by IMC | Jul 3, 2012 | Blog
Preparing for a 4th of July party this week? Check out some of our favorite DIY projects that will surely spice up any star-spangled event!
These white chocolate covered strawberries dipped in blue sprinkles make for a patriotic and refreshing treat. (Kate made these for a BBQ last weekend- they were a hit!)
How great are these red, white and blue mason jar luminaries? Jar + hodge podge + tissue paper + candle = gorgeous outdoor 4th of July decoration.
Paper flowers add a whimsical touch to any event, and may be one of the easiest things to make! (I’m thinking of making some for my own BBQ on Saturday.)
At IMC, we can’t deny that we love a good signature cocktail…WITH a clever name…surely you remember our Christmas party! Consider hollowing out a watermelon and filling it with a punch or homemade sangria.
There are so many ways to get creative when the holidays roll around! However you end up spending your 4th of July, be sure that you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones- that’s the best part of any party.
Have a Happy & Safe 4th- God Bless the USA!
by IMC | Jun 19, 2012 | Blog
Navigating Social Media as a business owner can sometimes feel like a daunting dask. You know that Social Media can be used as a powerful marketing tool; but between Twitter, Facebook posts, Foursquare check-ins, and YouTube videos, it can be difficult to determine where to begin. If you feel lost inside the overwhelming world of Social Media, take a look at these tips to help you navigate your way.
1) Determine your Social Media Match
When embarking on this social media journey, you might be tempted to create an account for each social media site available. But before you spread your time and money across multiple Social Media avenues, there are quite a few things to consider. Research each avenue you’re interested in to determine where your audience is located. Each Social Media site offers something unique and it’s important to decide which is most relevant to you. For example Pinterest is a great tool for B2C companies whose target customers are women, but it may not be a good fit for a B2B company. Once you’ve thought about why you’d like to use Social Media, who you are targeting, and where they are already interacting, you can begin to narrow down your options.
2) Develop your Voice
Social Media is an excellent way to show the voice and personality of your brand, allowing customers to develop trust and faith in your company. It’s important to develop a voice that is consistent with your product and message. Think about the culture of your business and what you represent and allow this to be portrayed in your Social Media posts. For example if you are a B2C company who appeals to a young audience, you might develop posts that are light hearted or humorous. Once you’ve developed this voice keep it consistent across all of your Social Media accounts.
3) Create Valuable Content
Use Social Media as an avenue to create conversation rather than bombarding customers with ‘Buy my product’ messages. Provide your audience with information that they will find value in. Let’s say you own a small coffee shop where your customers spend time reading & working. You might try posting a latte recipe, a book suggestion, or an interesting article related to your industry. Or perhaps you own a dog-walking business. You might try posting how-to videos on dog training, or tips on selecting the right dog food. By establishing a place where followers can depend on you for credible news and messages, you will create a relationship that keeps them coming to you as the expert source in your industry.
4) Practice Makes Perfect
As with any new marketing strategy, it’s possible that you’ll encounter some mishaps. Allow these mistakes to happen and learn from them. If one message appears to have no effect, reevaluate that message and research new tactics. Your next post will surely be better. Create quality content, remain consistent, and interact with your audience, and you will soon reap the benefits of your Social Media campaign.
by IMC | May 1, 2012 | Blog
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have your very own publicist? Someone who would do whatever it took to make you look like the star you truly are? They’d have all the tools to make your best qualities shine. They’d be able to help you land that promotion, help you score a date with that special someone you’ve been eyeing, and know exactly how to handle your embarassing social mishap from last weekend.
An excellent pubicist can work wonders. But if you don’t see yourself hiring one anytime soon, you can still steal a few of their valuable skills to help you learn how to present yourself in the best light possible. We’ve outlined 4 tools from the Public Relations world that you can use to improve your every day life!
Develop your Brand:
When marketing a company, it is essential to create a strong sense of identity through the process of developing a brand. Create your own “self-brand” to highlight your most outstanding qualities. Take a moment to think about the goals you are aiming to achieve and what type of impression you’d like to set. Brainstorm the characteristics you are most proud of; identify those that you’d like to highlight and those that you’d like to downplay. Begin to allign your actions, words, wardrobe, etc with this new self-brand.
Create a Press Kit:
This might include your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts; along with resumes, business cards, headshots etc. Sift through your social media accounts and be sure that the tone of your pictures and posts are in line with the image you are seeking to present. You never know who might be looking at your accounts so it’s essential that they display you positively!
Learn to Pitch:
The ability to pitch is one of the most valuable skills to have in the Public Relations field. A successful pitch will pique attention and generate a buzz. Use the qualities of a great pitch next time you are networking or interviewing. Speak in a straight-forward and confident manner. Listen carefully and respond to questions quickly and succinctly. Understand your audience – learn about what motivates them and make points that are relevant and interesting to them.
Handle Bad Publicity with Grace:
Every brand will encounter negative publicity at some point. The best in Public Relations understand how to ride out the waves of bad publicity and how to recover once they’ve subsided. If you encounter negative attention, learn to handle it with grace. Hold your head high and know that in time, the buzz will pass. Make sincere apologies wherever necessary. Be sure to learn from your mistakes – evaluate what generated the negative attention and use it as an opportunity for growth.
These are just a few tools that those in Public Relations use to promote their products and clients. Try them out for yourself to help improve your image and advance towards your goals!
by IMC | Apr 24, 2012 | Fundraisers
The idea that a great party has to cost a lot of money is simply false! Don’t let a tight budget keep you from hosting an excellent event this year. There are tons of ways to execute the perfect event while sticking within your budget. In the event-planning industry, we’re always discovering tricks to make our parties look like a million bucks, without actually needing to spend it. Check out some of our favorite tips to throw a bash on a budget!
Plan Ahead
Planning your event far in advance will help you stick within your budget and avoid impulse buys and unnecessary expenses. Start by determining a budget you feel comfortable with. Then begin to create a roadmap for your event. Write a list of the different areas you’ll need to allocate your budget towards – such as food, liquor, décor, and invitations. Determine areas that might deserve an extra investment, such as food. Compare prices at multiple stores and websites to find the best deals. With a little planning and time you can often find products online for a fraction of the price you might pay in a local party store.
Pick a Theme
Now that you’ve allocated your expenses, you can let the planning begin! Start by creating a theme. Picking a theme is an inexpensive and simple way to bring fun and life to your next event. The right theme will add virtually nothing to your expenses. Choose a theme that guests can participate in such as a crazy hat party, or a masquerade party. You can also try a more subtle theme by drawing inspiration from a specific color or flavor and incorporating it throughout your event. A theme will give your party flair without adding to your budget.
Drink Up
Ask guests to bring their favorite wine or beer and provide them with one or two signature cocktails rather than a full bar. Signature drinks are inexpensive and easy and can be made in bulk prior to the party. Serve in pitchers or punch bowls and allow guests to help themselves. For a fun twist, tie your cocktail recipes in with your theme. If you’re throwing a valentine’s day party, find a red colored cocktail and label it, “love potion”. Or for an 80’s party, serve a popular drink from that era.
Chow Down
Save tons of money on food cost by skipping the sit down dinner and throwing an extended cocktail party with simple hors d’oeuvres. A great hors d’oeuvres menu doesn’t mean that each recipe has to be time-consuming or difficult. Your menu can consist of five simple hors d’oeuvres. Be creative! Almost any dish can be turned into party fare. Try serving your favorite soup in shot glasses, or your famous macaroni and cheese in bite sized portions.
Set the Mood
Simple modifications to music and lighting cost little to nothing and can change the atmosphere entirely. With the right touches you’ll be able to get your guests in the party mood. Avoid bright over-head lights, which are often unflattering, and stick to floor and table lamps. Put clusters of candles together and decorate candle holders with bright or patterned papers that match your theme. For music, create a unique playlist on your ipod or take advantage of programs like Pandora which will provide excellent mixes at no cost. Always be sure to check that your stereo and speakers are in working order before the party begins.
Try these tips out the next time you’re planning on a budget! And keep in mind that no matter the size of your budget, the best elements of a successful party are good company, laughter, fun, and memories – all of which are free!
by IMC | Apr 9, 2012 | Blog
If you spend any time on Facebook or Twitter, I’m sure you’ve heard about the breaking news in the social media world this afternoon.
Facebook has announced that they are buying Instagram for $1 Billion dollars in cash and stock. “For years, we’ve focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family,” Mr. Zuckerberg wrote. “Now, we’ll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.”
Here is the official news release from Facebook:
Facebook announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire Instagram, a fun, popular photo-sharing app for mobile devices.
The total consideration for San Francisco-based Instagram is approximately $1 billion in a combination of cash and shares of Facebook. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close later this quarter.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, posted about the transaction on his Timeline:
I’m excited to share the news that we’ve agreed to acquire Instagram and that their talented team will be joining Facebook.
For years, we’ve focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we’ll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.
We believe these are different experiences that complement each other. But in order to do this well, we need to be mindful about keeping and building on Instagram’s strengths and features rather than just trying to integrate everything into Facebook.
That’s why we’re committed to building and growing Instagram independently. Millions of people around the world love the Instagram app and the brand associated with it, and our goal is to help spread this app and brand to even more people.
We think the fact that Instagram is connected to other services beyond Facebook is an important part of the experience. We plan on keeping features like the ability to post to other social networks, the ability to not share your Instagrams on Facebook if you want, and the ability to have followers and follow people separately from your friends on Facebook.
These and many other features are important parts of the Instagram experience and we understand that. We will try to learn from Instagram’s experience to build similar features into our other products. At the same time, we will try to help Instagram continue to grow by using Facebook’s strong engineering team and infrastructure.
This is an important milestone for Facebook because it’s the first time we’ve ever acquired a product and company with so many users. We don’t plan on doing many more of these, if any at all. But providing the best photo sharing experience is one reason why so many people love Facebook and we knew it would be worth bringing these two companies together.
We’re looking forward to working with the Instagram team and to all of the great new experiences we’re going to be able to build together.
What do you think of the merge?
Page 34 of 43« First«...51015...333435...40...»Last »
