If you’re a band, you know that you have a ton of competition in the never-ending race to get noticed, build a fan base, and turn your passion into a major success. If you’re a journalist, finding new bands that are worthwhile covering is a major challenge. Bloomington-based StoryAmp is bringing the 2 groups together…
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With over 940 million social media users globally there is a ton of content being created every day. With this social revolution taking place, products like Klout, PeerIndex and, more recently, PeopleBrowsr KRED look to help people and companies understand who is having the most impact on others. Minneapolis agency Echidna has recently joined the…
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Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece, based on the facts and most names have not been changed to protect their innocence, or, not. It’s September again and that means TechCrunch Disrupt is taking place this week in San Francisco. The TechCrunch Disrupt event evolved from the now dissolved TechCrunch50 conference that was the creation of…
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I am a big fan of Airbnb. I like the idea of being able to turn any space into a potential rental unit for a would-be traveler. The young but successful business has been built around the notion that most people are good and can be trusted. And the concept has been met with much…
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Public relations is key to establishing your business as a significant competitor in your market and understanding your potential customers, according to Sarah Hardwick, Founder and CEO of Zenzi Communications. Her PR and marketing firm’s mission is to help companies “Be Known” and “Be Found.” Under Sarah’s leadership, Zenzi has taken startups public, launched breakthrough…
Read MoreThis is the second part of a two part post by Sarah Hardwick, Founder & CEO of Zenzi Communications. If you missed part I, you can read tips 1-5 here. As promised, here are the next 5 easy tips to integrate PR part into your startup’s communications strategy. 6. Use Social Media as a PR Tool….
Read MoreThis is the first part of a two part post by Sarah Hardwick, Founder & CEO of Zenzi Communications. Starting a business is challenging enough, let alone managing the ins and outs of PR to successfully promote your product or service. Here are the first 5 easy tips to help you through this process, and…
Read MoreThe second annual Social Media Masters’ Summit will take place next week in Chicago and we’re sure that all you social media enthusiasts and strategists out there won’t want to miss it. At the summit, attendees will learn firsthand how Kenmore, ConAgra, General Motors, Tide, Microsoft, Weight Watchers, and other large brands are leveraging social…
Read MoreThis week Social Media Hour extends the discussion from last week’s episode and tackling the topic virality online. More specifically the show will explore how viral campaigns can impact your digital influence. Joining the discussion again will be, Michael Brito from Edelman Digital, Jason Falls the Social Media Explorer, Leyla Farah, Cause + Effect, Sam…
Read MoreI first interviewed CEO Gini Dietrich a little over a year ago on a crisp April morning in her Chicago office. We had previously been chatting on Twitter about whether or not it was beneficial for small companies to appear small. Gini was interested in the conversation because her PR company Arment Dietrich was a…
Read MoreIf candidates were required to pass an entrance exam for a career in marketing, the test would have historically included the following analogy: Content :: Design as Substance :: Style. “Business thinking” and “creative thinking” have long been considered discrete disciplines, complementary at best (think: word-heavy Word-doc reports and taking on the task of “prettying…
Read MoreOn Friday, June 18, at Digital Capital Week, Zenzi Communications will share the top tips and best practices for “PR in a Digital World.” As marketing and PR are changing rapidly with the constant evolution and expansion of the digital ecosystem, success requires integrated efforts that combine the smartest tactics in traditional PR combined with…
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What follows is an excerpt from Engage!, the complete guide for brands and businesses to build, cultivate, and measure success in the new web. It’s available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at a bookstore near you. Social media is reinventing marketing, communications, and the dissemination of information. While businesses now have access to…
Read MoreMob mentality – not precisely a phrase that brings to mind the best of human behavior, but somehow thanks to social media the concept of a mob has been turned into a powerful marketing technique. Flash mobs, initially a phenomenon for pure amusement have become somewhat of a tool for brave marketers. On this week’s…
Read MoreWe know the traditional press release is dead, but companies still have a need and desire to push out news to both agencies and consumers alike. So what is the answer, especially in the midst of the new landscape of Twitter and Facebook? Pitchengine thinks they have the answer with its new platform and Social…
Read MoreThe point of this article is to redefine how startups (not solely tech companies) view and define early adopters and the “echo chamber” in order to gain momentum in order to “cross the chasm” to the next tier of evolution, adoption, and monetization. This is about uncovering the very people who can benefit from what…
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There are a number of startup accelerator and incubator programs in the United States. We are fans of these programs (not to be confused with... Read More
Two months after the iPad 2 debuted in March, around 40% of users surveyed said their iPad was their primary computer, up from around 30%... Read More
With our Startup Mixology Conference coming up next week followed by our classic Tech Cocktail DC Summer mixer which will showcase a handful of early-stage... Read More
Coming off of one of our biggest Tech Cocktail mixer events in Chicago this past week, which showcased 14 early-stage start-ups, we thought it would... Read More