News and Analysis
MULO Brands With Soul: KINDR
This month, our “brand with soul” is not a MULO brand at all. It’s KindR, an organization committed to making workplaces kinder, which attracts the best talent and ensures retention and growth. The war for talent at MULO (multi-location) restaurant, retail, and service brands does not have to be a bloody battle. In fact, by […]
The MULO Dozen: March in Review
As we closed out March and the first quarter of 2025, here’s what CEOs were searching for: Although these vast critical issues are top-of-mind for business leaders, March as well as the first three months of the year were filled with strategies and decisions in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. AI, tariffs, and hiring freezes are […]
The Robot is Carrying Your Pizza: Timothy Tanksley Predicts the Future of MULO Serving
One of the biggest challenges bars and restaurants face today is finding skilled labor. Add to that the cost of overserving expensive cocktail ingredients (both in terms of product expense and product quality). Timothy Tanksley is the Director of Marketing at Richtech Robotics. At the Bar & Restaurant Expo, one of the company’s robots served us a […]
Commentary
Leverage a Single View of the Customer in Real Time With Generative AI
It’s been almost two decades since we first heard “data is the new oil” and companies have tapped into that resource ever since, fundamentally changing the way we do business and how we talk to customers on digital channels. Raw data must be refined to realize its full value, but even with limited refining capabilities, […]
The Search Landscape, Humans & AI (& Pasta)!
The New York City landscape has changed, and so has the local search landscape. On November 7th, at Localogy‘s Place23 conference, a range of powerhouse groups and more than 100 senior marketing professionals came together to be the architects of our new future. Two of the panels at the Place event covered the challenges faced […]
5 Generative AI Tools for SMB Marketing
Staying ahead of the curve in SMB marketing is more than just a competitive advantage; it can be the key to survival. As the martech landscape evolves, more business owners are finding themselves dealing with the challenge of producing engaging, relevant, and unique content that can cut through the noise and capture the attention of […]
Latest Posts
June Retail Sales See Moderate Growth Amid Solid Economy
Retail sales in June demonstrated moderate growth, reflecting the stability of the current economy and near-zero inflation for retail goods, according to the latest CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions. This report, by the National Retail Federation (NRF), provides a detailed overview of retail sales trends and consumer spending behaviors. Economic Overview Despite facing […]
“Coupon Clippers” are Now “Coupon Clickers and Viewers”
The concept of discount coupons for grocery items originated in the 1800’s. After all, who doesn’t want a deal? But we’ve come a long way from paper envelopes filled with individual pieces of paper. Although local “circulars” still fill our mailboxes, automation and precise consumer targeting have taken the concept to a whole new level. […]
Big MULO Moments: Amazon Day 2024 Recap & Insights
Amazon Prime Day has passed. In the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant worlds, analysts and the media use certain major moments to” temperature-check” consumer spending behavior, marketing tactics, and economic trends. Super Bowl Christmas Back-to-School (which we’ll soon be covering) Valentine’s Day Mother’s and Father’s Days Wedding season (which seems to be year-round these days) […]
Brand Loyalty is Being Hit Hard by Inflation, According to New Resonate Report
A new study from Resonate reveals that consumers are radically changing their spending behavior and becoming less loyal to brands due to inflation. A whopping 97 percent of consumers have changed their spending, and about 19% have bought different brands or shopped at other stores or online because of prices. The full report can be […]
Local Consumers Are Shifting Toward Social; Are Marketers Keeping Up?
Most local marketers are savvy about the importance of platforms like Google Maps and Apple Maps. As consumers ourselves, we know that these channels drive a huge amount of consumer traffic to storefronts, and we understand that informative, engaging search profiles help both small businesses and multi-location brands to differentiate themselves from the local competition. […]
Emerging Trends and Innovations Shaping the Future of AI in B2B Sales
AI has already transformed B2B sales, but it is poised to do even more in the coming months and years. According to a report by McKinsey, companies that leverage AI in their sales processes are already seeing an ROI uplift of 10-20% and a revenue increase of up to 15%. As AI-driven technologies continue to […]
Crant’s Ink Lantern Boosts Engagement for Brands
Crant, an AI training and consulting platform, has launched Ink Lantern, an AI platform that enables tracking and understanding of “brand Love.” “We see ‘brand love’ as that deep, emotional bond people form with brands, kind of like how you feel about your favorite band or sports team,” said Alvaro Meléndez, Co-Founder & CEO of […]
Sneak Preview: A Chat With Nick Dan-Bergman About Experiences
Nick Dan-Bergman is VP, Marketing & Insights at LaneTerralever (LT) and will be one of our featured speakers at Street Fight LIVE on November 7th at Meta’s Chicago headquarters. This one-day summit will be an amazing interactive experience (in the tradition of Street Fight gatherings in years past). So, we picked Nick to feature this week because his […]
The C in C-Stores Also Means Consolidation
C-stores (convenience stores) are huge within the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. They include mega roadside complexes that have showers, EV chargers, food options, and (of course) restrooms. The size of these C-stores has expanded, and the brands now have bragging rights as they offer new services and bigger footprints. Check out this recent article. Corner delis […]
Streets Ahead: 64% of Google Searches End with Google
In this week’s Streets Ahead update we learn about new Google research from Rand Fishkin and a reduction in brand spending on TikTok 64% of Google Searches End with Google The News Rand Fishkin at SparkToro has released an updated version of his “zero click” search studies, with the last one published in 2021. This […]
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