A little more than two years after approaching branding and design firm 321 Worldwide about an image overhaul, The Pickwick Arms hotel has a new look, new Web site, new tagline and logo, new room keys, and even a new name: The Pod Hotel.
And because it’s 2008, its also has its own social network.
Guests of the Pod, which is in New York City, can now log onto the network, called PodCulture, in advance of their arrival and socialize with other hotel guests …read more at Private Social Network Aids Revenue …

THIS time of year, advertising is filled with religious imagery. But typically, little of it is actually sponsored by religious organizations. That is starting to change as churches seek to take advantage of the seasonal opportunity to communicate with prospective members.
The change comes as anecdotal evidence suggests that the worsening economy may be sending more people to churches, synagogues and other houses of worship as financial setbacks bring some to their knees — at least figuratively.
Denominations like the United Church of Christ have tried advertising before, running campaigns that play …

Yesterday I posted “3 Reasons Why Blog SEO Fails” to help readers avoid the pitfalls of starting a business or corporate blog purely for SEO reasons only to end up wasting time and energy. Without proper planning, oversight and passion for the topic, blogs implemented purely for SEO objectives are doomed to fail. Additionally, social media referrals and recommendations are becoming a notable competitor to search traffic which can place SEO as a secondary promotional effort in some situations.
Here are five tips for successful business blog optimization benefits in …

Last spring, Gregory Nemitz asked Fortune Small Business to help him boost revenues for his online beef jerky business (“Space Jerky?” March 2008). Nemitz, 51, was frustrated with his sales, which totaled about $150,000 in 2007. There were plenty of unique visitors to his Web site, beefjerky.com, but about 99% of them weren’t buying anything. How could he get them to spend their money?
People like a bargain, one expert told Nemitz, adding that he should help the consumer understand that his premium jerky is an outstanding value. That’s exactly what …

Q: Seven months ago, I opened a small store selling futons, carpeting, and home furnishings located on a busy road with little foot traffic. I’ve advertised in papers and the phone book, but it’s like flushing money down the toilet. How can I get a better response on a shoestring? — Rudy Scott, Oceanside, N.Y.
A: What you need is a strategic marketing plan. Instead of throwing money at random venues—a little here, a little there—craft an advertising campaign to attract the customers you want. You probably can’t afford professional marketing …

Lisa Flynn, a mother of two young boys, never relished having her children photographed. For her, birth announcements and holiday portraits meant either spending a small fortune for a professional photographer who didn’t cater to colicky clientele or settling for cheesy props and fuzzy blue backdrops at the mall portrait studio. “I thought, ‘There has got to be a better way to get your kid’s picture taken,’ ” says Flynn, who was running her own marketing and advertising firm at the time. She looked into buying a franchise that specialized …

An Obama Administration could rescue the agency from its Bush-era neglect, if it can get these few things right
Any entrepreneur who’s been through a business turnaround might have some empathy for the folks at the Small Business Administration. During the past eight years, the SBA has been, generally speaking, underfunded, underutilized, and underloved. But it wouldn’t be all that complicated to transform the agency into a powerful advocate for small businesses. Here’s what needs to happen …more at What Will Obama’s SBA Be Like? – BusinessWeek.
Flickr photo credit: radiospike photography

With corporate managers under enormous pressure to control costs and maintain liquidity in the current credit crisis, advertising budgets often appear to be a dispensable luxury in the struggle to survive. Executives who succumb to that temptation, however, put the long-term future of their companies at risk, according to Wharton faculty and advertising experts.
“The first reaction is to cut, cut, cut, and advertising is one of the first things to go,” says Wharton marketing professor Peter Fader, adding that as companies slash advertising in a downturn, they leave empty space …