follow other blogs in your field and make comments that show your authority on the topic and drive people to other industry bloggers through links. The goal is that they will return the favor.

SEO, like social media, is a constant effort. And, sometimes it requires purchasing linking opportunities, but only do so for Web sites with high Alexa ratings. Online business is highly competitive so continue to build your online presence and work to stay atop SEO standards.

For more ideas, contact Marketicity or for DIY ideas read 101 Ways to Build Link Popularity.

Mobile Marketing 101

2010-01-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

Like social media and the Internet, mobile marketing has its doubters. But the simple truth is that 160 of the 244 million mobile phone users in the United States have text plans. Of these, 54.5 million are mobile Internet users, though 172 million phones are capable of Internet usage. Plus, 27 million access social networks from their mobile phones.

Even though smart phones only comprise one-third of the mobile market, the bigger statistic for mobile marketing is that nearly half of all mobile phone users have a text plan.

SMS Marketing
SMS stands for short-message marketing and refers to text-message marketing. You've seen the ads, text "Vote" to a four-digit short code, such as 5252. however, you can also text promotions or updates. It is perhaps the most personal form of marketing, plus technology allows you to grab the phone number, name and other information when people voluntarily opt-in to a mobile marketing program.

Mobile-Ready Web Sites
During the summer, I heard a statistic in summer 2009 that only one percent of Web sites are mobile ready. Yet, the smart phone market continues to surge. While only comprising one-third of the overall market, smart phones - including iPhones, Blackberrys and Androids - are a growing marketshare with no halt in sight. However, it's not just smart phones that are capable of hosting Internet access. How does your Web site look on the mobile Web?

Mobile Applications
You can't hide from the almighty "app." There are more than 100,00 iphone applications. Add to this the many Blackberry and Google Android Applications. Plus, Windows Marketplace for Mobile is coming soon. Not everyone needs a mobile application, but it is something to think about. It is expected that smart phone users will comprise 50 percent of the mobile market in the next two to three years.

Mobile Networking
Social media is simply inescapable right now. The major social media tools all have applications for smart phones, so people regularly access these outlines through their mobile connection - sending updates, posting links, sharing photos. Part of the future of Public Relations and Networking is social media, especially mobile social applications. It's time to start perfecting your 160-character sound bites.

Learn From 2009's Massive Marketing Changes

2010-01-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

A Message from Scott Rodemich

Curious about the approach others in your industry (or other industries) took in 2009? Needless to say, we were cautious about our own agency’s business prospects heading into the year in light of the current economy.

Looking back, however, we saw a large number of clients being savvy “bottom-up investors” in terms of marketing. They reinvested in their brand awareness and identity while others cut back. Here’s what we saw:

Web is King
Not a new concept. However, in terms of marketing, a firm’s Web-based efforts continue to grow in terms of conveying brand, measuring marketing ROI and serving as a business lead generator. Web investments by our clients were exceptional and continue to provide value.

Personal PR and Marketing (aka Social Media)
Do you have a personal and/or business Facebook page yet? If so, are you using it to connect with customers and provide valuable information? Are you using it to measure ROI on marketing efforts? Are you using it to increase brand awareness? And since it is also a quasi-PR tool, is it being monitored daily? Do you Twitter? Do you know whether you should Twitter or Facebook (or both)? Answering these questions and developing targeted business solutions was one of the fastest-growing segments of our business in 2009.

Organic SEO vs. PPC
Organic searches are when someone types a word or phrase into Google, for example. The highest-rated sites for those terms appear in the middle of the page. Getting your company as high as possible in that section is an effort called organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Conversely, the ads at the top and side of search pages appear via Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. For the right companies, PPC campaigns work. But, we found new clients who were being ripped off by paying PPC amounts for their own brand names – brands they’ve built over the years – while being ignored in the organic section of Web searches. In turn, we designed solutions to improve organic SEO rankings and better target their PPC efforts.

Marketing ROI
Do you know if a specific marketing effort works or not? You should. New, free tools exist to let you know if you marketing efforts are leading to greater awareness. And remember, advertising is for awareness. It’s up to your sales team to take that awareness and bring it to the bottom line. We’ve helped monitor the success of marketing in ways not previously possible … an important factor in the challenging climate of 2009.

Print and Video Are Not Dead
We saw a leveling of corporate investment in print and video projects this year – not a downturn. That’s good. Companies realize there is still a time and place for something their client can feel, hear and see in person. The twist, however, is that these pieces are being incorporated into the Web to increase the brand ROI for each print or video project. For one client, a short video on their site is the page that generates the most traffic. For another, we completed a new corporate video and brochure early in 2009. The client incorporated these pieces into their Web presence, as well.

Looking Ahead
So what’s on the horizon … Marketicity is moving forward to assist clients with the mobile revolution, including mobile networking and PR through social media, texting promotions, mobile coupons and mobile-compatible Web sites. Smart phone purchases continue to skyrocket and companies must be able to share their message on the computer and on a mobile phone. Mobile technology also presents a variety of client retention and operational efficiency opportunities for clients and their customers. It’s just another extension of what’s been an exciting time for us.

In Summary
Looking back, it was a good year. Business for our firm was up 20 percent. We were blessed with new and existing clients who saw the wisdom of investing in a down market. We also saw clients ready to move forward with their customers’ embrace of technology.

Bottom line: if you believe everyone sat on the sideline in 2009 and muddled along, they did not. We hope you have a tremendous 2010 and would welcome the opportunity to help you improve brand awareness this year.

Prairie Farms 2009 Annual Report

2010-01-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

In a mere six weeks, we completed the Prairie Farms 2009 Annual Report. Always a tight deadline, this project is edited, concepted, designed and printed within the six-week time frame.

This year, we strove to push the design of the report to a more sophisticated level that bolstered the emerging branding makeover Prairie Farms has presented in the last year. in particular, Casara Heaton, our Graphic Design Specialist, improved the readability of text layout, updated chart graphics and modernized the design, including the cover stock choice.

This year, in particular, we are really excited about the print edition of the 2009 Prairie Farms Annual report. It is truly a team project that requires speedy turn-around from Prairie Farms and Marketicity. Can't wait to see what we develop in 2010!

We've Moved! (temporarily)

2010-01-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

While we wait for our new office to be complete, we are temporarily located in our new space at:
119 S. Main St.
Columbia, IL 62236

Our temporary office is located about one block away from our final destination at 109 N. Main St. in the heart of Columbia's business district in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

If you are in the area, please stop by and visit us! We are excited about the reviews of our new exposed-brick, open floor plan office. See you soon!

htc.net Goes Live!

2009-12-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

We are very happy that the new htc.net site went live on Monday! This project includes video feeds, action graphics and a snazzy new brand image for this local and progressive communications company headquartered in Waterloo, Illinois. The Web site is designed to be SEO friendly and to better spotlight the company's growing communication service options. Check it out, and let us know what you think!

Online Share vs. Online Search

2009-12-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

Many skeptics remain about the value of social media and online news pages in a business marketing plan. This is why... sharing online information is one of the primary ways people find information on the Web.

Share This recently reported that Web sites receive 33 percent of their traffic from shared links - either on Facebook, through e-mail or via another social source. Shared information also received 50 percent more page views.

E-mail and Facebook were the two primary tools for sharing online content with friends and family and show the most page views per shared link. Twitter rates lower on page views per shared link but its shared links reach a larger audience than either Facebook or e-mail.

Read the full Share This report (it's only one page, but interesting).

How does this relate to your marketing agenda? The Web is a BIG place. There is tons of content out there, a lot of users and a lot people vying to attract users. Not only should you stockpile your Web site with SEO content and programming to attract organic search, but you also need to keep information fresh and relevant to your audience by posting regular news updates. Yet, you can't sit back and hope that organic search will magically bring people to your news page - keywords or not. You need to help your Web site along by sharing the information and culling a following. Utilize monthly or quarterly e-mail newsletters, stay in touch via Facebook, post your articles to DIGG, invest in Pay-Per-Click online advertising or share links to your news page on Twitter.

The short is that people do share information about events, ideas and news that they think will interest friends or other audiences. The easier you make it for people to find you and share this information, then the more you compete in the online sphere and see bottom-line results.

Set Goals: Your 2010 Marketing Budget & Plan

2009-12-01T09:29:00.001-08:00

The end of the year is a good time to sit back and analyze the year's marketing successes and failures. However, it is also a good time to assess if your marketing efforts match your business goals. When you sit down to plan your 2010 marketing budget and schedule, follow this checklist:

Study Your Business.
Evaluate each of your products/services?
What products/services need to be cut or marginalized?
Who are your target customers for each product/service?
How much money can you devote to marketing?

Set Your Business Goals.
What are your business goals?Where are your best opportunities to grow?
Review Your Marketing Efforts To Date.
Have you over or under promoted any sector of your business?
Where have you dedicated the most money (online, print, radio)?
What efforts offered the best return for your money?
How did budget limitations effect your choices?

Align Your Marketing with Your Budget & Goals.
1. Identify any areas where you might be able to cross-promote.

2. Find out the target demographic of every marketing effort available to you - even if you don't think it's a good fit, analyze the medium's reach, special promotional or partnership opportunities and changes expected to the medium in the next year.

3. Eliminate any avenue that does not hit your target demographic, even though it might appeal to you personally. Then, prioritize the remainder and try to negotiate a bulk buy. Don't forget that sometimes trade or gift cards work as payment for an ad.

4. Don't focus on one medium or one time of year. Make sure your schedule includes a presence online as well as through networking, print, public relations or social media.

5. If you don't have the time or skills for web management, public relations or social media, find an intern or allocate part of your budget to hiring the proper specialist.

6. Measure each effort with a unique Web site landing page, promotion code, coupon or unique phone number.

7. Review your marketing plan quarterly, at minimum. However, ideally you want to reassess monthly.

8. Include Web site updates and maintenance in your monthly schedule.

9. Take your ideal marketing plan and trim it to fit your budget. Keep your marketing efforts that have the most reach at the top of your list.

10. Treat your business as important as your customers and adhere to goals for marketing efforts that require your time.

Deliver the Right Message with Variable Data

2009-11-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

Direct mail is far from dead. Even Google sends marketing to the mailbox. However, "spray-and-pray" direct mail efforts are being kicked to the curb. In an era when ROI is demanded from marketing departments and agencies, there is a need for increased results. Couple this with technological advances in database management and digital printing, and you'll find variable printing and variable data are not only competitive with traditional direct mail campaigns, but they are more profitable.

It works like this. Your company has a database full of prospective or historical customer data. This is a gold mine of information (for your benefit) that can help you reduce print and postage costs and better target your message. So, your restaurant has a wine enthusiasts and beer connoisseur. Send a $10 off a bottle of wine with dinner purchase coupon to the wine enthusiast and inform the beer connoisseur about the tasting next week. This is not a breach of privacy. You aren't selling your customer information. You are simply sending them the promotions they want instead of inundating them with every promotion you have.

You pay attention when your mechanic sends you an update specific to the make, model and upkeep of your car, yes? Talk to your customers in the same way. The right message in the right hands can yield double digit response rates as compared to the measly two percent return on traditional non-targeted, direct-mail campaigns.

It's time to demand greater return and profitability from your marketing efforts. Call Marketicity if you want to learn about tailored strategies for your business.

Daring To Be Different Is Strategic

2009-10-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

The VIA Group in Portland, Maine designed the Salvation Army "Cost Nothing" campaign for the Northern New England branch of the organization. Everything about this campaign stands out strictly because of its unexpectedness - from its locations to its message vehicles (literally). However, all the ads adhere to the organization's brand image and mission.

It is very easy to stick with traditional advertising avenues if they are part of the core marketing curriculum of a company. However, as you start in the month ahead to reassess your marketing dollars and advertising avenues, this campaign should serve as inspiration. The Salvation Army campaign is no-doubt creative and out-of-the-box but additionally it is well organized, strategic and brand savvy. Is your marketing plan meeting these objectives? If you don't know, answer the following:

- What is the mission and image of my brand?
- Is my advertising design, message and placement in accordance with this brand image?
- Are my branding touchpoints relevant to my brand image and my target demographic?
- Do I plan my advertising one-year out or month to month?
- What are my marketing goals and objectives?

Marketicity can help you strategize your marketing plan. We look at the whole picture, not just the pieces, to determine how each piece will work with and leverage the others to create an effective marketing strategy that is well planned and budgeted.

Rotnem: A Corporate Bridge Between Young and Old

2009-10-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

"Younger employees help senior executives unlock social media mystery," reads the Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 Chicago Tribune. The story talks about the new trend in corporate America ... Gen Y is mentoring top executives in social media in a successful program called Rotnem - reverse mentoring.

The success of the program is not just in sharing knowledge, but in bridging the generational divide and corporate hierarchy in the workplace. In working with younger staff, business leaders are learning to appreciate and better understand their younger co-workers. Vice-versa, the young are reap the mentoring benefits of working with industry experts as well as seeing their leaders in more approachable and respectful light.

Rotnem need not be only for big business. It can certainly be applied at smaller levels. Even here at Marketicity, with each member of the staff from a different decade, we consult heavily with one another about how different generations will see an idea. More often than not, by pooling our thoughts and varied levels of expertise and experience, our ideas start to branch out into new arenas.

If your company is transitioning into the social media arena, incorporating a Rotnem program could be beneficial in equalizing the playing field ... and bridging the cultural divide.

Online Privacy: How Do You Feel?

2009-10-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

In a September 29, 2009 New York Times article "Two-Thirds of Americans Object to Online Tracking," reporter Stephanie Clifford discussed a new survey by professors at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley that focuses on Americans view of online privacy.

The study reveals that 66 percent of Americans do not like tailored ads. In contrast, 51 percent liked tailored discounts and 58 percent like tailored news.

However, the more information that was revealed about the data collected on Internet users, the more adult Americans objected to the methods. This opinion did not vary significantly between 18-24 year olds as compared to older adults.

As the article reveals, marketers note that the amount of free information is largely made possible through advertising dollars. And tailoring discounts and news requires some tracking to do well. So where is the fine line?

As the debate about online privacy starts to enter the political arena and legislation is proposed, what are your feelings on online tracking? Does it scare you? Do you like tailored discounts? What is the fine line between providing relevant content and protecting personal privacy?

For some tips on providing yourself with more online privacy, read this Electronic Frontier Foundations "Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy."

"Every Economy Brings Opportunity..."

2009-10-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

Every economy brings opportunity for those who make brave and intelligent decisions.
-The Yellow Paper Series: Capturing Opportunities in Challenging Times

I like this quote because it reminds me of so many of the entrepreneurs (friends) that I have the good fortune of knowing. And, I'm surprised sometimes that they forget in this testy economy that they have the chance to be a model of inspiration.

Here are some tips from The Yellow Paper Series (the same source as the quote) to help entrepreneurs and career optimists alike keep the communications strategy, for the business you own or manage, bravely and intelligently on course:

Better Understand Consumer Behavior and Insights
Know your target demographic as well as their spending behaviors, media preferences and primary social concerns. Newspaper ads might have worked for decades, but as a new set of technology-forward consumers become your target selling market is your marketing strategy adjusting accordingly?

Stress Tangible Benefits, But Appeal to Emotions
In a recession, consumers purchase things they need, but also the things that they feel are important.

Creativity Is the Most Powerful Force in Business
A recession is not the time to skimp on design or ideas. Stand out with savvy, sophisticated design and copywriting.

Be Integrated to Be Heard
Don't focus on one marketing channel. Strategize your message through a variety of diverse media and marketing arenas -- but keep your message consistent and cohesive.

Focus on the Influencers
Identify and target smaller brand influencers that have the power to propel your brand more than advertising to the masses. Word-of-mouth from an influencer provides more ROI than an ad seen by 100 passive viewers.

Building Your Client Database

2009-10-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, we reviewed the benefits of investing in an e-mail system. But what good is an e-mail system if you don't build your client list?

Building a strong client list requires creativity, patience and perspective.

Bigger is not better.
Client databases are most effective when people voluntarily sign-up for the information and if they are targeted. For instance, if you own a restaurant you would want to send marketing directors information about your catering specials and your beer aficionados information about special tastings or new arrivals.

Publicize.
Don't be bashful. Invite your friends, and tell people about your e-newsletter. As a business owner, you are constantly being handed business cards. Send each new person an opt-in e-mail with an introductory message to join your e-newsletter. Chances are your new contact is also interested in building a work relationship and wants to keep in touch with your company.

Be Creative.
Aside from publicizing your e-newsletter and including a sign-up option on your Web site, be creative in gathering e-mails. Collect names and e-mails for a chance at a raffle prize or gift certificate. Offer a one-time 10% discount for contact information. Include sign-in sheets at all business events. In your newsletter, encourage clients to forward the information to a friend and include a "how to join" our newsletter option. Invite your Facebook friends.

Be Patient.
In the digital age, spam and overloaded e-mail boxes are increasingly common. Dedicated clients will find and follow you. So, offer a variety of ways to stay in touch - your Web site, a Facebook page, an e-newsletter.

Provide Value.
Last, and perhaps most important, create an attractive newsletter that is easy to read, is not too long and provides content relevant to your clients. Also, be timely and diversify content. If we go back to our beer aficionados, then you can link them to a feature article in a publication about a brewer, talk about what is special about Belgian beer and spotlight one of your products.

Now, start building!

Opt For An E-mail Marketing System

2009-09-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

Promotion via e-mail is the status quo for most organizations. However, effective e-marketing is not always the norm.

The first step is to find an e-mail marketing service that suits the size and needs of your business. Examples of e-mail systems include Constant Contact, Marketvolt or IContact. The benefits vary but can include:
- tracking actions of database group
- storing and managing e-mails
- easy Web sign-up
- maintaining integrity of database
- targeting clients
- making one e-mail for html and text versions

Translation. Different e-mail readers, such as Yahoo!, Outlook, Thunderbird or Gmail, allow various degrees of html-formatted or text e-mails. This is a bit of a hassle. If you are sending messages with images and graphics from your Outlook, the e-mail may or may not open in certain e-mail readers. Or, others have restrictions on attachments.

So, you, the sender, either need to keep a list of each users preferred format, maintain two databases and send two e-mails... unless you are benefitting from an e-mail service that automatically determines the end-users e-mail reader needs. And since first impressions are key, an e-mail system will usually provide text versions of an e-mail with a link to the html-formatted newsletter or coupon that you've created.

Relevance is key. An e-mail service allows you to see what e-mails are bouncing so that you can maintain the integrity of your database list. Further, it also tracks who is opening your e-mail and what links are of most interest to your readers. This allows you to better cater your information or promotion in the future or to target customers with particular interests.

Database integrity. Nobody wants spam. Thankfully, most e-mail services take the legal hassels off your agenda and automotically create links that allow people to opt-out of their subscription.

Each e-mail service has its own functionalities and costs and should be carefully assessed based on a company's needs.

Check back for tips on how to build and maintain your database of contacts.

Using Facebook As Your Newsroom

2009-09-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Your company is now streaming on multiple social media applications, and you don't know how to effectively integrate the myriad of platforms to work to your business' best advantage. One option is to turn your Facebook page into a newsroom.

In his article "How To: Make Facebook Your Company Newsroom," Mashable.com contributor Josh Peters provides a step-by-step approach for integrating multiple social networking applications into your Facebook fan page. This integrated approach strengthens the power and appeal of a fan page since it is more effective method to finding a number of items related to your business. Here are the highlights:

1. Integrate your Web site blog, Twitter account or other RSS feeds so that Facebook fans can quickly access this information from one portal.

2. Connect to news stories about your company by bookmarking them on Delicious and integrating a Delicious box onto your Facebook Fan page. Again the motivation is to aggregate the information for clients or customers of your business. Make it simple for people to learn about you and what you do.

3. Import access to your FlickR and YouTube accounts.

4. Reset your Facebook URL to include your company name. For instance, facebook.com/marketicity - check it out and become our fan!

If you are interested in transforming your Facebook fan page into your company newsroom, call Marketicity 314.266.4450 or 618.281.6648 and propel your business forward.

Garden Place Adult Day Club Featured

2009-09-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

The Messenger featured Garden Place Senior Living's Adult Day Club services in an article titled, "Adult Day Club Offers Alternatives to Caregivers." Editor and author Liz Quirin dedicated a full page to this emerging service for seniors in our communities. Read the article.

2009-09-14T10:59:00.001-07:00

Marketicity is happy to assist in promoting Columbia, Illinois' first "A Day To Play" event from 1-4 pm on Sept. 19th starting in Bolm-Schuhkraft Park. Our Graphic Design Specialist, Casara Heaton, created the fun logo that is being sported throughout the City of Columbia, Ill. on promotional items for the event.

The event is in recognition of the city's "Playful City" status in 2009 by KABOOM! With a limited budget in its first year, the Columbia Play Commission, headed by John Traube of Traube Tent, is relying heavily on volunteers and donations to promote the event. Social Media along with old-fashioned word of mouth are expected to be the biggest advertising avenues.

Heading up the social media effort is Paul Ellis, Columbia's director of community & economic development. With so many municipality and state budgets in dissarray, Ellis brings a wealth of experience in using social media as a marketing advantage in promoting a community. Previously, he served more than 20 years with a regional chamber of commerce in Tacoma, Washington, where he administered a business improvement area, pioneered use of social media and helped start one of the most successful angel networks in that state. He speaks nationally about how to deploy blogs to draw customers to downtown centers. Several of his blogs in Tacoma, including the highly-regarded BIA Blog and Tacoma Tech Connect are still serving that community.

Learn more about Columbia's A Day To Play.

Marketicity: Evolving in a Tough Economy

2009-09-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

Business news is littered with stories about the need for companies to evolve during this recession. In the world of marketing, this is even more critical as the dramatic changes in technology are rapidly redefining and splitting the agency world. In general, marketing companies are becoming more specialized, concentrating on search engine optimization, mobile marketing, video or branding and design. In fact, in the St. Louis metro region, there are more firms collaborating on client accounts instead of expanding their reach.

For Marketicity, the recession has prompted a shift as well. However, it is in the arena of expanded services. As demand for print materials has declined, the company has made a dramatic shift in the summer of 2009 to expand our services in the arenas of social media, online marketing and search engine optimization. This expansion was prompted by a simple need to respond to clients' expanding needs. Frequently working as an integrated member of a company's marketing team, Marketicity needed not only to deliver traditional advertising and branding options for clients but also those that maximized Web opportunities and kept our clients in front of a range of targeted clientele.

As a result, Marketicity increased its client base this summer and expanded services to existing clients. It was a strategic business choice to make these changes. And, the goal of these changes is to better position clients for success. Here is to the innovation that recessions encourage.

Feelings Measured on the Internet?

2009-08-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

With "70-80 percent accuracy," you can now measure online sentiment regarding your brand. That's right, the latest wave in culling the Internet for market research uses algorithms to do a "sentiment analysis" on a topic and grade the emotional reaction on subjects related to your brand.

"Mining the Web for Feelings, Not Facts" in the August 24, 2009 issue of The New York Times details the emerging field of Sentiment Analysis and looks at three companies: Scout Labs, Jodange and Newssift - all offering some context for analyzing and, daresay, managing online sentiment.

Sentiment Analysis is especially interesting, because it targets the ever-increasing desire and concern of business owners and managers to contain negative online messaging. It is essential for company's to participate in social media via blogging, Facebook, Twitter and/or LinkedIn. But, the biggest impediment to diving into the Internet marketing universe frequently is a fear of losing control of a brand's image and its message.

Sentiment Analysis applications take Google Alerts to the next level. These new applications agree that comments on the Web rarely die into utter obscurity, but they can be tracked and mobilized into positive business-to-consumer engagement.

The days of the Internet being the land of anonymity to vilify businesses or people are quickly being wrangled. There is, as yet, no perfect science to controlling negative online messages, but if your company continues to add to the authentic and transparent messaging through news posts and other social media avenues, then your brand is certain to weather the critics well.

While the concept of adequately measuring emotions - especially written feelings - seems a tad far-fetched, these sentiment analyzer applications do work to better harness negative online commentary. Most marketing gurus would tell you that, in most cases, dissatisfied customers could be converted to satisfied customers if the situation is properly managed. Well, consider the World Wide Web on its way to being properly managed.

PR Is Not Dead; It's Online.

2009-08-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it is the former journalist in me, but I am constantly on the hunt for a story. Not surprisingly, my eyes still pop wide and the eagerness piques at the sound of a good public relations opportunity for a new or existing client. But when I ask, "Have you received any press for that story?" Far too often, the answer is, "Not really. I didn't think about it." Or, it is simply a matter of time to promote one's own business.

In a recession or any other time, public relations is a key part of any marketing plan. Granted, in today's marketplace, it is more and more difficult for your story to appear on the coveted editorial pages of a publication. Yet, the opportunities still exist. You just need to craft the right message, define it well and cater to your choice publication. Media in prime media outlets still offer a credibility, authenticity and reach that ignite prized word-of-mouth advertising for a business or service.

Or in more tense situations, a good public relations expert or team can help you and your business navigate negative media attention ... and prepare you ahead of time to deal with it.

Public relations, however, is being redefined and is a blend of traditional and new media efforts. Social Media Marketing, E-Mail Marketing and Web site news pages are all public relations avenues. In general, I always encourage a company to include a Content-Management System (CMS) news page on a company Web site. Blogger and WordPress are free examples of a CMS platform and are easy for most to use.

Your news page serves several objectives:
1. It always publishes your PR story.
2. It lets you advertise promotions, events and success stories.
3. It leaves a record of authenticity and timeliness for anyone visiting the site.
4. It boosts your Web site's Search-Engine Optimization (SEO) results.
5. It can easily be connected to social networking sites that will increase your reach.
6. It increases your online image.
7. It can be used to encourage prospective or current customers to sign up for targeted e-mail marketing news.

These are a lot of pros for a relatively low investment. BUT, you have to manage the content, develop a voice, maintain a posting schedule and target each news piece so that it is valuable to potential readers. In short, your news page is a 24/7 tool for public relations, but you have to know how to use it. And, you still need to couple efforts with traditional public relations avenues.

If you need help developing your public relations efforts, contact Marketicity at 314.266.4450 or 618.281.6648. We can work with your budget, helping you with full-time public relations needs or acting as a consultant for your in-house efforts.

Teens Not the Driving Force for Twitter

2009-08-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

In general, trend forecasters look to teens to forecast trends and to predict growth. In general, teens are a good source; they initiated the Facebook trend, they are early adopters of technology, and they know no world without Internet.

Yet, in the case of the social media network Twitter, it is the 25-54 year olds that comprise this application's largest user demographic. In fact, teens are the least likely to use Twitter. Even the 55 and older demographic outpaces teens on Twitter. Read the original Mashable article.

Not surprising, it is the 35 and older group that is the fastest growing group among Facebook users. And in June alone, Facebook acquired 24 million unique visitors worldwide to increase their total user count to 340 million.

To further the importance of the ever-expanding reach of the Internet, a recent St. Louis Post-Dispatch article quoted a recent survey that showed a 11 percent spike in broadband connectivity among senior citizens, so that 30 percent of senior households are now opting for faster Internet speeds.

As a broader range of age demographics adopt regular Internet and social media usage, so must businesses seeking to reach their target audiences. Even today, a lead from a client that wanted to advertise on Dish led me to discover Google's new TV ad campaigns, which make cable-broadcast commercials accessible to smaller vendors who need more regional than national advertising.

While I do not advocate dropping all traditional marketing efforts, I do recommend starting to better track your advertising dollars and the effectiveness of each avenue. Likely, you will find that you will need to reallocate your marketing budget, decreasing avenues in some areas to start driving new media alternatives.

If you need consulting services on how to better allocate your marketing dollars, call Marketicity at 618.281.6648 or 314.266.4450. We help companies in the St. Louis metropolitan region, including the Metro-East, and beyond.

Usability and Your Web site

2009-07-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

There are a number of Web sites that feature really cool design. Others hold a derth of valuable content. But occasionally, despite the advantages of good content of aesthetic finesse, many Web sites are not designed with the end user in mind.

Not surprisingly, the Web site industry is increasingly hiring Usability experts to help tests sites so that the end construction produces user satisfaction and repeat business. This is especially important for e-commerce sites. If it is too hard to order your Metro ticket online, you simply won't do it. If the online shopping cart for your favorite boutique is confusing, you will shop elsewhere. Likewise for informational sites, you want to break up content into logical, easy to follow categories with a home page that provides an overview of your company or organization.

Here are some tips for increasing the end-user satisfaction with your Web site:
1. Outline the Content.
All those outlines you did in grade school will come in handy. This is your way of mapping the content and organizing it. Decide what your "Chapters" will be in your navigation bar - About, Contact, Services, etc. Then, decide what are the main themes of each "Chapter." These will be your sub navigation bar content. For example, under About - there will be a landing page with an overview of the section, there might be a philosophy or mission page, a history page and/or a meet our staff page.

2. Create a Web Site map.
Decide the relevance of the content on your Web site. Larger sites often feature three or four navigation bars - the primary, secondary, footer and header. Draw a map of lines and boxes that indicate how these pages will connect with one another.

3. Keep your navigation bar consistent throughout the site.
Whether you are on the Home page or the About page, keep the primary navigation consistent. It is easy for users to get lost, especially when all ages are equally likely to find your page. Continue to add a Home link in your primary navigation. While younger users are prone to clicking on the company logo, usually placed in the upper left corner, there are still a large number of Web users aged 30+ that are not familiar with this trick.

4. Scavenger Hunt Testing
Make sure any "Make an appointment" or "Shopping Cart" features are easy to use. Before taking your site live, have your grandma, your neighbor, your 10-year-old niece, your brother and your best friend try to use the shopping cart and all other features on your Web site. Make sure none of these people are Web programmers or designers. You want to test with non-savvy or traditional Web users, with older, younger and peer age groups. But most importantly, find some friends or relatives that are part of your target demographic. Use their feedback to improve the functionality of your Web site so that you have fewer adjustments after it goes live.

5. Continue to improve and update your site.
Web sites act differently depending on changes to Explorer, Firefox and Safari, so expect a few glitches when going live. Also, Web sites are expected to change and to be the most current. Keep pace with the technology and with your clients and continue to improve your Web site so that it is always working for you.

For more ideas about how to improve your Web site, contact Marketicity at 618.281.6648 or 314.266.4450.

HTC's New Web Site Premiers

2009-07-20T14:08:00.001-07:00

We are excited to announce the sneak-peak premiere of the HTC (Harrisonville Telephone Company) Web site at the Monroe County Fair this week. This Web site, which features dynamic flash features and a video tour guide of the site's primary service pages.

Watch for its online debut in the very near future!

Work Your Web Site

2009-07-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

More and more clients are aware of their Web site's SEO, that is it's search engine optimization. Simply, clients want their Web site at the top of a search result.

But I'm alarmingly surprised to find so many companies invested in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) or AdWords campaigns as the only method for optimizing the power of a company Web site. A PPC campaign is one way to help boost a Web site's traffic, but it is certainly only a piece of the puzzle. You want your company's Web site to rank organically in a Google or Yahoo! search. So, your Web site needs to be optimized to work for you beyond your PPC campaign.

A lot of a Web site's SEO happens in the back end programming - so you need to trust the company with which you are working. Transparency about Google Analytics and where your PPC campaign dollars are going is key. A lack of transparency in either of these areas should be a red flag.

When a programmer is talking about your Web site's optimization code, these are some of the things you should expect to hear:

1. The description, title and keywords should be programmed for each page.
2. Text should be properly coded in html as a header or paragraph.
3. Your pictures should have names in the code, because Web site crawlers can't read a picture... they read the code.
4. You should have Meta data on your site with keywords.

These are things that are apparent to a programmer, but there are other things that you can easily observe.

1. Your home page should be dense with key words while still being readable.
2. You need some page of your Web site to receive frequent updates.
3. You want to monitor Google Analytics and change key words, news content and PPC campaigns accordingly.
4. You want to interlink to parts of your site within your Web copy, not just in your navigation bars.
5. You want outside sources, such as a twitter, facebook, vendor or client post to be linking to your Web site.
6. You want each of your primary services to have their own page - with titles.
7. Are you registered with Google Maps and Yahoo Maps?
8. A video!

It takes several months to fully optimize a Web site, and it is a constant work in progress. Much in the manner of a public relations campaign, you need to be consistently monitoring, adjusting and updating to match the ever-changing standards for Web site grading.

If you have questions about your Web site's optimization, contact Marketicity today at 618.281.6648.

More and More Targeted

2009-07-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

During the weekend, I caught a brief discussion on 90.7 KWMU about the tailored advertising developed for XBox users. With more than 40 million XBox owners, according to Microsoft, ads are being streamed for 30 seconds before the start of an online game or between levels. Much in the manner of many YouTube or online video posts, watching the ad is not optional ... if you want to play the game or watch the video. Unlike the video posts, Microsoft is collecting a range of demographic information for its online users, so that ads can be highly targeted towards an advertisers target audience. This is Microsoft's advertising info page with the reasons why one should opt for XBox advertising: Microsoft XBox Advertising.

Already, Facebook and Google are well known for such similar targeting techniques. Today, I read a blog about a 63-year-old, male Facebook user who generally ignored all the marketing efforts on Facebook in pursuit of his own entertainment with his friend community. However, he was struck by a group of female Facebook users dedicated to removing their birth year from their Facebook accounts. Why? The ladies were tired of the wrinkle cream and weight loss ads. I admit to ignoring the ads, but my office co-hort complains about the inundation of wedding ads on Facebook since she changed her status from single to engaged.

Even the digital press has made print more targetable. On a recent print-house tour, I saw an ag-based magazine with a client that had three different ads for the inside cover, depending on the subscribers demographic information. So, the corn farmer would receive an ad pertinent to his crop and the dairy farmer would receive an pertinent to his. Think about what your magazine subscriptions would look like if, say Vogue, knew your household income. Guaranteed mine would be much thinner without those Chanel and Versace ads.

With advertising becoming more and more targeted and with an increasing number of forums to reach customers, effective advertising is becoming more affordable to most businesses. The best plan when constructing a marketing plan is to consider your budget, your target audience and all the media platforms available. While I've heard some say radio or print is dead, I completely disagree. I think savvy marketers straddle both the old and new media worlds and hand-pick the most targeted and cost-effective venues for promoting their business.

Standing out in the advertising arena is still hard, but at least advertisers can negotiate more bang for their buck.

How Much Does Twitter Matter?

2009-07-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

The July 3-9, 2009 St. Louis Business Journal's The Pulse section asked: "Have the protests in Iran changed your attitude toward Twitter?" The result was that 51% had better things to do, 29% still don't get what the fuss is about and 18% love being connected through Twitter.

I'll be honest. I was an initial skeptic of Twitter, and I recommend its use conservatively with clients. Why? Twitter is a Web site driver. I prefer to think of it as a news feed or connector. In general, I don't find Twitter a relevant forum for general, personal conversation, but it is a great forum to connect new visitors to a blog or Web site, to post updates or to find other industry-related blogs or Web sites pertinent to your business, personal or non-profit objectives.

In general, I don't find Twitter an effective tool for businesses providing a very local niche service. If you are a senior living community in Southern Illinois, it doesn't really help to have someone in Thailand connecting to your Web site and more than likely the visitor from Indiana is also not a viable prospect. Twitter does a great job of expanding a Web site's reach and visitors, but a business Web site also needs those hits to be relevant. A community-based business needs a community-focused social media marketing plan.

However, a marketing company, for instance, can provide a service to companies across the nation and sometimes beyond. In this case, it makes sense to promote a Web site and company news on Twitter, which provides an increased chance of attracting new customers from a wide range of new locations that would otherwise be very expensive to reach.

For larger companies, Twitter can also be a nice instant-message tool. Why not use regular instant messaging? Twitter allows you to have a public transcript when attempting to solve customer service issues; it gives enhanced meaning to Live Chat. Further, this style of customer-service conversation gives a company the opportunity to transform negative commentary into positive branding.

In short, Twitter is best rated for what it is -- a connector. And, a connector is only as good as the connection it makes. So, what sort of connections does your company need? Answer this question, and you will have a fair assessment of how much Twitter matters to your business.

Negative Exposure: Controlling Your Whuffie

2009-06-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

According to Tara Hunt, author of the book The Whuffie Factor, your Whuffie is your online social capital. Any negative reviews or posts on the Internet count against your whuffie. Positive Web reviews and authentic blogging along with other social media practices build your whuffie. Think of whuffie like the stock market. And, we've all seen how one bad piece of news can kill a company's stock value.

Your online presence and brand is much more than managing a Web site, e-newsletters or an online ad campaign. You have to participate in the online world to have a credible place at the conversation table. Otherwise, you are opening your company and your work up to potential scams or fraud.

Just ask Clint Page, CEO of Dotster, a 100-employee, $50 million Internet service provider, whose company identity has TWICE been high-jacked. In the June/July 2009 issue of Business Week SmallBiz, Page says, "A comment left unchallenged becomes perception, and perception becomes reality."

Famously, Tony La Russa, manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, sued Twitter earlier this month to remove an account fraudulently made in his name. Now, Twitter as well as other social media companies are often quick to remove fraudulent accounts - but they need to be made aware of the problem. With more than 180 million Facebook users and 32.1 million Twitter users, some self-monitoring is not only in order, it is a necessity.

Use one or more of the following tools to manage your online whuffie: (source: June/July 2009 issue of Business Week SmallBiz article "Saving Face Online")

google.com/alerts: sends alerts when company or brand appears on the Web, blogs, news, video or discussion groups
backtype.com: sends alerst when a comment is made that includes your company name or brand
blogpulse.com: searches blogs for mentions of your company
boardreader.com: searches message boards, forums, videos and Twitter
icerocket.com: searches blogs, news, Web, MySpace, Twitter and images
search.twitter.com: searches Twitter
tweetdeck.com: searches Twitter
technorati.com: searches blogs, photos and videos

Googlenomics

2009-06-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

The internet has spawned, at an alarming rate, a bevvy of new words, among them the verb (and noun) google. "I'll google it." "I was googling about that and found..."

It's not too shocking that we are not yahooing things. Google is known for its radical, alternative avenues to success, thereby the company has captivated the general public while at the same time it has redefined media sales strategies and the world of advertising. This is where you get Googlenomics - economics Google-style.

The June 2009 issue of Wired dives into "Googlenomics Explained: The Secret Formula That Made Advertising Smart" by Steven Levy and looks at the auction theory applied to Google AdWords. Advertisers bid on ad space. That's right. There is no guaranteed "price" to ensure the business plan, so Google looks at more than just the dollar amount on the bid. There is a lot of data and quality assessment behind each ad sale.

"The bids themselves are only a part of what ultimately determines the auction winners. The other major determinant is something called the quality score. This metric strives to ensure that the ads Google shows on its results page are true, high-caliber matches for what users are querying..."

Quality score is determined by:
- An ad's relevance to Keywords
- Quality of the landing page to which an ad connects
- Percentage of clicks an ad receives when it appears in search results

To break this down, it is important to do a relevant keyword analysis of a company. This is not a guessing game; there are real tools and analytics and a lot of constant analysis behind the most effective keyword strategies.

Then, you need a quality Web site - not the most elaborate or most tricked out Web site. You need a site that works in all Web browsers, talks about a product relevant to the ad, provides code that boosts SEO rankings and is an actively updated site.

Last, you need a compelling ad that inspires click-thrus. Design. Content. Appeal.

Googlenomics is not a random theory. It is based on providing quality and relevance, and it is based on the data collected by searches, visits and consumer action. "Algorithmic Spelunking" is how the article describes it.

This post just touches on the surface of things, so Read The Entire Article.

Why is Social Media Important to Your Marketing Stratetgy?

2009-06-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Social Media is a definite part of most marketing strategies in today's world. And while many would like to ignore it, the simple fact is that as a marketing tool it is a very difficult thing to push aside and not recommend, especially in the present economy.

Mull over this tidbit from a recent Fast Company article, "Social Networks are More than Networking," by Lon Safko. He writes:

Facebook has more than 150 million members with more than 80 billion page views each month. Facebook is represented in 170 countries & territories, every continent, even Antarctica, and is available in 35 different languages. More than 1 in 5 people who access the Internet visit Facebook. If Facebook were it's own country, it would be the eighth most populated country in the world, just ahead of Japan, Russia, & Nigeria....
And finally, LinkedIn is used as a professional directory and has more than 27 million users with an average household income over $110,000. The gender distribution weighs heavily toward males at 65% and 35% Female with an average age of 41 years old.

You can't ignore numbers like these, they are a marketing strategist's dream.

Read the entire article.

Marketicity Featured for Work with City of Columbia, Ill.

2009-06-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

As a business based in Columbia, Ill., the Marketicity team was honored to work with the City of Columbia Economic Development Coordinator Paul Ellis to create a marketing tool catered to attracting new businesses to the city. (photo: final DVD and interior graphics of DVD sleeve)

But perhaps the biggest treat came in today's Suburban-Journals article by Kevin Darr, titled COLUMBIA: City joins technological wave, where we found a very gratifying quote from Paul Ellis, it reads:

"They came up with all the graphics and the layout while the words are mine," Ellis said. "They exceeded my expectations and came up with some really great ideas."

Read the full article.

Paper bills, video rentals and newspapers…what’s next?

2009-05-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

Just in the past year, we have experienced a few changes among our local media. One being that the Suburban Journals has moved to a subscription-only basis. As seen, this has made a rather large impact on their circulation numbers and on the level of investment for our clients.

As most would agree, the newspaper industry is taking quite a hit this year. So what does this mean for our local media?

Newspapers are continuing their evolution from print to Web. After all, that’s where most of us are getting our news these days. Twitter, a social networking vehicle, is the newest media source that is tossed in the mix. We’re using it, as well a many of our clients, to drive traffic to our Web site and keep customers in the know.

Where do you receive your daily dose of news: newspapers, broadcast, Internet sites or networks such as Twitter and Facebook?

The question that remains in the minds of many is, ‘are these news sources as credible as print?’ With this question in mind, I thought this was an interesting article from yahoo.com:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Irish-student-hoaxes-worlds-apf-15201451.html;_ylt=ApJV6d46gpkjFqG4YhFIkTEazJV4?.v=1

Q1 '09 - What We're Seeing

2009-04-02T11:51:00.001-07:00

From the looks of it, everyone's in full spring-cleaning mode. New and existing clients are brightening their product/service lineups, polishing up their printed materials, dusting off their marketing plans and sprucing up their physical and virtual identities. As mentioned in an earlier post, many are also remodeling the effectiveness of their sales meetings.

Simply put, your peers in industry are busy and moving forward. We hope you are, too. It's definitely not a time to be caught flat-footed.

We're also seeing a renewed sense of responsibility on a fiscal basis. Although businesses are certainly investing in marketing efforts -- our first quarter sales were well ahead of last year and nearly at '07 levels -- they're doing so prudently and wanting to monitor the return on that investment. We're helping with that evaluation, as well, and we believe it's wise.

This uptick in spending isn't confined to one industry, either. We're seeing it in health care, agribusiness, construction, manufacturing, transportation and engineering. It's widespread. So consider this your fair warning to get started on a spring cleaning of your own ... before your business is left in the dust.

How Are Your Sales Meetings?

2009-03-06T06:42:00.001-08:00

In light of the current economy, it's a valid question to ask. In fact, it's one we're seeing business owners and leaders ask of themselves ... and they've asked us to help.

We've recently added two new clients who look to us to help in leading, facilitating, documenting and scheduling their company's monthly sales meetings. Why?

The company realized the meetings either weren't taking place or weren't productive
The company wanted third party input to provide a fresh perspective
Our involvement injected marketing and public relations expertise into their discussions
They wanted accountability and someone to ensure people deliver on their monthly promises (that's us)
The company realizes that now, more than ever, regular and EFFECTIVE sales meetings are a must for all businesses

So, they gave us a call. And frankly, it works great. We meet on a regularly scheduled basis with the company owner/leader and his or her sales team. We brainstorm, report on progress, identify opportunities and document promises for the coming month. As these meetings progress, we're seeing greater internal company sharing and cooperation, as well. It's true team building in challenging times.

If other priorities have derailed the regularity or effectiveness of your sales meetings, give us a call. We can get you back on track.

We're So Proud of Casara!

2009-01-12T15:24:00.001-08:00

The newest member of our team, Casara Heaton, has already notched a first for our agency. A piece of Casara's work will be featured at the Human Nature - His/Hers exhibition at Art St. Louis. Casara is a graphic design specialist at Marketicity.

Casara's contribution to the exhibit is a diptict photo presentation (i.e., two photos) titled "Oops!" One of the two photos is included with this blog entry. The exhibit was juried by Bruno David, owner of Bruno David Gallery in St. Louis, and artist Lindsey Stouffer, visiting assistant professor at the Washington University Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts in St. Louis.

The opening reception for the exhibit is this Saturday evening, Jan. 17th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Art St. Louis is located at 555 Washington Avenue, Suite 150. Feel free to join us there in congratulating Casara or stop by during the month-long exhibit to see her work. The exhibit runs Jan. 19- Feb. 19, 2009.

Way to go, Casara!

Turning the Page on 2008

2008-12-30T13:47:00.001-08:00

I had a number of conversations with friends, family and clients over the Christmas holiday about the economy. This year certainly was brutal in terms of the stock market, credit crisis and a myriad of other financial issues. But as we head into 2009, the message I shared in those conversations was that I see the skies clearing.

At Marketicity, we're fortunate to work with business owners and corporate leaders in a wide variety of industries in the St. Louis metropolitan area and Midwest. And based on these interactions, many (and I mean MANY) mid-sized companies are aggressively pursuing their marketing and public relations efforts for 2009. We're seeing loads of work for new Web sites, brochures, identity campaigns, publicity efforts ... you name it.

So if we're so bullish, why are we (the general public) still hearing such bad news about the economy? What's the indication for our hope? Five things come to mind:

The challenges of huge companies are finally coming to fruition. These companies had resources to last longer in the downturn than mid-sized or small companies. The smaller or mid-cap companies went through their struggles earlier in 2008 are are already beginning to recover. But who wants to hear about the challenges or successes of small or mid-sized companies? No one. It's not a sexy story for the media. When a huge bank or automaker cracks and crumbles, that's sexy and that's big news. The challenges of large companies -- in my opinion -- are part of the reason why we're not yet hearing about improvements in the economy overall.
This storyline (the struggles of large companies) when combined with the pain of the past year has put a tremendous hurt on consumer confidence. I think that's about to change, as well. Why? The upcoming inauguration. In general, the mainstream media loves our country's incoming president. I see the media's admiration for the beginning of his term ready to spill into every storyline they create ... including the economy. That reporting, no matter how you feel about its accuracy or about Mr. Obama, will likely have a positive impact on consumer confidence.
Credit is loosening. Banks are beginning to work more with one another and with their clients. They've cleaned up their books. And as one client mentioned to me today, they'll figure out that they're in the business of selling money and that they better get to it. That will help companies crawl out of the economic hole.
Fuel prices are incredibly low. This puts money into the pockets of consumers in a variety of ways: their fuel costs decrease, input costs for products they buy decrease and their employers have more money to spend on wages.
Interest rates are incredible (if you want to borrow money, that is). Companies that are already on the rebound have the opportunity to aggressively expand as a result of these low rates. And as credit continues to loosen, more and more companies will be able to take advantage of this unique time. In addition, the low rates are the tonic we'll need to crawl out of the real estate glut we're experiencing.

So that's why we're optimistic. Are we looking through rose-colored glasses? Maybe. But I can tell you that our clients are much more aggressive in their plans for the coming year than they were 12 months ago.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T05:34:00.001-08:00

Our team wishes you and your family a safe, joyous and blessed Christmas.

Do You Have an Annual Report?

2008-12-19T07:45:00.000-08:00

We find that a number of companies and organizations exert so much effort in building their businesses that they forget to step back and admire the view. Year-end is the perfect time to do just that.

We come across privately held companies and non-profit organizations that need credibility in the eyes of their owners, employees, customers, members and – especially in today’s tight credit market – their bankers. Annual reports build credibility in a way that’s unmatched by other media. And they’re not just for publicly traded companies.

Having an annual report says, “We’re organized, we have a plan, we have staying power, we care and we want you to know.” Placing your report in the hands of people important to your business – internally and externally – really sends a message.

It doesn’t have to be complex. If it’s your company, share as much or as little as you wish in terms of financials. Annual reports can be big or they can be small. The important thing is that it sends an effective message. Annual reports help businesses of all sizes step back, enjoy the view, see the horizon and prepare for the coming year. Being a part of that vision of an organization’s past, present and future is what we truly enjoy in creating annual reports.

Welcome to the World of Marketicity!

2008-12-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Our blog – The World of Marketicity – is where we post Marketicity news as well as tips/ideas/random musings/etc., about marketing and PR, in general.

If you would like to receive news every time we post to our blog, subscribe to our RSS Feed. After subscribing, you don’t have to come here to find news of interest to you – it automatically finds you! That’s the beauty of today’s Web 2.0 world – pushing relevant info to those who are interested instead of waiting for them to find it on their own.

Sooooo … how do you subscribe?

Click Subscribe (up and to the right of this message)
Enter in your email address and follow the instructions.
You will receive a confirmation email shortly.
Click the link in the new message to confirm.

Now you can stay up to date with Marketicity!
It's that easy.

We are growing!

2008-12-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce the hiring of Casara Heaton to the role of graphic design specialist. Heaton is a 2008 graduate of Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., with a bachelor’s degree in visual communication. “We’re thrilled to bring yet another fresh, creative mind to the organization,” said Scott Rodemich, president of the full-service marketing and public relations agency. “Casara’s hiring tremendously expands our in-house capabilities and that’s good news for our growing client base.” Heaton is past president of Ball State’s Student Art Gallery, a two-time nominee as the university’s outstanding art student, and was a 4-year recipient of the university’s presidential scholarship. Her skills include graphic design, Web design, 3-D animation, photography and fine arts. She is a native of Collinsville, Ill.

Fishing, Travel and Relaxation!

2008-11-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Ron has recently retired from our company. For the past decade, Ron has spent tremendous time and energy into building our company from the ground up. Ron's values and dedication to the firm will continue to play an integral role within the daily activites and actions of the Company.

Ron....you will be missed. We wish you the best of luck in all of your adventures during retirement.