How to Market When Nobody Is Buying
Business feels strange right now. The stock market looks fine-ish on paper, but if you’re a small business owner, you probably aren’t feeling it. Leads are slower. Decisions are taking longer. Clients who seemed interested have gone quiet. You’re not imagining it — and you’re not alone. There’s a real disconnect between what the headlines […]
Video Marketing for Small Businesses in Kalispell, Montana: What’s Working in 2026
If you run a service business in Kalispell or the Flathead Valley, you’ve probably noticed something: the businesses getting the most attention online are the ones showing up on video. Not with Hollywood-level production. Not with scripted corporate talking heads. Just real people doing real work and letting potential customers see what they’re about before […]
The State of Small Business in 2026: Cautious Optimism and the Cost of Standing Still
Small businesses enter 2026 with more confidence than they’ve had in years, and more uncertainty about what to do with it. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index closed out 2025 at 99.5, sitting above its 52-year average for the first time in a while. A Citizens Financial Group survey found that 68% of middle-market companies […]
5 Marketing Strategies to Maximize Your Home & Garden Showcase Booth
How local businesses can turn tradeshow visitors into qualified leads at the Flathead Building Association’s biggest event 2026 Home & Garden Showcase Presented by the Flathead Building Association | March 7th, 10am-5pm & March 8th, 10am-4pmLocation: Flathead County Fairgrounds – 265 N Meridian Rd, Kalispell, MT 59901 The 2026 Home & Garden Showcase in Kalispell […]
7 Steps to Rank Your Montana Business in Google Maps in 2026
When a homeowner in Kalispell searches for “plumber near me” or a driver in Missoula needs emergency auto repair, Google Maps determines which businesses they see first. If your Montana business doesn’t appear in those top three results, you’re invisible to the customers most ready to buy. The numbers tell the story: the top three […]
The State of Small Business Marketing in 2025: What You Need to Know to Stay Competitive
The world of small business marketing has fundamentally changed. What worked even two years ago may be costing you opportunities today. If you’re feeling like marketing has become more complex, more expensive, and less predictable, you’re not alone. The data confirms what many small business owners are experiencing firsthand. Let me walk you through what’s […]
What I Learned Analyzing 15 Auto Repair Websites in Flathead County
Last month, I spent several hours doing something that probably sounds incredibly boring to most people: I systematically analyzed every auto repair shop website I could find in Flathead County. Why would I do this? Two reasons. First, I’m always researching local marketing trends to better serve the businesses we work with at Hill Media […]
Black Friday Operators Online: Marketing Breakout Session Recap
Deep-dive strategies from the tactical breakout sessions at the Marketing Operators Conference Following the main stage presentations at Black Friday Operators Online, the Marketing Breakout Session delivered granular, actionable tactics from brands executing at the highest level. Led by Connor Rowland and featuring insights from teams at Hexclad, Jones Road Beauty, and other leading e-commerce […]
Black Friday Operators Online Conference Recap: 15 Game-Changing Strategies from E-commerce’s Top Minds
Complete insights from the Marketing Operators Digital Marketing Conference on Black Friday Cyber Monday Success The Black Friday Operators Online conference (9ops.co/black-friday) brought together some of e-commerce’s sharpest minds for a rapid-fire masterclass in holiday marketing. With no slides and just five minutes each, 15 industry leaders shared their most powerful tactics for winning the […]
The Service Business Owner’s Guide to Winning the Holiday Season: 10 Strategies to Cut Through the Noise
How Local Service Businesses Can Leverage Black Friday Through New Year’s to Build Momentum That Lasts I just finished attending the Marketing Operators Digital Marketing Conference, where some of e-commerce’s sharpest minds, including leaders from ILIA Beauty, Tushy, Portland Leather, Grüns, Ministry of Supply, Obvi, birddogs, SET ACTIVE, and Hexclad, shared their battle-tested strategies for […]