Next week is Black Friday and while everyone is scrambling to decide where they're going to spend their money, on what, and how long ahead of time they have to get in line to get it -you should be checking off the boxes to make sure you're up and running for those customers to burst in.  Or click in, if they're just visiting your site...

I work from home.  I'm not sure about you, but there's one thing I want to do when I have 30 things on my to do list for the day.  Clean.  I want to clean the house.  Organize everything all around me.  Why?  To feel organized and in control.  On a day that I'm being pulled in 324 different directions, I want a clear mind, clear living room floor, clear windows... you get the point.  Does it hack away at my to do list for the day?  No.  Does it keep me from pulling out all my hair and throwing the computer out the window?  So far, yes.  So what can you do?  What can you do tame the days you know you might have a crazy-stressedout-meltdown-throwyourcomputeroutthewindow-shovechocolateinyourface kind of day?  Set yourself up for success -start the day before.

The holidays are approaching and social media doesn’t just stop because the date is November 27th or December 25th. Halloween is right around the corner and before we know it we’ll be in full holiday swing. This means several things for brands and companies. The holiday season can be an unbelievably useful marketing time. It’s also an incredibly busy time as well. How do you balance promoting your business and getting through the holidays in your personal life? Priorities –and there are a few that should top your list.

We live in a time where many people are much more likely to grab their phone before grabbing their computers. We travel everywhere with a tiny computer in our back pocket that has all the same power of the internet on a small, compact, and portable little screen. That is, until we arrive at your website (or can’t find your website at all). Here comes the frustration. We can’t find what we’re looking for, when we finally do find it we can’t click on it, etc. etc. etc.

Vine definitely isn't a social media website like Facebook or Twitter -it's an app.  However, more and more people are diving in and using apps to create marketing campaigns that they can then turn around and promote across their more conventional social media platforms.

Technology seems to be a living, breathing entity.  As marketers, we are constantly watching as the parameters change, the norms become distant memories, and the things we never thought we'd be marketing with are now front and center.  Take Snapchat for instance. 

There are several “keys” to a successful business –it’s hard to pinpoint what’s most important. One thing is for sure though; if you’re not being productive, then you’re not going to get very far. When it comes to productivity –there is always room for improvement. 

It really is the little things in life that count. Yes, it’s important for businesses to have great customer service, but what about the customer experience? How do you think your customers would describe their experience with your business?