January 2010
Sneak Peek
We've been working hard on a new campaign to tell people that FASTSIGNS sells more than just vinyl banners. Specifically, we're reaching out to facility and property managers. The first ad drops this Friday in the Dallas Business Journal followed by another in Network magazine. But you get a sneak peek here first.
November 2009
100 Wells!
A big announcement from Water Is Basic this week. REACH is proud to be involved with bringing clean drinking water to 200,000 Sudanese over the past three years. REACH and Water Is Basic were formed at roughly the same time and have enjoyed a close relationship. The 100th well in Sudan is an important and joyous milestone. We at REACH would like to celebrate by contributing more to the efforts to bring life-giving water to the "least of these." Please watch this video for information about how you can help. And please pass this along to friends and co-workers. And please follow or friend us to support the cause!
September 2009
We Are the Champions, My Friends...
REACH was named a "Small Business Champion" at the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Breakfast of Champions event September 10 at the Westin DFW Airport North. More than 200 small business leaders from Irving, Arlington and Coppell attended the event. REACH Founder Ryan Sanders served on a panel in a breakout session on "Marketing Your Business for Success". Videos from the workshops should be available to attendees soon via the REACH website.
September 2009
Big Win
Twenty-two North Texas FASTSIGNS franchises have engaged REACH to direct marketing and advertising efforts for their stores next year. The cooperative of 18 store owners voted unanimously to hire REACH after reviewing proposals and qualifications from three local agencies as well as FASTSIGNS' corporate marketing department.
"We are very optimistic about working with REACH," Co-op President and Irving franchisee Jeff Youngblood said. "We're looking for a way to take our marketing to the next level and after considering three agencies, we're convinced that REACH is the one to help us get there."
REACH President Ryan Sanders said his agency's approach to promoting FASTSIGNS in DFW will focus on direct marketing to business, property and construction managers who make decisions about signage vendors. Long considered a retail shop for banners and other vinyl signs, FASTSIGNS also produces high-quality dimensional and architectural signage.
"It didn?t take much market research to learn that the vinyl market is saturated," Sanders said. "Part of our job will be to educate our target markets about FASTSIGNS capabilities beyond banners."
September 2009
Breakfast of Champions
REACH founder Ryan Sanders will be a panelist at an upcoming business seminar hosted by the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The first ever Breakfast of Champions chamber event will take place September 10 at 8 a.m. at the Westin DFW North Hotel at 4545 W. John Carpenter Freeway in Irving.
Ryan will be featured in a breakout session called Marketing Your Business for Success along with corporate identity artist David Fiegenschue and online marketing guru Wael Salama. The breakout is an encore of the same panel featured at the April 2009 Coffee Break networking event. The marketing session is one of nine breakouts at the event designed to help small business owners improve their companies.
REACH was also involved in planning the event and designed invitations and some of the table decor. REACH will also provide video services allowing the chamber to post discussions online after the event for those who take part.
The event will feature a keynote address by Mary Scott Nabers, former Texas Railroad Commisisoner and CEO of Strategic Partners, Inc. who will speak on "Success In Selling to the Trillion Dollar Government Marketplace"
August 2009
Announcing Rupees for Referrals
Go to dinner on us ... Start a business for a needy family ... Don't spend a dime.
We at REACH have been spouting off a lot lately about "getting creative" in the recession and "investing in marketing now" to reap returns when the recession is over. Well, it's time we put our money where our mouth is. REACH is announcing Rupees for Referrals - a unique program to ignite business and help people in need. Here's how it works:
1. We're inviting all of our current clients, partners and business associates to pass along information about our top-notch creative services to anyone they know who is interested in hiring us.
2. Those businesses referred by our network call us to discuss their marketing needs.
3. For every such referral produced, we'll reward the referring individual (not their company) in two ways: with a $50 check made out to them, and with a $50 donation to the Dalit Freedom Network business development program in their honor. Dalit Freedom Network is a human rights organization that advocates for India's "untouchable" class - one of the most oppressed people groups in the world.
That's it. Go stumping for REACH and get $50 back, plus a good feeling from helping someone who could really use it. Everyone wins!
(We should definitely go into politics.)
About DFN: Dalit Freedom Network partners with the Dalits in their quest for religious freedom, social justice, and human rights by mobilizing human, informational, and financial resources.
July 2009
New Blog!
In an effort to help our clients and other small businesses during these tough economic times, REACH has launched a new blog at recession-is-opportunity.com with tips and stories for how to continue to grow and market businesses even when the "going gets tough." Please check it out!
April 2009
Newsmakers
REACH received recognition and a gift at a reception for Irving newsmakers at the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas April 2. The event was a gathering of notable businesses and leaders who have made news in Irving over the last quarter. About 80 businesses were recognized including ExxonMobil, the Four Seasons, and Wal-Mart. Other communications companies honored included Cooksey Communications and Numantra. All of the Irving U.S. Chamber Blue Ribbon Award winners were also recognized. The program was sponsored by the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Irving City Councilman Joe Philipp.
February 2009
Ambassador of the Quarter
REACH President Ryan Sanders was named Ambassador of the Quarter for Fourth Quarter 2008, the Greater irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce announced today. REACH has been a member of the Irving Chamber since January 2008 and Sanders has been an ambassador since June. REACH is an Irving marketing agency that helps clients reach their potential, reach their market and reach out.
Irving Chamber Ambassadors serve as liaisons between Irving Chamber staff and its members companies.The Ambassador Program exists to promote, serve and participate in the growth and development of the chamber and its members through attendance at civic and community functions and events; to serve as a public-relations arm of the Chamber; to deliver Chamber information packets; and to assist with recruitment and retention of members.
To win Ambassador of the Quarter, an ambassador must show commitment to the Irving Chamber and its members by supporting its mission, attending events, advocating on its behalf, and serving as a strong business proponent. To become an Irving Chamber Ambassador, a candidate must be a member in good standing with the Irving Chamber and must successfully complete the Ambassador Training Program.
As part of its commitment to community involvement, REACH staff members attend several Irving Chamber events each month. REACH also serves as a communication resource for the Irving Chamber. REACH has designed invitations and other print collateral for events such as the Irving Chamber Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony, and the Irving State of the City Address. Currently, REACH is engaged in a planning process for marketing a city/chamber safety education program to surrounding North Texas communities.
December 2008
Still Growing
In December, Reach engaged its third full-time team member - Amyjo Measles. With experience as an Assignments Editor at CBS 11 TV and Public Relations Manager at Casa Manana Theater in Fort Worth, Measles is well-rounded and well-positioned to provide outstanding account management to Reach's clients.
Measles will manage the agency's relationship with several existing clients and will also assist in presenting Reach services to prospective clients. She's a little bit AE and a little bit sales ... a little bit country and a little bit rock 'n roll.
September 2008
Building the Team
In August, Reach engaged full-time help from its first Art Director - a prodigy, connoisseur of music, and self-proclaimed tech geek named Jeremy Segars. With valuable agency experience at two leading Dallas design firms, Segars brings youthful creativity and seasoned professionalism to Reach's growing team. Segars will oversee all of Reach's creative services and, in fact, has already been the creative genius behind print and interactive designs for clients like US-Analytics, Irving Cares, and the Dallas Bar Foundation.
A graduate of Texas A&M-Commerce, Segars' most recent post was as a Production Artist at Dallas' Matchbox Studio where he serviced commercial real estate clients as well as providing prepress support, IT support, web design, and other artistic functions. He also interned at RSW Creative in 2007. In eighth grade, he won his school's science fair with a groundbreaking study of paper airplanes.
June 2008
Help Wanted!
The good news: Reach has been SWAMPED with business lately. The bad news: Last night my little girl asked me, "Daddy, why do you have to work so long?" The news for job-seekers: While Reach will continue to employ contract talent for many projects, the company has reached the point where it needs another full-time staff person. We have posted two jobs on the Irving Chamber job board - one for an art director and one for an account manager. We won't be filling both of these positions at once, but we are open to good candidates for either position and then I'll adjust my efforts to balance.
June 2008
Branding Big Business
Reach has been engaged to create an entirely new brand/message/taglines and marketing strategy for US-Analytics (www.us-analytics.com). US-Analytics is a nationwide IT consulting company specializing in business intelligence infrastructure, application development and support services. All that means these guys can find the "on" button. Look for new look and new messages for US-A soon.
April 2008
New URL
Admittedly, Ichthus is a difficult word to remember, much less spell. So the good people of our guild have made it easy! As of April 1 (and no, this is not a joke), users can find the Reach website at a new, easy-to-remember url: www.IdeasThatConnect.com
March 2008
Chamber banquet coming
Invitations to the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce 76th Annual Membership and Awards Ceremony are speeding to chamber members and partners now. Please consider attending this event and, if your company is not yet a GILCCC member, please consider joining. They're good folk. www.irvingchamber.com
March 2008
Hometown happenings
Reach has been engaged to provide creative services for several Irving business and community organizations this month. Among them are:
- Invitation design for the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce 76th Annual Membership and Awards Ceremony to be held April 29 at the Marriott DFW Airport North
- Invitation design for the Irving Prayer Breakfast, a gathering of local business, civic and religious leaders at the Texas Stadium Club April 26
- Reach also donated creative services to Irving Cares, a local emergency assistance charity, to promote its annual Fishing in the City fundraiser to be held on April 5 at Lake Caroline in Las Colinas. To learn more about how Irving Cares assists our community's poor with food, shelter and temporary financial assistance, please visit www.IrvingCares.org.
February 2008
We have a winner!
Reach gave $100 cash to one lucky winner at the Lockheed Martin/Chase Entrepreneur Expo in Fort Worth on Friday, February 8. Linda B., a U.S. Post Office employee, was the only visitor to the Reach booth to toss a ping-pong ball perfectly into one of the plastic water cans used throughout Sudan and other developing countries to transport water. For her amazing circus shot, Linda received a crisp Franklin and Reach contributed a matching $100 to Water Is Basic on her behalf.
Way to go, Linda!
For more information about Reach's partnership with Water Is Basic, click here.
January 2008
Trade show bound
Reach will make its first trade show appearance next weekend. Booth #109 at the 2008 Lockheed Martin Chase Entrepreneur Expo at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 8 will feature information about the company as well as free water from Water Is Basic and the chance to win $100 cash! For more information about the show, visit www.TheExpo.org.
December 2007
Another addition to the Reach team
In addition to various freelance artists, writers, designers and developers, Reach has expanded its team to include the part-time services of marketing veteran Natalie Reid. With more than a decade of experience, Reid's strategic thinking and can-do personality make her a considerable asset to the Reach team. As a freelance consultant, Reid has planned special events for Clear Channel Corporation, managed ad sales for national Women of Faith conferences, and directed marketing copy for Premier Radio Networks. She has extensive experience in radio having worked for local stations KRLD and KWRD.
November 2007
Reach chosen for Dallas Bar Foundation projects
The Dallas Bar Foundation recently engaged Reach to revitalize its internal communications with a quarterly print newsletter and monthly HTML email blasts. With a new executive director, new logo and new energy, the foundation looks to improve on its already stellar record of supporting law-related education, legal services for the poor, furtherance of justice, and historical preservation. The Dallas Bar Foundation is the charitable arm of the 9,000-member Dallas Bar Association. For more information, visit DallasBar.org.