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Black Friday, Cyber Monday joined by a travel companion
Katherine Radin RetailPerhaps the official start to the holiday shopping season, Black Friday has long served as a chaotic day of consumerism to follow Thanksgiving. However, a recent survey by OpenX and The Harris Poll showed that, this year, shoppers are skipping the day altogether. Given the current state of brick-and-mortar retailers, it seems that retailers may have to rethink their Black Friday strategies in the years to come. But it also appears that a new discounted shopping day is on the horizon, reflecting current consumer behavior.
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Direct-to-consumer company wrongly claims ADA approval in recent social…
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareNo one was smiling last week when an Instagram post attributed to SmileDirectClub — a direct-to-consumer clear aligner company — falsely claimed approval by the American Dental Association (ADA). Oops. Cue the frowns. Lots of serious, brooding frowns. Especially over at SmileDirectClub. And a few at the ADA. The incorrect statement was made in an Instagram post the week of Nov. 5. Only trouble was, the ADA was watching.
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Has your business explored new ‘channels’ the way Hallmark…
Bob Kowalski MarketingAt this time of year, we’re likely to bump into someone who’s hooked on the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movies. For many people, those annual holiday airings are the basis for their awareness of Hallmark. The greeting card company is a great example of extending its brand through multiple channels — literally, including TV, streaming channels and this year: a branded satellite radio channel. It shows how a business can grow by exploring unexplored — and seemingly unrelated — avenues. So where can you take your company following Hallmark’s example?
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Amazon announces controversial HQ2 locations
Michelle R. Matisons Science & TechnologyWhen Amazon announced that it was searching for a new second headquarters location, speculation began to swirl as hundreds of cities competed. Finally, on Nov. 13, the company announced it will be splitting HQ2 between two locations: Arlington, Virginia; and Long Island City in Queens, New York. It will also build an "Operations Center of Excellence" in Nashville that will provide 5,000 jobs. Immediately after the announcement, debates kicked into motion about the tax breaks given to Amazon and how HQ2 will affect the communities chosen.
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Negotiating commercial leases: Use the franchise advantage
Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield RetailFor many commercial tenants, negotiating a good lease or lease renewal against an experienced agent or landlord can be a challenge. While an entrepreneur focuses on marketing and managing, savvy real estate agents and brokers are specialized salespeople. Their job is to sell tenants on leasing their location at the highest possible rental rate. Whether you are leasing a new location for the first time or negotiating a lease renewal for your business, here are two money-saving tips.
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Study: Push for smart-building transitions seems obvious based on the benefits
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsA recent study seems to suggest that converting to smart building technology allows organizations to cut energy costs, meet air quality regulations and provide the best environments for occupants, visitors and staff. So says Siemens Financial Services, which estimates that the potential for "self-financing" smart-building conversion may cross 13 countries in three sectors: commercial buildings; government buildings; and hospitals. In other words, there’s plenty of potential for innovation.
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Tips to avoid travel fraud this holiday season
Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementIf a travel deal seems too good to be true...it probably is. Holiday scams aren’t new but the sophistication applied behind them has made it harder for a layperson to gauge the scams from authentic offers. That is why one has to scrutinize that holiday getaway deal before booking. The internet was recently abuzz with James McAvoy’s story of how he nearly fell for a $10,000 Tenerife holiday scam. He went online to tell the world about his horrifying experience when a fake hotel website duped him.
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Trends revealed at massive hospitality trade show in New York
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementOver Veterans Day weekend, I attended the HX: The Hotel Experience 2018 and the BD | NY: A Boutique Design Trade Fair in New York City with a group of students from the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona. Also known as the "Hotel Show," the HX: The Hotel Experience 2018 is often perceived as the largest hospitality trade show in North America. There were four components in the trade show, including HX: The Marketplace, HX: The Conference, Boutique Design New York (#BDNY), and the STR Market Study Competition.
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6 professional skin care strategies for the winter months
Elizabeth Donat RetailFor many skin care clients, winter weather brings a whole new set of problems and concerns. Dehydration, dryness, chapping, and itchiness are common complaints. Some winter skin woes can be fixed with minor adjustments and some are so severe that they can really derail your clients' skin health for the season. Read my expert strategies below to help your spa clients conquer the harsh side effects of winter skin during the cold months to come.
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Where to invest your 2019 marketing budget
Emma Fitzpatrick MarketingDigital outpaces every other sector — whether we’re talking about online shopping or overall marketing trends. As you start planning for 2019, you should know that digital’s seemingly exponential growth is continuing, so you should plan on spending more on online efforts. For reference, 82 percent of marketers plan to spend more of their budget on digital media, according to Nielson’s 2018 CMO report. On average, they plan on increasing their digital media budget by 49 percent. To make that happen, 44 percent plan to cut back on their traditional media spending.
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