by Amy Hoglund Having a successful and productive team is extremely valuable to a business. If a team does not work well together, or has a lack of comradery, it will not flourish and can potentially cause the downfall of a business. There is one company that has...
by Laura Edington Elevate your lackluster content and bring in more business “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” - Benjamin Franklin Well worded websites that focus on understanding the customer have never been more important. The...
by Patrick Bogans Secondary pages can help pad your site with engaging information Blogs, SEO analysts and fellow businessmen recommend that your business’s homepage has a decent amount of relevant information about your company. Secondary pages are pages that you...
by Amy Hoglund We live in the ‘now’. With mobile devices always being within arms reach, we have the ability to learn, find, do, or buy something at any given point in time. It’s incredible to think about the information we have at our fingertips. To put it in...
By: Jacob Robinson Have you ever heard of the Golden Circle? Simon Sinek popularized this concept in a Ted Talk. If you haven’t, I’m about to show you. The Golden Circle gives a different perspective on the way you relate to your customers', business, and employees....
Updated on December 21, 2023 This holiday season, the greatest gift of all may be right in front of you. A strong social media presence does a lot for your business. It’s where customers are finding, engaging, and learning about you. It’s a place to share helpful...
by Amy Hoglund The holiday season has arrived and it’s the most wonderful time of the year for businesses to bring in sales and new customers. To understand the mindset of the holiday shopper, here's a list of helpful and interesting statistics. You'll see the growing...
by Amy Hoglund It’s no surprise that technology is moving at an exponential rate. Take a look to the right - everything from this 1991 Radio Shack Ad is now in your phone. Crazy, right!? Writer Steve Chichon, from The Huffington Post, pointed out “You'd have spent...
by Holly Czuba We still run into business owners who don't have and/or don't believe they need a website. In fact, 25% of small business owners don't have websites. Not sure your business needs a website? Well- there are PLENTY of reasons. Here are 15 to start with......
by Stephanie LaClair Angry customers. We've all seen them, heard them, served them, and occasionally (even if we don't want to admit it) been one ourselves. Let’s face it- as friendly as your staff might be, timely as your service might be, and low as your prices...
by Holly Czuba It happens all the time. We work with thousands of small and medium sized business owners (exactly who the calls target). You pick up the phone and hear either a real person or a machine, claiming they are affiliated with Google or XYZ search engine,...
By: Amy Merrill There’s always a thing or two to learn from your competition. This doesn't mean to copy what they’re doing, but rather to find areas of improvement. It’s a way to get inspired! Here are 5 effective ways to learn from (and get a leg up on) your...
You should Google your business once a quarter. You'll be surprised what you find. I always am. I spoke at a national conference several years ago to a room full of college students. My workshop was about preparing yourself as a job seeker. Lots of stuff like, "Be...
by Amy Hoglund Google My Business is hands down the most beneficial tool Google has to offer business owners. Start setting one up ASAP if you don’t currently have one (or we can do it for you, of course). Google My Business makes it easy for potential clients to get...
By: Jacob Robinson Have you ever heard of “First Principle thinking”? If not, I’ll soon make a formal introduction. Your ability to understand this simple concept will alter the way you think about your business. Elon Musk, one of the world’s most successful...
by Amy Hoglund So you’ve created fantastic content and your looking to share it via social media. Awesome! Utilizing social media is a great way to drive more traffic to your website, engage with your customers, and build your online presence. Now, to be successful,...
By: Jacob Robinson & Press Miller Mark Twain famously said "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it First Thing in the Morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the BIGGEST one first." Click to Tweet Any guesses on what this...
by Amy Hoglund With a zillion different digital marketing companies out there, it’s difficult to decide on the best partner for you and your business. Here are 9 questions you need to ask to ensure you make the right decision for your digital marketing partnership....
Updated on March 22, 2023 You’ve heard it a thousand times - “Work Smarter not Harder”. But what does that really mean? For small business owners it simply means “Cut the Fat”. Wait, but what does that mean?! Essentially it means, our goal as a small business owner is...
By: Jacob Robinson Decisions are a part of everyday life. But, have you ever thought about what influences your decisions? Any decision you have ever made, and will ever make, is determined by your perception of the situation at hand. The perception itself, is...
by Amy Hoglund What happens when a customer experience goes bad? Does it mean the customer is gone forever or is there a way to do some damage control and save them? We're taking a deeper look into the recent study conducted by SDL that explains: “When customer...
by Amy Hoglund With social media taking a strong presence in today’s marketing world, it’s important to make sure you’re at least on Facebook- the largest social media network with 1.44 billion monthly users. Like many other things in life- like building a house for...
by Amy Hoglund Want social media FAQs and stats all in one place? You’re in luck! I’ve created a “Social Media Cheat Sheet” for you to keep handy, giving you a deeper understanding of the industry. Let’s start with the FAQs. Frequently Asked Social Media Questions...
by Allie Papajohn Restaurant owners - it’s simple. Don’t hide from social media – embrace it! Being active on social media is crucial. Here’s the low-down. There’s a group of people widely known as "foodies" who, as restaurant owners, you want to tap into. They are...
By: Jacob Robinson You became an entrepreneur for a reason. Maybe it was for freedom, to pursue your passion, or for the ability to make a difference? No matter the reason, you’ve undoubtedly found that although owning your own business has many perks, there are still...
By: Joey Vachon A lot of times it's easy for me to find myself pushing an agenda, rather than acknowledging a trust-building conversation with a human being. Ultimately, your perception creates your reality - and the same goes for your prospect. When two perceptions...
by Amy Hoglund With businesses trying to connect with their customers on social media, it’s extremely important to understand the behavior behind social media sharing. We’ve got some interesting (and fun) stats to share! What People Share This is the most vital...
by Amy Hoglund The Social Media industry changes frequently. You have to keep yourself updated with industry news in order to keep up. This leaves busy small business owners scrambling to keep up. That’s where we come in! Here are a few common questions we receive...
by: Holly Czuba We live in a mobile world. Contractors spend 90%+ of their day on job sites. When they need something, they pull out their phone or tablet to get it done. We work with a number of contractors and have compiled a list of marketing tips, keeping in mind...
By: Jacob Robinson Do you have a website? Maybe you’re thinking about building a website for your business? Either way, you understand that as a general contractor, it's imperative to have a high functioning website that can first be found, and second convert visitors...
by Amy Hoglund Referrals, the go-to approach many small business owners rely on, exclusively, to earn business. If you aren’t looking to expand your business and bring in more revenue, referrals may be enough. But who doesn’t want to increase their sales and become...
by Amy Hoglund When it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), you may hear industry jargon get tossed around, but have no idea what actually goes into it. We’re here to help clear the muddle. Today I’m focusing on the significance of Off-Page SEO- specifically...
By: Kala Halbert & Jacob Robinson What Is a Value Proposition? As a business, you must know and understand your value proposition. Not sure what that means? It’s just what it sounds like – a promise of value to be provided to a customer. It’s a critical aspect to...
by: Amy Hoglund Customer service (noun)- the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services. As you’re reading this, think of the best customer service experience you’ve ever had. Was it great because the customer...
by Bill Reinhart The importance of team chemistry can never go overlooked. Having a rock star group of employees is great, but without the ability to come together as an elite team, you’re nothing but an assembly of individuals set out for your own pursuits. That is...
Your Homepage's Goal The homepage is the most important page on your website. It's where the battle for customers is won or lost. As a small business owner, you must make sure that your homepage is prepared to convert visitors into leads. Is your homepage built to...
by Brittany Keenan Is there such a thing as a perfect website? Well, honestly, that depends. Web trends are constantly changing. Working with a team of experts will help you better understand what works versus what doesn’t for your industry. Define Your Audience...
By Katie Sheldon “88% of consumers using the internet will look toward online reviews before making their purchasing decision.” – Trustpilot “I got an awful review on Facebook (or Google or anywhere else). What do I do?” Working with small- to medium-size businesses,...
By: Holly Czuba This is big news in our industry right now. Google is going to stop showing non-mobile-friendly websites in their mobile search results. Business owners stand to lose half of their visibility on the web if they're not ready. I say "half their...
by Bryce Tedeschi In an age where customers always have the last word, it’s important to keep a finger on the pulse of what people are saying about you online. Reviews influence buying decisions (90% of customers say buying decisions are influenced by online reviews....
By: Jacob Robinson Real World Statistics for the Modern Business As a business owner you are always working to outsmart and outperform your competition. Fact of the matter is, your competition is doing the exact same thing to you! Here are some stats that put the...
By: Kyle Mills One of the most important things for any business owner, big or small, is making sure you have a marketing plan in place to position yourself as an expert in your field. If you’re running a business by yourself, or even with a small team, it’s difficult...
by: Amy Hoglund If you haven’t noticed, the power of social media is growing. Its become a big part of our everyday lives! It’s where many get the news, the latest promotions for our favorite brands, find out the latest scandal in the entertainment world, and it’s the...
By: Jacob Robinson 71% of consumers have ended their relationship [with a business] due to poor customer service. Tweet This! The landscape of today’s business environment is as cut-throat and competitive as ever. With so much competition and a multitude of channels...
Updated April 12, 2017 With Google’s constant algorithm updates, local search has been taken to a whole new level. Basic SEO practices like keyword research, meta tags, indexing, and penalty recovery are still in place. However, content, directory listings, and mobile...
by Kala Halbert Are you making any of the the following errors with your small business website? You’ve spent the last year improving your search engine rankings, beating your competition and finally made it to the first page of Google. Congratulations! Unfortunately,...
By: Holly Czuba Getting to the Bottom of Great Customer Service Why I Believe It's the Best Marketing, Sales & Loyalty Strategy Do you know about Open Forum by American Express? It's a great resource for business owners. I receive their weekly article round-up via...
By: Jacob Robinson The principle of ‘value added’ is critical for every business owner to understand, no matter how small or large you are, or plan to be in the future. If you can focus on and implement this concept, you will set your business up for long-term...
And other musings about the commercials aired during the big game. by Holly Czuba As a marketer the biggest sporting event of the year is an exciting time to judge commercials. I came into work this past Monday and was asking everyone what they thought of the Super...
By: Katlin Botsford What if I told you, as a business owner, to stop going above and beyond for every customer that walks through your door? Are you kidding me? Of course I’m going to do everything I can for all of my customers! Let’s dig into what I’m saying. There...
By Ryan Dearth “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” -Albert Einstein Every SEO professional knows the tactics and strategies required to improve rankings and search visibility for a client's business or organization. We have a...
By: Jacob Robinson We put so much credence into the coveted first born of our website, the ‘Home Page’. This is where most of our effort is focused. And rightfully so! This is where customers make an initial judgment about us and our brand. But what happens next?!?...