Posts Tagged ‘Articles’
Lesson 25 – Follow the Process
In our agency, we use a strategic insight process we’ve learned and perfected to identify the one key message point that will really stand out and resonate with a target audience. We’ve used it many times and one of the most recent is with our work with the City of Sedalia, Missouri. We’ve been fortunate…
Read MoreLesson 24 – Believe in What You Do
Over the years, we’ve built our business on the rural American lifestyle. Sure, we’ve had lots of clients who didn’t necessarily fall into this category, but for sure, it’s been our bread and butter and where we focus our efforts today. Some of our earliest experiences in this market focused on marketing outdoor sports products…
Read MoreThe Power of Marketing Personas
Building a marketing plan without knowing your audience is like building a house without blueprints. Who are you trying to reach, and with what message or goal in mind? Identifying these things is vital to an effective marketing plan. Whether you are a small business developing your first campaign, or a well-established large corporation, personas…
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 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 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 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 MoreLesson 18 – Admit You Don’t Know Everything
Back in the early 2000’s, marketers were beginning to understand the importance and dynamics of search engine optimization (SEO). Certainly it was all new to us but our clients were starting to hear and read about it too. There were lots of theories and approaches and everyone thought theirs was the best. The real drive…
Read MoreThe Do’s and Don’ts of Working With Media
College Basketball Hall of Fame Coach John Wooden once famously said, “Confidence comes from being prepared.” Just like Coach Wooden prepared his teams for success, media training can help prepare you to speak to the media or give a public presentation about your company. Our at-a-glance do’s and don’ts will give you the confidence to…
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 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 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 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 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…
Read MoreLesson 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 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 MoreLesson 11 – Pray About It
In the late ’90s, one of our clients asked if we could design and manufacture a product that they could sell to their customers to commemorate their 50th anniversary. I really think they could have built it themselves but staying true to their business and products, they wanted someone else to do it. What an…
Read MoreLESSON 10 – IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BAD ENOUGH…
For many of our agency staffers who grew up in Sedalia, they’ve been going to the Missouri State Fair since they were kids. Some showed livestock there. Some worked there and others just enjoyed all the many things you can do there. Simply put, we love the fair! Once our agency proved that it knew…
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…
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