Tag, you’re it

When I was a kid, my cousins and I played “tag” a lot. Tag differs from hide-and-seek in that it lacks some of the organization that the latter game has.
There wasn’t much strategy involved in tag. Sure, we’d count to ten or some such number- but that was usually followed by bedlam more than the [...]

It’s H.E.R.E.!

The Newsmagazine Network’s new Shop H.E.R.E. program is officially underway. Check out out some of these amazing offers from locally owned businesses:
Allstate- Leslie North
Stop by our office for a free insurance quote and receive a $10 gift card
Amant’s Floor Services
15% off any floor cleaning service
Annex Two
20% off your entire purchase – [...]

Fallen City

Dear O’Fallon:
This letter serves as notice that I will be resigning my position as a citizen of O’Fallon, effective immediately.
No, seriously, I quit.
I just can’t take it any more. For years, I have watched this city receive accolade after accolade- safest city, best place to live, fastest growing- and every time we win an award [...]

Get off our backs

A federal commission that the U.S. Congress created is expected to recommend a roughly 50 percent increase in fuel taxes at the end of this month. The reason? Motorists are driving less, thereby lessening the tax revenue that the government collects, thereby creating a shortfall in the federal government’s budget to fix roads and bridges.
Read [...]

13 wishes for 2009

St. Louis County
Intelligent transportation planning 
The western half of the new I-64 looks amazing and was finished ahead of schedule. Now the county is looking for nearly $2 billion from the federal government by way of President-elect Obama’s proposed stimulus package. This money could help fund some other much-needed infrastructure projects, such as the completion of [...]

Who do you think you are?

Most businesses suffer from an identity crisis. They have no idea who they are, what problem they can solve, who their competition is, or who their best customers are. In normal times, businesses with no self-awareness can limp along- not quite going broke but not quite successful either. We all know these businesses. They are [...]

It’s always service

I went to our local Chevy’s Restaurant for lunch the other day and was pleased to see that a gentleman named Dave Tinker was back running the place. Dave is one of the owners of the restaurant and had previously run the day-to-day operations as well. A few years ago, Dave started spending all his [...]

How to make their customers, your customers

The vast majority of local business gets customers by taking them away from someone else rather than by creating new customers from scratch. This sounds simple but, in reality, is the most difficult challenge facing business today.
How do you start becoming a customer thief? Know thyself. Because all businesses are looking to steal customers, the [...]

Buying ads? It’s like taking a vacation

Oftentimes, a business owner will treat an advertising purchase the same way they will treat an office supply purchase. Out of writing utensils? “Buy more pens.” Out of customers? “Buy more ads.” 
If you wait until you are out of customers to buy ads, you buy from desperation. You buy fast and you buy expensive and [...]

5 Cost-Effective Ways To Expand Your Marketing

1) Be a citizen
Take part in community events, either by sponsoring them ar simply by attending them. Wear that nice company-logo shirt that’s hanging in the back of your closet. People will notice your interest and involvement.
 
2) Be a partner
Strategic partnerships are crucial to the long-term success of your business. Partner with another area business [...]