One of the first things Prime needed to do for Ackley Business Consulting was to help with a business name and logo design. Because Ackley Business Consulting was a new business, we began by checking into domain names. Once we had purchased www.AckleyBusinessConsulting.com, Prime’s designers were able to start and designed a variety of logo selections for Roger to review. With the logo and business name selected, Prime Advertising designed and printed the Ackley Business Consulting stationary package. A stationary package helps give your business an identity and includes professional design and printing of the key pieces to get your business started: business cards, letterhead, envelope, fax transmittal, Thank You card and Microsoft Word document set to compose business correspondence.

Once the Ackley Business Consulting foundational pieces were completed, Prime’s attention turned to website development. Roger wanted to offer his clients information about his business, while keeping a streamlined look and feel. The new site uses Web 2.0 technology, allowing for a wider design and screen display. Prime also interlinked Ackley’s web pages, helping to create the highest level of search engine optimization. To keep prospective clients updated on Ackley Business Consulting and on relatable news, Prime has incorporated a blog that is designed with the look and feel of the website.

Real-life, action shots are great for any business to have. Using one’s own images helps create credibility and trust to prospective clients. Prime Advertising performed a professional photo shoot, with Roger Ackley performing a live facilitation. With all of the great images taken, it was hard to choose which photos to use!

Ackley Business Consulting is taking off and Roger needed print materials to mail, email and leave behind after meetings. Along with a sharp-looking pocket folder, Ackley Business Consulting has a sturdy brochure. Each piece was carefully planned out to keep the Ackley Business Consulting brand consistent. Now, when Roger speaks and/or meets with business owners, he has all of the marketing materials that needs.

Roger likes to keep his facilitations lively. He is the kind of speaker that will keep your teams attention, giving you the results you desire. Roger is a true expert in the field and we’re all glad he came to Prime Advertising & Design to begin his journey with Ackley Business Consulting.

If you’re in the need of Business Consulting, please visit Ackley Business Consulting, and tell him, Prime sent you!

I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for quite some time and never thought it would land me an opportunity in design.  One slow weekday I was assigned to work at a networking event to tend to an appetizer buffet and supply cocktails to a group of working professionals.  I honestly wasn’t thrilled about it because I wasn’t allowed to have other tables and I knew it wasn’t going to be very profitable.  I made the most of the situation and seeing that it was a networking event started listening in on conversations thinking that maybe something might strike my interest.  I overheard Penny say something about Prime Advertising.  Growing up in Maple Grove, I had researched the company and knew it was a place I was interested in.  I bid my time and finally decided to introduce myself.  I knew I would feel a bit awkward, but really what did I have to lose?  I casually mentioned that I may be a waitress, but I was also a recently graduated fantastic designer.  I inquired about any job openings, internships, or just the opportunity to take a tour of the company.  We swapped information, and though I was proud of myself for saying something, I never expected anything would happen.

So here I am.  Actually, since my internship is coming to a close I suppose I should say “so there I was.”  I started my internship as I expect most people do, like a duck on the water.  On the surface I appeared to be calm and confident, but those feet were turning fast underneath wondering if people would like me, how everything was going to work, if I’d be successful, hoping I wouldn’t have to do any lame “internship” work.  Luckily, my internship has been far from lame.  I technically was part of the web department, but I had the opportunity to taste a little piece of everything. 

I had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects from creating banner ads for the new myprimeguide.com, working on header images for websites, email marketing, and seeing how Prime’s content management system (Element z) worked in the web department.  In print I had a taste of the newsletters and worked with multiple clients in logo development.  I even got to sneak in photography work ranging from taking pictures at the Maple Grove Days parade, staging portfolio images, to a 3 location photo shoot for Galaxy Auto.  Overall, what I liked most about my time at Prime is that I rarely felt like an intern.  I didn’t have all menial tasks; instead I worked with clients and had independence.  For something unexpected, it turned out better than I would have planned.

Let’s see, if I was reading a blog about an unexpected intern, I would probably expect some good cliché or gooey heart-felt advice—the kind that makes you roll your eyes a bit.  So here you go.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Not only is that how I ended up here, but that’s really the whole point of your internship.  You’re not expected to know everything yet.  Think of it as a perk, you’re surrounded by people who have more experience and know the tricks and secrets of the industry, and since you’re the intern their basically expected to let you in on everything.  I also found that in many circumstances whoever was helping me discovered something new or rethought the process of how they were doing things in the first place.  I believe that would be called a win-win situation.  

Here’s a good one to follow; make mistakes.  Everyone knows that information sticks a lot better when something goes wrong than when it works perfectly the first time.  On the same note; be prepared for the unexpected, and run with it, and while you’re at it take any opportunities to show your hidden talents.  My internship had nothing to do with photography, but because I had all my camera equipment with me and offered to take some product shots, I ended up doing random photography projects and two involved photo shoots on my own.

I’m sure I could think of more tidbits of advice, but I’m sure you already know them, and they would be far better served if you went out to seek them on your own.  So for now we’ll just say that I’ve put in my two cents.  In the end, I have learned a wealth of information and gained experience in areas that can’t be taught in school.  I’m very grateful to everyone at Prime who has helped me along the way and sparked the energy to help my career along.  I have truly enjoyed working with the staff and hope to keep connected with Prime in the future.  I am very thankful for the opportunity and glad that someone gave me the chance to start collecting my piece of “real-world” experience.

Working at Prime Advertising gives high school or college students an edge in a competitive business world.

As a recent high school graduate, I am preparing to leave Prime Advertising to attend the University of Minnesota. At the U, I will continue to study business at the Carlson School of Management. However, even as I move on and continue my education, I will never forget or undervalue the real-world instruction I received while at Prime Advertising & Design. I can never thank Prime enough for giving me such a learning opportunity.

Working at Prime Advertising has given me a valuable edge by providing real-world experience.

In a competitive job economy students need all the real-world experience they can get. Over the past 15 months, Prime has hired and worked with 6 interns—students from varying backgrounds and education levels, all with a core interest in business and marketing. These interns have been trained to produce high-quality work while establishing themselves as working professionals.

My position at Prime was entry-level. Most days, I worked to maintain the many filing systems I helped to develop. By holding such a position, I was able to build my career, literally from the ground up. Having been an intern, I learned all the humility that comes from being the most inexperienced person in the office. Through that, I learned the importance of asking questions and absorbing direction. Every day with Prime is a learning day—a chance to learn a new set of skills or to learn how to behave in an office setting.

With an open mindset, interns at Prime Advertising have been able to learn a variety of skills. In addition to offering multiple forms of marketing and advertising, Prime offers experience in business skills such as: sales, accounting and human resources. Personally, I have been able to hone my management and Human Resource skills. Not only have I developed important organizational skills, but I have also learned the recruitment and interview process by getting the opportunity to hire two of Prime’s interns.

Learning and growing at Prime Advertising has been one of the greatest opportunities of my life. It has changed me, shaped and molded me into a business professional.  As I leave the company, I know that the lessons Prime has taught me will never leave me.

If you are a high school or college student and are interested in business, please have them email Penny Monse at penny@primeadvertising.com for more information about available internships at Prime!

Prime Advertising & Design is proud to have been chosen as Polar’s agency of record. We’re excited to be designing and programming Polar’s new websites using our Element Z Content Management System. Prime will also focus on updating Polar’s logo, marketing materials and developing a comprehensive marketing strategy which includes a variety of advertising options.

Times are good at Polar – the company recently added over 600 employees, and it’s been mentioned as a business success story in national publications such as The Wall Street Journal.

The Prime team was recently on-site for an educational tour at Polar’s main manufacturing facility in Opole, Minnesota with Tim Kelly, who directs marketing for Polar. All of us were impressed with the scope of the operation and the company’s innovative approach to manufacturing tank trailers.

Tim pointed out that Polar stands out above its competitors because each tank trailer is customized to each client’s specifications. Parts are custom-made as well – yet another factor that reduces costs and increases efficiency.

Whether their tanks are carrying grain, milk, fuel or chemicals, Polar has established a superior reputation throughout North America for its great customer service as well as the quality of its products. The whole Prime team is excited to be working with Polar for the long haul!

For this reason, Prime gladly volunteered, for the 11th year in a row, to be a Gold Leaf Sponsor for this year’s Maple Grove Days. In addition to publishing the Official Maple Grove Days Event Guide, Prime sponsored many of the leading events, such as the Pierre Bottineau Parade, the art fair, and the fireworks display. Also, partnered with Excel Promo, Prime provided and donated over 800 t-shirts to Maple Grove Community Organization, those volunteering at the events, and those participating in the Rice Lake Classic 5-K Run.

Maple Grove Days is an opportunity for the community of Maple Grove to put its best foot forward, and as ever, the city didn’t disappoint! During the events, we at Prime made our presence known, not only with our neon-orange shirts and frisbees in the Parade, but with our friendly and fun attitude at the Business Expo. At the Business Expo, Prime got the opportunity to interact with Maple Grove’s involved community members, as well as the chance to give back to the community that has given us so much. To do so, Prime offered up a drawing so those attending the Business Expo had the opportunity to win some great local prizes!

We held the drawing, and here are the results:

Winning a $25 gift-card to Malone’s Bar and Grill was Sharla D.. Natalie B. and Stephanie K. each won a $20 gift-card to Broadway Pizza. There were three lucky-winners of $25 Sawatdee Thai Restaurant gift-cards: Jennifer W., Audrey J., and Sandy T. Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank-you to all who participated!

The drawing at the Business Expo was such a success, we plan to kick-off a monthly drawing! From our community base at MyPrimeGuide.com, we will draw a name every month, and that lucky person will win some great local prizes! So, if you’re interested to win gift-cards to the hottest restaurants in Maple Grove, go to MyPrimeGuide.com, provide your email/zip code, and respond to Prime’s confirmation email. It’s that easy! You can also “Like” MyPrimeGuide.com on facebook to view updates on the site’s launch. Then you’ll be well on your way to enjoying the best that the community of Maple Grove and Prime Advertising has to offer!

The food had to have a Halloween theme and was voted on for the most creative. Leave it to the imaginative minds of Prime to have a severed head spewing green chicken salad, alligator eyeballs, compost salad and green ice skulls floating in the punch. The winner was pretty clear once the votes were counted – the green chicken salad handwiches. Congrats Rob and Julie!

Participation was down a little with the costumes this year, but the best costume award was still given out. The award went to Ben who dressed up as our Vice President Nathan. Unfortunately our VP was not in the office today to get a side-by-side comparison!

Everyone at Prime would like to wish you a safe and Happy Halloween!

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I spent most of my time at Prime helping to update and develop new organizational strategies for the company. From filing ad agreements, to updating price-list verbiage, to emailing clients their prospective ads, I’ve done it all. While this work may not be alluring to most, I’ve come to appreciate its value. Without such efforts to organize, a system falls behind and important information gets lost in the cracks. Only by getting organized and setting a standard to uphold can a consistent productivity be achieved—a lesson well-learned from my mentor, Penny Monse.

At the same time, I supervised the front-desk/reception-area. This allowed me to be Prime’s official welcome-woman; essentially, I was the first impression new customers received of the company. With such a responsibility, I tried to convey to each customer Prime’s dedication to growing their business and its willingness to work hard to achieve that goal. Getting to interact with clients and help promote Prime’s professional image were my highlight experiences.

Most interesting of all was Prime’s climate. That’s not to say its temperature, (because as we all know that fluctuates between a sauna and a refrigerator) but rather the emotional temperament of the group. All the employees at Prime are dedicated to fulfilling their customers’ needs. I’ve seen the long hours they pull, striving for perfection, only to do the same for another client. It’s truly inspiring, the creativity and effort they put into their work. Their passion for their jobs reflects in their positive natures. Prime is its own family and one I feel welcome to be apart of.

Luckily for me, my time at Prime has not yet reached its end. I have been offered and have taken a fall position for after-school work. I am pumped to continue working with everyone and seeing what sort of projects Prime will send my way. This was definitely a learning summer, and with what I learned, I hope to make this fall, and this coming year, an equally educational one.

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As a member of the Maple Grove community since 1993, Prime Advertising & Design was proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the Maple Grove Days festival this year, and donated over 800 official event T-shirts to volunteers, committee members and 5K race participants.

In addition to the parade, Prime participated in the charity “bed race” benefitting the 40 Winks Foundation – a group that donates beds to various charitable organizations. Several Prime clients placed well in the competition including Slumberland (1^st), J Brothers Construction (2^nd), Rose Arbor (Most Creative), and J. Cousineau’s (Most Enthusiasm).

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Everyone had a great time, enjoyed the summer weather and loved seeing many of our clients participating as well in this successful community festival.  All of us here at Prime can’t wait ‘til next year!

Enjoy the below video of the Maple Grove Days fireworks finale.
Maple Grove Days Fireworks Video (requires QuickTime)

Each team consisted of 5 people, and a bed! You could build your own (which we quickly discovered was the better of the options) or you could use one of the donated beds that Slumberland provided. You were encouraged to have a theme, dress up & decorate your bed. There were a variety of prizes from Fastest Bed, Best Decorated Bed, Best Costumes (which we are proud to say Prime won!!) and many other categories. Our theme was "The Prime-Mates: 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed!"  Along with our costumes and bed decorations, I think that item that sealed the deal for best costumes was the radio on our bed playing…"Hey Hey We’re the Monkees" (the theme song from the 70′s hit show!!).

After 2 runs through the course…we were quickly eliminated (I am not sure, but I think we were the ONLY team to not win a single race!!) But who cared…we were having fun & raising together we all raised $1905 for charity! We are already planning for next year…we will BUILD our own bed, improve our costumes (if that is even possible), and possibly begin a training program to get the team in tip top running shape!! (I am kidding on the training, but not the rest!!)

Not only was this a fun event, but all of the money raised went to the 40 Winks Foundation! All of us at Prime Advertising are committed to giving back to our community & we will continue to find new (and fun) ways we can do that!

Check out some of the photos of the event below:  

The Prime-Mates: Janna, Julie, Kathy, Natalie, & Nathan

The Prime-Mates in action…

Some of our competition…

The Fastest Bed & Winning Team: Mistletoe & Memories…

The beach balls were a hit as expected! The kids and parents alike were all screaming “BEACH BALL!” Everyone at Prime loves to participate in this community event. Prime plays a huge role in the community with the Guide, the Newsletter, and the Event Guides! As well known as our faces are by many in the community…Can’t wait for next year! 

Check out some photos below: