Kristen Greif – ND2A Group

St. Louis: The Growing Hub for Tech and Business Startups

September 27, 2019September 27, 2019 by Kristen Greif

An evening view of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

When people think of tech hubs or havens for business startups, images of Silicon Valley or Los Angeles probably come to mind. Add St. Louis, Missouri, to that list. According to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Technology 2030 Report, the tech industry in the Show-Me State is on the rise, and it seems that trend will continue in the coming years. But don’t just take their word for it. Forbes even rated St. Louis #2 in its 2019 …

Supreme Court’s Latest Sales Tax Decision in Layman’s Terms

June 28, 2019June 28, 2018 by Kristen Greif

Because the Supreme Court doesn’t provide a SparkNotes version of their decisions, we’re putting their latest ruling—South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.—in layman’s terms. With Wayfair, the Supreme Court rules that states have the power to require out-of-state and online vendors to collect taxes. The court officially ruled 5-4* on June 21, 2018, effectively overruling precedence set by earlier cases, most notably National Bellas Hess v. Illinois (1967) and Quill Corp. v. North Dakota (1992). National Bellas Hess, Inc. was …

Audience Segmentation Tips to Help Your Marketing Plan

June 27, 2019May 25, 2018 by Kristen Greif

We all want our marketing plans to maximize profits and build a loyal consumer base. The best way to do this? Know your audience and speak to their values, experiences, wants, and needs. Narrowing your audiences helps make this task much more manageable. Dividing potential audiences into consumer subgroups based on certain criterion, such as purchasing habits, geography, and demographics, is known as audience segmentation. By segmenting audiences, you can find a group of like-minded potential customers that are …

Marketing Trends in Artificial Intelligence Use

June 27, 2019May 9, 2018 by Kristen Greif

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer restricted to science fiction, now being actively employed in several industries. The automotive industry, for example, is implementing AI to design self-driving cars for convenience, eliminating crashes caused by human error, and reducing carbon waste. In marketing, companies utilize AI to maximize profits and gain valuable information on consumer trends. Why is AI used in marketing? AI is valuable in marketing because it can synthesize vast amounts of information in an efficient …

What’s the Big Deal with Consumer Privacy in Marketing?

June 27, 2019May 8, 2018 by Kristen Greif

Although many other countries have comprehensive legislation regarding the protection of consumer privacy, the United States has relatively lax laws, particularly in regards to online data. Recent events, like the Facebook—Cambridge Analytica scandal, emphasize the growing need for further discussion on the regulation and ethics of collecting and selling of consumer data. What is consumer privacy? Consumer privacy, broadly speaking, is the idea that consumers expect their information to be kept secure and used ethically by those with …