Controlling the sales environment - how can you?

By David Mills
on September 18, 2023

With all of the elements of the sales environment that we cannot control, it's vital to streamline what is within reach.

There's a lot about the sales environment that sales leaders cannot control. The list includes the economic cycle, the growing size of the buying committee, a lengthening decision cycle, rising costs of doing business, and the behavior of the competition. Proof of this reality is the fact that 71% of the Fortune 400 missed their sales goals in Q1 of 2023- and the normal rate is about 40% globally. Focusing on what you can't control is a sure path to frustration.

De-Clunk Your Nonprofit by Streamlining Software

By David Mills
on July 17, 2023

How to approach communication and development software to improve growth outcomes and reduce frustration and time waste.

Credible estimates tell us that sales reps spend only one-third of their time selling with the rest of their time spent on administrative tasks or data entry - is it any better for nonprofit development teams?

It’s a safe bet that your communications and development team is spending at least 5 hours or more each week just managing the technology they need to communicate.

That’s more than half of a day, wasted every week.

But that’s not all, how much time is spent each day in data entry?

There went another half day.

Microsoft Dynamics vs HubSpot: Three Myths and Four Differences

By Chad Alexander
on June 27, 2023

Who will win in the fight between Microsoft Dynamics vs HubSpot? We marketers will!

When comparing Microsoft Dynamics vs HubSpot, there are several key differences that set them apart.

Before we dive into the differences, I'm going to address three myths about the platforms.

Then, I'll talk about the four key differences between the two platforms.

Let's get started!

Why Small Business Marketing Consultants Need to Attend These Events

By Chad Alexander
on June 26, 2023

This is a shameless plug for our upcoming series, "HubSpot Bootstrappers of NoVA". This is an open invite to any business or small business marketing consultant in the Northern Virginia area. Over the course of four months we're going to cover how to:

1. Unleash a Single Sales + Marketing System
2. Unghost Sales Leads
3. Build a Landing Page That Works
4. Write Emails that Get Opened
   
   P.S. We will be live at these events at Reclaim Arcade in Fredericksburg, VA.

The Top Five Things You Should Know About HubSpot Onboarding

By Chad Alexander
on June 15, 2023

Your HubSpot onboarding will become even more effective if you know these five things

If you are in the position to start thinking about HubSpot onboarding or you are about to go through the process-- congratulations! We at Story Collaborative love HubSpot. Yes, in full transparency, they do pay us for the amount of HubSpot accounts we manage, but this is by no means a paid advertisement. We honestly just like talking about HubSpot and how great of a CRM/CMS it is!

Where will your company land in the new digital divide

By David Mills
on June 14, 2023

AI is moving fast, picking new winners and losers.

The pace of AI development has been remarkable, often surpassing the speed at which the internet evolved. While the internet took several years to reach significant milestones, such as reaching 100 million users, AI technologies have achieved similar feats in much shorter timeframes. For example, large language models like ChatGPT have gained widespread attention and usage in just a matter of months. This rapid progress can be attributed to advancements in computing power, increased availability of data, and the continuous refinement of AI algorithms.

How to grow more with less tech

By David Mills
on June 09, 2023

Most companies are guilty of it. They continue adding to the tech stack until it's like a giant Jenga puzzle that just falls over of its own weight. Collecting every shiny thing that comes along with the promise of a better X, Y, or Z can be pretty tempting. And the options are almost endless with 8,000 different marketing technology (MarTech) solutions in the mix as of 2020.

Grow more with less may even seem daunting as a concept, but here's the rub: more isn't always better, and with technology, the hidden cost of lost time in learning, switching back and forth, and licensing and maintenance makes it even dicier. 

Shortchanged by your CRM

By David Mills
on June 08, 2023

When sales teams underutilize a CRM, it shortchanges the sales team and the company management of the real value that a modern CRM should provide to a growing organization. If you'd say that your team "barely uses the CRM" or that it operates like a big address book, then you're missing out on the real impact of a CRM that delivers as it supports sales enablement.

Why the StoryBrand BrandScript Fails to Take in the Big Picture

By Chad Alexander
on June 06, 2023

Is your business adopting some of these Story Brand flaws?

If you’re familiar with Donald Miller and his book, Building a Story Brand, you obviously are familiar with the Storybrand Brandscript, a distillation of the key points made throughout the book in one nice, handy .pdf file.

This is a broad overview of the main character, the struggles they face, and the mentor figure that takes them under their wing (think Gandalf or Morpheus or even us if you want a growth agency on your side) that will symbolically guide your buyers through their own magical and wonderful buyer journey.

Here’s the problem: Real people and their real-life journeys are complicated and messy. We know because we do buyer journeys for businesses a LOT. And we discover things late in the process that neither us nor the client saw coming, because humans are unpredictable at times.

And to think that you can distill their decision processes down to anything simplistic is, well...

…to borrow a quote from Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park: “That is one big pile of s#!+”

And just like his chaos theory, we're about to introduce some chaos into the Story Brand framework.

When the team just won't use the CRM

By David Mills
on June 05, 2023

It might not be them, it might be the CRM. The average salesperson has to use 10 tools to close a sale. If your CRM is adding value to the sales process, then getting salespeople to use it isn't a problem. It's when the CRM is just another chore that it becomes a drag - not only psychologically but on sales outcomes too.

HubSpot Vs. Pipedrive

By David Mills
on June 01, 2023

HubSpot and Pipedrive are both easy to administer and easy to use. Both HubSpot and Pipedrive offer sales teams powerful tools for lead organization, pipeline management, and deal tracking. However, HubSpot distinguishes itself from Pipedrive in several key ways that could significantly impact your business. To help you determine which platform is the best fit for your needs, we've provided a brief overview of their respective features and differences.  

Zoho or HubSpot The Real Story

By David Mills
on June 01, 2023

While both HubSpot and Zoho are popular CRM solutions, they offer distinct approaches to customer engagement. It's crucial to understand these differences as they can significantly impact your organization's growth and evolving needs.

So, is it Zoho or HubSpot?

How to increase sales without adding more hires

By David Mills
on June 01, 2023

In the past, companies that needed to grow simply added more staff or increased productivity per employee to scale their operations. However, with tighter budgets and a focus on sustainable growth, improving productivity per representative has become even more critical. To set your team up for success, it's essential to identify ways to avoid tactics that will lead to delays or escalating costs. 

How Cold Visits and Calls Burn Out Salespeople

By David Mills
on May 23, 2023

What used to be our stand-by approaches have changed. If you’re relying on old-school sales tactics like spreadsheets, cold visits, and cold telephone calls, you may be burning out your salespeople and your reputation at the same time. Every time you get one of those vendor cold calls, there is a salesperson on the other end who feels just like you do about how much making these calls sucks.

De-Clunk Your Sales by Streamlining Your Software

By David Mills
on May 22, 2023

How to approach sales and marketing software to improve sales outcomes and reduce frustration and time waste.

Credible estimates tell us that sales reps spend only one-third of their time selling with the rest of their time spent on administrative tasks or data entry.

It’s a safe bet that your sales team is spending at least 5 hours or more each week just managing the technology they need to communicate.

That’s more than half of a day, wasted every week.

But that’s not all, 72% of salespeople spend another hour a day in data entry.

There went another half day.

Ten Essential Skills for Face-to-Face Sales

By David Mills
on May 22, 2023

Refreshing face-to-face sales skills

Remember when sales were mostly in person or on the phone? While many people relied upon the personal interaction of tradeshows and vendor visits, it all got shut down during COVID. Is it possible that some of those in-person skills have gotten a little rusty? If you have salespeople who are new to the team or industry, they may have skipped the hard-won lessons of your veteran salespeople and might need a refresher on the skills of in-person meetings.

Here are a couple of ways to refresh those in-person skills. First is a quick refresher on the essential skills for in-person sales. Following that are four classic sales books that can spark fresh insights into the skills for effective sales.

5 Videos [+ examples] that Leverage Brand Storytelling in Your Buyer Journey

By Amy Alexander
on March 23, 2023

As buyers navigate their way through the purchasing journey, they will research many brands and solutions for their problems. And, in such a noisy marketplace, it can feel almost impossible to set your brand apart. The good news? Brand storytelling can provide a powerful solution for engaging customers and enabling a truly differentiated brand. The little-known reality is that every brand (whether or not you're a media or marketing company) should include video as a core activity of enabling their buyers in the journey. And, it doesn't have to be as hard as you think!

Does Search Engine Optimization - SEO - Help Your Brand Story?

By David Mills
on March 06, 2023

Does all of your effort on search engine optimization, help or hurt your brand? It’s easy to miss the brand impacts of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) while you are working to ensure that customers can find you online. Search strategy is deeply interwoven with the experience that potential customers have with your brand.

The Major Cons of Outsourced Marketing

By Amy Alexander
on February 15, 2023

Outsourced marketing is a reality for small, medium, and even large companies. We know this. It can't be helped. Whether it's niche digital advertising, rebranding, or website redesigns... even large organizations have to outsource niche expertise. But, have we considered the cost... the major disadvantages of perpetually outsourcing our marketing? Could serial, outsourced marketing be damaging our brand story in a way we never took the time to realize?

The tech fight of the century- the impact of AI for business

By David Mills
on February 08, 2023

We've got ringside seats, except we've got a stake in this game because AI for business is going to change everything

Sports fans love a good fight, and there's one going on right now in the online search world. It all started on November 30, 2022, when Open AI made their service ChatGPT public. Over the holiday season, Google's top leaders had to wake up from their long winter's nap to a widely reported code red, because they realized the dramatic impact this was already having.

6 Value Proposition Mistakes That Dilute Brand Loyalty

By Amy Alexander
on December 15, 2022

Value propositions are elusive. Even top companies present themselves as "different" using the same concepts and terms as their competitors. They forget to actually differentiate when they present their value to their customers. Common value proposition mistakes leave customers lukewarm about brand loyalty, and unclear about why they should look at anything more than a price-point.

How to use email to fuel company growth

By David Mills
on November 07, 2022

The lack of effective email is a growth barrier

Deliver better customer experiences with email tied to a CRM (and don't ditch good customers)

It is frustrating! I know they have my email address and my phone, but my house hasn't been pressure washed for more than a year. I think the power washing company has abandoned me. I think I know why.

It's not because I was a bad customer. I had plenty of dirt on my vinyl siding, and I paid promptly. The technician was only here for a couple of hours and I said thank you, even though some of the spray fluid came through the kitchen door and ruined the tablecloth.

Our Mission: Help You Accomplish Good, Hard Things

By David Mills
on October 18, 2022

I was stunned when I heard him say it. In just a few short words, Andy Crouch, speaking at the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Conference 2022, captured what we've been working to explain for the entire life of our company. It was as if we'd finally found the words that describe our purpose. Clarity about the "why" fuels the work.

How gold mining tell us who to trust with our growth

How Growth Hacks Might Be Stopping Your Growth

Business Growth by the Seat of Your Pants?

The Cause-Centered Company Continuum

Barrier Busting: Bigging Up to Win against Competing businesses

Breaking through Growth Barriers with a Growth Team

By David Mills
on September 07, 2022

Growth teams have been only a big company strategy. It’s the magic bullet they pull out to overcome barriers, push out new products and seize new opportunities. While big companies can reach into their large staff pool to assemble a team, small and medium-sized businesses and even nonprofits can take advantage of this strategy if they understand how it works.

How to get the most out of a Consultant for Inbound Marketing

How can email marketing fuel your overall inbound strategy in 2022?

By Amy Alexander
on August 23, 2022

It's not a secret that inbound marketing is changing. There was a day when inbound marketing was new—a time when mainstream marketing wasn't writing content to bring inbound leads.

7 Things to Skip When Hiring a Small Business Marketing Consultant

By David Mills
on August 19, 2022

Avoid these time wasters in your search for a small business marketing consultant.

People who run small businesses don't think of the work they do as small - nor should they. They are the primary drivers of employment, and they pay the taxes that allow cities to operate. Small businesses create the environments that make communities great. The truth is a $10 to $40 million dollar company isn't small.

When looking for help, knowing what kind of consulting will move the ball forward can also help you to spot a marketing consultant that won't get the job done. Here's how you can sort through some of the noise to get the right kind of help.  

How Your Buyer's Digital Experience is Shaping Sales Performance

By David Mills
on August 12, 2022

The way that buyers engage has changed, and it is having a big impact on sales.  Your digital buyer and your sales performance discussed in this webinar.

Three Ways to stand out in a Crowded Market

By David Mills
on June 21, 2022

Differentiation doesn't just come from having unique products or services, it also comes from offering a different experience

If I could just get one-millionth of a bitcoin for each time someone promotes how they have better service, better experience, or a bigger commitment to my satisfaction - I wouldn't just be rich, I could stop caring about good service.

8 Keys to a Website Update that will Boost Sales

By David Mills
on June 09, 2022

Some websites are essentially online brochures. Others have grown into proven growth machines that consistently deliver great sales leads. The distance between them is bridged when you decide to begin a website update process with some very specific elements that allow a website to do more than just present static business or product information. These websites are reaching real buyers and engaging them in ways that exceed the competition.

Number One Rule of Barbecue and Sales

By David Mills
on June 02, 2022

The number one rule for sales is being broken

For most people that love barbecue, the number one rule of barbecue is, "It's My Grill!" That means hands off and keep your spatula to yourself.  A challenging situation is cropping up for lots of people who are used to cooking up their own leads as salespeople, and someone (marketing) has swiped the spatula.

Is Your Couch the New Office? Impacts on B2B Sales

By David Mills
on May 19, 2022

The shift to working from home has big impacts on B2B sales.

You've heard of the tiny house, now we have the couch office. What's the impact on B2B sales?

When Customer Service Cancels Your Brand Story

By David Mills
on March 30, 2022

Over the last two years, the demands placed on customer service have created a pressure cooker for companies. For many companies, it was a significant customer service stress test, with extended wait times, dropped calls, and slow or non-existent follow-up. 

The NY Times calls it the "age of anger", in which otherwise calm adults devolve into fits of rage over customer service problems. Industry leaders call it "a different level of mean." This challenge can seriously damage a brand.

Helping Old Sales Dogs Learn New Hybrid Sales Model Tricks

By David Mills
on March 28, 2022

As the world has changed, the hybrid sales model has emerged- how can salespeople master it?

Salespeople are the guardians of industry and customer insight - and that insight and focus is invaluable. But don't just picture those nearing retirement who are seasoned sales veterans. Salespeople age more quickly in their trade and often get their wisdom faster than other employees.

It comes from the push and pull of sales interactions, the pressure of quotas, and crafting winning deals, so it creates "old dogs" at a pretty young age. An experienced, veteran salesperson can be any age - we're really talking about people that learned to sell before the digital space took over. 

Sales Enablement and the Hybrid Sales Model

By David Mills
on February 25, 2022

How sales enablement can support hybrid sales.

In 2021, almost one-third of outside salespeople transitioned to inside sales - permanently. But as the pandemic restrictions ease, a new kind of sales is emerging. It's the hybrid sales model in which sales teams use the best of virtual and in-person skills to become more efficient and meet new customer expectations of speed and convenience.

The missing ingredient? Sales enablement fueled by Sales and Marketing Alignment - a big part of which is driven by shifting priorities in the marketing focus.

The Hidden Costs of Sales and Marketing Alignment Systems

By David Mills
on February 24, 2022

Get the benefits of sales and marketing alignment without surprise costs

Alignment is a critical part of building revenue, that's why sales and marketing leaders, along with CFOs and RevOps teams, include an alignment system in their plan. While the benefits are appealing (reports of 30% revenue growth are pretty common following an effective alignment), they simply have to outweigh the costs, so you've got to nail them both down.

The bigger question should focus on whether the effort is really worth the cost.

The Questions Tell the Sales Alignment Story

By David Mills
on February 07, 2022

The questions your website answers shows the status of your sales and marketing alignment

Your prospects have questions that either move them forward toward a "yes", or hold them back. Some of those questions are posed directly to sales, but others lie under the surface or are only shared inside the buying committee. The way you address those questions tells the whole story about the status of your marketing and sales alignment - are you still living in a world of isolated silos or is the team working together for growth?

Symptoms of Poor Marketing and Sales Alignment

By David Mills
on February 07, 2022

How do you know if poor marketing and sales alignment is the root of slower sales, weaker revenues, and missed growth goals?

It's easy to place blame on sales or marketing teams when things don't go as planned. But more often than not, it's not a personality or performance problem- it's the lack of alignment.

The marketing failure that only sales alignment can correct

By David Mills
on February 07, 2022

A disconnect with sales leads to marketing failures

Marketing and advertising have changed. Ads are blocked, Google is removing third-party cookies, and iOS is restricting email. But those aren't the biggest challenges faced by marketing, because they need something that only the sales team can provide: a real understanding of customer problems.

Are Marketing and Sales the Odd Couple in Your Business?

By David Mills
on February 07, 2022

Lip service marketing and sales alignment can lead to reduced growth

They do make strange companions. One is seasoned by thousands of customer conversations, while the other is focused on the latest digital communication tools. Alignment pairs the marketer who is just now mastering the details of the product or service, and the salesperson who knows every way to slice the product and solve a long list of customer challenges. The idea that they need to be aligned in the same workplace when they have different goals, different levels of experience, a language unique to each group, and even distinct pipelines can raise some eyebrows or lead to lip-service alignment.

Convert the Growth Manager Honeymoon into Momentum for Growth

By David Mills
on January 25, 2022

The honeymoon period is an important initial period for new growth managers, marketing directors, chief marketing officers, RevOps leaders, and nonprofit executive directors, along with all the others who step into a new role to lead growth for their organizations. It’s an important first phase of work, because team members are more forgiving, expect that you’ll need to be brought up to speed, and no milestones have yet come due. It’s a time in which you can understand the context and the challenges that you now own.

Find a Growth Pathway in 2022 - From SaaS to the Revolutionary War

By David Mills
on January 19, 2022

Achieving a growth pathway takes momentum that can overcome the odds. 

Like hungry soldiers at Valley Forge, they are all tugging on our attention -more than 8,000 different marketing software systems, plus a small army of one-person bands that decided one day to keep working from home and use some of that software. Is that the army that you need?

The Authentic Growth Leader

By David Mills
on January 14, 2022

The rapid pace of change since 2020 has thrust many leaders into the role of growth leader for their organization.  For some it is recovery, and for others it is a response to big new opportunities. Growth leaders can be found in almost every industry and with a variety of job titles. Some have a growth title like "growth manager, while others are working in RevOps. Most don't have a special title at all because they've added the growth leader job to their existing position. Whether they are an owner, a partner, a C-suite leader, or a department head, a growth leader's job has a single central characteristic: their desk is where the buck stops for company growth. 

Story Collaborative and Greentec recognized for prestigious web design with award

By David Mills
on January 14, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

Story Collaborative Wins at the Annual Web Excellence Awards Competition

By David Mills
on January 10, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

3 Reasons Website Choices Become a Management Concern

By David Mills
on December 06, 2021

There are lots of choices about how and where websites are built and hosted. Normally, that's less a management decision and more something for marketing and IT to work out.

But a number of big factors are moving decisions about whether to use WordPress or HubSpot, or Apple or Microsoft onto the manager's list of concerns. One is security, and the other is the central role that websites now play in sustainable growth.

Busy work you don't need - Single Hack Impacts Million+ WordPress Websites

By David Mills
on December 01, 2021

We rely on our websites, now more than ever. Whether you are recruiting employees, nurturing donors or looking for more customers, the digital journey is a must-have, but hacking can stop all of that.

When Godaddy announced that it had allowed 1.2 million WordPress users to be compromised, it added fuel to the already significant fire of security concerns around this much-loved open-source website software.

A Tale of Three Hacks

By David Mills
on November 30, 2021

Here's a tale of 3 hacks and 3 WordPress Websites

Guess what the websites for a local coffee shop, a digital communications company, and a national training company have in common? They all thought that hackers would have little interest in their websites.

Halloween is coming- FrankenPress Still Haunts Marketers with Cobbled WordPress

By David Mills
on November 02, 2021

The heavy load of custom WordPress development, code updates, and time-consuming marketing with cobbled-together resources can strip away a marketer's biggest advantage - speed.

If you have the average number of plugins needed to just run your website, plus additional marketing services that have been cobbled together to support all the channels and target audiences you're trying to reach, then you probably don't have an effective website. You instead have a FrankenPress, a sum of parts that doesn't lead to an effective whole. Even if your website looks good, cobbled-together resources from both the website and the marketing tools add-ons is slowing you down and keeping you from effective marketing.

Top Staffing Agencies' Digital Candidate Journey

By David Mills
on October 06, 2021

Why review the top staffing agencies' digital candidate journey?

Staffing agencies and staffing intensive businesses like homecare, healthcare, and skilled trades deliver one primary value to their customers - skilled people. For most, attracting and winning that talent is their greatest challenge (75%+), with the candidate journey almost always starting and then progressing online. The quality of that experience is one critical part of what sets winning staffing agencies apart from those who are struggling with enough candidates to keep up with placement opportunities.

Reaching families the natural way: 5 truths about emotional decision making

By Jennifer Bailey
on October 06, 2021

Emotional decision-making influences the way you reach families. Here's how:

Did you know that 95% of decision-making is unconscious?

Why MORE in marketing isn't always better

By David Mills
on September 04, 2021

More isn't a strategy. It's just how you turn on an endless budget-draining spicket of costs, often without a benefit you can track. Learn more about websites that don't suck, and marketing that elevates you above invisibility.

How to super charge WordPress with Just One Plugin

By David Mills
on August 18, 2021

The Lord of the Rings has one ring to rule them all, but finding that one plugin has been a big challenge for WordPress users who rely on way too many plugins. Recent changes have presented an opportunity, and a single WordPress plugin can now cut down your reliance on the code-heavy, website slowing, high maintenance parade of plugins you might currently be using.

When a Website Update is a Thing of Beauty

By David Mills
on August 17, 2021

Marketers and sales teams have to be free to make a website update quickly and effectively

For lots of businesses and nonprofits, a website update is a painful and challenging process. They have to reach out to their developer and designer, or find one, create a scope of work, and then get the project into the development queue. Unless of course, they have a developer and a designer on standby with nothing else to do.

6 Ways to Turn the Wordpress HubSpot Integration into a Growth Machine

By David Mills
on August 05, 2021

How the WordPress HubSpot integration can supercharge your website performance
Have you ever noticed a button in your car or on your computer that you've never really used? Unless you actually read the manual , it's easy to miss some of the best features that technology can deliver. It works that way when you have added the WordPress HubSpot integration to your WordPress website, too. There are lots of features that may have never explored. With the right approach, you can turn the WordPress HubSpot integration into an effective growth engine for your business or nonprofit.

How to speed up WordPress with the HubSpot plugin

By David Mills
on August 04, 2021

Speed up WordPress and Reduce Upkeep with the HubSpot Plugin

With Google's Core Web Vitals making an impact on search rankings, website page load speed for WordPress has become a primary concern for people that want their website to show up on the top of search rankings. The HubSpot plugin is a key part of the solution for this challenge.

Find Your advantage Recruiting  Caregivers & Healthcare workers

By David Mills
on July 15, 2021

A buyer's journey is something we normally use in marketing to customers, but it also has a lot to do with how well we can recruit quality caregivers and healthcare workers, and keep them. In the highly competitive world of healthcare and home care recruiting, it's an advantage that you don't want to miss. Adding an employee journey to your marketing can be a powerful way to build a competitive advantage in recruiting.

How long does it take to build a website

By David Mills
on June 25, 2021

Your marketing plans probably need an answer - "how long does it take to build a website?"

If you haven't had a website redesigned recently, you may not have a good handle on how long it might take. The time required certainly varies, and the one answer you may hear, that really isn't helpful is,

"It depends."

A better grasp of the likely timeline is helpful when you're working on marketing plans and marketing budgets.

Small Business Web Design Packages Guide to Best Value

By David Mills
on June 17, 2021

Knowing how to evaluate small business website design packages is an important key to growth

No one wants a website design package that reduces their visibility, damages their brand, or frustrates their customers. What's worse is making the investment in a small business website, and having almost no improvements in business as a result. Shopping for a website package is not the same as looking for a TV, buying a car or shopping for a new washer and dryer. Why? Because all of these things have standard measurements of volume, size, speed and they come with warranties. Almost none of those things are true of website design (👎 bummer).

How B2E Websites & B2E Marketing helps Home Care & Home Health Grow

By David Mills
on June 09, 2021

Stronger recruiting has become a make-or-break issue, with both B2E Marketing and B2E websites now an essential focus.

Home care agencies are already business-to-business companies (B2B) if they work with institutions to receive referrals. They are also business to consumer (B2C) since they market directly to consumers who need care for themselves or their loved ones. B2E websites and B2E marketing is a critical focus for growth.

But what is B2E?

Why Now is the Time to Recruit Passive Candidates

By David Mills
on June 07, 2021

For staffing intensive businesses, passive candidates represent a big growth opportunity in 2021. Following the disruptions of 2020, the number of job changers has risen. According to a Harris Poll, 52% of U.S. workers are considering a job change this year, and as many as 44% have actual plans in place to make the leap. 

Stop the Best Job Posting Sites from Devaluing Your Listings

By David Mills
on June 02, 2021

Three ways you maximize job listings on the best job posting sites.

Job postings are a critical part of recruiting, but the way they work can devalue the jobs you need to fill. Understanding the ways that your job posts lose their value, and taking steps to stand out, can help you attract and win more great employees.

How much does it cost to make your website accessible?

By Jennifer Bailey
on June 01, 2021

I have. And I didn’t like the answer.

Have you ever seen the price of litigation if someone with a disability decides to file a complaint with the federal government under ADA Title III?

Creating a Hiring Advantage with Digital Marketing Recruitment

By David Mills
on May 19, 2021

Learn how digital marketing recruitment can give you a competitive advantage in hiring

The focus of recruitment marketing and hiring has always been on managing the process. In the world of the big job boards where large numbers of resumes are delivered quickly, the challenge used to be sorting through all the resumes to filter out the ones that didn't fit to find the gem in the list.

But that has all changed in a scarce labor market. Now instead of relying on an ATS to manage the crowd, the need for filtering has been replaced by the need for better recruitment marketing.

In Home Care Marketing Email can Equal Referrals

By David Mills
on May 01, 2021

How Email and More Referrals Go Together for Home Care Marketing

The value of referrals for home care agencies is a proven way to build the business and a primary goal of all home care marketing.  Your former customers along with their family members and the professionals that you interact with are a great source for new business.  The challenge is finding ways to stay “top of mind” with all of these people and the time required. 

Most Outstanding Growth Marketing Consultancy 2021: We are Honored!

By Chad Alexander
on April 29, 2021

Story Collaborative was named the "Most Outstanding  Growth Marketing Consultancy 2021" by Corporate Vision.

We're honored to make this distinction, and we relish what this means for the company this year and beyond!

Part of the reason we were chosen for this distinction is because of a belief that we hold. And we aren't the most outstanding growth marketing consultancy because of what we do, but what other agencies do, or rather, don't do:

We believe that the current marketing agency model is unfair, and we believe there is a different way.

And here's where we stop talking about us, and start talking about the problems we have encountered with traditional agencies and even inbound agencies.

How Much Does a Digital Marketing Agency Cost?

By David Mills
on April 22, 2021

Understanding digital marketing agency cost drivers

Cost is almost always a question when you are thinking about finding digital marketing help, whether you're just thinking about it or actually having conversations with prospective agencies. And the answers vary. Understanding what goes into those costs can help you to make a better decision. 

Best Career Pages in Homecare

By David Mills
on April 13, 2021

Learning from the Best Career Pages in Homecare

In a tight job market, staffing agencies like those in homecare recruiting and healthcare recruiting have to shift their focus from just filtering out applicants to winning them. That's the job of a career pages on websites- to engage prospects by helping them experience the culture and the unique value that the company offers. It has to reach beyond the mechanics of presenting the open positions and receiving applications. These pages fill a critical role in supporting company growth. There's lots to learn from those who are doing it well. Here are our picks for best career pages in homecare.

Recruitment Pipelines that Fuel Growth

By David Mills
on April 10, 2021

Whether you are in healthcare staffing, homecare, skilled trades staffing, or have another recruiting focus, your ability to recruit effectively in a scarce labor market determines whether you’ve got the talent to fuel your growth or a lack of new hires that stops it cold. You need your system - your recruitment pipeline - to give you a competitive edge. Some call it a hiring pipeline or a candidate pipeline, but no matter the label, it’s the way you win and nuture opportunities with new hires.

Missing elements in the recruitment pipeline 

Recruitment pipelines come from the same concept as marketing funnels - they are designed to take a large number of people and filter them down to just the right few. The right few to hire, or the right few to sell.

How Coke and 6 Other Brands Use HubSpot CMS to Tell Their Brand Story

By Amy Alexander
on April 07, 2021

Updated January, 2023

You might be surprised to hear that Coca-Cola, among other major brands like Nextdoor and Oregon State, have built attractive websites on HubSpot CMS. Even more, they are tapping into important parts of their brand story. If you’re looking into this solution for your own company, or want to take branding cues from big names, it can be helpful to explore these 7 examples.

See How Coke and 6 Other Big Brands Utilize HubSpot CMS to Tell Their Brand Story

Without Differentiating, Your Home Care Agency Will Remain Invisible

By David Mills
on March 10, 2021

The market is like a basket of crabs. Whenever a home care agency tries the climb out and be different, the other crabs in the basket grab hold with their pincers and drag it back down. It's another version of the blue ocean vs. red ocean strategy - differentiation is what makes you stand out, and the market will work against you.  

Waiting on the vaccine: How home care should prepare for post COVID caregiver hiring & client demand

By David Mills
on February 23, 2021

The effects of COVID-19 reduced demand for in-home care due to fears about the disease and increase of care being provided by family members, while at the same time sidelining scores of caregivers due to the lack of demand, and the alternative - getting paid more by taking unemployment. These twin impacts have created a down-turn for many home care providers that most want to overcome in 2021.

When nonprofit Fundraising events are off the table - Finding a silver lining

By David Mills
on February 22, 2021

The impacts of COVID-19 and 2020 have disrupted almost every sector, and nonprofits haven't been spared. Current research available early in 2021 shows that about 70% of nonprofits lost revenue in 2020, with one-quarter losing between 26-50% of their revenue.

Those who work for and support nonprofits of all different types know all too well the impacts of forced program closures, distracted or economically challenged donors, and the loss of fundraising events as a staple for funding.

How the Storeless Economy Impacts Every Brand

By David Mills
on February 11, 2021

Retail, especially it's local expression, has been one of the last to get relief from COVID shutdowns. Almost every town and city now has boarded up or vacant retail. We know from news and our own conversations that many of those stores aren't coming back. While big box stores have continued in-person and added lots of delivery and pick-up options, the smaller stores that give personality and social context to our communities have been shuttered.  

The New Customer Lens on Your Business: Why You Might Be Invisible to The Post-Pandemic Buyer

By David Mills
on February 09, 2021

The way customers view your organization determines everything. From your reputation to their price sensitivity, length of the buying cycle, and willingness to commit to you as a business, employer, school, nonprofit, or church. That lens (the one that customers used in 2019 to search, consider, and commit) has been swapped out for a new vision of the world. What they see today is completely different than the vision that moved them to respond to your old messaging and brand story.

Smart Pivots in 2021: WorkNet Solutions

30 Most Reputable Companies of 2021...And We Made the List

By Chad Alexander
on January 31, 2021

Story Collaborative was named one of the top "30 Most Reputable Companies of the Year 2021" by The Silicon Review. We're honored to have this distinction and excited for what it means this year and moving forward. Part of the reason we were chosen for this distinction is because we believe that the current marketing agency model is unfair.

The Move from Crisis Response to Strategic Pivot

By David Mills
on January 26, 2021

Many businesses that are still open have been living in crisis response mode since March of 2020. By making rapid adjustments to product or service delivery, they have been able to track with the massive buyer shifts that have been occurring. Moving from responding to crisis to making intentional and strategic changes allows the organization to shift from simply staying afloat to seizing opportunities that create strength and growth.

Moving from Mission statement to brand story

By David Mills
on January 01, 2021

Mission, vision, and values are standard fair for organizations that want a strategic focus. These are important elements that should guide a mission-minded organization.

Can Low Cost Website Strategies Reduce Your Ad Spend?

By David Mills
on November 19, 2020

Renting online traffic by purchasing ads is one way to acquire new customers. However, the cost of ads in the online bidding used by digital ad markets is being influenced by something you can control --  your website. Your website plays a major role in how much you will have to spend in order to bring in the right flow of reliable, quality leads. In most cases, websites aren't doing their job to keep ad costs down, and usually do the opposite by driving up your ad budget. It's a much better investment to use low cost website data and update strategies, than to continue being dependent upon ads.

The 3 R's for COVID-19: How to avoid damage to your brand story

By David Mills
on November 16, 2020

We seem to be back in the soup again. Different states and cities are experiencing different levels of restriction. It's exhausting for everyone, and those who came through the first wave of COVID-19 successfully are now looking at renewed restrictions square in the eye. Here are some tips to avoid allowing the ongoing COVID saga from creating long-term damage to your brand story.

Brand Story Takes More than Story Telling

By David Mills
on November 10, 2020

We're hearing about story selling, why stories, and story-based marketing. A brand story is more than the application of story telling to your brand. Here's the difference. The use of stories is a technique or an approach in sales, marketing and communication that is certainly effective. But without a careful process, it won't ever rise to a brand defining level.

Keys to Effective Story Branding

By David Mills
on November 10, 2020

Story branding is a shared adventure between you and the people that you serve. Your story brand will always be found in the place where your passions and values overlap with the passions and values of your audience. This alignment is what takes a simple brand offering a product or service, and elevates it into the status of a brand story. Instead of a commodity to be price-shopped, your offering is celebrated, shared and recommended. As a result, your cost of reaching customers goes down, your sales cycles become shorter and customer retention goes up.

Health Care & Home Care's Unintentional Insider Threat

By David Mills
on November 05, 2020

With all the pressures on health care, to which COVID-19 added, it seems like piling on to raise the issue of cyber security. But in part because of COVID, it's on the rise in a significant way. Health care is a primary target because of the amount of patient data and the financial value of operational records. 

You've seen the headlines, but you probably aren't aware of the unintentional insider threat that healthcare providers, hospitals, home care providers and others have left open for the hacker- poorly secured websites.

What I Learned About BRAND STORIES & Being on Magazine Covers

By David Mills
on October 28, 2020

It's always a shock to see yourself on public display, especially on the cover (here's the magazine so you can be shocked too).  It raises obvious and immediate self-doubt about needing better photos and the ongoing battle for the receding hairline. While it's much better than being put up on the post office wall, it's still a pretty humbling experience. But if you're working to build a company, a little boost always helps. Here are some lessons about being on a magazine cover: 

Brochure Websites and a Bridge in Brooklyn for sale

By David Mills
on October 01, 2020

It's a famous story- George Parker used to sell NYC landmarks from a fake office. He sold the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden and reportedly the Brooklyn Bridge (about twice a week). The buyers would then discover that for some reason the police wouldn't let them set up a toll booth in the middle of the bridge! It all ended after his third conviction for running these cons in 1928.

Is your Home care website making seniors vulnerable to scams?

By David Mills
on October 01, 2020

Your home care website is an essential part of your marketing. It's the place that seniors and their families first experience the difference that you offer. Like a salesperson that's available 24/7, your website is the hub around which you should be building both marketing and caregiver recruiting. If that critical online resource becomes a risk for seniors, it threatens their security and your business.

10 Steps to Market Your New Healthcare Location or Service

By David Mills
on October 01, 2020

The massive number of details that you're managing to launch a new service line or office location can crowd out one important area - marketing. Great healthcare offerings need great patients. Starting the marketing process early and ensuring that you cover the essential elements will make the investment in clinic space, and time pay off earlier.

What's blocking better home care caregiver recruiting?

By David Mills
on September 28, 2020

Attracting the right number of caregivers to meet client demand is challenging. Your growth is limited by not having great caregivers available when the client is ready. And, keeping those caregivers requires that you've got a job they want when they're ready.  Growing agencies are figuring out how to keep the right supply of caregivers to meet client opportunities. An insight from the 2020 Benchmarking Study points out a critical way to boost your effectiveness.

when your website is afraid: Website Therapy

By Jennifer Bailey
on September 23, 2020

I imagine you have heard of arachnophobia (the fear of spiders) or claustrophobia (fear of confined or crowded spaces). But have you ever heard of a pseudo phobia, called Ostrich Complex? 

What to tell your boss if they ask: Why aren’t our videos working?

By Chad Alexander
on September 23, 2020

The question: What would you tell your boss if they asked you, “Why aren’t our videos working?”

The answer:

"That’s a great question, boss lady!

When your boss asks the cost of making your website ADA Compliant

By Jennifer Bailey
on September 23, 2020

The question: What to tell your boss when they walk in and say: “how much is it going to cost us to get our website ADA compliant?"

When a client asks us: What is your favorite sales hack?

By David Mills
on September 23, 2020

The question: When someone asks in a coaching session: “What’s your favorite sales hack of all time?”

when your website has no date for the prom: website Therapy

By Jennifer Bailey
on September 16, 2020

No Leads To Your WEbsite, AKA: No-Date-For-Prom-Itis

Does your website lack any return visitors, or have your site visits fallen off? Is it failing to get any lead conversions from real people? Has it been more than 3 years since you have had real work done on it? Has it been built by a do-it-yourself solution, or did Jonas in your uncle’s basement design it for you? 

How to convince your boss that your brands needs investment

By Amy Alexander
on September 16, 2020

The question: how to help your boss understand that your brand needs time and investment.

What to say when your CEO asks: isn't a blog just worthless musings?

By Jennifer Bailey
on September 16, 2020

The question: What to tell your ceo when they ask: "why do we have a blog? Isn't that a bunch of musings from one of our staff?"

Responding to the question: what's the best video editing tool?

By Chad Alexander
on September 15, 2020

The question: how do you respond to a client when they ask: "What's the best video editing tool?"

The answer:

"for high-end editing, it's DaVinci Resolve. But, there are some other great choices, too. You need to discover the best video editing tool for you and your needs. Here's how..."

The new online senior is Impacting home care growth

Downgrading your Marketing with DIY

By David Mills
on September 09, 2020

I'll admit it. I'm a recovering DIY addict. Some of the most humorous words spoken in our home are, "I can do that." The DIY resulted in my purchase of a 1960's Triumph Spitfire which broke more clutches than it got oil changes, and too many other projects to name, all completed with low to moderate success. But does the duct tape and baling wire (you know, the wire for hay bales) approach work in 2020 for marketing?

Website Therapy: Techno-Spasm-Itis

By Jennifer Bailey
on September 08, 2020

Have you noticed a strange pattern of inappropriate, rude or vulgar language in random places on your website? Are you seeing strange tics like popup messages or changes that you did not make? 

Preventing Choice Paralysis in your Prospects

By David Mills
on September 08, 2020

What is choice paralysis?

Choice paralysis is the inability to choose, or being frozen in the process because of mental or emotional overload. This can impact your website, the services or products that you sell, and all of your marketing. The last thing we want our marketing to do is to paralyze decisions! We want to help people make good ones!

taunting a major competitor as an ad strategy: peatos vs cheetos

By Amy Alexander
on September 08, 2020

an ad strategy based on tigers

Since 2018, Cheetos has been the target of a new major competitor: PeaTos. These pea-filled copy-cats have one goal: be moderately more healthy than Cheetos. They've stripped out the common junk-food culprits, like artificial flavors and genetically modified ingredients, and they've replaced corn with peas. Their ad strategy -- rubbing it in Frito-Lays' face -- is nothing short of hilarious.

In front of the camera, when your boss says: I’m terrible at this!

By Chad Alexander
on September 08, 2020

The question: how to help your boss feel at-ease in front of the camera, when they say: "I'm terrible at this!"

When asked: How can we get more good content on our website?

By Amy Alexander
on September 08, 2020

The question: What is your answer when a client asks: “How can I get more good content on my website?”

The answer:

Gary Vaynerchuck is famous for having said: “Every one of you is a media company.” 

When your intern asks: How Do I SEO my articles?

By Jennifer Bailey
on September 08, 2020

The question: what to say to your intern when they ask: "what's the first thing I can do to seo my articles?"

The answer:

"Oh hey intern, thanks for asking about optimizing your content!

What to tell your boss when they ask: how can we choose a new logo?

By Amy Alexander
on September 02, 2020

The question: what to tell your boss during a rebrand, when they ask: "how can we choose the best logo?"

The answer:

“So glad you asked! When looking at comps, ask yourself:

What to say when asked: What's better? YouTube or Vimeo?

By Chad Alexander
on September 02, 2020

The question: How to respond when asked: "what's better? YouTube or Vimeo?"

The answer:

Well, one isn’t better -- they’re just different! In general, YouTube is the place that the average business can build an audience, gain SEO value (since it’s owned by Google), and expect consumer interaction. Vimeo is really the filmmaker’s platform. This is a place you can host videos that are embedded on your website, or share edits with clients. Vimeo provides unique control of your content that YouTube is not designed for. But, don’t forget! Platforms like Facebook typically require you to upload your video there as well for the best shareability and visibility.”

What to say when asked: Can you prove your marketing is working?

By David Mills
on September 02, 2020

The question: How to respond when your CFO walks in and says: "We're going to cut your marketing budget, unless you can prove that your methods are working."

The answer:

You can't say: “Yikes! I need a rain check." 

De-Personalization Disorder: Website THerapy

By David Mills
on August 25, 2020

Personalization vs. de-personalization

Understanding Personalization

In order to understand de-personalization we have to understand personalization. This is the use of data to deliver messages and information to the right person at the right time. This can put the right kind of data in front of the right person at the right time. 

What if your recruitment funnel is upside down?

By David Mills
on August 25, 2020

Since recruiting and retaining caregivers is the lifeblood of homecare recruiting, healthcare recruiting, and other industries facing a shortage, finding the right approach to the recruitment funnel is critical. With in-person events off the table right now, job listing services might seem like the only viable option. The 2020 Benchmarking Study highlights an important recruiting difference between agencies that are growing and those that struggle to grow.

What to do when your web pages are voted off the island

By David Mills
on August 18, 2020

You need people to find you online, but somehow you got voted off the island called the internet.

We've all seen that tribal reality TV moment when all the contestants meet by torchlight and vote to exile others with their votes written on a piece of bark, and put it into the giant tiki head. Someone is always getting voted off the island - does that apply to your website too?

Website Therapy: Are You A Best Kept Secret?

By David Mills
on August 18, 2020

Best Kept Secret-itus is a tricky website illness. You or other leaders in your organization might think or say, “I feel like we’re a best kept secret.” This is the first sign that you may in fact have this website illness. To know for sure if your website has this illness, you must be able to define your target audience, because the disease occurs when too few people in that audience know that you exist.

How Self-Deprecation Can Save Your Failed Ad Campaign

By Jennifer Bailey
on August 18, 2020

What happens when an ad campaign goes totally wrong? I mean, the ad campaign actually sends their potential customers running for the hills, wanting to jump off a cliff or even better: “climb Mount Everest in flippers,” as one commenter put it. 

Top 3 Things to Consider When Choosing the Right Logo

By Amy Alexander
on August 18, 2020

Rebranding? Relaunching? New the the scene? Likely, you're going to sort through logo comps from a designer, but you'll do so without any really idea about how to choose the right thing. You'll look with your feelings or with your gut response. But, you won't inherently use logic or business sense in choosing the right logo.

Top 6 Ways to answer: "Do I need a new website?"

By David Mills
on August 17, 2020

This is a common question for many marketers. You look at your site, and it's been a few months (or a few years) since it was revamped. You start to wonder... "Do I need a new website?" Sometimes, it's not a question you're asking. In some cases, your boss walked into your office in the middle of a busy day and asked, "Hey, do we need a new website?"

Your Nose Hairs Need Trimming:  Stop Filming Up Your Nose and Other Rules of Engagement for Video

By Chad Alexander
on August 13, 2020

Here’s the thing guys. We understand that COVID-19 has changed the way we interact and conduct meetings. With companies like Amazon allowing remote work until next year, and Uber even extending that period until at least June of 2021, being on a video call is here to stay. But there are some rules of engagement for video. And you could be breaking them.

What is story-based marketing? Plus, four best practices.

By David Mills
on August 12, 2020

Story-based marketing is a growing, dramatic change in the way that brands are connecting and building loyal relationships with their customers. This approach is more powerful than you might think. It's developed beyond simply including stories in the engagement process. Four characteristics help define the difference between traditional and story-based marketing.

A common (but outdated) definition of story-based marketing goes something like this:

Single point of failure: 6 reasons marketing falls short or fails

By David Mills
on August 11, 2020

Single Point of Failure: this is a concept in IT, business, and manufacturing planning that says: there are some things in our business that can shut us down. If they fail, we fail... As marketers, we are often subject to these single points of failure that stop us from getting things done. We get stuck, because of a single point of failure. Our marketing relies upon a single resource that is either expensive, hard to get, or slow to respond (this is a bottleneck point of failure).

8 youtube stats that will remind you of the needs of your consumer

By Amy Alexander
on August 11, 2020

I don't know if you've noticed, but... your consumers are at home. You know this because you're at home, too! But, it's easy to forget that everyone across the globe is at home in a way they were not previously. The continued behavioral changes of people on YouTube actually hold unique insights into how people are feeling, what they are needing, and how their life is changing. These 8 YouTube stats will remind you of the needs of your consumer. They might even launch your marketing team toward an empathetic strategy that hits a home run (no pun intended).

Ask not what you can do for your CRM, but what it can do for you

By David Mills
on August 10, 2020

The recent 2020 Benchmarking Study demonstrated the dramatic revenue difference between those who use a CRM and those who do not (if you didn't know, CRM stands for customer relationship management). For those who have feelings of dread about trying out a CRM, or memories of CRMs before the modern email and mobile integrated versions, it's easy to have completely the wrong idea about the about why am I doing this?

way-forward personas: marketing to a changed globe

By Amy Alexander
on August 04, 2020

As people begin the long road toward whatever their new post-COVID, at-home, foundationally-digital life will become, new research has emerged about consumer behavior. Ketchum's research, which surveyed consumers in mid-June, tells us a lot about how people will move forward in their buying habits.

value propositions that win: Ads in the Wild

By Jennifer Bailey
on August 04, 2020

Let's talk about the power of the value proposition - as it's that one powerful statement that clearly defines the benefit of a product or service. 

Missed Revenue Opportunities in HOME CARE CRM

By David Mills
on August 03, 2020

The reports from home care agencies make it clear - agencies that put a CRM to work are driving more revenue. The 2020 Benchmarking Study shows that Agencies that use a customer relationship management system (CRM) enjoy a strong financial and practical advantage because they market more effectively, get more done in less time and ensure that prospects don't slip through the cracks. 

When an MSP website becomes an insider threat

By David Mills
on July 29, 2020

Managed service providers, or MSPs, are trusted partners for millions of organizations. They hold the keys to almost everything of value within a business from access to banking and client records, to eCommerce and personal information. Since nailing down security issues is an important role for most MSPs, the potential that an MSP could become an insider threat is a potential reputation wrecker for these businesses.

top 3 tips for filming on your iphone

By Chad Alexander
on July 28, 2020

There are many occasions as a marketing professional that call for pulling out your iPhone and capturing something. It could be your product, your customer having an awesome experience, or even in internal team challenge that has potential create amazing recruiting footage. For the next occasion, here are the top three things you can do (or tell you underling to do) to capture the best possible footage.

How Inbound Marketing Helps you Win at Home Care Recruiting

By David Mills
on July 27, 2020

If you need a recruiting advantage, borrow the inbound marketing approach that works with customers and apply it to employee recruiting.

What is inbound marketing? Inbound marketing has become a powerful tool in the effort to win customers. At its heart, inbound marketing is the delivery of value through content that builds trust and leads to a loyal buyer. Valuable content helps the customer throughout their entire journey from exploring a need all the way to making a buying decision. This approach is highly effective with home care marketing because it addresses the whole customer journey as well as the what's required for for search engine optimization (SEO). Those that find you through SEO are often the most qualified customers and employees.  

Ads in the wild: Campbell Soup for the hungry soul

By Jennifer Bailey
on July 22, 2020

Hungry, hungry, hungry...

Did you ever notice that the ads you experience on vacation affect you differently than in every day life? That's the experience you might have when you are super hungry and see commercials for food! With a lot of stay-cationing going on and people choosing to travel by car instead of plane, this canned soup commercial couldn't be more timely - it will actually make you feel hungry after a long day's travel, or if you are thinking about meal prep for your stay at home crew.

Microsites for Snacks, Home Care and Hopped-Up Food Delivery

By David Mills
on July 16, 2020

How Microsites are Delivering a Competitive Advantage Across Industries

Microsites are becoming a competitive strategy in a number of industries. Put simply, a microsite is a focused group of pages that provide information that is designed to serve a unique audience, location or product/service. It wraps the sales and value message up in a focused package, along with critical information and answers to questions so that when a prospect visits the microsite, they are able to learn what they need to and move to the next level of the buyer's journey.

[Infographic] Who is on Facebook, and how should we advertise?

By Amy Alexander
on July 16, 2020

In 2020, I think it's clear that "everyone" is on Facebook. But, even so... the question remains: who is actively using Facebook and what are they doing while they scroll? These insights can help us better target our ads, and develop more relevant organic content.

the what's mine is mine: Therapy for Websites that haven't learned to share

The Type A: Therapy for The website that Might be driving too hard

4 Ways to Complete a Website Evaluation Right Now

By David Mills
on July 15, 2020

Website evaluations give us insight into the performance we are getting in return for our marketing investments

With the whole population shifting their communication, shopping, and sharing to online, your website is more important than it's ever been. And while most websites have a large banner that speaks to immediate COVID-19 measures, that won't be enough to keep up with the pace of change that is occurring online. Taking stock of your website anytime there is a major market disruption is a good practice, with digital change fueling social change at such a rapid pace.

the Champion: websites that don't need therapy

Growth Driven Websites - No Dead Weight

By David Mills
on July 12, 2020

Most websites are carrying a heavy burden. It's not just the need for high-performing lead conversion, it's the massive amount of dead-weight content that simply doesn't perform. If you run a page count on your website, and compare it to pages or articles that people never visit, you'll see just how much content falls into the category of "no visitors."

Some websites have Great personalities, how about yours?

By David Mills
on July 09, 2020

Is your website someone you'd like to go to a party with? How about on vacation? You may not think of a website as having a personality - but your customers and prospects see your website as an extension of your brand. If the website is friendly, personal and efficient, that's what they think of you too. 

the disorganized: Therapy for The website that creates confusion

the intimidator: website therapy for sites that scare people

the dreamer: website therapy for a site that doesn't convert

[INFOGRAPHIC] Marketing to a 2020 Consumer: Pandemic Personas

6 Things Modern Websites Must Achieve

Four Keys to Help you Rebound Faster Online

By David Mills
on June 04, 2020

Almost every business and nonprofit has experienced some level of market disruption. And it’s lasted longer than anyone thought. What comes along with these market disruptions is something that every leader has to pay attention to - change. 

What is a Content Management System (CMS) and do you need one?

By David Mills
on June 04, 2020

Among all of the important technology tools for getting online is the Content Management System (CMS). You might think of it as simply your website, but it is part of what should be "under the hood" of an effective online presence. Your CMS is what allows prospective customers to discover online the experience, talent and value that you offer.

Do you need a second website or microsite for growth?

By David Mills
on June 04, 2020

We tend to think of our websites in the singular. You may think that you “have a website” (i.e., one) and that one site is where everything has to fit. It’s easy to think that one business or organizational website is the single container for all of your online presence, but that’s not the reality for effective web marketing. Effective web marketing includes multiple landing pages, sub-sites or micro-sites for specific purposes all with the goal of giving people the exact information and opportunities that they need to become our customers.

How Preneed Planning Helps Seniors Regain a Sense of Control

By David Mills
on May 23, 2020

How your sales activity can help seniors during the restrictions imposed by COVID-19.

No other group in our society has been affected as deeply as seniors during COVID-19. In addition to the associated health risks, seniors are experiencing the greatest amounts of social isolation and will remain isolated for a longer period of time. Social isolation, whether it is a result of physicial limitations, or the shelter in place requirements, is strongly linked to depression and anxiety in seniors. A large percentage of those who are sheltering in place (47%) are reporting that they are experiencing anxiety and depression - that's a jump of 30% over those who aren't stuck at home.

Business Improvement in the Crisis - Virtualization and Revops

By David Mills
on May 20, 2020

While there are many challenges that organizations are facing as a result of COVID-19, there are also opportunities to come out of the other side as a stronger business. Resilience as a business means reaching deep to rely upon existing and newly acquired competencies to move through a season of challenge. One important area is accelerating as a result: virtualization and Revops.

Video vs. Phone for Senior Sales

By David Mills
on May 12, 2020

If you are in senior sales, in order continue closing sales right now, you have to find new ways to walk seniors through their decision journey. The salespeople that we talk with report that using the phone to navigate the details of complex and emotional decisions is difficult. Understanding the value of moving to video vs. phone is vital for senior salespeople that want to retain and build their closing rate.

Marketing Advice Roundup: Dos and Don'ts of Email Marketing

By Jennifer Bailey
on May 07, 2020

When we hear from our clients that some marketing information needs some input, we often record a live video. (Check out S+Marketing LIVE's "3 Marketing Things" Series). Our latest Marketing Roundup includes advice from all of our super talented team members on the topic of email. Yes, email still has value!

Seniors are Easier than Ever to Reach Online

By David Mills
on May 06, 2020

People used to believe that seniors couldn't really be reached online. That's one reason that funeral preplanning and senior living still relies upon postal mail and expensive mass media. Along with everything else, times have changed. Now it's easier than ever to reach seniors online.

The trends toward online participation among seniors have been consistently growing for a number of years, but along with the rest of the population, they've gone more digital in 2020 that anyone could have imagined.

Mastering Virtual Sales with Seniors

How Much Does a Virtual Tour Cost for My Campus?

Leaders Are Starting to Think Recovery, Are You?

By David Mills
on April 09, 2020

We're starting to hear the whispers of going back to work. It's a welcome discussion. Leaders at all levels of government are starting to work through how we will start to recover. Have you started thinking about your bounce-back?

We're in a Moment that Needs Your Response

By David Mills
on March 26, 2020

We are in a moment right now, that presents a unique opportunity to your business or nonprofit. Whether you are a school, a healthcare practice, a senior living facility, retailer or service provider, there are things that you can do right now which you may never be able to do again.

Online Reviews Quick Guide for Senior Living

What you can do right now - Make a personal connection

8 Things You Can Do Right Now

By David Mills
on March 24, 2020

When lots of things are shut down, inaction can be the greatest frustration. Here are steps you can take as a nonprofit or business right now to make the most of a challenging season.

Values on Display: the Affect of COVID-19 on Your Brand Story

By Amy Alexander
on March 23, 2020

Values.
For many organizations, this is a concept passed around during high-level board meetings, or developed in the strategic planning or story brand process, but quickly forgotten. Even in a workplace that has their values displayed and posted for frequent employee review, company values still often feel dusty and inanimate -- not active verbs as much as required reading once or twice a year.

But now, more than ever, your corporate values are on display.

COVID-19 is boiling your Brand Story down to values.

Getting Perspective on COVID-19 and Your Business or Nonprofit

By David Mills
on March 17, 2020

Once they get past the health-concerns and medical response, leaders are beginning to wrestle with the immediate and short-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on their organizations. Protecting, closing, canceling and postponing is just the first step. Beyond the first, somewhat shocking and challenging parts of the process, it’s critical to get a handle on ways that you can approach the large scale changes that are occurring in and around your business or nonprofit.

Importance of Video is Accelerating in 2020

By David Mills
on March 10, 2020

The use of all types of video has increased consistently dramatically year over year for the past decade. In 2015, marketers reported that 78% felt that video was important and in 2020 that number is 92% (Wzowl 2020). Many businesses, schools, and nonprofits have incorporated video to a limited degree in their sales and marketing, but much of that adoption is falling far behind the way that both consumers and business buyers behave.

How to Un-Stealth Your Applicants During Enrollment Season

By David Mills
on March 05, 2020

It's the stealth applicant season when those who aren't on your radar submit an application without warning. It's always great to get an unexpected application, but there's a downside to these surprises, too.

The challenges that the stealth applicant brings are important to consider. You can't get a handle on what enrollment "might look like," if you have a large number of people who don't give you advance signals. You also don't know if they are just submitting a safety application, or if they are a good mission fit at all.

Why "I read an article..." is the #1 Most Often Told Lie

By Jennifer Bailey
on March 03, 2020

A Story about Stories that Aren't (Only) Told in Words

Leisure reading is at an all-time low. Did you know that? Even Steve Jobs pointed out back in 2008 that people are reading less than one book per year. But this article is not going to be about leisure reading or the decline in our literary culture.

What is a branded photo shoot? Plus, four times it's a bad investment.

How to tell if you have a brand story [video]

The Great Debate: a Story about A/B Testing

Can You Pass the Millennial Reality Test

By David Mills
on February 24, 2020

Millennials have a nose for what’s authentic, how is your brand story doing?

Millennials are the emerging consumer powerhouse - $600 million in 2019. Their values come through loud and clear in how they shop and what they buy. One value you need to know about is their strong preference for authenticity. It impacts the way they see your business.

90% of millennials say that brand authenticity is important to them. They prefer the “real and organic” over the “perfect and packaged.” They are seeing your business or nonprofit brand through that unique lense - and it creates a bigger impact than you might think. Their reaction can range from mild-distaste all the way to “this is obviously not for me,” and immediate departure from the website or other collateral. We've interviewed millennials who took one look at a website and concluded they'd never return.

Millennials demand authenticity - how's your brand?

SEO Magic Tricks that Win Every Time

You Might Need a New Marketing Plan if…

Your Brand Story - 3 Steps Forward and No Steps Back

By David Mills
on February 10, 2020

A three-part series: How to own your brand story, align your team, and multiply your impact

Part 1: Own Your Brand Story

Anyone who works in a service-related industry knows the challenges of serving people, satisfying budgets and regulations, and doing all of that with a team of humans. Our experience often lines up with the title of the great book by Charles Swindoll about personal perseverance, Three Steps Forward and Two Steps Back. Sometimes it seems that just about the time we start to see our numbers climbing, we face a set-back due to customer service, a staffing issue, or even both. When you own your brand story it can help propel you to stronger growth, better staff retention and customer service.

In 2020, we’re convinced that taking three steps forward and no steps back, revolves around learning how to own your brand story, align your team, and multiplying your effort. We’re seeing these outcomes in the clients we work with and want to share them in this three-part article that will introduce the kinds of change that will create momentum that you can sustain.

Capturing your brand story in photos: How to choose the right marketing images

Stories are the Ultimate Human Technology

By David Mills
on January 29, 2020

It's easy to get excited about the latest "shiny object." We're excited about robotics, machine learning and creating computers that will be doing a variety of human tasks. We're even making quantum particles work for us in computing, and hopefully, they'll deliver value in the future. Software is making it possible for us to take what was available previously only to the mega-corporation into even the smallest start-up or to the individual home.

Using your Strengths to Work through Exhaustion

By Jennifer Bailey
on January 24, 2020

It's happening again. Your ability to finish a sentence has become difficult, it doesn't seem like you are getting anywhere on completing one simple task, and you are becoming easily distracted. Did you guess it yet? That's right... these are the symptoms of burnout!

The truth is it's not the first - or the last - time that this will happen. But your project isn't done, and you have to keep going.

Why Most Marketing and Creative Agencies Do Not Work On Spec

By Amy Alexander
on January 23, 2020

Sometimes, clients want to know if we’ll work on spec. Or in other words: do we have enough faith in our product to bring a finished marketing program to the table before anyone agrees to pay for it? The quick and short answer is: no. Our team doesn’t work on spec.

In some ways, this question comes down to trust. As a prospective buyer of marketing services, if you’re asking this question then you do not trust us or another agency enough to pay for unseen results. And, we can understand that feeling.

The truth is, marketing has become the car salesman of B2B careers. We make big claims about growth, but many times don’t come through. And business owners feel as if they’ve been manipulated into wasting money.

So, let’s dive into the meat of this question, and explain why we don’t work this way.

Why First Calls Go to Another Company

Protecting Your Company from Digital Disruption

By David Mills
on November 19, 2019

(5 Minute Read)

What do Disney+ streaming, robotic automation and desktop video communication all have in common? We’re in an age of digital disruption. Entrepreneurs and savvy business owners alike are looking for competitive advantages and often find them in digital solutions. Your industry is no different with lots of disruption occurring now with even more to come in 2020.

What is Digital Disruption?

This is the effect of technology that changes the basic expectations and behaviors throughout our culture. Market disruption can cause whole industries to radically change and long-standing companies to disappear in very short periods of time.

Thanks for Those Who Care

What Communities Can Learn from Dia de los Muertos

Your Reputation. Your Stars are in their hands.

By David Mills
on October 29, 2019

For a funeral home owner, there is probably not an asset that is more valuable than the funeral home’s reputation. Yet, the emergence of social media has changed the way that people evaluate the businesses that they should trust for important family needs.

85% of Americans report that they trust online reviews more than what their friends or family say about a business. (Brightlocal)

Disconnected - How Your Website and Facebook are Costing you Business

Marketing that Actually Empowers Sales - Smarketing

By David Mills
on September 10, 2019

The longstanding tension between marketing and sales is no secret. One side (marketing) runs great campaigns and is disappointed by the way sales teams put those leads to use. The other side (sales) doesn’t think the quality of leads is high enough and responds to marketing generated leads with a less than enthusiastic attitude. Story Collaborative recently joined the elite group of “Sales Lions” after completing the transformative Pipeline Generation Bootcamp provided by our partner, HubSpot. We learned better sales-marketing alignment through smarketing.

High Performing Websites through Growth Driven Design

By David Mills
on September 02, 2019

Who is your number 1 sales person? Your website.

A lot is riding on your website. What used to be an online support to sales has now shifted to become our number #1 sales person. How so? Consumers spend at least half of their time online before they talk with anyone in your business. The wrong choices on how you approach your website can have the same affect as firing your best salesperson, or closing your most profitable storefront.

Story Ecology

By David Mills
on September 01, 2019

Story Ecology is the analysis and development of intentional strategies to bring health and vitality to the complex network of stories that surround every organization. The interaction of these stories, their impact on both the organization and the individual groups. Story ecology combines elements of cultural anthropology, communications theory, systems thinking from ecology, narratology and communications best practices to enhance prosocial values and interpersonal health in companies and nonprofits.

Should I be using digital ads?

6 Steps to Marketing Cremation Services without Becoming a Commodity

By David Mills
on June 18, 2019

The pressure to compete on price is mounting, but consumers want services beyond cremation too.

Consumer groups and low-cost providers are making price a focus for cremation. However, when we marketing cremation services on price alone, we risk becoming just another commodity like everything else that you can buy online with a coupon or an "on sale now" tag.

What is a commodity? Something to be traded and purchased based upon price alone. Commodities are things for which a special description is unnecessary because the service or good is always the same. The market treats commodities as essentially the same, measured in a standard unit and interchangeable.

How do funeral homes respond to families concern about prices without allowing themselves to be shopped on price alone?

Making Sure They Find You Online - Digital Ads vs. SEO

By David Mills
on June 07, 2019

Online search is the new yellow pages. Even older adults rely upon web search to find important information about healthcare, finances, travel and funeral options. With 75% of those who are age 70 to 74 relying on search, it is no surprise that the decision makers for many funerals, who are Baby Boomers or younger, rely almost entirely on searching online to find funeral resources. A key business decision is how to reach them using digital ads vs. SEO?

Healthcare marketing - Digital Ads vs. SEO

By David Mills
on June 06, 2019

If you wonder whether healthcare marketing should focus on digital ads or organic SEO (search engine optimization), the right answer is often - "yes." Making a choice about how to prioritize ads in your healthcare marketing can pit your efforts to create the content required for effective SEO against digital ads. The digital ads vs. seo decision should be based on your current business needs, and balanced against long-term goals. Healthcare marketing, done well, can address both long-term and short-term business goals.

Inbound marketing - Digital Ads vs. SEO

By David Mills
on March 25, 2019

If you wonder whether inbound marketing can focus on digital ads and organic SEO (search engine optimization), the right answer is often - "yes." Making a choice about whether to include ads along with inbound marketing and its native SEO vs. digital ads is based on your business needs. Inbound marketing, done well, can address both long-term and short-term business goals.

Developing a Genuine Brand Platform

By Amy Alexander
on February 19, 2019

Develop a more powerful brand with a genuine brand platform

Brand platforms are all about capturing the existing spirit of your company. The personality, goals, and driving force of any brand should be somehow expressed in a genuine brand platform.

How Do Businesses Grow When the Prospect List is Small?

By David Mills
on February 11, 2019

Solving the Marketing Challenge for businesses with small prospect pools.

We’ve come a long way from the days when all marketing was distributed to the entire available audience - true mass marketing. The development of technologies like targeted cable and retargeting (serving ads to people who have visited your website), has allowed more focused and cost-effective outreach. But these approaches still don’t meet the need for the many businesses, sales teams and nonprofits who need to reach a very small pool of prospects.   

Is your brand helping you to compete in an employee’s market?

By David Mills
on October 30, 2018

It hardly seems fair.  First, consumers use democratizing technology to change everything,  and then the state of change puts employees in the driver's seat too. We're hiring at Story Collaborative, and like many other employers, want to find the right person. Here is a chance to catch your breath and look beyond our now Uberized world as it relates to hiring and keeping great team members.  In this guest post, we are joined by Jonathan M. Mills, Founder of Corporate Culture Specialist with important insights into how your brand  can adapt and thrive in an employee's market.

Is your brand story working?

By Amy Alexander
on September 20, 2018

How Healthy is Your Brand Story?

Brand stories help organizations grow more quickly and with greater sustainability. Complete the checkup to find out how yours might be working.

Harnessing the Power of YOUR Brand story

By David Mills
on September 18, 2018

Why is there such an obsession with stories in marketing? The answer - organizations that are powered by a well-crafted brand story grow more than those with any other communication approach. Brand stories aren’t just a method; they connect to the core of how the human mind works. When we connect with people using a brand story, the message stays with them longer and moves them to take action more quickly.

The Word They Forgot to Add to the Dictionary - Hactics (and how to know if you are doing it)

By David Mills
on September 06, 2018

Def: hac·tic
ˈhaktik/
noun

1. Marketing tactics that create busy work instead of saving time or providing shortcuts to a growth goal.
2. Blend word from Hectic and Hack, i.e., Hactic: Hectic with Marketing Hacks.

Everyone loves a shortcut—but as you know from sitting in the back seat while people refuse to use a map—they don’t always lead you to where you thought they would. It’s easy to get busy with lots of tasks that others have used, or that have been suggested to us as shortcuts for growth. When you begin to dabble in marketing, you can start to get a dozen emails a week with “marketing hacks” (read that as quick shortcuts) with each one promising to address every challenge you are facing.

A Hollow Core, or a brand Story of Purpose

By David Mills
on August 09, 2018

Authenticity is now a core concern of growing companies. Millennials and consumers want to see true integrity and are pushing for real experiences. They want long-term relationships with organizations that bring meaning to their lives rather than simply a paycheck or something delivered in a box. This goes beyond commodities—they want to be connected to organizations with a purpose that anchors the very center of their story.

Keywords Are like VHS Tapes

By David Mills
on June 01, 2018

Keywords are like VHS Tapes; if that’s all you have, you’re going to miss out on better opportunities.

Some things that you thought you knew about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) aren’t true anymore.

3 Video Ideas for Business Growth

By Chad Alexander
on May 10, 2018

Business growth is a difficult thing at times with so much to accomplish in terms of marketing, sales, and cash flow. One thing you can do with inexpensive equipment, a little know-how, and good stories is to create business growth through video. By 2019, most content consumed online will be video. Videos can help solve problems that crop in a person’s life (like the Dollar Shave Club intro video or the Chatbooks mom video). Videos can also tell amazing stories that people want to hear more about (think Red Bull’s Digging in the Carts series or Blendtec’s Will it Blend?).