MBM Blog Time!

New website, new blog

2010-08-26T16:37:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update - with our new website launched, we have moved our blog over officially to www.mbmmarketing.com/blog.

From now on, all new entries will be posted there!

Be sure to check out the new site as well - we're really pleased with how it turned out.

August 2010

2010-08-17T16:45:00.003-04:00

Every day this month I've looked at the calendar and said "I can't believe it's August already!" Truly, August 1 is the anniversary of MBM - and we're now in our 11th year.

That's like being a pre-teen in people years. Hormones start kicking in, self-confidence starts to build. You get fleeting glimpses of your future and start to think about how you can mold yourself to achieve your dreams. Yep, that fits us - we're growing and learning and refining and achieving.

Of course, being 11 in dog years is a different story. But that reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Groucho Marx: "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." Nuff said.

Tradeshow Fun

2010-08-13T11:57:00.003-04:00

We've been working with a local appraisal firm to create a tradeshow booth for the conferences they have coming up in the fall. Our friends at Frontline Displays worked with us along the way - from finding the perfect booth to printing the colorful graphic. We met with Frontline at their showroom a few months ago at the beginning of the project to see what the options were - and if you've looked into tradeshow booth options lately, you'll know that the options are endless! There are different booth structures and frames, countless textures and colors of fabric for the graphics, even comfortable flooring for your booth!

Once we worked with the client to choose the best booth for their needs and budget, Frontline provided us with art templates for our designer. Upon approval of the design we created, Frontline handled the printing and ordering of the booth, and set it up in their showroom once it was completed.

The final product was incredible, and the graphic was so vibrant!
If your tradeshow booth could use a refresh for your fall conferences, MBM would be happy to work with you!

Get Some Perspective

2010-08-10T16:09:00.004-04:00

This weekend my husband took some photos of me while I was practicing my yoga. When I looked at the photos later I realized that some of my asanas were much more aligned than I'd thought. And others were further off than I was aware of. This awareness started me thinking - how many other aspects of my life were (ahem) out of balance?

Do I need a new perspective on how happy my team is? What about client satisfaction? P&Ls and other accounting reports provide insights, but maybe some outside perspective there would be helpful too?

I don't want to question everything, and get lost in "analysis paralysis." But at the same time, a new vantage point on some critical aspects of MBM will likely be as enlightening as my yoga photos. Now, if only that were as easy as handing Richard a camera...

A little networking

2010-08-05T16:31:00.003-04:00

Here at MBM, we like to do networking throughout the area. It helps with general MBM awareness and business development, but it also helps us keep a pulse on what's going on in Richmond.

It's been a networking kind of day for me. Today for lunch, I went to my weekly Connect for Lunch, which is a great sort of professional blind date organized by the Chamber.

Tonight Mary Blanche and I are also headed to HYPE(Helping Young Professional Engage), which is a networking group also through the Chamber.

We also like industry-related organizations like the Richmond Ad Club and Richmond chapter of AMA (American Marketing Association).

And we're always looking for new groups to check out, so feel to shoot any recommendations our way!

No Reservations?

2010-08-03T11:49:00.003-04:00

I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain and his approach to food and travel (within the context of being a pescatrian). That being said, why do so many restaurants in Richmond not take reservations? I know there are issues of people not showing up on time (solution: make it clear "all your party must arrive within 5 minutes of reservation or you lose your table"). In Boston they take your credit card when you make your reservation and will charge you a fee if you don't show up.

Neither of these options screams "customer service" but on the other hand, many of us have turned into selfish, thoughtless consumers who have no respect for the hard working retailers and restaurateurs out there trying to make a living in a "the customer is always right" world.

At MBM we're lucky - our clients respect us and enjoy working with us. And for that, we bend over backwards for them. But it's more than luck. It's a calculated strategy of understanding and defining who is a good client for us and making sure we're all in agreement of the expectations of our relationship. And part of that agreement is that they can fire us if we don't live up to our end. And if they no longer respect and appreciate the work and the effort we put into the relationship? "Bye bye" we say. With no reservations....

New Website Coming!

2010-07-28T16:48:00.004-04:00

Kelly mentioned in her last blog that she's been working on a couple of sites for clients. In the meantime, Courtney has been hard at work on the MBM website, along with Jason who is a former MBMer turned freelance. He did a great job and we're all really excited about how the site reflects our fine-tuned brand messaging and really reflects our diffentiation.

Look for the site to launch in mid-August. And if you see Court, thank her for her hard work and ask her if I would make the worst client ever. Don't tell me how she answers that question, though.

Web Work!

2010-07-22T10:34:00.004-04:00

I sure have been busy with websites lately. We recently launched a campaign-specific site in conjunction with National Capital Bank's Move to NCB campaign, and we're currently working on a homepage and full website refresh for them as well. We're also in the midst of creating a site for a cleanroom construction firm, an Intranet for a community bank in Louisa, a new site for a local printing/mailing house, and we're working with the Chamber to create a site for The Capital Region Collaborative, a cooperative effort to enhance the Richmond Region.

With this work, we've noticed a trend that more and more clients have the desire to control and update their websites as needed in-house. So we've been learning a lot about content management systems and how our clients can use them, and have been integrating them into many of the sites we're working on. We've learned that WordPress, Drupal, Expression Engine and Joomla are the favorites among programmers. We welcome the opportunity to learn more about how content management systems can be used to make our clients' lives easier, so if you like programming with these systems, let's talk!

Move Your Money

2010-07-21T12:44:00.008-04:00

Over the last few months we've been working with The National Capital Bank of Washington to develop a campaign that encourages customers to move their money away from the big banks to a safe and sound institution like NCB. The concept plays off of the national Move Your Money movement with a campaign specific Move To NCB url and print ad.

Not only does this campaign look great, it has been very exciting to put together because we all feel so strongly that if you live in the DC area you'd be crazy not to bank with NCB. The Bank was founded in 1889 and has been managed by the same family since. In addition, the Bank has consistently been rated as one of the top community banks in the nation. And it is the only A+ rated bank in the DC metro area.

Check out the site and let us know what you think!

An Eclectic Group

2010-07-20T16:05:00.004-04:00

Each month we receive a Wellness Review report from our IT provider, The HelpDesk Company with all sorts of interesting info about computer security, usage, and backups. I always find the Employee Internet Usage page particularly interesting. Our top 3 sites this month were, in order, Fifa, Cake Central, and Facebook. So yes, we're sports enthusiasts, cake bakers and decorators, and social network junkies.

We also love to listen to music at the office via Pandora, keep up with business connections via The Greater Richmond Chamber and find good looking stock photos at reasonable prices for our clients at iStock.

Any favorite websites you use regularly at work? Let me know. And as importantly, if you don't know what sites your team is visiting on a regular basis then you don't know a lot about what's going on at your office. Consider this a shameless plug for our friends at The HelpDesk Company!

Back in the swing of things

2010-07-13T12:51:00.005-04:00

After a week off (filled with walking, biking, kayaking and beach-ing - that just seemed to fly by), I've gotten all caught up and jumped right back in the middle of projects I was working on before I left. Because of a great service offered by our friends at The Helpdesk Company, I was able to check my email remotely, and keep track of what was going on back at MBM world headquarters. So I wasn't totally clueless.

Helpdesk also installed wireless internet in our office while I was out! I haven't tried it out yet, but plan to this week when I bring in my netbook. Hopefully wi-fi will make our workspaces more flexible. I can't wait for us and our clients, vendors and visitors to really take advantage of it. So next time you're coming by MBM, be sure to bring your laptop!

Learning at MBM

2010-07-07T13:04:00.005-04:00

Since I'm both the youngest MBMer and one of the more recent staff additions (although it's been almost 2 years!), it's pretty rare that I'm explaining how to do anything. But, with Mary Blanche here as our intern, I've been stopping to explain techniques, policies, and marketing know-how quite a bit recently.

It's been a good exercise to sit back for a minute and think through why we do anything the way we do. It's easy to go through the motions, but when you have to stop and explain why, it can be a challenge!

Whether it's going over how the print process works, how to work with a designer, or how to communicate with a client, it's interesting to see Mary Blanche soaking everything up like a sponge. Plus, at MBM, I think we're always learning something new - all of our clients and vendors work differently and there's always a new project on the horizon. Beyond that, I'm sure at some point, Mary Blanche is going to offer up a better method or two.

A Tuesday That Feels Like A Monday...

2010-07-06T16:51:00.004-04:00

And Friday's Going To Come A Lot Faster Than Expected.

Long holiday weekends are always a challenge - an extra day away from the office (unless you're constantly checking emails and updates from a client like Courtney was). But it means a shorter week where Tuesday has to do the work of two days. For us, it was a long two days in 8 hours!

Kelly's on vacation, so we're one short. Courtney's big client press release (we were in at 7:30 AM to be ready) was delayed with glitches (on their end). I had a dentist appointment ('nuff said). And Megan found some costly issues on a large project ready to go to print. Luckily, Mary-Blanche kept her sunny disposition and we've made it to 5:00.

So, we're glad two-day's over. I'm headed to yoga, Courtney to the Rivah, and Megan to her pool. And as our friend Scarlett always said, "tomorrow is another day."

Chipotle Rocks

2010-06-29T13:20:00.004-04:00

Chipotle is by far one of our favorite picks for lunch here at the MBM office. The food is awesome and the ingredients are always fresh and delicious! If you haven't had their chips and guacamole you are missing out.

Not only do they have really good food, Chipotle gets points for its cool marketing including messages and stories on its bags, an interactive website with easy ordering tools and intriguing billboards. In addition, Chipotle has now launched a social-media and web driven campaign to raise money for a non-profit called The Lunch Box. The Lunch Box is a new initiative from the F3: Food Family Farming Foundation that will offer 100,000 schools nationwide (32 million children) recipes and other tools for implementing healthy, whole foods-based, economical meal programs. The campaign is called "No Junk" and asks Chipotle fans to email them their junk emails at nojunk@chipotlejunk.com.

Here's how it works. For every 100,000 junk emails received, Chipotle will donate $10,000 (up to $50k maximum). The idea behind the campaign is to help people get rid of the junk in their lives and do something good to help others. Pretty cool, huh?

As a marketer, I like this campaign for many different reasons. One, it stays in line with the brand of the company in all aspects of the campaign (the message, the non-profit, etc). Second, it's a great way to raise awareness for the company by focusing on how it gives back to the community while highlighting how the food they offer fits into the "non junk" category. This will hopefully position them in the minds of some consumers who might not have realized that they use only free range meats fed vegetarian diets with no antibiotics, etc. This campaign is also a good example of how to make social media work to promote a brand.

Want to learn more about the campaign? Visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/chipotle?ref=ts.
Or read this article http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=130826.

Back in Action - Sort Of

2010-06-23T11:03:00.004-04:00

I am back at work after a week of beach vacation on Bald Head Island, NC. It was our first visit to BHI and it was wonderful! There really isn't anything to do but go to the beach, play at the pool, enjoy the scenery and drive around in golf carts. I found the simplicity of it all to be very relaxing compared to my normal life of distractions and stimuli. We hardly even turned on the tv other than the occasional kiddo program. Ah, vacation!

But now I am back at work - sort of. Everyone here took such good care of everything while I was gone there isn't that much catching up to do. Thanks fellow MBM-ers for picking up the slack! I hope everyone gets a chance to take some time off and really relax! And if you need someone to pick up the marketing slack for you while you're gone, just let us know!

Let Your Light Shine

2010-06-22T16:27:00.002-04:00

I just returned from a special trip to Nice, France and Corsica. At Place Massena in Nice there are these sculptures atop 3-story poles. By day they were white sentries, by night they subtly changed colors. It was part of a commitment to public art.

The main reason for our trip was to see my husband's cousins and the village his grandfather came from in Corsica. It was a beautiful trip full of family (30 from the U.S. plus 9 still in Corsica). A week of getting to know family gives you a chance to discover how you fit into the bigger picture - and to see what talents and skills others have.

It's nice to make friends with your family. And it's nice to find the qualities that are best about yourself and really let those shine.

Muse!

2010-06-21T09:55:00.003-04:00

I've spent the last 6 months as the Un-Gala Chair for the 2010 Muse Awards. Muse is an event put on by the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA), in which the VMFA's Business Council (made up by local businesspeople) awards companies for "creativity in business". Paired with the awards process and ceremony is a huge "un-gala", held at the VMFA, complete with a fun theme, costumes, tasty food, and an open bar.

This is the second year that I've been involved with planning the Un-Gala portion of the Muse Awards, and it was especially fun this year because the party was held in the newly completed wing.

Fellow MBMers Kelly and our new intern, Mary-Blanche, came out for the party as well!

And check out some of the press coverage here.

Flying Squirrels Game!

2010-06-04T16:30:00.008-04:00

This past Tuesday we spent our second quarter MBM Outing at The Diamond! It was a great time, and unfortunately, the Flying Squirrels didn't win, but we all enjoyed the game and Nutzy's antics. The threat of evening storms almost ruined our night of baseball, but cleared up just in time for the game. It was "Tribute to the Marshmallow" night, so we learned that a marshmallow Peep has only 32 calories and other marshmallow trivia throughout the game. Richard also was given a free Ledo pizza, so that was unexpected fun as well.

Here are some pics from the outing.

The Real Thing

2010-05-25T16:08:00.004-04:00

I don't even know where to start...I'm not a soda drinker, and definitely go for the local spring water vs. filtered..but when it comes to an iconic brand as an example for a marketing presentation, nothing beats a Coke. And they are smart enough to tell their story in as many different ways as you could possibly want it. Even a section for students who might be doing research on their company. Of course, they have all the cool stuff like screensavers and videos of their ads. And they even have their logos and images for download - that's how strong their brand is, and how smart they are about sharing the happiness. Wow.

It's All About the O

2010-05-21T11:52:00.005-04:00

Megan and I attended the AMA luncheon yesterday and really enjoyed the event speaker, Stormy Simon from Overstock.com. Her presentation explained how Overstock's marketing department and customer care department "tied the knot" (with a few Pacman and Ms. Pacman references thrown in). One executive is responsible for overseeing the marketing department and the customer care department, opening communication between both departments at all times, and thus it has evolved into a perfect union!

Ms. Simon is even copied on emails to customers that have had problems with their orders if their complaint is not resolved the first time around. She gave us a recent example: A customer ordered an ottoman, and it arrived broken to the customer. So, Overstock sent him another ottoman; but that one arrived broken too. So Overstock sent him another one; same thing - broken. By the time Ms. Simon was added to the communication loop on the arrival of the third broken ottoman, the ottomans were out of stock. Ms. Simon called the customer and spoke with him directly. He said that this was taking up a lot of his time receiving broken ottomans and then calling Overstock each time to report it, and he mentioned that he wouldn't buy from them again. Ms. Simon says that she has the customer scheduled in her Outlook to call him 6 months from now to see if he'll reconsider buying from Overstock again.

She touched on how their website has evolved and how they are approaching social media.

And you know the familiar spokesmodel in their TV commercials? Ms. Simon says that are constantly going back and forth on if they should stay with that same look/messaging or try something different. Guess we'll see!

Overstock.com is currently rated #2 in customer service nationwide, as announced by The National Retail Federation.

Breaking Ground

2010-05-19T16:36:00.004-04:00

Courtney and I spent the morning (and early afternoon) in Hampton. Our client, Virginia Company Bank, had a ground breaking ceremony for the new banking office set to open this fall in Hampton. As usual, we enjoyed an opportunity to celebrate with the Bank - executive team and Directors alike.

Check out some photos from this morning's festivities.

Did you know?

2010-05-19T11:40:00.004-04:00

I've been updating our Employee Handbook and Procedures Manual today in anticipation of our summer intern! That's right; we've been getting everything in place to make sure that our intern starts out on the right foot and has all of the resources they need to feel at home at MBM.

So when I was updating our employee manuals this morning, I basically had forgotten how much information is provided. I didn't realize how many step by step procedures and document templates we have at our fingertips. When was the last time that you read through your employee manual? It has probably been since your first day of work. But I encourage anyone to re-read it from time to time. You just might learn something new! Like, what is your company's vacation policy if a holiday falls on a weekend? Keep that one top of mind, because the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday this year!

Blogging and other bad habits

2010-05-17T11:43:00.003-04:00

Like Courtney just posted, I'm part of the office blog slump - which is weird, because I love to tell stories about myself, and a blog post would just be a continuation of that, right?

I thinking blogging is like any other routine habit. When you keep up with it, it's easy (thus why Maggi's so good at blogging)... when you slack, it can be hard to get back into the habit. Just like going to the gym or calling your mother - although both my mother and my step instructor have been known to track me down when they don't hear from me!

So why blog? Why get (and stay) in the habit? Our blog is a great tool for so many reasons. From the back end, it helps give us another voice on the web, which helps our web traffic - for free. On the front end, it helps our clients, partners, friends, potential clients, and even Kelly's mother learn more about MBM and the people behind it.

An additional bad habit of mine? I'm snacking on jelly bellies right now. Better go get some lunch!

Blog Slump

2010-05-12T15:21:00.005-04:00

Boo on me, I haven't posted anything to the blog in a long time. I blame it on LOST. The show has filled my mind with so much myth and angst over how it will end that I have no room for smart marketing blog creativity! One more regular season episode next week and then the big 2.5 hour finale on Sunday, May 23! Megan and I recommend EW.com for in-depth LOST recaps and still love our girl Erika Olson and her Long Live Locke blog.

What will we talk about at work after May? I think that was a sigh of relief I just heard from Kelly and Maggi...

Customer Service & Empowerment

2010-05-11T14:25:00.003-04:00

OK, those are words that we all hear too often in the business world. We need to "exceed customer service expectations" and "empower our employees" to make decisions. Just yesterday we were talking about these in the context of storytelling, and by example the Nordstrom tire return story. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not - either way, it's a powerful story that's repeated often as a shining example not just of customer service, but also of employees who are empowered to make decisions regarding how to treat their customers.

Today at the Willow Lawn Chipotle, I experienced the same customer service and employee empowerment. And I swear it's true. I'd faxed in our order, called to confirm receipt and headed over to pick up the order. I was a few minutes late picking it up. The guy at the counter said the order wasn't received, did I call to confirm? "Yes, I did." And off he went to find our order, jump onto the line, make the food himself and deliver it to me in record time. And then the zinger: "no charge," he says. "I've got this covered. Really. Sorry about your wait, come back again soon."

Wow. I was stunned. I offered again to pay, then thanked him, and was so flustered I left without picking up napkins or forks (which are essential for Chipotle). I headed back to the office, still shaking my head over this encounter with customer service, and employee empowerment. I mean, this is basically a fast food restaurant and this guy wasn't even the manager.

If Chipotle can get it right, then there's no excuse for the rest of us not doing so.

Intern Excitement

2010-05-06T15:48:00.004-04:00

We are coming down to the final interviews to fill our summer internship position. With so much going on over the past few months, we knew that taking on a summer intern would be helpful and exciting. We are looking forward to the fresh perspectives, ideas and energy we hope our intern will bring to MBM.

Megan and I have been reviewing resumes and interviewing over the past 2 weeks, in hopes of finding the perfect fit! I have already been amazed at some of the classes that our potential interns have taken as preparation for the real world. It wasn't that long ago since I was in college, but they certainly didn't have classes about social media back then!

Smart Beginnings

2010-05-04T16:48:00.003-04:00

I spent this morning at Lewis Ginter at the Greater Richmond Early Childhood Summit learning about the importance of making sure children are prepared for life, from prenatal stages to preschool. There was amazing data presented about brain development in infants and toddlers: did you know language skills are most impacted in the first six - eight months of a child's life!?! And the Minneapolis Federal Reserve economists studied the cost benefits of preparing young children for school, with outcomes of a $16 to $1 benefit cost ratio (with an 18% annual rate of return!). Most importantly, I learned that the Richmond Region has been, and is committed to continuing, to make sure every child is "ready for school, ready for life." Check out Smart Beginnings and see how you can make a difference!

64 West

2010-05-03T12:22:00.004-04:00

A recent client photo shoot took MBM to the coal mining town of Man, West Virginia. Our client needed photos of their coal mining operations and headshots of their office management team. With our trusty photographers, Doug and Ron, we headed west to Beckley, WV then west some more to Man, WV. We had an exciting 2 days and learned a lot about coal mining and saw some beautiful, mountainous scenery. See me above on the Komatsu 830E on in the shovel pit on the surface mine. And yes that is a hard hat and those are steel toes boots!

Inspiration and Emotion

2010-04-27T16:52:00.003-04:00

The Raleigh Intercity Visit was awesome! The highlight for me, and for many others, was a visit to A.B. Combs School. For 2 hours the children at this elementary school made us smile, laugh, shake hands, ask questions and simply be amazed. And I was not the only one in the group moved to tears. I could go on for hours about the school, the principal and the students but the video does a better job. If you really want to know more, call me and we can talk.

What I really want to blog about is emotion in a business environment. Is it OK? Is it embarrassing? Is it just not done?

To quote a good friend, I "cry a supermarket openings" which is fine when I'm with friends. But more than once in business I've felt my throat tighten and my eyes fill up. Circumstances have ranged from seeing a client come to a difficult conclusion, having heart-to-heart conversations with employees, to talking with non-profit clients about how they serve the community. (Every meeting with Comfort Zone Camp was "laughs, tears & hugs").

Honest emotion can't be faked, and it's healthy to let it go. But when? Do you wait until you're alone like Holly Hunter in Broadcast News (I couldn't find a youtube link, sorry) or do you go with it on the spot? And does it matter if everyone else is doing it too? I'm curious - what do you think?

Adventure Awaits

2010-04-20T15:05:00.005-04:00

I'm leaving in the morning for an intensive 3 day trip to Raleigh, NC with the Greater Richmond Chamber. This InterCity Visit promises to be as great as the ones I've been on in the past (Oklahoma City, Miami, Louisville and Charleston) with long days, challenging agendas, lots of thinking and conversations about what we can learn from Raleigh to continue to improve Richmond. It's a privelege for me to be part of the trip, and a great opportunity for MBM as it increases our exposure and our insights how we can help contribute to the growth of our community.

As we focus on technology, schools, development, and leadership there'll be plenty of networking as well. Of course, I'll be checking my phone to keep up with what's going on at MBM - and there's a lot going on. I'm glad there's such a strong team here to keep business moving forward, and to support each other.

Raleigh's not quite Madrid, but then again, I haven't spent that much time there - yet.

Wunderlust?

2010-04-13T16:42:00.005-04:00

Megan's currently on a plane (with an iPad) somewhere between Las Vegas and Richmond. Kelly & Courtney are hovering (literally, in a helicopter) somewhere above a coal mine in West Virginia for a photo shoot. I'm still reveling in the sharp memories of 10 days in and around Madrid.

We were all fairly sedentary for awhile there - work was steady and travel was minimal. And now all of a sudden we're scattered about for work and for fun. Personally, I'm looking forward to next week when we're all in the office together again - sharing travel stories, laughs, and phone duty! They say it's lonely at the top, but it's even lonelier when you're in the office by yourself...

Changing Seasons

2010-04-05T16:39:00.007-04:00

It's amazing how warm weather can change your state of mind. People get a little friendlier and suddenly have a kick in their step. You see neighbors you haven't seen in months and suddenly you HAVE to find something to grill.

What's been interesting is to see this change in my son who is not yet two. As if he needed more energy, this warm weather has him bouncing off the walls and begging to be outside. This picture of Jacob (my son) and his cousin Grace is an example of that energy just waiting to be released. Plus it makes me laugh everytime I see it so I had to share!

We are seeing some of that spring energy here at the office. New logos, product promotions, and direct mail campaigns are underway! We'll be working on bottling up all this good mojo for when summer makes us yearn for cold again. Let us know if we can put it to work for you!

Go Nuts and Eat Injera

2010-03-31T16:30:00.010-04:00

We're gearing up for the Richmond Flying Squirrels to take the field, now that baseball is back in Richmond. And last week, we attended the Creative Change Center's monthly Breakfast Club, held at the Diamond, where we learned more about the updates and changes the Flying Squirrels have brought to make the Diamond a more "funn" place to be. Having fun is their philosophy and have incorporated "funn" into their marketing messaging and overall sense of doing things at the park. Why the 2 "n"s you say? Well, their phone number is 359-FUNN, so there you go. Just try to forget it - you can't. We also got to meet Nutzy, the mascot!

In other news, we met with a potential client who just happens to be a local Ethiopian Restaurant. If you've never tried Ethiopian food, I would recommend trying it, at least once. We sampled the restaurants offerings of sambussas, katenya, keye sega wot, chicken tibs, a wonderfully spicy salad and a vegetarian combination platter. The entrees are served on a big platter, so that everyone at the table can share, and yes, you eat with your hands! Well, you have rolls of injera bread that you use as your utensil. And the injera bread has the most interesting texture - almost spongy, yet light, and is naturally almost 100% gluten free. We learned so much about Ethiopian culture in just an hour and a half, including a story about the Queen of Sheba and one about Ethiopian coffee.

To Those Who Wait

2010-03-20T14:27:00.003-04:00

Good things do come! Out of the blue, sometimes. A referral from a business associate via one of his business associates has turned into a new and exciting client. All in the span of 5 days. It's a new industry for us, with a connection Down Under which has great potential. We couldn't be more excited. And of course, we have another reason for champagne!

I wish for you patience and the confidence to know that closed windows can turn into open doors. Salud!

Oh that World Wide Web

2010-03-16T16:59:00.004-04:00

I have been such a slacker on our blog - but for good reason! I've been busy getting new websites and website updates taken care of for my clients. Take a look!

BRAND new website for The Crossings at Ironbridge

UPDATES for Solid Ground Yoga

UPDATES for Creative

The thing I really love about working on websites is Google Analytics. I'm always so entertained to check out who's viewing our clients' websites and where they're coming from. In fact, I'll be able to see who reads this blog post and clicks on the web links above - how convenient is that?

Champ-agne

2010-03-09T16:50:00.003-05:00

When asked how she survived her crazy rock & roll marriages, Pamela Anderson said "2 words: champ-agne!" Dorothy Parker listed "sufficient champagne" as one of the 3 things she would "never attain." And my mother always accused me of "champagne tastes and a beer pocketbook."

As you may recall, at MBM we find as many opportunities as possible to enjoy the bubbly (often a Cava or California sparkling rather than the real French stuff). Excuses this week, so far (it's only Tuesday) are Kelly's birthday today, the release to press of the National Capital Bank annual report, and the fact that we survived last week.

Cheers to you and to a reason for you to celebrate before the week's over! Salud!

Go Banks!

2010-03-05T11:14:00.002-05:00

I feel like all of a sudden, our banking clients have new products to roll out - that's exciting stuff! One client is ready to launch Mobile Banking, another, estatements. We are also doing some research on commercial analysis accounts and high interest rewards checking accounts to assist with developing some new products. Sounds like our clients are ready to offer something new to their markets.

For our client launching estatements, they're hoping to partner with a local non profit that plants trees around the area. In turn, the bank will make a tree planting donation for every person who signs up to receive the estatements. We'll keep you posted on the progress of the campaign.

And Mobile Banking - with all of the smart phone innovations and apps, it looks like Mobile Banking will soon be the norm. Some smart phones can even pull up actual websites, like you would view on your computer screen, pretty cool!

Tuesday = Done

2010-03-02T16:42:00.005-05:00

Donna Carvana who used to work here always warned us to watch our electronic and digital equipment when "Mercury is in retrograde." Somehow she pegged it and our phones would fail, computers would crash or cable get knocked out.

I wonder how she'd explain today? We were all riding high with new clients and some strong proposals in the hands of potential clients. Today we heard "no" and "no" from potentials and lots of "how do you explain this" from the currents.

Ugh. It's cold, raining (planning on turning to snow), and we're an unhappy lot. We just spent a few minutes talking about what we're going to do when we leave the office. Highlights include a birthday party for an 11 year old, yoga, the gym, the last 50 pages of The Angel's Game, test driving a Mazda and ANOTHER EPISODE OF LOST!

Here's to vodka shots and wishes for a better day for all tomorrow!

21st Century Catch Phrase

2010-02-26T09:03:00.007-05:00

As many of you know, we are fond of playing Catch Phrase on Fridays. Well last week, Maggi's sister Katherine surprised us with 2 new games: Catch Phrase Music Edition and Electronic Catch Phrase! They don't even come in a box like our old antiquated Catch Phrase and the timer is built into the game -even the scoring system is too! No separate pieces. What a great surprise - thanks Katherine, you really know MBM!

Of course we had to play one of them right away and went for the new Electronic version of Catch Phrase, since we are used to how that works. It's a bit harder than what we're used to - it seemed that there were a lot more phrases and harder words to describe(like "fingernail decal"?), but we welcome the challenge and the fact that we have new words to describe to our teammates (we had cycled through all of the words on our old game)!

Since we had not yet played the Music Edition, we decided to give it a go yesterday afternoon. The objective is to have your team guess the song name - you can sing the lyrics and describe the song, but you can't say the artist or the song name. I'd say we did OK, but it's pretty challenging! We chose a mixed category of songs and got everything from Vince Gill to Jethro Tull to 50 Cent. Megan and Courtney won the game, but who knew that Courtney knew so many pop music lyrics (Genie in a Bottle)?

Tempus Fugit

2010-02-23T16:36:00.004-05:00

In Stephen King's Hearts In Atlantis the mother is always encouraging her young son to get moving, because time flies. And, as mothers always are, she is right.

I just realized it's the last week of February (I thought there was one more coming), and I haven't been to a Mysore session yet. Our trip to Madrid is less than a month away, and there's lots of research and planning still to be done (not to mention the packing and repacking).

As a team, MBM has accomplished a lot already in 2010 and we're feeling good about what's ahead of us. We have some big proposals sitting out there waiting for a thumbs up (or down). And we're staying busy and challenged with the work we already have.

So, what's the point? Use your time well. Organize, prioritize and keep moving forward. Oh, and watch out for low men in yellow coats.

Peter and The Wolf

2010-02-19T11:58:00.003-05:00

I was fortunate to grow up in a family that loved the arts. I was introduced to the ballet, symphony and theater as a child and therefore have an appreciation for these that was founded before I could fight it. Add to that a liberal arts education and it makes me a good fit for marketing. In our profession we have to know a little bit about everything in order to have the right reference points for our varied audiences.

I'm taking my 5 year old nephew for his formal introduction to the symphony via Peter & The Wolf tomorrow. We're both excited, but it's only as I write this that I realize there will be 100's (perhaps 1,000's?) of other small children in attendance. That's a point of reference I may need to do some homework on between now and then.

Go do something artsy this weekend - and if you see me listing on a barstool at Penny Lane Pub at 1:00 in the afternoon you'll know why!

Champagne!

2010-02-15T15:22:00.002-05:00

It's almost time to pop open a bottle of bubbly - MBM is celebrating a new client this afternoon! Not a bad way to start the week!

I've been very bad about keeping up with my blog entries but I have a good excuse. I've been too busy! Between proposals and annual reports and photo shoot planning (oh and snow!) the blog got pushed to the bottom of my priority list.

I'm back and recommitting myself to all of my avid fans out there. Or at least to the fellow MBMers who are expecting me to do my part!

Through New Eyes

2010-02-09T16:09:00.004-05:00

I'm the honored host of Flat Charlie - the Flat Stanley version of my godson in Chicago. It's been great fun trying to think of places to take him in Richmond, as well as making sure he travels with me. So far, he's made it to our cabin above Shenandoah, to meet up with my family near Emporia, and he's survived 2 major snowstorms (well, major for us). I wanted to take him to see the Terra Cotta Warriors but he doesn't pack well for short trips on the train. But he'll get to DC for a photo shoot next week for sure.

The point of this? I've really enjoyed viewing my surroundings through the eyes of a second grader. Richmond, Virginia, my travels and my life are a little more exciting than I thought. Thanks Flat Charlie!

PS - Unfortunately, Flat Charlie was not so good at making a snow angel, but he did enjoy hanging out in the backyard with all the snow.

Like Our Prezi?

2010-02-04T12:32:00.000-05:00

I uploaded our Prezi of recent work yesterday, so I hope you get a chance to see what we've been working on here at MBM over the past few months.

We first learned about Prezi in a recent article in Richmond BizSense - see the article here. I have taken on the title of Prezi Guru and have learned lots of tips and tricks for creating a presentation much cooler than the old PowerPoint. And, it's just as easy - maybe easier!

You can add pictures and art files, zoom into text, and rotate anything you want, all with one easy-to-use tool. And you can save it to your desktop or embed it in your blog. I highly recommend Prezi, especially if you're going for the WOW factor.

Create your own Prezi at http://www.prezi.com/.

Let us know what you think about our Prezi.

Cookies & Milk?

2010-02-02T17:02:00.000-05:00

We're meeting with a potential new client tomorrow afternoon - a little show and tell, get to know you kind of meeting. At 1:30.

Will they be full & tired after lunch? Will they be worried about the weather and their drive back? Will they have already met with the other potential agencies and basically made up their mind?

One never knows, so we'll greet them warmly, be honest about what makes us different, show them some samples of our work, ask questions to uncover what they're looking for in an agency, and have some afternoon snacks ready. Apples? Cookies & Milk? Choco tacos? Espresso and biscotti?

Any other suggestions? Time's short and it would be nice to have a new client and an excuse for champagne! And some chocolate-covered strawberries maybe?

Tomorrow Is A School Day

2010-01-26T16:05:00.000-05:00

I never even considered getting an MBA - Courtney of course did (considered it and earned her degree). None the less, we're both getting a refresher course tomorrow on business accounting. What does a P&L really tell us? How does that differ from a spreadsheet? And really what is EBIDTA?

Steve Lux who has been our business consultant for the last 5 years (and who's a CPA by training, among many other great things) is going to spend several hours with us so we'll be braindead around 2:00. However, you can call us on Thursday and we'll be able to sound really smart!

And speaking of smart and school, do you read Frazz? It's one of the best comic strips out there today - Bloom County lives in an elementary school!

What's Your Friday Afternoon Like?

2010-01-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

With Courtney working from home on Fridays to take care of Jacob, we're short a team mate for our weekly Catch Phrase games. I can tell you Megan has a wide range of knowledge, Kelly is amazingly creative with her descriptions, and me? Well, if you're over 30 then you'll get more of my references.

So, give us a call, drop us an email, come by and be our 4th - you can pick your team mate! Hope to see you at MBM soon.

What have you accomplished in the last 30 days?

2010-01-18T11:17:00.000-05:00

This week marks the completion of a Privacy Policy mailing for a local banking client - just 30 days after the initial client meeting about the project. It was a tight deadline to get everything designed, approved, printed and mailed, especially over the holidays, but we completed it on time, without a hiccup.

So I got to thinking about what else has been accomplished at MBM over the past 30 days. Other than 2 long holiday weekends in a row: Tacky Light Limo Tour (MBM Q4 Outing), 5 year champagne celebration for Courtney, blizzard of '09, client survey release and compilation, annual report concepting and approval for banking client, development and printing collateral for senior living client, and completion of many other projects - brochure reprints, ad development, press releases, you name it! What have you accomplished in the last 30 days?

With my Privacy Policy mailing in the wrap-up stages, I've been able to spend some of my time on new business proposals. Our business development guru Maggi, has recently been riding the wave of potential new clients, so our outlook on 2010 is positive!

I typed in "accomplishments" to Google images, and this came up. Cool tuna (I think), and yes quite an accomplishment!

Holiday Greens

2010-01-14T09:20:00.001-05:00

Our MBM gift this year was a donation to charity, coupled with a small desktop plant. Given that it's been a challenging year for all, we thought our clients, vendors, and friends would feel good about a donation in their honor and a little greenery on their desks.

The plant is a cool contraption in and of itself. A little brick of dirt, chock full of wheatgrass seeds, is nestled in this little silver container.

All you do is add a little water and keep the plant near some sun, and bam! Easy office plant.

The best thing about this gift has been receiving photos of the plants in action.

Jason, one of our designers, planted the seeds with his son, Sam. Below is Sam shortly after planting...

And here is Farmer Sam after the plant had grown some (also, I think just after waking up from a nap)...

Marcus, one of our programmers, sent in this beautiful shot of his plant...

And even I have been monitoring a plant here in the office. Well, trying to monitor. These thirsty little suckers need a fair amount of water!

Age Matters

2010-01-13T16:27:00.000-05:00

As the oldest person in the office, I occasionally find myself explaining quirky phrases or social references. Sometimes this leads to a link to great Saturday Night Live skit, sometimes it's a "you had to be there" moment. It's fun to think back on the iconic images and behaviors from when I was growing up, and to hear from the 30-something and the 20-somethings in the office about what they remember.

I write this thinking about the title of a presentation I'm giving with Mark Faircloth for the Virginia Bankers Association in March. We wanted something a little catchy and creative. As we came up with titles, we had to think about our audience - would they get it or just be confused? Would some get it and those who don't still understand what the topic is about? Or are we just trying to be too creative when it's more important to communicate clearly?

These are issues we struggle with every day for our clients. We want first and foremost to communicate clearly. Then we move to the mindset of the audience - is there some iconic thing or phrase that would help get the message across and remembered? It's a fine line to walk, but we sure love doing it!

Peace (OR) Peace Out (depending on your age)

Tacky Has Its Place

2010-01-05T16:05:00.000-05:00

After our original plans were snowed under (literally), we had our MBM holiday outing tour of the Richmond Tacky Holiday Lights last week. It's a must-do if you live in Richmond, and worth the trip to town if you don't. We had a great time and were amazed at the effort homeowners put into their decorations. You can see a slide show here, but it's way better in person: http://www2.richmond.com/content/2009/dec/21/tacky-lights-slideshow-2009/

To juxtapose the grandeur of the Tacky Lights (and our grand fun), we continue to edit and simplify a "scrapbook" version of a brochure for a new client. We think the concept is dead-on for the audience, but are working to make sure visuals don't take over the message, and that the font size and color are distinct and easily read by an older audience.

We're presenting tomorrow - fingers crossed! And cheers for a great 2010!

Well, hello 2010!

2010-01-05T16:04:00.000-05:00

The holidays are finally over and 2010 is here. Was it just me or did the holidays last a long time? I'll be glad to get my house cleaned up and my refrigerator thinned out. Now if we could just hurry spring along to get rid of this cold weather!

It's "back to school" week and we're all trying to get back in the swing of things. We'll be presenting some new design concepts that we have been diligently working on during all the holiday cheer. Let's hope we've hit a home run!

Maybe I'm just an optimist but I think this is going to be a really great year!

You Never Know Until You Ask

2009-12-29T15:46:00.000-05:00

Courtney created a great survey we've sent to all past and present clients. We really want to get a read on what we're doing well and what our clients value, but also where we stand to improve. The responses have been insightful and have given us much to think about as we look to 2010.

As Megan blogged earlier, the upcoming year holds some exciting projects for us. It is my new year's resolution for MBM that we are careful to really listen to and learn from the survey feedback.

Maybe you have a suggestion or constructive criticism for us? Please let us know!

Holiday calm before the storm

2009-12-28T13:57:00.000-05:00

As 2009 is coming to a close, it's hard to believe that January is just around the corner. In our business (like most others), late December can be fairly quiet - annual budgets are spent and everyone's just trying to wrap up the year. It's easy to forget that those first quarter 2010 projects are just around the corner...

A couple things on the horizon - Courtney and I will be busy as we initiate the second phase of a major branding campaign for one of our bank clients. We'll also be continuing to shape identity and sales support materials for a new senior living client. And undoubtedly, there will be a campaign or marketing need that hasn't yet be anticipated.

Looks like 2010 will be off to a busy and creative start!

Bah Humbug?

2009-12-22T17:25:00.000-05:00

A holiday update from the person at MBM who doesn't particularly care for Christmas:

Last week I saw Richmond Triangle Player's Scrooge In Rouge. It was a laugh riot!

This week has been quiet, with Megan taking vacation time for the week. And Kelly is taking time next week. After a client giving me a hard time, I decided there's no need to be open 1/2 day on Christmas Eve so the week is winding down quickly.

Lori from the Greater Richmond Chamber and I spent the afternoon outlining a marketing plan for their 2010-2012 strategic plan. We finished off a tin of Chex Mix and she left me with a bottle of bubbly for later!

MVYRadio has been interspersing more and more holiday songs so I'm actually almost getting in the mood. Who doesn't love The First Noel as sung by The Crash Test Dummies?

A few more gifts to purchase, a few more friends to toast with and then off to North Carolina where the Christmas joy of my 5 year old nephew is sure to be infectious.

Have a good one, ya'll.

The Deets

2009-12-18T14:38:00.000-05:00

This week, it has been all about the details for me. I've been focused on a mailing for a banking client that has multiple parts, quantities and pieces. And of course there are numerous options for printing and mailing. So at this point, I am weighing and comparing all the costs to see how we can produce an effective and impactful piece, while printing and mailing in the most efficient manner. So lots of deets.

Kelly trivia: "The Deets" is also one of my favorite question categories on the board game Seinfeld Scene-it!

Congrats Virginia Partners Bank!

2009-12-17T09:33:00.000-05:00

It is an exciting week for one of our clients, Virginia Partners Bank, as they open their brand new Main Office building in Downtown Fredericksburg. The new building is beautiful so if you are in the area you should stop by and check it out.

We started working with Virginia Partners Bank when it was just Bill and Lloyd working out of a borrowed space. MBM had the pleasure of assisting with marketing materials from the ground up including the capital raising process, brand and logo development, and general marketing/promotion of the Bank.

Virginia Partners Bank celebrated its one year anniversary in August and has experienced great success in a short time. The Bank has opened two offices and has more than $89 million in assets.

Congrats VPB on your success!

Procrastination, Overconfidence and The Crud

2009-12-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

Courtney's on the back end of her sinus infection, I'm on day 2 of antibiotics for bronchitis and Kelly's at the beginning stages of whatever's going around. Megan is blissfully germ-free as I write this.

I can only speak for myself, but today is a week and 2 days after I woke up with a sore throat, which progressed daily. I procrastinated, I was overconfident that my immune system could win the battle...and obviously, I ended up with The Crud. I'm old enough to know better and now I (and everyone around me) am suffering the consequences.

When I feel better, the first thing I'm going to do is revisit my goals, plans and to-do list. I have a feeling there are a few other items out there that I'm procrastinating or overconfident about.

Through The Looking Glass

2009-12-08T16:18:00.000-05:00

As much as I'd like to start this blog with one of the classic quotes from Alice in Wonderland, it just feels too cliche today. Anyway, what I'm thinking about is the difficulty of holding a mirror up to your own company. Although we've done some of our best ever brand, logo and culture work this year for clients, we just can't seem to clarify MBM's brand. We've tried every tactic on ourselves but somehow we just can't seem to articulate who we are and what is special about us. It's frustrating but we're not giving up. We just put the finishing touches on a survey for current and former clients and hope they'll give us that extra insight we need to finalize our work. Stay tuned for updates and probably a new website when we get it right! And if you're struggling with the same issue, let us know. Maybe we could help each other?

PS - how cool is this film going to be?
http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/07/22/tim-burtons-alice-in-wonderland-teaser-trailer/

Annual Reports

2009-12-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

This week I will be working on a creative brief and design concepts for a client's 2009 Annual Report. Can you believe that 2009 is almost over??

Annual report season can get kind of crazy since they all need to be completed, printed and mailed to Shareholders around the same time. And it is one of those projects that sort of sneaks up on you because of the holidays.

So I'm trying to not be swayed by elves, sugar plums and other fun holiday distractions and get this 2009 report started. I think we've got a great initial concept - look for updates in early 2010!

Oh, and did I mention that we won first place for one of our Annual Reports in 2007 from the American Bankers Association? Call us if you need help with yours!

New client website

2009-12-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

So, I have to share a new client website. Maggi, Jason, and I spent the summer and fall working with Creative to provide a fantastic new website. Their brand has been evolving over the last few years, and they needed to update their website to reflect this evolution.

Be sure to check it out - Creative's new site.

SWAG

2009-12-04T14:40:00.000-05:00

Now that we are headfirst into December and the holidays are approaching, 'tis the season for holiday premium item purchasing! For most companies, purchasing a logo-imprinted premium item for holiday gift giving has been the norm. And we're not talking cheap. But with the current economic client, will premium item vendors be begging for some business?

Over the past few weeks, we've been struggling with the holiday gift giving dilemma, and decided that gift giving is appropriate, but on a more conscious level. We'll tell you what our gift is later in the month, as to not spoil the fun!

Speaking of premium items, we have also been researching free giveaways for one of our banking clients who will be offering a checking account promotion next year. Did you know that you can purchase a toaster that toasts your logo right onto the bread? It's true. You can buy just about anything and put your logo on it (one location only, and add an additional $0.20 per piece for more than one color in your logo). :)

Michael Scott from The Office says it best,

"Swag! Stuff we all get. I basically decorated my condo for free with all of my swag."

Traditions

2009-11-25T13:49:00.000-05:00

Since 1677 Virginia's Indian tribes have presented the governor with wild game in lieu of taxes. The ceremony is held on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving at the Governor's Mansion and this year I attended. It was very special and meaningful, with several tribes represented. Over the years the meaning behind the event has evolved to represent a mutual respect among the various people who live in Virginia.

At MBM, we have traditions too. From storytime and Catch Phrase to champagne toasts and quarterly outings. Each of these provides us new opportunities to get to know each other and respect our differences and special talents.

I think next year we're going to add this Native American tribute to our outing plans. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I continue to be thankful for all the MBM family - clients, staff, vendors, spouses, friends and families.

More Budgeting!

2009-11-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

So, it's that time of year when our clients are starting to think, "Where did 2009 go?" They then start thinking about all the things they will need to have planned for 2010.

This is where MBM comes in.

We had a few big meetings last week with some of our clients, mostly to discuss next year's marketing initiatives. I'd like to say that we have things pretty organized when it comes to budget discussions. And we know our clients appreciate the work that we put in to develop a firm budget for them to follow for the year.

It also looks like we'll be busy planning some large campaigns for one of our banking clients - some fun checking account promotions and Grand Openings. Get excited for 2010!

Champ-agne!

2009-11-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

We're knocking off at 4:30 today to pop a cork of bubbly. It's a celebration of a new client, Kelly's 2 year anniversary at MBM, the launch of a fabulous new website for another client, Richard's birthday and, oh, because it's Wednesday. We try to celebrate whenever we can - birthdays, anniversaries, new clients, awards and sometimes just because we made it through the day. Because I'm a sentimental nerd, I save all the corks and write the date and reason for celebration on them. I have no idea what we'll ever do with them. But sometimes it's just nice to look through them and remember all our accomplishments, and all our celebrations together. Sentimental? Yes. Corny? Yes. MBM? Yes!

New website?

2009-11-11T10:18:00.000-05:00

Creating websites for our clients has become a mainstay service that MBM provides. Whether it's a website for a new company, a new website to replace an outdated one, or offering a copy/graphics/usability refresh to an existing site, we've done it all. And now it's time to tackle the website of the toughest client of all - ourselves!

We're having a team meeting later today to review our website for some new flavor. Our site's been good to us these past few years. But, like any company, our message, along with our style, evolves over time. Plus, with some of the good-looking websites we've been creating for our clients, we can't help but itch for a new site as well.

A sampling of brand new client sites from 2009...

::Solid Ground Yoga
::Riverstone General Contractors
::Virginia Partners Bank

MBM's loved our website's bright colors and celebrities with their well-appointed quotes - but it's time for something new. Stay tuned...

Working Through

2009-11-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

/>
So I've taken up Ashtanga Yoga (that is not me in the photo by the way) and it's making a big difference in a lot of ways. I'm more fit, losing weight, more relaxed and centered.

But it's also a constant challenge. Trying to find time to practice daily is tough with my schedule. And I'm finding my body has a weekly response to the poses.

But as I've found that I'm committed (maybe addicted) to the practice, I find that I can continue to work through the challenges and come out stronger and healthier on the other side.

It's the same way with the challenges we face at MBM - being creative, keeping a work/life balance and managing a business in this economy. And our clients are challenged as well. Maybe you are too.

My advice? Keep working through it!

Planning Meetings and Budgets

2009-11-09T12:57:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year again - time to take out the old budget, polish it up and make it shiny for 2010. Some people dread this type of stuff but I enjoy a good budget. Particularly when I'm working with clients who really use it as a planning device for the year.

One of the key things we deliver here at MBM is a full view of the overall marketing plan. We like to get into organizations and really understand what their goals are, how they might best reach them, and what it will cost. Understanding what we've got to work with and what we're working towards is really helpful to get the most out of our clients' budgets. And I don't mean that as in help MBM get the most - sure we want to make money but its not about us!

I like budgets so much that I have a worksheet I update monthly that categorizes all of my family's expenditures for the month. It's a bit of a sickness.

So if you need budget help (personal or professional) call me! I love to make people get organized.

Family Feud!

2009-11-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

We just finished some sales training for a client today and had a great time! It was a great time effort internally with Courtney finding prizes, Kelly creating the boards and Megan coordinating it all. We used the Family Feud game concept and found it really engaged our clients and helped them think about the topic in a fun and interesting way.

Not everything we do is fun, but whenever we can we find ways to make it fun.

And the client's new website is launching later this week. Megan has been intimately involved in it, and Jason did gorgeous design work. Kudos to Ben for copy and Marcus for quick turnaround programming! I"m sure Megan will blog more about it soon.

I'm crazy about teamwork and how we work as a team here. No feuding, just family!

Freelancers

2009-10-30T16:12:00.000-04:00

Megan recently held a Lunch & Learn where we discussed and evaluated our freelance connections. We sure do have a long list, and in the past few months have been contacted by many new freelancers who want us to take a look at their portfolios in the hopes that we'll want to collaborate with them on new projects.

Well, we went through designers, copywriters, web developers and programmers that we've worked with in the past and talked about what certain things we liked (and didn't like!) about working with each. We evaluated each of the freelancers on how they communicate, how creative their work is, cost, and any other things to note. So, to freelancers out there, it's not just about your portfolio. Of course we want to see your work, but as an agency, we also like to know how responsive you will be, how you work best, and what past work you've done that relates to clients similar to ours.

Recently, I had a request from a client and I found myself in the need of a copywriter, and quick! After a slight panic of thinking to myself, "how am I going to get this done professionally and quickly?" I sent an email to a copywriter that we work with on a consistent basis, and no more than 10 minutes later, received a response that he was willing to work on the project and have something for me to review in the next 2 hours. Talk about responsive - problem solved!

We welcome freelancers to share their portfolios with us - Don't you want to be on our go-to list? Give us a call or send us an email (mailto:info@mbmmarketing.com

Happy Halloween!

A look at customer service, take 2

2009-10-29T11:48:00.000-04:00

Reading back over one of Maggi's posts, I was thinking about the world of customer service. Recently, I've had some negative customer service, but each business went out of their way to resolve the issue and leave me as a happy customer.

Kroger -
I think Mercury must have been in retrograde, but my normally very friendly Kroger was particularly grumpy and rude during a recent visit. Bothered by the experience, I left a comment with Kroger's customer service online. Soon after, my local Kroger wrote me a letter, assured me that the customer service issue had been discussed with their team, and provided a $10 gift card.

Healthy Choice -
Given the number of Lean Cuisines and Healthy Choice frozen meals consumed in our office, it was only a matter of time before a package showed up with an issue. Upon opening a lunch, I discovered the plastic was unsealed. A quick online comment later, and Healthy Choice sent me a letter and gift card in the mail.

Panera -
This one's by far the best. Recently, we ordered lunch in for an office meeting. While divvying out our orders, I discovered that Panera had forgotten my sandwich (lesson learned - ALWAYS check your order). With no time to return and pick up my lunch, I called Panera to make sure I'd at least get a refund. Their manager got on the phone and arranged to have the sandwich delivered to the office, along with a selection of desserts for everyone. REALLY awesome.

Point is, no one's perfect, and no matter what you do, something's going to go wrong for a customer or client at some point. But if you show concern and genuine effort to resolve the issue, your customer may end up even MORE impressed with your brand than if everything had gone correctly in the front place.

Explaining Social Media?

2009-10-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

His royal highness, Roy Williams The Wizard of Ads (www.wizardofads.com) had a PS in an email last week, requoting that ""Twitter and Facebook and all the other social media are like a party. You don't go to a party to sell things. You go to a party to initiate relationships. Sometimes you meet people at a party and later invite them over to your house where they can see what you're all about. Your blog is your house."

I like that explanation and think it works well for what we're doing with our blog - bringing you into MBM and what makes us tick. So that means sometimes we talk about our work, sometimes how we're enhancing the work experience for ourselves, and sometimes what we're thinking about and planning on doing together.

So, welcome! Come in, make yourself at home. And as we say in the South: ya'll come back soon, ya hear?

Kids These Days

2009-10-26T13:32:00.000-04:00

I have heard a lot of different sources talking lately about the changes in the next generation of kids and their attitudes/perceptions. What I'm hearing is that there will be a cultural shift coming towards more volunteerism, respect for the environment, and overall a much higher BS monitor. What that means for marketers and businesses in general is that transparency is of utmost importance and whatever message you put out there had better be "real".

I've seen some of this in the 20-somethings I know but wasn't sure if I really believed it was going to be as transformational as the "experts" said it would be. That is until I got to hang around some middle school kids lately. It's amazing how unselfish these kids are! They are collecting books for kids in India, volunteering at local organizations, and overall doing things for other people instead of it being all about themselves. Weird. :)

Well, it might just be a microcosm of kids that I've met but I think it is really cool. And I think everyone trying to market a product or service should start thinking about how these cultural shifts might effect their business when these kids grow-up!

Clever Ad

2009-10-19T13:42:00.000-04:00

I saw this ad over the weekend, and really liked the clever use of everyday objects making faces. Take a look - it's the new campaign from American Express.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m56F4EKN9hg&feature=related

What's A Girl Gotta Do?

2009-10-12T13:17:00.000-04:00

Seriously, I had two really disappointing customer experiences this weekend and it makes me wonder what people are thinking. Both were in the services industry - a beauty salon and a restaurant. I'm thinking these are both industries challenged by current economic times so wouldn't they be bending over backwards? Or at least be accommodating? I had to wait 15 minutes at the salon while the employee put on HER OWN Makeup! I mean really, it was 12:30 in the afternoon - what had she been doing all morning that a paying customer had to wait for her. The store was not crowded, in fact my girlfriend and I were the only clients in there. And yet WE waited for THEM to get pretty before they could make us pretty. The same afternoon a restaurant/bar couldn't be bothered to open 1/2 hour early, even though I had a group of 30 thirsty wedding attendees standing at their front door pleading for an over-priced cocktail. We walked an extra block and the staff at Tarrant's went out of their way to make us happy - and were rewarded handsomely.

I left both disappointing shops knowing I'd tell the negative story over and over again - meaning my friends and coworkers won't be at their doors anytime soon. It's a shame, really. But it reinforces our commitment to client services here at MBM. In the end, our long standing relationships are because of the way they treated and the experience they have working with us. And it better be positive, or else - right?

Rebranding?

2009-10-08T13:57:00.000-04:00

Richmond news sources have been busy covering the area's new minor league team - in particular, the naming of the team. 6,000 voters submitted name suggestions, which were narrowed down by the team's management. As an additional wild card entry, CNBC gathered votes and picked their favorite. The new baseball team faces these options for a new name:

Richmond Rhinos

Richmond Rockhoppers

Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Hambones

Richmond Flatheads

Richmond Hush Puppies

Richmonders remain a twitter at the poor ballot of names. Rhinos plays off alliteration, and the other options try to play off of Richmond/Virginia, but they seem to be falling flat. Although 1 funny/cool name option might have been well received, voters might have reacted more warmly to a better variety of names.

Oh, and lay off the food options!

When we help a client work on their identity, we offer well-rounded options, whether its studying a variety of color palettes or examining a range of font treatments, from the edgy to the traditional. If you've got a client with more traditional style, it doesn't do any good to provide them with 6 edgy logo choices - and vice versa.

If an identity treatment doesn't properly capture how a client feels about their business, they're going to feel frustrated and as if they've been misunderstood. They're also going to be concerned that their brand won't be properly communicated. It seems to me, that's what's happened with the baseball names.

After all, who wants their city summarized by an ugly fish, a soaring rodent, deep-fried bread, meat, or creatures jumping over rocks?

Gritty in Pink

2009-10-06T16:21:00.000-04:00

NFL teams use any means necessary to get into each other's heads. Big, mean, tough men with dark uniforms and ferocious logos designed for intimidation.

That said, it was hard not to notice each NFL player supporting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in their own creative ways during the games this past weekend. Some with pink cleats and gloves, others with pink mouth guards, wristbands or shoelaces. No matter how they each chose to 'enhance' their uniform, the message was clear and also somewhat amusing. Large, scary beasts in pretty pink accessories to support a good cause.

Breast cancer isn't a laughing matter and I know first-hand that it touches many of our lives in some capacity. But sometimes the bold and almost awkward contrast of how a campaign is presented reaches a much broader audience, and in a way that's impossible to ignore. Advertising that's so effective that it doesn't need any icons, images or even words. Just 1 color and the awareness is there.

The WeWe Monitor

2009-10-05T15:15:00.000-04:00

I recently came across a website that will review your website and check to see how much you are "WeWe-ing" on yourself. Sounds funny but it is pretty smart. It is sometimes difficult to turn the tables from thinking about what you do to thinking about how that impacts your customers.

We come across this a lot with clients and sometimes find ourselves getting into that same mindset. Tools like this help to quickly distill down what's being said to visitors on your homepage. Cuz if you don't get them within a few seconds once they hit your site they are gone!

You can't read the prescription from inside the bottle; sometimes you just need to let an outside perspective take a look at what you do and how you could be doing it better. (This is the part where I "WeWe" on myself and tell you to call MBM!)

Here's the link: http://www.futurenowinc.com/wewe.htm

Stock Photos

2009-10-02T13:30:00.000-04:00

To make our clients' print ads more exciting, our graphic designers usually add a stock photo image of some sort that relates to the message in the ad or keeps with the brand consistency of the client. So, to provide some direction to our designers, it's easier to do some initial stock photo searching for what we know our clients might go for ahead of time. And as Client Services folks, we really know what our clients like and don't like (no images that use people, use the logo only, etc.). This week, I've been struggling over the "perfect" image for a community-focused ad that will run in a non-profit's event program.

If you've searched for images on stock photo websites like http://www.istockphoto.com/, then you know that there are thousands of choices, colors, illustrations, and photos. Well it can be time consuming and difficult, especially if you have an idea of what you're looking for in your head, and it's not there!

We came up with 6 ad layouts, all using a stock image that says "community." That's a hard one, right? We'll see what the client chooses!

Solid Ground Yoga!

2009-10-01T11:57:00.001-04:00

I've spent the summer working with a new client - Solid Ground Yoga. Solid Ground is a brand new yoga studio in Midlothian, and I've had a blast working on it.

My other clients include businesses like a community bank and a construction company - they're great to work with too, but it was a fun change to be thinking about yoga poses and soothing colors! Plus, since Solid Ground is a totally new studio, we were starting from scratch on everything.

I'm really proud of the design work Jason did - check out the Solid Ground Yoga website.

Interesting Video

2009-09-28T16:49:00.000-04:00

Last week I attended the Wizards on the Road conference about "Business Building Strategies". I have to admit that at first I was skeptical about what I would learn (and not looking forward to sitting in class for two days) but I really enjoyed it. I also realized that my brain hasn't been in learning mode in a long time!

The conference covered a ton of subjects including social media. This subject didn't actually get much attention because it would have required a lot of time to go into detail adequately. The big takeaway was this: social media isn't going away and you better adapt your communication with customers to incorporate it.

Check out this video from socialnomics.net with some interesting stats on the social media "phenomenon". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

2009-09-25T11:09:00.001-04:00

Well we have decided on the next MBM Outing - Haunts of Richmond! We will take a Ghost Tour of Shockoe Bottom next week, which will be full of ghost stories about the haunted streets of downtown Richmond. It should be a fun filled evening for sure.

Baseball is back in Richmond, which means that MBM may have to take another Outing to the Diamond, come spring! We ventured to a Richmond Braves game in April 2008, but it won't be the same since the new team has yet to be named... Our office is so close to the stadium, it's almost silly NOT to go!

Tempus Fugit

2009-09-24T17:49:00.001-04:00

Can it really be a Thursday evening, late September, in 2009? MBM is into its 11th year, and we just revisted our trade show booth panels from the past. Our very first one read "our core belief is that Return on Investment is the true and best measure of advertising success." Now we say "advertising ought to have an effect or it's not worth doing." The more time flies, the more some things stay the same at MBM. And that's a good thing.

Lessons

2009-09-21T15:15:00.000-04:00

Today is one of those days where you keep having challenges thrown at you that require research and thinking. And it is a Monday - painful!

Acutally, those challenges have taught me some new interesting things. I discovered a more efficient way to share information through an online file sharing program. Then I learned how to submit new URLs to Open Directories to help with search engine optimization. I'm wrapping up the day with weird cat pics so maybe in the end it was a successful day.

Later this week I'll be continuing my quest for new knowledge as an attendee at the Wizard of Ads conference about Business Building Strategies (www.wizardsontheroad.com). Hopefully I don't leave looking like this cat. Look for an update on what I've learned next week!

Technology

2009-09-18T15:17:00.000-04:00

I was thinking the other day that in 20 quick years, I've seen an amazing evolution of technology, yet I'm less satisfied than ever.

Riding the bus to middle school with my Sony walkman and huge Koss headphones seemed so easy and fun. One mix tape, about 25 songs, and a play/stop/fast-forward button trio was all I needed. Today I have a much thinner iPod with 4000 songs that I can sort, shuffle, and create custom playlists. And with all these 'enhanced' features, I find myself skipping through most songs as I drive, disappointed I can't find anything to listen to.

Setting the VCR to record was always easy enough. And with about 20 channels to choose from, there wasn't a whole lot you'd miss. This past weekend, I was frustrated with my DVR while 3 shows and a movie played simultaneously but overlapped the same time slots. As you may know, DVR only allows you to record 2 things at once. Out of 900 channels?! C'mon cable.

Who knows, maybe I just need to read more.

Conference Time

2009-09-17T09:45:00.000-04:00

Maggi and I are heading to the Virginia Bankers Association conference for community bankers next week in Roanoke, as well as visiting with a Roanoke-based company for a new business discussion. It's nice to get over to Roanoke in the early fall - it's a smaller city, but there's a lot going on over there.

I'll let you know how the trip goes...!

A Seasonable Outing

2009-09-11T16:13:00.000-04:00

I've been looking for some fun things to do for our next quarterly MBM Outing, and there's a lot of neat stuff going on in Richmond over the next few weeks. What's an MBM Outing, you say? Just another way to keep us a vibrant, cohesive team (like our story times). We at MBM, take some time during one day each quarter to do something fun, like go to the Richmond Metro Zoo, Movieland Cinema, Braves baseball game (last year), Kings Dominion... you get it. Oh, and spouses and significant others are invited as well. So it's always a decent sized group!

Anyways, since the weather is cooling down, there are some things to do outside now that it's not so hot. We've narrowed our list down to a Hollywood Cemetery walking tour, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden butterfly exhibit, Capital Ale Oktoberfest and Haunts of Richmond ghost tour. Looks like we will be voting next week for the winner in our traffic meeting - there's only a few more weeks in the third quarter, so stay tuned!

Too bad there's only one MBM Outing each quarter, right?

Household Shopping get an Online Makeover

2009-09-11T14:50:00.000-04:00

It's pretty crazy what you can do on the internet. You can track down everyone you've ever met on Facebook, order shoes/plane tickets/pizza, learn about news updated faster than any other media, watch movies, balance a checkbook, research anything...

Well, this week, I learned how easy shopping for supplies can be on the internet.

I'm all about online shopping - eBay, Craig's List, Amazon, Etsy, Zappos, Ticketmaster, whatever. But I never had explored buying household goods.

I'd heard of buying bulk dry goods and whatnot through Amazon, but it all seemed a little odd to me. I don't buy a lot of food in bulk (single gal, single gal sized apartment), plus I'd still need to go to the grocery store for perishable items.

Recently though, I started hearing a lot of good things about Alice.com, an online household good retailer, which bills itself like so:

"Tired of carrying that load of household goods out to the car? Alice helps eliminate the chore and avoid impulse store purchases to boot. Set up Alice and we deliver just what you need, when you need it. It’s time to take household shopping off your to-do list."

Basically, you sign up for a free acount and make a list of things you normally buy (Johnson & Johnson dental floss, Puff tissues, Pledge cleaning wipes, etc). Items are comparably price to the drugstores or grocery stores (at least compared to mine), and there are also various online coupons available that are automatically applied.

As you select items, Alice asks how often you go through an item in order to remind you to order more at a later date (I'll be reminded to order more Aquafresh in 6 weeks). Package up your order and it ships to you within 2-3 days (free shipping).

The idea is that by planning ahead and not being tempted by impulse buys, you can save both time and money. And if you're really into saving money, your free acount includes all sort of charts and graphs that break down your spending history. As far as time goes, I'll still be making trips to the grocery store, but I won't be loaded down with as many items (that single gal apartment's a walk-up with street parking).

Plus, as a bonus, the design and interface is amazing! The drag-and-drop products to shopping cart is just cool, but all the tabs and windows of info are useful, not busy.

I received my first shipment today and already even used my new dental floss. So far, so good.

Deadline Shmedline

2009-09-08T17:15:00.000-04:00

Why is it that we always get our best motivation, and inspiration, right near deadline? I think it's partly the creative process: our subconscious is thinking and plotting and planning and won't let go the baked idea until the very last minute. I also think that some of us are just born procratinators and rarely finish anything prior to its due date. An old boss called this "practicing avoidance." Whatever it is, I need to get back to it.....

Banking Across the Pond

2009-09-04T10:03:00.001-04:00

Since a handful of our clients are community banks, we keep an ear out for all things banking - news, new regulations, successful marketing tactics, and more. On a recent trip across the Atlantic to Greece, I noticed one Greek bank that was everywhere - ATEBank. I'd liken it to a Wachovia. Anyways, I liked their Greek iconic logo and checked them out online when I got back in town.

Pretty much your typical bank, but take a second and think about your current checking account. Do you know what the name of your account is? I happen to know that mine is "Crown Banking" - pretty boring. How would you feel if your account was the ATHENA Student Account or HERMES Monthly Interest Savings Account? Or the DEMETRA Premium Account or the ESTIA Current Account? Feeling Greek god empowered? What fun ATEBank!

Here's what you missed from the cliffs of Santorini :)

Fall Networking

2009-09-03T13:34:00.000-04:00

So this is the first week of September, and to the delight of many in the area, there's been about a 15-20 degree drop in temperature, which is really making it feel like summer's ending and fall is here.

I don't have any kids and none of my friends are in school anymore, so "back to school" isn't on my radar at all. However, the massive uptick in networking events is certainly signaling the change of season.

As Programming Director for the Richmond AIGA, I know the conversation each group has had when it comes to planning: "Everyone's on vacation in the summer, kids are home from school, it's too crazy for events."

But once September's on the horizon, the tune changes: "Kids are back in school, students are back at VCU, everyone's in back to school mode which means they're ready for EVENTS - let's schedule something great to start the (school) year."

There are some interesting things on my radar, even if I can't attend everything:

> Ad Club's annual golf tourny, AddyShack

> AMA's September luncheon with Martin Agency's Walmart CD, Bruce Fougere

> Richmond AIGA's screening of Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight (link coming)

> CS - The Creative Change Center - has kicked up multiple events over the next 6 weeks

> RAUG (RIC Adobe User Group) has a panel event as well

> The Greater Richmond Chamber's kicking off it's Extraordinary Women's Exchange series

And I keep hearing whispers and rumors about RIC's Social Media Club (SMCRVA) but had trouble finding their website. Even Richmond BizSense held a PR event last night at Planet Zero.

Sounds like a busy way to start fall!

Wishful Thinking

2009-09-01T16:25:00.000-04:00

The great thing about this business is that it's often subjective, the challenging thing about this business is that it's often subjective. On Friday, Megan and I presented some great concepts, which we (along with creatives Ben & Jason) felt were strong and addressed what the client was trying to communicate. Somewhere along the line, we missed a key image that the client felt strongly represented their differentiation. Unfortunately, not even the client can agree on what that image should be. We're now locked in an epic internal struggle to try and interpret what they want to communicate. This is the great part of our work - pushing creativity and thinking to the limits, all the while making sure what we communicate is clear, direct, understandable and actionable. Wish us luck - and stay tuned!

Blah Blah Blog

2009-08-31T16:42:00.000-04:00

For my first MBM blog I'm sharing a new book that I think is pretty funny, called:

There's No I in Office: 4293 Meaningless Phrases to Keep Your Coworkers Smiling While Avoiding Actual Conversation by Jacob Lentz, Paul Koehorst

(first few pages on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Theres-Office-Meaningless-Coworkers-Conversation/dp/1569757011)

The real reason I like this is because it shows how uncomfortable people are around each other at work everyday, and really how much of our lives is spent with meaningless phrases to void the silence. We're constantly saying things to each other that don't mean anything. "How ya doin?" "Well I keep on, keepin on" or "Another day, Another dollar" or "Workin for the Weekend." Even more amusing is when people try to be creative with their nonsense, saying stuff like "De Ja Vu all over again!" C'mon, really?

The chapters include multiple responses for just about any office situation. From casual fridays, to when someone's office chair breaks. The book looks like a huge waste of time but still a great read. I guess you could just carry it around and catch up on a chapter whenever someone asks how your weekend was.

Time

2009-08-31T13:20:00.000-04:00

We had a friend come visit this weekend who we hadn't seen in eight months. That sounds like a really long time but it didn't seem like it had been that long. Then I thought about it in terms of my son - he was only eight months old at the last visit and he's changed a lot in that time! It is really amazing how time flies.

Before we know it 2009 is going to be over. I guess it is about time to pull out the spreadsheets and start budgeting meetings. Then there is that inevitable September/October panic that's going to set in. You know the one where everyone tries to finish all the things we outlined back in January when the year seemed like it would take longer to get through than it did?

Whatever, I'm ready for it, come on fall! I can't wait to rake leaves, carve pumpkins and sing holiday songs to my son... after I get my work done, of course!

Presenting

2009-08-27T11:41:00.000-04:00

Maggi and I are presenting web site elements and basic designs to a client tomorrow. Presenting is not one of my biggest strengths, but I'm looking forward to it because we're giving them a lot of very cool, very "them" items to look over. Even our different color swatch options make me thing of being in a candy store with lots of interesting, solid, saturated colors.

I also just realized that my last blog post was about color, so I think I'm seeing a trend. Apparently I like to muse about color... but really, I think there is nothing more exciting then colors coming together, especially when different colors and tones unexpected complement each other.

For fun, check out Adobe's kuler.

Communication

2009-08-26T10:43:00.002-04:00

So I spent the weekend with a good friend and business associate - I'm on her company's strategic advisory committee. Turns out she's been frustrated trying to find the right marketing company and just happened to mention it in the course of casual conversation. For the 8 years we've known each other, socially and professionally, I've felt confident she knew what MBM does - turns out I was very wrong. So lessons for today are (1) Never assume someone else knows what you know and (2) just because you do a good job marketing your clients doesn't mean you do a good job marketing yourself. I'm sure there's a lesson (3), I just haven't processed it yet....

2009-08-26T10:43:00.001-04:00

RFPs!

2009-08-18T15:40:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been a crazy few weeks of RFPs. If our clients are any indication of the economy, I would say things are improving. SIQ, SOQ, RFQ, RFP - you name it we've seen it.

It's definitely exciting to see things picking up and hopefully our hard work will pay off for our clients. I also find it interesting the things that we do as a marketing agency that traditional advertising firms wouldn't touch. MBM Marketing is sort of like the Army, "Be all you can be."

Now onto a PowerPoint for an RFP interview/presentation...

Color wheel

2009-08-13T16:08:00.000-04:00

So I was looking at some potential colors for a client's website, and I realized I might be in a bit of a color rut. I love blues and greens (and of course, their combo - teal), so naturally, those are the first colors I think of for ANY project (see MBM's interior photos below). It made me wonder though - what is it that draws people to certain colors?

So I googled.

At first, I found various responses about how people who love water like blue, and people who like to feel serene like green. I'm not really buying that. I understand that there are associations with certain colors, but I'm not thinking about dirt when I see brown or sunshine when I see yellow.

What I'm looking for is more scientific information than I seem to be finding online - like, is it psychological or simply hard wiring in our brains?

Beyond that, is a website or product packaging more influential if it's in your favorite colors? Subconsciously, are you less likely to linger if it's in colors you dislike?

Strengths

2009-08-11T15:00:00.000-04:00

Sometime back, we all took the Strengthsfinder profile. Today Kelly did a Lunch & Learn to help us better understand how we can work together in groups -- and what strengths we have in common. And she had us guess what our distinct strengths were. It was pretty funny, other than pegging Courtney on "discipline" (her photo is next to the word on wikipedia) we don't know each other as well as we thought. Which provides us with another great opportunity to learn! Yea! (yes, "positivity" is one of my strengths). Maggi