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Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Deluxe Corporation spotlights entrepreneurism in new "#SmallBusinessRevolution" documentary film
When Americans are asked why they love their communities, they don't name big-box stores or large corporations - they point to their favorite small businesses. Neighborhood restaurateurs, barbers, shop owners, lawyers and other small-business owners do more than sell goods and services - they bring people together. And now, the spirit of entrepreneurism that drives the American economy is receiving the spotlight in a brand-new documentary.
"The Small Business Revolution," a short-form documentary produced by Deluxe Corporation - a leading provider of small-business marketing services - debuts today and spotlights the stories of compelling and vibrant small businesses across the country. Dynamic entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" star Robert Herjavec serves as one of the documentary's key commentators as the film explores the excitement, nervousness and rewards of small-business ownership - as well as the role small business played in the recovery after the recent economic recession.
The Small Business Revolution campaign, championed by Deluxe, started in January to celebrate small businesses. Throughout the year, documentarians have been capturing the stories of 100 small businesses and showcasing them in the form of photo essays and short videos. The brand-new, 25-minute documentary that debuts today showcases several of those remarkable small businesses and features a cast of small-business thought leaders. You can watch the film at smallbusinessrevolution.org/documentary.
"Deluxe is a proud champion of small businesses, and the Small Business Revolution is our way of celebrating those people who work tirelessly to follow their dreams," said Amanda Brinkman, chief brand and communications officer for Deluxe.
The new 25-minute web documentary explores the personal and economic impacts of starting a small business, as well as the diversity of today¹s small-business landscape. Among the business owners featured in the film, we meet Kim Bartmann, a Minneapolis chef whose commitment to providing good jobs for the employees at her eight restaurants has earned her a stellar reputation in the dining community; Lynne and Ty McDaniel, owners of a Chicago vintage shop that helped revitalize a flagging neighborhood; and TechTown, a Detroit tech incubator that brings the city's most dynamic thinkers and makers together to find new potential for the city¹s future.
"The Small Business Revolution has brought so many incredible stories to people across the country who maybe wouldn't have seen the community impact of every small business," Herjavec said. "These unique stories have been inspiring to see, and I'm excited to be able to share some of our favorites in this new documentary."
The new film also features experts from the public and private sector who illustrate how small businesses have shaped our way of life. Herjavec and Brinkman are joined by Maria Contreras-Sweet, the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Melinda Emerson, a thought leader known as the "Small Biz Lady"; David Bobbitt, president of the SCORE Foundation; and Dr. Timothy McCarthy, a historian and lecturer at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
In addition, Deluxe is awarding its first $25,000 grant this month to a lucky small business that was nominated as part of the Small Business Revolution Award program. The first winner will receive their prize this month, and three more $25,000 grants will be awarded before the end of the year. Anyone can nominate his or her favorite business for the awards at the SmallBusinessRevolution.org website until the end of October.
Deluxe invites small-business owners and consumers to join the revolution by telling stories of their favorite small businesses using the hashtag #smallbusinessrevolution, and the company will be rewarding consumers with surprises along the way.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Monday, September 28, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
3 Ways to Gain Exposure Online as an Independent Educator
As an independent education-related business, competing for a first-page position on Google will be major challenge. Why? It is because you will have to compete with authority organizations such as colleges and private schools. Your independent brand must find new and creative ways to advertise and market in order to find new students. The Internet has opened up new opportunities for advertisement, but also made competition stiffer for many medical practices. You need to be able to utilize the Internet effectively in order to reach new potential clients for your medical practice.
- Claim your social media profiles. Many websites like Google Local, Bing Local and even Health Pages have profiles that you can claim. If the profile already exists, you simply need to prove that you are the owner of the business so you can start filling in the details. These profiles can provide potential clients with a wealth of valuable information.
- Create a SEO-driven website. “You should have an informative website that is both user friendly and search engine friendly,” said Jeff Bernett, a spokesperson for a private organization that teaches students how to become a flight attendant. “What this accomplishes is twofold: Not only do you create a website that your potential clients can easily peruse for pertinent details about your practice, but by being SEO-friendly you are also making it easier for search engines to find you. When search engines can find you, so can your potential clients.”
- Utilizing the right keywords is essential. If you want to target local traffic, use keywords like “brain surgeon in city, state” rather than simply “brain surgeon.” This will help your results stand out in the search engines versus results from other nearby areas, or faraway areas as well. If you want to target local traffic, then you must use local keywords.
There are many ways that you can target local traffic for your medical practice. It is important that you utilize the Internet to its fullest extent to bring in new clients from your local area as well as other surrounding areas.
Posted by Marc Holt Links to this post
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Gage Hires Davis and Wellman
Gage, a Minneapolis-based engagement marketing agency, announced today the hiring of Alisia Davis and Kasey Wellman who will both work on projects for Microsoft.
Davis joins Gage as senior project manager for Microsoft ExpertZone. She previously worked as a project manager at Fishbowl Solutions. Prior to this Davis served as an external technical trainer before moving to project management at mindSHIFT Technologies. Davis earned her bachelor’s degree in family social science at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Wellman joins Gage as project manager for a new Microsoft education initiative. She began her career at FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business, where she served as product management intern and website project manager. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Alisia and Kasey both offer valuable project management experience and a history of producing results for their clients,” said Gina Romslo, an account director, at Gage. “They will bring added depth to our project management team.”
Posted by Ryan May Links to this post
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
RiverMend Health has chosen Maccabee Public Relations
RiverMend Health, the Atlanta, Georgia-based national provider of scientifically-driven, specialty behavioral health services to those suffering from alcohol and drug dependency and eating disorders, has chosen Maccabee Public Relations of Minneapolis as its agency for media relations, social media marketing and corporate communications.
Guided by Scientific Advisory Boards for both eating disorders/obesity and chemical dependency, RiverMend Health operates treatment centers in Atlanta, Macon, Athens and Augusta, Georgia; Wickenburg, Arizona; Malibu Beach and Santa Monica, California and Chicago, Illinois, along with Wellspring programs in Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, New York and California.
Thrice-named one of Minnesota’s “100 Best Companies To Work For,” Maccabee is a public relations and online marketing agency providing clients with exceptionally strategic and creative media relations, social media strategies, inbound/content marketing and corporate communications counsel from its headquarters in the North Loop District of downtown Minneapolis. Learn more about Maccabee at www.maccabee.com and www.maccabee.com/blog, and find the agency on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest.
Posted by Ryan May Links to this post
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Tuesday, September 08, 2015
Local Online Marketing Tips for Your Home Improvement Business
How can a home improvement company improve its local online presence?
Local companies need to find new ways to improve their online presence in order to garner attention online. Because there are so many companies competing for local attention, it is important to go above and beyond to be “noticed” in the online arena. Here are some things that your home improvement company can do to tip the scale in your favor:
1. Claim local profiles. Many websites like Bing Local, Google Places and Yahoo Local have profiles for local businesses that you simply need to claim. Prove your identity and claim your profile to fill in all kinds of valuable information about your business and you will be instantly easier to find online.
2. Upload photos. People love to find photos that represent your business. It will help to make your business more “real” in their eyes.
3. Ask your current clients for reviews. “Most local websites are absolutely fine with you requesting that customers review you. Reviews help to make your business seem more credible to potential customers,” said Mitchell Otterson of Altemp Mechanical.
4. Create a local phone number. A local number will tell potential customers that you are in fact a verified local business and not just a random Internet company.
5. Think like your customer. “What do you think potential customers are searching for online? Make sure that you are targeting the words and phrases that people may actually use to search for you,” said Jessica Tesdall, marketing spokesperson for Central Roofing. “People like to use terms like: ‘home improvement [city name].’ Make sure you are using the right words and the right phrases to point potential customers to your business. Make sure that you stand out, above all else.”
Wednesday, September 02, 2015
Tuesday, September 01, 2015
PR Caffeine Hires Zach Coulter as Client Account Manager
To continue its strong growth trajectory and commitment to outstanding client service, digital marketing agency PR Caffeine has hired Zach Coulter as client account manager. PR Caffeine now has grown into a team of nearly 200 industry experts.
As a client account manager Coulter will use his talents in marketing, advertising, storytelling, improvisation and analytics for PR Caffeine and its clients. His career dedication to customer relationship management is the foundation supporting his role as a client account manager.
“I immediately knew I wanted Zach on my team because he is a brilliant and energetic can-do person full of vision and creativity,” said Ryan Berkness, founder and CEO of PR Caffeine. “He energizes everyone around him and is the catalyst that turns ideas into action plans.”
Since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Coulter has maintained a variety of roles as a customer experience and social media manager at The Window Geeks, a stand-up comedian, an A-List writer for City Pages, the consumer visionary at Idea Greenhouse, and a sales coordinator and the customer service supervisor at Sojos Pet Food.
Posted by Ryan May Links to this post
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