smart business marketing

bravo, zeus jones + puny, bravo.

nataliegreve — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:43:02 +0000

Two of the hottest creative shops, zeus jones & puny (illustration/animation) pulled together this fun strategy & site to raise funds thru Box Tops for Education for Minneapolis elementary school Green Central. Very cool spin = the unique Thank You gifts. (Can’t wait to hear the CD of local music) Check it out and drop a donation while you are at it.

Marketers take note: Frugality makes us ‘feel virtuous’

nataliegreve — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:17:48 +0000

If you are a small business owner wondering if your clients will be back dropping loads of cash anytime soon, take note. If you are a large consumer brand wondering if value/price really matters, take note. (Yes, that’s you, Target.)

The recent LA Times article, ‘Being Frugal is Back in Fashion’ sums up what we’ve all been wondering. Are people really cutting back and is this just a short-term trend or it is here to stay?
“All the data tell the same story. People who spent every dime of their disposable income two years ago are now saving and paying down billions in debt. Like Thurston, they’ve shifted from shopping at luxury stores to buying from discounters. They’re scrimping with more vigor and tenacity than economists have seen in decades.”

This quote really sums up what many of us hear regularly from friends and peers:
“We know that times are tough. People have lost their jobs and we are all sharing the pain,” he added. “We are not going to be over-the-top spenders in the face of that. We are going to be frugal because it makes us feel virtuous.”

One key observation of this past year is that the upper middle class seems to be the hardest hit. Often overextended, these customers still drive the Lexus but are now shopping at Walmart and pinching pennies. Even if these customers are maintaining their current income/employment levels, they are surrounded by family and friends who have experienced layoffs or downsizing this past year. The “makes me feel virtuous” syndrome is a powerful incentive. My small business clients who are focusing on value & promotion messages (vs delight & indulge messages) are seeing quick lift and positive responses. All signs point toward a continuing strong response to the “value proposition” well into 2010.

Personalize + Customize: the D.Y.O. Experience

nataliegreve — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:07:49 +0000

Love this WSJ article about “Design Your Own” experiences. Brands have taken this concept and ran with it. These products, designed by you, are being marketed and leveraged by our favorite fashion labels. Not a new idea, but one that I just love. Not only do you get to design your own product, but you get to share your creativity and customization with your friends or with anyone interested. What kind of future marketers and artists will result from this creative encouragement and empowerment? I can’t wait to find out. Check out Keds Collective and Champion Hoodie Remix. So fun!

Social Media: Do As I Say?

nataliegreve — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:51:44 +0000

Just came from a meeting with an SEO “expert” who tried to advised my small business client that they not only need to be actively engaged in social media (we agree on this), but that they need to be blogging (really, ‘need to?’), to be on LinkedIn and that my client (mind you-the owner of a demanding small business) should personally allocate one hour a day to engaging in social media.

Why is that interesting to me? Because this SEO expert/small business owner of 12+ employees later confessed that she wasn’t involved in Twitter but meant to be soon. I also noticed her business website had no social media links, she didn’t have a personal LinkedIn profile, her business LinkedIn profile wasn’t complete, her company blog hadn’t been updated for ten months and she had no branded or personal presence on Facebook.

Classic case of do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do, right? Right, but Wrong. Just Wrong. It’s one thing for the average business owner to not have all things going in social media. But, for a self-professed internet business seo expert to not have these basic things in place there is no excuse. It’s embarrassing. I’m disappointed that we’ll never recover the hour spent with this individual, but reminded that it’s really not hard to stand apart in today’s business world. Just do what you say. And say what you do. And oldie but goodie. And it still stands true today.

Does Your Resume Pass the 15-Second Scan?

nataliegreve — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:09:07 +0000

Just read “Creating A Resume That Sells” -WSJ.com. Some good pointers in the article. However, when it comes to resumes: ask 10 people their opinion and you’ll get 10 answers. So what do you, the job seeker, do about that? How do you sift through all the subjective input you’ll receive from hiring managers, well-meaning peers, recruiters and experts? No matter what industry you are in, there is one rule of thumb: sell yourself in the top 1/3 of the resume. In today’s age of twitter (140 characters), short attention spans, search words and a glut of competition you can assume your resume will receive about a 15 scan.

Does your resume passes the 15-second scan test?
* The key skills/qualities are bulleted or listed in the top 1/3 of my resume
* A stranger on the street could tell (basically) what kind of work I’m qualified for by glancing at the top 1/3 of my resume.
* The key words/summary at the top of my resume reflect the industry words used in job descriptions.

So, add this to your plethora of resume input and take it for what it is. One more person’s opinion.

Social Media + Unemployment

nataliegreve — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:54:19 +0000

Wonder if anyone has done a study about the correlation between the rise of social media popularity and increased unemployment.

Pete Cashmore – founder of Mashable – touches on this in his recent cnn.com post. He calls it ‘unknown and unemployed’.

Why LinkedIn? Top 3 Reasons.

nataliegreve — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:32:13 +0000

Why LinkedIn? I get this question all the time as a recruiter and a marketer. I’m amazed at how many people aren’t leveraging this very easy and influential tool. Top three reasons to be connected on LinkedIn: Jobs. Networking. Opportunities. (okay, you get the idea)

Treat your profile on LinkedIn like an online resume. Take the time to fill out the profile fully. Without a doubt, anyone you network with or interview with will be scanning your profile and making decisions about you before you meet. Does your online profile set you up for success? Many times I realized connections I have in common with someone and it helps smooth the way for a great networking conversation.

Use LinkedIn to research prospective companies or interviewers, find out who you know at those companies – or who is connected to someone at those companies. Tap into your network for informational interviews/coffees. Great way to gather insights on perspective employers.

Currently unemployed? freelancing? consulting? Let us know. Your friends and connections can be your biggest advocate. Update your “professional headline” to shout out to the world that you are available. You never know when someone in your network is looking to hire. Keep us informed. Let’s us help.

Land a new job? Tell us about that, too. Use the ‘status update’ to pass along the good news or tell us about your latest blog post or share a great article.

Most of all, have fun with it. It shouldn’t feel like a daunting task if you treat it like it is- an easy tool to connect and re-connect with those in your network. Enjoy!

moving from blogger to wordpress

nataliegreve — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:42:44 +0000

It’s official. I’m finally kissing my blogger.com blog good-bye and embracing wordpress.com. A bit sad to lose my content from the past year or so, but that’s a small sacrifice to pay for the upgrade. Has anyone else felt that they neglect their blog in favor of other media (twitter?) Maybe it seems less daunting to post vs write. A blank page begs to be written. A short post requires no time commitment. I’ve been preaching to my small business owners that they can manage social media by allocating about 1 hour/week to posts/content. I am challenging myself to do the same. Time will tell.

testing my new appearance

nataliegreve — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:41:38 +0000

my new blog appearance, that is.

Hello world!

nataliegreve — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:29:57 +0000

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!