Guarantee your advertising will work
July 31, 2019By Jerry Bellune Highly successful retailer R.H. Macy said he suspected half of his advertising didn’t work. He just didn’t know which half. Macy was smarter than that. You…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Call for Entries – 2019 Palmetto Awards
July 31, 2019The South Carolina chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators is ready to celebrate South Carolina’s best and brightest communicators! If you are a communicator who has created, directed…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move
Breaking the Bad News: How to best deliver tough information
July 29, 2019By Sara McCarthy We receive bad news almost every day. It comes to us indirectly through the news and social media, or directly in emails, letters, phone calls, and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
AAF of the Midlands announces Vital Connections of the Midlands as 2019-2020 public service client
July 25, 2019The American Advertising Federation (AAF) of The Midlands has announced local nonprofit Vital Connections of the Midlands as the club’s public service client for 2019-2020. AAF selects one nonprofit organization…
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MGA Marketing
July 25, 2019From social media to newsletters, community outreach and event planning, your priorities are ours. We offer a unique level of service that is not always found at larger agencies.
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What are your business’s values?
July 25, 2019by Jerry Bellune Paul Davis believed that for your business to succeed you must always practice your basic values. What are yours? Here are 3 of our values: •…
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Did your mama ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?
July 22, 2019By Ken Gasque Why did she tell you that? Did she feel that looks were superficial and shallow? Did she feel that looks could be deceiving? Did she feel…
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Rank your business on the SWAG Meter
July 17, 2019By Jerry Bellune Last week we talked about you and your business’s SWAG. That’s: S = Self Confidence. Customers trust you because you believe in yourself. W = Wonderment.…
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Have you and your business got SWAG?
July 10, 2019By Jerry Bellune If you are an entrepreneur or business owner striving to grow your business, you need SWAG. This attracts and keeps customers, says our friend MaryEllen Tribby.…
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It’s a Match: Pairing Your Passions and Career Goals
July 8, 2019By Amanda Loveday The perfect job can be described as the combination of your passion with your potential. Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with interesting and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Maverick entrepreneurs’ independent lives
July 7, 2019By Jerry Bellune When anyone asks what’s so special about maverick entrepreneurs, we laugh. It’s like asking why your faith is important to you or why it is that…
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Stevens & Wilkinson welcomes interns from Clemson University and the University of South Carolina
July 3, 2019At Stevens & Wilkinson, an architecture, engineering, and interior design firm, our team approaches every design as a chance to learn and better their craft. As a firm, we aim…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: architecture, education, engineering, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Jean Cecil Frick joins the ranks of Riley Fellows
June 28, 2019Jean Cecil Frick, a senior strategic advisor with NP Strategy, successfully completed the Spring 2019 Midlands Class of the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI), becoming a Riley Fellow.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move
Your local advertising drives higher sales
June 27, 2019By Jerry Bellune Local advertising is a small business’s best bet to attract customers, say advertising experts Brian and Michelle Mattingly. A simple, targeted approach to advertising will almost…
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8 questions, millions of answers
June 19, 2019By Jerry Bellune Ken Blanchard, co-author of “The One-Minute Manager,” “Raving Fans” and other books, has a challenge for us. As business owners and community leaders, we need to…
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Four Common Mistakes When Engaging The Media
June 17, 2019By Heather Matthews NP Strategy In all my years as a journalist, it never failed: 5:50 p.m. and my work phone would ring. Did the caller not know we…
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Can Absolut vodka teach us anything?
June 12, 2019By Jerry Bellune Have your products and services become commodities? Are you forced to compete on price, discounts and other concessions? Take a lesson from a former dish washer…
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NP Strategy welcomes new project coordinator, Columbia native to team
June 12, 2019NP Strategy recently welcomed Myles Taste as the newest addition to the rapidly growing strategy consulting and communications firm. A South Carolina native, Taste is familiar with the quickly expanding…
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SC Restaurant and Lodging Association welcomes new communications manager
June 11, 2019The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (SCRLA) recently welcomed Lenza Jolley as their new Communications Manager. Jolley will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic communications campaigns to increase…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: hospitality, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move
Columbia Metropolitan Airport names advertising agency of record
June 11, 2019Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) announced that Sparkloft Media has been named the airport’s advertising agency of record. Sparkloft Media, in partnership with Columbia-based Period Three, will assist the CAE team…
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How to win the war with your rivals
June 5, 2019By Jerry Bellune Remember what Sun Tzu taught us in his “Art of War” – know your strengths and weaknesses and your competitors’, too. Our competitors are in print,…
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Are you neglecting your best branding tool?
June 3, 2019By Marcia Purday, APR NP Strategy Companies throughout the nation invest millions (or billions!) in their brands – from research and communication strategies, to analytics and more. But ultimately,…
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Make it fun to do business with you
May 29, 2019By Jerry Bellune Dian and Gerald Harmon worked hard to make their concrete business successful and sold it for a bundle long before they were ready to retire. They…
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Social Media and the Need for Brand Standards
May 23, 2019By J. Bradley Studemeyer NP Strategy Small businesses often find themselves in a difficult position with social media marketing: on one hand, many feel like their current revenue streams…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
How to get prospects to open your emails
May 15, 2019by Jerry Bellune Want to write subject lines that work? Subject lines that prospects will open? You are competing with the 121 other emails most of us receive each…
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Riggs Partners announces 2019 pro bono marketing marathon for nonprofits
May 15, 2019Riggs Partners will hold its 22nd annual CreateAthon event to benefit Midlands- and Upstate-area nonprofits on October 17-18, 2019. CreateAthon is a 24-hour creative marathon during which professionals provide marketing…
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The Toughest Crisis May Be the One You Don’t Know You’re In
May 8, 2019By Erin Sanders Senior Communications Advisor with NP Strategy The shooting at the UNC Charlotte (UNCC) college campus on April 30th resulted in the death of two students and…
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How to double your productivity
May 8, 2019By Jerry Bellune Our friend Andrea Nierenberg shared with us these ways she makes her 24 hours each day more productive: Awaken 10 minutes early and you’ll be surprised…
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CyberSC to present Annual Awards for Cyber Excellence at 3rd Annual Cybersecurity Summit in Greenville on May 16th
May 6, 2019CyberSC announced the recipients of the 2019 CyberSC Awards for Cyber Excellence. Award recipients in three categories – Industry, Government, and Academia – will be recognized at the SC Chamber…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: banking-and-finance, business-services, economic-development, education, employment-agencies, government, hi-tech-information-tech, insurance, it-services, manufacturing, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move, philanthropy, technology, telecommunications
Why is your customer buying from you? It may not be why you think.
May 1, 2019By Ken Gasque This is the first question I ask CEOs, Presidents and owners when they want to talk about branding or rebranding. The truth is it is a…
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Max Metcalf elected Chairman of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance
April 24, 2019The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA) has elected Max Metcalf, Manager of Government and Community Relations at BMW Manufacturing Company, LLC, as the next Chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors. The…
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Engaging Your Employees with Your Social Media
April 24, 2019By Angela Rogers In the last 20 years, a horde of social media platforms have emerged. Odds are you’re an active user of at least one platform; between Facebook,…
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How to drive more profit to your bottom line
April 24, 2019By Jerry Bellune Are you happy with your business’s bottom line? We never are. I mean NEVER! If you are happy with yours, take another look. Over time your…
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Your ‘Goldilocks Offers’ will close more sales
April 17, 2019By Jerry Bellune If you’ve shopped at your local grocer lately, you may have noticed “Yogurt-copia.” There are so many choices – apple, banana cream pie, orange, peach, strawberry,…
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Flock and Rally earns SCPRSA Best in Show Silver Wing Award, for total of eight honors
April 16, 2019Flock and Rally Earns SCPRSA Best in Show Silver Wing Award, for Total of Eight Honors Flock and Rally, the full-service, women-owned integrated communications agency based in Columbia, South Carolina,…
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K. Hope Creative recognized with Silver Wing Award for its children’s book Hello, Big World
April 15, 2019Boutique creative agency, K. Hope Creative, was recognized at the South Carolina Public Relations Society of America’s Mercury Awards Dinner in Charleston Thursday, April 11, with a 2018 Silver Wing…
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MidlandsBiz
April 7, 2019MidlandsBiz.com is part of a family of statewide, local online business magazines in South Carolina. The websites were founded to provide local business people real-time information about their community and…
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Networking 101: How to build strong connections
April 4, 2019By Jean Cecil Frick When I was a child, my parents would constantly remind me of the importance of making a good first impression. Little did I know that…
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Truematter welcomes new Project Manager Jordan Veverica to the team
March 26, 2019Truematter welcomed Jordan Veverica as a new project manager for the Columbia, South Carolina team. Jordan’s extensive experience as an interactive project manager has given him a talent for building…
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Small Business Alliance hosts Caffeinated Conversations: Making the Most of Your Advertising Dollars – March 27
March 22, 2019Join United Way’s Small Business Alliance on Wednesday, March 27 at 7:45 a.m. for Caffeinated Conversations with a panel of local experts in the marketing and advertising industry. The panel…
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RSVP Today: Making sure the right people are in the room for your event
March 22, 2019By Emily Eckert NP Strategy My first article in October covered tips and tricks to help execute your event without a hitch. Nailing down those logistics can be a…
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Former journalist Angela Rogers joins NP Strategy; Expands media relations services
March 20, 2019NP Strategy added another veteran news reporter to the firm’s team with the addition of former journalist Angela Rogers. Rogers, a reliable, trusted storyteller has spent nearly half a decade…
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What lawyers and public relations pros can learn from each other
March 8, 2019Leighton Lord Founder and Managing Director, NP Strategy, LLC In July, I wrote about the natural conflict between legal and public relations. Legal wants to win a case or…
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Jackson named agency of record for NAPA Filters
March 5, 2019Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events, South Carolina’s second- largest integrated marketing communication and events agency, has been named agency of record for the NAPA Filters brand. As agency of record,…
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FerebeeLane’s continued growth fuels promotion and hire to creative department
March 5, 2019FerebeeLane, a full-service marketing agency located in Greenville, has promoted David Paxton to senior graphic designer and hired Shelby Argo as graphic designer. Paxton, an experienced graphic designer with more…
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David Hunt Creative, Inc. celebrates 25 years
February 28, 2019Since 1994, David Hunt Creative has provided strategic branding and design solutions for business, health care, retail, educational, industrial, government, and non-profit organizations. The business offers comprehensive creative services that…
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Padgett Communications established
February 28, 2019Padgett S. Mozingo, APR announces the establishment of Padgett Communications, a consulting firm specializing in communications strategy, public relations, event planning and social media for nonprofits, small businesses and professional…
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David Hunt Creative, Inc. celebrates 25 years
February 28, 2019Since 1994, David Hunt Creative has provided strategic branding and design solutions for business, health care, retail, educational, industrial, government, and non-profit organizations. The business offers comprehensive creative services that…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
LHWH enhances social media marketing expertise with addition of Justine Schwindel as Content Strategist
February 25, 2019With more than a decade of high-level marketing experience, Justine Schwindel has joined LHWH Advertising & Public Relations, located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., as a content strategist. Schwindel’s marketing career began…
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Film like it used to be – for modern day
February 25, 2019By Taylor Kearns As the old folks would say, “’Memba film? That’s when the moving pictures MEANT something!” The days when artists would craft thoughtful, moving stories; capturing them…
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