Here at 2nd Story Marketing we are gearing up to decorate a new office space. Attempting to try to get the vision from inside our heads onto a blank poster board. We created a vision board for the pictures, color schemes, and ideas we have for the new office space. 

Very often we get lost in the day-to-day activities, just trying to cross things off our to-do list that we lose sight of the vision. What is your vision for your business? Are you getting lost in the day-to-day activities that you can’t make your vision of your business a reality? 

It’s helpful to take a few steps back and think about what you want your business to be. Then re-evaluate your to-do list and make sure that each item crossed off is getting you a step closer to reaching your vision. 

If you need help taking your vision into a reality contact 2nd Story Marketing!  We can't wait to help you get started developing a plan to meet the goals for your business.

1. We Have Expertise in Our Field
In addition to years of experience, our team is also educated in marketing.  Hillary has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Courtney has a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrative Public Relations and Special Event Planning, Don has a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, Melissa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, and our intern, Molly, is working on completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.

2. We are a Small Boutique Marketing Company.
We are able to give you the attention and time that your business needs to be marketed well. Unlike big marketing firms, we get to know you personally and you get to know us.  Our successful client relationships are built on trust, and we work closely with you and your staff.  

3. We LOVE What We Do!
We actually enjoy what we do! Which means that you will be working with people who are passionate about making your business as successful as it can be!

4.We are Creative!
Here at 2nd Story Marketing we are a level above (literally and figuratively) when it comes to creativity! We have a great team that is able to bring in fun ideas for your business.

5. We Have Two Mascot Llamas!
What other marketing company has TWO mascots!?! In addition to keeping Molly and Dolly Llama in seasonal accessories, we often include them in 2nd Story Marketing shenanigans.  

This week the 2nd Story Marketing crew would love to thank the community and the businesses that allow us to be a part of their story. Without you, we could not do what we love here at 2nd Story Marketing. We enjoy helping your company stand out among the rest and making a difference by sharing the good.
               
At 2nd Story Marketing we enjoy coming up with new ads, fun taglines, flyers, logos, and all the other things that encompass marketing. It is truly a blessing to be surrounded by good people in good companies who are trying to share the good. So, here is a thank you to all the people in the companies that we get to work with doing what we love so that you can do what you love. 

The popular show called Fixer Upper features Chip and Joanna Gains who help families fix up a home and save it from even more disrepair and possible demolition. Are you wondering how Fixer Upper correlates to 2nd Story Marketing? The process the show goes through is exactly how Courtney and Hillary's team implements a good marketing plan. 

First, we must obtain all of the important information including - what's the end goal, what do you want to accomplish, how do you want it to look, why do you need it. Whether we're talking about a home or a marketing plan, all of these questions need to be answered in order to make the end product the best!

​When you come into 2nd Story Marketing and meet with the team, you tell us what it is you want to accomplish with your business- increase awareness, increase sales, utilize social media, or just have someone lay fresh eyes on your current marketing and make suggestions for improvements. Then it is our task to rebuild your brand to ensure that it meets your needs, and hopefully exceeds your expectations.

Now you may be thinking, but 2nd Story Marketing does not have Chip- who is hilarious to watch. This is true, but we do have our own shenanigans that will help keep you smiling through the process. Making it an easy process for you and your staff is our goal! 

​So, if you think your business needs a little “demo day” in the marketing department, contact 2nd Story Marketing today, where we can make your dream business come true. 
 

    Here at 2nd Story Marketing the staff has a unique dress code: rural chic. It is a cross between comfortable and stylish, keeping it cute and professional. Rural chic is not just a dress code, but it is also our lifestyle here at 2nd Story Marketing. In order to do our best, we must surround ourselves in a great environment which includes our style.
    We invite those who visit 2nd Story Marketing to also dress in rural chic, to dress casual and stylish in order to be relaxed enough to bring creativity to the table. Shenanigans begins when we embrace our rural chic style. In conclusion, shoes and accessories matter! Below are some examples of what rural chic fashion looks like! 

     A good marketing plan is invaluable because it is an investment in a company’s future. Although some may say that it is too expensive to invest in a good marketing strategy in the end it is worth it for the company.
     Marketing is similar to running a marathon, one has to put the work in ahead of time in order to be successful in the race. It takes time for marketing strategies to have an impact on the company as a whole. Marketing takes time to build up an awareness to the consumer and is similar to the prep work for a race.
   Having people who are experts at marketing is worth the cost because marketing, although it may seem like common sense, is much more complex. The ideas and strategies that create a powerful marketing strategy must be implemented carefully and precisely to avoid mistakes. The cost of having to pay for marketing is well worth it because although it may be expensive, the money that is spent is going back into the business in order to make it a more prosperous venture in the future.
     The time that is spent working on creating relevant content, advertisements, blog posts, tracking social media use, and all the other things must be completed well and in a timely manner is vast. Effort and thoughtfulness must be used in every step of the marketing process in order to ensure that it will be successful.
     Ryan Holmes, the founder and CEO of Hootsuite, states, “If you form a strategy without research, your brand will barely float and at the speed industries move today brands sink fast.” His quote clearly explains why it is necessary to have people who can take the appropriate time necessary to do a sufficient job researching and creating a marketing strategy for a business.
     Investing in a company’s marketing strategy is one of the best things to boost up the business as a whole. When questioning whether or not to spend the money on professional marketing help, the answer should be yes. No one wants to become “that failed, forgotten business” because they did not invest and see the value in marketing. Dolly says that marketing is valuable and necessary, and businesses will either learn that the easy way or the hard way.
 

After a particularly rough week, Courtney and Hillary were playing ping-pong in an old upstairs apartment adjacent to their current office space. During the competitive game, they began to dream about how amazing it would be to convert the empty space into a new, larger office. As the game continued, they noticed a sad, lonely stuffed llama in the corner. They decided that “nobody puts Dolly in a corner!” Thus, the character of Dolly Llama came alive!

Over the next 3 years, Hillary and Courtney's dream of expanding into the abandoned apartment became a reality, and through all the renovations and hard work, Dolly remained steadfast as a mascot for the business. 

In 2018 on Valantine’s Day, as a gift from Regen (2nd Story Marketing Ninja), Molly Llama showed up by Dolly's side. Molly brought out a motherliness in Dolly that had not been seen before! Although Dolly doesn't get out of the office much, Molly is sure to have some adventures of her own!

Both Dolly and Molly symbolize the culture at 2nd Story Marketing. 

1. Llamas are very social, and so is the staff at 2nd Story! It's the goal of 2nd Story Marketing to further relationships in a way that shares the good. 
2. Llamas are known to be able to maneuver through rough terrain, which is a lot like 2nd Story! The staff has been known to easily adapt to the needs of various companies. 
3. Dolly and Molly are known for being confident, which is something that is needed in the world of marketing because confidence allows a marketer to make their business stand out from the crowd. 
4. Llama fur is very soft, lightweight, warm - covering their whole body. 2nd Story has a very relaxed comfortable approach with their clients, also noting the 2nd Story team has you covered! 
5. Llamas are used to help carry people and supplies up mountains because they are adapted to the high elevation (thank goodness since we have a 20-step hike to the 2nd story of the building). 2nd Story Marketing can help elevate your company’s marketing to the next level. Just like a sure-footed llama, 2nd Story Marketing can help navigate the boulders and obstructions in the way of creating a better marketing strategy for your company.

This is no llama drama, 2nd Story Marketing is the team that can help your business with creative ideas that will make a difference, as well as bring some shenanigans and the fun!

         This summer we are welcoming some new faces to 2nd Story Marketing! Here at 2nd Story Marketing we are passionate about creating and sharing the good. The office is located on the second floor and although it may be a hike to get here, the people that you will meet make the climb worth it. The team here at 2nd Story Marketing know not only how to market well but also how to have a good time while doing so. Getting to know the people behind the marketing is important because it helps create relationships and share the good. The more we learn about each other, and the more you learn about us the better we can discover how to best share the good. So as the new intern I was tasked with asking them some questions so that both you and I could get to know them better! Some of the questions I asked included:
1. What are some of your hobbies? 
2. What do you love about marketing/ what is your favorite part of marketing?
3. What is a fun fact about yourself?
4. What are you looking forward to this summer?
5. Cat or dog person and why?
 
     Hillary Eley is the “Chief Mischief Officer” who loves to read, golf, and currently keep her teenage children in line. Hillary says that she loves marketing because “it’s a new challenge every day.” She loves that through marketing “we can bring people together” by highlighting the goods and services businesses provide and bringing non-profits and people together behind a common cause. She and Courtney “have become extremely purposeful about who we work with.” A fun fact about Hillary is she skipped the third grade. She says that she is looking forward to “sitting in the sunshine with a good book and listening to kids laughing in the pool.” When asked if she is a cat or a dog person she said that “while she loves her dogs, as a business owner and the mom of two busy teens, the low-maintenance a cat provides it appealing!”
  Courtney Dirschell is the “Marketing Maven” whose hobbies include: crafting, decorating, vintage shopping, gardening, volunteering at the Coldwater Farmers Market, teaching Service Learning at KCC, and spending time with the cutest nephews in this world. She says that her favorite part about marketing is the fact that there is a “variety of work” and how she can interact with the community on daily basis. Courtney says that a fun fact about herself is that she loves searching “for amazing treasures (clothes and decor) in consignment and second-hand stores.” She is looking forward to working on some home projects, including creating a craft room! She loves to spend time with her in-laws on Morrison Lake. When asked if she is a dog or cat person she says that she is definitely a dog person, or a chicken person because she has three and there is nothing better than fresh eggs.
     Regen Stahl is the “Marketing Ninja” whose hobbies include listening to music, going to concerts, playing board and card games, watching movies, reading, and spending time with her family and pets. She says that her favorite part about marketing is “getting to be creative with everything” that she does. She says that she loves how “marketing looks different for every business or organization, and that there’s not just one right answer to anything.” A fun fact about Regen is that she has traveled to more Caribbean islands than U.S. states. Regen is going to see both Sam Smith and Harry Styles in concert and has a few more concerts in the works, so she is hoping that her summer will be filled with music. She says that she is both a dog and a cat person. She has two dogs and one cat and claims that she loves them all equally- but says she is guilty of purchasing things just because there is a cat on it- so perhaps she is more of a cat person after all!
     Don Marx is the new “Design Guy” at 2nd Story Marketing. His main hobby is graphic design. Don says that his favorite part about graphic design is concept development. A fun fact about Don is that he loves being a grandfather and says that “it is so much easier than being a father.” Don is looking forward to spending time with his grandkids on the lake this summer. When I asked Don if he is a dog or cat person he said that he is “a dog person stuck with a cat” because they had a cat that showed up to his home 18 years ago and his dog raised her and when the dog passed he was left with a cat with an identity crisis (thinking she was a dog).
     Melissa Myers is the new “Graphic Guru” says that she “enjoys the process of graphic design because you can start out with a blank slate and then get to see an amazing product in the end that you created yourself.” She enjoys hunting, fishing, kayaking, and of course shopping! A fun fact about Melissa is that she went to Germany on a three-week cross-cultural trip during college and absolutely loved it! She says that she is “learning German and has a working knowledge of it.” This summer she is “looking forward to learning more about graphic design in the real world from 2nd Story Marketing as well as kayaking when she is not at the office.” When asked if she is a dog or cat person she said that she “is more of a dog person because they tend to be cuddlier than cats.”
     I am the new “Incredible Intern,” Molly Arendt, and I enjoy golfing, traveling, swimming, and being outside whenever the sun shines (which seems rare here in Coldwater). I think that the best part of marketing is the fact that there is always something new and fun to work on and also the fact that there is never a dull moment at the office. A fun fact about me is that I really like pistachio pudding, maybe a bit too much. I am looking forward to my vacation abroad and being able to spend time with family and friends. I am more of a dog person because dogs are loyal, unlike felines.
     Well now that you know the team a little better, feel free to make the hike up to the office and say hello! And as always, don’t forget to #ShareTheGood. 
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"What should my marketing plan look like?" is one of the most frequent questions we get from small business owners.  

I know you'll hate this answer, but it depends.  

It depends on you.  Are you a big-picture thinker or do you like to have every detail planned out?  

Instead of focusing on what it should look like, let's focus on what it should contain:

1. Goals - where do you want to be?  Do you want to increase sales?  Do you want to make customers more aware of a specific product line?  These goals need to be specific (i.e. - increase sales by 20% in the next 12 months).  
2. Audiences - who will you be reaching out to?  Current customers?  New customers?  Joe Public?  These audiences should also be specific (having the target market of anyone between the ages of 2 to 80 is not specific enough).  
3. Messages - what are you going to be saying?  Considering where you want to go (goals) and who you want to tell (audiences), consider crafting some overarching messages you'll use.  This message should be consistent throughout all of your marketing - whether you're using social media, newspaper, or a flyer on your front door.  
4. Details - how are you getting it done?  Even the big-picture thinkers need a few details in order to take the first step in the right direction of a long journey.  Consider action items, due dates, budgets, and who will be responsible for certain items.  

Think of your marketing plan as a map on how to get to where you want to go.  Try not to get hung up on what it looks like.  After all, if your friend draws you a map on a napkin and you're able to get to the party, isn't that what really matters?  Focusing on where you want to go and following the directions you set out for yourself are the most important part of the plan.  

The greatest way to exceed expectations is to do it when it’s least expected. 

A few weeks ago, I was in the drive thru of a large coffee chain.  Order, pull forward, pay, and get my delicious blend of liquid chocolate.  That’s the expectation.  It didn’t quite work that way. 

            Order – check
            Pull forward – check
            And…
            Wait. 

I waited for several minutes while the person in the car ahead of me received the 57* caramel macchiatos, lattes, and frappes for the office.  (* - the number of beverages may have been exaggerated slightly for dramatic purposes) 

Was I irritated?  No.  Growing impatient?  A little.  I know I didn’t spend more than 5 minutes from the time I ordered to the time I was able to pull up to the window. 

The office coffee cart order pulled away, and I pulled up to the window with my money ready.  The employee approached the window with a smile.  “I’m so sorry for your wait.  Your beverage is on us this morning.” 

Whaaaaaat?!  My wait wasn’t really their fault.  I got that.  So did they.  The employee didn’t roll her eyes when she approached the window.  She didn’t blame the car in front of me for my wait.  She simply mitigated any complaints I might have had by exceeding expectations when I least expected it. 

Am I telling you to give away  the farm?  No.  Should you consider a situation that is out of your control as a way to increase the loyalty of a customer and your marketing potential?  Absolutely!  For less than $3, they made my day and made me a raving fan.  I probably told 20 people that day about my experience. 

Where can you exceed expectations when your customer least expects it?