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In our digital world, online product reviews, forums, video demos, and instant price comparisons are only a click away. It's not surprising then, that very few of us are willing to fork over any cash before first conducting some online research.

A local small-business owner recently asked me, "Do I need to be on Facebook?" Well, it depends. Nearly one out of five small business owners are actively using social media in their business.

Here at MindFire, we're true believers in the power of research. Nothing helps you focus your marketing like research does. It takes the guesswork out of your decisions and provides you with the insights needed to fine-tune your message.

The way consumers interact with media has created a paradigm shift for consumers. Now it's time for marketers to catch up. The economy has changed, the rules have changed, and consumer expectations have changed.

If you think about it, Cupid is a pretty powerful little fellow. He can aim his bow and arrow at just about anyone and make them fall deeply in love. Don't you wish you could harness that power in your marketing efforts?

We're feeling a little uninspired by the invariable New Year's resolutions that are popping up these days. Lose weight. Quit smoking. Drink less. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Like fruitcake and ugly sweaters, it's becoming a tradition for many companies to wrangle over whether their seasonal messaging should include "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays."

In honor of Halloween, we've assembled some of the most spine-chilling, hair-raising, blood-curdling marketing tactics we've come across. Bottom line? This kind of marketing is scary. Scary, because of the damage this can do to a companies' brand.

What does your company's brand stand for? If that's a hard question for you to answer, then your company doesn't have a focused brand.

One of the most challenging aspects of landing a new customer is getting their attention. Over the years of helping clients with this challenge, we've learned that one of the most effective ways to tackle this is to send an engaging key account mailing.

A lot of people think branding is something for big companies. Something that requires a high-priced agency and a huge budget. Not so. Branding is not advertising. It's not a logo. It's strategy.

We live in a buzz culture, where the best kind of exposure often comes from word of mouth. Word of mouth is the type of publicity that will fire up your sales and ignite brand recognition.