You’ve done the back-to-school shopping with your kiddos, teachers have shared their Amazon wishlists and set up their classrooms, and now it’s time to focus on you. However, just like the kids have ditched cursive writing for learning on laptops, you’ve traded in long commutes for remote work. Bowe Digital can help you become a remote-work pro, but today, we’re taking a page out of our teachers’ book.
Teachers, we salute you! Not only for educating our little ones but also for taking them off our hands for a while. We admire your organizational skills, patience and knack for making your classrooms both functional and inspirational.
While some of us may want to leave sharing Amazon wishlists to the teachers (they deserve it), these Amazon finds will help you revamp your home office space.
The Remote Worker’s Ultimate Amazon Wishlist:
Since you’re likely spending most of your workdays in it, a comfortable chair is non-negotiable. You can level up your existing chair with lumbar support pads and seat cushions like this CloudBliss seat cushion, or you can sit criss-cross applesauce like the kids with options like this aesthetic chair and this ergonomic one.
For the days you don't want to get out of bed, leave the couch or the pool lounger, portable desk stands like this LapGear Lap Desk can make it easier to work from wherever you want.
When the bus pulls up at the end of the day and the front door swings open, you can stay in the zone and block out the chaos (whether your work day is over or not - we won’t tell) with noise-canceling headphones. Try this budget-friendly option from JBL, or splurge on these Sony headphones.
In case working from home wasn’t hard enough, some people are adding walking from home to their resumes, too. Walking pads, or portable treadmills, have become a trend among remote workers on TikTok. You, too, can get your steps in while you work by purchasing a walking pad like this one. Of course, having a standing desk like this adjustable one by WOKA will make multitasking a bit easier.
No windows in your at-home office space? No problem. Achieve the perfect lighting for Zoom calls, video recordings and more with a clip on ring light. Try this dimmable option.
If you’re worried about your FBI agent watching your every move (if you know, you know), a sliding webcam cover like this one can help give you peace of mind and a little extra privacy when the cameras aren’t (supposed) to be rolling.
Whether you’re trying to savor your morning coffee or you're just too busy to drink it before it gets cold, a mug warmer can keep it hot. Try this wireless one.
…Because we think they should be part of every work from home uniform. After all, working from home allows you to be business up top and comfort down below. Here are a few cozy slippers you should add to your cart: Ankis Fuzzy Memory Foam Slippers, Men’s Memory Foam Slippers and Retro Smiley Face Slippers.
We hope you and your kids have an amazing school year! At Bowe Digital, we’re passionate about what we do and can work with any budget. Contact Bradley Erb on our team at bradley@bowedigital.com to discuss your marketing goals! Learn more about our services at bowedigital.com.
Listen up! No, really. Pop on your headphones or connect to your car’s Bluetooth during your next drive because you don’t want to miss what Wayne Stanley had to say about marketing on the FNF Unplugged podcast.
The Fidelity National Financial Family of Companies’ Unplugged podcast was created to spark conversations with professionals across the country – exploring business topics and empowering personal growth in real estate, financial services and the title industry. In May, our Owner and Chief Inspiration Officer joined FNF’s marketing guru, Linda Grahovec, on the podcast for a two-part marketing series. Wayne has spent over 15 years in the marketing space. While his prior job experience and connections have helped Bowe Digital carve a niche in the land title industry, we work with small businesses ranging from mom-and-pop flower shops and small accounting firms to storage facilities, little bodegas, car washes and everything in between.
PART 1
In part one of the two-part series, Linda and Wayne discuss the importance of setting SMART marketing goals and explain how they help to shape your overall marketing strategy and guide your marketing plan (emphasis on guide because it should be flexible). Don’t worry…Wayne starts by defining what each is and what factors to consider. For example, who can give you more business this year? Versus who can give you any business at all this year? It’s okay to think big as long as you start small and uncover which individuals or groups you should focus on.
Sounds good, right? But if you don’t have a dedicated sales or marketing team, you’re probably wondering who this responsibility falls to. The two marketing experts go over the biggest obstacles in marketing and share ideas on how to get through them. Wayne touches on topics from your team’s role in market research, the budget-friendly tools and solutions available to you, how to take action on your ideas and the importance of testing messages, using the analogy “your marketing isn’t a gumball machine.” You can’t put a quarter in and expect to get the flavor you want on the first try. Marketing takes time, and your audience’s flavor preferences are constantly changing, so being able to pivot is key.
Listen to the full podcast here.
PART 2
It's time to start thinking beyond your website and focus on visuals in other mediums. In part two of the marketing series, Wayne talks about what’s working in today’s market and what’s not. He states that the four biggest marketing wins he’s seeing right now are marketing emails, LinkedIn posts, videos and public relations. But what kind of content works for each? And how often should you be sending them to your customers? Wayne shares the answers to these questions as well as the tools making content creation and design more accessible for non-marketing professionals. Those tools include Chat GPT (use with caution), Canva, Pixabay and his personal favorite, Gratisography.
Linda also sparks a conversation about how a business decides to hire someone internally versus hiring a company like Bowe Digital. While there’s no clear formula, it all ties back to your marketing goals and what you want to accomplish. Think about your work culture. Will an internal marketing person get pulled in different directions and put marketing on the back burner? Are you going to edit the “happy” to “glad” to get things just right? If so, is an external company willing to work shoulder-to-shoulder with you? What will the working relationship look like? Asking and answering these questions can help you make the right decision for your business. However, in most cases, an outside agency will probably be more cost-effective.
Listen to the full podcast here.
Also, here's a quick bonus read: https://bit.ly/3N8q7Cr!
Wayne Stanley and the rest of our Bowe Digital team are passionate about marketing, and we don’t believe in gatekeeping. Whether you work with our team or not, we’re always happy to discuss your business goals, talk about what’s happening in the market and help you brainstorm ideas. Contact Bradley Erb on our team at bradley@bowedigital.com and start putting your big ideas into action! Learn more about our services at bowedigital.com.
Thanks to modern technology and a shift in work culture, many of us now have the freedom to work from anywhere, whether it be a cozy office, a hip coffee shop or a sun-soaked beach. As businesses try to maintain productivity and culture in this new work environment, we want to help!
At Bowe Digital, remote work is all we know. Our entire team has been working remotely since getting our start in 2017. We’ve also grown in distance, adding team members who live outside of Indiana. Everyone at Bowe has become a pro at working from home. So, grab your laptop, put on some pants (or don’t…we’re not judging), and join me on a journey through what we’ve learned.
Video is your friend.
Bread is bread. Who cares if it’s sliced or not? Instead, video is the best thing since face-to-face meetings. Video content has layers and reaches the emotional part of our brains. It’s been said that a one-minute video is worth 1.8 million written words. So if you’re not using it, you should be!
At Bowe Digital, we use video internally and externally, and we opt for Zoom meetings whenever we can. Getting your faces out there helps grow connections within your team and reminds your customers that real people are behind every transaction they have with you. I know video can be scary. We weren’t all born to be TikTok stars (Thank God), but here’s a reminder that you are your own harshest critic. If you’re brave enough to talk to people in the world every day despite your hair not being perfect, stuttering over a word or two or just not liking the sound of your voice, you’re brave enough to do it on video. Start by sending a BombBomb video to a friend or hopping on a quick Zoom call with a colleague.
Have meetings often.
Internal Meetings
Just because you’re remote doesn’t mean you have to meet with your team every day. If it can be sent in an email, just send an email. However, internal meetings are a time to connect, grow and get on the same page. Use small group meetings to think strategically, talk about your customers and break down what’s working and what’s not. Use full team meetings to share company news, complete training sessions and update each other about your week. At Bowe Digital, we try to keep it fun by giving different people the chance to lead and asking questions that range from “What’s your favorite thing about Spring?” to “Would you rather burp glitter or fart glitter?”
External Meetings
When it comes to your customers, you should be setting clear expectations. Remote or not, communication is the key to a successful partnership. Ask your clients about their preferences – do they want to hear from you over email, the phone or a Zoom call? Once you know that, set up a recurring meeting. The goal is not to waste people’s time, so do your research before every call. It’s also wise to set an expectation about how quickly customers can expect a response from you outside of scheduled meetings.
Take advantage of online tools.
We’re not above having one hundred tabs open, but we suggest those tabs consist of tools to keep your assignments, communication and schedule in order. Some of the tools our team uses daily are Monday.com, Gmail, Slack, HeyOrca and Canva.
Show your appreciation for each other.
Celebrate each other's wins! I may be biased, but I have a kick-ass team, and their kick-assery goes beyond the great work they do. Never hesitate to lift your employees and colleagues up and thank them for the little and big things they do daily. At Bowe Digital, we have #teamlove and #partnerlove channels on Slack, dedicated to sharing good news from our partners and giving each other well-deserved kudos when they’ve done something great.
Make time for non-work related fun.
Follow the advice of Wiz Khalifa (a very reputable source, obviously) and “Work Hard, Play Hard.” There’s no post-work drinks or lunchtime chatter when you work remotely, so it’s important to carve out time for fun. In our experience, that’s how you really get to know and trust one another.
Our Bowe Digital team has bonded over many gut-wrenching losses while competing in March Madness this season, enjoyed mimosas and brunch together on Zoom and made the most of our in-person meetings. We’ve gone to Indianapolis Indians baseball games with our families, celebrated more Bowe babies than I can count and learned who can carry a tune…and who can’t at Karaoke. Through these experiences, we’ve become less like a team and more like a family, and family can go the distance in remote business. I would know; I work with my mom.
Be a pro like Bowe. At Bowe Digital, we’re passionate about what we do, and we work with any budget. Contact Bradley Erb on our team at bradley@bowedigital.com to discuss your marketing goals! Learn more about our services at bowedigital.com.
After a long or stressful day at work, sometimes you just need something strong to help take the edge off. So take a seat at the Bowe Digital bar, and order a drink. We’ll mix it up; your drink choice will say a lot about your business’s marketing.
Today’s Cocktail List:
Old Fashioned
Wayne’s Hot Tip: Wayne’s tip for the best Old Fashioned, beyond great bourbon, is the cherry and he loves this brand most.
It’s in the name…Old Fashioned. An Old Fashioned is a straightforward and strong drink with no surprises. For many people, it does not go down easy, which is not a good thing when it comes to drinking or marketing. Old-fashioned marketing is as plain as the water that goes into the drink. It does not change with the times and isn’t as popular with younger crowds. If you’re not using social media or incorporating video and eye-catching graphics into your marketing, this might be the drink for you.
However, we recommend you keep browsing the list for a new cocktail.
Whiskey Sour
The Whiskey Sour is loved by some and hated by others. It’s controversial for its sour taste and that optional egg white (because why??). It’s a risk, which in marketing doesn’t always pay off. However, it works better in some industries than others. The fast food restaurant Wendy’s, for example, has seen success from its sassy personality on Twitter, which you can find examples of here. The restaurant bravely roasts its customers and competing companies, which earns them varied responses. If this sounds like your marketing, then we suggest you chug, in case it goes too sour!
Margarita
Heather’s Hot Tip: If you’re like Heather, you want a Marg with less sugar. She suggests you skip the pre-mix stuff. The best marg is tequila, fresh lime juice and a tajin rim.
The Margarita is fun; it has no rules. Like great marketing, it can be customized to the customer likes. We can make them sweet, skinny or spicy. We can salt or sugar the rim, offer different flavors and put them in any glass you’d like. Not a tequila drinker? Try vodka. If your marketing is one-of-a-kind and tailored to reflect the likes and dislikes of your audience, then cheers! This is the drink for you and for us, too!
At Bowe Digital, the margarita is our specialty. We can make it any way you’d like. Our team of experts stays up-to-date on trends and knows what works to make a perfectly balanced marketing strategy that isn’t old-fashioned or too sour. Contact me, Bradley Erb at bradley@bowedigital.com to mix up a custom marketing plan that’s unique to your business! Learn more about our services at bowedigital.com.
People want to feel special, and that’s what custom does. Whether it’s a custom designed cake, custom engraved gift, or custom built home, these one-of-a-kind solutions work to win people over.
Why pay for custom marketing? The same reason you pay for anything custom: you love it and want everyone else (your customers) to love it too! Custom marketing is your chance to stand out from the competition. It shows your customers that you know them and that your posts were made just for them.
Cut Through the Noise
Marketing is everywhere. Most Americans are exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day, according to this article from Forbes. However, that doesn’t mean everything we see or hear sticks. Hundreds of companies are offering the same products or services while marketing them in similar ways. It becomes noise, and only the most eye-catching and unique ones are heard. For small businesses, it’s even harder, but custom marketing can help.
Kids are notoriously harsh critics. They’ll tell you that you look fat one minute and that your food tastes awful the next, so we’ll use them as an example. Picture your kid going to the school bake sale. You send them with a pack of those thickly iced store-bought cookies (you know the ones). Other parents send their kids with sheet cakes and plastic-wrapped cupcakes. All but one, that is. Jeremy’s mom sends him with a 2-tiered custom cake designed around 2022’s most trending movie, Encanto. The bake sale ends, and your child comes home…can you guess what happens next? You hear about Jeremy, Jeremy’s mom, Jeremy’s cake and Encanto until your ears bleed! Yep, custom works any way you slice it, whether it’s a cake or marketing. It makes a lasting impact on people, and everything else fades away.
Audience Targeting
With custom marketing, you’ll reach individuals who are actually interested in your service and products without wasting money on those who aren’t. By using custom services like geo-fenced paid ads, you can target the specific geographic areas you want to hit. You can also curate your marketing materials to reflect the likes and dislikes of your customers. If your audience likes being active, you’d show them custom sneakers over a custom cake, creating opportunities for personal connections.
Consistent Branding
Quality marketing translates to quality products and services in the minds of your consumers. Not only does that mean having custom designs and content but also consistency. Your audience will come to expect your posts in the good times and especially in the hard times. It reminds them that you’re available to them and still investing in your business which means you’re still investing in them. Platforms like HeyOrca can help you schedule social media posts months in advance.
Remember, consistency doesn’t mean that there can’t be surprises. You can always find new ways to shake things up and grab people’s attention. At Bowe Digital, we’ve started incorporating trending topics into our marketing. Whether it’s the corn kid letting everyone know Bowe Digital has the juice or looking at the marketing in Netflix’s Emily in Paris, custom allows for creativity, relevance and excitement in your marketing.
Leave it to the Professionals
If you’ve ever watched Netflix’s Nailed It, you know what can happen when you tackle a new task on your own for the first time – disaster. It’s best to leave custom cakes to the bakers and custom marketing to the marketing professionals. Nobody does custom like Bowe Digital. We’ll tell your story for you and get creative when you can’t, all while moving at your pace and according to your brand image. Contact Bradley Erb on our team at bradley@bowedigital.com for marketing that’s uniquely yours! Learn more about our services at bowedigital.com.
What do Crocs and our founder and chief inspiration officer, Wayne Stanley’s childhood dreams, have in common? They both made a comeback in 2017. While Crocs were trending in fashion and people were jamming out to Ed Sheeran’s hit song, Shape of You, Wayne Stanley was making his entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
This week marks five years since Bowe Digital made its’ debut in 2017. In the five years since, we’ve accomplished a lot and made tons of memories, friends and amazing partners along the way.
Here are 5 things we’re proud of in the 5 years since Bowe Digital began.
1. Being named #12 on the Best Places to Work in Indiana list
Landing the #12 spot on the Best Places to Work in Indiana list this year was HUGE! We’re super fortunate to have a team that brags about our company as much as they do, but this award speaks for itself. Compiled by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Best Places to Work awards are based on anonymous employee surveys with questions about company culture, pay, diversity, and more. We’ve learned first hand that happy employees produce better satisfied partners and productivity.
2. Making a name for ourselves in the title industry
Our company has carved a niche in the land title insurance industry, and we’ve made a name for ourselves through our outreach by attending and speaking at events like NS3, ALTA HOP and ALMA Agency Seminars. Even if most of you think that our name is Bowe Digital (Bow-ie) and not Bowe Digital (Bow)...we forgive you. We are proud to set the standard and serve title and real estate companies across the U.S., and we feel lucky that companies outside of title and real estate have trusted us, too.
3. Offering our customers custom solutions
The Bowe Digital difference is that all of our marketing, communications and advertising strategies are 100% custom. Forget pre-made templates… we recognize what makes you unique and start from scratch to produce original content that’s branded to fit your needs and meet your standards. We pride ourselves on being an extension of your team. Our goal is to deliver on your vision for connecting with your customers and making an impact in your industry.
4. Encouraging our team members to learn and grow
Since getting our start in 2017, we have always encouraged the members of our team to set educational and professional goals and to never stop learning. Pushing our team to further their expertise and career helps them to better serve our partners. It’s a win-win. We’re proud to share that our entire team is Hubspot certified by Hubspot Academy and that almost all the members of our team have been certified as ALTA HOP Leaders with eight earning that certificate this year.
5. Growing the Bowe Digital family
Half of businesses fail in the first five years according to the Small Business Administration, but not Bowe Digital. Despite being tested by the pandemic in 2020, our company grew faster than ever, providing the best service and support to our growing list of partners. What started as five teammates and a dream of helping a few trusting partners, has evolved into a team of almost 20 full-time employees, serving nearly 200 partners. Our team truly is a family - it means everything to us - and we treat our partners like family, too!
Like Crocs, Bowe Digital likes to make a statement. We provide our partners comfort with a bold look that customers can’t miss, and while we’d like to give Crocs all the credit, we can’t. We really owe it all to Wayne and to his grandparents, Shirley and Glen Vernon Bowe who inspired him and inspired more than just the name of this company. We honor them each day by sticking to the promise to work hard, play hard, and respect everyone. We can’t believe it’s been five years, and we’re raising a glass to the next five…and the five after that…and the five after that! Visit bowedigital.com to learn more about our story, and join us in celebrating five years by partnering with us!
All businesses share one common goal, and that’s to achieve steady and continuous growth. I’m sure we could make a laundry list of tactics that could help us get there, but one thing stands out above the rest: COMMUNICATION. If there’s one thing that your team should be focusing on this year, it’s improving their internal and external communication practices.
Whatever efforts you’re making now can be improved with some reflection and a plan. Good communication has no ceiling, and it’s worth putting time and effort into because it builds your reputation, establishes your brand, and ultimately, sells your products and services.
Internal Communication
The members of your team need to be on the same page. There are four types of business communication, and three of those are internal: internal upward, internal downward and internal lateral. All three aid in creating consistent messages and uncovering problems for customers. Additionally, keeping the members of your team informed on internal news will make them feel more involved and invested in your business.
Whether it be at an in-person meeting, virtually or over email, always ask your team what questions they get asked the most by customers. By uncovering recurring problems, you can find a way to solve them. If a customer asks the same question to multiple team members, the goal is that they’ll get the same answer every time. To achieve this kind of consistency, you need to establish a standard for the entire team and determine what you want to say about your business.
Don’t know where to start? Our Bowe Digital team helps businesses establish their brand voice and presents them with the strategies they need to communicate effectively with their audiences through our Story Arc Process. We interview your customers to find out what they really think; then, we combine that information with your values and goals to present a story everyone on your team can follow.
External Communication
Now that you have the ammunition, you need to communicate with your customers proactively with a consistent message. It's time to act as a resource and establish your team as industry experts. Eliminate commonly asked questions by answering them before they’re asked. AmeriTitle’s blog is a great example. As a partner of ours, they use this space to explain the complexities of their industry and provide tips, covering topics that commonly trip up their customers. This kind of proactive communication can be done through blog posts, social media, emails, etc.
All communication to your external audiences should be timely and of substance. The golden rule is to not keep customers waiting and to not waste their time. Never communicate just for the sake of communicating. Instead, make sure you’re always providing content that is relevant or of value to them. Focusing on communication with your internal and external audiences this year is the best way to invest in your business. Who better to help you improve your communication than our team of communication experts at Bowe Digital. We’re here to help you reach your audiences in a way that works for you! Contact us today.
From Guest Blogger & Bowe Digital Intern, Mackenzie LeClere:
Today, more than 90% of businesses use social media to promote their brand. Hopefully, your business is one of them. Even if you’re on social media, are you using it correctly and efficiently? Social media can be a great thing when done correctly, and Bowe Digital is here to help.
Having social media is a must these days if you are trying to take your business to the next level. To begin with, it’s cost-efficient! Social media is one of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to market towards your customers and the public. Instagram, Facebook and other platforms can have a huge impact on your sales and reach potential clients or partners without hurting your marketing budget.
By having an active presence, you can engage and reach people who have never heard of your business. For example, you share a post to 100 of your followers advertising your business. Those followers share and repost your post bringing in 100 other new eyes. All this leads to new customers -- and more awareness -- for your brand with a click of a button.
Not only is it important to have social media to bring awareness, but it’s an awesome way to form relationships with customers. Within Instagram and Facebook, there are features designed to message people. This allows people who have questions about your business to ask and get a response right away. This is a plus for you because you’re showing them that customers are a priority, making you stand out from other businesses.
TIPS
Hopefully, these tips come in handy. If you’re looking for more help in this area, Bowe Digital is here. Let’s talk today!
Mackenzie is a Fall 2020 Bowe Digital intern and attends Illinois State University studying communications. She’s majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Sociology. She loves writing, dancing and spending time with friends in her free time.
By now, I’m sure you’ve looked at the video above and are wondering where she could possibly go with this in relation to marketing. Marketing takes boatloads of work. You must put in the time and effort to know your audience, understand your company’s comfort level with creativity and constantly keep up with new tools. One main driving force with marketing at Bowe Digital is to never stop learning. We do our very best to learn about anything new for digital marketing because we want to provide the best service we can for our partners.
The video above was a gritty starting point for me the summer of 2018. I purchased a baby green warmblood horse with loads of energy. As you can see, he was a bit of a handful when we started. He refused jumps, ran off with me many times, bucked me off several times and was pretty much a toddler in their terrible twos. From the summer of 2018 to late winter 2019, he’s become a different horse. My experience with marketing has run parallel with training my horse.
Bowe Digital was just a “baby” when I started. There was much to learn about title insurance, design, our partners and how everything worked. I was excited to start but was nervous about the opportunity. As the months passed by, the amount of knowledge I gained in such a small amount of time was unreal. Being able to apply that brain power to our partner companies is something we’re all incredibly passionate about.
We provide each of our partners the reins and we are the horsepower that drives your marketing. Branding is an important part of selling what your company is about and it’s why we take the time to customize your marketing. We learn your audience, your preferences and then we create. We also give our partners each month the opportunity to review our work, allowing you to get exactly what you desire. We are hands-on and non-stop and we promise we won’t let you down.
The video above is what 10 long months of good old-fashioned hard work, blood, sweat and tears look like. I put in the work to get what I want out of everything I participate in, particularly my job. My pathway through the digital marketing world is very different from what most would expect it should be. Digital marketing is a tough gig with tons of competition. You’ve got to be the best to please the best and I believe that is why Bowe Digital’s marketing stands out from “the other guys”. If you’ve got marketing needs, you should probably put a Bowe on it. Email me today at ashley@bowedigital.com.
