General
Rural American Core Values
Understanding Your Community OUTdrive Episode 13 with Dr. Joanna Anderson In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Dr. Joanna Anderson, President of State Fair Community College (SFCC). A passionate educator and lover of the rural American lifestyle, Dr. Anderson leads students and faculty to success in 14 counties in central Missouri. Read more for…
Read MoreThe Cycle of Service
Positioning Your Brand to be Top-of-Mind OUTdrive Episode 12 with Kyle Herrick In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Kyle Herrick, president of Bryant Motors, an auto dealer in Sedalia, Missouri. A successful businessman and involved community member, Kyle is dedicated to serving customers with a positive attitude and attention to detail. Keep reading…
Read MoreCommunicating Your Value Proposition
The Importance of Reducing Risk and Building Relationships OUTdrive Episode 11 with Jessica Craig In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Jessica Craig, Executive Director of Economic Development Sedalia-Pettis County. An involved community member and lover of the rural American way of life, Jessica leads the charge in creating new wealth in the community.…
Read MoreIdentifying and Serving a Niche
The Power of Content Marketing and What’s Next with AI, Artificial Intelligence OUTdrive Episode 10 with Drew McLellan In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Drew McLellan, owner of Agency Management Institute (AMI) and McLellan Marketing Group (MMG). A friend and agency peer, Drew serves more than 250 small to midsize agencies, helping them…
Read MoreStaying the Course
Forward Progress Through Challenging Times OUTdrive Episode 9 Today is the primary election day throughout America. As we jump into our topic of Staying the Course, I want to encourage you to get out and vote. It’s our constitutional right and responsibility as citizens of the United States of America and our country needs your…
Read MoreCreative Differentiation in Rural America
Digital Streaming TV and the Power of Video OUTdrive Episode 8 with Steve Ahrens In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff has the opportunity to visit with Steve Ahrens, president and CEO of the Missouri Propane Gas Association (MPGA) and the Executive Director of the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council (MOPERC). As a client and…
Read MoreEngaging Rural America with the Unexpected
The Importance of Communications and Personal Connections OUTdrive Episode 7 with Roy Huntington One of the key components of a successful business is relationships with customers and exceptional service to those customers. However, many companies struggle to find the best strategies to build relationships and develop brand loyalty with their customer base. New strategies continue…
Read MoreTrust but Confirm
The Concept of Welcoming New Perspectives in a Marketing Environment OUTdrive Episode 6 with Kari Mergen As professionals, we are always looking for ways to build a stronger team to provide the best results possible. A strong leadership philosophy is vital to the success of a team and company. One example of a great leadership…
Read MoreListening to Understand
The Power of Building Relationships in Rural America OUTdrive Episode 5 with Mark Russell With technology being used in nearly every aspect of our lives, it is challenging to cultivate personal relationships. One way to build these relationships is by listening to fully understand the needs of our audience. As a professional, this means taking…
Read MoreA Marketing and Business Professional in Rural America
Innovative Ways to Grow in Rural American Marketing OUTdrive Episode 4 with David Coffman As professionals, it can be easy to get stuck in a routine. As humans, we tend to gravitate toward what we know and are comfortable with. However, it is important that we embrace new ideas and technologies to stay up to…
Read MoreThe Power of a Personal Brand in the Rural American Marketplace
OUTdrive Episode 3 with Nip Neidert Whether you are entering the job force for the first time or closing your one hundredth deal, you must understand the importance of a strong personal brand. It is no secret that people want to do business with people that they know, like and trust. Developing a strong personal…
Read MoreWhere Do We Grow?
A Look Beyond COVID-19 in Marketing to Rural America OUTdrive Episode 2: Solocast with Cliff Callis Hello and welcome to OUTdrive, a new weekly podcast that takes you down the roads of rural America, from a marketing perspective. I’m Cliff Callis, host of the show and President of Callis, a full-service advertising agency that specializes…
Read MoreThe Callis Story
A Rural America Marketing Niche and the Evolution of OUTdrive OUTdrive Episode 1: Solocast with Cliff Callis This is an exciting week for us. At Callis, we’re launching our new podcast OUTdrive. If you have never been to rural America, you may be in for some big surprises when you hear stories about the way…
Read MoreThe Evolution of a Rural America Marketing Podcast: Buckle Up for OUTdrive
By now, you may have seen our teaser graphics in emails or social media about something exciting cookin’ at Callis. Well friends, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new podcast, OUTdrive, which will be hitting the airwaves next week. Why a podcast? There are a lot of reasons to consider starting a…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Marketing Messaging | What Do You Say?
The COVID-19 situation has certainly changed life as we know it. Things are going to be different for a while, especially for the immediate future. As folks are social distancing, working remotely and settling in to a new normal, the question of “What should we be saying in our marketing messaging?” naturally presents itself. In…
Read MoreWhat COVID-19 Means for Marketers
The last few weeks have been crazy to say the least with the COVID-19 pandemic. The uncertainty revolving around the situation has disrupted our normal way of life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our leaders, our healthcare workers and all those directly impacted by the coronavirus as we navigate through this challenging time.…
Read MoreYou Never Know
When writing this, I’m in between a trade show and a plane ride home and wanting to share a nugget dug out of my last couple of days’ experiences. My nugget from the show is…you never know. My planning for the show started a couple of months ago when we started scouring the list of…
Read MoreGreat Scott! Back to the Future with Scenario Planning
The creators of the Back to the Future trilogy were on to something. At the risk of dating myself, the first installment of the three-part movie series debuted the year I graduated from high school and was the highest-grossing movie of 1985. It had cool special effects, catchy songs (Forget Michael J. Fox … I…
Read MoreOne Little Word
It is amazing how one little word can change everything. Recently, I was coming out of a public bathroom and read the sign on the inside of the door, which said – Before you leave, turn off the light and close the door. Think about it. If you would follow the directions and do exactly…
Read MoreThe Buyer Wants to Buy
In the ad agency business, no one is going to hire you just because you pick up the phone and ask them to. (If there is someone like that, send me your number and I’ll give you a call.) Same holds true for most every other product, category and industry too. People today want to…
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