Tag Archive for: creative agency

What Can Tennis Teach Business Owners ?

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What Can Tennis Teach Business Owners ?

I’ve been playing tennis since the 4th grade. Over the years, I’ve discovered that performing well on the court is a lot like succeeding as a business owner. While natural talent and superior skills are really important, the things that are absolutely essential are strategy, resilience, and the will to win.

In honor of National Tennis Month, I thought I’d share how some of the lessons I’ve learned playing tennis could be game-changing for your business.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Many great athletes attribute their success to continuous practice. The summer before I entered college, I went out to practice my serve every night after working at my part-time job. I worked hard to achieve a killer serve, and I apply that same dedication to working on client projects. Just as athletes need to practice, business owners need to work constantly to understand their industry, build their operations and management skills, and be open to learning from others. You may have a brilliant business idea or be a born leader, but this commitment to continuous improvement is what will set you apart from the competition.

Grace Under Pressure.

Tennis is equal parts mental and physical. My game improved tremendously as I learned to stay calm and focused under pressure, and not let setbacks stress me out. At work, I’m able to handle tight deadlines and not let unexpected problems or last-minute changes get to me. Learning to manage stress and maintain a positive mindset when things go sideways is a valuable skill in the business world. It allows you to see your way through problems and find solutions that are a win-win for your clients and your team.

Planning, Problem-Solving + Perseverance

Tennis is a game of strategy and problem-solving. Players analyze their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, and make real-time decisions to adapt their game plan and throw off their opponents. Similarly, strategic thinking and effective decision-making are pivotal for business owners who want to thrive in today’s super-competitive environment. Keep in mind that, on or off the court, a strategy doesn’t always have an immediate impact. Sometimes its effectiveness is only revealed over time, which is why never giving up or giving in often wins the day.

Losing and Learning

I’ve always been inspired by professional athletes who can turn the page on a bad performance, and see each new day as an opportunity to improve. It’s not always easy, but after a tough outing on the tennis court I analyze what went wrong and what I can do better the next time. Small business owners can do the same thing. Rather than dwelling on mistakes or losses, look at what worked and what didn’t. Then use the information to help you and your team shift gears. The key is to let go of negative feelings and seize the next opportunity to become a stronger and smarter leader.

Effective Communication.

Sports require effective communication – with teammates, coaches, referees, even fans. When I play doubles, communicating well with my partner can be the difference between winning and losing. In business, clear and concise communication is equally crucial. Whether you are leading a team or helping a client understand a sticky situation, put in the effort to make sure you are speaking the same language. And on the same page.

Playing Fair.

Nothing is more frustrating than an opponent who is clearly cheating. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone keeps calling the ball out when it is obviously in. And I do my best to avoid being on the court with them. The same is true in business. For me, playing dirty is never justified. And I don’t believe in winning at all costs. I make it a point to be fully transparent with clients about everything – from expressing ideas and negotiating fees to following up to keep projects moving.

When it comes to leveling up your branding, we don’t just talk a good game. You can count on MIFA Media to use every tool in our (tennis) bag to help your brand stand out – and send your competition packing.

3 Secrets to Creating a Marketing Plan That Works

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Have you started your marketing plan for 2024?

No pressure – but now is the time to be analyzing, strategizing and budgeting for marketing
your business in the New Year. Of course, recent experience has proven that none of us can
predict what might happen over the next 12 months (or 12 hours!) But here are three concrete
steps to creating a marketing plan that will support the goals you set now – and any pivots you
make as the year unfolds.

1. Resist the Urge to Recycle (Last Year’s Plan)

With so much on your year-end plate, it’s tempting to simply look back at what worked in 2023
and plan to do more of it in 2024. But returning to the tried and true is not exactly a “strategy.”
If your company is evolving, your marketing objectives need to support your evolving vision.
Assessing last year’s marketing successes – as well as evaluating what did not work so well – is
an essential first step in developing your new plan. But don’t stop there. Identify what you want
your business and your team to achieve in the year ahead, then consider how to tweak or
revamp your marketing efforts to support these objectives.

2. Map Out the Right Mix

How do you determine what to keep, what to toss and what to add to your marketing mix?
Start by reviewing all of the internal data/metrics you can gather from the past 12 months.
Check in with your customers or clients. What are their current pain points or concerns? Which
of your company’s products or services could address these challenges? And what messaging
and call-to-actions need to be developed?

It’s also important to consider projected trends for your industry or market niche, and be super-
clear about where your target demographic is getting their information. Is it via websites?
Google? Specific social media sites? What they prefer now may be significantly different than it
was a year ago – and it may shift again six months from now.

Many businesses map out their plans by marketing channel, but keep in mind that your
customers don’t necessarily experience your marketing that way. Each interaction they have
with your brand is part of their total user experience. It’s important to spend time evaluating
how your customers are moving through their buyer journey – and designing your marketing
campaign so it resonates with them each step of the way.

3. Build a Realistic Budget

No matter how small or large your business is, your budget needs to allocate specific dollars to
marketing. But exactly how much should you spend on promoting your business?
Industry experts typically suggest calculating your marketing budget based on a percent of sales
or revenue. (Just Google “small business marketing budget” and you’ll see this can range anywhere from 2% to 12%.) But simply using a random percentage doesn’t take into account
your unique challenges and goals.

So, in addition to looking at your current and projected sales, you need to consider the other
key pillars of your marketing plan:

  • Your target audience
  • How to reach them
  • Where to focus your time, energy, and dollars in light of the financial and human
    resources that are available.

Once you have all of these components in place – and factor in the reward vs. the risk – then
you can figure out the budget.

When it comes to marketing, MIFA Media is all in on being innovative. But we also know that
customers want to engage with brands that are consistently authentic. If you want content that
connects with your audience and stands out from the crowd, give us a shout!

3 Top Reasons to Hire a Boutique Versus Large Agency

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3 Top Reasons to Hire a Boutique Versus Large Agency

One of the biggest decisions a company must make is the type of agency to hire. There are many factors which contribute to this including location, specialties and past work with other brands.
 
One of the biggest factors is size. Many people believe that larger agencies are better, however this is not necessarily true. Larger agencies work with more clients and are pulled in many different directions, where, boutique agencies focus their full attention on YOU! Below are a few of the reasons why hiring a smaller agency will be better for you and your company.

1. Access to Specialized Tools

When you decide to work with a boutique over a large agency, you will find that the smaller agency is specialized in specific areas, as compared to larger agencies. Smaller agencies are able to focus more on countless areas- two of them being email marketing and social media. Specialization allows smaller agencies to perfect different divisions of marketing, leading to a happier YOU.
 

2. Lower Prices

Large companies nickel and dime you just because they claim they have more knowledge and experience than the boutique agency around the corner from you. Small creative agencies have just as much knowledge, if not more. With this being said, they will work with you and your budget to make sure you are happy and satisfied with the final outcome.
 

3. Faster Results and Flexibility

The larger the agency, the longer the approval process, which translates to longer waiting times for you. If you want to expedite your advertisements, then hiring a boutique agency is exactly what you need for your company. Smaller agencies have the ability to adapt to your needs while also completing your projects with the utmost of speed, meeting any reasonable timeline, proving that they always put you first.
 
As mentioned above, it has been proven that smaller creative agencies are easier and more reliable to work with. By working with one today, you can help your company to grow and reach new heights, while also forming an everlasting relationship with a company that puts YOU first.
MIFA Media

MIFA Media’s Year End Tips For Small Businesses

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MIFA Media’s Year End Tips For Small Businesses

Believe it or not, we’re just about at the end of the year. And you need to make sure your brand design is looking fine for Auld Lang Syne.

Yikes – that was groan-worthy! I regret nothing.

Anyway, now’s the time to get your brand in order, get some holiday sales going, and ring in the New Year with some new business. Here are some tips on how to make that happen.

  1. Create a design and marketing budget and start setting aside money now.

    Like right now. Design and marketing is important for small businesses to grow, but it can also get expensive fast. If you start saving now (and keep saving) you’ll set yourself up for the future. Channel your inner Scrooge McDuck.

  2. Keep an eye on your competition.

    You should be doing this already, but it’s especially important as the year draws to a close. What trends seem popular? Should you lean into them? Forge your own path? You need to know what’s happening in order to decide.

  3. Where are you?!

    An online presence is important, but it’s useless if people can’t find it. Be sure to include a link in your IG Bio so potential clients can connect with you. Alternatively, you can create your own for your personally hosted website. It’s a great way to track who’s visiting your site. Not in a creepy way. Don’t make it weird.

  4. Plan for promotions now so you’re ready to go in the New Year.

    Be prepared! Timing is everything. Obtaining new business might come down to just getting there first.

  5. Where are you?! Part 2:

    Make sure you have your information ready to go for prospective clients. Physical business cards are fantastic, but Digital Business Cards are also super handy. Not only does it simplify things by letting you text or email your business card, it also decreases the chance of the client misplacing your information.

And that’s all I’ve got! You don’t even have to do all of these. Even if you only manage to do a couple, you’ll be ahead of the game.