Suppose your company is looking to update its web presence into 2014 and beyond. You’ve been happy with your existing website but you know it’s time to go in a new direction. You think it’s all about having
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Best Practices in Responsive Web Design","metadesc":"Suppose your company is looking to update its web presence into 2014 and beyond. You’ve been happy with your existing website.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Suppose your company is looking to update its web presence into 2014 and beyond. You’ve been happy with your existing website but you know it’s time to go in a new direction. You think it’s all about having a new look for your website and perhaps some new programmatic elements, as well. You think that’s all there is to it, until one day you hear these words: ”Responsive.” And that’s when you realize, maybe you could use some advice. Well, you’re in luck. Keep reading for best practices in responsive web design.
\nResponsive Web Design
\nResponsive Web Design is all about flexibility and convenience a la 21st century marketing trends. Essentially, it is design that is viewable through all devices: mobile, tablet, desktop. The most revolutionary thing a business could ever hear. Why? Because of a few alarming facts: 90% of people in the world have a mobile phone and 55% own a smartphone 50% of people use it to go online while 80% of time is spent inside in apps 70% of tablet owners make purchases online directly from their tablets each week 35% of cell phone owners rather use their phones than a desktop to surf the web In other words, if you really want to see your business flourish like never before, you need to target your audience. And your audience does not use desktop computers anymore.
\nThe answer though, is not to remove your website, but to create a responsive website. A website that can be viewed across all devices. Convinced? Here’s What To Do Before Brand it Before jumping on the responsive bus, you need to have a good idea on what brand will captivate your audience and communicate with them clearly and effectively. A brand is not just a logo, it is an international language. No matter where you are, or what country you’re in, your brand doesn’t need translating. Branding is a necessity if you want to see your business thrive in national and global levels. Not only that but human psychology also approves that people are more into visuals than written text. To engage your audience even further, I highly recommend your business considers branding.
\nSocial Media
\nHave you heard the news lately? Out of the 313 million people living in the U.S., 250 million report using the Internet. And 166 million out of that report using Facebook. That’s 56% of Americans that claim to have at least one profile on any social networking site. And of course, 54% have used Facebook via their phones. Again, looking at these revealing facts, social media appears to be a great and opportune outlet for any business. There are three types of layouts when designing for responsiveness.
\nFluid Grids – This layout is flexible and based on a grid system. The way that the website looks on the desktop gets carried over to other devices through a systematic and structured box method. It’s not based on pixels but on fixed percentages. This layout will give your site uniformity with not a lot of hard core coding. Flexible Media – One layout to rule them all! The flexible media does not discriminate against devices. It literally just re-shapes itself automatically to fit the desired device. It’s convenient and based on adjustable percentages. The browser in this case does all the work, but the coding behind it is not the easiest to pull off.
\nMedia Queries – For those who are tech-savvy, they may enjoy media queries. Basically, you create your own styles and fixed percentages. This allows you to completely customize your design to your liking. Therefore, the website on your desktop might look different on a mobile device. Some videos, or captions may be omitted and other features added. It all depends on you. More information: If you are looking for a responsive design agency with experience in a variety of B2B- and consumer-oriented industries, check out Merit Mile. The agency specializes in branding, responsive design, marketing, PR and social media all in the name of creating business momentum for client partners. To learn how you can leverage a responsive design experience, schedule a meeting with Merit Mile today.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":55,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/23-point-checklist-for-b2b-trade-show-marketers/","title":"23-Point Checklist For B2B Trade Show Marketers","slug":"23-point-checklist-for-b2b-trade-show-marketers","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Feb 11th 2014","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"January is an important month for the automotive marketers. Between the North American International Auto Show and the National Automobile Dealers Association Conference & Expo (NADA), the entire world of automotive and auto finance comes together
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"23-Point Checklist For B2B Trade Show Marketers","metadesc":"January is an important month for the automotive marketers. Between the North American International Auto Show and the National Automobile Dealers.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"January is an important month for the automotive marketers. Between the North American International Auto Show and the National Automobile Dealers Association Conference & Expo (NADA), the entire world of automotive and auto finance comes together for showcasing cars and exhibiting best practices. But are most B2B marketers and communicators taking advantage of the show itself? More importantly, now that the shows have come and gone, are B2B marketers conducting the appropriate follow up and measurement? These are important questions to ask since the Center for Exhibition Industry Research believes as many as 80% of trade show leads receive no follow up. Merit Mile has a healthy history of working with automotive brands, particularly with the marketing strategies prior to, during and post-show. Below is a 23-point checklist to help automotive marketers ensure they get the most from their NADA post-show marketing/PR/social activities.
\nUse these channels to share all kinds of content with your audiences. And at the end of the day, measure everything. NADA marketers must measure all critical strategies and tactics in order to determine the appropriate level of success for any campaign. Measurement can also quantify all ROI efforts, and set the foundation for improvements in the following year. \n
\nTrade shows remain one of today’s most effective opportunities to cultivate business, build relationships with customers, and drive awareness for your brand. The key is to develop a strategic plan and follow through. This plan doesn’t end when the final lights go off at the convention center, and there is a lot of work to do even in the weeks that follow. Consult with a Merit Mile marketing strategist if you have questions on how to leverage marketing, PR or social activities at your trade event.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":56,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/top-marketing-trends-for-2014/","title":"Top Marketing Trends for 2014","slug":"top-marketing-trends-for-2014","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Nov 19th 2013","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"With 2013 coming to a close, marketers have set their sights on what seems to be a completely digital 2014. All signs point toward a shift in satisfying digital consumer needs, as companies begin their planning and budgeting for the new year.
\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Top Marketing Trends for 2014","metadesc":"With 2013 coming to a close, marketers have set their sights on what seems to be a completely digital 2014. All signs point toward a shift.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"Top Marketing Trends for 2014","opengraph_description":"With 2013 coming to a close, marketers have set their sights on what seems to be a completely digital 2014. All signs point toward a shift.","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"},"twitter_title":"Top Marketing Trends for 2014","twitter_description":"With 2013 coming to a close, marketers have set their sights on what seems to be a completely digital 2014. All signs point toward a shift.","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"}},"content":"With 2013 coming to a close, marketers have set their sights on what seems to be a completely digital 2014. All signs point toward a shift in satisfying digital consumer needs, as companies begin their planning and budgeting for the new year. PR News has pointed out the top twenty marketing trends we will see in 2014.
\nSocial media should have an increasingly key role in 2014. These networks have become more than simply posting pictures and bragging about where you are/what you’re doing. They’ve become channels for B2B and B2C companies. Let’s consider a few statistics PR News points out: In 2013, 52% of marketers found a customer via Facebook. Companies that blog create 67% more leads than those that don’t. 43% of marketers found a customer via LinkedIn. Social media is only one component to the digital world. Content marketing will also have a greater role. Forbes states one of the main ways to establish trust and authority with your consumers is developing valued content; while 78% of CMO’s believe custom content is the future of marketing. Mark Reino, CEO of Merit Mile, stated: “Content marketing’s importance is consistently growing. There is a tremendous amount of upside for brands to embrace and execute on strategic content marketing campaigns integrated in existing marketing programs.” Along with marketers projected to spend roughly $135 billion on digital marketing in 2014, PR News also points out a few other trends we will see in the new year:
\nIn the next 5 years, social media marketing will double. Click rates for social sharing through email will increase 158%. 50% of companies will have content marketing strategies. 73% of reporters believe press releases should have images. Will the new year looming, is your company ready for new digital marketing needs in 2014? Contact a Merit Mile strategist and make an appointment to get your company going in the right direction.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":57,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/media-tours-taking-your-message-on-the-road/","title":"Media Tours: Taking Your Message On The Road","slug":"media-tours-taking-your-message-on-the-road","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Nov 13th 2013","modified":"Tue Nov 3rd 2020","excerpt":"You may have been thinking about generating more publicity for your brand, product or service. Most likely you know how valuable this can be in driving overall awareness and positioning you as a credible leader within your industry.
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Media Tours: Taking Your Message On The Road","metadesc":"You may have been thinking about generating more publicity for your brand, product or service. Most likely you know how valuable this can.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"Media Tours: Taking Your Message On The Road","opengraph_description":"You may have been thinking about generating more publicity for your brand, product or service. Most likely you know how valuable this can.","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"},"twitter_title":"Media Tours: Taking Your Message On The Road","twitter_description":"You may have been thinking about generating more publicity for your brand, product or service. Most likely you know how valuable this can.","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"}},"content":"You may have been thinking about generating more publicity for your brand, product or service. Most likely you know how valuable this can be in driving overall awareness and positioning you as a credible leader within your industry. How do you go about getting this publicity? You’ve sent out a press release but the phone didn’t ring with a reporter on the other side. What’s more, you know you have a compelling story to tell yet many reporters still are not writing about you. It might be time for you to take your story on the road.
\nDespite many reporters dealing with compressed daily schedules as a result of their own multi-tasking and new contacts so that they don’t have to continuously use the same sources for their stories. In this instance, it’s often wise for companies to build a PR strategy around a media tour, which is a two- or three-day event where company executives set up interviews with targeted journalists and media outlets that might be interested in a story for their audience. Over the years, Merit Mile’s PR team has conducted many successful media tours for companies and executives all looking to generate press exposure and build key media relationships simultaneously.
\n“The key to a successful media tour is all in the timing of the travel date, which must sync with relevant story angles and other headline events currently in the news,” said John Sternal, Merit Mile’s Director of PR and Social Media. As an example, Sternal once planned a Detroit media tour for an automotive client around buzz on the industry’s return to car leasing. Meetings were set up with Automotive News, Detroit News, Ward’s Auto, MSNBC, Edmunds.com, and the tour culminated with an appearance on the popular industry TV show, “Autoline. Another media tour was planned with a different client in the home-building industry, when several Special Interest Publications were planning their winter season coverage on home weatherproofing. The editorial meetings enabled this client to strengthen its category leadership position on weatherproofing products and technologies for residential customers. Here is a list of all the cities where Merit Mile’s PR team has conducted successful media tours:
\nNew York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Miami, West Palm Beach, Dallas, Houston, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Orlando, Fort Myers, Fla. Merit Mile’s Media Tour program is focused on a three-part strategy execution formula for clients:
\n1: Plan the message around a strategic client objective: Planning for every media tour should begin by asking the question, “what do we want to talk about?” The answer to this question needs to coincide with one or two messages that are main themes of the client’s agenda, and the client’s desire to generate leads.
\n2: Target the right media: Who do you want to be on the receiving end of your message when you travel to your destination media market? It’s not enough to just say, “Chicago Tribune” or “The New York Times”. Merit Mile plans its media tours around specific meetings with certain members of the press who have a keen interest in meeting with the client.
\n3: Understand timing of the execution: Will the media tour take place before, during or immediately following an industry trade event? What else is making headlines at the time of your trip, and how might the client’s message/agenda play a role in some of these larger stories?
\nIt’s imperative to answer each of these questions with a game plan in order to maximize results of the trip. Above all else, Merit Mile always makes sure to have a backup plan because meetings will get canceled. Reporters are some of the busiest professionals with schedules that change in the blink of an eye. Having a backup plan with additional meetings on hand will ensure all gaps are filled in the event of a cancellation. Would you like to take your message on the road?
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":58,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/what-we-learned-from-healthcaregov-launch/","title":"What We Learned From HealthCare.gov Launch","slug":"what-we-learned-from-healthcaregov-launch","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Mon Nov 11th 2013","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"Businesses can learn some valuable lessons from the U.S. Government’s launch of HealthCare.gov website. The challenges began once the government launched the website for use, midnight of October 1st. Several problems occurred when users tried to access the site.
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"What We Learned From HealthCare.gov Launch","metadesc":"Businesses can learn some valuable lessons from the U.S. Government’s launch of HealthCare.gov website.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Businesses can learn some valuable lessons from the U.S. Government’s launch of HealthCare.gov website. The challenges began once the government launched the website for use, midnight of October 1st. Several problems occurred when users tried to access the site. For one, it struggled to handle the influx of users it had taken on since commencing, as well as failing at certain key points. Merit Mile’s Web Development Expert Craig Henderson stated, “The lesson learned from the failed rollout of HealthCare.gov is that system testing is essential. Any public-facing website, especially one dealing in sensitive personal information must be tested exhaustively prior to launch.”
\nThe healthcare website asks users for sensitive personal info:
\nA website that is interconnected with other sites for agencies to gain personal information can be affected by firewalls, spam, hackers, etc. Reliability is key for users.
\nA site which involves purchasing personal data needs to go through strenuous amounts of alpha and beta testing, which validates the site and its products. “In this day and age of highly visited e-commerce websites, Victoria’s Secret web casts, and cloud solutions available from all enterprise-level hosting data centers, the notation that a website would crash due to unexpected traffic loads is simply a cover up for lack of planning and testing,” stated Henderson. Businesses and owners, web developments should avoid being rushed to go live, especially before an adequate amount of testing. Test over and over again, and when you think it’s ready for public use, the web programmer will test it again.
\nWe live in a digital world, and creating something user-friendly is a key component. Use focus groups, sample test the site with a select group of consumers, and take all the necessary precautions needed. Learn from the downfall of the Government’s healthcare site instead of being one in the same. To learn more about all the necessary steps involved with web development, contact a Merit Mile strategist today.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":59,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/best-practices-in-search-engine-optimization/","title":"Best Practices In Search Engine Optimization","slug":"best-practices-in-search-engine-optimization","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Oct 29th 2013","modified":"Tue Nov 3rd 2020","excerpt":"The growing importance of Search Engine Optimization is on full speed for companies in virtually every industry. SEO is a strategic way to drive traffic to your website via the web, such as Google’s search engine.","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Best Practices In Search Engine Optimization","metadesc":"The growing importance of Search Engine Optimization is on full speed for companies in virtually every industry.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"Best Practices In Search Engine Optimization","opengraph_description":"The growing importance of Search Engine Optimization is on full speed for companies in virtually every industry.","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"},"twitter_title":"Best Practices In Search Engine Optimization","twitter_description":"The growing importance of Search Engine Optimization is on full speed for companies in virtually every industry.","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/merit-mile-l.png"}},"content":"The growing importance of Search Engine Optimization is on full speed for companies in virtually every industry. SEO is a strategic way to drive traffic to your website via the web, such as Google’s search engine. Constructing with SEO best practices in mind, you can help your company achieve better recognition, and elevate your position in organic (non-paid) search results. As long as you stay in the realm of SEO best practices, you will see positive results. Some of these best practices are comprised of the following: Analyze your customers/write for them. The more relevant the information posted on your blog, media page, etc. on your site, the more likely you’ll be set you up for success. Your links and URL’s need to feed off one another. Links are very useful; use them, but use them in the correct way. Use the right keywords or phrases and limit the number of links. Add keywords to your URL’s title in hopes to catch the attention of the viewer, instead of using a handful of numbers and symbols. Make Use of Pictures. People love pictures and adding the right ones will create a better experience for the viewer.
\r\n\r\nPhotos make the page appealing and adding “alt” tags will make them search friendly. Photos with tags will direct them to your site. Some of the most effective SEO tools come from Raven Tools. Raven’s SEO software is one of the most impactful on the market, and its checklist analyzes many of the best practices that should be sought out:
\r\nSocial media and SEO can no longer work apart, yet they must now coexist. It’s valuable to market your work through these channels. The more links built to redirect back to your site; the more search engines will become aware of them. Contact a Merit Mile strategist today to discuss your SOE strategy concerns for your company and keep your business momentum going.
"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":60,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/a-branding-refresher-for-marketers/","title":"A Branding Refresher For Marketers","slug":"a-branding-refresher-for-marketers","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Mon Oct 14th 2013","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"Consumer needs and wants are one of the leading factors that drive the world of marketing as we know today, particularly since needs and wants generate demand. Branding, as according to the business dictionary, is “the process involved in creating a unique name and image
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"A Branding Refresher For Marketers","metadesc":"Consumer needs and wants are one of the leading factors that drive the world of marketing as we know today, particularly.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Consumer needs and wants are one of the leading factors that drive the world of marketing as we know today, particularly since needs and wants generate demand. Branding, as according to the business dictionary, is “the process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising campaigns and a consistent theme.” The most significant of all branding lessons would be – branding begins on the demand side of the market.
\nSociety is constantly evolving, developing a new set of consumer wants and needs. If buyer’s needs and wants are always changing and driving the demand curve, then how must companies meet these expectations? Companies must “seduce”, or in other terms, pay close attention to the effort engaged in the branding of a product or service. Creating a broader range of product characteristics, attributes, specifications, as well as innovation and affordable pricing, play as important elements in consumers purchasing a product or service, which therefore increases demand and brand value. Consumers are willing to spend an amount based on the value of the product or service, which fills the void or gap that was once their need or want. Even other aspects such as the voice behind your brand can impact consumer demand.
\nFor example, let’s take a quick look at the iPod. A reason for its major success was it had a stout brand. The value of the product itself, along with the numerous advantages it held over the walkman and other competitors, is what helped with its incredible success. The same happened for the iPhone and iPad some years down the road. According to Forbes, Apple had a brand value of $6.6 billion in 2000. Today, Apple’s brand value is $98.3 billion – almost fifteen times the amount of its brand value in 2000. By keeping customers at the center of everything it does, Apple is able to anticipate what they want next and break new ground in terms of both design and performance.
\nThe company has consistently delivered high value products that are sensible on a consumer scale, along with stability and permanence. These attributes are important for emerging brands as well as those on the Fortune-500 list. According to Mark Reino, CEO of Merit Mile, “branding alone begins and ends with the demand of a product or service in the market. In order to achieve high demand, you must place yourself in the consumer’s shoes and evaluate his or her needs, wants and desires that will eventually lead them to building an emotional attachment and making a purchase.” How is your brand performing amongst your competitors? For a quick discussion on how to improve your brand connection with customers, schedule a call today with a Merit Mile brand strategist.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":61,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-is-the-cmo-role-adapting-to-change/","title":"How Is The CMO Role Adapting To Change?","slug":"how-is-the-cmo-role-adapting-to-change","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Jul 24th 2013","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"A question to all the CMOs reading this blog post: How is your role different today than it was five, ten or fifteen years ago? Sure, creative, messaging and reporting are critical elements of the job, but there’s a good chance
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"How Is The CMO Role Adapting To Change?","metadesc":"A question to all the CMOs reading this blog post: How is your role different today than it was five, ten or fifteen years ago?","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"A question to all the CMOs reading this blog post: How is your role different today than it was five, ten or fifteen years ago? Sure, creative, messaging and reporting are critical elements of the job, but there’s a good chance you would have mentioned those fifteen years ago, as well.
\nTo find out exactly how the CMO role has changed over the years, Forrester and the Business Marketing Association (BMA) teamed up to conduct a survey of 117 marketing executives about how they take on new roles to support their businesses. Based on the findings, Forrester concludes that there are four key takeaways where the CMO’s role is different today, and that embracing these areas will lead to greater confidence from the executive team.
\nThe CMO’s Role Is Bigger Than Ever: Added responsibilities have been the hallmark of any CMO in recent memory. The ability to take risks and learn from mistakes will allow many CMOs to embrace this new role and take on additional workloads. New Approaches Will Help Accomplish New Tasks: The rapid pace of business as a result of new technologies and multitasking have forced a change in the way CMOs interface and strategize with other departments, peers, employees and agencies. Bridge Silos To Foster Greater Customer Experiences: In order to maximize value and deliver on the promises to customers, CMOs must rely on stronger collaboration with internal teams and peers in order to refocus the marketing strategy on true priorities. Get To Know The CIO: More than half of the survey’s respondents said that IT is their most popular collaboration partner today.
\nThis can’t be surprising to most CMOs given the importance technology has become to all facets of the marketing process. “Successful marketing campaigns today are as much about science and technology as they are about art and creative,” said Mark Reino, CEO of Merit Mile. “We utilize technology in our integrated strategic marketing campaigns, as well as the reporting functions that allow for stronger evaluations of results.” How are you embracing each of these four core areas of adaptation? Schedule a time to discuss your challenges with a member of Merit Mile’s leadership team and learn how we can help you succeed as a leading CMO.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":62,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-colors-can-impact-your-brand/","title":"How Colors Can Impact Your Brand","slug":"how-colors-can-impact-your-brand","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Thu Jun 20th 2013","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"Consumers today are bombarded by a plethora of options when it comes to their buying needs; the alternatives in which to delegate their money can be overwhelming. But, why then do some consumers go straight to pick up one product over another
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"How Colors Can Impact Your Brand","metadesc":"Consumers today are bombarded by a plethora of options when it comes to their buying needs; the alternatives in which to delegate.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Consumers today are bombarded by a plethora of options when it comes to their buying needs; the alternatives in which to delegate their money can be overwhelming. But, why then do some consumers go straight to pick up one product over another, or feel like clicking and browsing on some websites and not others. One simple reason can be attributed to that of Color Marketing. Color effects moods and feelings; research suggest that it has a physical effect as well, influencing the hormones that control our emotions.
\nWhen using color as a part of a larger image marketing strategy, it can be one of the most powerful methods of creating customer appeal. Studies have shown that color can be up to 85% of the reason people decide to buy and according to recent research by Kissmetrics, color increases a brand’s recognition by 80%. Consider that studies have shown that color can have a variety of effects on a brand, according to statistics from Social Media Today: Increases brand recognition by up to 80% Improves readership as much as 40% Increases comprehension by 73% Can be up to 85% of the reason people decide to buy Companies spend a lot of time and energy in picking out the right colors to brand the way in which consumers view their products, often trying to convey a certain call to action.
\nSome brands become so closely associated with their color schemes that most consumers can recognize them even when their company’s names aren’t even visible. For example, most fast food restaurants such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s use a lot of orange and red in their campaigns due to the fact these colors are known to stimulate people to impulse buy, eat quickly and leave – playing into the strategy of moving patrons in and out of their restaurants. As Kyle Newton, Creative Director of Merit Mile explains, “The background of your website, the color of the text and tile, all can have some psychological influence to your client. Knowing how colors affect people can make your website more attractive and your brand more memorable.”
\nIn today’s highly competitive market, companies need to think of every possible opportunity to motivate their customer’s behavior. The colors used in their marketing is a major component to an effective and measurable strategy. Talk to a Merit Mile marketing strategist to learn more about how color and visual branding can impact your bottom line results.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":63,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-can-a-press-interview-create-leads/","title":"How Can A Press Interview Create Leads?","slug":"how-can-a-press-interview-create-leads","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Jun 5th 2013","modified":"Mon Feb 22nd 2021","excerpt":"“Sure, it would be great to go on TV and do an interview, but how would that translate into sales?” This is a question we’re often asked in strategy sessions with clients. On the surface, national media appearances are great ways to elevate
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"How Can A Press Interview Create Leads?","metadesc":"“Sure, it would be great to go on TV and do an interview, but how would that translate into sales?” This is a question.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"“Sure, it would be great to go on TV and do an interview, but how would that translate into sales?” This is a question we’re often asked in strategy sessions with clients. On the surface, national media appearances are great ways to elevate your brand and position your company against the competition. National exposure can also help deliver important messages that either start, reinforce or change conversations taking place within media and social circles. However, making your story interesting to the media and taking advantage of your appearance goes beyond simply being a talking head.
\nThe easiest way to accomplish this is to determine what you want your audience to do, in addition to what you want them to hear or see. Is it all just about the information you want to deliver to an audience? Do you want them to visit your website for more information? Can they download something from your website, providing you with their email address as a lead? Do you want them to donate or sponsor a cause? Or perhaps you want them to purchase an item or service by calling an 800 number? What action do you want them to take once they’ve received your message? The answer to many of these questions can help you think through the entire lifecycle of an integrated campaign where PR, marketing, web and even social work in concert to advance your brand and create business momentum.
\nMerit Mile helped Veterans’ Pathway To Business Success raise important awareness of its cause by securing a national appearance on a major FOX News Channel show. The organization helps Veterans through grant money given to help them start or build their own business. The organization’s Executive Director talked about the mission on FOX News Channel, but she also made it a point to address and ask for more corporate sponsorships. This plea led to several phone calls from Veterans and potential sponsors after the show aired.
\nThe right integrated strategy can help build awareness and generate leads for any campaign. How can you get your story in front of national media and mobilize an audience to take action? Contact Merit Mile’s strategy team today for an introductory conversation.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":64,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-yahoo-and-tumblr-could-work/","title":"How Yahoo And Tumblr Could Work","slug":"how-yahoo-and-tumblr-could-work","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Mon May 20th 2013","modified":"Mon Feb 22nd 2021","excerpt":"It has been reported by AllThingsD that Yahoo plans to buy blogging site Tumblr for approximately $1.1 billion. Social network and industry experts believe the deal represents a true opportunity for Yahoo to be “cool” again for the first time in years.
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"How Yahoo And Tumblr Could Work","metadesc":"It has been reported by AllThingsD that Yahoo plans to buy blogging site Tumblr for approximately $1.1 billion.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"It has been reported by AllThingsD that Yahoo plans to buy blogging site Tumblr for approximately $1.1 billion. Social network and industry experts believe the deal represents a true opportunity for Yahoo to be “cool” again for the first time in years. Those in favor of the deal will quickly point to Yahoo immediately gaining access to more than 100 million bloggers using Tumblr’s service, particularly since the demographic is largely in the under-35 crowd, a significant target for search and digital companies. However, Yahoo making a newsworthy acquisition comes with questions, particularly since the company has been struggling over the last several years.
\nAdditionally, its CEO, Marissa Mayer, has often made headlines that are focused elsewhere besides its products and technology. But Yahoo and Tumblr could be big news for the two companies and the entire digital community that always has a big appetite for the next big thing. First and foremost, however, Mayer needs to make a big splash that comes with substance. A lot of it. Namely, she needs to lead her press conference with strong messaging that clearly communicates how Tumblr will be used, why it’s important to Yahoo, and why web surfers will be compelled to choose Yahoo over its rivals. Beyond the messaging, Mayer and Yahoo need to aggressively market these attributes to persuade and remind people why Yahoo will be better as a result of Tumblr. After the press announcement comes and goes, the news cycle will again turn to other newsmakers, and Yahoo will need to rely on this marketing to be a constant reminder of why it will be cool again.
\nThese marketing and advertising strategies will need to embrace current consumer and business users, as well as new users that leverage search and news elsewhere. Is your company planning to make a big product announcement in the coming months? How will you roll out your messaging through the press, social networks and marketing channels? Most importantly, how will you measure everything to know what worked and what didn’t?
\nContact a Merit Mile campaign strategist to discuss your upcoming announcement and messaging concerns. You only get once chance to make a first impression, but there are several ways to create business momentum.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":65,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/the-impact-from-image-marketing/","title":"The Impact From Image Marketing","slug":"the-impact-from-image-marketing","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri May 17th 2013","modified":"Mon Feb 22nd 2021","excerpt":"Content is king, but more emphasis should be placed on images when selecting and shaping content. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text. According to Laura Silverman, director of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"The Impact From Image Marketing","metadesc":"Content is king, but more emphasis should be placed on images when selecting and shaping content.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Content is king, but more emphasis should be placed on images when selecting and shaping content. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text. According to Laura Silverman, director of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development, 37% of people actually prefer to receive information through pictures. What’s more, there is a reason why 40 million images are uploaded to Instagram, and over 300 million images are uploaded to Facebook daily.
\nThe number of image-driven social media websites and applications are escalating, which suggest consumers want to communicate more visually and expect brands to deliver the same kind of content experience. A 2012 report by ROI Research found that 44% of respondents were more likely to engage with brands that posted pictures on their social media channels rather than any other type of content. People love images; they are easy to comprehend and take less time and effort than reading block text.
\nContent without images is perceived as boring and monotonous. Adding images generates emotions that draw in the viewer and keep them engaged. They also provide consistency to campaigns using multiple communication channels. Repeating meaningful images will support brand identification and reinforce a company’s message. Some companies choose to utilize images that have already attracted attention on social media. They take these popular images and cultivate more effective advertisements. “The use of images is a method that provides stability in a constantly changing environment,” describes Kyle Newton, Creative Director at Merit Mile. ”When we start building a campaign, an essential step is to select an image that evokes the right emotion and captures the attitude, tone and goals that support the visual strategy. This single piece will unite advertisements, e-mail, landing pages, newsletters, social media, and web pages.”
\nTo recap, people want companies that can “show” their message through content as much as tell their message. Not being able to show can mean the difference between a captivating campaign and one that comes up short. How can you improve your campaign with images? a. Lead with a compelling, personal image b. Use info graphics in place of text statistics c. Use the same image throughout integrated PR and marketing campaigns.
\nTo learn more about image marketing and visual branding, contact a Merit Mile strategy professional to answer questions and discuss your next campaign needs.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":66,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/email-marketing-for-mobile-devices/","title":"Email Marketing For Mobile Devices","slug":"email-marketing-for-mobile-devices","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue May 14th 2013","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"The number of commercial emails opened on mobile devices is currently at 41% according to recent data from Knotice. Before the end of the year, this number is expected to surpass emails opened on PC/desktops. This fast-growing trend presents new challenges
\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Email Marketing For Mobile Devices","metadesc":"The number of commercial emails opened on mobile devices is currently at 41% according to recent data from Knotice.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"The number of commercial emails opened on mobile devices is currently at 41% according to recent data from Knotice. Before the end of the year, this number is expected to surpass emails opened on PC/desktops. This fast-growing trend presents new challenges for marketers as the portable inbox requires specialized designs and messaging. Despite this accelerated growth in mobile devices dominating the preferred delivery method, 58% of marketers are not designing email campaigns for mobile.
\nThis signals a big disconnect between marketers and the consumers they’re trying to reach. The issue cannot be ignored – marketers need to account for mobile devices when planning and executing email campaigns, even if they’re integrated with larger campaigns that include offline advertising strategies. The following four tips will help design more mobile friendly and effective mailers. 1. Keep It Simple and Use a Single Column Design. Real estate is limited on mobile devices. Make your design clean and simple and focus on the essentials. A single column template will make your content much more flexible for all screen sizes and browser types. 2. Present a Clear Call to Action. Make sure you have a clear call to action near the top of your email. Tell your readers what you want them to do, and make it easy for them to do so. 3. Use Large Strong Fonts .
\nAs many people turn down the brightness level to help conserve battery life, display dark text on a light background. Also, use at a minimum size 11pt font for body text and 22pt for headlines to capture your audience’s attention. 4. Measure Your Entire Campaign. Leveraging robust marketing measurement and analytics tools, such as Merit Mile Metrix, allows experts to find out what worked, open rates and click-throughs, as well as what didn’t work and where adjustments need to be made going forward. Don’t wait for mobile devices to overtake PCs. Act now to revise your email campaign designs for maximum impact on mobile devices. For more information on email marketing for mobile devices, contact an email marketing or mobile marketing expert at Merit Mile to learn how your company can maximize this fast-growing trend.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":67,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/video-marketing-offers-great-return-on-content/","title":"Video Marketing Offers Great Return On Content","slug":"video-marketing-offers-great-return-on-content","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Sun May 12th 2013","modified":"Tue Feb 14th 2023","excerpt":"When it comes to advertising and marketing today, it is clear that content is a key piece of any successful marketing strategy. But what types of content are generating the highest return on investment? Although featured articles
\n","author":{"name":"Sarah Gibson"},"yoast":{"title":"Video Marketing Offers Great Return On Content","metadesc":"When it comes to advertising and marketing today, it is clear that content is a key piece of any successful marketing strategy","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"When it comes to advertising and marketing today, it is clear that content is a key piece of any successful marketing strategy. But what types of content are generating the highest return on investment? Although featured articles are still prime content options, video is not far behind. Video marketing is a technique that connects companies to their target market better than any other medium out there.
\nAccording to research from video testimonial service BuboBox, people who view a web video are 64 percent more likely to purchase than visitors viewing other content. With shortening attention spans, consumers today don’t want to read anymore – they want others to show them what they have to offer; to them it’s much more visually appealing to click a link with a graphic already embedded into it rather than just plain text to a link. Companies strive to make themselves stand out from their competitors and through video marketing people will absorb more information than from written content alone. Video simply increases a brand’s recognition.
\nOne prime example of this is Zappos.com, the record breaking online retailer with over one billion dollars in sales. It claims that products with video out-sell by over 35 percent than products with static text and picture pages. Video marketing doesn’t have to be a complicated process, particularly when it becomes a part of a mobile marketing strategy; technology today has made video recording an effortless process that often becomes easier than operating the latest smartphone technology. And growth of video viewing on smartphones has exploded and poised to grow even further. Business Intelligence says video viewing on smartphones grew 77% during the last two years alone.
\nThe key, though, is the way in which companies engage their consumers. As Kyle Newton, Creative Director at Merit Mile explains, “A good key is to grab the viewer’s attention early in your videos. They need to be short, sweet and to the point. Drafting up a good introduction followed by well-placed content and strong call to action will leave the consumer feeling satisfied.” As the evolution of marketing changes, it’s important that marketers change just as quickly to adapt. With the rise of video increasing, people crave the need to be more engaged in a company’s brand, spending more time on websites consuming product information and regurgitating it back to their network of friends who then spread the word. How is video marketing helping your content strategy? Email Merit Mile to learn more.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":68,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/how-can-success-stories-help-your-business/","title":"How Can Success Stories Help Your Business?","slug":"how-can-success-stories-help-your-business","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed May 1st 2013","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"Often times, it’s not enough to simply tell customers how you can help them. Rather, it’s important to show customers how you can benefit their business. This is strategically achieved through sharing a success story
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"How Can Success Stories Help Your Business?","metadesc":"Often times, it’s not enough to simply tell customers how you can help them. Rather, it’s important to show","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Often times, it’s not enough to simply tell customers how you can help them. Rather, it’s important to show customers how you can benefit their business. This is strategically achieved through sharing a success story of a project that took place with a previous customer engagement. Also known as a case study, these stories take a “problem/solution” approach so that future prospects can see how your products and services offer potential to help their situation.
\nTaking this a step further, companies are also wise to broadcast their successes to larger audiences by getting the media to write about the situation. This can be challenging, though, as some companies are hesitant to lift the veil on their internal problems and the strategies they employ to overcome and succeed. SAP, a large enterprise software company with customers throughout the world, could easily fall into this category. They rely on success stories to demonstrate best practices and illustrate how their cloud computing software solutions can benefit companies in virtually every category. What’s impressive, though, is that they recently had a success story published in The USA Today talking about how their software is helping the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL.
\nAs told in The USA Today: “At the center of the Niner’s re-invention is SAP, the Germany-based enterprise software giant that knows a thing or two about re-invention itself. The Niners are one of SAP’s initial customers of the company’s burgeoning sports business practice, which is applying three of the biggest trends in technology to sports: big data, cloud computing and mobility.” How can you make a recent customer success story work for you?
\nHow can you leverage success stories as a way of marketing your products and services to future prospects? Merit Mile has a team of experts trained to identify case study opportunities for your company. From the strategy, message development, marketing integration and media/social outreach, Merit Mile produces case studies that can work to support the sales function. More importantly, the company relies on its Metrix platform to measure the campaign performance for optimal ROI. To schedule a free call and discuss your case study potential, email John Sternal today.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":69,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/mobile-marketing-growth-are-you-ready/","title":"Mobile Marketing Growth: Are You Ready?","slug":"mobile-marketing-growth-are-you-ready","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Sun Apr 28th 2013","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"Mobile Marketing has quickly become a leading strategy in the business world, as well as the campaigns associated with many of today’s largest brands. The mobile device has transcended from what was once used purely
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Mobile Marketing Growth: Are You Ready?","metadesc":"Mobile Marketing has quickly become a leading strategy in the business world, as well as the campaigns associated with many.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Mobile Marketing has quickly become a leading strategy in the business world, as well as the campaigns associated with many of today’s largest brands. The mobile device has transcended from what was once used purely for leisure to recently becoming an added appendage we depend on for communication balance though our everyday and business outreach. According to ComScore, mobile Internet usage will eclipse the desktop by 2014, and insight from ABI Research shows that the annual volume of mobile app downloads will reach 56 billion this year alone. With all this new development in the mobile marketing sphere, what does this mean for the consumer and the new bridges of connectedness from marketers?
\nSimply, because mobile marketing is so personal, there must be ground rules set in order to achieve the best possible results. For the reason that the consumer has now become just a text message, app, or QR code away, it’s important that guidelines are set and boundaries respected so that companies can build strong relationships and loyalty between their company and stakeholders over time. “Mobile marketers must respect the right of the user to control which messages they receive and decide to opt into,” stated Mark Reino, CEO of Merit Mile. “It is our responsibility as marketers to contrive a strong call-to-action in all mobile campaign initiatives, leveraging industry tools such as social media, analytics, and intelligent content placement.”
\nWith carefully created campaigns and well thought-out plans, brands can expect more from mobile marketing programs and look to succeed with unprecedented results. As the technology world grows and the need to stay constantly connected continues to rise, it is undeniable that in order for companies to expand they must grow alongside the consumer. Brands that miss the mark will put revenue, loyalty and hard-earned brand equity at risk. What’s your mobile marketing strategy? Visit MeritMile.com to learn how we can drive the right campaign for your brand.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":70,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/merit-miles-new-presence-in-atlanta/","title":"Merit Mile’s New Presence In Atlanta","slug":"merit-miles-new-presence-in-atlanta","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Tue Feb 5th 2013","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"Since we opened our doors in 2007, Merit Mile has been delivering on the promise helping customers achieve new levels of growth in a fully-dedicated, accountable manner. Award-winning creative and a service-obsessed approach have been the two primary
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Merit Mile’s New Presence In Atlanta","metadesc":"Since we opened our doors in 2007, Merit Mile has been delivering on the promise helping customers achieve new levels of growth.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Since we opened our doors in 2007, Merit Mile has been delivering on the promise helping customers achieve new levels of growth in a fully-dedicated, accountable manner. Award-winning creative and a service-obsessed approach have been the two primary reasons for our success to date. Recently, the agency was just ranked as the fourteenth-largest advertising agency in South Florida according to the South Florida Business Journal.
\nBut while it’s important for us to help client partners drive revenue and increase awareness, it’s equally important for the firm itself to seek expansion opportunities. As such, we’re proud to announce a more committed investment to the greater Atlanta region today. The ninth-largest media market in the U.S. according to Arbitron, Atlanta represents a strategic opportunity for Merit Mile. Because of its sheer size, Atlanta represents a great opportunity for Merit Mile to make introductions with new clients looking to solve unique business challenges. The firm will be able to provide high-caliber, integrated marketing services to businesses throughout the Southeast while leveraging its proprietary measurement technology – Merit Mile Metrix – for campaign results. Under Pete Galabiati’s leadership, the agency will provide a hands-on approach to client services as well as managing and steering the long-term growth for our business partners.
\nPete has a successful track record of working with well-known brands such as Coca-Cola, Brown-Forman, USAA and more. In fact, he was an instrumental member of the account team that brought an effective sponsorship program to Diageo and the Crown Royal brand. The program elevated awareness for the sport of professional fishing through leveraging popular anglers and sponsor wraps for boats, coupled with a nationwide promotional and advertising campaign, Diageo and Crown Royal captured a stronghold on the growing outdoorsman demographic. As a motorsports marketing manager, Pete worked closely with NASCAR for the creation of the highly successful “This Is NASCAR” campaign, creating branding platforms for popular racing series. The growth of NASCAR was exponential during Pete’s involvement, resulting in a ground breaking billion-dollar television rights deal with FOX and NBC for NASCAR. Want to talk to Pete? Complete and submite the form below or schedule an online meeting with him directly by clicking on this link. {embed=“site/small-form”}
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":71,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/merit-mile-named-agency-of-record-for-swapalease/","title":"Merit Mile Named Agency Of Record For Swapalease.com","slug":"merit-mile-named-agency-of-record-for-swapalease","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Fri Jan 18th 2013","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"Merit Mile is proud to announce it has been named Public Relations Agency of Record for Cincinnati-based Swapalease.com. People view their cars today much like cell phones, with millions of drivers upgrading to different models after just a few years.
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Merit Mile Named Agency Of Record For Swapalease.com","metadesc":"Merit Mile is proud to announce it has been named Public Relations Agency of Record for Cincinnati-based Swapalease.com.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Merit Mile is proud to announce it has been named Public Relations Agency of Record for Cincinnati-based Swapalease.com. People view their cars today much like cell phones, with millions of drivers upgrading to different models after just a few years. This philosophy has led to an increase in leasing activity, especially following the recession. In fact, lease penetration rates were just 9% in 2008, and today roughly 24% of all cars sold are through lease programs. Swapalease.com is the pioneering online marketplace that helps a person escape their lease even before their contract has expired, fueling an expedited need or desire to change into a different car.
\nNot advertised by dealers, Swapalease.com has turned to Merit Mile for a Public Relations program that will help educate drivers about the service and generate press exposure that often comes with third-party credibility. As Scot Hall, Executive Vice President of Swapalease.com explains “Driver education is a primary business objective for the expansion of the Swapalease.com marketplace and we will leverage the authoritative insight and deep automotive relationships Merit Mile has established to further our industry positioning.” Swapalease.com becomes the latest in a string of automotive companies that have joined the Merit Mile family.
\nA strategic and growing category, Merit Mile has generated strong relationships with industry media and has developed creative advertising campaigns for leading automotive brands across North America. Following a successful pilot project in which Merit Mile secured key media placements for Swapalease.com, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, the agency will be responsible for brand education and promotion among lease drivers throughout North America. For additional information or to learn more about Merit Mile’s integrated marketing and PR programs, please visit MeritMile.com.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":72,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/effective-holiday-marketing-strategies-for-your-business/","title":"Effective Holiday Marketing Strategies For Your Business","slug":"effective-holiday-marketing-strategies-for-your-business","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Dec 19th 2012","modified":"Tue Jul 9th 2019","excerpt":"Businesses both large and small, and in a variety of industries, wonder what the right holiday marketing strategy should be to capitalize on sales. Place more emphasis on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or spread out a marketing budget throughout the course of the holiday
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Effective Holiday Marketing Strategies For Your Business","metadesc":"Businesses both large and small, and in a variety of industries, wonder what the right holiday marketing strategy should be to capitalize on sales.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"Businesses both large and small, and in a variety of industries, wonder what the right holiday marketing strategy should be to capitalize on sales. Place more emphasis on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or spread out a marketing budget throughout the course of the holiday season to capture last-minute shoppers. While much hype has been placed on the retail success of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, smart marketers will base their answers on a three-part strategy:
\nPlanning Sets The Foundation Savvy marketers of businesses both large and small should plan their holiday marketing strategies several months prior to the holidays. In fact, the planning phase actually begins immediately following the previous holidays (more on this in a moment). The planning phase should include understanding your audience, identifying the methods and timing of your marketing outreach, and putting in place the most effective way to measure your campaign. Executing on this critical step can help maximize your efforts to successfully reach your customer base with great results.
\nSpeaking Of Execution…
\nEmail marketing continues to be a successful tactic used for holiday marketing, primarily because we all check our emails several times throughout the day – even on weekends. However, the proliferation of mobile devices and social strategies have quickly become a large part of holiday marketing simply because they’re extremely targeted ways of reaching customers. Social Media Marketing in particular is a great way for smaller and mid-tier businesses to compete against larger, global brands.
\nThrough social engagement on popular channels such as Facebook and Twitter, companies can engage and develop a deeper relationship with local patrons, enticing them with offers that build a loyal following. When The Holidays Are Over When January arrives it’s time to start planning for next year’s campaign. Measurement is important to every marketing campaign, and it’s a cornerstone of every client engagement at Merit Mile. In an effort to measure exactly what worked and areas of improvement, Merit Mile uses its analytics technology, called Metrix. The technology breaks down every component of a marketing campaign to determine who received and opened your emails, who didn’t open, specific technology and devices used to read emails, and much more. This insight is critical data that can help shape your holiday marketing strategy for the following year. How can Merit Mile help you with your marketing strategy? Visit www.MeritMile.com to learn more.
\n"}},{"node":{"wordpress_id":73,"link":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/post/merit-mile-marketing-advice-on-foxbusiness/","title":"Merit Mile Marketing Advice On FOXBusiness.com","slug":"merit-mile-marketing-advice-on-foxbusiness","status":"publish","format":"standard","date":"Wed Dec 19th 2012","modified":"Mon Aug 14th 2023","excerpt":"The holidays can offer businesses both large and small numerous fits in terms of setting the right marketing strategy. The right time to plan any holiday marketing campaign is after the previous holiday season. However, what techniques are available to businesses
\n","author":{"name":"John Sternal"},"yoast":{"title":"Merit Mile Marketing Advice On FOXBusiness.com","metadesc":"The holidays can offer businesses both large and small numerous fits in terms of setting the right marketing strategy.","focuskw":"","linkdex":"","metakeywords":"","canonical":"","redirect":"","meta_robots_adv":"","meta_robots_nofollow":"","meta_robots_noindex":"","opengraph_title":"","opengraph_description":"","opengraph_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"},"twitter_title":"","twitter_description":"","twitter_image":{"source_url":"https://apiold.meritmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3.jpg"}},"content":"The holidays can offer businesses both large and small numerous fits in terms of setting the right marketing strategy. The right time to plan any holiday marketing campaign is after the previous holiday season. However, what techniques are available to businesses that are late to the game planning-wise? Additionally, what are going to be the hot marketing tactics for the 2012 holiday season?
\nMerit Mile’s Mark Reino was interviewed by Liza Porteus Viana of FOXBusiness.com to discuss different marketing techniques businesses should employ during the 2012 holiday shopping season. According to Reino, leveraging mobile marketing and social media marketing are two areas that can benefit businesses both large and small. According to the story, Reino says adopting a “mobile-first” approach will soon be the defacto standard for nearly all web-based consumer marketing promotions. As for social, “Making sure you’re leveraging social channels in your local communities is hugely effective in terms of competing with the big guys in your categories,”
\nReino told FOXBusiness.com. With the holidays coming to a close, businesses should be taking the next month to measure their 2012 holiday marketing plan’s effectiveness and use as a foundation for planning for the 2013 campaign.
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