By Ian Sharp | May 24, 2010

Bidding on a beauty.

On Saturday we headed west for my first Murdo in May classic car auction at Pioneer Auto. After a quick trip to Murdo, I was really getting excited and wondered how such a small town in rural South Dakota can attract so many car enthusiasts.

I lost count of the number of people attending, but there must have been several hundred car lovers enjoying the day. …Read more »

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By Tarah Heupel | May 20, 2010

Ericka Heiser speaks to 1000+

Yesterday a few of us had the opportunity to attend the first Day of Excellence in Rapid City. Hosted by Leadership Rapid City, the one-day conference focused on fostering personal and professional growth.

We showed up to the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center yesterday, coffee in hand, interested to see if the speakers would have anything to teach us (and praying they would be funny). More than 1,200 people had the same idea, and luckily, we weren’t disappointed. …Read more »

By Kyle McCabe | March 17, 2010

That's right. Dinosaurs.

I’ll be driving through eastern South Dakota next week. It’s a drive I’ve made many times, though I’m usually on my way to Minneapolis. This time Sioux Falls is my destination, and I’m pumped.

I’m heading out that way to attend the OTA Sessions–an event that, if you’re a small (or large) business owner, marketer, salesperson, PR pro, or creative in the Midwest, you should not miss.

OTA is the first conference of its type in South Dakota, as far as I know. From the website: …Read more »

By Jillian Anderson | January 7, 2010

With the dawn of a new year, there is a lot of buzz about marketing in 2010. The “blogsphere ” is flooded with questions like, “What will be the most effective marketing media in 2010,” “Will traditional media b ecome obsolete,” and “Where are advertisers going to spend in 2010.”

Among these marketing predictions are:

1. The rise of mobile marketing and mobile websites:

This will be a pretty big one and some are even saying that the impact of mobile marketing will surpass that of social media. Be sure to pay attention to how this develops in the coming months and years.

2. Relationship marketing and customer service:

This necessity continues to grow as social media gives EVERY customer a louder voice and influence. Remember that your customers are people too, and not just any people, but the kings and queens of your business.

3. Experimentation:

When it comes to new technologies, sometimes experimentation is the best way to see if they work for your marketing. This doesn’t mean (of course) to blindly pursue new media with no clear goal, intent, strategy and system of measurement. But, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try something new. If you don’t begin experimenting, you will be left behind.

4. Social media and SEO:

We can’t forget about the meat and potatoes of online marketing. Social media and SEO have advanced past the point of being mere buzz words. Don’t expect these two to disappear.

5. Promotions in both new AND traditional media:

Whether businesses are offering incentives to gain friends and followers in social networks, customer loyalty programs, coupons, sales or charitable contributions – promotions are sure to be another 2010 trend. …Read more »

By Kyle McCabe | November 10, 2009

Twitter overload...

I was reluctant – VERY reluctant – to write this post. Do we really need another post about Twitter? I’ve run across some Twitter users (for biz) lately that tells me perhaps we do. After all, some people are just now signing up, and may not have read any of the twizillion “Twitter 101″ posts available.

So… here we are. How to set up and use Twitter for business.

1. Use your real name.
When you sign up your account, include your real name. It can be your username or not, but include it in the “name” field at the least.

If you don’t want people to know who you are, social media probably isn’t for you. …Read more »

By Kyle McCabe | October 20, 2009

Is full transparency really a good idea?

Almost every “how-to” or list of tips on using social media includes some kind of advice on being authentic or transparent. I’m not convinced we all agree on what things like transparency and authenticity mean in this context.

Transparency
No one is really serious about full transparency. Full transparency would entail communication of every detail of your life. I don’t know about you, but I’m not too keen on the idea I should tell you when I use the bathroom or what my email password is. If I update a social app with the fact that I’ve left work, I don’t think I’m obligated to tell you where I’m going. Or who I’m meeting. Or what kind of drugs I’m buying. What?

Yes, the truth is there’s stuff I don’t want you to know about. Stuff you *shouldn’t* know. Not drugs, exactly – I’ve been clean for at least a few weeks. The point is “transparency” is sort of a misnomer – no one really means it. Translucent? The reality is probably more opaque. …Read more »

By Jillian Anderson | July 30, 2009

Sometimes you just can't say it better than Mark Twain.

I love marketing quotes – the wit, the punditry, the directness – and how an entire concept can be summed up in one sentence (or two or three).  Here are some of my favs:

“Tell a story that is memorable and remarkable and worth listening to.  Seduce your customers, because that’s exactly what they want you to do.” – Seth Godin

“Strategy should be developed from the bottom up, not from the top down.  In other words,  strategy should be developed from a deep knowledge of and involvement in the actual tactics of the business itself.” – Jack Trout …Read more »

By Vincent Tyson | July 8, 2009

Why are any of us in business? I think that’s a question more people should ask themselves. Sometimes, I don’t know why some businesses bother to go on.

Lately service, or rather a lack of it, has really got to me. I recently ordered some replacement glass for my new house from a local (nameless) company. One of the windows was cracked when I moved in. It was delivered after two weeks which is when the trouble started. Not only was the glass too big, but I also had to pay a Glazier for a window that wasn’t fitted.

The glass company happily took the window back, admitting that it had measured it wrong (good so far). They said that they’d let me know when the new glass was ready. Fast forward six weeks; one more incorrectly measured pane of glass, and I am now fuming. For some time they weren’t even answering my calls; even the shop was closed when I went to visit. Eventually after several phone calls – and a call to the owner’s personal residence – I have a new piece of glass that is supposed to be going in this weekend (I’ll keep you posted). What really annoyed me was the lack of contact and severe delays with no explanation or apology. Rest assured I won’t be going back!

If I contrast this with another story of poor service, it illustrates how things can start out bad, but turn out for the best… …Read more »

By Jillian Anderson | June 24, 2009

Though people have been finding ways to market on the Internet for years, its broad marketing potential is still pretty new.

In my experience, most small business owners aren’t yet familiar with what internet marketing is and how it differs from/relates to traditional marketing media. I hope to answer some fundamental questions, or at least paint a clearer picture with this post.

Since we are talking about the world wide web, there are many advertising and marketing possibilities.  But what’s best for your business?  Well, that depends on your desired outcome (and budget). I’ll highlight three of the most common ways to market on the internet.

In addition to a company’s website, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and banner ads have proven to be highly effective in generating both web and foot traffic.  All of these are useful marketing elements that enhance a company’s internet presence to promote offline business and online sales. …Read more »

By Jillian Anderson | June 2, 2009

Social media is all the rage these days. It is no longer just the interest of your 16 year old daughter or the chronicles of life on a college campus. These past couple of weeks, I have had several people (outside of work) ask me about social media – what it is, how to do it, how it works, etc.

Meet Mr. Social. He’s practical, sensible and sensitive.

(Image credit: Allied Newspapers Limited | via letslookupandsmile)

From my cousin asking about Twitter or my boyfriend’s mother about Facebook, to random people I meet that gripe about social media being a waste of time, it seems to be everywhere I turn.

But why?

What makes social media so special?

Whether you look at it from a marketing perspective or simply as a way to stay connected to friends, family and the rest of the world, social media is quite practical in our modern, speed-of-the-web society. Here are 14 practical uses for social media.

…Read more »