I was at an up-and-coming restaurant in Denver called the Populist this weekend. It was a great experience for dining, but it also gave me some much-needed advertising inspiration. I’ve seen lots of hip menus at new restaurants trying to stand out. They give their food and drinks funny names or write descriptions of their cuisine using lots of quirky personality. But the menu at the Populist was the most interesting I had seen in a while. There wasn’t much that stood out, but in the drink section there was a listing called “Buy a round for the kitchen - $10.”

It's October 27, 1994 and AT&T just bought the first ever web banner advertisement. Back then this was a huge step in marketing; the very top of a web page! That'll be the first thing people see!

Marketing needs to connect with potential customers through materials that focus on the issues and concerns of the customer. They're looking for something that can help them in the here and now. No tips, no suggestions, no pointers, and no maybes: this is how you inform your marketing to get results.

We're looking for a candidate with experience working with B2B clients and who knows his or her way around website design, email marketing, print and interactive tactics. If that sounds like you and you also have the ability to think strategically and conceptually to solve clients' challenges, then you might be the perfect fit to contribute to the great work culture at MCG.

Landing pages generally contain a variety of flaws, but several are very easy to correct and can mean worlds of difference in lead generation. Without trying to reinvent the wheel, here are four simple steps that will funnel viewers through the landing page and right into your arms. Or the arms of your business more likely.

Brand ambassadors are more than a customer-facing representation for brands; they’re a medium for those brands to connect with their customers. And they’re not exclusively for B2C. Here’s how your B2B company can adopt the practice to better market to potential customers.

When Apple introduced the Genius Bar, they set a new standard in tech support. This effort boasts specially trained and certified employees who offer help and support for Apple products without overtly pressuring customers into buying anything. Their presence is for the customers’ benefit. Here are several examples of how your company could adapt the Genius to your B2B marketing.

“This is my favorite position!” calls out Senior Designer Anton Reyes as he folds himself over backwards into an impossible feat of dexterity and balance. This position is called “the wheel,” or “Urdhva Dhanurasana,” in yoga’s native tongue of Sanskrit. The wheel stretches the chest and lungs in order to stimulate the thyroid and pituitary glands. This stretch benefits the body in many ways including increasing energy and counteracting depression.

It is not often that I look back at the year. I spend most of my time looking ahead to find out what our clients will need next, how to help our customers in their quest to grow their own businesses and what I, MCG (and myself) would want to be when we grow up.

MCG recently hosted a webinar entitled Microtargeting = Mega Results hosted by Founder and CEO of MCG Brett Schklar.