Since the start of the new year, I have noticed business owners posting on LinkedIn daily or several times a week. Yay for being more active! Boo for the frequency and overall execution. Double boo for the AI-generated content and visuals. It is riff-raff. Please just stop making mistakes on LinkedIn — you can do better!
Instead, Connect With Other Business Owners and Leaders
Right now, LinkedIn is the only place to connect with like-minded professionals, business owners, industry leaders and potential leads. This is the only social network where you can get updates from your industry’s leaders on what’s happening in their career or company. In addition to that, it is a platform for professional development — hello LinkedIn Learning — and to get the heads-up on industry trends, emerging technologies, the state of the economy and more.
Personally, I love seeing updates from my connections on awards they have won, events they have attended, professional milestones and shout-outs about what is happening in their business or with their people. Please, get back to that.
LinkedIn Builds Professional Credibility
So hey, business owners and leaders: Let’s harken back to the three Cs of successful brands. Conviction, consistency and connection should be your guidance on how to use LinkedIn successfully.
Focusing on connection and the relevancy of your content are the things that matter. If your target doesn’t care about what you stand for and if it isn’t authentic and purposeful, no one will pay attention. The stronger the emotional connection, the more likely your target or your connections will be positively pre-disposed to your organization.
Business Owners and Leaders Build Connection on LinkedIn
Trusted relationships develop into emotional bonds. And this is true for LinkedIn. Loyalty to your brand or to you as a business leader means greater business success for you, and reduced competitive threat.
While you may think staged photography of you behind your computer or with a team member, belongs on your personal LinkedIn timeline, think again. It is not enough to just show yourself working. Let your followers know what you’re thinking. Don’t weaken connections with your professional network you spent decades to build. Keep connecting with your network in ways that help them.
Balance helpfulness, expertise and relatability to boost engagement on LinkedIn without excessive self-promotion. Please and thank you. Again, for the love of Pete, keep your audience interested by providing value. Establish your authority by sharing your expertise.
And above all, build connection.
Front Porch Marketing can help if you need additional thoughts on how to use LinkedIn, how to build and maintain connection with your network, or just some counsel on your LinkedIn brand or personal page. We know you can rock it in 2026!
What are the marketing trends to look for in 2026? Every new year brings fresh predictions, buzzwords, and strategies that can make marketing feel overwhelming. As algorithms continue to change, often we shift and adjust (or panic about Google’s new rule). However, the reality is that the strongest marketing trends are not about chasing what is new. Instead, trends focus on adapting what already works in smarter and more intentional ways.
As we move into 2026, we see marketing becoming more human, more strategic, and more focused on genuine connections. Here are the key marketing trends to watch and lean into this year (if you are curious about 2025 trends, we wrote about those too).
Authentic Content Over Perfection
Overly polished visuals are losing their edge. Today’s audiences and clients want authentic content, not sales-driven or staged. In fact, authenticity isn’t just preferred; it is expected.
Content that prioritizes connection over aesthetics
Casual, conversational captions
People are more likely to engage with content that feels genuine and relatable rather than overly produced.
Short-Form Video Will Remain a Marketing Trend in 2026
Short-form videos aren’t going anywhere. That said the marketing trends to watch in 2026 depend less on what you post and more on why and where you’re posting it.
Specifically, high-performing video content focuses on:
Education, storytelling or quick insights
Consistency rather than going viral
Repurposing content across platforms
Reaching audience where they already spend time
Brands need to prioritize intentional video content that aligns with their values and speaks directly to their audience. directly to their audience.
Personalized Marketing Over Generic Marketing
Generic messaging has become easier than ever to scroll past. In the marketing trend for 2026, clients expect content that feels tailored to their needs and interests.
We create these opportunities by:
Listening to our clients
Creating marketing plans
Prioritize personalization over generic marketing strategy
When audiences feel seen and understood, trust naturally follows. Personalization not only builds stronger relationships but also drives stronger results. ships but also drives stronger results. e long run. Personalization not only builds stronger relationships but also drives stronger results.
Final Thoughts on Marketing Trends in 2026
Overall, marketing trends in 2026 are less about doing more but about doing things better. Authenticity, personalization, strategy, and consistency are shaping how brands and clients connect with their audiences in meaningful ways.
Although trends will continue to evolve, the foundation remains the same — we continue to focus on understanding our audience, providing value and showing up with purpose. When marketing is rooted in connection rather than pressure to chase what’s new and shiny, it becomes not only more meaningful but also far more successful.
This year is a significant business anniversary for Front Porch Marketing! ‘Cause when you are fifteen … yep, had to … the lyrics from the icon and brilliant, bad a** storyteller and business woman Taylor Swift. We are honored and humbled to be celebrating our 15th year in business beginning this March. Which has all our marketing and branding wheels spinning.
What’s Significant About 2026?
It is not only our 15th anniversary. We have a new client who has engaged us to develop a brand audit, brand architecture and a 2026 marketing plan. Oh, and 2026 marks this client’s 30th year in business. Another significant business anniversary! Well, celebrations and events are always top of mind on the Porch. So, in my best football mom voice, Let’s go!
Looking for Ways to Rock Your Significant Business Birthday?
Whether it is this year or next, Front Porch Marketing can help. First of all, remember all things you do as a business should be in your brand voice and colors. Next, build on traditions and the vernacular you have established — for your brand and within your company culture — with your clients and advocates. Keep doing more of what makes you YOU!
Ready to celebrate your significant business anniversary? Look up the traditional and modern gifts and words associated with the significant year celebrations. For 30, for example, it is pearls, diamonds, lilies and other delightful 30th anniversary attributes.
Idea Starters For Your Significant Day Celebration
The big day to celebrate in 2026, for our current client, would be the 30th of every month starting in the month that they were founded for twelve months • Social media post related to the anniversary • Gift in line with 30 years to client’s advocates or to the founding client • Same to current and possibly prospective clients
Nonprofit tie-in • Donating $3,000 to a nonprofit near and dear to the brand or some special philanthropic tie-in • Asking for submissions directed to nonprofits, asking why their nonprofit should get $3,000
Team recognition • Special 30th anniversary branded gift • Celebration event for team • Volunteering together for 30 hours during the anniversary year
Short-term logo with 30th anniversary tagline or “30” incorporated into the design
30th anniversary website banner
Updated social media timeline covers and/or avatars
Handwritten notes with a special gift — or no gift — to those who helped you start the business or who are key to keeping you motivated to think differently. Recognize those who are always propping you up throughout the year
We Thank YOU For Helping Us Reach This Significant Year
It is not lost on us that we could not have done these past fifteen years without you. We could not have done this without team members present and past, and those that are yet to come. To those team members who we pull in when we have overflow or need special expertise: Thank you.
To those who refer us to other business leaders and contacts? We give our endless gratitude. To the champions of Front Porch Marketing who ask us to speak at events or are always at the willing to talk to clients looking for additional expertise and resources.
We are grateful for you all. Humbled and blessed always. Our team is honored to work with those we love for whom we love while taking care of our loves.
There would be no Front Porch Marketing without all y’all.
Before we knew it, 2025 came to an end. A year that was filled with opportunities, challenges, transitions and even moments of uncertainty. Looking back, it’s clear that these obstacles provided immense amounts of growth for our Rockers, both professionally and personally. The gratitude we feel for our clients and one another far outweigh any stress or uncertainty that we faced along the way.
Each of the following reflections tells a story of resilience, gratitude and progress, highlighting the meaningful growth and the trends that defined 2025, both within our work and in our personal lives.
Chief Rocker Julie Porter
Personally, this year was full of blessings. Andrew, my son, graduated with his MBA from Rollins College. We are so proud! Audrey, my daughter, continued to excel in school and proclaimed a love of acting and a hobby of being a soccer goalie.
Professionally, our team said goodbye to an important team member but gained a rock star. We had interns move on to amazing things and welcomed new ones. We were blessed with new clients and remained honored to continue on with our current clients. I gained new connections through joining groups including Success Champion Networking and Dream Team Dallas. I am motivated now more than ever to grow our business and brand.
We had time to give back our resources to important events including the Jesuit Women’s Auxiliary Christmas Bazaar and the Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Beacon of Hope Luncheon and Hope Party, among other things.
Industry wide, folks were dabbling in AI. Those that knew how to embrace it, we were grateful. And a few clients and prospects that were just getting on board, we were honored to educate them on the benefits.
Reflecting on 2025 and looking forward to the coming year are critical to me as a business leader. As a business, we will continue our focus — providing marketing plans and strategies and spot-on execution are paramount. We will continue to work with those we love, for those we love while taking care of our loves.
Cheers to the new year! I am honored to be working with this rockin’ team for our amazing clients.
Client Relationship Rocker Nancy Scott
As I look back on 2025, I’m grateful for a year that pushed me, taught me and reminded me why I love the work I do. I had the chance to partner with some incredible clients across industries and help them fine tune messaging and branding. Each project felt meaningful — I’m proud of the work created with my fellow Rockers and clients.
On the home front, my three daughters continue to amaze me. I watched them grow into themselves more, becoming more confident and more aware of who they are. We faced big and small challenges head-on and together. In starting over, we leaned on each other and discovered a kind of strength and courage I’ll never forget.
As we wrap up the year, I’m thankful for the people and moments that made 2025 what it was. Mostly, I’m grateful for my daughters and the community around us. Here’s to moving into 2026 with clarity, gratitude and hope!
Rock Collector Alison Moreno
2025 was an incredible year both personally and professionally. Watching my son graduate from high school and sending him off to college is sad and wonderful all at the same time. Witnessing my daughter become strong and independent both physically and emotionally, as she finished 3rd in Powerlifting Regionals before finishing out her sophomore year has made me so proud.
This year has also been a great opportunity for me as I have been able to grow and learn so much within the bookkeeping and accounting world. I have been able to work with more business owners in different industries that have bright dreams for their companies, and I have been able to help them work towards those goals. I hope that 2026 offers more of the same opportunities and progress as I push myself beyond my previous boundaries and expand my expertise.
Media Rocker Christine Finnegan
My year-end reflections for 2025 focus on reviewing my personal growth, career milestones — such as new skills and leadership achievements — health habits, and financial goals. I emphasized the importance of deep, intentional planning rather than merely “doing more” to achieve true fulfillment. My actions are always guided by self-awareness and resilience, ensuring they align with my personal values and maintain focus. As I look back on the year, I’ve realized that my happiness stems primarily from my two sons. Knowing that they are well and thriving brings me immense joy and fulfillment.
Swiss Army Rock Lea Ann Allen
2025 was a year full of Blursdays. Blursday, in case you are not familiar, is the day it is when you don’t know what day it is. All in all, 2025 has been utter chaos. But amid all the chaos I could always count on my colleagues at Front Porch Marketing. They are steady, kind and uplifting.
In all other ways, I am grateful this year is over. And I’m definitely hoping next year is less like a dumpster fire and more like a warm cup of cocoa with extra marshmallows. Keep your fingers crossed.
Website Rocker Vicky Gouge
It’s hard to believe we’re heading into 2026. My son just turned 12, and it feels like only yesterday I was holding him for the first time. While I love watching him grow into a thoughtful, capable young man, it’s bittersweet how quickly the years seem to pass. Time has a way of speeding up as we get older, and moments like this make that especially clear.
Looking back, 2025 was a steady and meaningful year. I was fortunate to travel with friends, spend a lot of quality time with family, and create new memories with Charlie along the way. Those experiences are what truly anchored the year for me.
From a business perspective, the year brought its share of challenges. The rapid emergence of AI tools introduced uncertainty, and a shifting economy made decision-making slower for many consumers. Even so, the year remained a positive one overall — full of learning, adaptation, and forward momentum.
Intern Sophie Leos
As I reflect back on the past year, I am so thankful for the opportunities that presented challenges and allowed me to grow professionally and as a person. As a senior in college at the University of Arkansas, I am approaching some of my final months as a student. Looking back even just a year ago, I feel like a whole new person.
This year was filled with various internships including my current one with Front Porch Marketing, which has given me much clarity as to my future career path. Front Porch has allowed me to learn from inspiring marketing professionals and gain numerous new skills, along with a vast amount of knowledge about the marketing world. I feel so much more prepared to enter the workforce and confident in the value that I can add to a team.
I am so grateful to everyone at Front Porch who has given me the space to learn and grow while also providing me with valuable guidance along the way. 2025 was so fruitful, and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the next year!
Intern Riley Fry
Over the course of this year, there have been challenges to face, obstacles to overcome, goals achieved and unforgettable memories made with friends and family. To 2025, all I can say is thank you for shaping me into the person I am today, strengthening me through difficult moments and reminding me of what I’m capable of. Being a part of Front Porch Marketing has truly uplifted me and taught me more than I could have ever imagined, both personally and professionally. Every experience, lesson and connection has played a role in my growth. Because of 2025, I’m stepping into the new year feeling grateful, confident and excited for what’s ahead.
Reflections on 2025, From All of Us on the Porch
Thank you for being part of a year that challenged us, shaped us and helped us grow into the best versions of ourselves. As we step into the new year, we do so with gratitude for our people, our clients and the community that continues to support and inspire us.
Here’s to growth, clarity and showing up for one another.
Stay curious.
Stay kind.
Keep rocking.
With hearts full of love and excitement, we can’t wait to see what this new year will bring.
As the year winds down, most marketers are thinking about holiday campaigns, reviewing Q4 deliverables, and tying up loose ends. But there’s one task that can make a bigger impact on next year than any last-minute push: a thoughtful review of the past 12 months.
For marketing and advertising teams an end-of-year assessment isn’t just a nice tradition. It’s a chance to pause, zoom out, and understand what worked, what didn’t, and how to set yourself up for a more efficient, more creative and more rewarding year ahead.
How do you go about conducting a meaningful year-end review and then turn insights into an actionable plan for next year?
Start by Reviewing the Work Itself
Look back at your projects, campaigns, pitches and deliverables from the past year. What felt strong? Did anything fall short? Were there things that surprised you?
Questions to ask yourself as you’re reviewing the work:
Which projects delivered the best results for clients and why?
Which projects were the most creatively fulfilling?
What took more time or budget than expected?
Which deliverables consistently ran smoothly?
What bottlenecks or frustrations came up repeatedly?
Look for patterns here, not one-off issues. These patterns will tell you where your firm naturally excels and where possible tweaks could make a difference next year.
Evaluate Your Processes
Even the best work can feel stressful if the work behind the scenes isn’t efficient. Reviewing your processes helps you identify where extra time can be eliminated, or needs to be added, next year. Put best practices in place. Write down processes that work to share with the team and onboard with new team members.
Questions to ask when reviewing processes:
Where did communication break down?
Did we have the right information at the right time?
Were timelines realistic or chaotic?
Did approvals or revisions slow things down?
Did we use our tools effectively?
When taking a look at your processes, look for repeated snags or bottlenecks, overcomplicated workflows that can be simplified, missing steps that caused confusion, and tasks that always seemed to fall through the cracks. Process updates for next year will mean an easier year and a happier team!
Reviewing Your Team’s Capacity, Skills and Collaboration
A strong team is the core of a strong year. Assess whether or not everyone is working together well. Are there different communication techniques that could be used across the board for stronger connections?
Questions to ask yourself when reviewing your team’s strengths:
Did team members feel overloaded at any point?
Where did people shine, and where did they struggle?
Did cross-discipline collaboration happen naturally or did silos form?
Are there skills the team wants to learn in able to grow?
Look for opportunities to build up strengths and support areas needing more structure, tools or training.
Examine Your Client Relationships
Reviewing the past year in terms of client relationships helps guide you forward and grow your business. Find what types of clients or industries you want to attract next year, and which ones you may need to reevaluate, by reviewing your client base every year.
Questions to ask yourself when reviewing clients:
Who were your strongest partnerships? Why?
Where did expectations misalign?
Were you proactive or reactive in your communication?
Are there clients you’d love to replicate, or ones that weren’t a great fit?
Now Turn Your Review Into Next Year’s Plan
Once you’ve assessed the year, it’s time to transform insights into a strategic plan.
As you look ahead, start by identifying the strengths you want to carry forward. Don’t reinvent what’s already working well. Instead, recognize the processes, tools and team dynamics that consistently support strong outcomes. Maybe that was a solid creative brainstorm structure, reliable kickoff briefs, smooth approvals or content formats that performed especially well.
Equally important is acknowledging what didn’t work and choosing just a few meaningful improvements to focus on next year. You don’t need sweeping overhauls, just simple changes like streamlining intake forms, improving briefs, adding mid-project check-ins, investing in a useful new tool, tightening your revision process or strengthening client onboarding. Choose improvements that will make the biggest impact overall, and implement them for next year.
From there, use the insights gathered in your review to set specific, data-informed goals. These might include reducing turnaround times or launching new services. To make these goals truly effective, involve your entire team in shaping them. Because your team lived the work this year, they can offer invaluable observations, surface opportunities for improvement, suggest fixes, and help you prioritize what matters most. When everyone participates in building the plan, they’re more invested in bringing it to life.
From Reviewing to ReDoing
Finally, turn your insights into a clear “next-year playbook.” It can be as simple as a one-pager or a more detailed document. Both work. What matters is capturing the key takeaways from your review, outlining what will stay the same and what will change, clarifying team goals, identifying tools or training to implement and articulating your vision for the year ahead. It’s a guide your team can reference throughout the year to stay aligned, accountable and focused on continuous improvement.
Looking back at Q3, we feel very fortunate to have talked to more small to midsize businesses and nonprofits than in Q1 and Q2 combined — there have been a lot of marketing questions asked. However, some of it isn’t good news for them.
Some prospects are seeing a decline in revenue vs the first part of the year. Others are not seeing the return on their digital ad spend they saw in the first part of the year.
And, then there are some of our favorite conversations. We love meeting new entrepreneurs ready to rock their next business venture. This audience has a different set of questions.
For those that fall into the categories above, here are some insights of our conversations, that might help you, if you are experiencing similar opportunities. Even for those business owners and leaders who aren’t in the middle of one of these scenarios, there may be a nugget to learn or ponder here.
Marketing Questions for 2025
Why are my Google fill in the blank ads not performing?
Overwhelmingly, prospective clients are coming to us because of this and asking relevant marketing questions. Note to all: Business leaders and consumers alike are now starting their searches with AI platforms like ChatGPT. Generative AI is taking over the discovery phase.
Whereas consumers used to start with a keyword search on Google, 68% of shoppers across the world have used AI tools like ChatGPT to shop, according to a report published by creative agency VML. So, now the lines are blurred between search as a brand marketing function and a performance marketing one.
Also, if your Google Local Service Ads (LSA) are not working, why did you notice this and not your current agency? There are a myriad of reasons why they are not performing. And your agency should fix this problem. Not you. Ask them this marketing question.
Are your clients seeing a decline in revenue this year vs. last year?
This marketing questions is an important one. This is where you get the open, direct conversations that happen on the Front Porch. The U.S. economy has been in the s*&^ for quite a bit. Longer than most will admit. (Time to take off those orange-colored, not rose-colored glasses, which is a tip of the hat to Taylor and the release of The Life of a Showgirl.)
About a third of our clients have seen a decline. Of that third, the decline has been less than others in their industry. Why? Our clients market onward. These business owners and leaders haven’t cut the marketing budgets. And it’s showing!
Reality check, people. The spending on all the things: consumer goods, professional services, hospitality, travel, etc., after the pandemic was fabulous. But, as hopefully most of you have realized, it is time we normalize. And now, driven by macroeconomic uncertainty, tariffs and other factors, businesses and consumers are holding on to their cash.
How do I distinguish my business in an oversaturated category?
Recently, a prospect launching a business consultancy emailed this marketing question to us — after our initial meeting and several discovery calls.
My response, thank you for asking, was this: We take you through a branding process to ensure that your brand is both differentiating and emotionally relevant to your best target customer or client in this case.
As a famous person recently said, “I’m in the business of human emotion.”
All of us as business owners, leaders and champions of our brands are in the business of human emotion. Human connection, along with clarity and conviction of your brand will make you rise above. Even in an oversaturated category.
At the end of the day, automation and AI are happening whether you want them to or not. However, if your brand isn’t defined, your business is way behind the curve. And if it is and you are not delivering on it at every touchpoint, we can help you get there.
Want Your Own Answers to These Three Marketing Questions?
Whether your marketing questions are about ads, revenue or branding, or something else entirely, you deserve to have someone help you find the answers. Knowing is the first step down a new, more successful journey on your company’s marketing path.
Over the past decade, sustainability has become a key factor in purchase decisions for many consumers. Growing environmental concern has raised a challenge for marketers to adapt to the rising conscious consumer movement. When brands market sustainability it not only contributes to the larger mission of protecting our planet but also builds customer loyalty and trust.
The Rising Environmental Concern
Today, more than ever before, climate change and resource shortages are becoming increasingly apparent concerns. People are trying to find ways to combat these issues in their everyday lives. According to Oxford Languages, the definition of sustainability is “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”.
Social media and television are highlighting activism and encouraging consumers to be more sustainable in their actions and purchases. Living more sustainably consists of reducing our energy consumption, using reusable products and overall trying to use less of earth’s natural resources.
Why It Matters in Marketing
The rise in concern for sustainability has opened up a new opportunity to attract customers and align with their values. Brands can use sustainability as a marketing strategy in order to target conscious consumers, customers who want to shop ethically and feel empowered by making smart shopping choices.
Many consumers also associate sustainability with high-quality and ethically made products. Younger generations are beginning to prioritize eco-conscious purchase decisions, and brands should consider this in order to cater to their needs and build trust.
Examples of Brands That Are Doing This
Many brands are already doing this and experiencing great success because of it. Some prime examples include Patagonia, Tesla and Levi’s.
Patagonia has always been known for supporting activism and ethically made sustainable products. Their brand is strongly associated with the outdoors and the environment. Their ads often challenge consumerism while also marketing their products as sustainable through the use of recycled materials. They promote informed shopping, which improves their authenticity and creates a more loyal, trusting customer base.
Tesla is well known for their high-tech, luxury electric vehicles. One way they influence customers is by marketing the cars to be eco-friendly. This allows them to appeal not only to those customers looking for luxury but also to those concerned with their own ecological footprint and contribution to the environment. They highlight energy efficiency by using sustainable energy to power the vehicles and reducing the use of earth’s natural resources. With this, Tesla’s mission has become so much more than selling luxury cars, it gives value-driven customers a real reason to purchase their products.
Levi’s markets their products as being long-lasting and encourages the reducing waste. They launched a line that uses significantly less water and is based entirely on sustainability. Levi’s has used these campaigns to stay relevant in the industry and connect with customers who want to avoid purchasing fast fashion. Sustainable marketing has allowed them to revitalize their brand with younger generations, strengthening their reputation of quality and long longevity.
Benefits of Marketing Sustainability
There are many benefits of branding your company as sustainable. It attracts the younger generation who are eco-conscious and make everyday purchases with this in mind. It also leads consumers to perceive your brand as high quality due to the associations between sustainability and ethically made goods. Additionally, this marketing opportunity aligns companies with customers who are value-driven, and purchase from brands who’s mission is something bigger than just selling their products.
Sustainability marketing also helps create more loyal customers by enhancing trust and authenticity. Overall, there are real benefits for both companies and consumers when a brand encourages sustainability. It is a future-forward way to market products while contributing to a much larger mission than sales.
Temperatures are dropping, and we’re here with the fall PR tips!
Looking for new PR tips to work your client into current news? In the fall, public relations efforts should align with seasonal themes. Further, don’t forget to adjust the timing of your pitches to accommodate holiday planning and the busy news cycle. Try a few of these PR tips for success this autumn.
PR Tips and Trend Ideas for Fall Stories
Cozy living: Suggest stories that are related to cozy comfort and nesting for colder weather. Include home décor, recipes (especially soups and other fall comfort foods) and fashion trends like “sweater weather.”
Current Trends: During this time of year there is a lot going on. Fall is when football season begins, and new films are released in theaters and on streaming platforms. If you can link a client’s product or service to trending news items in sports or entertainment, you are more likely to achieve valuable media coverage.
New Beginnings: Utilize the concept of transition and new beginnings this season. Fall signifies a natural transition — the end of summer, the beginning of the school year and a return to routine. Position your pitches around this “fresh start” mentality.
Gift Guides: Remember to pitch products or services for holiday gift guides far in advance. Research which outlets publish gift guides and what their specific deadlines are.
Holidays:Pitch ahead for holidays, because journalists work on holiday content weeks, or even months, in advance. For Thanksgiving and Christmas gift guides, pitches must go out early to mid-fall to be considered. So now is the time!
Try Different Ways in to Build Buzz for Your Client
This season obviously presents numerous opportunities, from the start of the football season to major holidays, allowing businesses and brands to create timely and relevant stories. Linking your client to these opportunities can provide optimal seasonal storytelling for their brand and businesses.
Recently, I heard a successful business entrepreneur speak. His audience of almost 100 business owners was comprised of some who were familiar with his business and others who were not.
This business leader owns a Construction General Contractor business. He described that his company’s role as General Contractor is to project manage a construction job. From start to finish, his company project manages jobs big and small, so the owner does not have to do so.
How a Construction General Contractor Business Parallels an Ad Agency
I noticed right away that the job components included in managing projects as a Construction General Contractor mirror ours as a branding and marketing partner. In order to execute a successful project, these four components must be happen for us at Front Porch marketing:
Create and manage the timeline — Along the way, make sure all tasks are on time and timelines are updated.
Develop the budget — Estimate all costs, agency fees and out-of-pocket expenses, to ensure no surprises during the course of the project.
Hire the crew — The right crew is critical. With us, our crew is already on board. We engage them as needed and they deploy their expertise and skills for each part of “the job.”
Manage communication — Front Porch Marketing account managers are the primary liaison with the Client. They manage the team executing the work, so our Clients don’t have to do so.
The Right People for the Job
This is where the rubber meets the road for Construction General Contractors as well as Advertising Agencies. They both require the right people to do the job who are focused on results. The cost for both construction and advertising is higher sometimes, because we both want to get the right, skilled experienced experts to execute the work. We also want to be able to hold them accountable for executing at the highest level. By doing this, the results meet or exceed clients’ expectations.
As a business or nonprofit leader or owner, if you have time and team members to manage the above. rock on.
Managing Your Time Effectively as a Business Leader
Think about whether the way you’re doing it now is the right way to spend your time. Are you managing or executing your own marketing? For me, I create the annual plan for Front Porch. I review it. Our team weighs in and embraces their roles. I check in with team members along the way.
However, for me, I know my business and the team benefits when I work ON our business not IN our business. Does yours?
Manufacturers are a sweet spot for us. In addition, we love business owners and leaders who share their expertise and learnings with other. Hence, that is where the inspiration for this blog came from for me after seeing this business owner speak. Connecting the parallels of agency business and Construction General Contractor business reinforced for me that we are driven when we work with like-minded business leaders. Let me know what you think.
I’ve told the “Books” story before, but I will tell it again quickly. As I was reading on the beach one summer, I was approached by my son’s friend who was like a son to me. And he knew me well. “Mrs. Porter are you reading Hemingway, Wilde, Austen, Shakespeare,” he asked. My response, “No, Jimmie. Thanks for that though. I am reading mindless trash.”
I mean no disrespect for the authors who are so incredibly talented. Books like Happy Wife, Broken Country, Atmosphere, OMG … just to name a few. Reading these books this summer on our annual family Gulf Shores, Alabama, trip definitely reduced my stress. But there were a lot of the other things I didn’t realize they did too.
Benefits of Reading
Happy Wife is set in Winter Park, Florida, which was my son’s — and by default my — home away from home for five years. Definitely an enjoyable read in familiar territory.
One book that kept me saying, “Yes. Oh, you go girl,” and a couple of other things because it coincidentally blurred into my work life was, Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino.
As a start up that then turned into an extraordinarily successful brand quickly with an overly participatory investor, the main character, Sunny, pivoted. She realized her brand strategy and core customers were no longer at the core of her brand.
Finding Inspiration For Life and Work From Books
Thinking about this book lead me to write this blog. Successful start-ups and their business leaders always understand the following as they build and grow their companies:
Investment — Successful business owners and leaders understand they need to invest in their brand launch AND beyond. It is not just launch and be done. It is the continued investment over time that ensures success. So, make sure to run numbers before your launch. Do you have the capital to launch AND continue marketing? What is your true number to both launch and sustain this brand? Bootstrapping can cause a few negative effects, so be aware:
Slower growth which equals struggling to scale
Increased personal financial risk if the business stagnates or fails
Intense workload leading to burnout and sometimes health issues, which we have seen first-hand recently, of the entrepreneur. Hustle smarter not harder. Which leads to number two.
Team Members — How much time can you commit to this business? Some of our start-up leaders are working full-time jobs at other companies. But their hearts are somewhere else. Ask yourself this, start-up leader: If you are keeping your day job until this business takes off, do you have the support team in place to fill in the gaps?
Branding & On-going Marketing Support — We have waxed lyrical about these subjects before. The fact is that the fictional character Sunny got it. She built a brand based on a brand vision and ultimately stayed true to its mission and values. In addition, she consistently communicated with her best target after the product launch. Are you putting on-going support in place too?
Learn a Lesson From Fictional Characters and Real Business Leaders
Books can be blessings. Even mindless trash. Reading provides personal benefits like increased vocabulary, reduction of stress and enhanced cognitive functioning. But, as you can see, reading books can also translate into business learnings and idea generation at the same time. Happy end-of-summer reading, y’all!
