Local merchants are joining merchants across the country in today's Cyber Monday promotions. Many are optimistic that shoppers will look for online deals today. Retailers like licensed massage therapist Amy Horn, are offering sales online. Horn says this is her only sale of the year, with additional incentives offered to people who buy gift certificates through the end of today, Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday follows Black Friday, the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season. For … [Read more...] about Merchants Optimistic for Strong Cyber Monday Sales
percent
Reaching Your Mobile Audience
Things have changed a lot since The Who recorded their song about being mobile in the sixties. Back then they were talking about being able to make toast and tea while on the road. Now, there’s a lot more people can do via their “mobile devices” – although toast and tea are not among them! Mobile phone usage online has skyrocketed in the last couple of years. Almost half – 48 percent – of consumers use their mobile devices to research or browse products and services, according to Oracle’s … [Read more...] about Reaching Your Mobile Audience
Weighing the Benefits of a Marketing Budget
In difficult economic times, many small businesses are forced to make difficult choices regarding their budgets. And while it may seem like a relatively easy choice to cut a marketing and advertising initiative before many other alternatives, the results – according to some within the Northern Arizona business community – could be devastating. In the view of Joe Bodin, a small business owner who runs a marketing agency known as FlagstaffCentral.com, the decision about whether to market or not … [Read more...] about Weighing the Benefits of a Marketing Budget
Flagstaff Real Estate Boom on Horizon
Business Insider tagged Flagstaff as one of the best housing markets for the next five years. According to the article, Flagstaff is in the top ten appreciating housing markets in the nation. In the report, the news magazine cited recent Fiserv Case Shiller Indexes that measure average change in home prices. The Flagstaff housing market is expected to appreciate at the rate of 10.9 percent annually between 2011 and 2016. That is compared to the 3.7 percent national average for annual … [Read more...] about Flagstaff Real Estate Boom on Horizon
Bonds and Bankruptcy in Northern Arizona
Who knew cities could go bankrupt? These days, we understand the possibility too well. Like corporations and people, cities can find themselves in court renegotiating debt. In the past year, cities in states from California to Rhode Island have either filed for bankruptcy or are considering it. Like the United States government, the debt dilemma concerns raising revenues (usually taxes) or reducing expenditures (usually on city services). How do cities spell relief? Are cities in Northern … [Read more...] about Bonds and Bankruptcy in Northern Arizona
Making Transactions Happen for Clients
Hospitality: Approximately $11.4 billion in lodging assets sold in the first half of 2011, compared to $4.9 billion in the first half of 2010 (CoStar). Multi-family: Apartment transaction volume surged 132 percent from this time last year until now (Real Capital Analytics). Office: The U.S. office market absorbed 12.0 million square feet in 2011, which is the highest amount of absorption since 3Q07 (Grub & Ellis). Retail: In 2010, there were … [Read more...] about Making Transactions Happen for Clients
SCA Promoting Global Handwashing Day
Flagstaff and Bellemont-based SCA is weighing in on this weekend's Global Handwashing Day. SCA, a global hygiene company and makers of the Tork brand of away-from-home paper products, took a close look at North American consumer and U.S. college student hand hygiene habits in a new survey. Commissioned in honor of this year’s Global Handwashing Day, observed on October 15, close to 3,000 U.S. and Canadian adults and U.S. college students were surveyed by IBOPE Zogby International … [Read more...] about SCA Promoting Global Handwashing Day
Many Arizona Stocks Out-Performing the Dow
Shares of publicly traded Arizona companies had their ups and downs through last month’s stock market plunge. Yet, most Arizona companies’ year-to-date (YTD) stock prices out-performed the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The graph below/to the right/to the left compares the YTD performance of local companies’ shares to the Dow YTD performance. Arizona-based, publicly traded companies that have operations in Northern Arizona include: Arizona Public Service (APS), subsidiary of Pinnacle West … [Read more...] about Many Arizona Stocks Out-Performing the Dow
Bank of America Hiring Small Business Bankers in AZ
Bank of America is announcing the hiring of 29 small business bankers across the state of Arizona to provide guidance and counsel to local small business owners. One of the bankers is Janet Monette, who will work out of the downtown Flagstaff branch at 125 E. Birch Avenue. The additional bankers are part of the company's previously announced plan to hire approximately 1,000 new small business bankers throughout the U.S. Through a relationship with a Bank of America small business … [Read more...] about Bank of America Hiring Small Business Bankers in AZ
Arizona’s Car Sales Second Strongest in U.S.
Phoenix is the second hottest U.S. Market for new car sales, following Atlanta, Georgia. The information was released today by Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information. An Edmunds.com analysis of automotive registration data reveals that new retail car registrations in the Atlanta metropolitan area were 24 percent higher in the first half of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010. The analysis also shows that Atlanta’s registration figures are consistent with … [Read more...] about Arizona’s Car Sales Second Strongest in U.S.