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Five ways going green can improve your bottom line: A guide for West Midlands SMEs

As sustainability becomes a central focus for businesses across the globe, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands are uniquely positioned to benefit from going green. Whether you're running a corner shop, a hairdressing salon, a manufacturing operation, or any other type of small business, sustainable practices can significantly enhance your bottom line. Here are five key ways that adopting green strategies can lead to financial gains. Reduced operational costs One of the most immediate and tangible benefits of going green is the reduction in operational costs. Energy efficiency, waste reduction, and resource conservation are all areas where small changes can lead to significant savings. For instance, simply switching to energy-efficient lighting can reduce electricity bills by up to 75 per cent—a substantial saving for any business, particularly for small retailers or service providers where margins can be tight. Additionally, the UK government offers incentives to help businesses transition to more energy-efficient operations, making it easier for SMEs to invest in these changes. Join Aston University’s workshop on 18 September and take advantage of a free energy assessment for your business. Learn practical steps to audit your energy use and uncover cost-saving opportunities tailored to your specific industry needs. Access to new markets and opportunities As the UK government and local authorities push for a greener economy, there are growing opportunities for businesses that align with these goals. SMEs that adopt sustainable practices may qualify for grants, tax reliefs, and other incentives designed to support green initiatives. For example, local councils in the West Midlands have programmes such as ‘BEAS and Decarbonisation Net Zero’ aimed at helping small businesses reduce their carbon footprint, which can be especially beneficial for almost all sectors where environmental impact is a growing concern. At the workshop, we’ll delve into the funding options and partnerships available to West Midlands SMEs committed to sustainability, helping you unlock new growth opportunities. Increased marketability Consumers are increasingly favouring businesses that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. According to a study by Nielsen, 66 per cent of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, and this trend is evident in the UK as well. By adopting green practices, SMEs in the West Midlands can enhance their brand reputation. This can translate to increased sales, customer loyalty, and even the ability to charge premium prices for sustainable products or services. In a competitive market, your environmental credentials can be a powerful differentiator. Attend Aston University’s workshop to learn from real-life success stories and see how businesses are already turning sustainability into a competitive advantage. Long-term resilience and competitiveness Sustainability isn’t just about immediate financial gains; it’s also about future-proofing your business. As regulations around carbon emissions and environmental impact become stricter, businesses that have already integrated green practices will find it easier to comply, avoiding potential fines and disruptions. For SMEs in sectors like manufacturing, where regulatory pressures are particularly high, adopting sustainable practices now can help ensure long-term competitiveness and resilience. A prime example of this shift is the NHS, which is actively working towards a Net Zero supply chain by 2045. The NHS is urging its suppliers to adopt sustainable practices, with a strong focus on reducing carbon emissions. Businesses that fail to align with these expectations risk losing contracts and falling behind competitors who are meeting these sustainability criteria. At the workshop, you'll learn more about sustainability strategy that can keep your business competitive and resilient in an ever-changing market. Enhanced employee engagement and productivity Increasingly, employees are seeking to work for companies that align with their personal values, including a commitment to sustainability. While this trend is more pronounced among larger companies, it’s also becoming relevant for small businesses, particularly those in industries where attracting and retaining talent is competitive. According to research, 74 per cent of employees feel more fulfilled when they work for a company that is making a positive impact on the environment. For small businesses, fostering a sustainable workplace can enhance employee morale, attract top talent, and reduce turnover rates. However, the degree to which this resonates can depend on your specific workforce. In sectors like tech, professional services, or among younger employees, sustainability is often a key consideration. On the other hand, in some more traditional industries, other factors like job security and compensation might be more important, though sustainability still adds value. Sign up for our workshop to discover how your small or medium business—regardless of sector—can implement effective sustainability practices and energy efficiency strategies to drive growth. This event is open to all SMEs across the West Midlands! Click here to register now. You'll also have the opportunity to book a free energy assessment on the spot and apply for match funding of up to £100,000 to make your business more energy efficient.

Can the Olympics Help Americans Forget Politics (at Least for 16 Days)?

Americans are divided on a multitude of different issues, but could the Olympic Games unite the country – at least for the duration of an Olympiad? A Baylor University sports marketing and branding expert says yes, the Olympics can help bring people together even when it’s hard for them to agree about anything else. In his latest Forbes Sports Money column, Baylor University sports marketing and branding expert Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., executive director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program at Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, analyzed a July 8 national population poll that asked Americans questions about politics but also included the Steen Happiness Index (SHI). The 20-item happiness index provides a series of statements for participants to read and choose the one from each group that describes their state at that moment. Happiness items focus on three types of happy lives: the pleasant life (experiencing and savoring pleasures), the engaged life (losing the self in engaging activities) and the meaningful life (participating in meaningful activities). Are people happier when watching the Olympics? “Happy people follow the Olympics and people who follow the Olympics are happy people,” Wakefield wrote. The higher people scored on the happiness index, the more likely they are to: Watch at least some of the Olympics (49.75%) Root for the U.S. to win (31.8%) Follow the results of the Olympics (28.1%) Read stories about athletes in the Olympics (19.6%) Will talk with others about the Olympics events (18.7%) “Controlling for age, gender, income, education, race and marital status, Americans who follow the Olympics in one, two, or three of these ways are somewhat more happy people (+4% on the SHI). But those who follow the Olympics in four or all five of these ways are significantly happier people (+10% on the SHI),” Wakefield wrote. Who is happiest when the Olympics are on? The happiest? Those would be the Americans who love to talk about the Olympics with others while also cheering for U.S. athletes to win. In fact, they are about 14% happier than those who don’t follow the Olympics, according to the SHI. “Perhaps best of all, people of all political leaning and presidential preferences are equally likely to follow the Olympics. No matter the party, people can party together in unity following the Olympics,” Wakefield wrote. “Maybe we can’t forget politics. But we can give it a break to watch the Olympics.” ABOUT KIRK WAKEFIELD, PH.D. Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., is The Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing at Baylor University, where he is the Executive Director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program in the Hankamer School of Business. The author of Team Sports Marketing and founder of Wakefield Research Partners, Wakefield has conducted fan research on partnerships, pricing, promotions, sportscape, service, and anything else that explains why fans do what they do in nearly every venue in sports, including the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL and NASCAR. His scholarly works appear in a breadth of journals: Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research and Journal of Sport Management, among others. Wakefield is a regular contributor to Sports Money on Forbes.com. ABOUT THE CURB CENTER FOR SALES STRATEGY IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT (S3E) The Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) at Baylor University is the only program in the U.S. focused on generating revenue for sports. S3E graduates have career opportunities in sales, digital marketing or business analytics for major league teams, university athletics, corporations and agencies. Baylor is the only university combining learning with practice in partnership with the Athletics Department to prepare graduates for careers in the business of sports. The S3E program is unique in vision, values, mission and culture to transform the business of sports and entertainment. Consistent with the Christian mission and purpose of Baylor University, we prepare passionate servant leaders to positively influence lives in places people go to play or watch others play.

It Has to Matter Who Wins: Futurecasting the MLB All-Star Game

Globe Life Field in Arlington, home of the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers, will play host to the 94th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 16, marking the second time in franchise history the Rangers will host the Midsummer Classic. MLB’s All-Star game – which matches up the best players from the American League and National League as selected by fans, managers and players – is considered one of best all-star contests among professional sports, said Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., executive director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. However, the game faces continued headwinds, Wakefield said, ranging from lagging viewership to fan voting to a game that is more an exhibition than a meaningful game. Wakefield Weighs In: Five Thoughts on MLB's All-Star Game Is the MLB All-Star game the best All-Star contest of all major leagues? Wakefield: Yes, it’s the only one where players seem to try their best. The NBA and NFL – who have practically given up – have declining viewership since 2011. Unfortunately, MLB All-Star game is on the same downhill skid. (According to Statista, viewership has declined from 22 million in 1993 to seven million in 2023.) The reason why is it doesn’t really matter who wins. If the players don’t care who wins, neither will fans. Further, fans aren’t particularly a fan of only one league so that it really matters if one league has bragging rights. That was less the case years ago before interleague play. How could viewership improve in any of the All-Star games? Wakefield: It has to matter who wins. MLB tried this with home field advantage for the World Series. They gave that up. The current approach in baseball is truly an exhibition because every player gets to play, so it’s like three players at every position playing three innings. That’s not how a manager would play it if trying to win. And it’s not like it used to be when the starters (who were more likely to be the best at their positions) played longer. One suggestion I’ve heard is to make the payoff big enough for the winners so that the players gave it their best. Get a sponsor to put up the money so the winners each make seven figures and could be the players and managers will play more like a team trying to win. Does Monday’s prelude, the hugely popular Homerun Derby, enhance Tuesday’s game? Wakefield: The Homerun Derby is popular because fans do follow individual players. It matters more who wins. That said, the HR derby’s viewership has still lagged. Bottom line: Fans are loyal to teams more than to leagues or individual players. Fan voting… Need we say more? Wakefield: Major market teams with huge fan bases will dominate, but what about the Kansas City Royals, who at one point in the season were on pace for the biggest year-over-year improvement in wins and losses? Given the way fan voting has become essentially a promotion game to get more fans to vote more often, it’s hardly representative of anything other than largest markets with the best promoters. The good news is that the MLB All-Star game will be quite the occasion in Arlington, Texas, with a bevy of game-related activities and events July 13-16. Wakefield: Arlington is an optimal location central to the U.S. with plenty of space to blow out the occasion. It’s like the Texas State Fair came to baseball, where all the rides and attractions are baseball-happy. ABOUT KIRK WAKEFIELD, PH.D. Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., is The Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing at Baylor University, where he is the Executive Director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program in the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University. The author of Team Sports Marketing and founder of Wakefield Research Partners, Wakefield has conducted fan research on partnerships, pricing, promotions, sportscape, service, and anything else that explains why fans do what they do in nearly every venue in sports, including the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL and NASCAR. His scholarly works appear in a breadth of journals: Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research and Journal of Sport Management, among others. Wakefield is a regular contributor to Sports Money on Forbes.com. ABOUT THE CURB CENTER FOR SALES STRATEGY IN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT (S3E) The Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) at Baylor University is the only program in the U.S. focused on generating revenue for sports. S3E graduates have career opportunities in sales, digital marketing or business analytics for major league teams, university athletics, corporations and agencies. Baylor is the only university combining learning with practice in partnership with the Athletics Department to prepare graduates for careers in the business of sports. The S3E program is unique in vision, values, mission and culture to transform the business of sports and entertainment. Consistent with the Christian mission and purpose of Baylor University, we prepare passionate servant leaders to positively influence lives in places people go to play or watch others play.

5 Reasons Why Experts Should Drive Your Content Marketing Strategy

It’s a fact: buyers today don’t want to be prospected, demoed, or closed. Whether it’s a procurement officer on the other end of the phone, a prospect reviewing a product online, or a journalist assessing the credibility of a potential spokesperson, “buyers” today expect a more authentic, reliable and practical experience when getting to know an organization, product or service. That’s why understanding how your expertise fits into the buyer’s journey to attract attention, drive interactions and earn trust is becoming critical to success. For marketers today the purchase process has increased in complexity. Today, audiences advance through a process known as the buyer’s journey” – the research and decision-making process that customers go through which progresses from awareness to evaluation and ultimately purchase. The Shift to Expertise Marketing In the early days of marketing and sales, organizations practiced a features oriented “buy what I have” approach; however, these traditional product-oriented marketing approaches are failing to yield the benefits they once did.  Audiences have become far more sophisticated. Research clearly shows that expert content is setting the bar for relevance, credibility and attractiveness for every stage of the buyer journey. Here’s 5 major trends you need to know plus some helpful tips to help you deal with this reality. #1 – Buyers Have Shifted into Self-Serve Mode When Researching Purchases Approximately 67% of the buyer’s journey is complete prior to contacting a vendor (Source: Sirius Decisions) The research continues to show that many buyers would sooner help themselves to content rather than speak to a salesperson, especially in the early stage of the buyer journey. Audiences are increasingly venturing online to doing more of their own research to validate the buying decision.  And they are digging deeper into content and are looking to see the people you have on board to support their decision-making. Tip: Remember that people buy from people. Think about how you can create a more human user experience by giving your experts and their content more profile on your website to drive engagement and build trust. It’s time to go beyond simple headshots and biographies to develop a richer amount of supporting information that feeds your website and search engines. #2- The Buyer Journey is More Collaborative & Non-Linear Than Ever Its clear that the traditional linear sales funnel has disappeared. In B2B markets, buyers now engage with an average of 11.4 pieces of content prior to making a purchase (Source: Forrester Research). They are now more likely to bounce around in a variety of sites. Tip: Evaluate the touchpoints you provide with expert content across your websites and how they interact at various buyer stages, from initial search to content to the connection process. In the end are you making it easy for buyers to engage with the content your experts have to offer? #3 – Experts are a Top Source of Influence in Purchase Behavior Research by the Information Technology Sales and Marketing Association (ITSMA) has consistently ranked subject-matter experts as a top source of information influencing purchase behavior in B2B, higher consideration purchases. In this new model, buyers validate the purchase decision by seeking out reliable information from trusted sources.   Decisions such as what lawyer to choose; what IT platform to invest in or where to study for graduate school can be very positively influenced by expert content. Tip: Ensure you have engaging expert content available online to support buyers across all stages of the buyer journey. Remember they may be looking for additional validation as well as education. #4 – The Buying Process is More Inclusive than Ever with Multiple Personas Playing a Part In addition to consulting industry peers on social media channels, buyers work with colleagues inside their organizations when making purchase decisions. Marketers and salespeople cannot be content with focusing on key decision makers. If you aren’t known company-wide this will present challenges. Tip: Marketers must reach the broader buying group in an organization, which means making larger amounts of expert content with messages targeted to specific personas. Weaving experts into the discussion and engaging more departments within a buyer’s organization will help wield influence on the final buying decision. #5 – Feeding the Search Engines The Right Content Matters More Than Ever According to a Google/Millward Brown study, 71% of business purchases begin with a non-branded search. These generic queries, are from people looking for product first, not for a specific brand or organization name. Huge improvements in organic search rank are possible once when your content is optimized to support the customer at all phases of the buyer journey. Expert content, in the form of articles, infographics, or videos, not only strengthens the trust relationship with your buyer, but also reinforces your value and expertise with search engines. you pay a little more attention to the information structure on your website and add assets such as multimedia content to expert profiles. Search engines continue to reward well developed expert content that has personal attribution with higher trust and authority rankings as it views this content as more relevant. Tip: Start with some tests using Google and Bing to assess how your experts are surfacing on key topics. Also do some searches on the names of your experts to see what position they surface at organically. Where possible add videos, photos, audio, books and social content that you can add to their profiles. Also ensure that the information is properly tagged to allow search engines to properly index this content. About ExpertFile ExpertFile is changing the way organizations tap into the power of their experts to drive valuable inquiries, accelerate revenue growth, and enhance their brand reputation. Used by leading corporate, higher education and healthcare clients worldwide, our award-winning platform helps teams structure, manage and promote their expert content while our search engine features experts on over 50,000+ topics. Download our "Guide to Expertise Marketing", book a demo and more here.

Expert Research: Hurricanes and Natural Disasters Linked to “Grocery Tax” for Lower-Income Americans

Research from Goizueta’s William Schmidt uncovers the disproportionate impact of natural disasters on low-income families’ access to essentials. Global warming is accelerating severe weather with cataclysmic outcomes for communities all over the world. In 2023, the hottest year on record, no fewer than 23 weather-related disasters struck the United States. These natural disasters claimed hundreds of lives and caused $57 billion in damage. Recently, the federal government has come under scrutiny for uneven aid response to communities affected by hurricanes, fires, and flooding in America. William Schmidt But might there be other factors at play that see disadvantaged groups more vulnerable to the impact of severe weather events? Weighing into this is award-winning research by Goizueta Business School’s William Schmidt, associate professor of Information Systems and Operations Management. He and Xabier Barriola from INSEAD Business School look at the effect of three major hurricanes in the U.S. in the last 20 years. They find evidence of higher paid prices for basic groceries in the aftermath of each storm that disproportionately impact lower-income communities in affected states. In fact, says Schmidt, when severe weather hits communities, these families end up paying anywhere between one and five percent more relative to high income households for essential food and goods. This puts a major strain on already-strained resources in times of massive disruption. "We see a spike in the prices paid for household groceries of up to five percent hitting low-income groups immediately after a major storm hits." William Schmidt “Then you have to factor in the reality that poorer households spend around eight times more of their disposable income on basic groceries than high-income households,” says Schmidt. “It becomes clear that the aftermath of severe weather is harder for them to bear. And in our research, this is an effect that lasts for months, not weeks or days.” Exposing Hidden Costs on Those Hit Hardest To get to these findings, Schmidt and Barriola worked from a hunch. They figured that in low-income areas, a lack of infrastructure, lower-quality construction, and fewer grocery store outlets could translate into supply shortages in emergencies. Ensuing stockouts might then lead to knock-on price inflation for customers. These are low-income families for whom inflation has serious and significant consequences, Schmidt says. "We know that inflation hurts poorer communities. High-income families have the option of switching between high and low-priced goods according to needs or preference. But families with lower incomes are already purchasing low-priced groceries." William Schmidt “When there are disaster-induced stockouts to their preferred products, those families are forced to substitute to higher priced groceries,” Schmidt continues. Then there’s retailer behavior. Following large environmental disasters, store managers may be unable to keep necessities in stock. Under those circumstances, it is difficult to justify running promotions or implementing planned price decreases. To test these ideas, Schmidt and his colleagues looked at data from the weeks and months following Hurricanes Katarina (2005), Ike (2008), and Sandy (2012). They decided to pinpoint those locations immediately impacted at the county level. To do so, they used major disaster declarations issued by the federal government at the time. Then they integrated this with detailed grocery store sales data provided by Information Resources Inc (IRI) with zip code-level household income and demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau. With each hurricane, the researchers looked at IRI data covering 30 different product categories and around 200 million transactions over a 12-week period. Schmidt and his colleagues then ran a set of analyses comparing prices paid by communities before and after each hurricane. They also contrasted price increases paid by low-income and high-income households as well as communities outside of the areas affected by the storms. Crunching the Numbers “Doing this triple-difference regression analysis, we find that lower-income communities pay an average 2.9 percent more for their groceries. That’s in the eight weeks following each of these disasters,” says Schmidt. "The effect varies. But it is roughly commensurate with the overall economic damage wrought by each hurricane, with Katrina being the worst. Here low-income families were seeing a 5.1 percent increase in the cost of food and basic goods, relative to richer households." William Schmidt The study points to a variety of mechanisms driving these effects. As Schmidt and his co-authors hypothesize, there is evidence that the same disruptions lead to fewer price promotions. They also see more frequent stockouts of low-priced goods. At the same time, there’s a shift in household purchasing from low to higher-priced products. These effects are long-lasting, says Schmidt. According to the study, post-hurricane inflation in the prices paid by consumers continues to affect poorer families for eight or more weeks. This amounts to months of economic hardship for those least resilient to its effects. Schmidt calls this “permanent inflation.” Pursuing Equity in Crisis Operations managers and policymakers should factor these findings into emergency relief efforts, say Schmidt and his colleague. The goal should be to service communities more equitably. So, there should be more thought to the provision of essential food and household goods. Also, there should be a particular focus on those most vulnerable to natural disasters and their effects. Current disaster nutrition relief programs are typically short. Authorities might do better by vulnerable communities by also extending things like cash and voucher programs, says Schmidt. And they should prioritize the ordering, shipment, and warehousing of essential goods. “Our research shows that hurricanes cost certain groups of Americans more than others in the longer run. The permanent inflation on food stuff and household necessities that we find constitutes an additional burden on part of our national fabric. These are people who are least positioned to afford it.” Hurricanes and the economy are both sought-after topics - and if you're covering, we can help. William Schmidt is an associate professor of Information Systems & Operations Management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. His research focuses on understanding and mitigating operational disruptions, and applications of machine learning in operational decision making.  To connect with William to arrange an interview - simply click his icon now.

Spotlighting Success: How ExpertFile Amplifies Organizational Expertise

Whether you are an industry leader looking to maintain your reputational advantage or smaller organization looking to enhance your reputation, a structured expertise marketing program should be a critical component of your marketing strategy. Traditional thought leadership programs that often focus on a few key executives are now being broadened by a more strategic approach that leverages the hidden expertise within your entire team. Global research conducted by Ogilvy in its recent report “The Global Rise of B2B Influencer Marketing” shows that many organizations are now setting up programs with their employees as Brand Ambassadors to demonstrate thought leadership in specific niches where they have skills and insights that appeal to their audiences. These employees have expertise that is often more relatable and authentic. Using social media platforms like LinkedIn, and networks such as ExpertFile, they can further amplify expert content to cut through the content marketing noise and drive more targeted engagement with media, sales prospects and other audiences. “Your employees are typically your most valuable resource. Identifying your employees that can be influencers themselves is a huge missed opportunity for one of the biggest ROI’s of all time.” James Baldwin Global B2B Influence Lead, Ogilvy To capitalize on this trend, many organizations are turning to more advanced solutions that deliver new digital publishing, distribution and workflow capabilities that extend the capabilities of their CMS (Content Marketing Systems). This also empowers clients and their agencies to achieve more efficiency and scale by better managing of employee content and audience interactions. The results include improved SEO PageRank and improved generative search results, increased site traffic and more qualified media inquiries and sales leads.   Here are a few examples: With the ExpertFile platform, Vanderbilt University has streamlined its media interactions and presented more comprehensive information on their faculty enabling journalists to discover the depth of research and expertise that Vanderbilt has to offer for their stories. This provides a valuable boost of inbound inquires that help Vanderbilt stay top of mind, going beyond outbound media pitches. View Expert Center About Vanderbilt University is a distinguished private research institution known for academic excellence and innovation. With a rich history spanning over a century, it cultivates leaders, conducts pioneering research, and contributes significantly to society. Seeking to enhance its reputation and broaden its influence, ChristianaCare completely revamped its approach to showcasing their medical experts. Their Media Expert Center powered by ExpertFile doubled national media coverage,, earning the esteemed IABC Silver and Gold Awards for this exceptional communications strategy. ChristianaCare later established a Speakers Bureau to expand its program with ExpertFile, saving hundreds of operational hours and surpassing engagement targets by 400%. This innovative approach reinforced ChristianaCare's brand visibility, reputation while demonstrating its commitment to community service. View Experts Center View Speakers Bureau About ChristianaCare is a leading healthcare institution committed to delivering exceptional patient care and advancing medical research. With a focus on innovation and compassion, they strive to empower healthier lives and transform healthcare experiences for individuals and families across the region. With a goal of driving market visibility and increasing media coverage, University of Delaware leveraged the ExpertFile platform to regularly published research and insights related to topical news events, while also making it easy for journalists to connect with their faculty as media sources. Within the first 90 days, the university garnered 80 inquiries, capturing the interest of prestigious media outlets such as CNN, NBC, Newsweek, AP, Bloomberg, among others. This activity was made possible with ExpertFile’s automation, distribution and workflow features and seamless no-code integration with the client website. It all added up to massive results with no need to add internal resources to the University of Delaware team. View Expert Center About The University of Delaware is a renowned institution committed to academic excellence, innovation and community engagement. With a rich history and dedication to student success, it strives to advance knowledge and foster global citizenship through transformative education and research. Amidst a competitive educational market in the US Northeast, the University of Connecticut (UCONN) chose ExpertFile to help it amplify its faculty expertise and boost inbound inquiries from media, conferences, researchers and student prospects. The result is a more intuitive way to discover expertise and research across the UCONN campus that helps drive valuable connections that are vital to building institutional reputation and communicating the UCONN mission. View Expert Center About Amidst a competitive educational market in the US Northeast, the University of Connecticut (UCONN) chose ExpertFile to help it amplify its faculty expertise and boost inbound inquiries from media, conferences, researchers and student prospects. The result is a more intuitive way to discover expertise and research across the UCONN campus that helps drive valuable connections that are vital to building institutional reputation and communicating the UCONN mission. The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has consistently been rated as one of the most valued brands in the country. It’s focus on thought leadership by sharing its unique expertise on topics including “Canada’s Worst Roads” and “Cannabis at the Wheel” have helped them educate their membership, boost media visibility and advocate for important policy changes with government. The ExpertFile platform provides a central content platform enabling CAA to cost-effectively publish news releases and publish stories and expert profiles to multiple regional websites, all from a intuitive, centralized dashboard. View Expert Center About The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) advocates for motorists and offers essential services to members nationwide, ensuring safer and more convenient travel. With a trusted legacy, CAA remains committed to enhancing drivers' experiences across Canada. ExpertFile has streamlined the presentation and management of faculty directories with integration into over 20 sections of the Loyola Marymount University LMU website. With a robust collection of over 1,000 faculty profiles, this integration has not only provided a better way to present faculty directories but also delivered over 1 million expert views and generated thousands of media, academic collaboration and student prospect inquiries while enhancing engagement and accessibility to expertise across the university community. Faculty Directories About Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a private university located in Los Angeles, California. Known for its rigorous academic programs, diverse community, and commitment to social justice. With a goal to attaining R1 research institution status, Villanova University aimed to boost the visibility of its faculty experts and showcase its commitment to academic excellence and knowledge advancement. It needed a way to better manage and leverage a lot of expert faculty research and information. With ExpertFile, the Villanova communications team now has a much easier way to publish and update faculty content that seamlessly integrates with the University website and also appears on the ExpertFile network searched by thousands of journalists looking for credible media sources. It all adds up to more market visibility and brand reputation with valuable audiences connecting with Villanova experts. View Expert Center About Villanova University, founded on Catholic principles, is a renowned research institution committed to academic excellence and ethical leadership. Grounded in its rich heritage, Villanova fosters a community of learning that embraces diversity and promotes the pursuit of truth and social justice. Carnegie Mellon University needed a better way to profile their expert faculty in the best possible way to meet the highest standards and researchers by launching a new Experts Center within 30 days. Their objective was to enhance both the appearance and functionality of underperforming faculty expert content areas, thereby better aligning them with the institution's prominence. Through use of the ExpertFile platform and collaboration with ExpertFile team, profiles were developed and integrated, meeting tight deadlines and resulting in a more polished and easily discoverable experience for those seeking expertise. Expert Center About Carnegie Mellon University is a prestigious institution celebrated for its pioneering research and interdisciplinary education. With a legacy of innovation, it remains at the forefront of shaping global education and technology. As a leading public research institution, the University of Florida aimed to enhance its capacity to connect experts with media opportunities. Faced with a challenging and proprietary content platform , the institution needed to provide a more user-friendly way for journalists to engage with faculty and research experts. Aligned with its mission of fostering academic collaboration and knowledge dissemination, University of Florida communications and digital team completely transformed its online presence using the ExpertFile platform. By prioritizing discovery, accessibility and user experience, their team has elevated the visibility and impact of their faculty research and expertise. View Expert Center About The University of Florida, a Top 10 public research institution in the US, fosters excellence in research, education, and service within a diverse community of scholars. Through collaboration and interdisciplinary initiatives, UF empowers students to drive positive change. Aston University in the UK aimed to elevate its online presence and showcase its faculty expertise effectively across various communities. Seeking to enhance SEO, generate valuable inquiries, humanize research and ultimately improve reputation and ranking, they turned to ExpertFile. Aston University now has a more intuitive, efficient way to profile its faculty and research and increase the awareness of its research with a more diverse global audience through ExpertFile. View Research Experts About Aston University is a prestigious institution renowned for its dedication to innovation and academic excellence. With a rich history of shaping future leaders and conducting cutting-edge research, Aston University continues to inspire and empower students to thrive in a globalized world To build more market visibility and engagement with its target audience, Western Carolina University (WCU) needed a more intuitive way to present its expertise. ExpertFile enabled them to quickly deploy a searchable directory of faculty experts and then focus on creating shareable expert content on their website and on the broader ExpertFile network to boost visibility. To further boost engagement, WCU has published regular posts complete with faculty interviews and vertical video clips for social media. These programs have helped raise the profile of WCU. boosted internal and external engagement and has been very well received by faculty. . View Expert Center About Western Carolina University (WCU) is dedicated to delivering outstanding higher education, fostering innovation, and inspiring students to realize their full potential through academic excellence and community engagement. In California's competitive academic environment, UC Irvine needed to boost the visibility of its strong expert faculty while leverage the resources of a small communications team. ExpertFile’s user-friendly platform including customizable workflows and automated tools for adding expert content to their website made showcasing experts easy. Being able to create detailed media-rich profiles and quickly share expert insights allowed UC Irvine to stand out among larger rivals and increase their media coverage. All without straining their resources. View Expert Center About UC Irvine is a leading public research institution known for its top-ranked academic programs and cutting-edge research initiatives. With a focus on innovation and diversity, UC Irvine is committed to advancing knowledge and addressing society's most pressing challenges. Multiple integrations across research and newsroom sections have significantly streamlined the presentation and management of expert content at Goizueta Business School at Emory University. A more efficient system with delegated permissions has increased internal collaboration, and custom training resources for faculty and staff boost engagement on the platform. The ExpertFile team also provides a range of services such as content updates to save Goizueta valuable time while ensuring its website remains current and engaging, for students, faculty, and visitors alike. View Expert Center About Emory University's Goizueta Business School is a prestigious institution renowned for its innovative curriculum and exceptional faculty. With a focus on experiential learning and global perspective, Goizueta prepares students to become transformative business. Showcasing the expertise at Southern Utah University has been a key strategy for its marketing team. While not having the advantage of being in a major media market, SUU understood they needed to be more innovative in developing thought leadership and positioning their expertise to build their brand. The ExpertFile platform with its advanced content features allows the SUU team to present a more engaging view of their faculty and their research. It’s helped them boost search rank and garner national media attention, plus it has also helped them engage student prospects. View Expert Center About Southern Utah University fosters student success and personal development through diverse academic programs and resources. Emphasizing innovation, inclusivity, and community engagement, SUU creates a dynamic learning environment for student achievement and societal contributions. As a top ranked institution, The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Engineering wanted to make its faculty research and insights stand out. Just designing a standard faculty directory didn’t meet the mark. ExpertFile enabled VCU to optimize its content resulting in a major improvement in SEO PageRank and website engagement. This improved experience has also boosted inbound inquiries for media sources, academic collaborations and student prospects looking for information on the VCU’s programs. View Expert Center About Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a premier urban, public research university committed to advancing knowledge and improving the human experience. With a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff, VCU fosters innovation, creativity and collaboration. As a recognized R1 research university, the communications team at Michigan State had the goal to better convey the strength of its faculty research in an effort to boost regional and national media coverage. With the ExpertFile platform their team was able to design a custom implementation fully integrated into the MSU website and streamline the content management and updates to hundreds of faculty profiles - all managed from an intuitive centralized dashboard that saves time for the MSU team. View Expert Center About Michigan State University, a leading public research institution, top in graduate school rankings, is dedicated to advancing knowledge and transforming lives through its commitment to excellence in education, research, and outreach. As a relatively new institution, Augusta University, the fourth largest university in the state of Georgia had a goal stand out by showcasing the expertise of its faculty and the medical staff within Augusta Healthcare - one of the state’s largest integrated health systems. The communications team at Augusta leveraged the ExpertFile platform, publishing more comprehensive expert profiles. Plus they released regular expert updates that demonstrated the relevance of their experts on topical news stories. The result was a huge boost in SEO PageRank plus regional and national media coverage. All without the need to add resources to their communications team. View Expert Center About Augusta University, a leading academic institution, combines excellence in education, research, and healthcare. With an integrated health system, it fosters innovation, advances knowledge, and improves the well-being of communities locally and globally. As an R1 institution based in New Orleans, Tulane University has many specialized programs led by their world-class researchers and faculty. The Tulane marketing team wanted to better showcase this faculty expertise to drive media coverage while designing a system that worked best for their faculty. Leveraging the ExpertFile Platform, they created a searchable online hub showcasing participating faculty experts offering more engaging faculty profiles complete with multimedia features and a more intuitive way for journalists to connect to Tulane media sources. View Expert Center About Tulane University, a renowned institution in New Orleans, fosters innovative research, academic excellence, and community engagement. With a rich history of interdisciplinary collaboration, it prepares students to lead and serve in a complex global society. Are you looking to join the many organizations that are leveraging their employee subject-matter experts as part of a thought leadership and content marketing program? Then consider how you will manage and scale this effort with solutions designed specifically for expertise marketing. ExpertFile has advanced content creation and management tools, customizable workflows, powerful search capabilities, AI features, and flexible integration options, all connected to a broad network of media and speaking opportunities. By streamlining the management and promotion of online expert profiles, we ensure each organization connects with their key audiences like journalists, potential clients, event organizers and many others. Tailored for various industries, ExpertFile addresses each client's unique needs, driving meaningful engagement and visibility for the organization. The spotlights above are just a small sample of how ExpertFile works with leading organizations every day to enhance expertise and broaden their market reach. Explore industry-specific benefits to learn how ExpertFile can help your organization enhance its market presence and thought leadership. Want to learn more? Visit expertfile.com/getstarted.

Sunday is Cinco de Mayo. Do you know the history behind the day?

Celebrated annually on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While often associated with festive gatherings and cultural celebrations, Cinco de Mayo also holds significant relevance beyond its historical origins, offering various story angles that appeal to a broad audience. Cultural significance and heritage preservation: Explore the historical context of Cinco de Mayo and its importance in Mexican culture, highlighting the traditions, food, music, and art associated with the holiday. Immigration and identity: Examine how Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in different parts of the world, particularly in the United States, and its role in shaping the Mexican-American identity and fostering cross-cultural understanding. Political implications and national pride: Investigate the political undertones of Cinco de Mayo, considering its significance in Mexican nationalism and its portrayal in international relations. Economic impact and tourism: Analyze the economic implications of Cinco de Mayo festivities, including the boost in tourism, sales of Mexican-themed products, and the commercialization of cultural heritage. Education and historical awareness: Discuss the educational value of Cinco de Mayo in schools and communities, examining how it promotes historical awareness, tolerance, and multiculturalism. Social justice and activism: Explore how Cinco de Mayo intersects with social justice movements, addressing issues such as immigration reform, cultural appropriation, and representation in media and politics. By covering these angles, journalists can provide their audiences with a deeper understanding of Cinco de Mayo beyond its surface-level festivities, fostering meaningful dialogue and engagement with the holiday's historical, cultural, and societal significance. Connect with an Expert about Cinco de Mayo: Margarita R. Ochoa Associate Professor and Associate Chair of History · Loyola Marymount University Timothy Matovina Chair, Department of Theology · University of Notre Dame Rodrigo Vargas Professor, Ecosystem Ecology and Environmental Change · University of Delaware Heather Chiero, PhD Associate Professor of History, Anthropology and Philosophy · Augusta University To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com Photo Credit: Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández

Major UK tile company joins up with Aston University to digitise for the future

Shropshire-based Craven Dunnill has been in business for over 150 years The company will work with the University through a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP) It will streamline and digitise its warehouse processes and practices as part of a long-term growth plan. The UK’s longest-operating manufacturer, supplier and importer of ceramic tiles has joined forces with Aston University in a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP). Shropshire-based Craven Dunnill, which has been in business for over 150 years, has a large and complex supply chain, both of finished tiles and of the raw materials for manufacturing. Its customers are consumers, merchants, property developers, bathroom and kitchen retailers, in addition to architectural and building communities. A KTP is a three-way collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a highly qualified researcher, known as a KTP associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is a sector leading KTP provider, with 80% of its completed projects being graded as very good or outstanding by Innovate UK, the national body. An mKTP focuses specifically on increasing effectiveness and improving results through better management practices. The company wants to fully streamline and digitise its processes and practices, including ordering, purchasing, stock and warehouse management, as well as delivery planning and sales tracking. It would also see the company’s different business divisions integrated. Developing an accurate real-time warehouse management system is a key part of the project as, currently, different production batches vary slightly in colour and size, making it crucial not to mix them when fulfilling orders. The company is working with Aston University’s Professor Ben Clegg and Dr Gajanan Panchal (academic lead and supervisor) from Aston Business School. Professor Clegg, a professor of operations management, has pioneered a successful methodology called Process Oriented Holonic Modelling (PrOH Modelling), a way of fully engaging employees in organisational change using systems modelling and storyboarding, that will be used to help Craven Dunnill’s employees to guide and implement new processes. Dr Panchal specialises in logistics and supply chain management, including warehouse management and optimisation. He uses a variety of approaches to comprehend and analyse problems with warehousing operations. Completing the team in the KTP associate position is Dr Olanrewaju Sanda, who has started analysing the issues in the warehouse including the data around inventory accuracy and stock selection. Working closely with management and the Aston University team, he will digitalise operational systems. Part of this will include building a digital dashboard to represent the factory and move it towards a ‘digital twin’. Simon Howells, CEO of Craven Dunnill, said: “Although the mKTP is for two years, we don’t see it as a finite project. It will improve our pace of change and our developmental dynamism. Our supply chains and processes are complex, and we know getting the best advice and expertise is going to be really crucial for the long-term growth of the company.” Professor Ben Clegg said: “We’ve been using the PrOH modelling approach in various forms for several research projects. The more people we can involve, the more successful the project tends to be. I think the company was interested in our unique combination of our knowledge of digital technologies, logistics and our expertise in organisational change.” Olanrewaju Sanda said: “The warehouse is the heartbeat of the company – everything flows in and out of there. If we can solve the high-level problems at the warehouse, it will trickle down to everything else and leave the company in the best possible position for the future.”

A 'super' economic boost for the big game, courtesy of Taylor Swift

Could NFL executives have imagined a better scenario for this year’s Super Bowl? Only in their wildest dreams, according to UD sports marketing experts who study the big game every year. The league has a built-in audience draw and revenue generator named Taylor Swift, who will be in attendance Sunday to root on boyfriend Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs. The world’s biggest pop star can easily fill any blank space – and then some – caused by a lack of bad blood between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers or advertisements that don’t exude enough style. And the NFL didn’t have to spend a dime or lift a finger to make it happen. Timothy DeSchriver and John Allgood, who teach and study sports marketing at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, see a number of ways that Swift can move the needle economically for a league that seemingly needs no extra publicity. The female audience is already growing for the NFL, but Allgood said that Swift delivers “a fresher audience” as witnessed by record viewership for the Chiefs-Ravens AFC Championship Game. “There are people tuning in just to see her in a suite for five seconds,” Allgood said. Gamblers wagering on Taylor Swift “prop bets” will keep tuning in even if it’s a blowout, DeSchriver noted. DeSchriver pointed to new advertiser interest from makers of beauty products, potentially to reach the new audience. The NFL will get its cut from products as well, Allgood said, thanks to an NFL licensing deal with a clothing designer after Swift wore one of her puffer coats and the continued rise in sales of Kelce jerseys. DeSchriver and Allgood, who can also discuss ticket pricing in the playoffs, and are available for interviews. To set one up, visit DeSchriver's profile and click on the "contact" button.

Tianeptine - A so-called supplement with dangerous consequences. Our #expert weighs in on 'gas station heroin' warnings

Since 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been actively urging consumers to avoid purchasing or consuming tianeptine -- a synthetic drug commonly called "gas station heroin" that can mimic the actions of opioids like fentanyl. Now, the FDA is upping the urgency of it's warnings as vendors continue to market the drug as a so-called "dietary supplement." UConn's C. Michael White, a Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, spoke with The Conversation about the problem with tianeptine in a must-read Q-and-A: What is tianeptine and why is it risky? Tianeptine stimulates the same receptors as well-known opioids such as fentanyl, heroin and morphine. When these drugs make their way from the blood to the brain, they bind to the “mu” type opioid receptor that triggers the sought-after pain relief and euphoria of those drugs as well as the dangerous effects like slowed or stopped breathing. High doses of tianeptine can bring euphoric effects similar to heroin and can also bring about the dissociative effect – the perception of your mind being disconnected from your surroundings and body – that is reminiscent of ketamine, an anesthetic that has a role in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and depression but has also commonly been abused as a street drug. Products containing tianeptine are often called “legal high drugs” – sometimes dubbed “gas station drugs” – a term used for all non-FDA-approved synthetic drugs that are sold casually in gas stations, online and elsewhere. What are the major adverse effects that people can experience? Data from clinical trials, case reports and poison control centers shows that tianeptine commonly induces agitation. This is typically accompanied by a fast heart rate and high blood pressure, confusion, nightmares, drowsiness, dry mouth and nausea, among other conditions. The most serious adverse events are slowed or stopped breathing, coma, heart arrhythmia and death. When long-term users try to stop tianeptine use, they often experience withdrawal symptoms reminiscent of opioid withdrawal. Consumers need to be aware that products containing tianeptine may not adhere to good manufacturing practices. This means they could contain lead or have other heavy metal contamination or be contaminated by microorganisms such as salmonella or mold. They could also contain other drug ingredients that are not disclosed. Knowingly or unknowingly combining active ingredients can increase the risk of adverse events. Additionally, the amount of the active ingredient contained in the product can vary widely, even with the same manufacturer. So past use does not guarantee that using the same amount will provide the same effect. How are these drugs sold in the US if they are not FDA-approved? If a drug product is not FDA-approved for prescription or over-the-counter-use, it is the Drug Enforcement Agency that is responsible for controlling market access. Before the DEA can ban an active ingredient in a drug product, it must be designated Schedule I, meaning the drug has no legitimate medical purpose and has high abuse potential. Manufacturers do not have to alert the DEA before selling their products to U.S. citizens. This means the DEA must detect an issue, identify the products causing the issue, identify the active ingredients in the product in question and do a full scientific review before designating it as Schedule I. Tianeptine came to market masquerading as a dietary supplement in gas stations and smoke shops, even though it is a synthetic compound. Tianeptine is also sold online allegedly for research purposes and not for human consumption. Tianeptine is undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of pain and depression, but sellers do nothing to make this type of labeling clear to consumers or to restrict purchases to researchers. What can people do to protect themselves and their families? Non-FDA-approved products containing synthetic drugs are very risky to use and should be avoided. FDA-approved drugs are available by a prescription from a health professional or over the counter with active ingredients on an approved list. If someone in a gas station, smoke shop or over the internet touts the benefits of a non-FDA-approved drug product – for pain or anxiety relief, to increase energy or for a buzz – be aware. It could be dangerous the first time you use it, but using it successfully once also doesn’t mean the experience will be the same the next time, and continued use can cause addiction. If a product is being sold “not for human consumption” or “for research purposes only,” you are at a high risk if you take it. Before you take any dietary supplement, make sure you check the active ingredient to be sure that it is, in fact, a natural product and not a synthetic chemical. If someone you know has bags with unmarked powder, a product labeled for research use or not for human consumption, or tablets or capsules not in standard drug bottles, that is a sign of a potentially dangerous situation. Standard drug tests sold over the counter are not designed to pick up tianeptine. One of the main reasons that people use these alternative substances of abuse over regular opioids, cannabis or amphetamines is that they are much harder to detect through work- or at-home drug screens by parents, schools, employers, probation officers and so on. If the DEA is not responding to emerging threats quickly enough, individual states can also act to ban sales of dangerous active ingredients in products. As of January 2024, at least 12 states have banned the sale of tianeptine, according to the FDA, although people in those states can still illegally procure it from the internet. So contacting your state legislators could be a place to start exercising your power to help prevent the harms from these products. This is an important piece, and if you are looking to know about tianeptine and the threat it poses to consumers in America, then let us help. Dr. C. Michael White is an expert in the areas of comparative effectiveness and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, dietary supplements, and illicit substances. Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.