Good marketing can make the difference between standing out and being ignored.
In this magazine, we pride ourselves on bringing actionable information and advice every month. So, we talked to a group of local marketing experts who are leading the way. Keep reading to learn their best advice and how you can use these ideas to improve your brand.
Jodi Duncan, President, Flint Group
About Flint Group
Flint Group is a full-service marketing agency that was established in 1946.
“People like working with us because we listen more than we talk, we work more than we boast, and we make the complex simple,” Jodi Duncan said. “We work with businesses throughout North America ranging from small to enterprise. In a world brimming with marketing agencies promising results, what truly sets one apart? Is it clever campaigns, powerful data, or perhaps an impressive portfolio? Sure, those things matter. But at our agency, we believe that the real magic happens when passion, precision, and an unapologetic focus on relationships collide. It’s the secret sauce that turns good work into greatness.”
Jarod Berger, COO, In-House Advertising & Consulting
About In-House Advertising & Consulting
In-House is a full-service advertising and consulting firm dedicated to crafting tailored marketing solutions for a diverse range of clients.
“Specializing in a variety of promotional strategies, we execute comprehensive campaigns that span every form of media—television, radio, print, indoor and outdoor billboards, and digital media, including web and social platforms,” Jarod Berger said. “We also feature website design, graphic design, and video production services. Our extensive array of services enables small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to streamline their marketing efforts with one dedicated partner, covering everything from traditional and digital media campaigns to creative brand development. Our commitment is to provide seamless, effective, and impactful marketing solutions that drive results.”
Andrew Young, Creative Director & Owner, Abovo
About Abovo
Abovo is a creative marketing and design agency.
“We help brands and businesses tell their stories in a way that resonates with their audiences,” Andrew Young said. “We specialize in creative design and strategic marketing solutions to businesses, big and small. Abovo is all about creative design mixed with smart marketing. We offer a range of services like web design, video production, brand coaching, and more. Our focus is to help brands stand out in ways that are practical and effective.”
Joe Tjosvold, Founder & CEO, Chezy
About Chezy
Chezy is a tech-driven video production company, distinguished for its commitment to delivering high-quality, valuable video content at cost-effective prices.
“We cater to a diverse range of clients, from prominent national brands such as Amazon, CHS Inc., and Ralph Lauren to local small businesses and non-profits, which form the foundation of our community,” Joe Tjosvold said. “Established in 2021, Chezy has rapidly gained recognition for its innovative approach. The company has established bases in both Fargo and Nashville, TN, and is focused on maintaining its trajectory of success across the nation.”
Amanda Shilling, Founder + Bodacious Brander + Customer Experience Confidant, MINT Brand Marketing
About MINT Brand Marketing
MINT Brand Marketing was founded in 2012 by Amanda Shilling.
“With 22+ years in the industry, I have sat in almost every seat within an agency and internally in marketing departments,” Amanda Shilling said. “Our team aims to be a reliable partner to clients with our arsenal of services including brand and marketing strategy, website development and design, content creation, graphic design, social media management, and more. We build brands from scratch, help with refreshes, and even rebuild them from rubble. We do this through thought design and content. Brand strategy isn’t just a service we offer—it’s our obsession.”
Brian Meckler, Marketing Advisor, Meckler Marketing Consulting
About Meckler Marketing Consulting
Meckler Marketing Consulting is a full-service agency dedicated to helping businesses of all sizes create impactful marketing solutions that drive growth.
“We’ve had the privilege of partnering with a diverse range of organizations—from startups and small businesses to large corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies—empowering them to thrive in their respective industries,” Brian Meckler said. “Our services are designed to help companies reach their potential, offering everything from web development and graphic design to video production, advertising, social media marketing, and expert marketing consulting.”
Jack Yakowicz, Director of Operations, AdShark
About Adshark
AdShark is a performance marketing agency in Downtown Fargo that specializes in paid search, paid social, web, SEO, and email marketing.
“We’re all about measurable results and helping businesses achieve scale through digital channels,” Jack Yakowicz said. “Digital advertising, online marketing, and web design and development. We employ a team of creatives and digital strategists who are both equally focused on what can help grow businesses—so attributing back leads or online sales to our marketing efforts is the main goal.”
Mike Dragosavich, Founder & CEO, Spotlight
About Spotlight
Spotlight started as a publishing company with one little magazine 15 years ago.
“Through the years as we have grown, we have made it our mission to help our advertisers, local businesses, and the community at large grow,” Mike Dragosavich said. “About seven years ago, we began helping companies with things like logo creation, website builds, digital advertising, and anything else companies needed to find success. From there, we formally transitioned into a full marketing agency. Today, we pride ourselves on being an agency that has become one of the leaders in the area when it comes to helping businesses grow. We’ve accomplished this through trial and error and taking a practical approach to finding results. We have built over 300 websites. We’ve helped over 200 companies with digital advertising. We’ve created branding, videos, photography, and other assets to help companies and we’ve done so much more. We are now at the point where we not only help people advertise and do marketing better, we also help save time by creating crazy efficiencies.”
What are the biggest challenges in marketing today and how do you think they can be addressed?
Jodi Duncan
Investing And implementing AI
Leveraging AI is becoming unavoidable, but it’s also a smart way to efficiently and effectively accomplish more. However, it needs to be managed well as it is a tool that provides us powerful tools, but the information must be understood and reviewed thoughtfully and thoroughly.
Breakthrough Content
There are more channels than ever to reach audiences. Knowing what channels to use and what messages will break through is challenging, to say the least. Having specific strategies in place to reach defined audiences is imperative to the success of your brand.
Understanding Consumers
Primary and secondary research can help businesses connect with consumers throughout the customer journey. A CX (customer experience) study can help you find where your company may have gaps or uncover opportunities at different stages of the customer buying cycle.
Personalization Of Messaging
Long gone are the days of saying the same thing to everyone over and over to get your brand message across. People want personalized messaging and information that is most relevant to them and will respond accordingly
Joe Tjosvold
Cutting Through The Digital Noise
Cutting through the digital noise is a major challenge for today’s brands. With so much content vying for attention, brands need to focus on authenticity and relevance. Video is a powerful tool for this—telling real, human stories that resonate emotionally with the audience. Companies should also leverage data to personalize content and ensure it reaches the right segments, which can make a huge difference in engagement.
Jack Yakowicz
Limited Attention Spans And Saturation Of Marketing Messages
In short, getting your message to reach its intended audience and for them to care/pay attention to it. Ultimately, it involves companies being very strategic with their marketing spend, understanding their audience’s true pain points or motivators, and optimizing efforts based on what’s driving results and what isn’t. Don’t sit on the same marketing plan for six months if it isn’t working—be agile in making changes and iterating until you find the winners.
Andrew Young
Staying Up-to-date
Staying up-to-date with the rapid pace of change is one of marketing’s biggest challenges. Every day, there’s a new trend or tool, and it’s easy to feel pressured to chase after each one.
My advice: Stick to what makes your brand unique, and only incorporate new tools if they genuinely enhance your message. Another huge challenge today is building customer loyalty. With so many products available, customers don’t automatically stay loyal like they once did. We all want the best product or service, and if that means switching, we do it—I do it, why wouldn’t you? But loyal customers are still the best customers; they bring stability, referrals, and positive word-of-mouth. To build loyalty, brands have to go beyond just making a great product—they need to make the experience personal and memorable at every touchpoint. Authenticity is key in a crowded market; brands that stay true to themselves naturally foster stronger connections with their audience, turning one-time buyers into repeat customers.
Jarod Berger
Creating Ads That Stand Out
One of today’s biggest marketing challenges is creating ads that stand out. With consumers seeing thousands of ads daily, it’s easy for even the best advertising to blend into the noise. Crafting impactful ads that genuinely capture attention and deliver ROI is crucial.
Selecting Where To Advertise
Another challenge is selecting where to advertise. There are now countless platforms—social media networks, streaming services, and more, with new options constantly emerging. The key to navigating this complex landscape is understanding your audience deeply and strategically selecting placements that align with where your target customers are most engaged.
Brian Meckler
Too Many Marketing Options
New advertising options are popping up constantly, which makes it really difficult for organizations to prioritize where to spend their marketing budget. When I work with clients to help them develop their marketing plans, we always spend time brainstorming what truly sets their organization apart from their competition. Those unique qualities help set the stage for not only the foundation of your messaging—but also help guide us toward the marketing options that your target audiences are most likely to be paying attention to. If your company is struggling to identify what clearly sets it apart, I advise folks to check in with their customers about why they do business with you. Those conversations can help you better understand both your position in the market and who your ideal customers are, and this information is invaluable when you are determining where to spend your finite marketing budget.
Amanda Shilling
The Market Is Drowning In Cheap Tactics And AI Shortcuts
Most don’t understand that true brand building isn’t about churning out content or following formulas. It’s about crafting distinction that cuts through noise. That’s why businesses that chase the bottom end up looking and sounding like everyone else.
What should the role of a company’s marketer be?
Jodi Duncan
A huge challenge for marketers is that the expectation is that they are everything to everyone at all times. One of the most important jobs of today’s marketers is to craft a narrative about the company that resonates with consumers and employees. Additionally, marketers need to understand the nuances of branding, positioning the company for the greater good, how to leverage data, segmenting audiences, and ultimately what key performance indicators (KPIs) will result in success for the company.
Joe Tjosvold
The role of a company’s marketer is to be a strategist, storyteller, and connector. They should deeply understand the brand, target audience, and competitive landscape to create strategies that resonate and drive growth. Marketers craft compelling narratives to showcase the brand’s value and align messaging across all platforms, fostering meaningful engagement with customers.
Andrew Young
The role of a company’s marketing team is very different from that of its salespeople, and it’s essential for businesses to understand and respect this distinction. Salespeople are responsible for directly selling the product or service— they’re out there making the pitch and closing the deal. Marketers, on the other hand, are here to support those efforts by crafting the tools and messaging that help sales hit their goals. Sales teams communicate their goals and needs to marketing, and from there, marketers should be trusted to design the strategies, campaigns, and tools to make those goals achievable.
Sales teams might have ideas, but they should step back when it comes to defining the tools themselves—an effective marketing team knows how to get creative and shape the strategies that best serve those objectives. Marketing thrives when there’s room for originality and innovation, without micromanagement or heavy-handed input from sales.
If this isn’t how things work in your organization, it’s time to work towards that alignment. It might mean a fresh look at your current marketing setup or re-establishing boundaries and relationships with sales, so the marketing team can operate at its full potential. Businesses that create this clear structure—where sales goals are supported by skilled, autonomous marketing—are the ones that see the strongest results.
Jarod Berger
In today’s market, a marketer’s role is all about building and nurturing connections with customers while aligning with broader business goals. When collaborating with an agency, the company’s marketer should be the essential link between the brand and the agency. The best outcomes arise when the client’s marketer is deeply engaged, working closely with the agency to fine-tune the messaging and precisely target the core audience. An agency’s role isn’t to replace the company’s marketer but to amplify their efforts, bringing expertise and fresh perspectives that elevate the brand’s impact.
Brian Meckler
The best marketers plan many different roles for an organization. The hardest part is knowing which role needs to be prioritized at any given time. Sometimes, they need to create strategies and layout tactics for the rest of the team to follow. Sometimes, they need to be the coach to get everyone motivated and energized. And at other times, the company’s marketer is the storyteller, because that person needs to be able to tell the story of the organization in a meaningful and memorable way. The most important piece for any marketer is knowing which hat to put on for each situation.
Jack Yakowicz
If you boil it down, marketers are here to create sales or business growth for their companies. If your marketing isn’t helping your company grow, it isn’t sustainable. If you focus on how your marketing efforts are contributing to an increase in sales opportunities or purchases, then you’re on the right path.
Mike Dragosavich
A company’s marketer should be more of an engineer who first listens to a company’s goals that affect their bottom line. From there, that marketer should reverse engineer a strategy that achieves the best outcome, whether it be in digital advertising, marketing efforts, web design, sales tools, or a multitude of other things.
What tools do you recommend a company use to amp up their marketing efforts?
Jodi Duncan
There are so many good AI tools that are coming into play. All businesses should be paying attention to what’s out there, developing a plan to incorporate, and exploring different options. Some of my favorites are ChatGPT (general exploration), NotebookLM (for podcasts), Grammarly (for content editing), and Copilot for Microsoft.
There are countless other solutions and there’s really no avoiding AI so best to embrace it and discover how it can enhance your marketing efforts.
Joe Tjosvold
Some of my favorites are Hubspot (CRM), Canva (Graphic Design), ZoomInfo (Lead Database), Mailchimp (Email & SMS Marketing), Semrush (Search Optimization).
Brian Meckler
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of Google! If your organization relies on your potential customers finding your website through a Google search, you need to put time and energy into search engine optimization. Google Analytics can provide you with a ton of data to help you better understand how folks are interacting with your website. In addition, I’ve found tools like Semrush and Moz to be helpful for assessing how well my clients’ websites are performing in searches compared to their competitors.
Andrew Young
To kick things off, I have to mention Canva, though my team might roll their eyes a bit. It’s not the pro-level design tool we typically rely on, but it’s a great starting point if you’re just getting into design. It’s so much better than trying to use Microsoft Word for visuals (please don’t do that!), and it can help even the smallest business produce polished graphics quickly.
Another essential is a brand style guide, even a basic one. A style guide ensures that anyone working on your brand maintains a consistent look, feel, and tone across all platforms. Even starting with something simple—logos, colors, and typefaces—will make a huge difference. In case this is helpful, we put together a resource highlighting what we think is essential in a brand guide. You can review it here: abovoteam.com/fargoincstyleguidetips
Automated marketing is also a must, and it’s one of the most underutilized tools I see among small businesses. Once set up, it literally works for you around the clock. Tools like Mailchimp, for example, can automate everything from welcome sequences for new subscribers to regular newsletters, keeping you connected without the need to hit “send” every time.
Analytics tools like Google Analytics or social media insights can give you valuable data on what’s resonating with your audience. And don’t forget tools like Hootsuite or CoSchedule (support a local company!) for scheduling social posts—they keep your brand visible and active, even on weekends. Automating these elements frees up your time and ensures consistency, letting you focus on the big-picture ideas or the day-to-day work and “fires” that inevitably pop up.
I also recommend exploring AI platforms for copywriting. Tools like ChatGPT or Claude can be invaluable for generating ideas, drafting initial copy, or repurposing content across platforms. While nothing replaces authentic, human-driven content, these tools can help overcome writer’s block and keep your brand voice consistent.
So, if you’re building a marketing toolkit, aim for a mix: Canva for visual consistency, Mailchimp for automated email sequences, a brand style guide for cohesive branding, Google Analytics for data insights, CoSchedule for social scheduling, and AI tools for copywriting. Together, these tools help keep you professional and present with less daily effort.
Jarod Berger
For small businesses or those whose primary role isn’t in marketing but who are tasked with it, Canva is an outstanding platform for straightforward ad design. Creating compelling graphics can feel intimidating, but Canva is an excellent tool that empowers even novice designers to produce professional-looking visuals. Another invaluable resource everyone has is simply a smartphone— specifically, the camera. Capture photos of everything: your products, team members, office, restaurant, or storefront. Sharing these images on social media gives consumers a real, authentic glimpse into your business, and there’s no better way to build that connection than by regularly documenting and sharing the interesting aspects of your day-to-day operations.
Jack Yakowicz
For tracking and reporting we use Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, Tag Manager, CallRail, Hubspot, and Looker Studio.
For content creation, we use Adobe Suite and CapCut.
For research, we recommend Semrush, Keyword Planner, and just following other great marketers on social media to get some inspiration.
Amanda Shilling
Social media and email. Both are cost-effective tools to connect with your audience as long as you’re providing value and not in a constant state of “selling” or having a “what’s in it for me?” mentality.
Mike Dragosavich
Understanding a good tech stack could be paralyzing. Our team actually helps companies create a tech stack workflow because each company should value different software and tools that are practical to what they are trying to achieve. We have subscriptions to over 100 different tools that we’ve used and implemented for different companies that are in different stages of business, seeking different outcomes.
Some of the tools we use are Rank Math, Search Atlas, Trade Desk, WordPress, Microsoft Clarity, Hireclick, and Loom. Our company subscribed to most of these tools plus many others.
How do you balance targeting Specific customer segments while keeping your brand appealing to a broader audience?
Jodi Duncan
The most important step is to ensure you have a solid brand strategy that provides a holistic narrative for the brand. Once that is defined, that provides you a foundation to work from as you develop a targeted segmented messaging strategy. Typically, we do this by defining personas and deeply understanding the targets. Then we nuance the messaging to build on the strength of the brand while providing more granular messaging to fit the targets. It sounds simple but it is quite complex.
Joe Tjosvold
We create a core message that resonates broadly while adapting our approach to specific customer segments. For example, Chezy’s focus on the power of storytelling appeals to a universal audience, but we adjust our messaging and have landing pages for industries like healthcare, agriculture, nonprofits, and construction to ensure our content is relevant and impactful.
Andrew Young
Balancing specific customer segments while maintaining broad appeal is all about clarity and focus. It’s just as essential to know who isn’t your customer as it is to know who is. For example, a health and wellness brand should focus their energy on fitness enthusiasts and those seeking healthier lifestyles—vs. spending energy and resources trying to appeal to those who aren’t interested in wellness trends. The truth is, you can’t resonate with everyone, and spreading too wide dilutes your message. So, hyperfocus on the people you know are your core customers and don’t worry about trying to win over every small audience fragment. Start with clear, defined customer profiles if you don’t already have them. It’s an easy step you can take tomorrow, and it will guide you in refining messages that genuinely stick with your ideal audience.
Brian Meckler
No organization can be everything to everyone. While I think it’s important to continue to be appealing to a broader audience, I encourage my clients to spend more of their time and energy targeting the specific segments that their research tells them are the most likely to be interested in their products or services.
Jarod Berger
Balancing targeted marketing with broader brand appeal requires a thoughtful strategy. We focus on a mix of top-of-funnel, mid-funnel, and bottom-of-funnel strategies to create a well-rounded approach. While conversion tactics are important for driving revenue, we’ve seen firsthand that campaigns focused solely on conversions can fall short without a solid foundation of brand awareness.
For most of our clients, we blend mass media campaigns for brand awareness with more specific, hyper-targeted, and retargeting strategies. This approach allows us to build a strong brand presence at the top of the funnel while also nurturing leads and converting them at the bottom of the funnel.
Jack Yakowicz
This approach varies based on the business. My general guidance is to not try to be everything to everyone. It’s rare that many brands have a truly broad (18-65+, all interests) audience—so focus on one, two, or three core target markets and have your messaging go to them. Most people will advise you to create “personas” (this is Joe and he’s a 19-year-old in Fargo who loves corn chowder). Sure, that’s fine. But if you don’t want to make up a fake customer, you can still have your ideal audiences broken out into groups with generally shared motivators/pain points (i.e. homeowners with household income of $100k-$150k).
Amanda Shilling
Strong brands are built on genuine human connection, and you can’t connect deeply with everyone. When you communicate with clarity to the right people, others will want in on that conversation. They’ll feel the authenticity, even if they’re not the target. And the reality is, they may not need your service, but if they like what you’re about, they are more likely to refer you.
Mike Dragosavich
I always like our customers to spend money and resources to be available in places where their prospects are actively pursuing what they offer. This is usually through Google search. Beyond that, if we advertise using visuals, I always want to make sure we’re targeting very qualified prospects that meet the interest of what you offer. Then, we ensure that the messaging in the creative not only gives a great first impression but also that it has actionable and compelling messaging to the local markets.
We like to be more direct because unless you are a big company, passive marketing through the use of branding isn’t going to cut it. We always need to lead with some sort of value that someone can capitalize on and be very direct on that messaging.
People often underestimate the second phase of the advertising journey, which is where people go once they click or are interested in your advertisement. This is why we are very big advocates for great web design and landing pages.
What advice do you have for brands looking to establish a distinct voice in a crowded marketplace?
Jodi Duncan
Don’t just jump in with campaign development. Take the time to do the fundamentals—defining the brand strategy, developing personas, creating a messaging strategy. Understanding what the buying experience is like for customers is critical to how your brand is perceived.
Joe Tjosvold
Video marketing! Video develops a distinct voice by connecting emotionally with the audience and also builds trust with customers in the learning stage of their buying journey. Furthermore, focus on authenticity and consistency rather than mirroring what competitors do—brands should lean into their unique strengths and core values.
Andrew Young
Stick to what makes you unique and lean into it, like Wendy’s Twitter approach. Their sassy, humorous voice stands out in a market where most fast-food brands keep it neutral. By showing some personality, Wendy’s created a distinct brand voice that resonates. Find what makes your brand different and make it a central part of your communications.
Jarod Berger
Create content and put yourself and your employees out there as much as you can. This can be voicing your own radio ads, appearing in TV ads, featuring your staff on social media, or creating short videos. Customers want a familiar face that they can trust. Put yourself out there and create your brand’s voice through genuine content.
Amanda Shilling
When everyone has access to the same tools and templates, being different becomes your only advantage. You really need to dial in on who you are, what you stand for, and where you provide value, and show up in that way consistently. Resonate and become relevant.
Brian Meckler
Before you develop your brand voice, take the time to understand your target customers and what kind of voice would most resonate with them. What are they looking for from you? Humor? Reassurance? Excitement? As you begin to roll out materials with the voice you are developing, pay close attention to the feedback you are getting from your customers and followers. It’s true that customers are looking for unique brand personalities, but they are also looking for authenticity. And don’t forget that a strong visual identity is just as important as your brand voice. Ensure your design elements—like logos, colors, and typography—complement the tone of your messaging.
Jack Yakowicz
Ask your customers what it is that has them choose you. Perhaps you’ll have to look no further than your Google Reviews to see it. Everybody wants to say their differentiator is “we have the best people” or “we have the best product”—but dig deeper. Why do your core customers choose to use you instead of your competitors? That will help you determine what it is that really separates your business, and what is marketable to future customers too.
Mike Dragosavich
When doing branding, look at investing in things with multiple benefits. If you do content marketing, it has the benefit of being seen by people while educating people, telling your story, and gaining search engine optimization—the results with this approach can compound over time.
This is better than solely advertising with something like a billboard. In this scenario, if it works in 30 days it does, and if it doesn’t that money’s gone forever.
Nowadays, people want to be solicited to less and less. That’s why it’s important to utilize platforms that allow you to tell your story while creating value for your prospects and educating people on why you’re different and why they should invest with you.
What digital platforms or social media channels are currently giving you the best return on Investment, and why?
Jodi Duncan
This varies greatly by age group and demographics. We have had very strong success on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. But it all depends on your KPIs and your audiences. Additionally, content is king. If you have boring content or messages that don’t resonate with the audience, it doesn’t matter what channel you choose. To get the most from your investment in any of the channels starts with a smart, measurable plan.
Joe Tjosvold
LinkedIn allows you to reach a professional audience for B2B companies.
Andrew Young
I see companies nearly every day missing the incredible opportunities their websites offer. A website isn’t just a digital billboard—it’s a powerhouse for functionality, efficiency, and data collection. Imagine using your website to streamline payments, gather crucial customer information, or even automate responses. It’s a space that, when used strategically, can make your business more effective and connected.
Now, onto digital platforms with ROI: While direct mail might sound old-school, it’s actually a high-impact tool in today’s marketing landscape. Unlike digital ads competing for screen time, direct mail lands right in your customer’s hands. Thanks to Amazon, people are in their mailboxes daily, so you’re already part of their routine. But let me emphasize this: direct mail only works if done right. It’s not about being spammy or overly flashy. The piece should be personalized, relevant, and add real value. A well-crafted mailer can create a tactile, memorable experience that digital ads can struggle to match. Instead of fighting for screen time, you’re commanding their attention with something they can touch, read, and even revisit later.
While I’m all about the impact of direct mail, I’d be remiss not to mention how effective PPC and digital ad placement can be in reaching targeted audiences and driving measurable results. When done right, these tactics can be game changers, but here’s the key: don’t do this alone or internally. Partnering with an experienced agency is crucial to maximize ROI. We personally love working with AdShark—they’re experts in strategizing placements that hit the mark.
To round it out: a smart website, direct mail, and digital ads together create a balanced approach that keeps your brand visible, efficient, and in tune with the right audience at every step.
Jarod Berger
We are still seeing great success running ads on Meta. There is still a huge population of users that are on Facebook, and if they are not on Facebook, they are likely on Instagram. Meta’s ads platform allows us to serve ads to users on both platforms. Meta’s ads platform also has strong automation built in by their developers that help with ad variation and targeting to improve results and take out some of the guesswork.
Brian Meckler
For my own company, LinkedIn has been the best social media channel because its business-to-business focus aligns well with my marketing plan. For organizations with a business-to-consumer focus, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, or YouTube may be more suitable, depending on your target audience and content strategy. Most organizations don’t need to be on every platform, but it’s crucial to have a presence on those platforms where your target audiences are most likely to be.
Jack Yakowicz
Meta Ads are still hard to beat for ROI (advertising on IG and FB). They have the best learning algorithm and the most wide-ranging audience to get in front of. TikTok is really good for product discovery, and LinkedIn has its place for B2B companies. Pinterest has its audience. There are quite a few channels that can be profitable for companies to advertise on, so long as they’re in tune with the channel and making ad content that feels like it belongs, and compels people to take action. Outside of social media, Google Ads still proves to be a leading channel for getting in front of high-intent customers at the time they’re searching for products/services like yours.
Mike Dragosavich
It’s usually Google search versus everyone. The cool thing we get to see is that we are running, at any given time, 50+ businesses advertising campaigns on the same networks using different tactics. We’ve learned that all these platforms have worked for some and not worked for others. It’s really more about the messaging these days.
Now, there are platforms that I believe are the right fit, and give clients a better chance at a better return, but you can’t make a blanket statement about what will work for everyone—it always should be determined based on the business.
If I’m a jewelry store and I’m running an engagement ring promotion, I would lean closer to Instagram and TikTok and really work with a client to make sure they have a compelling story on why someone should not only come get their engagement ring but also why they’d want to share the video with their friends.
How are you using AI and automation in your marketing strategies? What Impact has it had so far?
Jodi Duncan
We use AI in all areas of our business. AI and automation are built into many of the tools we use for media, creative, digital, development, writing, editing, and podcasting. It touches every area of our business. We do use AI in some instances on behalf of our clients, and we take extra measures to ensure that their proprietary information is safe and secure. We talk about AI and automation as “AI isn’t going to take your job, but someone who knows how to use it will.” It’s a major shift in how we do our business. We have set our intention to leverage AI and automation to make us more efficient and to constantly strive for higher-quality output. The best use of AI and automation tools is not to replace human work but to make it easier and more accurate.
Joe Tjosvold
Not for our marketing strategies, but for operations—it helps us increase efficiency.
Andrew Young
AI and automation have reshaped how we approach content creation, engagement, and design. For content development, tools like ChatGPT have become invaluable for brainstorming, generating ideas, and drafting initial copy—especially when managing multiple channels and maintaining a consistent brand voice.
When it comes to design, even non-professionals can step up their visuals. Platforms like Canva are now incorporating AI tools that help users refine designs, suggest elements, and streamline the process, making professional-looking graphics more accessible. AI and automation have allowed us to focus on the creative, high-impact work that drives our strategy, while the tech handles the repetitive but essential tasks in the background.
Jarod Berger
AI has become a valuable asset for our team, helping us brainstorm fresh ideas, refine ad concepts, and enhance overall efficiency. However, it’s important to recognize that AI isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for advertising. It’s a powerful tool that complements, rather than replaces, creative strategy.
Jack Yakowicz
A lot of the marketing channels we’ve been advertising on (Google, Meta, etc) have been using machine learning to optimize campaigns around specific objectives for a while. So, we’ve had a small bit of a head-start in that regard. As far as using AI to develop creative (writing, imagery, etc)—we view AI as a decent brainstorming buddy or idea generator. It can expedite some processes and help with writer’s block. We’re still unfolding the ways we plan to use it moving forward, but right now it has come into play for some idea generation and content mapping but has not been used as a final product.
Amanda Shilling
We have started using AI more for inspiration, but within our PM and CRM system, it’s helping us streamline our customer experience.
Mike Dragosavich
Typically, we use AI right now for a lot of research. That is what has seemed to be the best because we can use AI to find better targeting audiences, behavioral habits, trends in the markets, and different ways to appeal through the messaging of the advertising. We also use it a lot for search engine optimization.
How should a brand handle marketing in a crisis situation?
Jodi Duncan
It is easy for brands to find themselves in crisis situations especially now when people can easily make public statements about a company anonymously via social media channels. Whether truthful or not, it can be very damaging to a business. Our best advice is to be prepared. Having a crisis communication plan in place can be extremely helpful when a crisis situation arises. We can’t always know what those situations may be but having protocols for the team to follow can help mitigate damage.
Joe Tjosvold
In a crisis, brands need to prioritize transparency, empathy, and relevance in their messaging. The focus should shift to addressing concerns and providing support to their audience.
Andrew Young
When a crisis hits, transparency is key. Take JetBlue’s approach during the infamous flight delays; they owned the issue, apologized, and offered solutions. People appreciate honesty and quick response over perfection. Communicate clearly, address concerns directly, and keep your audience informed every step of the way. It’s about protecting trust and showing accountability.
Jarod Berger
Honesty and transparency are paramount. In a crisis, brands should communicate quickly and empathetically, addressing customer concerns directly. The goal is to be sincere and accountable, showing customers they can rely on you even in difficult times.
Brian Meckler
I first advise clients to at least consider pausing their ongoing campaigns as they assess the crisis situation. After that, the path forward varies greatly based on the type of crisis the organization is facing, who is involved, and how serious the crisis is. In many situations, it’s absolutely critical to get guidance from a crisis communication professional. If the crisis is small enough to be managed internally, choose your words carefully, keep your message simple, and stay true to your organization’s values.
Jack Yakowicz
Be incredibly thoughtful before taking action. And when in doubt, call in some experts in the PR field who have media experience.
Amanda Shilling
It depends on the situation. Crises aren’t cookie-cutter
Mike Dragosavich
The best way to handle that is through effective communication. And, in our community, it’s really smart to make sure people understand why you do what you do and your intentions because this is a great community and people rally around positive companies and their missions.
I would also recommend blitzing the messaging out versus spreading it out. So, instead of doing a three-month campaign, make it a two-week campaign and get it everywhere you possibly can, but use platforms that allow you to tell your story and tell why something happened. Tell why your intention is to fix it or why it might’ve happened and keep positive around why whatever happened and why it’s going to turn into a better opportunity in future.
What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you focus on to evaluate the success of your marketing efforts?
Jodi Duncan
During planning, we always define measurable goals and KPIs. Some are easy to measure like number of impressions or if there’s a specified action we want someone to take (for example click to website, fill out a form, visit a store). Some are more difficult to measure like brand affinity.
Joe Tjosvold
The main KPIs to focus on are View Count, Engagement Rate, Watch Time/Completion Rate, and Click-Through Rate.
Andrew Young
KPIs like engagement rate, customer retention, and website traffic are valuable. For example, if your social media engagement rate is increasing, that’s a sign people are resonating with your content. Similarly, customer retention rates tell us if our messaging is building loyalty. Tracking KPIs that matter most to your objectives gives a clear view of your success. And, if something isn’t working for you, try something else. Don’t keep doing the same thing. That’s what’s great about digital marketing: we get to see if things are working or not. Don’t waste this incredible insight we get to have in today’s world.
Jarod Berger
KPIs vary by client objectives—whether they’re focused on revenue growth, leads, event attendance, or hiring. We monitor impressions, clicks, conversions, and conversion rates, but ultimately, success depends on how well we drive the client’s desired outcomes. If needed, we recalibrate to better meet their goals.
Brian Meckler
One KPI that I recommend paying attention to is the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). This number essentially tells you how much you are spending to get each customer. To figure out your CAC, just divide your total expenditures for sales and marketing by the number of customers you’ve acquired. I find this information helpful in determining how efficient your marketing spending is—and if there are places where we should redirect our time and budget.
Jack Yakowicz
For lead gen companies (those who do sales offline): leads (form fills, calls, chats, etc), cost-per-lead, offline conversions (importing sales data into FB/Google to see if they saw an ad first).
For e-commerce companies: purchases, cost-per-acquisition, return on ad spend (ROAS).
Other micro-indicators of success: clickthrough rate, landing page views, engagement rate or video view rate on ads, etc.
Amanda Shilling
We track social media metrics, Google analytics, and revenue based on specific campaigns, for instance. Along with this, clients need an internal way to track how customers are finding them as well. Whether it’s old school and manual, or high tech with a CRM, we need to be working in tandem to truly measure success.
Mike Dragosavich
We work with our clients to identify the performance indicators that we need to measure based on their goals. For instance, if their goal is to generate phone calls, then we need to measure indicators that tell us that we are reaching the right people and converting the right people and getting the right phone calls—not just any call calls but qualified calls. If the result is to maximize brand awareness, then we need to have indicators that tell us that we’re not wasting impressions on the wrong audience and that we’re not spending too much per impression and we’re getting the most impressions possible for their investment.
Can you talk about a campaign that had a particularly strong ROI and what contributed to its success?
Jodi Duncan
We work on numerous campaigns that outperform expectations. We always try to ensure that our clients have clear expectations and goals to measure performance and ROI. I’ll give an example of a campaign we did for our Kansas City office. We did an introduction to our presence in KC and used multiple channels—PR, digital media, direct mail, and in-person delivery of a package. We had strong results as we expected. I would attribute it to a very integrated campaign that told a compelling story about who we are and why we are in KC.
Joe Tjosvold
In a recent campaign for the Nashville Transit Referendum on the November 2024 ballot, Chezy’s Nashville video team partnered with the mayor’s office to create a series of storytelling videos aimed at informing Davidson County voters. A similar referendum in 2018 had failed by a 36% margin, but this time, using Chezy’s video-driven approach, the referendum passed with a remarkable 65.5% to 34.5% margin. This success showcases the power of well-crafted video storytelling in educating and engaging the public, ultimately contributing to a significant shift in voter support and a high return on investment for the campaign.
Andrew Young
We recently worked with a law firm that offers services in a very specialized industry and needed an innovative way to break the ice with a new mailing list of potential clients. We combined a lot of the strategies I’ve touched on here to make it work.
First, we sent a small, branded gift through direct mail—a simple but memorable way to get attention and build goodwill. This wasn’t just a gift; it was a strategic prompt to encourage recipients to visit the firm’s website and complete an online form in exchange for complimentary services. This campaign tapped into the power of multiple channels: direct mail for that guaranteed touchpoint, a digital form for capturing valuable data, and the firm’s website, which we optimized to make the user experience seamless and welcoming.
By gathering data in a digital format, the firm now has valuable insights they can use beyond just this campaign, making future marketing efforts more targeted and efficient. The combination of direct mail and digital conversion proved to be a huge win, resulting in a strong ROI and a lasting impact on their outreach strategy. This approach didn’t just deliver an immediate response but also set them up with data they can leverage for other campaigns, making it a versatile investment.
Jarod Berger
One of our recent projects involved a client expanding their business with a new product line. We designed and launched a campaign that achieved an impressive 16x ROI on net revenue. The success really came down to a strategic mix of cross-channel marketing and consistent ad frequency. By delivering messages to their target customers across multiple platforms, we ensured the message resonated effectively. In today’s saturated advertising landscape, creating brand recall is essential, and using a cross-channel approach with the right frequency can make all the difference.
Brian Meckler
I work with a client in the medical industry who has relied heavily on network TV advertising as a key part of their marketing strategy for several years. We produce high-quality videos that showcase patient success stories, aiming to educate viewers about how the organization can help people who are facing similar health challenges. The client recently shared with me that half of their new patients are a direct result of seeing these TV ads. While this approach has been highly effective for this particular client, I believe every business is unique. It’s essential to take the time to understand each client’s specific goals and circumstances in order to develop a tailored strategy that will best meet their individual needs.
Jack Yakowicz
We have a client called PowerPusher and we have been able to increase their monthly leads by almost 3x within the first couple of months of working with them. We really focused on shifting creative strategy to highlight the pain points their machinery solves as opposed to the features their machinery offers (i.e. instead of focusing on “battery-operated” or “pushing and pulling capabilities” we focused on “reduced injury + increased productivity”) in our headlines and using product photography and video that better shows the products in use. Subtle tweaks can have a big impact, and tracking results helps YOU learn but also helps the advertising platforms learn and find more people who are primed to become a lead, too.
Amanda Shilling
This isn’t a campaign, but I am incredibly proud of the work we have done with Styled With Strength with their rebrand and getting them exposure to help victims of domestic violence. One of our core values is to be givers, so the ROI on supporting them is measured in lives saved.
Mike Dragosavich
We helped a printer out of Denver create awareness in different markets that they have the ability to print catalogs. For instance, in Omaha in June, they never once showed up on Google for catalog printing. We targeted Google for this with paid ads, and also created a search engine optimization campaign where we created a page on their site. Now, the page is ranking consistently in the first part of the search and we can contribute, within three months, 14 new ‘get a quote’ bookings from Omaha for catalogs and other printing services when this client has never gotten a lead from that city before.
What do you think makes marketing in our local area unique or challenging?
Jodi Duncan
Fargo is a mecca for smart people who work really hard and stay fairly humble. We are a great place for start-ups but also claim home to some large enterprise businesses. The talent in marketing here is mind-blowing. We have the ability to think big and act small, which is a fantastic combination when you consider the complexities of marketing to many audiences.
Joe Tjosvold
Fargo-Moorhead’s tight-knit, relationship-driven community creates a unique marketing environment. While this fosters strong connections and trust, it can be challenging for new businesses to break into the market. Even with a high-value product or service, it takes time to build the relationships needed to make a lasting impact. This community’s loyalty to established connections underscores the importance of relationship-building in marketing strategies.
Andrew Young
Marketing in Fargo and surrounding areas is all about tapping into local pride and authenticity—our community really values brands that “walk the talk.” SCHEELS, for example, excels in this because it invests deeply in local events and initiatives that resonate here. Now, most of us can’t match the scale of SCHEELS’ community involvement (because they are amazing and set the bar high), but that’s not the point. It’s about finding ways your own brand can engage, whether it’s through supporting local events, spotlighting customer stories, or simply collaborating with nearby businesses.
A deep understanding of community values and traditions is essential. Start small and meaningful; even a neighborhood sponsorship or a social post highlighting a local story can be powerful. When marketing aligns with the culture here, it’s more than just a strategy—it becomes part of the community fabric, building loyalty and trust in a way that feels genuine.
Jarod Berger
Fargo is a “big small town” where relationships and customer loyalty are key. For new brands, this means marketing isn’t just about visibility—it’s about building trust. Understanding and connecting with the community on a genuine level is essential for success here.
Brian Meckler
As a smaller metro area, the Fargo market provides many marketing opportunities that are more cost-effective compared to larger markets. Unlike places like the Twin Cities, where advertising costs can be prohibitively high, Fargo-Moorhead offers a more budget-friendly landscape while still offering a wide variety of advertising options. In larger markets, small businesses often struggle with the expense of traditional media like radio or TV, especially when they are located in the suburbs. In those cases, it doesn’t make sense to broadcast to the entire metro area when many potential customers may never leave their immediate neighborhoods. In Fargo, you can target a more localized audience at a fraction of the cost, ensuring your message reaches the right people without overspending.
Jack Yakowicz
Despite it being a smaller region than most metros, there’s a lot of competition across virtually every industry. Look at marketing alone. We’re in this magazine with several other competitors to AdShark. I think the challenge for most companies is being able to better articulate what their differentiators are, and what will it take for a customer to choose you instead of your competitor.
Amanda Shilling
There are a lot of us within the market. But what I have found I have great success in is collaborating with those I know, like, and trust, even if we have some crossover in services. We will never pretend to be everything to everyone, so we partner with the right people to take care of our clients.
Mike Dragosavich
I think the biggest challenge in the market is that we are a lot smaller than bigger markets. It’s a simple recipe for success in larger markets, like Minneapolis, where there are much bigger investments, more active audiences and better data than in Fargo. We just don’t have the data sometimes for certain companies and that’s a challenge. Every company thinks that there is enough demand for what they’re selling and that is right for some companies but for most companies, there just isn’t the daily and weekly demand of people searching for what they offer. For them, it doesn’t match up to advertise in the way that they want to advertise—which is very ROI driven. So, the challenge is that you have to rely on this marketplace and more general awareness-type campaigns that could be frustrating to clients because there’s not as much trackability on these.
What are your predictions for the future of marketing in the next 5-10 years?
Jodi Duncan
Marketing will continue to get more and more personalized. It will be data-driven, predictive and complicated. More channels will emerge making it harder to reach the masses but easier to reach your targets if you have the tools and knowledge to find them.
Joe Tjosvold
In the next 5–10 years, while video marketing for brands will remain crucial, the increasingly crowded marketplace means that leadership and executives will also need to focus on personal branding to help their brands stay ahead.
Andrew Young
If insight into what we talk about weekly is helpful, it’s this: we’re always exploring new ways to leverage AI and dive into the possibilities of AR and VR, especially when it comes to producing content and marketing that can exist in those spaces.
In the next 5–10 years, marketing will keep moving toward hyper-personalized, immersive experiences. Think of IKEA’s AR app, which lets customers visualize how furniture will look in their own homes—that’s just the beginning. Soon, marketing will be less about simply sharing information and more about creating memorable, tailored experiences that truly resonate with individuals.
As advancements in AI, AR, and VR continue, customers will start expecting brands to go beyond the screen, offering content they can interact with in real time and space. The companies that stand out will be those who blend these cutting-edge technologies with human-centered marketing, redefining how brands build genuine connections that feel personal, genuine, and—dare I say—tangible.
Jarod Berger
AI will be transformative but won’t replace creativity. It’ll improve processes and refine campaigns, but true marketing success will still come from authentic storytelling and creative strategy. Brands that rely solely on AI will miss the mark, but those who use it to amplify great ideas will thrive.
Jack Yakowicz
For sure prediction: AI is not going away, but neither is the need for strong marketers. The best marketers, however, will learn how to leverage AI to increase their efficiency and reserve more of their efforts for deeper strategy than tactical execution.
Loftier prediction: the growth in short-form video content (Reels, TikTok, etc.) is going to fizzle out and give way to a push for long form, narrative-based content—leading to less content being out there from brands, but higher quality content coming back in. I don’t know, we’ll see. Everyone’s talking about AI and automation.
Amanda Shilling
Everyone. But the more technology that floods marketing, the more humans will crave genuine connection. And the more automated everything becomes, the more valuable human insight and creativity will be. Check out our website and you’ll easily see where we play right now and will be doubling down on in the future.
Mike Dragosavich
I believe in our local market for the next 5 or 10 years. We will continue seeing success for our local companies through more of a traditional advertising and PR approach. The world of digital is getting so saturated and really tricky in small markets because all of these platforms really favor enterprise and national-type behavior. So, we see all these digital campaigns on our phones but don’t realize that the algorithms support national-type companies. So, we need to keep relying on word-of-mouth, gorilla marketing, traditional storytelling, and utilizing community opportunities.
What’s funny is direct mail is actually working really well for a lot of our clients because it’s just a small community and it’s really hard to compete against all the national companies trying to get digital impressions to all our community members. At least you have a fighting chance when someone can physically touch what you’re selling them and there are only two or other three things distracting them.
Is there anything else you want to say to our readers?
Jodi Duncan
Don’t be afraid to be bold with your marketing efforts but be smart with your budget. Spending time defining exactly what you are trying to accomplish, setting goals and developing a plan will go a long way toward reaching new heights.
Joe Tjosvold
To elevate your brand, nothing compares to the power of video—the ultimate tool for creating lasting connections with your audience.
Andrew Young
Don’t overcomplicate your marketing approach. Start with simple, actionable steps, like building a consistent brand voice and refining your customer profiles. Today’s consumers are smart—they want to align with brands that genuinely reflect their values. If you’re authentic and true to what you stand for, customers who share those values will naturally gravitate toward you. On the other hand, you’ll end up frustrated (and so will they!) if you attract customers who don’t align with your beliefs/values.
Also, remember that most consumers do their research online before making a decision, so you need to have a good website. Gawdammit. It’s your first impression and the one place where you control the message. Make sure it’s clear, genuine, and authentically represents who you are. The most effective strategies are often the simplest—stick to what’s doable, stay true to yourself, and build from there.
Jarod Berger
Be bold, stay authentic, and never lose sight of the real people behind your brand. The best marketing doesn’t just sell; it builds trust, tells stories, and creates lasting connections.
Jack Yakowicz
There are some incredible marketers and marketing agencies out here in Fargo. You have a lot of experts who are happy to provide you help. So please, please, please: stop viewing marketing as a sunk cost, and start viewing it as an investment that can lead to a tangible return. It will change your whole relationship with marketing & advertising when this simple mind shift happens.
Mike Dragosavich
The biggest thing I want to say is don’t overthink marketing in Fargo and don’t be so caught up in trying to do what the big companies are doing. We have learned that this is a special market and it’s a small market and it’s not as easy as you think when it comes to running digital ROI campaigns—they are getting harder and harder to be effective. Some of the most effective things are just using common sense, investing more in your website, videos, and story content, and sharing it across the community in any way necessary—even having your employees and friends share what you’re doing.
