Weekly Field Notes on All Things Marketing.

Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Sarah's Smart-Mouthed Grammar Blog: Part 1

Okay, look. I used to be a really stubborn, whiny baby about grammar, judging everyone’s writing no matter where I saw it. After a lot of learning from people who definitely didn’t have to teach me anything, I have a more open mind about variations in language depending on context, medium, and audience. My new philosophy is to do what’s appropriate for whoever I’m trying to reach.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Winter Marketing

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful…” is a phrase that pretty much sums up winter weather in the Mid-South. Winter time means goodbye patio weather, sunshine, and outdoor activities and hello layers upon layers of clothing, the warmth of home, and the seemingly never-ending stretch of the holidays. Snow days are always a fun treat, but how do you make sure your marketing efforts don’t get put on ice? Try these 5 tips to make the most of your winter marketing!

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Don’t Start With The Billboard

I have heard too many times in my career that business owners don’t think they need a digital marketing strategy, preferring to invest instead into one or more billboard, radio, television, or print advertisement contracts.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Guide to Travel Writing

My second favorite thing about traveling is writing about the trip. My first favorite thing is the trip itself! Once I get back home, I enjoy reliving all the moments – good and bad – that make travel so exciting, eye-opening, and just plain fun. Travel is a gift for content writers; it widens our minds, offers new food for thought, and gets creative juices flowing.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Showing Your Gratitude Through Social Content

Thanksgiving is synonymous with many things: turkey, family gatherings, gelatinous cranberry goo, and gratitude. In fact, giving thanks and showing gratitude may be the two things that you hear about most often throughout the fall season. But, there is a fun etymological difference between the two words. Being thankful is an emotional reaction to something good or beneficial that happens to you. Gratitude is an attitude of appreciation under any circumstance. So how do you cultivate a culture of gratitude through social media content?

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Community Focused: VOX Awards 2022

We believe in working with community-based businesses, so they can in turn uplift our community as a whole. We put work into our community daily, and in return, they have taken care of us. Campfire Collective continues to grow. Our work continues to be recognized. In return, we’ll continue deep diving into making our community a better place every day.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Raise Your Spirits with These Tips for Halloween Content

A few years ago, I was asked to create content for a direct mail campaign, asking alumni of a prestigious school for donations. The money raised would give a few buildings a much-needed upgrade. Luckily, the mailing would go out at the end of October, so we had a great theme to work with – Halloween. Working with a designer, I came up with the idea of a fun postcard with the headline Our Old Haunt Could Use a Little BOOst From You!

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Spooky Social Tips for Your Halloween Content

Halloween is fun for more than just the kiddos and college kids! It’s also a great time to tap into your creative side to develop clever and engaging marketing content to tie in with the spooky season. You can use Halloween-themed imagery and wording to develop strategies that will boost your engagement, promote your business, and connect with your audience. To get you started, here are some tips:

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

10 Tips on Getting The Most Out Of Your Holiday Marketing

You may think it’s too early to start thinking about the holidays. Yet, I am here to gently inform you that you are wrong. If a holiday promotion plan for your business has yet to hit the task list, then, yes friend, you are behind. Have no fear. While the best time to start was a couple months ago, the next best time is today. Consider this your guide to get started, get motivated, and get going to ensure your business is competitive and thriving this Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Why Should My Business Be on Instagram?

Many businesses have already hopped on the Instagram train. For those who haven’t, here is why it can be instrumental in your marketing strategy. Instagram focuses on beautiful photos and capturing moments through visuals. Instagram is key to marketing, as it uses hashtags and geotags to increase visibility, connect and engage with users, and draw them to specific events and programs.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

It’s Time to Retire These Phrases from Your Emails!

Email is a wonderful way to communicate in our digital age. Unlike a phone conversation, we can think through what we want to say and edit our thoughts before we hit send. When contacting others, we can take the time to craft our emails to be clear, professional, and engaging. However, sometimes even the best writers fall into the trap of relying on cliches and overworked expressions to convey their point. I’ve been guilty of using some of the following expressions – but it’s time to retire these phrases!

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

6 Ways to Make the Most of Your Fall Marketing

“You don’t even have to tell girls when it’s fall. We know. We sense it. The second it turns fall. The second a leaf falls in Connecticut, we feel it. We’re sitting at home watching TV and outside the temperature drops from 86 to 63, and we pop out of the ground like gophers. We’re like, ‘Did you feel that? I did. It was a breeze... Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, PUMPKIN EVERYTHING.’”
If you’re familiar with my favorite comic Iliza Sheslinger, then you’re most likely aware of her fall bit in the stand-up special Freezing Hot. While fall is not my favorite season, I can relate to the magic in the air and all the excitement that surrounds the season. With new seasonal fun also comes a new, fresh take on marketing efforts. Here are six ways to make the most of your fall marketing.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Why You Should Outsource Your Media Campaign

While it’s true that anyone can ask a reporter if they are interested in a story, hiring a PR team to handle your story ideas has many benefits, including much more publicity for you! Here are four key reasons to hire a PR firm for your campaign:

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Gaye’s Guide to Good Grammar, Part 2

I enjoyed writing my last blog on good grammar so much that I decided to write another one! This month, let’s focus on misused words. We surely all know by now that “irregardless” is not a word. Regardless, there are others that continue to trip us up.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Event Marketing Tips Going Into Fall Event Season

Welcome, fall! The season behind all the best f-words: football, festivals, …fumpkin spice lattes? That second f-word may be my most favorite of all. I love attending fall events, and they’re also one of my favorite marketing projects to take on. Who doesn’t love to promote FUN? Yet, in order for festivals to pull off all this fun, an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes work goes into making them the best they can be. Marketing an event requires tons of planning and action. Here are six tips to get you on the right track.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

Guide to Good Grammar

A strong grasp of grammar is essential for a writer. Nothing is as unprofessional as misspelled words, missing commas, misplaced apostrophes, and wrongly-used words. While tools such as a computer’s spell check and apps like Grammarly can keep us on track, a good writer should have the skill set to write well without these aids. A list of all grammar rules would take too long to detail, even for a grammar nerd like me, so I’m listing a few that I’ve found most helpful over the years.

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Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs

5 Reasons Email Marketing Will Ignite Your Business

In my experience, many businesses are often interested in developing and implementing an email marketing strategy but get overwhelmed at the idea of building a list, creating regular content, and staying relevant over time. With the right strategy in place, this process becomes easier. Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing tools available. Here are five reasons why you should consider it for your organization.

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