How Long Does an Employment Brand Last?

Posted: January 27th, 2012 at 10:56am by Jonathan Galbreath

Well, there is no answer. But, I do have a great analogy – milk.

When does milk go bad?

Milk goes bad, when milk goes bad. Milk doesn’t expire on a given date. If I could squeeze a few more hundred dollars out of your wallet during a year by telling you that your milk expires a week early…would I do that? No, that would be wrong. But, not everyone is an “Arlander.”

Where does your milk come from?

For most of us, it’s not from our backyard. So, who is suppling your milk and where is it coming from? How did it get from A to B? Choose someone that knows milk. “Arlanders”, are farmers, distributors and retailers in just about every part of the country. Sometimes, we’re even the cow.

What is the average shelf-life of milk?

Milk does have a shelf-life. If someone gives you a definitive answer, run for the hills. Milk will eventually spoil. But, how do you know when? Sometimes you can just look at it and know. Sometimes it’s best to ask, “Hey, could you smell this and let me know what you think?” Ask us. We’ll be as honest as the day is long.

What do I do with spoiled milk?

Most of us would throw it away and get some new milk? I might get the same old skim or 2%, but maybe I should be drinking whole milk! Maybe it’s better for my health. Or, maybe I should drink soy milk or almond milk? How do I know what’s best for me? Most of the world drinks goat milk, why don’t we drink it? Let’s talk. Maybe you’re just fine? Maybe you could turn the spoiled milk in to yogurt, cream cheese or custard pudding. Sound good?

So, don’t have a cow. Just talk to someone who has one or two.

Milk is organic and so should your employment brand be. Times change. Attitudes change. Technology changes. A cow is still a cow.

Categories: Employment Branding, Uncategorized

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What a Difference a Year Makes

Posted: December 28th, 2011 at 10:35am by Megan

Every year on New Year’s Eve, my family has a tradition of writing something down on a piece of paper and sealing it in an envelope not to be opened until the following year. We usually write down predictions, goals and just things that we would like to see happen in the next year. I always liked this tradition because a lot can happen in a year and it’s amazing how your goals and aspirations can change in such a short time.

I’m especially looking forward to this New Year’s celebration because I remember exactly what I wrote down on that piece of paper a year ago. I wrote down four words- I want a job.

Last year, I lost my job due to the election cycle and was at my wit’s end with job searching, interviewing and waiting for good news. January 6^th was my last day of employment and I had a couple of prospects that I was holding out hope for, but nothing definite heading into 2011. Needless to say, I didn’t feel like I had much to celebrate.

A few weeks later, Keith called to offer me the position as Content Marketing Manager and not only did I get a job, but I got one that I thoroughly enjoy.

The Arland Group has had quite a year, as well. This year, we’ve added two new Arlanders, opened a new office in St. Louis and continued double digit growth in a down economy. We certainly have a lot to celebrate this year and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2012!

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Magazines Don’t Have To Die

Posted: December 13th, 2011 at 1:36pm by Erin Canetta

Mobile devices have completely altered publishing. We’ve heard about the chains like Borders going under and we’ve seen magazines shrinking and disappearing and this has all happened in a very small span of time. When I started in the magazine business 14 years ago, we were still sending film to our printer to be scanned and made digital for us. It took six people to design, write and produce our largest publication but it was a beast at 100+ pages per issue. Today, that same magazine averages 44 pages and only has three people on staff not including sales reps. Many big b2b publishing companies are turning into ghost towns and those who are left know their days are numbered. In the last 3 years, I’ve known of 47 different b2b titles that have shuttered their doors.

That said, our client, Convenience Store Decisions—a b2b magazine—has had an absolutely incredible year. This is a magazine that a large publishing company ran into the ground and walked away from. A young publishing company, Harbor Communications, bought the title and completely turned it around. What did they do right? Everything. They refused to print an issue less than 68 pages even if they only had 15 ad pages to start, they didn’t skimp on paper or ink quality, they gathered an incredibly potent sales and publishing force, stood behind their talented editorial staff and hired a group of designers who have been with them all the way to help put their magazine at the top of its game—if we do say so ourselves. They have never sold their industry or themselves short. Everything about them says quality. But they have also redesigned their website, developed a mobile application, created conferences and basically done everything they can to cater to their industry while moving in the direction that technology is taking them. They haven’t given up on the paper product nor should they. Rather, their paper, web and mobile products along with their in-person events all work in conjunction with one another to support the CSD brand.

So what is the take-away here? If there a service or product that is needed by a particular market, no matter what changes come along, there is no reason that service or product can’t be successful as long as customer’s needs—rather than the presentation to the investors—are always the priority. Sometimes you have to take it on the chin awhile to get something off the ground but once it takes off, hard work and proper money and resource management should keep it going.

Magazines don’t have to die off but they are changing. Many of the same industries exist and benefit from ideas shared. But many publishers have given up readjusting their approach. I think a lot of the reason is big publishing companies have lost site of the markets they service. They don’t make the effort to entrench themselves in the market. I’ve worked with amazing publishers and weak publishers and the difference is that great publishers are their magazine(s). They foster and raise their magazines and care for their growth and well-being past the ego of the title. They support and direct their team while tirelessly reaching out to the industry. I hope more entrepreneurial publishers buy run down titles and turn them around. The industry needs you whoever you are. And we’d love to work with you!

Tagged with Magazines, mobile devices, publishing, The Arland Group

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House Advantage Swings to Google

Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 3:13pm by Keith Seiz

When we started The Arland Group six years ago, social media was not even on the list of services we provided. Facebook was for college students and Twitter wasn’t even an idea yet.

Today, social media is not only one of the most exciting segments of our business, it’s also the fastest growing. We now employ people just to develop mountains of content for our clients’ social networks.

To date, most of our efforts have focused on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. But there is a new player in town in the form of Google+. I’m a cynic when it comes to new social media networks, mainly because I think the big three are innovative and continually push for improvements on their platforms. It’s hard to be the new kid on the block when everyone loves hanging around with the older, cooler kid.

I have a Google+ account, but I don’t get it. I think the user interface is clumsy, the concept is contrived and not too many of my friends and colleagues have embraced it, so I feel pretty isolated when on the platform. Despite what I perceive to be its shortcomings though, Google+ has an immense house advantage: the algorithm.

The mysterious mathematical equation Google uses to determine the results of search engines is the holy grail of digital marketing. As an agency, we strive to make sure our clients are on that front page of search results when their clients look for them. Getting on the front page requires an immense amount of work, of which I won’t go into detail here (you can call me though!).

On a recent Google search of “The Arland Group,” we were shocked to see our Google+ page was the third result posted! It was above our Facebook and Twitter pages, despite the fact that we only have five posts on Google+ and hundreds on Facebook and Twitter. Despite building a solid brand on Facebook and Twitter, Google played its house advantage and tilted the algorithm to Google+.

Kudos to them. If you have an advantage, you capitalize on it. They have singlehandedly forced our agency to start launching Google+ accounts for all of our clients. We’re not sure it’s the best way for them to promote their brand, but with a world of information driven by Google, it’s imperative that our customers are present and accounted for on Google+.

Tagged with business, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, SEO, social media, The Arland Group, twitter

Categories: Content

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Recognizing Subtle Significance

Posted: November 29th, 2011 at 9:32am by Erin Canetta

As the year winds down I realize I’m really going to miss 2011. It was a good year for no one big reason but rather for realization of so many special reasons. I don’t know if it’s age or wisdom or what but this year more than ever I’ve found joy in the subtle significance of life.

My baby girl Vivienne, with her bounds of energy, has made me realize that 10 minutes of quiet while staring out the window with a cup of tea is magic. Now with my 7-year-old approaching chin height I’ve realized she’s growing up very fast and I need to really value our enlightening conversations on the way to school. The realization that I get to wake up everyday and work in an environment that is always supportive, encouraging and challenging is extremely fulfilling.

I was looking though our colleague, Jonathan’s, photographs from India that he’s been posting on facebook and he captures that subtlety of the moment in the faces and places he photographed. Living in fast-paced world we are often living in the moment that is ahead of us rather than living in the guaranteed moment we’re standing in. Jonathan picked out many of those “now moments” that most people miss and few would think to capture with a camera.

I think we approach our clients and their products the same way at TAG. On every phone call, conference call and meeting and at every level we are fully present and absorbing our client’s reality and the significance their product offers. We ingest and digest it so we can pick out the seed or seeds that make their product invaluable to their potential customer. Something worth investing in is rarely made up of one big bang but rather consists of many subtle yet important layers that fit into a person’s day to make their job or life easier or more enriched. And it’s the subtle significance at TAG that we focus on, blow up and make real. Once something is made real, its significance becomes intuitive.

So no major big bang in 2011 for me but many, many real moments have made this year worth remembering.

Tagged with 2011, photography, significance, subtle, The Arland Group, year

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