LF Business Conference, April 28 at Aquinas College

Ask 10 people to define the word “sustainable and you’ll get 10 very different definitions. Sustainability is critical to our planet, our communities and our businesses. But what does this word really mean? What is the role of business when it comes to sustainability? And how do we help “design a sustainable community here in Grand Rapids?” This 2nd Annual Local First conference addressed these topics with speakers and breakout sessions to over 100 participants.

Our very own Jack of All, Rob McCarty spoke about Creative Marketing Strategies with Pam Cortese (Grand Office Supply), James Berg (Essence Restaurant Group) and Danny Beckett (Spearia). Rob and James talked about The Green Well Cartel and the tremendous success of this creative marketing strategy. There’s still a chance to become a member of The Green Well Cartel II..

If you can't be found on the web, you don't exist.

Doing business today requires an online presence. Like it or not, your brand is judged by your participation on the web with an invisible sliding scale. Not every industry is being judged exactly the same, but everyone is being held accountable. In online marketing, the following credo holds true:

More Visibility = Opportunity. If your prospective customer can't find you on the web, it's like you don't exist. Disagree at your own peril.

For a majority of industries, there are four basic areas in which an online presence is critical: Web, email, Facebook and Twitter. We discuss why they are important and provide a checklist for best practices below.

Website Spotlight - Keepin' it Local
Local First is an organization near and dear to us at TIS. We take pride in our role as a local business that promotes and supports other local businesses and building a sustainable local economy. We worked recently with Local First businesses Decker & Sons and Smooch Beauty Boutique to develop their new websites.