Posts for 2021

• The top 10 websites designed by RSA in 2021 that you need to see

   December 21, 2021

  
  They say the devil works hard, but the web development team at RSA works harder. Our team of professional web developers works diligently all year long developing stunning websites for a wide range of clients. From waste management to tourism, restaurants, and more, they really can do it all.

  Not only do our web developers have a knack for designing and programming, but they also understand marketing. They know how users navigate through a website and pay attention to all potential conversion funnels. 2021 has been an extremely busy year for our web team, and we couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done.

  So, without further ado, here are the top 10 websites designed by RSA in 2021 that you need to see.

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• The Best and Worst of Holiday Advertising

   December 8, 2021

  The holidays bring many things along with them, from trips to the winter market, spiced apple cider, time spent with family, visiting Santa, and much more. And of course, we can’t forget… the slew of holiday advertisements that bombard us on social media, YouTube, Hallmark movie commercials, and those plastered on every billboard.

  As marketers, we love this time of year because we get to create fun, festive ads for our clients to promote their holiday events and specials. But more than that, we love getting to examine the best (and even more fun) the worst holiday ads. In this blog, we are diving into the best and worst holiday advertisements. Viewer discretion advised.

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• How Small Businesses Can Leverage User-Generated Content in 2022

   December 3, 2021

  

  Change is on the horizon in the ways consumers make informed purchasing decisions and develop affinity for the goods, services, and culture of businesses. With the rise in widespread use of popular platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, Twitch, and YouTube, the traditional role of marketers to convert consumers to customers has met its match: content creators. Here’s everything you need to know about capitalizing on the branding power of UGC, or user-generated content in the New Year.

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• How to lose a client in 10 ways

   December 1, 2021

  
  At Robert Sharp & Associates we value superior customer service above all else. Of course, we care about providing our clients with stunning marketing materials and an impactful strategy, but we care more about building and maintaining relationships. Some of those relationships have lasted over 20 years due to the trust we have built.

  As a marketing agency, building impactful, long-term relationships is extremely important for not only your success but your reputation. Without a stellar reputation from your clients, it will be hard to gain traction with new clients.

  In this blog, RSA will give you the top don’ts of client relationships.

  This is how to lose a client in 10 ways.

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• Key Takeaways from Hootsuite’s Social Media Marketing Trends for 2022

   November 24, 2021

  

  As consumers, we’ve grown accustomed to looking forward to and eagerly anticipating the once yearly occasions that bring joy to our lives and fill our souls with knowledge and oh-so-sweet memories. For many, it’s the notification that your yearly Spotify Wrapped is ready, or the Super Bowl, Grammy’s or what have you, but for us social media marketers, we eagerly anticipate Hootsuite’s annual report on forthcoming social media marketing trends. To this effect, one can only imagine the excitement that filled the RSA conference room when our digital marketing and web development teams came together to reflect on the past year and look forward to another amazing year in 2022 alongside Hootsuite.

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• Why Traditional and digital media are like Peanut Butter and Jelly

   November 12, 2021

  Yin and Yang. Chocolate and Peanut Butter. The Moonwalk and Michael Jackson. All these things are good on their own. But together, they become something even more amazing.

  Well, that’s how the marketers at RSA feel about a comprehensive marketing strategy combining digital and traditional media.

  As the world moves to a more digital world, we often see businesses turning to digital and social media marketing to help advertise. While there are many pros to digital marketing, traditional media still has a great impact and often helps build brand awareness and increase sales. But do you want to know what the best plan is? A comprehensive strategy that combines elements of traditional and digital media that work together to market your business on multiple channels.
  
  

  In this blog, RSA will dive into the importance of both digital and traditional media and how you can utilize them together to create an even more substantial marketing strategy.

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• The Power of Reputation Management

   November 5, 2021

  
  When you are searching for a new restaurant to try or a new product to buy, what influences your decision? Is it the pictures on the website and the product descriptions? Or is it the reviews left by other customers who’ve tried the product?

  Most people would say the latter. Customer reviews are extremely impactful in the buying decisions of consumers. People are more apt to trust the words of other people in their position, than what they are hearing directly from a business.

  This is why putting and upholding a reputation management plan is extremely important.  Reputation Management is not only a way to improve your company’s public opinion, but it’s also a way to showcase that you care about your customers and their insight.

  In this blog, RSA will dive into the importance of Reputation Management and share some easy ways you can maintain a comprehensive Reputation Management plan.
  
  

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• From Design to Sublime: The Value of Choosing a Marketing Agency with an In-House Content Management System to Build Your New Website

   October 22, 2021

  

  Have you ever broken your computer and needed to call tech support for help? Sure, you can easily find the number you need to call to get help, but once you do, more times than not you spend precious time waiting for the next available representative, only to be bounced to another department, and so on and so forth. By the time you get the help you need, you’re worn out and jaded from the lack of attention and support you received. The same principle can be applied to the quote unquote “custom website development” services many marketing agencies and firms offer today. Here at RSA, we’re devoted to being the defector of this principle.

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• Off-season Online Marketing: How can it help your seasonal business?

   October 20, 2021

  
  Being centrally located in the beautiful Black Hills, where tourism is a key industry, Robert Sharp & Associates frequently works with seasonal clients. From restaurants to tourist attractions, to retail stores, many of our clients only operate during the peak summer months when vacationers are flooding the area.

  However, as marketing experts, we understand that online marketing during the off-season is just as important to your business success as marketing during peak months. Just because your business may be only open 3-4 months out of the year doesn’t mean you want to be put on the backburner during the rest of the year. Utilizing social media and digital advertisements are great ways to create top-of-mind awareness, build relationships with your patrons, and make you stand out amongst the competition.

  In fact, while many seasonal businesses stop their marketing efforts in the off-season to save money, this may be one of the best ways to engage with your audience and build your customer base.

  In this blog, RSA will dive into marketing online in the off-season, how to do it, and how it will benefit your seasonal business. 

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• Twitter for Professionals: Everything You Need to Know

   October 13, 2021

  

  When you think of building an online business presence for your business on Twitter, companies like Wendy’s and Taco Bell easily come to mind, having made headlines for their friendly banter and engagement with popular topics, trends, and conversations to reach a broader audience. While these clever efforts from major box-chains have proven fruitful, there has long existed a disconnect between the power of Twitter to generate conversion value for businesses. Well… until now. Enter Twitter’s latest offering for businesses to capture, convince and convert: Twitter for Professionals.

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• What the ios 15 update means for the future of email marketing

   September 27, 2021

  Apple users around the world wait patiently for the newest software update like kids wait to open presents on Christmas morning. With changes to layout, functionality, and a slew of new, fun features, it’s always exciting to see what the newest ios update will hold.

  Apple recently released their ios 15 update with a variety of new features users are buzzing about. One of the biggest updates to come with the new software system is changes to FaceTime. With spatial audio, and portrait mode now available on FaceTime calls, connecting with those who are far away feels more natural than ever. In addition, users can now use SharePlay to listen to songs together, watch their favorite show at the same time, and even share their screen to view things in sync. The new Spotlight feature allows users to locate text and handwriting in photos that can be copied in addition to being able to search photos by location, people, scenes, or objects.
  
  

  While all these features are fun and exciting to Apple users, marketers aren’t as excited about the new ios 15 update. With new mail privacy features, email marketing has become harder to track and is leaving advertising agencies looking for new ways to connect with their audience.

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• Making a Kickass Splash with a Small Marketing Agency

   September 24, 2021

  

  Can you remember the time you landed your first whale? The client you never thought you’d get because your team was seemingly too small among big fish or the RFP you went for with hesitation because geographic isolation seemingly separates businesses in small towns from business in large cities? How did you feel? Why did you stand out as the right team to fit the bill of a new project?

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• Fortifying Agency-Client Relationships: RSA and the City of Box Elder

   September 22, 2021

  As a small, locally-owned business ourselves, Robert Sharp & Associates understands the immense time that goes into planning and hosting a successful event. We work with clients all throughout the year to help plan events such as the Central States Fair, Heart Ball, The South Dakota State Fair, and most recently added to our roster Patriot Day.

  At RSA, we want each and every one of our clients to be successful, and we go above and beyond to do everything in our power to make sure that happens. So, when RSA was approached by the City of Box Elder to sponsor their upcoming Patriot Day celebration, our CEO Robert Sharp had an idea. Instead of becoming a paid sponsor of their event, RSA decided that we would help them market Patriot Day to the public. Our agency has a long-term relationship with the City of Box Elder and has worked with them on many projects. To us, this was a way to not only help support a wonderful event, but also build an even stronger relationship with our client.
  
  
  

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• The Key components to a successful brand guide

   September 10, 2021

  
  In our last blog, the team at Robert Sharp & Associates discussed the importance of building a brand for your company. We discussed why creating an effective, memorable brand is a must-do to make your company stand out and build trust with your customers. If you missed it, you can read it here.

  One of the key components of creating a memorable brand for your company is creating and implementing a defined brand guide. A brand guide is a document that helps ensure all content, graphics, web designs, and digital marketing ads your business creates maintain a cohesive look and feel. Essentially, it is a way to guarantee any materials being produced by your company align with the image you’ve created for your brand.

  So what needs to be in a brand guide, and how can you build a successful one?  Keep reading to discover the key components you need to create a successful brand guide for your business.
  

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• How to go from Bland to Brand: A branding toolkit by RSA

   August 24, 2021

  
  When you hear the word brand what do you think of? For many, we might think of some of our favorite brands:  Nike, Starbucks, Apple, and more. But what is it about these popular companies that make them instantly pop into our heads when we hear the word “brand”? It’s because of something called brand value, or the worth of a brand to a consumer. All of these companies have created brands that are unforgettable and instantly recognizable.

  So what is branding and why is it important for your business? Boiled down, branding encompasses everything your business is and how your customers perceive you. Without a definitive brand, you aren’t leaving a mark on your customers and you can’t accurately showcase what your company is about.

  So, how do you create a brand that is both memorable, and showcases your company the way you want it to? Well, that’s what we’re here for!

  Our team of marketing experts is sharing our tips on how to make your company go from bland to brand!

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• Why you should not sleep on traditional media

   August 11, 2021

  In a world where we are constantly being bombarded by information overload it can be difficult to determine which channels will be the most effective in delivering your marketing message to the right audience. With technology interweaving itself in every fiber of our lives, it can sometimes feel like digital marketing is the only way to get our message across. Think again!

  We’re here to ensure you that a comprehensive, multi-faceted marketing strategy is still the most effective way to reach your target audience. Here’s why:
  
  

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• Going The Extra Mile: None of us are as good as all of us

   July 22, 2021

  
  After 30 years in the marketing game, the folks here at Robert Sharp & Associates (RSA) have worked tirelessly to uphold and maintain the very principles we were founded on in 1989 to ensure our clients not only achieve their varied marketing objectives, but have room to grow beyond those objectives across often-oversaturated marketplaces. While decades of experience have helped us get a footing for the flair and tenacity needed to overcome the many challenges we and our clients face on a day-to-day basis, it’s safe to say we’ve learned a thing or two about the value of going above and beyond the call of duty to support our clients and see to it that they succeed.

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• Why your business website is not generating leads and how to fix it

   July 14, 2021

  
  Is your business website bringing you business? Are you getting responses on your online forms or people providing you with their emails? If not, your website may be missing some key components that will generate leads.

  The point of creating a website for your business is to inform viewers about your products, services, and company values and ultimately convert viewers to customers.
  However, just getting someone to visit your website isn’t enough to convert them into a customer. You have to capture their attention, provide them positive user-experiences, and move them down the sales funnel.

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• Why you should hire a professional web developer instead of doing it yourself

   July 6, 2021

  So you’ve started a small business, you picked out a name, logo, and the brand identity you want your business to portray. What’s the next step? Building a website, of course!

  A business website is an integral part of having success as a new business owner. It generates leads, improves your credibility, provides information about your business, and communicates your brand values.

  Most people look online for any information they need. We aren’t used to the days of picking up the phone and calling to inquire about a service. It is estimated that almost 90% of North Americans access and use the internet daily, meaning if you don’t have an online presence; you’re missing out on the opportunity to connect with a large group of potential customers.

  
  

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• How to shoot high-quality, professional video using your smartphone

   June 21, 2021

  Video content is becoming increasingly popular due to its versatility, virality, and, most importantly, its ability to tell a story and entice an audience. Video is also accessible; anyone with internet access can watch videos. Now, with technology, just about anyone can produce video too.

  Technological advances have made it possible for just about anyone to create engaging, professional-grade videos with a tool that you carry in your pocket everyday… your Smartphone. Utilizing your phone to record and produce video content is a great way to save time and money.
  
  

  It is important to remember that if something isn’t quality it isn’t worth posting, and posting low-quality videos on your organization’s social media pages might be worse than not posting anything at all. Thankfully, our phones give us the ability to record and edit high-quality videos right in the palm of our hand.
  

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• How to set up a successful email marketing campaign

   June 14, 2021

  With social media, targeted search ads, video campaigns, and more, it may seem as if email marketing is becoming a thing of the past. But with 269 billion emails being sent every day and growing all the time, email is still an effective way to get your message across to your customer base.

  Creating a successful email marketing campaign encourages recipients to engage with your business, which could lead to more conversions, views, leads, and sales. However, with the influx of messages flooding everyone’s inbox it is imperative that your message stand out against the competition and doesn’t get deleted before it’s even opened. Without a proper strategy for your email marketing campaign, your business could be wasting time and resources creating an email blast that doesn’t generate conversions.
  Below are some tips for setting up a successful email blast that will not only reach your target audience, but also lead to positive engagements:

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• The top 5 LinkedIn Digital Marketing Mistakes You may be Making and How to Fix Them

   May 24, 2021

  Most people have profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to showcase their child’s graduation, connect with old friends, or to share what they cooked for dinner last night. However, social media, and specifically LinkedIn, can serve a much larger purpose in helping you achieve your personal professional goals, or increasing the reach of your business.

  LinkedIn is a professional networking site that allows you to connect with other professionals in your field, share your resume, and promote your business or organization.
  

  

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• How the iOS 14 Update Will Change Advertising in 2021

   May 5, 2021

  Apple's iOS 14 software update launched in September 2020, and comes with many new features including the biggest home screen upgrade to date, according to Apple. This upgrade also includes redesigned widgets, an autonomized app library, and App Clips to name a few key features. Maps has also been updated to include cycling directions, and lets you create customized guides. The biggest change that will substantially affect digital marketers and advertisers, are the privacy and location restrictions. With metrics for targeted advertising getting more granular, the concern for privacy is increasing among consumers, especially with the recent and very public breaches of personal information from some well-known organizations.
  
  

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• Tips For Creating Effective Banner Ads That Will Drive Conversions

   May 4, 2021

  Banner ads are so ingrained into our daily web searches and mindless surfing they have become an integral part of our web browsing experience. However, there was a time before banner ads were placed all over our favorite web pages and social media platforms.

  The first banner ad was created in 1994 and appeared on Wired magazine’s website hotwired.com. It was an ad for AT&T focusing on “futuristic technological wonders”. The purpose of the ad was to demonstrate how AT&T could transport people through time and space via the internet. 44% of people who saw the ad actually clicked on it, a novelty percentage compared to the click rate we see on most banner ads today.

  

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• Google Analytics: What Is It and Why Should You be Using It?

   April 26, 2021

  

  By now everyone and their dog has heard of Google, and probably utilize it daily. On the other hand, the phrase “analytics” might send many running for the hills. But not to worry, Google Analytics is a free, easy-to- use data organization system that allows companies and business owners to track how their site is performing online. And if you, or the company you work for, have a website you should be using Google Analytics.
  

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