Four States Small Business Blog

Mark Zimmer

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Recent Posts

Facebook's News Feed Has Changed (What it Means for Marketers)

Posted by Mark Zimmer on February 1, 2018 at 8:00 AM

You may have heard that Facebook is making changes to its news feed algorithm. Facebook’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, says the changes are designed to give priority to content with “meaningful interaction” and reduce what he calls “passive content” such as videos, where users tend to sit back and watch, then move on, as opposed to interacting with the content. According to Zuckerberg, these changes in the Facebook news feed come in response to user feedback that indicated branded content was overcrowding posts from friends and family, reducing users’ ability to connect with others.

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Topics: Social Media, Digital Marketing

Why Your Store Flow, Parking, and Hours Matter

Posted by Mark Zimmer on January 30, 2018 at 8:00 AM

Are you familiar with the adage, you only get one chance to make a great first impression? Customer perspective — that is, the impression customers have of your business — plays a big role in the success of that business. You see, it isn’t enough to have great promises in your Joplin marketing campaigns; that only gets them to the door. And that’s where you only get one shot at convincing customers that your business is worth their time and money.

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Topics: Marketing Strategy

4 Reasons Why Radio Matters

Posted by Mark Zimmer on January 16, 2018 at 8:00 AM

At a time when consumers are digitally-connected around the clock, radio continues to be a reliable source for many things and stands out above the digital noise. Whether it’s hearing familiar songs, jamming out to today’s latest hits, getting critical information during a disaster, the latest news, or learning about important events in the community, consumers trust their favorite radio stations and personalities to get them the information they need when they need it. Also, radio proves to be an important channel for businesses to communicate their message to their target customer.

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Topics: Radio Advertising

Part 3 of 3: Key Ingredients for Small Business Success

Posted by Mark Zimmer on January 11, 2018 at 8:00 AM

And now we’ve come to the third and final installment of our series about achieving small business success by generating powerful results with their marketing. As we’ve mentioned, there’s a three-part formula necessary for producing that success, whether it’s for a nationwide advertisement or local Joplin marketing campaign: branding, a business website, and a 21-52 marketing plan. In Part 1, we took a look at branding for small businesses, and in Part 2, we discussed why you need a strong business website.

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Topics: Small Business Resources, Marketing Strategy, Marketing ROI

4 Ways Bad Branding Can Mean Bad Business

Posted by Mark Zimmer on December 20, 2017 at 8:00 AM

It’s a simple truth. Bad branding can mean bad business. It can give people a negative view of your company and negatively affect their experience. Branding is an expression of who you are as a company — your values, your integrity, and your mission. Brand management is vital to your company’s success because bad branding can cost your company in terms of perception and trust.

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Topics: Marketing Strategy

Part 2 of 3: Key Ingredients for Small Business Success

Posted by Mark Zimmer on December 18, 2017 at 8:00 AM

Welcome to our second installment of a three-part series that takes a good look how small business owners can run successful companies and generate results with their marketing. Last time, we mentioned that every company, whether they want to run marketing in Joplin, MO, or want to run a nationwide campaign, needs to enact a three-part formula for success — branding, a strong website, and a 21-52 marketing plan. In Part 1, we reviewed branding for small businesses.

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Topics: Integrated Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Website Design

Don't Get Lost in the Holiday Chaos

Posted by Mark Zimmer on December 12, 2017 at 8:00 AM

For consumers and businesses, the Holiday season is perhaps one of the most chaotic times of the year. Between shopping, family gatherings, and an insane amount of shopping, it can be tough for any business to be at the top of people’s (often cluttered) minds throughout the holidays.

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Topics: Marketing Strategy

Part 1 of 3: Key Ingredients for Small Business Success

Posted by Mark Zimmer on December 11, 2017 at 8:00 AM

Small business success relies on a myriad of things, but in many ways, it can be drawn into a simple formula. Truthfully, whether you have a national brand or simply want to focus on Joplin, Missouri, marketing, your company will need to focus on branding, a strong website, and a 21-52 marketing plan. We break down this theory in our latest free guide, but today’s post is the first in a series that will give an overview of each piece. We’ll start by diving into branding for small businesses.

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Topics: Small Business Resources, Marketing Strategy

How Much Should You Spend on Radio in 2018?

Posted by Mark Zimmer on November 28, 2017 at 8:00 AM

As you draw up your marketing budget for 2018, you probably already know that radio is a great way to go for targeting B2B and making your mark on the airwaves.

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Topics: Marketing Strategy, Joplin Market

Radio Works for B2B, Too

Posted by Mark Zimmer on November 10, 2017 at 8:00 AM

If you’re in the business of selling products or services to other businesses, then you’re what’s known as a B2B or Business-to-Business enterprise. Okay, so you already know this. But did you know that radio advertising works great for B2B, too?

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Topics: Radio Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Joplin Market