Ancient philosopher Socrates believed the first step toward wisdom was to know thyself. We believe it’s also the first step toward sustained marketing success. The way you think of and speak about yourselves on the inside of your organization can have a big impact on how you tell your organization’s story to external stakeholders. Working with a marketing agency can help you hold a mirror up to your business that makes sure what you’re telling yourselves matches up with what you want your external stakeholders to think and feel about you. Ensuring there’s alignment between the two is vital to…

HS has talked a lot about branding lately - and what it means to you and your business. We thought it would be a good time to talk a little bit about the importance of brand photography. An Accurate Reflection of Your Business We already know that in business, appearances mean a lot, especially for a first time customer. Someone seeking you out online will make an initial judgment about your business based upon your photography. Great brand photography accomplishes a few things. At its very baseline, it shows you are a real business or person. When comparison-shopping any business…

There are a number of marketing strategy questions we get asked about on a regular basis. As a leader in your organization, you may be experiencing some of these thoughts yourself. Below we've outlined 3.5 common issues organizations face, and offer some perspective from a Fractional CMO on how you might address them. 1. Viewing Marketing as a Cost Center vs. an Investment He was the sole proprietor and provider of services at an exciting new chiropractic clinic. With a tight budget, we discussed where and how he could begin making moves with his marketing without "throwing money out the…

John Wanamaker is often credited with the saying, "Half of my marketing budget is wasted, the trouble is, I don't know which half." That was over 100 years ago, and the good news is we've come a long way since then thanks to modern tools and technology. The bad news is, for leaders of many small and medium-sized businesses, while you're focused on running the operations of your business, your marketing efforts can remain a bit of a guessing game. The Difficulty of Adapting to Marketing Changes The world of marketing changes rapidly. Between the launch of new social channels,…

A key to a successful startup marketing strategy is to ride your momentum and reach people through the right medium to drive conversions. That’s no secret. But, rather obviously, it’s not that easy. People’s attitudes, beliefs, habits and opinions are constantly changing–the way they engage with brands switches overnight. Plus, you may not even know who your target audience is yet. What you need is someone who will walk alongside you and be your guide for all things marketing. HS is more than a group of order takers. We are true partners dedicated to helping startups reach new heights with…

While most people are still trying to understand what coffee Millennials like, HS is looking at the upcoming generation. The influence of Generation Z will demand big shifts in how organizations interact with their audience. They may not seem that influential right now, but Generation Z is growing into a large segment of the adult public. Understanding their habits will help organizations decide whether they need to tailor their marketing to them, and how. And don’t worry, our resident Gen Z-ers fact-checked our findings. What is Gen Z? Generation Z is typically defined as the group of people who were…

It’s no secret that job recruitment and hiring have been challenges for many businesses. In the last several months, several HS clients have approached us about strategies to help them hire, and through us, have utilized tactics such as: Display ads Radio campaigns (traditional and highly targeted digital radio) YouTube Campaigns Craig’s List posts Geofencing Boosted Posts and Facebook Ads Organic and paid search LinkedIn, Indeed, and other hiring sites HR and in-person tactics While there are several strategies any business can take, you need to know how to make your job posting search friendly and optimized for attracting the…

Emerging with a new Enthusiasm Let’s face it, this last year or so has been pretty difficult. However, we have all adapted, adjusted and reacclimated – and your customers have, too. As your business faces the year and years ahead, HS can help. We’ve seen a lot of change, and we’re here to help you navigate change. We’ve been around for nearly 30 years and have seen business ebb and flow - through recessions, the internet boom, a pandemic… we have been through it all and have the experience and expertise to get your business through it. Now, as we…