Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Blue Kite Elevate Your Brand | Reach New Heights ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://flybluekite.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Blog](https://flybluekite.com/blog/) - Blog Smart insights to help you soar featured article Blog Renaming your business can be scary, but it can ultimately pay off—if you do it the right way. And i'll show you how. Read More It seems we can't find what you're looking for. Ready To Elevate Your Brand? Sign up for our emails Download - [Does Your Company Need a New Name or Just a Better Brand Strategy?](https://flybluekite.com/new-name-vs-better-brand-strategy/) - Does your company need a new name or just better brand positioning? Learn the difference between repositioning, rebranding, and renaming — and how to decide. - [Why it Pays to Reward Loyal Customers](https://flybluekite.com/why-it-pays-to-reward-loyal-customers/) - It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Dunn Brother’s coffee. I have blogged about them before and often tweet about my love of their vanilla iced nirvana or coconut lattes. But as much as I love Dunn Brothers, I can’t always sneak away from the office to get a cup of their sweet, delicious - [8 Important Steps to Successfully Implement Your Marketing Plan](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-implement-your-marketing-plan/) - It’s a new year and if you’re like many companies, you’ve got a fresh new marketing plan to help you grow your business. However, for that marketing plan to work, it can’t sit in a drawer. You have to actually DO something with that strategy. That’s where implementation comes in. But, how do you implement - [Why You Should Build Your Brand Strategy Before Investing in Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/brand-strategy-before-marketing/) - If you're ready to attract more customers and increase revenue for your business, chances are good that marketing is at the top of your list of initiatives for next year. Oftentimes, that looks like building a new website, ramping up your content marketing and social media efforts or doubling down on advertising. And while marketing - [Is Your Brand Helping or Hurting Your Business?](https://flybluekite.com/brand-helping-or-hurting-business/) - Want to create a powerful, impactful, world-changing business? It starts by having a strong brand. There are few companies that have achieved breakthrough success without laying a strong brand foundation first. Think Apple, Nike, Starbucks, Warby Parker, Toms and so on. So, why does branding matter? It provides verbal and visual cues that represent who - [How to Successfully Rename Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/rename-your-business/) - Don't rename your business without following these five important steps. This guide will help you rebrand your business the right way. - [The Problem with Chasing Brand Awareness](https://flybluekite.com/problem-with-chasing-brand-awareness/) - Almost every business leader and entrepreneur says they want more brand awareness for their business. Case in point — I recently talked to the owner of an organization that believed if a certain celebrity knew about her foundation, she would be set. She believed that the answer to all of her problems would be solved - [5 Reasons Your Business Needs a Brand Strategy—and How to Build It](https://flybluekite.com/your-business-needs-brand-strategy/) - Have you ever visited a website and felt like it was created just for you? Or, have you ever seen an advertisement and thought, “Wow, it’s like they knew exactly what I wanted.”? This doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a carefully crafted brand strategy. When your organization has a strong brand strategy, - [Introducing the new face of People-Powered Learning: Elsie](https://flybluekite.com/introducing-elsie/) - We are thrilled to share our latest client success story — Virtual Learning Collaborative (VLC), a global virtual training and support provider, has rebranded to Elsie! The launch of this new brand has been nine months in the making and we are so thrilled to share the result of this work with you. Our Client’s - [11 Lessons I've Learned After 11 Years as an Entrepreneur](https://flybluekite.com/entrepreneurship-lessons/) - I remember the day vividly––it was unseasonably warm and sunny (unlike today!). I dressed like I was going into an office––complete with dress slacks and high heels––even though most of my meetings were conducted virtually from my home office. I was so excited to have the ENTIRE day to work on my business––not just the - [5 Key Components of a Solid Brand Foundation](https://flybluekite.com/solid-brand-foundation/) - Creating a strong brand is a lot like building a house. It starts with building a solid brand foundation, which should begin with brand strategy. Your brand strategy is the foundation in which all of your branding and marketing efforts are built.Without taking the time to build a brand strategy, the foundation of all of your branding - [Should You Change Your Company Name?](https://flybluekite.com/company-name-change/) - Considering changing the name of your business? It’s not something to take lightly. A company name change is a delicate process that must be handled properly. However, there are some instances where making this kind of change is important - even critical - to a business. In fact, there are times we have made this - [Marketing Like Urban Meyer](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-like-urban-meyer/) - Following the herd, especially the marketing herd, will get you fired. Why? Mark Twain offers a clue: Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. - Mark Twain The marketplace of ideas, especially marketing ideas, is filled with ideas already past their "effectiveness prime". Actually, the - [When Should You Rebrand Your Business? 10 Signs It’s Time](https://flybluekite.com/should-you-rebrand-your-business/) - When should you rebrand your business? Whether you’ve simply grown tired of your logo or you’re running into hurdles with your existing branding, this is a question that nearly every company faces at some point––especially if you’ve been in business for more than a few years. And while rebranding can be extremely beneficial in certain - [10 Proven Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out From Competitors](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-stand-out-from-competitors/) - Discover how to differentiate your business, plus get inspiration from organizations that are doing this well. - [Why We Rebranded Blue Kite and How We Did It](https://flybluekite.com/why-we-rebranded/) - Get the story (and strategy) behind the recent rebranding of Blue Kite. - [3 Guiding Principles for 2020](https://flybluekite.com/3-guiding-principles-2020/) - I hope your 2020 is off to a great start! Mine started off a little bumpy with some illness, but I’m getting over the hump and I’m so glad to be back in the office! One of the things I do leading up to the new year is to identify three words to serve as - [3 Guiding Principles for 2019](https://flybluekite.com/3-guiding-principles-for-2019/) - Happy New Year! I hope that 2019 is off to a great start for you and your organization. I always love the feeling of the New Year - full of fresh starts and clean slates. It's during this time that I choose three words to serve as my guiding principles for the year. These are - [10 Valuable Lessons from my First Year as an Entrepreneur](https://flybluekite.com/entrepreneur-lessons/) - Saturday marked an important milestone for me — my first year as a full-time entrepreneur. As I’ve been approaching this date, I've been thinking a lot about the whirlwind of the past year, what it’s taken to get to where I am today and how grateful I am to finally be working for myself. It’s - [Build a Simple Marketing Plan with These Three Words](https://flybluekite.com/simple-marketing-plan-3-words/) - Don't look now, but we've got less than two working months before the end of the year. Crazy, isn't it? We're quickly slipping into one of the busiest times of the year and yet it's also time to be building your marketing plans for next year (if you haven't already done so). If you’re like - [How to Promote Your Blog Posts: 45 Tips to Win More Readers {Infographic}](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-promote-your-blog-posts/) - Wondering why you’re not getting traffic to your blog? Chances are good you’re not promoting your content effectively. Once you’ve written and published a blog post, your work is far from over. You must promote your content if you want to drive traffic and win more readers. Blog Post Promotion Guide If you’re not sure - [The Most Powerful Question for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/most-powerful-question-for-business/) - At the end of last year, we discovered that The Skillery, the co-working space Blue Kite had used for two years, was shutting its doors. We were terribly disappointed by the news. We loved being a part of The Skillery community. It was a great place for our team to collaborate, meet with clients and - [Mark Zuckerberg's Secret to Seductive Content](https://flybluekite.com/seductive-content-like-mark-zuckerberg/) - For the past couple of years, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO, announces a yearly challenge. A couple of years ago it was to learn Mandarin Chinese. He nailed it. His latest challenge was to build a Jarvis-like personal assistant for his home. Good for him. He also ran 365 miles this year. Bravo. He’s - [3 Guiding Principles for 2017](https://flybluekite.com/guiding-principles-2017/) - If you’re anything like me, you’re excited for the start of a fresh, new year. I always get giddy around this time of the year. I love reflecting on what I’ve learned from the previous year while planning for the year ahead. Like many people, I was glad to kiss 2016 goodbye. But I’m particularly - [Measuring Your Marketing: Which Numbers Matter Most?](https://flybluekite.com/measuring-your-marketing/) - Start with goals. Determine the activities that will help you achieve your goal and then measure against that. - [3 Critical Steps You Should Take Before Writing Your Next Blog Post](https://flybluekite.com/3-steps-before-writing-blog-post/) - Every blogger that’s just starting out has a tough time writing their first blog posts. Oftentimes, their initial posts feel like a meandering maze through a topic that leaves readers guessing about what they are supposed to learn or take away. Part of the problem is that newbie bloggers dive headfirst into writing their blog - [What a Small Town Mechanic Can Teach You About Customer Loyalty](https://flybluekite.com/small-town-mechanic-can-teach-about-customer-loyalty/) - A couple of years ago, Harry Meyer, the beloved mechanic in my tiny hometown experienced a crisis in his business. Someone had reported Harry to the EPA for the large stacks of tractor tires lined up near his gas station and shop. Apparently, he was not following the regulations for disposing of these materials. This - [Why Social Media Can’t Fix Your Business Problems](https://flybluekite.com/why-social-media-cant-fix-business-problems/) - Last week, I talked to a class at Belmont University about my social media journey and the biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way. The best part of the class wasn’t my talk, but the wonderful thought-provoking questions from the students. One question, in particular, really stood out to me. Here’s what this student asked: - [Research Reveals Characteristics of Companies with Strong Culture](https://flybluekite.com/research-reveals-characteristics-companies-strong-culture/) - For the past several months, we’ve been talking a lot about the importance of strong company culture. You see, we believe that a winning culture is the difference-maker for the world’s most successful organizations. But, we wanted to test our theories and gather some data on the subject. That’s why we conducted a short survey - [How to Define Your Brand’s Core Values](https://flybluekite.com/define-brand-core-values/) - Core values are critical to establishing a strong culture at your organization. Why are they so important? Core values communicate what you believe as a company and how you are working together toward a shared vision. This concept is powerful. By articulating what you stand for as a brand, you can attract better employees and - [What Blue Kite Stands for as a Company](https://flybluekite.com/blue-kite-core-values/) - Four years ago today I became a full-time entrepreneur. It has been an amazing journey so far, but I have never been more excited about the direction of Blue Kite than I am right now. In the past few months, I have brought on two new team members — Reed Brandon and Abby Buter — - [16 Ways to Capture Email Addresses for Your Email Marketing List](https://flybluekite.com/grow-email-marketing-list/) - Earlier this week, I shared some ways to use email marketing in your business. However, those tips will do you little good if you don’t have an email list. As your building ideas for your email marketing efforts, you should begin capturing email addresses so you have an audience to send information to. Don’t just - [How to Customize Content for Each Social Media Channel](https://flybluekite.com/customize-content-social-media-channel/) - I recently read an article on Marketo’s blog about the need to modernize the traditional news release. (Hat tip to my friend, Tyler Clark, for sharing it with me.) The article talks about whether traditional news releases are dead, and suggests marketers and PR pros should look at them through the lens of social media. - [Need More Customers? Focus on What Works](https://flybluekite.com/focus-on-what-works/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a prospect about marketing for her local eatery. She had previously spent money on advertising with little success and was considering spending more time and money on social media. Like many business owners, she knew she needed to do something, but wasn’t sure where to focus - [12 Step Recipe for Media Relations Success](https://flybluekite.com/12-step-recipe-media-relations-success/) - Have you ever had something great happen at your company and thought “people should know about this, because it’s such an amazing story?” You want others to know about the great things your employees are doing or how successful your business is, so you send an email to a general email address at your local - [5 Steps to Creating a Simple Social Media Plan {Free eBook}](https://flybluekite.com/5-steps-creating-simple-social-media-plan/) - We’ve all heard the saying “failure to plan is planning to fail.” And yet, when it comes to social media, far too many businesses dive in headfirst without putting a plan in place for their efforts. They simply want to “do” social media, but don’t take the time to understand why they are doing and - [How to Tie Marketing Measurement to Business Goals](https://flybluekite.com/tie-marketing-measurement-to-business-goals/) - Marketing measurement is one of the things that businesses struggle with most. Everyone wants to see results, but measuring the right things can be tricky. Yes, we all want to move the sales and revenue meter, but there are a lot of numbers to track along the way to see if your efforts will actually - [Defining Your Company’s Core Values (And Why It Matters)](https://flybluekite.com/defining-core-values/) - When I walked into my favorite local coffee awhile back, I spotted this lovely little sign at the counter. I mentioned it to the baristas and they said they’ve had the sign for months, but the reposition it throughout the shop so people get a pleasant surprise when they discover it. I love that. It’s - [How to Go from Good Writer to Better Writer](https://flybluekite.com/go-good-writer-better-writer/) - When I introduce myself to someone new and tell them what I do, I say “I work in PR and marketing, with a focus on strategy and writing.” I’m always surprised when someone responds with, “Really? What kind of writing does someone in PR have to do?” In reality, PR people write ALL DAY LONG. - [Top Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2016 {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/social-marketing-trends-2016/) - As digital marketing and social media continues to evolve, marketers must stay on top of the trends in order to get results. Although we don’t recommend chasing the latest and greatest shiny object, it pays to understand how the marketing landscape is changing so you can adapt to it. Marketing Trends to Watch in 2016 - [How to Leverage Customer Reviews to Win More Business](https://flybluekite.com/leverage-customer-reviews/) - When we think about the importance of customer testimonials and reviews, consumer-focused businesses and products often come to mind. However, testimonials aren’t just important for consumer facing brands. In fact, the other day I read an article that said 93 percent of small business owners said customer reviews would increase their confidence in doing business - [Online Reviews: The Local Marketing Tool You Cannot Ignore](https://flybluekite.com/online-reviews-local-marketing-tool-ignore/) - Over the weekend, I had to call a towing service after my husband’s car broke down a few blocks from our house. I quickly searched for “towing services” and received a number of results that were close to our location. The search results included a Google map that showed each company’s location and the number - [Are You Ignoring Your Biggest Market Opportunity?](https://flybluekite.com/generate-revenue-from-existing-customers/) - While you’re busy chasing new customers, there is a huge market opportunity right under your nose that’s being untapped. - [How to Prevent an Epic Marketing Failure](https://flybluekite.com/prevent-an-epic-marketing-failure/) - Marketing blunders can happen, but they can also be avoided if brands can be a little more thoughtful about their marketing approach. - [3 Reasons Why Feedback is Critical to Your Success](https://flybluekite.com/3-reasons-why-feedback-is-critical-to-your-success/) - I'm doing something a little bit different today and bringing you a video post! I've done one of these before, but thanks to the feedback from my reader survey, I heard that you want to see more videos. I've heard you, friends. Even though I tend to prefer writing, I'm bringing you a video post - [Why Marketing Campaigns Alone Will Not Save Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/why-marketing-campaigns-alone-will-not-save-your-business/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was attending a conference with one of our B2B clients. The conference was for sellers of a particular phone system. During the conference, I sat in on a session about marketing and demand generation. The panel included a senior marketer from their product partner and a few of my - [How To Make Boring Content Sexy: A Lesson From John Oliver](https://flybluekite.com/make-boring-content-sexy/) - Just because your business might be boring, doesn’t mean your content has to be. I’m going to show you how you can mimic Oliver’s approach to make your content interesting too. - [10 Effective Tips to Pitch Your Business and Get Results](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-pitch-your-business/) - I want to give you some simple tips to help you improve your pitching process so you can avoid the trashcan. It doesn’t matter if you’re pitching journalists, bloggers or executives. These tips will help your pitch be 10 times more effective and help you get the results you’re after. - [10 Steps to Turn Employees into Social Media Advocates](https://flybluekite.com/employees-social-media-advocates/) - If you spend any time marketing your brand on social media, you know that it’s getting tougher to reach your audience (especially on Facebook) without paying for it. That’s why many companies are turning to their employees to share company information on their personal profiles on Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels. Encouraging employee - [5 Types of Content You Should be Writing for Your Blog](https://flybluekite.com/types-of-blog-content/) - There’s a reason I’m so romantic about blogging — it works. I’ve seen it for myself and I’ve seen it for my clients. For instance, I have a client that has only been blogging for a few months. Just last week, they received a lead from their website for a service that they had - [Is Facebook a Waste of Time for Your Business?](https://flybluekite.com/facebook-waste-of-time-for-business/) - According to a new survey of businesses owners in the UK, Facebook is a waste of time. The survey results showed that 62 percent of respondents said that Facebook has not been effective for their business. And it’s not just small businesses that are saying this. Last fall, Forrester released a study that said posts - [How a Strong Company Culture Dramatically Improves Your Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/successful-marketing-relies-well-defined-company-culture/) - I have long been interested in the power and importance of developing a strong company culture. Throughout my career, I always looked for ways to improve the culture at the places I worked. I firmly believed that a happy, engaged and motivated workforce would produce better work. There are plenty of studies to back up - [5 Ways to Create a Strong Company Culture on a Budget](https://flybluekite.com/create-strong-culture-on-a-budget/) - If I asked you to tell me the first company that comes to mind when I say, “great company culture,” who would you say? Google? Netflix? Zappos? These companies boast unlimited vacation days, generous severance packages, expansive campuses with on-site fitness centers, cafeterias, laundry services, free meals, nap pods and more. Scores of articles have - [7 Blog Post Templates You Can Steal](https://flybluekite.com/blog-post-templates/) - What if I gave you the exact formula for creating reproducible content day in and day out? Here they are: seven blog post templates you can use to write killer blog posts day in and day out. - [Hiring an In-House Marketing Team vs. Marketing Agency](https://flybluekite.com/in-house-marketing-team-vs-marketing-agency/) - A few weeks ago, I was talking to a prospective client about their marketing needs. They currently have an in-house marketing person, but he is not quite fitting the bill. He’s a bit behind on digital marketing and he’s a “doer” not someone who can guide their marketing efforts. They want to grow their business - [The Power of Telling Your Brand Story](https://flybluekite.com/power-of-telling-your-brand-story/) - Recently, a client hired us to create a brand strategy. We met with the client, talked with their customers, researched competitors and looked through all of their materials. And, everything looked good — their logo, their messaging, their website. All of those things were head and shoulders above their competition. But, they had one clear - [Answer These 6 Questions to Evaluate Social Media Channels for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/evaluate-social-media/) - In today's social media world, we now have more choices and channels to choose from than ever before. Now instead of simply focusing on the big three social networks — Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn — there are now dozens of new social media channels where you could spend your time. This year, it’s Vine — - [5 Weak Phrases We Banned to Improve Workplace Culture](https://flybluekite.com/weak-phrases-banned-improve-workplace-culture/) - A few weeks ago, Stan pointed out to me that there’s a word I overuse on a regular basis. The abuse of this word corrodes my confidence and dilutes my authority as a leader. And, this is not the first time I’ve been told this. Throughout my life, people have pointed out that I use - [5 Ways to Differentiate Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/differentiate-your-business/) - Earlier this week, I talked about the reasons businesses shouldn't replicate their competitor’s marketing efforts. While that’s certainly problematic, there’s often a bigger underlying issue — they don’t know how to differentiate their business. Far too often, companies see the success of their competitors and want to copy it. Remember when Groupon came on the - [The Best Advice I Could Ever Give](https://flybluekite.com/best-advice-ever/) - A week ago today, my husband’s hero, mentor and friend passed away. His boss, a renowned attorney, passed away at the age of 56. It was far too early if you ask me. Larry was extremely well known in the Tennessee legal community. He was president of the state bar association, had a mile-long list - [Weekly Reading Roundup: Courtroom edition](https://flybluekite.com/weekly-reading-roundup-courtroom-edition/) - I've compiled a list of my favorite reads from this week for your reading pleasure. I tweet or re-tweet many of these, but I thought this might be useful for those who don't follow me on Twitter. One of my favorite blogs, Duct Tape Marketing, recently started doing this and I thought I'd do the same (after all, isn't imitation the greatest form of flattery?). - [Weekly Reading Roundup: Grammar Junkie](https://flybluekite.com/weekly-reading-roundup-grammar-junkie/) - I've read a lot of great articles this week, but I've narrowed it down to my top five. This week, I noticed a couple of interesting articles about grammar usage. No matter what industry you are in, good grammar is paramount. Read these articles to make sure you're on track! - [Reading Roundup: Sesame Street Style](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-sesame-street-style/) - This week, Sesame Street celebrated its 40th Anniversary on the front page of Google. Read more about that and my other favorite articles in this week's reading roundup. - [A is for Attitude: Creating a Positive Office Culture](https://flybluekite.com/creating-positive-office-culture/) - It is more important now than ever for business owners and leadership to focus on office culture. This post highlights some tips for creating a positive work environment. - [Setting Goals to Cross the Finish Line](https://flybluekite.com/setting_goals_to_cross_finish_line/) - Did you set a New Year's resolution? If so, you're not alone. But only few will successfully achieve their goals. Will you be one of them? - [Five Ways to Overcome Obstacles - Lessons from Half Marathon Training](https://flybluekite.com/five_ways_to_overcome_obstacle/) - As with any goal or long-term endeavor, you will encounter obstacles. The big question is – how do you respond? Here are five tips. - [It's Time to Ditch the Robot](https://flybluekite.com/its-time-to-ditch-the-robot/) - There are countless tools on the market to help you automate and streamline social media usage. However, do all of these tools take the "social" out of social media? - [Three Truths about Goal Setting — Lessons from My First Half Marathon](https://flybluekite.com/three-truths-about-goal-setting-lessons-from-my-first-half-marathon/) - On Saturday, I reached my goal of running my first half marathon and I learned a great deal in the process. Here are a few truths about working to reach your goals. - [Which E-mail Marketing Service is Right for You?](https://flybluekite.com/which-e-mail-marketing-service-is-right-for-you/) - E-mail is a great tool for communicating with your customers and clients. However, with so many e-mail marketing services out there, how do you know which one is right for your business? This post offers an overview of two e-mail marketing programs I use and recommend. - [How to Tell a Compelling Brand Story That Matters](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-tell-a-compelling-brand-story/) - Stories have the power to connect with people in a way that few other vehicles can. Stories create understanding by helping us relate an idea to our existing experiences. And the best stories are memorable and easily shared. That’s what makes storytelling such a powerful vehicle for businesses. What is Your Brand Story? If you - [Why Your Company's Story Matters More Than Ever](https://flybluekite.com/companys-story-matters/) - I have a confession to make. For the past several months (or maybe a year if I’m truly being honest), I have fallen out of love with marketing. I have been frustrated by the constant focus on the next shiny object - the latest tool, platform, app or trick that promises to be the magic - [The Power of Working With a Team](https://flybluekite.com/the-power-of-working-with-a-team/) - Through my half-marathon training, I've realized how much I value working with a team. However, the benefits extend well beyond training. Check out how building a support network can also benefit your business. - [We have liftoff!](https://flybluekite.com/we-have-liftoff-announcing-blue-kite-marketing/) - Today is a big day. A magnificent, exhilarating and glorious day. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. You see, today I launched a brand, spankin’ new website, in essence, hanging out the shingle for my new business venture. Today, I'm proud to introduce you to Blue Kite Marketing! Blue Kite Marketing offers a full range of marketing and social media services designed to help small businesses reach new heights. Those of you that know me well are aware that this effort has been in the works for far longer than I care to admit. - [Keep on Running: Responding in the Wake of Tragedy](https://flybluekite.com/responding-in-the-wake-of-tragedy/) - I’m typically not one to comment here on the blog in the aftermath of a tragedy. There seems to be no words that are adequate to compensate for the loss. And, as someone who writes marketing tips for businesses, it’s hard to come up with something that seems appropriate for my blog and audience. Normally, - [Lessons in Perseverance](https://flybluekite.com/lessons-in-perseverance/) - On Saturday, I ran my fifth half marathon. And, quite honestly, I wasn’t planning to write about it like I typically do. After all, what I can share about my experience that I haven’t already said before? What else could I possible learn? Apparently, way more than I thought. On the day of the race, - [How Your Office Space Influences Company Culture](https://flybluekite.com/how-your-office-space-influences-company-culture/) - It’s not uncommon for most conversations about company culture to revolve around physical office space. Although we believe there’s more to company culture than your physical environment, it’s still an important component to a strong, thriving culture. In fact, we talk about it in our three pillars of a strong organization culture. It’s important to - [How to Influence Culture When You're Not in Charge](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-influence-culture-when-youre-not-in-charge/) - A couple of weeks ago, I led a workshop at the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) conference. I spoke about why healthy organizational culture matters and how CCDA leaders can cultivate a strong culture within their own organization. At the end of my talk, I received this question: “What do you do if you don’t - [How Strong is Your Culture? Get a Free Analysis](https://flybluekite.com/how-strong-is-your-culture/) - How would you rate your company’s culture? If you’re like the people who took our company culture survey, chances are good that you would give your company fairly high marks. In fact, 55 percent of survey respondents rated their culture as “strong” or “very strong”. However, when you get to specific questions about how companies - [3 Common Culture Missteps to Avoid in Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/3-common-culture-missteps-avoid-business/) - I watched an interview recently with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. He talked about how we have two choices in life. We can either be thermometers or thermostats. He has said, “Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Will you yield to the world’s temperature or will you set it?” Thermometers read the temperature of - [7 Keys to Building a Legacy](https://flybluekite.com/7-keys-to-building-a-legacy/) - I have the privilege of raising three boys. I remember each of the births like it were yesterday. I can say that founding a business is the closest you can get to birthing and raising a child. It’s a long-term endeavor with great highs and lows. It requires knowledge and wisdom. It demands courage and - [How to Reinvent Your Company Culture](https://flybluekite.com/reinvent-your-company-culture/) - The case has been made over and over again about why the culture you create at your company matters. Countless articles have been written about why culture eats strategy for breakfast and you’ve seen the best places to work list published each year. We have even given three pillars you need in order to create - [What is Founder-Inspired Culture?](https://flybluekite.com/what-is-founder-inspired-culture/) - Throughout my entire career, I have tried to influence company culture. In each of my jobs before starting Blue Kite, I would look for ways to improve employee morale and strengthen the bonds of our team. At one company, I proposed group lunches in our conference room so we weren’t working through lunch alone at - [5 Ways a Strong Culture Positively Impacts Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/strong-culture-positively-impacts-business/) - Building a strong culture is no small task. It takes time and resources to create a winning culture with a compelling vision, thriving environment and flourishing employees. So, is the investment worth it? We think so. A strong company culture is not just about giving your team the warm fuzzies about showing up for work - [How to Cultivate Your Team to Create a Winning Culture](https://flybluekite.com/cultivate-your-team-to-create-winning-culture/) - When it comes to company culture, the tendency is to think about ways to benefit the team as a whole. However, thinking about employees on an individual level is the key to keeping them engaged, productive and loyal to your company. Not to mention, happy employees can be your biggest advocates. If they love where - [How to Create the Right Environment for a Winning Culture](https://flybluekite.com/create-the-right-environment-for-winning-culture/) - When people talk about company culture, it’s easy to default to thinking about the office environment. After all, it’s the most tangible aspect of culture. And, it’s why culture often becomes synonymous with Foosball tables and nap pods. But those “shiny objects” are not enough to establish a strong culture in your organization. You have - [How Founders Inspire Winning Cultures](https://flybluekite.com/founders-inspire-winning-cultures/) - There’s a running joke in our office that goes something like this: “What is the best way to turn around a company?” “How?” “Three things: install a foosball table, a free “Monster” vending machine, and schedule permanent “Beer Fridays.” All good things, but we know that creating an enduring company that makes a lasting impact - [We Want to Hear About Your Company Culture](https://flybluekite.com/company-culture-survey/) - If you’ve been reading the Blue Kite blog in the past few months, you may notice that we’ve been talking a lot about company culture - and for good reason. You see, we believe that a strong, intentional company culture is the difference-maker for the world’s most successful companies. But, we want to test our - [Founder Loneliness: The Hidden Challenge of Running a Startup](https://flybluekite.com/founder-loneliness/) - Today’s culture glamorizes startups. Movies and TV shows often depict the shinier aspects of startup culture - the foosball tables, the fancy parties, the awards and newspaper articles. But what outsiders don’t often see is how difficult the road can be to get there. That’s why 80 percent of startups don’t make it past the - [What Startup Founders Should Expect From Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/startup-founders-expect-marketing/) - Since the dawn of the lean startup movement, marketing has held a tenuous position on many founder’s shortlist of priorities. Founders have done their time in companies where marketing sucked up huge budgets without much to show for the expense. Technical founders have endured CMOs that invest heavily in the flash and ignore substance, like - [Why Marketing Alone Won’t Make Your Business Successful](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-will-not-make-your-business-successful/) - So many businesses believe this lie… “If only more people knew about our business, we would be in better shape.” Businesses want to believe they have an awareness problem. After all, awareness is an easy fix. You can buy awareness. But, what you can’t buy is loyalty. Loyalty comes from truly believing in a - [Can You Be Successful Online Without Social Media? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/successful-online-without-social-media/) - Social media has become the go-to marketing channel for many companies because of its ability to reach the masses for a relatively low cost. The accessibility, reach and effectiveness of social media make it a smart choice for many businesses. But, is social media for everyone? Can companies be successful today without using social media? - [How to Tell a Deep Story in a Shallow Social Media World {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-tell-a-deep-story-in-a-shallow-social-media-world/) - Thanks to social media’s success, there has been a land rush to get on board and take advantage of these new and exciting ways to reach your audience. However, in doing so, the social networks have become crowded, noisy places where everyone is yelling louder to get heard above the noise. One of the key - [How Core Values Ignite Your Marketing {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/core-values-ignite-marketing-podcast/) - When people talk about core values, it can easily conjure up an image of a sad list of adjectives posted on the break room wall. Or, it might even make you think about those motivational posters from the 90s with words like “Leadership” emblazoned across the bottom with a picture of a bald eagle. But, - [How to Create a Strengths-Based Marketing Team {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/create-a-strengths-based-marketing-team/) - Welcome back to The Marketing Huddle! We’re excited to be back with a new episode after taking a short break over the holidays. The extra time off also gave us some time to re-focus our efforts. This year, we’re taking a slightly different approach to The Marketing Huddle. We’re ditching our short, snappy episodes and - [3 Guiding Principles for 2016](https://flybluekite.com/guiding-principles-2016/) - Happy 2016! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that your New Year is off to a great start! One thing I do to start every year is to determine three words or phrases to guide my throughout the year. I call them my guiding principles. No, these are not New Year’s resolutions. - [The Biggest Marketing Changes in 2015 {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-changes-2015/) - Top Marketing Newsmakers from 2015 If you’ve been following our podcast, you’ll notice how we often mention the fast pace of marketing today. Because things move so quickly, it can be almost jarring to recognize how much things have changed — especially over the course of a whole year. But, that’s exactly what Stan and - [Top 10 Digital Marketing Blog Posts of 2015](https://flybluekite.com/top-10-digital-marketing-posts-2015/) - As we close out the year and plan for the next, it’s always fun to look back at the work we’ve created and blog content we’ve published. In particular, I love looking back at our top posts for the year. Not only is it a great way to end the year, but it also helps - [How to Get More from Google Analytics with Andy Crestodina {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/get-more-from-google-analytics-with-andy-crestodina/) - Raise your hand if you hate data and analytics? If you’re like many marketers, numbers make your skin crawl. Maybe you even got into PR or marketing so you wouldn’t have to deal with numbers. But to be a successful marketer in today’s world, you must get comfortable with analytics so you can make decisions - [5 Common Misconceptions about Content Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/common-misconceptions-about-content-marketing/) - Although most companies understand the value and importance of content marketing, there is still a lot of confusion about what it is and how to implement it. As a result, companies may shy away from implementing a content marketing solution because they misunderstand what it entails or how it can benefit their business. Rather than - [Is Social Media Engagement Necessary for Your Business? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/is-social-media-engagement-necessary-for-your-business/) - Social media engagement might just be one of the fluffiest terms in all of digital marketing. If you read any content about using social media for business, chances are good that you’ve seen the recommendation that you need to “increase your social media engagement.” But, there’s little information to back that up. And sadly, social - [Building a Winning Culture: Lessons from the Kansas City Royals](https://flybluekite.com/build-a-winning-company-culture/) - I grew up as a Kansas City Royals fan. Although I was too young to remember when they won the 1985 World Series, I do remember that era — George Brett, Bret Saberhagen, Bo Jackson and Willie Wilson. I remember hearing my dad yelling “BO JACKSON, BO BABY!” when I was in bed, which often - [How to Use Social Media for Customer Service {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-for-customer-service/) - Marketers have a natural tendency to focus on attracting new customers. But, an important component of marketing and business success is customer service and retention. After all, keeping your existing customers happy is an important driver toward your bottom line. And social media might just be the best thing that has happened to customer service. - [The Power of Admitting Mistakes in Business](https://flybluekite.com/admitting-mistakes-in-business/) - There are few things worse than discovering that you or someone at your company has made a cringe-worthy mistake. It’s embarrassing, frustrating and it can totally disrupt your business. And if you’re like most people, it makes you want to crawl in a hole to hide from the potential fallout. Perhaps if you ignore the - [Top Productivity Tips for the Time-Starved Marketer {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/productivity-tips-for-time-starved-marketer/) - Although it is one of the most exciting times to be a marketer, it’s also one of the toughest. Marketing is more complex than ever before thanks to the vast number of channels and platforms available to us today. And the landscape keeps shifting on a weekly basis so it can be incredibly difficult to - [How Your Sales Team Can Ruin a Perfectly Good Marketing Campaign](https://flybluekite.com/how-sales-can-ruin-marketing/) - Sales and marketing have a tenuous relationship. Even though they are supposed to work hand in hand, they are often frustrated with each other. The sales team wants more leads from marketing. Marketing wants the sales team to do a better job of converting those leads to customers. Certainly, marketers are not blameless, but today - [What is Marketing Automation and Why Do You Need It? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-automation-and-why-you-need-it/) - When it comes to marketing, the concept of automation can be met with a bit of angst. After all, marketing automation sounds robotic, inauthentic and stiff — all things we want to avoid in our marketing. But, marketing automation can actually be a very good thing for your business. We’re not suggesting you put your - [Top 15 Reasons Why Most Marketing Strategies Fail {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/why-marketing-strategies-fail/) - No one likes to fail. I know I don't. And, I'm betting you don't either. That's why I want to do my best to help you prevent your marketing strategy from falling apart. Even though you might just be getting started building your marketing strategy for next year, there are some things you can do - [When is The Right Time to Use Paid Advertising? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/right-time-for-paid-advertising/) - One of the most challenging aspects of digital marketing is paid advertising. Although digital advertising can be a powerful tool for businesses, the options can seem downright overwhelming. You might be asking yourself these questions: When does it make sense to use paid advertising? How do I determine which digital advertising channels will work best? - [What Are the Key Elements of a Marketing Strategy? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/key-elements-of-marketing-strategy/) - If you spend any time on the social web, you’ll often find consultants and agencies batting around the word “strategy”. Because the word strategy gets used so frequently, it seems the meaning behind it has been watered down. Simply calling something a strategy doesn’t make it one. Increasing revenue is not a strategy. Starting a - [What the Heck is Growth Hacking? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/what-is-growth-hacking/) - In the past couple of years, you’ve likely seen the phrase “growth hacking” pop up more and more in marketing and business conversations. You might be wondering — what the heck is growth hacking anyway? Is growth hacking just a fancy way to describe marketing? Or, is it a fad? Why should I even care - [Top 11 Marketing Pet Peeves {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-pet-peeves/) - I'm typically not someone who likes to go on a rant in a blog post. I think most rants feel like an excuse to beat up on someone disguised as blogger therapy. But today, I'm making an exception to my anti-rant rule - and for good reason. I want to help you. Stan and I - [The 5 Biggest Changes in Blogging in the Past 5 Years](https://flybluekite.com/5-biggest-blogging-changes/) - Last week, marked the fifth anniversary of the Blue Kite Marketing website and blog. And, a lot has changed since then. Not only have I gotten better as a blogger (just check out my first post for proof), but also the blogosphere itself has changed dramatically. The practice of blogging has grown up. Blogging has - [How to Get More Blog Subscribers {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/get-more-blog-subscribers/) - Every business wants more blog readers and website traffic. But, many ignore the single best thing they can do to grow their audience and readership — focus on growing your list of email subscribers. Your email subscribers are a far more engaged and valuable audience than your social media connections. Yup, I said it. Your - [How to Promote Your Business Without Becoming a Used Car Salesman](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-sell-without-becoming-a-used-car-salesman/) - A lot of entrepreneurs and business leaders have a tough time selling themselves. They don't want to sound like a used car salesman who is constantly peddling the latest deal on the lot. And, because overselling is so rampant on the social web, businesses often get gun-shy about touting their services for fear of being - [Do Blog Comments Still Matter for Businesses Today? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/do-blog-comments-matter/) - In the early days of blogging, success was often measured by the number of comments you received on a blog post. But, as the blogosphere has matured, the volume and value of blog comments has shifted a bit. After all, there is more blog content available to us than ever before, which can hinder how - [How to Create Emails That Get Opened and Read {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/create-emails-that-get-opened/) - Don’t let the gurus fool you — email marketing is not dead. It continues to be one of the most effective forms of digital marketing today. However, email marketing has changed dramatically in recent years. In fact, what worked a year or two ago might no longer work today. How To Get Your Emails Opened - [Should You Ever Write Off-Topic Content for Your Industry Blog?](https://flybluekite.com/write-off-topic-content/) - One of the biggest challenges with content marketing is regularly coming up with engaging topics that keep readers interested. If you’re a service business or a B2B company, it might be difficult to stay on topic — especially if your industry is relatively boring. But, does that mean you should expand your topics to write - [Is Google Plus Still Relevant for Your Business? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/is-google-plus-relevant/) - For the past four years, Google has invested heavily in Google Plus in an attempt to dethrone Facebook in the social media space. Although Google Plus managed to create pockets of extremely engaged users, the social network never gained mainstream popularity. And now, in the past few months, Google has begun dismantling much of the - [Limited Marketing Budget? Here’s Where to Spend Your Money](https://flybluekite.com/limited-marketing-budget/) - In recent weeks, I’ve had several conversations with people who want to know where they should spend their limited marketing budget. These folks know they need to market their business, but they are short on staff, resources and budget. If you’re a startup, non-profit or if sales are down at your company, I’m betting this - [Should You Outsource Your Blog? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/outsource-your-blog/) - Do you want to improve the quality and consistency of your blog, but don’t know how? If so, this post is for you! - [How Grassroots Marketing Can Help Grow Your Business {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/grassroots-marketing/) - What is grassroots marketing? Does it make sense for your business? Learn about the power of building a community + using fans and ambassadors to spread the word about your brand. - [Periscope vs. Meerkat: What Marketers Should Know About Live-Streaming Video](https://flybluekite.com/periscope-vs-meerkat-live-streaming-video/) - It’s unlikely that Periscope and Meerkat will both survive. Who will come out on top? Although there isn’t a simple answer, we’ve compiled some of the key advantages to each app to help you decide. - [How to Get More Referrals for Your Business {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/get-more-referrals/) - If you do nothing else, referral marketing is the one tactic you should include in your marketing plan. - [Should Your Business Advertise in the Yellow Pages? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/yellow-pages-advertising/) - Yes, you read that right. You're on a digital marketing blog and we're talking about advertising in the yellow pages today. Why? Believe it or not, we still get asked about traditional marketing methods such as advertising in the yellow pages. Because as long as the yellow pages still exists, there will be salesmen going - [Should You Hire A Digital Marketing Agency?](https://flybluekite.com/when-to-hire-a-marketing-agency/) - Many larger companies are opting to leave their agency relationships behind in favor of building their own marketing team. But, there are still plenty of times where it does make sense to bring in a marketing agency for your business. - [Top Marketing Tools for Your Business {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/top-marketing-tools-for-your-business/) - Regular readers of the blog know that I regularly beat the drum for marketing strategy. Building a marketing strategy must always come before you dive into the tactics. But, once you have that strategy in place, it's your job to figure out the best way to implement it. And that's where marketing tools come in. - [Do You Have a Marketing Problem or a Business Problem?](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-problem-or-business-problem/) - Marketing might make your business look better for a while, but eventually, people will discover that your pretty marketing is covering up a lousy product. That’s why it’s important to identify your problem first before you can enlist the proper help for your organization. - [How to Turn Content into Customers {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/turn-content-into-customers/) - Did you know there are actually some ways you can monetize your content directly? This week, Stan and I discuss how your content can actually be a tool for driving direct revenue for your business. - [Search Engine Optimization: 3 Ways to Make Sure Your Content Ranks Well](https://flybluekite.com/optimize-your-website/) - Do you want to rank well on Google search results, but don’t know how to make that happen? We break it down to show you that SEO doesn’t have to be quite so complicated! - [How to Come Up with 50 Blog Post Ideas in 15 Minutes](https://flybluekite.com/50-blog-post-ideas-in-15-minutes/) - The biggest hurdle to writing blog posts is getting started. It’s incredibly daunting to sit down, stare at a blank page on your screen and come up with something to write. The cursor mocks you with its incessant blinking just daring you to come up with something to say. And the longer you try to - [Getting Started with Social Media Advertising {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-advertising/) - This episode will help you better understand how social media advertising works and give you some pointers on how to get started. That way, you can determine whether social media advertising makes sense for your business. - [How to Use Social Media to Jumpstart Your Website Traffic {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/how-social-media-can-drive-website-traffic/) - You know that social media can be a good option for spreading the word about your content, but how do you do it? How do you use social media to drive people to your website? That’s the question we tackle in the latest episode of The Marketing Huddle. - [5 Tips To Make Your Visual Content Pop](https://flybluekite.com/make-your-visual-content-pop/) - Today the best content is rich with striking photos and graphics, not just because they look great (which they do), but because they work. - [How to Create Better Blog Content in Less Time {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/better-blogging-in-less-time/) - What if you could find a way to produce better content faster? If you’ve been searching for those answers, look no further. This episode of The Marketing Huddle Podcast is chock full of tangible, practical tips for better, faster blogging. - [How to Effectively Repurpose Your Content for Maximum Results {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/repurpose-your-content/) - Content repurposing. Although it’s a marketing buzzword, the concept behind it is solid. Essentially, it means you are taking one piece of content and using it several different ways. - [Marketing Measurement: How to Make Sense of Your Marketing Numbers {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-measurement-how-to-make-sense-of-your-marketing-numbers-podcast/) - Do you struggle with measuring your marketing efforts? Do analytics and numbers make your head spin? If so, you’re not alone! In episode 4 of The Marketing Huddle, Laura and Stan go in depth to teach you how to measure your marketing numbers. - [How to Create Valuable Content for Your Sales Team {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/create-valuable-content-for-your-sales-team/) - Let’s be honest. Marketing and sales don’t always get along. Yes, marketing should absolutely help drive sales, but the sales team doesn’t always see it that way. The sales team wants to see actual results — real, qualified leads that can turn into business for the company - not just weak numbers about impressions, reach - [How to Respond to a PR Crisis: What to Do When Marketing Goes Way Wrong](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-respond-to-a-pr-crisis/) - Last week, a Nashville real estate company found themselves in hot water after sending out a controversial mailer. It featured the line, “East Nashville. More neighbor than hood.” Even if you don’t live in Nashville or know anything about the East Nashville community, you might be able to see how that line could be offensive - [Marketing Planning: The People, Budget & Tools You Need for Success {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-planning/) - There are two big keys to successful marketing — building a rock solid marketing strategy and then persistently following through with it. As I said in yesterday's post, the companies that succeed are the ones that follow through on the execution and do it better than everyone else. While that sounds incredibly simple, it’s anything - [The Next Big Thing in Social Media (Hint: It’s Not What You Think)](https://flybluekite.com/the-next-big-thing/) - When it comes to new social media channels, marketers aren’t typically the first to sign up. Instead, they wait and see. There are dramatically more marketing channels available to us today than ever before and it takes considerable resources to master what we already have available to us. Chasing the next big thing only distracts us from our goals and strategy. - [Introducing the Marketing Huddle: a Show Geared to Up Your Marketing Game](https://flybluekite.com/introducing-the-marketing-huddle/) - Marketers, entrepreneurs and business owners have a tough gig today. You’re on the line each and every day to find ways to promote your business to build awareness and drive revenue. The challenge is that the marketing landscape is changing faster than ever and it can be difficult to keep up with the trends. With - [3 Ways Content Marketing Can Be Your Most Powerful Sales Tool](https://flybluekite.com/content-marketing-most-powerful-sales-tool/) - If you’re going to invest the time and money in content marketing, you’d better make sure it’s actually supporting your sales team and driving revenue for your business. Not sure how to do that? Here are a few ways that content marketing can support the efforts of your sales team and ultimately, drive more business for your company. - [10 Reasons Why Your Marketing Efforts Fail](https://flybluekite.com/why-marketing-efforts-fail/) - Marketing can be incredibly powerful for businesses. When done right, marketing can boost awareness for your brand, position your company as the perfect solution for prospective customers and ultimately, drive leads and sales. But, the hard truth is that marketing doesn’t always work. Marketing is not a magic wand or silver bullet. There are plenty - [How Much Should Your Business Budget for Marketing?](https://flybluekite.com/business-marketing-budget/) - One of the most common questions I get from companies is about marketing budget — especially from companies who have never spent a dime on marketing before. How much is enough? What should I spend on marketing to get the desired results? If you’re looking for an easy answer, there isn’t one. [Tweet - [How to Win the Battle for Attention with Ryan Hanley {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-win-the-battle-for-attention-ryan-hanley/) - One of the biggest challenges for today’s businesses is how to stand out in a digital marketplace that’s crowded and noisy. Not to mention, the landscape is constantly shifting. What worked a few years ago — or even a few months ago — might not work anymore. So, how to do you stay ahead of - [6 Valuable Social Media Lessons to Help You Drive Success](https://flybluekite.com/valuable-social-media-lessons-to-drive-success/) - When I talked to a social media class at Belmont last week, I shared my social media journey. It was fun to look back at where I started with social media and how it has helped me get to where I am today. Here is my story: I started actively using social media while working - [Erik Qualman Discusses How Social Media is Changing (And The One Thing That Hasn’t)](https://flybluekite.com/erik-qualman-discusses-how-social-media-is-changing/) - Whether or not you’ve heard of Erik Qualman, chances are good you’ve seen his incredibly popular Socialnomics videos. In these videos, Erik took complex world of social media and broke it down into a three-minute lesson that succinctly explained the power of this new medium. I know I’ve used Erik’s videos on many occasions — - [3 Guiding Principles for 2015](https://flybluekite.com/guiding-principles-2015/) - Happy 2015! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that your year is off to a great start! Unfortunately, this year has started a little slow for me. I’m a week behind with this since I spent the first week of the year with a sinus infection. But, I’m back and ready to - [Top 10 Digital Marketing Blog Posts of 2014](https://flybluekite.com/top-10-digital-marketing-blog-posts-2014/) - One of the things I love to do this time of year is take a look back at the work we’ve done — including the content we’ve published on this blog. What kind of content did you like most? Which posts were shared the most on social networks? Which got the most traffic or generated - [Top 20 Digital Marketing Blogs of 2014](https://flybluekite.com/top-digital-marketing-blogs-2014/) - On a fairly regular basis, I get asked about what digital marketing blogs I’m reading — by my team, colleagues, students and more. Although I’ve got roughly 100 blogs I’ve subscribed to via Feedly (and I read even more through Triberr, Twitter feeds and the like), I’ve got a handful of blogs that I read - [Share Your Feedback in our 2014 Reader Survey](https://flybluekite.com/2014-reader-survey/) - We are always looking for ways to improve our blog and the content we provide for you. We want to make sure the Blue Kite Marketing blog is meeting your needs and that it is a go-to resource for your digital marketing needs. To do that, we need your help! We want to learn more - [6 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2015](https://flybluekite.com/2015-digital-marketing-trends/) - As we’re sprinting to the end of the year, it’s only natural to look ahead to see what might be in store for digital marketing in 2015. Although I don’t have a crystal ball or magic wand (wouldn’t that be nice?), I have a few ideas about marketing trends to watch in 2015. Whether you’ve - [How to Create Your 2015 Content Marketing Plan {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/2015-content-marketing-plan/) - I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to believe that it’s December and that we’re less than one month away from 2015. Crazy, right? With 2015 right around the corner, it’s important to have your content marketing plan ready to go to start the year off right. If you still don’t know what next - [The Importance of Gratitude](https://flybluekite.com/importance-of-gratitude/) - Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away and if you’re like me, you’re finding it hard to concentrate and focus on your work. That’s why instead of a regular blog post with digital marketing tips, I wanted to take a step back and record a special video for you to share what I’m thankful - [How to Get Your Content Noticed {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-get-your-content-noticed/) - Content marketing can be an incredibly effective way to promote your business. However, if no one is reading or viewing your content, it does little good for your company. But that’s the reality that many businesses are facing today. As more and more businesses are jumping on the content marketing trend, it can be harder - [4 Creative Ways to Get on a Reporter’s Radar](https://flybluekite.com/4-creative-ways-get-reporters-radar/) - Reporters have a hard job. TV reporters walk into the newsroom at 9 a.m. and have to report on a story and have it on the air by 5 or 6 p.m. — and that’s if they have the day shift and aren’t waking up at 3 a.m. Newspaper reporters have to juggle daily deadlines - [What the Heck is Content Marketing Anyway? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/what-is-content-marketing/) - As a digital marketer, I throw around the "content marketing" term all day long. But, if you don't work in the space, it may sound like a confusing marketing buzzword that has left you scratching your head. It doesn't help that there are tons of definitions out there for content marketing. That's why in this - [One Simple Question That Will Help You Write Stronger Blog Posts](https://flybluekite.com/one-question-to-write-stronger-blog-posts/) - If you’re new to blogging, it can be challenging to get started. Perhaps you don’t know what to write or you struggle to find the time to make it happen. And, if you have figured those things out, perhaps you’ve had trouble getting traction with your posts. You’ve poured a ton of energy into writing - [Should Your Business Avoid Social Media? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/should-business-avoid-social-media/) - Despite running a digital marketing agency that actively encourages companies to use social media, I still believe there are times that it doesn’t make sense for businesses to use social media. The harsh reality is that not every business is a fit for social. So, how do you know if social media makes sense for - [Which Social Media Networks are Worth Your Time?](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-networks-worth-your-time/) - Do you struggle with determining which social media networks are worth your time? You’re not alone. When building a social media plan, deciding which social media channels to focus on is one of the important steps you must take — whether you’re just starting out or you’re evaluating your existing efforts. After all, you - [How Cause Marketing Can Boost Your Brand](https://flybluekite.com/cause-marketing/) - Are you starting to see pink everywhere — even in places you would never expect? Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I'm sure you've seen pink ribbons on food items, apparel, sports equipment and even on NFL uniforms. Why do so many products have pink ribbons on them, and claim to donate a part - [6 Steps to Becoming a Thought Leader in Your Industry](https://flybluekite.com/becoming-a-thought-leader/) - When we build marketing strategies for our clients, one approach we often recommend is building thought leadership. In other words, we tell many of our clients that the pathway to business growth and success is to position you and your company as an industry expert. And, because we work with many B2B and service-based businesses, - [The Best Editorial Calendar Planner for WordPress](https://flybluekite.com/best-editorial-calendar-planner-for-wordpress/) - Building an editorial calendar for your blog is an essential component to your content marketing efforts. It gives you a framework for your content and helps you stay on track with your schedule. However, the problem is that there hasn't been a good solution for building and managing this process. For years, I’ve been looking - [Should You Change Your Social Media Strategy? {Podcast}](https://flybluekite.com/change-your-social-media-strategy/) - I’ve got some big news for you today. I’m really excited to announce that I have joined my good friend, Stan Smith, as co-host on the Pushing Social Podcast! In addition to being a good friend and colleague, Stan is the founder and managing director of Pushing Social, a content marketing and social media consultancy. - [11 Ways to Repurpose Blog Content](https://flybluekite.com/repurpose-blog-content/) - If you’ve been blogging for a while, it can sometimes be daunting to continually come up with fresh, new content. And, after awhile, you start to feel like a broken record. Or, maybe you start to run out of ideas. But, here’s the thing. You know that content you wrote a few months (or even - [#BKPicks: 9 Awesome Business Logos & What Makes Them Great](https://flybluekite.com/blue-kite-picks-9-beautiful-effective-logos/) - This post is the first in a new series from the Blue Kite Marketing team, #BKPicks, in which we round up some of our all-time favorites. Recently, I have been helping a small non-profit arts organization aimed at children to develop a new logo. We looked at the logos of other similar organizations and realized - [The One Trait You Need to Win at Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/perseverance-in-marketing/) - Remember the famous fable about The Tortoise and the Hare? Here’s a recap in case you need a refresher. The speedy Hare challenges the slow Tortoise to a race. The Hare takes off like a lightening bolt and gets way ahead of the Tortoise. Confident he would win; the Hare decides to take a nap. - [6 Surefire Signs You Need a New Website](https://flybluekite.com/signs-you-need-new-website/) - It used to be that a website was little more than a digital brochure for your business. It gave basic information about your company and that was about it. But in today’s world, your website needs to be more than that. If you’re doing it the right way, it should be a dynamic place where - [6 Things You’ll Love About Our New Website](https://flybluekite.com/new-website-features/) - We don’t write about ourselves very often here — we try to keep the focus on ways we can help you can better market your business. However, it you haven’t noticed, we’ve got some new digs at Blue Kite Marketing! While our old site had served us well for almost four years, it was high - [Why the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Is Brilliant Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/ice-bucket-challenge-brilliant-marketing/) - By now, you’ve likely seen the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in your news feed on Facebook or Twitter. But, in case you’ve missed it, here’s the gist: Film a video of yourself getting doused with a bucket of ice water. Posts it on social media and then challenge three other people to do the same - [How to Build an Integrated Marketing Plan](https://flybluekite.com/integrated-marketing-plan/) - When companies call us for marketing help, typically they have one particular issue or pain point. Maybe they need a new website or collateral materials. Or, perhaps they want to get started with blogging and content marketing. Or, they’re looking to get some press for their work. Although they may in fact need those things, - [How to Uncover News Story Ideas at Your Organization](https://flybluekite.com/news-story-ideas/) - Of course you’re proud of your organization. Whether you’re a business owner, non-profit director or any kind of leader in your organization, you want to tell the world about the great work you do and you think media stories are the way to do it. But, just because you think something is worthy of being - [Answer One of These 30 Questions to Write Your Next Blog Post](https://flybluekite.com/blog-post-questions/) - Are you bored with your blog? Do you have the summer doldrums? Or, are you just having trouble coming up with blog post ideas? Whichever camp you might be in, we’ve got something for you today that might help. If you’ve ever been interviewed by a reporter or participated in a question and answer session, - [6 Do's and Don'ts of Reddit for Marketers](https://flybluekite.com/6-dos-donts-reddit-marketers/) - What if I told you there was a thriving social community on the web that had more than 114 million unique users last month? What if I told you that this community is made up of highly engaged young users who regularly make content go viral? What if I told you this platform is so - [10 Productivity Tips to Help You Work Smarter](https://flybluekite.com/productivity-tips/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was meeting with Danielle, one of our team members. During the course of the conversation, we got on the topic of productivity and how to be more efficient with our time. I’m far from a productivity expert. But, as a business owner, I’m constantly looking for ways to work - [How Facebook’s Outage Made Me Love Twitter Again](https://flybluekite.com/facebooks-outage-made-love-twitter/) - As many of you may know, Facebook experienced a major outage on Friday. And, as people tend to do, we flocked to other social networks to talk about it. In my case, I turned to Twitter to see what folks were saying. And I have to tell you, Twitter was the most fun it - [4 Ideas for More Effective Internal Communication](https://flybluekite.com/4-ideas-for-more-effective-internal-communication/) - Today, I bring you a post from another addition to our team, Jan Puckett Morrison. Imagine that you have a group of people within your sphere of influence who are interested in your business. They know what you do, want to hear your latest news, and may even get miffed when they miss out on - [Why You Might Not Need a Website After All](https://flybluekite.com/why-you-might-not-need-a-website/) - During the past several weeks, my husband and I have been in the process of selling our house and buying a new one. Thanks to help from our amazing Realtor, we opted to buy a new construction home from a local builder who primarily focuses on our neighborhood. When considering working with this builder, we - [How to Handle a Social Media Crisis: 5 Key Lessons From Kentucky Kingdom](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-crisis-kentucky-kingdom/) - Today, I bring you a post from one of our newest team members, Danielle Ali. As the mother of a 9-month-old kiddo, I run in a few "mommy" circles online. Plenty of conversations come and go every day, but recently one personal story sparked a social media showdown. A mother of four, Renee Villatoro, visited - [Content Curation: 3 New Tools To Discover & Share Content](https://flybluekite.com/content-curation-tools/) - Do you have trouble coming up with content to share on social networks? Or, are you stuck going to the same few content sources over and over? If so, you’re not alone. One of the biggest challenges for companies is finding good content to share on social networks. Many companies default to simply sharing their - [The Problem with Cheap Social Media Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/cheap-social-media-marketing/) - Recently, I was contacted by a local, small business looking for a company to handle their social media efforts. In other words, they wanted to outsource their entire social media program. This small business had previously hired a social media company to do this work for them for a few hundred dollars a month. And - [Why You Should Use Your Personal Social Media Profiles for Business](https://flybluekite.com/use-personal-social-media-profiles-business/) - The other day, I read an article on a legal industry blog about how personal social media engagement on Facebook trumps Twitter. The author shared an example about how he asked a question on Twitter and received only a couple of responses, despite having a large audience of 20,000 followers. He asked the same question - [5 Tips to Avoid Getting Ripped Off by Digital Marketing Scams](https://flybluekite.com/6280-2/) - [Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should](https://flybluekite.com/just-because-you-can/) - As a business owner, I make hundreds of decisions every day. Although some of them are big decisions that have a long-term impact on the company, most of them are much smaller. Should I take this meeting? Should I speak at this conference or event? Should I handle this client task or delegate it? And, - [No Time to Blog? 11 Tips to Create Content Faster](https://flybluekite.com/create-content-faster/) - An enduring complaint I hear from clients and colleagues is that they don’t have time to blog. Although many businesses see the benefits of it content marketing, they struggle with committing the time it takes to create content on a regular basis. The reality is that blogging can take a lot of time — especially - [7 Simple Tricks to Fuel Your Creativity](https://flybluekite.com/fuel-your-creativity/) - The other day, I was talking to a dear friend of mine who is passionately working to find a cure for her son, Bennett, who has cystic fibrosis. She spends a great deal of her time fundraising, coordinating CF walks, visiting DC to lobby for funding — you name it. Although she is incredibly passionate - [Stop Stealing Content: 4 Ways to Blog Without Being a Thief](https://flybluekite.com/stop-stealing-content/) - A client recently sent over a blog post for our review and editing. After taking a look at the article, it became clear that the majority of the content was lifted from another source. Although the client cited where they found the content, almost 90 percent of the blog post was blatantly copied from this - [Effective Business Communication: A Guide for New Grads](https://flybluekite.com/effective-business-communication/) - I know plenty of vibrant, mature and talented young people. However, I often encounter plenty of recent graduates that don’t know how to communicate properly in the business world. Effective business communication isn't really taught in college and sadly, it seems there are a lot of young people who need education on this. As thousands - [Everything is Marketing: Why Your Employees Should Think Like Marketers](https://flybluekite.com/everything-is-marketing/) - Several weeks ago, a client confessed to me the only marketing their company used to do was run an advertisement in the paper and then they would check “marketing” off their to-do list. Sadly, many companies think this way. They believe that marketing is a series of activities to cross off the list and call - [3 Business Lessons from Running a Marathon](https://flybluekite.com/business-lessons-running-marathon/) - It is no coincidence that I started my business the same year I started running. Not only is running good for me physically, but it gives me time to think and it’s a great stress reliever. Running also creates mental toughness. Every time I run a race, I learn valuable lessons that apply to both - [Marketing Your Business: Are You Fishing in the Right Pond?](https://flybluekite.com/fishing-in-the-right-pond/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was in a meeting with a group of entrepreneurs and business leaders. One of the entrepreneurs owns a creative shop that designs illustrations for the publishing industry. This business owner lamented that publishing is becoming an increasingly difficult area to find business. To diversify their portfolio and build a - [12 Presentation Tips That Will Help You Wow Your Audience](https://flybluekite.com/presentation-tips/) - Speaking to targeted groups is a great way to build awareness, showcase thought leadership and get in front of potential clients and customers. However, speaking only works well if you know how to deliver a powerful and engaging presentation. Earlier this week, I sat on a panel for Nashville’s PodCamp SpeakerUp. The gathering was intended - [Newsflash: PR Does Not Stand for Press Release](https://flybluekite.com/pr-does-not-stand-for-press-release/) - For my entire career, I’ve dealt with a common misconception as it relates to public relations. Far too often companies believe that public relations — and media relations in particular — is synonymous with creating and sending press releases. There’s this perception that if a company has news, one simply writes a press release, sends - [Create a Simple Social Media Plan in 5 Steps](https://flybluekite.com/simple-social-media-plan/) - Although social media is no longer in its infancy, there are still businesses that have yet to get on board. Before companies get started with social media, it’s important to lay the proper foundation for your efforts. However, creating a social media plan doesn’t have to be a herculean effort. Asking some simple questions - [What Happens if You Succeed?](https://flybluekite.com/what-happens-if-you-succeed/) - Yesterday, I walked down to my favorite coffee shop and had a conversation with one of the baristas — something that has become harder for me to do since the shop continues to grow in popularity. In this rare lull in the shop, the barista was telling me that they had been recently been approached - [How to Build an Effective Blog Team](https://flybluekite.com/build-an-effective-blog-team/) - Creating content for your company blog can be challenging — especially if you only have one or two people fueling the content. That’s why there’s tremendous benefit to building a multi-author blog. Not only does it reduce the workload for staffers, it also broadens your company’s viewpoints and reach. But, how do you get started? - [How to Encourage Your Team to Blog](https://flybluekite.com/encourage-your-team-to-blog/) - If you are leading the content marketing efforts for your team, chances are good you’ve encountered a common frustration — getting your team to blog. You’re constantly pleading for blog posts, but no one wants to chip in and help out. While you can certainly outsource your blog content, your team will always be the - [7 Obstacles Standing in the Way of Business Success](https://flybluekite.com/business-obstacles/) - When it comes to business, sometimes, the most important tips are the simplest ones. For instance, if you want marketing success you simply need to focus on what works instead of chasing after shiny objects or magic bullets. However, that’s often easier said than done. As a digital marketing agency, we’re problem solvers. It’s our - [Is Social Media Making You Fat, Lazy and Stupid?](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-making-you-stupid/) - I love social media. I really do. And yet, despite all of the positive aspects — both personally and professionally — I often wonder if social media is making us fat, lazy and dumb. In a lot of ways, social media is a lot like junk food — it’s incredibly addicting and much of the - [Are You Delivering on Your Brand Promise?](https://flybluekite.com/brand-promise/) - I’m not a regular Publix shopper. But last week, I needed to pick up a birthday cake and Publix was the closest option. Not to mention, they have an excellent bakery. The friend we were celebrating likes strawberry cake with strawberry icing. But since I was short on time, I was just going to grab - [10 Steps to Building More Effective Blog Posts](https://flybluekite.com/building-effective-blog-posts/) - Whether you’re new to blogging or just getting started, you want your efforts to be effective and worthwhile. Although creating compelling content is a large part of that, how you present the information on your blog can contribute greatly to your success. Yes, the content itself is important. But, if it’s not presented in the - [Should You Ditch the Traditional News Release?](https://flybluekite.com/ditch-the-news-release/) - The other day, I read an interesting blog post about how Shareaholic has ditched news releases in favor of announcing news on their blog. In their post, they make the case for blog post announcements, which include everything from SEO and traffic benefits to storytelling and engagement. While I’m definitely on board with using a - [14 Simple Ways to Show Customers the Love](https://flybluekite.com/customer-appreciation/) - In case you’ve missed the incessant jewelry commercials or red and pink candy aisle at the grocery store, Friday is Valentine’s Day. But this holiday is not just a time to send your friends and loved ones some candy and flowers. Valentine’s Day is a good reminder to show your customers some love too. After - [7 Steps to Dominate Search Results for Your Brand](https://flybluekite.com/dominate-search-results-for-your-brand/) - Last week, I received a Google alert for my name. It turns out, I share a name with a convicted robber in Virginia who was just sentenced to 10 years in prison. Clearly, that wasn’t me. Although my friends and colleagues know that, someone who was looking to do business with me might raise an - [Why Entrepreneurs Need Sick Days Too](https://flybluekite.com/entrepreneurs-need-sick-days/) - Last year, to mark my one-year anniversary as a full-time entrepreneur, I wrote a blog post outlining some of the top business lessons I’ve learned along the way. Although I’ve got some new lessons I could add to that list as I celebrate my two-year anniversary, I realize how much I’m still growing and improving - [Why Google’s Stance on Guest Blogging is Actually a Good Thing](https://flybluekite.com/googles-stance-guest-blogging-actually-good-thing/) - If you’re in the digital marketing space, you’ve likely heard the hullabaloo about the changes coming to Google that will affect guest blogging. Matt Cutts, head of Google’s webspam team, said this on his blog last week: “Okay, I’m calling it: if you’re using guest blogging as a way to gain links in 2014, you - [How to Stick to Your Blogging Schedule](https://flybluekite.com/stick-to-your-blogging-schedule/) - One of the biggest reasons company blogs fail is lack of consistency. Blogs that only publish once in a blue moon are going to have a tough time gaining momentum and building an audience. Most businesses have the best of intentions and everyone is excited at the start. However, after a couple of months, the - [What We Can Learn About Branding from Richard Sherman](https://flybluekite.com/branding-lessons-from-richard-sherman/) - If you watched Sunday’s football game between the 49ers and Seahawks, you likely saw the game-winning play where Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman deflects a pass to the end zone to 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree. The play thwarted the 49ers attempt to take the lead with mere seconds left in the game and now the Seahawks - [Get Noticed: 6 Ways to Create Content That Stands Out](https://flybluekite.com/content-that-gets-noticed/) - Ever feel overwhelmed by all of the content available to you? The relentless stream of status updates and blog posts can be daunting. It’s not surprising that we feel this way. After all, there are more than 2 million blog posts are written every day, more than 100 billion pieces of content shared on Facebook - [Native Advertising: Brave New Marketing Channel or Destroyer of Journalism?](https://flybluekite.com/native-advertising/) - My prediction for the marketing buzzword of the year? Native advertising. Although this trend has been bubbling to the surface for the past couple of years, I believe 2014 is when this trend really takes off. Why? Just last week, the New York Times ran it’s first native advertising segment on its website. Because The - [Should You Give Up on Your Brand Page After Facebook’s News Feed Changes?](https://flybluekite.com/facebooks-news-feed-change-affect-brand-page/) - Last month, Facebook made changes to its Edgerank algorithm that has caused many brand pages to see an incredible decrease in the organic reach of their posts. In an effort to improve the user experience, Facebook is demoting photo memes in favor of more “high quality content” in the News Feed. In other words, this - [3 Guiding Principles for 2014](https://flybluekite.com/guiding-principles-for-2014/) - Happy New Year! I hope that you had a happy and joy-filled holiday season and that you’re ready to take 2014 by storm. I know I am! Yesterday, I spent the day goal setting and making plans for 2014. It’s always refreshing and invigorating to look at the possibilities for the year to come! In - [Want to Achieve Success? Embrace Your Weirdness](https://flybluekite.com/embrace-your-weirdness/) - Ever seen the Christmas movie classic, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? If you’re like me, you’ve seen it dozens of times and you know the song and the plot by heart. I’ve never given the movie much thought until my mom brought it up the other day. Surprisingly, there’s a nice little piece of business - [Want to be a Better Content Marketer? Think Like a Journalist](https://flybluekite.com/be-a-better-content-marketer-think-like-a-journalist/) - This past weekend, my husband and I traveled to Atlanta to watch Mizzou take on Auburn for the SEC Championship. A few days prior to the game, I received an email from the Missouri Journalism School. The journalism students were offering full coverage of the game and offered up at least a dozen ways for - [13 Sizzling Blog Post Ideas to End the Year with a Bang](https://flybluekite.com/year-end-blog-post-ideas/) - Can it really be December already? It’s hard to believe that Christmas is only THREE weeks from today! Where has 2013 gone? With only a few weeks left in the year, you might be wondering how to wrap things up with your blog. Although this is a busy time of year, you shouldn’t let your - [Are We Seeing the Slow Death of Thanksgiving?](https://flybluekite.com/slow-death-of-thanksgiving/) - Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Or, have you noticed amongst the Christmas lights and Black Friday coupons? We have long lamented how Christmas has slowly overshadowed over Thanksgiving. The decorations go up earlier each year and the holiday TV ads show up on our screen just days after Halloween. Although Christmas has always crowded Thanksgiving, we - [No, the Client is NOT Always Right](https://flybluekite.com/client-is-not-always-right/) - The other day, a graduate student interviewed me for one of her classes. And, one of her questions was particularly interesting. She asked, “How do you deal with clients who don’t want to be told they are wrong?” I jokingly responded that I choose not to work with them! And, while I was somewhat kidding, - [Get New Customers Now: 10 Effective Ways to Attract Business in a Hurry](https://flybluekite.com/get-new-customers-now/) - As I’ve mentioned before, there are no magic bullets in marketing. It takes a well-thought-out marketing strategy implemented over time. However, as a business owner, sometimes you just really some quick wins. You can’t wait for six to 12 months to get where you want to be — you need to get new customers in - [Integrated Marketing: The Magic Formula for Success](https://flybluekite.com/integrated-marketing-magic-formula/) - Ever wondered how some businesses seem to achieve success overnight? A year ago, they may have been a company that no one has heard of and then all of the sudden that same business is everywhere you look — in the newspaper, on social media, on a billboard and from your friends. It’s mind-blowing, isn’t - [Essential Website Content Your Company Can’t Afford to Miss](https://flybluekite.com/essential-company-website-content/) - How often have you visited a website and you can’t find key pieces of information or even what a company is about? Unfortunately, I see this all the time. Last week, I talked about the essential elements for building a great company website, which included everything from great design and navigation to blogging and social - [10 Must-Have Components for a Great Company Website](https://flybluekite.com/must-have-components-great-company-website/) - I’ve been on a website kick lately. Maybe it’s because we’ve got a few redesign projects in the works (including our own site). Or, maybe it’s because I continually stumble upon companies without websites or sites that are done really poorly. As I’ve said before, a website is not a “nice-to-have” option anymore. In fact, - [Checklist: 5 Things You Need Before Hiring a Digital Marketing Firm](https://flybluekite.com/checklist-forhiring-a-digital-marketing-firm/) - A few weeks ago, I talked about the signs it might be time to hire a digital marketing firm. Although those signs ring true, that doesn’t mean that every company is ready for outside help. Understanding you need marketing help is certainly the first step in the process, but there are still a number of - [One Simple Question to Help Measure Marketing Effectiveness](https://flybluekite.com/measure-marketing-effectiveness/) - Return on investment and measurement are things we talk about a lot in the marketing world. And yet, it seems that businesses still struggle with determining the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. After all, marketing should help drive sales for your business. So, it helps to know if your marketing is contributing to leads and - [32 Creative Content Ideas to Fuel Your Social Media Efforts](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-content-ideas/) - One of the most common questions we receive about social media is “what should we share on our social networks?” Although businesses understand the value of social media, they struggle with how to use it. Last week, I talked about the reasons social media programs fail. Lack of content was at the top of the - [7 Reasons Why Social Media Isn't Working for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/why-social-media-isnt-working-for-your-business/) - When a business calls us looking for social media help, the company typically falls into one of two camps — either they don’t use social media and want to get started or they’ve been using social media for a while, but they’re not seeing any success. As more companies have realized the importance of social - [A No-Nonsense Guide to Successful Blogger Outreach](https://flybluekite.com/blogger-outreach/) - A couple of weeks ago, I received a guest post pitch from a young lady at a large, well-known digital marketing agency. She was requesting a guest post for her client. Sadly, her pitch was like most that end up in the trashcan — she didn’t address me personally, the grammar was shaky and she - [5 Reasons to Hire a Digital Marketing Agency](https://flybluekite.com/hire-a-digital-marketing-agency/) - Companies today realize that digital marketing can no longer be ignored. But many business owners are unsure how to tackle it. Should they do it themselves? Hire an employee to handle it or get some outside help? As you begin to plan for 2014, you wonder if now might be the time to finally hire - [7 Valuable Lessons from Three Years of Blogging](https://flybluekite.com/blogging-lessons/) - Three years ago today I officially launched Blue Kite Marketing. Although I had been building the foundation for my business months prior to this date, three years ago today marked the launch of the website and this very blog. Although I’m still working to grow and improve my blog, I’ve definitely come a long way - [Focus Your Marketing Efforts: Pick One Thing {Worksheet Included!}](https://flybluekite.com/focus-your-marketing-pick-one-thing/) - For some, getting started can be the toughest thing to do – especially if you have limited time or budget to make the work happen. - [Are You Guilty of Spray and Pray Social Media?](https://flybluekite.com/spray-and-pray-social-media/) - Lately, I’ve been bombarded with invites to connect on LinkedIn — many of which, come from people I don’t know. As growing numbers of people and businesses seeing more value in LinkedIn, people seem to be pouring more time into the social network. But, here’s the problem. Many people are using a “spray and pray” - [When is the Best Time to Post on Social Media?](https://flybluekite.com/best-time-to-post-on-social-media/) - Last week, I was conducting a social media training session and was asked a question that I regularly receive — “when is the best time to post on social media?” I told him exactly what I’ve told plenty of others: There is not a universally perfect time to post on social media. Instead, do what - [Could CRM Software Make Your Marketing More Effective?](https://flybluekite.com/crm-software-make-your-marketing-more-effective/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Mike Spalding. In case you haven’t heard the expression before, CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and CRM software is commonly used in larger businesses as a means of erm... managing customer relationships. But CRM software can be used very effectively by smaller businesses too - Businesses - [Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency? Build a Marketing Budget First](https://flybluekite.com/build-marketing-budget/) - When talking to a prospect, one of the first questions I ask is “what is your marketing budget?” Oftentimes, this question is met with an uncomfortable pause. And, before you know it, the conversation quickly turns into a game of poker. Many times, businesses flinch because they don’t have a marketing budget at all. Instead, - [Building a Company Website: Which Option is Right for You?](https://flybluekite.com/options-for-building-a-company-website/) - As I said in my blog post earlier this week, a company website is no longer option in today’s digital world. Although you might agree with this notion, building a website is easier said than done. If your company still doesn’t have a website, you might be overwhelmed by the options, unsure about how to - [Don’t Have a Company Website? 7 Reasons Why You Must Have One](https://flybluekite.com/why-you-need-a-company-website/) - Newsflash: You need a company website. If you don’t have one, it’s high time you start building one. NOW. I realize that it’s 2013 and this advice may sound like old news. And, it is. But, it’s amazing to me how often I discover businesses without a website. It used to be that websites were - [Should You Outsource Content Marketing?](https://flybluekite.com/outsource-content-marketing-efforts/) - Recently, I was talking to a client about their blogging efforts. Their team had been blogging for several months, but as time went on, their blogging has fizzled out as they have gone from a few posts a month to one every several weeks. This is a common scenario. Oftentimes, businesses have the best of - [What LetterLogic Can Teach You About Company Culture & Differentiation](https://flybluekite.com/letterlogic-company-culture-differentiation/) - Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of hearing Sherry Deutschmann, CEO of LetterLogic, speak at the Entrepreneur Center’s monthly coffee series. She shared the story of how she started her business, a lettershop company that prints and mails statements and invoices for companies. For seven years, Sherry worked for another lettershop company, but she - [9 Effective Ways to use Email Marketing for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/effective-email-marketing-for-business/) - As I was getting my haircut a couple of weeks ago, my fabulous stylist was telling me about the exciting things going on with his business. First, he’s going to an amazing conference where he and a select few stylists will be setting the trends for fall (so cool!). And, he’s relocating to a new - [Why Keeping Up With the Joneses Kills Your Marketing Efforts](https://flybluekite.com/keeping-up-with-joneses-kills-your-marketing-efforts/) - The other day, I was talking to a client and she was lamenting how there is a lot of “keeping up with the Joneses” in her industry. In other words, her company often looks to the marketing efforts of their competition and makes sure they are doing the same things. I hear this from businesses - [Do Marketers Need a Degree in Social Media?](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-degree/) - Last week, the University of Florida announced that it’s now offering an 18-month Master’s Degree Program in social media. This announcement is just the latest in the trend of colleges adding degree programs related to social media. I can see why colleges are adding social media to their curriculum, but do marketers really need an - [Why You Should Ditch Marketing Proposals for Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/ditch-marketing-proposals-for-strategy/) - When a company wants to hire a marketing firm or PR agency, traditionally, the process works something like this: Company decides they want to hire an agency to help them with digital marketing. Company asks agencies to write a proposal outlining their marketing recommendations & provide pricing to implement the campaign. Oftentimes, this happens through - [5 Reasons Why Most Email Marketing Messages Get Ignored](https://flybluekite.com/why-email-marketing-messages-get-ignored/) - As I was reviewing email marketing reports for a client, I looked into how the client’s numbers stacked up to others in their industry. MailChimp, the provider I typically use for my clients, analyzed more than 60,000 of their email campaigns and shared industry benchmarks for open rates, click rates and other data points. I - [The Most Underutilized Social Media Asset — Your Employees](https://flybluekite.com/employee-social-media-asset/) - When it comes to employee social media use at the workplace, the tendency is for companies to build restrictive usage policies to prevent mishaps. Although social media policies are incredibly important, many of them are built to limit or prevent employees from using social media instead of empowering them to use it effectively. In fact, - [How to Make the Leap from Side Hustle to Full-time Entrepreneur](https://flybluekite.com/from-side-hustle-to-full-time-entrepreneur/) - If you've been reading the blog for a while, you know that a little more than one year ago, I took the flying leap into full-time entrepreneurship. I quit my job, waved goodbye to “the man,” and ventured out on my own to build Blue Kite Marketing. That first day of freedom was certainly sweet. - [7 Handy Tools to Analyze Website Performance](https://flybluekite.com/tools-analyze-website-performance/) - When it comes to digital marketing, businesses are typically eager to get started with social media, digital advertising and other online marketing tactics. But before we can dive into any of that, we often need to take a step back and look at ways to optimize and improve the company’s website. After all, what good - [6 Top Reasons Your Guest Post Pitch is Getting Ignored](https://flybluekite.com/reasons-your-guest-post-pitch-is-getting-ignored/) - I’m a huge fan of guest blogging. It’s a great way to get in front of a new audience, establish authority for your brand and get some link juice to power your search engine rankings. As businesses have caught on to the power of guest blogging, publishers are receiving increased guest blog post requests. But, - [Planting the Right Seeds: What Farmers Can Teach You About Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/what-farmers-can-teach-you-about-marketing/) - One thing that many people don’t know about me is that I grew up on a farm. By looking at me, I suppose I don’t strike people as a small town girl who grew up working with hogs and walking beans. But, it’s true. And, I have plenty to stories to tell about it! But, - [Using Market Research Develop a Strong Brand Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/market-research/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Ray Nelson. * * * Conducting proper market research is vital to optimizing your company's marketing strategy. By conducting marketing research, you can ensure that your marketing campaigns are placing your brand in front of potential customers in the most efficient way possible. With the vast amount - [4 Key Steps for Small Businesses to Succeed with Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/small-businesses-social-media/) - A recent survey of small business owners shows that social media use is on the rise. According a report from Manta, 50 percent of small businesses are spending more time on social media than they did last year. Yet, that same survey revealed that 61 percent of small businesses owners are not seeing a return - [The Secret to Attracting New Customers](https://flybluekite.com/attracting-new-customers/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting my eye doctor for a routine exam. When I was giving her my updated contact information, she asked about what kind of work I do. Once I told her, she asked this: “How do you get business?” It’s a question I often get when I tell people - [4 Critical Website Mistakes That Kill Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/website-mistakes/) - When developing marketing plans for clients, an overhaul of their company website often tops the list of recommended tactics. Why? Because so many websites do a poor job of telling the company’s story and, ultimately, driving leads and sales for their business. And no, I’m not just talking about aesthetics. There are plenty of sites - [Why Marketing Strategy Must Come Before Tactics](https://flybluekite.com/marketing-strategy-before-tactics/) - When companies call us for marketing help, they are often looking for assistance with tactical projects. For instance, they want us to build a website, develop an email marketing campaign or help them get started with social media. Although those tactics can be very beneficial to businesses, what many companies really need is marketing strategy. - [4 Remarkable Customer Service Stories You Don’t Want to Miss](https://flybluekite.com/remarkable-customer-service-stories/) - As a marketer, it’s my job to spread the word about a company’s products or services and find ways to bring more money in the door. Oftentimes, that means focusing on how to retain the customers that you already have. After all, in many industries, it is far more expensive to go out and get - [3 Skills You Must Master if You Want a Career in Social Media Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/career-in-social-media-marketing/) - During the past few months, I’ve had a number of students ask me about what it takes to have a career in social media marketing. This came up again last week when I was speaking at the Social Slam conference in Knoxville. So, I thought it was high time I addressed this issue. And, because - [13 Tips for Getting Started with Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/getting-started-with-social-media/) - This past weekend, I attended Social Slam for the third straight year. This year was extra special because I had the distinct honor of joining the stage as a speaker! I was thrilled to participate in a panel discussion with Chris Craft, Kerry Gorgone and Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez about getting started with social media. We didn’t - [Brands Beware: The Problem With Content Mills & Cheap Outsourced Content](https://flybluekite.com/content-mills-cheap-outsourced-content/) - Now that businesses are starting to see the value in content marketing, we’ve entered a veritable content arms race where companies feel pressured to create more and more content. The problem is that many businesses are scrambling trying to figure out how to produce all of this content for the blogs and websites. To fill - [7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Website Today](https://flybluekite.com/improve-your-website/) - In today’s world, just having a website won’t cut it. Your website has to be worthy of attracting eyeballs and holding people’s attention. That’s a pretty tall order — especially if your website is littered with glaring problems. Earlier this week, I wrote a guest post for Spin Sucks about some of the biggest mistakes - [9 Ways to Clean Up Your Blog](https://flybluekite.com/clean-up-your-blog/) - Now that Spring is here (though, it doesn’t feel like it in Nashville), it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and engage in some spring cleaning for your marketing efforts. Last week, I offered up a spring cleaning checklist for your social media efforts. Today, we’re going to talk about ways to clean up your - [The Complete Social Media Spring Cleaning Checklist](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-spring-cleaning-checklist/) - Today is the first day of spring! Hooray! I’m very excited about the longer days and warmer weather just around the corner. But, with the arrival of spring, it means it’s also time to do some serious cleanup work. (And no, I’m not just talking about your office). If it’s been awhile since you’ve reviewed - [Why You Must Tie Social Media Measurement to Business Goals](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-measurement/) - One of the biggest problems I see with social media is that businesses expect it solve all of their marketing problems. But, unfortunately, social media is not a silver bullet. Social media needs to be integrated into your overall marketing efforts and align with company goals to be effective. A few months ago, I wrote - [6 Low-Cost Tools to Schedule Social Media Posts](https://flybluekite.com/schedule-social-media-posts/) - Let’s be honest. Social media can be a time consuming endeavor. It can easily eat up your whole day if you let it. But, you’ve got a business to run and you don’t have time to remember to sporadically send tweets or Facebook posts throughout the day. I hear you. That’s why I recommend scheduling - [One Social Media Conference You Don’t Want to Miss](https://flybluekite.com/social-slam/) - On April 4-5, I’ll be attending Social Slam, a digital media conference in Knoxville, Tenn., started by my friend and trusted colleague, Mark Schaefer. This is the third year for the event and I’ve not missed one yet. And, this year is extra special because I’ll be joining the stage! I will be participating in - [Why Email Autoresponders are Essential for Content Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/email-autoresponders/) - Let’s face it. Email marketing is not sexy. Because email has been around for so long, it’s an old-school marketing tactic that we tend to push to the back burner. In the marketing world, it’s far more exciting to talk about the latest social network or blogging tips that will help you drive more traffic - [Why You Should Develop (and Give Away) Premium Content](https://flybluekite.com/give-away-premium-content/) - For the past week, we’ve been talking about developing compelling content that helps you get noticed by your target audience and helps position you as an expert that people want to do business with. Today, we’re going to take that one step further and talk about ways you can (and should) be giving away premium - [7 Simple Ideas to Make Your Content More Visual](https://flybluekite.com/create-visual-content/) - When is the last time you got excited by reading a long chunky swath of text on your computer? If you’re like most people in today’s digital age, you’re turned off by walls of text. And, the proof is in the numbers. For example, photos on Faceobok are liked two times more than text updates - [7 Ways to Integrate Video into Your Content Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/integrate-video-content-into-marketing/) - In today’s world, website visitors are hungry and less patient. They want the information presented to them quickly and without much effort to consume. That’s why video can be so effective. It’s also the way a lot of people learn. So using helps expand your appeal instead of just providing text. Let’s look at some - [Why Content Marketing is So Powerful for Business](https://flybluekite.com/content-marketing-powerful-for-business/) - During the past couple of weeks, I’ve talked a lot about content marketing. And, for good reason. I firmly believe that 2013 is the year of content marketing. Although the concept of content marketing has been around for a long time, we’re finally reaching a place where it’s becoming mainstream in the digital space. Blogging - [Has Social Media Marketing Lost its Luster?](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-marketing-decline/) - According to a joint report from Econsultancy and Adobe released last week content marketing is the number one priority for marketers in 2013. The report states that 39 percent of client-side marketers worldwide identified content marketing as their top priority this year. Although content marketing barely edged out social media engagement in terms of priorities, - [Why You Should Write Handwritten Notes](https://flybluekite.com/handwritten-note/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Drew Blanc. * * * I’m not afraid to admit it. I’m an addict. I should be forced to sit down at a twelve step meeting and awkwardly introduce myself to others jonesing for the written word. We should be sitting in a circle staring at - [The Most Unexpected Benefit to Blogging](https://flybluekite.com/unexpected-benefit-blogging/) - Today, I'm absolutely thrilled to bring you a blog post from Troy Von Haefen of Von Haefen Financial Management. In full disclosure, Troy is a client of mine and, I'm a client of his. He approached me with this blog post after he continues to see the benefits of his blog. I hope you will - [Stuck on the Same Blog Topic? 6 Ways to Give it a New Twist](https://flybluekite.com/same-blog-topic-new-twist/) - Have you ever sat down to write a blog post only to realize after a few paragraphs that you’ve written something similar only months before? If you’ve been blogging for any length of time, chances are good this has happened to you. In fact, it happened to me yesterday. And, when I flippantly tweeted it, - [Is Content Marketing No Longer Effective?](https://flybluekite.com/content-marketing-no-longer-effective/) - For the past few years, marketers have extolled the benefits of content marketing. And, for good reason. Thanks to the internet, businesses have the opportunity to talk directly to customers by publishing their own content instead of having to rely on a third party (such as a publication or media channel) to do so. Because - [How to Manage Your Social Presence in One Hour a Day](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-management/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from post from Maikel Vanhees. * * * Over the past months I noticed a trend among the small businesses we work with at Likify; they know social marketing is important but they don't have the time to execute their strategy on a daily basis. For those of - [The Importance of High Touch in a High-Tech World](https://flybluekite.com/high-touch-high-tech-world/) - The other day, I received a form letter in the mail from my life insurance company. It was the exact same letter I’ve received once or twice a year for the past few years. The letter starts out by calling me a “valued client” and goes on to suggest that my financial advisor can help - [How to Create Better Email Opt-In Forms](https://flybluekite.com/email-marketing-opt-in-forms/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Diane Vukovic. * * * You can have stellar subject lines and interesting content for your email marketing campaign, but it is going to be pointless if you don’t have anyone to send emails to! That is why the most important part of any successful email - [Why Strong Branding Matters to Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/strong-branding/) - Branding is perhaps one of the most misunderstood terms in the business world. Most people think of it as a logo. And, while that’s certainly part of what makes a brand, it isn’t the only thing. Branding is the personality and heartbeat of your business. It’s what makes you different (us marketing folks call this - [10 Practical Tips to Help You Maintain Your Blogging Schedule](https://flybluekite.com/maintain-blogging-schedule/) - Whether you’re just getting started with your blog or if you’ve been blogging for a while, you’ve likely encountered the challenge of blogging consistency. Blogging is a time-consuming endeavor. And while many businesses understand the value of blogging, they have a tough time sticking with their schedule despite having the best of intentions. If blog - [5 Common SEO Mistakes Small Businesses Should Avoid](https://flybluekite.com/common-seo-mistakes/) - Today, I bring you a guest post written by William Steward. * * * There are some SEO mistakes made time and time again by small businesses that I come across. In this article I cover five of the biggest, all of which can have a huge, negative impact on a business’ search engine rankings. - [How to Build a Marketing Plan for 2013](https://flybluekite.com/2013-marketing-plan/) - Everyone has heard the tale of the cobbler’s kids. Even though the cobbler makes shoes all day for other people, his children go barefoot because they have no shoes. This is a pretty common scenario in service-based businesses. You spend so much time helping your clients, that you leave little room for tending to the - [3 Guiding Principles for 2013](https://flybluekite.com/guiding-principles-2013/) - Happy New Year! I hope you had a fantastic holiday season and that you’re ready to rock 2013! I’m especially pumped about 2013 because I have nearly one year of fulltime entrepreneurship under my belt and I’m excited to have a full calendar year to take my business to the next level. In addition to - [10 Most Popular Posts of 2012 and What You Can Learn From Them](https://flybluekite.com/popular-posts-2012/) - There’s no doubt about it, 2012 has been a pretty spectacular year for me. This year, I quit my day job to fully launch Blue Kite Marketing and it’s been a thrilling ride so far. I’ve been blessed to work with a fantastic line-up of clients and I've enjoyed the opportunity to engage with wonderful - [6 Basic Steps to Help Improve Your Website’s SEO](https://flybluekite.com/improve-website-seo/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Emma-Julie Fox. Contrary to what many would have you believe, small businesses can get attention and love from search engines without making a huge dent in their pockets. The solution lies in creating the right mix of DIY and outsourced online marketing. Although your business may - [Why Popularity on Social Media Doesn’t Equal Success](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-popularity-doesnt-equal-success/) - Ever since childhood, we’ve strived for popularity. We want to hang out with the cool kids, avoid getting picked last for that game of kickball and get invited to all the fun slumber parties. The value of popularity is been something that’s been engrained in our psyche throughout our entire lives. But as kids, we - [7 Tips to Help You Grow Your Blog in 2013](https://flybluekite.com/grow-your-blog/) - Ask any blogger and they will all agree this one simple truth — blogging is hard work. Sure, many bloggers love to write (like I do). But, it still takes a lot of time and effort to come up with ideas, write content, vet guest posts, find photos and keep the technical aspects of the - [7 Business Lessons from Running My First Marathon](https://flybluekite.com/business-lessons-first-marathon/) - On Sunday, I ran my very first marathon while visiting my sister in Florida for Thanksgiving. I started running three years ago and after running four half marathons, I decided it was time to tackle a full one. In case you’re wondering, yes, I’m still unbelievably sore and hobbling around like an 80-year-old woman. But, - [Who Can You Thank Today?](https://flybluekite.com/who-can-you-thank-today/) - Today, is my 200th blog post. And, I think it’s pretty darn fitting that it falls on Thanksgiving week. You see, when I look back on the past three years of blogging, one of the first words to pop into my head is “thankful”. It’s been a long journey to get where I am today - [In Defense of Twitter Follower Count](https://flybluekite.com/defending-twitter-follower-count/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Stephen Forman. * * * For years, I've watched in bemused silence the attacks levied against Twitter follower count - It's a poor gauge of social net worth. It's a lazy metric that is easily gamed. It's been supplanted by dozens of newer, more telling data points. - [Why You Shouldn’t Dismiss “Old School” Marketing Tactics](https://flybluekite.com/traditional-marketing-tactics/) - A little over a year ago, my husband launched his new law firm. As we were discussing ways to market his business, we decided to invest in advertising on the cover of the local yellow pages. Crazy move? Not even close. In fact, in looking at where Garth’s business came from this past year, the - [Are You Chickening Out With Your Blog?](https://flybluekite.com/chickening-out-with-your-blog/) - As I’ve been looking back at my blog posts this year, I’ve noticed that some of my post popular posts — from a traffic, commenting and social sharing perspective — have been when I took a stand on an issue. One example is when I called attention to the problem with so-called social media “gurus” - [How to Get Small Business Emails Noticed During the Holidays](https://flybluekite.com/get-emails-noticed-holidays/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Dayne Shuda. (And no, it's not too early to start thinking about holiday marketing!) * * * In 2011, top retailers sent an average of 22 promotional emails to their subscribers in December. The number of emails sent in November and December last year was up 20% - [Is Facebook no Longer a Viable Option for Small Businesses?](https://flybluekite.com/facebook-no-longer-viable-option-for-small-businesses/) - If you own a Facebook page for your business, you’ve likely noticed a dramatic shift in the level of reach and interaction on your page in recent months. Why is this happening? Facebook is looking to generate revenue through promoted posts. Ever since this feature was introduced this spring, the reach of individual posts has - [5 Examples of Excellent Email Marketing Campaigns](https://flybluekite.com/excellent-email-marketing-campaigns/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Jaime Brugueras. * * * Online marketers, business people and SEO experts like to kick around ideas just to get a rise out of people sometimes. A popular claim that get readers stirred up is that “email marketing is dead.” This really riles other marketers’ feathers and - [Why Syndicated Content is Bad for Your Business Blog](https://flybluekite.com/syndicated-content-bad-for-business-blog/) - While working on a competitive analysis for a law firm client, I came across an alarming trend — many of the competitor’s blogs had strikingly similar content that riffed on local news stories. When exploring this a little bit further, it seemed that many of the firm’s competitors used syndicated content from the same industry - [How to Use Social Media to Get More Testimonials for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-testimonials/) - It’s no secret that testimonials are powerful tools for businesses. It's a great way to demonstrate your company's expertise and show that people trust doing business with you. But now, instead of just getting testimonials the old fashioned way, you can use social media to get testimonials faster and get those recommendations in front of - [Who is REALLY a social media expert?](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-expert/) - A couple of weeks ago, I was speaking at an organization’s conference about using social media. At the end of my talk, I received a question I didn’t expect: “How do we find the REAL social media experts? How do we know who we can trust to help us with social media?” Of course, I - [How to Use Social Media for Effective Media Relations](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-effective-media-relations/) - Although the media landscape has changed considerably in recent years, getting media exposure is still incredibly powerful for brands — especially if it’s integrated into an overall marketing strategy. In the old world of public relations, you hired firms with long standing relationships with trusted reporters. But now, people and businesses have the opportunity - [4 Simple Ways to Get More Testimonials for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/get-more-testimonials/) - Testimonials are one of the most powerful, yet under-utilized tools in business. Don’t believe me? Think about your own experiences in purchasing products or services. Before buying a product, do you read the reviews first? When looking for a business vendor, do you see what other companies had to say before picking up the phone? - [How Do You Handle Negative Reviews Online?](https://flybluekite.com/handling-online-negative-reviews/) - Earlier this week, I talked to an assisted living conference about using social media for their facilities. Choosing where you or a loved one will live in their later years is a very important and personal decision. Like many companies, they rely heavily on word-of-mouth referrals to generate business. And now, in today’s world, instead - [Dude, Where’s Your Search Bar?](https://flybluekite.com/blog-navigation/) - When I write a blog post, I like to give a little link love and refer to other bloggers who have offer a unique or valuable perspective that adds on to what I’ve written. Most of the time, I refer back to great posts I remember reading on some of my favorite blogs. However, this - [7 Critical Mistakes that Will Kill Your Email Marketing Efforts](https://flybluekite.com/email-marketing-mistakes/) - In the realm of digital marketing, email is a dinosaur. It’s been popular for more than 10 years, so it’s something that doesn’t get talked about a lot. It’s not shiny, sexy or new. But, it’s an incredibly effective way to engage with your customers and nurture leads if you do it the right way. - [5 Tricks to Getting More Out of Your Blog Content](https://flybluekite.com/blog-content-work-harder/) - It’s no secret that writing and maintaining a blog is a time-consuming effort. If you’re just getting started, you may wonder if all of your work is paying off. But, before you give up on blogging, you may need to look at some ways you can get your content to work harder for you. Here - [What Happens When You Don’t Blog](https://flybluekite.com/blog-hiatus/) - If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll notice that I’ve been surprisingly absent the past few weeks. In my two years of blogging here, this is the longest I’ve gone without a post. I have good reasons why I’ve been absent (business has been booming and I’ve taken a few days off). But, I’ve learned - [What Are You Waiting For?](https://flybluekite.com/what-are-you-waiting-for/) - One year ago today, my husband, Garth, lost his mentor, boss and friend. It was completely unexpected. After all, Larry, a giant in the Tennessee legal community, was only 56. I distinctly remember how I found out. I had been celebrating my birthday with my girlfriends. As I was leaving dinner, my husband was calling - [3 Critical Steps You Should Take Before Writing Every Blog Post](https://flybluekite.com/critical-steps-before-writing-blog-post/) - Every blogger that’s just starting out has a tough time writing their first blog posts. Oftentimes, their initial posts feel like a meandering maze through a topic that leaves the reader guessing about what they are supposed to learn or take away. Part of the problem is that newbie bloggers dive headfirst into writing their - [How to Avoid Ethical Pitfalls of Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/ethical-pitfalls-social-media/) - Ethics rules and regulations are one of the biggest reasons many businesses choose not to engage in social media. Although it’s incredibly important for businesses in highly regulated industries (such as healthcare, finance and legal) to follow the applicable rules and laws, they shouldn’t let that be an insurmountable hurdle to using social media. The - [How to Improve Your Content Marketing With Olympic-Style Storytelling](https://flybluekite.com/content-marketing-olympic-style-storytelling/) - One of my favorite things about the Olympics is not the competition itself, but the stories. Whether you agree with NBC’s coverage of the London games, it’s hard to deny that they are masterful storytellers. Every time I turn on the tube, I find myself getting engrossed in stories about athletes I’d never heard of - [Should CEOs Use Social Media?](https://flybluekite.com/should-ceos-use-social-media/) - A few months ago, a survey said that CEOs who use social media are considered more trustworthy. And, perhaps more importantly, respondents of the survey said they are 77 percent more likely to buy from a company where the CEO uses social media to define company values. One would think that this kind of news - [5 Content Marketing Articles that Will Knock Your Socks Off](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-content-marketing/) - The Olympics start today! Is anyone else super excited to watch the opening ceremonies tonight?! Unfortunately, I've got plans, so I'll have to record it. This is one of those rare times I'd rather watch TV live. If you want to see some cool pictures from previous opening ceremonies, check out this slideshow. Pretty neat. - [5 Sure-Fire Ways to Make Your Content More Shareable](https://flybluekite.com/creating-shareable-content/) - Promoting your content is a great way to attract attention for your blog. But, the difference between mediocre and successful blogs is that popular blogs know how to create content that people just can’t wait to share. The trick is building your content in a way that makes it easy and irresistible for people to - [Short on time? 9 Tips for Faster Blogging](https://flybluekite.com/faster-blogging/) - One of the common complaints or questions I get from business owners is that they don’t have time to blog. Although there are incredible business benefits of blogging, business owners fear that blogging is a time-consuming activity that they can’t squeeze into their busy schedule. The truth is that they’re right to some extent. Blogging - [5 Simple and Spam-Free Ways to Promote Your Blog](https://flybluekite.com/blog-promotion/) - “Build it and they will come.” This mantra may work in the Field of Dreams, but not for your blog. You have to spend time promoting your content if you want people to read it. But, you don’t have to become a used car salesman to do it. Here are some simple and effective - [Suffering from Social Media Fatigue? 9 Remedies to Help](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-fatigue/) - For the past couple of years, it seems that summertime breeds talk about social media fatigue. You know the feeling — you’re stuck in the office while your friends are frolicking on the beach somewhere. Focusing on your social media efforts — or work in general — can be difficult when you’d rather be outdoors. - [Why Commenting on Blogs is Worth Your Time](https://flybluekite.com/blog-comments/) - If you’re like most people, you’ve never left a comment on a website or blog. In fact, only a small percentage of blog visitors leave comments. For the longest time, I was one of those people too. I equated blog comments with the vitriolic remarks left on newspaper articles or felt it was only for - [Reading Roundup: 5 Awesome Articles on Business & Balance](https://flybluekite.com/business-balance/) - It's a holiday week in the U.S., so I'm betting there's only a faithful few at work today. If you're one of the people wishing you were on vacation instead of sitting in the office, these posts are just for you. Because we're fresh off of Independence Day, the web was filled with a lot - [4 Basic Ingredients to Feed Your Company's Blog](https://flybluekite.com/blog-content-types/) - Blogs are powerful tools to for generating business. However, they do little good without regular, useful content. Many businesses struggle with this. They have grand intentions, but are stuck on what to write. If this sounds like you, I’ve offered up four basic types of blog content that you should be writing to help you - [Reading Roundup: 5 Sizzling Business Articles](https://flybluekite.com/sizzling-business-articles/) - I don't know what the weather is like in your part of the world. But, I can assure you that it is HOT in Nashville. We're supposed to break all sorts of records today with an expected temperature of 107 today. Yikes! It's a good thing I have plans to be working indoors! If you're - [Why You Must Own Your Blog](https://flybluekite.com/why-you-must-own-your-blog/) - If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that I’m a big proponent of blogging to help grow your business. After all, blogging is a great way to establish yourself as an authority in your niche, build relationships with prospects and customers and increase your chances of getting found on Google. I’m - [Reading Roundup: 5 Articles to Make You a Better Blogger](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-better-blogger/) - With the official start of summer this week, it feels like the blogosphere and social networks have eased up a bit as folks take off for some time in the sun. But, if you're one of the few and faithful still at your desk, I can assure you there is still plenty of excellent content - [Public Relations vs. Marketing — What’s the Difference?](https://flybluekite.com/pr-vs-marketing/) - A few weeks ago, I spoke at a local networking event about entrepreneurship. I shared the story of my business and how I got started. After the event, a woman came up to me something I didn’t expect: “What’s the difference between PR & marketing?” My response? “Not much.” She was relieved. As a freelance - [Should You Outsource Your Social Media Efforts?](https://flybluekite.com/outsourcing-social-media/) - With all of the platforms, tools and tactics available online, it’s easy for businesses to get overwhelmed with social media. That’s why it can be awfully tempting to turn over the social media keys to an intern or hire a freelancer to do the work for you. I know what you’re thinking — this sounds - [Do You Suffer from Social Media Shiny Object Syndrome?](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-shiny-object-syndrome/) - It’s hard not to get distracted on the social web. After all, every week there’s a new social media tip, tool, tactic or technique that comes along just begging for your attention. I call them shiny objects. They’re sparkling, tantalizing and we think that because everyone else has one, we need one too. I get - [Facebook Pages Adds New Functionality & Google Places Get a Makeover](https://flybluekite.com/facebook-pages-google-places-get-updates/) - Despite the short holiday week, Facebook and Google have announced some big changes to their social platforms. Each of these changes have big implications for business owners, so I wanted to offer up some highlights and point you to some great resources where you can learn more. Facebook Introduces Promoted Posts If you’re a Facebook - [5 Reasons Businesses Fail with Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/reasons-businesses-fail-social-media/) - As someone who helps businesses with their social media presence, I spend a lot of time analyzing what works and what doesn't on the social web. And, I love sharing my findings here to help your business. One of the things I've noticed about social media is that there are some common characteristics of businesses - [How to Use Mind Maps to Build Better Content](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-use-mind-maps-to-build-better-content/) - Today, I bring you a guest post from Jessica Sanders. * * * Cranking out fresh content is critical to maintaining your social media outlets and blog. Unfortunately, this can be an exhausting task that leaves you with little to no new ideas each week. Mind mapping can be a great way to generate content - [5 Easy Ways to Drive Business with LinkedIn](https://flybluekite.com/drive-business-with-linkedin/) - I get it. LinkedIn is not sexy or cool. Although LinkedIn is more serious than other social networks, it provides a great opportunity to connect with professionals without all of the fluff. In fact, a recent study shows that website traffic from LinkedIn converts to leads at a much higher rate than Twitter or Facebook. - [Three Important Business Lessons I Learned from my Mom](https://flybluekite.com/business-lessons-learned-from-my-mom/) - My Mom is an incredible woman. Not only did she raise four amazing girls (if I do say so myself), but she also helped my Dad on the farm and ran her own business. For much of my childhood, my Mom created cornhusk dolls and floral arrangements and sold them all over the country. When - [Should You Automate Your Social Media Efforts?](https://flybluekite.com/should-you-automate-your-social-media-efforts/) - Automation is one of the most hotly contested topics in social media. Bring it up online and you’re sure to find yourself amidst a passionate debate. In fact, that happened yesterday when I shared an article on Twitter about a Chrome extension that allows you to schedule updates on Google Plus. I thought that was - [Which Social Network is Right for Your Business?](https://flybluekite.com/which-social-network-is-right-for-your-business/) - One of the questions I get asked most is about which social networks should a business use. With all of the options available, how do you know which ones to choose? As you might suspect, there is no one right answer. It all depends on your social media strategy and what you want to accomplish - [5 Must-Read Social Media Articles](https://flybluekite.com/5-must-read-social-media-articles/) - Last week, I attended Social Slam in Knoxville, a fantastic one-day social media conference. I learned a lot and enjoyed spending time with some really smart people in the industry. If you weren’t able to attend, here are my top takeaways from the event. I also thought you’d enjoy reading what some other folks got - [Is Your Business Ready for Social Media?](https://flybluekite.com/is-your-business-ready-for-social-media/) - A couple of weeks ago, I began blogging about social media for the Nashville Business Journal as part of their Social Madness promotion. I'm excited to be one of several talented guest bloggers. You can check out all of the posts here. Below is my first article for the NBJ and I wanted to share - [Top 10 Takeaways from Social Slam](https://flybluekite.com/top-10-social-slam-takeaways/) - Last week, I had attended Social Slam, a fantastic social media conference in Knoxville. Just like last year, by far the best aspect of the event was the relationships. I FINALLY got to meet some people IRL (“in real life”) that I had gotten to know online - folks like Stanford Smith, Gini Dietrich, Marcus - [11 Tools & Resources to Help You Discover Content to Share Online](https://flybluekite.com/11-content-curation-tools/) - Content is the fuel to the social media engine. However, the challenge can be finding enough of it to share online. Sure, you need to share your own stuff. But, you need to mix that in with other useful and entertaining pieces of content so you don’t turn into a non-stop promotion machine. There are - [How to Build a Smart Social Media Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-build-a-smart-social-media-strategy/) - As social media continues to gain prominence as a viable marketing channel, businesses are rushing to get on board. The problem is that many do so without taking the time to think about the strategy behind their efforts. Before you begin any marketing program — social media or otherwise — you need to determine WHY - [5 Guest Blogging Tricks That Will Help You Win More Readers](https://flybluekite.com/5-guest-blogging-tricks-that-will-help-you-win-more-readers/) - You’ve spent hours working on the perfect guest post for a popular blog. You’ve sweated every detail and finally sent it off to the blogger. And, after waiting anxiously for a response, you finally got word that your post has been approved! After you do your little happy dance, it’s time to get back to - [Three Social Media Conferences You Don’t Want to Miss](https://flybluekite.com/three-social-media-conferences-you-dont-want-to-miss/) - If you want to learn about using social media for your business, you can easily spend all day devouring blog posts and eBooks that offer tips about what you need to do. Although that can certainly be helpful, sometimes you need to break away from the computer and get in front of the experts. Nothing - [How to Get Your Guest Post Published](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-get-your-guest-post-published/) - It’s no secret that writing a guest post for another blog is a great way to get noticed and expand the reach of your brand. But, as guest posting becomes more popular, the quality of submissions seem to be spiraling down the toilet. The posts are poorly written. Or, the requester doesn’t have a good - [8 Essential Ways to Use Apps on Your New Facebook Page](https://flybluekite.com/8-essential-ways-to-use-apps-on-your-new-facebook-page/) - We’re just a few days away from Facebook switching to the new page design and one of the biggest opportunities for the new business pages is the use of apps. While apps are nothing new to Facebook pages, they gain new prominence with the new timeline format. Underneath the cover image on your page, you - [What Marathon Training Can Teach You About Blogging](https://flybluekite.com/what-marathon-training-can-teach-you-about-blogging/) - Three years ago, I would have never dreamed I would run a half marathon. In fact, prior to January 2010, the longest I had ever run in my life was two miles - and that was in high school. Now, I have three half marathons under my belt and I’m training for my fourth race - [5 Simple Tweaks to Make the Most of the New Facebook Page Design](https://flybluekite.com/5-simple-tips-new-facebook-page-design/) - If you’re going to invest the time and energy to promote your business through Facebook, it’s important to make sure you’re getting the most out of the tool. And, with the new timeline design coming on March 30, it’s important to make sure you’re page is ready for the transition. By making some small adjustments - [15 Excellent Examples of Small Businesses Rocking the New Facebook Page Design](https://flybluekite.com/15-excellent-examples-small-businesse-rocking-the-new-facebook-page-design/) - If you have a Facebook page for your business, you’ve encountered the notice that your page will be changing on March 30. Ready or not, all Facebook pages will be set up to look like the new personal profiles. If you don’t take the time to get your page set up correctly now, your page - [Reading Roundup: Social Media Hacks & Blogging Tips](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-social-media-hacks-blogging-tips/) - Happy Friday! I hope you've had a great week. With the constant crush of information, we know it can be difficult to wade through it all, so each week, we give you a round up of our favorite articles about marketing and social media. If you want some good weekend reading, look no further! We've - [3 Numbers That Are Key To Boosting Your Website Results](https://flybluekite.com/3-numbers-that-are-key-to-boosting-your-website-results/) - This is a guest post from community member, Seth Leonard. He's got some great stuff for you today. * * * Recently I was speaking with a friend who wanted to get more out of her website. She was only bringing in one or two new clients a month and wanted to know what she - [How to Avoid Becoming a One-Hit Wonder Blogger](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-avoid-becoming-a-one-hit-wonder-blogger/) - This is a guest post I wrote for Pushing Social before the holidays and I want to make sure you didn't miss it. It's got some good blogging tips, if I do say so myself. The only downside is that it shows that I may not be much of a music buff. Want to see - [Reading Roundup: Measurement, Targeting and Finding Your Word](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-measurement-targeting-and-finding-your-word/) - What a week! I started off the week in New York and am ending the week in Nashville, where hit almost 80 degrees yesterday. Is it really February?!? Whatever is going on with the weather, I’ll take it. How was your week? There was a lot of great stuff on the web this week. Here - [Should You Use Pinterest for Your Business?](https://flybluekite.com/should-you-use-pinterest-for-your-business/) - Right now, Pinterest is the hottest member of the social media family. It’s fresh, new and it’s quickly gaining traction as more than 11 million people are spending time on the site each month. People love the visual nature of the network and it’s incredibly easy for users to get hooked. If you haven’t heard - [Gini Dietrich Dishes on Entrepreneurship, Social Media & Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/gini-dietrich-entrepreneurship-social-media-marketing/) - To end my week-long "Freedom Week" interview series, I'm pumped to have the super-smart Gini Dietrich on the blog today! If you don't know Gini (is that possible?), she's the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, the author of Spin Sucks, the founder of the soon-to-be-launched Spin Sucks Pro, and co-author of the forthcoming Marketing - [How to Take the Leap to Entrepreneurship - Interview with Pam Slim](https://flybluekite.com/entrepreneurship-interview-pam-slim/) - Two years ago, I knew it was time to make a change in my life and career. I wanted to start my own marketing company, but felt "stuck" with certain aspects of getting started. That's when I turned to Pam Slim. If you don't know Pam, she is the author behind the popular blog, Escape - [Mark Schaefer Discusses Blogging, Social Media & Online Influence](https://flybluekite.com/mark-schaefer-blogging-social-media-online-influence/) - We're on day three of my "Freedom Week" expert interview series and I'm super excited to have Mark Schaefer on the blog today! Mark and I have known each other almost two years. And, as we mention in the video, we met through Twitter. I'm glad to call him a colleague and friend. If you - [Jeff Goins Shares How to Build a Powerful Blogging Platform](https://flybluekite.com/jeff-goins-build-powerful-blogging-platform/) - As part of my "Freedom Week" series, I'm excited to bring you another expert interview today. This time, I'm talking to Jeff Goins from GoinsWriter.com. In a little more than a year, Jeff has built a wildly successful blog for writers. He's been featured on Copyblogger, ProBlogger, Zen Habits and scores of other popular blogs - [Practical Blogging Tips from Stanford Smith of Pushing Social](https://flybluekite.com/practical-blogging-tips-from-stanford-smith-of-pushing-social/) - Last week, I announced that I am taking my marketing business full time (and I'm super excited)! To celebrate my move to full-time entrepreneurship, I wanted to offer up something special to you guys. This week, in what I'm calling "Freedom Week", I'm serving up interviews with awesome thought-leaders who have inspired me during my - [Today, Everything Changes](https://flybluekite.com/today-everything-changes/) - I have a confession to make. I have been keeping something from you for a long time. Some of you may know my little secret, but for many of you, this will be the first time you are hearing this. You see, up until yesterday, I had a day job outside of Blue Kite Marketing. - [How Social Media Can Help You Generate More Business](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-help-generate-business/) - This is a common scenario... Someone hears that social media can help drive traffic to their website or help them generate more business. So, they rush out and set up accounts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Then, panic sets in - what on earth are they supposed to do once you get there? How will - [How to Set Yourself Up for Success in 2012](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-set-yourself-up-for-success-in-2012/) - When I came back from taking a few days off from the holidays, I hate a hard time getting my butt in gear. While I was excited about planning for the New Year and sinking my teeth into some great client projects, I just had trouble diving right in. Why? I wasn’t starting with a - [Reading Roundup: Habits, Readiness and Failure](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-habits-readiness-and-failure/) - There’s been a lot of optimism on the web this week. After all, since we’re just days into the New Year there has been a lot of talk about resolutions, goals and fresh starts. Feels nice, doesn’t it? There’s so much good stuff out there, it’s enough to make your head spin, so I’ve picked - [How to Build a Content Plan For Your Blog](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-build-a-content-plan-for-your-blog/) - If you have a blog, chances are good that you’ve been knocked off your blogging schedule a time or two. After all, it’s just too easy to let your business, family and other commitments get in the way. But, you want 2012 to be different, right? If so, then it’s time to get your content - [Three Guiding Principles for 2012](https://flybluekite.com/three-guiding-principles-for-2012/) - Right after I graduated from college, I remember posting a list 10 principles on the bathroom mirror in my apartment. They were guideposts for how I wanted to live my life. I think this mentality is really helpful for your business too - especially when you tie it in to your goals and plans. Last - [Stop reading & start DOING](https://flybluekite.com/stop-reading-start-doing/) - Growing up, my mom always said “readers are leaders.” I think that statement is largely true. Reading and consuming information helps us grow and expand our knowledge. However, with so much content to consume - through blogs, books and social networks - we’ve become bloated by digesting a bunch of stuff that’s not getting us - [How to Create a Memorable Brand: Interview with John Morgan](https://flybluekite.com/memorable-brand-john-morgan/) - To have a successful business, you need a solid brand. Unfortunately, branding is something that a lot of small businesses struggle with. I've talked a lot about branding on the blog because I think it's so important for businesses to get it right. After all, your brand is the foundation of your business. To bring - [Why Desperation and Guilt Trips Do Not Motivate Employees](https://flybluekite.com/why-desperation-and-guilt-trips-do-not-motivate-employees/) - In nearly every job I’ve had, I’ve seen the following scenario: Someone comes up with a campaign to motivate employees or encourage participation in an initiative - it might be staff giving for the holidays, competition to increase sales or participation in an staff-wide event. It sounds like a good idea. People nod along as - [Blog Post Quality vs. Quantity: the Debate Rages On](https://flybluekite.com/blog-post-quality-vs-quantity-the-debate-rages-on/) - I’ve blogged before about the importance of posting regularly on your blog. In fact, it’s so important that stale blogs are the first to go when I clean up my blog subscriptions. If it’s been a month (or several) since you’re last post, why should I tune in? That said, there’s another side to the - [Six Easy Ways to Make Sure Your Customers Hate You](https://flybluekite.com/six-easy-ways-to-make-sure-your-customers-hate-you/) - Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of being a guest on Adam Toporek's blog, IntenseFence. I've really enjoyed getting to know Adam over the past few months and I really enjoy his insights about marketing and customer service. You should recognize Adam because he was a guest here a few weeks ago. Without further - [How Changing Your Mindset Can Lead to More Sales](https://flybluekite.com/how-changing-your-mindset-can-lead-to-more-sales/) - Last week, my husband, Garth, launched his new law firm and I spent a few days helping him get up and running. As I answered the phone for Garth, I noticed that he was getting a LOT of sales calls. I’m sure this happens with every law firm, but what I noticed was that all - [Three Critical Mistakes to Avoid on Your Website](https://flybluekite.com/three-critical-website-mistakes/) - Let’s be honest. There are some really bad websites out there. And, it doesn’t take design from 1997 for your website to reek with mediocrity. All it takes is just a few simple mistakes for your website to blend in with billions of others or stand out for all of the wrong reasons. If you - [Why You Should Be a Social Media Late Adopter](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-late-adopter/) - Today, I'm excited to bring you a guest post from my friend, Adam Toporek. He's filling in for me while I'm out of town speaking at a conference this week. I've gotten to know Adam through our PR Justice League Tribe on Triberr. Adam is a smart guy who blogs about customer service over at - [Six Reasons Business Leaders Should Attend BarCamp](https://flybluekite.com/six-reasons-business-leaders-should-attend-barcamp/) - I’ve long advocated the importance of getting out and connecting in person with the people you meet through social media. Online connections are great, but meeting people in person is where the magic happens. In two weeks, there is an incredible opportunity in Nashville to meet some incredible leaders in the tech and business community. - [Should You Unfollow Everyone on Twitter?](https://flybluekite.com/should-you-unfollow-everyone-on-twitter/) - Last week, I was honored to share this post on Stanford Smith's blog, Pushing Social. This sparked a great discussion and I wanted to make sure you had a chance to read it and weigh in. An excerpt from the post is below. Be sure to head over to Stan's blog to read the full - [Nine Simple Strategies to Help You Land a PR Job](https://flybluekite.com/nine-simple-strategies-land-pr-job/) - Last month, I had the distinct pleasure of being a guest on Gini Dietrich's blog, Spin Sucks, a blog for PR and marketing pros. I know there are a lot of folks looking for a job these days and I thought her community (and mine) might be able to benefit from these tips (even if - [The Secret to Success](https://flybluekite.com/the-secret-to-success/) - The secret to success is that there are no secrets. There might be tricks of the trade or best practices, but what it takes to be successful is definitely not a secret. The truth is that we all know the answer deep down. We know what we have to do, but we just don’t want - [Top 10 Excuses that Keep You from Starting a Blog](https://flybluekite.com/top-10-excuses-that-keep-you-from-starting-a-blog/) - Earlier this week, I was thrilled to be a guest on Tony Hasting's wonderful blog, The Top 10 Blog. Tony is my super-nice friend from across the pond and it's likely you've seen him over here in the comments section of my blog. I really hope you'll connect with Tony. You'll be glad you did. - [How to Write a Successful eBook - Interview with Jeff Goins](https://flybluekite.com/write-successful-ebook-jeff-goins/) - I’m a big fan of Jeff Goins. He writes a really smart blog and he’s a super nice guy. It’s been truly a pleasure to get to know him during the past several months. I was thrilled when Jeff launched his eBook, The Writer’s Manifesto, a couple of months ago. It’s phenomenal! And, I was - [Reading Roundup: Mind control, Psychology & Special Sauce](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-mind-control-psychology-special-sauce/) - You may have noticed that I decided not to post a Reading Roundup last week. I thought that I didn’t want every second or third post on the blog to be a roundup of links. So, I thought about doing this every other week. But now, I have so much more awesome content I want - [The Secret to Growing Your Twitter Audience](https://flybluekite.com/the-secret-to-growing-your-twitter-audience/) - Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of hanging out with some of my social media friends in Nashville. We love to geek out together about social media and marketing over some tasty burgers. Not a bad idea, huh? Luke Stokes, who’s relatively new to Twitter, asked the group for advice about how to grow - [How to Spice Up a Boring Blog](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-spice-up-a-boring-blog/) - We are creatures of habit. We like routine because it’s easy (and it means we don’t have to think too hard about things). However, that gets awfully dangerous when you try that with your blog. After awhile, you might just bore your readers to tears. I know what you’re thinking. I write about ______ (insert - [7 Annoying Blogging Personality Disorders](https://flybluekite.com/7-annoying-blogging-personality-disorders/) - Last week, I was honored to be a guest on Stanford Smith's blog, Pushing Social. This post was my follow-up to the 7 Annoying Social Media Personality Disorders I wrote a few months ago. And, just like that post, this one was also picked up on Guy Kawasaki's blog, Holy Kaw, which was pretty darn - [Reading Roundup: The Ways of Washington](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-the-ways-of-washington/) - I’m back in Nashville after spending a few days in Washington D.C. I hadn’t been there since I was 16, so it was great to see the city again as an adult. I know this sounds crazy, but I had forgotten just how BIG everything is there - the mall, the Capitol, the museums, everything. - [How to Build a Blog Community](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-build-a-blog-community/) - Today, I'm excited to bring you an awesome guest post from the talented Jayme Soulati! I had the pleasure of meeting Jayme this spring at SoSlam in Knoxville and we have become fast friends. She's smart, fun and I guarantee you'll learn a lot from her. Enjoy! * * * Heh. That title is link - [Reading Roundup: Scorchers, Gut Checks and The Change Up](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-scorchers-gut-checks-and-the-change-up/) - Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a good week and that you’ve survived this crazy heatwave. The temperature hit over 100 degrees in Nashville, and the humidity is enough to make you melt. If you are in the southern half of the U.S., you know what I’m talking about. Hopefully, it cools off soon! I - [4 Things Businesses Need to Know About Google Plus Right Now](https://flybluekite.com/4-things-businesse-need-to-know-about-google-plus-right-now/) - By now, you’ve likely heard about Google+ (Google Plus), Google’s latest attempt at social media. However, this time, Google seems to have gotten it right. In just a few weeks, Google Plus has amassed more than 25 million users - something it took Twitter and Facebook more than two years to do. But I know - [Website Design Strategy Tips for Non-Profits](https://flybluekite.com/website-design-strategy-tips-for-non-profits/) - Earlier this week, I was honored to be interviewed by William Griggs, founder of GiveYear, for his NonProfit Notables series. In this video, William and I talk about how non-profits can make the most of their websites and how to use it to connect with their donors and supporters. William was kind enough to let - [The Number One Mistake Rookies Make on Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/the-number-one-mistake-rookies-make-on-social-media/) - More and more people are turning to social media to spread the word about their burgeoning businesses. Although that’s a great thing, there’s a rookie mistake I see businesses make over and over again that kills their credibility and stymies their growth. It may not seem that disastrous at first blush, but I guarantee you - [6 Irrefutable Reasons Your Business Needs a Blog](https://flybluekite.com/6-irrefutable-reasons-your-business-needs-a-blog/) - If you’ve been sitting on the fence about blogging, now is the time to take the leap. Even though blogs are old news, it doesn’t mean their power has diminished. In fact, as the web becomes more focused on ways to share content and filter through all the noise online, I’m convinced blogs are more - [Reading Roundup: Need Some Inspiration?](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-need-some-inspiration/) - As I mentioned earlier this week, I’m taking a short social media break for my sister’s wedding this weekend. Before I come back online in full force, I wanted to share one more Reading Roundup with you this week. I don’t know about you, but on short weeks, sometimes you need even more inspiration than - [Reading Roundup: The Fuss About Google Plus](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-the-fuss-about-google-plus/) - This week, I’m taking a brief social media vacation because I’m helping my family prepare for my baby sister’s wedding on Saturday. That warrants a break, don’t you think? However, I don’t want to leave you hanging, so I wanted to share some links to some other awesome stuff I’ve read around the web. This - [How Do You Handle Social Media While on Vacation?](https://flybluekite.com/how-do-you-handle-social-media-while-on-vacation/) - I was going to talk to you today about goals. After all, we’re now in the second half of the year (can you believe it?!) and it’s a good time to see if you’re on track and consider any adjustments that need to be made. But, I decided that no one wants to talk about - [Should You Use Triberr? Why I’m Still on the Fence](https://flybluekite.com/should-you-use-triberr/) - I’m constantly testing out new tools to help me run my business and also so I can provide some honest guidance to my clients and my blog readers about the tools that work and those that aren’t up to snuff. For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying out Triberr. If you haven’t heard of - [4 Reasons Businesses Shouldn’t Use Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/4-reasons-businesses-shouldnt-use-social-media/) - Last week, I shared the following post on Stanford Smith's blog, Pushing Social. I'm always thrilled to be a guest on his blog and really enjoyed sharing this post with his readers. We have a great discussion going and I'd love for you to join in. Whether you're just getting started or still trying to - [How to Avoid Being Consumed by the Social Media Beast](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-avoid-being-consumed-by-the-social-media-beast/) - Social media is a tricky little monster. Although it has incredible potential to build your brand and grow your business, it can also sink it’s gnarly little teeth into your schedule and devour any free moment so there’s absolutely nothing left. You know what it’s like to succumb to the social media beast. It’s so - [3 Things My Dad Taught Me About Baseball and Blogging](https://flybluekite.com/3-things-my-dad-taught-me-about-baseball-and-blogging/) - I am the oldest of four girls in my family. While my Mom taught us how to bake cookies, sew pillows and plant a garden, my Dad taught us how to play softball. In fact, my Dad was our Little League softball coach. Coaching girls was a new concept for my Dad, who grew up - [Do you have a strategy or are you simply “doing” social media?](https://flybluekite.com/do-you-have-a-social-media-strategy/) - I had lunch with some friends last week who shared with me that they often get asked to just “do some social media” for their clients. Oh, if it were only that simple. I think a lot of businesses think this way. They believe that simply throwing some social media icons on their website is - [4 ideas for a regular video series - you choose!](https://flybluekite.com/4-ideas-for-a-regular-video-series-you-choose/) - Over the past few months, I’ve put my toe in the water with adding more video posts to the blog. After doing a few of them, I’ve gotten some positive feedback from you (thanks, Erica Allison!) and I’m considering making video a regular part of my blogging repertoire. But, in order to do that, I - [How to Manage Twitter in 20 Minutes a Day](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-manage-twitter-in-20-minutes-a-day/) - One of the chief complaints I hear from business owners about Twitter is that they don’t have time for it. The idea of managing Twitter is overwhelming and they’re afraid it’s going to turn into an activity that will consume their day. Although it’s certainly possible to spend your entire day on Twitter, you can - [Two New Buttons You Should Add to Your Website](https://flybluekite.com/two-new-buttons-you-should-add-to-your-website/) - This week, Twitter and Google both launched new buttons that you can add to your website to help you expand your network and grow your visibility online. Both of these announcements offer some great new website functionality for small business owners (especially since they're free!). I wanted to make sure you were aware of these - [How to get the results you deserve for your business](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-get-the-results-you-deserve-for-your-business/) - If you’re like most people, you suffer from information overload. There is so much information online about how to grow your business, improve your blog and sell more stuff that it’s enough to make your head explode, right? Because there is SO much information to churn through, you tend to shut it all out. Or, - [7 Reasons Business Leaders Should Run a Half Marathon](https://flybluekite.com/7-reasons-business-leaders-should-run-a-half-marathon/) - Two weeks ago, I ran in the Country Music Half Marathon. It was my third half marathon and each time, I learn amazing lessons that can be applied to business and life. Now, before you think I’m a life-long runner, I’m not. Yes, I played sports growing up, but running was never my thing. I - [4 Reasons You Should Push the Pause Button on Your Blog](https://flybluekite.com/4-reasons-you-should-push-the-pause-button-on-your-blog/) - It’s possible I’m going to cause a riot here. In fact, in writing this post, I’m going against something I believe in strongly - blog post regularity. I think posting regularly keeps your blog viable. It’s like in-person relationships, most fade when not nurtured on a regular basis. However, sometimes consistency can be a blog - [Website Critique - Girlfriends Golf Getaway](https://flybluekite.com/website-critique-girlfriends-golf-getaway/) - Websites are powerful tools to help you build your business and promote your brand. If done well, your site can even make sales for you. It used to be that websites were meant to be an online brochure. No more. A good website will not only drive sales, but be a destination that keeps visitors - [3 Ways to Never Miss Another Opportunity on the Social Web](https://flybluekite.com/3-ways-to-never-miss-another-opportunity-on-the-social-web/) - A few days ago, my friend Arminda asked me about hotel recommendations for her upcoming trip to Nashville. Although I live in Nashville, I’ve not stayed in any hotels here. Naturally, I turned to Twitter to ask for recommendations. My Twitter contacts came back with all sorts of suggestions. However, I was disappointed that NOT - [5 Blogging Lessons We Can Learn From Yoda](https://flybluekite.com/5-blogging-lessons-we-can-learn-from-yoda/) - Last week, I wrote a guest post for Pushing Social about some sage blogging advice you can learn from Yoda, our favorite Star Wars character. I didn't want the Blue Kite readers to miss out, so I'm posting an excerpt of the post here. If you want to become a master jedi blogger, then you'll - [The Key Ingredient for Social Media Success: Social Slam Recap](https://flybluekite.com/the-key-ingredient-for-social-media-success-social-slam-recap/) - On Wednesday, I was fortunate to attend Social Slam - an amazing social media conference in Knoxville. I was planning to write a post capturing highlights from the awesome sessions and share nuggets from my pages of notes. But instead, I want to talk about something a little different. Relationships. Yes, the sessions were fantastic. - [6 Essential Tips for Better Writing](https://flybluekite.com/6-essential-tips-for-better-writing/) - Effective writing is essential for small businesses, regardless of your industry. And, chances are you could use some help to sharpen up your writing skills. That's why I'm excited to bring you a guest post from Jeff Goins, a writer and non-profit marketer. Jeff is a fellow Nashvillian and I've really enjoyed connecting with him - [Spring Cleaning for Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/spring-cleaning-for-business/) - Spring cleaning isn’t just for your house. It’s for your business too. And no, I’m not talking about organizing files or cleaning the dust bunnies behind your desk (though that’s helpful too). I’m talking about clearing the clutter off of your plate and spending some time re-focusing on your goals. Are you on track to - [We Want Your Feedback](https://flybluekite.com/we-want-your-feedback/) - It’s incredibly important to us that our blog posts and emails are interesting and useful to YOU, our readers. Although we pay close attention to your comments and tweets, we want to make sure we are delivering content that helps you grow your business and tackles your marketing and social media questions. In order to - [Website Critique - Business and Learning](https://flybluekite.com/website-critique-business-and-learning/) - With all of the free tools available on the web today, it’s easy to build a website. The hard part is creating a site that’s strategically geared to drive sales. For your website to get the results you’re after, your website needs be graphically appealing, and more importantly, it needs to drive your message home - [Why a Free Logo will Cost You](https://flybluekite.com/why-a-free-logo-will-cost-you/) - Last week, a Small Business Trends article talked about 33 free (or nearly free) design services you can use to generate a logo for your business. The article argued that custom logo design is just too expensive for many cash-strapped businesses just starting out and offered up some much cheaper alternatives. Although some of the - [Why You Should Break Out of Your Social Media Shell](https://flybluekite.com/why-you-should-break-out-of-your-social-media-shell/) - Don’t get me wrong — social media is great. You can make wonderful connections that way. I know I have. But, it’s only part of the equation. The real magic happens when you step away from the computer and transform those online connections to in-person relationships. I’ve done business with people I’ve met online and - [The One Thing That’s Holding You Back](https://flybluekite.com/the-one-thing-thats-holding-you-back/) - Saturday, I ran 10 miles in the pouring rain. That's right, 10 WHOLE MILES. Why, you ask? I'm training for my third half marathon. Some might call me crazy. In fact, two years ago, I would have said you were absolutely nuts if you told me that I would ever run a half marathon, let - [What can you do to make a difference?](https://flybluekite.com/what-can-you-do-to-make-a-difference/) - Meet Melissa. Melissa is a friend of mine who is also a mother, a realtor and a blogger. And, she just launched a charity called Beautiful Feet Global Outreach. Melissa has always had a soft spot in her heart for children, especially those who don’t have the benefits of a mom and a dad. Because - [The secret to inspired blogging when you’re short on time](https://flybluekite.com/the-secret-to-inspired-blogging-when-youre-short-on-time/) - Okay, I get it. You have a life. You have a family. You have a business to run. So, how are earth are you supposed to blog? You make time. Simple as that. If you want to have a successful blog, you can’t sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. You have to act. And - [Website Critique - The Invisible Office](https://flybluekite.com/website-critique-the-invisible-office/) - A couple of weeks ago, we announced our new website critique service to help businesses get better results from their websites. And today, we’re excited to present you with a critique of Erica Cosminsky’s newly launched site, The Invisible Office! Erica just launched her site a couple of weeks ago (congrats!) and wanted our feedback - [7 Annoying Social Media Personality Disorders](https://flybluekite.com/7-annoying-social-media-personality-disorders/) - Today, I bring you a guest post I wrote for Stanford Smith's blog, Pushing Social. I've really enjoyed connecting with Stanford over the past several months and I encourage you to check out his blog and hit him up on Twitter. You'll be glad you did! * * * There is one thing that will - [32 Topic Ideas for Your Next Blog Post](https://flybluekite.com/32-topic-ideas-for-your-next-blog-post/) - Having trouble coming up with a topic for your next blog post? You’re not alone. It can be challenging to write good content on a consistent basis, which is why so many blogs fizzle out over time. Don’t let that be you. To help you get your juices flowing, here are 32 topics ideas to - [What the Heck is Good Content Anyway?](https://flybluekite.com/what-the-heck-is-good-content-anyway/) - Earlier this week, I talked about the importance of blog post frequency. If you’re not updating your blog regularly, it’s the first thing that sends me packing. However, blog frequency means absolutely nothing if you don’t have good content to back it up. That’s why the very best blogs in the world offer killer content - [The #1 reason I will unsubscribe from your blog](https://flybluekite.com/the-1-reason-i-will-unsubscribe-from-your-blog/) - I don’t know about you, but I always have hundreds of unread blogs posts in my Google Reader. After reading a great post from Stanford Smith last week, I realized it was time to clean up my blog subscriptions and make it a bit more manageable. Although I didn't prune my subscription list as far - [Website Critique for Tyler McPeak - The Fitness Lifestyle](https://flybluekite.com/website-critique-for-tyler-mcpeak-the-fitness-lifestyle/) - If you want to grab attention online, your website has to stand out. It has to be polished. You have to put your best foot forward. You can’t afford to settle for a sub-par website. The problem is that when it comes to our own sites, it’s hard to look at it objectively. We don’t - [How to Take Your Website from Average to Awesome](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-take-your-website-from-average-to-awesome/) - As a small business owner, you are likely familiar with the phrase “the cobbler’s kids have no shoes,” right? Unfortunately, we are so worried about running our businesses that we forget to focus on building our businesses. As a business owner today, you can’t afford to let your children go shoeless — especially when it - [How the Nashville Ballet Increased Ticket Sales Using Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/how-the-nashville-ballet-increased-ticket-sales-using-social-media/) - Today, I’m exited to share a couple of videos that discuss how the Nashville Ballet reached out to bloggers to exponentially increase their tickets sales for Peter and the Wolf, a children’s ballet. The last time the Nashville Ballet performed a children’s ballet, they only sold 100 tickets. This year’s show is a little more - [3 Reasons Small Businesses Don't Use Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/reasons-small-businesses-dont-use-social-media/) - A recent Small Business Trends article shared some pretty surprising statistics about how small business owners view social media. In the article, it cited a report that said 47 percent of small business owners don’t think their customers use social media and 24 percent didn’t think their customers research online before finding them. Based on - [5 Simple Steps to Building an Awesome Blog Post](https://flybluekite.com/5-simple-steps-to-building-an-awesome-blog-post/) - Your content is the most important aspect of your blog. But, how you deliver and present your blog posts often dictate whether a note a post will get read. There are plenty of blogs out there just begging for attention, but they lose the reader with lengthy diatribes or perhaps they don't even attract readers - [7 Skills You Must Master for Social Media Success](https://flybluekite.com/7-skills-you-must-master-for-social-media-success/) - There is little question about social media’s ability to make a powerful impact for small businesses. However, as more and more small businesses clamor to participate in the social web, there is greater pressure to find the secret to use social media successfully. But like most things, there is not a magic bullet or secret - [What gives you joy?](https://flybluekite.com/what-gives-you-joy/) - Last week was a less than stellar week for me. You know the type of week — a few crummy things happen and it continues to snowball until you are in a total funk. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were that led to my funky state. What does matter is that it totally affected - [Five Tips to Keep Your Head Above Water with Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/five-tips-to-keep-your-head-above-water-with-social-media/) - Right before the holidays, I wrote for Dr. Shannon Reece's blog about how to manage social media without getting overwhelmed. I think this is useful information - especially for businesses just starting out with social media. I didn't want you to miss out, so I am posting it now for your benefit. I hope these - [The One Question You Should Ask in 2011](https://flybluekite.com/one-question-you-should-ask2011/) - If you're like most businesses, you've got a lot of big plans for the year. I know I definitely do! But, it can be hard to stay on track sometimes with the daily grind of actually running your business. So, here's a short video about the ONE question you should ask yourself on a daily - [Five Marketing Lessons we can Learn from Ted Williams](https://flybluekite.com/five-marketing-lessons-ted-williams-golden-voice/) - If you have been anywhere near a computer, smart phone or TV in the past three days, you’ve likely heard about Ted Williams, the man with the golden voice. If you haven’t, watch this YouTube video. Now. In 48 hours, Ted's video had reached more than 8 million views on YouTube and was also fueled - [3 Resolutions to Turn Customers into Sticky Sheep](https://flybluekite.com/3-resolutions-to-turn-customers-into-sticky-sheep/) - In October, I had the pleasure of meeting John Ellis at BarCamp Nashville. We worked together at the registration booth and became fast friends (see the photo in the link above). John's one smart cookie who knows a lot about search engine marketing, web analytics and many other techy things. But today, John talks about - [3 Guiding Principles for 2011](https://flybluekite.com/3-guiding-principles-for-2011/) - Now that the Christmas decorations are all put away and the champagne bottle is empty, it’s time to get serious about 2011. I have a number of big goals this year and some exciting things in store for you. I’m not going to get specific about that here just yet, but you will start seeing - [5 Simple Steps to Creating a Sticky 2011 Marketing Plan](https://flybluekite.com/5-simple-steps-to-creating-a-sticky-2011-marketing-plan/) - A brand, spanking New Year is just around the corner. With a New Year, we get a clean slate. A chance to start over and make this year even better than the last. But to do that, you need a plan. If you're not sure how to get started, here are a few tips to - [Happy Holidays!](https://flybluekite.com/happy-holidays/) - We just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your support this year. Since officially launching Blue Kite Marketing a few months ago, we've had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people and helping a number of businesses reach new heights. I've been honored and humbled by it all. Although we're excited about - [The Power of No](https://flybluekite.com/the-power-of-no/) - I have a confession to make. I have a bad habit that I’ve have been struggling with for years. It is something so small, yet so pervasive that it can slowly wreak havoc on your life. It can affect your health, your happiness and your overall well-being. I am plagued with the inability to say - [Seven Essential Strategies to Preventing Overwhelm](https://flybluekite.com/seven-essential-strategies-to-preventing-overwhelm/) - Now that we're in the full swing of the holiday season, it's no surprise that people are more stressed than usual. With so much going on, how does one ever manage to bake Christmas cookies, shop for gifts AND keep a viable business going? Excellent question. That's why I brought in Dr. Shannon Reece, a - [How to Win with Social Media by Running Your Own Race](https://flybluekite.com/win-with-social-media-by-running-your-own-race/) - I am excited to announce that I am now a contributer to The Social CMO blog! As part of The Social CMO crew, I have contributed to the book the team is writing and I will regularly post on the blog. I'm honored to be included with a group of such smart, respected people in - [Six Ways to Use Google Docs to Simplify Business](https://flybluekite.com/six-ways-to-use-google-docs-to-simplify-business/) - This is a guest post by Bret Philips, a web developer I recently met through Twitter. Today, Bret talks about how he uses Google Docs to run his business. * * * Running a small business takes a lot of time and resources. Each second of every day is precious, which is why it's so - [Robb Sutton Q&A: Re-branding a Blog](https://flybluekite.com/robb-sutton-qa-re-branding-a-blog/) - Robb Sutton and I recently became acquainted through Twitter. Recently, he re-branded his popular blog from RobbSutton.com to BloggingLabs.com. During the brainstorming process, I helped Robb bounce around some ideas for his blog's new name. Once Robb finished his re-brand, Robb was kind enough to answer a few questions about his re-branding effort. I hope - [The Bob Vila Guide To Brilliant Blog Building](https://flybluekite.com/bob-villa-guide-to-brilliant-blog-building/) - This is a guest post from my friend, Joey Strawn. Joey and I met through Twitter and have since become friends. We even presented together at Nashville's BarCamp this year. Joey's a smart and funny guy - be sure to check out his blog connect with him on Twitter. You'll be glad you did. * - [Five Social Media “UnRules” — How to Avoid Hacking People Off Online](https://flybluekite.com/five_social_media_unrules/) - This is a guest post that I wrote for Joey Strawn's blog. Joey and I met through Twitter and have become fast friends. Joey will be guest posting on my blog this week as well, so be sure to come back for an awesome post from him. * * * Okay, okay, I know there - [7 Reasons I won’t follow you on Twitter](https://flybluekite.com/7-reasons-i-wont-follow-you-on-twitter/) - Everyone has their own reasons for choosing who to follow on Twitter. Some limit who the follow and keep it to a few hundred people. Others follow every single person who follows them. For me, I fall somewhere in between. I follow most people who follow me on Twitter, but I don’t use a automated - [A Tale of Two Cab Drivers](https://flybluekite.com/a-tale-of-two-cab-drivers/) - Last week, I traveled out of town for a conference. Due to the timing of my flights, I took a cab both to and from the airport. I had strikingly different experiences on each trip and I learned that even a cab ride can be extraordinary. Introducing cab driver number one… I didn’t get his - [Building Your Brand: Choosing a Logo that Lasts](https://flybluekite.com/building-your-brand-choosing-a-logo-that-lasts/) - A large component of a branding is developing your corporate identity. A corporate identity, or logo, weaves together your business name and a graphic element to create a memorable visual cue for your business. Used consistently, logos help customers remember you when they need your product or service. Contrary to popular belief, your logo does - [Is Groupon Good for Business?](https://flybluekite.com/is-groupon-good-for-business/) - Yesterday, my local paper ran several articles discussing whether using Groupon, the online group coupon service, is good for business. If you’re not familiar with Groupon, here’s out it works - Groupon sends out a daily email to its massive list touting a coupon for a local business, typically half off of a product or - [In Business Today, the Sharers Win](https://flybluekite.com/in-business-today-the-sharers-win/) - This is a guest post I wrote for Bill Seaver's blog, Microexplosion. Bill is a social media consultant who I have the pleasure of knowing. He's a great guy and has a smart blog. I encourage you to check it out. * * * In the business world, it’s not uncommon to see competing companies - [BarCamp Nashville Recap](https://flybluekite.com/barcamp-nashville-recap/) - On Saturday, I attended BarCamp Nashville, a free conference that brought together the best of Nashville’s digital and entrepreneurial communities. This was my first BarCamp, so I dove in headfirst and volunteered at the registration desk and even got roped into moderating a marketing panel at the last minute. Thanks to John Ellis (pictured volunteering - [Building Your Brand: 9 Steps for Naming Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/building-your-brand-9-steps-for-naming-your-business/) - What's in a name? A lot, actually. A critical component of your brand, your business name offers the first impression of your company. It's the first thing customers see when they visit your website and the first thing they hear when they call your office. As a result, start-ups should pay special attention selecting - [Serving up a scoop of free marketing advice](https://flybluekite.com/serving-up-a-scoop-of-free-marketing-advice/) - Who doesn’t like something for free? And not just some worthless trinket you get in a conference goodie bag. I’m talking about the really good stuff….like free ice cream. Although I’m not handing out free ice cream, I am giving away something almost as good — answers to your real life marketing and social media - [What does beer and cheese have to do with branding?](https://flybluekite.com/what-does-beer-and-cheese-have-to-do-with-branding/) - Last weekend, I visited Milwaukee for my friend’s bachelorette party. I had never visited the city before and had no idea what to expect…except for beer and cheese. Although is much more to Milwaukee than those things, it did give me a frame of reference about what the city is known for and what to - [Building Your Brand: What's Your Message?](https://flybluekite.com/building-your-brand-whats-your-message/) - Developing a brand for your company can be one of the most exciting, yet challenging, aspects of starting a business. Because branding is the foundation of your business, it is important to invest the proper time and resources to get it right from the start. When people think of branding, typically logos come to mind. - [Six Tips to Help You 'Git-R-Done'](https://flybluekite.com/six-tips-to-help-you-git-r-done/) - If you are familiar with Larry the Cable Guy, you have heard his famous catchphrase “Git-R-Done.” While Larry the Cable Guy likely uses the phrase to encourage someone to finish their beer, there is actually something of deeper value to the mantra. At the end of the day, good intentions do not get the job done. It only matters if you have the guts to pull the trigger and, well, just DO it. - [Is Your Company Creating a Social Media Ghost Town?](https://flybluekite.com/is-your-company-creating-a-social-media-ghost-town/) - Last week, I had the honor of writing a guest post for Mark Schaefer's blog, Grow. Below is an excerpt of that post. Mark and I met through Twitter. Check him out - he's a fantastic and smart guy. * * * A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Schaefer for - [Pimp My Tweet](https://flybluekite.com/pimp-my-tweet/) - This week, I received a direct message on twitter from a non-profit agency telling me about their grand opening and then ended the message with “please RT”. - [Social Media Done Right — Dunn Bros Coffee](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-done-right-dunn-bros-coffee-2/) - One of the best ways to show the effectiveness of social media is providing examples of small businesses who are getting it right. This post highlights a local coffee shop that gained my repeat business using Twitter. Enjoy! - [Social Media Done Right - Dunn Bros Coffee](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-done-right-dunn-bros-coffee/) - One of the best ways to show the effectiveness of social media is providing examples of small businesses who are getting it right. This post highlights a local coffee shop that gained my repeat business using Twitter. Enjoy! - [To imitate or innovate?](https://flybluekite.com/to-imitate-or-innovate/) - Google's recent move to add wallpaper images to its search engine homepage was met with upheaval from Google fans. Why were users so quick to hate the change? - [Where Should You Promote Your Social Media Efforts?](https://flybluekite.com/places-to-promote-social-media-efforts/) - So, you're using social media. Great! Now, how do you let your customers know about it? Check out this post for some practical tips for promoting your social media efforts. - [Social Media as a Lifeline During Nashville’s Flood Crisis](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-as-a-lifeline-during-nashvilles-flood-crisis/) - Social media is a valuable tool that can be a vital lifeline during a crisis. During the severe flooding in Nashville last week, I witnessed firsthand just how powerful social media can be. - [Why Social Media is Crucial to Crisis Communications](https://flybluekite.com/why-social-media-is-crucial-to-crisis-communications/) - This post discusses how the recent flooding disaster in Nashville is an example of why social media is critical to crisis communication efforts. - [Social Media Crisis? Don't Panic.](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-crisis-dont-panic/) - A social media crisis doesn't have to end in disaster for your business. With some careful planning, your business can be prepared for any brand attack that may come your way. - [How to Handle Ambush Interviews](https://flybluekite.com/how-to-handle-ambush-interviews/) - What would you do if you were ambushed by a reporter outside of your office? If you're not sure how you would handle this situation, check out this post for some helpful tips and a prime example of what NOT to do. - [Reading Roundup: Doing Social Media Right (and Wrong)](https://flybluekite.com/reading-roundup-doing-social-media-right-and-wrong/) - I read several great articles about companies that use social media well, and others that need some help! Check out my favorite articles from this week. - [Location-based Social Networks: Business Opportunity or Privacy Nightmare?](https://flybluekite.com/location-based-social-networks-pros-cons/) - Location-based social networks, such as Foursquare and Gowalla, can offer a great way to expand your business. However, they also presents privacy challenges. So, is it worth taking the plunge? - [Seven Tips for Developing Relationships Online](https://flybluekite.com/seven-tips-for-developing-relationships-online/) - Social media can be useful for meeting new people, but how do you develop relationships online without feeling awkward? Here are some tips to get you started. - [Social Media in the Courtroom](https://flybluekite.com/social-media-in-the-courtroom/) - Social media is a growing phenomenon that has invaded the courtroom. Whether courts decide to use this media, it's important to understand it's benefits and pitfalls. - [List mania: Making sense of Twitter Lists](https://flybluekite.com/making-sense-of-twitter-lists/) - It’s only been a few short days since Twitter rolled out its lists feature to all of its users, and already users are buzzing about the new feature. A quick search on Technorati turned up more than 2000 blog posts on the topic. - [Learning from the Best - Chris Brogan comes to Nashville](https://flybluekite.com/learning-from-the-best-chris-brogan-comes-to-nashville/) - Social Media Expert Chris Brogan conducted a seminar last week about his new book, Trust Agents. These blogs offer their key takeaways from the event. - [Weekly Reading Roundup: Who's a Journalist?](https://flybluekite.com/weekly-reading-roundup-whos-a-journalist/) - The journalism industry is in constant flux, especially with the advent of social media. This week's articles highlight the debate about social media, objectivity and "who's a journalist, anyway?" - [Five Tips for Writing Web Content](https://flybluekite.com/five-tips-for-writing-web-content/) - Writing for the Web is much different than other mediums. While it might be okay to use flowery, descriptive language in a beautifully printed brochure, those techniques do not translate well to the Web. - [Seven Suggestions for Finding People to Follow on Twitter](https://flybluekite.com/seven-suggestions-for-finding-people-to-follow-on-twitter/) - So, you’ve signed up for Twitter. You picked a cool username and created a nifty avatar. You signed up to follow @aplusk, @oprah and a few friends. You wait. And wait. And nothing happens. Then, you wonder why you even joined twitter in the first place. Does this sound familiar? - [Top Six Reasons to Try Twitter](https://flybluekite.com/top-six-reasons-to-try-twitter/) - I'll be the first to admit, I was not an early adapter of twitter. Like most people, I didn't understand what it was about or why it was useful. Unfortunately, twitter’s “what are you doing?” prompt does not accurately portray how it’s used. For that reason, I believed Twitter was just a public version of Facebook. But boy, was I wrong. - [Deliver What You Promise](https://flybluekite.com/deliver-what-you-promise/) - It likely goes without saying, but it's imperative to deliver on your promises. If you're going to promote an event, you had better live up to the expectations promised in your marketing campaign. While snazzy marketing themes, slogans and events can be effective, it can totally backfire if the message far exceeds the delivery of the event itself. - [Google Alerts: Why You Should Use It](https://flybluekite.com/google-alerts-why-you-should-use-it/) - Most public relations professionals use clipping services to monitor what the press is saying about their clients. In the old days, clips were literally cut out of papers and mailed to you. In today's world, clips are typically delivered by e-mail. Even though I use a paid clipping services and believe they are valuable, I think it is also useful to set up some Google Alerts. Here's why... - [Do you celebrate your customers?](https://flybluekite.com/do-you-celebrate-your-customers/) - Let’s face it. We all want to be celebrated every once in a while. Whether we want to admit it or not, it feels good to be recognized. After all, that’s why we celebrate birthdays. It’s the one day out of the year we can call our own. While we might not expect a celebration, it sure feels nice to get one. - [Make or Break Moments in Customer Service](https://flybluekite.com/make-or-break-moments-in-customer-service/) - We have all had this experience at one time or another – you’re at a restaurant and your meal isn’t quite right or a product you ordered is damaged. In these moments, business have the opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons. It’s these experiences that can determine whether or not a customer will be back. - [Hi Friends!](https://flybluekite.com/hi-friends/) - Hello and welcome to my little corner of the Internet. I’ve decided to start this blog to share advice and musings about marketing and public relations, and what I’ve learned about this world in general. ## Pages - [Blue Kite | Nashville Brand Strategy & Development Agency](https://flybluekite.com/) - Building brands for the next chapter. When your business evolves, your brand should too. Blue Kite helps companies in transition align their brand with where they’re headed — so your outside matches your inside. Fly with Us The Sky's The Limit We help complex B2B companies navigate brand transitions Blue Kite is a brand strategy - [Deborah Heart and Lung Center](https://flybluekite.com/work/deborah/) - Blue Kite led a brand assessment for Deborah Heart and Lung Center. Through our research, we determined high brand strength, saving them from a costly rebrand. - [Our Work](https://flybluekite.com/work/) - Brave Brands We've Built Brand strategy, messaging and visual identity work for organizations at pivotal moments Ready to start your project? LET'S TALK - [Elsie](https://flybluekite.com/work/elsie/) - Elsie Brand strategy & messaging, Naming, Visual identity, WEBSITE The Challenge: Virtual Learning Collaborative (VLC), a global leader in virtual training and support, wanted to more accurately represent their growing business and stand out in a crowded vertical. Their goal was to better align their brand identity with the high-touch service they are known for, - [Danielle Ali](https://flybluekite.com/danielle-ali/) - Social media obsessed. In a good way. Just present Danielle with a problem that you think can’t be fixed. Then use a lot of trendy buzzwords when you do it. We dare you. Danielle attacks business challenges head-on, especially if it’s a situation that could use some social media skills. She comes up with creative - [About](https://flybluekite.com/about/) - We believe in the power of equipping brave brands to change the world. We believe that businesses can change the world through mission-driven, impact work. That’s why we partner with social enterprises and changemakers like you to create strong brands and compelling stories that get noticed. You do work that matters. We believe more people - [Mamaya Health](https://flybluekite.com/work/mamaya-health/) - See how we helped Nashville Collaborative Counseling build an entire new brand — Mamaya Health — through name development, messaging, visual identity and website. - [Visit Detroit](https://flybluekite.com/work/visit-detroit/) - Visit Detroit brand strategy and Messaging The Challenge: The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau lacked a clear direction on their messaging. In the competitive world of tourism marketing, they were trailing behind. Their brand tone and voice was not aligned with the ethos of the city of Detroit, but they didn’t know where to - [Steve Woodruff](https://flybluekite.com/work/steve-woodruff/) - Steve Woodruff messaging, logo design and website The Challenge: Communications speaker, trainer, and author Steve Woodruff sought our expertise to refresh his personal brand. Steve needed to distill his brand narrative, roll out a new visual identity and launch a new website in time for his second book’s release. Our Approach: Our strategy process delved - [SaniShell](https://flybluekite.com/work/sanishell/) - SaniShell Surface Treatment brand strategy, naming, logo design and marketing strategy Home » Our Work » SaniShell The Challenge: DPM Surface Care was launching a new service to help prevent the spread of the viruses and bacteria on surfaces to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Their offering featured an innovative product that not only killed harmful - [Brand Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/brand-strategy/) - Drive Sales with a High-Impact Brand Reach New Heights with a Smart Brand Strategy Brand strategy shapes what people believe about your organization. When you’re clear about who you are as a business, your audience is too. A strong brand strategy combined with clear, concise messaging, will:Attract more profitable customersShorten the sales cycleOptimize your marketing budgetWin - [Brand Naming](https://flybluekite.com/brand-naming/) - Stand Out with a Strong Brand Name Accelerate growth with a smart, strategic brand name The right brand name helps you stand out in a crowded market. When your brand name clearly reflects who you are as a company, it makes it easier for people to choose you.Whether you need to change your company name - [Brand Design](https://flybluekite.com/brand-design/) - Stand Out with Impactful Brand Design Attract the right customers with a strong visual brand A strong visual identity or logo can be a powerful way to communicate your company’s story. When done well, brand design can help you create an emotional connection with your audience and quickly drive trust with potential customers.Thoughtful, strategic brand - [Services](https://flybluekite.com/services/) - Branding that helps you get noticed Unlocking the Magic of Your Story to Create Greater Impact There’s power in telling stories. But, not just any story. It has to be compelling and uniquely yours. Your brand story must connect with your audience in a meaningful way for them to buy your products, support your work - [Your Competitive Advantage Quiz is on its Way](https://flybluekite.com/competitive-advantage-thank-you/) - The competitive advantage quiz is on its way! Thanks for downloading the competitive advantage quiz! Check your inbox for an email from me, Laura Click. I’m the founder and brand strategist at Blue Kite. I started Blue Kite 11 years ago to help organizations tell braver, more authentic brand stories. At Blue Kite, we help you - [Your Brand Checklist is on its way!](https://flybluekite.com/brand-checklist-thank-you/) - Your brand checklist is on the way! Thanks for downloading the brand implementation checklist! Check your inbox for an email from me, Laura Click. I’m the founder and brand strategist at Blue Kite. I started Blue Kite 11 years ago to help organizations tell braver, more authentic brand stories. At Blue Kite, we help you - [Monroe Harding](https://flybluekite.com/work/monroe-harding/) - Monroe Harding Brand strategy, rebranding, messaging, logo design and marketing strategy​ Home » Our Work » SaniShell The Challenge: Monroe Harding made changes to their philosophy of care for the children they served. As a result, they experienced dramatic staff changes and a huge culture shift within the organization. Everything about the organization had changed––except - [Encircle](https://flybluekite.com/work/encircle/) - Encircle Acupuncture Brand strategy, rebranding, messaging, logo design and marketing strategy​ Home » Our Work » SaniShell The Challenge: Alexa Hulsey wanted to expand her business and open a second acupuncture clinic. However, her location-focused company name would no longer represent the communities she served. She needed a new name, logo and marketing materials that - [Make It Brave](https://flybluekite.com/work/make-it-brave/) - Make It Brave Brand strategy, messaging, logo design and marketing strategy Home » Our Work » SaniShell The Challenge: One of the brands we’ve launched is our very own! We wanted to launch a podcast and standalone brand centered around helping people find the courage to live authentically and do the work they were created - [The Luxe](https://flybluekite.com/work/the-luxe/) - The Luxe brand strategy, naming, logo design and marketing strategy Home » Our Work » SaniShell The Challenge: HRP Residential needed a name and brand package for their new luxury apartment community in Hendersonville, Tenn. They turned to Blue Kite to help them develop a brand that matched the unique character of the property, while - [Contact](https://flybluekite.com/contact/) - Let’s start a conversation Come Fly With Us! Want to work with us? We’d love to chat with you to see if we’re a good fit for each other. Fill out the contact form below to start the conversation. We promise to get back to you right away.2802 Bransford AvenueNashville, TN 37204615-258-5599hello@flybluekite.com Facebook Instagram Twitter Linkedin - [Our Work -old](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257366}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257367}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257368}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257369}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257370}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257371}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257372}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257373}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424183257374}” css=”.vc_custom_1424183257364{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”] We love our clients. Turns out they love us too. See why. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424183291591{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”1222″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_outline” onclick=”custom_link” link=”/work/cri-telecommunications/”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194479}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194480}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194481}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194481}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194481}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194482}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194482}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194483}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371194483}”] CRI Telecommunication Brand refresh and responsive website design - [Home -old](https://flybluekite.com/home-old/) - [vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_width_style=”full_width no_margin no_columns_margin” row_bg_image=”1197″ row_bg_att=”fixed” css=”.vc_custom_1424272351946{margin-bottom: 90px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”12px”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152384}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152384}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152384}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152385}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152385}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152385}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152386}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152386}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893152386}” css=”.vc_custom_1471893152383{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”] We’re not your typical marketing agency. You see, we like to do things a little bit differently. And frankly, we think our clients benefit as a result. See the Blue Kite - [Contact -old](https://flybluekite.com/contact-old/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194243}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194244}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194245}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194246}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194247}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194248}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194249}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194250}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424214194251}”] Drop Us a Line Ready to start a conversation? We’d love to chat with you about how we can help your business. Fill out the contact form below to start the conversation. We promise to get back to you right away. [/vc_column_text] First Name*Last - [Blog -old](https://flybluekite.com/blog-old/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_posts_grid loop=”size:10|order_by:date” grid_columns_count=”3″ grid_layout=”title,image,text” grid_link_target=”_self” grid_layout_mode=”fitRows”][/vc_column][/vc_row] - [Who We Are](https://flybluekite.com/who-we-are/) - [vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424120846839{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622730}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622730}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622731}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622731}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622732}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622733}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622733}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622734}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472047622734}”] Remember that feeling you got when you flew your first kite? [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903146}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903146}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903146}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903147}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903147}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903147}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903147}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903148}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471893903148}”] You know, the freedom and pure joy of running barefoot through the grass, launching the kite in the - [Tell Us About Your Business](https://flybluekite.com/discovery/) - Thanks for your interest in working with Blue Kite! We are excited to learn more about you and see how we can help you reach new heights! Before we set up a time to connect, please fill out the questionnaire below. By providing us with this information, we can learn a little more about you - [Getting to Know You](https://flybluekite.com/getting-to-know-you/) - We look forward to connecting with you! Before our call, please take a few minutes to fill out this information so we can make the most of our time together. "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Email* Phone*Company Website* Is your business on social media? If so, share links to where we can find - [Who We Are](https://flybluekite.com/who-we-are-2/) - [vc_row parallax=”none” bg_color=”#ffffff” speed=”0.3″ break_parents=”0″ row_span=”0″ padding=”6.4rem 0 9rem ” el_class=”full-width-top-block about-first-kite”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] Remember that feeling you got when you flew your first kite? You know, the freedom and pure joy of running barefoot through the grass, launching the kite in the air and watching the wind take it up to the clouds? That’s the - [Work With Us](https://flybluekite.com/jobs/) - Join Our Team! Blue Kite is quickly growing and we need help producing high-quality work for our deserving clients. We need you. So, who is ‘you’? You should be passionate about what we stand for: We seek a diverse, well-rounded team that is united by our core values: âž” Do the right thing. âž” Bring - [Thank You!](https://flybluekite.com/thank-you/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688656}font-weight:600;” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688657}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688657}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688657}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688658}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688658}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688658}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688659}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1483482688659}”] We’ve received your information and will contact you shortly. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row] - [Raybin & Weissman](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/raybin-weissman/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”1239,1240,1243,1242,1241″ img_size=”full” onclick=”link_no”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424207763514{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150804}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150804}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150805}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150806}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150806}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150807}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150808}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150808}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475860150808}”] The Background Raybin & Weissman, a Nashville-based law firm, had worked with two separate companies that used “black hat” SEO practices that negatively impacted the firm’s search engine results and ultimately, leads generated from its website. We - [Strategic Marketing Capabilities](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389237}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389238}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389238}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389238}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389239}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389239}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389240}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389241}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472069389241}”] Our integrated marketing services will help your business soar! [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html el_class=”feature-icon”]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjaXJjbGUlMjIlM0UlMEElM0NpJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLWJ1bGxob3JuJTIwZmEtM3glMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZpJTNFJTBBJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBB[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915195}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915196}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915196}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915197}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915198}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915198}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915199}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915199}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475286915200}”] Strategic Marketing Plan We take the time to understand your target market, the competitive landscape and how you are uniquely positioned to solve your - [Core7](https://flybluekite.com/core7/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799506}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799507}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799507}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799507}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799508}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799509}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799509}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799510}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1475202799510}”]Core7[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] - [Resources](https://flybluekite.com/resources/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704363}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704364}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704365}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704366}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704367}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704368}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704369}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704370}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212704371}” css=”.vc_custom_1424212704360{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 80px !important;}”] Get some free marketing goodness right here. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][orbit_icon_box icon=”fa-envelope-o” box_bg_color=”#ffffff” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg_color=”#fdb720″ url=”||”] Free Weekly Tips: Liftoff eLetter Want practical tips to help boost your business? You need the Lift-Off Letter, our free weekly email packed with actionable marketing - [Video Development](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/video-development/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424299648961{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803767}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803769}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803769}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803769}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803770}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803771}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803771}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803771}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065803773}”] You Can’t Afford to Ignore Video Website visitors today expect video content. And, it’s not just for young people. A study from Forbes showed that 59% of executives would rather watch video than read text. On top of that, studies show - [E-Mail Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/e-mail-marketing/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424299648961{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679442}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679443}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679443}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679443}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679444}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679444}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679444}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679444}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472065679445}”] Email Marketing Isn’t Sexy, But It Works Email marketing is not dead. Far from it, in fact. Many studies have shown that consumers prefer to receive promotional and brand messages via email. Conversion rates from email are often much higher than - [Founder-Inspired Culture](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/blue-kite-culture/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424299553037{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681363}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681363}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681364}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681364}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681364}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681365}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681366}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681366}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1472055681367}”] Discover How to Turn Your Culture into a Competitive Advantage Imagine leading an organization that perfectly expresses your beliefs and purposes. What could your team accomplish if they understood the mission and used their talents to accomplish it? This is the - [Laura Click](https://flybluekite.com/who-we-are/laura-click/) - [vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424298254496{padding-top: 50px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”13055″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”14233″ img_size=”66×66″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.facebook.com/lauratiemanclick”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”14130″ img_size=”66×66″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://twitter.com/lauraclick”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”14131″ img_size=”66×66″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraclick”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282947}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282948}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282948}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282949}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282949}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282949}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282950}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282950}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1471899282950}” css=”.vc_custom_1471899282946{padding-right: 30px !important;padding-left: 30px !important;}”] From growing crops to growing businesses. Laura isn’t afraid to roll up her - [Marketing Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/marketing-strategy/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424299648961{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142918}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142919}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142919}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142919}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142920}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142920}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142920}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142921}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424372142921}”] Every Business Needs a Marketing Flight Plan When it comes to marketing, many companies focus purely on the tactics — building a new website, engaging in social media or deploying an - [Website Development](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/website-development/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424371031851{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078394}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078394}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078394}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078395}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078395}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078396}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078396}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078397}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371078397}”] Strategic Website Design that Drives Results [/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”13089″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090578}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090578}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090578}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090579}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090579}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090580}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090580}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090580}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424371090581}”]If you want to be successful with your digital marketing efforts, it starts with having a stellar website. And that doesn’t - [Brand Development](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/brand-development/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965437}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965438}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965438}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965439}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965439}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965439}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965440}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965440}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424370965441}” css=”.vc_custom_1424370965436{padding-right: 30px !important;}”] Good Branding is More than Logo Design Branding is sorely misunderstood. Most people think of it as just a logo. Although that’s part of it, branding is way more than that. Branding is the personality of your business. It communicates what - [Social Media Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/social-media-marketing/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424360445519{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956464}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956465}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956466}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956467}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956468}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956469}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956469}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956470}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424228956471}”] Boost Your Business with Social Media Social Media Strategy Businesses today understand that social media is a powerful marketing tool. However, the constantly changing landscape can make it difficult to know where to begin or how to achieve success. Maybe you’re - [Content Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/what-we-do/content-marketing/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1424299553037{padding-right: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274865}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274865}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274866}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274866}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274867}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274867}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274867}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274867}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299274868}”] Put the Power of Content to Work for Your Business [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603697}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603697}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603698}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603698}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603698}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603699}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603699}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603699}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424299603700}”] Although content marketing has been around for a long time, it - [BookFool](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/bookfool/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”3″ images=”1223,1224,1227,1228,1226,1225″ onclick=”link_no” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424207763514{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}” row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124259}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124260}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124261}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124262}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124263}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124264}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124265}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124266}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424212124267}”] The Background Originally founded as a student textbook buyback program, BookFool was shifting its - [Bethel University College of Professional Services](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/bethel-university-cps/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”3″ images=”1231,1230,1229″ onclick=”link_no” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424207763514{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}” row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891978}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891979}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891980}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891982}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891983}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891983}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891984}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891985}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211891986}”] The Background Bethel University’s College of Professional Studies houses the university’s adult degree programs, - [EZR Management](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/ezr-management/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”3″ images=”1248,1247,1246,1245″ onclick=”link_no” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424207763514{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}” row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525273}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525274}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525275}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525276}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525277}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525278}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525279}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525280}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211525281}”] The Background EZR Management, a Memphis-based property management company, had tried a number of - [National Pro Fastpitch](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/national-pro-fastpitch/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”3″ images=”1251,1250,1249,1254,1253,1252″ onclick=”link_no” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424207763514{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}” row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150747}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150748}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150749}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150750}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150751}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150752}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150753}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150754}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424211150755}”] The Background National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is the only professional women’s softball league in - [CRI Telecommunications](https://flybluekite.com/work-old/cri-telecommunications/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”3″ images=”1219,1222,1221,1220″ onclick=”link_no” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1424207763514{padding-bottom: 80px !important;}” row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195513}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195514}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195515}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195516}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195517}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195518}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195520}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195520}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1424206195522}”] The Background CRI is a provider of voice, video and data solutions for businesses. - [404 Page Not Found](https://flybluekite.com/404-page-not-found/) - [vc_row row_width_style=”theme_default” row_parallax_style=”parallax-none” row_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ row_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” row_bg_position=”center center” row_bg_size=”cover” row_bg_att=”scroll” row_full_height=”no” row_fullpage=”no”][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847045}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847046}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847047}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847048}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847049}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847050}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847051}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847052}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291847052}”] Hmm the page are you looking for can’t be found. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874612}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874612}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874613}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874613}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874614}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874615}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874616}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874616}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1415291874617}”] Perhaps one of these links will help… [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row] - [Blank New Page](https://flybluekite.com/blank-new-page/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text h1_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476341}” h2_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476341}” h3_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476341}” h4_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476342}” h5_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476342}” h6_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476343}” p_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476343}” link_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476344}” list_css=”{.vc_customizer_1423063476344}”] Yay Content Goes Here [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] - [Content Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/content-marketing/) - [vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1409847534599{padding-top: 50px !important;}” bg_type=”theme_default” bg_grad=”background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #FBFBFB), color-stop(50%, #E3E3E3), color-stop(100%, #C2C2C2));background: -moz-linear-gradient(top,#FBFBFB 0%,#E3E3E3 50%,#C2C2C2 100%);background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top,#FBFBFB 0%,#E3E3E3 50%,#C2C2C2 100%);background: -o-linear-gradient(top,#FBFBFB 0%,#E3E3E3 50%,#C2C2C2 100%);background: -ms-linear-gradient(top,#FBFBFB 0%,#E3E3E3 50%,#C2C2C2 100%);background: linear-gradient(top,#FBFBFB 0%,#E3E3E3 50%,#C2C2C2 100%);” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_image_size=”cover” bg_img_attach=”fixed” parallax_sense=”30″ bg_override=”0″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1409847712300{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”] Put the Power of Content to Work for - [Our Work](https://flybluekite.com/our-work/) - [vc_row bg_type=”grad” bg_grad=”background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #FFFFFF), color-stop(100%, #FFFFFF));background: -moz-linear-gradient(top,#FFFFFF 0%,#FFFFFF 100%);background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top,#FFFFFF 0%,#FFFFFF 100%);background: -o-linear-gradient(top,#FFFFFF 0%,#FFFFFF 100%);background: -ms-linear-gradient(top,#FFFFFF 0%,#FFFFFF 100%);background: linear-gradient(top,#FFFFFF 0%,#FFFFFF 100%);” parallax_style=”vcpb-default” bg_image_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_image_size=”cover” bg_img_attach=”fixed” parallax_sense=”30″ bg_override=”0″ css=”.vc_custom_1401821929459{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/1″ el_class=”our-work-content” css=”.vc_custom_1401384817307{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1409057377629{padding-top: 60px !important;}”] We love our clients. Turns out they ## Landing Pages - [c2c](https://flybluekite.com/c2c/) - [rise](https://flybluekite.com/rise/) - [bt](https://flybluekite.com/bt/) - [quick-win-thank-you](https://flybluekite.com/quick-win-thank-you/) - [quick-win-marketing-plan](https://flybluekite.com/quick-win-marketing-plan/) - [strategy-call-thank-you](https://flybluekite.com/strategy-call-thank-you/) - [competitive-advantage](https://flybluekite.com/competitive-advantage/) - [competitive-advantage-call](https://flybluekite.com/competitive-advantage-call/) - [brand-implementation-checklist](https://flybluekite.com/brand-implementation-checklist/) ## Categories - [News](https://flybluekite.com/category/news/) - [Content Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/category/story-driven-content/content-marketing/) - [Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/category/marketing/) - [Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/category/brand-story/social-media/) - [Podcast](https://flybluekite.com/category/podcast/) - [Business & Entrepreneurship](https://flybluekite.com/category/business/) - [PR & Media Relations](https://flybluekite.com/category/brand-story/media-relations/) - [Culture Branding](https://flybluekite.com/category/culture/) - [Story-Driven Content](https://flybluekite.com/category/story-driven-content/) - Human beings rely on stories to discover their values, shape their perspective and evaluate their world. A great story is the catalyst of every great organization. That’s why we emphasize content that is driven by stories. - [Brand Story](https://flybluekite.com/category/brand-story/) - Stories sell. But only if you know how to craft a brand story that captures your audience’s attention. Here are ideas on how to do this well. - [Systems Thinking](https://flybluekite.com/category/systems-thinking/) - Companies with great strategies win short-term battles. Companies with great systems dominate markets. - [Service ↔ Product](https://flybluekite.com/category/service-product/) - Products can be enhanced with services. Services can open new product opportunities. Nimble businesses fully optimize their revenue opportunities. - [Inch Innovation](https://flybluekite.com/category/inch-innovation/) - Hoping for leap-frog innovation is naive and a gamble. You have a great product – make it better – faster. Inch Innovation orients the organization toward optimizing what it does best. - [Feedback Loops](https://flybluekite.com/category/feedback-loops/) - Stop guessing. Start listening. Your customers are telling you exactly what they want to buy and are willing to pay. You job is to create an organization that listens and acts. - [Core7](https://flybluekite.com/category/core7/) - [Brand Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/category/brand-strategy/) - A smart brand strategy will help you uniquely position your organization as the definitive choice in your market. These articles will help you build it. - [Branding](https://flybluekite.com/category/branding/) ## Tags - [Getting started on Twitter](https://flybluekite.com/tag/getting-started-on-twitter/) - [twitter](https://flybluekite.com/tag/twitter/) - [Twitter followers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/twitter-followers/) - [grammar](https://flybluekite.com/tag/grammar/) - [PR](https://flybluekite.com/tag/pr/) - [rea](https://flybluekite.com/tag/rea/) - [reading roudup](https://flybluekite.com/tag/reading-roudup/) - [Social Media](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-3/) - [Customer Service](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-service/) - [Google Alerts](https://flybluekite.com/tag/google-alerts/) - [media monitoring](https://flybluekite.com/tag/media-monitoring/) - [press clips](https://flybluekite.com/tag/press-clips/) - [events](https://flybluekite.com/tag/events/) - [promotions](https://flybluekite.com/tag/promotions/) - [cameras in courtroom](https://flybluekite.com/tag/cameras-in-courtroom/) - 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[LinkedIn](https://flybluekite.com/tag/linkedin/) - [Google](https://flybluekite.com/tag/google/) - [Google docs](https://flybluekite.com/tag/google-docs/) - [Productivity](https://flybluekite.com/tag/productivity/) - [Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing/) - [Strategy](https://flybluekite.com/tag/strategy/) - [Christmas](https://flybluekite.com/tag/christmas/) - [New Year](https://flybluekite.com/tag/new-year/) - [web strategy](https://flybluekite.com/tag/web-strategy/) - [business planning](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-planning/) - [marketing plan](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-plan/) - [marketing strategy](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-strategy/) - [New Year 2011](https://flybluekite.com/tag/new-year-2011/) - [2011](https://flybluekite.com/tag/2011/) - [Business principles](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-principles/) - [Guiding Principles](https://flybluekite.com/tag/guiding-principles/) - [Video post](https://flybluekite.com/tag/video-post/) - 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[blog frequency](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-frequency/) - [guest post](https://flybluekite.com/tag/guest-post/) - [social media don'ts](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-donts/) - [blog topics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-topics/) - [writing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/writing/) - [blog inspiration](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-inspiration/) - [#FF4Good](https://flybluekite.com/tag/ff4good/) - [#FollowFriday4Good](https://flybluekite.com/tag/followfriday4good/) - [Non-profit](https://flybluekite.com/tag/non-profit/) - [PodCamp](https://flybluekite.com/tag/podcamp/) - [SocialSlam](https://flybluekite.com/tag/socialslam/) - [Website c](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-c/) - [feedback](https://flybluekite.com/tag/feedback/) - [survey](https://flybluekite.com/tag/survey/) - [Social Slam](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-slam/) - [blog strategy](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-strategy/) - [blogging motivation](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogging-motivation/) - [social media monitoring](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-monitoring/) - [marketing consulting](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-consulting/) - [one-on-one consulting](https://flybluekite.com/tag/one-on-one-consulting/) - [video](https://flybluekite.com/tag/video/) - [time management](https://flybluekite.com/tag/time-management/) - [social media strategy](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-strategy/) - [Triberr](https://flybluekite.com/tag/triberr/) - [vacation](https://flybluekite.com/tag/vacation/) - [Google Plus](https://flybluekite.com/tag/google-plus/) - [Reading Roundup](https://flybluekite.com/tag/reading-roundup/) - [smart selling](https://flybluekite.com/tag/smart-selling/) - [community](https://flybluekite.com/tag/community/) - [job search](https://flybluekite.com/tag/job-search/) - [Personality](https://flybluekite.com/tag/personality/) - [eBook](https://flybluekite.com/tag/ebook/) - [Jeff Goins](https://flybluekite.com/tag/jeff-goins/) - [life](https://flybluekite.com/tag/life/) - [BarCamp](https://flybluekite.com/tag/barcamp/) - [Relationships](https://flybluekite.com/tag/relationships/) - [website design](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-design/) - [Inspiration](https://flybluekite.com/tag/inspiration/) - [blog planning](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-planning/) - [editorial calendar](https://flybluekite.com/tag/editorial-calendar/) - [Generate business](https://flybluekite.com/tag/generate-business/) - [Entrepreneurship](https://flybluekite.com/tag/entrepreneurship/) - [Good stuff](https://flybluekite.com/tag/good-stuff/) - [interview](https://flybluekite.com/tag/interview/) - [Influence](https://flybluekite.com/tag/influence/) - [Mark Schaefer](https://flybluekite.com/tag/mark-schaefer/) - [Pam Slim](https://flybluekite.com/tag/pam-slim/) - [Gini Dietrich](https://flybluekite.com/tag/gini-dietrich/) - [Pinterest](https://flybluekite.com/tag/pinterest/) - [analytics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/analytics/) - [New Facebook Pages](https://flybluekite.com/tag/new-facebook-pages/) - 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[Blog comments](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-comments/) - [Blog content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-content/) - [business blogging](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-blogging/) - [Content ideas](https://flybluekite.com/tag/content-ideas/) - [Balance](https://flybluekite.com/tag/balance/) - [Blog commenting](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-commenting/) - [Blogging fatigue](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogging-fatigue/) - [Social Media Fatigue](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-fatigue/) - [Blog promotion](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-promotion/) - [Blog writing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-writing/) - [Content creation](https://flybluekite.com/tag/content-creation/) - [shareable content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/shareable-content/) - [CEOs using social media](https://flybluekite.com/tag/ceos-using-social-media/) - [Olympics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/olympics/) - [social media ethics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-ethics/) - [content plan](https://flybluekite.com/tag/content-plan/) - [Dreams](https://flybluekite.com/tag/dreams/) - [Success](https://flybluekite.com/tag/success/) - [blogging consistency](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogging-consistency/) - [Repurpose content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/repurpose-content/) - [Email Marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-marketing/) - [Blog navigation](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-navigation/) - [customer feedback](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-feedback/) - [customer reviews](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-reviews/) - [online reviews](https://flybluekite.com/tag/online-reviews/) - [recommendations](https://flybluekite.com/tag/recommendations/) - [referrals](https://flybluekite.com/tag/referrals/) - [testimonials](https://flybluekite.com/tag/testimonials/) - [Blogger and media outreach](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogger-and-media-outreach/) - [Media relations](https://flybluekite.com/tag/media-relations-2/) - [agencies](https://flybluekite.com/tag/agencies/) - [integrated marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/integrated-marketing/) - [social media expert](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-expert/) - [social media recommendations](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-recommendations/) - [Blog syndication](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-syndication/) - [Blogging mills](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogging-mills/) - [Syndicated content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/syndicated-content/) - [Holidays](https://flybluekite.com/tag/holidays/) - [email campaigns](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-campaigns/) - [Facebook algorithm](https://flybluekite.com/tag/facebook-algorithm/) - [Facebook engagement](https://flybluekite.com/tag/facebook-engagement/) - [Facebook promoted posts](https://flybluekite.com/tag/facebook-promoted-posts/) - [Opinion blog posts](https://flybluekite.com/tag/opinion-blog-posts/) - [Advertising](https://flybluekite.com/tag/advertising/) - [Collateral materials](https://flybluekite.com/tag/collateral-materials/) - [Conferences](https://flybluekite.com/tag/conferences/) - [Direct mail](https://flybluekite.com/tag/direct-mail/) - [Tradeshows](https://flybluekite.com/tag/tradeshows/) - [Traditional marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/traditional-marketing/) - [Buying Twitter followers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/buying-twitter-followers/) - [Gratitude](https://flybluekite.com/tag/gratitude/) - [Thanksgiving](https://flybluekite.com/tag/thanksgiving/) - [marathon](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marathon/) - [training](https://flybluekite.com/tag/training/) - [Blog growth](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-growth/) - [Google analytics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/google-analytics/) - [Keywords](https://flybluekite.com/tag/keywords/) - [Search engine rankings](https://flybluekite.com/tag/search-engine-rankings/) - [SEO](https://flybluekite.com/tag/seo/) - [social media management](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-management/) - [2012](https://flybluekite.com/tag/2012/) - [Popular posts](https://flybluekite.com/tag/popular-posts/) - [2013](https://flybluekite.com/tag/2013/) - [Email opt-in forms](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-opt-in-forms/) - [Email subscribers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-subscribers/) - [Search engine optimization](https://flybluekite.com/tag/search-engine-optimization/) - [website marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-marketing/) - [blog conistency](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-conistency/) - [blog schedule](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-schedule/) - [Messaging](https://flybluekite.com/tag/messaging/) - [brand advocates](https://flybluekite.com/tag/brand-advocates/) - [customer experience](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-experience/) - [customer loyalty](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-loyalty/) - [high touch](https://flybluekite.com/tag/high-touch/) - [digital content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/digital-content/) - [digital marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/digital-marketing/) - [online content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/online-content/) - [blog content ideas](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-content-ideas/) - [guest posting](https://flybluekite.com/tag/guest-posting/) - [multimedia content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/multimedia-content/) - [Blogging benefits](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogging-benefits/) - [Time Saver](https://flybluekite.com/tag/time-saver/) - [business lessons](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-lessons/) - [business owner](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-owner/) - [Business communications](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-communications/) - [celebrate clients](https://flybluekite.com/tag/celebrate-clients/) - [handwritten notes](https://flybluekite.com/tag/handwritten-notes/) - [thank you notes](https://flybluekite.com/tag/thank-you-notes/) - [social media engagement](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-engagement/) - [social media marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-marketing/) - [d](https://flybluekite.com/tag/d/) - [Blog content types](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-content-types/) - [Compelling content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/compelling-content/) - [video content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/video-content/) - [video marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/video-marketing/) - [website videos](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-videos/) - [Graphics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/graphics/) - [images](https://flybluekite.com/tag/images/) - [infographics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/infographics/) - [photos](https://flybluekite.com/tag/photos/) - [Slideshare](https://flybluekite.com/tag/slideshare/) - [visual content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/visual-content/) - [ebooks](https://flybluekite.com/tag/ebooks/) - [premium content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/premium-content/) - [rich content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/rich-content/) - [tutorials](https://flybluekite.com/tag/tutorials/) - [webinars](https://flybluekite.com/tag/webinars/) - [whitepapers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/whitepapers/) - [email autoresponder](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-autoresponder/) - [email drip campaign](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-drip-campaign/) - [Digital Marketing Conference](https://flybluekite.com/tag/digital-marketing-conference/) - [evaluating social media channels](https://flybluekite.com/tag/evaluating-social-media-channels/) - [new social networks](https://flybluekite.com/tag/new-social-networks/) - [Social media management tools](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-management-tools/) - [business goals](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-goals/) - [social media measurement](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-measurement/) - [GooglePlus](https://flybluekite.com/tag/googleplus/) - [Social media spring cleaning](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-spring-cleaning/) - [social profiles](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-profiles/) - [spring cleaning](https://flybluekite.com/tag/spring-cleaning/) - [improve web presence](https://flybluekite.com/tag/improve-web-presence/) - [website clean up](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-clean-up/) - [blog content creation](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blog-content-creation/) - [cheap content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/cheap-content/) - [content creation services](https://flybluekite.com/tag/content-creation-services/) - [content mills](https://flybluekite.com/tag/content-mills/) - [outsourced content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/outsourced-content/) - [Social media community](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-community/) - [social media career](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-career/) - [social media job skills](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-job-skills/) - [Boston Marathon bombing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/boston-marathon-bombing/) - [Responding to tragedy](https://flybluekite.com/tag/responding-to-tragedy/) - [customer retention](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-retention/) - [marketing tactics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-tactics/) - [Goal setting](https://flybluekite.com/tag/goal-setting/) - [Perseverance](https://flybluekite.com/tag/perseverance/) - [business website](https://flybluekite.com/tag/business-website/) - [website mistakes](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-mistakes/) - [website tips](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-tips/) - [attracting new customers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/attracting-new-customers/) - [customer research](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-research/) - [market research](https://flybluekite.com/tag/market-research/) - [small business social media](https://flybluekite.com/tag/small-business-social-media/) - [social media listening](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-listening/) - [farmers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/farmers/) - [marketing lessons](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-lessons/) - [guest post pitch](https://flybluekite.com/tag/guest-post-pitch/) - [website performance analysis tools](https://flybluekite.com/tag/website-performance-analysis-tools/) - [Irreplaceable business](https://flybluekite.com/tag/irreplaceable-business/) - [Side hustle](https://flybluekite.com/tag/side-hustle/) - [Starting a business](https://flybluekite.com/tag/starting-a-business/) - [employee social media use](https://flybluekite.com/tag/employee-social-media-use/) - [social media policies](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-policies/) - [email marketing open rates](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-marketing-open-rates/) - [marketing proposals](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-proposals/) - [RFPs](https://flybluekite.com/tag/rfps/) - [digital marketing degree](https://flybluekite.com/tag/digital-marketing-degree/) - [social media degree](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-degree/) - [copy cat marketing](https://flybluekite.com/tag/copy-cat-marketing/) - [keeping up with the joneses](https://flybluekite.com/tag/keeping-up-with-the-joneses/) - [marketing campaign](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-campaign/) - [differentiation](https://flybluekite.com/tag/differentiation/) - [special sauce](https://flybluekite.com/tag/special-sauce/) - [email autoresponders](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-autoresponders/) - [capture email addresses](https://flybluekite.com/tag/capture-email-addresses/) - [Email marketing list](https://flybluekite.com/tag/email-marketing-list/) - [brand story](https://flybluekite.com/tag/brand-story/) - [storytelling](https://flybluekite.com/tag/storytelling/) - [corporate culture](https://flybluekite.com/tag/corporate-culture/) - [CRM](https://flybluekite.com/tag/crm/) - [Customer relationship management](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customer-relationship-management/) - [creative agency](https://flybluekite.com/tag/creative-agency/) - [freelancers](https://flybluekite.com/tag/freelancers/) - [marketing firm](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-firm/) - [best time to post on social media](https://flybluekite.com/tag/best-time-to-post-on-social-media/) - [social media analytics](https://flybluekite.com/tag/social-media-analytics/) - [spray and pray social media](https://flybluekite.com/tag/spray-and-pray-social-media/) - [marketing focus](https://flybluekite.com/tag/marketing-focus/) - [quick marketing action plan](https://flybluekite.com/tag/quick-marketing-action-plan/) - [blogging lessons](https://flybluekite.com/tag/blogging-lessons/) - [company news on social media](https://flybluekite.com/tag/company-news-on-social-media/) - [customize content](https://flybluekite.com/tag/customize-content/) - [hiring a digital marketing agency](https://flybluekite.com/tag/hiring-a-digital-marketing-agency/) - 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