Strategic America (SA) always strives to find a better way for our clients and for our company to be successful. Extending our commitment to A Better Way also means our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

As we wrapped up 2012, SA tallied the annual contributions to our community. SA’s charitable contributions exceeded $422,000 and the agency supported 24 organizations with pro-bono services totaling more than 3,100 hours.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development defines CSR as “The continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.” A recent analysis from Corporate Responsibility magazine reports that 72 percent of companies now have formal CSR programs, up from 62 percent in 2010.

For SA, our CSR program has its foundation in three pillars, each of which has several components:

• CommUnity  — Charitable giving, pro-bono projects, volunteer service and support of professional organizations
• ResponSAbility — Eco-friendly facility, materials and vehicles, energy and water conservation and an extensive recycling program
• WeLLWorks! — Nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle/behavior change as well as work-life balance

The SA CSR program recognizes the company’s 30+ year culture and the commitment that associates make to our community, the environment, and our individual health and wellness. The company plays an important part in bringing together these resources that support and leverage the individual commitments.

Is it easy? Should we do this? Are we committed to these pillars? Yes, YES, and Yes.  It is part of finding A Better Way.

My Recommended Reads:

The Pervasiveness of Sustainability: Three Trends That Matter in 2013

Study: Consumers Ever Fussier About CSR

Modernizing CSR in 2013: Let Your Team Guide Your Company’s Charitable Efforts

John Schreurs

In addition to setting and administering corporate operations for the agency, John is actively involved with account management, including development of new sales promotions and media strategies for several regional and national clients. His insights and solutions mindset of integrating sales, operations, finance and marketing is strategic and provides results and long-term value for SA clients.

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Greg Swan, a 2003 journalism graduate of Drake University here in Des Moines, enthralled an audience at his alma mater this fall by recounting how his firm is sticking to the oldest, time-tested principle of marketing with military precision. And that’s an apt reference, because Swan’s agency has won numerous awards for its work with the U.S. Army.

Anyone who attended Swan’s presentation should have been impressed with how he and his agency have developed digital storytelling platforms to reach the Army’s target audiences at different touch points.

These platforms, such as Army Strong Stories, have increased the Army’s digital and social media presence. Plus they have fostered interaction between soldier bloggers and potential recruits. That’s especially important because the Army needs to interact with one million prospects each year to meet recruitment goals, says Swan, vice president of digital strategy at Weber Shandwick in Minneapolis.

The awards were won by using the most advanced social media to promote one of marketing’s most reliable best practices: Don’t sell a product; sell a feeling.

Less-than-successful marketers would try to promote the Army as a product. They’d emphasize its advantages of a career with guaranteed employment, free: clothing, room, board and medical care. But instead Swan’s team engaged social media regarding the Army’s visceral attractions: the pride and loyalty you feel when you join with other soldiers in the noble cause of defending America, and the respect Americans have for the military post-9-11.

Swan’s team skillfully advanced this strategy by leveraging the most influential force in history—social technology—to magnify and broadcast this feeling to its target audiences: young men and women who are potential Army recruits, and those who guide their life decisions, including parents, educators and spiritual advisers, as well as social media influencers.

Amazingly, Army Allows Unmoderated Social Network

Soldiers are encouraged to blog, post to Facebook and tweet—unmoderated, the Army says—about their terrific experiences serving our country. Dissension is rare not only because of the service’s culture of camaraderie but also the principle, effectively explained by psychologist Dr. Robert B. Cialdini, who notes that people tend to reinforce the notion that their decisions are good ones. And someone who volunteers for the Army really, really wants to be a soldier.

Of course not every client has the built-in advantage of self-perpetuating, powerful, positive feelings. But the success of this Army campaign is a case study of how we can and should use today’s constantly evolving social technology to magnify best practices. By making effective use of technology, it can be easier than ever to create the promise of the satisfaction and happiness that come from using our clients’ product or service.

SA Applies Emotive Factor for Clients

SA, for example, carefully considered the emotional factors involved when developing a spot for St. Jude Hospice™ that distinguishes it as a place where love and healing flow and where care is provided with compassion and a personal touch.

We utilized in-house story-telling animation, an original score, lyrics and vocals, to sensitively tell St. Jude’s story. The lyrics, set to a simple and memorable original melody, focus on easing pain and caring loved ones. Images of the Tree of Life and other iconic elements, such as a dove and comforting hands, illustrate the journey of transformation. The client reports that this emotion-packed brand image is resonating in the marketplace and generating new business leads.

What have you done lately to sell a feeling instead of a client’s product or service?

My Recommended Reads:
Connecting Through Social Media: Producer Use of Technology
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear

Lisa Lacher

A seasoned leader. A strategist. A PR all-star. All of these describe Rockford, Illinois, native Lisa Lacher, who joined Strategic America’s PR department following two decades at Drake University, most recently as Director of Media Relations and Public Relations. Lisa also has a variety of prior publications experience: Managing Editor and Real Estate reporter for the Des Moines Business Record, and news reporter for daily papers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Norfolk, Virginia. Lisa has received numerous state and regional awards for her work from organizations such as the U.S. Small Business Association and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute. Lisa works for a wide array of clients including Harbor View Medical, ITC Venture, Kum & Go and WesleyLife.

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If you want to understand how much the Internet has taken over the major role as our information provider of choice, just look at Election Night.

Once, political junkies sat glued to their TV sets awaiting the latest pronouncements from the likes of Wolf Blitzer on CNN or Chris Wallace on Fox News. But this year, they were just as likely to be frantically typing in websites at their keyboards, ingesting the latest nonstop streams of consciousness from Twitter and Facebook; see-it-now websites such as Real Clear politics’ real-time vote totals; and wonky blogs such as Nate Silver’s Fivethirtyeight.com.

Yes, more than ever, when we want our information fast, we turn to the Internet—a trend that keeps accelerating.

Our thirst and demand for online access is expected to increase threefold over the next five years, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index. Before the Internet, user experience was based mostly on samples, brochures or demonstration of a product—snore!  Today, the user experience is dominated by the Web, where the user can interact and browse leisurely through multiple sites before deciding to invest.  Want to make sure they invest with you? Do you have plenty of leads and prospects, but they are not buying? How do you make your site a great experience?

If your website isn’t designed with your target audiences needs in mind, you will fail. Today’s users want information fast and easy, right at their fingertips and they are securing more bandwidth on their devices to get the speed they need. Despite this trend, 95% of websites are not designed to engage and convert.

Like any good design, successful web pages are usually a delicate balance. Keep in mind that even a minor change can have a major impact. To get you rolling down the right track, here are some basics:

1. Color impacts the success of your business. Research shows the relationships between color and marketing: 92.6% of users say that they put the most importance on visual factors when purchasing. Color increases brand recognition by 80%. Just look at Heinz and the success of its EZ Squirt Blastin’ Green ketchup in the marketplace. Do you remember the impact of Apple’s first iPod that was big on color and fun? You can remember that spot like it was yesterday! Color engages and increases participation—giving you a competitive edge.
2. Content is king. Don’t give them a book; make sure your content is engaging, fresh and concise with your target market in mind. Rule #1: Tell me what differentiates you from competitors, and why I should care. Users need to know that you are a trusted and credible source. But don’t overburden them with too much information. Establish the right keywords to help search engines know the subject of your site and its products/services so the user can find you. Seal the deal with a “call to action” that is clickable and stands out from your text. If users’ hang time on your site is strong and they still aren’t converting, change up your call to action.  
3. Design—the good, the bad and the ugly. Navigating a website is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You can’t afford to have users hunt for what they need—they will simply go to your competition! The heart of good web usability is easy-to-use navigation with clearly marked paths that channel information, fast loading pages (remember users are impatient), intuitively organized content based on user needs and clean, crisp graphics that align with your brand.
4. Build loyalty by listening and responding. Once you’ve got customers, give them a voice. Listen to what they say about your product/service. Another way to improve your chance of conversion is through conversation. Stay engaged with them by providing feedback and telling them how valuable they are to you.

Bottom line—a good user experience that ropes in customers will increase sales. What tips do you have for improving sales conversions online?

My Recommended Reads:

Website Design: Are You Making Bad Choices?

How to Craft Truly Beautiful Websites that Appeal, Engage and Convert?

Designing for your Target Audience

A King’s Race to Be Unique

Cyndi Fisher

Cyndi has more than 25 years of experience in building integrated marketing and public relations strategies for her clients. At Strategic America, Cyndi serves a number of integrated marketing and public relations clients, as well as providing strategic planning, new business development and PR supervision. A Des Moines native, Cyndi serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Des Moines Partnership Workforce Development, Goodwill, PRSA and Boys & Girls Club of Central Iowa.

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This best known quote from the TV series Dragnet was never actually said by Sgt. Joe Friday…or at least not quite. It was used in a pseudo-parody movie with Dan Aykroyd adapting the phrase from two similar statements: “All we want are the facts, ma’am” and “All we know are the facts, ma’am.”

The abbreviated expression flows smoothly. With many such pop culture misquotations today, what’s the problem? Is the real meaning misconstrued, a reputation bruised or a brand diminished? No.

This leads to a perennial question among leaders who are quoted, or more precisely, misquoted, in traditional or social media, on issues far more serious, and with their professional standing at stake.

To Fix or Not to Fix?

Some of you know the panic and denial. “I didn’t say that. I would never say that. I would never say it that way.” What’s to lose if you contact the media to complain or correct the error? The result may be that you create unnecessary attention, look petty, prolong the story or antagonize the reporter. Reporters rarely retract minor errors.  What’s the answer? In most cases, let it go. In most cases, it’s not as serious as you likely feel that it is.

The preponderance of misquotes and appropriate attempts within media and watchdog organizations to correct them continue across society.

Fact-Checking Arises from Politics

In the political arena, there are now organizations and websites dedicated to fact-checking ads and campaign claims such as the Annenberg’s Public Policy Center’s website known as factcheck.org. It seems imperative to know the truth before casting your vote. Media have often enough disparaged political candidates while actually bungling their own reporting, particularly if a candidate has made gaffes before. After much media mocking, The Los Angeles Times was one of the few outlets to acknowledge that Sarah Palin was right in saying Paul Revere warned the British.

The Internet’s Impact

As early as 1988, an online university tome on fixing an Internet worm was copyrighted to ensure only the correct verbiage was disseminated, noting that media had misguided the public. It’s easy for misinformation to fly around the world within seconds, whether through the media or others.

Because social media is an online conversation, consumers emboldened by relative anonymity can launch attacks, providing inaccurate information or misquotes. Additionally, in a blog I read recently, Rob Reuteman of the Society of Business Editors and Writers noted that mainstream media is now painted with the same broad brush as “advocacy media” such as the Drudge Report or The Huffington Post.

The Associated Press continues to update its guidelines regarding erroneous tweets, making its reporters more accountable. Most reporters have same-day (or less) deadlines. They’re typing as quickly as they can to beat their competition.

Improve the Odds

Reality is that the news media are the decision-makers on what to write or broadcast. But you possess more control than you may realize, with the following tools:

1. Prepare. Read, confirm and practice out loud what you want to convey. Have a knowledgeable PR professional provide feedback to ensure you are clear, concise and accurate.
2. Stay on track. The more you say, the more you stray. Determine what your messages are. Then, stop when you’re finished.
3. Go slow. Don’t pressure yourself to rapidly respond to a question. Take a breath and make sure you understand exactly what’s being asked. If a reporter asks several questions, all at once, choose one to answer first. Or simply ask the reporter to repeat each one, one at a time. Even if you’re nervous, slow your speed of speaking to ensure clarity of thought.
4. Put it in writing via email, note card or backgrounder/fact sheet and give that to the reporter to ensure accuracy on the media’s part. You can then focus on your main messages. Proof what you’ve written. A missing word or typo can change the entire meaning of your message.
5. Ask back. Most reporters are genuinely concerned about objectivity and getting the facts straight. Ask for the quote to be read back to you…while the reporter is still interviewing you. The media are not obliged to ask an interviewee’s permission of a final article.

Bottom Line?

My advice, as a former news reporter who’s remained involved in media relations over the decades,  remains the same. Correct only when necessary. Collaborate with others so as to not overreact.

When is it necessary? Only when no correction will cause far more harm than leaving it alone.

What’s more important? Getting a perfect quote or alienating the media and impeding future, positive news coverage?

My Recommended Reads:

“Beam Us Up, Mr. Scott!”: Why Misquotations Catch On

Five Ways to Avoid Being Misquoted

How to Handle Minor Misquotes in the Media

How to Deal with Negative Feedback on Social Media

Lore McManus Solo

Lore’s areas of expertise include strategic planning, counsel, research, issues management and providing marketing direction to clients and SA staff. Lore is the author and key instructor of several levels of executive presentation and media training. In addition to directing SA’s PR department, she plays a key role in the agency’s business development. Lore has received numerous awards for her work and has earned the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation from the Public Relations Society of America.

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Partnership = Perks

As a WORLDCOM partner, Strategic America receives many benefits beyond an impressive affiliation on business cards and email signatures. We gain access to business partnerships, industry insights, global research and professional development opportunities.

Brainstorming is essential to every project here at SA. With our team members’ different backgrounds and ways of seeing the world, big ideas are generated and solutions are found. When I was invited to the WORLDCOM webinar “10 ½ Ways To Unlock Your Creative Streak,” as SA’s Creative Director, I knew the webinar would be invaluable. I was right. The webinar provided methods to keep creativity flowing and how to better brainstorm.

Here are a few of my favorites:

A Better Way to Brainstorm

We know that creative ideas aren’t limited to the Creative Department. Who knows more about the latest media innovations than someone from the Media Department? Who has more direct client contact than someone from our Client Services or PR teams?

Here at SA, we gather “brains to storm” from throughout the agency.  We also invite clients to brainstorm with us.

Arrive with an Open Mind

If you arrive to a brainstorm thinking and talking about all the other things on your plate, you’re not arriving with the right mindset. Allow yourself to focus on the task at hand. The rest will wait. You may even return to them feeling reinvigorated.

Set the Mood

If you’re feeling stifled in the office, go for a walk. Take a trip to your favorite coffee shop. Staring at my computer isn’t the way to get my creative juices flowing. I encourage my department members to find their own ways to maximize their creativity.

Favor Psychographics over Demographics

Say we know the target audience is 18-24 year old females. What else? Figure out the audience’s needs and wants. Get out and experience what the customer sees, hears and feels. One client team recently spent a day working behind a convenience store counter to gain an authentic feel for the business. You can’t gather insight like that from reading a creative brief.

Use Differences to Your Advantage

Encourage everyone to brainstorm from the beginning in whatever way works for them. Extroverts thrive in a group setting. But, also find ways to gather ideas from the introverts of the room who may not feel as comfortable speaking up. The best ideas aren’t always the loudest.

Don’t Worry

Worried you have a bad idea? Even if it’s not THE idea, it very well may be the catalyst to the solution. Don’t censor too soon as the ideas flow.

Your own negativity can stop imaginative thinking in four ways:

• Pessimism: “That won’t work.”
• Adversarial:  “Let me play devil’s advocate.”
• Dismissal: “We’ve already tried that.”
• Disdain: “That’s a stupid idea.”

Take Risks

We can’t look for only the big idea that’s safe. We must be ready to take risks. If we won’t sell a client on good, bold ideas, someone else will. Take a chance and prepare for the consequences. Address the potential issues and be ready to go big.

What works for me is a three-step ideation process. Overall, I prefer brainstorming with a larger group and then moving to a smaller team that understands the project and its objectives. It’s always important to have inspirational material close by from which to glean ideas and in case I get stuck or feel I’ve reached a dead end.

Here’s How I Start

Step 1. I build my first thoughts and ideas around what’s expected. This allows my thought process to warm up.

Step 2. Next I revisit Phase One to identify what I feel is most distinctive and build from there. At that point, I’ve done a good share of research and have uncovered a few applicable insights

Step 3.  The brain is now in full gear. This is where it gets fun and also where it becomes the toughest.  Focusing time here usually pays off and can reveal those big ideas that typically go undiscovered. Make it fun and don’t settle for good enough. If it’s only “good enough,” start over and repeat the process.

What do you do to stay creative?

My Recommended Reads:

Why Multitasking May Make You Less Productive

The Fortunes Of Solitude: Susan Cain On Introverts, The “New Groupthink,” And The Problems With Brainstorming

Solo Creativity

Three Smart Ways to Brainstorm Better

Kasey VerMulm contributed to this blog post.

Bruce Ganzer

For the past two decades, Bruce has directed literally thousands of successful creative and branding projects for SA clients. Bruce specializes in corporate communication design and multimedia productions. He has received numerous regional and national awards for his work on annual reports, corporate brochures, and advertising, sales promotion and other collateral materials.

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3D has long been an “up and coming” idea, especially as electronic companies develop gaming devices and televisions for consumers to use inside their home. Because of this, marketers are beginning to look at how to capitalize on this opportunity. The biggest question that lingers around the concept of marketing in 3D is whether it is worth the investment of 3D equipment to create ads and promotions.

If you are targeting video game users of the new Nintendo 3DS, then the answer is absolutely because the gaming device they’re using has 3D capabilities. But what about your sports fans, do they truly care if your ads are in 3D? Maybe, but it won’t make a difference if they do not have a 3D television set.

How 3D Works

Why isn’t everyone going 3D if Nintendo and TV production companies, such as LG and Toshiba, are producing 3D devices that don’t require glasses? The ability to see things in 3D only works at certain distances and angles, often referred to as the “sweet spot”, which greatly hinders this concept.

Not everyone can share this sweet spot at once so only some users can get the 3D experience. So the non-glasses 3D TV has a miniature sweet spot not fit for a group and the regular 3D TV has the ugly, expensive glasses. It begins to make perfect sense why marketers aren’t jumping at the chance to pursue marketing in 3D.

Why Marketers Should Hold Back

The lack of consistency and dedication to pursue opportunities to see everything in 3D should deter marketers. Although being a first mover has its advantages, jumping on this bandwagon is a one-way ticket to nowhere.

Not enough of any market is fully engulfed in 3D TVs (with or without glasses) and Nintendo 3DS to make it worthwhile to invest money in this concept. The best route for anyone is to wait out the storm and let things calm. For all we know, in a year 3D might completely disappear from TVs, smartphones and gaming systems. From what I see, there looks to be little promise in 3D’s future.

My Recommended Reads:

Nintendo 3DS Video Review

3D TV Without Glasses

3D TV Without Glasses Just Isn’t Happening

Jim Stafford

At SA, Jim oversees the entire account services area, as well as generating and addressing new business opportunities for the agency. In the community, Jim serves on the board of directors of Rock in Prevention, Timber Creek Charities and the Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America.

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Everyone’s talking about going mobile.  But what is mobile?

One definition: being capable of readily moving. While this clearly covers mobile phones and tablets, it also describes what you can do on these devices, such as texting, QR codes, mobile web, email, apps, phone calls and more.

At Strategic America, mobile is one of the integrated marketing tools we work with every day. So while it’s a fairly new trend, we’re familiar with many of its best uses.

Smartphones: Always Close at Hand

I am rarely removed from my phone. I use it to plan dinner or to select a restaurant. I use it to text, check Facebook, check in on foursquare, as an alarm, as a camera, for directions, for weather and news and to play a game or two. I use it to search the web to end an argument or to prove a point. Occasionally, I even use it to make a phone call.

According to Forrester Research, 33% of the U.S. population uses a mobile device like I do.

• 88% of mobile searchers take action within the same day.
• 89% of consumers use a smartphone every day.
• However, 79% of companies do not have a mobile-optimized website.

Knowing Your Customer

Mobile marketing must be integrated into marketing strategy, not as a stand-alone tactic. The critical factor is to think in terms of your users. What do your customers need? How will they use mobile? How will your idea help them?

Next, look at overall goals and objectives: Do you want to raise awareness, increase sales or change opinions? It’s ineffective to undertake a text campaign or a mobile app without first understanding customer needs.

Mobile Strategy

As you plan strategy, assess budget limitations, timing and commitment to the overall mobile strategy before moving forward.

If your customers are savvy mobile users, the first task is to make your website mobile-optimized. Depending on the user’s device, you risk losing them to a competitor with a mobile-friendly site. We are a culture accustomed to immediate information. Any delay or difficult-to-access information means customers will leave and search for solutions from a competitor.

When making your website mobile-friendly, remember a mobile site is not a smaller version of your full website. Can your customers easily find your location and your phone number? Can they easily contact you or make a purchase? The site must open quickly as more and more people are accessing the Internet via mobile devices.

When thinking about an app, consider if a mobile web strategy may be the better solution. Mobile sites don’t require downloading, don’t require approval and are available to all smartphones. They are easier to build and often more affordable. Determine the needed lifespan  as well.

Mobile Apps: Moving Toward Marketing Dominance

If a mobile app fits customer needs and your strategy, ask if your customers are Android or iPhone users. An app needs to be created differently for each platform. It’s easier and faster to get an app to the Android Market. The idevice App Store has more restrictions.

Currently, there are more than 400,000 Android apps and 500,000+ iPhone apps. The current top grossing iPhone and Android apps keep users engaged with regular updates and incentives to log in daily.

Another tactic to consider is placing an ad within a mobile app. If an app is getting millions of downloads and users are regularly logging in, there’s potential for high visibility.

Text message campaign tactics have come a long way and can be a valuable addition to your marketing plan. Target does a great job of sending opt-in text messages with coupons. If I haven’t opened the coupon link, a follow-up text arrives in about 10 days, reminding me of the expiration date and with a new link to the offers.

Every statistic points toward mobile dominance as early as 2013. Six short months from now, mobile devices are predicted to overtake PCs as the most common web access device worldwide. Last month, mobile overtook PC usage in India. Thirty-eight percent of all emails are opened on mobile devices. Clients will be reading your emails and accessing your website on their phone or tablet.

If you are not prepared to talk to your mobile customers, your competitors certainly will be. Are you mobile ready?

My Recommended Reads:

Chief Marketer 2012 Mobile Marketing Survey: Mobile Goes With Everything

Mobile Payment Use Nearly Doubles in a Year

Mobile Marketing Statistics 2012

The Future Isn’t About Mobile; It’s About Mobility

Julie Lasche Brown

For someone who thrives on multiple tasks and fast turnarounds, print production and emerging technologies is an ideal fit. And for Julie Lasche-Brown, SA is an environment that utilizes her many talents effectively. Julie joined SA in the spring of 2008, bringing clients a decade of production management expertise. Julie is certified by the U.S. Postal Service as a Mailpiece Quality Control Specialist and an Address Quality Specialist. At SA, she works with our entire roster of clients and agency talents. Julie's expertise in the mobile world makes her a valuable asset to SA's digital team.

Today, more than ever, companies need to engage in meaningful conversations with consumers to better align their company goals with their customers’ attitudes and needs.

This transformation means that marketers must increasingly find ways to connect with customers, resulting in the expanded use of a dynamic that’s defined as interactive marketing. Research shows this trend will ensure that companies are not just transaction-focused but truly and more importantly, customer-focused.

According to a report by Forrester’s, in the next four years, advertisers will spend $77 billion on interactive marketing. Incredibly, this spike will place it in the same investment range as television advertising.

The increasing importance of interactive marketing creates new opportunities for marketers to build and maintain meaningful relationships with consumers.

Emerging Media

The biggest trend will be the increased use of emerging media, including mobile marketing, social media and email advertising. Mobile marketing will receive a large chunk of the $77 billion because of the widespread adoption of tablets and use of smart phones.

Strategic America, in recognition of this growing trend, has adapted virtually all interactive marketing tactics for local use by channel partners of major companies. Since SA specializes in marketing through nationwide networks of local dealers, sales agents, franchisees and retailers, SA must also be on the leading edge of advertising and direct, interactive and digital marketing to ensure sales for our clients and satisfaction by their customers.

Strategic America offers customized, local interactive ad plans for clients’ local sales partners, fine tuned to their local needs. These plans are proving to be a highly effective and efficient means of driving prospect traffic and increasing sales.

For example, when Wendy’s was about to introduce  its new salad line, Strategic America approached stores in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois with a concept to creatively launch the salads as more than just a new menu item.

Wendy’s Interacts to Sell Salads

Strategic America brought together more than 100 Wendy’s stores to create the “Which Salad Are You?” microsite, which consisted of a personality quiz matching consumers with their true salad personality. Not only did it introduce the salads in a fun and exciting way, it engaged the consumer with the brand, . The integrated campaign included billboards, in-store references, web banners, Facebook ads and radio spots promoting  the site and directing consumers to take the quiz and print off coupons. Consumers could use either a “$1 Off New Large Premium Salad” coupon or a “Free 20 oz. Soft Drink with the Purchase of a Large Premium Salad” coupon.

Sales increased from 4% to 7% on average in stores. The website had 11,873 viewers in three months with 7,123 printed coupons. The microsite  that SA created for Wendy’s was the recipient of a Gold ADDY® Award.

For more information on how Strategic America can tailor interactive advertising plans for your local sales partners, call me at:  515.453.2047.

My Recommended Reads:

Interactive Marketing Spend Will Near $77 Billion By 2016

The 10 Hottest Media Trends for 2012

The Truth about Engagement

Building Better Customer Engagement through Education and Training

Jim Stafford

At SA, Jim oversees the entire account services area, as well as generating and addressing new business opportunities for the agency. In the community, Jim serves on the board of directors of Rock in Prevention, Timber Creek Charities and the Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America.

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Strategic America has been making a long-term commitment to sustainability. And now, we’ve just received the Environmental Impact Award for Small Business from the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Center on Sustainable Communities and the Metro Waste Authority at an event sponsored by the Des Moines Water Works.

SA is among five organizations and one individual recognized this year for exemplifying environmental sustainable leadership and practices.

In moving our offices two years ago, we put significant attention into planning for environmental stewardship, including hiring a LEED consultant, to guide us. We faced some challenges beyond our control by moving into existing, leased space. While it takes a bit more time, resources and discipline, it supports what our associates told us in surveys that they strongly believe in, what our clients have modeled, and the kind of corporate citizenship we ourselves wish to live, everyday.

Even before relocating, we donated 95% of unneeded materials such as cubicles, filing cabinets and furniture to nonprofit agencies. Two major clean-up days greatly reduced storage needs.

We spent an additional 5% in our move to go green. We repurposed nearly all existing light fixtures, ceiling tiles, wood paneling, cabinetry and carpet in new ways or areas. Marble countertops were moved; a kiosk was turned into a message board. We assessed new items for eco-friendliness, such as Energy Star and motion-activated lighting that turns off when employees leave an area or office. We sourced glass walls and steel beams from local vendors. We installed Interface Flor recycled fiber carpet, where new flooring was needed.

The MAI office cubicles meet indoor air quality standards for GREENGUARD®, OSHA and WHO. Their height allows natural light, encouraging productivity and decreasing utilities. They’re recyclable, ensuring repurposing vs. a landfill someday. In a unique partnership, SA serves as a MAI Midwest showroom.

While SA pays a set utilities fee, all tenants benefit from our LED energy-saving signage, water-saving, low-flow, automated sensor faucets and fixtures, hand dryers, programmable thermostats and Hunter Douglas energy-efficient blinds. Energy-Star rated appliances and electronics are used though out the nearly 26,000-square-foot space and we now have a Prius as a company car, cutting fuel consumption by half.

SA continues to reduce use of paper products and plastics. The SA Green Committee, with members from all departments, coordinates recycling of cans, bottles, paper and cardboard. They gathered 300 gallons in our first month alone. SA received permission to implement recycling for the entire building with dumpsters and a vendor service for cardboard and paper, which other tenants now use.

During SA’s last year-end cleanout, we recycled 129 boxes and eight 65-gallon bins of paper. We use both shredders for confidential materials and recycling bins in every department. Our filing requirements remain at 30% less than when we moved, even as we grow. We’ve not added any storage space. Our highly organized storage room is a more effective resource. Within three years, we want to eliminate any offsite storage.

Employees print only when necessary. The default function on computers is double-sided printing. Over the last two years, SA has lowered annual paper consumption by 17 cases. The goal this year is to eliminate 13 more cases.

Not only does all of this save money, but is clearly the right thing to do. If we can do it as a small business of 85 associates, you can, too.

My Recommended Reads:

Sustainability and Green Business Trend Continues

CSR – Where to start?

Three Steps to Sustainable and Scalable Change: Rethinking a Company’s Business Model

John Schreurs

In addition to setting and administering corporate operations for the agency, John is actively involved with account management, including development of new sales promotions and media strategies for several regional and national clients. His insights and solutions mindset of integrating sales, operations, finance and marketing is strategic and provides results and long-term value for SA clients.

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Question time. Where is transformation? What is the virtual intersection of heart and head for your business?

Tip: It’s here where you find passion, innovation, service and satisfaction. It’s often the “secret sauce” of your business.

If your enterprise did not exist, what would the rest of us be missing?  And, thank goodness your business does exist, because now we can sample and realize that something special does happens at your company. Your secret sauce brings out the best of your team members and those you serve.

How do you describe it? How do you define it? How do you view what is most valuable to your organization and the marketplace? You must frame it on your terms. Focus it forward (like this image). This simple hand exercise brings you into the future of your enterprise. Keeping it simple, here are 10 ways to see, reflect and value your future. Answer these questions and see the clarity they bring.

1. What are the values that really mean something in your business?
2. What culture do those values live in? How do others describe it?
3. What’s cookin’ in your culture? You can sense it, smell it and taste it.
4.  How do you bring forth new ideas and innovation?
5. What constitutes a win? And, how do you celebrate them?
6. How do you handle losses? Is the pick-yourself-up a learning exercise?
7. What unique mixture of old and new seems to be at work?
8. How do you track what’s happening? Measure the keys.
9. How can you keep it going? Know how to feed the excitement?
10. Why is it so special? To you and to them?

At SA – Strategic America – we ask ourselves these types of questions as we continue to adapt—directly and intuitively – to the needs and forces of a very dynamic marketplace. We know that companies across the board are doing this, as well. Watch what is happening with JCPenney. It’s in a re-positioning that will vitally change this company. My guess is, for the better.

SA’s mission of “finding a better way, always” is similar to others (such as Hulu) who learn to embrace innovation and continuously live there.  A recent 4A’s conference featured speakers from various companies and firms across the spectrum – agencies, media, technology firms like Google and others – all of whom in one way or another shared their views of a transformative time. I have a suggestion, an offer. If you’re looking to answer some of these questions above, let’s get together and talk. We’d like to find out more about you, your future and the way you personally define success.

I could write about each of the above, but the real value comes in passing it along to you and letting the thought process begin. We know that when the ‘magic’ of business takes over, marvelous things can happen.

 My Recommended Reads:

http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2012/full-list

http://mikeomalleyblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/twelve-tips-from-worlds-most-innovative.html

Mike Schreurs

As founder and CEO of Strategic America, Mike Schreurs is primarily responsible for setting the company’s strategic direction and addressing growth opportunities.

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