It’s been around, but up to this day, when people think of Moo (at Moo.com), there’s a good chance they might associate it with domestic livestock. That’s why we here at Lakeshore Branding thought of outlining the top reasons why we love Moo, a great card creation service that doesn’t at all have anything to do with cows. Founded in 2004, Moo is basically an online print business, specializing in the creation of high-quality business cards and related products. The service is catered to businesses and professionals, but it is equally great for designers, freelancers, bloggers, photographers, and anyone else who has to personally introduce himself or herself in some form and situation to another human being. In short, Moo is for everyone. As a creative online communications agency, Lakeshore Branding is always on the lookout for great ideas and inspiration for the Web. But no matter how much we love the Internet, we still can’t put it in our – Read the full article
Intel’s recent purchase of McAfee for $7.68 billion directly addresses the movement towards an age of Internet of Things. According to IMS Research, the number of objects connected to the Internet is expected to hit 5 billion this month and eventually 22 billion by 2020. Right now we are accustom to “devices” like computers, cellphones, GPSes, modems, and televisions having connection to the Internet but there is already incredible momentum of more things gaining connection. That is to say, Internet connection is no longer restricted to devices. Objects are gaining Internet connection, or rather, Internet identity and presence, which in turn makes them into devices. Think about the Smart Meters ComEd now offers around Chicago. We can monitor our energy usage with real-time updates when we visit our account online. Considering this quote referring to the necessity of cyber security in the coming of such an age on ReadWriteWeb.com, though, we see that there is a lot more to in – Read the full article
Web design is more than just creativity, it’s usability. Understanding your visitors and how they use your website will lead to increased conversions. For each new website, our team of graphic designers, SEO consultants and marketing specialists work together on strategy, design, usability, and goals. _ Over 180 million people in the U.S. prefer to use the internet to find information about local business and about half of those who conduct a local search end up making a purchase.1_ Web Design Vision Our dynamic team of web designers is as creative, driven, and skilled as any in the industry. We have the tools, techniques, and technologies in place to come up with the freshest – “awesomest” – designs. What sets us apart from the rest, however, is our experience in working together with businesses, brands, and clients who, like you, want to be found and chosen by the people who matter. And this experience enables us to design websites that – Read the full article
Social media is often used as a method for users and consumers to make public statements about products and services. While this gives the public more power to evaluate brands, businesses can also leverage social media to connect with customers. As social media becomes increasingly important in marketing campaigns, companies are turning to YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to create personalized responses to individual users that captivate consumers in a way that traditional forms of mass media are incapable of reproducing. Wieden + Kennedy Portland, the ad agency that represents Old Spice, launched a campaign earlier this year featuring Isaiah Mustafa as a towel-clad macho man representing the brand as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” or more familiarly, “The Old Spice Guy.” The first set of commercials was created for television but gained popularity on YouTube, acquiring over 13 million views. After its wild popularity online, the advertising team behind the campaign focused on social media to popularize the – Read the full article
intern Genevieve’s first day introduction*
States have been trying for years to find ways to collect taxes from online sales, which continue to grow at a rate of about 10 percent a year. States are now losing out on $20 billion annually in taxes they would be collecting if all online sales were happening in physical stores. The Illinois Department of Revenue estimates that they could collect $153 million per year with an online sales tax as proposed in Senate Bill 3353. In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that states could not force retailers to collect sales taxes unless they had “nexus” — a physical presence in a given state. That doesn’t apply to operations such as Amazon that don’t run physical stores and do all their business online. What does this mean? There are approximately 8,940 affiliates in Illinois representing 4.47% of all US affiliates. In 2008 Illinois affiliate marketers earned $78.6MM and paid $2.35MM in state income taxes. As an active member of the affiliate – Read the full article
Many have said that the business world is a dog-eat-dog one, but at the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center in DePaul University, success is a thing that’s meant to be shared and taught. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Harold Welsch, the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center is a business outreach center and an extension of DePaul’s highly acclaimed academic entrepreneurship program. On campus, the Center helps students and aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grow their own ventures. In the entrepreneurial community of Chicago, it serves business owners with programs and consulting services that support their careers and professional ventures. With an advisory committee composed of DePaul faculty, students, and staff members within various departments and centers throughout the university, the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center is committed to supporting the entrepreneurial spirit at DePaul. Through guidance for young entrepreneurs in their social, non-profit, and business interests, through collaborations with academic and administrative groups, and through peer-to-peer programs designed to refresh business perspectives, the Coleman Center has become – Read the full article
In its effort to bring together today’s most dynamic business leaders and entrepreneurs, Business Network Chicago (BNC) is holding a panel discussion on Wednesday morning to help business owners and professionals establish themselves and foster successful relationships in the city’s business community. Entitled “Panel Discussion on What does it take to run a small business”, the event will be held on February 10 at the Wells Fargo Advisors, Adams and Canal, 3F South Riverside Plaza in Chicago. The agenda is to share resources, best practices, and experiences crucial in supporting BNC’s members – startups, small business owners, and solo entrepreneurs, among others – and helping them lead a successful company. The discussion will feature four panelists: Pattie Cagney Sheehan, marketing and advertising professional and cancer recovery advocate; Donald Strzepek, owner of leading Chicago jeweler The Tucker Company; Priscilla Taylor, owner of a Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies franchise; and Lakeshore Branding’s very own Chris Campbell, visionary entrepreneur and SEO – Read the full article
