Showing posts with label The Midas Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Midas Center. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Upcoming Event: BLOGGERS UNITE

Save the date for the second Friday of May.

BLOGGERS UNITE.

We are calling all bloggers and blogger wannabees to join us in a meet and greet networking event.

Open to all. All ages. All subject interests. All level of blogging experience. If you have a blog or would like to get started blogging, we'd like you to join us for a new Buzz Club meeting.

Friday, May 13th
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
at The Midas Center,
200 N. Michigan Street; Downtown Plymouth

Bring your business card, your lap top, your curiosity, your questions.

We will have light refreshments and some resources available for you. Feel free to bring friends and family members downtown to enjoy Plymouth's Second Friday activities that will be going on right across the street!

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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Today's Real Estate Value



Ask any real estate agent, what are the three most important attributes one should consider when purchasing a home. He or she may reply, (all together now...) Location, Location, Location...

Now, ask us what is the most important attribute one should consider when building an online presence? We will tell you: LINKS. LINKS. LINKS.

Outbound and inbound links, the more you have, the more valuable your online presence will be.

Just having a web site is your ticket of admission. How you grow your online presence to be found is the secret to success.

If you are interested in learning how The Midas Center can help build your online presence so that your touchpoints turn to gold, contact us today >

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Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Midas Center Workshop Update



Yesterday's workshop entitled "Social Media 101" presented 101 tips and tidbits on Social Media, from its evolution to its current tools, suggested strategies and first steps to get participants started. Twelve guests attended and received handout materials that included a glossary of latest terms and more tips to take back to the office or home computers. Course material was developed for users to become smarter and more efficient with their social media practices.

If you were unable to attend this workshop but would be interested in an encore presentation at The Midas Center for your business or organization, please contact us.

The next workshop is scheduled for the last Friday in February and is entitled "Branding: It's Not Just For Cows." This session is scheduled for noon, February 25th at The Midas Center. Registration is required. Details will be posted soon!

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

We've Moved!

We are pleased to announce the new office location for The Midas Center. Our new address is 200 North Michigan Street in Downtown Plymouth, Indiana 46563.

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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Social Media Tip: Were You Open to Email?



Where are you in your understanding and acceptance of social media? Do you remember when email was the new thing? Perhaps you may recall the Apple commercial with Jeff Goldblum where he opened my eyes to how the email technology was separating members in our society. Even though he claimed in the advertisement that "email is as easy as licking a stamp" and referred to those who email as one big party, and those who did not email were missing out, there are still those in our society who are hesitant to hop on the information highway and travel together online in this internet era.

Social media is a term that encompasses all of the tools that allow us to communicate more effectively and efficiently. It depends who you ask, but I think of social media tools as both hardware and software technologies that all work together, or "sync" to improve the way we live, communicate, learn, improve, behave in society. In 1998, Apple launched the iMac ad (see video below) as a tool to help society as a whole email. Since then, there have been a plethora of tools that help us get invited to the party.

When you first got that invitation to come to "the party," how did you respond? How are you responding to today's world of social media tools?

The Midas Center offers workshops and coaching sessions for individuals or groups to empower you to better understand social media and reach your goals. Whether you are feeling like you're missing the party and just want to learn the social media basics so you can share photos and stay in touch with your friends and family, or you want your business to have a stronger online presence using social media tools, The Midas Center's coaching and workshops can be customized to your specific needs. Contact Andrea Cook today to schedule your session >>

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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Retreat Day 1: The Change Agency

"We act as if the dot-com crash signaled the end of the New Economy. But we are, in fact, on the verge of the biggest and most profound wave of economic change in a thousand years.

"We avoid failure at all costs, and cling to ideals like "order" and "efficiency." But we must embrace failure; we must glory in the very murk and muck and mess that yield true innovation." - Tom Peters, a rant on how our society is not prepared, "Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age"





It may seem like the impact of today's technology has had more influence on our economy as ever before. However, technology inventions like the telephone, electricity, microwave ovens, automobiles and air crafts, to name just a few continue to play a significant role in our society that impact our ways of life today as much as they did when they first were announced to the public decades ago.

As a marketing professional, I see the dot.com crash as a growing pain, perhaps a labor pain of the intense birth of a new industry that will have a significant influence of our lives. This new industry of web based, internet technologies is a new frontier, a new land to explore, build and grow from. Much like the European explorers in the 1800s who traveled the unknown seas of the Pacific ocean in search for freedom from the oppression in their lives are like the brave leaders who will impact our future economy. Today's true business leaders are not those who sit in air conditioned corner offices who frequently fall asleep at meetings. Today's business leaders are the change agents, the pioneers who not only embrace the technology sector but redefine it into products and services that make our world a better place.

Only the strong pioneers will persevere. One day soon, the future business kings - and queens - will reflect on their journeys and recall the many many challenges and failures that directed their career paths. If true innovation is to happen, it is up to those brave change agents who aren't afraid to go on the adventure and get their hands dirty.

What scares you when you think about the internet industry? Are you afraid of failure, the unknown? Or do you embrace the adventurous technological path before you? Are you ready to be a pioneer in the web 2.0 frontier? Hold on for the ride of your life, those days of a steady career track are now as extinct as the Studebaker.

Signed,

Social Media Maniac of The Midas Center

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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Latest Marketing Creation


We love working with clients to produce materials that help build business! We enjoy the entire process, from finding the perfect solution to fit a client's budget and goals, to designing the layout, selecting the colors and typography and building the message behind the medium!

Each opportunity is an honor to provide solutions to meet client goals and a thrill to be creative and develop materials that are pleasing to the eye and hold visual integrity (TM).

We are proud to announce our latest brochure piece designed for J.R. Brim, a chiropractor with Chiropractic Associates, located in Chicagoland's Long Grove.

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

How Current Is Your Communication Style?



Today’s marketplace has changed. Men don’t wear hats to the office anymore. Like it or not. A lot has changed. However, businesses still require communication material. If your collateral needs updated, contact The Midas Center. We are professional visual communicators.


Your marketing material represents your professional image at a glance. Every interaction you have with the public through marketing items, from the logo on your business card to your web site and brochures all communicate the quality of products and services you offer. What are you communicating?

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Monday, April 12, 2010

Flowers. Pass it on.


Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844

Each month, there is a group of professional women who meet to support and encourage one another. Today was our April meeting and one of the women brought a center piece for us to enjoy, just because. At the end of the luncheon, she said, "Here, you take this."

What a symbol of beauty and encouragement. Hoping to capture the moment, we took a quick photo and posted it here to share it with you, just because.

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

The Midas Center Welcomes New Team Members



The Midas Center, a full service communications agency located in downtown Plymouth is proud to officially announce three new members to the Midas team. New team members Michael Bergman, Brandy Coomer and Shannon Samuelson bring the perfect amount of creativity and technical expertise to help The Midas Center meet its main objective: to help organizations and businesses succeed in the marketplace.

With over 50 years of collective experience serving global corporations, professional service firms, government agencies, political campaigns and nonprofit organizations, this latest addition will position The Midas Center to better serve Michiana’s business leaders and ultimately foster growth for the community’s commerce.

In addition to helping current and future clients, this expansion also provides local employment opportunities. “One of the most rewarding parts of my career has been getting projects that provide jobs and empower other creative professionals,” remarks Andrea Cook, The Midas Center’s Founder and President.

Michael Bergman, account executive speaks on his new position, "I'm proud to join The Midas Center team, in a downtown building that bears my family name on its Michigan Street exterior," said Bergman. "My roots are in Plymouth, I'm finally 'home' and share Andrea's vision for a revitalized, green, downtown Plymouth and a business that supports economic development in Marshall County."

Recently relocated from Chicago, The Midas Center opened its doors at 100 W. Garro Street and since October has provided a variety of services for local clients including Culver United Methodist Church, Earthworks, Lake Maxinkuckee Envrionmental Council, HanggUp, Imaginary Art School, inSPIRATIVE art center, Marshall County Neighborhood Center, Recycle Depot and Sorian. From web sites, social media programs, visual identities and public relations, The Midas Center has provided a customized approach based on each client’s vision, need and budget.

In six short months The Midas Center has reached out to local business to offer free monthly workshops. This series of Brown Bag lunch workshops have included topics such as web site basics, social media and branding. Wednesday, April 28th will be the final free workshop and is a WILDCARD. The public is welcome to vote for the preferred topic to be presented by visiting The Midas Center on Facebook.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

New Alternative Energy Client Recently Added To Portfolio

Remember a couple weeks ago when we wrote the post titled, Capturing and Visualizing the Wind?

It has been twelve days since we originally started the project for our alternative energy client and we are so excited to include this forward-thinking, innovative business to our portfolio of clients! We are also proud of the outcome of the new identity elements we have developed for our client, Sorian, Inc.

Sorian offers cutting edge products and services to improve wind energy.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Office Decor Reflects Core Values: Part I

When you visit The Midas Center's office on 100 Garro Street in Plymouth, you may notice some of the one-of-a-kind decor. Each item used in our office space represents some of our core values and include visual appeal, eco-friendly materials and frugal spending.

Visual appeal is so valuable to us that we have trademarked the term "Visual Integrity." We believe that we live in the age of aesthetics and within a glance, the human eye can measure the level of quality of a business at the first impression. We place a lot of importance on the visual components of how our clients appear to the public and marketplace. Likewise, we value visual components of The Midas Center from our online presence on Facebook, Twitter, our web site and here on our blog. We also our proud to showcase some visual components in our own office.

Each item in our office inspires us and reflects our style. Here is a photo of our chandelier that we found at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. We rewired and painted it and added vintage beads.



Stay tuned for our next update on how our office decor represents eco-friendly materials and frugal spending.

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You Are Invited To Attend February's Brown Bag Lunch: Branding Basics: It Is More Than Just For Cows


The Midas Center is presenting this month's free workshop titled, "Branding: It Is More Than Just For Cows."

This 30-minute session will include information on how businesses and organizations can communicate a competitive advantage and separate themselves from the herd. Learn more about what branding is and how to succeed from a healthy branding platform.

Business leaders are welcome to attend this free seminar scheduled on Wednesday, February 24th at noon at The Midas Center, 100 W. Garro Street, Plymouth, IN.

The Midas Center's main objective is to help local businesses succeed. To help reach this goal, a series of monthly Brown Bag Lunch Workshops are offered to business leaders. Presented by The Midas Center's President, Andrea Cook, "Branding: It Is More Than Just For Cows" is part of an ongoing series of workshops. Other presentations include "Website Basics," "Social Media, The New Frontier of Marketing" and "Networking: Increase Your Net Worth."

Seating is limited. Online registration is available >>
Pre-ordered boxed lunches are available upon request during the registration process.

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Friday, January 22, 2010

Social Media and Its Impact on Today's Journalism

We'd like to share an insightful article on social media, how it has impacted journalism and legal marketing. With over ten years in legal marketing, The Midas Center has a strong understanding of the challenges law firms and attorneys face when trying to market themselves. This article addresses legal marketing within the new frontier of social media and may apply to any professional service provider looking for additional ways to expand their market outreach through social media. We found Janet Ellen Raasch's perspective fresh and would like to share it with you here.


Lawyers and law firms:
Broadcast journalism evolves in the Internet age

Written by Janet Ellen Raasch

Not so long ago, the term “broadcast journalism” was limited to traditional radio and television news on local and national stations. If a reporter or editor liked your press release or recognized you as an expert on a particular legal area, you might get interviewed for a story. If you (or a potential client) missed the one-time broadcast – you missed it. The airwaves were limited.

Today, broadcast journalism includes not only these traditional media, but also their interactive Web sites and online research capabilities. A broadcast reporter might interview a lawyer as the result of a Google search using certain keywords. The audio or video clip will be available 24/7 on the station’s Web site – coded with an RSS feed that automatically delivers it to searchers around the world. The Internet is unlimited.

In fact, thanks to the Internet, the line between print, radio and television news has become increasingly blurred. Read more >

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

US Industries: Out with the Old, In with the New



As one calendar approaches the end of its lifecylce, all 2010 calendars are primed and ready to go. Much like some key industries reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) this month, the adage: Out with the Old, In with the New holds true for the marketplace with some industries predicted to decline while emerging sectors show signs of growth.

According to the BLS report, growth industries include:
- Management, scientific and technical consulting services
- Offices of physicians
- Computer systems design and related services
- Other general merchandise stores
- Employment services
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals
- Home health care services
- Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities
- Nursing care facilities
- Full-service restaurants

On the flip side, the BLS reports these industries expected to experience the steepest employment declines:
- Department stores
- Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing
- Motor vehicle parts manufacturing
- Postal service
- Printing and related support activities
- Cut and sew apparel manufacturing
- Newspaper publishers
- Support activities for mining
- Gasoline stations
- Wired telecommunications carriers

How will your business thrive? Are you adapting to and growing with the marketplace as the technical revolultion shifts the way businesses communicate to the public? As 2010 approaches and its trends will inevitability impact your business' bottom line, what ways are you shifting your marketing message? With Social Media as one of the fastest growing marketing tools, technology has again brought meaning to the term: the medium is the message.

If you are interested in learning more about social media, register for the upcoming free workshop, Social Media Pioneers. The Midas Center is dedicated to help Michiana's businesses grow in the marketplace.

For further information on this report, visit the report press release by BLS and an article titled, "Top 10 Growing and Shrinking US Industries," released by MC Marketing Charts.

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Sunday, December 6, 2009

Sneak Peak at Tomorrow's Presentation



We're looking forward to our presentation tomorrow on Social Media.

The Midas Center continues to offer free workshops monthly as part of a Brown Bag Lunch Series to help businesses in the community grow. We plan on covering the basic information on what social media is and how business leaders can tailor their own plan to utilize this new frontier and grow their business and careers.

We have several seats reserved and we'relooking forward to presenting this interactive presentation which will start promptly at noon at The Midas Center in downtown Plymouth. We have created this 30-minute session to be informative and inspiring!

Some guests have preordered a Sisters Tea & Eatery boxed lunch as part of their online registration. They are are expected to bring $5 and plan to arrive a few minutes early to pick up their lunches at The Midas Center.

We will be uncovering what a social media pioneer is, basic social media needs and basic tools and their rules. From Far and Away to Success in 30 minutes!

If you are interested in attending our next free workshop, mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 20, 2010 when we will present our next part of the Brown Bag Lunch Series titled, "Branding: It's Not Just For the Cows."

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Friday, November 27, 2009

Christmas Folk Party: Successful Benefit for Community and Neighborhood Center

Downtown Plymouth is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with all the folks who gathered on Friday night to ring in the holidays. Droves of families met out front of the City Center to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus who arrived in all their splendor riding and waving to children on the Plymouth's fire truck. For years the city has carried on this tradition, but this year there were many new sights to behold. The Marshall County Historic museum stayed open late to welcome guests. Immediately following the debut of the fireworks celebration, a man with a child on his shoulders was overheard shouting, "I love Plymouth!"

As the annual festivities carried on, the public entered into the inSPIRATIVE art center on Garro and Michigan Street entrances for a Christmas Folk Party. This benefit was a community event to for the Marshall County Neighborhood Center. Presented by The Midas Center and inSPIRATIVE, the event was riddled with activities for all ages. Performer and songwriter, Chad Van Herk strummed in the holidays with some Christmas tunes and some songs from his debut album titled, Leavin' Footprints. This evening's activities were provided by our generous sponsors Heartland Artists, Herb Store, Imaginary Art School, Sisters' Tea and Eatery and The Laugh Out Loud Company. Mr. Art, the balloon artist provided guests with premium balloons, including the Grinch (pictured below), won by Don Relos and his family.

Proceeds from the event will go to Marshall County Neighborhood Center. Pictured below, Sarah Hendrix, Executive Director from the Marshall County Neighborhood Center addressing the crowd. Also pictured below, guests enjoying the various festivities from the event.





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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Presenting a latest Portfolio Item



Client: Akina
Designed by The Midas Center
Gratitude Cards, a stationery set designed for Akina. Special project for client to send prior to Thanksgiving includes postcards in the corporate colors. One card includes a personalized hand written note and accompanied a set of complimentary cards for recipients to "pass thanksgiving forward."

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Friday, October 30, 2009

Mark Your Calendars for Thanksgiving weekend!


Friday, November 7th, SANTA CLAUSE is coming to town - downtown Plymouth in fact. And we are throwing a party. All proceeds are going to the our community's Neighborhood Center! Take a peek at this flier. Print it, share it! We hope to see you there!

More details will follow!

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Saturday, October 24, 2009

Event Planning: Christmas Folk Party!

Mark your calendars for Friday night, November 27th...

This will be an event you will not want to miss!

A Christmas Folk Party will take place at the inSPIRATIVE. Join friends, family and neighbors as we gather to enjoy music, refreshments and a special collection of vintage art and furnishings.

Singer and songwriter, Chad Van Herk is scheduled to perform during this event. Banker by day, Chad's real passions can be found in a simple life, good friends, good health, accomplishment of goals and a development of a folk music scene in his hometown of Plymouth, Indiana.



When?
Thanksgiving Weekend! Friday, 11/27, following the annual tree lighting activities in downtown Plymouth (tree lighting starts at 6 p.m.)
Where?
inSPIRATIVE art center, Plymouth's new art gallery located at 100 W Garro Street or 203 N Michigan Street
Who?
All are welcome. Suggested donations of $5 each will be accepted at the door. Proceeds will got to a local non-for-profit. Children's admission is free.

More details will follow so stay tuned!

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