The information age has made almost the entirety of human knowledge available at our fingertips. However, it has also opened companies up to new types of threats, such as data breaches. 

There are a lot of obvious pros and cons of having a celebrity endorse your product or service. A true celebrity can help expand reach, but they might goof up and do something stupid, which could ultimately hurt your brand.

1. Stand Out

Good design uses color and composition to guide the viewer from point A to point B. Point A is the idea and point B would be the call to action. Large areas of white with a single image or clever copy will set an ad apart from others faster than any other design trick.

Since Instagram’s launch in 2010, the photo sharing site’s popularity has taken flight and shows no signs of slowing down. With more than 700 million users, Instagram has become a powerhouse for social media influencing, branded sponsorships and brand recognition. It is no secret this platform has incredible marketing potential for almost any brand, but how can your brand utilize Instagram to elevate your brand recognition and get the most engagements from your specific audiences? Here are some tips to consider when building your brand’s account.

Teens age 12-17 have an overwhelming influence on their parents’ purchasing decisions, according to a study by YouGov. These include household product decisions: 75 percent of parents’ apparel choices, 78 percent of home entertainment content and 63 percent of cleaning supplies purchases are influenced by the teenager. Even more influential, 95 percent of teens influence which fast food restaurant to eat at, 93 percent make recreational entertainment choices and 90 percent choose which apparel stores for the family to shop in.

What’s the big deal about Millennial Moms anyway? According to babycenter, there are nine million of them in the U.S., and they yield about $170-200 billion in spending power. Millennial Moms are a big deal.  

The ultimate goal for every business is to turn customers into brand evangelists who will sing the praises of the company to anyone willing to hear. But short of that, each business should be looking to convert satisfied customers to be online reviewers.

At this year’s PRSA Volunteer Chapter V Awards, our CEO Kelly Fletcher was presented with the  Gary McCormick Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the Volunteer Chapter and the public relations profession over the last 20 years. Kelly embodies all that is a lifetime of achievement as an inspiring entrepreneur and leader.

Consumers are rejecting traditional marketing strategies and are turning to social media when deciding whether a product or service is reliable. In turn, businesses have been forced to evolve quickly and adopt new marketing strategies to be able to reach today’s consumers.  

Marketing your product or service is competitive these days, regardless of your field or industry. Brands are grappling for what sets them apart. What is their unique selling proposition, or what is their “secret sauce?”