But brands, do they give anything up? We think they should. Here are a few things that drive us crazy.

1. “Spam”. Not the investment-opportunity-in-India spam, but the newsletter-everyday spam. It boggles the mind that companies actually think that we read this stuff. It’s too much copy. It clutters our inboxes. And it doesn’t even really offer all that much. We’re not buying the “brand-awareness” POV either.

2. Social-media cluttering. Yes, people are on Facebook and Twitter. And yes, they’re legitimate places to advertise. But, make sure you have a strategy going into it. Don’t just shoot from the hip. And beware of too-frequent updates. Like a broken window in Paperboy, this leads to unsubscribers. Bad jokes do too.

3. “CHEAP! CHEAP!” Regardless of where you’re from, we’ve all seen local advertising. It’s understood that small-businesses are often not in the market for award-winning ads. But, that being said, you can make a good, simple commercial without making me CRINGE! CRINGE! Honestly, no matter your budget, there is always an opportunity for a good idea. As the esteemed Steve Kopcha of the University of Missouri School of Journalism always points out, good ads sell stuff.

4. Txt. Unless your target market is a 14 year-old, we’d stay away from the “texting” speech. It’s not clever and, really, it just looks lazy. There are better ways to be “in” with that age group – paste Zac Effron everywhere and they’re yours. LOLz.

5. Exclamation points. Don’t use them!

6. Inconsistent brands. Yep, these drive us crazy too. One marketing piece looks like this, another one looks like that. Messaging is different from piece to piece. Please, make it stop. Reference the classic example of Apple Computer for a brand that keeps it consistent.

7. Really complicated (for the user), fancy websites. All you’re doing is hurting the brand. Simplicity is king.

Are these all of our complaints? Absolutely not. Our goal was to write a blog post, not a manifesto. There were just top of mind.

Have a great week.

Enter: foursquare.

Now, I don’t know about you guys, but my mind automatically jumped to my middle school days playing foursquare. But, apart from something that your friends can join in, this foursquare is a tad different.

Foursquare is a new trend of letting people know exactly where you are, and I mean, exactly. Stop off at the local bakery on your way home? Foursquare it. Hitting the gym during the weekend? Foursquare it. It’s not just something that’s a great way for your friends (or stalkers) to know where you are, but it’s great for businesses as well – especially those with smaller marketing budgets.

For businesses, the best thing about this is that it’s free publicity. People can review, recommend and promote you all by just telling everyone where they are. It offers the opportunity to get your name out there by people who already like you. Not to mention, it has map tie-ins and all the typical bells and whistles of a consumer-review type of site.

Businesses and foursquare users can both really use this to their advantage. Not only can businesses see who their most loyal customers are, but they can also reward them. Customers who use foursquare “check-in” where they are and get badges (“adventurer”, “local”, “newbie”) and when they become “the mayor” (the most loyal of all the regulars) they are rewarded by some, but not all, businesses by getting freebies of some sort.

All in all, it’s a win-win for everyone. Businesses get their names out there and people who use foursquare, well, they can show how busy their lives really are. That and potentially win freebies at their favorite local spots. So, go ahead, sign up.

Hope your weekend is terrific. If you do anything fun, foursquare it.

Sharon

The article capitalizes on the notion that in a time of such investment turmoil, there is no place to put your money like the small mom-and-pop shops of America – very much that Wall Street to Main Street ideology that we were educated on during the last presidential race.

Why is it a good place to put some cash?

43 million Americans work for companies employing less than 100 workers. Throughout the past 15 years, small business has cranked 64% of the countries new jobs. More than 50% of American nonfarm GDP is created by small business.

As Mr. Kurson points out, small business is indeed big business. Not to mention, it offers personal rewards unattainable when working for the big guys. Cleaning toilets, stocking the fridge and swinging by the office to pick up the Saturday mail give you a certain satisfaction that you just can’t get in the corporate world. Sounds strange, but it’s so very true.

Mr. Kurson then goes on to offer three simple tips for making it happen. Tips that we’ve found to be of the utmost importance at Gorilla 76.

1. Learning QuickBooks is the single best thing you can do.

2. Cash flow is king. Or the lifeblood, as we’ve previously referred to it. Without it, well, you’re out of business.

3. Marketing is a must (obviously). This budget is tempting to cut. But don’t. Do you quit watering the lawn during a drought?

So, in closi…sorry, got to run. Last minute client meeting scheduled and our pantry is bare and the bathroom, well…

So…

1. More blogging. Lots more blogging. We’re doing okay on the micro side of things, but don’t write enough on the macro. We preach it to our clients but we have a hard time doing it ourselves. Yep – need to fix that.

2. More reading. Lots more reading. Industry stuff. Fun stuff. A library of everything. We think it’s important for inspiration, and, well, the old noggin in general.

3. Quit letting the award annuals pile up. We love looking through them – so, we should probably do it. It’s a good way to find inspiration and learn from the greats.

4. More sack lunches and sample days at Straub’s. This whole Central West End thing is hurting the pocketbook. First Herbie’s, now Pi. It’s getting ugly.

5. Continue to pursue hobbies. I just got a nice camera – I want to use it more and really learn the craft of taking a good photo. Joe likes to cook – he should do that more. Hobbies are important. They help keep you sharp and focused at the 9-”5″.

6. Encourage clients to do “due diligence” of research. Makes for much more effective work in long run.

7. Continue to be a student of SEO. A local ad guru told me it grew 5,000% last year. Ummm…probably need to stay on top of that then.

8. Always keep the big picture in mind. Always.

9. Make it to the West Coast on business. Seattle’s been calling our name. Hmmm…Filson is in Seattle.

10. Continue to hit the gym. We bought company passes to a nice little fitness club. Unfortunately, the weights don’t lift themselves. The person signing us up forgot to mention this.

11. More brainstorming over beers.

12. Rework biz plan. That’s a goal every year. We did it last year and helped a good deal. Keeps things fresh. Keeps you focused and on-task. A business plan is a living and breathing thing. Needs to be treated that way.

13. Stay up on daily inspiration. Blogs, Twitter links (deep breath – can get overwhelming).

14. Hire a new Gorilla or two. We’re getting to that point. We have a couple great candidates in mind. They’d be tremendous assets to the team.

15. Redo our Gorilla website. We have some great ideas and sketches. But, we need something that’s clickable.

16. Continue to build relationships with current client base. We’re blessed with a good one, need to keep them all on board by offering them good thinking and great service.

17. Most importantly, continue to have fun while doing it all.

All the best in the new year – hope it’s prosperous to you and yours.

Jon

We created the account this past fall, but that was about the extent of our involvement. The account sat stagnant for quite some time. We had no profile, no picture, no cool layout and no followers.

With the new year upon us and a renewed dedication to learning the modern communication landscape inside and outside, it was time to befriend Twitter – and so we befriended. Come to find out – it’s pretty cool.

We’ve dedicated our page to brand elevation. We’ll report daily, relevant and interesting findings that relate to what we do. Sure, people who want to know if we are reaching for toast or cereal in the morning might be disappointed. But those looking for new and interesting ways to elevate a brand – well, in theory, they’ll come back to our page again and again.

If you have a minute, check out our feed. If you follow us, we’ll follow you.

Twitter / gorilla76

Introducing search engine optimization (SEO) specialist and Gorilla 76 partner, Lauren Haman. We’ve been working with Lauren for 2 years, utilizing her expertise in SEO to build search-friendly websites from scratch and implement pay-per-click campaigns to assure those sites are found. 

Search engine optimization – it sounds daunting, right? Well, Lauren will tell you otherwise. Here’s what she had to say.

Search engine optimization and marketing campaigns are often seen as luxuries for small businesses, not necessities.  Small business owners can all too quickly reject the need for SEO with reasons like “Our customers already know how to find us” or “Our customers don’t use the web,” and here’s the big one: “It’s not in the budget.”  However, with proper research and planning, any small- or medium-sized business can benefit from search engine optimization just as much as their large-scale competitors.

Why you need it

A vast majority (over 70%) of online consumers begin their search for a product or service with a search engine.  It is true that not all types of businesses can profit directly from SEO.  After all, when was the last time you searched Google to find a gas station?  But consider this, in April 2006, 73% of American adults claimed to use the internet on at least a weekly basis (up from 67% the previous year). 

The ever-expanding market of internet users offers a substantial base for a successful optimization and marketing program, no matter what type of services you offer.  Whether your goal is to generate new customers or to offer additional services to your pre-existing client base, nurturing your online presence is both easy and effective.  A thorough search engine optimization and marketing campaign can offer a substantial return on investment to any small business.

How to get it

A web-savvy marketing firm (like Gorilla 76) can help you determine goals for your website, research, and execute an effective optimization and marketing campaign based around your needs.  Understandably, a small business marketing budget doesn’t always have room for new-fangled, high tech tricks.  Fortunately, a good SEO campaign doesn’t need any!  Fresh content, market research, a bit of know-how, and a strong website structure are all it takes. 

They can also help implement search engine marketing strategies, including Google AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing, to get the most bang for your advertising dollar.  These CPC (or cost-per-click) programs allow you to bid on specific keywords and display your ads in prominent locations when users search for those phrases.  The average cost per click for an AdWords small business marketing campaign is anywhere from $1 to $4 – just think how that compares to the thousands spent on print advertising to get the same potential customer through the door.  With a modest $300 investment over one month’s time, your website could see hundreds of new visitors.  Every one of those visitors is a new potential customer.

However, as with any marketing campaign, the key is commitment.  Optimization campaigns generally require routine maintenance, statistics tracking, and updated research.  Advertisements for $50 “SEO Quick Fixes” are all too common on the web and are usually scams meant to prey on those who don’t fully understand the dedication that good SEO entails.  Hiring a dedicated marketing firm to assist you through the process is the most effective way to generate the most return on investment. 

Search engine optimization, if done correctly, is an easy way to boost your website production and positively influence your business.  Harnessing the power of the web takes both marketing savvy and internet know-how, and Gorilla 76 has got you covered.

Hey there,

Post something people want.

Cheers,
Larry & Sergey

Yep, that’s it. Let me explain.

The old days

Not long ago, getting noticed online meant loading your site with meta data — arbitrary code that only search engines cared about. Meta data didn’t have to relate to what was actually on the page, and many sites took advantage of that. As a result, search engines lost track of the most relevant sites and instead found the most cunning. Then Google came along and said, “We’re more interested in what’s actually on the page, and how many other sites link to it.” Realizing Google’s success, the remaining search engines followed suit.

So what matters now?

There are still ways to tweak your site for better ranking. But the honest, future-proof approach is to post something people want — something they can only get online; not in a phone book or brochure. Instantly impressed, visitors will make note of your site. They’ll send the link to colleagues. They’ll post it on their blogs. They’ll add it to their profiles. And Google will treat all these links like currency. The more you earn, the higher your site will rank.

Freshness

But no one will keep coming back to a site left to rot. Maintaining current content is crucial, not only for retaining visitors, but for attracting search engines as well. All other things being equal, a more recently updated page will rank better.

Design matters here too. Let’s face it, a web layout from 1999 isn’t hard to spot. When it comes to visitors’ impressions, a fresh look is just as important as fresh content. Sometimes that means going all the way back to branding. After all, a contemporary layout with an ancient logo doesn’t do much good.

Execution

As meta data loses traction, page titles and even URLs have grown more important. The more naturally they’re written, the more likely they are to match someone’s search. Search engines also examine navigation hierarchies, how headlines are used, and where information appears in the page. This is where writing, design and code come together to ensure an intuitive, well-indexed, highly visible site.

Empathy

Ultimately, a successful site starts with learning what people want. Sometimes you already know; sometimes you have to hire a company (like Gorilla 76) to help figure it out. Then comes the small matter of making it happen. So far it’s meant tracking volunteer events, surveying impractically large swaths of land, or showcasing dozens of pieces of print work without paying for paper.

I suppose giving people what they want is the essence of marketing, on the web or anywhere else. And it just so happens you’ve found a couple marketing guys who can figure it out and make it happen.

Guest contributor,

Dan Rashid