Summer 2018
Name Dropping
Here's a sampling of what's going on with our clients and staff:

A great column from Marshall Stevens, co-owner of Stevens & Stevens Business Records Management, appeared in GSA Business Report. The article explains how businesses can protect their people, paper and property during hurricane season.

An innovative packaging solution for meal kits from Great Northern was featured in the July issue of Brand Packaging. Great Northern StrataGraph’s new digital press allowed them to quickly create many variations of the packaging design.

Congratulations to the Port of Green Bay for recently winning the AAPA Communications Excellence Award and the Greater Green Bay Chamber Special Accomplishment Award for public outreach efforts during icebreaking this past winter.

The L&F team congratulates Central Brown County Water Authority manager Dave Vaclavik on his retirement. Cheers to a long and enjoyable new phase in life! Congratulations also goes out to Nic Sparacio who is the new manager for the Central Brown County Water Authority.
 
Did you see? Wisconsin Plastics, Inc. is featured on the latest cover of Plastics Business. Read the full article here.

Congratulations to Menominee Indian School District’s Ben Grignon who recently was named a Wisconsin High School Teacher of the Year for his work in traditional arts.
 
Green Bay’s Austin Straubel International Airport has a new director: Marty Piette. Marty was previously GRB’s assistant airport director. He replaced Tom Miller who retired in June. Congratulations to both!
 
It was another successful Bellin Run! More than 12,000 took part in the annual 10K, which has become a major community event featuring professional and amateur runners, as well as thousands who walk the course and a kid’s run.

“You can understand why Mary would want to come here.” That’s how one attendee of the 2018 Catholic Media Conference described the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. More than 200 conference-goers visited Champion Shrine for a reception during the conference hosted by the Green Bay Catholic Diocese. 

Congratulations to Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction , winner of the Large Employer Corporate Citizen Leadership Award from the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes organizations with a philosophy of giving and community involvement that have made significant differences in the health and well-being of the Fox Cities.
Quick Quote

"Communication -
the human connection -
is the key to personal and career success."
 Paul J. Meyer
The Proof is in the Pudding as they say…
You know social media is a power house, but you’re still resisting using it for business? Maybe we can help convince you that it needs to be part of your communication strategy. Today’s social media platforms are economic engines, creating new opportunities to connect businesses with customers.

Don’t believe us? Well, maybe a few stats will help convince you:
  • 3.19 billion people use social media (nearly half of the world’s population)
  • Every second, eleven new users start using social media (That’s about 1 million a day)
  • Americans spend an average of two hours per day on social media
  • Facebook’s ad revenue in 2017 approached $40 billion
  • Amazon’s net sales last year were $172 billion (with a B)
  •  Global e-commerce sales topped $2.3 trillion (with a T)

These stats are powerful proof for the need to have more than a website if you want to compete in today’s global economy.

Yes, a website is still important, but it needs to be complemented with social media platforms that allow you to better interact with your audience. That’s the whole point behind social media. It’s designed to create two-way dialogue that is meaningful for your audience and, in many cases, also meaningful for you. So, unlike a website, you need to be an active participant.

Choosing what platform to use is very much dependent upon what product or service you offer, your audience demographic and what platforms they tend to use. The Big 7 as they are commonly referred to include: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat and Instagram.

These are most commonly used platforms by the masses, but there’s a whole array of platforms that reach niche audiences. Having a deep understanding of your customer base - and what you want to accomplish - will help you understand which platforms are right for your business. If you’re not sure which to use, contact an expert who will provide the insight you need.

Most importantly, don’t miss out on this rapidly growing opportunity. We guarantee your competitors aren’t.
The Reviews are in:
What We Can Learn from Them
Reviews can be scary to think about in business, but they don’t have to be. Even a negative review that feels like a personal attack can provide insight for changing business practices and learning how customers feel. It’s an opportunity to learn what is and isn’t working in your business. Here are some tips to do that:

  • Every review should be looked at objectively and consider the writer’s perspective. Maybe they were hurt by something in a situation or their expectations weren’t met. All feedback should be taken seriously whether positive or negative.
  • Look at reviews as an opportunity to make a change. We want to provide the best experience for customers, clients and visitors, so take their feedback and look for areas to turn a negative into a positive to make the scenario better for customers in the future.
  • Reviews are a place for ideas. While most reviews are about great experiences or unfortunate circumstances for the writer, take a step back to consider reviews with suggestions. Feedback with suggestions are free ideas, so consider the feedback, see what may come of it and it may spur more ideas. 
  • Use reviews to learn about your customers. This is another opportunity to learn what is or isn’t working, what your customers like, and to enhance what you do. If your customers like an event you put on or rave about a new item on the menu, do that more often!

Use these tips as a guide to make the most of reviews you receive and you’re off on the right foot for more positive reviews in the future.
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tricks of the trade?
 
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