Posted on

And the Winner is…!

The winner has been announced! Congratulations to Mike Pruett, MLT Group CEO, on being chosen the winner of the 2022 Rochesterfest Button Design Contest for 2022! Mike’s design was one of the 35 received this year and made it into the “Final Five” to be voted on via the Rochesterfest website and Facebook. For his winning design, Mike will be presented with a check for $300 at the Rochesterfest Button Kickoff event scheduled for May, and at that time, buttons will be available to the public for $5.

MLT Group

Mike is the founder and CEO of MLT Group Creative Solutions, overseeing the team and general business operations, working closely with designers and clients to develop engaging marketing and advertising solutions across all media for a diverse range of clients and markets across the country. Mike’s exceptional talents also include the creation and editing of video and audio content. His services are in demand across the country, and many of his repeat clients feel he is truly a master at his profession!

Community

Mike is a firm believer in community service and continues to support and actively participate in a wide variety of community organizations. Through the years he has provided his professional services to the City of Rochester and Olmsted County, and many civic and private non-profit organizations have benefited from Mike’s participation, contributions, and talents.

RochesterFest

This is not Mike’s first time as a Rochesterfest Button design winner! Believe it or not, this is Mike’s third win! Mike also won in 2008 and 2021! He has also helped the Rochesterfest organization in other ways, such as the video he created for the 2019 Rochesterfest.

With his wealth of creative ability and unparalleled commitment to community service and generous support, Mike lives and works his desire to provide the best services available and support every opportunity that comes his way with 110% of his energy!

Again, congratulations to Mike Pruett, winner of the 2022 Rochesterfest Button Design contest!

 

Posted on

3 Social Media Lessons We Learned From Big Brand Blunders

Social media is no longer optional for businesses. Not only are more consumers on social media than ever, more of your competitors are taking advantage of the business tools social media platforms offer. Social media offers a platform for you to communicate directly to your audience, allowing you to build a relationship with them while promoting your brand.

However, like with most things, there’s a downside. When not used responsibly, social media can be a business’ downfall. Even the biggest brands make mistakes that cost them dearly. But by learning from them and following these 3 tips you can avoid your own social media disaster.

Research Hashtags:

Digiorno, twitter, tweet, twitter fail
Digiorno instantly regretted their poorly researched tweet.

 

Hashtags are a great way to help your content reach a specific audience, outside of your followers. Latching onto a popular hashtag is common practice for businesses. However, when used improperly, a hashtag can be your undoing. Just ask DiGiorno Pizza who faced harsh criticism when they used the #WhyIStayed hashtag to promote their pizza. The hashtag was trending as a way for survivors of domestic violence to express the complexities behind why they stayed in abusive relationships. In using a hashtag that was supposed to promote support and understanding to advertise pizza, DiGiorno appeared insensitive and ignorant. Though they apologized, the entire situation could have been avoided with a little research.

 

 

 

Bing, twitter, tweet, bing fail, twitter fail
Bing was quickly called out for trying to capitalize on tragedy.

Treat Tragedy with Sensitivity:

It sounds like common sense, but time and time again, we see businesses treating tragic events with insensitivity or even trying to capitalize on them. After the 2011 earthquake that devastated Japan, Bing said it would donate $1 to relief efforts for every retweet. It may have seemed like a kind gesture, but using the tragedy to promote their brand wasn’t well received and Bing received harsh criticism. When in doubt, just don’t say anything at all.

Apologize & Admit When You’re Wrong:

Social media is an open stage and there is nowhere to hide. Mistakes happen, but things can quickly become much worse it’s mishandled.

In 2013, this was the case for Lululemon, a yoga attire retailer. In response to a recall for the fabric in Lululemon’s yoga pants being too sheer, founder Chip Wilson suggested that women’s bodies were at fault, rather than the fabric in a televised interview.

There was instant backlash for the body-shaming comments. Wilson attempted to apologize in a Youtube video, but only apologized for the repercussions his comments had on the Lululemon staff. In failing to apologize to Lululemon’s customers or acknowledge why his comments were inappropriate, the apology completely missed the point.

This not only damaged the company, losing approximately $6 billion in market value, but two years later, Wilson resigned from his position. When apologizing, remember to remain sincere, don’t make excuses, and learn from your mistakes as not to repeat them.

All of these mistakes could have been avoided with a little research, tact, and compassion. The internet has allowed for unprecedented levels of communication between businesses and customers. With that great power comes an even greater responsibility. Remember, the internet may forgive, but it never forgets.

If you’re ready to boost your business’ social media presence, contact MLT Group today at sales@mltgroup.com or (507) 281-3490! We offer custom social media strategies and social media management on the platforms your customers use most!

Save

Posted on

Essential Facebook Tools for Small Businesses

Facebook is for more than watching cat videos and sharing pictures of your food. When used properly, it can be an invaluable digital marketing tool for your small business.

If you don’t already have a Facebook page for your business- make one. Why? There are plenty of reasons for you to have a business page, but the biggest reason is because your competitors already have one. This means the competition is reaching out to your target audience, building their brand, and promoting their products in a way you cannot. Also, if potential customers are on Facebook_ScrabbleFacebook, why wouldn’t you want to connect with them?

Now that you’ve found a comfortable spot on the bandwagon, how do you take full advantage of Facebook?

Facebook wants you to succeed. Which is why they offer a number of tools to help small businesses become social media marketing experts. Facebook’s tools include:

  • Blueprint: A series of over 50 learning modules that help you understand the ins and outs of Facebook and master the tools that will help you to be successful. They are convenient, allowing the user to access them anytime, anywhere so that you can learn at your own pace.
  • Webinars: Facebook offers webinars on how to employ digital marketing techniques on Facebook and Instagram, which is now owned by Facebook.
  • Ads: Facebook teaches you how to create ads, allowing your business an additional outlet to reach its audience.
  • Post Boosting: Back in the day, it used to be that if you liked a page, their posts would automatically show up in your newsfeed. But the times they are a-changin’ and Facebook’s algorithm has evolved. Your content will still appear on your page but only a fraction of it will be show up on your followers’ news feed. Paying a small fee to boost your posts is a great way to reach more of your audience.

Facebook is easy to use and allows a level of independence in creating and sharing content. Content will be your greatest tool when connecting with your audience. It can be informative, promote your goods or services, or it can serve to further your brand. It all depends on what goals you have for your business.

Whatever your goals are, it is important to create visual content that’s shareable so your message spreads easily. Long wordy posts are less likely to receive attention and be shared by readers.

Don’t wait any longer! Start using Facebook’s helpful tools to promote your business and generate leads.

In addition to our custom website design services in Rochester and Minneapolis, MLT Group offers social media optimization and will create social media profiles for your businesses and specially optimize them to help boost your SEO. For more information, please contact us at sales@mltgroup.com or at (507) 281-3490 today!

 

 

Posted on

How to Respond to Online Reviews to Boost Your Business

Responding online reviews
Responding to reviews, both good and bad, can help business owners promote their business.

We’ve talked about the importance of online reviews before, but when you receive a review, what should you do? Should you respond or leave it alone? What if it’s negative? Responding to reviews requires tact and strategy. If done right, responding to reviews, even negative ones, can give your business a boost! Here, we’ll talk about the importance of responding to online reviews and how to respond to both positive and negative ones.

Why You Need to Respond to Online Reviews

It’s important to respond to both positive and negative online reviews. Responding gives your business a voice in the ongoing conversation consumers are having about your services. It also lets readers know that you’re engaged and care about what they have to say. Even if a reviewer was dissatisfied, a simple and polite response can make a world of difference. But how do you respond to reviews in a way that’s tactful and boosts your business?

How to Respond to Positive Reviews

Every business loves receiving a positive review, so responding is easy. But you can maximize this opportunity , connecting with your customers and promoting your business by remembering these key elements:

  • Remember your manners- Always thank a reviewer for taking the time to write about your business. It’s polite! “Thank you! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed your visit!”
  • Make it personal- Personalizing your response to each review shows customers that you read their reviews and care about what they have to say. To personalize a response, thank the reviewer by name and highlight specifics of their review. For example, if they appreciated your attention to detail, mention that thoroughness is something your business prides itself on. Doing this also allows you to re-emphasize the positive qualities of your business.
  • Invite them to come again- Inviting the reviewer to visit again shows that you care about their repeat business and makes them feel welcome. You can also use this as an opportunity to promote a special event or sale you have coming up. “Come see us again for our semi-annual sale starting on June 1st!”
  • Use keywords- Reviews can show up in search results, so utilize industry keywords and your business’ name when responding to a positive review so more readers will see it.

How to Respond to Negative Reviews

Receiving negative reviews hurts. However, they are a great tool for growing as a business, improving the customer experience, and even mending relationships. As expected, responding to negative reviews can be tricky, but with these tips, you can make negative reviews work for your business.

  • Understand what happened- What made this customer unhappy? Speak with your employees and try to piece together what happened or what went wrong. This will give you a better idea of how to respond and what you can do to remedy the issue. Was there a misunderstanding? Did your business drop the ball? Or was the customer in the wrong? This is something you should already be doing to improve your business and your customers’ experiences.
  • Remain calm- When responding to a negative review, it’s important to maintain a level head. Sounding angry or defensive will only reflect poorly on your business. Remaining calm shows that you are a professional and can take criticism.
  • Apologize and sympathize- Even if the customer was in the wrong, always apologize for their poor experience. This shows humility and acknowledges the reviewer’s feelings. This will also show other readers that your business cares about its customers and their experiences. “We’re sorry to hear you were dissatisfied with our services. We always try to put our customer’s satisfaction first, but it seems we’ve missed the mark.”
  • Take the conversation offline- Include your contact information and offer to resolve the issue outside of the review forum. This gives you the opportunity to make things right with the disgruntled customer and shows them that you value their patronage. It also shows readers that your business cares about its customers and takes their experiences seriously. If you are able to resolve the issue, politely ask the disgruntled customer to update their review to reflect this.
  • Don’t use keywords or your business’ name- As mentioned earlier, reviews can appear in searches. Avoid using keywords or your business’ name when responding to negative reviews so these reviews won’t be seen by other customers.

Reviews are an important part of any business. With these tips, you can maximize every opportunity to connect with your customers. Do you want more reviews for your business? Contact MLT Group at 507.281.3490 or sales@mltgroup.com and ask about our review campaign services.

Posted on

CEO Uses Drone to Search for Missing Child

 

Mike Pruett of MLT Group Creative Solutions of Rochester, Minn. demonstrates how one of his three video equipped quad copter drones operates. Pruett is able to record not only video but still photographs with the drone.
Mike Pruett of MLT Group Creative Solutions of Rochester, Minn. demonstrates how one of his three video equipped quad copter drones operates. Pruett is able to record not only video but still photographs with the drone.

Around 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 7th, a 3-year-old from Byron, MN, was reported missing from her home. Along with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters, MLT Group CEO Mike Pruett was called in to aid in the search using one of MLT Group’s most advanced drones.

After receiving a call from Sheriff Kevin Torgerson, Mike responded immediately, bringing his drone to help search areas that were too difficult for the search party to reach. “They wanted to check this reservoir and they couldn’t get access to it,” Mike recalled.

Mike is certified through the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to use his drone for search and rescue. This was the first time he had been called in for this kind of search and the first time the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office has used a drone to aid in a search. “I had the opportunity to show the other deputies what the capabilities of the drone are.”

Fortunately, the child was found safe, sleeping in a Huggies® diaper box inside the home.

Mike has received an official exemption from the FAA and a certification for commercial use through MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) and uses the drones as part of MLT Group’s video production services.

Read the full ABC 6 News story and see Mike and his drone in action.

Posted on

Farewell Internet Explorer, Hello Project Spartan!

internet_explorer_iconMicrosoft has officially announced that Internet Explorer will be phased out of use. The web browser has been battling a negative image and the growing popularity of browser competitors like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox for many years.

Internet Explorer was first introduced in 1995 as part of the add-on package for Windows 95. In 2002 and 2003, IE held 95% of the usage share among browsers, but has since declined significantly. The last version to be released was Internet Explorer 11 in 2013, which works with both desktop computers and Windows 8 touch screen interfaces.

 

Codename: Project Spartan
Moving forward, Windows 10 will include two browsers, Internet Explorer and the new codenamed Project Spartan. IE will just be installed strictly for compatibility, or legacy support. Chances are you will really have to hunt to find it on newer systems.

Project Spartan is a browser that is meant to more easily streamline your apps across all Microsoft devices. This means that from smart phones to Surface Hub, Cortana can be used seamlessly across all devices. Project Spartan “will co-exist with Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft will have two engines in Spartan, one will be used for rendering modern websites and the other engine for legacy enterprise web sites,” says Microsoft News.

It’s still unclear whether Project Spartan will finally shake the negative image that Internet Explorer has obtained over the last few years. Microsoft has done plenty of research on consumer perception of new names, and signs point to the new browser being named “Microsoft ___”, with the brand name bringing about the most positive reaction among Google Chrome users.

 

What Does This Mean for You?
Support for older versions of Internet Explorer will be discontinued, and using the older version may cause websites to display incorrectly. To make sure you are getting the most out of your internet experience, upgrade today to either the latest version of Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. We are excited to see what Microsoft will bring to the table with a newly redesigned browser!

 

MLT Group is a full service marketing firm located in Rochester, MN. We specialize in website design and development, and create digital marketing strategies that work. Contact us today for more information!