Bonnie, Author at bbr companies - Page 7 of 9

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

By Bonnie |

by Kelly Googe Lucas, Marketing and Social Media Manager, BBR Marketing When I was interviewing for jobs out of college, I made a point of sending a hand-written Thank You letter to each person with whom I had met. If I talked with seven people at the same firm, I sent out seven separate letters.…

Building Relationships is the Best Way to Grow your Business

By Bonnie |

In the end, trust is what will foster success. Trust is gained by establishing an emotional connection through human interaction. So be human, not a resume.

BBR Marketing Takes On Stupid Corporate Lingo

By Bonnie |

There is a serious affliction that is spreading rampantly across the United States. For the longest time, no one really knew what to do to stem the spread of this disease, until now. I am talking about the disease known as stupidosis corporatus lingiosis, or in layman’s terms, stupid corporate lingo. You know exactly what I’m talking about, those pompous, multi-syllabic, often vague terms thrown about in Websites, marketing brochures and elevator speeches. They are (over)used to showcase the exceptional services and fantastic products a company or firm offers. The problem is that often these terms only serve to confuse the reader. How many times have you been on a website that used terminology that looked smart and sophisticated, but once you were done reading, you had no idea what the company does or sells?

Writing for the Web

By Bonnie |

Writing for the Web is very different than writing for print. Knowing and following a few easy rules can make your Website truly stand out from the rest.

Legal Marketing: Involving Associates in your Firm’s Blog

By Bonnie |

One of the best blogs I’ve found in the legal marketing arena is The Matte Pad, created by my friend and colleague, Tom Matte. His posts are targeted specifically at legal marketers, but there are a lot of lessons any professional services provider can learn from them too. Here is one he wrote on how…

Flying Solo – Baby Steps

By Bonnie |

It seems there are quite a few solo marketing directors out there, and I got some fantastic input when I asked for responses. So, now we are going to call this a series! This interview was with Katie Springob, marketing director for Rippe & Kingston in Cincinnati. Katie serves as a solo marketing person at this firm of 105 employees, which is quite the task. (I know, I’ve done it too!) Her input below is great for any law or accounting firm marketing directors, whether you are on your own or not.

Busy Season Survival Guide

By Bonnie |

As busy season is getting into full swing for my accountant friends and clients, I wanted to share some tips for getting through it intact and with your sanity. To do so, I asked Betsy Pass, HR assistant manager for Windham Brannon, to share what she’s learned in her 10 years working for the firm. It may seem obvious, but this is great advice for those that are new and those that are well-seasoned.

Is All Publicity Good Publicity?

By Bonnie |

To some, any publicity is good publicity because it means you’re somehow relevant. Just ask Lindsey Lohan. Or, for that matter, Groupon. During this weekend’s SuperBowl, Groupon aired three spots, their first foray into offline advertising. While I can’t remember too much about most of the other commercials that aired that night, I quite vividly recall the Groupon ads. The problem is, so do most other viewers, and they are not happy about them.

Speak Up!

By Bonnie |

So now, I’m doing this quite a bit of public speaking. In fact, in the last seven days, I’ve spoken three times before various groups. And the most surprising thing of all is I have grown to love it. It’s fun sharing what I know with people, and hearing their thoughts and ideas. I enjoy helping those in my audience grasp the concepts of marketing plans and social media. It’s a real boost to see attendees start to realize that marketing is a process and something they can and should do. It’s quite a high for me now. So, in case there are others of you out there that hate speaking in public, but know you need to do it, I have a few tips that may help you.

Flying Solo – Advice for a Marketing Department of One

By Bonnie |

Being the sole right brain in a sea of left brains is challenging. But this is just the situation that many accounting and legal marketing people find themselves. It is very common that all marketing functions are handled by one person at firms; I did just this myself at one time. So to get a bit of insight into the challenges and joys, as well as gain some advice for anyone in a similar role, I interviewed Cindy Hagemann, Marketing Director at Wall, Einhorn & Chemitzer P.C. in Norfolk, Virginia. She offers some great insight and advice!

The Vital Importance of Being Different

By Bonnie |

Think about what sets you apart from other firms, and customer services can’t be one of them. Everyone says that to the point that it’s just noise now. What do you do different? And if there’s nothing different about you, create a new service, go after a new market or start focusing on a particular type of business. And then shout it from the rooftops! You’ll be surprised at how effective this can be.

Free Business Books on Kindle

By Bonnie |

I found several law and business themed eBooks that are currently free. This could change at any moment (they don’t really let you know when it will go on sale as free and when it ends, so it’s the luck of the draw), so I advise that you hurry on over and grab these, or look for others, while you can.

Do We Really Need a Logo?

By Bonnie |

Finding a marketing firm that can take you through the process of creating a brand strategy and well-designed logo is important. Whoever you choose should take the time to get to know your firm, your services, clients and goals for growth. So do your research and choose carefully. And no matter what you do, don’t hire your nephew in art school who is pretty good with clip art. It is simply not a good idea.

My Interview with Business Info Guide

By Bonnie |

I’m excited to share that I was recently the featured entrepreneur interview on Business Info Guide: Inspired Resources for Entrepreneurs. It’s a pretty good interview, if I do say so myself. Thanks to Stephanie Chandler for including me on the site! Click here to read the article. https://bit.ly/i95gBs

Social Media Does Work – A Twitter Success Story

By Bonnie |

I still hear quite a bit of doubt about social media, and specifically how it can help with business development. I decided to talk to a business owner – Cathy Iconis of Iconis Group – that has gotten nearly every client she has through Twitter. Below is her input on how it’s worked for her business and how it can work for others.

What I Learned from some Top Notch Reporters and Editors…

By Bonnie |

I recently attended a fantastic Association for Accounting Marketing panel discussion entitled “The Changing Face of Business News.” Panelists included some pretty high-profile folks, including business editors and writers from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Business Chronicle, WABE (Atlanta NPR affiliate) and Thompson Reuters. They talked about ways that professional services firms can get more press coverage, and tips on how you are more likely to get noticed and quoted by their respective mediums.

This Radio Stuff is Fun!

By Bonnie |

Last week, I was asked to be a part of the Atlanta Business Radio show where they feature different small businesses each week. It was great fun, and I met some wonderful people as well. Here’s a link to my broadcast. (I come in at 4:55.) Tell me what you think!

A Year in Review

By Bonnie |

It’s hard to believe that a year ago I was getting everything together to launch my new company. I had no idea where this adventure would take me, but had a plan in hand and that red-headed, strong-willed determination to make it work.

Say What?

By Bonnie |

Poor communication is often listed as the biggest issue faced at most companies. It, along with finances, is the biggest reason for most divorces. So how do we avoid some of the pitfalls brought on by poor communications and make sure our messages are interpreted as we intend?