Dazzle Fall Issue 2016

fall 2016
THE O FFIC IAL M A G A ZINE O F IDEA W ORKS M ARKE T I N G
top
TEN
do’s & don’ts of
staying liked
on social media
p. 5
Has branding
become so
EXPANSIVE
it’s become
RESRICTIVE?
p. 9
CHALLENGING
GOLIATH
Brand ID:
the marketing
technology you
shouldn’t
live
without
p. 6
p. 12
B O O S T
your
marketing
metabolism
BY MORNING
p. 24

contents
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief Chelsey Tupper
Design Director Donna Shrader
Art Director Patty Pugh
Deputy Art Director Allison Simenkiewicz
4 6 9
EDITOR’S LETTER
from Chelsey Tupper, director of
client & public relations
BRAND ID:
Marketing technology your
business needs
PEACOCKS, APPLES
& A SWOOSH
The happenings in the
world of design
IDEAWORKS TEAM
Owner & CEO Peter Steve
Owner Judy Steve
President Donna Hansbury
VP of Operations Patty Pugh
Chief Creative Officer Donna Shrader
Administrative Assistant Sue Cunningham
Graphic Designer Kelly Letukas
12 21 22
CHALLENGING
GOLIATH
Small businesses can
battle industry giants.
CHALLENGING
GOLIATH QUIZ:
Which type of brand are you?
LIFE @ 197
A behind-the-scenes
look at our team
23 24 27
TAKE 2
WE LOVE
IT IS WHAT IT IS
Marketing tips that can be
BLUE CHIP
A letter from our
combined to set you apart Sponsoring a no-kill animal
CEO Peter Steve from the rest refuge in Dallas, PA
Graphic Designer Rachael Baratta
Graphic Designer Allison Simenkiewicz
Marketing Communications Director McKenzie Kupchik
Director of Client & Public Relations Chelsey Tupper
IT Special Projects Tyler Steve
CONTACT US
Call Us 570-609-5650
Email Us info@ideaworks.marketing
Visit Us Online ideaworks.marketing
FOLLOW US
@IdeaworksAgency
facebook.com/IdeaworksMarketing
@ideaworksmarketing
Ideaworks Marketing
DAZZLE FALL 2016 3

FROM THE EDITOR
CHELSEY TUPPER, DIRECTOR OF CLIENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Don’t make them
unfriend you
The Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts of Staying “Liked” on Social Media.
KNOW YOUR
Do
Be active, not annoying
You know those “friends” who update you on every single moment of their
entire day, from a picture of their breakfast banana smoothie to their 7-mile
evening run tracker post? Don’t be them. Post engaging information
regularly, but not so often that your followers lose interest or that you get
buried in the newsfeed.
Don’t
Involve your personal views and opinions
Keep your political, religious and personal preferences close to your vest.
Unless you are running a campaign for public office or serving as the head
of PETA, these affiliations need to be kept separate from any and all of your
public business sites. If you publicize your affinities, you risk alienating
entire segments of your customer population.
REAP THE REWARD
look at the data!
Luckily, for you, analytics are available
for most social media sites. Make sure
you are posting during times when
your followers are active to capitalize
on the most exposure and engagement
possible. The difference between
posting at 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. can
equate to a hundred more views.
delete negative comments
View any negative comments that have been
made on your social media pages as an
opportunity to showcase your professionalism
and dedication to righting any potential
wrongs your company inadvertently made.
Though no one likes to handle situations like
this, it is important to show that you truly care
and immediately respond to any dissatisfaction
that is aired, no matter how trivial.
s one of the newbies
to the creative team at
Ideaworks Marketing,
I am thrilled to work
with such talented
individuals who, in
just a few short
months, have already made me
stronger at my craft. One key
aspect of my job as director of
client and public relations is to
promote Ideaworks throughout
my work with prospective and
current clients so the former will
become clients with us and the
latter will remain satisfied. While I’m
still learning more and more about
what makes Ideaworks who we are,
for the first time in my post-college
life, I can finally say I feel like I know
who I am professionally. As a result,
I’m reaping the reward of working
at a top-notch marketing agency.
See, even though I was working
in public relations and marketing
after graduating college, I always
questioned if that was the true
path I was supposed to follow. As a
result, I left the industry and quickly
Knowing
who you are
is similar to
a company
understanding
who it is
in terms of
its brand.
found myself without emotional
or professional satisfaction in my
job. I realized I needed to get back
in the game, so I set my sights on
returning. Now that I know who I
am as a professional, I don’t think
I’ve ever been more grateful for my
job and the company I work for.
Knowing who you are as a
person is similar to a company
understanding who it is in terms of
its brand. At Ideaworks, we specialize
in branding and brand identity.
One thing we wholeheartedly
believe is in order for a brand to
be successful, it needs to clearly
communicate who it is, what it
does and where it wants to go.
When a brand takes these steps, it’s
well on the road to success.
Because we believe so much in
the power of branding at Ideaworks,
we’ve dedicated this issue’s two
feature articles to topics that will
help you rethink and refine your
brand and brand identity. The first
feature, “Brand ID: The marketing
technology you shouldn’t live
without” (pg. 6), highlights our
Brand ID technology that maximizes
the true power of a brand
by ensuring a cohesive and
consistent use of its identity in the
marketplace. Did I mention it also
allows for easy personalization
and can work well for companies
of all sizes (doesn’t Brand ID
sound like a dream come true)?
Our second feature, “Challenging
Goliath: How small brands can
challenge industry giants” (pg. 12),
discusses the concept of challenger
brands and how taking a nontraditional
approach to positioning
your brand can uncover potential
growth opportunities.
Game of Thrones creator and
author, George R.R. Martin, said,
“Never forget what you are, for
surely the world will not. Make it
your strength. Then, it can never
be your weakness. Armor yourself
in it, and it will never be used to
hurt you.” Similarly, whether it’s
personally or as a brand, never
forget who or what you are and make
it your strength. If you do, you’ll reap
the reward.
Stay Consistent
If you have multiple social media
platforms dedicated to your
company, make sure your
personality, tone and information is
consistent throughout all sites. If
you started a particular platform
and let it go quiet, log in and delete
the account. A dead page portrays
dead business, which no one wants
potential customers to think!
Develop a personality
Your social media sites should portray
the true feeling and culture of your
business. If you are laid back and easy
going, your social media posts should
reflect your chill attitude. If your
company is a black tie, button up,
high-end machine, relay that image
with your words. Remaining true to
company form in all facets of business
is integral to maintaining the tone
and feel in your customers’ perception
and experience.
Be real
Use real images of your company, product, customers,
employees and services in action to generate a true connection
from your social media audience. No one feels an emotional
attachment to a stock image, so turn up the “likes” by posting real
photos of people and things in places that your customers will
recognize and relate to.
Ignore your
privacy settings
Make sure you are up-to-date
on the current status of your
privacy settings on all
accounts. You must also be
judicious of who you give the
administrative rights of your
social media page to. Make
sure all content is reviewed and
overseen to ensure the proper
tone and message is being
consistently delivered.
be needy
The words “please share” and
“please retweet” should never,
ever, under any circumstances,
appear on your social media
sites! You want to be perceived
as confident and successful,
never needy.
Mix up your 80 with your 20
Eighty percent of your posting information should be entertaining
or informative, while 20% should be related to selling your service
or product. A social media site is not a website and shouldn’t be
treated as one. Use this space to portray your personality and
deliver added value to your followers. By doing so, you’ll
successfully extend your marketing reach without even trying.
4 DAZZLE FALL 2016

THE MARKETING TECHNOLOGY YOU
SHOULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
Minimize costs, maximize results,
preserve your brand identity
For marketers, one of the daily challenges often faced is protecting
your brand identity. Even if comprehensive guidelines are established,
once released to internal and external audiences, it’s difficult to ensure
that they are always maintained. Protecting your brand identity is not
only time consuming, but also costly in terms of resource and budget
expenditures. In any case, as marketers, our overarching goal is to build
lasting relationships with our target audiences and to do so through the
consistent application of our brand identity and messaging at all times.
You might be wondering if there is any way controlling your identity
can actually be achieved without spending excessive amounts
of time and money. Let us be the first to tell you the answer is YES!
We were determined to solve this issue facing many of our
clients, and marketers in general, because we’ve been in
similar situations and understand the accompanying frustrations.
Donna Hansbury, president of Ideaworks, first learned of this
technology platform at a creative conference and knew it would
be a game-changer for Ideaworks’ clients. “At Ideaworks, we’re
committed to forward thinking and fresh ideas, and Brand ID is
just that. We built upon the foundation of this already impressive
software to create the kind of marketing support suite we felt
our clients would value. Clients who currently use Brand ID
continually tell us how much they appreciate regaining full
control of their identity and messaging through this marketing
platform,” said Hansbury. She added, “Brand ID can conquer a
myriad of marketing challenges for small companies to large
organizations on projects ranging from simple business cards
to a 100-page customizable magazine.”
“Brand ID can
conquer a myriad
of marketing
challenges for small
companies to large
organizations on
projects ranging from
simple business
cards to a 100-page
customizable
magazine.”
THEREFORE, IT’S WITH MUCH EXCITEMENT THAT WE
ANNOUNCE OUR NEWEST OFFERING AT IDEAWORKS, BRAND ID!
Brand ID stands for Brand Intelligent Design, and its name explains its
purpose – a specialized marketing tool that ensures your brand identity
is consistently and accurately represented on all marketing assets so it
is never compromised. This technology application makes it simple for
site users to quickly access and create any corporate support collateral
within the brand parameters as set by executive management. As a result,
branding standards are controlled and brand integrity upheld – always.
6 DAZZLE FALL 2016

DESIGNED AND MANAGED AS A WEBSITE
PORTAL BY IDEAWORKS, BRAND ID
OFFERS A BROAD RANGE OF BENEFITS:
PROTECTS BRAND INTEGRITY
Brand ID fully protects your brand identity because access
and customization parameters are pre-set by marketing decision
makers. Users of the site are only able to select and customize
the design and messaging options approved by management.
As a result, you can rest assured that all marketing collateral and
support assets will consistently and correctly represent your
brand’s identity, 100% of the time.
PROVIDES SAVINGS
ON PRINT COSTS
Using Brand ID allows you to quickly create
and print marketing assets as needed, so
you no longer have to worry about having to
throw away a large quantity of collateral that
is out dated or out of touch with your
current target audience.
SAVES TIME
Tired of those “quick turnaround”
marketing requests for sales
collateral that can slice hours out
of your day? Because Brand ID is
user-intuitive, marketing materials
can be created by populating
a template with custom text
and/or a series of drop-down
menus. Users can easily tailor the
document to their own needs,
while the marketing department
stays on track with more
time-sensitive projects.
OFFERS
PERSONALIZATION
LOGIC
Brand ID features an
impressive logic capability that
allows for a vast amount of
personalization options. Create
imagery for direct mail pieces
personalized by the recipient’s
gender, location or interests.
With Brand ID, it’s easy to give
each direct mail campaign that
value-added personal touch
that often influences
purchasing decisions.
STREAMLINES COMMUNICATION
Any number of things can negatively impact
communication, including the use of outdated materials
and inconsistent messaging. Brand ID allows for all
marketing assets to be inventoried in one location for
easy access – keeping available support materials
current, brand compliant and easily accessible.
TO SEE BRAND ID IN ACTION, CALL US
TODAY FOR A FREE DEMONSTRATION.
BRAND ID HAS MADE A HUGE
DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CLIENTS, AND
WE KNOW IT WILL FOR YOU TOO.
PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY FOR CUSTOMIZATION
Even though marketing decision makers set the design and content parameters
for each marketing asset, site users do have the option to customize according to
individual need and/or aesthetic preferences. For example, a direct mail brochure
that needs to be customized by company location, target audience or offer specifics.
You can even change the photos being used to be fit the needs of the audience or
geographic location.
Has
branding
become so
expansive
it’s become
restrictive?
DONALD PARTYKA
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Americas Quarterly
DAZZLE FALL 2016 9

+ =
IN HER INTERVIEW with Hilman Curtis,
famous designer Paula Scher talks about
drawing the Citibank logo during the
initial client meeting on a napkin and
walking out. She quickly sees the formal
constraints of merging the Citibank type
with the logo for Travelers, known for it’s
red umbrella icon. “They had to merge
Travelers and Citi - and Traveler’s had an
umbrella and Citibank is a word - and the
lowercase ‘thing’ of a ‘t’ is an umbrella
and you stick an arc on the top and you
got it,” Scher said.
Take a straw poll of most Citibank patrons
at your local branch to see if they know
what the arc in the Citibank logo means.
Most, if not all, will be clueless. However,
they look for the same memorable red
arc in the logo when trying to find an
ATM to make a withdrawl. Is it a problem
that the meaning of the arc is lost?
Probably not. Many memorable logos
evolve beyond their original intended
symbolism, and the recognizability of the
logo itself takes over. For instance, do most
people know that NBC’s peacock logo
exists because they were the first network
with color programming? Or the strange
TimeWarner glyph represents an eye and
an ear symbolizing the merger of the
print magazines from Time, Inc. with the
movie and music of Warner Brothers? Do
you still see the “hidden” forward arrow
in the counterspace in the “Ex” in FedEx?
Or realize that the smiley arrow in the
Amazon logo - which point from the
“a” to the “z” in Amazon - signifies
they sell everything from a to z?
Some symbolism in these identities is
more subtle and requires an awareness
of brand history. Understanding that the
Travelers icon was an umbrella makes the
Citibank logo make sense. However, using
more universal, literal symbols also works.
My former teacher, the late Malcolm Grear,
was a master of symbolism in logo design.
His meanings were never abstract and
rarely obscured. One of his most notable
triumphs of symbol and form is his logo
for the Presbyterian Church. Overall, it’s a
cross. But, upon closer inspection, it also
contains a pulpit, a book, a chalice, a fish,
a dove and fire. Nothing vague there.
For better or worse, logos today often
veer from more literal and illustrative
solutions like Grear’s. Part of this is
practicality. Branding today has become
so expansive it is restrictive. Any logo
has to be usable as a social media icon, a
banner on a profile page, and even teenytiny
as a favicon to show up in the tab of
a browser. No wonder most clients want
a lower case sans-serif letter on a blue
background. They’ve seen it before and
they know it works.
Agencies spend a lot of time with clients
justifying their design decisions based on
meaning. This makes sense and shows
respect. A good designer will always use
the content and history of the company
as a starting point. But, the final result can’t
sacrifice simplicity for symbolism. The
true test of a good logo is not just it’s first
impression, but how it builds memory and
meaning over time. This is hard to quantify
and can be frustrating. Think of the Apple
logo. If a new company were launching
today called Apple Computers, and existed
fresh without years of innovative product
design and advertising, I
don’t think the simple
apple icon
would have
much punch
on it’s own.
In fact, it took
many years
for Apple to
use the apple icon without typesetting the
word “Apple” next to it - in effect, to use its
identity without explaining it. Same for Nike
and its swoosh. Symbolic meaning can be lost
over time. But it is the consistent use of logos in
branding that makes the mark memorable by
its own merits. Peacocks, apples, and hook-like
“swoosh” symbols do not clearly tell us what
they represent. Especially decades after their
creation. How they are used over time makes
them memorable and reinforces their brand.
Sometimes an umbrella is just an umbrella.
The complete interview with Paula Scher can
be viewed at hillmancurtis.com/artistseries/paula-scher/
Donald Partyka tweets about
typography news and history,
as well as design and education.
Follow him @donaldpartyka.
Visit his website donaldpartyka.com
All registered and unregistered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
DAZZLE FALL 2016 11

COVER FEATURE
CHALLENGING
GOLIATH
How small brands can challenge industry giants
THINK ABOUT THOSE
BRANDS YOU SEE, HEAR,
AND READ ABOUT
ALL THE TIME LIKE UBER,
DYSON, DOLLAR SHAVE
CLUB AND AIRBNB.
WHY DO YOU THINK THESE
BRANDS ARE PLASTERED
ALL OVER THE PLACE?
W
henever anyone starts a business or is trying to grow a business, it’s always the same
dream – visions of your logo and company name everywhere, not being able to keep your
shelves stocked, not having enough manpower to keep up with demand, phones ringing
off the hook, social feeds full of conversations between engaged consumers, and too many
media requests and mentions to count. However, rarely does this happen. Why? Because
most times, business owners do not stop to give their company’s brand serious thought.
You might have a great product or service to offer, but if you don’t position your brand
correctly, your business won’t achieve true success.
12 DAZZLE FALL 2016
BY: CHELSEY TUPPER

Think about those brands you see, hear, and read about all
the time, such as Uber, Dyson, Dollar Shave Club and Airbnb.
Why do you think these brands are plastered all over the
place? Yes, their success has placed them in the forefront,
but it’s how they achieved that great success that’s the real
story. The reason these brands are booming is because
each one has challenged their respective market leaders,
resulting in a revolution in that market. As such, each one of
these brands can be referred to as a “challenger brand.” More
specifically, a challenger brand is a company or product
brand that is not the category leader in a particular industry.
Challenger brands play from a position behind the dominant
player or leader in an industry. The process of achieving
challenger brand status does not happen overnight. The
aforementioned brands were and continue to be committed
to their marketing strategies and did not shy away from putting
a lot of time and effort into devising their marketing plans,
brand identity and positioning. They carefully researched their
respective industries and the key players. As a result, they didn’t
jump in blindly; they knew their competition and how vital it
was to have a solid marketing execution to attract customers.
A CHALLENGER BRAND IS A COMPANY OR
PRODUCT BRAND THAT IS NOT THE CATEGORY
LEADER IN A PARTICULAR INDUSTRY.
Take a look at Airbnb for example. For those who aren’t familiar,
Airbnb is an online rental service that enables people to list, find
and rent vacation homes. It is a marketplace for vacation rentals
that charges a fee for connecting users with people who have
property to rent. Founded just eight years ago, Airbnb already
has over 1,500,000 listings in 34,000 cities and 191 countries.
How does this great success happen when there are thousands
of hotels and motels? It happened because Airbnb differentiated
its service from the leading brand or in this instance, a category
of brands in its industry, which are hotels. Instead of always
needing to stay in a hotel with people all around or having to
reserve several rooms next to each other if traveling with friends
or family, Airbnb provides accommodations that are much more
private than the typical hotel and allows groups of travelers
to stay together instead of being sectioned off in separate
rooms. Additionally, travelers can actually get an idea of what
it’s like to live in the town or city being visited. Thus, Airbnb
provides a greater cultural experience than staying in a hotel.
DAZZLE FALL 2016 15

Differentiation is just one key characteristic of challenger
brands. In sticking with the Airbnb example, not only does
Airbnb differentiate itself from the average hotel, it also
creates market segmentation. Early on, Airbnb identified
those consumers who are under-valued or under-served
by leading hotels, such as individuals who cannot afford
grand hotels and/or hotels in close proximity to areas of
interest for the duration of a vacation, along with those
traveling in groups. With Airbnb, not only are there more
desirable budget-friendly options, but groups can enjoy
the luxury of renting a house verse being divided in a hotel.
ALONG WITH
DIFFERENTIATION
AND SEGMENTATION,
CHALLENGER BRANDS
ALSO POSSESS
THE FOLLOWING
QUALITIES:
OUT-THINK, RATHER THAN
OUT-SPEND, THE COMPETITION
COMMITTED TO BEING THE BEST
AT WHAT THEY DO
EMBRACE PRODUCTIVE DISRUPTION
AND UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACHES
USE THE COMPETITION’S SIZE
AGAINST THEMSELVES
PROVOKE NEW CONVERSATION
When you think about Airbnb, isn’t it easy to see how
each of these qualities is representative of the company?
16 DAZZLE FALL 2016

CONSTANT EVOLUTION
Technological advancements. Product or service is always evolving
& does not stay the same for an extended period of time.
Examples: Google Fiber
and Shinola
5
TYPES
OF CHALLENGER
BRANDS
COMPLUSIVE SERVITUDE
Over delivers. Superior promises and services.
Examples: The Ritz-Carlton
and FedEx
FOSTER REJECTION
Creates a “cult-like” following. Focuses only on a very specific
niche audience. Hyper focuses on their target.
Examples: Mini Cooper
and ModCloth
LIGHTNING ROD
Creates attraction. Does the unexpected and adds shock value.
Examples: Dollar Shave Club
and Lady Gaga
WHO ARE YOU?
HERETICAL
Game changer. Takes ideas from other industries
and improves upon them.
Examples: IKEA and Silvercar
18 DAZZLE FALL 2016

Going back to our Airbnb example, which type of challenger
brand would you say it is? If you guessed heretical, good
job. This type of challenger brand best describes Airbnb
because it is a total game changer in the travel/hospitality
industry. Airbnb took ideas from this industry and
improved them in order to create a much better consumer
experience in many different ways. Which category do
you think your brand falls into? Is it the same category you
would like your brand to be in? If you think your brand can
fit into more than one category, be careful. Think about
the granular, fundamental purpose of your company or
service. To be a challenger brand, you must have a clear
vision and focus of what it is you want to do or provide.
ARE YOU A
CHALLENGER BRAND?
Take this fun quiz to find out if you are and what type.
Are you a category leader in your industry?
You’re not a
challenger
brand :(
YES
START
NO
Do you have a unique
product or service
that you offer?
NO
Do you typically have
a very specific type
of customer?
YES
NO
Do you make sure your
customers are happy
no matter the cost?
YES
The concept of challenger brands can get you thinking
differently about your company. Every business owner
wants the same kind of success Airbnb has seen in
just eight years, but to do so, it’s imperative to take
a step back and invest in your marketing/branding
effort. It might take a lot of time and energy, but the
investment will be worthwhile when the dreams you
had back when starting your business become reality.
NO
Is the product/service
an improvement on a
previous product?
YES
YES
MANY
Are you always
changing your
product to fit your
customers needs?
Does your company
tend to do things a
bit out of the norm to
gain attention?
NO
YES
Is the customer
always right?
OF COURSE!
NO
NOT ALWAYS
Do you think your brand already falls into one of
these five categories or do you think your brand has
the potential to become one of these challenger
brands? Connect with us. At Ideaworks, it’s our
passion to think of ideas that will make your brand,
product, or service stand out and resonate with
your target market regardless if it’s challenger brand
material or not. Who knows, after a conversation with
us, you might start to see your brand in a new light.
Do you think that your
product/service can
completely change the
way people do things?
MAYBE
YES!
NO
NO
YES
Are customers
extremely loyal to
your brand?
YES
NO
Does your company
try to make viral videos
and have outrageous
marketing?
YES
NO
We think you
need to dig a
little deeper.
We can help
with that!
See page 19 for discriptions of your type of challenger brand.
DAZZLE FALL 2016 21

Rachael also loves photography!
IT IS WHAT IT IS
PETER STEVE, OWNER & CEO
McKenzie Kupchik is new to
the Ideaworks team, joining
as the director of marketing
communications in April. Her past
career experience includes working
in marketing for Children’s Miracle
Network at Geisinger Janet Weis
Children’s Hospital, as well as Sodexo
Campus Services. McKenzie lives in
Roaring Brook, PA with her husband
Bryan, daughters Viola and Nellie,
three cats, and her dog Caesar. Baby
Isabelle is expected to join their
circus in Roaring Brook sometime
in late December.
THE BEST
Chelsey Tupper, director of
client and public relations,
turned the big 3-0 in July! She
traveled to Portland, Maine
to visit her sister Catherine,
so they could celebrate the
big day together. Then, when
Chelsey returned home, she
was surprised with a party
thrown by her husband Brian,
parents and in-laws.
A Steve family tradition
continued earlier this year
when Peter’s sons Peter III (L)
and Tyler proudly attended
the 116th U.S. Open golf
tournament held at Oakmont
Country Club in Oakmont, PA.
Years earlier in 1983, Peter Sr.
and his brother, Tom, attended
the same tournament at the
very same course!
One of our graphic designers, Kelly
Letukas, and her family visited
LegoLand in Boston, MA this year!
Her husband, Jimmy, and son, Porter,
found the wild Lego giraffe!
We are excited to welcome
Rachael Baratta to the
Ideaworks Marketing team!
Rachael came onboard with
us as a graphic designer. She
graduated from Kutztown
University in 2012 with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts in
communication design,
advertising and graphic
design. While in college and
over the course of her career,
Rachael has been the recipient
of several art and design
awards and honors. She is an
incredibly talented designer
and illustrator who we are
happy to have on our team.
Allison Simenkiewicz, one
of our graphic designers,
attended LUMA Arts Festival
in Binghamton, New York. This
featured 3D videos projected
onto buildings in the city.
In October, Donna Hansbury,
Ideaworks president, and her family
traveled to Solano Beach, CA to visit
her niece, Lyndsay, and her fiancé,
Wyatt, who welcomed their first-born
in September, a little girl named
Harper. While visiting, Donna’s mom,
sister, niece and the baby gathered
for a special four generations photo!
Ideaworks chief creative officer, Donna
Shrader, and her son David recently
spent a week in Disney. They stayed at
Jambo House, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Lodge. Favorite rides? Tower of Terror,
Expedition Everest and Space Mountain.
YOU NEVER ENTERED
m sorry, but we’re just
not a good fit.” As an
agency principal, the
thought of uttering
these words to a
prospective client
makes me cringe,
knowing how challenging it is to
grow a business in today’s economy.
But my experience has proven that
there are instances where the pain
of not entering a client relationship
far outweighs enduring an even
greater pain that awaits either party
in the not-too-distant future.
So what merits walking away
from a client/agency relationship?
Obviously, this depends on the
situation but from my experience,
it boils down to three factors: ego,
respect and value. It’s important to
note that all three factors can apply
to either side of the relationship.
Let’s take a deeper look.
1. EGO: The client/agency
relationship must be a true
partnership with both parties
working together to achieve
success. If either party’s ego
overwhelms the other, it’s a sure
sign of future problems. Anyone
who insists their copy, creative, or
ideas are better simply because they
are in charge or because they’re
paying the bill, will never be a good
fit for an agency. Conversely, any
agency that is so defensive of their
work that they can’t appreciate a
better idea or constructive feedback
coming from their client, will never
truly benefit the organization that
hired them.
2. RESPECT: Anyone who
isn’t willing to make a financial
commitment to work with an agency
based upon the agency’s proposal
for the work requested, isn’t ready
to enter a productive client/agency
relationship. It is incumbent upon
an agency to demonstrate their
value in a proposal and to explain
how they will meet the needs of
the client. A client must respect the
expertise of the agency enough to
pay them for their services, while
an agency must deliver services as
promised and produce results. If
either is not present, it’s time to
walk away.
3. VALUE: Like respect, value
must be a two-way street in any client/
agency relationship. It is imperative
that agencies understand the
real value of what they provide
The client/agency relationship must be
a true partnership with both parties
working together to achieve success.
and continually look for ways to
maximize the value they bring
to their clients. Clients, too, must
understand the value of partnering
with an agency versus offering
projects for hire to the lowest
bidder. If at any time, from either
perspective, price becomes the
driver, then the real value of the
partnership will never be realized.
Thankfully, most client/agency
relationships consist of true
professionals who enjoy working
with each other on a regular basis.
In these relationships, the clients
recognize the agency as a partner,
focused on helping them achieve
success. They understand and
respect the expertise the agency
offers, and value the services
provided to help them reach
their goals.
The agency in these relationships
understands the role it plays
in helping the client attain its
desired outcomes. It realizes the
investment the client has made
in the relationship and assumes
the responsibility to deliver real
solutions and measurable results.
But for those unfortunate times
when one or maybe even all three
of the above-mentioned factors
surface, I urge you, client or agency
alike, to walk away in the best
interest of all involved. It just might
be the best business relationship
you never entered.
DAZZLE FALL 2016 23

Peter Steve, Jr.
Owner & CEO
Wyoming, PA 18644
This kennel kindly adopted by:
Signs donated and printed by
peters@ideaworks.marketing
570.609.5650
www.ideaworks.marketing
197 Wyoming Avenue
Take two of
these tips to
boost your
marketing
metabolism.
MCKENZIE KUPCHIK
DIRECTOR OF
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Ideaworks Marketing
Put yourself out there on as many
platforms as you can, but make sure
you are using the right space. Some
businesses aren’t fit for
Instagram or Snapchat,
where others can
significantly improve
customer connection
through those platforms.
Take a good look at
which social media outlets
your business falls into and
immerse yourself in them. If
you’re not the most
social-savvy person,
find someone who
is and hand the task
to them.
Check out our hints
and tips on page 5 where
we give you the top
do’s and don’ts of
social media.
People, especially customers, want
nothing more than to get a return on
their investment. Reward both the
loyal and the potential customer by
developing a referral program that
benefits each type of patron, and you’re
sure to have a winning combination. Just
make sure everyone on staff is educated
about the program so that you don’t
have a fumble at kickoff!
If you have a great company you work
with regularly, tell people about them!
Publicizing solid working partnerships
within an industry is an excellent way to
further your reach and exposure. As they
say, two heads are always better than
one, and in this case, two customer
bases are definitely better than one.
Get free marketing exposure and instant
credibility by applying for local and
on-line business specific
awards. You’ll never win
if you don’t throw your
hat in the ring, so get
out there and line your
shelves with some shiny
trophies recognizing your
business excellence.
Get rid of the stock business cards and
make an impact with something fresh
and exciting. Make sure your business
card reflects the image and culture
of your business - down to colors,
texture and shape. This may be the first
impression they get of your business, so
make it accurate, engaging and worth
holding on to.
There is no better way to get free press
than by writing it yourself. Submit an
article discussing your new product or
service or delve into the reasons your
technique or customer experience is
superior, and submit it to a trade or local
magazine for publication. News and
media outlets are always looking for
interesting leads, so give them what they
want and reap the benefits of free PR!
Imagine 20 kids huddling together,
cheering “Gooooo *insert your company
name here*!” It might not be the first
thing you think of when it comes to your
marketing plan, but it is a fun way to
support your community, while getting
great exposure. Plus, those t-shirts stick
around for years and get recycled as
hand-me-downs, so your investment is
extended well beyond the season.
Sharing your industry knowledge at
seminars or local workshops can pull
double duty. First, you are giving added
exposure to your business, and second,
you are proving that you are rife with
information and experience, which will
help to bring your company to mind
when the attendees are seeking services.
Do-gooding always
does a business good.
Select a charity you
believe in, and support
it financially through
donations and
sponsorships or
by providing your
business’ services
at no cost.
Rave’s
974 Lockvi le Rd, Da las, PA 18612
570.333.5265 • bcfanimalrefuge.org
There may be nothing more useful
Thank You
On behalf of a l of us
at Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge,
we extend our sincere thanks and
gratitude for your generosity in
Adopting-A-Kennel to help
offset the expense of the care
and upkeep of our furry friends
until they become part of
their forever family.
THANKS AGAIN!
than a good, honest, client testimonial.
Develop and maintain an ongoing library
of testimonials about your company and
use them anywhere you can. Post the
good word on your website, social media
pages, in print, and on online reviews,
and let them speak for themselves.
Just remember to ask their permission
first before using any sample work on
endorsements!
24 DAZZLE FALL 2016

BUZZW RDS
CHELSEY TUPPER DIRECTOR OF CLIENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS
“
I wanted to check in with you, so
we can start moving the needle
on the task at hand and not wait
until next week to circle back,
because I’d really like to
leverage the motivation the
team has for the creation of
this piece of evergreen content.”
If you’re like us, that statement
probably makes your blood boil
and drives you bonkers thanks
to all those annoying buzzwords.
It’s so commonplace anymore for
professionals to severely overuse
these words and phrases. As such,
we thought it would be fun to
compile our favorites into an
infographic, and make each other
promise we’ll never use these
around the office again.
Goals that don’t
require much
effort to achieve
Two
marketing
strategies
combined
to achieve
a greater
impact
Diagnosing the
root of an issue
One’s availability
and workload
Of or denoting a situation
in which each party benefits
in some way
We Love
Blue Chip
Ideaworks has selected Blue Chip Animal Farm
Refuge as our charity of choice because, well,
we love Blue Chip Farms! This animal refuge,
located in Dallas, PA, is more than just a no-kill
shelter. It is a team of dedicated volunteers who
work selflessly to keep the safety and security
of countless at-risk animals intact, purely out of
the goodness of their hearts. We are more than
proud to support the marketing efforts of Blue
Chip, because like our friends, we believe every
animal deserves a second chance for love and
companionship in a ‘fur-ever’ home.
Modifying
thinking /
creativity
process
to be
original and
different
A project or
effort making a
noticeable impact
A deadline enforced
by previously
scheduled tasks
Focus
solely
on the
project at
hand and
work until
its done
Stop by Blue Chip today or
check out its website at
www.bcfanimalrefuge.org;
Blue Chip is always thankful for
an extra helping hand!
26 DAZZLE FALL 2016
All components
of a specific
project being
ready for the
next steps
Illustration done by Rachael Baratta
bcfanimalrefuge.org

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