The following article was submitted by Lori Creighton from Greater Mankato Growth member business, Homestead Media. She writes about the benefits of using a proactive recruiting process instead of a reactive one.
Are you part of a Greater Mankato member business and have an interest in writing a guest blog for us? Send 500-800 words to [email protected] or reach out to Greater Mankato Growth with further questions.

The following article was submitted by Sean Dahlman from GMG member business, Pantheon Computers. It's provides information on how to avoid "phishing", which is a type of cybercrime used to gain sensitive data by posing as a legitimate sender in emails.
Are you part of a Greater Mankato member business and have an interest in writing a guest blog for us? Send 500-800 words to [email protected] or reach out to Greater Mankato Growth with further questions.

The business world continues to evolve and modernize at a rapid pace. One area this is evident in is a company's benefits for their employees. Most people expect the usual allowance of vacation time and some health insurance for example. But companies these days are becoming more creative and empathetic when it comes to employee benefits and they can be a great way to entice potential workers. Here are a few things you might want to suggest or implement in your workplace:

The following article was submitted by Jody Steffen, Account Representative at GMG member business, Hire Image. She writes about the importance of background screening in the hiring process.
Are you part of a Greater Mankato member business and have an interest in writing a guest blog for us? Send 500-800 words to [email protected] or reach out to Greater Mankato Growth with further questions.

bigstock-Smart-home-digital-thermostat-278305303-e1550615247774The following article was submitted by Rob Friend of Energy Smart which is part of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, a GMG member. He writes about how to reduce energy usage within your business and the benefits of doing so. Are you part of a Greater Mankato member business and have an interest in writing a guest blog for us? Send 500-800 words to [email protected] or reach out to Greater Mankato Growth with further questions.Energy Smart, a program of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, will be conducting no cost energy consultations for Mankato area businesses in the months of September and October. The consultation identifies no cost, low cost, and investment-level energy efficiency opportunities to lower the utility bill.

The following article was submitted by Rachael Evers of GMG member business Monarch Meadows. She writes about the importance of creating an employee-first workplace culture during a time when retaining talent is crucial. Are you part of a Greater Mankato member business and have an interest in writing a guest blog for us? Send 500-800 words to [email protected] or reach out to Greater Mankato Growth with further questions.

In today’s world we are faced with a challenging workforce. Unemployment levels are low and there are more jobs available then people entering the workforce. As workforce industries prepare for the baby boomer population to retire, a proactive approach needs to be taken. How can employers attract and retain employees? It starts with the workplace culture.

The following post was submitted by Sean Dahlman of GMG member business Pantheon Computers and focuses on the importance of keeping your technology safe from cybercriminals. Are you part of a Greater Mankato member business and have an interest in writing a guest blog for us? Send 500-800 words to [email protected] or reach out to Greater Mankato Growth with further questions. 

Visit Mankato working with influencers to promote Greater Mankato as a travel destination

It’s no secret that “word of mouth” has always had a strong effect on consumer behavior. If John Doe is patronizing a business and just scarfed up the #WorldsBestPizza, social media is going to know about it. On the contrary, the door of publicity can swing both ways especially if Mr. Doe had to wait a few extra minutes in line to receive his car rental and then plasters his negative review all over the Internet. So in reality, influencers are everywhere sharing their #BestTimeEver and #NeverDoingThatAgain experiences. Anyone can be a critic, but who’s to say they are a credible source? Some have even gone so far as to “arrange” negative reviews on their competitors (UFF DA!).

wander-olives-pasta-1Influencer marketing has been a strong initiative of Visit Mankato and developing effective strategies through research of our local markets. We have built relationships with notable influencers from around the country that align with our destination’s assets. From there, we work with local businesses to build an itinerary and create an experience for these influencers to promote Greater Mankato by sharing their story through various mediums to followers from all around who share similar interests.

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