http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/12600.aspx

Forty-two percent of all Tumblr posts are photos.

Photos and videos on Pinterest refer more traffic to brand websites than Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and Google+.

As these stats from a new M Booth infographic show, visual storytelling is one of the most powerful ways brands can engage customers online.

Not convinced your brand should begin churning out more images than text updates? See how visuals fare on some of the major social networks:

Facebook

• People share videos 12 times more than links and text posts combined.
• People “like” photos two times more than text updates.
• Photos and videos drive the most engagement on Facebook’s top 10 brand pages.

YouTube

• Users share 700 YouTube videos on Twitter each minute.
• 100 million users take a social action on videos every week.

Instagram

• Facebook reach 100 million users in four years, but Instagram is on pace to beat it.

Want more proof of the power of images and video? Take a look at the rest of the graphic:

Cincinnati, OH – August 30, 2012 – Most of us look at Labor Day as the official end to summer and a much needed, extended weekend full of barbequing, golfing and soaking up the sunshine. But how different is our modern-day Labor Day compared to the original holiday that so many over-worked and under-paid laborers fought for and won?

The first Labor Day, held in 1882, was organized by the Central Labor Union of New York. It included many of the same events we see today – a parade, speeches and a picnic to honor workers. But having a day off to parade and celebrate did not subdue the labor movement. Protesters continued to lobby for eight-hour days, five-day work weeks and the end of child labor. Various unions slowly obtained these rights, but the national eight-hour day and the end of child labor weren’t realized until 1937 with the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

“Today, employees view eight-hour work days and five-day work weeks as the standard for most jobs,” says Angie Strunk, vice president of Sheakley HR Solutions. “Employees are more concerned now with benefit packages. Will they receive health insurance and dental insurance for their families? Will they have an option to set up a 401k and will their employer contribute to the fund? Will they get paid vacation and holidays?”

Strunk says that Labor Day is a good reminder for employers to review with their HR department to make sure that they are offering quality benefit packages that meet the needs of their employees. It is also important for employees to review the options that their employer offers and make sure that they are taking full advantage of their benefits.

Strunk says that a few up-and-coming trends in benefits that employers and employees should look for include:

• Flextime
• Work-at- Home
• Wellness Programs
• Employee Discount Programs
• Tuition Reimbursement

For more information on employee benefits or to learn more about Sheakley, please visit www.Sheakley.com.

About Sheakley

Sheakley specializes in the fields of HR outsourcing solutions, workers’ compensation, payroll, 401(k) services, flexible benefits plans, COBRA, physician billing, vocational rehab, unemployment cost control, and safety services and products for small to mid-size employers. Recognized as a leader in its industry, Sheakley gets the job done for its clients by providing essential business solutions that save customers time and money. Sheakley’s unique relationship with its clients provides personalized customer service and focuses on results. View the Sheakley website at http://www.sheakley.com.

 http://mashable.com/2012/08/20/digital-marketer-tips/

Jonathan Gardner is director of communications at Vibrant Media, a leading digital ad company. He has spent his career as an innovator at the nexus of media and technology, having worked in communications and as a journalist.

Technology makes the magical possible, but it’s also making marketing entirely too complicated. With ad exchanges, hper-local targeting, and endless mobile options, it’s easy to get tangled up in an alphabet soup of advertising technology. Just one look at Terence Kawaja’s ad-tech landscape induces tears of empathy for over-marketed-to marketers. Basically, the time for simplification is here.

Simplicity is what consumers want, what marketers need, and what standard-bearers such as Apple and Google have shown as the way forward.

What did Steve Jobs do when he returned to Apple in 1997? He simplified the product line and, by extension, Apple’s whole business. That worked out pretty well.

The same goes for Google. Every once in a while the tech giant cuts products to move forward with new offerings. Sure, some of their initiatives — say, wind energy or self-driving cars — may seem to come out of left field. But Google’s basic promise to consumers is to develop products and services that help them organize and navigate the world in a better, geekier way. (I’m talking about you, Google glasses.)

We need to learn from these examples. When advertisers obsess over brand impact, and agencies insist on slicing and dicing every impression, it’s hard not to wonder if we’re focusing on the wrong things. For all the efficiency we’ve gained with the burgeoning of ad tech, we’ve lost a lot in the way of simplicity. Keeping marketing simple — delivering compelling ads and content that consumers actually want to engage with — could take the industry a long way toward improving performance for both brands and consumers.

Here are three rules that brands can follow to simplify their marketing for everyone involved.

1. Put Consumers in the Driver’s Seat

Let’s move away from strategies and metrics that aren’t really relevant for branding. Brands always look for some kind of number and stat to justify their online spend — CTR, view-through, attribution, “likes.” Does that make sense at all? Did brands worry about measuring the impact of a full-page spread in Vogue back in the day? The issue is over thinking the numbers and not thinking enough about advertising in the interest of consumers.

Give people choice, control, and relevance in their experience. Don’t put a roadblock between anyone and the story, images, or video they want to see. Create intriguing, value-add experiences that are relevant to the page, that make users want to click, view, and engage. Make it user-initiated and easy to start and stop engagement. Instead of real-time bidding (RTB), how about trying real-time relevance?

2. Get in the Content

We’ve seen a recent surge in attention for the “native ad,” sponsored content, and branded-content meme. But it’s really nothing new. Ever watch soap operas on TV? Those started out as radio broadcasts that were literally created by consumer packaged goods companies. Since the dawn of digital time, we’ve known that the traditional ad concept had to change and that brands needed to move into the content-creation business and get their content seen.

But what if your stellar campaign assets are part of the one-third of display advertising that, according to comScore, goes unseen due to banner blindness? Even if you have awesome, entertaining, useful branded content like Red Bull or Unilever, you still need to surface it. How will your brand’s content be discovered by consumers who have literally zillions of content channels to choose from?

Focus your attention where consumer attention is focused: in the edit well online, on mobile, and on the tablet. Surface your content through advertising technology that gets you in the words and images where a relevant, immersive brand advertisement or content experience will really make an impression with consumers.

3. Simplify Your Strategy

Instead of doing one thing on mobile, another on tablets, and something else on desktop, consider putting mobile at the center of the design process, then refining and customizing everything from there.

Brands can now respond directly to how consumers interact with all kinds of devices. In an era where we swipe, expand, and share an ad or useful brand content, it isn’t enough to rely on the same old creative approach. Brands need to leverage their great assets with amazing creative executions in high-impact, exciting ways that are native to devices, contexts, and formats.

So let’s leave the purchase funnels behind, and stick with these three simple rules. Chances are people will thank you with ever-coveted, ever-elusive, real engagement.

Mary Miller will answer viewer questions about challenges of small business growth 

Cincinnati, OH-August 14, 2012- JANCOA CEO Mary Miller will be part of a Google+ Hangout hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce that will focus on the challenges of small business growth and how those challenges particularly impact women entrepreneurs. Miller is part of an expert panel that also includes US Chamber COO David Chavern, and House GOP Conference Vice Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

This dynamic conversation via Google+ will stream live on freeenterprise.com at 1p.m. Eastern today. Viewers can submit questions that they would like to ask the panel of experts via Facebook or on Twitter using #askuscc.

“I am excited about the opportunity to participate in my first Google+ Hangout,” said Miller.  Technology keeps changing and it’s not waiting for me to catch up!  This sounds like a great way to have a conversation with fellow business owners to share best practices and learn about different ways to improve business opportunities.”

For more information about Mary Miller and JANCOA, visit www.JANCOA.com.

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About JANCOA Janitorial Services
JANCOA Janitorial Services was founded in 1972 by President Tony Miller and has since grown to more than 300 employees. JANCOA specializes in providing commercial cleaning services to schools, medical buildings and “Class A” office space of 50,000 square feet or more. With the most extensive training and efficient processes in the industry, JANCOA aims to offer its clients “Exceptional Service with a Smile.” More information is available at www.JANCOA.com.

Media Contact:                

Sabrina Koester
The Eisen Agency
859.291.4302
Sabrina@TheEisenAgency.com

@ErickaNMalone

Gospel stage play on love and betrayal to visit nine cities this fall 

Cincinnati, OH —August 8, 2012— What happens when the right woman falls in love with the wrong man? This fall, playwright, producer and director Ericka Nicole Malone poses the question to audiences nationwide as her production “In Love with Tyrone” makes its nine-city tour. Her latest work and tenth production, Malone debuted the “love gone wrong” story last October at Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center for the Arts. Since then, Malone has built upon her initial performance with investments in star talent, set design and creative changes that she believes will add to the play’s overall sophistication and refinement.

“I want people to feel as though they are at a Broadway production,” Malone said. “I attended a Sade concert earlier this year and was amazed at the level of sophistication and elegance with which she performed. It inspired me to think about how I wanted to make ‘In Love with Tyrone’ a one-of-a-kind experience for urban audiences everywhere.”
Malone’s tour will include the following stops:

Hartford, Conn.
Sept. 7 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.
Bushnell PAC

Charlotte, N.C.
Sept.14 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.
Ovens Auditorium

Louisville, K.Y.
Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.
Palace Theater

Indianapolis, Ind.
Sept. 28 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 29at 7 p.m.
Murat Theater

Cleveland, Ohio
Oct. 5 at 8 p.m.; Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Palace Theater

Montgomery, Ala.
Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.; Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
Montgomery Performing Arts

Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 2 at 8 p.m.; Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.
Palace Theater

Nashville, Tenn.
Nov. 9at 8 p.m.; Nov. 10at 7 p.m.; Nov. 11 at 3 p.m.
Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Kansas City, Mo.
Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.; Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. 
Kansas City Musical Hall

“In Love with Tyrone” features a successful salon chain owner as she struggles with the discovery of her husband’s affair with her best friend. For more information about the play and Ericka Nicole Malone, visit www.InLoveWithTyrone.com. And for relationship advice from Tyrone, visit www.DearTyrone.com.

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About Ericka Nicole Malone

Ericka Nicole Malone has written, directed and produced more than 9 stage plays including “I Feel Like Praising Him” and “You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down.” Her latest project and tenth stage play, “In Love With Tyrone”, starring Robin Givens and Leon, is making a nine-city tour in fall of 2012. For additional information, visit www.InLoveWithTyrone.com

http://mashable.com/2012/07/10/ecommerce-trends/

The number of consumers making purchases online continues to increase. This year, American online retail sales are projected to reach $224.2 billion. It is the new wave of commerce and, depending on the industry, ecommerce represents either an opportunity for big profit or a death knell for the brick-and-mortar business. The landscape is changing, and businesses must adapt to survive. What follows are five ecommerce trends that illustrate the direction that online shopping is headed, as well as some insight and strategies that will allow businesses and consumers to better navigate the uncertain seas of web-based retail.

1. Unusual or Commoditized Products

The success of Etsy and self-promoted artists who sell their work online can be attributed to the fact that it is difficult to find similar work anywhere else. These products compete on individuality and aesthetics more than price. In fact, attempting to compete on price is generally not recommended, considering the time and skills necessary to create individual works. Far more important is establishing a brand and reputation for quality that will, in turn, drive demand.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are commoditized items, such as consumer electronics, mainstream tools and other equipment. Individuals generally will have less success selling commoditized items online, even though they are some of the most popular online purchases; consumers prefer major retailers like Amazon when buying these items online. However, some individuals or small businesses have found success through affiliations with major retailers. Lifeproof, a line of waterproof and shock-resistant iPhone cases, aligned itself with Best Buy for this very reason, and it was able to penetrate the mainstream audience, whereas before it was simply a niche product.

2. Third-Party Ecommerce Site Providers

To meet the need of creating a functional and attractive ecommerce site, third-party ecommerce providers offer the simplicity of site setup and maintenance on their end to entice businesses. Currently, the two most popular ecommerce site providers are Volusion and Shopify. Volusion does not charge transaction fees on items sold; instead, it offers a simple, tiered monthly plan. Volusion also provides a site coach for its “Gold Level” members and a 14-day free trial.

Shopify charges a transaction fee for all but its “Unlimited” memberships, but allows for sales through Amazon, and offers SSL certification at no additional fee. Shopify is predicting that its merchant clients are on track to double their combined sales this year compared to last year.

It would take an article in itself to fully compare the benefits of these (and other popular ecommerce site providers), but suffice it to say they both offer options for businesses that do not wish to manage the technical aspects of their ecommerce storefront.

3. The “Mom and Pop” Effect

The traditional “mom and pop” stores of yesteryear grow more rare as stiff competition from chain stores increases. However, in the digital realm, the smaller, personalized stores can — and do — have success. Chris Andrasick, CEO of Tacit Knowledge, believes that the mom-and-pop advantage extends beyond customer loyalty, and that there is in fact a logistical advantage, as well. Andrasick says, “Smaller stores aren’t saddled with anachronistic organizational structures that segment a business by channel, such as store, catalog or digital.”

There are even a few companies catering to the moms and pops of the web, giving them the tools to compete with the big guys. SumAll is one such company, providing data analytics to small- to medium-sized online businesses. The metrics from SumAll show online retailers the real-time metrics that are having the biggest impact on their bottom line.

4. Remarketing

Static marketing is dead, and businesses of any size have to be creative to cut through the clutter. For ecommerce, a new technique is “remarketing” — using multiple touches to generate continued interest in the product. If you’ve ever noticed that ads appearing on pages you visit online are extremely reflective of your interests, you’ve experienced remarketing. “When a potential customer visits a website and then leaves without making a purchase, companies can ‘follow’ them on the Internet,” says Melissa Chelist, owner of Storkgifts, an online children’s store. “Ads and offers will appear on other pages the potential customer is viewing.”

The danger with this type of marketing is the penchant for users to become annoyed due to the “creepy” nature of ads following them around. However, if they were on the fence about an item, the ads can sway the consumer to make the purchase.

5. Mobile

Mobile devices are fast becoming the preferred method of accessing the web. According to Think Mobile with Google:

• 81% of smartphone users access the Internet on their mobile devices.
• 59% use the Internet on their phones while waiting.

For this reason, ecommerce sites that are mobile optimized, or that have a streamlined mobile application, will get more sales. Punit Shah of My Trio Rings, an ecommerce jewelry provider, reiterates this point: “Interestingly enough, a lot of our customers have easier access to the Internet from their smartphones than from a computer. Even more intriguing is that the average transaction price from mobile sales is 12% higher than on desktop computer-based sales.”

However, there is a “dark side” for physical stores when it comes to mobile devices. Harry Hirschman, VP of marketing and business development of ecommerce solution provider Vendio, says, “The biggest challenge for brick-and-mortar stores is the growth of ‘showrooming.’ For example, Target lost some suppliers because they were not receiving favorable pricing in the stores. Customers would go to Target, check out the price and then use their mobile device to see if they could find cheaper prices online.” However, this is yet another example of the benefit of a strong mobile presence, particularly if a business is able to compete on both price and value.

Ecommerce will continue to advance and evolve, and many of these trends may shift or become obsolete. One thing that remains constant is the need to build a loyal following by competing on value and providing quality customer service. Staying on top of ecommerce trends will give businesses a distinct advantage when it comes to interacting and communicating with customers.

http://mashable.com/2012/06/25/small-businesses-social-media-tips/

Nellie Akalp is the CEO of CorpNet.com, an online legal document filing service, where she helps entrepreneurs incorporate or form an LLC for their new businesses. Connect with Nellie on Twitter or visit her free resource center.

It’s hard to go anywhere these days and not be bombarded with social media. That’s because Facebook has 900 million active users, there are more than 200 million Twitter users, and then there’s Pinterest, the latest darling.

Given this reality, it’s impossible for small business owners not to feel a sense of urgency to master the social media landscape. But in the rush to join the social media party some small businesses are making critical mistakes. Here are five common errors that small businesses make when it comes to social media and how to avoid them.

1. Social Isn’t the Place for the Hard Sell

This might be the most difficult lesson for the small business owner. After all, we don’t have large marketing budgets to waste. Every dollar must count and we’ve been trained to close every potential sale. However, the social universe requires a subtler approach. This means no BUY ME buttons or blatant promotional copy.

In fact, if your social media strategy is just about marketing or sales, then you’re not approaching it right. Yes, you can use social media for marketing and you can increase your sales figures from it, but it can’t be your focus 100% of the time. As a general rule of thumb, only 5% to 10% of your social media activity (i.e. status updates or tweets) should be self-promotional.

Social media is all about building relationships and growing trust. This means answering questions, providing helpful information, and serving as a trusted resource. These activities should grow your bottom line, but it can be a slower, more nuanced, and potentially more fruitful journey than you’be come to expect. For this reason, it’s important to realize that social media shouldn’t replace all your other traditional marketing practices. It’s okay to ask for the sale, just not in social channels.

2. Social Isn’t About Self-Promotion

You know how painful it is to be stuck at a cocktail party, talking to that self-absorbed person who only talks about him or herself. Small businesses need to treat social media like a cocktail party among friends. To be liked, you’ve got to be gracious, genuinely interested in others, and not dominate the conversation.

What does this mean? Make it easy for people to leave comments on your blog. Engage with everyone who posts on your wall (within reason). Share great content from others in the industry. Ask questions and encourage participation. And most importantly, recognize that sometimes it’s better to talk less and listen more.

3. You Don’t Have to be Everywhere

There are two facts to keep in mind when it comes to social media and small business. First, there will always be a new network to get involved with. Secondly, a small business owner has a limited amount of time and money to devote to social media.

Fortunately, doing social media well doesn’t mean you need to be anywhere and everywhere. Instead, it’s about choosing one or two of the most relevant and effective channels for reaching your customers and focusing on them.

Remember that a neglected social media presence will reflect poorly on your business. It’s actually better to not have an account if you don’t have the time and resources to actively manage it and participate.

4. You Don’t Have to Keep up With the Big Brands

If you’re running a small business, you know there’s a big difference between your budget and that of Virgin America or Starbucks. That’s OK. Your small business doesn’t need to try to keep up with these big brands — particularly when it comes to contests and campaigns.

Creating giveaways and contests is one of the most effective ways to generate new likes and improve overall engagement. But small businesses often feel the pressure to offer flashy prizes that are well beyond their budget.

For example, for your small business, don’t give away a bunch of iPads if that’s not what you can afford. Instead, consider giving away one of your company’s services. It’s definitely not the sexiest prize and won’t generate widespread interest, but it’s more budget friendly and everyone who participates is sure to be interested in what your company does.

5. Social Media isn’t “Free”

Sure, you don’t have to spend a dime to join Facebook, create a Twitter account, or start a blog. That’s great news for the small business. However, social media is far from free once you factor in the blood, sweat, and tears it demands. Social media requires constant commitment, from keeping fresh content on your accounts to engaging your community.

Unless you consider your time (or the time of your employees) worthless, then there’s a significant cost involved with social media. For example, if it takes one employee approximately ten hours a week to manage social media accounts, you can assign a hard cost to the effort. The key takeaway is any small business owner needs to understand the numbers behind every campaign, and that means factoring in everyone’s time and effort.

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/11983.aspx

To make Twitter work for your company, you have to tweet consistently. This task can prove challenging when you aren’t sure what to share. Here are 20 ideas to help solve that conundrum:

An interesting article you just came across. Two things worth pointing out: First, the No. 1 thing to do on Twitter is share content. That’s pretty much why it was created. Second, while there’s a time and a place to focus on yourself—as our list shows—your first priority should be to share things that don’t necessarily come from you, as followers get sick of that pretty quickly.

Share a useful resource. What tools do you use in daily operations? Found a useful iPhone app that makes life a bit easier? If it’s industry-related and you think your customers or peers might find it useful, share it.

A blog entry you just posted on your business blog. Of course, when you put that new post up on your company blog, you want as many people read it as possible. But that doesn’t mean tweet out the link 10 times a day. You also want to tweet links to old blog posts from time to time to keep them fresh.

Inspirational quotes that tie into your industry. The average person loves inspirational quotes. Find one and send it. Just make sure it’s useful and not filler.

Highlight one of your staff members. Talking about your staff is an important part of brand building. If people just see your company as a name and a logo, they aren’t going to connect with you on a personal level. By talking about members of your staff from time to time, you remind your followers that there are real people behind your company.

Breaking news related to your niche. You need to stay on top of what’s going on in your industry. And if people start noticing that you tweet important news as soon as it breaks, they’ll start paying attention.

An upcoming event your company is involved in or attending. This accomplishes a few tasks. It’s a great way to get others to attend fundraisers and other functions. It also takes another step in the human direction we discussed above. And finally, it also gives other event participants free press, which is great for building good will.

Tips that would prove useful to someone who may use your product or service. You want people to see you as an expert in your field. And experts know what tips to give. So putting two and two together … provide useful tips and you’ll quickly become an industry expert.

Real time updates of what you and your staff are working on. As long as you don’t do it too often, followers will love to get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes activities of your company.

Websites of the companies you partner with. This one is along the lines of turning the attention on to others. When you draw attention to your partners, you give them free advertisement. And you can bet they’ll return the favor, which is a great way to get new followers.

Personal stories that make you seem more human. As mentioned above, search for feel-good internal stories. Maybe one of your employees just beat an illness. Or perhaps you just completed the “Couch-2-5K” plan and ran your first race. Maybe you have a classic rags-to-riches story. Anything someone can derive inspiration from that will make you seem more accessible.

Suggest a reputable industry blog. Where else can your followers get good industry-related info? What RSS feed do you subscribe to that you couldn’t live without? Let the world know and the blog owner will thank you.

Ask your followers a relevant question. Social media is all about conversations. So invite your followers to join in by asking them a question. Just make sure you respond when they answer to show that you care. Failing to do so will end any chances of the back and forth you desire.

Announce a contest or discount exclusive to Twitter. Everyone loves to win, get something cheaper, or grab a freebie. By announcing such things via Twitter, your followers will feel as if they have one up on everyone else. Contests are also great for getting people involved.

Thank a follower for something they did. Make sure your followers feel important. By thanking them for sharing content, commenting back, or simply following you, they will get the idea that you understand how important they are to your business.

Share a picture of a staff member or event. Mixing different forms of media into your tweets keeps things fresh and interesting. You could also use videos or pictures customers have sent in using your products.

Answer a question someone has asked. Along the lines of engaging your followers, when someone asks you a question, make sure you answer (and answer well). It’s probable that others had the same question and stand to benefit.

Put out a fire. Sometimes we piss people off—it’s bound to happen. Without getting defensive, put your supreme customer service on display and try to make a disgruntled customer happy.

Something ironic in your industry. People like a good laugh or an “AHA!” Pointing out irony is often well received. However, be careful not to do yourself any damage in the process.

Suggest someone to follow. It’s simple. You bring other people new followers, and they take notice and return in kind. Even if they don’t offer you new followers, you’re still doing something good for yours.

Mickie Kennedy is the CEO and founder of eReleases and blogs at PR Fuel, where a version of this article first appeared.

Cincinnati, OH – June 21, 2012 – Mackey Advisors founder and CEO Mackey McNeil will host a webinar, “Five Secret Elements of Women’s Wealth” on June 21, 2012 at 7pm Eastern time. Registration for the webinar is free and individuals can register at www.mackeyadvisors.com/event/wise-women-of-wealth.

From this program viewers will:

• Learn why one size does not fit all when it comes to creating wealth.
• Unearth the three key structures they must have in place to effectively manage their money and create a stable financial foundation.
• Uncover how their automatic responses drive their financial results.
• Discover the hidden wealth tool that will amplify their success.
• Learn why the false security of “knowing” blocks their wealth.

For more information about Mackey Advisors, visit www.MackeyAdvisors.com or get engaged on Facebook at keyword Mackey Advisors.

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About Mackey Advisors

Mackey Advisors is a Wealth Advocacy firm dedicated to Empowering Confident Action. Mackey has spent 28 years enhancing and fine tuning their unique branded services, The Prosperity Experience® for individuals and couples and Prosperity INC™ for businesses. The firm was founded in 1982 by Mackey McNeill to provide an alternative lifestyle business as Mackey was raising her daughter. Within a decade the firm outgrew its home office, moved into professional space and went on to be one of the Top 25 Largest Women Owned Businesses & one of the Top 25 Largest CPA Firm in the Cincinnati area.