The Byne Group

Our Blog Has Moved

2011-06-28T08:39:00.004-04:00

We have launched our new website and have moved our blog to our site.

Check it out here: thebynegroup.com/blog

How to Get Out of Our Comfort Zone and Move Past the Guilt Excuse!

2011-04-25T14:47:00.009-04:00

I always read about great conferences, I save the emails and brochures and then tell myself that next time I’ll have the time to attend. So when a good business friend generously offered a ticket to the sold out Simmons Leadership Conference in Boston, I jumped at the chance. Easy, end of story, right? I then spent the next week totally torturing myself. Should I go, shouldn’t I go, too busy at work, too much coordination, too much money and then the walapalusa for all women, my family might need me, aaargh! But alas here I am at my lovely and quiet hotel room typing away. There are adorable little soaps and shampoo and I get to have a very well appointed king size bed all to myself (sorry Eric, I really will miss you).

Why should we push ourselves to attend these kinds of events when the opportunities arise and why is it so difficult for women to make time for ourselves? The answer to the first question is easy, throw hundreds of like-minded people in a room and you’re bound to get something good out of it. Conversation is the inspiration for innovation and who doesn’t need a little inspiration. The second question “guilt” is much more complicated. Sometimes I think it’s a perfect excuse for not moving out of our comfort zones. As a wise friend told me, “You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable.”

So all I have to decide now is which out of three seminars to attend, Understanding Social Networks, Dealing With Difficult People or The Female Vision, hmmmmm. Room service, please!

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

They're Grrrreat! : Everything Old is New Again

2011-03-21T08:08:00.004-04:00

I was watching one of my favorite shows, “Sunday Morning” a few weeks back and learned some interesting new things about the advertising icon Leo Burnett (1891–1971). Many of you probably have no idea who Leo Burnett was, heck I barely knew the name. But I bet everyone knows the Pillsbury Doughboy, Tony the Tiger, The Jolly Green Giant, Morris the Cat, Charlie the Tuna and the unemployed Maytag repairman. As a baby boomer my childhood was filled with many of those characters and Leo Burnett and his agency created them all.

Some of these characters have never gone away, they’ve been tweaked and modernized through the years. Tony first came to life in 1952 and has been going strong ever since. [http://adage.com/century/icon09.html] Others were living on a dusty shelf somewhere in my memory and are now being reintroduced and revved up to engage the next generation. Leo Burnett's genius lives on in these iconic brands

I Googled Leo Burnett to find out more about this advertising giant and yes, although Leo is long gone, his agency, which is now worldwide is going strong. What I found most interesting was just like the iconic characters he created, Leo’s philosophy is also timeless! Here are just a few of his famous quotes about advertising.

“Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty in advertising has proved very unprofitable.”

“Advertising is the ability to sense, interpret… to put the very heart throbs of a business into type, paper and ink.”

“Anyone who thinks that people can be fooled or pushed around has an inaccurate and pretty low estimate of people – and he won’t do very well in advertising.”

And my favorite, which proves “that everything old is new again."

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” Hey! I thought I came up with that!

Leo Burnett (1891–1971)

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Marketing 101 : Make the Complex Simple.

2011-02-15T13:34:00.005-05:00

Unless you live under a rock you have probably seen the Darth Vader Volkswagen ad from the Super Bowl. It’s gone viral with (as of this writing) 23,896,467 hits on YouTube. Why is it so popular? It’s undeniably clever and touching yet very simple, not one word is spoken.

In a media cluttered world, delivering communications with simplicity and clarity is more essential than ever. We are all living in fast paced times and as the world gets more complex we all crave a little simplicity.

During the past few years, many large brands have realized that and simplified their messages. Just think of Charles Schwab and the "Talk to Chuck" campaign. Or Staples with their popular "Easy" Button spots. And one of my favorites the popular UPS "Whiteboard" campaign showing a guy drawing and talking to us about how UPS works. These ads are captivating. I think it’s because of the select amount of words they use and all that beautiful white space.

Consider one of the most famous speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address. It’s emotional language delivered big ideas with purpose and power and in just 278 words!

So how do small businesses get on the bandwagon? After all, who of us has the same kind of marketing budgets as the big guys?

According to the book 27 Powers of Persuasion by Chris St. Hilaire (a well known message strategist) "It’s about persuading people without browbeating them... whether it’s persuading a group or selling a product, it’s easiest to accomplish a goal if your story is simple." Why? I believe its because we are all inundated with messages that shout at us; online, offline, mobile and we crave simplicity and sincerity.

So how can you find the "one" story from "many"? Think about situations in which people experience their own relationships between your brand or service and the lives they lead and depict it. It’s easy if you’re a non-profit, there are always great stories about one person you helped. But what if you’re selling bricks? Try to remember there is always an end user. Those bricks build homes and "many" people live in those homes, and in just "one" of those homes is one family just like you. Just ask yourself what’s going to relate to my specific audience and find the right way to communicate it. Or as Chris puts it in his book, "recognize your audience's reality… So if you sell water don’t ask how do we sell more water ask yourself why do people like water?"

Now back to why the Darth Vader Volkswagen ad from the Super Bowl is so popular. Yes, it leverages humor and the mystique of star wars but there was so much more. It successfully created an emotional connection. How? By getting into the audiences reality with a simple story. As a baby boomer I sat through all of those movies with my son and spent a small fortune on all the merchandising. My son, who begged for all those toys (and still hasn’t forgiven me for giving all of them away) felt nostalgic for his own childhood while watching it. Our realities are different but the ad spoke to both of us.

This “keep it simple” philosophy works across all mediums, from ad messages to websites to social media. To be successful we should always respect how busy people are and not waste their time. You have only a few moments to make an impression, make sure you make it one that potential customers can feel good about.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

The Brands We love and Why!

2011-01-17T09:33:00.010-05:00

Two of my favorite brands are Starbucks and Apple Store. In the book titled "The Power of Co-Creation" the authors talk about how these two brands (and others) have embraced a concept of co-creation to build huge successes.

Starbucks, an experience wrapped in a cup!

I first became a fan of Starbucks not because of the coffee but because of a segment on a Sunday morning show about how they treat their partners (employees) with respect and dignity. They are one of the most progressive employers in the U.S. and that really matters to me.

In 2008 Starbucks had to deal with "the perfect storm." The economy collapsed and the competition became fierce. They didn’t take it lying down. In 2008 they went interactive launching MyStarbucksIdea.com where everyone was invited to help "co-shape" it’s future. In the first year, 65,000 ideas had been submitted and 658,000 votes were cast. In 2009, 50 of the ideas had been approved and began launching. Then, they used their power to do good by launching "Pledge 5.starbucks.com" (ok it didn’t hurt PR either) where fans were asked to donate their time to community service. The result, by fall 2009, 1 million service hours were pledged. No one can say for sure but I believe these initiatives helped them turn a corner and in 2010 they returned to profitability.

The Apple Store, delighting our inner child!

Just step inside any Apple store and observe the level of positive energy. It’s no accident, Apple stores were designed to make customers feel comfortable; to play with the toys, interact with staff or just read their email. During a visit to Atlanta during the holidays, I had a great conversation with my cousin who has always loved Apple products. He was the first person I knew to purchase an iphone, he waited on line for 7 hours to get it and Apple served everyone breakfast (talk about putting a positive spin on a long wait). When the ipad was launched, he stood in line again. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that when he semi-retired from his successful career he decided to work part-time at an Apple store just for fun. Yes, I said fun! His excitement is contagious as he shares the relationships Apple creates with employees, and the meaningful two-way interactions it fosters with its clients.

Impressively, according to Ramaswamy and Gouillart "Apple embraced co-creation to enhance the speed and scope of its innovation, generating over $1 billion for its App-Store partner-Developers in two years." Not bad!

So, what have I taken away from Starbucks' and Apple’s roaring success? For me, it’s working to create a culture where staff and clients can comfortably interact, learn and even disagree. In the end it’s all about everyone flourishing.

Do you have a story about your favorite brand, please share.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Please Talk Back (The Perfect Mantra for Social Media Marketing!)

2011-01-11T09:43:00.012-05:00

Social media offers marketers an opportunity to engage in conversation about their brand. So, how did this baby boomer get to know anything about the benefits of social media? Isn't that a young person's game?

Well, once upon a time, a young woman (that was me), wielded my best marketing and design tools – Pantone markers, letraset – to provide clients with the kind of perfect layouts and marketing messages that assumed people were listening. For the most part, they were. It was a less cynical world. Marketers weren’t competing with the Internet, or YouTube or video on demand or online ratings. Consumers didn’t register for "do not call" lists, use DVRs to tape TV shows so they could “skip” the commercials, or Google clients to see how some of its previous customers felt about their service or product. When we talked to consumers the last thing we wanted was for them to talk back.

Fast forward 25 years, the design and advertising landscape has drastically changed. My markers and paper have long since been retired and replaced with a computer that allows my agency to create marketing materials in less than one twentieth the time. The newspapers of our day are fighting for their lives, the post office is gasping for breath and the youngest members of our population are determined to "opt-in" for marketing.

The times have changed, and good marketers must change with them. For me, that often means educating clients on the latest tools in the marketing toolbox. In some cases, it means pushing them online to listen to the conversation that's taking place right now about their brand. Better yet, I counsel them to encourage the conversation, to ask for feedback in order to do a better job of giving their customers what they're telling them they want.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject!

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

A Guest Post : 7 Steps to Building Successful LinkedIn Relationships

2010-12-16T09:17:00.008-05:00

Our guest blogger, Anthony Fasano, P.E., ACC.

I am frequently invited to give 60 minute seminars on how to use LinkedIn effectively. In an effort to keep these seminars simple and useful, I developed the following 7 steps to guide individuals and organizations through building LinkedIn relationships that will be impactful to their business, which I will share with you through the following post.

1. Build a Complete Profile
a. Make sure your profile is 100 % complete – include education, awards, etc., the more robust, the higher your Google ranking
b. Use a professional picture, preferably one that you use on other sites
c. Use the specialties box to add keywords that will help with LinkedIn and Google searches
d. Update your status regularly with articles, desires, quotes, etc.
e. Change your profile when your professional title changes
f. Include your website and blog under “Websites”
g. Do not block incoming e-mails from LinkedIn

2. Connect with people you know. This includes clients, co-workers, colleagues, college friends, etc. There are so many people on LinkedIn that you may feel overwhelmed at times. Start by connecting to your ‘warm market’. You can use LinkedIn’s webmail importer (under Contacts) to find your contacts through your e-mail who are already on LinkedIn. Once you start building up ‘warm market’ connections, request recommendations (under Profile) from those that you have worked for or with in the past.

3. Determine your target market! You will not build successful relationships on LinkedIn unless you define your target market. There are millions and millions of people on LinkedIn, if you don’t have a clear idea of whom you want to talk to, you will waste a lot of time. Once you have identified your target market, then you can start to really focus your efforts on LinkedIn and social media in general.

4. Join Groups focused on your target market. Joining these LinkedIn groups will give you access to large numbers of people. This gives you an avenue to communicate with and relay information to your target market.

5. Participate in discussions in your groups. Participating in group discussions will help you to establish yourself as an expert in your field and build your credibility within your target market.

6. Through the discussions and groups, connect with people in your target market or industry. Once you join these groups and start to participate in them, you will have the ability to start to connect with people in your target market. I like to call these “strategic” connections, as they can be very impactful to your business.

7. Start building professional relationships with these “strategic” connections that will have an impact on your business, whether they become clients, partners, etc. To build successful relationships on LinkedIn, you have to take the relationships further than just connecting. Start speaking with these people whether by direct message, e-mail, telephone or even in-person meetings, once you get to know them.

All right, now you have a road map to start building successful LinkedIn relationships, get to work!!

Anthony Fasano is a professional coach, speaker, and author specializing in career and business growth and development. He uses his highly effective coaching and speaking techniques to help helps individuals and organizations sustain, grow and expand! He is the author of a Daily Boost From Your Professional Partner, a popular (and free!) daily e-mail service available to professionals interested in staying focused and inspired in their career and leadership endeavors. Anthony is also the Founder & CEO of Powerful Purpose Associates; you can visit his website at www.powerfulpurpose.com. Click to Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn and Facebook for valuable career and business growth information.

The Gift of Giving

2010-12-06T09:02:00.010-05:00

It’s that time of the year again. Enchanting sounds, colorful lights and warm wishes from friends and family are a friendly reminder that it’s the season for giving. Tara Parker-Pope says, “…giving gifts is a surprisingly complex and important part of human interaction, helping to define relationships and strengthen bonds with family and friends. Indeed, psychologists say it is often the giver, rather than the recipient, who reaps the biggest psychological gains from a gift.”

This year at The Byne Group we’ve decided to give the gift of a flock of chicks through Heifer International. In past years we’ve purchased a goat and honey bees. And the giving continues throughout 2011. For every new client we’ll be purchasing a flock of chicks in their name!

Network for Good is all about giving and making it easy for people to give. Imagine that every time you became inspired to help someone or something that you could do it with just a click of your mouse. How about the gift of a “good card?” You can purchase this card online at www1.networkforgood.org/good-card and then give it as a gift to whomever. The recipient can use this card to donate to any of their favorite causes; a charity fighting a disease that’s touched your family; the homeless shelter around the corner; or the school you love.

Giving made simple! What are you “giving” this holiday season?

–Melissa Behrens, Art Director, The Byne Group

(source: A Gift That Gives Right Back? The Giving Itself. New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/health/11well.html)

A Guest Post : Ethics in Graphic Design

2010-11-08T14:10:00.011-05:00

Our Guest blogger and friend, Eileen MacAvery Kane, shares her insights on a topic close to my heart.

Ethics is a hot topic in many fields of study these days. Business majors, law students, and those entering the health field are usually required to take courses in ethics. My son, an undergraduate business major, recently took a course on environmental law. The required text was “The Ethics of Climate Change” with a sub-title of “right and wrong in a warming world.” While the term “ethics” often conjures up a visual image of “purity” and seeing things in “black and white,”as my son discovered, ethics is a grey area where right and wrong aren’t always clearly defined.

I’ve worked as a graphic designer for over 25 years and recently completed my MFA in graphic design with a thesis focusing on ethics in graphic design. Since writing a paper, creating a blog, and publishing a field guide on the topic, I’ve had friends and colleagues call me “the ethics lady” and imply that I walk on higher ground because of it. On the contrary, I’m no more (or less) ethical than the rest of us, just a bit more informed as a result of my research.

When I started working with this topic I thought because of my extensive industry experience I would know most topics dealing ethics in graphic design. As I began to talk to industry professionals, educators, and students I soon discovered topics that I hadn’t even considered. Graphic designers deal with all kinds of ethical issues on a daily basis—crowd sourcing, cronyism, sustainability, photo manipulation, copyright, cultural influence, corporate sponsorships, font licensing, and responsibility to their clients are just a few.

Informed and responsible graphic design firms can help their clients navigate through these issues and create branding and marketing materials that are ethical on all fronts.

Read more here: http://www.ethicsingraphicdesign.org/?page_id=31

–Eileen MacAvery Kane

Nyack Hospital : Give and Grow

2010-10-25T14:34:00.019-04:00

When we heard about the Give and Grow Program through The Journal News we knew we wanted to be involved. Knowing this ad was going to run in September and October and that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month we chose to highlight The Breast Center at Nyack Hospital for one of our submissions.

We did research on breast cancer in women to inspire us, we wanted to have a real impact on the readers and felt the ad should be a public announcement reminding women to get their yearly mammograms. This is where we pulled in the headline, "1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with cancer," a statistic that certainly got my attention. The body copy supports and reinforces the headline message, "By the time you can feel a lump in the breast it is often 0.4 inches, or one centimeter, in size and contains roughly a million cells. It is estimated that a tumor of this size may take one to five years to develop. During that time, the cancer may metastasize, or spread by lymphatics or blood to areas elsewhere in your body."

Once we had the headline and copy down we needed a visual. After some different visual ideas I came up with the perfect image, a simple pink string around a woman’s finger. Using Dana, our Junior Designer’s index finger we took lots of shots and with a little photo retouching we added the image into the layout. We chose to create the ad in black and white to show the bold importance of having a mammogram while keeping the ribbon pink as a focal point and because the pink ribbon is so iconic.

I hope the ad we created reminded women to the importance of making their yearly mammogram appointments.

–Melissa Behrens, Art Director, The Byne Group

SPCA of Westchester : Give and Grow

The Give and Grow program sponsored by The Journal News was really the perfect fit for us. We always try to give back, not only to our clients, but to our community as well. Now we could give back with a 10"x10" pro bono ad for a charity of our choice that would run in The Journal News for free.

We chose SPCA of Westchester as one of the organizations to create an ad for because of their stellar reputation for providing care and permanent placements for animals in need. They are also involved in countless community programs revolving around animals. I’m a huge animal person and these organizations give all of our communities and friends hope.

We met with Lisa Bonanno, Development Associate at SPCA of Westchester, and took a brief tour of the large facilities in Briarcliff Manor, NY. Lisa wanted to focus the ad on "The Lonely Hearts Club" – a new program at SPCA of Westchester that is dedicated to placing animals who are older or have special needs – both socially and physically.

After thorough research of regional shelter and animal service ads, we decided to take a surprisingly brighter and hopeful approach rather than focus on the negative. We decided to make the ad entirely from a dog's point of view.

Zach is the pooch we decided to feature. He's a 2 year old handsome fella who’s part of The Lonely Hearts Club program. So cute, he surely deserves a forever family of his own and think he would have much to say if he could, so we decided to become his voice.

The ad’s headline gives you the big story – Zach is lonely without a family and the supporting copy is his brief story of coming to SPCA of Westchester, how great they’ve been to him, how he would love to move onto his forever family, and that you should come visit him and his friends. The remaining copy tells you more about the organization, it's importance to the community, and highlights contact information for you to take further action. The SPCA of Westchester has a photographer they use on a regular basis who provided the photo. [snootydog.com] We decided to silo the dog out of the photograph and set him on a warm yellow background for high color impact in a newspaper that is mainly black and white.

We believe the ad was successful and are grateful to have been a part of the Give and Grow Program. The SPCA of Westchester loved the ad as well. It is currently on display at the front desk for everyone to see.

–Amanda Holt, Creative Director, The Byne Group

I'm Not Much of a Traveler, I Don't Go on Guilt Trips, or Do I?

2010-10-20T08:45:00.005-04:00

I just read a really fascinating article a client forwarded to me from the NY Times today. The article makes the point that it isn't financial incentives or more information that drives consumers, but guilt. The article focuses on the secret to turning consumers green with some amazing examples on how and why a little bit of guilt works. [http://bit.ly/Green-Consumers]

I have always felt the goal of marketing and advertising should be to create an emotional connection with the viewers, and when done right it works. We love to share an experience that make us laugh, feel inspired and proud. But what about guilt, should that ever be part of the equation? I was raised in the middle, middle child, middle boomer, middle grades, sandwiched between the guilt my parents fostered in me and my kids knowing how to manipulate it. Think about how marketers have tuned in to this powerful “guilt” weapon. I read a study that when boxed cake mixes introduced the idea that customers had to add their own egg to the mix the sale of the product spiked. The study explains that people felt less guilty about not baking from scratch!

There are tons of consumer research papers on this subject. According to a 2009 paper, Measuring Existential Guilt Appeals on Donation Intention [http://bit.ly/awOsQ1] "When the audience feels existential guilt they will attempt to minimize the feeling by possibly donating to charity. But that highly intensive guilt appeals evoked anger, irritation and annoyance."

I’m happy to say that I am getting better in managing my own guilt. After all it's just a substitute emotion when you're unwilling to feel what you're really feeling and serves no useful purpose at all. Now please, tell my kids!

What are your thoughts on the subject, please share.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Surprise Me Please and While You're at it Make Me Laugh!

2010-09-29T12:37:00.007-04:00

This concept is nothing new as Aristotle, one of the great thinkers from the ancient world said "The secret to humor is surprise."

I think its human nature to like surprises, defined by freedictionary.com, surprise is, "to cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated." In advertising and marketing both off and on line, the element of surprise makes us take notice. Then add the extra zing of humor to the mix and you’ve got the beginning of a powerhouse of a campaign.

Just think of some of your favorite campaigns from the past. To totally age myself, one of my favs is "Where’s The Beef" from a Wendy's ad in 1984 (yikes, how time fly's). In the ad, a very senior Clara Peller receives a burger with a massive bun from a fictional competitor. The small patty prompts her to angrily exclaim, "Where's the beef?" This catch phrase was repeated everywhere and practically started the term viral marketing before the term ever existed. For those of you who weren’t even born in 1984 just think about the 2010 Super Bowl ad with Betty White selling Snickers, an ad that did go viral with over 2 million views on youtube. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1Sv_z9jm8A).

But it doesn’t have to be just traditional advertising, I love the guerrilla marketing campaign that IKEA has been using. They went to the streets and literally covered benches, parking meters even bike seats with their fabric and added small signs which read" A little Fabric Makes a Big Difference" completely brilliant and unanticipated! (http://inventorspot.com/articles/ikea_element_surprise_7332).

Any great campaigns that made you feel wonder, please share.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Don't Shout at Me

2010-08-24T11:02:00.007-04:00

When it comes to marketing it’s not how loud you shout it’s how well you make the connection.

I’m spending a week helping out with my 3 year and 3 month old grandkids and I realize the same is true in influencing people in our personal lives. I forgot the morning fights I had when my kids were 3, you know waking them up, what they will or won’t wear to school, how full the cereal bowl has to be, etc. It would be easy to shout and demand they do what I want but to what end. In a book about parenting to inspire values titled, Children Learn What They Live, the focus is the way things are said. If you shout one day how much louder will you need to shout the next to be heard. Any of us who have raised children know eventually they will tune us out completely. The ideal way, listen and understand the motives for the behavior and gently but clearly motivate.

Motivating clients is very much the same. First you have to understand your marketplace and find meaningful connections. Next you need to be consistent in your message. And last remember we live in a media cluttered world, delivering communications with simplicity and clarity makes all the difference.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Calmness, a Goal at the Workplace

2010-08-04T13:42:00.012-04:00

When was the last time you thought of yourself as being calm. For most of us these are anything but tranquil times. We’re inundated with information, overwhelmed with daily tasks and asked to keep pace with technology that keeps moving faster and faster. Personally I can’t tell you how often I have responded to email from clients without thinking through the correctness of my answer and even worse the flippant way I might have handled an issue with staff saying words that can never be taken back (if anyone reading this ever felt bruised, I'm really trying to do better).

A favorite quote of mine by James Allen an English poet from the early 1900s said it well. “The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good.”

What to do! A possible suggestion, lets continue to have the conversations, (either on- or offline) but lets give ourselves some breathing room before and after. Take time to take stock, breathe and yes be calm!

Any ideas on how you find calmness during your workday, please share.

-Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Adventures of The Byne Group Intern

2010-08-04T12:00:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone,

Guess what? I'm a finalist in the Chiquita Banana new label contest! The contest was to design a new fun label that will be featured on the bananas, without using any text. So I made the top 50… although the designs won't be officially posted on eatachiquita.com until August 23, 2010.

When it's up I am going to need everyone to vote for me. Top 18 designs get to be printed on the bananas!!!

–Dana Tandoi, Intern, The Byne Group

Adventures of The Byne Group Intern

2010-07-23T13:40:00.009-04:00

Hello everyone! I'm back!

Since I last blogged The Byne Group has kept me very busy. I've worked on such a wide array of different projects. Over the last few days I have been working on flyers for a local charity, made a few changes on a logo I've designed for an insurance company, designed a whole invitation package for a banquet event, and was on the set of a photo shoot.

Being on the set of a photo shoot is so exciting! There is so much that goes into taking a picture it's insane. All the equipment has to be set up just right, the model has to be sitting at the right angle, and the weather needs to be cooperating to get that "picture perfect" picture. It was really interesting to see the process of making that perfect picture.

This photo is from one of the shoots I was on for United Hospice of Rockland.

Back to work!
Dana

–Dana Tandoi, Intern, The Byne Group

The "KEY" to Keywords

2010-07-20T16:12:00.009-04:00

10 Tips to Maximize Your SEO Using Keywords

Our clients are always asking us for ways to improve traffic to their websites. “One of the 'KEYS' to improving their SEO” we tell them, "is to use keywords correctly.” Here are 10 tips to help you unlock the keyword puzzle:

1: When setting up your website, make sure you have descriptive content on your home page that will be recognized by search engines. This means using words and ALSO phrases that pertain to your particular service or product.

2: A little research could be the KEY! Make a list of words and phrases that describe your service or product. Now go to your competitor’s site or a comparable service present online and see how they are or aren't utilizing keywords. Looking at comparable sites (if designed wisely!) is a great way to see if you're missing an important phrase or keyword.

3: Do a bit of research about how your customers or users might describe your service or product. You might be surprised that your definition and theirs contain different descriptions AND different keywords or phrases you may want to incorporate.

4: DON'T use slang or "industry" terms unless you provide an industry service or product. Use keywords that the general public would likely be using to find you.

5: If your service or product is contained to a "location," make sure that location is stated somewhere on your home page. We all hate when we pull up a service thinking it's local and it's halfway across the country. If your service is national or international... well, you should state that too!

6: Is your copy live? Images of text are not going to help your SEO. Make sure your keywords are not images but live text, including your menus.

7: A good way to "ADD" keywords to your existing home page is to put an additional list of keyword links at the bottom of your page that are descriptive and bring users to subsequent areas of your site. This is also a useful tool for your SEO when designing a new site.

8: DON'T over do it! In this case, less is more. Cramming as many keywords or phrases that are not relevant to your service or product can actually lower your rankings. Choose wisely, and if you are unsure, you can get help from experts (like The Byne Group), to guide you.

9: Now, make sure your hierarchy of web pages in your site also follow these rules and contain keywords and relevant phrases for your service or product. Follow all the same general guidelines as for the home page.

10: And finally, if this all baffles you, just call us at The Byne Group and we’ll help you unlock the keyword puzzle!

–Amanda Holt, Creative Director, The Byne Group

Giving Back is Good for Business

2010-06-29T13:08:00.012-04:00

I’m a big believer in giving back to the communities we do business in, but is it also good for our small businesses bottom lines? I believe so! Giving back to the community can raise your business' profile and even bring you more customers or clients.

According to Umair Haque's article from Harvard Business Review, Why Betterness is Good Business. “Striving to do more good is associated with greater profitability, equity and asset returns, and shareholder value creation.” And he believes these new business models will help build companies with a purpose, and a mission that is truly understood by their customers.

And as successful members of the community, we have a responsibility to help those that are less fortunate and contribute to the common good. I really enjoy the intangible benefit of giving. Giving back to the community gives me a wonderful feeling of connectedness and the satisfaction of at least trying to make my small corner of the world a better place.

I think customers like patronizing businesses that give back and I believe that giving back has helped my firm move forward!

Have you found ways to give back, would love to hear from you.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

Meet The Byne Group Intern

2010-06-10T10:45:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone! I am Dana, the new intern at The Byne Group. Currently I am a Senior at SUNY Purchase where I am studying Graphic Design.

I have only been here two weeks, but have noticed that being in the working world is slightly different than being at art school. For one, I have yet to walk in and find someone sleeping at their desk from the night before. Also, design work goes in and out of the office in about two or three days. At school it’s more like six or seven weeks.

Despite the differences, I love my internship at The Byne Group just as much as being at school. They have truly welcomed me and made me feel part of their "group."

–Dana Tandoi, Intern, The Byne Group

Take the Plunge into Web 3.0

2010-06-08T11:04:00.011-04:00

We have now entered the world of Web 3.0. Is your website stuck in 1.0 or 2.0 mode? Answer these 5 questions to find out:

1: Is your site static? (meaning your website shows the same content over and over again)

2: Has your company grown and evolved? That’s great! But have you brought your website along for the ride?

3: Are your competitors’ websites bigger and better then yours?

4: Is your site interactive with your viewers?

5: Have you added social media outlets to your website?

These are the most important things to keep in mind when updating your website. Basically your website is your “first impression” and we all know first impressions are very important. I can say from personal experience how important a well designed website can be to potential customers.

When I moved recently I needed to find a veterinarian closer to my new home. So I searched on Google Maps for local vets in the area and chose one with a great website design. The information was well organized I could move through the site easily and found everything I was looking for. I knew that a company who is well branded probably had it pretty well together (first impressions...). Once I visited the vet, their office, stationary, their everything had one consistent look. They left out no details. And the veterinarian herself was amazing. [rockawayvet.com]

You need to keep your website interesting, up-to-date and take the leap into Web 3.0. You don’t want to bore your current customers and in the process of the update you’ll probably get new customers.

–Melissa Behrens, Art Director, The Byne Group

Coincidences, Serendipity and Business Success

2010-05-25T09:54:00.008-04:00

I am a believer in serendipity and coincidences and the amazing power it has in our lives. Hey one of my favorite sayings is “coincidences is gods way of being anonymous.” In a book by Glenn Llopis titled Earning Serendipity he talks about serendipity and the 4 steps that build pathways to prosperity. [www.earningserendipity.com/the-book.php]

The one that really resonated with me was seeing with circular vision. He describes that when you broaden your observation beyond what you seek and beyond the obvious details in front of you, you enlarge your field of opportunities.

I think that’s so true! I was a one person show until I received an unsolicited call from someone looking for work. Rather than being dismissive we spoke for a bit and he shared that he had designed his own magazine in Ireland. Coincidentally I learned earlier that day that I was chosen to design a magazine, something which I felt completely unprepared for! Hence my first employee.

I comfortably search within conversations in business settings for links, the numerous aha moments with surprise connections. You know, where did you grow up, what book did you just read and love? And when I network for business it especially helps me to feel less awkward. Where my difficulty seems to arise is comfortably doing the same with family and friends for “business” aha moments. Finding the links that might lead to business referrals seemed too tacky.

Maybe this comes easier for men, you know over a round of golf with pals the conversation naturally shifts to business connections. I hate to generalize but not so for women. Conversations with our friends tend to drift towards our children or the most recent guy in our lives. Of course we might complain about work or ask for business advice but asking friends or family for business connections seems to be pushy and personally speaking almost taboo.

I’m seriously trying to rethink my point of view and will attempt to use the powerful tool of “serendipity” in all phases of my life. HELP! Any thoughts or advice on how to get there please share.

–Ann Byne, Principal of The Byne Group

The Millennial Generation & Social Media

2010-05-11T15:13:00.007-04:00

Marketers are enthralled by Gen Y's youngest partner, the Millennials and for very good reason: They are an important market today and will become even more important as they graduate, hopefully start jobs, and spend money.

Because one of the markets we do work in is colleges, I can't get enough on the subject. Today I read with interest an article at media post by Jack Loechner about 200 Students from the College of Journalism at University of Maryland who unplugged all their media for 24 hours. (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=127323)

I have a nineteen year old nephew and if you spend any time around any 18-22 year olds you know gadgets are like appendages to them. They can't imagine life without their cell phones and iPods. So what caused the most anxiety for these 200 Millennial's in the study? One student wrote, "This technology craze has become so deeply ingrained in each of us we know no other way of living our lives, but to rely on our cell phones, laptops, televisions, and iPods to keep us occupied and connected with the world around us..."

Daily text-messaging by teens has "shot up" dramatically in the past 18 months, according to a new study, "Teens and Mobile Phones," from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. The study also said nearly 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds have cell phones, hey no surprise here. And the love affair between teens and texting will only continue to grow. An interesting dilemma as marketers try to stay connected to this generation in a honest and meaningful way.

–Ann Byne, Principal of The Byne Group

Tradigital : The Link Between Traditional and Digital Marketing?

2010-04-28T09:13:00.014-04:00

Just when I though I heard it all I came across a term that was a new one for me “TRADIGITAL” on a post written by fellow Pratt Graduate David Darmano. I checked the term out and it’s not in any dictionary or on Wikipedia but it is a very simple way to understand the link between traditional and digital marketing.

To me simple is always good when I give seminars. I like using “outbound vs. inbound” to describe the difference between new and old media. With outbound we send our messages “out” to the world, using all forms of traditional advertising. With inbound we depend on people finding us and coming “in” and hopefully sharing with their contacts their experiences, hopefully positive. But what links the two together? Enewsletters, eblasts, ecampaigns, banner ads fills that gap. With these tools we have the opportunity to say what’s on our mind and tell our own stories about our firms. Then if we have added interesting links we get to hear opinions and a conversation can begin. The best part, we can evaluate what works by those responses; who opens it, where they go, who opts out and who passes it on. But what do we call that link?

As I was preparing for a seminar I was giving to the Association of Development Officers last week in Westchester I decided to use the term “tradigital” and see how my audience responded. It was fun watching peoples expressions and even more fun when they tried to say the tongue twister for the first time! Thanks David, it has real stickiness and it will definitely be in my next seminar as well! Check out David at darmano.typepad.com.

–Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal of The Byne Group

What's Your Brand Story : Why the Promises Our Firms Make Matter

2010-04-07T12:38:00.009-04:00

“Brands are stories, containing a promise to perform, at every possible contact point. These stories are accepted or rejected by consumer audiences based on performance.” –Neal Mendelsohn, Chief Experience Officer at Fourth Wall, LA

I agree with Neal, stories matter. It’s the way potential clients are engaged, acquired and retained. In my years helping firms with branding and marketing I sometimes see a gap between the promise a clients story makes and the experience people might have. What I try to stress moving forward with them is the importance of an honest message. Hiding our real capacity from other people will eventually lead to diminish our capacity for real. This is not about lying, it’s about being transparent. And once you cross the line it becomes a slippery slope becoming impossible to ever catch up!

Whenever I give seminars on branding and social media I use a great definition Howard Levy, Principal of Red Rooster Group shared with me.

Promise + Experience = Brand

I like it because it’s such a simple way to understand that an experience that doesn’t live up to a firm or organizations promise impacts how their brand is seen not to mention their bottom line. The lesson that keeps resonating with me is something a mentor shared with me years ago, “under promise and over deliver.” It sounds so simple and so logical that we almost take it for granted. And now with social media and ambient awareness, it’s a big, virtual world out there and whether you like it or not, people are talking about you! Every time you can give more than promised it’s like giving a little present that people aren’t expecting.

*Oh, and by the way Neal Mendelsohn is my very talented cousin. (My dads brothers left NY to follow their dreams in California in the 60s and their kids never looked back) Visit his blog: staytruetoyourbrand.com

–Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal of The Byne Group

Yes, I Collect

2010-03-08T10:16:00.014-05:00

The Power of “Nostalgic” Marketing Inspired by Collecting

I’m not sure why, but I collect flower frogs and doorknobs. I don’t arrange flowers frequently and I really don’t need the doorknobs, but I just can’t stop. It’s the emotional connection I have that compels me to collect. I have other collections as well. Crate labels, coins, and of course as a designer, I collect bits and pieces of art, wood type, advertising and designs I find interesting and inspiring.

For me, the items I collect are points of inspiration. I tend to surround myself with these items as constant visual stimulation. Others may display collections in their homes as décor. In most instances though, our collections are nostalgic ties to our past. We have memories connected to these objects.

Today I find myself even collecting people. Yes, people. With the invention of Facebook, I’m finding myself wrapped up in nostalgia. Connecting (and collecting) people from my past. Each new connection brings back a memory. Sometimes not so great, but overall memories that are positive, and make me feel good inside. Don’t think the people running Facebook and other social media applications haven’t picked up on this. It’s a form of Nostalgic Marketing, and it’s working!

Creating an emotional connection with your audience is one of the most important objectives when trying to get and keep ones attention. We strive to make these connections with our design strategies at The Byne Group with each project we work on. Many times I look to my collections for inspiration or try to find out what others collect, both physical and emotional, to come up with an idea. Using a certain font or color combination may be all it takes to evoke a nostalgic, emotional response from a particular audience.

Some companies are re-introducing the nostalgic product itself as a marketing strategy such as Ford’s re-launch of the Mustang, and Coca-Cola’s vintage glass bottle packaging. Other companies, like VISA, are banking on your nostalgic connection to visual stimuli by using vintage footage in their recent Olympics sponsorship commercials. Then there are the companies that want you to start collecting products. How many times can you remember the end of a commercial yelling, “Collect them all!”

Take a look at what you collect. What is your particular audience collecting or have a nostalgic (emotional collection) attachment to? Video games, barbed wire, milk glass, Facebook friends? Whatever it is, it can become a powerful tool in your marketing and design strategy.

-Amanda Holt, Art Director, The Byne Group

Cultivating Your Brand in the New Economy: How Social Media Becomes a Trust Agent

2010-02-05T11:42:00.007-05:00

I don’t believe social media will ever replace the need for business development people or traditional marketing but in the new economy it definitely needs to be a part of your marketing arsenal.

Traditional branding is a top down approach with companies, both profit and non-profits defining their own brand. The difference today, brands are being defined by conversations, by what people say both good or bad about your firm. Is this how your firm is engaging clients?

Promise + Experience = Brand

Core values of a firm are created internally, but the branding of the promise happens outside by how clients experience you. In today’s environment where every firm offers “quality services, on time and under budget,” it is difficult to differentiate. Difficult unless you have built trust and relationships in the market place. “Look at it this way: "Traditional marketing was like taking a sledge hammer and hitting your prospects and clients over the head with it. It was almost like, “Believe me, or else.”

Branding today is like a magnet that draws clients to the company a “trust agent." This is the real value and purpose of social media in a business context.

Facebook and LinkedIn are already well established. And your firms’ employees and clients under the age of 40 use Twitter and text messaging as a part of life. So, this is definitely not a fad. Social media is the place where you cultivate your brand in the new economy and where ambient awareness is a way of life. And yes like everything else worth doing it takes thoughtful strategy and a real commitment of time to do it right.

–Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal of The Byne Group

Parts excerpted from: engineeringdaily.net

Building Relationships: Pleasing Your Existing Customer Base

2010-01-27T16:40:00.014-05:00

How are you getting through this tough economic time?

Last year during our regular Monday morning meeting I broached the subject about the economy with my team. Lets talk about our future? None of us knew exactly how things would play out and yes I was more than a little nervous. What I did know and shared with them was, now more than ever, our clients needed to know how valued they were and we needed to approach their assignments no matter how small, as if it was our first and only chance to prove ourselves. We’ve worked very hard this year and we’ve been lucky, our clients are all still in business and happily, not one of them has gone elsewhere.

While a growing business needs to constantly have new customers, the focus must be on pleasing your existing customer base. From my experience companies that fail to nurture and retain their clients ultimately fail. I remember when the dot com was all the rage in the 80’s (ok, so I’ve been around awhile). Firms I knew were dropping their clients pursuing the glitzy new kid on the block! Sadly when it all went bust many of those firms went out of business.

According to an article in Harvard Business Review “Building Relationships” shows where many companies are headed, and all must inevitably go if they hope to remain competitive. The key distinction between a traditional and a customer-cultivating company is that one is organized to push products and brands whereas the other is designed to serve customers...”

–Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal of The Byne Group

Harvard Business Review: http://hbr.org/2010/01/rethinking-marketing/ar/1

A Guest Post : Taking on Social Media – How One Non-Profit Took on the Challenge

2010-01-26T15:45:00.019-05:00

Our Guest blogger and friend, Amy Stern, Director of United Hospice of Rockland shares her personal story.

On a fairly regular basis, Ann Byne, a member of our board of directors and principal of The Byne Group, encourages us to rethink how we are approaching our branding and marketing efforts. She suggested that we needed to start using social media to “get our name out there” as well as to develop and strengthen relationships with our supporters. My initial reaction was, “You’ve got to be kidding.” The resistance came from two areas of resistance: (1) This fifty-something was somewhat apprehensive about stepping into an area with which I was not familiar and (2) With everything we already had our plate, how would we make time for this? I’m sure many of you can sympathize.

Ann encouraged us to start small but to start. We agreed that we would publish an e-newsletter every other month. This seemed manageable to us. The first task was to begin to gather email addresses.They were gleaned from a variety of sources throughout the organization and are now added to on a regular basis so that the list will grow over time. Leadership staff has been asked to collect business cards with email addresses when they attend meetings. Donor envelopes allow for email addresses to be provided. Directories of local membership organizations were sources for the list. Responsibility for writing the newsletter was assigned to a staff member. The Byne Group taught us how to use the mass mailing software, Emma, into which we regularly download new email addresses. They also created a template into which we place our newsletter text. Their skilled eyes review and polish it before we distribute it. We just completed our fourth issue. Feedback has been positive and few addressees have asked to be omitted from the list. The challenge has been to write assorted snippets of news that encourage readers to: migrate to our website, open a link, answer a question or engage with us in some way. I can’t miss this blogging opportunity to share the most recent edition of our newsletter, click here.

Ann became quite the taskmaster and informed us that we were not yet done! The next step in the process was to identify a social media site on which we would create a presence. With trepidation, I volunteered to learn about Facebook. In order to become an administrator of a Facebook page, you must first sign on as an individual user. I spent a few weeks trying to learn some of the ins and outs. The Byne Group created our page and then like coaching a child to jump into the pool to learn how to swim, they sent us out on our own providing feedback along the way.

We soon learned that in order to make an impact, you need to gather fans. We didn’t want just any fans but rather fans of substance. For starters, we wanted individuals who lived in Rockland, supported our work, would believe in our mission, and would help us to spread the word about what we do.

In mid-November, I arbitrarily decided we should set a goal of 1000 fans by year end (we had 130 fans at the time). New Year’s came and went, our goal was so close, then by January 4 we hit 1000 fans. As of today we are at 1,196 fans. Success feels very sweet! Yes, It took a little work but we think it was worth it. We post something on our page several times a week. Examples of postings on our page are (1) unsolicited testimonials from fans about the services we provide (2) upcoming events and (3) a request for help with sign language translation that yielded a volunteer. Soon, we will post a survey and use its results to shape some of our advertising efforts. We are sold on the impact that social media can make. My recommendations, don’t miss this opportunity, start slowly, but start!

Oh and please join my list of fans, who knows 2,000 by the spring? [click here to visit The United Hospice of Rockland Facebook Page]

–Amy Stern, Director of United Hospice of Rockland

How Non-Profits Can Leverage the Web

2009-12-14T12:15:00.007-05:00

On Friday, we gave a presentation for United Way and Pace University Not-for-Profit Management Center, How Non-Profits Can Leverage the Web: Marketing Your Organization Using Online Tools. We had some help from our friend Howard Greenstein, Social Media Evangelist and President of The Harbrooke Group.

We wanted to post a few of the videos we presented, for anyone interested.

We received these fabulous video's from JohnHaydon.com

Social Networking in Plain English is done by the smart people at Common Craft.

Case Study : How Did We Do That?

2009-11-23T12:15:00.026-05:00

Every Thanksgiving The Byne Group tries to have some fun putting together unusual cards for our clients. This year Ann Byne was inspired by the most amazing aprons her mother-in-law recently gave her (her mom's mom had made them in the 50s). Through the magic of Photoshop we happily gathered wearing the aprons in a 50s kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving meal with attitude!

So how was I able to do this you may ask. On Halloween we all dressed up as 50s house wives. We then all took photos of one another against a white wall. As you can see some of us really got into character.

After the photos were taken, I downloaded them onto my computer. Using Photoshop I cut away the background so just a silo of each person remained. Since we didn't have a turkey laying around I also had to add a photo of a turkey in my hands.

Once everyone was cut out, I added them into the kitchen photo I had found. I re-sized each appropriately, people in the front were larger and people in the back were smaller to give the illusion of depth.

All of us had a lot of fun with this year's Thanksgiving card. It's always great when each of us can bring an idea to the table and incorporate it all. We have gotten amazing feedback from those who have received the card. Look for our upcoming issue of Freshly Squeezed where we'll have a downloadable PDF of drink recipes of the top 6 mixed drinks from the 50s and favorites of the MadMen characters.

-Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer, The Byne Group

Have you submitted your website to all the top search engines?

2009-11-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

At my recent presentation at Pace University on Social Media I was asked, "Why can't people find my website when they search online?" My answer, a bit flippant, was that it would take another three hour class for a decent response about search engine optimization (SEO).

On reflection, my answer should have been another question. Have you submitted your website to all the top search engines? Seems obvious, right, but often this first very simple step is overlooked. Search engines are the most used sites out there, and there is a much greater possibility that people will find you if you are registered in their database. The good news, you don't need to be a programmer or a website whiz or pay somebody loads of money and it's simple to do!

How To Do It
First: Visit the search engine that you are interested in submitting to and at the bottom of the page; there is usually a link that says something like, "submit your site." If you cannot find this link, try the site map or the "about" page.

Second: Make sure that you completely fill out each section of the submission form and submit your site only ONCE to each engine.

Another interesting fact is that after a website is indexed in Google, Bing and Yahoo then new content will automatically be picked up by the crawler each time it visits the site. And don't forget social media sites. After you have submitted your site to the big search engines, you can submit it toask.com and stumble.

Crossing An Imaginary Line In Order To Build A Career

2009-10-26T16:54:00.009-04:00

Living the life and career we want means taking ownership and making our own luck.

If we pay attention, insight comes at us from all directions. In a recent special Chris Rock does a bit about jobs vs. careers, really nailing the difference on the head. And because he made me laugh hysterically while doing it, I still remember the message.

Chris’ skit talks about his former job as a shrimp scraper at Red Lobster and how he played the "I'm not going to look at my watch" game for hours (who of us can say we never played that game) only to give in after what seemed like an eternity and realize that only 10 minutes had past! Chris took risks; faced fears followed his dreams and built an amazing career.

Working at a Job vs. Having a Career

According to the book How Remarkable Women Lead, one step is just crossing the line “When you choose to cross that invisible line from being a person to whom things happen to, to becoming a person who makes things happen…choosing to act on opportunities that carry risk, and facing your deep-seated fears…there’s no going back.”

Once you’ve tasted the joy of autonomy, influence, and a sense of meaning it becomes a defining moment. Crossing that line has had a huge payoff for me, and I’m not referring to money. When you have a career that you have chosen, worked hard for, and love, it never feels like work. It's only when you have a JOB that time never passes fast enough.

There is always a downside. A career may not mean stability, and for me the fear of failure doesn’t ever go away completely, but I've learned how to stay ahead of it and have people to call for that extra shot of positive thinking when I need it!

Any thoughts on the subject, would love to hear from you.

Web Tips 101 : The Importance of a Little Analysis

2009-09-29T11:41:00.005-04:00

If you’ve attended any of The Byne Group’s seminars, you’ve probably seen
the following formula:

Promise + Experience = Your Brand

An often neglected, yet supremely important, way that clients experience
your brand? Your website.

For all of you whose websites look and function like they were created by your nephew Ned… that’s because they WERE created by your nephew Ned! Sure, Ned’s got mad skill and probably created a super fab flash intro, but are your users able to find what they need, and does the caliber of your website match the caliber of your organization?

Here at The Byne Group, we believe using a website should be easy and pleasant. It should accomplish the user’s goals (They need to find what they are looking for quickly), and your goals (communicating your key message to them).

What’s the most crucial step in your website’s development? A little strategic analysis. Not only does it save time and money in the long run, but you’ll end up with something that looks great and meets your needs.

Here are a few of the things we look at:

1). Your functional requirements. Do you need to manage your own content? Does it have to conform to your corporate style guide? What accessibility laws must it obey?

2). Don’t forget your stakeholders. What does the CEO expect to see? What features does the fundraising committee need?

3). What tone and personality should the site have? What “voice”?

4). Who is your target audience? Who is using your website now and what information are they looking for?

5). If you build it, how will they come? Look at search engine optimization, social networking, and other ways to drive traffic to your site.

-Jennifer Zapf, Art Director

IKEA'S Big Change

2009-09-17T14:43:00.017-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I received the new IKEA catalog in the mail and promptly cuddled up and enjoyed some moments of fantasy about the beautiful clutter free Swedish mod apartment I could have one day. As I was perusing the home decor bible, I noticed that the headline type and some other elements did not feel as streamlined and clean. In the past IKEA was one of the fore-runners of the streamlined and clean Bauhaus style.

Well, it turns out I was right ... IKEA has changed their catalog and store signage typeface from Futura to Verdana. To the dismay of MANY of their design-minded clientele. Actually dismay seems too subtle of a word, it’s more like outrage! There is currently a petition online to get rid of Verdana with over 6,000 signatures. Not to mention 100's of blog postings and online articles including Time, New York Times, and Business Week.

For those of you that don't know the history of the two typefaces I will explain things a little.

FUTURA
A classic modern typeface following the Bauhaus design philosophy designed by Paul Renner between 1924 and 1926. He followed the Bauhaus esthetic in that he avoided creating any non-essential elements making use of geometric proportions with no serifs** or frills. It has a crisp, clean form and gives the feeling of efficiency and forwardness.

VERDANA
Designed in 1994 by Microsoft with the intent to create a new typeface that had exceptional readability online at small sizes. Because it was designed for small on-screen text some design elements were overlooked ... and the outcome was a clunky and awkward type when it was displayed large.

For someone who hasn't studied typography or worked with it extensively it’s hard to understand how important small typographic details can be in marketing design. The space between individual letters and the way shapes of letters move our eyes can determine how long people will look at an advertisement or how captivating it will be. The feeling of the type treatment can make or break the feeling of an entire Marketing piece!

Anyway, so Ikea's rebuttal to the outrage was this statement, "Verdana is a simple, cost-effective font which works well in all media & languages." Basically they choose Verdana for functionality over aesthetic. I think it’s hard for many of us to look at things from IKEA’s perspective. I mean, their catalog is the third most printed publication in the entire world after the Bible and Harry Potter! Most of us are not generating marketing pieces on such a global scale. One of the most important things Verdana and Microsoft's design has helped is to quickly and easily translate languages. If this helps them to keep their production costs down and therefore maintain their fantastic price deals ... then I suppose I can be at peace with Verdana too.

**Serif definition: any of the short lines stemming from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the strokes of a letter. Usually horizontal lines for example the feet of the letter "h" in Times New Roman.

http://www.idsgn.org/posts/ikea-says-goodbye-to-futura/
http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/verdanagate.php

Fundraising for Arts Organizations in a Down Economy

2009-08-28T18:45:00.009-04:00

At a recent seminar I gave about marketing and social media, someone from the audience wanted to know how to raise money during this economy when your organization is in the arts. (hers focused specifically on African dance, culture and music). Interestingly, I had watched children from their troupe perform at an outdoor festival the prior summer. It had made a real impression on me, they were really amazing.

It's a tough question. We all know non-profits in general are hurting, so how do arts organizations compete with non-profits who help people with basic needs of life? First, can we please begin to eliminate the word compete and competition from our vocabulary, instead lets come from a sense of abundance!

I feel very strongly that now more than ever we all need to have our spirits lifted and dance certainly meets the bill! It seems like a given that all arts should be an important component of our lives and especially our children. Here are some thoughts and ideas I gave her to consider:

Find Ways To Connect With Your Donor

• Remember when you openly talk about challenges that we all face in a difficult economy, it creates a sense of community. Convey your understanding of and empathize with the challenges they may be facing. At the same time, be clear and honest about the challenges your nonprofit is facing.
• No matter what your organization does, be it dance or caring for the sick, be sure to share a specific story about one child or adult that your program has helped. Give enough details to make them care, but not so much that they lose interest. Use it everywhere, on your website, in your letters, in conversations.

Think Outside Of The Box, Be Creative

• According to John Munger, research director for the National Service Organization Dance/USA, "You no longer market a performance that you sit and look at. What you offer is a complete experience that begins before the performance even starts and may continue afterward." Meals and discussions beforehand, maybe dance lessons after”.
• Find ways to partner with other non-profits to create new and more interesting events. You’ll introduce new audiences to each other and hopefully grow your fan and mail list. Brainstorming ideas is more powerful when there are different points of view. The best part, as a team you share the expenses, the work and the money raised.
• Take advantage of social media, it should be all non-profits best friend. Create a Facebook page for your organization and invite fans but also create a cause page where people can donate directly.

Never Give Up

• Last but not least don’t be discouraged, positive thinking is a powerful tool, just fake it until you make it! My grandmother used to say that worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair, you might be moving but you’re not getting anywhere.
• Remember why your organization began and how many lives you have changed through your work. Try to write down each success, and remember to pat yourself on the back once in awhile.
• I think we are in a time of resurgence for the arts, our leadership has an understanding of its vital role in humanity and especially for our children. Hey, a President who even writes poetry can’t be bad!

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on this subject. Has your organization come up with some creative ways to raise awareness and funds. I would love to hear them, you never know who you could inspire to continue to fight the good fight!

-Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal of The Byne Group

Feeling the Love

2009-07-30T11:53:00.009-04:00

If social media was the soul mate of any type of organization, it would be the not-for-profit.

On June 19th, Ann Byne, President of The Byne Group, along with Howard Greenstein, social media strategist and President of The Harbrooke Group, presented at the Cornel Cooperative Institute for Not-For-Profits to an impressive group of not-for-profit executives who wanted to find out more about using Facebook and other social media tools to add significant value to their advocacy, fundraising, member retention and marketing efforts.

The group learned about how social media was a perfect fit for building community, publicizing events, increasing involvement, and fundraising to a wider audience. They were also facilitated in a discussion of the concerns and challenges they face in implementing a social media marketing program.

Groups vs. Pages on Facebook

2009-07-23T14:38:00.018-04:00

So what's the difference between a "Group" and a "Page" on Facebook? This question has been swirling around our office lately and I have gotten to the bottom of it. First of all, a Group and a Page look different but there is much more to it then that.

Pages can only be created to represent a real public figure, artist, brand or organization. Groups can be created by any user and about any topic, as a space for users to share their opinions and interest in that subject. Pages can have photos, videos, event listings and interactive applications to engage Page visitors. Applications can't be added to Groups.

Pages are designed to allow Page admins to maintain a personal/professional distinction on Facebook (there's that word again, "branding") while Groups are a part of your personal Facebook experience. If you're a Group admin, your name will appear on that group, while Pages will never display their admins' names. When you take actions on your Group, such as posting on your Group's wall, these actions will appear to come from you as an individual. However, if you post or take other actions on a Page you own, it will appear to come from the Page.

Here is a list of other key differences:

The bottom line... Groups are better for hosting a quick active discussion while Pages are better for long-term relationships.

-Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer, The Byne Group

Search Engine Journal: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/facebook-group-vs-facebook-fan-page-whats-better/7761/

Get over your fear of social media already!

2009-07-20T12:01:00.003-04:00

You hear it all the time— "You NEED to use social media in your marketing mix," but it's just one more thing to do in your already overwhelmed task list, right? Well my question is, what are you really afraid of?

We all say we are too busy, we say we don't understand it, but in truth, we are terrified of the responsibility and commitment. I mean, how can we stay interesting... forever?

Here are a few reasons to get into the game, without feeling like you're giving birth to a child who will live at home, and talk back to you, forever.

1) You can't beat free.
We are all feeling the pinch of the economy... Many of our clients must cut costs, and your marketing budget has taken a serious hit, if not obliterated completely. While it can't be argued that face-to-face isn't best (after all, cornering that donor with your winning smile is a proven tool), many potential donors and corporations have cut out attendance at these events completely.

2) If it's a disaster, delete it!
Launch a blog or Facebook page with a time limit. Think of it as a campaign: do it for 6 months and then take it down. If it's a disaster, delete it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

3) Use it as an ad.
Who would ever refuse a free ad? Think of it purely as a tool to drive to your website. Block all the commenting features you can and use it as an ad. People will stumble across it in their online research and go to your website.

4) Stop worrying about comments already!
The #1 fear is that someone will say something bad. Are you really that horrible? I doubt it. Ignorance of what people are saying about you may make your job easier but it doesn't help your company. There are tons of controls built in, and people don't really comment anyways. Take it from us, plenty of people read our blog and barely anyone comments. And again, if it's a
disaster, delete it.

5) Its a GREAT opportunity for good PR.
Enough of the long press releases that no one reads. Get your PR people to work on creating exciting content. When in doubt, link to someone else's interesting article. People are online doing research. They will like you because you help them solve their problems, not because of how amazing you say you are.

6) Get used to imperfection.
Not everyone can see everything all the time. Computers are different. That's just the way it is. Cousin Larry will call you (and isn't it always cousin Larry?) and complain that the video didn't play for him. Distract him with a funny story about your granddaughter.

7) Interns interns interns.
No time to set it all up? Just grab an 18 year old and in 3 days they will have you fully functioning.

–Jennifer Zapf, Art Director

Be connected. Be discovered. Be on Facebook.

2009-06-17T11:27:00.012-04:00

Since my last post on, “How to Create a Facebook Page…” back in January, many of our clients, both for profit and non-profit, have come to us with many questions about how they can have more of a presence on Facebook. So I’m back with more helpful hints, suggestions and an updated way of how to create your “Page.” Remember, Facebook Pages are a distinct presence that represent an organization and are separate from your personal profile.

How to Create a Page:
Step 1: Go to Facebook.com. Right on the homepage there is a link to create a page.

Step 2: Choose which category you fall under. For example if you are a non-profit, select “Brand, Product, or Organization.”

There are numerous ways for brands to leverage Facebook. Pages are enhanced with applications to help any organization communicate with and engage with their fans. Some applications you can use are:
:: RSS Feed
:: Discussion Boards
:: Events
:: Photos
:: Video
:: And many more!

Keep the conversation going! Every time someone comments on your new status, photo, video, or discussion thread, you need to comment on it. You should be talking with your clients. It may take extra effort to engage with your fans but it will keep them coming back. This is one way to promote an exceptional brand.

Keep it current! Spark conversation, post questions, or new topics for a discussion forum. Update your status with calls to action, recent news or upcoming events.

The connection! Support strong relationships with people who care about your organization. Did you know that more than 3 million users become fans of Facebook Pages every day?

For all you non-profits, don’t forget about Causes Pages! Any U.S. registered 501(c)(3) non-profit or Canadian registered charity can sign-up. Facebook processes the donations automatically via credit card, they tally the results, and report the donation activity via a public "scorecard" on the Cause Page. This allows you the ability to reward the people who donated. Our client, La Casa de Don Pedro, recently created a Cause Page. [click here to check it out]

Check out The Byne Group’s Facebook Page to see how we have utilized the photo, video, and RSS feed applications. Or give us a call and we can discuss how The Byne Group can help you create your own Facebook Page. See how we have helped some of our clients create Facebook Pages:
:: Rockland Parent-Child Center
:: General Patent Corporation

–Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer

A Guest Post : Summer Safety

2009-06-03T16:44:00.008-04:00

This guest post is provided by our friend (and our client) Amy Massimo, Director of Public Affairs at Nyack Hospital — Exceptional Skill, Extraordinary Care.

So, summer has finally arrived, and with it comes a deluge of information about staying safe in the sun, while picnicking, at the beach and a host of other outdoor family activities. I'm sure all of us can relate an unfortunate story about when we skipped the sunscreen, ate something at a picnic that should have been on ice, or were bitten by a bee. Not to rain on anybody's parade, but everyone should know a few safety tips before heading outside.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics:
• Young children should apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays.
• For older children, the first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 am and 4 pm
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.
• Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.
• Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
• Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.
• Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.

If you have any questions about summer safety, check with your healthcare provider! And remember the old chestnut "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Me? I'm fair-skinned with a face full of freckles. You'll find me in the shade, slapping on the sunscreen, and drinking something cold. Have a great summer everyone! For more information about these and other tips, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics aap.org.

For more information about Nyack Hospital go to nyackhospital.org.

Benefits of Daydreaming for Creativity as well as Calm

2009-05-28T09:55:00.005-04:00

I love daydreaming but I feel a little guilty doing it.

According to wikipedia while daydreaming has long been derided as a lazy, non-productive pastime, daydreaming can be constructive in some contexts. There are numerous examples of people in creative or artistic careers, such as composers, novelists and filmmakers, developing new ideas through daydreaming. Similarly, research scientists, mathematicians and physicists have developed new ideas by daydreaming about their subject areas.

As a kid I was always lost in my dreams, ok I'll admit that when I was 13 it was mostly about how Paul from the Beatles would fall in love with me some day! And there are times when I've been caught not paying full attention when my husband is telling me something for the third time. But professionally I get some of my most creative, imaginative thoughts while daydreaming, and I see it as a valuable tool for coming up with fresh marketing ideas for my clients.

And as it turns out, there is some interesting research to back that up.

“Daydreaming is important, neuroscientists have found, because it allows the brain to make novel associations and connections between unrelated ideas; and the freedom to drift allows our brains to imagine abstract, highly imaginative things. As any creative person knows, these are exactly the kinds of states of mind that lead to sessions of brilliant creativity, where ideas can come as fast as you can write them down.” - Jonah Lehrer, The Boston Globe

Not a natural daydreamer and want to know how to start, here are some tips from Rick Goodfriend a corporate certified speaker on communication strategies.

1: Imagine what need or value you would enjoy having satisfied today. (Example: I need more time to complete my project.)

2: Daydream for a few seconds or longer on a strategy that may meet this need. Example: ( I daydream that I will ask my coworker for assistance. He says yes and the job is complete in half the time.) Already I can feel a calm. Now I can decide if I want to use the solution or imagine a different one. Your creativity may flow bigger and faster with ideas..

In Summary: Take a minute or two and enjoy your daydreaming. You will feel more relaxed when you have finished.

Non Profits who understand the value of a story

2009-05-01T17:08:00.004-04:00

With fewer donations and declining investments, nonprofits have to be re-think how they raise revenue.

I recently read a great article in the Wall Street Journal By Shelly Banjo in which she gave some successful fund raising case studies.

One of the most interesting to me was about Covenant House in NYC. Why? They understood the power of their clients stories. Anyone who knows about my philosophy on marketing knows that I am a big believer in story-telling as a means to capture attention. And the way they approached the ask was true and authentic.

They had the youths who had been helped, who had lived the organizations tag line “Changing Lives, Creating Futures” reach out to the people who had given in the past and had created hope for them. Done right, what can be more powerful. According to Jerome Kilbane, Covenant House's executive director “The people receiving a nonprofit's services are the best spokespeople for the organization. After receiving a call, "the size of the donor's gift increased by 50% from the year before" on average.

Their website also supports the idea of telling individual stories. A link titled “WHERE ARE THEY NOW?” looks at past youth who have been able to accomplish their goals of living independently. A great way for donors to feel they have made a difference no matter how large their gift.

Are you resting on your brand?

2009-04-17T15:20:00.015-04:00

Like most in the marketing and advertising world, I do a lot of reading about what’s going on in all different types of companies. 2009 has brought many a story of the failures of businesses of all kinds, sizes and ages, for-profit and not-for-profit alike. Not so much about success. Maybe it’s not as big a draw as failure but if you’re like me, I want to learn how businesses are succeeding in what has been termed ‘the worst time since the Great Depression'.

So, why are some businesses doing well (notice I’m not saying great) and others are just plain out of business? There is no one answer however I do think success relies on vision, ingenuity and optimism, along with an evolving business plan.

Remember the , “As General Motors goes, so goes the nation”. Phew! Glad that’s no longer the case, or is it? I will give GM the benefit of the doubt that they make a decent car (I’m not a GM owner). However, their recent failure had as much to do with their lack of vision and ingenuity than everything else.

AND, quite frankly, they rested on their Brand! They assumed the GM name and all it has stood for since 1906 would continue by rote. If we build it they will come! Instead of keeping up with trends and the competition, they rested on what the GM Brand used to stand for and not what was needed to evolve into for today’s economic and consumer environment. Even the bigger than life Brands must keep up or be left behind.

A few companies, off the top of my head have been extremely proactive, including Apple, Walmart, Martha Stewart and FaceBook.

Locally, the United Way of Westchester and Putnum County (UWWP) is being extremely proactive, as is the national headquarters. Recognizing that United Way is a very recognizable Brand but must always keep up with the times and changing demographics. What to do? First, they formed a marketing group made up of community members, of which I am a proud member, and asked them dissect what UWWP is doing and then recommend what they should be doing to achieve their new objectives, i.e. reach a younger demographic. While I am not going to divulge any secrets, by having non-associated eyes and minds participating, wonderful, heretofore unheard of, ideas were offered up and will be acted upon.

Is your organization resting on its Brand? What are you doing to keep up to stay ahead? We love to hear success stories!

Deanna Gould, New Business Development Manager, The Byne Group

Marketing to Women

2009-03-25T09:44:00.007-04:00

Why Women Don't Give Second Chances, and what can you learn
from it!

Does your firm market to women? Think not, well think again! It’s a proven fact, women make the majority of buying decisions for their families. They decide which non profit to support, which health care provider the family chooses and which restaurant to dine at. Wow, hopefully we choose to use our power for good!

In a blog article written by Liz Ryan she says “Women want assurance - they want difficult problems taken off their plates, and they need their service providers to go the extra mile to make sure they are well served. Women consumers want to be treated as valued customers, even before they've reached that stage - that's the very way that they'll become valued clients, in fact.”

We all remember a time when we didn’t feel valued as a customer. The rude secretary who answers the phone at the insurance company, the doctors office where you wait ten minutes to be acknowledged and when finally asked why you’re there you are told (with no apology) you were in the wrong office. Who of us can say we have always respond perfectly to our own clients. Sometimes mistakes happen, and unfortunately bad service travels fast.

Marketing to women as well as men means paying attention to each customer's specific needs and providing respect to everyone who interacts with your business. Women are very flexible, but we're not flexible enough to suffer insults or indignities without complaint. And, come to that, why should we be?” And if you realize that last phone call didn't go well, try to rectify it quickly. Admitting mistakes is appreciated.

As Liz Ryan says in her blog “Women are great, loyal customers - if you show them you've got their best interests in mind, from the start.”

Tropicana: A Lesson in Branding

2009-03-09T14:54:00.005-04:00

It seems that Tropicana’s new identity is causing a lot of uproar. The common opinion is that it looks like a discount brand because of the generic photo and overly simplified design. Yet, the product and price seem to be the same as before! This has caused a lot of confusion. People are angry when they browse the juice section with all its options and brands popping out … they can’t locate their old-time favorite … because its incognito! Not to mention hard to read for many.

When I first laid eyes on the new Tropicana carton, I instantly thought of The Byne Group. Then I thought about Pepsi Cola and their new simplified design. I’m always in favor of a cleaner design (we all are at The Byne Group!) … with Target and Apple being the prime examples of big corps. that have done it well. Turns out that Pepsi Corp. has decided to update several of their key products due to decreased sales. This includes Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade and Tropicana.

The new design was just released in January 2009 and it certainly didn’t last long because Tropicana made a statement this week citing that they will be reverting to the old design.

Even though this seemed to be a crash and burn scenario for Pepsi … I look at it in another way, they got a lot of press coverage and attention over this issue. People were reminded of how much they are connected to Tropicana. And I also applaud them for being brave and trying to do something very different for the industry they are in. Bravo!

New York Times, www,nytimes.com,
“Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging,” Feb. 23, 2009.

Brand New blog, underconsideration.com/brandnew,
“Pepsi Takes the Tropic out of Tropicana,” Feb. 23, 2009.

A Glimpse Inside The Mind of a Graphic Designer

2009-02-17T16:04:00.014-05:00

Why I Love Paper

The name paper derives from papyrus, the material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. For thousands of years, hand-made methods dominated and then, during the 19th century, paper production became industrialized.

I remember the first time I found myself lost in the tactile experience of “feeling” paper. As a junior in High School I attended a summer program at Parsons School of Art and Design, one of our trips was touring the Mohawk Paper Mills, I had no idea how involved the paper making process was, I was in awe. Later as a graphic design student at Pratt I spent countless hours at the local art store Jake's choosing the paper my next assignment would be created on, considering the texture and color to reflect my ideas.

When I began in this field designers’ tools were the visual ideas in our heads both waking and dreaming. The skill was using the tools you had at your disposal to make the concept come to life. I owned hundreds of colored markers in ultra fine to bold tipped, the smell of which gave anyone within a 500-foot vicinity a nice little high. And my studio shelves was filled with paper stock sample books.

Even today whenever I pass a great paper store in Manhattan I feel giddy and have to check it out. I promise my husband I will just be 5 minutes and somehow an hour later I’m still mesmerized feeling the paper stock and inspired by all the papermaking and printing techniques, both old and new.

And now, we stare at a computer we think inside a box, we have no tactile experience that comes with our concepts. I’m the first to admit that my apple is an amazing and invaluable tool and no I wouldn’t go back, but what have we all lost! According to an article from Mohawk Paper titled Print as Urban Legend “Print gives us what all too often electronic media lacks – that feeling of the human spirit, permanence, honesty and quality”

Now more than ever a beautifully designed and professionally printed piece, with its tactile characteristics makes a positive impact on whoever receives it.

So what do you think?

Ann Byne, Principal/Creative Director

The Magic of Powerful Branding:

2009-02-03T10:19:00.005-05:00

What we can all learn from Walt Disney

In this economy we could all use a little bit of magic. And who better to teach us than the master of successful branding, Walt Disney.

I often talk about the importance of finding and then telling one story from many in order to inspire and engage clients. Walt Disney intuitively understood this. He was a master story teller who touched old and young and knew how to coordinate the Disney brand across all mediums; tv, movies, books, and ultimately theme parks.

I remember the first time our family visited Disneyworld over 30 years ago. Our son was 5 and it was our first real family vacation. All you have to know about a powerful brand was revealed as we first walked into the park and saw “The Castle” ahead of us. It was a transforming experience that become a happy obsession for our son. He now shares it with his 22 month old daughter who points to a picture on her sippy cup and gleefully and loudly announces “Mick Mou” as if she is seeing a favorite friend.

In an article in Harvard Business publishing, John Sviokla writes “As companies try to get their voice "out" in the overcrowded, fragmented, 24x7, blog-filled, multi-dialog, Mad Money Cramer kind of world of 2009, executives need to think carefully about their core stories to customers…..We can draw wisdom from Walt Disney, who understood the multi-media, multi-channel, multi-experience world four score years before the rest of us”

Some of the core branding principles John shares in his article:
1. Know the story is king.
Humans like to read about humans and whether you are selling CAT scanners, or auto insurance, every message must have a story that resonates with the human condition at its core.
2. Coordinate the message across the media.
In today's fragmented world, executives must reinforce key messages by having multiple, consistent, coordinated touch points for the same idea.
3. Have the courage to innovate.
Walt Disney initially funded portions of Disneyland out of his own pocket, and then sold them back to the corporation because they did not want to take the first risks. Be braver.
4. Stay on message.
With Disney, you only had to see the Castle to conjure up the entire set of thoughts and dreams.

Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal
The Byne Group

How to Create a Facebook Page For Your Company or Non-Profit

2009-01-14T12:31:00.010-05:00

I might be one of the "under 30 crowd," but that doesn't mean I was born with a social media chip implanted in my skull. When I was given the task of getting The Byne Group onto Facebook, I too had to learn and overcome my fears of the unknown. So in this entry, my mission is to help you through something I spent a few hours, and yes, a few anxious moments, figuring out.

Now if you cant figure out how to turn on your computer, it might be time to call over that sprightly intern or your offspring to help you out (I think maybe the "tweens" do come with a chip)!

Are you familiar with Facebook? [ if not, click here and get familiar ] If so, I’m sure you’ve seen friends of yours become fans of famous (or infamous) people, companies — like California Closets, or a non-profit like the American Red Cross. Well, in any case, you too can create a page for your company or non-profit with a few simple tips to make your experience a little less painful.

1: Get a Facebook Account. The person who creates this page needs to be an actual "real person." They wont let you join as a company entity. (Here at The Byne Group we tried to create an "imaginary person" so as to keep professional life and personal life separate on Facebook, (not allowed apparently). So for us, it's all through Ann Byne.

Now at this point you will be consumed with finding old college buddies, but bear with us here...

2: So once you are signed in, click "create a page." You will be prompted to fill out info about your company/non-profit. Keep in mind that all the info you fill out in the beginning is your ONLY chance to get it right, otherwise you have to start from scratch (I think it took us 3 times to get it right!)

3: Once you have filled out all the info they request you can customize your page’s look. Remember to keep the look consistent with your current branding.

4: Now you're ready to accessorize. Add components, such as an RSS feed, to pull in content from your blog or your website's news feeds to ensure that current content about your company is on your page. You can add videos, photos and upcoming events.

5: Once you’ve added all these elements you just need to publish it. Of course you can continue to update or take down items as you go along.

Now that you are "live" its all about getting the word out about your page. Have your employees join as fans of your page. Invite fans from your friend list. Or you can do word-of-mouth advertising through a Facebook ad or by adding a Facebook widget to your website.

Last bit of advice, keep up with your page and keep it current.

[ click here to view our page and become a fan ]

–Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer

Some free time? Here are books about sales you might want to check out.

2008-12-23T18:52:00.005-05:00

I just finished three books of fiction for pure pleasure while on vacation last week. Now that I’m back to reality I’ve decided to read some books about sales to help motivate me in 2009. Happily the 2008 Sales Book Awards, an organization that recognizes books, authors, and publishers whose work advances sales as a profession, has just released this year's winners.

Sales, I’m not in sales, you say! I am a director of a philanthropy, a middle management administrator, a lawyer who works for someone else. Guys, it’s time to re-think. Yes, all of us sadly in one way or another are in sales. If its convincing your boss that you deserve the new title, or you're a CEO and need to excite your staff about yet the next big thing in the company, even if its your kids that need to be motivated to pick up their dirty laundry, in one form or another we are constantly selling.

A panel of 35 judges rated submissions in 10 separate categories, awarding one Gold Medal and two Silver Medals in each. Each book was rated on five primary criteria: Authority, Readability, Content Relevance, Physical Quality & Writing Style. I’ve included the 2008 Sales Book Gold Award Winners in my list.

Hmmm, where should I begin, Any suggestions?

General Sales
• Gold Medal: Perfect Selling by Linda Richardson

Classic Sales Books
• Gold: Selling to Big Companies by Jill Konrath

Sales Leadership
• Gold: Coaching Salespeople Into Sales Champions by Keith Rosen

Sales Methodology
• Gold: Reality Sells by Bill Guertin and Andrew Corbus

Sales Motivation
• Gold: The All Star Sales Book by Billy Cox

Prospecting
• Gold: The Real Secrets of the Top 20% by Mike Brooks

Presenting
• Gold: Presentations That Change Minds by Josh Gordon

Industry Specific
• Gold: Salesopedia by Clayton Shold

Sales Audio Programs
• Gold: Nano Sales Books by Linda Richardson

eBooks
• Gold: 200 Sales Hunting Tips by Mark Hunter

– Ann Byne, Principal/Creative Director

Managing Your Reputation Online

2008-12-05T16:14:00.005-05:00

It’s a subject that most likely concerned us all greatly in Junior High: Reputation Management.

It’s a big, virtual world out there and whether you like it or not, people are talking about you! The good news is, you can make sure it’s not all behind your back.

Fact is, there are more people online creating “buzz” about you than you create yourself, and considering how much you invest in marketing, it’s not to be ignored!

One of my favorite blogs, marketingprofs, recently offered 6 keys ways to manage your reputation online. I’ve summarized my fave’s.

…and yes you can do it all from your computer at home (but don’t tell this to your boss)!

1. Google—Google.com/alerts
Set up an alert and you’ll know whenever someone writes something about you, or even your competitors. Best to set it up in your RSS reader and you can sort the results to find out who the biggest talkers are… and who to kiss up to!

2. Blog Posts—Technorati.com
If you have a blog, register and Technorati will track other blogs who are linking to yours. What’s the point? It’s all about relationship management. Try to link to them in your blog, comment and spread the love.

3. Blog comments—Backtype.com
It’s so important to comment on blog posts that mention you, whether positive or negative. Use backtype.com to keep track of all of the conversations you participate in. The coolest part is you will begin to find out who the key influencers are (one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel) and do a little targeted damage control. And for those singing your praises? Tell them you appreciate it.

4. Discussion Boards—Boardtracker.com
Get alerts when someone in a “forum” mentions your name, and join the top few. Then you can establish yourself as a leader on the topic and offer resources. What great publicity!

So remember, it might be overwhelming at first, but after you’re up and running you will have a great picture of who is talking about you, what they are saying, and also the opportunity to inform, educate and be a good community citizen.

Just do it!

–Jennifer Zapf, Art Director

Are You on a Tight Budget?

2008-12-02T16:28:00.003-05:00

Times like these you need to be more creative with your budget. The good news is that email marketing can fit into most anyone's budget. Wikipedia explains that email marketing is a form of direct marketing, which uses electronic mail as a means of communicating commercial or fundraising messages to your customers/clients. You can achieve a big bang for a small price while getting out relevant messages, achieving brand appeal and the ability to measure it all.

• Reduce Other Costs_ Think about what you are printing: holiday cards, invitations, newsletters. Could these be emailed? Of course they can.

• Get Valuable Info_ Using email you can obtain valuable stats and watch response rates in real time. With this information you can easily tweak your emails, see what is working and not working with your client/customer base.

• Build Brand Loyalty_ With email you can keep current clients/customers happy and engaged. Reward loyal customers, but keep it interesting.

• Do's and Don'ts – Use Email The Right Way
DON'T buy/rent an email list
DON'T send emails everyday
DO be client/customer specific
DO keep your focus on a permission-based strategy
DO make it fun and different

–Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer

What one Non Profits best practice teaches us all!

2008-11-26T10:30:00.002-05:00

A CASE STUDY: How did one non-profit reach out to new clients in this economy and what can it teach for-profit businesses?

Now more than ever, I believe growth takes an entrepreneurial spirit, starting at the top that permeates throughout the entire organization. And I’ve had the opportunity to see first hand the successful outcome of this formula.

Our firm donates our time and talents to a local non profit of which I sit on its board. Amazingly, its Executive Director is always ahead of the curve coming up with new ways to raise the marketing bar, never accepting the status quo. If there’s a way to reach out, build consensus and stretch the marketing dollars she’ll figure it out. The most recent example; Reaching out to other like organizations in non-competing locations and pitch the idea of combining their funds for media. Some radio stations and newspapers overlapped so why not create an 800 number where potential clients could call into and pass the leads to the organization in the callers location. A real win-win to all who might consider participating.

This was not the first great idea this Executive Director formulated. By shear stick-to-it-ness she brought to life a revenue-generating initiative* by filling a real need she saw in her community and beyond. After bringing it successfully to market she now sells the program to other organizations for a small fee. It's a rare person who has that kind of energy and drive, she doesn’t have a marketing degree but she approaches things from a different angle with no pre-conceived notions. I have to say she has even taught me and my staff a thing or two!

So what best practices can you take away from one case study for your business or non-profit organization?

• Create an entrepreneurial spirit in your organization where new ideas are welcomed, and receive thoughtful consideration.

• Brainstorm other commercial or revenue-generating initiatives. And not only with your leadership team, sometimes the best ideas come from outside the inner circle. Tap into all the brainpower of your organization including the person who makes the coffee.

• Think about your competition differently. Are there ways you might pool marketing funds and come up with some new initiatives that would be win-win.

• Inspire people to think in new ways and be creative when times are tough, rather than get discouraged and do nothing. Remember if its your organization or firm your most important job is to be a cheerleader for your team.

• If you believe you have a great idea be willing to fight for it. Stick-to-it-ness really does pay off.

• Don’t assume you know what does or doesn’t work because what has happened in the past. Be aware that the climate has changed and a bold vision is imperative.

- Ann Byne, Principal/Creative Director

*AssuringYourWishes.org

Defending Your Marketing Budget!

2008-10-31T12:17:00.000-04:00

When the economy is tough management's first response is to reduce marketing budgets. What management sometimes forgets to remember...... that during any period of economic downturn your best customers become someone else's best prospects. When you stop inviting them to do business with you, a more aggressive competitor may become much more attractive.

According to Nancy Schwartz author of Effective Marketing "It may seem right (politically) to accept the managements decision to slash your marketing budget, but it's the wrong move to make. In the long run, accepting a significant budget cut will harm your organization"

"No program succeeds without participants; no service lasts without users; few organizations stay healthy without a strong donor and volunteer base -- and marketing is the way that these groups are reached, engaged, retained and motivated to act. Challenge your organization's leaders NOW if they're shying away from investing in marketing. If they do, your organization will really suffer long term. That's what you have to point out -- as diplomatically as possible. And far better than just talking about it, you have to prove it. Rather than taking a defensive position when faced with budget cuts, proactively respond to your leadership's challenges."

So how can you defend your marketing budget, and make your customers experience exceptional.

1. Never take your focus off your customers. Cherish them, and make sure they know it. Make their Personal Experience Factor exceptional.

2. Media pricing is driven by market demand. Take advantage of the weak demand and the resultant drop in price to buy even more market presence without increasing your advertising budget.

3. Craft a plan tying marketing work directly your goals, and track the impact of every effort before, during and after the work to enable ongoing course correction.

4. Arm yourself with as many hard stats and success stories as you can. Talk about what colleague and competitive organizations are doing, and what you'll lose if your organization retreats now.

Does Your Website Need a Face-Lift?

2008-10-13T12:31:00.001-04:00

The New Year is fast approaching and maybe
it's time you rethought your website’s purpose.
The Internet is constantly changing and so is
your clients/prospective clients expectations.
Visitors expect your site to be “cutting edge”
or at least “up-to-date.”

Things to keep in mind while
revamping your site:

1. Design with optimization in mind. Search engine optimization (SEO) means having text friendly elements on
your website which will make your site easily search able.

2. Visitors want what they are looking for quickly and easily. Spotlight or call to action important services on your homepage (ex: “click here to…” or “free download”).

3. Be proactive and engaging. Start a blog. Invite people to be a part of your online presence. Ask visitors to post their comments. The point of
a blog is to share and get involved in a community that is active and listening.

4. Ask your marketing team or web designer for their suggestions.
They may have ideas that you hadn’t thought of.

Check out our newest "green" web design: mydejavusalon.com

~Melissa Behrens
Senior Graphic Designer, The Byne Group
(source: Must-Have Website Features for 2009, by Shaheen,
The New York Enterprise Report, October 2008.)

What the Heck is Ambient Awareness?

2008-09-25T11:58:00.000-04:00

The NY Times Sunday Magazine on 8/21 had a fascinating article on the effects of online contact. - I'm so Totally, Digitally Close to You by Clive Thompson

“Social scientists have a name for this sort of incessant online contact. They call it “ambient awareness.” It is, they say, very much like being physically near someone and picking up on his mood through the little things he does... Facebook is no longer alone in offering this sort of interaction online. In the last year, there has been a boom in tools for “microblogging”: posting frequent tiny updates on what you’re doing. The phenomenon is quite different from what we normally think of as blogging, because a blog post is usually a written piece, sometimes quite long: a statement of opinion, a story, an analysis. But these new updates are something different. They’re far shorter, far more frequent and less carefully considered. One of the most popular new tools is Twitter, a Web site and messaging service that allows its two-million-plus users to broadcast to their friends haiku-length updates — limited to 140 characters, as brief as a mobile-phone text message — on what they’re doing.

So what does that mean to agencies like us that create branding and advertising in print and on line? We have to understand that the marketplace demands transparency. Gone are the days when anyone can make empty promises! Within a blink of the eye consumers will sniff it out and share it. It’s really a trust issue, and all companies need to take it very seriously. The article also relates it to when Americans lived in small towns and everyone knew their business. You know that one nosey neighbor who was on the phone in a heartbeat if hanky panky was going on, well now its on cyberspace for all! Welcome to a brave new world

The Non Profit Boot Camp, Passion Lives!

2008-09-05T11:10:00.000-04:00

Recently I attended and volunteered at the Non Profit Boot Camp in Manhattan (an event sponsored by The Craig’s List Foundation). It was truly amazing with over 1,200 emerging and established community leaders in the non-profit world in attendance. Everyone seemed filled with boundless and contagious enthusiasm; it was remarkable how organized the chaos was.

Most of the attendees were young and idealistic, many just starting out in the non-profit arena, there to soak up as much knowledge as possible during a very long day. Others came with only a dream, hoping to learn from others how set up their own non-profit, each convinced their cause was unique. The event included a day of interesting workshops, keynotes and some great networking. The volunteer staff was terrific, smoothing over any issues that occurred throughout the day and the killer coffee and natural snacks supplied from vendors for free were an added plus especially for those sitting in the trade show section!

So what was my part besides taking a booth at the trade show and drinking some great coffee? For two hours I sat in a small room working one-on-one in twenty minute intervals with 5 different people who signed up to speak to me for help with branding and marketing (the sessions were organized and run by a great organization called Non-Profit Central NY/NJ with its CEO Sue Caruso Green at the helm). I began each session w/, "How can I help you?" and often just being a sounding board seemed to help. Sometimes my "EXPERTISE" was just coming up with a simple solution for them to consider. (after all how much can you learn in twenty minutes?) Nonetheless, I felt very valued, with many of them trying to grab an extra minute with me before the next person came in to take a seat, and each leaving with a heartfelt thank you. Something that doesn’t always happen with paying clients.

It was a long day, but a real breath of fresh air. As one client (a boomer-aged director of an arts organization) once told me "After years of having to raise funds for the pens we use it’s great to see the next generation still idealistic, willing to take the challenge head on!” As I read in a commentary in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, “Millennial (young 20’s) are passionate about causes and, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, are volunteering in record numbers.” I like to think that as a baby boomer our idealistic generation started the conversation. GO millenials – now you can keep the conversation going and teach us all a thing or two!

Want to learn more go to: www.craigslistfoundation.org

Look through fresh eyes- "Vuja de"

2008-08-28T10:59:00.000-04:00

No I didn't misspell Deja Vu...... Vuja de happens when you enter a situation you've been in a thousand times before, but with the sense of being there for the first time.” George Carlin coined the phrase "Vuja De" first and used it in an early comedy routine. “It's all about the obvious right in front of our eyes. When someone invents a simple little something for the benefit of mankind, almost everyone either simultaneously thinks, "why didn't I think of that?" or "I was just thinking of that."

Bill Taylor in a post at Harvard Business Online writes about it from a business point of view. "Most companies in most industries have a kind of tunnel vision. They chase the same opportunities that everyone else is chasing, they miss the same opportunities that everyone else is missing." It's an atmosphere that stifles innovation, and can create an unsettling sense of corporate déjà vu as companies continue to use the same old thinking with each new initiative.

As the creative director of my firm, I still get a jolt when I first realize I'm looking at a brand new, fresh creative idea. It's about breaking away from the pack mentality and approaching each new challenge with fresh eyes.

When too many assumptions get in the way of asking open-ended questions

2008-08-05T16:38:00.000-04:00

The art of marketing often involves asking lots of questions with no expectations of the answers. This can be the most difficult thing to do. How often do we assume we know the answers and forget to ask the right questions? I think what children do best is have an open mind. In Japan they use the phrase “Shoshin” which means beginners mind. In the beginners mind says Shunryu Suzuki, a Japanese Buddhist scholar, there are many possibilities; in the experts mind there are few.

I want to share a story about a friend of mine, which illustrates “the beginners mind”. We were in a meeting together and she looked as if she had been crying earlier. When I asked her if everything was ok she reassured me that it was just allergies and her allergist had prescribed drops.

The next time we spoke I asked her if she was still suffering with allergies. “Funny you should ask, she said, I went home that day, got into bed and hoped for some relief, my daughter came into the room and said, mommy, you have “esema”. (her daughter had eczema on her arms in the past) This conversation went on for a while and to get her daughter off her case my friend put some of her daughters cream under her eyes. As you might have guessed it worked instantly.

Now, I certainly don’t recommend self-medicating ourselves but I do believe there is a business lesson here. How often do we ask our clients a question with an answer already in our heads? Or in my client’s case did she start her conversation with the allergist asking for eye drops, for her allergies rather than asking an open-ended question of what is this. Next time you meet with a client try not to come up with a solution too quickly and try using “Shoshin, a beginners mind”. Ask more open-ended questions. What was wasted? What caused complaints today? You will be surprised what you might learn.

More interesting news on the college application front.

2008-06-25T12:11:00.000-04:00

I recently read an article in the June 16th issue of Crains, written by Samatha Marshall, “Local Colleges Face Student Shortage.”

According to this article there will be a big demographic shift…promised to end what has been eight years of explosive growth in applications, “ and schools’ main market, of high school graduating classes across the Northeast, is expected to shrink by 14% over the next five years.” Some of the schools are stepping up international recruiting efforts, hiring international recruiters, and actively marketing themselves in burgeoning regions like Asia. Other schools are focusing efforts online and are offering programs that cater to older, nontraditional students, even keeping admissions offices open at night so prospects can register after work.

Do Design Awards Matter?

2008-06-23T13:00:00.000-04:00

Well of course they do, but not how you might think.

They don’t often get you new accounts, but they certainly matter to your design staff who need and deserve the praise for a job well done. There was a survey going around a couple of years ago that asked people if they had the choice between winning an Oscar or an award for a scientific discovery, which would they choose? Surprisingly most chose the Oscar. It seems being in the limelight and dressed up in front of your peers at a gala event means a lot.

So why do clients care? People in marketing responsible for choosing a firm to work with are always under a lot of pressure. How better to validate their decision to their bosses when the firm they chose wins awards on their behalf. Now please don’t misconstrue this. Awards never replace who the ultimate winners are. They are announced later when you do or don’t get a call for the next assignment after your client evaluates the success of the strategy on their bottom line!

So with that being said, I want to say kudos to my amazing and talented staff and to our very smart clients for choosing us. The Byne Group Took Home 10 Big W Awards this June including several honors for its work on Nyack Hospital’s Get to Know the Doctors Who Trust Nyack Hospital Image Campaign. Amy Massimo, Nyack Hospital's Director of Public Affairs, said it best: “The Byne Group worked extensively for us to develop cohesive, effective and targeted marketing campaigns and they all proved to be widely successful.” Amy let us know that we succeeded at our most important job by helping Nyack Hospital's bottom line!

The firm also earned Big W's for work for The Hollows at Blue Hill, Dominican College, Catholic Charities and United Hospice of Rockland.

How many of you have lived through the college admissions process?

2008-05-20T16:40:00.000-04:00

-By Ann Byne

I recently followed my nephew’s search with great interest. It’s been quite awhile since I went through it with my own kids and I was curious how things had changed since the Internet and new media. Not to mention that as a strategic design agency it was research that we could share with our own higher education clients.

Researching the college marketplace through CASE, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and The New York Times to name a few, the funniest or saddest quote I read (depending on your perspective) was from an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, “What Admissions Officials Think,” by Eric Hoover.

“My success,” wrote a male admissions official at a public institution, “is determined by the decision-making prowess of 17 year-olds.”

Yikes, not a great position to be in.

Wanting to dig deeper, we conducted our own tri-state survey on line contacting a few high school seniors we knew going through the process. Through “viral marketing” efforts (you know, the internet’s version of “word of mouth!) they forwarded our survey on to their friends who forwarded it on to their friends and so on and so on. Their comments confirmed some things we all know; yet some were quite enlightening. Who'd ever think that a teenager in 2008 would hate getting emails?

"Who’d ever think that a teenager in 2008 would hate getting emails?"

Well, it’s not hating getting one email, but try 200 on any given day from colleges they’ve approached for basic info. and may not even want to attend!! They still like holding brochures in their hands but when they receive it in the process became crucial. The first few received at College night or mail had a positive impact, but towards the end of their search they were crying Uncle and dumping materials into the garbage left and right. Not great for the colleges or the environment.

Students today are spending a lot of time visiting sites not affiliated with any particular college. Favored were campusdirt.com and collegeconfidential.com. Lots of great info can be found but some quotes on these sites can be brutal. Example: “Dorms are crowded, old, and in need of renovation. Dorm students are forced to pay for a large meal plan, even if they do not use it. Many hidden costs.” A disaster if you were the college mentioned!

One school we’ve been in contact with has stopped producing and mailing any view books. They direct all inquiries to their web and send e-mails. Have they gone too far?

Have we come to the point that the overabundance of e-technology communications turns off this generation?

So what’s an admissions officer to do?

We heard that kids want real stories, from real students about real life at college, not generic pretty pictures and definitely not in the same old formats. Here’s just a few quotes from our survey.

1. “Too many mass emails. I have gotten at least 200 and it’s quite annoying.”
2. You contacted me by mail “wayyy too much”
3. …”Everything seemed to be the same.”
4. “After the first few months I threw out almost all the pamphlets without even reading them.”
5. “I got the most mail from the schools I cared the least about.”
6. “Sometimes the brochures would be very dry and un-interesting, which turned me off from some colleges that I had been previously interested in.”
7. I want more “personal experience stories.”
8. “Most of them (pictures) look way too posed.”

Some other notable research reports I would recommend:

1. From HS to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College, March 2008
Although this is research done by the Consortium on Chicago schools it has great research on first generation college students many from latino immigrant families.

2. 2008 Moody’s Public Finance, 2008, U.S. Higher Education Outlook
which talks about the dramatic changes expected in enrollment.

And by the way if you were wondering, my nephew will begin at The College of NJ in the fall.

Rockland and Beyond- The Byne Group Staying on Top of the Issues Effecting our Clients

2008-04-01T09:55:00.000-04:00

The Byne Group continues to stay on top of local issues and opportunities effecting our clients, particularly those in the higher education, healthcare and financial arenas. Constant vigilance on hot topics concerning our customers keep us on top of our game with ready access to the information and research areas available that can help our clients make useful and financially key decisions.

In line with this thought, Mary Ellen Hoffman, our strategy/business development director, recently attended the 3rd Annual Hudson Valley Regional Economic Summit held at neighboring Rockland Community College. The Summit is a seven-county effort designed to explore local, national and global economic issues. It focuses on the current state of the region’s infrastructure and identifies strategies to address the challenges. The intent is that the strategies will be adopted as priorities by lawmakers and other public policy officials and by leaders in the business and education communities.

Much of the dialogue of the day was how transportation and economic health go hand in hand and how to retain more of the 200,000 Hudson Valley commuters going to NYC, NJ and CT on a daily basis on roads and bridges over 50 years old. What was striking about the consortium of speakers was how they all must work in such minute detail to get anything done, i.e. – the traffic light on College Road entering Rockland Community College campus – a state road, a county road, a town road…finding out who was in charge took quite a while for President of RCC, Dr. Cliff Woods, but ultimately resulted in the needed traffic light. Pattern for Progress President & CEO, Jonathan Drapkin, opened the seminar with 15 Transportation Priorities needed in the Hudson Valley. Pattern is a regional planning organization that has for more than four decades shaped public policy initiatives to improve life in the Hudson Valley.

We applaud RCC for hosting this event and urge our colleagues, clients and friends to visit Pattern’s website at www.pattern-for-progress.org to learn more.

2008 Healthcare Reform Summit

2008-02-13T18:48:00.000-05:00

At The Byne Group, it is important for us to stay on top of the trends, issues, threats and opportunities that effect the industries of our clients. With several healthcare clients, ranging from large hospitals to regional visiting nurses associations and hospice groups, we pride ourselves in staying on top of the news and bringing an understanding of current events into the work we produce.

As members of the Healthcare Professionals Public Relations and Marketing Society, we consistently attend symposiums and educational forums to maintain our status as knowledgeable marketers who also collaborate with strategic communications partners to bring the best possible end product to our customers.

Our principal, Ann Byne, recently attended the 2008 Healthcare Reform Summit in New York, hosted by an organization called the Executive Council. "The Executive Council is a dynamic, innovative forum for senior executives, their advisors and capital markets professionals to network in a highly collaborative and stimulating environment,"Ann said.

She continued, "The event was designed to provide healthcare leaders with insights into why and how healthcare reform is critical to our country and our businesses. The event focused on whether we can rely on our marketplace forces to address healthcare reform and the overall impact of reform on our academic health centers and medical schools, the Life Sciences community, small businesses and Wall Street.

It was a cutting edge session with powerful business and policy leaders from some of the world's most innovative healthcare institutions. Some of the speakers included Pamela Brier, President and CEO, Maimonides Medical Center, Dr. Ronald M. Davis, President of the American Medical Association and Mark Wagar, CEO & President, Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

Cathy Schoen, SVP, The Commonwealth Fund opened the conference with a fascinating discussion on "Bending the Curve: Options for Achieving Savings and Improving Value in US Health Spending." In this report prepared for The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System, the authors examine 15 federal policy options that have the potential to lower health spending relataive to projected trends. The full report is available at www.commonwealthfund.org.

The interactive sessions covered topics high on the list of issues facing our US candidates. Everyone would agree that the current healthcare system is unsustainable. What is the best way to change the system? Full market-based? Governmental-run? Speakers touched on Universal Coverage, Rising Health Care Costs, Gaps in Quality Care as well as the roles played by state and federal government."

~Mary Ellen Hoffman
strategy/business development, The Byne Group

The Mistrusted “B” Word

2008-01-15T12:08:00.000-05:00

In my work I am asked to help non-profits strategically analyze and improve their marketing across all mediums. After being hired, it’s inevitable that people within the organization will ask why they have to spend money and time on branding when let’s face it, they have so little of either.

Some staff will find the term alien, even off-putting, so make sure that all staff understands that a brand is not just a logo or a tagline or a mission statement. It is the overall impressions, good or bad that your organization leaves behind, from the materials you send out, to your website being current to the person who answers the phone.

So what are some ways to make everyone on the boat row in the same direction? In my opinion the key is in involving all levels of the staff. It may be a focus group, a task force or asking for input on current perceptions. We all want to be listened too, taken seriously and have our opinions valued. Hiring an outside firm can help create a non-judgmental atmosphere and a promise of no repercussions from upper management. The best cheerleading begins from within an organization and then naturally emanates to the people in the stands.

Now if only we can find a better word than branding, any suggestions out there?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2007-12-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

NY Times Small Business Interview

2007-12-12T16:31:00.000-05:00

NY Times, Small Business—Interview
The Byne Group
-November 30, 2007

The award-winning Byne Group is a full service strategic design, branding, web and advertising design firm. Founded by Ann Mendelsohn Byne in 1990 and incorporated in 1998, it is headquartered in the historic Montebello mansion in Rockland County. Since its inception The Byne Group has become a cutting edge marketing and design firm, with a diverse client base, encompassing health, technology, consumer products and services, higher education and B2B. The Byne Group’s goal is to create comprehensive marketing programs that meet the specific objectives of each and every client, regardless of size and budget. This personalized approach has helped The Byne Group attract and more importantly, retain its clients.

Q: Design is a black art for a lot of people, plus there is the issue of taste... "chacun a son gout." But sometimes-small businesses need to upgrade their look. How do they know it's time to make that project a priority?

A: The right “look” or “brand” should be a priority for any size firm and it doesn’t have to break the bank! I tell my clients to start small, you don’t have to build a mansion, just start off with a small home with a strong foundation and lots of room to add. Assess the materials you use, are they consistent in look, do they still reflect who you and your target markets are, if not its time to update their “look or “brand”.

I don’t know if most small businesses truly understand what a brand is. It tends to be the marketing buzzword of the hour. A “brand” encompasses a company name, logo, tagline, business cards, etc. But in essence it is much more… a brand is a piece of real estate your business occupies in a persons mind, and the related impressions, good or bad that it leaves behind. Wouldn’t we all want to control that? When you meet someone for the first time we are judged on so many levels; how we speak, our demeanor, dress, color of our hair, even how we shake their hand. Think of each trait as parts of your brand, and the whole package is the overall “brand” impression you leave behind.

Q: Running a small business for the first time means lots of new challenges. What part of entrepreneurship have you worked hardest on?

A: For me it has always been learning to take a “leap of faith”. I was the middle child, and honestly I don’t believe there were ever any high expectations for me other than getting married and raising a family. I am just not a risk taker and when I read books about entrepreneurs that’s always one the top personality traits. So how I approach growth throughout my 20 years of business is probably a bit different from the norm….. I look at where I am at any given time in my business and my personal life and ask myself one simple question, would I still feel good about my business and myself if 5 in years I was in the same place? When you make yourself accountable in that way it can really motivate you to make changes fast.

I will probably always struggle with taking chances, but I feel good about where I am today and look forward to achieving my goals for my next “leap of faith”.

Q: What would you do if you weren't in business for yourself?

A: In my generation all little girls wanted to be just like the character Nurse Nancy from the golden book series, the books had band-aids and cool stuff for playing make-believe, even then, cross-marketing existed! Unfortunately as a teenager I realized I couldn’t walk into a hospital without feeling horribly sad and sorry for everyone so my first dream was abandoned.

When I went to Pratt I had a dual major of art education and graphic design. I still teach classes on marketing and branding occasionally and love the interaction with the audience. Fortunately I have the opportunity as creative director of my own firm to mentor and teach my own amazing staff. I think if I wasn’t running my own business I would like to be a full time college professor trying to inspire the next generation of designers.

Are you LinkedIn?

2007-11-27T13:01:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share an interesting article I read on MarketingProfs.com by
Matt Dickman
~Ann
An exerpt continues below. Read the full article here.

Are You LinkedIn?

One of the social networks that I frequent most often is LinkedIn. I've been a member of the service for years, but until recently they've not had the critical mass necessary to get traction. Over the last 6 months, however, I've seen a flood of people using the service to connect on a professional basis.

LinkedIn is a focused, professional networking site. It doesn't pretend to be MySpace or Facebook. The design is clean, but a little stark and it could use a little more personality in order to make it more engaging. In this video tour, I focus on what LinkedIn does well within their network and how you can apply the same logic and to your own community.

What LinkedIn does well:

• Security. Friendships are made and links shared only with permission.
• Focus. The site is professional and keeps social elements out.
• Communication. Alerts are stored in your inbox and messaging is clear and simple.
• Answers. The answers area is a great resource for anybody looking for advice from peers.
• Rewards. LinkedIn offers virtual rewards for engaging (profile completeness, etc.).
• Community. It's all about community and LinkedIn has found great ways of showing you what's happening in your personal network as well as your extended network.
• Trust. The site is completely built on trust. You connect with trusted people and so do they. When a message/answer/job comes through the service you know it's for real.

Thank you to all who joined us at our Lunch and Learn on Oct. 29th

2007-10-31T16:05:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our new blog—created in direct response to lessons learned at our event. We hope this blog will give us an opportunity to share insights, provide a forum for discussion, and let you know what The Byne Group is up to. We will soon be launching our new website so stay tuned.

For those of you who missed it, our speaker, Howard Greenstein, a social media evangelist, introduced us to the new world of online social networks, and took us gently through a maze of terms at our first Lunch and Learn program. He touched on powerful ways for us all to harness the power of the online community and answered ethical concerns we all share.

Its obvious that new media such as social networking can pack a powerful punch and you should put these new tools to productive use in telling your story. These days, strategic branding across all media is essential and must include the right mix to meet your goals. We all know the obvious ones: Print the brochure, but make sure to get a pdf of it on your site. Send out the invites to your event but don’t forget the e-mail blast, Get that video you produced for an event onto your site. Just remember to make sure all the pieces all carefully branded! If you haven't done it yet consider an e-newsletter, there are many companies, Constant Contact.com and Ask Emma.com to name a few that inexpensively allow you to track who opens it and when as well as, who clicks through to check out your website.

I thought the event was a great success. Over 25 clients/friends joined us. Lots of networking, and even reconnecting for some old friends (you know who you are)...and the chocolate chip cookies were outrageous!

I hope to hear back from many of you with any comments and thoughts about what you took away from the seminar and how you might use the information, as well as other topics you'd like to explore in future lunch and learns.

~Ann
Please see our links section for some interesting books and resources on the subject of social media and using it to your advantage.
Photos of the event
Howard Greenstein's Website
We Are Smarter than Me (book)
photos courtesy Howard Greenstein

We "Indulged Our Health And Our Spirits" at Nyack Hospital

2007-10-29T17:20:00.000-04:00

"Indulge Our Health and Our Spirits", the 10 Best Ways to Save your Life--an evening of interesting conversation and indulgent chocolate with Dr. Michele Blackwood was a huge success!

It was truly a delight to be part of such an exciting and engaging evening at Nyack Hospital, where over 100 women from the community were in attendance. Of course, it was Dr. Blackwood herself the new Director of Breast and Women's Health Prevention Services at Nyack Hospital, who made it an amazing, insightful, informative and memorable evening.

This was the Byne Group's first official event planning project, although two members of our team have experience as event coordinator for the Black Bear Golf Club, event coordinator for Chase Bank, and travel event coordinator for Maxwell House for the 1988 Winter Olympics.

We would like to thank everyone on the project team for their hard work and creativity as well as Nyack Hospital for giving us the opportunity to plan this fun and important event for them.

Thank you also to Chef Paul of Cook For You Gourmet in Sloatsburg, NY who generously donated and served an array of amazing chocolate delights-from fondue to gelatto, and mostlychocolate.com for donating the fabulous Lily O'Brien chocolates.

For more information on Dr. Blackwood visit
Nyack Hospital's Website

Ann Byne to Speak at the 9th Annual WeDC Networking Roundtable

2007-10-27T18:30:00.000-04:00

Friday, November 9, 2007, Ann will be speaking on "Making the Most of your Marketing Dollars". This event is designed as an opportunity for women business owners to develop new skills and be inspired by other successful women entrepreneurs. For more information go to the WeDC website.

Ann Attends the County-Wide Symposium on Autism

2007-10-17T12:05:00.000-04:00

As part of a strategic analysis assignment for Camp Venture, Ann Byne attended the 2nd Annual County-Wide Symposium on Autism. With standing room only, it was attended by over 500 parents, educators, lawmakers, and related service providers. The featured speakers included Fred Volkmar of Yale University's Autism Program and a nationally recognized professional in the study and treatment of autism, Raul Silva of New York University's Child Psychiatry Program and executive director of Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center.

The Byne Group's goal is to provide a strategic basis for Camp Venture's future marketing initiatives through market research, interviews, and an understanding of the local and political climate surrounding these issues. Interacting at events such as this is an important part of The Byne Group's strategic analysis process.

Camp Venture is a Nanuet-based nonprofit that offers services to people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. In addition to John Murphy, the symposium was planned by Janet Wheeler of OMRDD's Hudson Valley office; Dan Lukens, chairman of the Rockland County Community Service Board; and Mary Ann Tozer, the county's commissioner for mental health. Opening remarks were given by Senator Thomas P. Morahan.

Camp Venture