june 2008

I have one small complaint about summertime. The beautiful weather makes me spend a ton of time outside playing and relaxing, and I have to force myself to stay at my desk to get work done. (Okay, so it’s not a huge problem.)

Anyway, yesterday we decided to make homemade ice cream. We haven’t pulled out the freezer since last summer, so it was time to start experimenting again. So I ran to the store, picked up the ingredients, and headed home. No vanilla for us. We are more “Ben & Jerry’s” kind of people. So I squished up the Oreos, and added them to a vanilla-based ice cream.

It was good, but it wasn’t great. As we tried a few spoonfuls, there was something missing. But we just couldn’t figure it out. Not enough vanilla? Too much milk? Too many Oreos?

So we ate the results, and vowed to try something new next time.

Now it’s time to relate my ice cream to marketing - you know I had to do it, right?

Marketing is a lot like making ice cream - you have to try different mix ins to find the perfect combination. And when you have a great mix, you still have to try other things to see if you can make things even better.

If you find a combination that gives you a decent income, what if you could change it just a little and find something that skyrocketed you to success? Wouldn’t you want to add that one extra ingredient?

I’ll be making one change to my ice cream recipe next time just to see if it makes a difference. Likewise, I make changes to my marketing on a regular basis to see what impact it has on my business.

What are you doing this summer?

So you want to go green?

So you want to get rid of your big SUV, and drive more effectively?

Maybe it’s time for a Zipcar.

I’ve seen this type of service before in big cities where most people more around via mass transit. But Zipcar is moving into small communities - which makes me think this is the way of the future.

Sounds like a great deal to me. You can rent a car for $9 an hour or $66 a day - gas, insurance and reserved parking included.

Let’s say you work out of your home and only need a car a couple days of the week. It includes gas and insurance, so you could save hundreds (maybe even thousands) per year. Hmm….

What I liked about this idea was  they’ve taken some of today’s largest issues, and turned it into a business opportunity. Green. High insurance rates. High gas prices. Huge car payments. All can be eliminated with this service.

Of course there is the convenience factor - but if you already have one car at home, and just need the second for those few days when you both have something planned, well, it just makes sense.

To bad they aren’t in Denver yet.

So, back to the business side of it. Every day a new business opportunity presents itself and gives someone the chance to open up a new, successful business. How did I learn about this idea? By following a trend report. I find ideas every day on Google News, magazines, listening to the radio - the opportunities really are endless.

It’s just a matter of listening to the marketplace, and giving them what they want.

Does it take a journalist to blog, or can anyone do it?

That’s the question that was raised in an article in my local newspaper this past weekend.

A reporter wrote an article on a blogger that was fighting a $25 million defamation lawsuit for something he wrote about another business owner. Journalists are taught what is acceptable and what isn’t in the world of reporting. But can bloggers go too far, and write in such a way that a lawsuit is brought up against them?

Or is it all just a scare tactic?

Journalism as a whole is changing every day. The younger the audience, the less likely they are to gather news in the same way as their parents. And it’s not just the 20 -somethings that are changing. I myself get almost 100% of my news from online sources. I haven’t watched news on tv in a long time (I don’t watch much tv anyway) and I only get the Sunday news for the comics and ads (there’s still something about sitting down and reading the comics with my daughter) and reading things like the book reviews. 

Blogging is perfectly safe - just keep these three things in mind.

1. Blogging creates a permanent record. Always think twice about your posts; list facts, references and resources; and make sure things are written the way you desire.

2. Use your blogs as an extension of your business and your expertise. Share your knowledge, and give people information about what you do. Don’t step out of your areas of expertise.

3. Instead of writing up certain issues - link to stories instead. Let your readers make their own opinions.

Do you have any stories about blogging, or ideas to stay safe online?

I’ve blogged on a variety of different social sites, everything from Facebook to LinkedIn. If there’s a new social site, I’ve probably tried it.

Today I found a new one that I love. It’s the Smart USA social site for people that love the Smart Car.

Social sites are all about common interests. They allow you to meet other people with common interests (in this case a love of the smart car) and talk about various issues surrounding your common interests.

If you haven’t tried out a few social sites, do it now. Login and create a profile, and share your information. It’s a lot of fun, and you never know who you’ll bump into.

Ask any business person what the hardest thing to do online is and chances are you’ll hear “drive traffic” and “create an email list” at the top of the list.

A website does you know good if you don’t use it to convert people into prospects and clients.

But what do you do when you have a list - a large list - and you’re at the forefront of your industry to build such a list?

That’s what Obama and the Democratic party is now asking.

Obama is running an amazing campaign in the online world, gathering millions of supporters on a variety of social sites. One million people have joined his Facebook account. Near one million accounts have been registered at my.barackobama.com And the lists continue to grow.

But how can you utilize this new technology and have it help you down the road?

“They solved the first challenge, which is: How do you get these people corralled on a list and activated?” Ruffini said of Obama’s campaign. “The question is: What are the action items if he takes the presidency? Is it just to spam Congress, or is it something deeper than that? But it will definitely be a formidable list, no matter how you slice it.”

Read the full article here.

Like so many things about this election, I love following it because of the uncharted territory we’re crossing. And because of my business background, these new issues of what to do with a large email list is even more interesting.

This past weekend I decided to run out and get three concert tickets to a local show. My husband Andrew mentioned he would like to attend, and I thought it would be a nice father’s day gift. On the website, they had a buy three get one free sale - so I could get four tickets for the price of three. Pretty good deal, eh?

Then the problem started surfacing.

The tickets were $25 a piece. Three for $75, plus one for free. Sounds like a good deal. So I logged on to their system and started the ordering process.

I chose my four pack, and started through the shopping cart. I added my name, address, and moved to the next screen.

All of sudden my $25 tickets rose to the magical price of $43 per ticket. What? Where did the extra $18 come from? That almost doubled the cost of my tickets.

It seems they add all kinds of fees, taxes - even a parking charge. So my $75 surprise was now almost $130! Yikes.

It’s not that I wouldn’t be willing to spend that. The point is I don’t like surprises. I saw $75, and was willing to pay $75. The $130 was a complete shock - and I shut down my account without completing the transaction.

When you sell your products and services, are you giving your customers the full details ahead of time? Can they make a decision based on all the facts, and do business without being shocked along the way?

If you really want and need a higher price for your products or services, don’t be afraid to charge what is needed. Your customers see the price and make a decision on what they see. They justify their need, determine their budget, and make a decision. Don’t be afraid to charge the higher price - just tell your customers throughout the process, and let them make the decision.

In many ways, its exactly the game the airlines are now playing too. You buy your ticket. You get ready for your flight. And then they surprise you by announcing you have to pay to get a bag on board. (Don’t they look at you as suspicious if you don’t have a bag?) 

Is it the economy? Is it the high fuel prices? Why are companies suddenly having a hard time charging what their products and services are worth? It’s all about integrity. You charge what you charge in order to stay in business. Don’t apologize for your prices. Don’t hide behind fees. Just give me the bottom line, and let me make my decision.

I guarantee you others (including your clients) are feeling the same way.

Oh, and by the way, we’re going to a different concert at another venue. And I paid exactly the price quoted on their website - no taxes or additional fees.

Ahhh … summertime. A time to relax, have a little fun, put your cares behind you … and worry about your business?

It just seems harder to get things done when the weather is warm. It’s difficult staying indoors. It’s lighter outside longer. And it’s just fun playing instead of working.

But every time you make a few positive moves, does it ever seem like you take a step back as well?

Last week I made some great connections, and I have a lot of activities coming up in the next two weeks. I’ll be meeting with a group of bloggers, a group of podcasters, taking on several new clients, and speaking to a group of wedding professionals in a teleclass with Marc Fuller.

At the same time, I have several new products/services that need to be put online, and a variety of client work that needs to be finished.

What  can you do to make sure it all gets done?

1. Take out a sheet of paper and write down your priorities. I do this at the start of each week - and I modify it on a daily basis. I place priority numbers along each task, and work on them in order of priority - not in order of my preference. I like to write, and if I ordered it in my preference, I would always be writing. But that wouldn’t do what’s best for my business.

2. Look at your tasks and break them down to a realistic goal. No, I can’t write a book in a week. But I can write 800 words per day, and complete (rough draft) a chapter a week. The more realistic you make your tasks, the more likely you’ll accomplish them.

3. Do three things a day to build your business. It could be sending an email to a potential client. Or talking with a complementary business owner about a new promotion. Or buying a mailing list for a postcard campaign. It’s all about marketing.

What steps are you taking to move forward?

Photo courtesy vancity197

All right, I found a fun thing to play with on a Friday morning (it can’t all be about work, can it?) Anyway, you answer a few questions, and it will let you know how much money you’re on track to make in the near future. Me, well, I’ll be worth a cool $15 million in 10 years.

 Guess it’s back to work.

money will you be worth?

I ran across a brand new site today that had me saying, “Now I’ve seen everything.”

Hate your ex-boss? Gone through a messy divorce? Had your friend stab you in the back? Now you can “lay them to rest” on a new cyber site, Ex Marks The Plot.

This site allows you to choose from one of four tombstones, design a “death” certificate, and even design a eulogy. Then you can send links to friends or even the deceased.

So from a marketing perspective, does it have any merit? Only time will tell. Do people really need to declare their breakup for all the world to see? But at the same time, with the popularity of reality tv, Dr Phil, and a host of other daytime talk shows, people love airing their dirty laundry. This may be just one more way for them to do it.

Monday morning, and so much to share.

I’m all about balance. I very rarely turn on my computer over the weekend, and take off both days most of the time. But the one thing I will do is catch up on my reading. It’s hard to think of it as “work” when you’re sitting outside enjoying a nice day!

In one of the current Fortune magazines, I read a story about a lobster company that has found an innovative way of selling their lobsters.

Most companies sell the lobster dinner and mail it to you direct. These companies have huge competition from local fish markets, grocery stores, and even local fish restaurants.

But Catch A Piece Of Maine  has a new approach. Instead of buying a lobster dinner, you buy a lobster trap. For $3000, you get a season’s worth of lobsters, with a guarantee of at least 40 lobsters. That works out to $75 per lobster - guaranteed. Where the fun comes in is if your trap brings in more. Price per lobster can go down pretty quickly the more your trap catches.

Instead of focusing on selling more of what everyone else sells, these two brothers have found a new way to sell in a popular niche. It’s a book-of-the-month club taken to a new level.

Three things you can use for your own small business:

1. Find a new way to sell in an already popular niche. When most companies market their business, they do what everyone else is doing. In today’s economy, you’re going to get what everyone else is getting. Which may be a slowing business. A new twist can bring life to your sales.

2. Find a way to make your small business a PR magnet. A quick search of Google found Catch A Piece Of Maine is getting stories printed everywhere (who wouldn’t love a story in Fortune?) The key is a different approach to the way you’re selling your products/services.

3. Create a new package that allows you to get a big chunk of money upfront. Not everyone will take to this new way of selling. In the case of Catch A Piece Of Maine, only about 200 traps have been sold so far. But I’ll bet their average sales are increasing as well. If you don’t want a $3000 trap, maybe a complete dinner for $249 is more your style. The important thing is your prospects have found the site, and have the potential for ordering from you.

Ok I’ll admit it. I’m a fan of Sex In The City. What woman isn’t? The clothes. The steamy moments. And of course the shoes.

So last night my sister and I had a night out on the town, and headed over to the newest theater in our area to check it out.

This theater just opened in December. We’ve been there a few times since it opened, and I have to admit I love it. You spend a couple extra dollars on the ticket, but the seats are comfy and leather, there’s free popcorn and sodas - and you can buy wine (by the bottle if you care to) and other snacks in their front cafe.

This isn’t a place where teens run wild. In fact the few times I’ve been there, I’ve never seen a teen. Maybe it’s because of the expense. Plus they don’t run the typical teen-attraction movies.

For a 7 pm movie on a Thursday night, the movie sold out by 6:30. And you should have seen the groups of women coming in. Most were dressed in their favorite outfits, and of course shoes that would make Carrie proud. The theater was packed - every seat, top to bottom. And I counted a big “2″ men in the theater (brave souls).

The women didn’t just have popcorn and soda. I saw wine by the bottles. There was cheering. There was clapping. And there were sighs… ahhhh

Marketing to women? You bet.

1. This movie gets you excited to spend money. You have to have shoes, bags and the clothes, right? (Time to go shopping this afternoon.)

2. This theater promoted it perfect. Half their theaters were filled with this movie. A new show started every hour on the hour. And yes, they were sold out as of last night.

3. Where else can you go with a group of friends, share a great flick AND have a bottle of wine? Other theaters, take note.

4. You can’t please everyone all the time. Define your target market well, and promote, promote, promote.

5. Women talk, share and build relationships well. They share ideas, and talk about everything (good and bad). Give a woman a great experience, and she brings her friends in droves.

Two things have caught my interest over the past week.

The first was a book by Harlan Coben, “Hold Tight”. Though I don’t usually read a lot of fiction (mostly non-fiction business books are on my nightstand), I read a review recently that made me want to give this book a try. I’m doing a lot of research/writing on social media and Internet security, which are two of the main topics in this book. The story is about a teenager who commits suicide, and it all leads to different clues using today’s social media tools and email. It also asks the question that many parents today are facing: is spying on your kids’ online habits a good thing?

I enjoyed read ing about a family’s challenges when facing their teenager’s choices, and the author’s take on keeping your kids safe. Because many parents today simply don’t understand things like Facebook and MySpace, keeping their kids safe is a difficult task. With a book like this, it’s opening up topics that before were simply unknown. If it can get parents to start thinking and to start learning a bit more about today’s tools, it’s a definite step in the right direction.

The second was a movie, Untraceable. This action thriller is about an FBI agent who tracks people online, and traces them to different crimes. The storyline revolves around how you catch a killer who broadcasts online, but programs his site in such a way that he is untraceable.

There are lots of turns and twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. Once again I enjoyed having today’s technology featured in such a dramatic way. Is all of it believable and plausible? Probably not. But it’s a great two hour look at what today’s technology can do.

In both cases the author/director shares a modern look at technology, and the impact it can have on our lives. In both cases it’s not based on common every day occurrences, but it still is enough to share possibilities with readers/viewers. Things have definitely made mainstream when best selling novels and action movies are centered around it.

If you’ve read the book or watched the movie, I’d be interested in hearing your comments.

So you’re looking for something for your kids to do this summer. What can you do to keep them busy and entertained?

How about blogging?

Blogging is easy to do, easy to create, and provides a wealth of knowledge to a budding writer or businessperson. (And yes, it’s what my daughter will be doing this summer – she’s actually excited about it.)

1. Make it exciting. Don’t set too many boundaries for your child’s blogging project. Let her choose something of interest to her, and help her refine what the focus will be. The only limits should be Internet safety, depending on the age of the child. Things to keep in mind are not revealing your real photos, real name, or detailed information about your life.

2. Make it entertaining. Who would want to read your blog? Write to entertain your readers, provide them with something of value, and give them a reason to come back and visit again and again.

3. Make it rewarding. How about earning a few extra bucks while blogging? The easiest way is to affiliate with Amazon, and let your child link back to books, magazines and other products of interest. It takes just a few minutes to create an account, and you’re child will learn valuable skills in the process.

4. Make if fun. Don’t feel like blogging to day? Don’t sweat it. This shouldn’t be a chore. If your child is having fun with it, have her create a few extra posts. You can always post-date them, and have information ready for days when you prefer to lie by the pool.

5. Make it educational. Learn a few new skills along the way. Maybe it’s how to create a graphic design. Or maybe it’s a little about computer security. There are many ways to have fun and learn about this exciting new endeavor.

Want help setting up a blog for yourself or your child? Learn How To Blog