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Bad Seduction - Advertising Techniques That Don't Work
I just read some advertising suggestions on an Internet marketing site that are beyond annoying. They are flat-out bad advice. They illustrate a complete lack of understanding of the whole persuasion process.First, small business owners are told that advertising often has a cumulative effect, so ad-driven sales may not be immediate. Then, they’re told how to measure and track the immediate response of their advertising.Reading past that little dichotomy, some of the suggestions included:· Use magazine response cards. Remember to code the cards if you use multiple publications.· Use a coupon in your newspaper ads. Code the coupons so that you can tell which publication generates the most sales.· Put a line in your radio scripts to "Mention this ad and get a 10% discount."· Ask all new customers how they heard about your business.Make no mistake. These are all bad suggestions. Very bad. In addition to being very poor per

hey don’t like change; they want things to be the same.

2. Are you trying to be all things to all people? The old adage when a business closes its doors is, “We were busy until the very end!” If you are really busy, but aren’t making any money, then your prices are may be too low. My favorite ads are the ones that say “Price, Service, and Selection.” We used to say that, but in this day and age, it’s extremely difficult to run a business that way. Pick 2 out of the 3 and get to work. Are your prices higher than your competitors? Better be beating the

10 Things You Should Know to Get the Ultimate Printing Services
Many, perhaps, shy away from the sometimes complicated processes involved in printing. It seems that this branch of knowledge, which has taken its roots way, way back in history, is too much of a mystery that only a few dare know and comprehend. Even in this day in age, not too many people know about the wheels that turn to produce our daily newspapers, monthly glossies and even the handy-dandy business card.So what exactly do you need to know about printing? How will you identify and maximize the best printing services there are?It doesn’t take too much effort to get your print designs from here to there, in other words, from soft copy to print form. There are, however, certain concepts you’ll come across whenever you venture into the world of printing. There are too some qualities you should look for when choosing the right printer to do the job.1. Online Printers make your printing jobs easier. Online printers offers an array of services to get your printing project don

I understand the concept of complacency. Been there and done that. Complacency, according to the dictionary, is being pleased with oneself or one’s merits, advantages, and situation, often without awareness of potential danger. Have you ever been complacent? Have you ever been very happy with a situation, only to realize later that things weren’t really so great? It’s been my experience in almost 20 years of business that at one time or another, all businesses fall into the complacency trap and as the song goes, you never realize what you have until it’s gone.

For many years I was the President and Owner of my family’s chain of wine stores. I remember times when things were great, and could hardly imagine things could be different. Only, things were slowly changing, unbeknownst to me For starters, Costco arrived with a flourish on the wine and spirit scene. As the number one seller of wine in the U.S., Costco has had a profound impact on the fortunes of independent retailers. At the same time, costs were going up across the board. For example, our insurance premiums (post 9/11) went through the roof. Other expense categories like real estate taxes, health insurance and workers compensation premiums were all rising. It became more difficult to run the business the way we had in the past.

We fought through our “complacency” stage. You can also, but you have to ask the right questions and seek answers you don’t necessarily want. Read the following eight questions, and start protecting your company from the evils of complacence. Part of “Hitting the Grand Slam” with your customers and associates is asking the tough questions. The results are always a continuing healthy business, robust profits, and happy employees.

1. Are your gross margins going up or down? What goes down doesn’t necessarily go back up. When your margins fall, you may be unwittingly training your customers to expect that pricing structure. You then run the risk of having alienated or disappointed customers when you try to raise prices again. Keep your margins as constant as you can, unless, of course, keeping them low will force you out of business. That only helps your competitors. Remember, your customers are creatures of habit. They don’t like change; they want things to be the same.

The Softer Benefits of Corporate Giving
Have a favorite charity or non-profit community cause to which you contribute time and resources? Chances are your company will be interested in supporting it, too.According to the Giving USA 2004 study released by the Giving USA Foundation in the summer of 2004, American individuals, estates, foundations, and corporations gave an estimated $240.72 billion to charitable causes in 2003. In the US, during the five years spanning 1998-2002, corporations contributed $55 billion, (5%) of the total $1135 billion. Corporations also gave through foundations, which contributed an addition $121 billion (11%) of the five year total.People tend to be aware that there are financial benefits to corporations for donating to charities and that corporations want to be good, forward-acting citizens. What people—and many organizations—don’t realize yet is that there are still other motivators and benefits for corporate giving. The fact is, increasing numbers corporations are extending the bene

Writing Business Thank You Notes - The Art of Appreciation in Business
I was introduced to the concept of “Thank you notes” when I was about five years old. My teenage cousin just presented me with a coveted new birthday present – a soft, cuddly, gray and white teddy bear. I was overjoyed receiving this bundle of joy but my cousin, who could not attend my birthday party, was unaware of the unbridled happiness stemming from her gift.My grandmother – someone who could have taken over the reigns for “Ms. Manners” – soon afterwards advised me to write a thank you note. I inquired, “Can I call my cousin on the phone to thank her”? “Yes,” she replied, “Right after you write her this thank you note.” (I could never take any shortcuts when my grandmother was nearby.)Sitting down at the table trying to write my first thank you letter was a difficult exercise for me. I had better things to do than trying to formulate words on a blank page – like playing with my cherished teddy bear. But once my grandmother offered some ideas, the thank you note almost

her expense categories like real estate taxes, health insurance and workers compensation premiums were all rising. It became more difficult to run the business the way we had in the past.

Career or Job: Which Do You Have?
If you look around online or in the bookstore, or if you get into conversations with people at parties and other events, you get the idea that a “career” is where all the action is. Your career is almost like a life separate from your own. Your career can be on the fast track. It can be derailed. It can stagnate. Blossom. But the important thing, it would seem, would be that you at least have one at all. If you don’t, then reams of coaches, resume-writing specialists, articles, websites, magazines, books, and high school guidance counselors are there to nudge you to get yourself one!If you’re unhappy or unfulfilled, the gurus will assure you that it’s just that you’re in the wrong career. It most assuredly does not mean that you should bow out of having a career at all!We know of people we graduated from high school with, and that some of them seemed to “go somewhere,” and others did not. You might hear things like “Remember Mary? She has a wonderful career!” or perhap

inuing healthy business, robust profits, and happy employees.

Why The Time Of The Year Makes A Huge Difference
Chapter 7 of 14We liken this approach to something that is done in the stock market by many exceptionally talented traders. The most notable that comes to mind is that of Sir John Templeton. For decades, he had a very simple philosophy. That was to buy things when they were out of favor or when no one else thought they had any value. This mindset resulted in vast fortunes for his investors in The Templeton Funds, as well as for himself. He stuck to his philosophy and it paid off. If you stick to and use the same approach, you to can win big at the celebrity endorser game.We constantly follow the rule of acquiring athletes who are out of favor or who are in their dormant state, in terms of professional sports seasons. It has worked for us for sixteen years and it will work for you. I can’t tell you how many calls we have had over the years saying, “things are dead, I will do anything for just about any price.” Wait until the season starts and everything changes. Timing i

hey don’t like change; they want things to be the same.

3. Do your associates still like coming to work? What is the mood from within your company? Convene a focus group or have an informal internet survey. There are more and more inexpensive ways to get your associates opinions, if you want them. Maintain an environment where your associates feel they can speak freely. Take the top three things your associates don’t like about your company and fix them. At the very least, use the good times to throw some value their way. Do your marketing materials say something like, “Our employees are our best asset”? Let them feel valued!

4. How does your store look? Is it time for some renovations or general upkeep? What has wear and tear done to your facilities? Don’t look at this yourself. Have someone else give you an honest assessment because they will spot things that you either won’t see or won’t admit seeing! Throw a fresh coat of paint up every once in a while. Customers will enjoy that, and your associates will as well. Are your bathrooms clean? Don’t lose sight of the little details. The other day my wife was out grocery shopping with our son Ben, when suddenly, as 4-year olds do, he announced the need for a bathroom. The woman’s bathroom was occupied so they ventured into the men’s. It was disgusting, and this was from a small chain known all over for its excellent customer service. When I teach companies how to “Hit the Grand Slam” with their customers, I always stress that you must meet your customer’s tangible needs. Tangible needs can mean many things. In this case, it meant a clean bathroom for Ben!

5. Can you improve your systems? Don’t just settle for your systems giving you the right information now. Plan ahead! What other information is available? Can your checkout process be more efficient, or quicker? During my days in the wine business we used to take many orders over the phone. One day the software was changed to allow us to easily access customer purchasing history while the associate was on the phone with the customer. Wow! There was a new selling opportunity, right there before our eyes. Always be thinking of what the system should do tomorrow, not what it is doing today.

6. Ar

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In too many cases, investors dwell solely on outcomes without appropriate consideration of process. The focus on results is to some degree understandable. Results -- the bottom line -- are what ultimately matter. And results are typically easier to assess and more objective than evaluating processes.

Car magnets can be used for promoting any social cause or it may also be used to announce individual association. These magnets have been holding a prime importance in informing people about some major event or hottest issue that has been cropping up.

If you have high quality support services and polices, and your employee satisfaction surveys show that your employees are happy, are your customers actually experiencing results that match or exceed your brand promise? Inconsistencies create disjointed experiences for customers who will be constantly adjusting to your company’s different styles, behaviors, standards of performance, and promises. This makes it very difficult to develop a sense of affinity and loyalty with your company.

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