As major brands and retailers (and shopping malls) struggle with the so-called “retail apocalypse,” local businesses and retailers, although not entirely invulnerable to the chaos, are benefiting, and discovering new paths to growth and profitability. In some places, Main Street USA is still rebounding from the recession, but local businesses may be entering a new era in which they can leverage localized products and personalized services against big brands and retailers.

Undoubtedly, many Boomers would agree the “OK Boomer” meme is a minor skirmish compared to the classic “Generation Gap” they experienced during the 1960s. Despite, these age-old generational disagreements, Baby Boomers are generally in a very good place. Thousands are retiring daily, but they and those who are still working are more active, healthier and more involved in social issues than previous generations.

Fuel your week with these can’t-miss co-op deals!
• Baby Lock Black Friday Deals! — Stitch up something special with Baby Lock’s sewing machines and accessories — now at festive Black Friday savings.
• Shoot HEVI-Shot Save! — Stock up on HEVI-Shot ammo and take aim at incredible savings this season.
• The Lincoln Wish List Sales Event! — Make your dream Lincoln a reality with exclusive offers and seasonal incentives.
• Fall Into Savings With SunCatcher Pontoons! — Glide into autumn adventures on a SunCatcher pontoon while enjoying fantastic fall deals.
• Get Snow Day Ready With Kubota! — Prepare for winter fun and work with Kubota’s rugged equipment — now at snowy savings.
• Husqvarna Season of Savings! — Tackle your outdoor projects with Husqvarna tools and gear while saving big this season.
• Volkswagen Sign Then Drive Sales Event! — Hit the road in a new Volkswagen with special sign-and-drive offers you don’t want to miss.

Gen Z isn’t abandoning online shopping—but they’re showing a clear preference for in-store experiences when discovery, confidence, and social energy matter. Research points to Gen Z using stores as places to browse, validate choices, and turn shopping into an “event,” while still relying on digital tools to research and plan. The winners are retailers who remove friction (fast checkout, preferred payment options, inventory confidence) and make stores worth the trip with curated experiences and moments that feel shareable. For local marketers and media sellers, the opportunity is to shift campaigns toward driving measurable store visits through events, drops, and community-based messaging that turns foot traffic into habit and loyalty.

Dec 3, 2024 | Media, Retail, Advertising and the Economy, Industry Press Highlights Executive Summary: Black Friday 2024 saw a resurgence in in-store shopping, with a record-breaking...

As the media world and brands and retailers rsquo; ad spending becomes ever-more complex, competition is fierce, but more collaboration is required so everyone in that competitive arena can succeed. The expansion of media channels to engage with consumers more effectively and efficiently has diluted audiences on some of those channels, but agencies and advertisers have more pathways to reach targeted consumers, which is a positive trend.

I’ve seen a series of posts offering tricks and techniques to eliminating objections. Every day, we see experts commenting on objections, “how to overcome them, how to handle them, how to eliminate them.” Objections are often positioned as a battle between sellers and the customer, with our objective to prevail, defeating the customers’ objections

Kick off the week strong with these must-run co-op campaigns your customers will be excited to promote!
• Bring Beauty to Every Room With Benjamin Moore! — Inspire fresh spaces with premium paints and colors that transform any home.
• Poolife Pool Opening Deals! — Help customers get pool-ready with essential supplies and seasonal savings.
• The Lincoln Spring Sales Event! — Elevate the driving experience with luxury offers on Lincoln vehicles.
• Kuhn North America’s Spring Savings! — Equip for the season ahead with dependable agricultural equipment and strong savings.
• Winchester Super X Pump Turkey Rebate! — Gear up for the season with trusted performance and limited-time rebates.
• Book a Culligan In-Home Water Test Save! — Promote cleaner, better-tasting water with convenient in-home testing and savings.
• Generac Spring Sales Event! — Stay prepared with reliable power solutions and special spring offers.

Great conversations don’t just happen—they’re sparked by intention.
At Marketing Insights, we know that effective prospecting is where strategy meets connection.

Smart outreach isn’t about volume—it’s about value. It’s being prepared, purposeful, and personal from the very first touchpoint. Whether you're identifying new opportunities or reaching out to potential clients, how you begin sets the tone for everything that follows.

This collection of quotes highlights:
✨ The importance of doing your homework before you reach out
✨ How thoughtful outreach builds credibility and curiosity
✨ The art of turning first impressions into lasting relationships

Increasingly, you hear the argument being made that CEOs need to allow their employees to do more — that is to say, to take part in the leadership process. The upshot? As the senior leader, it’s no longer about asking your team to blindly execute a job description or tasks you feed to them and judge them by, then wonder why they seem less than engaged.

Despite the challenges of agricultural product tariffs, the opioid crisis and media’s tendency to describe rural America as “flyover” states, the region is as optimistic as a new spring planting. Like that next harvest, there is a stirring in the land not only to honor and preserve its traditions, but also to build upon those strengths with the careful introduction of new technologies and other innovations to grow a better future.

Today’s local media sales professionals — whether selling newspaper, magazine, TV, billboard, or digital — must go beyond selling ad space. As local businesses face a more complex customer landscape, success lies in understanding and educating clients on the full buyer’s journey. By aligning traditional and digital tactics across awareness, consideration, and decision stages, reps can elevate their value and become indispensable marketing partners. This strategic approach increases campaign effectiveness, boosts renewals, and turns one-off buys into long-term relationships.

People and, therefore, consumers are complex creatures.  It’s even more the case today, as the world, in general, and the lives we live, specifically, bear little or no resemblance to the world and the lives of our childhood, whether we are Baby Boomers or Millennials. The rapid technological transformations we are experiencing today and those that will overwhelm and amaze us during the remainder

Local advertising agencies can use AI to improve efficiency and client outcomes. This article covers how agencies can automate routine tasks like email marketing, enhance content creation with AI writing tools, and optimize ad performance using platforms like Google Performance Max. It also explores predictive analytics and personalization strategies that help agencies deliver more targeted, data-driven campaigns. Real-world examples and case studies demonstrate how even small agencies can start using AI today to gain a competitive edge and deliver smarter, more effective marketing solutions.

BrightEdge’s 2025 industry report shows that AI-driven search is growing rapidly, but organic search remains the dominant driver of conversions and brand visibility. While AI referrals account for less than 1% of total traffic today, they are doubling month over month, signaling a major shift in how consumers discover products and services. For local media sales reps and ad agencies, this means combining traditional SEO with strategies that help clients appear in AI-generated results—through structured data, authoritative content, and local media mentions. The report emphasizes that local credibility and trusted content are becoming essential signals for AI models, giving local publishers and agencies a competitive edge. The key takeaway: success in 2025 requires selling not just impressions, but discoverability across both search and AI ecosystems.