Southwest Capital Bank, Sign and Image Factory & JohnnyBoards teamed up to get the word out about the 2020 Census

You might call it “banking on community power.” What? The community spawned collaborative effort by Southwest Capital Bank and local small business owners, who are helping to make sure YOU count. That’s right – it’s 2020 Census time – and JohnnyBoards is keeping busy being innovative and creative in their approach to making sure New Mexicans get the message that everyone counts!

Sign and Image Factory, a locally owned small business with more than 20 years in the printing game, has teamed up with Southwest Capital Bank – a 130-year-old local powerhouse, to make sure your house is covered in the count.

Now when you use a Southwest Capital Bank drive-up or ATM, you will be reminded to do your part to be counted. Because in New Mexico, it matters – the way decisions are being made for the future of New Mexico’s children, at a federal level, relies very heavily on Census data. Census data is only collected once every 10 years! That’s right – we are sitting in a very important time and moment for means of pushing New Mexico’s momentum in a positive direction. Do your part Bernalillo County – and while doing so, show some thanks for Southwest Capital Bank and Sign and Image Factory, two local businesses focused on our county.

The next time you need a sign for your small business advertising efforts, give Sign and Image Factory a call. They are open Monday through Friday 9am-5pm, coincidentally banker’s hours – so the same goes for Southwest Capital Bank; when you’re setting up that banking business account, count on them. They are an easy bet to bank on, if you know what we mean and make sure to get counted for on the 2020 Census.

Thirty Years and Counting – Construction Seminars Continues to Deliver in Albuquerque 

Construction Seminars has been in the business for over thirty years. They provide test preparation and continuing education for New Mexico contractors; so in essence, you can say they’re in the business of building business. They also provide education on bonding services and provide assistance in starting corporations and LLCs for those interested. Their clients are folks who are doing business around the country and see promise in the Land of Enchantment when it comes to expansion.

If your dream is to expand your footprint into the Duke City and begin soaking up some sun and good business, look no further than Construction Seminars. Learn all that they have to share when it comes to the right things to know when helping your business to grow. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30-5:30 – to take your inquiries and answer any questions you might have about the services they provide.

The educational services they provide range in price – starting as low as $95 dollars and going on up from there. Books and other materials may end up costing you a few extra bucks, but who can put a price tag on success? Want to know what it takes to break into the Albuquerque business world? This is a great place to start getting educated on the nuts and bolts of building a strong foundation for your business.

Construction Seminars has been a long time JohnnyBoards client, one who realizes the power in advertising to the market intended for their message. It’s time to step up and start fulfilling your dreams; Construction Seminars is just one phone call or visit away from assisting you with that reality. Take advantage of world-class knowledge and know-how, today!

JohnnyBoard’s Top 5s Local Businesses to Support

Albuquerque is a city ripe with opportunities and experiences. At each and every turn locals are blessed with the opportunity to support homegrown businesses. At JohnnyBoards, our work within and in support of the small business community has been increasingly encouraging and rewarding over the years. We have had the pleasure of watching so many businesses start, grow, and thrive in the Duke City.

We wanted to take a second to talk about some “Top 5s.”  In fact, when we were thinking about the best of the best, when it comes to Burque “biz,” we figured we’d take it one step further and give you a list of the Top 5 male and Top 5 female-owned businesses in Burque according to JohnnyBoards.

Black Box Fitness – co-owned and operated by Jessica Gentry. Black Box hangs its hat on being a space for everyone. Whether your a CrossFit fanatic, looking for a place to do the next WOD, or you have no idea what WOD means – this is the place for you. With focuses on youth in recovery, adults battling obesity, and athletes looking to find an edge, Black Box is certainly a one box fits all type of space. Try them out, today!

Eaton Media LLC – do you need an effective, attractive, and affordable online presence? From social media to custom websites, Eaton Media is the place to go. Supported by a large group of working partners, Eaton Media is a go-to for locally sourced social media resources and support.

Waxing the City – owned and operated by Jessica Carothers, this amazing small business with locations in the North Valley and North East Heights of Albuquerque provides premier services in the realm of hair removal. If you’re looking for a professional, clean, and comfortable environment for means of removing unwanted body hair – look no further than Waxing the City.

Los Ranchos Bakery – do you like sweet treats? Who doesn’t? Stephanie Lucero at Los Ranchos Bakery has made a career in keeping your sweet tooth satisfied. If you’ve never been there before –  it’s time to make it a first time. Pies, cookies, scones, and more – both with and without the presence of Gluten; make a trip to Los Ranchos and make your next get together a hit at the hands of Stephanie and her staff.

Roots Salon – need a new style? Check out this Nob Hill business. Roots Salon, owned and operated by Sara Bassett, is a great idea for your ideas on a new do. Do you! That’s right; head on up the hill to this spot and be listened to, taken care of, and leave with a look you have always wanted. Make Roots your new space for transformation.

#CommunityDialogue: Why Social Media Matters – Some Thoughts & Best Practices

Times are changing. Every day it seems there is a new algorithm, a new social media strategy or platform, something new to read, do, or add to your arsenal when it comes to gaining visibility in the digital realm… It’s crazy.

For small businesses, entrepreneurs, and consultants or entertainment personalities, staying ahead of the curve is key. Social media is the largest driver of attention on the planet. Learning to make your work behind the screen/scenes work for you and your business or image is a vital part of sustaining one’s aim. Thanks to the hard work and community-minded focus of local advertising biz, JohnnyBoards, we are able to provide those of you out there who are hustling, with some important things to consider when diving into the digital world aka social media. This installment of #CommunityDialogue touches on why social media matters thanks to some great information shared with us by Anvil Media and JohnnyBoards.

It seems that gone are the days of the front page – unless that page is a web page. According to Anvil Marketing, there are 3.1 billion internet users around the world. Something equally impressive is that of those users 788 million are mobile-only internet users! We live in a world where one can have a computer in his or her pocket at all times. Meeting consumers where they’re at is the name of the game.

Content marketing in the realm of digital advertising leads the way in the most widely used and purchased form of media. Social media posts, blog posts, video, and more – these elements and the purchasing of them by small and big businesses alike, has consumers aiming to identify with brands and services as part of a “lifestyle.”

If we can see ourselves “in it,” we buy it – content marketing invites the consumer to the “see yourself here,” experience that is often necessary to seal a deal!

Where you find those folks with whom you aim to make a deal, well that’s a different story altogether. Trends lay at the feet of followers – those who join, tweet, poke, and connect, can be found on many a platform. Demographics skew in terms of use. Some platforms are built for the more mature in life and others for the young in age and at heart.

Here’s an example. If you ask Google, 35% of the Twitter user base is 18-29. According to Anvil, 73% of people who use Twitter also have an Instagram account, 90% of them have and use a Facebook account, 95% of them watch YouTube, and 54% use Snapchat.

What’s that say to you? Well, it tells us something… and should prompt a question of your own… Do I, or does my business have a Twitter account? If the answer is no, you might wanna work on that.

A multi-platform approach to advertising can ensure that those aiming to find you, will – and those who didn’t know about you might find you still. Building your brand once followers are identified, takes an organized approach, but can be achieved for often times much less money than what one might consider to be “traditional” modes of advertising ( Newspaper print ads, static billboards, business networking memberships).

The leap into the realm of social media can be intimidating for some. It came on quick and changes even quicker; if you don’t have a handle on what a “handle” is – if a hashtag used to be a pound sign to you, and or if you just can’t seem to figure out what to Tweet about, you might want to hire some help.

From a full-blown branding firm to a solo consultant, there are a number of resourceful people and helpful resources in any community waiting to help you bring brand awareness to the world wide web for you and yours.

Consistency is key. So if you’re doing it yourself or hiring help, Anvil has 6 strategies they think you should key in on.

1. Build a compelling profile – a good bio/product description, nice/fitting/professional/profession appropriate headshot, or logo, and consistency with your profile names across platforms are all key.
2. Create content consistently – stay on schedule, don’t be negative or have bursts of negativity on your feed, share other people’s and trending content, and present high-quality content of your own.
3. Amplify your reach – use well researched and utilized hashtags, include effective keywords, embed links to social profiles, and cross-post quality content across profiles and platforms.
4. Expand your network – identify and follow relevant influencers, engage influencers and consumers with questions, and monitor industry news.
5. Be generous – thank you, followers, shout out your partners, share customer/influencer/consumer content, and respond to questions promptly.
6. Expedite the growth curve – invest in paid options to maximize reach, leverage sponsored and targeted posts/content, include incentives and contests, use polls and surveys, and amplify popular posts.

That’s a lot – and it’s only six things. So we think – if you start there, you’re off to a good start. Keep at it. Social media isn’t figured out overnight, but it can have an impact that quickly. Take it easy and always think twice before pressing post – the rest is all trial and error – hopefully more trial than error.

 

Please join me at today’s veterans ceremony. My father and brother were both veterans and I attend this event every year. Thanks for your service : Jesse Garcia Sr. , Jessie Garcia Jr.

http://www.cabq.gov/mayor/veterans-affairs/events/veterans-day-ceremony/

I saw the Garrity Group presentation at the Hispano Chamber last week. Great Information  on how New Mexican Hispanics consume media.

Click any where below to go to the Garrity website to read more.

What’s on the minds of New Mexico Hispanics?

Being the only Hispanic majority state in the US, our team asked the same question. Working with New Mexico communities across the state for over 17 years has definitely taught us a lot, but we want to know more.

Researching Hispanics
The Garrity Group asked some of our key contacts to take a short non-scientific survey beginning January 2014. Soon after, the team commissioned a Los Angeles-based writer to speak one-on-one with a diverse number of Hispanics in New Mexico.

The 2014 Hispanic Purchasing Preferences Infographic