Client News
Minneapolis/St. Paul Marketing and PR agency and video production company|StoryTeller
What’s the Next Facebook?
We are in the early stages of understanding Google Plus, the company’s newest creation and the latest social application that is supposed to be the “next Facebook.” Not to say that it won’t, because Google certainly has the horsepower to pull off such a thing, but it makes me pause to consider the long range future of online communities.
If you think about the start of Facebook, or go back even further to AOL, people came together in these communities to connect with friends and relatives or to get to know people. I don’t believe that people joined these communities so they could receive advertisements or “like” businesses. Rather, the marketing was a by-product of the communities – all these people in one “place” hanging out – surely they want to buy things. Right? In some cases, yes, in others, no. After all, what do Ford Motor Company, Skittles or Coca-Cola have anything to do with me reconnecting with high school classmates?
The flip side of this is the company perspective. Why should your business have to share valuable customer information with Facebook, which is what you do today if you’ve got a “Fan” page on Facebook. The answer is simple, they have the captive audience and you don’t, but will that always be the case? I see the day that businesses create their own social communities – away from Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn and perhaps Google Plus. Sure, it might be costly, but what if your business could create its own community on, what is today, your web site? You could promote whatever you want, talk to your customers directly and best of all, you’d never need to worry about someone outside your company changing the online “rules.”
Rather than sit around and wait for the “next Facebook,” perhaps we should ask ourselves how we can create the communities for ourselves and most importantly for our customers?
Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.
Hirshfield’s is helping bring color to Japan
Local paint manufacturer and retailer, Hirshfield’s, has been selling paint to Japanese retailers for over eight years now. Sales have seen a big boost in the last few months due to post-tsunami rebuilding and changing tastes. Jason Boedigheimer, operations director for Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing, says orders to Japan have easily increased 100 fold since the March tsunami. You can read more about HIrshfield’s relationship with Japanese paint retailers in this recent article in the Star Tribune.
Time Lapse Video in NYC
First, a confession: I love time lapse video. I always have. I think it’s so cool to watch the clouds move by as if rolling downhill, or to see the blur of pedestrians and cars streaking through the streetlights. Who doesn’t love a sunrise that only takes 10 seconds? I found this particular video mesmerizing, partially because of the great time lapse, but probably also a bit because I have family living in New York City, and it reminds me they get to see these great images every day.
Are You As Ambitious As Your Client?
Ambition is an interesting thing. If you’re like me, you have it and you have gone through most of your life thinking that other people are the same way. You know the routine – work hard, climb the ladder, get a bigger job, earn money to travel and play and retire fat and happy, right? Well not everyone is that way and you know what? That’s totally cool.
Why Walking Away From Business Can Be a Good Thing
I don’t know a business owner or sales person who likes to turn away work, but the plain and simple truth is that sometimes that is the best thing you can do for your business and for the prospective client. If there’s one thing we try to do it’s this: exceed our client expectations. When we fall short, it never feels good – for us and for our clients. We’d rather be known as a group that goes above and beyond than below and short.
Blogger/business owner Chris Parente wrote this piece on the same subject on his blog “Work, Wine and Wheels” and he touches on some great points. One of his thoughts is to not ignore the warning signs and then later complain about a disconnect. Truth is, you see the warning signs when courting a new client, but often the financial upside clouds your ability to see clearly.
If you’re looking for the bright side of walking away from a new opportunity remember, it’s better to have never had a client, than to have a disappointed client who isn’t accountable for their shortcomings who then tells everyone they know that YOU don’t live up to your word. Take the high road and walk away with dignity and class when the mix isn’t right.
Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.
My Day With Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter
One of the best parts about working in public relations is the people you get to meet. I had the great pleasure the other day of meeting 1972 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist, Frank Shorter. I guess saying I got to “meet” him would be an understatement. I actually got to spend the entire day with him on a media tour marathon.
Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter to Help Open Running Room store
One of the greatest runners in U.S. history is teaming up with the future stars of track and cross-country to celebrate the grand opening of the Running Room in Apple Valley.
On June 16, Frank Shorter, a 1972 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist and member of the U.S. Olympic, Distance and Track and Field Halls of Fame, will run alongside members of the Apple Valley and Eastview High School track and cross-country teams in the Gold Medal Effort 5K run/walk, hosted by the Running Room.
All funds raised at the event will benefit the Apple Valley and Eastview track and cross-country programs.
Creating Trust With Your Customers
We are pool owners and having a watery wonderland in our backyard is wonderful for the kids, for entertaining and social gatherings. Maintaining it though can be a headache at times especially in the spring. So, we (mostly my wife) spends quite a bit of time adjusting the chemical levels, checking the clarity of the water, dumping filter baskets and of course, making multiple trips to the pool store.
Last year she had a conversation with an owner of a local store regarding maintenance and asked if they had considered using video on their website or through a YouTube channel to provide tips and information on how to handle basic pool and water maintenance. The guy rudely and abruptly dismissed the idea saying, “why would I want to put that stuff on my website and let my competition to see how we do things?”
Professional Advice from Dad
My father was a man of few words. He rarely told me what to do and he never gave me professional advice when I entered the work force, save this one thing. One night, early in my career as a salesperson I made a flippant comment about my job and employer saying, essentially, “they don’t pay me enough to do that.” This phrase is not uncommon with “they” meaning the employer and “that” meaning my job. My dad said simply, “Don’t ever think like that. You do the best job you can regardless of the pay.” He continued saying, “if people were paid by the amount of work they do, the world would look very different.”
My dad passed away in 2001 and I am constantly reminded of the many things he taught me as I go through my life today. Few words from a man who had great perspective and vast knowledge.
Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.
Oh How Television and Radio Have Changed!
I miss Sonny Eliot. When I was a kid you turned on the radio at home and our rock and roll station was different than the rock and roll station at my cousin’s house in New York. If you road tripped with your family in the station wagon, you could go through some states that didn’t even have rock and roll stations. Some states only seemed to have country music. When I’d get together with our cousins in New York we’d talk about the television shows “they got” versus the shows “we got.” There were always discrepancies and we’d say “Oh, man, you’ve got THIS show?” Or we’d say, “you DON’T get that show?” It made for great conversation in the first 30 minutes of a reunion.