Thumbnail Marketing

“Thumbnail marketing” – doing more with less — is increasingly driving the thinking of nonprofits (from universities to community agencies), large and small business — and the communications pros/marketers who serve them — from agencies to sole proprietors. We see it daily in our client conversations, partner networking and online chatter. It’s not about decreasing quality — it’s about enhancing messages and customer connections with smart, efficient tools. Here are some recent finds offering technology and thoughtful resources that zero in on core activities that will advance your marketing goals:

Online Newsrooms

• Online newsrooms on small business websites are a marketing strategy must. Adding social media is the saucy sauce that keeps the conversations hot. None of this is difficult — but you have to establish your “story” before marketing can take off.

Social Media

• The 5 P’s of Social Media: Where Do You Start?” from Fast Company – steps that boil it down to the essentials for jumping into Web 2.0 successfully.

Websites

• Web Redesign on a Dime from University Business –tools and tips to update and revamp a higher education website when a major overhaul is no longer a budget reality. Universities are pushed to incorporate web best practices and social media tools ASAP given the expectations of their alumni, parents and students — who are likely ahead of the institutional curve.
• The eduStyle Guide to Usable Higher Ed Homepage Design, an e-book from eduStyle, which is dedicated to higher education websites. Don’t miss its popular blog.

Thumbnail Marketing

• The Complete (Thumbnail) Guide to Choosing the Right Media – for your small business. Of course, we love this idea since the entire focus of this blog is the thumbnail approach!