However great its reward, email marketing needs to be done wisely as its popularity grows. Those inboxes continue to get hit with email after email, how can you be sure your message reaches those you want it to? For instance, did you know that:

• Over 200 billion emails are sent worldwide each day (Radicati Group)
• Spam accounts for nearly 90 percent of all email (Symantec)
• People are being bombarded with 4,500+ marketing emails annually (Forrester)

Try these tips to reach new customers and communicate with those you already have established a relationship with:

1. Purchasing email lists could lead to a bad reputation, save your time and money.
2. Create a way for prospects and customers to opt-in to your communications to consistently build your list.
3. Choose subject lines wisely, if it doesn’t relate back to the email’s message, the user could forever blacklist you.
4. Avoid words such as ‘free’, promise an increase in sales, or use excessive punctuation in your subject line.
5. Be careful to not send too many emails. This too will find you a permanent spot in the deleted items folder.

When it comes to low-cost, high-reward marketing channels, email has no rival. Th!nkCreative can help you drive your customer communications with the Th!nk EmailGenius service. This service can help you create branded email marketing campaigns that help you build relationships, increase sales, inspire loyalty and generate a faster response. Learn more on our website.

Whether you like these changes or not, it brings up the issue of how you as an email marketer can best keep up with the changing world of social media.

Social media is a natural partner for email marketing. It gives us the opportunity to listen to our customers, instead of simply talking at them. It's clearly evident that the more you listen, the better you'll be able to refine your marketing efforts.

Here are some tips on how to keep social marketing current so you can keep listening to your customers:

Get people to follow you on social networks. Include links in your emails, on landing pages linked from your email communications, on your website, and in any other marketing efforts that reach your customers.

All of your email messages should contain links or icons that allow recipients to connect with your social media sites, and to post items from your emails on their pages if they feel that their online friends will find them valuable. Think of email as the opening line in your conversation with customers, and social media sites as a place where they can expand on those conversations.

Th!nk EmailGenius features a forward feature where your customers can easily forward your email to a friend, thus increasing the reach of your communications. And, if you use a social network widget that makes links, you can easily put those links into EmailGenius to increase social sharing.

Talk about yourself, let everyone know you have a social prescence online. One of the most effective ways to do this is to share information about discussions on your website, or include postings from members in email campaigns. You want to create enough interest for others to feel the need to get to your site to learn more.

Make it easy for people to join the club. Anytime you post content, be sure there's a way for them to opt-in to your email list.

Vary your approach between different social channels, but keep your branding message consistent. Your audience needs to be able to recognize you and know that all of the messages are coming from the same place. This strengthens your brand and creates synergy among the many points of contact.

Large companies are seeing this trend and are preparing for a mobile explosion for advertising. Google and Apple are on the frontline as both recently purchased existing mobile advertising companies and are heavily investing in these new ad channels. Advertising is an ever-changing landscape. How will you adjust your marketing efforts to be sure your message goes mobile too?

Stearns Services Video	Stearns Community Video
Lake Wobegon Trail Website	Wenzel Engineering Website
Stearns County Abstract Website	Miller Properties Website
Latitudes Group Website

Want to see more? Visit our website gallery.

We've made it clear that video is the one of the most engaging marketing mediums. And, with so many online opportunities to get your video out to viewers, there's really no excuse why it shouldn't work.

But, things have changed. We've moved from a marketing driven world to a buyer-led one. And, those buyers are smarter, more sophisticated, and better informed about our products and services and even those of our competitors. They know how to use Google, Facebook and Twitter to thoroughly research what they need before taking the next step with sellers.

Video alone isn't enough to convince prospects to give you 30 minutes, let alone 30 seconds of their time. So, how can a medium like video play into this new buyer-led world? To engage today's buyers, we need to reinvent it as an interactive marketing medium.

Try these 5 goals to better engage your audience:

Focus on the ROI - Video is no longer an optional add-on - it's instead, a need - to spark your current lead generation, lead nurturing and sales enablement programs. Recent studies show that adding video to e-mail campaigns can increase conversion rates by 2 to 3 times. That ROI is hard to beat.

Keep it short and sweet - In these viewers' lives, time is precious -- so don't assume just by developing a video that someone will sit through a 30-minute on-demand version. Find the important, short clips of content and make them available in a format that's easy to digest.

Integrate calls-to-action - hook, line and sinker! If you have prospects engaged in a video, drive them to your website and close the deal.

Find your stars - Try using your own employees rather than actors to create effective and authentic video content. Use LinkedIn and Twitter to enable direct connections between your video's stars and prospects.

Video is the Google ticket - Optimizing video content is one of the easiest ways to get a higher organic ranking on Google. Submitting video content to YouTube and other video portals will help you raise awareness, but driving prospects to your door is the ultimate goal.

To learn more about how Th!nkCreative can help you develop a video to meet your needs, click here.

We are often asked, which marketing investments are best. The answer
varies based on who your target audience is, what you’re promoting, and
your offer. In 2008, Listrak did a comparison of the average return on
investment for every marketing dollar spent. The results are below.

While there are no guarantees in marketing return on investment, the right combination of medium, message, audience and offer can make a dramatic difference on your return.

Watch the Video below, or click here.

Chic Thompson is a popular creative author of "What a Great Idea", "What a Great Idea 2.0" and "Yes, But..." and founding partner of the CMG Holdings Inc.

Today we have one of the greatest communication tools the world has ever known; the Internet, and we don't always use it to our benefit. Websites are often used as if they were corporate brochures. But who is going to go to your website if it's boring to view and blends in with every other site they visit. To stand out, tell your story.

Marketing is nothing more than telling your story in an effective way that embeds your identity into the minds of your audience, connecting and communicating who you are, what you do, and why your audience should be doing business with you.

Today, new web technologies and video allow you to tell your brand story in a way that’s engaging, allows for customer interaction, and gives you complete control of updates.

To really connect with your internet audience, convey your brand story in a compelling way.

That night, when he attended the circus, Matthew immediately noticed the elephants standing quietly while tied to a small wooden stake. He asked his father, “How come the elephant doesn’t pull the stake out of the ground and run away?”

The answer: While still young and powerless, an elephant is tied by a heavy chain to an immovable steel stake. The animal discovers that, no matter how hard he pulls, the stake remains secure. As the elephant grows, he continues to believe he cannot move as long as there is a stake in the ground beside him.

There are people conditioned to behave like these elephants. They are restricted in thought, action, and results. Therefore, they never stretch beyond their own self-imposed limitations.

The world continues to change, continually providing new opportunities to grow. Don’t limit your potential through old limitations.

Announcing the re-designed home for our blog and your source to creativity, events and trends!

The Th!nk Marketing IQ (www.thinkmarketingIQ.com) is the place to find all the latest marketing tips and upcoming speaking events presented by Th!nkCreative.

The Speaking area of the site outlines the expertise of CEO KevinEhlinger along with featured programs Kevin offers to share valuableinsights in marketing and creativity.

Take a look for yourself and see how Th!nkCreative can helpyour business, enjoy the reading material, or follow us on Facebook orTwitter. And, mark your calendar for Wednesday, February 10th, toattend the Th!nk Marketing IQ seminar on Effective Email Marketing -Tips, tricks and techniques on how to use email marketing generateleads and build relationships.

Discover how to take advantage of one of the most cost-effectivemarketing tools to leverage more sales and build loyal customers.

Wednesday, February 10th
7:30 – 9:00 am
ING Café Meeting Room
Downtown St. Cloud

FREE with $10 donation to Kids Against Hunger Haiti relief efforts.

Register Now

Each of these 5 P’s is essential to virtually any professional online video project.

1. Plan

Before you get started, its important to identify your goals, audience, theme, topics, location, budget, wardrobe and props.

2. Practice

We've all heard the line "Practice Makes Perfect" -- the same is true with online video. Being behind the camera or in front of it requires a certain amount of practice.

Some important factors to consider are setting an appropriate pace, enuciating well, getting across key points, eye contact, and body language. It's important to practice before the camera starts rolling.

Online video marketing tends to work much better when you to put out regular videos with some consistency. Consider capturing several "episodes" at one time and airing them at different times.

First and foremost, publish videos on your website or blog. It keeps people around your brand much better than on a shared video site like YouTube, and can be much more effective with achieving business goals.

4. Promote

Promote your video to generate targeted traffic and “buzz” for your business. Make your videos sharing-friendly. Create RSS feeds and mention them on social networking sites. Try news releases and video search optimization to get even more mileage. Include graphic images of your video in your email marketing with links to the video on your website.

5. Perform

Use your web analytics to the fullest to find out the duration of a video watched by a viewer. Include calls-to-action to guide viewers to the next step you want them to take.

Contact the professionals at Th!nkCreative for quality production of online videos and or e-mail marketing that achieves results. View samples on our website.

For more information on ThinkCreative's Sales Motion Videos, Corporate Videos, eMessage Videos Visit Our Website.

It's tough to juggle the outward with the inward. Both are critical, yet often at odds. It's easy to focus on just one and not the other. However, a seasoned executive learns how to do both and keep them in check. The more conscious you are to incorporating inward and outward strategies, the more effective and successful you will be.

Here's 10 reasons why it might be advantageous to target Boomers as part of your marketing plan in 2010.

1. The over-50 crowd will grow 21% in size in 10 years. The 18-49 crowd remains the same size.
2. The over-50 crowd outspends the under-50 crowd by $400 billion. That's more than Walmart sells annually.
3. They try new things. They'll buy your product if you make it relevant. So make it relevant.
4. They are easy to reach. They read newspapers. They watch TV. They listen to the radio. They are easier to target than younger generations.
5. They think they are in the middle of Middle Age. With a median age of 54, Boomers are far from being "old".
6. They use the Internet. They search, they shop, they buy.
7. Some 40% of all Boomers are already grandparents. They spend money on their grandkids, practically without thinking.
8. From their parents' consumption of healthcare to their kids' education - they like to influence everyone's purchases.
9. They like advertising. Sure, they are skeptical, but they are also fans of good advertising. They will respond to your effort if it speaks to them.
10. They are the future. Boomers are where the action is for the next 20 years and Boomers are the new "old."

Don't make the mistake of missing the Boomer opportunity. Direct your marketing efforts accordingly and watch your bottom line improve, Contact Th!nkCreative today to help you succeed.

1. Go to google.com/localbusinesscenter. Click "Sign Up Now," or log in if you already have a Google account.

2. Enter your business information, website address, photos, coupons, hours, and more.

3. Follow the instructions to verify you are the business owner. If you have another business location, you can add that too.

Use your personalized business dashboard to check how many visits your listing is getting, which zip codes people are coming from to reach your door, and more. If you need assistance setting up your business profile or improving your website, contact Th!nkCreative today!

Just before the holidays we sent out our holiday e-Message. The online interactive greeting gave viewers the opportunity to create their own holiday story with fill-in-the-blank fields and forward to friends.

If you're interested in creating an interactive e-Message for your company, visit the Th!nkCreative website.

Th!nkCreative also recently re-designed the Owl Bookkeeping website.

The site features a content management system (CMS) so Owl team members are able to edit and update content easily and efficiently. To learn more about re-designing your website or converting your site to a CMS solution, contact Th!nkCreative today!

How thinking of ways to inconvenience your customers can lead to great ideas.

You've most likely used brainstorming techniques - brainstormed to get ideas for product, services or solutions to problems. But have you tried reverse brainstorming?

Unlike traditional brainstorming, reverse brainstorming involves thinking about how to cause problems with your product or service. The technique frees up your mind and allows you to stretch your imagination. Once you have amassed your list of ideas, then look to them for new insights in how to solve your challenge.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how effectively do reverse brainstorming:

1. Write down the problem or challenge. For instance, a mechanic wants to improve customer service in his waiting area.

2. Reverse the problem by asking how you could cause it. The mechanic asks himself, “In what ways can I make my customers uncomfortable or unhappy while waiting for their cars to get fixed.” Write down all the ways you can think up. For instance:
• No TV or anything to read or listen to
• Dirty restrooms
• No refreshments of any kind, not even a water fountain
• Uncomfortable furniture
• Force them to listen to music only you like
• Have the place smell like oil and grease

3. Now reverse the solutions you come up with and apply to the original problem.
• Add entertainment – TV, Wii, headphones with their choice of music
• Well decorated bathrooms with fresh flowers
• Free coffee, water and light snacks
• Stylish, comfortable chairs and plenty of space
• Aromatherapy scents fill the room to promote relaxation

4. Evaluate these solutions to see which one fits the original problem the best.

In the end, the mechanic has created a place his customers appreciate, they become loyal, they refer their friends and family to him, and his business soars. Simple? You bet! Effective? Absolutely!

That's all there is to it! Go ahead and see how you can think of ways to put a wrench in the works of your business...you'll be surprised how it could help you solve problems!

Business is all about relationships between the company and the customer. Strong relationships lead to loyal customers. To grow your business you need to communicate with customers, and prospective customers, as cost-effectively as possible. This is where your e-mail list comes in handy.

A few important facts to consider:

• 78% of customers appreciate receiving e-mail communication from a business they frequent.

• 66% of consumers indicated that receiving an e-mail from an existing business was the best form of customer service they had ever received.

• The odds of selling a product to a new customer are 15%, whereas the odds of selling a product to an existing customer are 50%.

The above facts show that e-mailing customers works well, and that a relationship makes it easier to sell. But before you can e-mail anyone, you need to get their e-mail address. So how do you go about building an e-mail list of customers and prospects that is compliant with CAN-SPAM act?

Here are a few recommended techniques:

1. Have the e-mail list sign-up right on your homepage: This makes it easy for visitors to know you have an e-mail list, and makes it simple for them to sign up.

2. Offer an incentive for signing up: Make sure visitors know what they can expect when they sign up: special coupon offers, free business ideas, or free e-books and white papers are all effective.

3. Have the link to the sign-up in your e-mail signature and have your employees do the same: If people are reading your e-mails, they're interested in your company and what you offer. They'll be more likely to visit the page and sign up from that link.

4. Send out personalized one-to-one e-mails asking your clients to sign-up for your e-mail list: This covers those who did not see the form, or were on your website looking for something specific and overlooked the sign-up form.

5. If you have a checkout page, have an e-mail opt-in checkbox: Since people are buying something from you, they are more likely to sign up to stay informed about future products, services and offers.

6. Send a direct mail piece with an incentive and reason to visit your website and sign-up.

Used wisely, an opt-in e-mail list is an excellent relationship-building tool for your company. Growing your e-mail list isn't just about having more people to talk to; it's also about talking to those who are willing to listen. Get your customers and prospective customers signed on, and you'll be talking to those who matter in the most efficient way possible in no time at all.

To see what email marketing can do for your business, click here.

“You must have control of the authorship of your own destiny. The pen that writes your life story must be held in your own hand.” - Irene C. Kassorla

Just as all of us have a life story, every brand has a story behind it. Just like we make friends throughout life, brands too make friends with consumers who buy your brand. Think of the last time you befriended someone. Imagine this person never told you anything about themselves, but wants to know everything about you. Most of us probably would not stay friends with that person for too long. We need to know about something to trust it. Friendship is a two-way street, and so is selling. To make people know your brand, they need to know the story behind it. Giving customers more than just the name of your brand creates a relationship between your brand and its followers.

Telling your brand's story need not be an exposé about your company. The following steps can go very far in telling your story:

1. The original vision of the company: What was the first vision of the company the founders had? What did they envision when they set up the company? Why was it created? There was a reason, so why not share it?

2. The founders' stories: Who were they? Where did they come from? What made them go into business, either alone or with their partners? Why did they choose to partner with each other?

3. What was the start of the company?: Was it someone's basement, garage, a small warehouse? This adds to the story, as it shows growth and progress. If your company hasn't moved locations, it shows tradition.

4. The guiding philosophy: What makes your brand tick? What's the beacon that guides your brand through good times and bad? What keeps it on track? People need to know this to make you credible in their eyes.

5. The genius or tech wizard behind your brand: If there is one, make sure you mention them. It adds to the story, and shows your brand grew from one person's vision into what it is today. Here's a good example to get you started: Bill Gates. Need we say anymore?

6. The big idea/plan behind your product or service: Why does your brand exist? What is the intention of it? Of all the brands, what sets it apart? What does it have that rival brands do not?

7. What does your product or service do for your audience? You've got the brand, and you've got the product. Don't leave your audience guessing as to what it does for them. Tell them.

8. Reliance of your company's vision on cost, uniqueness, or quality of your:

a: Knowledge

b: Services

c: Products

d: Delivery system

9. Has your company's focus changed since it was founded?

10. Your vision of your brand's future: You can see your brand's future. Share it with your customers. Let them know where you see your company in the coming years. Let them be partners in your progress.

As mentioned earlier, you do not need to share every secret about your brand with your audience. What you need to share is the brand's story. Trust is based on information that is voluntarily shared, and if your audience needs to go hunting for your background story, it's not going to help in creating a healthy relationship. Remember, there are alternatives to every brand in the marketplace. Given the glut of products and companies out there, what do you think customers will do when they need information about the category your brand is in – go hunting for your story, or go hunting for your rival's products? What would you do in their place? Tell your brand's story to all who are willing to listen, and prepare to get a whole lot of new friends.

When asked about his entrepreneurial success as founder of Atari, Nolan Bushell responded, “The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week, but today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”

“First comes the thought; then organization of that thought into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.” Napoleon Hill, Law of Success

Mark your calendar for December 16th and plan to attend "We’re not in Kansas anymore: innovative marketing strategies for the 21st century."

Just like Dorothy stepping from the land of black-and-white into the magical world of Technicolor, it's time to move your marketing strategies into the digital age. We'll show you how you can integrate the vast potential of online marketing to reach your audience, enhance your brand, and increase sales.

Discover how to effectively use email marketing, social networks, blogs, videos, webinars and dynamic websites to enhance your sales and marketing efforts. After the presentation, you'll have a better understanding of why these innovations represent a revolution in the way companies market. Click here to learn more about this upcoming marketing seminar and RSVP today!

Contact us for more information if you're interested in attending or learning more about upcoming marketing seminars.