The Weekly Report for January 3, 2020
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Welcome to the
Roaring Twenties
! As we enter into a new decade, it seems that the economy is booming and, unlike the “jobless recovery” we saw after the
Great Recession
, everyone who wants a job has a job. The latest unemployment numbers show us at a 2.6% unemployment rate, the lowest in more than 50 years. Federal Reserve economists have said that
full employmen
t
— the economic situation where all labor resources are being used in the most efficient way — is about 4.7%. This has been great news for the American worker, with individual income rising, however, it is presenting brand new challenges for companies.
How can you hire people when people already have a job? Recruitment and retention of talent are vital to the success of your organization. A job posting that used to get 100 qualified candidates now gets only a handful of unqualified applicants — they applied randomly on a job site, without reading the job description, having little or no experience, and have unrealistic salary expectations. It’s enough to make an HR manager use inappropriate language at work. #NSFW
I talk to business owners of all shapes and sizes and recruitment seems to be the No. 1 concern as we enter the new year. If you cannot attract and retain the right people, then your lofty goals for 2020 may not be realized.
Now don’t get me wrong, low unemployment is a wonderful thing. Let’s put things into perspective. Unemployment rates 100 years ago in the 1920s reached a staggering 24.9%. But as we all know, the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. Take a good, hard look at what you’ve been doing over the last few years and ask yourself if that is going to work for you this year.
- Do you advertise on the same job sites?
- Is the salary and benefits package you offer adequate?
- Have you updated the job description recently?
- Can people apply for jobs on your website?
- Is your website optimized for job listings?
- Have you used Google to advertise for jobs?
- Do you post your job offerings on social media?
- Have you thought about calling some professionals for advice? #hinthint
2019 was a great year for Madison+Main and our clients and as a result, we’re hiring. Our job link for an
Account Executive
was seen thousands of times and garnered more than 120 responses, the vast majority of them qualified. Next week, we’ll have two awesome new
Madison+Main-iacs
joining the team.
I will also be joining some very smart folks for a panel discussion entitled “The War for Talent: Finding and Hiring the People You Need” at the
University of Richmond
’s
Jepson Alumni Center
on Wednesday, January 22. This is a quarterly luncheon of the
Virginia Council of CEOs
, but you can attend even if you’re my guest by
clicking here
— there is a fee for guests.
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Monday, December 30 — Are You Game To Help?
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Roger Cassem
, my good friend and client at
Hitting Cancer Below the Belt
, is a finalist for the
Packer Fan Hall of Fame
. Each year, Green Bay picks one new inductee from 10 finalists and my favorite "Cheesehead" is one of the ten finalists. Roger currently has almost 4,000 votes, and he needs more votes!
Read his pitch and vote here
to help him win. Voting ends January 31. And I never thought I would say this but #GoPackGo.
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Tuesday, December 31 — Moving The Needle
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Meanwhile back at the office, the
Madison+Main-iacs
got an early start to the New Year celebrations by having an extra day off. #BestBossAward
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Wednesday, January 1 — Happy New Year!
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To ring in the New Year and celebrate my son Jack’s 18th birthday, I booked an impromptu trip to
Las Vegas.
We packed light for a short stay — our bags were mostly weighted with 2020 party supplies — and I am too cheap to pay for checked bags on
American Airlines
. If you
follow me on
Facebook
, you’ll know that Hattie won $120 starting with a random 43-cent voucher she found in a
Wheel of Fortune
penny slot machine. The lucky ducky could’ve paid for the entire vacation. (Spoiler alert: She didn't.)
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Thursday, January 2 — Reaching The Pinnacle
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Despite the fact that Thursday felt more like Monday, I returned to a mountain of emails. In the afternoon, we traveled to beautiful downtown
Innsbrook
to present our Discovery Report to the friendly folks at
Pinnacle Living
. Pinnacle, formerly Virginia United Methodist Homes, operates the
Hermitage
senior living facilities in
Richmond
,
Roanoke
, and
Alexandria
, in addition to
Cedarfield
. We met with CEO
Chris Henderson
and his team. They were very excited about the presentation and ready to kickstart 2020 marketing plans. They were also excited that we brought
Red Eye Cookies,
but alas, who wouldn’t be?
Last night my beloved
VCU Rams
improved their record to 11-3 after defeating the “other” Rams by 18 points. VCU brutally beatdown the
Bronx
boys from
Fordham
to officially go 1-0 in the
A-10
and I really really really must like our Copywriter
Derek Fair
, because I gave up my tickets to let him go to the game last night. #ThankGoodnessForESPN+
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Friday, January 3 — T.G.I.F.
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The
Madison+Main-iacs
spent this morning hard at work, literally. They assembled new desks and rearranging workspaces on the first and second floors. #NewYearNewOffice Meanwhile, Creative Director
Art Webb
, Director of Account Services
Kaitlin Thomas
, Director of Business & Marketing
Leanne Ferry
, and I managed to escape the office mayhem by hitting the road to pitch a potential new client in
Tidewater
. Keep your fingers crossed, I may have good news in next week's
Weekly Report.
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A Few of Our Favorite Events
111 Virginia Street | Richmond, VA
January 15, 2020 | 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Join the Madison+Main-iacs Wednesday, January 15 as we round up our clients, partners, and friends to celebrate the new decade at Morton’s Steakhouse! Our
New Year's Media Mixer
will include bar bites, a cash bar, and great conversation. Learn more or RSVP by
emailing Leanne Ferry
!
422 Westhampton Way | Richmond, VA
January 22, 2020 | 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Virginia's unemployment rate (2.6%) is the second-lowest since 1969. The single biggest issue for most small businesses is workforce. The companies that do succeed in finding talent are doing it in creative and systematic ways. Come out and get tips from myself, Jane Holmes (RTS Labs), Mark Smith (Midas of Richmond), and Carrie Todd (Entercom Media) on how to stay ahead in the war for talent. The luncheon is free for members and sponsors, but has a fee of $95 for guests.
Register today
!
1 Bowman Drive | Fredericksburg, VA
February 8, 2020 | 12 - 5 p.m.
Come join us for the
Virginia Craft Spirits Roadshow
at A. Smith Bowman Distillery! Tickets will include all samples of artisan spirits as well as craft cocktails from numerous Virginia distilleries; while guests can mix, mingle, and engage with Virginia distillers firsthand! Purchase any bottles you enjoy to take home — they'll even store them at their concierge station while you enjoy the event. Save money by purchasing your tickets at the advanced promo prices vs. the day of: $20 for one general admission, or $35 for two general admission tickets.
528 N 2nd Street | Richmond, VA
February 8, 2020 | 7 - 11 p.m.
Let the good times roll at Housing Families First's sixth annual signature event. They'll be turning The Hippodrome into a fabulous masquerade party! Musicians will pay homage to the greats of the New Orleans jazz scene as you stroll through a silent auction that's sure to have something for everyone. Don your most festive Mardi Gras attire and masks; black tie is optional. We'll enjoy champagne, cocktails, and delectable hors d'oeuvres straight from the Big Easy, then dance through the evening, all for a great cause: finding safe, stable housing for Richmond families experiencing homelessness.
Use promo code "Early Bird" to purchase individual tickets
for just $75 each!
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"For auld lang syne, we'll take a cup o' kindness, yet for auld lang syne, and surely you will buy your cup, and surely I'll buy mine."
- Robert Burns (poet, 1788)
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Madison+Main is a brand communications agency that helps small and midsize companies.
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