Unbelievable Feedback for HireMikeBilleter.com

Wow. So Jill Callison from the Argus Leader wrote an unbelievably awesome story (now archived, unfortunately) on me and HireMikeBilleter.com and the response I've gotten from everyone (friends, family, random people) has just been fantastic. Can't express how thankful I am for all of the encouragement and positivity.

Now I just need to make sure that positivity turns into a job down in Springfield. One step at a time. Thanks again, everyone (especially Jill)! And don't forget to check out the story she wrote by clicking here.

Doing Something Different

In a few weeks, Lindsie (my wife) and I will be moving to Springfield, MO. Some of you might know this already and some of you might not. For those of you that didn't know.... surprise!

One of the biggest challenges we're facing right now is getting jobs. We have a place to live, thankfully, but we also need to be able to pay for that place to live. Weird how that works.

In the hopes of getting a job, I wanted to do more than just send my résumé to a bunch of places. A mass blanketing of a Microsoft Word document résumé isn't the worst possible way to apply for a job, but it's certainly not the best. Especially in an industry like marketing, where creativity is pretty important.

And thus was born www.HireMikeBilleter.com, a site that I'm hoping potential employers will see as a more creative way to share my work experience, social network activity, work/writing samples and references/recommendations.

So if you read this blog and happen to know anybody in the Springfield, Missouri area that might be hiring at the moment, feel free to send them a link to HireMikeBilleter.com (and don't be afraid to mention how much you like me).

Anyway, if you're able to help I appreciate it. If you're not able to help, I still appreciate you reading this blog and I appreciate that you're probably an all around good person.

Happy Friday!

-Mike

Why Clarity Is Key

This post was originally written for my work blog over at ADwërks, so I thought I'd share it here too. Enjoy!

My wife and I recently made a road trip down to Springfield, Missouri. Unfortunately, we left from Sioux Falls around 8:00 pm. And it’s a 9+ hour drive.

The night we left, we ran into a problem. To make a long story short, some misplaced and incorrectly-marked detour signs added about 50 minutes to our already-9-hour drive. And since this all took place around midnight, our options for getting help were extremely limited (and I’m not even the stereotypical, never-asks-for-directions male that is portrayed in every travel-related movie).

All it would’ve taken was one or two more clearly marked signs. A few guideposts to ensure that we were on the right path. But there we were, wondering why the detour signs for I-29 S were pointing BOTH directions at a T-intersection.

However, even amidst all of the intense frustration and confusion, I realized that this scenario fits perfectly in the business world. Because, when it comes to sharing your message with your customers, it’s amazing how much a little extra clarity can do. Whether it’s encouraging them to pay for your product or service or simply asking them to support you on Facebook, giving your target audience clear, defined ways to accomplish a goal is essential.

If your Facebook page isn’t growing as quickly as you’d like, have you considered adding a “Like” button for your page on your company website? If your online sales are down, have you been sure to include a prominently displayed “Buy Now” (or similarly-messaged) button on your site? Small guideposts can make a big difference when it comes to keeping your customers on the right path.

Eventually we found our way, but it would’ve been much easier if things were clear the first time around. Make sure your customers aren’t suffering the same fate my wife and I suffered on our road trip. I can tell you from personal experience that clarity is, in fact, key.

-Mike B.