Sheffield Launches Offering to Help Crea...

As organizations are pressed to create winning strategies and gain widespread consensus quickly, Sheffield Marketing Partners has developed Strategic Narrative Mapping as a standalone offering to assist in the planning process. The service is based on the core Narrative Mapping process, yet focuses on identifying key elements of an organization’s go-to-market strategy that are...

Sheffield completes 130th short-form vid...

Downers Grove, Ill., Oct 9, 2009 – Sheffield Marketing Partners (Sheffield), a boutique agency that specializes in message and narrative development, today announced its 130th short-form video since beginning in 2006, marking a media production milestone for the Chicago-based agency. Sheffield has developed a niche in corporate storytelling – communicating narratives in brief but...

Sheffield Marketing Partners Celebrates ...

Downers Grove, Ill., July 1, 2009—Sheffield Marketing Partners (Sheffield), a boutique agency that specializes in message and narrative development, is celebrating three years of growth today. Sheffield was founded by Chicago agency veterans Joseph McCormack and John Severance to help organizations stand out in the marketplace by crafting and telling a compelling story. Since opening...

Sheffield Institute trailer...

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What’s the difference between a me...

At first glance, this seems obvious. Yet, when you turn marketers loose it quickly gets murky.  A message conveys a single point; a story many points (i.e., messages, perspectives, thoughts, etc.). So, forget trying to a build a compelling message or crafting a phrase that’s says it all. A story narrative is a much better way to turn messages into someting much more...

Five keys to succeed with online video...

Make a point and keep it brief – short-form video is what people watch online; keep your segments to less than three minutes, ideally 60 seconds Provide visual variety – watching a talking head for the entire time is cumbersome; spice up a video with different shot angles, an animation, stock b-roll and some mild music Sign up to multiple accounts – create accounts on...

Rance Crain editorial – May 12th i...

There’s an interesting piece published in the May 12th issue of Crain’s Chicago Business (“Now more than ever, know what audience wants”) written by the president of Crain Communications about two small controversies related to marketing and media. One is a speech given by the editor of Folio magazine and the other is an article by Northwestern’s dean of...

Using a green screen in online video pro...

The green screen is a simple, cost-effective way to provide context and increase the production value for your online video. Sheffield Marketing’s Joe Cleveland shares some insights and...

Social bookmarking tools are a waste...

Digg, Del.ici.ous (did I spell that right, who cares?), and other tagging tools are supposed to do what? I’m not sure because I refuse to take the time to learn exactly why I should care or how they’re supposed to help me. One day they appeared on everyone’s blog like someone flipped a switch. My sense is that if I really needed them, then they would be more obvious...

Making Money in the Music Business ̵...

There’s an interesting article with David Byrne in Wired where he untangles the money making maze in the music business. It’s a must read – take a...