5 Emerging Digital Trends That Will Make A Difference In 2017

Mike HardmanDigital Marketing, Marketing Trends, Social Media MarketingLeave a Comment

In 2016, we saw numerous ups, downs, and unexpected digital trends. As you kick off 2017, prepare to see some exciting developments that may impact your marketing plans. 1. Live platforms – a new media play Live platforms like Periscope and Facebook Live have emerged over the past couple of years, quickly becoming a popular way to engage with customers. … Read More

Is Your Agency Style Without Substance?

Mike HardmanUncategorizedLeave a Comment

We’re all familiar with agencies whose portfolios flash one campaign after another. Take a closer look at their case studies — did they accomplish specific objectives? At Hardman Group, we think through marketing problems and build programs that deliver measurable results. We recently launched a new brand strategy and social media campaign for VISION EASE Lens, a global ophthalmic lens … Read More

3 Questions To Ask About Your Ad Agency

Mike HardmanAdvertising, Advertising AgencyLeave a Comment

You did your homework and hired the ad agency you thought would take care of your brand. Have they? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. Ask yourself three simple questions: Do you like how your agency thinks? Did your agency help solve your marketing problems? Do you like the insights your agency provides you? If you can’t answer … Read More

2016 Election: All About the Message

Mike HardmanMarketingLeave a Comment

When I last posted, I talked about the advertising lessons then-candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton offered to us. We looked at their strategies through the AIDA lens. Now that we have a winner, we can review the campaigns even further. Donald Trump crafted the winning message and, as Paul Ryan noted, heard something that nobody else heard. He acted … Read More

Trump, Hillary, and Lessons in Advertising

Mike HardmanAdvertisingLeave a Comment

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know there are a few things that I repeat, namely strategy and measurement. Make sure you have a strategy and make sure you measure it to know whether or not it’s effective. That’s what we’re about to do thanks to the always-engaging presidential race. Because typical elections feature paid media … Read More

It’s All about the Results

Mike HardmanMarketingLeave a Comment

Having the most creative campaign ever doesn’t mean a thing if you haven’t achieved your goal. The classic case, of course, remains pets.com. That sock puppet was hilarious! But the site eventually went out of business. Measuring the success of a campaign is crucial to being effective. I’ve written about this before, and it’s so important that I think it … Read More

Why Your Business Should Be Blogging

Mike HardmanBlogging, Content Marketing, Digital MarketingLeave a Comment

Blogging is easily one of the most important assets to your brand’s inbound marketing strategy, and with the right content, your brand can greatly benefit from blogging’s effects. Blogging works. Let’s take a look at the numbers. Companies nearly double their sales leads by increasing blogging frequency from 3–5 times per month to 6–8 times per month (Hubspot). Websites with … Read More

Data. Beyond the Numbers.

Mike HardmanMarketingLeave a Comment

What do we mean when we say data? For me, it means any and all information we can gather to help us know our audience and the market. Too many times new clients come to me with a list of failed campaigns. They ask what went wrong? What will you do differently? My answer often lies in the data — … Read More

The Differences Between Content, Publicity & Advertising

Mike HardmanMarketingLeave a Comment

I remember the days when it was simple: advertising was coverage you paid for while publicity was coverage you got for free. (And yes, “free.”) Then content marketing came on the scene. Where does that fit in? A lot has been said on the subject, and while there are certainly some overlaps, I find it helpful to keep it simple. … Read More

Make Facebook’s Timeline Change Work for You

Mike HardmanSocial Media MarketingLeave a Comment

Facebook announced that it’s changing how content is served up in user news feeds. They’ll start to favor friends and family’s content over publishers. While direct posts from media outlets won’t be at the top of your newsfeed quite as frequently, content that is shared and liked amongst your friends and family will appear. This means that creating content that … Read More