J Peterson Marketing

10/26/2021

Ten years ago...

👉 I was at home and received a call from my boss telling me that I had been laid off.
👉 I was at home because I was very pregnant with an overdue baby (who wouldn't arrive for many more days).
👉 My husband had just started a new job which meant he was starting at the bottom working a lot of hours and not home a lot.
👉 I WAS FREAKING OUT.

Ten years later...
❤️ We have an amazing son who keeps us laughing and busy.
❤️ I own my own business and work around my son's schedule and with clients of my choosing (the job was killing me inside - it went against so many things I believe in).
❤️ My husband has a new job and is kicking butt doing it.
❤️ We are living in some strange times - a global pandemic - but are also making some wonderful memories.

My point is that you never know where life will take you. I certainly never dreamed of having my own business and I definitely didn't plan to still have it ten years after taking on one small freelance project.

How did I do it? I said yes to opportunities that came before me but I also said no when something in my gut said I should pass.

Also - a big thank you to all of the clients and friends who have supported JPeterson Marketing (and me) along the way.

I'm not sure what the next 10 years look like, but I'm ready for the ride!

10/25/2021

If Mari Smith can have a Facebook hacking problem, we are all doomed. This post is fantastic with tips about what to do if you get hacked and how to prevent it.

If you've lost access to your Facebook Account or Facebook Business Manager due to a hacking incident, you're certainly not alone.

10/20/2021

Great professional birthday gift - you can post on Instagram using your desktop now! Whoop!

02/18/2021

I DID IT!
I see the errors, BUT I did it!
I made a video with a marketing tip for you. Check it out and if you want more tips, follow this page (if you aren't already) and sign up for my newsletter (link at top of page).

01/19/2021

Check this out! One of our local elementary schools' fifth-grade class is raising money for Open Communities! Kids are awesome!

We are a 5th grade class at Washington Elementary School in Evanston, IL. We would … Mike Elliott needs your support for Rep. Jan Schakowsky gift and donation

12/09/2020

A big thank you to Darcel Rockett at the Chicago Tribune for including Open Communities in her piece about evictions during the time of Covid.

While we have a moratorium on evictions (but not for long), it is not a solution. The process is not an easy one to navigate and landlords find workarounds. I understand (first hand) that landlords need to pay their mortgages. But people deserve housing - especially during a pandemic.

COVID-19 has pummeled the economy and left people financially strapped. Legal professionals have launched Illinois COVID H.E.L.P. to offer assistance.

11/28/2020

Today is small business Saturday. We have had a bit of a tradition of bopping around the businesses on this day (thanks to Malik Turley when Bennett and I joined her for a neighborhood shopping day a few years ago). We are still shopping local today but it’s very different. We won’t end our shopping day at La Principal for churros and The Wine Goddess for wine and popcorn. But we will walk around the neighborhood, order items from our local retailers online with curbside pick up and be grateful that our friends and neighbors and their businesses are still here this year.

Please shop local this holiday season.

I see first hand how much local businesses and nonprofits need your support as we close out 2020.

As you shop for gifts, remember to check your local businesses first (they have everything!) or get ready to see "for rent" signs around town in January.

And as you consider end of the year donations, think about all of the work the nonprofits in your community are doing to keep the people around you thriving and happy.

11/25/2020

I see first hand how much local businesses and nonprofits need your support as we close out 2020.

As you shop for gifts, remember to check your local businesses first (they have everything!) or get ready to see "for rent" signs around town in January.

And as you consider end of the year donations, think about all of the work the nonprofits in your community are doing to keep the people around you thriving and happy.

11/04/2020

Do you have a communication plan? Now is the time to get one going for 2021. Read why you need one and how to get started.

A communication plan is important to successfully connect with your audiences and grow your business. We write communication plans.

10/12/2020

I posted this on my LinkedIn page and I am also posting it here because it is that important to me.

Jeff Bezos and Amazon do not need your money. You know who does? Your local businesses. Almost anything you can get on Amazon, you can buy locally. As a small business owner, I am begging you to spend your dollars in your town with your local businesses.

Sadly, I have seen a number of businesses by me close already due to the pandemic. Let's support each other.

If you absolutely must shop Amazon Prime Day, at least sign up for Amazon Smile and help a local non-profit.

09/25/2020

When you need an image for a social media post or a newsletter, do you head on over to Google and search for the image and use it right away? If so, you are in the danger zone of Copywrite infringement.

Here's how to safely find images on Google -

Finding images that are free to use on Google requries a few steps. You need to use images that fall under Creative Commons licenses.