General
Lesson 13 – Evolve and Innovate
One of the exciting things we’ve enjoyed at Callis over the past 35 years has been experiencing the digital revolution of media firsthand. When we started, everything we did was by hand. No computers. No internet. No technology. Today, everything we do is digital and technology is driving marketing more and more every day. We…
Read MoreSupporting Local Farmers’ Markets
OUTdrive Episode 96 with Bev Rollings, Brenda Raetz, and Matt and Kim Tennill Did you know that the produce in grocery stores travels an average of 1,500 miles before it ends up on your plate? Furthermore, the USDA estimates that on average, a farmer only earns 17.4 cents for every dollar spent on a food…
Read MoreProviding Quality Health Care
OUTdrive Episode 95 with Dr. Stuart Braverman Access to quality health care is at the core of a healthy community. Rural area hospitals play a vital role in attracting new families and businesses to small and mid-size cities. Sedalia, Missouri is home to a number of care facilities, including the community-owned Bothwell Regional Health Center.…
Read MoreLesson 12 – Diversification Can Be Good
In 1998, we were rolling along and running very smoothly. We had an excellent, well-seasoned team and were well-positioned for growth. One day, one of our clients came to us with the idea to partner with them on a student planner. This wasn’t one of our traditional partnerships where we form a strategic alliance with…
Read MoreDriving Tourism to Trail Towns
OUTdrive Episode 94 with Kim Henderson The Katy Trail State Park is the longest developed rail-trail in the country, spanning 240 miles between Clinton and Machens with 26 trailheads and four fully restored railroad depots along the way. Whether you are a bicyclist, walker, equestrian, nature lover or history buff, the trail offers opportunities for…
Read MoreThe Path Less Traveled
OUTdrive Episode 93 with Rob Hughes Some of us chose our own paths in life. For others, the path is chosen for us. And if you’re Rob Hughes, the senior minister at Broadway Church in Sedalia, Missouri, the path will call you to ministry after years of working in a completely unrelated career field. In…
Read MoreThe Importance of Planning When Developing a Website
An often overlooked but critical part of the website development process is planning. Before creating a design or writing any code, there should be an in-depth planning process to ensure that the website meets all user needs. Benefits of including planning early in the website development process: Identify all business needs Identify all user needs…
Read MorePursuing Opportunities
OUTdrive Episode 92 with Cesar Marin Community is defined as “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.” A strong sense of community is part of what makes rural America a great place to live, work and raise a family. In this episode of OUTdrive, our guest…
Read MoreLesson 9 – Marketing Works
This may go without saying, but we know that marketing works. Over the years, when the right and appropriate approach and budget were put into place, we saw the results first hand, and our clients did too. We also saw them in our own marketing efforts. Back in 1993, we were actively doing direct mail…
Read MorePropane: Resilient & Clean Energy
OUTdrive Episode 91 with Joe Calhoun Alternative energy solutions are a major point of discussion these days. One solution that is often overlooked is propane. Propane is being used across all industries to meet the need for a resilient, cleaner, greener energy solution, and the need for remote power where it isn’t readily available. In…
Read MoreLesson 8 – Learn the Business
One of our goals with every client relationship is to learn their business. Obviously, we need to understand the specifics about their products and services to be able to promote them, but it goes well beyond that. We always want to know what their long-term objectives are so we can help them achieve them. Do…
Read MoreBuying, Building, & Developing Real Estate
OUTdrive Episode 90 with Russell Childers Entrepreneurship has evolved over the years, but one thing is for certain, the American Dream is still alive and well for those who are willing to work for it. In this episode of OUTdrive, I sit down with business owner Russell Childers to learn more about what it takes…
Read MoreLesson 7 – Know Your Team
As our agency grew, taking on new clients, looking at new opportunities, and selling new projects, finding new people to join us became paramount to our success. When you’re a small business, every employee has to be an A player, and we had them, and we added more of them as we needed them. We’re…
Read MoreSpeaking to Your Audience
OUTdrive Episode 89 with Ben Frederickson Sports columnist Ben Frederickson returns to OUTdrive to chat about all things sports and writing. Ben shares his hot takes on Mizzou Basketball, the possible outcomes of the MLB lockout, and the Blue’s chances at another playoff run. We also dive a little deeper into storytelling, such as creating…
Read MoreOur Favorite Super Bowl Commercials of 2022
The Super Bowl is always one of the biggest nights in advertising, and this past Sunday was no different. It was a great game that kept us watching until the very end. Along the way, we enjoyed the show and made note of some of our favorite commercials. As always, it’s hard to pick favorites…
Read MoreLesson 6 – Carve Out a Niche
Throughout our agency’s history, we have ebbed and flowed in and out of certain markets and industries, based on our clients, always looking for the opportunity to identify and expand on a niche. One of those niches was economic development, working with cities and chambers of commerce around Missouri to help them tell their stories.…
Read MoreMarketing the Lake of the Ozarks
OUTdrive Episode 88 with Eric Homan The Lake of the Ozarks flew under the radar for many years, and was considered a hidden gem for those that knew about it. That was until May 2020, when viral videos during the pandemic made headlines and popularity of the Netflix series “Ozark” brought attention from around the…
Read MoreLesson 5 – When Opportunity Knocks
When opportunity knocks, answer the door. The year was 1991. We were feeling the pinch of suffering growth pains. Things were going pretty well but we were struggling in some ways and we lacked the resources and expertise to continue to grow. We started looking around at ways we could strategically move forward. We had…
Read MoreThe Benefit of Community Programs
OUTdrive Episode 87 with Gary Beckman It’s often said “it takes a village” to raise a child, and our guest in this episode of OUTdrive believes that to be true. Gary Beckman is the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of West Central Missouri. He outlines the importance of programs and activities available…
Read MoreLesson 4 – Stay Connected
Over the years, our founder and leader has preached the importance of relationships, whether that be with associates, clients, vendors, media, community or industry partners. Our business is really all about people and frankly, you just can’t have too many friends. Through time however, people move. They relocate. They change jobs and move to different…
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