New clients often sheepishly shake their heads as they admit how long they’ve been meaning to update their brochure, web site, fill-in-the-blank. Whether it’s time or money or ever-slippery priorities, small business owners and other harried types know that they should point some of their fractured attention toward marketing in order to lure new customers/clients. But how can you tell … Read More
How Your WordPress Site is Like Your Car
As a youth, my idea of a great car was one that got you where you wanted to go. From my jet black Chevy wagon (which sucked through a quart of oil per week) to my Dodge Duster (where the brakes rusted into the trunk held in place only by the lid), I didn’t fuss much with looks or … Read More
Writing and Styling Tips for an Online World
Are You Spaced Out? Ok, this first one is actually a typing tip. ONLY USE ONE SPACE between sentences. Anyone who took a traditional typing class back in the day had the concept of pushing the space bar twice after every sentence drilled into their noggins. But in the publishing world — where typography is quite a bit more sophisticated … Read More
Bite The Bullets: Honing Your Presentation Skills, Part 2
In Part 1, we urged you to carefully consider your audience, your message and your toolbox in the initial planning stage for making a presentation. Additional presentation skills touched on getting creative with images while keeping text and transitions clean and clear. Part 2 wraps up with what happens at the event itself. 3. CONNECT WITH PARTICIPANTS: Engage. Be a … Read More
Bite The Bullets: Honing Your Presentation Skills, Part 1
If you find yourself standing in front of a group of people with a big screen over your shoulder, you will probably find the experience more gratifying for everyone involved if you feel more confident about your presentation skills. Build that confidence by honing your message and keeping your PowerPoint deck — or any other tools you use — clean … Read More
Ode to a Fridge: Why Design Matters
I have an unusually deep fondness for my refrigerator. If there was a fire, I would grab the crazy cats first, then give a longing look at the fridge and say goodbye, knowing that saving it wouldn’t be possible. Or logical. Or even sane. Mentioned this to a client once and — rightly so — got a look of puzzlement … Read More
Are You Now or Have You Ever Been: Where Are You Listed Online?
Ever wonder if you are on some kind of list? How did you get there? What are people saying about you? Seems like the expansive frontiers of the internet would make it easier to track that sort of thing. And in some ways, it does. The unsung workhorses of your marketing mix are those directory listings in all the nooks … Read More
Finding Your Voice: Who Are You on Social Media?
You’re starting to get the hang of it. Posting updates on Facebook, creating a page for your business and maybe dipping into the river of noise that is Twitter. But how are other people “hearing” your voice? Do you come off like a knowledgeable and engaging business person? A super chatty wanna-be celebrity? A vague, disconnected cipher? Honing your “voice” … Read More
Are YOU the Master of Your Domain?
Imagine if you had to pay an annual fee for the privilege of using the address for your office. What if you didn’t know or remember exactly who “rented” that privilege to you or where to go to keep it? You might find someone else has snatched it up or some interloper masquerading as the keeper charges you three times … Read More
Translating Marketing Trends for Small Biz, NFPs
The 2010 Kellstadt Marketing Group Symposium held this spring for DePaul University alums, students and grad students offered some intriguing insights into what they called the Next Gen. Much of these sessions serve marketers in corporations looking to expand and innovate on a grand scale. But the Grotto approach is to glean what we can from the big guys and … Read More