Interested in partnering with a creative digital agency? HMG is looking for likeminded, compatible businesses in the Austin area to partner with. For the first time ever, we’re trialing a partnership program to forge relationships with local business that have a similar mindset as HMG.
So what is this partnership program, exactly?
Awhile back, we wrote a blog post about Pageless Design. Now, as promised, you’re getting more information about the growing trend. In case you missed my last post, Pageless Design is a type of web design that encapsulates an entire site’s data into one seamless webpage. It’s compelling to visitors because it tells a story while simultaneously being visually pleasing. While not appropriate for every website, Pageless Design is perfect for startups, freelancers, small retailers and those selling a single product or service, such as a chef or author.
It seems just like yesterday I was frantically calling the office on my way in for my first day at HMG. I think I passed the office building about three times before I actually realized that was where I needed to be. Ha, what a newbie! After a friendly greeting, these eager beavers put me straight to work, which has been the best part of my internship—there was always plenty of work to be done. No matter how big or small, there was always something I could be doing and no, it actually didn’t require me to make a coffee run! There are many more aspects I loved about being an HMG Creative Intern that I’d like to share with you in one of my final blog posts.
After eight great months, my time has come to an end as the HMG Creative Social Media and Marketing Intern. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work on and contribute to a variety of different projects for HMG and before I say my final goodbye, I’d like to share with you what I’ve accomplished during my time here:
I’m Emily Weeks, our new PR and Social Media intern, and I couldn’t be more excited to kick-start my summer working to schedule instagram posts here at HMG Creative with such a great team. A bit about me—I’m an up-and-coming senior at the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘Em!) and will be graduating next May with a B.S. in Public Relations and a certificate in Business Foundations. Although originally an East-Coaster at heart, Austin’s climate and eclectic culture brought me down South. I love taking advantage of everything this city has to offer, including the music scene, hiking and exploring Austin’s amazing restaurants. Last semester I interned at Wellington Group PR, a local PR and Marketing firm in Austin, and prior to that I served as the Public Relations intern at Laura Mannes Design, a small interior design firm. I hope to take skills from my past experiences and expand on them here at HMG Creative. On campus, I am involved in my sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, several clubs including the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and needless to say I love attending football games!
If you’ve been on the Internet lately (read: everyone), you’ve probably come across a site with an unnecessary amount of pages, too much going on, and most likely, you have no idea where to click first. You find yourself thinking, “Should I visit the ‘About Us’ page? What about the ‘Contact Us’ link? Maybe I should read the testimonials first to get a better idea of the product.” All you really wanted to do was check out your neighborhood’s new café, maybe order a sandwich for lunch, but now you’re about ready to throw your computer at a wall. Somehow you’ve found yourself overwhelmed by enough buttons and links to support an international company’s website.
Picture this. You’re halfway through college, your major is still “undecided” and you’re feeling the pressure to choose a sensible career path. You’ve always been interested in law, but let’s face it; you probably slept through most of your Intro to Law class freshman year. You want a resource that’s resourceful yet engaging enough to help you learn more about the process of becoming a lawyer. That’s where our client, Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA), comes in. You do some research and find out TYLA has a program called “What Do Lawyers Do?” After browsing through the site, you notice right off the bat that it’s a) visually engaging, b) easy to navigate, and c) has all the information you could possibly want about becoming a lawyer. You’re sold.
We’re excited to announce that this past Friday, October 18, HMG took home an Austin Young Chamber FAVE Award! The AYC FAVE awards recognize and honor local businesses in sixteen various categories that cater to young professionals in the Austin area. Within the Professional Services Category, we competed with Capitol Factory, 3 Point Partners, De Leon & Washburn P.C. and Kennedy Creative.
We’ve been operating in the digital marketplace for ten years now, and things have changed a lot in that time. New technologies, new online marketing solutions, and new best practices are always clamoring for attention, and that sometimes makes it difficult to stay on track as a company. For more info visit http://titantransline.com . To think that there was no such thing as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter when we opened our agency. Can you even remember what life was like before these CPA Affiliate Networks forever changed how we engage and communicate with friends, family and brands throughout the world? We’ve also seen the rise and fall of MySpace from the front seat. But some things don’t change. Businesses that succeed in the lightning-paced world of digital marketing do so by staying true to some universal guiding principles. Here are three of the things we’ve learned during our decade-long adventure.
As consumers we know “brands” simply as a particular product or service we like or dislike. However, as a business owner we know there are several factors to be considered before consumers can truly identify and trust a specific brand. In a perfect world, everyone would be a great target for all marking and brand identities but that’s not the case. Let’s cover the three main steps to creating an interactive branding message that your consumers can begin to connect with!
1. Logo – (Noun) “A symbol adopted by an organization to identify its products or services” We all know it’s never about what you have, it’s about how you use it that makes the difference! Since you’ve spent the time and/or money on this masterpiece called your “logo,” make sure it shows up everywhere including business cards, social media sites, and any other promotional materials. Your logo is your company’s identity in a picture and the more you show it off, the quicker your brand recognition will grow.
Does this really matter, you ask? Consider this… how likely are you to remember a random fast-food restaurant you visited when they use generic bags and soda cups versus the restaurant that brands every cup and bag with their logo? That garbage in your car becomes advertising and will make an impression every time you see it.
2. Interact – Who knew this was a part of branding? Speak directly with your target and, even more importantly, with your clients. Share and respond to social media comments, answer your phone using your company name and/or slogan, and use interactive communication tools such as surveys and email marketing. Remember, everything you send and share should always include your logo and slogan.
3. Solve – Your mission should be simple. Every business offers a product or service that offers results and/or a solution; and just because you know that, it does not mean your target market does. Leverage your interactive tools to share a clear, concise, and consistent solution that is unique to your brand identity. Remember, the process you use to help your clients may be complicated but your message should be simple enough to earn the trust and comfort of your clients.
Branding is more of an art than a science; it takes creativity, time, patience, and just like a painting, it will even go through an ugly stage. An initial brand launch should focus on creating awareness for your unique product or services. Luckily you have a friend in the industry- whether your current brand is sour or your business is brand new, HMG can help you too!
