More Than A Few Words

A new workplace brings with it a whole set of challenges. It can be intimidating being in a foreign space with a completely new set of coworkers. There's a bit of a learning curve that comes with a new position. How can you overcome the stress of starting fresh? This week on More Than a Few Words, Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Britt Baue talk about being the new kid on the job. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Adapting to change can be difficult, not just in the work-place. What do you do when you're suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar position? You can either resist the change or flow with it. On this episode of More Than a Few Words, Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Melanie Gaston talk a bit about the difficulties that come with a change in responsibility and some of the lessons learned from growing pains. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

In the span of a month, the International House of Pancakes affectionately known as IHOP changed their name to IHOB and then back again. Was this savvy marketing or a silly prank gone hopelessly wrong?  Page Jones thinks it was one of those marketing mistakes, that everyone at IHOP hopes the world will forget about, soon.   

Indiana is taking bold steps to introduce Hoosiers to the World, and the World to Indiana. Through the ISBDC (Indiana Small Business Development Center) there are free services available for business owners looking to grow their business and expand beyond our borders.   From training and counseling services, to support developing an export strategy, the ISBDC is helping thousands of business owners each year become more successful in Indiana.  To learn more about their programs, Lorraine sat down with Aaron Vigil-Martinez the Director of Small Business & Entrepreneurship at Indiana Economic Development Corporation and Troy Phelps the State Director of the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC)  Looking to use their services? Go to https://isbdc.org/ to learn more.   

For generations, accountants relied on handwritten ledgers, carefully written recording every transaction generated by a business.  Then came programs like Quickbooks which have automated the process.   Now the next iteration of these programs is available.  Quickbooks Online.  But is the software the right choice for you?  Larry Marrietta of Marietta Financial Services and host Lorraine Ball talk about the pros and cons of online accounting software.  This special episode of MTFW features one of the hosts of the Digital Toolbox Conference.  

If you have been paying attention to changes on Facebook lately, you will notice blue and grey check marks appearing next to company listings.  These symbols identify that the page has been verified by Facebook.   In this era of scammers and hackers, verification gives visitors confidence when they visit your page.  This week, Sam and Lorraine talk about why you need to verify, how to get your verification and what to do next.   

When June rolls around, suddenly everything gets a bit more colorful. Rainbow flags adorn porches and automobiles. It's very tempting to hop on the pride-wagon, but should you?  If you're just promoting pride to grab a few rainbow dollars, maybe you should rethink what to do the rest of the year before you plan your Rainbow strategy for the month of June.  Today Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Lead Graphic Designer Cherilyn Juris talk about when it is appropriate to fly the rainbow flag for a business. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

This week, Lorraine talks with Waylon Wright and Diana Caldwell of life science company Pearl Pathways about their web design process.  If you have a company which sells expertise, not products, this episode is a must listen. MTFW is a production of Roundpeg, a web design company. Curious about the final product?  Go to https://www.pearlpathways.com/

Memes are almost synonymous with the internet. Memes are a constantly changing inside joke, shared by millions and distributed via the web. They can be inclusive or exclusive. They serve as commentary on shared experiences. For these reasons, memes are appealing to businesses on social media. But the question of whether or not they should use them is a much-debated one. Join Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Social Media Specialist Page Jones as they discuss memes and their use for business. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

While some people come to your website to browse, the vast majority come for a purpose. They are looking for a specific piece of information or resource.  Custom, landing pages help visitors find exactly what they are looking for.  In today's conversation, Lorraine shares some simple rules to follow as you build your landing page.  Eliminate distractions like sidebars and navigation Keep the content focused on one topic Make the topic of the page very clear. Don't be afraid to be direct in your request and use all caps for the buttons.  It is ok to shout a little. MTFW is a production of Roundpeg. 

Everyone has a network. it is comprised of family members, friends, and former coworkers. Some people have large networks, and others have smaller, supportive groups, but every one of your employees has a network.  As a business owner, Hazel Walker thinks it is up to you to teach your employees how to use their networks, to subtly promote your business. They don't have to walk into their grandmother's 100th birthday party with a stack of business cards, but there are ways to listen to conversations and share stories without being pushy.  Hazel Walker is a Global Networker, teaching business owners around the globe how to grow referral based businesses. Learn more about here at www.hazelwalker.com

No matter how interesting your content is, if you miss the mark with your headline, no one will read it.   In today's conversation, Allison Carter and Lorraine Ball talk about the art of a headline, why writing clickbait isn't bad if you deliver on the promise, and why it is ok to be negative sometimes.  This special episode of MTFW is part of a series of interviews with the speakers from the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

If your products or services aren’t represented on Pinterest, you could be missing out on a growing stream of potential customers. Discover the ins and outs of Pinterest, a tool that allows members to “pin” and share images, videos, and other objects about products and services. Learn about the site’s user base and popular categories as well as how to include your brand to gain maximum exposure. This week, Lorraine chats with Dana Nelson about the dos and don'ts of Pinterest.  This is one of six topics to be included in the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

Part of what makes a podcast interesting is the skill of the interviewer.  Professional podcaster, Jen Edds boils down the process of preparing for an interview into a few easy steps that anyone can follow.  She suggests: Be intentional – Have a purpose for each episode, and your overall podcasts. Have a clear idea of why your program will matter to your audience. A business podcast needs to deliver a specific message to the listeners Prepare questions, but don’t be married to the outline. Respond to what your guest has to say, asking questions to build on their content. This special episode of MTFW is part of a series of interviews with the speakers from the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

Google is always happy to help you spend more money.  They will always show you new ways to do more with your advertising.  That's how they generate $17 Billion a quarter.  While you can spend more money, the question you need to ask is "should I spend more".   Google Ads (formerly AdWords) expert, Michelle McNally explains that sometimes it will be worth it.  In today's conversation learn more about the do's and don'ts of spending money on Google Ads.  This special episode of MTFW is part of a series of interviews with the speakers from the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

The first step to creating really interesting and relevant blog content is to release the idea that the blog is about you and your business. It isn't.  As Jennifer Riley Simone, founder of Fresh Figs Marketing explains, great blog posts are about the questions your customers have. Your next great blog post is right there in the conversation you just had with a prospective client. Make a list of the most frequently asked questions and you are well on your way to blog content that your customers will care about.    This is one of six interviews with the speakers of the Digital Toolbox Conference.  Interested in meeting Jennifer? 

"You will not get everything done" For business owners overwhelmed with a long task list, that is the message business Coach CJ McClanahan wants them to hear. Once you accept the idea that some things are just not going to be finished, you can set priorities, choosing how you will spend your time.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from video media. If you're thinking about adding video into your marketing strategy, might start by looking at what other people are doing. Look for trends and styles which stand out, and which ones you can do without. That is what we did as we launched our expanded video marketing program  Tune in as Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Melanie Gaston chat about using video for your brand. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Google My Business has evolved a lot over the years. If you have it, maybe you're not using it to the fullest. Everything in marketing is about engagement. With all of these Google My Business tools handy, you're well-equipped to build quality relationships with your clients and web-searchers alike. Listen in while Lorraine Ball and Erin Bemis chat about ways to own and optimize your Google My Business listing and page. Erin is a national speaker and trainer for Google's "Get your Business Online" and a national manager for Constant Contact. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

What is the difference between marketing and PR? They're basically the same thing, right? Well, kinda. But not really.  As Roundpeg's Page Jones to explains PR is focused much more on the top of the funnel, while marketing activities are more closely aligned with sales.    More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.