Meet Nick Henderson, Sandstorm’s new Relationship Manager. A friendly guy in person and on the phone, Nick is building relationships with new clients in addition to strengthening our connection with current clients. Nick comes from a long experience working one-on-one with many organizations and associations, and we’re glad to add his skills and personality to our Chicago marketing firm. You can often find him hitting the links (golfing, that is, although at Sandstorm, he can help you to create some links on your user-oriented web site). Being a proud Texan, Nick is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys and The Texas Rangers. (We promise to not hold that against him).

We’re glad to have you working alongside us. Welcome, Nick!

After passing our favorite tapas plates around the table, we exchanged dirty santa gifts. Among the many gifts there was a vintage fondue pot, a pop culture history book, a mustache cookie tray, fancy salt and pepper shakers and a book of Elvis paper cut-outs. And as if the holiday party itself weren’t amazing enough, we didn’t come into the office until 1:00 PM the next day. AND it was pajama day. Do you see why we love the holidays?

Check out the pictures of the holiday party below, and see more on our Facebook!

View all of Sandstorm’s holiday party photos on Facebook. Learn more about our Chicago web design, interactive and marketing firm.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t elves. Maybe a few of the Sandstorm staff came into the office unenviably early to set up the surprise. Either way, our Chicago marketing firm now has quite the magical, merry vibe. There’s a cozy fireplace next to the tree, candy cane poles, a light-up Santa Claus and garland galore. See for yourself in the pictures below:

What can I say, this is our favorite season. From all of us at Sandstorm, Happy Holidays!

See more pictures on Sandstorm’s Facebook page—and don’t forget to like us!

With this relocation, we have expanded space for collaboration and day-to-day activity. This includes an on-site usability lab, ideal for conducting formal and informal usability studies. Our “zen room” is the ideal place to find inner peace.  The new office is distinctly Sandstorm with our giant swirl logo painted at the entrance (It’s 8-foot by 11-foot!), and 4700 feet of exposed ceiling pipe was hand-painted Sandstorm blue to give some added color to this former warehouse space. To see more about this exciting development, check out the Sandstorm Photostream. We even tallied all the numbers from the move, and put together this infographic.

Be sure to update your records, CRM system, and iPhones. Our marketing firm is now located at 4619 N. Ravenswood Suite 300, Chicago, Illinois 60640. Our phone number is the same, 773-348-4200, but all extensions have shifted with an upgrade to a new Shoretel phone system.

“It’s a really exciting time for Sandstorm,” said Sandy Marsico, our marketing firm’s Principal, as I snapped a photo of her with the package Inc. Magazine sent us. “I am so proud of our team’s relentless dedication to our clients and the exceptional work they produce.”

Inc. Magazine releases the 500|5000 list each year to celebrate the companies who are thriving in their industries. The Inc. 500|5000 site has the full list, along with features, graphics and multimedia. Be sure to check out the Sandstorm Design Inc. 500|5000 profile.

“We’re honored to be a part of such an inspiring and aspiring group of companies,” said Marsico. Everyone at Sandstorm is enthusiastically looking forward to continued growth.

Learn more about Sandstorm Design and our unique blend of marketing strategy, web design and usability services.

Some people like to put their brand identity on business cards and letterhead, others prefer choppers. That’s right—choppers. One of our partners, Aaron Equipment, got a custom branded bike from Orange County Choppers and appeared on their TLC show American Choppers.

The bike now sits proudly at their Bensenville headquarters. Of course, after visiting their office and seeing the bike, we had to take pictures. And who wouldn’t? This is really a great example of creative marketing—getting your brand out there by connecting with your audience on their interests.

Now that summer is in full swing in Chicago and the festivals have taken over the weekends, it’s a perfect time to get creative with your marketing. And “creative” could be anything from a custom chopper to a clever sidewalk chalk stencil. If you need a little help brainstorming some creative marketing ideas, let Sandstorm Design give you hand!

So, what makes an elevator pitch good enough to win a contest­—or for many of us, good enough to win business? First off, it should be conversational. It should clearly point out the need you are filling, the competitive solution you are offering, and how the solution will be carried out. And it should be short, sweet, and to the point. The student competition at MIT called for 60-second pitches. At Sandstorm Design, we do ours in 30… but maybe our elevators are just faster here in Chicago!

You never know what opportunities could be opened with the right pitch. Whether the challenge is a competition or a new client, this part of marketing is always fun and exciting. Learn more about our take on marketing strategy.

Check out our favorite marketing elevator pitches from MIT’s YouPitch contest:

We’re Hiring – Looking for an exceptional wordsmith who is a strategic thinker with a creative mind. User-experience marketing agency is looking for a talented and motivated full-time copywriter. Must play well with others and be willing to work in a team atmosphere to create unique, vibrant and strategic online and offline experiences. Some current projects include website writing and strategy, blog writing, ads and direct mail campaigns, marketing collateral, and conducting interviews. PR and social media experience a plus.

Applicant must be versatile and able to take on everything from script writing for an upcoming online experience to Facebook ads. Excellent grammar skills and proofreading abilities required. Must be a great communicator, and able to work directly with clients. Bachelor’s degree with 4+ years experience required.

Our firm is a thriving interactive agency with great clients in a variety of industries. Our team is a dedicated and hardworking bunch that enjoys witty banter, free snacks and takes the annual guacamole contest very seriously. Other perks of the job are 401k, profit sharing, health insurance, two paid volunteer days and birthdays are paid holidays! We are only steps away from the Metra and Brown lines.

If you are up for the challenge please send your cover letter, resume, writing samples and salary requirements to jobs@sandstormdesign.com with “Chicago Copywriter” in the subject. These materials are required for consideration. Local candidates only. No phone calls please.

We are so excited to welcome Adam Wilbur to our Chicago marketing firm as the Account Services Director. Adam’s experience in account management, leading account teams, marketing strategy, integrated planning and project management make him just the person for the job! On top of his many professional skills, he’s also got quite the hobby list – he DJs, plays drums, volleyball, kickball, and has a slight obsession with softball (if 8 leagues per summer defines “slight obsession”).

We can’t wait to work with you, Adam. Welcome!

So, what is the Twitter mindset? What do you DO on Twitter? It’s very simple:

1. Share – Facebook is about sharing who you are, Twitter is about sharing what you’ve found. Use bit.ly, tinyurl or any of the other little link web sites to share the articles, blogs and web sites you like, and add a little comment about why.
2. Reply – While it might not be a social network, Twitter is a social place. Engage in conversation. It’s fun and easy!
3. Retweet – If you simply want to pass along a tweet you found interesting without adding a comment, click the retweet option. You can also retweet the traditional way, by copying and pasting it, and adding “RT @(insert author’s username)” in front. In the few characters that are left, add your own commentary.

The best advice is to just dive in. Once you see how others are tweeting, you’ll get it. And don’t forget to follow our Chicago marketing firm @SandstormDesign!

Twitter will become increasing vital for networking and maintaining relationships with your overseas contacts, just as well those in the States. On top of that, it offers another valuable (and free) avenue for marketing your brand online (in seven languages, perhaps?). As you know, we kind of have a thing for marketing and branding.

If your company doesn’t already have an account, get one. And if you have one but you’re not using it, start now. If there were ever a time to jump on a bandwagon, this is it.

And the Sandstorm staff is looking forward to another type of growth – we’re hoping to grow some healthier personal habits! I asked around the office for the Sandstormers’ New Year’s Resolutions, and from the results, it looks like we’re a pretty health conscious bunch. Here are the resolutions:

• Surround myself with positive people
• Drop 5% body fat
• Stop eating high fructose corn syrup
• Eat better and be nicer
• Run on the treadmill every week
• Cook more home cooked meals
• Read new books, one classic novel, one work of fiction, and one fluff read
• Eat more organic food and less pizza

So, with salad on our plates, gym shoes on our feet, books in our bags and smiles on our faces, we at Sandstorm Design wish you a very Happy New Year!

If you truly love the freelance lifestyle and have excellent verbal and written skills with an agency point-of-view, email your resume, writing samples and hourly rate to jobs@sandstormdesign.com with ‘Chicago Contract Copywriter’ in the subject line.

Chicago area copywriters only, we need our freelancers to work on site at our office in Lakeview. Please, No Phone Calls. No Recruiters.

Sandstorm Design is excited to announce the launch of SRES.org! We’re so happy to provide this excellent resource to anyone age 50+ with real estate needs, helping them connect with SRES^® designees all over the country. The SRES^® designation, offered by the National Association of REALTORS^®, indicates specialization in the real estate needs of those age 50+. Baby boomers can visit this web site to easily search for an SRES^® designee near them, and prepare themselves for what types of considerations they’ll face with their real estate decisions.  We love working with the National Association of REALTORS^® and marketing to seniors, and couldn’t be more excited to launch this web site!

The Sandstorm crew gathered on Sunday afternoon with bowls of guacamole in hand for our marketing firm’s annual Guac-Off. I had suspected the competition would be steep, but my poor minimalist recipe really didn’t stand a chance. The colors and flavors of the different guacamoles on the table were diverse, intriguing, and sometimes shocking (chocolate guacamole?!). Once the tasting began, some of us couldn’t even tell which was ours. I personally made one round to taste them all, and a second round to try to identify mine.

In the end, it was a snazzy, secret ingredient that made the winning dish stand out. Janna and her husband Tim used smoked paprika (yes, smoked paprika) in their recipe and won the trophy! There were so many tasty guacamoles, but this one was definitely one of the more creative. Congratulations Janna and Tim!

How do you improve upon something you already feel is absolutely, fantastically wonderful? With Sandstorm Design’s annual Guac-Off approaching this Sunday at 4:00pm, this question keeps nudging its way into my head.

Let me make this clear: I love guacamole. I am a frequent visitor of the many awesome Mexican restaurants all over Chicago, and I have yet to try a guacamole I didn’t like. The flavors and textures span such a wide range with so few ingredients – smooth avocado, sweet onion, bold cilantro and tangy lime paired with salty corn tortilla chips. How could I possibly enhance such a winning equation in order to win our marketing firm’s Guac-Off?

And as the newest member of the team at Sandstorm Design, I must say, I am certain my competition is steep. Creativity is, after all, how we use marketing and web design to improve upon already excellent brands. Even as a newcomer it is quite apparent to me that taking something great and making it better is what our marketing firm does everyday. So I can only imagine what this team can do with a couple avocados!

Lucky for me, I love guacamole just a smidgen more than I love winning. So even if my dish doesn’t win, my tummy most definitely will.

Our inspirational quote will appear on our own calendar page (September 22) with our company name and  url. What a great way to increase our visibility and get a little free publicity. I love PR and marketing, and I love to win. This is such an honor. And a fun way to share a little insight about our marketing firm and the people who work here.

So you might be wondering, what was our winning quote and inspiration: “To become an exceptional leader, take the time to help others achieve their dreams” The extra special part – I found out today, on my birthday.

We are proud to announce the launch of the Seniors Real Estate Specialists^® web site! SRES^® is a designation offered by the National Association of REALTORS^®, an association we’ve absolutely loved working with for over seven years. SRES^® designees are specialized in the real estate needs of those age 50+, and this web site gives them a place to connect with each other and with anyone looking for an SRES^® designee. After logging in, members can update their profile, download marketing materials, or receive help with live chat. We’re so excited to launch this web site for the National Association of REALTORS®!

Thanks Trish! Looking forward to a great year :)

What I am most thrilled about is that so many companies are hiring this year – big and small agencies, corporations, associations, etc. This is good for the marketing and advertising industry, and even better for the Chicago people, for my friends, and my family. When companies hire, we all win – and putting together a job offer is my most favorite thing to do. In the interactive space, there is so much going on right now that when we call Creative Circle for some help, the position we are looking to fill is always in “high demand.” So what are we looking for? Great interactive account managers, web developers, UX designers, and we’re still on the lookout for that right marketing copywriter. Write us an interesting email and send us your best work (via URL please, no attachments), and we’d love to hear from you.