We’ve been working pretty much exclusively with Development Seed, Inc. on some killer projects for the ENOUGH project, The United Nations Millennium Campaign and some other stuff. You can also read the occasional blog from me (steve) on their site here, but you should check out the other stuff they’ve been working on… this shop is wicked good. Their blog is here.
More soon. Probably not “frequent”, but soon.
Smallbrain Solutions, Inc. isn’t one of those firms that says they can do anything - then tries to figure it out after you sign the check. Nope, we prefer to stay focused on a few things and do those really well. We’re always learning new things, but we’re honest about what we can and can’t do (at least not yet). As for what we excel at:
“Agile” Online Campaign Management
There sure is a new media labor shortage out there and as a result, most campaigns and organizations have hired people who are learning on the job. Let us craft a campaign plan for you and train them. We’ve been doing this a long time. We’ve been through four political cycles online already and we help build your teams’ skills while providing unparalleled planning, optimization and implementation of your online and social marketing planning. We’ve done most of the important online stuff: Blogging, blogger relations, social networking, search optimization, paid search, online ads, mobile marketing - not to mention website design, traffic analysis and email fundraising, widget-building, and even a little FEC compliance. You’ll want someone else doing your TV ads, mail, press and polling though. Also canvassing… we don’t miss that at all… ok, maybe just a little.
Social Networking
You need someone that can make your organization get more impact out of Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, and your blogging. While it may seem like there is nothing you can do to get attention online, we can show you how to apply social networking best practices to vastly improve your return-on-investment for all the new-fangled media. Why? Well, honestly, we’re dorky and we basically do that all day long anyway. This helps us make your organization a more valuable part of the online conversation - providing incentives for the crowds out there to help spread your message - and answer your calls to action.
Email Marketing and List Growth
Don’t believe people who say email is dead. We’re buried in it too - but solid, data-driven email programs do generate significant returns for organizations and campaigns. Unfortunately, too many organizations spend too much time on unproductive parts of email work - which increases your costs and ruins your return. We can help right your ship and demonstrate serious improvements by implementing a comprehensive strategy and rigorous testing regime. That way you aren’t guessing at what will work. You’ll KNOW.
Smallbrain Solutions, Inc. was founded in Minneapolis, MN by Steve Olson in 2000 to provide online strategy to progressive political campaigns and organizations. After serving as a field organizer (and default tech-guy) for two Federal campaigns during the 2000 cycle, he felt it was time to use his web development skills - and actual campaign experience together for campaigns that were still unsure that the web was worth more than lawn signs.
Relocating the business to New York, NY in 2001, Steve earned a Master’s Degree in Campaign Management in 2003 at NYU. He then took a leave from consulting to work full-time as the Manager of Online Strategies and Programs for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) during the 2004 cycle and then spent two years working with Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund helping to manage their 3.5 million member political database as well as monitor and analyze the online data to help optimize both on and offline outreach. Additional work included conceptualizing and implementing text message programs and field data work with America Votes (Ohio) in 2006.
Smallbrain Solutions began active consulting again in June of 2007 in partnership with Development Seed and is now applying proven, data-driven field strategy to the chaotic and confusing world of social media. By utilizing “agile development” methodologies, we create a social media campaign plan that is designed to rapidly create usable outreach actions that generate data that can be used to further optimize and maximize your campaign’s return on investment. Harnessing the extreme trackability and targeting methods only recently available online Smallbrain Solutions ensures that you get maximum fundraising, organizing and impact from every dollar you invest in blogs, social networking (Facebook, YouTube, MySpace), email, and mobile messaging programs.