Four States Small Business Blog

Years ago at a stoplight, I watched a hand extend from a car window to give cash to a man holding a cardboard sign that read, “Need gas.”  A red plastic gallon-sized can was at his feet.  I was on my way to Seneca for the day and when I returned to Joplin late in the afternoon, guess who was still standing on that same corner with the same prop? I couldn’t help but laugh considering the guy at that point probably had enough in his pocket for gas to drive a motorhome to Ft. Lauderdale.

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.

As fall shifts to winter, it’s the time of year where your fireplace may be plenty warm and you’re reflecting on the blessings you’ve received. As a local business for more than 50 years, we have much to be thankful for, and we’re thankful to work with the wonderful Joplin community

When an advertiser teams up with a media partner to help develop a marketing and advertising strategy, it’s vital for the media partner to have a thorough understanding of the advertiser’s business goals, target market, marketing budget, and competition. That means the media partner should conduct a customer needs analysis (CNA) to ensure that the recommendations they offer are relevant to the current health of the business and provide effective ways to achieve the growth the advertiser is seeking.

If you find yourself avoiding the task of developing an annual marketing plan, you’re not alone. You know the new year is right around the corner, but it’s also a very busy time of year for most businesses, with the holidays approaching and end-of-year activities going on. It’s easy to view planning for next year’s advertising as too time-consuming or too expensive during a period of time when resources are stretched thin.  But consider this sobering fact:  Businesses without a marketing plan are more likely to fail.

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?

Music has always captured emotions, and by using the medium of radio for your advertising needs, you can harness the attention of a captive audience—loyal listeners—who are primed to hear your message.

Social media marketing has become an important driver of brand awareness and customer engagement, as well as an efficient way to share content. A Hubspot survey indicated that 92% of marketers believe their social media marketing has increased exposure and 80% believe it has increased customer traffic. Global leaders in audience engagement technology, such as Futuri Media, have embraced the importance of social media marketing as a part of their client solutions services. Brands are benefitting from the unique opportunities provided by social media marketing as part of an integrated approach to reach new customers and increase engagement.

Working with Zimmer and having them design our website was an incredibly easy process.

Halloween is a truly spooky time of year that features horror movies aplenty. Yet those monsters creeping in the dark aren’t half as terrifying as certain scary mistakes in marketing. They ought to send marketers running away screaming, but just like the teens in horror flicks, unsuspecting businesses will walk straight into the jaws of doom. In today’s post, we’ve collected a trio of advertising horrors along with the tips you need to survive and avoid marketing mistakes like them for a happier, more successful Halloween.