It’s only the third week of March and FourSquare has already made a name for itself in the 2010 social media scene. Critics predicted Foursquare to be big, but their predictions have fallen short to its immense success since the start of the year.

James Kelley of h2b creative was quoted in the Dalton Daily Citizen’s January 1, 2010 newspaper on the topic of this social media phenomenon:

Dalton Daily Citizen

January 1, 2010

“Foursquare could be the next big trend in social media,” Kelley said “The relatively new site allows users to post about which restaurants, museums and other places they’ve been to and what they think about them. It’s based on place, and only a few major cities are currently equipped for it. Atlanta is the closest.”

“Out of all the social medias, I feel that will be the one that really takes off,” he said.

After the release of the January 1, 2010 Dalton Daily Citizen issue, Foursquare opened their site to everyone, everywhere, allowing not only the major metropolises in the United States participate, but small towns like Dalton as well. Foursquare’s growth has dramatically increase since allowing anyone to participate in its service.

Look for the second part of this blog later this week. We’ll be discussing the major feats that Foursquare has accomplished so far in 2010.

Public relations (PR) is one of the best ways to spread the word about your business or your product, no matter the state of the economy. However, as the market continues to await its rebound, public relations is currently playing a more vital role than ever.

When executed properly, public relations has the ability to shed great light on a business or product and can become a very important part of an overall marketing campaign. h2b creative is highly skilled in creating PR campaigns which include the following elements:

· press kits

· press releases

· feature articles

· backgrounders

· fact sheets

· media relations

Public relations can be incredibly beneficial for your business or product. Team up with h2b creative now and let us formulate a specific PR campaign that will achieve the highest level of exposure for your business.

We're excited to hear from you.

Surfaces, the number one floorcovering event, took place February 2-4 at the Venetian Macao Convention and Exhibition Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, showcasing over 130 exhibitors. Ben Brazell of h2b creative was in attendance, getting the  latest information on all things tile,carpet, hardwood, rugs and laminate. Surfaces affords retailers, distributors, installers, and designers the chance to network, attain new business contacts and see the new innovations in the floorcovering industry. Companies from around the world make the trip to Surfaces, with hopes of expanding their business and acquiring new knowledge of their industry.

Surfaces 2010 differed from other trade shows in that it combined product showcases with over 40 educational seminars. These seminars provided attendees with the best, most in-depth knowledge and opportunity to learn about the products featured at the show.

The first day of Surfaces 2010 had 15 percent more attendees than 2009, proving that the floorcovering industry is beginning to rebound.

h2b creative would like to commend all the exhibitors on an excellent show. We look forward to Surfaces 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, again in Las Vegas!

The entrance into the exhibitors hall at Surfaces 2010

Feel free to browse our photo gallery for other picture from this years Surfaces

No expert is needed to predict the marketplace in 2010 will continue to change at rapid pace. One of the best ways for your company to gain exposure and set itself apart from the competition in such an environment is to exhibit at trade shows.

Trade shows are a proven method to generate leads, close sales, stay on top of industry trends, survey competition, and meet potential suppliers and partners.

Where expertise comes in handy is making sure you net a good return on your investment when exhibiting at trade shows. The team of h2b creative provides a complete line of services, no matter how large or small your need, which can help you achieve this goal. Consider these tips:

Carefully identify the most productive conferences and shows that reach your target audience of potential customers or clients.

Advertise in advance by inviting your clients, customers, and suppliers to the show.

Employ a simple, informative display that delivers your company’s brand message in a clear and compelling way. Be open to new ways of presenting your services. Trade show attendees see hundreds of exhibits in the course of a day, and yours must be unique and engaging to be memorable.

Promotional items, such as business cards, brochures and pens, should be consistent in design and message to complement your display and company brand and products.

Prize drawings and giveaways are great tools to draw visitors to your booth.

Staff your booth with skilled employees. Remember, people do business with people, and knowledge and expertise counts.

Follow Up!

After the show, follow up on new contacts in a timely manner, while their experience at your booth is still fresh in mind. Consider sending a direct mail piece, making phone calls, or scheduling meetings with potential customers. Much of the business you generate as a result of the show may not be realized for a few months; so follow-up is key to maintaining interest in your products and services.

If you are new to a specific location and market, check your local Chamber of Commerce or Convention Center websites for dates and other info on how to participate in upcoming shows. The process is generally easy and costs are minimal.

The h2b creative team will be happy to assist you in identifying the best shows for your company, strategy planning, and producing exhibit and collateral materials that will generate dollars and keep you ahead of the competition.

More Trade Show Winners

• Start planning several months in advance and allow ample time for production of your trade show display

• Keep an ample stock of promotional take-away items, such as pens or notebooks, which serve as reminders of your business.

• To draw crowds, show your capabilities in action by having interactive demonstrations.

• Offer a prize drawing for items such as an iPod or gift card. This gives people incentive to visit your booth and learn about your business.

• Make your display booth clean and easy for people to navigate. People take more away from booths that are simple, yet    effective.

Social media’s evolution is taking another step forward in knowing everything about everyone in your network. From Facebook to Foursquare, people can find where everyone is at any given time in the world, but only if you allow them to do so. This past week, Yelp!, jumped into this game by adding "check in" to their list of services they provide.

Social Media has become the revolution in marketing that only few could realize in the beginning. So much has happened in the last year in social media. Twitter become the word of the year and social media was used for the first time in holiday shopping. Foursquare, a newcomer to the social media scene, was created as a tool that contained only large metropolises were people "checked in" from different locals within a city. They could be the mayor (meaning they "checked in" to a certain store more than anyone else) or a newbie. Just recently, Foursquare did away with only having metropolises and opened the doors to all cities. Anywhere in the world, a person can tell you the location they are in, whether it be a popular coffee shop or the grocery store.

The importance this style of social media has for businesses (mainly small businesses) is just as big as Twitter and Facebook. The word for small businesses that describes these types of social media is Customer Relationship Management (CRM). What makes it good business:

Word of Mouth:

Every time a person "checks in." it shows their local which just might be your store or office. The "check in" then is displayed in several other social media sites and on search engines.

Loyalty:

Encourages user to "check in" to receive badgets and mayorships to the most frequenct users of each location, making it an interaction not only with frienda but the location they are visiting.

Tracking Customers:

Allows for anyone to look at the amount of "check in's" per location. It gives credibility to the location in which they rely on based on interactions with others in their network.

Reviews:

When making a trip to a unfamiliar city, someone with Foursquare can instantly find the best places to visit. It shows where the locals go and the frequency they visit the location.

Like all social media, there can be some negative effects. As of now, the amount of locations on all social media is limited. Most will rely on the input of others for their information which could be detrimental as customer reviews might often be regarding inadequate service or assistance.  Foursquare is available for all businesses to advantage of and it can help change the way locations focus on their business practices and strategies.