Category: Summerville

How Do You Deal with Spam Comments On Your Social Media Accounts?

2/25/2021

Dealing with spam comments on any platform of your online presence is sadly a very common thing that almost everyone deals with. In part three of this blog, we are going to be talking about how to deal with spam comments on your social media pages!

Hello readers and hello to our fellow Summerville businesses, residents, and friends! Welcome back to the Creative Consulting blog! We hope business is going well for you, and that you're working towards reaching your end of the year goals one day at a time! If you're not quite there yet, ask yourself what might be going on or getting in the way. One of the most overlooked things that can turn your business around is your social media presence. First of all, do you have any? Is your website skillfully designed and easy to navigate? Do you regularly post to your social media pages, do you respond to comments, emails, and direct messages promptly? Do you actually work on your SEO and Google ranking? If you answered no to any of those questions it might be time to reach out to us at Creative Consulting to help give your website a little TLC and truly give you the power that social media can provide. It's what we do, and what we are passionate about. We are also constantly dedicated to learning more about the social media industry to be up to date as much as possible to help our clients stay above and beyond their competitors!

In part one of this blog series, we began talking about the impact spammers and hackers have on your social media and internet presence and focused on how to deal with them in blog comments. Today, we are going to be discussing how to deal with spam comments and potential hackers on your social media platforms. While so many think that spammer comments and posts on your social media can just be ignored and buried by other comments, it is not a situation to be ignored or a time to hope that they won't be seen. These comments, posts, and the presence of spam comments can be very dangerous and damaging to your company and your brand. Remember, social media can be an incredibly powerful tool for your company; it can help build it up or spammers can help tear it down in an instant. They come in the form of fake accounts, spamming comments filled with hashtags, links, and one too many emojis, and direct messages that are not welcome. It takes time to deal with all of this, but it is well worth it to avoid any malicious intent or harm to your accounts or your actual trusted followers.

Fake Accounts

No matter if you've been on social media for a few years or a few months, you'll begin seeing and recognizing fake accounts popping up constantly in your inboxes and asking for friend requests. This is something almost every user of social media has to deal with. While accepting fake friend requests seems harmless, they can actually hurt your account, your credibility, and lead to an overwhelming amount of unwanted direct messages. These fake accounts can also lead you to some very nasty malware and viruses. One way you can deal with this is to not follow back every account or person that follows you on social media. While following accounts and others back is a way to grow your account, that doesn't mean you have to use this tool. AgoraPulse recommends avoiding doing anything automatically, as automated actions are against many social media platform's rules. Doing repetitive or automated actions can pause or freeze your account, flagging you as the issue. This can prevent you from commenting, supporting, and even posting on your accounts. Also, block those fake accounts. While it is very tempting to reach a certain number of followers (like the prized 10k followers on Instagram), these fake accounts aren't doing anything for you in return. Spam accounts, if liked and followed, can lead to a mass amount of spam comments and direct messages. They can bury important comments and messages from actual important customers and followers, aggravating them and losing their trust when they're not responded to. You will also have to deal with constantly emptying your inbox, deleting spam comments, and dealing with the repercussions of your follows seeing them. Just like fake reviews, companies are out there that are paid to create these fake accounts to post these spamming (and sometimes malicious) comments and send fake direct messages. From a customer's point of view, this is not a professional look you want to go for!

Be Careful With Your Hashtags

Hashtags are consistently a hot topic for social media users, managers, and marketers. How many should you use? Which ones should you use? How often should you use them? While the use of hashtags and which ones and how many to use will have to be a blog topic for another time, for right now we will say to use them with caution and with dedicated practice. Some resources, like AgoraPulse, recommends that you limit the amount you use, while other studies say to use the maximum amount of 30 hashtags with every post. There is no doubt that hashtags can help bring authentic users and followers to your accounts, they can also attract fake accounts. A lot of fake and spam accounts will use hashtags to target followers to follow them. According to AgoraPulse, 8% of all Instagram accounts are fake. According to Statista.com, there are 909.8 million users on Instagram, making 72,784,000 of those accounts fake! Reducing your number of hashtags to reduce the attention from fake bots and accounts can be a huge help. Be consistent with your hashtag research, and use an appropriate amount to get the appropriate amount of attention.

Bulk Messaging

Automated messaging has become very commonplace on apps like Twitter and TikTok welcoming followers to their page, inviting them to check out their latest deals, introducing themselves to the new followers, and adding an invitation to a website or a landing page. However, these come with a heavy consequence, and it might be time to stop using them and avoiding them if you can. This goes hand in hand with following fake accounts. Many fake accounts will use bulk messages that look legitimate to entice users to click on a site that will lead to a virus or other malicious landing pages. Bulk messages, if sent enough, can help false information to trend or go viral, leading to fake jobs and fake information to spread and overshadow actual and factual information that needs to be shared. On the other hand, if you use this as a tool for your company, it can be very annoying to your real followers and potential customers. They want to follow you, but that doesn't mean they want a bunch of direct messages filling up their inboxes. Bulk messages can prevent you from seeing important messages and opportunities in your inbox, too!

Comment Moderation

Just like we talked about in our first blog of this series, you need to be vigilant in monitoring your comments as best as you can. First off, be very responsive to comments and messages that are not spam, keeping this open communication with your followers is imperative. If you see a spam comment or a comment you believe is spam, go ahead and delete it. For accounts that receive tons of spam comments, this can be a big challenge. If you use posting platforms like Buffer, AgoraPulse, or Hootsuite, you can adjust certain settings to block comments that have certain words, keywords, and phrases to help combat this and help save you a ton of time. You can even go a step ahead and block these spam and bot accounts to cut down on these comments, and always make sure to report them. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook update their systems every year to combat spam comments and accounts, and while they are very efficient, you might still need to put in the extra legwork. You also have the option to turn off comments temporarily. While this is a drastic fix, we don't necessarily recommend it as it can disconnect you from your followers.

Reporting Fake Reviews

Genuine reviews are the make or break currency of the internet world. They can make or break a business in a matter of seconds. Like we mentioned above, some companies can be paid to create fake reviews. We've talked about the importance of reviews in the past, and how a few bad reviews and bot comments are ok, but when a business is overrun with fake reviews, that's when the danger sets in. Many review sites, like TripAdvisor, allow you to report these reviews. Staying on top of fake reviews is just as important as fake and spam comments. Remember, just because a review isn't positive doesn't mean that it is spam. Companies can pay for a ton of five-star reviews, and that looks just as suspicious. Fair warning, these reviews can be posted in bulk, so any action you can do to repair and monitor them is very important for the health and wellness of your business.

Taking responsibility against these spammers and bots is a responsibility that comes with having your business online. These are just a few of the tips available to you to help combat these issues. If you've come to the end of the road with these tactics, there are many others out there. Remember too, having an active social media account and monitoring your pages can help cut down on these malicious and annoying attacks. Active accounts can help you remain creditable and keep you in contact with your customers and target audience. While it might seem tedious, please believe us when we say that these actions are worth it. If you're having these issues or if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out! Until next time, stay safe and caffeinated Summerville!

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How Do You Deal With Spam Emails In Your Professional Inbox?

2/18/2021

Continuing with our current blog series, we are going to be discussing how to deal with spam and phishing in your inbox. Today's focus will be on how to spot these hazardous emails, how you can fight back, and how to protect yourself from any and all dangers lurking in your email!

Hello readers! Hello Summerville! Welcome to the Creative Consulting blog, coming to you from the heart of Summerville, SC just a little drive up from Charleston, SC! We hope that wherever you are that this blog finds you healthy and well! While we are still battling with the effects of a global pandemic, there is another difficult fight that many companies have to deal with daily; fighting spam and phishing comments, messages, and emails across their entire digital fingerprint. The scams and those behind them are becoming harder to recognize as spam, and they are becoming more intelligent and malicious every day. As we've been discussing through this blog series, it's something that everyone deals with, something that you can't give up fighting on, and something that sometimes is very hard not to fall into.

As we hinted in the first blog of this series, spam emails are starting to look more legitimate every day, becoming more tailored to their target audiences, and hard to recognize as spam. These emails can cause fear, frustration, lead to a virus destroying your personal or work computer, or expose sensitive information from your personal or professional life. We've seen it in the news multiple times as cybercrime has grown; a giant corporation will get hacked and millions will have their personal information exposed or personal information gets into the wrong hands. However, even more frightening is the fact that these scams can happen to anyone and any size company. These spammers and hackers don't discriminate, they just keep on working. How can you recognize spam emails and how can you protect yourself against them? That is what we will be discussing today!

How Do You Recognize Spam Emails?
Why put such a big focus on spam in email form? Why disguise them as big bank chains, Netflix, or Amazon? Email is a very cheap and costless platform that allows spammers and hackers to reach high volumes of individuals very quickly. Why the popular chains? It's the fact that almost everyone is connected to at least one if not all of these popular resources, making the scams look incredibly believable. According to westtek.com, more than 95% of emails sent throughout the world are more than likely spam. According to the Cisco Talos Intelligence Group, it has been found that 84% of world wide email traffic is unsolicited and malicious. With statistics like that, how can you fight against something so powerful? How can you recognize what is spam and what is not?

Make sure you know who is sending you an email before opening it. If you receive an email from someone you don't know or a company you've never heard of, approach it with caution.
Legitimate companies and real people will address you by name when sending you an email. A very generic greeting or one that feels inappropriate like "hi dear", "valued customer", "sir or madame", or "to who it may concern", is more than likely spam. Legitimate businesses would always address you professionally and by name.
Have you received an email that promises incredible wealth, weight loss, or an amazing deal? If something sounds too good to be true, it more than likely is. Spam will attract its readers with very promising and exciting titles and will entice readers by saying, "all you need to do is click here!". Avoid these emails as much as possible, and please do NOT click anything!
Many phishing or spam emails will ask you for very private and sensitive information. Real companies and individuals will never ask for this through an email.
One sure fast way to spot a spam email is finding very blatant spelling and grammar mistakes. Companies like Amazon and Netflix would never have common grammar or spelling mistakes in their emails.
Not only should you know who the email is from, but you need to watch for spoof email addresses. Many spammers and hackers will create email domains that look real and professional but are just a little off. You can take your mouse and hover over the email and see if any strange alterations like letters or random numbers have been added to the address. If it doesn't look professional or is just slightly off, it most likely is.
Avoid emails that are threatening or urgent. Causing fear and panic in their target audience is a very common tactic for phishers and scammers. They want to scare you into acting without thinking and giving up your personal information. No professional would threaten you.
Legitimate companies never force you to visit their website and they wouldn't send unsolicited attachments or documents for you to view. If you receive phishing or scam emails with website links or attachments, please do not open them or click them! This could give your computer a virus or allow the sender to take any personal information available on your computer.
A lot of the time, spam will call itself out by saying, "this is not spam!". That is the biggest red flag! A real company or individual would never have to defend themselves like that.
Watch how the spelling of the company is presented in an email. Your brain might not catch it right away, but it can be one of the biggest red flags that the email you're reading is a scam! For example - PayPal spells their name with two capital Ps. An email from the company would never spell its name as paypal.

How Do You Protect Yourself From Spam Emails?

First off, please install or have someone install anti-spam and anti-virus software on your computer. This special software will tag emails that are spam and can block viruses, phishing attacks, and dangerous malware.
Only give your email address out to people you trust and to companies you trust. Even then, you do need to approach giving your email out to companies with caution. Never post your email address publicly!
Once you've recognized a suspicious or spam email, don't open it and do not respond to it.
If you are someone who enjoys signing up for online contests, deals, and more, try to avoid using your personal or professional email address when you do so. Don't use any email account that is connected to sensitive information like your bank account or Amazon account.
Spam and other attacks can appear on your phone, too. To help prevent this, let your phone's software update automatically.
When you have the option for multi-factor authentication to log in to certain sensitive accounts, always choose these options. It will be a two-step process to log into these accounts, making them much more difficult to break into.
Always back up your data, and make sure that the backed-up information isn't connected to your home or work network. Do this for all of your smart devices.
Set up email filters to detect and get rid of spam before you even open it. Depending on your email platform, you can set certain words and phrases to be marked as spam and they can automatically be sent to your spam or mail folders.
When you receive a spam email, block them from sending you anything again.

How Do You Report phishing or scamming?

First, if you are concerned about your accounts you have been emailed about, instead of clicking on the links or visiting the website linked in the suspicious email, call the company instead and see if there is a problem.
According to the Consumer Information provided by the Federal Trade Commission, if you get a phishing email you can forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you receive a phishing text message, forward the message to SPAM (7726)
You can also report the attack to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Follow the link below to learn more and directly visit the Federal Trade Commission website!
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams

Checking your email and text messages should never bring you worry or stress about spamming or phishing, but sadly it happens every day. We hope this guide helps you to combat this daily issue, that it helps give you peace of mind, and that it helps to keep you and your company safe! If you have any more questions or comments, please never hesitate to reach out to us! If there is a topic you would like to see as a future blog, don't hesitate to reach out and share that with us as well! Until next time, stay safe and caffeinated Summerville!

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The Realities of Spam Comments and Attacks on Social Media (Part One)

2/4/2021

Spammers, fishers, scams, viruses, and their threats have become a dangerous daily reality for businesses of all sizes. To help keep you safe and sane we wanted to talk about the realities of these situations, how to recognize them, and how to deal with them.

Hello, Summerville, and hello to you, reader! Welcome back to Creative Consulting's blog. We hope we find you happy and well. Are you feeling stumped or stuck with where your company is going or with your overall business goals? We might be able to help with that! We specialize in branding and online exposure marketing through social media and SEO, we build websites, create content, and run all of your social media pages, and much more. Help the world know who you are and what your business is through the explosive power of social media. You can't afford to put it off any longer!

We have a very soft spot for social media, and we are very aware of the highs and lows that come along with it. It is an incredible business tool that is always growing and expanding. It helps you stay in touch with your customers, helps be aware of your target audience, helps you stay ahead of your competitors, and helps you share and show off what makes your company unique. However, with the good comes the bad. The internet is such a vast expanse that allows anyone the freedom to get behind their keyboards and share how they feel, oftentimes without a second thought to who or what company they could be damaged. Often time these attacks come without doing any proper research, too. The internet is so free and open, it also allows for some very scary, dangerous, and disastrous cybercrime to exist alongside us all.

Cybercrime doesn't just attack multi-billion-dollar businesses, it targets small mom and pop sized businesses too, and it can appear in many different forms across multiple different platforms. Emails have become a very powerful tool for hackers, and they have become more eloquent in their attacks. Sometimes it is very easy to spot a spam email with its awful design and terrible grammar and spelling mistakes. However, they are becoming more advanced, look more professional, and claiming to know more personal information than they ever have before. They're becoming more aggressive, nasty, and frightening as time goes on. A trend we've started to see is spammers and scammers showing up in your direct messages on Instagram and Facebook, in comments on your social media, commenting on your blogs, and even emailing you regarding the copyright of images and graphics being used on your social media platforms. Since this trend is becoming popular as time goes on, we wanted to explore and discuss the topic with our readers.

First off, if you've been through an issue with a scammer or spammer, please don't be embarrassed, it happens! As we mentioned above, these scams and attacks are becoming harder to distinguish as being fake or not. No one is immune to these attacks, they can appear in anyone's inboxes and in response to the content you choose to use on your social media platforms. Even Creative Consulting isn't immune to it! Below you will find two examples of spam that we've received, and these aren't the only ones we've received either. We get emails like this more often than you might think.

The first image on the left is of an email we received regarding an image on our website claiming that it didn't belong to us, but that it belonged to and was the work of the sender of the email. However, the graphics in question were designed by us in house, so it was something we were able to laugh off and knew was fake. However, pay attention to the tone of the email, if this was received by someone who didn't design their website or have a trusted source that did, it could be very scary. Also, note the links that have been embedded into the email offering proof that the images in question are the author's, and they have also included a link for "legal documents". The author invites and then demands the reader to click on them in a very believable manner. Both of these links are probably some kind of scam, virus, or a tool that could open up your computer and allow a scammer to have access to whatever they wish. As the message continues, the threat becomes even more heated, saying the images that are hers need to be removed, cursing is used, and more threats are delivered. While we knew this was a harmless threat for us, it's still uncomfortable to read, and could be very scary to someone else.

The second image on the right is a much different example. This comment, and many that we have received like it, have been sent in for approval to comment on a client's blog. Many social media management companies and blog writers will turn on the option that requires the approval of comments before they're seen by the rest of the world. While we have the power to stop a lot of spam messages, sometimes we don't. These messages range from very tame and kind messages to threats, similar to what you saw in the first image. While this comment might seem kind, we've received the exact same comment from multiple different "people", who are most likely bots. Also, note the circled name on the image noting where the email is coming from. Obviously, that is not an appropriate or real IP address of someone you want to be attached to your website or blog. Having spam comments like this, even ones that seem harmless can damage your reputation, your Google Standing, and credibility. So, how do you deal with this?

Spam Comments on Blogs

You might be experiencing a few comments once a week or possibly a daily onslaught of these comments, and as your blog becomes more popular the problem could continue to grow much worse. Not only is it annoying to deal with these comments, but it can also take a lot of time to hide and delete the spam. Plus, sometimes it can be difficult to tell if a comment is spam or not. There are multiple reasons why you need to be controlling and cracking down on this spam! Many of these comments can be linked to bad links, that when clicked on, will redirect the user right into a virus. Since this type of crime has been on the rise, Google has joined the ranks in cutting down these actions, and making note of where these dangerous links are appearing. You don't want to damage your online relationship and ranking with Google due to improper links, even if you had no control over them and they're found in the comments. In this situation, you would be getting punished while the spammer walks free.

Also, not staying on top of these comments, no matter how many you're dealing with, shows a lack of moderation and care for your website and blog, according to Forbes.com. Who wants to believe or follow the audience of a blog or website where it looks like no one takes care of it? Also, the readers you've had might lose faith in your credibility. What happens if you've been a long time follower and reader and because you put faith into this blogger, you don't question the authenticity of a link in a comment. Then, to your horror, you click on it and you have a virus and your personal information begins to leak out. You would quickly lose faith in returning to that website or blog again, right?

What Does Spam Look Like?

This has become more and more difficult over time. The use of letters or emojis that make no sense, a comment that has absolutely nothing to do with the blog itself, anything offensive, or a web link that looks questionable are obviously red flags. Other warning signs might be if a keyword or a username is used in the name field instead of a full first or last name, comments that appear over and over again that look like they've been copied and pasted, and email addresses and website links that can appear again and again are also other potential spam examples. Also, if a comment doesn't feel right to you, just go ahead and delete it. However, as we've mentioned before, this can take a lot of time to conquer, so what should you do next?

How To Control Spamming

One option is to allow a third party into the mix. Some platforms will notice repetitive comments and block them, while others require anyone wanting to comment to log into a third-party platform that will approve the comment before it's posted. However, hackers can still break these barriers, it can slow down your website, and they can make your actual readers uncomfortable. Some may not want to create another account on a third party site to leave a comment.

Next, you can use certain settings to help moderate your spammers. One option is to moderate comments from first-time users, according to NeilPatel.com. This will place these authors in moderation if they change their names, email addresses, or use an email link. If your blog platform allows it, turn off trackbacks, or you can install some plugins that have been built and designed to control spam. You can also shift the conversation to social media. Invite any questionable commenters to email you or continue the discussion on your social media platforms. This will show your fellow readers that you're handling the situation, and if you get no response, it's another way to justify deleting these questionable comments. If you use WordPress, make sure the settings to minimize and control spam are on. You also can turn off the comments on your blogs. However, according to Forbes.com, this can be a big disservice to your blog and company. If you decide to turn comments off on your blog, you could be missing a huge marketing opportunity.

Blogs with very active comment sections can help you get to know your audience more and provide great content ideas. It's a space for them to ask questions, share their opinions, and share new ideas.
Blogs and their comments help grow the personality of your brand. It's a way for your readers and customers to know the personality behind the company. The more you show up and respond in your comments, it will help you look more personable, approachable, and available.
Managing and interacting with the comments of your blogs is another example of your leadership. You're taking control of getting rid of the harmful spam and interacting intelligently with your real readers. This can rapidly increase your credibility, integrity, and overall leadership.

Don't be discouraged by spam or the time you might have to dedicate to managing it. It is a battle you can win and we hope these tools and suggestions help you feel prepared. Please check back for part two of this new blog series discussing spam on social media posts and found in your direct messages! Until next time, stay safe and caffeinated Summerville!

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The Truth Behind ADA Compliance and Why You Shouldn't Worry (Part Three!)

2/3/2021

This blog will be dedicated to our continued discussion about what it means to be ADA compliant and the best route to follow when pursuing that goal. More questions will hopefully be answered for you, and more advice will be provided on this difficult topic that has little legal ground and ruling to guide anyone through the process!

Hello, my dear and wonderful Summerville! How are you, dear readers? So glad you've made it to the Creative Consulting blog. We hope that where ever you might be, that you're happy and well! Also, if you're finding yourself reading one of your very first Creative Consulting blogs right now, please note that this blog is part three of an ongoing discussion about ADA compliance, and to fully get out of it what we feel is best, we encourage you to go back and read the first two blogs in this series!

How are you doing so far in your 2021? Are you still working towards your business goals? Have you been following the plans you created for yourself last year to find success this year? After how tumultuous 2020 was, outside of making some of the most necessary and important goals for yourself and your business, it might have been hard to see a bigger picture while walking into 2021! This blog is, of course, a safe space for all of our readers and fellow business owners. If you were struggling with your goals and resolutions for 2021, we have one that you can work towards, and we won't even tell anyone that you made this resolution after the ball dropped! Why not strive towards becoming as ADA compliant as possible in 2021?

Becoming ADA compliant, as we have been talking about through this blog series, is important ground to break for your company, while it is also very shaky ground at the same time. While it is something that is pressing for every website to have and heavily suggested to implement into your website by the WCAG (the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), we must remind all of our readers that there are still no official laws or rules about being ADA compliant. However, striving to make your virtual fingerprint enjoyable and accessible to anyone and everyone that visits your website is an incredibly powerful business move. Being inclusive in your web viewing audience is not only kind to humanity, but it can also help with your company's growth and sales. Being kind and growing exponentially at the same time? Sounds pretty perfect to us! However, while we have covered a lot of information on the topic, we wanted to finish out this blog series with just a little bit more about ADA compliance!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING ADA COMPLIANT?

First and foremost the best thing about ADA compliance is that it benefits everyone, and allows all citizens to have equal access to everything on your website.
One of the most important things in creating and building your company is knowing your target audience and continuing to increase it. Knowing who exactly benefits and wants your products or services makes advertising, developing more products, and keeping yourself above and beyond your competitors very easy. Allowing anyone to enjoy and view your website will increase your target audience without hesitation, allowing your business to potentially grow exponentially. Not having an ADA compliant website can lead you to lose millions of potential customers due to their disabilities. Not only is this incredibly offensive to this audience, but you are also standing in your way of continued growth as a company. If someone is unable to navigate your website, unable to access it, and unable to contact you, this will automatically turn them off and turn them away. It could even cause this individual to move onto your competitors.
Not being ADA compliant according to the most recent requirements can lead to your company being hit with some significant lawsuits or fines that could lead to serious money issues or even bankruptcy.
According to the Corporate Web Services Blog, a safe harbor clause does exist that allows the content on your website to remain the same unless it has been altered or created after 2018. If it has been altered after 2018, then it must be brought up to current ADA compliant standards.
Having a fully ADA compliant website can benefit all users, not just those with disabilities. Making a website easy to navigate and access helps all users. Also, ADA compliance can help your standings with your SEO and Google Rankings.
Not only are you making your entire potential and current customer base happy with an ADA compliant website, but you are also improving your reputation. Word of mouth can be the most powerful advertisement tool, and a pleased customer who truly enjoyed their experience working with you and who felt included will be very likely to share that outcome. They will feel appreciated and valued, which will inspire them to come back for more, especially if they've come across one website too many that wasn't ADA compliant. This will make your website stand out. Just the knowledge and fact that you put the effort and the time into guaranteeing that your website is ADA compliant is a really big deal. It is yet another way to set yourself above and beyond your competitors. In a sense, becoming ADA compliant can be its version of good free press for your website and your company.
For all of our fellow designers, builders, and coders alike ADA compliance in this current stage might seem very overwhelming, and you might be dreading the workload that could be coming your way. However, the silver lining is that in making these changes to your website, you might be ending up with a higher quality of code and product overall. Not only will this offer all the benefits that come with being ADA compliant, but it can also help your website have fewer bugs, faster loading speeds, and a much higher SEO ranking!

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE RISKS OF NOT BEING ADA COMPLIANT?
While this topic is still an incredibly grey area, that doesn't mean taking the risk of not being ADA compliant is the way to go. There are still many risk factors that you could be facing. Remember, Creative Consulting can help you through the process and you must be very careful when approached by online poachers or online ambulance chasers. Their sole goal is to target websites and business owners unaware of ADA compliance and scaring them into paying huge sums of money for their so-called safety. Well, we guarantee that this is very false information. However, if you are choosing not to be ADA compliant and choosing not to make these adjustable steps, that's a different situation.

You could end up with a huge lawsuit in your lap from another professional or the individual unable to view your website because they need it to be ADA compliant.
Legal fees could be heading your way.
You could be facing high costs of rebuilding your entire website to comply with the ADA compliance guidelines.
Your company could face some very ugly public relations issues, leading to a bad reputation, loss of clientele, and a drastic drop in sales.
To avoid a lawsuit, you might instead face a settlement outside of court which can be just as expensive as a court case.
You would be ostracising a huge group of individuals who deserve the right to view and access your website for your goods and services.
You could be facing civil fines in the $55,000 or more range that will be paid to the government if you do get into legal issues.
If your brick and mortar storefront is ADA compliant, but your website is found not to be, your entire staff could be made to take an ADA compliance course.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT NOW?
We are not downplaying the fact that ADA compliance hasn't been important since the use of the internet became widespread and used by millions every day. However, as the years go on and we all become more and more connected thanks to the overwhelming and impressive power of the internet, now might be more important than ever to be ADA compliant.

We've all be at home way more thanks to the pandemic, and using our computers and smart devices to work from home and to entertain ourselves. Imagine running into an important website or platform needed to proficiently do your job at home, but due to the lack of if being ADA compliant, you are unable to. Not only can this be frustrating and potentially embarrassing, but this can also lead to difficulties at work and potentially being let go, causing you to lose very important income.
Millions of children are still participating in distance learning, using their smart devices and the internet to stay connected, learn, and experience life with their classmates. What happens if your child comes across a website that all of their classmates can enjoy, but because it is not ADA compliant, they can't? How will that damage their lessons, education, and communication with their classmates?
The pandemic has also caused us to see how many individuals use the internet to buy important products like medicine, medical equipment, tools, food, and other supplies. The pandemic has made us realize online shopping is one of the safest ways to go about running your errands. If an individual is unable to access a website with the products they need and they are unable to get in touch with someone because the website isn't ADA compatible, the outcome could be catastrophic!
Remember that moving businesses remotely has been one of the main reasons why millions of businesses have been able to survive the pandemic themselves. However, not being ADA compliant can dry up your online customer base, leaving you as a business owner in a very dangerous professional position.

The big takeaway that we want to give each of our readers to have from this blog series is the fact that becoming ADA compliant is simple, necessary, but nothing you should be afraid of. Work with the correct individuals, like us, to help you reach this goal and you could potentially see your business grow exponentially. Honestly, there is also no question about it. It is a company's responsibility to every citizen to allow them access to their website. It's the right thing to do, it's our duty to humanity, and not being ADA compliant is discriminatory, which is beyond unacceptable in our books. As online designers, what is also unacceptable is big web design moguls using scare tactics to prey on unaware and uneducated business owners. It is our responsibility, as business owners, to help them, educate them, eradicate fear, and bring everyone smoothly and safely into the kind and generous world of ADA compliance! Until next time, stay safe and caffeinated Summerville!

To learn even more in-depth information and to stay up to date on ADA Compliance, please visit their website: https://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5toolkit.htm

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The Truth Behind ADA Compliance and Why You Shouldn't Worry (Part Two!)

1/27/2021

In this follow up blog, we are going to be continuing our discussion on ADA compliance on your website and what you need to know right now.

Hello Summerville, and welcome back to the blog! There is just nothing like a new year in Summerville. The whole town seems to be buzzing with new exciting energy working towards this new year's goals, new projects, and resolutions. It's a wonderful energy, and we can all feel it in the office. It has helped each of us stay focused, get to work, and inspired us to keep up with our own goals and resolutions. Thank you, Summerville! Let's make the best out of 2021 together, and let's be kind to one another. Who knows what this year or any year might hold for all of us!

One of the very first blogs we've shared this year was all about being ADA compliant, what that means, the challenges small businesses are facing right now because of it, the fact that many issues are caused due to lack of official guidance, and how the officials are going about correcting websites to ADA complaint before a bully shows up to do it first. Today, we are going to be following up with part two of that blog with even more helpful and important information to make sure your business is safe and ready to handle the changes ADA online compliance might bring this year.

What are the best ways to make your website ADA compliant?
Remember, you can do many of these changes yourself if you want to. Do not, we repeat, do NOT let anyone bully you into believing that they are the only ones who can make your current website or build a website for you that is ADA compliant and that you must spend an obscene amount of money to do so. You can work with us at Creative Consulting to achieve an ADA-compliant website or any top-notch design company that won't force or bully you, and our rates will be reasonable. Remember, outside of following these loosely based guidelines that have started to appear about being ADA compliant online, being ADA compliant can help position your business for long-lasting success and help to expand your customer base. While rules and guidelines are still not black and white, the WCAG (the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and other groups are paving the way. Until then, here is a list of suggestions and tips on how to make your website ADA compliant right now.

Make sure to really consider the visual content you are putting on your website especially bright, fast, and flashing videos, pictures, and other elements. According to inc.com, this could cause severe physical reactions to guests visiting your website that have epilepsy and other related medical conditions.
All of the content on your website needs to be accessible to users who are blind, deaf, who must use screen readers, who use their voice to navigate the web, and to others who use different types of adaptive technologies when surfing the web.
As we have seen web use continue to go up globally, and only expect it to continue to rise, making sure that your website is ADA compliant will allow anyone to enjoy your website and will allow anyone to become a customer of your goods and services without any issue.
One of the best ways to check how ADA compliant your website is, is to use a WAVE web accessibility tool. Google Chrome has a great option that will help point out any accessibility issues.
Consider your website design for every user. Do the colors, fonts, and sizes of the fonts prevent others from reading and seeing them? Consider all of the written content on your website when thinking about this including all buttons, headings, and external links.
If you have audio, video, and photos on your website, make sure to provide alternatives for each. Inc.com recommends captioning for video, sign language interpretation, and transcript options for audio-only content.
While everyone and every business has its own style and brand, going overboard with a very detailed and crowded website might put you at a disadvantage for many of your users. Simplify your website as best you can. The overcrowding of the products you're selling or having too much content can turn off and turn away potential customers. Also, consider your contrasting colors and how you layout your text. If it is very drastic, that too can get in the way of an enjoyable website experience for everyone.
If you are new to this idea, it might be best to acquaint yourself with the WCAG guidelines. The most up to date version of this is the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. It states that all the content on your website must be robust, meaning it must be able to be interpreted by many different platforms devices. It states that all content on your website must be easy to understand, access, and navigate and that it is easy to operate even with a keyboard.
To enhance your website for those who are visually impaired, make sure that text is written and typed and not displayed as an image. This will allow all devices used by those who are visually impaired to access every part of your website.
Consider adding Alt Tags for everything on your website! Adding Alt Tags for audio files, videos, and every image on your website will describe the object and the purpose it is serving on your website.
One of the most important things, and potentially one of the easiest adaptations you can do right now, is to invest in SEO and dedicate some time to working with your SEO specialist to help make your website ADA compliant. Adding alt text for everything on your website is so important, and including keyword-rich alt text can help you meet your ADA compliance and it can help you achieve every positive outcome that SEO provides your website as well. So, in this instance, you'd be killing two very important birds with one stone.
Not every user online can use a mouse to navigate their way through the internet. One great tool to utilize is to make sure your website has enabled keyboard navigation to allow your users who use keyboards or other devices to navigate, view, and access your website.
Do not skimp on this process. It will take time, but that time is worth it to your company and those who will benefit from these changes. There is no shortcut method to becoming ADA compliant, says FORBES. Make sure to work with a company that knows what they're doing, what the current WCAG guidelines are, and that they're spending the necessary time to achieve all of this.
When building or implementing ADA compliance, make it very clear what language the website is written in to allow text readers and other tools to identify this and work accordingly with this information.
Sticking with an idea of consistency can be the biggest thing to help you. If your layout is consistently organized and consistent throughout, it can be beneficial to everyone who visits your website.
If you are still unsure if your website is ADA compliant after considering and implementing all of these important changes, you can consult with an attorney who specializes in disability law to make sure.
Make sure that whatever practices you're using to clean up outdated code on your website is top-notch and running smoothly!

Well, readers, it looks like the topic of ways on how best to make your website ADA compliant needed its very own blog! Don't worry, we still have a lot more to talk about, and will continue to do so in our next few blogs. This topic is becoming more important every day, and we want to make sure you are prepared and informed. We appreciate you coming on this ride with us about ADA compliance. We hope that with each of these blogs, you are taking the correct steps to ensure that your website fits these guidelines. Please take this topic very seriously. While there are no official guidelines set in stone by law right now, that most certainly doesn't mean that it couldn't change soon. This is one of the main reasons why it is so important to get ahead on this topic, so once it is set in stone, you either will already be compliant with the law or you will just need to make a few adjustments! Until next time, stay safe and caffeinated Summerville!

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Creative Consulting: A Spotlight on Madi Kirkwood

1/20/2021

et to know the hilarious, hard-working, and creative individuals that make up the Creative Consulting family one blog at a time.

Hello readers, and welcome back to the blog! From all of us at Creative Consulting, we want to wish you a very happy new year! We hope that this year is one for growth, learning, positive changes, and exciting things for you and yours. While starting a new year can be overwhelming, we hope that you look at it with hope and walk towards it with an open heart and open mind. Also, don't forget all the goals, resolutions, and aspirations you have for 2021 were made to accomplish throughout the year. Don't try and tackle them all in January, believe me! By the time the 31st rolls around, you'll already be stressed, exhausted, and ready to abandon your goals. Part of making plans, aspirations, and goals is creating a strategy and a plan on how and when to accomplish them. Make sure to stick to that plan as much as you plan on sticking to achieving your goals. Do this with both your personal and professional goals, and you'll be heading towards a wonderful new year. We are here to help you accomplish all of your business goals for 2021, too! Looking to rebrand? Build a website? Have a logo designed? Create a social media play? Add blogs to your SEO? We are here to help you with all of this and more!

What better way to start a new year than introducing a brand new member of our team? While we ushered out 2020, we ushered in a brand new member of our team who arrived right on time and has been a perfect addition to our team. Summerville and beyond, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the one and only Madi Kirkwood! From one Maddie to another, it is my personal honor to write about and introduce you to her. From her very first day at the office, we could all tell this Summerville native was going to fit right into our crazy and creative team. Madi is still settling in, but she has put the first finishing touches on her office, has dove headfirst into her position and learning more about it, and is already coming up with incredible ideas to help move the company forward.

I do have to share my appreciation and admiration for my fellow Madi. A few weeks ago, a bunch of us were working at the conference table chatting and sharing ideas. Madi was working with me on these interview questions and having a hard time answering all of them. Talking about yourself is difficult, and letting someone (practically a stranger still at this point) write about you and share it all with the wide-open web is difficult and brave. I appreciate all of my fellow teammates for being such good sports and letting me share a peek into their lives. Madi and I share the love of Bullet Journaling and I admire her organization, her creativity, humor, and the dedication and hard work she has already given and shown in just the few short weeks she has been with the creative team. To jump right from graduation into a full-time job can be difficult, but to someone who has gone to school full time, worked, and had an internship all at the same time, this new time of transition for Madi will be a piece of cake. It is a joy to have her on the team, and I look forward to all the incredible things she is going to be doing for the company and all of our clients!

Name: Madi Kirkwood

How long have you been working at CC: Almost one month!

How did you hear about the positions: My professor from CSU sent me this way last month whenever the SEO Specialist position opened up, and I applied right away!

What do you do for CC: I am the Search Engine Optimization Specialist

What is your favorite part about working for CC: I love the team & how close everyone is here. A good team and communication are the backbone to any striving business, so I am extremely excited to continue to grow closer to everyone here!

What have you learned since you worked at CC: A better question is, what haven't I learned? I am continuously growing and learning more about how I can sharpen my skills and gain more knowledge every day!

What is your favorite part of your workday at CC: My favorite part of my workday is accomplishing a goal that I set prior to that day. It is incredibly encouraging to be able to succeed in the things I set for myself.

Favorite memory at CC so far: Any time I'm laughing with our team! I have loved being able to connect with my coworkers and learn about our shared humor!

Favorite Summerville Small Business (besides CC): Guerin's Pharmacy has held a place in my heart since I was in middle school. Memories of getting ice cream in the summertime or a cold glass of bottled Coca-Cola bring back amazing nostalgia.

What is your educational background: I graduated from Charleston Southern University in 2020 with my Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design & a minor in Business Administration in Marketing. I try to continue my education as much as possible because of my ever-changing field. I specialize in not only SEO, but I am also a branding and advertising designer!

What are your hobbies: I enjoy being crafty & doing digital illustration in my free time. I also like to play Indie style video games, going out in Charleston with my friends (socially distanced & masked up, of course!), and actively practicing self-care!

What is your favorite color: My most used color palette is a combination of shades of reds, blues, and yellows. I would say those are my favorite colors!

Interesting Facts about you: I am allergic to pineapple!

Favorite Food: Anything that has to do with potatoes, they're the most versatile food & I am a sucker for some good mashed potatoes!

Favorite Restaurant in Charleston/Summerville: Honestly, nothing beats my grandma's cooking, but if I had to choose, Eva's on Main is a wonderful place to go for a homemade meal!

Favorite things to do in Charleston/Summerville: Going to the beach and going axe throwing are some of my favorite things to do!

I don't know about you, but after I interviewed Madi and read through this, I had the strangest urge to go axe throwing and grabbing my favorite potato dish! I know I say this after every introduction, but I love how much more I learn about each of them when I get to write about them! I also enjoy how I can see each of my teammate's personalities shine through in how they answer. These blogs always make me smile, so I hope you are too! Cheers to January, Summerville! I look forward to another exciting year of bringing you the best Creative Consulting can give! Until next time Summerville, stay safe and stay caffeinated!

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The Truth Behind ADA Compliance and Why You Shouldn't Worry (Part One!)

1/9/2021

In this two-part blog, we will be discussing something pretty delicate in our world right now. It is one of our personal goals to strive to not only help our clients and fellow small business owners grow their businesses, but we also strive to educate others and tell the truth about what's happening in the world of business right now. Today, we are going to be discussing a very important hot topic, being ADA compliant!

Hello, Summerville, and hello 2021! How many times have you written the date wrong so far this year? I've done it an embarrassingly amount of times! Anyway, welcome back to the blog writer's desk, and while we are just a few weeks into the new year, it is still such an exciting time to own a business. While so many people hate the beginning of a new year as much as they hate Mondays, when we look at a new year we see the beginnings of something very special and exciting. We have the opportunity to grow and become the company we want to be, and to help our clients do the same. That, to us, is incredibly exciting and one of the many reasons why starting fresh in a new year is what we live for!

One of the ways we try to help all of our clients and fellow small business owners grow is to inspire them to look at every new year as a new opportunity. It's the perfect time to go after their goals and a perfect time to plan how to reach them. We also try to take the time in the first few months to continue educating our clients on what is happening now in our industry, and how that might impact their business on a day to day basis, and what to be cautious of. Currently, one of the hottest trends in the marketing world and the website design world is offering clients to help them become ADA compliant. It's a sad reality that many marketing companies will use scare tactics to force small companies into a website contract with them, claiming that they aren't ADA compliant which could land them in a huge lawsuit. This is such an unnecessary and cruel thing to do to small businesses, who are already struggling to make ends meet in the first place. We want to state that by law, there are actually no guidelines that state exactly what or how your website must be set up to be ADA compliant. At least there isn't anything yet. If you are being bothered or badgered by a company telling you otherwise, please brush them off or speak with us. They're being bullies, and we don't like bullies here at Creative Consulting. In this two-part blog, we are going to be talking about what ADA Compliance is, how your company needs to be approaching this term and its current guidelines, and why the threat of being in danger isn't anything close to what many companies will say that you are in. Yes, you need to be compliant, but there is wiggle room, which is what we will be talking about today.

Let's take a step back though before we get in over our heads or things get confusing. The ADA is the American With Disabilities Act that requires physical locations to provide fair access and accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Some of the most common examples of this are restaurants and public buildings must provide wheelchair accessibility and they must provide menus and other reading materials in Braille for customers who are visually impaired. Today, in our very media-heavy and driven world, ADA compliance has now spread out to the digital world and our digital devices. ADA compliance is now requiring all websites to provide accessibility for all on their webpages. This can include web content that can be used by those who are blind, for those who are deaf, help for those who must navigate by using their voices, and providing screen readers to help read and describe all content on the webpage for those who might not be able to see it. So yes, by law you must be ADA compliant and provide these options. Your website must also not prohibit the use of these tools that we've mentioned above that would prevent an individual with a disability to access your webpage as needed. However, here is the kicker! There are no clear ADA regulations that spell out how every website must be laid out and designed to provide accessibility to everyone with a disability. There is so much grey area, and so much unknown, which people are taking advantage of and trying to decide what it means for them, not for the digital world across the board. All it states by legal documentation is that all businesses that fall under Tier 1 or Tier 3 must provide internet content that gives at least "reasonable accessibility" to individuals with disabilities according to Business News Daily, but that is all that they say and no guidelines or examples have truly been supplied.

What businesses fall under these different tiers? That's when it begins to get a little tricky. Tier 1 Businesses are those that have at least 15 full-time employees and are open for business at least 20 weeks out of the year, and they somehow engage in an industry that adds to and affects commerce. However, if you have 14 or fewer employees (for example you are a self-employed company of one) and you work less than those 20 weeks a year, you don't have to comply as being Title 1. According to Findlaw.com any tax-exempt private membership clubs also do not count as being Tier 1 businesses. Businesses that are owned by a Native American Tribe are also exempt from being Title 1. However, Tier 3 gets a little more tricky because more businesses fall under its umbrella. Tier 3 businesses are businesses that are considered and live in the category of being public accommodations. Examples of this included and are not limited to:

Hotels
Gyms
Schools
All public transportation
Laundromats
Banks
Restaurants, bars, and coffee shops
Doctors Offices
Retail Stores
Recreation Venues
Much Much more

Think about it this way, if it is a business that serves the public en masse, then it is a Tier 3 business and they need to be ADA compliant both in person and now online. Remember, again, if your company does not fall under the umbrella of Tier 3 then you don't need to be ADA compliant in these sources either. This is where the grey area begins because there are businesses that exist that don't fit in either tier and there is nothing legally that states how they should handle being ADA complaint. This is where disability law can get very difficult and you can find yourself in a different position.

ADA was passed in 1990, making sure that all public access locations had to provide accommodations for everyone, including those with disabilities. 20 years later in 2010, the Department of Justice passed the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design which mandated that all electronic information and devices had to be accessible to those with disabilities. However, because the law states that you only have to be ADA compliant if you fall under Tier 1 and Tier 3, it is still best to discuss with a lawyer what you should do for their website to not run into any issues. While there is no reason to prevent someone with disabilities from enjoying your website and content, for those who don't fall under those tiers, you shouldn't be badgered into building a website with a company you don't want to work with because they are saying your not ADA compliant, and the only way to avoid a lawsuit is to work with them. Remember, there are no clear rules about being ADA compliant, however, again, you need to be respectful of the ADA complaint ideals. What we are trying to explain here is that you can make these additions and adjustments yourself to your website. You can even make your website more accessible for those who use different tools to access and enjoy it, and to make sure they aren't turned away from it.

Many companies today, since it is such a grey area topic with no real definition, will take advantage of the fact that this world has no clear-cut definition and will attack smaller companies that don't fit in any tier. They will bully and scare them into buying a website from them, and in our books that is a bad business tool. In the second half of this blog, we are going to be continuing our discussion about being ADA compliant, its current battle, and how to keep your company compliant while not being bullied by others to conform to their incorrect definition of being ADA compliant. This is a touchy topic and one that we need to talk about more. If you feel that you might be going against ADA compliance or in some trouble because of not following what ADA guidelines there are, please contact us and we will work through it together! Until next time Summerville, stay safe and stay caffeinated!

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Buy Now, Save Later: And A Very Merry Creative Consulting Christmas (Part Two!)

1/2/2021

In one of our very last blogs for 2020, we are wrapping up this blog series about the best things you can do for your business now to make the new 2021 the best year yet!

Hello, Summerville! Welcome back to the blog writer's desk! The year is slowly picking itself up and putting itself away, and boy was it one for the books. We are happy to see it go, and we are happy and excited to see what this new year will be bringing us. As all of us at Creative Consulting have been gathering for our last in-person meetings of 2020, it's been interesting to sit back and see what this year has taught us. First and foremost it has taught us how resilient our town is. Nothing can stop Summerville! In fact, through all of the challenges we have been through as a community, it has been incredible to see just how much we have supported one another and continued to grow together and for one another. We have seen compassion, hope, and the dedication each of you have to your families, community, and your passions.

We have also experienced so much support and an outpouring of love from all of you supporting small businesses of all kinds right here in town. You decided to shop small, give big, and give back to your community. You took more time to be proud of the movers, makers, and shakers right here in town, Thanks to that you now own beautiful pieces of artwork and homemade products made by your incredibly talented neighbors, and you have tried some of the best new dishes and desserts made from your neighbors that you might not have known about unless the pandemic had happened, a tough silver lining, but one just the same. We have also seen resilience in our industry that we are so thankful for. We are honored to support and care for your businesses, and to help build and support them to help reach all of your goals and more. It has been an honor working with each of you, and we look forward to ringing in 2021 with you and stepping into new beginnings.

In part one of this blog, we spent time talking about all of the financial things you can do right now to help save on your 2020 taxes. While many of those decisions, purchases, and money moves might seem like a little bit of strain on your business accounts at the end of a very difficult year, we promise that they are still good decisions. While you might feel every penny this time of year, you will appreciate the time you dedicated to following the list in our previous blog and spending a little more money now. Come April 15th, your tax expenses will not be as challenging to cover, painful, or a surprise. In this blog, we are focusing more on the business aspects of closing out a year. What can you be focusing on and working on now that can help you create the best business plan for 2021? How can you make your goals become realities? How can you uplift and support your team? Let's talk about it!

Year-End Count Down
Before we all wrap up our work for the new year and settle into our holiday parties with our coworkers, there is still so much left to do. This is our busiest time of the year, so we understand that sometimes things can get lost in the shuffle. Don't let that happen this year! Use this end of the year checklist to wrap up 2020 and get your head in the game for 2021! We know the pandemic has been devastating to so many of you, and many companies are still trying to recover from its reverberations. Keep strong, keep going, you've got this!

It's time to focus, plan, and lock in your holiday plan. Many companies will take off the last week or two of December for the holidays. Do you have a plan for your company and clients during this time? Do you have everything planned and in place to make this possible for your employees and profitable for everyone involved? If you are a client that is affected by this, make sure your needs are met before anyone goes off on holiday break!
Go over the goals you made for 2020, see how much you achieved, had to change, needed to edit because of the pandemic, what didn't work, and everything you learned along the way. Take all of that information and use it to set your goals for 2021. Sit down with your team and work on this together, and make it known to them what your plans and goals are for this upcoming year!
Take suggestions from your team on what can be done to improve the business from their end of things, and how you can improve their daily workload to help promote better business.
Gather up all of your tax documents and get caught up with all of your bookkeeping!
Revisit your pricing! This might be difficult on many levels depending on where you are, how your business is, and how 2020 affected it. If you're a new company and you've grown substantially recently, this is the time of the year to recognize that your goods and services are wanted, needed, and worth more than what you're currently charging. It's hard to allow yourself to admit that worth. It's even more difficult if you used your lower pricing to compete with your competitors and realize that raising your prices could put you in a similar situation with a newer and cheaper company. Trust your instincts and your worth, we promise things will be okay. Then there is the other side of the coin. Has business suffered this year? Are you needing a fast way to recover from the pandemic or another way to compete with your competition and fast? Lowering your prices might sound like a terrible thing, but it can truly save your business in the end!
Take time to honestly invest in updating your website and all of your social media platforms. Give them a good end of the year cleaning and updating, like a deep spring cleaning. If you don't want to, can't, or don't have the time, we might have the perfect company to help you with that! (Hint, hint!)
Inspect and revisit your business structure and model. Is it still working for you, or have you outgrown it and you're in need of a revamp?
Focus on and create a fresh marketing plan, one that is very well thought out and developed. Make sure that it is on-brand for your company, that this marketing plan is rooted in target audience research that you've collected over the year, and dedicated to making your company grow in 2021.
Spend some time thinking about your employees, and make sure to spend time thinking about the ones who have been with you for some time now before you begin hiring for the new year. Are their needs met creatively and professionally within what you can give them?
Think about some ways to give back to your employees, not only in terms of an end of the year bonus or a (safe) holiday party, but also in ways to make their office time better, their moral stronger, and their teamwork dedicated and focused. Plan fun events, (safe) gatherings, and (safe) leadership events for everyone to look forward to!
Sit down with your employees and get ahead in your vacation planning together. This can be key for small businesses when work needs to be shared while other teammates are gone. Get to planning now to not only make sure everyone gets the time they want but to ensure there is a business plan every time someone is gone!
Make sure to plan your vacation time, business owners! It is easy to sacrifice your time, but you need it just as much as anyone. Don't negate your rest and relaxation just because you own the company.
If 2020 taught us anything, it's to be prepared and to work together as a team when things got hard or when someone from the office was gone for extended periods. Were you prepared for that? Do you have a plan set in motion to cover anyone or any work when a team member is out of the office? If not, now is the time to start planning, who knows what 2021 could bring!

From all of us at Creative Consulting, thank you for an incredible year! We deeply appreciate your support and friendship and couldn't do what we do without all of you and the incredible town of Summerville. We are so appreciative to our clients who have been with us for years, our new 2020 clients, and all of our future clients. We wish you all a very exciting and wonderful 2021!

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Buy Now, Save Later: And A Very Merry Creative Consulting Christmas (Part One)

12/26/2020

The end of the year will be here in no time, and with only a few weeks left to spare, end of the year spending could help your upcoming tax season be much less painful!

Hello, Summerville! Welcome back to the blog writer's desk! While we are all ensconced with holiday cheer and joy, we know many of our readers and fellow small business owners are figuring out the best steps, plans, and decisions to make their companies bigger and better in 2021. We know many of our small business peers are trying to wrap up this crazy year as best as they can, planning for what they can, and figuring out and planning for the best ways to save money on their upcoming 2020 taxes. Oh yes, we are going there already. As much as you might hate it now, we promise you'll love us for it later! With so many small businesses being passed up on small business loans and other opportunities this year to help them through what the pandemic left behind, pinching pennies and saving what you can might be the difference between getting your head far above water and doggy paddling.

Like we said, we're going there. Tax season is going to be here much faster than we realize. We'll celebrate New Year's day, blink, and all of a sudden April 15th will be here! It will seem even closer for those who paid their taxes on the extended day of July 15th. Instead of having a whole year to prepare for 2020 taxes, it suddenly became 8 months to prepare. Four months makes a big difference when you're a business owner, you know that and we know that. So give yourself an early Christmas gift and jump on board for being prepared now.

Don't worry, you're not alone. We are already wrapping up our year, deep in planning mode for 2021, gearing up to be as prepared as possible, and ready to jump-start on whatever 2021 might bring us. So, as an early gift from us to you, we wanted to help you get organized with some tips, suggestions, and even a checklist for how to make 2021 your best year yet. In this two-part blog, we are going to be covering it all! This first part will be dedicated to how to save some nickles and dimes now to make tax season less painful, and part two will be an end of the year checklist to help wave goodbye to 2020 in the strongest way possible.

Buy It Now, Save Later!
Our passion is to help companies grow to their full potential and beyond, creating a powerful brand, voice, and social fingerprint. We offer website design services, graphic design services, social media management, search engine optimization services, and much more. Each of these services is beneficial for companies who wish to grow and expand, and to rise above their competitors. Each of these services is also what we are very passionate about. We continue to grow, study, and learn about the latest trends to continue to offer the best of each service. Have you or your company been considering a new website, a new logo, a new rebrand, someone to manage your social media services? Now might be the perfect time to sign on with us! Purchasing a new website or a logo design this year can be used as a business expense to help lower your 2020 taxes for next year! Up your game against your competition and begin bettering your business, all while saving money for your growing business now!

While we are talking about saving your company money, here are some other things you and your small business could be doing right now (after signing on with us for a website or logo project, that is) that can save you some serious tax headaches come April 15th. Please remember to save all of your paperwork and receipts, and make sure everything is documented and dated properly. This will save any confusion if anyone tries to challenge you when you make these financial decisions, and they will make your tax advisor and preparer very thankful for your organizational skills!

Check all of your withholdings
Look for every deduction applicable to your company
See if there is any pandemic tax relief that carries over from this year into the next.
Double-check to see if any tax law has been changed that could benefit your company, and take advantage of that.
Collect your tax credits, and if you have missed this in the past make sure to research what tax credits your company will be eligible for in the future! Don't let these get away from you!
Fund an HSA.
Add to retirement contributions.
Buy business equipment and supplies.
Establish retirement plans if you don't have them yet for you and your employees.
Donate to your favorite local charities. Donating items and property can get you a bigger write off than money in some situations.
Sell off your losing stocks.
Give your employees year-end gifts and bonuses.
Look into purchasing vehicles that are energy-efficient, or look into buying property.

It might be a little different, but with so many great opportunities to save money on your upcoming taxes, this feels like digging into your couch for spare change and coming up with fist fulls of twenty-dollar bills! We hope following these suggestions not only help you save money, but also help give back to your community and employees!

As a little sneak peek at what our next blog is going to be like and some things to start thinking about now, here are a few things you can start doing to revamp your business and save money going into 2021.

Negotiate with your vendors. Many of you might be working with other small businesses that have been hurt by 2020. If you are seeing changes in your product billing, your shipping expenses, and even on products that your company uses every day, don't just let that go. Contact your vendors and see what can be done to get a hold of these prices and if they can do something better for you!
It's so easy to get into the habit of buying extra products for the office. Too many fancy pens, extra envelopes, file folders, and much more. While we wouldn't recommend cutting down on things that make your employees happy (i.e. a fancy water cooler, softer toilet paper, snacks!) make sure you are double checking what your office is actually using and what it can let go of.
Talk with your landlord. Through this crazy year, you've been providing them with rent and have remained a very loyal and kind tenant. Approach them to see if there is something that can be worked out about the rent itself. As a thank you maybe it doesn't go up in 2020, maybe rent goes down for the first month of 2021, or your utilities get taken care of? While some people might scoff at that, the only way to find out is to ask. You might be surprised at the results.

There is still so much to share, so make sure you join us next time for part two of this blog. While it's so easy to let go this time of year and you just want to sit back and enjoy, please don't forget that there is still so much left to do! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your end of the year business plan, please don't hesitate to reach out and chat with us! We are here to help make this year and every year the best year yet. We are right with all of you who are burning your 2020 business candle at both ends, believe us, but we know the work and dedication is worth it! We are dedicated to helping our company grow to help yours become the best it possibly can! Until next time Summerville, make sure to shop small and support our community. Make sure to contact us if you are looking to design a new website or a new logo, and never forget to stay extra caffeinated this holiday season!

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Creative Consulting: A Spotlight on Maddie Casto

12/18/2020

Get to know the hilarious, hard-working, and creative individuals that make up the Creative Consulting family one blog at a time.

Hello, Summerville! Welcome back to the blog writer's desk for a very special edition of the blog. This is our very last team member spotlight (for now) and one of the very last blogs of 2020. While our beautiful little town is aglow both day and night with holiday decorations, people (safely) shopping and enjoying their surroundings, and everyone getting excited for the holidays, I will be officially taking over this blog. That's right! The blog writer herself will be stepping out from behind the pen and you will get the chance to get to know her a little better! I thought it would only be fair since my wonderful teammates took the time to let me interview them. While the appeal of being the mysterious masked writer for Creative Consulting does have a nice ring to it, I do have a substantial amount of FOMO (fear of missing out), so I thought why not? Let's jump into this thing, shall we?

Hello, everyone! My name is Maddie Casto and I am the blog writer for Creative Consulting! I was born in raised in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Wright State University with my BFA in Musical Theatre. I moved to New York City in 2012 with some of my best college friends, and we all dove into the world of the New York Performer; catering and auditioning. I didn't realize that once I settled into my very overpriced and tiny apartment that I would spend so much time in my polyester tuxedo and waking up at ungodly hours to stand in the line (in ALL weather) with everything I own to sing and act as best I could under two minutes for a bunch of strangers. Sometimes I'd have a great audition and a great catering shift, other days my audition bag would break in the middle of 8th avenue and a guest would "accidentally" splatter salsa down my all-white (oh yes, we had all white catering tuxedos too!) catering outfit in front of the high strung party planner. I was one of the lucky ones, though. I lived with some of the best people I've ever known, got to explore New York City like a local, and I did get to perform.

No one really tells you that once you get to New York that you'll be spending a lot of time moving away from it to go work while finding a (hopefully nice and clean) sublettor to fill your room and pay your rent while you're gone. Everything was worth it though, I've learned that more times than I can count. On top of multiple regional roles, I got to tour the United States with a children's show called "How I Became A Pirate", I got to perform in Las Vegas and Flordia with a jukebox musical called "The D*Word; Ditched, Dumped, Dating, and Divorced", I worked at one of most beautiful resorts in the United States singing some of my favorite music, and all along the way I continued to work and meet some incredible people while I was doing what I loved. At the end of my contract at said beautiful resort, I happened to send in my headshot and resume to a brand new theater in Charleston, SC for a brand new 1940s Musical called "Boogie Woogie Bugle Gals", and the rest is history. Thanks to this brand new theatre (34 West Theatre Company), Charleston became home before I even realized it. I was very lucky to do four shows with them back to back, hopping back and forth between New York City and Charleston between each one. Then, I met a redheaded chef, fell in love with him and his two very fat cats, and Charleston officially became home. I was in the middle of a wonderful artistic community, I loved this city, and I loved the person I was experiencing it with. I had grown up going to Myrtle Beach every year (don't hate - North Myrtle has a lot of charm!), but this was an introduction to a beautiful and bustling southern town that I didn't expect. I fell in love with so much, and fell in love hard. (Hello - can we talk about the food?!)

One thing many performers won't tell you or talk about is their time in-between shows. That's because it's not the most glamorous or mentally healthy time for a performer. Granted, if a period in between a show is your chance to see your family and friends or go on vacation, that's a totally different story. If you come off of a long contract, get a chance to settle in back at home, and a chance to recover, and still don't have your next show lined up? That's the danger zone. Your bank account starts getting low, your anxiety starts to get high, and you're curious if you'll ever work again. Many performers (not all - we are all very different and all have different paths) have what we call "survivor jobs" aka jobs that help pay the bills but aren't performing jobs. The best survivor jobs are the ones that you love and help ease that time in between shows. They are even better when you get to work with incredibly talented, hilarious, and kind people that inspire you and push you to be better. That's how Creative Consulting kind of fell into my lap - like many things in my life. All by chance, luck, and being in the right place at the right time.

I had been doing some social media work of my own ever since I moved to Charleston in 2015 (again by sheer luck!) and realized that it was not only artistically fulfilling, it was also something I could take with me anywhere. I could get a show tomorrow (well, maybe not TOMORROW, thanks pandemic!) and take my job with me. Ironically it was social media that lead me to Creative. They posted a job advertisement on Facebook, and I just figured why not? I applied, interviewed, and now a year and a half later here I am, part of the crazy and wonderful Creative family, still learning every day, still being creative, and incredibly thankful. 2020 was a doozy for performers, as you can imagine. While there are some performing opportunities out there, I personally don't feel safe about those opportunities right now. With family members and loved ones in those danger zone ages, being engaged to a chef who works at a very popular restaurant, and just being honestly a little afraid of this pandemic, I have chosen to put performing on hold until it's safe (for me) to do so. This is why Creative has been such a saving grace this year. I've been creatively fulfilled, I have a wonderful community of creatives around me and a job. These three things have been taken away from a lot of people due to the pandemic, and because of that, I count my blessings every day.

So, that's me! Now when you visit the Creative offices and you hear someone who is (naturally) a very loud speaker and could potentially be caught singing a show tune or two, you have a better idea of whos behind it. This is also a big virtual hug to the Creative team, and to the whole arts community. You've inspired me with your perseverance and the fact that we are in this together. Since I owe my teammates the same kindness that they gave me - please find my questionnaire filled out below!

Name: Maddie Casto

How long have you been working at CC:
About a year and a half.

How did you hear about the positions:
I happened to see a job posting on Facebook that they had put out looking for a content creator and blog writer. I filled out an application, and about a month later I had my first interview with Meg and Stephen. Like I mentioned in Rebekah's blog, I didn't think I was going to get the job, but looks like the universe had a different idea!

What do you do for CC:
I am the blog writer!

What is your favorite part about working for CC:
The incredible people I work with. They're hilarious, so creative, intelligent, passionate, and I love that my job is another unique creative outlet. In another life, I wanted to be a writer, and by chance, this job is letting me do that!

What have you learned since you worked at CC:
I would have to write an entire blog on this topic! I do feel that I learn something new every time I'm in the office. One of the great things about working for CC is that it is a collaborative learning environment.

What is your favorite part of your workday at CC:
Working with this incredible team! Also, there is NOTHING like how it feels when you've finished writing your blogs for the month.

Favorite memory at CC so far:
Right after I started working with CC, it was their 5 year birthday, and Meg and Stephen threw a huge birthday party with incredible food and invited clients and friends to help celebrate. Seeing that room full of people who loved and supporting the business and meeting the clients was such an exciting experience. However, there is a new great memory that I make almost every week - and I am so thankful for that.

Favorite Summerville Small Business (besides CC):
OH MAN - can I tell you, I love so many, but my new favorite obsession is the Cuban Gypsy Pantry. The FOOD! If you haven't tried it yet - GO NOW!

What is your educational background:
I graduated with a BFA in Acting with an emphasis in Musical Theatre.

What are your hobbies:
Journaling, reading, playing video games, spending way too much time with my cats, watching movies and TV

What is your favorite book, color, song, movie:
Favorite Book: The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert/Where the Crawdad Sings by Delia Owens, and the ENTIRE The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
Color: Red + Purple
Song: I have so so many. My dad was a radio DJ in the 70s and 80s and my mom introduced all the musical movies to me growing up. I feel like if I name just one, I'm betraying so many others! If There's A Rock Tie Me To by Snow Patrol is one of my all-time favorite pop songs - Roses Turn is one of my all-time favorite Musical Theater Songs.
Favorite Movie: Basically anything with Tom Hanks in it or basically anything on TCM or AMC.

Interesting Facts:
I am an only child, I've moved over 20 times in my life, my dad was a radio DJ in the 70s and 80s, I'm distantly related to Jacques Cousteau, I've met Rosemary Cloony's Brother (George Clooney's dad!)

Favorite Food:
Asian and Mexican food!

Favorite Restaurant in Charleston/Summerville:
Cuban Gypsy Pantry, Chez Nous, Rutledge Kitchen, Chubby Fish, NICO, Raw 167, Jackrabbit Filly, EVO, Millers All Day, The Daily, Bucher and Bee, Edmunds Oas

Favorite things to do in Charleston/Summerville:
Shopping, try new restaurants, spending time at the beach, spending time with my little family, and finding new coffee shops!

Thank you so much for coming on this journey with us - and here is to the continuation of learning more about our crafts, supporting one another, to a new year, and to working towards new and exciting things together as a community. Thank you for adopting me, Summerville, and for being so supportive of the company that has been so incredibly kind to me. Now that you know almost everything about me, back I go behind my pen! Until next time Summerville, find the silver lining in your life, and stay caffeinated!

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Creative Consulting: A Spotlight on Maddie Casto

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The Switch: CC's Blog

105 SOUTH CEDAR STREETSUITE ASUMMERVILLE SC 29483

Home | Graphic Design | SEO Social Media Management | Contact​Employment | Our Team

105 SOUTH CEDAR STREET
SUITE A
SUMMERVILLE SC 29483

Home | Graphic Design | SEO
Social Media Management | Contact
Employment | Our Team