Experience trends have changed for clients and customers. Its no longer just about owning your product or using your service – its about your customer’s experience with your brand. Over the last 21 months, our clients evolved themselves into digital and data enterprises. Now, all experiences for our clients and their customers involve technology to some extent. First, they use data to determine next steps in marketing and business. Then, digital insights can drive customer experiences for the better.

Re-evaluate what’s important – your consumer is doing it too.

2022 is not the year to chase all the shiny new things and add unneeded technology. It’s the year to re-evaluate what is important, and do JUST THAT. Digital is not just optional now, its what’s required for business. There is an endless sea of new digital tools, platforms and apps to use for your marketing strategy. But as clients and customers rethink business models and customer journeys, know that 50% of global consumers are re-evaluating what is important to them. They’re doing a little streamlining and optimizing in their own lives, as well as kicking what’s not working to the curb. Be the brand they keep.

Fewer tools; deeper connections.

Focusing on customers can help companies choose fewer, more precise tools that will help them garner deeper knowledge, and create a deeper connection. Getting rid of the digital tools that are not fully focused on getting to valuable customer insight will free up brand’s brain space to focus on what works. Keep an agile mindset as you continue to evaluate and streamline your marketing. This customer experience trend has brands enhancing existing tools that work based on data and analytics. They glean insights to increase customer and prospective customer engagement, loyalty and share of wallet.

Service companies like Super Inspector mine their customer reviews in real time. When the company receives the occasional 3-star rating (instead of a 5-star), the head of customer service immediately calls the customer to ask how they can right the wrong and improve in the future. Using data to improve customer experience is a very valuable practice to them. This simple process helps them form a deeper connection with their customers, inspiring repeat business. 2022 is an experience economy. It’s not just about a product or a service. Think about adding classes, educational videos, white papers to explain complex concepts. Help your customer experience your product or service and incorporate it into their lives.

Lessen the noise; increase focus.

Companies are using data and analytics to cut through all the clutter and noise and really speak to the consumer about what is important to THEM. When companies align their mission with their customers’ mission, relationships are built. Do your customers want meaning? Do they want convenience, speed, knowledge or maybe recognition? Use data to discover what it is that drives them to – or away from – your brand.

For example, our client Diamond Brand Gear is going deeper on its sustainability pillar this year, after reviewing their data. Their customers care deeply about sustainability. In fact, 91% of consumers expect companies to be socially and environmentally responsible. They’re weaving messaging and examples of their sustainability practices into their digital strategies, on social, email and website. One of their goals is committing to becoming a zero-waste factory by the end of 2022. So they’re conveying this messaging and tangible examples of their sustainability practices into their digital strategies. All to connect with their consumer, and show that they care about the same things.

Make digital and data work for you.

2022 isn’t the year to slow down when it comes to digital and data. It’s time to examine some of these customer experience trends, streamline and optimize what’s working for your brand, and get rid of the unnecessary. From using chat bots on SMS to help your company with customer service. From adding the most effective social channel, to building a monthly email newsletter. Adding a blog to adding a layer of transparency to your website regarding the way your company does business. Digital tools and analytic data from your customers can help you be a better company to them. Apply this valuable knowledge to client and customer experiences across the board in your company, and build a deeper connection with your customers this year.

Life is a work in progress.

Reflection is a paramount part of that progress. It breeds opportunity. Reflection allows you to reinvent, reimagine, renew and realign yourself, your relationships, your business. It is cleansing and invigorating.

Thinking about our immediate past allows us to get to the heart of who we are and imagine who we can become.

Reflection is challenging.

To think deeply or carefully about something gives it meaning and purpose. Purpose is powerful.

This year on the Porch we found peace in reimagining our priorities, lessons learned and focusing our energies on the people we love.

We hope our reflections encourage you to take inventory of your own heart and mind as 2022 approaches.

Chief Rocker Julie Porter

I am so blessed to work with a team whose passions intersect with mine. My team members – new and old – bring different perspectives and invaluable ideas. Our clients’ energy and drive to keep moving forward despite all the obstacles they’ve faced this year is invigorating.

In addition, my children are the food that fuels my soul. Nothing brings me joy quite like seeing the excitement on their faces as they enjoy the activities they love.

Oh, and time at the beach. Time at the beach revitalizes me.

Rock Star Vanessa Hickman

On a family trip we learned about lighthouse keepers – their lifestyle, purpose, and job. The number one priority was to “keep a good light” by tending to the wick ensuring it burned as brightly and cleanly as possible. Over the years, this task became easier with electricity, but even then, it was an around-the-clock gig with dire consequences if the light went out.  

My crew applied this to 2021. We were able to help, serve, support and care for friends and family by letting our light shine. So the year has illuminated opportunities to burn a little brighter. And, we will carry that sentiment into the new year and hopefully burn as brightly and cleanly as possible in 2022.

Lil Rock Maria Gregorio

As I look back on my 2021, one reflection trend comes across loud and clear: I need to spend time with people more than I thought.

I’ve always thought of myself as an introverted person, a human turtle if you will. But the personal highlights of my year – taking a trip to Seattle on a whim with my best/oldest college friend, visiting Disney World for the first time with my husband’s family, meeting my Big Brothers Big Sisters mentee for the first time in-person after a year of Zoom meetings – all of them are moments of in-real-life, human contact.

As a result, my 2021 was a year-long reminder that, while I love whiling away my time, leisurely reading a book or watching makeup tutorials on YouTube, I also love and need to be with my favorite people.

Intern Trey Harrup

When I graduated school, all I could think was go, go, go. First, I wanted that dream job. Then, I wanted that financial security. Overall, I wanted the life I envisioned for myself, and I wanted it as fast as I could get it. But good things take time.

But one of the best lessons I have learned this year is that not everything has to be so fast paced. We need to slow down and be present right where we are. No one starts and reaches their max potential without a little time.

Swiss Army Rock Lea Ann Allen

Reflecting on 2021, I see a re-adjustment in my definition of what normal means. This “new normal” for me means work is now something that I do around my life, instead of living my life around my work – as had been the case for my entire career in this creative business. I am learning to try to not define myself by my work. What I do is not who I am. Productivity is not my purpose.

In 2022 I will actively seek out ways to replace “doing” with “being”. I’m so fortunate to be a part of Front Porch Marketing. This company has been ahead of the curve on remote work, and this idea of organizing your work around your life.

Rock Enthusiast Natalie Rosga

For me, 2021 was a year of embracing the chaos. It is still a work in progress. But, isn’t progress, not perfection what we should strive for?

I’m a person who likes structure. I love a plan for the day, a to-do list, and tidiness. None of which fit into your daily lifestyle with little ones! I’m learning to give myself grace and live in the moment. The dishes, laundry, and piles of toys can wait. (At least until they go to bed.) Go outside and swing, play hide-and-seek a million times, build the fort, and make the cookies or the art project that is ultimately going to be a hot mess. They’re only little for a little while, so I’m going to soak up every minute that I can!  

Fellow Rocker Romania Johnson

2021 has been a year of growth and re-invention. This year has forced reflection on values, morals, accountability and technology. I strongly believe and practice that everything happens for a reason. We just need to find the lesson in it all. If you think about it, there’s something to be learned from everything.

I’ve learned that when you stop learning, you stop growing. I’ve faced many challenges over the years. At 50 years of age, I began to lose my sight. I decided to get a degree in something and figure out how to re-invent myself. I had to put in the work because what you put in is what you get out. No shortcuts here.

I’ve also learned that I’m stronger than I thought and I’m capable of doing anything with hard work and determination.

Rock Collector Alison Moreno

This year I found that I was able to see the positive in challenges put in my path. I, too, had to embrace the chaos as our house warm torn apart to repair many (and I mean many) plumbing issues. It was overwhelming.

Though my family didn’t have a place to eat, we had more meals together than in the past. It was fun to eat in strange places – Bedrooms, the yard, etc.

Everything eventually came back together beautifully, and all is at peace in our home (besides the teenagers). The progress continues!

Intern Carson Allen

2021 reflection shows that this year has been a tremendous year of growth for me. I picked up two remote jobs working as an intern at Front Porch Marketing and as a social media manager at a startup. Working at Front Porch has been a blessing, I’ve gained so much experience working with clients. The work feels meaningful and makes me proud to have it on my resume. With every new assignment I feel like I’m breaking down another barrier. I am forever thankful for being a part of the team

Media Rocker Christine Finnegan

2021 was a year of renewal and loss for me. Both of my sons graduated college. As my beloved boys started the next chapters of their lives, I lost my mother. Her voice of reassurance and love are inextricably embedded within me.

Our Reflections Challenge

Surround yourself with those you love. Be present in the present. The gifts you will receive are invaluable.

As you look to 2022, we challenge you to reflect on your priorities, your purpose, and your passions. First, focus on what energizes you. Then do more of that. Be still and be in the moments you have with those you love. After all, there is an abundance of joy that arises from chaos. So embrace it. Most importantly, give yourself grace and go for progress, not perfection.

We wish you peace, love and joy this holiday season.

Connections are everything. I take a moment each Thanksgiving to relay how grateful I am for those in my life. This year is no different in that regard. I am beyond thankful for my family, friends, colleagues, and clients. This year, I am also incredibly grateful for the connections and opportunities the Porch has created.

This business has always depended on connections. Regular readers of our blog know we preach the importance of authentic connections. Yet, like many others, I treated the multitude of opportunities to connect as a dependable part of daily life. It was something that just occurred naturally. Then, 2020 hit.

Connections became a carefully orchestrated medley of virtual meetings. We interacted online, on the phone, or via email. But, without the constant ability to see smiles. Opportunities for real connection had to be well-crafted and thought out.

Connections to New Opportunities

With new challenges come new opportunities, however. For that, I am also grateful. I have not previously put pen to paper and included being a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB), through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, on my gratitude list.

So it is here to stay now! We have had these certifications for seven years. And I have always held this certification near and dear.

In preparation for Q1 2022 sales, I have been cranking on RFPs for significant business that I could not bid on without these certifications. Opportunities through connections that I made over the past several years through these certifications now have a very tangible benefit for the future of the Porch.

First, I am honored by the business opportunities these certifications have bestowed upon us, and the myriad of connections I’ve made through holding them. And second, I am thrilled to be a part of helping others construct and market their own brands.

This Thanksgiving, all of us on the Porch hope you and yours cherish the opportunities to connect. Connect with your loved ones, your business associates and your friends. We encourage you to look at the connections you’ve made to see what opportunities are out there – both to connect and to grow. We’re grateful to connect to you! Rock on this Thanksgiving!

How do you describe a mom who is ready to re-enter the workforce and the marketing world after spending the past two years almost exclusively at home with toddler twins? Nervous. Excited. Anxious.

Will my sleep-deprived brain remember what to do? The marketing world is so fast-paced – is my skill set still relevant? How will I juggle all the things? As the self-doubt crept into my brain, I sat down to make a list. What do I need to do to be successful in my next workforce venture?

Ready to e-enter the workforce? Prioritize. Then, prioritize. And prioritize again.

Make a daily to-do list. First, what has to be accomplished today? Second, what can wait until tomorrow if the day doesn’t go as planned?

Set an alarm, and don’t hit snooze.

Whenever possible, wake before the rest of the house. Enjoy an early morning workout, or get a head start on work. Maybe drink a cup of coffee in silence. Then, get yourself mentally prepared for the day ahead.

Always prep the night before.

School lunches, snacks, clothes – the list goes on. Nothing is worse than waking up to realize ALL THE THINGS need to be done. So doing them the night before relieves this particular anxiety.

Learn to say ‘No.’

There are only 24 hours in a day. It’s ok to politely say no, I don’t have the bandwidth for that project or school activity.

Ask for help.

You can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t have to.

Re-enter the workforce by refreshing your marketing skill set.

Learn something new! Take a social media course. Or, follow a new marketing blog. Perhaps do a tutorial or a webinar.

These are just a few of the things that made it onto my growing list. After a few sleepless nights making this list, I then realized it was missing something very important. Probably the MOST IMPORTANT!

**Choose an employer who values my commitment to my family as much as my commitment to my job.**

Because the truth is without this, I can do all of the other things extremely well and still be unsuccessful when I re-enter the workforce. Since this item became super important on my list, another more meaningful list emerged describing this dream-employer.

• Choose an employer who doesn’t care when I clock in and out.
• Stick with an employer who understands life happens. Sick kids happen. Doctor’s appointments, house and car emergencies, and extracurricular activities all happen too.
• Work for an employer who values what I bring to the table, and my encourages my professional development.
• Value an employer who values me as a person. This would be an employer who cares what is happening in my life and wants me to be as successful at home as I am on the job.

At the end of the day, valued and trusted employees are happy. They do great work. And, they tend to stay at their jobs. It doesn’t matter if that work is getting done at 8:00 am or 8:00 pm.

I’m happy to say I have found that employer with Front Porch Marketing.

I’m new to the team, but I can’t express how excited I am about this opportunity to re-enter the workforce.

I want to do great work for myself, my team, and my clients, but Front Porch understands I’m a mom first. And with that, every day comes with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Is it going to be hard? Yes. Will it mean some late nights and early mornings? Sure. But moms tend to just figure things out. Woman-owned companies get things done! So, pour me another cup of coffee because I’m ready!

Sales and selling never stops. What you are doing today impacts future sales the next quarter and beyond. Recently, we have heard of companies and non-profits pulling back on their marketing based on success to date, cash flow, lack of resources and/or business leader fatigue, among other things.

We know it is the end of another very long year, and you may be tired and lacking in energy and resources. But going dark isn’t the answer. There are ways to continue marketing efforts with less cash, less effort or less time. Build momentum and keep it going.

Be smart about what you’re doing today – impact future sales tomorrow.

Get the most out of your marketing efforts in a consistent, strategic way.

For instance, if your busy season is Q1, use Q4 to set your strategies, and get your ideas and materials ready so all you must do is hit “go” when you’re at the peak of utilizing your manpower in other areas throughout Q1. Have your plan for next quarter all ready to work for you.

As an example, we have already approved plans and strategies, are securing paid media schedules, and developing creative assets for Girl Scouts Texas Oklahoma Plains’ (GSTOP) Q1 initiatives. Doing this now means they can simply hit send when they are at their busiest time in January – gearing up for Girl Scout Cookie Sales time!

Here are six other ways to market now and help yourself later:

1. Run a brand campaign. You can keep it simple or gear up for a big push. Just make sure you do something to get and keep your name out there. Always remember that new clients or customers take time to make a decision and do research before buying.
2. Make a list so you can check it twice. First, create a list of prospective audiences to whom you can market. Then, build on this base list. This can include:
   a. Past customers / clients
   b. Prospects or past website visitors
3. Check Google trends. Find out what main keywords may be trending that relate to your business. Spend now to get noticed and included in these trends.
4. Develop or redesign your website. Do not wait for Q1 to jump back on this task. Get it done now so it is ready to launch in Q1. 4th Quarter is the perfect time to refresh and update the content on your website.
5. Send those emails. E-mail marketing is cheap and easy but halting your monthly communication will affect results when you start back up. Don’t lose momentum. Don’t rest and count on past success to continue. If you’re not consistent, your sales won’t be, either.
6. Stay active on social media. Your audience is listening, even if passively. Be consistent and engaged. Build your audience now, so they’re with you when all your big news hits next year.

So, when is a “safe’ time to put the brakes on marketing your brand? Around a quarter to … never.

Building and maintaining a successful brand requires continuity. Consistent marketing creates and sustains trust with your audience. Don’t stop marketing your brand when cash and/or resources are low. Don’t stop marketing your brand based upon success to date.

Your brand doesn’t wait while you’re tired. Your brand deserves continuous marketing effort, in some way, to make an impact both now and in your future sales. Don’t ever stop.

Stop and start marketing is not an option for successful brands.

Get out there and keep rocking your brand. Call us to help. The Porch is always ready to roll.

Starting a business in 2021 is hard. You have to have the right product, shown at the right time, to the right people, and have everything executed properly. Not to mention you have to compete in an ever-growing marketplace. It’s a tough world and you have to have real mental grit to be successful. Startups have a 90% failure rate according to Investopedia.com. One of the main reasons as to why these startups failed was due to poor marketing. We’re going to go over some of the top marketing strategies that will aid your start up, to get you going in the right direction. 

1. Make a Marketing Plan

You can’t have successful marketing strategies for a start up business without a marketing plan. This means coming together with metric-driven marketing goals, creating user personas, coming up with a budget that supports how you will achieve these goals, and researching your competitors, for starters.

2. Post on Social Media

Posting on social media is crucial to gaining exposure for your business. Around 2.4 billion people use social media. It’s important for you to be seen and heard, and for people to know who you are. Not to mention this helps reach a younger generation. Make sure you’re posting engaging quality content consistently.

3. Make an Email List

Email marketing can attract customers if done correctly. One way to build a list is by having a subscribe page on your website. Make sure when you send these emails out that they aren’t too advertising based – answer questions, be helpful. Help potential customers solve their problems. For example, you can post guides, infographics, or videos. 

4. Don’t be Afraid to Try Some New Marketing Strategies

Don’t be afraid to voice your ideas! If you never try something new you won’t grow as a company. You never know who could benefit from an idea you might have. You don’t have to always stay inside what everyone is comfortable with. Innovations come from questioning the status quo.

5. Use More Than One Channel for Promotion

This builds off of tip #2. Once you have your social media set up, it’s important to diversify your brand. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even TikTok can be a channel for you to connect with your audience. These are amazing tools to get your brand out there. They each hit different audiences and you should change your approach depending on the socials you use, and who your audience is. 

6. Know Your Audience

You must find your target audience. Find what age group is going to be interested in your product. What type of topics are they into? Don’t try to be too broad and play to your strengths. Once you’ve identified your target market make sure you cater to them.

7. Create and Maintain a Blog

Blogs are important to driving traffic your brand. They make you a source for information. Did you know that businesses with blogs generate 126% more leads than those who do not have one? Make sure you’re publishing blogs that you know your audience would read. Quality over quantity.

8. Sponsor an Event

Sponsoring events can gain massive exposure for your business. It’s a great way to get the right people looking at your company (investors). All you have to do is pay a fee to the event organizer and then you market your business with marketing materials like signs, stickers, etc. Try and sponsor events that are related to your business. For example, if you sell comic books maybe you can sponsor a comic book convention.

9. Give Away Small Things as a Marketing Strategy

Everybody loves free stuff. What do I mean by free stuff? Stickers, t-shirts, merchandise, or gift cards. These help people have a positive association with your business. It makes your company look very friendly and is great PR.

10. Use Paid Search Advertising

Paid search is a way to purchase focused traffic on popular search engines like Google. They use a system called cost-per-click. Which means you pay when someone types a specific word you have listed in your ad. You only have to pay for when people click on the ad. This can be a great traffic driver to your website.

Marketing Strategies for Start Up Businesses Can Take Many Forms

Don’t fall behind when running your startup business. It’s very competitive out there and if you aren’t doing everything you can to stay ahead of the game you may fall behind your competitors. However, if you follow at least half of these strategies your startup will be headed in the right direction.

The secret to business success for 2022 is to start planning for it now. Many of our clients are reviewing their business plans, marketing plans and strategies for achieving their goals. Planning ahead for next year is a valuable way to invest in your business. You can know ahead of time what to do next and be proactive – not reactive. Making and having plans helps you guide your actions with efficiency and effectiveness.

Planning Ahead for Next Year, Now

Rounding the corner on Q3 2021, now is the time to plan for business success in 2022. So dust off your business plan. Does it still resonate with your goals for success? First, take the time to review the foundation of why you started this business in the first place. Make sure it still makes sense for you, for your time and energy, and for the market. Update it if you need to.

Next it is time to draft your marketing plan for 2022. Where to start? Look at your business revenue goals for the year. That number helps guide your marketing spend. Companies in 2021 spent 8.6% of topline revenue on marketing. Whatever your percentage is, don’t let this number be subjective. It is black and white.

Once you have your number, create a marketing plan. Without a roadmap, the squirrels and shiny objects will be your focus. Don’t let that happen. Staying on track to business success is much easier with a plan. Build your plan around repeating and expanding around prior success points, and adding new tactics that make sense. The plan you create can be annual or quarterly, but it can encompass many things: creative campaigns, paid advertising, PR, content or a new product or services launch. A solid marketing plan will create focus and executional excellence around several tactics working together toward a common goal. This approach will ultimately save you money, by getting you more bang for your buck.

Invest in Your Business Success

Invest in your business the smart way – and we don’t just mean monetarily. Your focused thoughtfulness and the time spent on your plan will be repaid. First, focus on your business successes by continuously improving your plan and your execution of the plan. How did your tactics for a specific campaign fare? Track and measure your results each quarter, and implement your findings into the next quarter’s plan to continue success and build momentum. Invest in the things that work. Pivot toward the successful strategies. Experimentation within the framework of your marketing plan can help you home in on insights that will get you to your revenue number for 2022.

Define Your Goals So You Can Reach Them

Define messages, targeted audiences, goals, strategies, tactics, timeline and budget. How can you reach your goal if it is not clearly defined? How detailed you are is up to you. What we have found on the Porch is that the partners that have defined their marketing budgets and plans have been successful. Being thoughtful upfront about your goals in all areas of marketing your business can set you up for business success in 2022 and beyond.

Working for a Woman-Owned Business is a Career Changer and a Life Changer

To quote Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are a-Changin’.” Specifically, the business industry has been changing and that’s a good thing. We aren’t in the 1950’s anymore. Women are achieving and climbing the corporate ladder like they never have before. However, sexism is still a prevalent problem in America’s workplace and economy. According to Business Insider, women were paid 17.7% less than men in 2019. From pay gaps to glass ceilings, women continue to be withheld from their full potential. We, as men, need to help bridge these gaps and break these ceilings for women worldwide.   

Every man should work for a woman-owned business at some point in their life. It will help you be more comfortable with the growing and changing workplace environment. Sometimes men have a specific mental picture of what it’s like to work for a business in the corporate world, i.e. lots of men in black suits barking orders at each other while submitting to their superiors without question. This is what I thought.

But now, working for Front Porch Marketing, a certified woman-owned business, has proven the opposite. Everyone I’ve worked with has shown me nothing but compassion, patience, and respect. Along with these values, I’ve learned how to become more detail-oriented, collaborative, and inquisitive. In summary, working for a woman-owned business has helped me grow personally as well as professionally.   

Woman-Owned Business: A Better Work Environment 

Front Porch Marketing treats me as an equal and makes me feel valued. One of the key aspects I’ve admired the most about a woman-owned business is the empathy they share. They care about how you’re doing and your well-being not only professionally but personally. As an example – on my first day of school as a junior in college, Front Porch Marketing sent me a box of cookies just to thank me for my work this summer. It put a huge smile on my face and made me proud to work for the firm.  

In regards to patience, I can tell you from personal experience that Front Porch Marketing has been very forgiving with me as I learn the ropes. They are very persistent in pushing me to reach my full potential and make it clear that I can always ask for help whenever I’m struggling. This learning atmosphere is rare to find in a business, especially one owned by men. In my experience, most of the time in a man-owned business they want you to figure things out quick and expect you to handle it yourself. 

Empathy, patience and understanding are not just the right things to do, they pay off. Not only are woman-owned businesses more understanding but they statistically tend to make more than those run by men. According to Sable International, women led companies “generated 10% more in cumulative revenue over a five-year period,” compared to men. Even when facing bias, woman-owned companies are still rising above men.   

Another bonus for me of working for a woman-owned business is the smoothness of the internship process. They gradually increase my work load once they think I’m ready for the next assignment, which is highly encouraging. They set me up to succeed. Additionally, I love having the opportunity to take on projects that make me feel like I’m making an impact. Lucky for me, Front Porch Marketing isn’t afraid to hand those out!  

This is an Experience That I Would Recommend to All Men

Overall, as a young man entering the workforce, where diversity and inclusivity is growing, working for a woman-owned business has helped me grow as an individual. It’s given me perspective on what it takes to be a marketer in today’s industry. For example I am learning multiple marketing strategies and tactics: how to write blogs, how to put together reports, how to conduct project research, and I am designing retail line cards. Working with the amazing staff here at Front Porch Marketing has opened my eyes on how a successful remote business is run and operated. From the emails, the coaching, zoom meetings, and most importantly meeting deadlines – a business works best when the team works together. 

Front Porch Marketing has been very kind in letting me join their team and held no judgement to the fact that I’m a man in a women’s business. It’s humbled me and made me proud to work for a group of strong, talented, independent women.  It’s an experience I’d recommend to all young men.

Broadening your skill set is the key to success. That is what I have learned as an intern and college student so far. Success in your career depends on being skilled in more than one discipline. Graphic Design is something that I hold very dear to my heart, so I started college thinking this would be my path. My father is a graphic designer. Thus I have a personal connection to it and I’ve been practicing it for over four years.

Start With Something You Love and Broaden Your Skill Set for Success From There

Since I was a kid I would always look up to my father’s work as an artist. He graduated from UNT with a degree in Graphic Design and immediately got picked up by a respectable design firm. Throughout my life I would observe his work, how he brainstormed, his rough sketches, and then the final product.

Some of his work includes the live theater company called Kitchen Dog Theater and the Green Light to Greatness logo for The University of North Texas, that you can still see today on busses. He’s even done work for BNSF, the largest freight railroad network in North America! As a kid growing up I really looked up to him and thought he had the coolest job in the world. Being able to permanently leave your mark on the world and potentially change a company’s look sounded amazing. So, I decided at a very early age that I wanted to be a Graphic Designer.

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Learn a New Skill Wherever You Can

I started by taking every art class I could from elementary to high school. When I reached high school, I decided it was time to start learning Graphic Design. I started by taking Graphic Design I, and Graphic Design II. Once I got confident enough in my skills I joined the school newspaper The Sidekick, and worked for them providing writers with illustrations.

During this time, I also did a lot of work with Reese Bonneau, a local artist. I designed his album covers on Spotify and created multiple T-shirts for him to sell on his website. Now he has over 3K monthly listeners on Spotify! Through him I met other local artists and designed even more album covers. I like to help musicians and small companies just starting out. It allows me to get more experience, learn new things and grow.

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You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

Once I started college at The University of North Texas, I decided to major in Graphic Design like my father. It was a really tough program, but I was growing so much as an artist. But after one semester though, I decided that even though I love graphic design, I wanted to expand my skillset to a more business-oriented role. Being exposed to Marketing and Business caused me to pivot in my aspirations. I decided to switch my major from Graphic Design to Marketing. One of the most important things I learned in college: trying a bit of everything, meeting all kinds of people related to your industry, and taking new classes can help you discover your true path!

Now, my goal is to become a Marketing Manager for a big tech company. Currently, I still doing Graphic Design on the side. In addition to being an intern at Front Porch Marketing, I’m also the Graphic Designer and Social Media Manager for a start up Manga publishing company. Their mission is to provide a platform for up-and-coming manga artists and writers. We’re growing little by little every day and I think we’re off to a great start considering we started in January during a pandemic.

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It’s OK to Change Your Mind and Try Something New

Even though I originally went to UNT to become a Graphic Designer, I have broader marketing and business goals now. I still love and practice it on the side when I can. But my focus is learning more about marketing and getting as much experience as I can with all aspects of marketing before I graduate.

There are so many different disciplines involved in marketing and I’m learning so much working as an intern at Front Porch Marketing. Every time I get an assignment I learn something new and grow in my confidence. Although I’m very focused on learning the digital aspect of marketing, I want to have a broad understanding of all the different branches, especially in the business management of marketing. I would love to learn how to create effective ads, do SEO, and email marketing. So I really look forward to growing with this company, as well as learning more at school this fall!

Marketing meeting must-haves. What are they?

If you’ve ever sat through a meeting and walked out wondering what its purpose was or why you were there, then you know you don’t ever want to be the host of such an event. The must-haves must have been missing. Must-haves are important, and this is especially true in marketing where people expect you to get their creative juices flowing from the start of the meeting. To help you avoid being a bad host, here are eight must-haves for hosting your next marketing meeting – and making it successful.

Meet only when necessary.

If something can be easily covered via e-mail, it should be. 

A prepared – and shared! – agenda is the best start.

An advance agenda helps set the tone of the meeting, lay out the goals, and allows people to budget their time, as well as prepare responses. Be sure to include time for brainstorming!

Begin with the end in mind.

Know what you are trying to accomplish during your meeting. This is not a status conference. The goals need to be clearly defined so that they can be addressed and accomplished.

Keep meetings small.

The smaller the group, the better the collaboration. Amazon’stwo-pizza team rule for productive meetings is well-known and highly successful. The idea is that the group must be small enough that two pizzas can feed all attendees. This keeps ideas from being drowned out by too many voices.

Keep your marketing meeting short.

Be respectful of people’s time. No more than an hour – half an hour is even better.

Keep it simple.

Use pictures. Charts. Demonstrations. Content is king in marketing meetings too so make them compelling and focused, but not overwhelming.

Keep distractions out.

Set a no-computer rule and declare phones emergency-only devices.

Keep it interesting.

You don’t want a boring, tedious marketing meeting.  For instance, kick off the meeting in a fun way to grab their attention.

At a kick-off marketing meeting, for a client in the concrete industry, we needed to explain to the team that their audience didn’t know the difference between cement and concrete. How did we capture their attention? Cake batter. We demonstrated the difference in simple, relatable terms – without using engineer-speak.

Cement was represented as a box of cake batter. Concrete was then explained as the combination of the box of batter plus all other ingredients – resulting in a cake. This simple demonstration of making a cake in the meeting got the team’s attention, engaged their imaginations and helped them understand how their audience thought of them. Plus, CAKE!

Marketing Meeting Must-Haves are a Must

Well-organized marketing meetings can be great for productivity, team building, and brand development. Keep these marketing meeting must-have tips in mind so all you have to worry about is getting those creative juices flowing to rock your next marketing meeting.