• Every great idea starts as someone else's bad idea. Trying out new ideas is the only way to grow your business!
• Don't fear failure. Sometimes a business decision doesn't work out, but that's just another step towards progress.
• Be fearless, not foolish. Review the data you've collected and choose your direction from there.

The measure of a business is measurable results— and how you measure those is half the battle. On this episode of The Briefcase, Alton Buzzell, Director of Marketing at Hollywood Casino Bangor, talks to Ric about some cold, hard numbers—and how to use them correctly. If you're not operating with good, clean numbers, you won't know where you're going, but when you're working with good data, your map is as clear as day.

What You'll Learn

• Data is king: it lets you see what kinds of payoffs your efforts are giving you back- the good and the bad, what works and what needs to be changed.
• The way you find your measurable results might not be set in stone, so make sure you use the right tools for the right times.
• You have to have enough data to make sure your information is correct— a low sample size can mean an awful lot of things, but for certain, it means that you're not getting the whole story.

Want to hear more from Alton? Check out Lights, Slots, Action!, a Hollywood Casino podcast by Sutherland Weston!

Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/

February is the best time of the year for Sutherland Weston's Podcast & Content Production Coordinator, Ian Buck. But not because of the big game: he's tuning in for the ads! Every year, companies put out their best ads for the time slots where they know everyone will be watching. Some take big swings, some play it safe. Some reach the stars, and some fall on their face. On this episode of Sutherland Weston's The Briefcase, Ian and Ric take you through the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Super Bowl... ad breaks!

What You'll Learn

• Good ads look good: a bold visual style sets your advertisement apart from the rest!
• Good ads tell stories: don't just say 'buy my product'! Show what your product does, and why someone would need it.
• Good ads are clever: funny, witty, smart, or just wise to what you're selling, ads that know what they're doing are one step closer to success.

Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/

This episode of The Briefcase brings in a special guest, Kristen Oliver, former Senior Account Manager at Sutherland Weston, who shares the story that changed how the United Way of Eastern Maine operated forever. It isn't about asking someone what to do, it isn't about telling someone what to do: it's about inspiring them. (So, you can dance if you want to!)

What You'll Learn

• Humans look to connect, and there are many ways we can, but the tried and true method is through dance!
• There's a crucial variable to the start of a rally: the very first follower is what makes a movement move.
• Inspiration is not a waste; it's a more powerful tool, and more contagious, than you think.

Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/

This episode of The Briefcase brings in a special guest, Jessica Ward, Vice President of Philanthropy of Heart of Maine United Way, former Senior Account Manager of Sutherland Weston, and former teacher, who walks us through the thread of all the jobs she's held: relationships. Relationships are the pillar that upholds not only a business, but a person themselves: Jess understands this well, and shares some tips on how to make these relationships blossom.

• By establishing trust between yourself and another, you also establish yourself as trustworthy— and that idea can spread around!
• Putting relationships first means that you're first and foremost there to help other people, and that means a lot in the eyes of others.
• With trust and curiosity already out in the open, it's all the easier to help other people dive in to work, to find solutions together.

Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/

This episode of The Briefcase brings in a special guest, Jessica Ward, Vice President of Philanthropy of Heart of Maine United Way former Senior Account Manager of Sutherland Weston, to talk about their favorite project in their history of working in the field. Her story is one with a lesson, and it connects to both the past and the present of the industry: with clients and peers, trust the process.

• There is a process to making good marketing, and that process requires both the firm and the client to work together.
• Marketing is a conversation between the firm, the client, and the consumer. In all three instances, the most important factor is trust.
• By establishing a rapport between the client and the agency, the results that are produced will be worth it.

Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/

• Any business wants to get bigger, because getting bigger gets you more money.
• Growth is growth, no matter the size you start at. Even bringing your business down the lane is improvement.
• It's good to branch out into new things, but don't let your ads become your product: it's football, not a fashion show.

Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/

• It pays to think about the well-being of your clients.
• Sometimes, connection is more critical than product features.
• The message that you want to deliver, first and foremost, is that of care.

Gotta question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at https://sutherlandweston.com/