More Than A Few Words

Are you gearing up for spring trade shows? Want to make the most out of  your investment? Whether you’re planning a booth at a conference or a massive display at a home show, you’ll find today’s program helpful. Join us as we talk with Shawn Quick Raflik of Fine Promotions about what to do before, during and after your trade show to get the biggest bang for your buck.

The Internet has significantly changed the way we market. It begs the question, does anyone print anything anymore?  While we love internet marketing, we think there is still a place for print.  Join us on More Than a Few Words on Dec. 12th at 10:30 a.m. as we talk about the changing role of printed materials in the age of the Internet.

What is the role of print publications in the age of the Internet,  Listen as Kyle Garago, Editor-in-Chief at the Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration News shares his perspective on how he and his team are continuing to create relevant content for the contracting industry.  He talked about about finding the balance between online and offline content which keeps readers and advertisers coming back. He also shared some insights on how contractors are making the transition to the digital era as well.

If you want people to notice your company online, give them something to look at. A great way to present information is through the use of an infographic, the equivalent of a digital poster. Infographics have skyrocketed in popularity as they are easily shared, attractive and promote brand awareness. On December 5th at 10:30 a.m., join us on More Than a Few Words as we talk with Chris Lucas about the elements that go into producing a remarkable infographic. About Chris Lucas Chris Lucas is Vice President of Business Development at Formstack, a company that allows users to build smart forms with the ability to manage and collect data. He will be sharing some of the lessons Formstack learned from the creation of their infographic, The Anatomy of a Perfect Landing Page,  which went viral last year.

There are always rules, including about what you can and can’t say in your marketing. In some industries, the rules are general suggestions, while in others, there are strict guidelines with specific legal penalties for violations. Accounting, financial services, insurance and legal services all fall into the category of “regulated industries.” Given the constraints, how do you create compelling marketing in these industries? That is just one of the many challenges marketing consultant Nancy Myrland faces every day as she helps lawyers and other professional services firms create a strong online presence. Today, we’ll discuss how you can create compelling marketing content even if you’re bound by strict regulations.

The holiday season is just heating up as retailers battle for shoppers’ mind share. As consumers create their holiday gift lists, retailers have been gearing up with innovative marketing strategies to beat the competition. Join us we chat with retail experts Eric Tobias and Rachel Modiano Johnson of iGoDigital to learn the best practices that top retailers use  to cut through the noise. About our Guests: Eric Tobias, President and Founder Eric is the Founder and President of iGoDigital where he is responsible for guiding the company’s strategic direction and day-to-day operations for its largest clients. Eric is a serial entrepreneur who is recognized as an industry thought leader in multi-channel retail commerce. Rachel Modiano Johnson, Director of Marketing Rachel is the director of marketing at iGoDigital and is responsible for driving the company’s overall marketing strategy. She leads efforts in marketing strategy, brand management, corporate communication, message generation, campaign creation, event ma

A few years ago, I commented on a blog post about how you decide who you choose to follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. The comment led to a lively online conversation with Des Walsh in which I politely disagreed with his approach. In response, he invited me to chat with him via Skype and connect on LinkedIn. While we don't talk to each other regularly, I do keep up with him via his status updates on LinkedIn. And so when he invited me to join his 30 Day LinkedIn Challenge, I was intrigued.  In just a few weeks, I have significantly expanded my activity on LinkedIN, with extremely positive results.  Better conversations, more web traffic and even an interview for a magazine as a result of a question I answered. In this episode, Des and I will talk about a few LinkedIN basics and how you can improve your LinkedIn experience. About Des Walsh - Des is a power LinkedIn user and so far the group has really helped me expand my LinkedIn activities. I have enjoyed being a part of the group so much, I convince

Joining us for MTFW, our weekly marketing podcast, is author and marketing strategist Ruth King. She is a serial entrepreneur with more than seven successful businesses on her resume. She is well respected as a leading authority on marketing in the heating and air conditioning industry. She is also the author of a new book,The Courage to Be Profitable.

It's easy to write marketing plans for products people want to buy, things like cars, vacations, food products and clothes.  But what if your product is something people need, but don't want to think about - insurance or funeral services?  How can you reach potential customers in a tasteful and relevant way? We've worked with several clients in these types of industries lately, so we thought it would be fun to focus this episode of our marketing podcast on some of the things that we are testing and where we have seen some success.

Generally, a hobby is defined as something you do for personal enjoyment while a job is something you do to make money. So what happens when your hobby becomes your business? Nancy Lee is a contemporary designer and award winning metalsmith working in copper, silver, brass and gold. Work sometimes includes unusual semi-precious gemstones and found objects. Techniques include etching, heat-treatments, and multiple patinas to bring warmth and color to the metal. The ancient techniques combined with modern methods help bring forth tomorrow’s treasures. Nancy Lee is the owner of Nancy Lee Designs and an instructor at the Indianapolis Art Center.  You can see examples of her work here.

We think Indianapolis is a great place to run a business, and Ron Gifford, Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, thinks so as well. In his new position, Ron oversees public policy initiatives with a primary focus on regional transit initiatives. Join us on Wednesday, October 24 at 10:30 as we talk with Ron about the process of attracting companies to Indianapolis and the role public transportation will play in the future  success of our region.

Ten years ago, a handful of people started meeting in a bar to discuss how they could work together to grow their individual businesses.  From that humble beginning exchanging business cards, an organization emerged with groups around the globe. Rainmakers has grown its networking focus to include group consulting services for small businesses. Nikki Lewallen, our guest this week, is the Executive Director of Rainmakers. She’s been a key part in the explosive growth of the company for the past six years. Her passions include public speaking and facilitating, and she’s excited to continue to share her marketing and networking passions with us at Roundpeg.

Social media is a great way to connect with prospects and clients.   It is also a terrific way to share expertise.   Dr. Greg  Magnusson,  owner of Leo's Pet Care in Carmel, Indiana and the  official vet of Roundpeg, uses both his blog and Twitter posts to help keep our pets healthy.

Lorraine is still away so join Allison, Jenna and Peter as they chat about life in a small agency…and probably cats.

One of our favorite guests in MTFW history is Muhammad Yasin. Director of PR and Social Media at HCCMIS, Muhammad has a great sense of humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of social media.  It’s always a great show when he drops by. Muhammad and his coauthor Ryan Brock of Metonymy Media will join us to discuss their new ebook Nothing New an Irreverent History of Storytelling and Social Media. Nothing New is the long history of people who told the right story at the right time. The book explores the world of social media in the digital age and looks to the past to learn that when it comes to the art of storytelling, there’s nothing new under the sun.

How comfortable will you be to one day put your business in the hands of the next generation? Orr Fellowship believes in raw education and real world experience for young people. Orr Fellowship fosters recent graduates and immerses them into the world of entrepreneurship and the reality of executive-level positions. This week we will welcome Jonathon Corwin, digital marketing coordinator at Bluelock CloudSuite . He is an Orr Fellow alumni and was definitely able to showcase his talents through his experience with the organization. Jon was named Online Marketing Champion at Orr and has a passion for startup businesses, web design and entrepreneurship.

Indiana is a great place to start a new business. With a vibrant, supportive community, new business owners are just a meetup away from developers, founding partners and investors needed to launch their idea. At the center of the community is Verge, one of the most dynamic monthly events. We will be talking about Verge with one of the organizers, Tony Monteleon. He will give us a preview of the  upcoming PowderKeg conference as well as the  Indy startup community, tips for startups and much more. This is one conversation you don’t want to miss. The conversation included Information about Tony’s favorite books The E Myth and 4 Steps to an Epiphany. If you are thinking about starting a business these are must reads. The things every startup needs: Find a mentor, get connected with a lawyer and of course come to a Verge event A preview of the up coming PowderKeg conference – Look for information on early bird registration To hear about all of this and more listen to the recording below  or download through i

We are excited to have  Cindy Hartman with us this week to discuss how to create a successful turnkey business package. Since 2004,  Cindy owner of Hartman Inventory has been helping people and businesses conduct inventory of their belongings in the case of a burglary or disaster. They often found themselves talking to other would be business owners about the process of creating a business like theirs.  They began offering a turnkey business package.  Join us as we talk about this interesting alternative to franchising as a way to expand your business.

Everyone wants to be on page one as customers search Google for a business like theirs. Unfortunately, there are often millions of possible options. So how do you move to the top of the page? Search engine optimization strategies help you organize information on your website and present it to the search engines in a logical manner. This is not as easy as it sounds because the search engines continually change the rules, and your competitors are working just as hard to be on page one as your are. This week we will chat with Andrew Gouty, CEO of Rella SEO,  about ways small business owners can implement SEO strategies without breaking the bank. Since 2009, Rella SEO has established its presence as a go-to internet marketing firm. Andrew is a firm believer in turning his clients into makers and providers. So if the topic makes you want to pull your hair out, tune in this week to hear Andrew chat with us about SEO for small business.