Mediaboss Marketing

Courtesy of Netflix.

At the heart of Netflixs latest big swing at prestige movies is an extremely precocious 13-year-old. Okja, the story of a girl named Mija palling around with a massive superpig in a whimsical mountain settinga fantastical friendship in the vein of classics like My Neighbor Totorostars actress Ahn Seo-hyun in the main role. Shes a bundle of fierceness and unrattled stoicism in a high-concept film replete with madcap plot points, the kind weve come to expect from celebrated director Bong Joon-ho and his top-tier talent (Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano). Though Seo-hyun was only 11 when she was cast (and 12 when she filmed), she holds our gaze in the palm of her hand. Shes a bottle-rocket talent and a surprisingly adept action star, someone who will sear a lasting impression on anyone who watches Okja once its available to stream, or see in limited theatrical release, on June 28.

In real life, Seo-hyun is petite and polite, with long bangs skirting her eyes. She speaks Korean, her first language, during interviews, but there are occasions where she happily blurts something in English to really convey her pointlike when shes talking about Tilda Swinton. The Oscar-winning actress was kind and protective of the young star on set, Seo-hyuns translator explains, even taking her to see Finding Dory when they had some free time.

I loved it, Seo-hyun gushes in English.

In fact, all of her co-stars were warm and protective, she says. When they filmed certain scenes in New York, Paul Dano took her to see a musical. Jake Gyllenhaal sent her a black luggage set as a wrap gift. Director Bong Joon-ho gave her near-total control of her character, which, for an actor, is one of the greatest gifts of all. When she was cast, Seo-hyun quickly rattled off a number of ideas to the director for what motivated Mija in certain scenes, to the point where she was even illuminating ideas to Joon-ho, who created the character and wrote the script. Oh, this is why she does this, she recalls the director saying. In the script, there was an idea of who Mija was, [but] it was still kind of in the dark, she says. Seo-hyun gave it the spark of life.

In the film, Mija is a quiet girl living in beatific mountains with her grandfather and Okja, a superpig gifted to her family by a livestock company called the Mirando Corporation, led by a slightly manic woman named Lucy Mirando (Swinton). But after a few idyllic years, the company decides its time to take Okja back and make him serve the purpose they bred him for, sending along deranged zoologist Dr. Johnny Wilcox (Gyllenhaal) to pignap him. A fearless Mija immediately goes after them, aided along the way by an extremist group called the Animal Liberation Front, which is led by a man named Jay (Dano).

The role is surprisingly physical, with Seo-hyun spending nearly half her time running after someone or something, bursting through glass, leaping from one thing to the next. The actress started training for the role before filming, but didnt get to use most of what she learned, as Joon-ho ultimately employed stunt performers or special effects for most of the scenes.

On screen, Seo-hyun also spends a lot of time acting with Okja, a friendly C.G.I. creature with the temperament of a dog and the size of a growing triceratops. On set, she was actually acting with a sponge-filled, Okja-sized puppet nicknamed Stuffy. At first, the young star was worried about how shed convincingly build that necessary connection to it. How will I express falling in love with this inanimate object? she muses in Korean.

Thankfully, she found her way in thanks to a man named Steve, who operated Stuffy, playing to him instead of to the giant puppet. On the final day of shooting with Stuffy and Steve, Seo-hyun felt like she was saying goodbye to a little pet she had for 10 years, her translator explains.

Seo-hyun has seen the film about four or five times now, she reckons, including sitting through the contentious Cannes premiere and the more welcoming New York City premiere, attended by the films stars and splashy producers like Brad Pitt. At a late-night after-party at the Top of the Standard, she quietly stood in the corner of the room, while adults all around her sipped Champagne and swapped industry gossipa perfect dichotomy of the surreal life of a talented child actor wrapping up a whirlwind press tour. If Okja gets the praise it deserves (and it really is quite lovely), this wont be the last time Seo-hyun finds herself espousing her craft and balancing the industrys everyday fishbowl of oddities. But if she can handle Joon-hos dark, ethereal worlds and the stranger-than-fiction landscape of Hollywood, she can probably handle anything.

She may have started out as Frank Underwoods cool, if slightly icy, wife who stands on the sidelines, but Claire Underwood (played by Robin Wright) quickly transforms into the shows stealthy Lady Macbeth with a chic pixie cut, delivering quiet, but shocking blows to her enemies. Im willing to let your child wither and die inside you, she once said to a pregnant former employee. Am I really the sort of enemy you want to make? Not. At. All.

Well, if it isnt the most corrupt, murderous fictional president to ever step foot in the White House. Frank Underwood (played by Kevin Spacey) is basically a caricature of a dirty politicianhes ruthless, manipulative, power-hungry, and violent, willing to do or say anything to stay at the top of the food chain. Get in his way and prepare to be bowled overor shoved in front of a moving train.

Orange Is the New Black is filled season to season with new villains, from the Season 1 terror of crazed religious freak Pennsatucky (who is, thankfully, reformed now), to Season 4s sadistic guard who forces an inmate to eat a baby mouse. But none have had the perfect open and close villainy of Vee (played by Lorraine Toussaint) in Season 2, a manipulative force who will do whatever it takes to get people to do her bidding, whether it requires shallow sweet talk or a blunt smack in the head.

Kilgrave (played by David Tennant) showed us exactly what can happen when an incredible power gets into the wrong hands. The Marvel baddie had the power to control other people, a chilling gift he used to achieve violent ends.

He was a villain who swore he was doing work in the name of a greater good. Aloysius (Jason Isaacs) trapped literal angels in his basement for years so he could conduct scientific experiments on themexperiments that included killing them over and over and wiping their memories so they couldnt remember what he did to them.

From Hannahs perspective, technically everyone who got a tape is a villain of sorts. However, none were more insidious than Bryce (Justin Prentice), the jock who was not only your typical high school bully, but also later revealed to be a serial rapist.

Were only kind of kidding. Sure, Rory (Alexis Bledel) was the precocious protagonist of the original series, but the all grown up version in Netflixs revival is a bit of a narcissistic mess, consistently messing up career opportunities, sleeping with her married ex-boyfriend (although it takes two to play, Logan, you flawed, filthy rich philanderer) while straight up forgetting her actual boyfriendpoor Paul.

PreviousNext

She may have started out as Frank Underwoods cool, if slightly icy, wife who stands on the sidelines, but Claire Underwood (played by Robin Wright) quickly transforms into the shows stealthy Lady Macbeth with a chic pixie cut, delivering quiet, but shocking blows to her enemies. Im willing to let your child wither and die inside you, she once said to a pregnant former employee. Am I really the sort of enemy you want to make? Not. At. All.

Courtesy of David Giesbrecht/Netflix.

Well, if it isnt the most corrupt, murderous fictional president to ever step foot in the White House. Frank Underwood (played by Kevin Spacey) is basically a caricature of a dirty politicianhes ruthless, manipulative, power-hungry, and violent, willing to do or say anything to stay at the top of the food chain. Get in his way and prepare to be bowled overor shoved in front of a moving train.

Courtesy of David Giesbrecht /Netflix.

Orange Is the New Black is filled season to season with new villains, from the Season 1 terror of crazed religious freak Pennsatucky (who is, thankfully, reformed now), to Season 4s sadistic guard who forces an inmate to eat a baby mouse. But none have had the perfect open and close villainy of Vee (played by Lorraine Toussaint) in Season 2, a manipulative force who will do whatever it takes to get people to do her bidding, whether it requires shallow sweet talk or a blunt smack in the head.

Courtesy of Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection.

Kilgrave (played by David Tennant) showed us exactly what can happen when an incredible power gets into the wrong hands. The Marvel baddie had the power to control other people, a chilling gift he used to achieve violent ends.

Courtesy of Myles Aronowitz/Netflix.

Sometimes a shows greatest villain can also be its star. Pablo Escobar (played by Wagner Moura) on Narcos is just that, and is based on the real life drug lord who got rich by peddling cocaine in Colombia, leaving a trail of blood and terror in his wake.

By Daniel Daza/Netflix/Everett Collection.

There are few things more villainous than committing yourself to a lifetime mission of killing children. Alas, thats Olafs (played by Neil Patrick Harris) lot in life, a commitment that constantly requires him to take his cartoonish villainy to the next level, constantly disguising himself so he can finally rid the world of those damn Baudelaire orphans.

Courtesy of Joe Lederer/Netflix.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt may be a comedy, but it still has one of the most twisted plot lines around, thanks to the Reverend (played by Jon Hamm). He trapped Kimmy and three other women in a bunker for 15 years, forcing Kimmy to marry him and tricking all the women into thinking the world was on the verge of an apocalypse.

Courtesy of Eric Liebowitz/Netflix.

He may be seductive, but hes also a snake. Cottonmouth (played by Mahershala Ali) was one of the more ruthless overlords of Harlem, a man with a perilously short temper and an unquenchable thirst for the total destruction of his enemies.

Courtesy of Myles Aronowitz/Netflix.

Dr. Martin Brenner, Elevens evil father, might seem like the obvious villain on this show. And dont get us wrong, hes definitely a villain . . . but, when push comes to shove you have to admit you would rather be up against him than the Demogorgon (played by a suited up Mark Steger), the horrifying demon-like creature who lives in the Upside-Down and feasts on both fear and flesh.

Courtesy of Netflix.

He was a villain who swore he was doing work in the name of a greater good. Aloysius (Jason Isaacs) trapped literal angels in his basement for years so he could conduct scientific experiments on themexperiments that included killing them over and over and wiping their memories so they couldnt remember what he did to them.

Courtesy of JoJo Whilden/Netflix.

From Hannahs perspective, technically everyone who got a tape is a villain of sorts. However, none were more insidious than Bryce (Justin Prentice), the jock who was not only your typical high school bully, but also later revealed to be a serial rapist.

By Beth Dubber/Netflix.

Were only kind of kidding. Sure, Rory (Alexis Bledel) was the precocious protagonist of the original series, but the all grown up version in Netflixs revival is a bit of a narcissistic mess, consistently messing up career opportunities, sleeping with her married ex-boyfriend (although it takes two to play, Logan, you flawed, filthy rich philanderer) while straight up forgetting her actual boyfriendpoor Paul.

Courtesy of Saeed Adyani/Netflix.

See more here:
Okja Star Ahn Seo-Hyun Carries Netflix's Next Prestige Film on Her Small Shoulders - Vanity Fair

With both his name and osteosarcoma trending on giant portal site Naver, actor Yoo Ah-in found himself the center of Internet attention on June 26, joining the ranks of South Korean men exempt from mandatory military service.

On May 22, Yoo received the last of five health examinations that began in December 2015, receiving a health status that confirmed he was unfit to serve. According to a Jun. 27 article in the daily Chosun Ilbo, the 30-year-old actor first suffered an injury to his right shoulder muscle on the set of Tough as Iron in 2013 and experienced worsening symptoms while filming Veteran the next year. The diagnosis of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, came in 2015, the article said.

Yoos announcement follows that of singer and actor Seo In-guk, who revealed earlier this month that he also would not serve. Seo,who left military training in April to receive a physical examination, then received yet another and was declared exempt from service after receiving a grade 5 health status. Seowas deemed to be suffering from osteochondritis, a joint disorder.

In a country where military service effectively serves as a marker of manhood, getting around the requirement is a bittersweet experience. South Koreans who avoid mandatory conscription must gear up to face a significant backlash, especially from their male counterparts, who spend about two years in uniform and those who live in the limelight must have even thicker skin.

When actor Kim Woo-bin was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma a rare breed of cancer last month, netizens were not afraid to voice cynicism about the 29-year-old, who has not yet served. Particularly angry comments included, Quit f***ing around and just go to the army, and Looks like his hair is gonna fall out. Shin Min-ah will probably break up with him. Reactions to Yoo have not been much different, ranging from supportive fans to joking, doubtful comments.

While Internet trolls and hate-filled commenters abound on news sites, military conscription is an especially touchy subject. Is exemption yet another of the many privileges enjoyed by celebrities, who occupy a social status beyond that of the average South Korean? Considering the masses of fans who mournfully flock to military bases to see their favorite oppas a Korean term used affectionately by young women for young men off to the army, its not surprising that Yoo, Seo and Kim were immediately met with distrust and bitterness.

Various media sources reported that Yoo expressed firm determination to serve, and that he said as long as the bone tumors did not progress abnormally, it was sufficiently likely he could serve in the military.

But the Id love to serve, but I cant narrative does little to appease cynics. With military service always a hot-button topic, and South Korean men constantly going to new lengths to have the easiest two-year experience, it actually seems it doesnt even matter whether celebrities diagnoses are real or exaggerated. At the heart of these comments lies a deeper anger: Simply put, its just too unfair for one person to have fame, money and exemption.

Editors Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated in the second paragraph that Yoo Ah-in received a grade 7 health status that confirmed he was unfit to serve. Yoo received a health status that exempted him from military service, but it was not grade 7.

The article also incorrectly stated in the third paragraph that Yoo Ah-in was deemed to be suffering from osteochondritis, a joint disorder. It is actually Seo In-guk who received the diagnosis of osteochondritis, not Yoo. The article has been edited to reflect these two facts.

*

Cover image: Yoo Ah-in at Busan International Film Festival in 2015 (Source: ANJU on Wikimedia Commons)

View post:
Yoo Ah Exempt: Another Celebrity Avoids Military Service - Korea Expos

CANNES, France Marketers are used to being the sideshow to the main event, whether its ads in a magazine, tents at a music festival or commercials during the Super Bowl. So imagine a conference where marketing is the star and pretty much everyone who attends specializes in attention-getting. Toss in the French Riviera and you have what is known as the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Awards.

The annual Cannes Lions, established in the 1950s to honor the best in marketing, attracts executives from the worlds biggest brands and advertising agencies, as well as the top players from technology, entertainment and media. (Its unrelated to the citys famous film festival.) Their presence transformed the beachfront here last week, giving a first-timer like me the sense that I was walking through the internet in real life or IRL in web parlance.

Stretches of sand were renamed #TwitterBeach, Facebook Beach and Pinterest Pier. The pavement was painted teal, brought to attendees by Waze. Promotions for Shazam, the song-recognition app, and Oath, the newly named tie-up of AOL and Yahoo, dominated the entryways of five-star hotels to somewhat garish effect. Not enough? There was also a Spotify House and an Oracle Deck.

When I marveled over the setup to another attendee, he asked, Have you seen the yachts yet? I hadnt. Sure enough, there was a long line of luxurious boats nearby that were festooned with banners for brands like Nielsen, the TV ratings company, and the accounting firm PwC. Music thrummed from them well into the early hours of the morning, and the drinking and dancing seemed to be made safer by the fact that people had to take their shoes off to board.

At times, though, the lavish displays felt strangely disconnected from what some of the companies face in the real world. Snap, whose stock plummeted after its first earnings report last month, erected a massive Snapchat-branded Ferris wheel and had its own event space, inspiring a popular guessing game as to how much it all cost.

Then there was the exclusive evening party that executives were jockeying to get into at the glamorous Htel du Cap-Eden-Roc, where rooms cost upward of $1,000 a night. The event, which featured a performance by the Weeknd and refreshments like sushi and key-lime pie bites, was co-sponsored by iHeartMedia, the biggest radio broadcaster in the United States. The company, saddled with billions in distressed debt, has been struggling financially for some time, bringing to mind the phrase, You have to spend money to make money. Many guests continued the festivities on iHeartMedias yacht, where bartenders crouched to serve cocktails and wine from rowboats on the upper deck.

There were plenty of celebrity sightings throughout the week, with private performances offered by Stevie Nicks (courtesy of Oath), Ed Sheeran (thanks to News Corporation) and Solange (via Spotify). Elisabeth Moss, the star of Hulus The Handmaids Tale and an industry favorite from her Mad Men days, joined the party at the du Cap, where she chatted with Hulus chief executive and the founders of PopSugar as the sun set. Ryan Seacrest, Alicia Silverstone and Gwyneth Paltrow were also spotted a reminder of how sprawling the marketing world now is. (To that point, the Cannes Lions themselves no longer distribute awards for advertising, but rather for branded communications.)

Executives, despite their jam-packed schedules, seemed to be taking full advantage of the weather, donning sundresses, light button-downs and T-shirts with blazers. One said he had conducted a morning meeting during a swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Before the conference, an ad technology company offered me an interview with its chief executive while parasailing. (I passed, given that notepads and tape recorders tend not to work in that environment.)

Ros seemed like an integral part of the festival. At meals, it was poured alongside water as early as 11 a.m., and served frozen as fros in the afternoon. Cups of frozen ros slushies were branded with the logos of Facebook and the agency OMD at a beachfront cabana. Nearby, at a villa rented out by the ad agency Ogilvy, a mini refrigerator from Facebook was stocked with fros sorbet.

The entertainment from media companies often felt pitch-perfectly on brand. At a party held by Pinterest, there were cocktails inspired by Pinterest trends, described with physical cards that mimicked posts on its site. (One example: the Elderflower Champagne cocktail.) At Facebook Beach, the company hired Alexa Meade, a popular artist on Instagram known for painting objects and people and staging them so they appear two-dimensional when photographed. Visitors could take pictures to post to their own Instagram accounts. Sure enough, the dimensions baffled several of my close friends.

While interviewing an executive from Dentsu Aegis Network in an open cabana at the end of a long pier with an expanse of blue water on either side, it struck me that this was not a bad setting for networking and negotiations even if many of the attendees seemed to be transplanted from New York City at a steep cost. (One executive confessed that his flight from New York to France cost $12,000.)

Kristin Lemkau, the chief marketing officer of JPMorgan Chase, attended the festival for the first time and acknowledged how outlandish it seemed. Still, she said, it somehow made sense.

This is a relationship business, Ms. Lemkau said. It does come down to the relationships and whether you trust the person youre dealing with and trust their motives, and its kind of hard to build a relationship in a meeting.

See the original post here:
Advertising on the French Riviera: The Internet Come to Life - New York Times

Lets face facts, the majority of accounting firms in this country are either flatlining or in decline. Firms are struggling to grow and they are now characterised by an ageing client base. Their brand is stale, they have no real point of difference and they have been reduced to what I describe as compliance sweatshops.

No doubt, the commoditisation of compliance work through the automation of data entry and outsourcing finds these firms under pressure. The profession is being disrupted in so many ways and firms who follow the SALY (same as last year) model with a total focus on compliance work are going to pay the price.

As we all know, in business, the definition of insanity is keep doing things the same way and expect different results. The internet and cloud technology have changed the profession forever and marketing for professional service firms has also changed.

If youre still relying on traditional offline marketing methods to grow your firm, be warned. Flyers, local newspaper ads and Yellow Pages might have served you well in the past but they dont deliver anymore. Old habits die hard but these tactics have lost their marketing mojo. Digital Marketing is part of the new rules of business and the marketing magnets for accounting firms are all online tactics - Google searches, content marketing, email campaigns and social media.

Research from Hinge Marketing tells us that a professional services firm generating 60% or more of their leads from digital sources are likely to be twice as profitable as firms who generate less than 20% of their leads online (source). Theres no doubt, adopting new technology and tactics can certainly present a challenge because most people prefer the old way because its easy and doesnt require a change of habits. While Im certainly not advocating you abandon all those tried and true methods, you need to know that Online Marketing techniques are significantly cheaper and provide a greater return on investment.

Reignite your referral engines

Historically, accountants havent invested heavily in marketing. They haverelied on satisfied clients referring them to family, friends and business colleagues. This has been very successful but there has been a shift. Firms with an ageing client base have seen their referrals dry up in recent years because an ageing client base full of 55 to 60 year-olds dont refer like a client base full of 35 year-olds. The baby boomer generation are in wind down mode and theyre not buying businesses or investment properties.

Theyre also not the generation setting up self-managed super funds. These services and referrals have fuelled the growth in small firms for years but its now time to turn your attention to the millennials.

These millennials range in age from 16 to 36 and have grown up in an electronics-filled and increasingly online and socially-networked world. In the US, millennials have surpassed the baby boomers as the nations largest living generation. The demographics in this country are similar and the millennials are the business owners of today and tomorrow. They have been raised under the mantra of "follow your dreams" and on average start a business 8 years earlier than their parents generation (source). They plan to work smarter than their baby boomer parents and you simply cant afford to ignore them.

Unlike previous generations, they dont rely on word of mouth referrals. Instead, they put their faith in commentary on social media channels and online reviews. When they get a referral to an accountant their reflex is to check out the firms website. Unfortunately, this is where so many accounting firms let themselves down. In many cases they are finding an accountants website that is just an electronic brochure that lists the who, what and where of the firm. Its not the first impression that most firms are proud of so if your website isnt generating a constant stream of new clients then its time for a makeover.

Brand or bland?

Dont underestimate the valueand importance of your brand. Millennials expect a modern, fresh and creative look and they will pass judgement on your firm in a split second based on your online presence. Get it right and you will enjoy the spoils because online marketing is relatively inexpensive and works 24/7/365.

The search engines like Google crave quality, relevant content. If you deliver they reward you with high search engine page rankings. In turn, these online search results coupled with a lead generation website provide you with a steady stream of leads, prospects and new clients.

Doom, gloom or boom?

Unfortunately, a large number of accountants got complacent and fell asleep at the marketing wheel. In the blink of an eye they now find their brand is tired and their ageing client base is leaking with clients retiring, selling their business and falling off their perches. To maximise the value of your practise you need to attract the next generation of clients and reignite your referral engines.

Heres the big wake up call. A study of online marketing for professional services firms found that firms that generate at least 40% of their leads online grew four times faster than firms that did not generate online leads (source). They were also two times more profitable.

Its time to shift your marketing focus online and your website is your most important business development tool. Its your silent Marketing Account Executive working 24/7/365 to generate leads and new business. You need to stop thinking of your website as a cost; its an investment and you need to measure your return on investment.

Of course, marketing is a lot more than just a website and you need a marketing plan. It serves as your roadmap and if you persist with those old offline strategies youll find its like running your business looking in the rear-view mirror. A collision is just around the corner.

Lets face facts, the majority of accounting firms in this country are either flatlining or in decline. Firms are struggling to grow and how they are now characterised by an ageing client base. Their brand is stale, they have no real point of difference and they have been reduced to what I describe as compliance sweatshops.

No doubt, the commoditisation of compliance work through the automation of data entry and outsourcing finds these firms under pressure. The profession is being disrupted in so many ways and firms who follow the SALY (same as last year) model with a total focus on compliance work are going to pay the price.

As we all know, in business, the definition of insanity is keep doing things the same way and expect different results. The internet and cloud technology have changed the profession forever and marketing for professional service firms has also changed.

If youre still relying on traditional offline marketing methods to grow your firm, be warned. Flyers, local newspaper ads and Yellow Pages might have served you well in the past but they dont deliver anymore. Old habits die hard but these tactics have lost their marketing mojo. Digital Marketing is part of the new rules of business and the marketing magnets for accounting firms are all online tactics - Google searches, content marketing, email campaigns and social media.

Research from Hinge Marketing tells us that a professional services firm generating 60% or more of their leads from digital sources are likely to be twice as profitable as firms who generate less than 20% of their leads online (source). Theres no doubt, adopting new technology and tactics can certainly present a challenge because most people prefer the old way because its easy and doesnt require a change of habits. While Im certainly not advocating you abandon all those tried and true methods, you need to know that Online Marketing techniques are significantly cheaper and provide a greater return on investment.

Reignite your referral engines

Historically, accountants havent invested heavily in marketing. They haverelied on satisfied clients referring them to family, friends and business colleagues. This has been very successful but there has been a shift. Firms with an ageing client base have seen their referrals dry up in recent years because an ageing client base full of 55 to 60 year-olds dont refer like a client base full of 35 year-olds. The baby boomer generation are in wind down mode and theyre not buying businesses or investment properties.

Theyre also not the generation setting up self-managed super funds. These services and referrals have fuelled the growth in small firms for years but its now time to turn your attention to the millennials.

These millennials range in age from 16 to 36 and have grown up in an electronics-filled and increasingly online and socially-networked world. In the US, millennials have surpassed the baby boomers as the nations largest living generation. The demographics in this country are similar and the millennials are the business owners of today and tomorrow. They have been raised under the mantra of "follow your dreams" and on average start a business 8 years earlier than their parents generation (source). They plan to work smarter than their baby boomer parents and you simply cant afford to ignore them.

Unlike previous generations, they dont rely on word of mouth referrals. Instead, they put their faith in commentary on social media channels and online reviews. When they get a referral to an accountant their reflex is to check out the firms website. Unfortunately, this is where so many accounting firms let themselves down. In many cases they are finding an accountants website that is just an electronic brochure that lists the who, what and where of the firm. Its not the first impression that most firms are proud of so if your website isnt generating a constant stream of new clients then its time for a makeover.

Brand or bland?

Dont underestimate the valueand importance of your brand. Millennials expect a modern, fresh and creative look and they will pass judgement on your firm in a split second based on your online presence. Get it right and you will enjoy the spoils because online marketing is relatively inexpensive and works 24/7/365.

The search engines like Google crave quality, relevant content. If you deliver they reward you with high search engine page rankings. In turn, these online search results coupled with a lead generation website provide you with a steady stream of leads, prospects and new clients.

Doom, gloom or boom?

Unfortunately, a large number of accountants got complacent and fell asleep at the marketing wheel. In the blink of an eye they now find their brand is tired and their ageing client base is leaking with clients retiring, selling their business and falling off their perches. To maximise the value of your practise you need to attract the next generation of clients and reignite your referral engines.

Heres the big wake up call. A study of online marketing for professional services firms found that firms that generate at least 40% of their leads online grew four times faster than firms that did not generate online leads (source). They were also two times more profitable.

Its time to shift your marketing focus online and your website is your most important business development tool. Its your silent Marketing Account Executive working 24/7/365 to generate leads and new business. You need to stop thinking of your website as a cost; its an investment and you need to measure your return on investment.

Of course, marketing is a lot more than just a website and you need a marketing plan. It serves as your roadmap and if you persist with those old offline strategies youll find its like running your business looking in the rear-view mirror. A collision is just around the corner.

Read the original:
Accountant caught asleep at the wheel! - Accountingweb.com (blog)

KGW and WCNC , WCNC 9:25 PM. EDT June 27, 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Drivers in Charlotte, North Carolina rank among the worst in metropolitan cities across the United States, according to a recent study.

The Queen City landed in the 14th spot on the list of worst drivers in the 75 most populated metro areas in the country. The worst drivers live in Sacramento, California, while the best drivers are in Detroit, Michigan.

The list was produced by QuoteWizard, an internet marketing service based in Seattle. The company used more than 2 million data points from users of its website to quantify driver standards in each city. The rankings were derived from a weighted sum of accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs and citations.

In an article presenting the rankings,QuoteWizardhighlighted several metro area rivalries, but among North Carolina metro areas, Charlotte at 14th was ranked worse than both Durham (20th) and Greensboro (26th).

Here's a partial list of the rankings. See the complete list here.

Worst drivers in metro city areas

Hey, California... 7 of the top 15 spots? You may have a problem.

2017 KGW-TV

Read the rest here:
Charlotte Drivers Rank Among Worst In Country - WFMY News 2