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Tanner Montague came to town from Seattle having never owned his own music venue before. He’s a musician himself, so he has a pretty good sense of good music, but he also wandered into a crowded music scene filled with concert venues large and small.But the owner of Green Room thinks he found a void in the market. It’s lacking, he says, in places serving between 200 and 500 people, a sweet spot he thinks could be a draw for both some national acts not quite big enough yet for arena gigs and local acts looking for a launching pad.“I felt that size would do well in the city to offer more options,” he says. “My goal was to A, bring another option for national acts but then, B, have a great spot for local bands to start.”Right or wrong, something seems to be working, he says. He’s got a full calendar of concerts booked out several months. How did he, as a newcomer to the market in an industry filled with competition, get the attention of the local concertgoer?

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by Andrew Tellijohn
December 2007

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Best Practices: Communications

BEST PRACTICES: COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

shout out
Finalists blend traditional, new tactics to tell their messages 
FINALIST RUNDOWN
Jon Charles Salon, hair styling salon: offers free ?blow dry boot camps? as a business-to-business service, boosting awareness for services as the client group enjoys a team-building activity.

Jon Charles is founder and CEO: 612.724.2444; maxwell@comcast.net; www.joncharlessalon.net
Lommen Abdo, law firm: estate planning group of attorneys dubbed themselves ?The Planning Divas? and offer free seminars to grow their practice through branding.

Margie Bodas is vice president: 800.752.4297; margie@lommen.com; www.lommen.com
Marketing on the Playground, brainstorming advisory groups for women: created the trademarked ?Adventures in Brainstorming,? a new meeting format that allows for larger groups and enhanced revenue.

Beth Woodward is founder and Chief Executive Kid: 612.861.7519;  beth@marketingontheplayground.com; www.marketingontheplayground.com
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Ministries Foundation, social services foundation: launched communications plan to boost donations, including the Blogging Nun and Possumus magazine.

Sister Irene O?Neill is executive director: 651.690.7025; ioneill@csjstpaul.org; www.csjministriesfoundation.org
Snap Fitness 24/7, fitness club franchisor: started Snap Shots newsletter for franchisees, to keep connected to and share information with franchisees in more than 45 states.

Bill Rodriguez is vice president of communications and marketing: brodriguez@snapfitness.comwww.snapfitness.com
by Andrew Tellijohn

An organization can have the greatest product or service in the world but if it doesn?t get the word out to the public it will die. The finalists for Best Practices in Communications & Marketing have found traditional and nontraditional ways of communicating with employees, franchisees and customers about the services they offer.

?Boot camp? drives business
Jon Charles has bounced around during his 20-plus years in the hair care industry. He learned his craft working at Rocco Altobelli before moving on to Urban Retreat and Schmidty?s.

He then served as artistic director for the Best Buy Co. Inc. EQ Life Concept. ?During that time I learned the value of PR and advertising,? he says.

He?s put that to use in his latest venture, Minneapolis-based Jon Charles Salon, where every other Tuesday evening he invites potential customers and groups to the shop for a ?Blow Dry Boot Camp.?