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Resolve for a Better Business in 2015

  • 3 min read

How’s that new year’s resolution going? Many of us are on our annual quests to better ourselves through resolutions. Seven days in… cut extra spending? Still exercising? Seven days without a cigarette? Keeping up with your read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year program? What about our business? While we’re spending time reflecting on how to turn over a new leaf personally, perhaps we spend time considering resolutions for our business. In 2015, how can our business: Lose Weight / Save Money… how can we run a more efficient operation? If there’s one way to trim the fat, perhaps that could mean cost savings. As the employees.… 

Trending Now… Basics of Business, People Relations, and Kindness

  • 3 min read

It’s the most wonderful time of year… for #trends. You know, the speculations and forecasts of initiatives one must undertake next year to keep up with the Joneses. There are marketing trends and social media trends; e-mail marketing trends, content marketing trends, website trends and even customer service trends. We were recently reminded that perhaps we need to not worry about the “next big thing” and get back to the basics. These 32 Marketing Tips are great, but what if we got back to the very basics of business, people relations, and simple kindness? Customers might find us and our businesses more… 

12 Tips to Grow Your Email List and Grow Your Business

  • 3 min read

When it comes to email marketing, you know how valuable your email list can be. But coming up with new ways to get people to sign up for your emails isn’t always easy. That’s why I have put together a collection of list growth ideas! Here’s a dozen ideas to grow your list and take your email marketing to the next level! Whatever methods you use, be sure to start with a reason “why” someone should join your email list. What’s in it for them? This will make it more likely that people will say yes. Now to the list:… 

10 Step Promotional Plan to the Most Success Ever

  • 3 min read

You have a great promotion. Buy one, get one half off (or free.) 45% off in celebration of your 45th anniversary. Or certain percentage of purchases are returned to local schools. But what’s the promotional plan around it? A post on Facebook and a tweet but crickets. Try the newspaper again? Let’s look at an easy, 10 step plan to help you execute the promotion and have the most success ever! Step 1: Create signage. Something to put on the door(s) to your store, hotel or attraction. If you’re a restaurant, also include table tents. Have signage at the counter(s).… 

Tourism Industry Undervalued – Needs Repect

  • 3 min read

At a recent town hall meeting, Oklahoma Lt. Governor Todd Lamb made a pretty good case that the tourism industry is one of, if not the most undervalued industry. “Few grasp the tourism industry’s impact on Oklahoma. They don’t realize U.S. travelers spend $7.2 billion in Oklahoma in 2012 or tourism generated $385.3 million in state taxes – the third largest revenue stream in state government – and $188.5 million in local taxes that year.” Beyond the numbers are all of the issues destination marketing professionals have to deal with. I recently spoke to a Chamber Leadership Class about issues related to tourism. After I shared… 

Koranda Named A Constant Contact Solution Provider

  • 3 min read

Stephen Koranda, Back To You Marketing, Named a Constant Contact Certified Solution Provider Norman, Oklahoma, marketing expert to help small businesses and nonprofits achieve meaningful marketing results  NORMAN, OK — October 1, 2014 – Stephen Koranda, Founder and President of Back to You Marketing, has been named a Certified Solution Provider by Constant Contact®, Inc., the trusted marketing advisor to more than 600,000 small organizations worldwide. As a Certified Solution Provider, Koranda has completed the Constant Contact Certification Program which provides training on the Constant Contact Toolkit™, marketing best practices, and business development. This training imparts industry-leading knowhow on marketing… 

‘sō shəl (verb) people engaging with each other – Pt. 2

  • 5 min read

“Social media” suggests that we are sociable with those that like us, follow us or connect with us. However, as we get busier and busier, we too often either use a social media management tool like Hootsuite, schedule our posts/tweets and never review them after they are posted. Or we quickly log on to Facebook, post and log off, never reviewing the interactions. Last month I shared a few ways to engage more through Twitter. As Facebook changes their algorithms and our posts appear in less and less news feeds, we focus on Facebook and – as our new definition… 

‘sō shəl (verb) people engaging with each other – Pt. 1

  • 3 min read

Try this: ‘sō shəl (verb) to design activities in which people engage with each other for pleasure – or in your situation – commerce! You won’t find that in Websters but we should. I have noticed a few practices or in some cases, lack of practices, that really doesn’t help social media be social. Bottom line – we’re not engaging! Here’s some thoughts on engaging through Twitter. (Next month, Facebook.) – If someone comes into your welcome center or business, you greet them right? You thank them for visiting and/or becoming a new customer, yes? When someone follows you on… 

The Fifth P of Destination Marketing

  • 3 min read

A colleague at a recent tourism function was sharing how her DMO was getting in a “turf war” between the City and the Chamber – both trying to take over the management of the organization. She concluded by sharing ‘I’m staying out of it. I’m not in politics.’ A few of the glancing looks from others at the table communicated that we were thinking the same thing, “Oh yes you are like it or not!”  (And you’d better engage now or you may find yourself in a place you aren’t going to like!) I thought going from a DMO to an attraction I would find…