The gift is in the giving for Shamrock.

Giving back is one of Shamrock’s core values and a driving force in our culture. At this time of year we pause to reflect on the simple abundance in our lives that is sometimes taken for granted. This holiday season, as is tradition, our employees spread holiday cheer in a multitude of ways. 

Our Westlake and Avon teams worked together to deliver 35 gifts and hundreds of dollars in cash donations to families in need through a community “Adopt-A-Family” program. Shamrock employees in our offices across the country got in the spirit by volunteering time at their local food pantries, generously donating much needed funds to help those in need, and supporting community service efforts to make the season brighter for others.

At Shamrock we understand that by actively engaging in support of the communities in which we work and live we not only make a difference in the lives of others, we enrich our own. In this season of giving, Shamrock’s employees truly shine. Again, the gift is in the giving.

May your holiday be filled with joy & happiness.

All the best,
Tim Connor

Tips for successful product packaging

Have you ever purchased a product because you liked the packaging? I’ve grabbed a bottle of wine just because I liked the label. Same is true with cookies. But I’m not alone: One-third of consumer product choices are based on packaging, according to research by The Paper Worker. There is tremendous power in packaging design: It allows you to make an immediate—and ongoing—brand connection with your target audience.

You can maximize that opportunity for brand impact by keeping a few things in mind when designing product or specialty packaging:

Think of packaging as an extension of your brand. It should reflect your brand image, include smart logo placement, meet your graphics standards, etc.

Make packaging engaging. Consider adding QR codes, augmented reality, or embedding videos to encourage interaction with your product beyond the point of purchase. 

Functionality is key. Don’t get so carried away with creativity that
you forget user-friendly appeal—make it easy to use. 

Content counts. The product name or headline should be easy to read, along with the essentials your buyer needs like instructions, nutrition information, etc.

Click below for more: This infographic is a great quick-read list of tips and reminders to help you to refine your product packaging for greater brand appeal.

How Product Packaging Affects Your Buying Decision Infographic

All the best,
Tim Connor

We’re Honored. Shamrock is named to NorthCoast 99

I’m proud to share that Shamrock has again been named to NorthCoast 99—an annual recognition program that counts us among the 99 greatest workplaces in Northeast Ohio. The Award is presented by the Employers Resource Council (ERC), which is the area’s leading organization dedicated to HR practices, programs and services. It’s an incredible honor for all of us at Shamrock as this year marks the 12th time we’ve earned NC99 recognition.
 
The cornerstone of our business at Shamrock is our unique culture and our people. We’ve worked to create a workplace environment where our people feel like they can make a difference—not just  here at work, but in the community, as well. 

Shamrock actively supports a lot of charitable organizations. And that effort is driven by our employees: What’s important to them personally is important to us as a company. It’s their drive that puts Shamrock out there, leading by example, and making an impact throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. 

NC99 is an award that very much belongs to our team at Shamrock: They’ve earned it. And I’m proud to work alongside them.

If you’re interested in learning more about NC99—and reading about some best practices and success stories shared by some of the award winners—click on the link below to download the 2015 Report.

Download the 2015 NorthCoast 99 Winners Report

All The Best,
Tim Connor  

Make mobile part of your holiday retail marketing strategy

Is your business ready for the 2015 holiday shopping season? While many retailers already have their holiday marketing programs in motion, if you’re just jumping in now, it’s not too late: Retail marketing doesn’t need to be elaborate. But it does need to be smart.

If mobile isn’t part of your marketing strategy, it should be: In 2014 mobile traffic accounted for 45% of all online traffic. Start by ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly. It’s important for your audience/customers to be able to seamlessly navigate your site via their smartphones.

A successful retail strategy requires an integrated approach that includes online and offline touches. To make a brand impression you need to make connections beyond the purchase. Once they’ve received your product in the mail or they’ve walked out of your store, you don’t want to lose them. Use mobile to keep the brand conversation going (QR codes, digital coupons, etc.).

Always, while you have customers on your site, engage them. Gather the information that you need from your customers to connect with them on a regular basis with content that is relevant to them.

Making that brand connection and then creating an ongoing relationship with your customers is what will feed sales and fuel success. If you’d like more ideas about retail marketing, click here.

It’s still October—don’t think you can’t make an impact this year. Good luck!

Tim Connor

Six steps to content marketing

If you were anywhere around Cleveland in early September, chances are you were seeing orange. Everywhere. Content Marketing Institute held its 5th annual Content Marketing World conference downtown, drawing more than 3,200 marketing professionals from all over the world. At Shamrock, we value the importance of Content Marketing; in fact, we brought in Institute founder Joe Pulizzi to speak at our annual sales meeting in May. Shamrock’s Kasey Crabtree grabbed a copy of Joe’s new book titled Content, Inc. How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses. In this month’s guest blog, Kasey shares some takeaways from the book.  

Recognized as the “godfather” of content marketing, Joe Pulizzi is a brilliant resource for all things content related. While his new book slants toward startups, the principles that Joe outlines are applicable to those of us managing content on our own or on behalf of a larger organization.

Content Inc. demonstrates how to build a successful business by developing and engaging a loyal audience and then providing them with meaningful content. Joe uses real-life examples of successful companies that built their audience base before launching their products, reinforcing how his system works. He provides his blueprint for content marketing implementation, breaking it down into six segments:

• Discover and define a content area Sweet Spot—the intersection of your competency and your personal passion. This should serve as the base for your outreach
• Content Tilting: How to “tilt” the sweet spot to where there is little to no competition 
• Building A Base: How to pick the initial platform foundation for your content (blog, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) that connects with your audience
• Harvesting Your Audience: How to turn your single-visit readers into subscribers by harnessing the power of social media and SEO
• Diversification: How to diversify your initial platform to reach and even greater audience
• Monetization: How to monetize it—get paid for your content generation

Joe does a beautiful job of painting a picture for the reader about how smart content marketing strategy is used. So many people see their mission as simply making more money. But the first step is to focus on the needs of your customer or audience—and then the rest will come.

Joe’s content marketing strategy works—but it’s not a get-rich-quick process. Steady, consistent content strategy is payoff for your brand.  

I think most of us would agree that in this digital media era, we’re inundated with content. Throwing content out there without a solid plan—without a defined and engaged audience and a brand-centric message—is simply ineffective. Content needs to be a part of an integrated marketing effort. That’s where Shamrock comes in: For those companies or individuals who need that big-picture creative framework, we have the knowledge and the experience to implement a comprehensive marketing program that gets results.

If you’re interested in ordering the book, here’s the Amazon link: http://goo.gl/VpT2qF 

Ride On: Corporate support takes fundraising to the next level

This month I’m turning over my blog space to Shamrock’s Tim Berry who recently biked as part of “Team Rover” for The American Cancer Society’s 9th Annual Pan Ohio Hope Ride—a 4-day, 328-mile ride from Cleveland to Cincinnati.

Tim’s effort is one that Shamrock’s Culture Club embraced by rallying support from our employees. Read on to learn more about Tim’s personal drive behind this special fund raiser.

Like many of us, I support a variety of charities; I’m willing to donate to organizations and people in need. But taking part in the Pan Ohio Hope Ride—for the third time—has helped me to reach beyond my baseline level of support. It was an experience that reinforced for me, in a powerful way, what can be accomplished when you join together as a team.

At the start of the race, I looked out across the sea of cyclists: Here we all were, out there, showing up and joining together to fight for a cause that is so much bigger than all of us. We had put in hundreds of hours of training to prepare; with that shared commitment there was a real sense of camaraderie among the riders. It just felt good, to be doing such good. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  

I rode with Team Rover, a group of my friends (who later became clients) www.followrover.com; each one of us had our own inspiration for participating. For me it was Jackie Bankston. She was one of my colleagues at Shamrock who lost her battle to cancer at a young age. My personal goal was to raise $4,000 in Jackie’s honor. And then our community involvement committee at Shamrock jumped on board; they helped promote my cause. People who I had never met before pledged money and followed my ride progress. With employee donations and Shamrock’s matching-fund contribution, I collected more than $7,500 for The American Cancer Society.

The experience was incredibly satisfying; beyond riding 328 miles across the state, it was rewarding to contribute to such a successful fundraising effort. Paul Purdy at The American Cancer Society in Cleveland did an amazing job organizing the event—it’s one of the most professional, well-run events I’ve been a part of. Click here to view event photos.

For those of us who enjoy giving back, I think it’s important to solicit corporate support to add more fuel to your fire. In my case, I was able to well surpass my goal. If you’d like to learn more about ways to get your company behind your next fundraiser, feel free to email me at tberry@shamrockcompanies.net.

Tim Berry  

Pan Ohio Hope Ride 2015: 46 teams I  378 participants I  $810,576.88 raised

Print vs. electronic: The argument reinforces the value of integrated marketing

The debate has been raging since the rise of digital media: Which is more effective? Print or electronic? If you want people to understand and retain information, studies consistently show that it’s print. Yet on the other side of the aisle, some e-marketers argue that print is dead. The truth is, in this digital age, there’s room for both in your marketing tool chest.

It’s no different than 20 years ago when we began to use new print applications. Today, we have more channels available, both online and offline. The genius is being able to blend the best of both via an integrated marketing effort.

Print and electronic marketing are not mutually exclusive—each channel has its strengths and limitations. And using them together actually strengthens your brand. Having a consistent, impactful message woven together using different channels (social media, direct mail, promotional products, pay-per-click, etc.) you can ensure that your brand is represented consistently while leveraging the impact of the cross-channel reach. 

Using a mix of online and offline channels also allows you to re-connect with your audience throughout a campaign to reinforce your brand message, drive relevancy and prompt action. You might tweet about a new promotion, send an email blast and follow up with a postcard. And because each of these channels can be used to connect with a specific audience segment your message can be tailored just for them. That’s the power of integrated marketing.

A recent article in Entrepreneur magazine touts the benefits of integrating print and digital touches in your marketing strategy. It notes that print communications can actually leverage your ecommerce site and even strengthen your social media presence. Print engages multiple generations of consumers; can be used to drive social media traffic (via printed calls-to-action on postcards or print ads, for example); and extends your brand reach by sharing your reviews and information offline. 

Click here to read the entire article.

There’s no time like the present to evaluate your marketing effort. Whether you’re operating as a brick-and-mortar business or an online service provider, balance is essential. Print has a tangible, enduring appeal that complements modern digital channels. Using both will get results.

All the Best,
Tim Connor