Since our beginnings, man has been a fan of the pump-up. Waring tribes mixed warpaint to smear on their faces and smatter horse’s haunches. Pre-game rituals fuel the moment of execution, whether you are Brian Urlacher, would eat two chocolate chip cookies (while listening to country music) before each game, or Frida Kahlo, who liked to garden before touching paint to paper. The Ecuadorian national soccer team uses a witch doctor before their matches, and Michael Phelps listens to EDM after his breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, and four energy shakes.

Across the country, there is a unique class of folks that stand out as anomalies from the digitized masses. They aren't hard to recognize. Often, they're using aging tech or a non-smartphone, they would rather get dirt under their fingernails than be on social media and have little to no idea what a meme is. Often referred to in the marketing world by the kind euphemism of late adopters, this group of hard-working, rarely online folks typically has some of the sparsest resources when it comes to their marketing, design, and demand generation. 

They tend to occupy more trade, agricultural, and specialized skill forms of business, be it guiding, farming, construction, charter services, commercial supply, or more industrial-focused work. For many of these people, they have the "been doing it this way for 30 years, and it's worked well for me" byline, and business typically comes from a real word of mouth route. But, like all good things, the days may be numbered for continuing this way in a world going ever faster and faster toward the interconnection of things. Today we're looking at why every single individual, even these late adopters, can benefit from a strong marketing game.

As long as people have kept written records, they have been using intricate designs to accent their words. The art of beautiful penmanship and decorative letterforms are prevalent in Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese art. It doesn't take a Master Penmen to look at our country's Declaration of Independence or the Constitution to see the unique brilliance of hand-drawn excellence. While ink and quill are not as commonplace today, pen and ink and Apple Pencil and tablet have become the new mediums for that hand-lettered touch.

We're kicking off a new series at PRIME on the transformation of the way we do things. In the economy of life, there are tried-and-true methods, habits we love, patterns we are used to and a variety of other activities that condition the way we approach tasks. With the advent of mobile devices and app-run services, a more significant number of options are available for getting our business done. Enjoy our foray into the mobile economy of things, or the IoT. (Internet of Things) as we dive into several ways our hand-held devices have changed the way we face our world.

There are two constant truths in marketing that you’ve likely heard over and over again. While both true, they’re as equally important as they are a potential conflict. The first is that “Content is king.” The second? That your prospects are inconceivably busy. But if content truly is king (and it is, my friend), and your readers are struggling on the daily to keep their heads above the information flood line, what are you to do? How are you supposed to reach them with all these valuable content pieces that you have? It's not like today's users are exactly clamoring to get their hands on one more “must-read” article, blog, Facebook rant, or even eBook for their backlog.

For a freelancer, there are some days when they feel the true greatness of what it is they get to do for a living. Sitting down to work makes them feel like a regular Hemingway or Picasso. They’re enlightened by the realization of their living and invigorated by a dedication to their work.

This week, we’re kicking off a mini-series on all things infographics: why they’re valuable, the do’s-and-don’ts, how to craft them, and more. So go grab your favorite pillow, the popcorn, and hunker down, friend. We’ll be sitting around this campfire for a while as we spill all the dirt on what makes a powerful infographic and how you can use them to light up your business.

Knowing Your Audience

While we’ve already given you the playbook for targeting your local market, today we’re mapping out how to target your market around the globe with meaningful, engaging content. The fact is, not all social media platforms are created equally when it comes to your targeting initiatives. None of them are bad, but some are most certainly better than others for a broader reach. Just like your platforms will change as you try to reach those who don’t live down the lane, so will your technique and strategy.

Your message to Sally Sue, an active member of your local community, may not resonate with someone who lives a thousand miles away. They could value very different things depending on location, culture, demographics, and so on. That means that the benefits you present to them will look different. Simply put, the world isn’t a flat piece of toast you spread a pat of butter across. Let’s look at how to churn out the actual results you want by broadcasting the right messages on the right platforms.

Fact: writing a white paper is no joke. It’s certainly one of the bigger sorts of projects a marketing team will work on and will require some serious leg work. White paper’s require hours of research, a healthy dose of timely and reliable sources, a research position and tone of voice, a dang good subject. It typically will be anywhere from 3000-5,000 well thought out words and an all-hands on deck approach from more than one of your marketing team members

As a business owner, it’s a given in today’s world that you need to have a social media presence. If you’re still thinking about social as something that Millennials simply spend too much time on, it’s time to think again, friend. Not only do you need to be on social media, but you also need to have a strong plan about how you’re going to use it, who you want to talk to, and what you want to get out of it.