November 2008 Blog Posts (46)

How To Build A Better Business Website

A look of a website can make or break your business. First impressions always count. Here are ten tips to building a better business website.

1. Colour - A black background is not recommended. It's hard on the eyes. I don't know how many people have problems reading white or coloured text on a black background and with that said, don't go neon pink or glaring orange either. Generally black text on white background is best. Ideally you can choose two colours, but make sure they match… Continue

Added by Ritty on November 30, 2008 at 6:17am — No Comments

Reflections of "Black Friday"

As a person who consults on marketing plans and assists in implementations of strategies to differentiate ones business offerings, I can understand the importance of this hyper active shopping day in the USA - that being 'Black Friday." What is it about this day that drives people to flock to shopping malls in the wee hours of the morning?

I have to give huge kudos to the marketing guru's who first flaunted this holiday shopping concept, that being: get up at 3a.m.on your day off,… Continue

Added by Kathy Buck on November 29, 2008 at 11:26pm — No Comments

Remember To Blog!

I need to get myself a checklist of Things I Need To Do and pin on the wall in front of my face.

I've been busy attending to all manner of things that needed to be done, yet blogging and maintaining regular work on the networks to which i belong, and especially TeamCircle, is an essential responsibility that I need to keep up with, no matter what other stuff gets in the way.

None of us should be landlords to a derelict… Continue

Added by Lindy Asimus on November 28, 2008 at 3:28pm — 2 Comments

Dunn Bros Coffee launches new promotion

Specialty coffee chain Dunn Bros. has launched a unique giving program to raise funds for community organizations.

The Dunn Bros Coffee Community Giving Program allows community or nonprofit organizations to apply for special Dunn Bros. “Roastmaster Rewards” cards for their employees.

When anyone uses the Community Giving Roastmaster Rewards card, Dunn Bros. Coffee shops will make a donation equal to 10% of the net sales proceeds to the registered organization that… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 27, 2008 at 6:30am — No Comments

E-Mail direct marketing ad attack.

Yesterday newsletters, today e-mail advertisements.

If you have ever dabbled in direct mail marketing attacks you can easily apply the same basic principles to an e-mail marketing attack but the time-line results will be that much shorter and less expensive. Then of course e-mail is fast. Production time is minimal, receiving time is instant and response to your message will either be in 24 hours or less or it’s not coming.

All these things are important in a down-turned… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 27, 2008 at 1:05am — 1 Comment

E-Mail Newsletters work, ask me.

Every month without fail I send out my monthly newsletter. No this is not some advertising piece put together to promote me but rather an ongoing roll out on selling and marketing. The current effort(s) have been an ongoing roll out of how to sell over the phone. Anyone who wanted to take down this information could easily(s) do it themselves. Yet each month almost without fail I get 3 to 6 requests that transforms into at least 1 new account with this soft sell method of… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 26, 2008 at 7:30am — No Comments

What You Can Do to Survive the Credit Crunch!

Review the financials and balance sheets of key suppliers

Expand purchasing/finance risk assessment projects

Intensify supplier audits

Tighten supplier-rating programs

Tighten credit policies with suppliers

Reevaluate in-house inventory and future stock needs

Reopen new-supplier development programs

Reopen/rewrite supply agreements for 2009

Initiate new materials-cost reduction efforts

Review and revise manufacturing and buying… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 26, 2008 at 12:38am — No Comments

How Obama's Administration will Impact the Consumer Goods Industry

Over the last couple of months we have seen a contraction of IT spending (both in 2008 spending and anticipated expenditures in 2009). This has caused us to lower our spending projections for 2009 from an average growth of about 5.8 percent down to 4 percent. This is a result both of tightened credit markets and reduced consumer confidence.

Manufacturers fund IT spending through a combination of credit and cash from operations. So, if credit is tougher to come by and operating… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 25, 2008 at 6:30am — No Comments

The Week Ahead for November 24-28, 2008

Monday: October existing home sales

Tuesday: 3rd quarter gross domestic product, November consumer confidence, September Case-Shiller home price index

Wednesday: October personal income and spending, October new home sales, October durable goods orders, Weekly initial jobless claims

Thursday:

Friday:

Larson note: With Congress and President Bush on hold don’t expect many positives here. Until Obama gets a hold of things and puts into… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 25, 2008 at 1:15am — No Comments

It's Not So Funny Now Is It?

On November 20th, 2008 a 19 year old man took his life on a live broadcast via JustinTV. Reports are that the young man had made the threats before so those viewing were skeptical if he's actually follow through this time. What the hell has gone upside down with society today? I guess I call the many stupid box keyboard thumpers for a reason, so easy to be inhumane when sat behind your stupid box hiding behind a user name.

JustinTV promotes "Lifecasting" Hook up your webcam, login… Continue

Added by Kathy Buck on November 24, 2008 at 11:58pm — 1 Comment

FAQs About Virtual Assistants

Although the popularity of Virtual Assistants is growing, there are questions that yet exist regarding them. I will attempt to answer some of those questions.

Who is a Virtual Assistant (VA)? A Virtual Assistant is an entrepreneur and/or small business owner who assists other entrepreneurs and small business owners with everything on their plate.

What is a Virtual Assistant? Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) description of a Virtual Assistant is… Continue

Added by Rita Cartwright on November 22, 2008 at 11:12am — No Comments

How to Keep The Creative Juices Flowing

Cold weather tip: Letting the Faucet Drip Will Prevent Freeze-up

One of my co-workers made an interesting comment about how he believes you keep work quality high. He said that when you live up north, a faucet that was not dripping was the sign of a frozen pipe in the possible near future. The same goes for advertising and marketing work. You have to keep the creative faucet dripping. You have to keep ideas moving and your psyche motivated. When we feel our ideas can't flow, we will… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 22, 2008 at 6:00am — 4 Comments

A Day in the life of Larson

How do I do what I do?

What does your day look like? Is it a freefall or highly structured. Do you work off of a list or run out off the seat of your pants?

For me, I usually wake up at somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00 am. The coffee is ready thanks to a timer on the coffee pot.

My day starts with the reading of 1 Trade Magazine or Journal in a clients industry (not my own) by then my paper boy the famous Channo Banardo (yes I know my paper boys name, don't you?)… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 22, 2008 at 4:11am — 6 Comments

Why Use Email Marketing

Companies across all industries are devoting more of their time, resources, and budgets to email marketing. Email typically costs less than other direct marketing channels and the return exceeds most other initiatives. This year, the average return for every dollar spent on email marketing was $45.06. Compared to non-email Internet marketing's return of $19.94, direct response newspaper advertising's $16.86, non-catalog direct mail's $15.55, telemarketing's $8.61, and catalog marketing's $7.28,… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 22, 2008 at 1:08am — No Comments

Your Blog : Are They Really Your Words and Thoughts?

Plagiarism is the use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. SOURCE Wikipedia. Plagiarism is alive and well on the internet! I've recently called out a member on another forum for it.

I get easily irritated on forums with people who post the same article on many networks, I get more dumbfounded when the topic points to that persons blog. What makes my blood boil is the growing numbers who… Continue

Added by Kathy Buck on November 21, 2008 at 9:59pm — No Comments

Brand American and Barack Obama

During the last eight years, "Brand America" has taken a bit of a beating. With two wars being waged under the Bush administration, some in other countries have come to see the U.S. as a global bully, uninterested in what the rest of the world has to say. At times, that attitude has rubbed off on U.S.-based companies, making their jobs harder. With the rest of the world quite obviously pulling for Barack Obama in the recent presidential race, will his election change perceptions… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 21, 2008 at 6:00am — No Comments

Why wait for a new President?

Happily, President-elect Obama has already co-sponsored trade laws to hold China accountable for its currency transgressions.

Obama's Blueprint For Change http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf includes renegotiating free trade agreements to include environmental and safety standards on par with the U.S. to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers.

The plan includes reducing the U.S.' dependence on foreign oil by broadening the country's energy… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 21, 2008 at 1:15am — No Comments

P&G Executive Not Sure Marketers Belong on Facebook

Social networks may never find the ad dollars they're hunting for because they don't really have a right to them, said Ted McConnell, general manager-interactive marketing and innovation at Procter & Gamble Co.

In a talk to the Digital Non-Conference, a program by Cincinnati's Digital Hub Initiative presented by the Ad Club of Cincinnati and attended by about 190 people, Mr. McConnell pointed to the drumbeat of complaints about social networks being unable to monetize their… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 20, 2008 at 12:46am — No Comments

Price Increases at USPS

UPS, FedEx and yes the US Postal service will raise rates too.

Pricing for shipping services will change on January 18, the US Postal Service announced following a vote by its Board of Governors.

Prices will change for Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service and some international shipping products. Overall, shipping services prices will increase an average of 5 percent. The new prices are available at www.usps.com/prices

New for 2009… Continue

Added by Howard Larson on November 19, 2008 at 5:00am — 1 Comment

What's in Your Future?

Hi

If you are like me, you are glad the election is over. We have probably all received many phone calls about who to vote for - or who not to vote for. We have received countless fliers. And we have for sure seen our fair share of political ads. But now that is behind us.

In recent weeks, I have heard over and over again, "I am going to start my own business but I am going to wait until the election is over." I understand that we are in uncertain times so people… Continue

Added by Karri Vialpando on November 19, 2008 at 1:53am — No Comments