Turn on the news, and you’ll immediately be overwhelmed with the noise… the topics of inflation, interest rates, and instability are blowing up right now. Everyone is trying to figure out if we’re in a recession or not. Negativity sells, and right now, there’s plenty of pessimism and fear to go around. Just get in line. As an agency, we can’t tell you if this is a recession or how interest rates will impact borrowing… However, we have been in the game long enough to know that from a marketing perspective, two camps are forming. So what camp will you be in?

"I hope somebody tries to sell me something today." Said nobody, ever.

That's right. You're not special. But wait- before you click away- I promise it's good news! Here's why...

Think back to the last time your gut spoke to you and told you to do something… Did you listen?

Sitting down with a client over coffee this morning, we talked about the story they’re telling on their website. Things had rapidly evolved since the last time we chatted about the messaging on their site. If anything has come to light over the last two years, it is this. Things are constantly changing. That was true before the pandemic, and it is true today.

A lot is going on in the world right now. Markets are volatile, politics are political, supply chains are broken, prices are high, and the negative noise is as loud as it’s been in a long time. There are constant reminders of everything that’s stacked up against growth, success, and the goals we’ve set for ourselves and our businesses. It can be easy to focus on those things and surrender to all the things that are out of our control. So, what do we do instead?

Of all the things you can bring to your work, no matter what role you have within your organization, what’s the greatest asset you can possess? Some might say it’s their knowledge or expertise. Others might call out their leadership ability or specific skill they possess. All of those answers could be right, but what’s the most valuable asset any of us can bring to the table?

As we write this on the morning of June 15, we are 162 days away from Thanksgiving 2022. That puts us 139 days away from the first day of November. Why does that matter, as we’re just kicking off summer? Shouldn’t we slow down to enjoy some sunshine before we fast forward to Thanksgiving?

In our conversations with clients, specifically when we’re diving deep into their messaging, there’s one critical element every organization needs to clarify: What makes you different? Understanding this and communicating it is essential when it comes to telling your story and creating connections to your brand. Here are three things to consider…

We were recently honored to be part of a panel discussion on the buyer's journey hosted by our friends at Authentic Brand here in the Twin Cities. The panel included Jennifer Zick and Barb Bertsch from Authentic Brand, Darrell Amy from Convergo, and our own John Gamades. Here were a few highlight moments and insights from that conversation…