InSights Group

We are doing company launches, brand management, running companies, and in general trying to keep up with you in changing the world!

Organic Marketing is a way of life…

for entrepreneurs to promote themselves as a part of their normal and daily life. What are some of the things that you do as a part of your daily routine that help people to be aware of what you do in your business aspects of life. Are you taking every opportunity to live the dream and build the relationship? Create the connections with everyone that you encounter, you may be surprised where it will lead.

What do you do as a part of your daily routine that helps to share the message with other? What connections are you creating?

Five Seconds, At a Glance, Quick and Easy

3642119413 d1c89c2bd1 m Five Seconds, At a Glance, Quick and EasyThere are several rules to remember when looking at your marketing. This applies to paper, print and web marketing.

1. The Five Seconds Rule: What do your visitors see when they visit your page. What makes your site stand out. Does a visitor get a quick look at who you are, what you do, and answer the question of why they are at your site. Follow the directions in this post over at Sazbean to give your website, and others that you know, the five seconds test.

2. At a Glance Rule: How long does someone look at your flyer, or print ad whether in a magazine, advertising publication, or even your website. At a glance can they figure out what you want to be saying? Do this test, pick up a newspaper or magazine. Glance at it for 3-5 seconds. What was your eye drawn to first? We did this test, hands down images of people or even in some cases animals caught our glance. If your ad is buried on a page full of ads, what should the elements be in the ad that someone’s glance is directed towards your spot. Are you paying for advertising that fails the at a glance rule? Hmmm, something to think about.

3. Quick and Easy: Have you ever gotten a flyer and needed to find information quickly, but couldn’t seem to find it? There are many purposes a flyer can have, and some we try to give it that it is not really intended for. If you are creating a flyer for an event, make it quick and easy to within 5 seconds, take a glance, and find the date, time, and relevant information. Or, if your flyer is an informational piece, make it quick and easy for someone to understand what they should do as a result of reading the flyer. A word of advice, don’t hand someone a flyer unless they ask for it. We don’t carry around flyer organizers, nor do I have a flyer file on my desk. If I go to a trade show I keep the flyer until I get back to my office, then it is run through the 5 seconds, at a glance and quick and easy test. If it fails any one of the three, chances are that it is going in the circular file.

What do you think? Do your marketing elements, your website, flyers, and BUSINESS CARDS pass the tests?

Where do you find time…

for quiet reflection? We get caught up in our day to day routines, and are so busy being busy. Where do you find the moment to have some time to relax, renew, and enjoy where you are right here, right now?

Does it mean turning off the phone, stop checking your email? What are we busy working towards, and do we forget to live while trying to reach our dreams?

Be a Black Sheep

blacksheep pasotraspaso Be a Black SheepPeople like to take freeways everywhere they go.  Sometimes people will go way out of their way to get off at the nearest freeway exit to their destination instead of taking the more direct route. (Obviously the more direct route is not always the quickest).  But a little trial and error can find that most ideal route may be a series of surface streets. Yet people are willing to keep going the way they’re used to, even if construction slows it down, instead of trying something a little different. Or there will be a set of rules that everyone follows just because they always have – even though they don’t necessarily make sense.  Or everyone will wait in a long line for the express checkout even when the regular checkouts have shorter lines.

People like to be sheep – it’s easy and it doesn’t involve thinking.  People like to assume that someone else has already figured out the best way to do something.  But, if we take a few minutes to stop and think about what we’re doing, instead of just going with the flow, we may find a better, more efficient solution.

Most of the people we admire are black sheep – they decided to go against the flow, to come up with something new, or to stand up for what makes sense.  Black sheep show up aganinst the crowds of white sheep.  They stand out.  They’re remarkable.  People take notice.

How can you be a black sheep? (or how are you already one?)

(sheep photo by pasotraspaso @ Flickr CC)

sarahblackdress100 Be a Black SheepThis is a guest post by Sarah Worsham, CEO & Web Strategist at Sazbean Consulting and blogging at Sazbean.com. Sarah is passionate about helping companies reach their business goals by using the web effectively. Sarah provides guidance through Internet Marketing, Strategy & Business consulting.


How the InSights Group Spent the 4th of July!

Wow, what an event!! If you noticed the happy huggers in the the Brighton, Michigan 4th of July parade, that was us, the InSights Group. We had such a great time! Our members otherwise known as “InSights Enthusiasts” spent the week in preparation for the parade by printing up customized labels for water bottles with our member’s pictures, and an invitation to the Family Luau scheduled for Friday night, July 10th at 6pm. Five Hundred TShirts sporting FREE HUGS were also on hand for the event.

The members volunteered time, supplies, and their family and friends to walk and share in the excitement for the parade. The parade itself was a blur. Passing out all those shirts and waters had our members running back and forth to wagons and trucks! FREE HUGS were given along the parade route. A special thanks to the Brighton, MI community for being so receptive, and willing to give hugs!

Why did the InSights Group do this, and what is the InSights Group? We are a support community where local businesses, employees, and entrepreneurs meet, learn and work together. The InSights community is a non-competitive, nurturing environment where people share experiences, mastermind new ideas, network and share connections with each other. The co-working facility is located at 7187 Grand River, in Brighton (near the Rollerama) in a large grey industrial building that has been transformed into a clubhouse of sorts.

The members of the InSights Group come from all types of different businesses. From accountants, architects & attorneys, to bakers, chefs & engineers, there is a place for everyone in this community. Small business owners and solo-preneurs will find a group of people experiencing many of the same things they are. Often people feel like an island as they face the day to day business world. That does not happen at the InSights group. If you are a fan of Seth Godin, you have probably heard of his book Tribes. The InSights Group is a tribe where people find resources, answers, support, encouragement, and share them with each other. It is a helping community, like no other we’ve seen before.

Thank you to our InSights Enthusiasts, Families, Friends, and the Community of Brighton!

With Hugs,
Sandi Maki & Allan Curtis, supporters of the TRIBE!

p.s. If you would like to become involved, or think your business could benefit from being associated with our group, please email smaki@insights-group.com or call 810-623-5839 to get more information, a tour, and find out why InSights Group is the place to bring your small business!