In honor of National Book Lover’s Day, we created a summer reading roundup of the books that are keeping us sane and happy this summer. Read on for our suggestions of great beach reads this summer and enjoy a little mental health vacation (even if you can only squeeze it in after a long day at the office).
The practice of "unplugging" may seem like checking out, but the truth it can be the best way to make yourself more productive. Learn the benefits of unplugging and tips on how to do it in this blog post from team insight180.
Social media can be a valuable marketing tool for a brand, but only if you have a strong social media strategy in place. Read on for the social media guidelines we recommend to all of our clients.
Think about an engaging character from a television show or movie. What about them is memorable for you? Is it the way they hold their own during a conflict or how they talk (and laugh) just like you do when you’re hanging with your best friends? Is their sarcastic wit comforting and familiar or does it trigger a response of unease? When we immerse ourselves in entertainment, we come to feel like we know the characters as if they were real people in our lives. The same can be true of the brands we love.
I was recently asked why defining core values is important to an organization, and more specifically, how they influence a brand. I would counter, what’s the purpose in existing as an organization if core values aren’t driving it? While profitability and stakeholder responsibilities are what keep the lights on for any company, core values are what support the vision, define company culture and help align an organization and the people who work there.
I recently had the opportunity to lead a branding discussion at the Maryland Innovation Center and, amongst all of the great questions, one in particular stood out to me and my team, “What’s the story behind your name, insight180?” Honestly, I love it when people ask about our name. It gives us an opportunity to elaborate on who we are, how we’ve evolved, and who we’re becoming. It helps us tell our unique story, something we really appreciate in a good brand name. A good name can do many things: evoke an emotion (like trust or confidence); relay a purpose; create some fun and elicit curiosity. Still, other brand names may be less than inspiring but too established to change (like GEICO – what the heck does that even mean?).
Building a successful brand – like the business it represents – is not unlike training for a race. It’s more of a marathon than a sprint. You’re not going to break out of the gate at top speed. Instead, you’ll build a steady, sustainable pace that gets you closer and closer to that finish line so that when the time comes, you can finish strong.
Millennials, anyone born between 1981 and 1996, are aged 25 to 40 in 2021. They are the most-studied generation in history, under the scrutiny of the Pew Research Center, among others, for well more than a decade. Much has been said about their social/digital abilities and ties; their belief that work is about outcomes, not daily schedules; their penchant to buy experiences over things; and that the brands they love must be doing good in the world. There are also numerous insights on how to attract, retain, and develop Millennial employees.
It seems that we get more and more emails every day. Still, email remains a crucial channel for engaging with clients and an effective tool for driving sales. We pulled together some of the top marketing statistics from Constant Contact, MyEmma, and MailChimp group email service providers. Here are eight tips to help you get the most from your small business email marketing program.
As a business owner, you already know that to serve your clients best, you must first understand them. Chances are, you do. You’ve crunched the numbers, analyzed the data, and modified your products or services time and time again to get them exactly where you need them to be. Or, rather, you’ve refined your services to specifically meet the needs of your clients.
Years ago, I bought a new-to-me car. When we arrived at the dealer to pick it up, they were ready. The car was spotless. Workers gave balloons to our young sons and shook hands with my husband and me. A few days later, we received a “Welcome to the Family” card in the mail, congratulating us on our auto selection and inviting us to join the fan club – complete with a tin of cookies! Surely, there could be no doubt that we made a smart purchasing decision.
