I called my mom yesterday. She lives 800 miles away, so Sunday brunch was out of the question. But that’s okay. A nice telephone conversation is the hallmark of our relationship. And yesterday’s call proved to be just what she needed.

She’s had a rough go of it lately. For a few decades, she worked really hard to become the best in her chosen career. She earned a few advanced degrees. She garnered professional accolades. And that’s when it hit her: she was in the wrong job all along. Many people her age are retiring to white sand and accepting applications for cabana boys. She’s starting over at the bottom. It’s not easy.

Yesterday, all she needed to hear was a simple message: Happy Mother’s Day. She didn’t need the brunch. She wasn’t pissed that the florist didn’t deliver on Sunday. Or that I’d forgotten to call the florist in the first place.

Happy Mother’s Day. That was it. I was reminded of other monumental conversations between the two of us. All of them revolved around simple, sincere messages.

The night that I brought home my first daughter from the hospital, I called to tell her I was sorry. I was sorry that there was a time I’d caused her to worry and taken advantage of her goodwill and occasionally exploited her love and generosity. In other words, I called to apologize that I’d been a teenager.

More recently, she went to great lengths to ensure that my kids were as comfortable and stable as possible during an extremely difficult part of their lives. All I could do was call and give her my heartfelt thanks.

Then there are the times that I simply call to see how she is and tell her I love her.

Since good relationships are based on good messaging and good relationships are the foundation of good business, it made me think about good business messaging.

We put a lot of emphasis on creativity in marketing and advertising. Rightfully so. A lot of the time, the only thing that makes someone pay attention to our messaging is the Big Idea. Have a better-than-average cell phone? You need the Big Idea to get that better-ness across. Want to sell more body wash or feminine hygiene products? Find the Big Idea that separates you from the competition.

Most of our messages are based on better, different, more creative executions. We fervently pursue them. And we should continue. Because 99% of the time that’s what works. But don’t forget the other 1%.

Thank you. I’m sorry. Happy day. You’re special. These messages don’t require hoopla or creativity or a Big Idea. They’re simple messages that simply require your sincerity. But they are the most powerful messages you can send. And they may only be 1% of your messaging, but the relationships they forge or maintain could make up 99% of your business.

That’s something to think about it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a phone call to make. I hope FTD has a nice Sorry-I-Forgot-to-Send-You-a-Mother’s-Day-Bouquet bouquet.

(Omaha, Neb. – May 10, 2010) – Bozell, a creative marketing communications company, won a Pinnacle Award, as well as four Gold and one Platinum Award, at the 2010 American Marketing Association of Omaha (AMA) Pinnacle Awards. Bozell’s work was recognized in the categories of total marketing campaign, promotions, interactive media and direct response.

“Winning the awards was the culmination of an integrated, agency-wide effort to produce outstanding work for our clients, “said Kim Mickelsen, managing principle of Bozell. “We are honored to be recognized by AMA Omaha.”

Bozell received awards for work on behalf of Borsheims, Catholic Charities and Scott Technology Center, as well as Bozell’s intern recruitment campaign.

To see a complete list of the award, click here.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

I love a great bargin just as much as you do BUT often times in advertising there is a reason why it’s a bargain.  Read the fine print, ask questions and most importantly go with your gut!

There has been a lot of chatter lately in the advertising world about online ad networks.  Are these networks the right way to go for our clients?  Are they trustworthy and reliable?  Is it really worth paying a lower CPM if it jeopardizes your brand? 

What the majority of online ad networks do is sell remnant inventory (which they have purchased from other publishers) at a lower CPM.  Typically this will get you exactly what you pay for.  Quite often you will not know exactly where you are running or worse yet you could be running next to questionable content on the web.  This lack of transparency and control can kill your brand. 

Many publishers like Disney have also said enough is enough and will not sell unsold (remnant) inventory to ad networks anymore.  Publishers like Disney would much rather the inventory be used for co-branded initiatives than sold to ad networks resulting in lost revenue for Disney.

Years ago many of us (myself included) jumped on the ad network bandwagon partly due to its appealing price tag for our clients.  Now it seems like online ad network companies are multiplying and coming out stronger than ever for business.  I probably get at least two phone calls a day from a “new” online ad network wanting to pitch me their business.

It seems to me like more advertisers and publishers are rediscovering the value of associating products and brands with high-quality premium content over ad networks.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a great deal just as much as the next person but it’s important to remember you get what you pay for.

Attitude and perception are an amazing thing. If you want something, act like it. Think like it. Believe it. Your enthusiasm means a lot and shows you care.

Watch the people around you. I’d bet that the people with a positive outlook and enthusiastic approach are making more progress toward goals than the people whose bleak outlook prevents others from wanting to get on board.

by Lisa Martin/Photo by Eric Gonzalez

Karissa Armstrong is a small-town girl with a big-town crush, which started during her college years in Lincoln; being a Countess in the Aksarben Ball “was really my first experience into all that Omaha had to offer,” said Armstrong. “I really fell in love wiht the city at that point, and just knew I would come back.”

Originally from Minden, Neb. (south of Kearney), Armstrong graduated UNL with a degree in broadcast journalism, then moved into advertising in San Diego. But family and friends did, indeed, bring her back to the Midwest, and now she’s a familiar face in the Omaha scene, actively involved with All About Omaha, a charitable and social organization aimed at keeping young professionals engaged in the city.

Shout! sat down with Armstrong at the Riverfront’s Pedestrian Bridge to discuss winding career paths, the Torchlight Ball and the city’s image – a conversation that was less interview and more Omaha lovefest.

To read the full interview with Shout!, click here.

It’s no secret that the media landscape is changing. As a member of the advertising, marketing and PR industry and a freelance writer myself, I’ve noticed a major shift in the way reporters and editors get their story ideas.

We’re no longer in a world where the press release is the way to get trending stories. Today, the blogosphere and social networks are where the news is being made and broadcast. Bloggers and social media participants and their followers are criticizing and praising the brands and companies that they like. Since this is where the readers are, you must not be surprised that this also is where the reporters are.

Since 2004, the blogosphere has rapidly grown and whether you as PR professionals or marketers like it, it is providing a place for news, opinion and reviews that have not been “spun” by a PR professional. The most powerful and successful bloggers can clearly and articulately discuss their opinions on a product, service or company with credibility. They’re often well-known in their industry or seen as an influential person whose opinion matters.

As a writer, when I’m looking for a story idea, it is not uncommon to search online to find trending story ideas and potential sources from these credible bloggers. I can find ideas, sources and potential facts and figures (that, of course, need to be verified) easily all over social networks. I search for trusted bloggers, Tweeters and websites whose information I know is credible.

What this means for the PR and marketing professionals of the world is that you can no longer bank on the standard press release. Yes, press releases have historically been the PR tool of choice. And, in some cases, they are still practical, but only if the content is timely, relevant, news worthy and has lots of potential interview sources quoted and opportunities for video, photo and audio. And, ultimately, if the topic is of interest to the reporter’s beat, column, current issue, episode, show or publication.

You should instead be focusing your efforts on generating relevant and timely content in a variety of mediums including on corporate blogs and social media accounts in all formats: print, video, photo and audio. Find stories within your organization that bloggers and reporters and editors alike can grab onto. Provide sources and quotes. Be visual.

1. If you’re in a rotation of last entered/first seen, don’t road block the other bloggers by posting multiple submissions one after another – give the other contributing bloggers a chance to be in the rotation Read More

Today, many Omahans (yes, that’s what we’re collectively called) are excited about the opportunity to go out and spend some of their hard earned dollars. We just got official word that a Trader Joe’s store is indeed coming to town. The Twitter stream and Facebook updates extolling this glorious day have been pretty steady.

Besides feeling a little genuine excitement about this store coming to town myself, the thing on my mind is how Trader Joe’s, which at its essence is a small grocery store, has such fans that are busy telling everyone they know about a future store coming to their neck of the woods.

I’ve been a fan for years, and a good friend of mine actually finds out today if he gets promoted to top dog at one of the stores in Tucson. I like them because they sell food I enjoy at a great price. And having worked in the grocery industry for nearly 10 years I appreciate how they do business. They just do things right. They also are a great place to work as well as shop. They sell a limited number of products in a small, efficient store and they focus on natural/organic items. The majority of their sales come from their own store brand.  They have a very defined operation, very minimal labor (for the grocery industry) and very dedicated customers. People are known to drive many miles for a trip to the store.

Where does the average business fit into the fan versus customer spectrum? When your customer leaves your store/office/location are they telling others about you or is it just another transaction?

Trader Joe’s is being welcomed into a community and there have been Facebook groups requesting that they come here for over a year now. How many other food retailers enjoy that market position?

Now that we’re all excited, let’s see how it all shakes out. And how soon we start calling for additional locations to spend our money.

Unless you are sending out an email newsletter, stick to one primary message in each email blast. Don’t try to pack ten pounds worth of stuff into a one pound bag. The more information you shove into an email, the higher the possibility the recipient will hit delete. Or worse; unsubscribe.

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