Ideas and news
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RFP go/no go
September 18, 2024(0)You’ve received an RFP. Great. Fantastic. Oh, wait a minute…now what? While helping clients weigh their options, and determining the value of responding to RFPs ourselves, we’ve come up with a few guidelines that help make this process a bit less stressful. 1. Scan for response deadlines. Sometimes RFPs offer flexibility. Don’t allow scheduling conflicts to…
Starting out on social media?
June 12, 2024(0)Starting out, we at Stone’s Throw often coach clients with smaller and medium-sized businesses to use social media initially as a way to demonstrate vitality, interest, and enthusiasm by showing activity on social media platforms. Let the world see your public face – especially if your potential customers use social media. Ensure that your posts…
Should we advertise on social media?
June 12, 2024(0)Unlike traditional print advertising in which we pay for the amount of space on a page and the number of issues in which an ad will appear (for example), social media advertising offers many avenues to get ad messaging in front of potential customers. The costs are determined, not just on a set amount per…
Why are brand style guidelines so critical for your business or organization?
May 14, 2024(0)By Janice Mondoker, Director of Design Realization A brand is a valuable asset and consistency improves brand recognition. In the past few months I’ve come across several companies and organizations that did not have style guidelines in place. There are multiple benefits to setting standards for how to display your brand look and feel. Deviations…
Once upon a time: Storytelling in marketing communications
April 23, 2024(0)I have been writing professionally for more than thirty years. For most of that time I’ve written communications for organizations whose teams seek engagement with educators, innovators, healthcare providers, patients, and students: a wide range, for sure, and an often-challenging one. With any writing assignment, I strive to bring the audience closer. That’s what successful…
As with all marketing communications, set goals for your social media efforts.
March 20, 2024(0)Over the course of planning, we learn from our own efforts. As we being to articulate goals, we learn. We learn about the possible paths toward fulfilling those goals; we learn as we ask ourselves What will success look like? and How can that success be measured? Planning uncovers obstacles and opportunities. Planning teaches. Because it’s ongoing and subject…
Is going “outside” worth it?
March 14, 2024(0)Where do you begin to determine if it makes greater financial sense to tackle marketing communications projects internally or to tap the services of an outside consultant? Evaluating the cost of a product may be straightforward – adding up the expenses of research, development, raw materials, manufacture, and packaging, for example. Evaluating the cost of…
Marketing your business?
February 27, 2024(0)Leverage our customized marketing plan roadmap to get you started. Spend more time on what works and less time chasing white rabbits. MarketingCare provides smaller to mid-size organizations with insightful feedback and step-by-step recommendations for marketing with impact. You’ll receive: • A one-on-one interview with a marketing professional who knows the right questions to ask…
In a world of overwhelm, be enough.
February 6, 2024(0)In conversation with Deanne Napurano, Creative Director, Writer, Editor Perhaps I’m being a little too esoteric with this line, but that’s even part of the point. We are all inundated with information and data. News flows constantly. We can dip our toe in the news river or dive in head first just by looking at…
Company naming and brand identity for a newly launched community for professional coaches
November 13, 2023(0)Assignment: Create an identity for a newly formed community for professional coaches, which reflects the core benefits of membership and the supportive nature of the experience. Process: Stone’s Throw met with the community founder to develop a communications strategy and creative brief for naming the organization and designing its brand identity. By identifying strategic mileposts,…
Where do you focus?
October 2, 2023(0)If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, even confused, about where to focus your marketing energy, you’re not alone. The options seem unlimited. Just ten years ago, a fine strategy for a business owner’s marketing and promotional plan likely included some direct mail, print, broadcast and outdoor advertising options, some type of community outreach program, compelling sales…
More successful partnerships?
August 23, 2023(0)No surprise – communication is key. We’ve learned and relearned a couple of things. Honest, direct and informed feedback makes for a smoother, more efficient process. A smoother process often breeds mutual respect. And, with mutual respect, all partnerships can succeed. Here are two-and-a-half tips to help build trust, foster innovation and achieve more in…
Now that everyone’s on vacation, let’s get down to [a little] business.
July 25, 2023(0)It may be the perfect time to finish projects that don’t get done when everyone’s asking for your time. One project that often slips to the bottom of the to-do pile during prime time is the hardworking case study. Sales teams love case studies because they help prospective customers visualize the benefits of working together…
Are you avoiding a marketing audit?
May 3, 2023(0)How do you know where you are and if what you’re doing is in alignment with what you’re trying to achieve? We recommend an audit – not a financial audit – but an audit of your current marketing practices. Some think they don’t have marketing practices to audit, but they do. (See “I don’t do…
Are you missing key marketing pieces?
March 21, 2023(0)For your small to mid-size organization, you’re probably not going to invest in a sustained national television ad campaign; you’re going to TARGET your efforts to more likely potential clients, members, donors, or customers. Do you have the tools to do that? Those tools may fall into three major categories: Foundation: Tools that help you…
What are you learning from your social media efforts?
February 13, 2023(0)Most social media platforms and social media management tools provide some recommendations for the kinds of metrics (measurements) we should be tracking. There’s a lot of information available. Much of it is very helpful for influencers who attract advertisers and sponsors based on the number of followers and interactions they have on their social media…
A few helpful terms
January 23, 2023(0)Social media is typically used to describe the universe of branded interactive media platforms that allow users to publish to and interact with each other by means of the Internet. Popular social media platforms include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram. Post is the term used to describe a message (text and/or photo) published on…
#Hashtags
November 28, 2022(0)Using hashtags helps you reach your target audience. When you use hashtags, think of them as keywords. Your posts become searchable by anyone on that platform. Many people search specific hashtags, so by using hashtags that are of interest to your ideal customer, you increase the chances of being found. There are no definitive answers…
Stone’s Throw recognized by national LGBT chamber and New Jersey chapter.
November 14, 2022(0)We are honored to be spotlighted by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) – and we’re proud to have achieved LGBT Business Enterprise certification. “Certification as an LGBT Business Enterprise represents a big step in any business’s journey toward greater authenticity. We are proud to be aligned with others who also recognize this step…
Stone’s Throw officially certified as LGBT Business Enterprise
April 27, 2022(0)FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, DC – Stone’s Throw, Inc. is proud to announce its recent certification as an LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE®) through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (LGLCC) Supplier Diversity Initiative. The NGLCC is the business voice of the LGBT community and serves as the nation’s exclusive certifying body for LGBT-owned and operated…
At every level – planning
April 26, 2022(0)Whether creating a single promotional piece or an integrated marketing campaign, all marketing communications efforts benefit from planning. Of course that planning might take place in a very compressed time period (“You need that by tomorrow?”), but experienced marketers consider brand, positioning, communications objectives and audiences (among other factors) before they ever put pencil to…
Handling media inquiries
April 5, 2022(0)After sending out a press release, you’ll want to prepare for your own follow-up calls, incoming questions, and other contact with editors and members of the media. Here are a few commonsense tips to help ready you and the primary press contact you’ve included in your release. Make a list of talking points and sources…
“I don’t do marketing.”
December 8, 2021(0)Do you market? Some business owners see marketing as something to be sidestepped as bourgeois or unflattering: “I don’t want to give the appearance of looking for customers.” Even as they protest, they make clear what amounts to a marketing strategy. How do we come to that conclusion? Marketing is a broad term describing our…
Do you have to choose between social media ease and content excellence?
November 30, 2021(0)We’ve all seen extremely reputable, high-quality news outlets post headlines with typographical errors to their social media accounts. How can that happen? Where are the brand standards we’ve come to associate with that organization? Do users no longer care about errors and typos if they don’t actually obscure the intended meaning? What if they DO…
How to write an effective sell sheet
November 16, 2021(0)These questions may help you collect and organize the information necessary to write a compelling two-page service sheet that can be used to support sales conversations with prospective customers: Matter for the front: What is the brand or marketing name of this service or service package? Be consistent across all mentions. Make it easy for…
Plans for holiday marketing?
October 19, 2021(0)It’s that time of year again. Many seasonal celebrations dot the fourth quarter like the holes in Swiss cheese, making the coordination of schedules more challenging and finishing team projects less likely. Where many of us see this time as providing welcome breaks for refueling, some of us see it as an interruption in the…
Sometimes you just need a little something extra.
October 19, 2021(0)Click for copywriting, design, or marketing support.
Respond, reimagine, and rebuild.
September 23, 2021(0)Although how we communicate has undergone swift reinvention with remote meetings and team software becoming more widely adopted, what we communicate and what it means to us remains vital. During the pandemic we’ve been privileged to help clients produce critical communications projects across several disciplines. Here are a few samples: Websites that help tell the…
Telling the client’s story
September 13, 2021(0)Building the character of the creative – When it comes to ensuring that we create on-target marketing materials, my partner and I have always employed what has been called the Q Strategy. We build a company backgrounder, craft a communications strategy, and then judge all creative by that strategy before presenting it to the client.…
Revisiting your company identity
August 10, 2021(0)Clearing the way for growth Who are you, personally? How do others get to know you? Whether we like it or not, studies continue to show that many people make some immediate assumptions about us based on our physical appearance and our sense of style (especially our shoes, apparently).* They understand even more when they…When things slow down a bit, it can be the perfect time to finish projects that don’t get done when everyone’s busy.
July 8, 2021(0)That can be especially true for marketing, sales, and communications materials. One project that often slips to the bottom of the to-do pile during prime time is the hardworking case study. Sales teams love case studies because they help prospective customers visualize the benefits of working together in a real-world example. Case studies serve as…
Have things changed?
June 23, 2021(0)During this phase of pandemic recovery, businesses see shifts emerging that may be the new normal. Since Spring 2020, we’ve watched as entire industries adapted to pandemic-related restrictions in order to survive and in order to continue providing essential services to their communities; from contactless delivery to PPE, we’ve all learned a new language and…
Quick tip: LinkedIn
June 22, 2021(0)Connect your profile to your company’s LinkedIn page Taking an extra few seconds to connect your profile to your company’s LinkedIn page gives you and your company several advantages. Primarily, it puts you in a position to support company posts and increase your company’s visibility online. It’s an easy fix: Open LinkedIn and click on…
Celebrating a milestone
May 4, 2021(0)Is your business or product about to reach an important anniversary? Over the past few months several of our clients have been talking with us about celebrating major anniversaries. Together we talked about options to mark the occasions. It reminded us that a couple of years ago we’d jotted down some general ideas. We thought…
Since 1991
March 10, 2021(0)This year Stone’s Throw Creative Communications will be celebrating 30 years in business. Headquartered in Historic Cranbury, NJ, we’ve experienced so much. From the current pandemic to 9/11 to Superstorm Sandy, we all persevere with a lot of help from each other. Heritage Park The engraved stone pictured above can be found in Heritage Park.…
Is going “outside” worth it?
September 16, 2020(0)Whether you’ve re-engineered your workforce to meet the changing demands of working during the COVID-19 pandemic or find yourself needing new or different communications than you did pre-coronavirus, where do you begin to determine if it makes greater financial sense to tackle marketing communications projects internally or to tap the services of an outside consultant?…
A message from Deanne Napurano
April 23, 2020(0)It’s a scary time right now. A lot of people are suffering. Our focus, like yours, is on keeping ourselves and the people we care about – our communities – healthy and safe. A lot of our clients are suffering. As they pivot to set up efficient and remote workspaces for employees, they are making…
Curbside marketing communications services are just a stone’s throw away
April 1, 2020(0)We hope that you are doing well. These are extraordinary times and we’re all doing our best to take care of each other while keeping our spirits up. As we all adjust to stay-at-home status and try to ensure that we’re keeping ourselves, our families, and our communities safe and healthy, we’re all also being…
We hope you are well and staying safe.
March 20, 2020(0)We’re already seeing communications needs being dramatically affected in response to COVID-19. Some of our clients are rethinking investment in tradeshow materials, for example, but are reinforcing public-facing messaging about their commitment to employees, clients, and community. We know that even if the vehicle for the conversation is changing, the importance of your voice remains…
What am I?
March 11, 2020(0)Once you’ve identified any disconnects in your messaging (see “Are you avoiding a marketing audit?”) and any missing tools in your marketing toolbox (see “Are you missing key marketing pieces?”), it’s time to develop a communications strategy. We need guideposts to ensure that our messaging stays on track and is exposed to the right audiences…
Do you have the stomach for a marketing audit?
February 7, 2020(0)How do you know where you are and if what you’re doing is in alignment with what you’re trying to achieve? We recommend an audit – not a financial audit – but an audit of your current practices. And I know that some people think that they don’t have marketing practices to audit, but they…
New year, same old issues?
January 3, 2020(0)The New Year sweeps in with lots of hype: a rose-colored-glasses look back on the last year and heaps of often-unrealistic expectations for the year ahead. If you like to have a fresh starting point once in a while, January gives you a boost. But, if January 1st feels like just another day, dragging with…Adopt a homeless pet.
November 28, 2018(1)Every year millions of dogs and cats are destroyed in shelters and pounds. In an effort to help spread the word about how we can all help homeless animals, we’ve provided links to a few shelters and organizations that make a difference every day. Please remember to spay or neuter your dogs and cats. And,…
Get some press.
September 26, 2018(0)You’ve got a story to tell. News outlets and other online information platforms hunger for good content. Whether you’ve got business news to share or your current project sheds light on a contemporary medical or social issue, it may be time to send out a press release. We can help plan and research topics, write…
No advertising budget?
June 15, 2018(0)There’s an old rule of thumb that five percent of gross revenue should be allotted for marketing (which includes sales and promotions), but in the past years we’ve seen guidelines that range from seven to eight percent for companies with gross revenues over $5 million (12% or higher for lower revenues), with 10% emerging as…Five quick marketing fixes
May 25, 2018(0)If you have some time this afternoon, you can move your marketing forward just a bit more without having to make a sizable investment of time or money. Of course, there’s no substitute for a marketing plan that melds strategy with compelling creative and brilliant execution, but these five fixes can buy you a little…Overwhelmed?
May 3, 2018(0)What has been a common theme when meeting with new clients lately? More than a theme, it’s a common state of being: overwhelm. Clients can get overwhelmed with the day-to-day demands of running a business or organization. They’re doing important work and operating on all burners. But in that state, it’s challenging to take care…
Do you have a sales process?
November 15, 2017(0)Larger companies typically understand how to leverage their marketing efforts to grow business. Part of that understanding is manifest in an institutionalized lead qualification and sales process. Salespeople undertake rigorous training on the features and advantages of products and services, how to use recommended marketing materials, and even how to overcome customer objections. But, having…
Happy anniversary!
June 29, 2016(0)Is your business or product reaching a milestone? Celebrate it. This year marks our 25th anniversary and has had us looking back through our archives. The following recommendations began as advice to a client. They’re perfectly suited for today, and bear repeating. If, like Stone’s Throw, you are nearing a significant anniversary, congratulations! Experience is…
Creative & marketing support
April 23, 2015(0)Tap into creative and marketing support when you need it – defined by the project or based on time. What could make more sense? The support we provide to our clients sometimes puts us in mind of geese flying in a V formation. Scientists believe that this geometric configuration helps each bird conserve energy by…
Professional development address
September 18, 2014(0)Hello. Thank you for inviting us here today. [We were recently invited to speak with an audience of law firm partners during a professional development luncheon.] My name is Deanne Napurano and I’m one of the founding partners at Stone’s Throw Creative Communications in Cranbury. I’m also a copywriter and creative director. Stone’s Throw is…
On-page SEO tips
June 6, 2014(0)Recently a client confessed to us that he had allowed a third party’s search engine optimization tactics to hold his website content hostage. As a career medical professional, he had a wealth of published work, and he also used, and wrote about, very specific approaches to patient care. He admitted that at some points his…
Celebrating NJ biotech
February 3, 2014(0)January 30, 2014 – It was great to be in the audience to hear two-time World Champion and NFL Hall-of-Famer, Nick Buoniconti, give an inspired keynote address during Thursday night’s BioNJ Annual Dinner Meeting. He received a standing ovation from the crowd of nearly 700 after talking about everything from locker room pranks involving an…
