https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07efshbl6nfb20bb50&oseq=&c=&ch=

It’s also great that we can use the same tools to have a lot of fun. So with that in mind I decided to revisit a blog post from 2015 and get an update on five interesting tidbits about how we search “Independence Day” using Google, updated for 2018.

Our fellow Americans’ top questions about the 4th of July are:

One thing we all know is that this holiday is a great celebration. What’s a celebration without family and friends enjoying some great food? The most uniquely searched Independence Day recipes in 2018 are:

One of the more unique aspects of this holiday (arguably more important than the food) are the fireworks. So naturally Americans Google a lot of 4th of July topics, but fireworks come out on top:

So how does the country stack up in their interest in fireworks? The top indexing of searches for ‘fireworks’ by state in 2018 are:

As you can see, Kansas is no longer overindexing in this area. We are out of the top 10 and now sit at 37.

Finally, for those feeling especially hot during this heatwave, the most searched popsicles over the last 12 months are as follows:

To me, this might have been the most interesting list of all. So there you have it — the top five Google trends for Independence Day in 2018.

There is a treasure trove of data like this is available for free from Google Trends. It is a great tool for learning how the public at large is using search to answer our questions and solve our problems. Please reach out to the team at Armstrong Chamberlin if you would like to learn moreabout how search can help your business solve your customers’ problems or answer their questions. We’re here to help!

It used to be said that a satisfied customer would tell 10 people about their experience, but a dissatisfied customer would tell 100. Today, the commonly accepted statistics agree with Pete Blackshaw’s book: Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000.

The huge increase is based on Blackshaw’s research and illustrates the power of customers in an Internet-driven world. Blackshaw references “Consumer Generated Media” (CGM) sources such as blogs, social networking pages, and product review sites as drivers for the new numbers. Even these expanded numbers may be conservative; they were generated in 2008 when Blackshaw was EVP of Strategic Services for Nielsen Online.

In today’s socially connected world, a single bad experience may be posted on social media and generate a storm of comments.

Whatever the numbers, today’s consumers are definitely in the driver’s seat. Their comments have an overwhelming impact on brand reputation. This leaves business owners facing several challenges when it comes to customer service:

• The speed of technology requires “real-time” responses to complaints. The longer a dissatisfied customer waits for a response, the more damage they can do to the reputation of the business.
• The public discussion online elevates the customer’s expectation of what an acceptable resolution should be. Customer complaints that used to be resolved with a phone call or a letter can no longer be dismissed so easily.
• Transparency is critical, for any resolution of product or service issues. Businesses must be authentic as they listen and respond to customers. Anything less will destroy fragile relationships.

The good news is:

• It is easier than ever to discover what your customer is thinking.
• When a customer’s complaint is resolved quickly, he can become a champion for your brand. The research indicates these customers are even more loyal than other long-term customers who have never been dissatisfied.
• Loyal customers can also come to the aid of the business when they believe the criticism they are seeing online is unwarranted.

Successful businesses will do everything they can to engage their customers in ways that support the company brand. They will solicit favorable reviews and encourage customers to share their concerns. And, they will respond quickly when problems need to be resolved.

With the right communications strategy, customers will know they are being heard.

And isn’t that what they have always wanted?

As a case in point, today Google announced that they are retiring Google AdWords as of July 24 and launching Google Ads — a “new brand that’s grounded in the strong heritage of AdWords”. As a Google Partner, we are excited about the opportunity to leverage more of Google’s tools. The promise of additional insights has our team eager to continue creating meaningful results for our clients.

We pride ourselves on reaching your customers at the right moments, whether that is on Google Search, Youtube, Google Display Network partner sites or new venues. This change will make it easier than ever to make sure we are getting the right message in front of the right people. Google’s improving machine-learning technology will offer unparalleled responsiveness and insight. When combined with our experience and dedicated support team at Google, we are well positioned to help your business grow with Google Ads.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions about this change, or if the team at Armstrong Chamberlin can assist you with Google Ads.

Want to keep the momentum going for Wichita? We’re already planning our next event in July with some of the Googlers behind Grow with Google.

The upcoming event is “Small Biz Summer School“, and will be held on Wednesday, July 25. The focus will include not only experts from Google, but also Constant Contact, LinkedIn, and VistaPrint. We expect another big turnout for those looking to get valuable insights straight from the experts, so reach out to our team today to make sure you secure your seat if you are interested.

You may already know that Armstrong Chamberlin was actually the first local agency to join the Google Partner program for AdWords when Google launched the program. We’ve also been active in Google’s Get Your Business Online program since I joined the agency in 2014.

We were the first in Wichita to take part and it has been a rewarding experience helping businesses get on Google for free – from workshops to one-on-one sessions, we’ve met a lot of friends and helped a lot of businesses grow with Google.

Leo (LAY-OH) Cardenas, an expert on body language – and a former Armstrong Chamberlin employee – says salespeople report better outcomes when they stand for presentations. Standing gives them greater confidence, improves their voice quality, and generally assures their message will be a strong one.

He’s not just making a lucky guess. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy did a TED talk on the same subject four years ago and has recently completed additional research that validates her theory: Posture not only reflects an individual’s level of confidence and self-worth. Practicing “power posing” can actually improve those qualities. Watch her TED Talk here.

Cuddy says individuals who want to be authoritative can literally become more imposing simply by practicing the body language that reflects those qualities. Her research shows that Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Cuddy argues that “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can boost feelings of confidence, and might have an impact on our chances for success.

Today, four and a half years after her 2012 TED Talk, Cuddy thanks Maya Angelou for recognizing the “power posing” exercises are probably an over-simplification of the theory. Angelo observed a broader impact of posture on nonverbal communications when she wrote, “Stand up straight, and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances.” It’s not just about standing like a superhero for two minutes; it’s about carrying yourself with power and pride and poise, as you deserve to do.

At Armstrong Chamberlin, we’re already believers. One of our standard recommendations to business leaders we coach on public relations is a simple one: stand up for all media interviews, even the ones you’re doing over the phone. When you’re standing, you are naturally more alert. You are reminded that your words are “on the record,” and will answer with greater precision and confidence.

So, get out there. Stand tall and discover your own power.

For more tips on sales, marketing and media relations, give us a call.

“ We believe in leveling the playing field for everyone. The Internet is one of the world’s most powerful equalizers, and we see it as our job to make it available to as many people as possible.”

– Sundar Pichai, Founders’ Letter 2016

We met our Google team in mid-April through a series of video conferences using Google Hangouts. They asked us to set up a series of meetings with local groups and organizations who would be receptive to joining a team of local “partners” to help spread the word about the day-long, free, event scheduled for May 30 at the WSU Hughes Metroplex. They also asked us to author and distribute news releases about Grow with Google Wichita and extend an invitation to state, county and city government leaders. This was basic “blocking and tackling” PR and it was fun to be working with a team so polished at the process.

On May 1st, in the Ambassador Hotel, I met Stephen Brokaw and Paula Fogarty, Google’s advance team for the event and our primary contacts. They were what you might expect from a brand like Google; young, highly educated, industrious, friendly and eager. We struck out, on foot, meeting with the staff from the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, Workforce Alliance, the Kansas Leadership Center and the new Advanced Learning Library. Every meeting was friendly and upbeat, a testimony to the project and the power of the Google brand.

Stephen Brokaw and Paula Fogarty, Google’s advance team for Grow with Google

We drove to the Hughes Metroplex where Grow with Google Wichita would be held. Our drive included brief tours through each quadrant of the city along with some history from my 40-year observations and study of Wichita. They saw the Wichita flag #wichitaflag everywhere and remarked about the momentum they felt in the city.

They wanted a sense of everything local. They dined at Larkspur and Chester’s as well as the charming La Galette. They loved their coffee – especially Reverie where they eagerly engaged the baristas and compared notes against their coffee shops back at their base city of Chicago.

Our ground tour concluded May 3 at Abode Venue where the Wichita Independent Business Association (WIBA) was conducting a day-long seminar and mini-convention. They sat in on a presentation by Armstrong Chamberlin’s own James Schisler, Google-certified Director of Interactive Services who updated the process for putting companies on the digital map through the Google My Business process.

Stephen Brokaw and Paula Fogarty receive Wichita Flag pins at the 2018 WIBA Small Business Connect.

Over the next weeks we reached out to local media facilitating interviews and other coverage of the May 30 event. The Google team was very responsive. Phone calls, texts and emails were handled decisively and without delay.

Tracking of online registration showed growing interest in Grow with Google Wichita. With more than a week to go all the scheduled classroom sessions were full. We were well on the way to attracting our initial goal of 500 attendees. That number got a boost when the very popular 1 Million Cups session moved to the presentation hall at the Hughes Metroplex.

Stephen and Paula returned to Wichita on May 29 and Stephen did a series of radio and TV interviews. That day some 40 Googlers flew or drove into Wichita in preparation for Grow with Google Wichita. These represented just the Google instruction staff. The Google logistics team was already setting up at the Hughes Metroplex. It should come as no surprise that Google could handle signage and wayfinding for the now 1,000 expected attendees. Google recruited and trained dozens of local students and positioned them throughout the building. Attendees were never more than a few steps away from someone who could point to a bathroom, classroom or planned activity.

Stephen and Paula returned to Wichita on May 29 and Stephen did a series of radio and TV interviews.

The morning of May 30 was hot and humid and there was an excitement in the air. The Googlers were in their places and the hundreds of attendees passed through the efficiently-staffed registration tables. A news conference opened Grow with Google Wichita and featured welcoming remarks from distinguished guests:

• Jerry Moran, Kansas Senator
• Jeff Longwell, Wichita Mayor
• Shirley Lefever, Dean, College of Education, Wichita State University
• Rob Biederman, Public Affairs for Google

Public Relations practitioners get a warm feeling inside when they see the camera gear and notepads of local media show up for a pre-announced event.

Local media covering Grow with Google

Forty-eight hours before the event I got a call from Google’s Peter Schottenfels who said they were considering adding a seminar just for the local media. Google has developed tools and training called The Google News Initiative. They would fly in one of their instructors if I could assure them of local interest and attendance by local journalists.  After a couple of hours of calls and emails, Peter had his assurance, and the Google News Lab was added as a seminar. As a former broadcast journalist, I joined the 25 local journalists for the one-hour seminar. We got a sense of how deeply Google has thought about the global need for quality journalism and the tools necessary to practice journalism in the digital age.

Google training for local media

The main hall was filled with food and drink (Reverie coffee, of course, and other locally sourced snack products) Periodically a server would work the lines with trays of cookies or other impressive Hors d’Oeuvres. Google checks all the boxes for organization and hospitality.

And then it was done. We sent a news release announcing 700 attendees at Grow with Google Wichita, but according to my sources, the number was closer to 1200.

In the end, I declared this PR project one of my most rewarding ever, even if I’ve been involved in more challenging projects. Not that is wasn’t a lot of work, it was. But, when you combine one of the world’s biggest brands with a great product and a great offer (the event was free) along with a group of skilled and enthusiastic local partners, it’s hard to not have success.

As a legitimate Google Partner company, we get upset when we hear about dishonest people using this practice to try to get business or steal personal information. The truth is that Google isn’t on the other line any more than a Nigerian prince or the IRS — these individuals are playing a numbers game to try to scam as many businesses as they can.

Our advice? Hang up your phone and report the call to the real teams at Google. To report calls to your business, visit this Google My Business support form. Share that link with anyone you know who is going through the same thing. While it isn’t going to stop the calls overnight, our hope is, over time, the legal team at Google can make them think twice before they start trying to scam businesses.

The bottom line is that Google isn’t cold calling you, and neither should an actual Google Partner company. Don’t fall for their trap!

If you need help with your Google My Business listings, please let us know. We are a part of Google’s “Get Your Business Online” effort, and we pledge to help you with your My Business account for free.

The event, “Here Comes the Sun,” was scheduled as an open house for the new offices of WeatherData, Inc., a commercial weather service founded by nationally recognized meteorologist and innovator Mike Smith, of Wichita. Mike wanted to tie his grand opening to the solar eclipse and invite guests to experience both events simultaneously.

Like most marketing and public relations firms, we discourage our clients from planning events around anything dependent on the weather or anything else we can’t control. The eclipse was sure to be on schedule but the weather to watch it may not cooperate. We decided to trust the weatherman in this case.

We frown on scheduling a kite-flying competition, even in windy Kansas, because it requires wind-on-demand. We avoid staging groundbreaking ceremonies without provisions for a “rain check.” We resist outdoor fund raising activities that can’t be moved inside if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Remember the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair? Evidence abounds of nature’s ability to destroy the best-laid plans.

One of our clients several years ago declined our recommendation that they include a “rain date” or a “Plan B” location for their outdoor construction site announcement of a new office building. What happened the day of the event was far from ideal: a sunny day in far west Wichita turned into a nightmare when a stray thunderstorm dumped torrential rains onto the field where dignitaries were gathered. We were there, and it wasn’t pretty.

Years earlier, in 1974, a prominent Wichita landmark staged a “sky breaking” after the basement foundation was in place. Organizers filled the basement with thousands of helium balloons and covered them with a lightweight net. In the morning, with the media filming the event, they dramatically cut the net. Unfortunately, excessively cool temperatures the night prior to the launch sapped the buoyancy from the balloons, leaving them bubbling like a huge pot of simmering water. The sky breaking was a dud.

One event director in California’s Santa Ynez Valley can tell you about a wedding ceremony he planned carefully to avoid heavy winds and rain. Sadly, he failed to note that the location was set within a tarantula migration zone during mating season, causing an entirely unexpected set of problems.

Fortunately, the event for WeatherData was a big success. Our imprinted commemorative welder’s glass shipment arrived in time. The guests were on hand. The eclipse occurred as scheduled, with clear skies to facilitate the viewing. Like me, many of the participants from 1994 still remember that experience.

A St. Louis guest at the 1994 Open House provided this photo from that event. He saved the welder’s glass and will use it again for the Aug. 21, 2017 Eclipse.

Perhaps the real secret to staging a successful weather-related event is to involve a weather expert in the planning. When Mike Smith told us the day would be clear and sunny, we believed him. Turns out, he was right.

I posed this question to 50 participants at a Young Professionals Summit recently and most of them shook their heads, admitting they could not recall their most recent effort to do something “for the first time.”

When we are children, nearly every day is filled with “firsts” – first word, first step, first fall. As adults, even when we have opportunities to try new things, we often prefer to remain in our comfort zone. It’s easy to say “no, thank you” when one of these opportunities comes your way. And, if the new effort brings with the potential for discomfort, embarrassment or failure, a dozen excuses rise quickly to the surface.

While refusing to participate might reduce stress, it also limits our ability to learn new skills or discover new passions. Imagine what your world would be today, you had never tried anything new – even out of pure curiosity. What if you had never owned a pet, driven a car, or attended a live theater performance? Where would you be if you had never gone on a job interview or learned a new technical skill?

As marketers, a central part of our job involves promoting new concepts. We are often the first to see a new product or learn about a new service. We experience the excitement of sharing them with the public. In recent weeks, I attended my first-ever live boxing match (thank you, Nico Hernandez) and I mastered some new technology for presentations. In between, I volunteered for a community project that introduced me to a variety of new people. Each of these first-time activities were job-related opportunities.

One of the things I shared with the Young Professionals was a belief that if we aren’t trying new things, we aren’t learning. If we aren’t learning, we aren’t growing. The best way to improve our lives, and the lives of those around us, is to work at it. We need to work as hard on improving ourselves as we do on accomplishing our jobs.

Regardless of your occupation, when you try a new skill you will feel a sense of accomplishment and you will be better equipped to take the next step up your career ladder.

Fair warning: Doing things for the “first time” can be habit forming. Once you experience success, you may be inspired to reach even higher.