General
Defining Actionable Data
OUTdrive Episode 107 with JJ Reynolds In today’s world, you can get data on just about anything. This leads to many businesses drowning in reports of thousands of rows of numbers. At Callis, we like to say that “data without action is just trivia,” meaning that unless you can do something with it, it’s just…
Read MoreLesson 23 – Face the Music
We started hearing about Facebook back around 2010 as the college students we knew shared the ways they were using it. It sounded interesting, and valuable to an extent, but we had no idea it would become what it has. When the opportunity came along for us in the non-academic world to start using it,…
Read MoreMarketing Real Estate in Rural America
Episode 106 with Dave and Ryan Wiedeman In rural America, we do business with people we know, like and trust, especially with major purchases or services. Buying a home is typically one of the largest investments a person will make in their lifetime and it helps to know someone to be by your side throughout…
Read MoreLesson 22 – Sometimes You Have to Pivot
Back in 2020, many businesses recognized the need to pivot to either survive or capitalize on the effects of the pandemic. I think most marketers would agree that the word “pivot” became greatly overused, but it was the right term and the right thing to do at the time. But pivoting can also be needed…
Read MoreLesson 21 – Every Industry is Unique
One of the many things we love about our business is the opportunity to work with a variety of clients in a variety of industries. One of the coolest things we’ve learned over the years is that every industry is quite different, yet the same principles of marketing apply to each one. Back a few…
Read MoreThe Value of Continual Learning
OUTdrive Episode 104 | SOLOCAST In honor of Memorial Day and the extra-long weekend, I wanted to share a bite-sized podcast with some practical business advice. At Callis we place an emphasis on education and professional development. One of the ways we do that is through our involvement with Agency Management Institute and by being…
Read MoreLesson 20 – Keep an Open Mind
Every now and then an opportunity comes along that makes you slow down and think it through. Back in the early 2000’s, Aquila, the region’s public utility, approached us about a public outreach project surrounding the construction of a power plant. At first, we were apprehensive. But this was different, way different, and we’re glad…
Read MoreBringing Broadway to the Backwoods
OUTdrive Episode 103 with Quin Gresham Arrow Rock is a village in central Missouri with a total population of 37. And, each year, more than 33,000 patrons travel to this community to enjoy Broadway-caliber productions at the Lyceum Theatre. Celebrating its 61st season in 2022, the Lyceum is one of Missouri’s oldest professional regional theatres.…
Read MoreLesson 19 – Pay Attention to the Little Things
The marketing business has elements of big idea thinking and lots of details, and both are vitally important. Clients need big ideas that will move the needle in their marketing and advertising and you must pay close attention to detail to make sure everything is accurate and right. We started working with ProEnergy Services before…
Read MoreUsing Multichannel Marketing
OUTdrive Episode 102 with Aric Bremer While it may seem like the world of advertising is all headed toward the Metaverse, there is still value in traditional marketing. Radio, television, and newspaper, combined with digital components, can make an impact. In this episode of OUTdrive, I sit down with Aric Bremer to discuss how businesses…
Read MoreBuilding Character
OUTdrive Episode 101 with Gary Wheeler To put it simply, the rural American lifestyle builds character. The people raised in rural America are often the ones who go on to feed, lead, and serve our country. Today’s guest, Missouri Soy’s CEO Gary Wheeler, has done all three. In his role, he continues to spearhead legislation…
Read MoreLesson 17 – Change is Good, But Not Always
Through relationships developed while in Iowa, we got the opportunity to work with a family auto dealership in Pella. The Vander Waal family had recently purchased Ulrich Ford and was considering changing the name to help the community know it was now their family business. They retained Callis to research the market and help them…
Read MoreMarketing, Business, and Life Lessons
OUTdrive Episode 100 with Cliff Callis Happy 100th Episode! We’re celebrating the big 1-0-0 with a very special episode of OUTdrive. This week, we’re turning the mic around to interview our host, the founder and CEO of Callis, Cliff Callis. In this episode, we take an in-depth look at Cliff’s story, the origins of Callis,…
Read MoreLesson 16 – Try New Things
Back in the early 2000’s, our founder and current CEO had gotten much more involved in the construction business, moving to Des Moines to run one of Septagon’s companies. He wanted to try new things. While he was away, our team never missed a beat, keeping our clients happy while adding new ones. While he…
Read MoreThe Story of a Local Legend
OUTdrive Episode 99 with John Kehde Small business owners have an inherent responsibility to be active and invested in their community. That’s especially true for OUTdrive guest John Kehde, who took his passion and civic duty to the highest commitment, serving and eventually leading the local government for the city of Sedalia. In this episode,…
Read MoreLesson 15 – Never Stop Learning
The marketing and advertising industry has been driven by the changes in technology which have made what we do harder and easier, but definitely more effective and more measurable. We’ve had to learn it from scratch, which we did, and that hasn’t stopped. It’s the same in every industry, including senior living. One of our…
Read MoreCelebrating the History of Family Farming
OUTdrive Episode 98 with Bonita & Taylor Riley Now more than ever, people are invested in where their food comes from. Those who frequent local farmers’ markets have the luxury of knowing exactly where their food is grown and how it’s raised, and they have a chance to connect with the people who produce it.…
Read MoreLesson 14 – Things Change
As we approached the turn of the century and the year 2000, there were some people who believed that all the computer systems in the world that were in use at that time would crash when their internal clocks hit 1/1/2000. Apparently, they had not been programmed to function after that date. Frankly, people were…
Read MoreConsistent and Quality Branding
OUTdrive Episode 97 with Brooklyn & Larry White There is no shortage of beef producers in Central Missouri, but Brook and Larry White of White Angus Ranch are doing things a little different: raising grass-finished beef. Unlike “grass-fed” beef, “grass-finished” means corn and grain are never part of the animal’s diet, resulting in a leaner…
Read MoreLeveraging Lightweight Videos in Your Marketing
Video is one of the most effective ways to reach audiences and share your content. It is visual, personal and captures the attention of viewers. Digital and social media platforms continue to prioritize video, but it can be difficult to produce videos due to the time and investment needed to create one. So how can…
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