COSE Mind Your Business Resource Guide - August 2016

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AUGUST 2016

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Mind Your Business

RESOURCE GUIDE THE CONTENT MARKETING ISSUE

Creating content from scratch Here are 3 stories that will help you manufacture a winning content marketing program CONTENT BUILDING: Create an inbound program even if you’re strapped for time or money SOCIAL CIRCLES: Leverage social media platforms to get your business noticed ENTREPRENEURIAL DISCOVERY: Effective content marketing requires you to understand your business. One of our BizConCLE keynotes walks you through that process.

ATTENTION MYB READERS: New resources on the way in 2017! Check page 22 for details.

RESOURCE DIRECTORY: Page 18

These experts will help you take your content marketing to the next level


Every Great Business Starts with Great Employees A competitive benefits package that includes a high-quality health insurance plan can help you find the best employees for your small business team. As the oldest and largest health insurer in Ohio, we partner with COSE to offer benefit plans that work for small businesses. So, whether you’re hiring your first employee or growing your business, we have a solution. To find out more about Medical Mutual plans offered through COSE, please contact your broker or the COSE Benefits Team at Medical Mutual at (440) 878-5930.


contents RESOURCE GUIDE

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CONTENT MARKETING ON A BUDGET

Think you don’t have the time or money to ramp up a content marketing program at your small business? Our experts explain how to launch a supercharged inbound marketing program for your small business.

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EXPERT’S EDIT

Before you can begin your content marketing journey, you have to understand what distinguishes your business. Gary Schoeniger, one of the keynotes at this year’s BizConCLE, will show you how to draw up a plan that will set your business apart.

RESOURCE DIRECTORY

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SOCIAL STANDING

You can’t talk about content marketing without talking about social media. We sat down with three social experts who will help you craft a plan to get your tweets, posts and shares noticed.

Still have questions about content marketing? Review this issue’s guide to firms that will help you find the answers.

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MEMO

Content Marketing Mania

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veryone these days seems to be in a rush to market their own content to their customers. To point, a Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs survey that was sponsored by BrightCove revealed that 76% of organizations said they would increase the amount of content marketing they produce in 2016. There’s a good reason for all of this interest. Data compiled by HubSpot has found that inbound marketing efforts, such as content marketing, yield 54% more leads than traditional paid marketing. Want more evidence for the power of content marketing? Consider the following: n

82% of marketers who blog daily reported gaining customers for their company (HubSpot)

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Content marketing costs 62% less, on average, than traditional marketing (Demand Metric)

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80% of decision-makers prefer to get information from articles rather than from ads (Stratabeat)

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Revenue from global content marketing activities is expected to reach $313.4 billion by 2019 (MediaPost)

How convinced are you that your company’s content marketing program is going to help you get a slice of that $313.4 billion? If you’re a little unsure, don’t worry. You’ve got the right magazine in your hands. This Resource Guide is dedicated to helping small businesses make the most of content marketing. And just like in every one of our Resource Guides, you’ll find a handy directory in the back to organizations that can help you continue to refine your content marketing activities. One last note: We’re also continuing to refine our own content marketing as well. As we mentioned in our last issue, our print Mind Your Business will have a new home online in 2017. There are many positives associated with this transition that will be communicated to you throughout the remainder of 2017, but suffice it to say you will continue to receive the same useful, insightful content you’ve come to expect from us, sent directly to your inbox. We’ll have more details on the specific benefits you’ll begin receiving in our September/October issue. Of course, if you have any questions about the transition, please feel free to let us know.

MICHAEL STANEK

Chairman, COSE CFO, Hunt Imaging

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Mind Your Business

A PUBLICATION OF THE COUNCIL OF SMALLER ENTERPRISES COUNCIL OF SMALLER ENTERPRISES STEVE MILLARD COSE Executive Director smillard@cose.org MEGAN KIM Managing Vice President, Membership Development and Marketing mkim@cose.org SHAWN A. TURNER Content Director sturner@cose.org DAN ROMAN Director, COSE Corporate and Foundation Relations droman@cose.org CONTRIBUTORS ALLISON HALCO STACI BUCK Art Director COSE.ORG CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Design and Production Services


SMALL BUDGET,

Big Content You don’t need a big budget to turn your small business into a content creation machine. After all, everything your company produces is content — you just need to take all that stuff and use it to tell your story. Our experts will show you how.

By KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

AUGUST 2016 | COSE Resource Guide | 5


W

e’re hungry for information, and we consume it with a fast food mentality. We fly in, grab a bite and if there’s a wait or we don’t find what we’re looking for, we’re over it. Our attention span for blah content is zero. It better be interesting and different — it must matter to us personally or professionally. Otherwise … Goodbye. Content rules, but not just any content. “Content marketing is not a brand-new arena, but the terminology is. The concept of generating high-quality, valuable information targeted to an audience to entertain, teach, help — this is not a brand-new arena. We call it content marketing today, but the principles have been in practice for generations,” points out Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute in Cleveland, a training and education organization for content marketing. “Think about Poor Richard’s Almanac, which was created to promote Ben Franklin’s printing business,” Pulizzi relates. “Content marketing has evolved with the onset of Google Search and social media, and it took off in 2010 and

2011. Now it’s a de facto term for an approach where you create value; relevant, compelling information on a consistent basis in order to build an audience.” Ah, that’s the catch: consistency and quality. Oh, and content marketing will not produce an overnight success story. It requires a commitment. The problem is, as small business owners you might be strapped in the time and budgeting departments and budgeting to outsource high-quality content could break the advertising bank. But with content marketing, there’s real opportunity to deeply connect with potential customers and nurture relationships with existing clients. “There has never been a greater opportunity than right now to build an audience online because you can reach people today,” Pulizzi says. Technology makes information delivery instant and easy. But you’ve got to cut through the clutter. How do you do all of this on a tight budget and limited time? It is possible to leverage content as a marketing tool without creating a second job for yourself. How do you do it? Well, you’re going to have to keep reading. (Hey, we spilled a lot of ink on this story, we want you to read it!)

WHO CARES?

Save time (and money) with content marketing efforts through effective targeting. Who are you trying to reach? Where is your audience hanging out?

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Pulizzi points out. “You need a home base,” he emphasizes. “See the Internet through the eyes of your consumers,” advises Joe Kubic, CEO and co-founder of Adcom in Cleveland. Search your company name and industry. Find competitors. “See where you show up and where the conversation is, then decide if it’s important for you to be part of that conversation,” Kubic says. The point is, your business does not have to be everywhere and that’s a costly mistake many small business owners make. “The average small business communicates in 10 channels and that’s probably too many,”

SET UP HOME BASE

About that home base. It could be Facebook or a blog housed on your website. It could be Twitter or YouTube. Decide how you will deliver information: text, audio, video, images. Then select a platform that aligns with the type of content you’ll generate. Content marketing doesn’t automatically translate to white paper reports and longform blogs. Take Matthew Patrick, who started a YouTube show called Game Theory. “He doesn’t have a blog; everything he does is on YouTube,” Pulizzi relates. Patrick’s effort grew in a couple short

years into a multi-million dollar company and a social media following of 5 millionplus. “He is one person,” Pulizzi says. He is one person who identified exactly what made him different from competitors. Content Marketing Institute conducted research looking at entrepreneurs who succeed in content marketing. What they had in common was a differentiated message, Pulizzi says. “That’s not an easy thing to do: You have to find something that is of supreme value to your customers and deliver that on a consistent basis.” In other words, don’t waste resources by spreading yourself too thin. Your content does not need to live on every platform. Do you have a radio voice and a knack for talking out problems? Are you adept at writing and can you entertain and keep readers interested? Do you have images and photographs to share that your audience will

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appreciate? Do you want to show people “how” (solving their problems, offering tips) with video? Figure out what works for your voice and the information you plan to deliver.

you. “You can create a granular picture of what their needs are,” Barnett explains. What frustrates or concerns your customers? What is daily life like for them? Are they decision-makers in their households or businesses? What information do they look for online? “The more you know about your audience, and yourself, the better you will be able to connect meaningfully with them through content,” Barnett says.

STAND OUT

The glut of information available online creates constant noise for consumers. How will you grab your audience’s attention? Again, going back to the time-is-money reality: focused efforts will save your schedule and your budget. “Figure out your differentiating characteristics so your voice doesn’t sound like everyone else’s,” says Halle Barnett of media schmedia in Beachwood. “If you expect to engage someone, you have to understand their terms and meet them in a

BE CONSISTENT space where they might have room for you, if what you’re saying resonates with them.” A helpful exercise is to create customer personas. You’re basically character sketching the people who loyally buy from

Content marketing is not a one-shot deal. Even if you keep efforts rolling for six months, you might see little return. Building relationships takes time. Cultivating a following is a long-term endeavor. So what do you do?

Questions about your business? Get answers from the COSE Expert Network. The COSE Expert Network features experts who: • are available to answer questions • provide 60-minute, in-person consultations • connect via email or phone to provide feedback or information • are vetted and reviewed by COSE

To get answers to your business questions or to set up a consultation with an expert, visit www.COSEexpertnetwork.org today!

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BE PREDICTABLE

Decide what you can do and stick to it. “Pick a frequency you can actually commit to, and work ahead with an editorial calendar,” Pulizzi advises. He suggests preparing content at least two weeks in advance. Planning is key to achieving consistency and not getting overwhelmed by your content marketing efforts. What can you reasonably accomplish? Writing one blog? Posting a few status updates per week? Creating a podcast monthly? “Figure out what you want to do and what you’re good at,” Pulizzi recommends. And, the reverse, determine what you do not want to do and delegate those tasks. Perhaps you enjoy writing raw content but not editing or posting. Maybe you enjoy

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delivering a podcast but the technical side is not your thing. Or, say you love strategy and prefer to oversee the execution. “Figure out what you’ll do with your time and employees’ time, and how much it will take to outsource the rest,” Pulizzi says of budgeting and staying on task.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

In some ways, the thought of content marketing is far more daunting than actually doing it. In fact, you’re already generating content for your business. (How about those helpful email replies,

informational presentations, etc.?) You’ve got an arsenal of information on hand and the expertise to be a resource. Now all you have to do is put yourself out there. Kubic shares that Facebook can be extremely effective for delivering content to a targeted audience and building a network.

“For small business owners, it can be a great content management tool,” he says. If you do just one thing, consider putting out an e-newsletter so you can culminate the messages you put out on social media and in other formats, Pulizzi suggests. “With platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, you don’t ‘own’ or control those algorithms and followers; we have the most control with email subscribers, so focus on that,” he says. “You have content,” Pulizzi says. “You just have to distill it into a story.” MYB

NEXT STEPS Content Is a Tool But it’s not a hammer, reminds Halle Barnett of media schmedia. So, limit your brag posts, pitches or promotionst. Yes, you want to compel action, but trust us, your audience is not interested in being sold. It’s the ideas you share that create or add meaning for them, that will make them want to connect with you. Content should be meaningful, manageable, strategic, engaging, and a genuine reflection of your own unique perspective, Barnett says. “Don’t be afraid to be yourself,” she adds. “Customers will notice if an e-newsletter doesn’t match your personality, other marketing materials, or their own expectations of you as a business.” Learn more about what you need to do to take your content marketing efforts to the next level by visiting cose.org/myb/contentmarketing

Want your company or organization to be featured in a future Mind Your Business Resource Guide that is distributed to thousands of small businesses across Northeast Ohio? Here’s your chance! We’re looking for companies in the information technology, human resources, strategic planning and consulting, and more. Make the case for your business or organization to COSE’s Business Resource Specialist Sara Adams at sadams@gcpartnership.com.

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Q&A

Take the First Step to Improve Your Business Neal Grossman of Grossman, Inc., was initially hesitant about joining the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. Where would he find time to fit the program into his schedule? Could he afford to be away from his business? As it turns out, making time for the program provided the first of many lessons he would learn from the program. “Like most small businesses, we’re so busy working in our business that we let the unimportant things distract us from the important things — like taking the first step and enrolling in 10,000 Small Businesses,” he says. Grossman Here’s what else Neal has to say: IN WHAT WAYS DID THE PROGRAM ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS YOU HAD? Neal: When you walk into a room with 36 business owners and you see they all have the same concerns you do, and they are putting forth the effort to be there and improve, you feel you can do it, too. But at the end of the day, you realize you don’t need to be at your business 24/7, especially if during your time away you’re learning invaluable lessons you can turn around and apply to your business. HOW DID YOU APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED TO YOUR BUSINESS? The biggest thing I learned was how to put together a business plan that worked for me and could also work for the banks. Using what I learned from 10,000 Small Businesses, I put a plan together and got three loan offers. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THE PROGRAM? My biggest takeaway is all the people I met in the class that I still speak to on a weekly basis. We meet once a month for an advisory meeting to ensure we’re all still on track and also to share what we’ve learned from our successes and our failures. The relationships I have gained from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses I would not have been able to buy anywhere. Deadline to apply is October 13. Want to learn more about Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses? Visit http://www.tri-c.edu/10ksb/.


EXPERT’S EDIT

Entrepreneurial Discovery By SHAWN A. TURNER

In the story you just read, you learned that before you begin a content marketing program it’s important to take some time to understand your own business. As Gary Schoeniger sees it, that’s an exercise too few entrepreneurs undertake. Schoeniger, founder and CEO of The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative and the opening keynote speaker at BizConCLE October 13-14, has a few choice words of advice for these small business owners.

MEET THE EXPERT:

Gary Schoeniger

Founder, CEO The Entreprenuerial Learning Intitiative

ttin g R at he r th an be an id ea, ev er yt hi ng on e, ta ke an it erativ proa ch, ap ex pe ri m enta l qu esti on s, as ki ng lots of , of ex pe ri m ents co nd ucti ng lots ng from ea s an d le arni id ur yo g in st proa ch te ex pe ri m enta l ap is Th s. lt su re g th e e ri sk by provin at ig it m u yo lp w ill he la rg ebe fo re m ak in g yo ur co nc epts In m any t in yo ur id ea s. sc al e in ve st m en to di sc ov er so enab le yo u al ill w it s, se ca rt unitie s ex pe ct ed op po un or en se re unfo ti ce d. rw is e go un no th at m ig ht ot he

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How Too Many Entrepreneurs Think About Entrepreneurship

Even when I was a manager at my former employer and befor knew I was made to be an entrepreneur. I like to take risks. I l bigger risk is there than starting your own business? I’m so ha managerial thinking and move full speed ahead into entrepren

If the product or service your business provides is going to ul then I think you need to either “go big or go home!” Sure, you But you can deal with them as they come up. The most impor to just continue to stay on your plan despite what’s going on i environment around you. After all, that’s just noise, right? I’v so my thinking is that “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

You need to fight this tendency to cling to old ideas while ignoring changes in the environment.

w y g t p w


EXPERT’S EDIT

Not a good attitude to take. I’ll explain why below.

re I set out on my own, I like to gamble. And what appy to finally shed that neur mode!

trep re ne uria l Th in k of th e en sc ov er y proc es s as a di by yo u’re proc es s w he re so luti on s. se arch in g fo r be th in ki ng S o, yo u sh ou ld a dete ctiv e an d acti ng lik e un e te lle r an d not a fo rt or ga m bl er.

ltimately be a success, u might run into challenges. rtant thing, as I see it, is in the macroeconomic ve had a lot of success so far,

Th er e w il l be ti m es w he n th e w or ld ar ou nd yo u ch an ge s an d yo u ’r e go in g to ha ve to re vi si t th e di sc ov er y ro ce ss as a w ay to ad ap t.

NEXT STEPS Learn more about BizConCLE, the conference that comprises the Small Business Convention, by visiting bizconcle.com. Also, read what Schoeniger has to say about what it takes for a small business owner to reinvent their business’ brand by visiting cose.org/myb/schoeniger. We’ll have tips from another BizConCLE keynote in our next issue. Up Next: Casey Gerald, co-founder and CEO of MBAs Across America.

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SOCIAL GRACES The new way to advertise is all about engaging in conversation, and that’s happening on social media. Here is the business owner’s best practice cheat sheet for three of the top platforms so you can #GetStartedNow sharing, tweeting and posting.

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By KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

I

f you’ve got an extra 10 minutes to kill before a meeting, what are the chances you’ll hop on Twitter to find out what’s new or check your Facebook page? Maybe you’ll tap in to a LinkedIn forum you follow. We know you’re not just sitting there — and neither are your customers. “Social media is where people live,” says Bill Beachy, president, Go Media in Cleveland. “People are consuming. They review their Twitter feeds, check Facebook pages. You have to go to them to market, or at least stay on their minds.”

And we’re not just talking about consumers under the age of 35. Devin Cathcart, account manager, Goldfarb Weber Creative Media, describes an “A-Ha” moment that illustrates the point well. “After making my living working in ad agencies and creative shops, being in the middle of this business, I turned around one day and my dad sent me a tweet,” he relates. “That’s a shift. And it’s a major shift.” Everyone’s doing it.

But let us qualify that a bit. Today’s advertising is social media, and people are interested in information and education. They want to watch, read, learn. The cheesy one-liners and dealsdeals-deals that reek of a used car sales lot — those aren’t working. “Ninety-five percent of your social media posts should come across purely as value to the client without any ask,” Beachy emphasizes. “You should merely

be providing information customers want to consume that won’t cost them anything.” At Go Media, an example of this is their Arsenal. “People really love the inspirational quotes that they can relate to as well, and they love seeing the designs we do that give them inspiration, too,” says Heather Sakai, Go Media’s social media guru and online content creator/curator.

AUGUST 2016 | COSE Resource Guide | 15


If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility to play on social media and the possibilities it introduces, we get it. If you’re feeling paralyzed by the thought of adding one more thing to your to-do list, we understand that, too. That’s why we talked to three experts to find out how you can get started, play smart and amplify your social media presence on three key platforms: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Beachy says. “They post and let it sit. That makes it tough for a community to stay engaged. If you are not posting regularly and not interacting with your community, then your social kingdom is really going to collapse.” Dedicating just five to 10 minutes daily to social media can be enough at first to begin engaging an audience. Schedule the “engagement.” Then, consider going a bit deeper with Facebook and looking at analytics, Cathcart suggests. With these tools you can understand and optimize your content. “You can look at a month and see the dates and times when your content resonated the most,” he says. There are opportunities to “get granular” on Facebook, Cathcart says.

captured and shared,” Beachy says. “You have to spend some time thinking about what you tweet before you send it.” Sakai suggests capturing that in-themoment quality of Twitter by asking followers what they’re doing, what they think, what they’re working on. Get a pulse on your community. “Be personal and natural,” she says. Use the hashtag as a campfire and huddle with followers, have a conversation. “Or you can plug into an existing conversation and glom on to a hashtag,” Cathcart says.

Facebook Before you dive into social media or even stick your big toe into this ocean of a community, have a good grip on your brand. Who are you (as a business) anyway? What should others know? “Who you are as a business should be reflected in how you interact online,” Cathcart says. “Are you slightly irreverent? Are you particularly straight-laced?” Post accordingly. “If you are a legal firm, you probably don’t want to crack jokes on Twitter, but if you are a cupcake shop there might be a place for that,” Cathcart remarks. Step back for a second and think, “How will Facebook actually help my business?” “None of this makes sense without an ROI,” Cathcart says. “So have clear goals. Maybe that’s to post twice a week to stay top of mind with your target audience.” Keep posts interesting and concise. Include a picture. Attach live video. Not sure what type of information your audience wants? Find out. “Ask what they want to know and see, and after surveying them you can provide that content,” Sakai says. The key is to interact. “You want to respond to people who make comments, you want them to come back for more and to engage with you,” Sakai says. Don’t drop out. “Where a lot of people fall short with social media is they post on a fairly regular basis, but they don’t interact,”

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LinkedIn

Twitter A real-time newsreel — that’s the lure of Twitter. “It’s a quick and easy way to communicate and interact with your audience,” Sakai says. And Twitter is more personal than other social media platforms. “We can get to know our customers in a very human, authentic way,” Sakai adds. Twitter is time-sensitive. You tell followers, “Retweet for a discount,” or, “Retweet to enter (a drawing).” “It’s more of an active exchange vs. posting on Facebook,” Beachy says, relating the right-here-right-now aspect of Twitter that makes the platform fascinating, fun and effective for businesses. Twitter is based on the concept of microblogging, Cathcart says. You get 140 characters to make a point. That brevity provokes creativity — and presents a challenge. (Ask any writer who knows, “If I had time, I’d write tight.”) What you do with that slice of “air time” matters. Just because posts are short and sweet does not mean they lack impact. It’s quite the opposite, as businesses can find out the hard way. “It seems the missteps get

LinkedIn is so much more than a site filled with resumes. “It’s about connecting you and advancing your career,” Cathcart says, calling LinkedIn the birthplace of career building. But it’s also a venue for finding relevant business discussions you can join, and you can offer your insights and knowledge on topics. It’s OK to be the expert on LinkedIn. That’s the point. You can find entire communities of professionals — it’s a goldmine,” Cathcart says, suggesting that business owners create content that’s valuable to their prospective customers and peers. Beachy says LinkedIn is the place to compile all of your credential-building information. That includes gathering endorsements and testimonials, sharing educational and work history, noting awards and accolades. Be sure your employees take time to fill out their profiles, too. Their association to your business leads connections back to your business. Take LinkedIn a step further by tapping into marketing tools that allow you to post articles and even target audiences. (There are some paid features.) “LinkedIn is like, ‘Here is my resume, but I’m not applying for a job. I’m applying for customers,’” Beachy relates. MYB


Social Media Takeaways Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are three of the biggest social media platform names out there — and they’re channels that you need to make good use of. Follow our takeaway tips below to help you optimize your company’s messaging on each of these networks.

n

Do know your brand and post

updates that sound like “you.” n

Do find out what “friends” want to see and

avoid brag posts or shameless self-promotion. n

Don’t forget to comment back if a connection

takes the time to respond to your posts!

n

Do use Twitter as a real-time way

to engage with followers. n

Do ask questions like you would in any

conversation. (Such as: What projects are you working on today?) n

Don’t forget that 140 characters are

powerful. Choose your words wisely.

n

Do create and complete a profile, and ask

employees to do the same. n

Do write content that will interest your

audience, and join discussion groups related to your industry. n

Don’t make those “blogs” all about your

business all the time. Remember these two words when crafting social media content: Provide value.

NEXT STEPS Goldfarb Weber Creative Media’s Devin Cathcart might have raised your eyebrows earlier in this story when he was talking about social media ROI. But really: It is possible to generate a return from your social media exploits. Learn how at cose.org/myb/socialROI

AUGUST 2016 | COSE Resource Guide | 17


RESOURCES

Content Marketing RESOURCE DIRECTORY As a small business owner, you’re bound to run into some questions that leave you stumped. Cue our Resource Directory! In each of the four Resource Guides published by Mind Your Business this year, we will feature a Directory that focuses on a different aspect of your business. This month’s listing is all about the experts who can help you start, develop and maintain a content marketing program. Visit www.cose.org/contentmarketingdirectory to view a downloadable version of this list

COSE INVESTORS

Capstone Media Group

Services in media planning; media buying; audience reach; social media; and more. www.capstonemedia.com 440-717-1100

Go Media

For two decades, we’ve pushed the boundaries of design technology with inspirational creativity. The best of Cleveland web design, logo design & graphic design can be explored in Go Media’s portfolio. www.gomedia.com 216-939-0000

media schmedia

At media schmedia, we help our clients build authentic, profitable relationships with their customers with brand-focused, relevant marketing communications, design and website development. Our 18 | COSE Resource Guide | AUGUST 2016

managed WordPress website service, MightyLittleWebsites. com®, is ideal for budget-conscious ventures who need a powerful, easy-to-use, professional website. www.media-schmedia.com Halle and Benjamin Barnett halle@ media-schmedia.com 216-291-4313

COSE EXPERT NETWORK

Quez Media Marketing

Specialties in Web design; development; branding; graphic design; strategy and consulting; SEO; content marketing; and social media marketing. www.quezmedia.com Jose Vasquez jvasquez@quezmedia.com 216-910-0202

Stevens Strategic Communications

Our award-winning team is fully “wired” to handle all your web-based marketing needs. From social media strategy and streaming video production, to e-blasts, e-press release, PPC, SEO and so much more, SSC is your one-stop shop for being heard and being found. www.stevensstrategic.com Ed Stevens estevens@stevensstrategic.com 440-617-0100 ext. 201

Outreach Promotional Solutions

Outreach Promotional Solutions helps business grow through effective marketing tools and strategies. Our products and services include design, digital, promo products, print and consulting. Our goal is deliver quality, cost-effective solutions to help you meet your goals. www.outreachpromos.com Nevin Bansal bansal@ outreachpromos.com 216-452-5319 ext. 101


RESOURCES

COSE MEMBERS

Arras Keathley

Company Description: Arras Keathley is a strategic brand development and marketing communications firm, located on a one-of-kind floating office space in Cleveland’s Northcoast Harbor. We power our clients’ marketing efforts by helping them find, shape and share their stories – in ways that elevate brand perception at every point along the path to purchase. n Brand Innovation n Creative Development n Connections Strategy n Culture Building www.arraskeathley.com

Jim Hickey President jim.hickey@ arraskeathley.com 216-621-1601 ext. 302

BFL Marketing Communications

We are a team of experienced marketing communications professionals that specialize in developing and launching new products and brand building programs for home and outdoor related products

and services, banking, law firms, trade associations, governmental agencies and industrial clients. www.bflcom.com 216-875-8860

Company 119

Company 119 builds smart, dynamic websites and strategic marketing campaigns designed to produce real results for our clients. www.company119.com info@company119.com 440-332-4848

Cunningham Baron, LLC

Cunningham Baron is an integrated communications consultancy. We offer broad expertise, representing manufacturers, service providers, distributors and associations. We are the impetus for smart conversations with your customers. Pete Zeller Pete@ CunninghamBaron.com 216-579-6100 ext. 2

DADADA Media Group

Dadada Media Group is uniquely placed to use its extensive industry knowledge, on-site creative and professional process to provide innovative and aggressive advertising and branding solutions to its clients. We work with our clients to strategize & conceptualize. www.dadadamedia.com info@dadadamedia.com 216-475-3333

DXY Solutions

As a digital creative agency, our team of consultants, designers, and engineers guide our clients on a journey to reveal and identify new opportunities. We create compelling digital products and services that excite and engage customers. www.dxydoes.com 216-373-6630

FGM Media

FGM Media builds brands and creates value for its clients by designing distinctive collateral consistently across a broad range of media, from the printed page to the animated screen. FGM Media has the experience and creativity to

AUGUST 2016 | COSE Resource Guide | 19


RESOURCES

guide your project from beginning to end, fulfill its objectives and exceed your expectations.

agency with market research, online marketing and database marketing services. Google Premier Partner agency.

www.fgmmedia.com

www.hedgescompany.com

frank@fgmmedia.com 440-376-0487

julie@hedgescompany.com 234-380-1650

flourish, Inc.

J.A.C Business Communications

flourish is a full-service ad agency, offering marketing, media, creative and photography, integrated or independently.

My business is getting your business noticed through design, copy, print, direct mail and fulfillment. J.A.C. is a FBE, LPE, SBE, located in the St. Clair- Superior area, family owned and operated for over thirty years.

www.flourishagency.com info@flourishagency.com 216-696-9116

Anne Caputo anne@jacbusiness.com 216-861-5588

Hedges & Company

A full-service digital marketing

Kiwi Creative

Creative marketing solutions, including graphic design, website development, branding and content marketing, for small- to mid-sized B2B technology firms. Jen Lombardi jen@kiwicreative.net 440-973-4250

McHale & Koepke Communications

Expertise in brand strategy; digital and traditional creative; interactive; social media; media; and public relations. www.mchalekoepke.com info@mchalekoepke.com 440-542-0080

TM

OHTec is an industry-led, member-driven association focused on members’ growth and talent issues, as well as enhancing legislative advocacy Offerings include talent services, growth services and advocacy. Founded in 1998, OHTec has nearly 700 members representing all facets of information technology: software development, IT services, website design and development, custom application development, IT recruiters and others.

The membership group offers signature programs such as Tech Week, the annual Best of Tech Awards, the CoolTech Challenge and the CIO Symposium. In addition, OHTec offers a variety of other events – including seminars, networking events and forums - as well as tech tools and resources. Join us for the CIO Symposium on Sept. 8! More info: www.ciosymposium.org.

Learn more at www.cose.org/technology 20 | COSE Resource Guide | AUGUST 2016


cose.org

 @cosesmallbiz

dropping creative that we both will be proud of.

Mitchell Allen Group

We’re a brand strategy and creative group delivering insightful and powerful ideas to help elevate your company and brand in your marketplace. www.mitchellallen.com

www.richardsgo.com John Richards jrichards@richardsgo.com 216-514-7800 ext. 700

Singleton & Partners

Judy Jessen jessen@mitchellallen.com 888-621-6220 ext. 101

Patton Public Relations

Patton Public Relations manages a wide variety of public relations initiatives for small to mediumsized businesses, including media relations, newsletters, Web sites, marketing collateral and special events. www.pattonpr.com mary@pattonpr.com 216-321-6746

PR 20/20

We run integrated marketing campaigns that produce results based on clients’ business goals — website traffic, reach, engagement, leads, sales and customer loyalty. We use hybrid talent, advanced marketing technology and inbound strategy to drive performance. www.pr2020.com

RESOURCES

 facebook.com/councilofsmallerenterprises

800-920-1623

Recess Creative

Recess Creative is a full-service digital advertising and integrated marketing agency. www.recesscreative.com 216-400-7187

Richards Communication No matter what category you are in, we deliver the same brand focused, market driving, jaw

Singleton & Partners can develop inclusive marketing strategies to ensure your brand fits today’s changing cultural landscape. The difference is that we are a group of diverse marketers with a pulse on what’s relevant in today’s world. www.singletonpartners.com 216-344-9966

Sonnhalter

We call our specialty B2T marketing. Business-To-Tradesman. We know the manufacturers that sell to tradesmen. We know their businesses. Their distribution channels. And the media they use to deliver their messages. www.sonnhalter.com 216-242-0420

Studiothink

We’re privileged to partner with our clients as a strategic extension of their teams, for all forms of internal and external marketing communications, brand management and culture development services. www.studiothink.net 216-574-9533

Viva La Brand

Viva La Brand is the consulting resource for passionate business leaders who want to more effectively use their marketing efforts to catapult sales and maximize profitability.

www.vivalabrand.com hello@vivalabrand.com 216-548-6780

QUOTED IN THIS ISSUE

Adcom Group

Adcom is a 120-person brand consultancy and integrated marketing agency with the nimbleness to respond to the ever-changing, always-on and always-connected world in which we live. We develop marketing and communications foundations and digital footprints that help brands reach their audiences with an authentic voice and through engaging experiences. www.theadcomgroup.com John Znidarsic jznidarsic@theadcomgroup.com 216-574-9100

Content Marketing Institute Our mission is to advance the practice of content marketing, through online education, print, and in-person events www.contentmarketing institute.com 1-888-554-2014

Goldfarb Weber Creative Media

For more than 40 years, Goldfarb Weber Creative Media has created powerful visual content that moves the needle. The firm produces film for live events, broadcast spots and the web while partnering with nonprofits and industry-leaders alike. www.gwcreative.com Tony Weber tony@gwcreative.com 216.241.7200

AUGUST 2016 | COSE Resource Guide | 21


You used to think looked

this

good But what about today? Yeah. Didn’t think so. Your tastes change. And in the same fashion (see what we did there?) we’re changing, too! In 2017, the printed Mind Your Business will become the digital Mind Your Business. You can expect to see the same insightful tips and resources for your business as always, but now this content will be sent directly to your inbox. Stay tuned for more details as the year progresses. (And clean out your closet.)


INFOGRAPHIC

Buying Local, Building Communities

The Brecksville Chamber of Commerce recently launched its “Buy Brecksville” program, which is aimed at encouraging shoppers and large businesses to shop and source goods locally. The Brecksville Chamber has a good reason to shift dollars to local shops. Actually, they have six good reasons. And here they are:

SPREADING THE WEALTH:

FOSTERING CREATIVITY:

For every $1 spent locally, $2 to $3.50 circulate around the community.

The number of patents produced by small businesses is 13 times greater than at larger companies

CREATING JOBS: Small businesses account for about 50% of U.S. jobs.

MAKING AN IMPACT: Small businesses account for 40% of all business receipts in the U.S.

40%

PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK: Two-thirds of America’s net new jobs are created by small business.

DOING GOOD: 90% of small business owners donate money to charity while 70% donate time and money.

Sources: American Independent Business Alliance, Paychex, U.S. News & World Report


OCTOBER 13-14

CLEVELAND, OHIO FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

CASEY GERALD

MEL ROBBINS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

CO-FOUNDER & CEO, MBAS ACROSS AMERICA

CREATOR, ‘THE 5 SECOND RULE’

GARY SCHOENIGER

AUTHOR AND ENTREPRENEUR

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13

The 2016 Small Business Convention will be held as part of the new BizConCLE, a convention bringing together Northeast Ohio businesses of all sizes for education and connections!

presented by

For more information

visit bizconcle.com or

or to register,

call (216) 592-2390

HR Professionals, CPAs and lawyers: Earn continuing education credits while you attend workshops at BizConCLE.


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