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Wednesday, July 28, 2021

New Faces and Old Favorites

We’re halfway through 2021 and almost a year and a half out from the beginning of the pandemic. We spoke to our team about what the first half of the year looked like for them, as well as what’s on the horizon for the remainder of the year. You might’ve noticed that we’ve grown our team quite a bit this year, so as you read you’ll see some new faces and recognize some old favorites.  What are your favorite things you’ve completed so far in 2021? &ldq... Read More
Posted by Madelyn Bomar Wednesday, July 28, 2021
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Monday, July 26, 2021

MythBusters: Paving The Way To Customer Success

  A lot of what keeps organizations from achieving success is simply believing myths, so we're going to debunk a few common ones we come across often. Joining us is Speak's Customer Success Manager, Megan Jones. Listen to Megan and Speak's VPs discuss how we're helping partners achieve success and overcome obstacles that are keeping them from that success. Kindra: Well, another podcast, another Matt missing. Am I right? Welcome back to A Little Off Topic. I am Kindra Sv... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, July 26, 2021
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Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Should Your Business Be Using Bulk Email?

Anyone who has an email address probably knows how popular mass emails and newsletters have become. Yet, despite what your clogged inbox may tell you, email marketing is still a highly underutilized marketing tool. Here at Speak, we know from experience that bulk emails can have great impact for many businesses. In fact, that's why we have our own bulk email service called Mass Mail that clients can run through their websites on our content management system, SiteWrench. Howev... Read More
Posted by Digital Marketing Team Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Featured Strategy

Monday, July 12, 2021

Managing Projects

In this episode, we’re talking about all things project management. Continuing our conversation about the iron triangle, our project managers join our VP team to give you all the tips and tricks to keep your project on budget, on scope, and on time.  In this episode, we’re talking about all things project management. Continuing our conversation about the iron triangle, our project managers join our VP team to give you all the tips and tricks to keep your project on budget,... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, July 12, 2021
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Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Compiling Quality Research

So you need to do some research. No matter what you’re researching, it’s important to be strategic about the process in which you research, rather than stressing early on about the product or output. The phrase “you find what you’re looking for” can all too often apply to research when you head into a project expecting to find a certain conclusion. Then, you find yourself only looking for information to support that opinion and disregard the data that challenges ... Read More
Posted by Madelyn Bomar Wednesday, July 7, 2021
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Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Considering the User Experience: Illinois Holocaust Museum

Our partner, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, or IHMEC, sits right outside of the city of Chicago. Their mission is to “Remember the Past, Transform the Future” through the exhibition, preservation and interpretation of collections, education programs, and initiatives that foster the promotion of human rights and the elimination of genocide. They host group tours, public programs, teaching trunks for educators, and even operated their museum virtually during t... Read More
Posted by Madelyn Bomar Wednesday, June 30, 2021
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Monday, June 28, 2021

Why Your Website Redesign Needs More Than a Designer

Just about anyone these days can design a website, but to execute well takes a qualified team. In this episode, one of our Brand Strategists, Adam Kalwas, is walking us through why a designer won't be enough to complete a successful redesign. Adam is joined by some of Speak's VPs for a discussion about what informs web design and which part of the process is most important to get right.  Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, June 28, 2021
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Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Podcast Performance On The Rise

It’s probably not news to you that podcasts are on the rise, but it wasn’t too long ago when someone at your dinner table may have asked, “what’s a podcast?”   In many ways, we’re returning to the days of radio shows and audio-only platforms. There are a lot of contributing factors leading to the rise of podcasts, but in case you aren’t convinced that podcasts are truly on the rise, here are some stats that may change your mind: 57% of ... Read More
Posted by Jessica Freeman Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Featured Ideas Strategy

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Brands & Sustainability

Patagonia, TOMS, Allbirds….what do all of these brands have in common? They are all popular brands that have set a trend by building their companies’ foundations around the philosophy of sustainability.  In today’s society, most consumers are drawn to brands or products that do more than just their designated purpose. But why is this? Because people want to purchase products from brands that speak to their values, especially the Millenial and Gen Z generations. These... Read More
Posted by Amanda Gottschalk Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Featured Ideas Strategy

Monday, June 14, 2021

Storytelling with Commercial Video

We're not talking about commercials, we're talking commercial video. Not sure the difference? Listen to this episode to learn more and hear why video is the most effective medium for storytelling. In this episode, Speak's VPs are joined by Jordan and Jordan (J^2) to chat about all things cinematography.  Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off Topic, one agency's water cooler chat on digital marketing, business, an... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, June 14, 2021
Podcast

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

3 Metrics You Should Be Following

Have you ever been overwhelmed or confused by all of the data surrounding your website and other digital platforms? The vast amount of statistics is valuable, but also a lot to keep track of. Whether you’re just diving into analytics for the first time or are well-versed and wanting to take a step back for perspective, these 3 metrics are the perfect place to start. Goals in Google Analytics Google Analytics is a free service that uses a script in your site to track all kinds of user... Read More
Posted by Megan Jones Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Content-First vs Design-First Approach

There are typically two design strategies that are considered when going through a website redesign. A design-first approach prioritizes the creative elements that are desired over the assets that will live on the site. Meanwhile, a content-first approach takes the assets you plan to have and builds the design around them. Both methods can lead to a polished website when it’s all said and done, but is there an approach that is more efficient? Speak has utilized both strategies during r... Read More
Posted by Adam Kalwas Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Design Featured Strategy

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

New Leads vs. Loyal Customers

Are you leaving money on the table by only marketing to get new leads? Speak's Strategy Manager and Senior Brand Strategist, Abi Devins, thinks so. In this episode, we'll make the case that creating loyal customers is just as important as gaining new ones.   Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off Topic, one agency's water cooler chat on digital marketing, business, and all the things that get in the way, presen... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Podcast

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Intentional and Innovative: Meet John Waddell, Senior Designer

You know the phrase first to arrive, last to leave? Well that sums up John Waddell, one of Speak’s Senior Designers. After nearly 20 years as a designer, John knows a thing or two about dedication.  Described by members of our team as compassionate, servant-minded, and diligent, John has only officially been at Speak for a year and a half. Prior to joining the team as part of Speak’s acquisition of Rocketfuel, John worked at Rocketfuel for 17 years. But as a child, John had ... Read More
Posted by Madelyn Bomar Thursday, May 27, 2021
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Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Tips to Avoid Employee Burnout

Last month, there was a wildly popular NYT article floating around the internet about languish. The article talks about how many of us are feeling a collective emotion that isn’t quite burning out because we still have energy, but it’s not depression because we don’t feel hopeless. Really we are all feeling a bit ‘meh’ which is synonymous with feelings of languish.  via GIPHY It’s important as an employer, manager, or even as an employee to know how... Read More
Posted by Christy Leake Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Featured Ideas

Monday, May 17, 2021

Understanding UX

How does UX design relate to dating? You'll have to listen to find out. In this episode, we gain a better understanding of all things UX from Speak's Senior UX Strategist, Lisa Hoover. Join us to get a little off topic with Lisa and Speak's VPs.  Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off Topic, one agency's water cooler chat on digital marketing, business, and all the things that get in the way, presented by Speak... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, May 17, 2021
Podcast

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

An Open Letter to Marketing Coordinators

I remember when I spent my days doing endless research, packing swag boxes, and various projects that were thrown my way. Just kidding, that’s still what I do. I graduated in December 2019 from the University of Tennessee and joined Speak as a Marketing and Business Development Coordinator shortly after.  If you are in a marketing coordinator or entry-level role, you might find yourself googling all the things that you don't know to keep your head above water. I felt like... Read More
Posted by Madelyn Bomar Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Featured Ideas

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Blog Writing For Beginners

At Speak, we write a lot. Our content team churns out an incredible amount of work each week for an ever-growing list of eager clients. That being the case, a large portion of what we do relies on writing engaging, timely, and topical blog content. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, blogs are often an essential part of a strong marketing strategy. They provide relevant information about your product or service and give your brand structure. As professionals, we suggest blogs for a good p... Read More
Posted by Katy Sloan Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Featured Strategy

Monday, May 3, 2021

Apple vs. Facebook: The Impact on Your Ads

Brand Strategist, Cody Gross, is walking us through Apple's new operating system and how it impacts advertising on both Facebook and Instagram. What does this mean for your ads? And what does this mean for user data on all platforms? Come get a little off topic with Cody and our team of VPs as we explore these questions. Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off Topic, one agency's water cooler chat on digital marketing, business, an... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, May 3, 2021
Podcast

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Making The Case: Why Law Offices Need a Compelling Digital Presence

As a digital-first agency, we believe that a digital strategy can make a difference for any industry, but law offices in particular have a lot to gain from a compelling digital presence. In a competitive space, law offices rely on lead generation and brand recognition to build their customer base. Here’s a few recent examples of how we’ve partnered with law firms to drive results.  Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee We set out to equip BMJRG with a website that refl... Read More
Posted by Madelyn Bomar Wednesday, April 28, 2021
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Wednesday, April 21, 2021

My Life as an Emoji

What’s in an emoji? My life as an emoji - 📚☕️🐱  I think that covers it. What’s in an emoji? That which we call a 🌹 by any other name would smell as sweet. That’s the saying, right? Ok maybe not quite, but you get the gist.  But back to emojis. They really are pretty amazing if you think about it. The ability to communicate (and truly understand) across cultural barriers, the ability to share nuance or a reaction without photo or video, or having to type &ldq... Read More
Posted by Sarah Vaughan Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Featured Ideas

Monday, April 19, 2021

Paid Social: Do or Die?

Senior Content and Social Media Specialist, Sarah Vaughan, joined us to discuss the nuances of social media campaigns. Is paid social a must? Can you get away with only organic content? Come get a little off topic with Sarah and Speak's VP trio to find out.  Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off Topic, one agency's water cooler chat on digital marketing, business, and all the things that get in the way, presented by Spea... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, April 19, 2021
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Monday, April 12, 2021

Several People Are Typing: Getting To Know Business Development

Through a Slack discussion with Speak’s business development team, we explored common misconceptions about the world of sales and what sets Speak apart.   HERE'S TODAY'S STARTING LINE UP:  Jessica: Hi all, thanks for joining to chat about all things business development. Before we get started, I want to know why you think you’ve found yourself in a business development role. Did you always know it was your calling or did you stumble into it? Adam: I guess... Read More
Posted by Jessica Freeman Monday, April 12, 2021
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Tuesday, April 6, 2021

What Every Advertiser Needs to Know about iOS 14 Changes and Mobile Web Advertising on Facebook

Facebook advertising will not be the same. There. We are not going to bury the lead. You came here for an answer to your question, so we gave it to you. Now that you know the effect, we need to examine the causes. You need to know why Facebook advertising may not be what it has been for the past decade.  We want to highlight the top-level questions that many advertisers are asking – and if not asking, at least should be wondering.  What we’ll answer here: Why is ... Read More
Posted by Cody Gross Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Featured Social Strategy

Monday, April 5, 2021

Designing for Mobile

Front End Developer and Designer Stephen Smith helped us kick off season two with a deep dive into designing for mobile. Come get a little off topic with Captain Steve and your favorite VP trio.  Roberts: Hello everyone and thank you for joining us. You're listening to A Little Off Topic, one agency's water cooler chat on digital marketing, business, and all the things that get in the way, presented by Speak Creative. Let's get into it. Kindra: Alright. We'... Read More
Posted by A Little Off Topic Monday, April 5, 2021
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