In Mia’s most recent column, she wrote about marketing lessons she found herself considering while enjoying one of her favourite past times – snowboarding.  

 “While snowboarding with my class last weekend, I had the opportunity to chat with a group of wonderful mothers who all had one thing on their minds: what to do with their kids for March break,” Mia writes. “I’ve written about how important it is for businesses to connect with mothers. This is especially important for companies that are marketing vacations – a big purchase decision for which mothers are fast becoming the key influencers.”

As a result of the growing flurry of conversations online, companies are quickly seeing the effectiveness of a strong message delivered through strategic social-media activity to get people excited about their products and services.

“So while chatting with this group of mothers, I considered this lesson: when spreading the word about your product or service, it is just as important to promote all of your ancillary offerings as it is to promote your key features,” Mia writes. “Companies often promote just the core offering, but when selling to mothers, it is often the broader offer that will activate the sale.”

While at British Columbia’s Big White Ski Resort, Mia’s seven-year-old daughter strapped on ice-climbing boots, a harness and helmet, and grabbed an ice pick, before ambitiously trying her hand at climbing a 60-foot tower of ice.

“As a mother, I was amazed. As a marketing professional, I realized the potential,” Mia writes.

“When I’m looking online for great places to snowboard, the marketing is always focused on the mountain. But Big White markets to families and speaks directly to mothers. Both online and offline, this resort shares a story that paints a picture of a broad range of services that will make you and your family’s overall experience memorable and unique,” Mia writes.

“We know that the Internet is having a huge impact on everything from shopping habits to marketing practices – the hurdle is to capitalize on these changes and not get lost in their dust.”

Check out Mia’s column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.

Mia’s last two columns were very different, but had one important thing in common: they both featured a great Canadian entrepreneur.

Last week’s column, “The Mark knows how to make content king,” featured Jeff Anders, co-founder and CEO of The Mark – a daily online forum for news, commentary and debate.

“First developed in 2007 and launched in 2009, The Mark was founded on Mr. Anders’ idea that thousands of credible Canadians have important things to say but cannot reach a national audience,” Mia writes. “What makes this media company stand out is that its site’s content isn’t written by paid journalists but by professional Canadians offering up their educated opinion for free. The Mark team curates their submissions.”

“The Mark brand benefits from the credibility and loyal following of its contributors, and the contributors and public benefit from having a space to freely share and debate their ideas,” Mia adds.

The site already has 1,300 contributors, including scientist David Suzuki; Melissa Auf der Maur, former bassist for The Smashing Pumpkins; Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, and Laura Calder, host of the Canadian TV series French Food at Home. Even the advisory board is impressive, including people such as Jordan Banks, managing director of Facebook Canada; and Arlene Dickinson, CEO of Venture Communications Ltd., known for her role on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. While The Mark’s use of well-known contributors has certainly helped grow its traffic, The Mark has also taken the steps to truly engage its audience with its content.

Anders says that over the years he has seen a shift in how people like to be communicated with, and understanding that shift has contributed to the development of The Mark’s communications strategy.

“So much of the traditional engagement between brands and their audiences has been episodic. It is six weeks long, you throw a bunch of money at it, and then go dark for the next three months, until it is time for another campaign,” he says. “Relationships simply don’t work that way.”

“Advances in technology have created a culture hungry for information that is interesting, relevant and engaging,” Mia writes. “If you want your brand to be remembered, you need to provide this through your marketing and communications strategies.”

Or, as Mr. Anders puts it, “every organization now needs to be a publisher.”

The week before, Mia featured FACE Atelier president and CEO Debbie Bondar, for the column “Makeup artists help products shine.”

“Bondar knew when she founded the company that if she could garner the support of professional makeup artists, their endorsements would be a huge catalyst in driving the brand forward,” Mia writes. “With an enormous number of competitors, and the high price of advertising and mass makeup giveaways, Bondar believed that the pros would be instrumental in getting the word out.”

Bondar searched training programs online, approaching dozens of schools. She eventually came across a new continuing education program founded by Michael DeVellis, former MAC Cosmetics executive director of artist relations. When DeVellis connected Bondar with renowned makeup artist billy b, it was the beginning of something big. He loved FACE Atelier’s foundation, and later praised it to a captive audience at New York’s Makeup Show.

“Today, FACE Atelier is found in the kits of makeup artists worldwide and it is worn by celebrities including Lady Gaga and Fergie, as well as the everyday woman,” Mia writes. “Its products have been featured in magazines such as People, InStyle, Elle and Marie Claire. The brand was even a sponsor for Madonna’s Confession tour.”

“Everything is a building block, even though you’re not always sure if the next block you put on the pile is going to be a tipping point,” Bondar reflects. “FACE Atelier was built on relationships. Through e-mails, and through this wonderful thing they call the Internet, you can build a business.”

Both The Mark News and FACE Atelier have great stories: these companies were built by two ambitious Canadian entrepreneurs who have not only pushed the boundaries of communications, but created strong, innovative businesses in the process.

To read more about the entrepreneurs that Mia has featured, check out her column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.

Mia’s last two columns were very different, but both worth a read if you haven’t seen them yet.

In the first,  “Know when it’s time let things go,” Mia shared her top New Year’s resolution for small business owners.

“To be clear, I’m not telling you to let go of your business or your ambition for great things – but you do need to realize when it is time to let go of the everyday stuff that has become too big for you to manage on your own,” Mia writes.

Profiling the strong relationship between BC-based photographer Kathryn Langsford and marketing consultant Crystal Munro, this column explores the tremendous benefits small business owners can realize by drawing on professional marketers.

“The more freed up my brain is, the better my work looks,” says Langsford. “So as soon as I was financially able to, anything I could outsource, I did – in order to be the best artist that I could.”

Munro articulated the hesitation she sometimes sees from businesses unsure about seeking outside marketing support.

“Some small business owners want to hold everything close, and they are so scared to let go because their business that they have built is like their baby,” says Munro. “To many, outsourcing is like sending a kid off to college.”

But just as your child grows older and you have to stop the handholding, the same is true for a rapidly growing company.

“You need to be able to let go to take it to the next level. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck at the plateau,” Munro says.

Mia writes:

“The relationship [Munro] and Langsford have built is inspiring – and offers a great lesson for growing small businesses. Whether you hire a new staff member, outsource to a consultant or bring in a professional public relations or marketing firm, the benefit of a professional, fresh set of eyes for your marketing strategy will be huge. You just have to be willing to let it happen.”

Her second column, “UFC’s social media strategy packs a punch” highlighted how the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its president Dana White have harnessed the power of social media to build excitement and interest in fans.

Mia writes: “Social media outreach from the president and the fighters appears to be a key component of UFC’s marketing game plan. White is known for his frank nature and impromptu ticket giveaways via Twitter. With White at the helm, the UFC is delivering a level of authenticity and accessibility that many other big sports just don’t have.”

“I may not be an ultimate fighting fan – but there is something to be said for the excitement the organization has generated with its brand,” Mia writes. “The takeaway is this: If you’re not getting the kind of coverage that you’d like, you need, in your own unique way, to keep working on getting your audience, customers and teams excited. Once you achieve that, you will create a story that will be hard for others to ignore.”

Check out Mia’s column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.