Growing business interest in Pinterest

Pinterest, a photo-sharing social media website co-founded by West Des Moines native Ben Silbermann, was one of the biggest success stories in social media this year.

The Business Record asked if local businesses could find use in being on the site, which reached 10 million unique monthly visitors faster than any other website in history.

“I think the answer is a good, solid maybe,” said Drew McLellan, CEO of McLellan Marketing Group.

The East Village shop Domestica, which sells handmade craft-type products, uses the site to interact with customers, and in turn to promote the business. Meredith Corp.’s Better Homes and Gardens magazine is another business that has found success through posting things such as recipes, decorating ideas and gardening trends on Pinterest.

“It’s really free advertising without having to be a total jerk about it,” said Chrissy Jensen, owner of Domestica. Read full story

Successful branding: authentic and caring, say experts

Branding expert Melissa Mohr, associate brand manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., talked on business branding at an American Marketing Association event. One of her prevailing messages was to keep it simple by providing a consistently good product that customers want.

Also, show you care. “That is becoming more and more important,” Mohr said. “If there’s something more (than the product), that’s really what gets people that are loyal to you, and they come back every time.”

Similarly, national social media expert Brian Solis told the Business Record, businesses can no longer rely on just marketing creatively. “Your brand has to stand for something,” he said.

Added Abe Goldstien, senior account manager at Trilix Marketing Group Inc., “You are who you are. Take advantage of that.” Read full story

Technology drives marketing trends

How has marketing changed in the past 10 years? In November, local marketing experts told Business Record how technology has changed their industry. -Businesses have more opportunities to own their media and, conversely, more challenges to stand out in the crowd.

-Even old-school ideas like product packaging are enhanced through tech channels. The oven-style boxes that Thelma’s Treats uses to deliver cookies is a branding tool that is enhanced and repeated on the company’s website and its Facebook page.

“Marketers are taking what they’ve learned through social media practice and applying it to traditional media,” said Josh Fleming, digital strategy director at Lessing-Flynn Advertising Co. “In a sense, social media lessons learned by marketers have given traditional media like print and broadcast a shot in the arm.” Read full story