Archive for April, 2011

Why a Loving Attitude is so Important.

Author: iCoach

Apr 30

I want you to know how much I love you and care about your well-being and I am so grateful for having you in my life. You were, and are, so instrumental in my seeing what I need to change about me to be a better person and although it is a somewhat lengthy process I have become a person I truly like. You must also know that whatever troubles you, troubles me, and while I can’t fix what you’re going through I will try and support you as best I can.

Recently I came across this piece from Neale Donald Walsch; “That you can live a charmed life, and that there is a formula by which you can make this work. Here is the formula: You can live a charmed life by causing others to live a charmed life. That is, be the source of ‘charm’ – of charming moments and experiences – in the life of another. Be everyone else’s Lucky Charm! Make all who you touch today feel ‘lucky’ that you crossed their path. Do this for a week and watch things change. Do it for a month and you’ll be a different person.

There are a few beliefs that see me through issues and here they are:

  • Eliminate as much past thinking as I can. That means all the stuff of how I believe I was hurt and being a victim of those past problems. Since I can’t change what happened all I can do is try and see the message or lesson and move forward with each new day, hopefully making it better.
  • Eliminate the anger I have about those issues or people I see as hurtful, as it only continues to hurt me in the present.
  • Practice forgiveness of those who I believe have hurt me trying to understand why they acted that way or at least letting it go, which can change my circumstances.

Like you, I have my own unique path to travel and lessons to be learned in this life, which also helps me in not being a victim and allowing others to be who they are. If the pain I feel from someone is so great then I don’t have to associate with them. Even when I want to point out to someone what I don’t like about them I realize that if I do that it only adds to the problem. So I try and approach the problem and to summon words that show compassion and love.  As Gandhi said so well, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”, and then Ben Franklin added, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still”. So you can see that I can only change me and not someone else.

So if at times I feel cursed, or wounded, or wronged in someway, I stop and change my thinking and to understand the lesson or the message the universe is having me experience. You see this same issue will continue, in different forms, until I understand what it is and I find the answers to them and by letting them go and acting differently when they appear. And while you may provide some help, support and answers, the answers I need can only be found within me.

Blessings and Love to All.

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Building A Bridge To Your Customer

Author: iCoach

Apr 29

How Much Do You Really Know About Advertising And Promotion?

This is a question I often ask myself and you need to ask yourself as well.  In my last consulting position, for a retailer, I had many discussions about where to advertise, when to advertise, especially if your talking about radio or TV spots, how often to advertise and how much can we afford to spend. In addition, the biggest question is always, “can we not afford to advertise?”

You see, no matter how long you’ve been in business, no matter how many customers you have and no matter how successful you are, advertising a little or a lot is a must.  Why? Because there are always new potential customers looking for what you are selling and even your tried and true customers want to hear from you and get a deal every so often.

Also, remember to brand yourself.  What does this mean?  It means having a consistent message telling the world exactly who you are, because if you don’t know what you do and who you are, and who your target audience is, then neither does the rest of the world.  Be consistent!

While you may not be in Kansas, Dorothy, what my friend Doug Burson offers is something to look at and consider.  And if you are in Kansas then it might be wise of you to look him up and have a discussion.

 

BUILDING A BRIDGE TO YOUR CUSTOMER

BY Douglas Burson, Summit Publications, Inc.

(AS PUBLISHED ON WORDPRESS, FACEBOOK AND TWITTER)

 

In most businesses, 20% of your customers from one year ago are gone.

Price, location, selection, instant availability, reputation = your brand.  Your business

START HERE WITH “CTRL” AND “CLICK”:

http://youtu.be/IDXJKwQED4k

 

YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.  I KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMER.

After 24 years as owner of a national advertising firm, I’ve learned there is one constant.  Change.

How could you possibly and effectively combine these media in a meaningful way that causes customers and clients to “stick” with and to you – all while you operate your business?   Promise:  You do not have a person in your organization who understands how to cost-effectively select and weave these media together:

A.  Print Directory Advertising

FACT:  One-Third of Jackson County, Missouri, residents do not have access to the internet.

FACT:  “It’s not your mother’s Maytag……”

“But it’s still your mother’s phonebook…”

FACT: Babyboomers, women, money are the key targets of Print Directory Advertising.

Summit Publications is a local business that for the past eight years has been involved in Print Directory publishing (18 Trading Areas) reaching 1.2 million Kansas Citizens.  We also recently formed a subsidiary, BestLocalSearch.com, which is an Internet platform designed to bridge local search print results with hyper-local internet to reach consumers throughout the area.

Our 30-person sales force contacts more than 50% of all businesses each year, supporting you with comprehensive radio, print, publicity, iPhone texting/couponing, etc.  We also are the local provider of Internet search and hardbound search directories in association with the Kansas City Royals.

How could you possibly and effectively combine these media in a meaningful way that causes customers and clients to “stick” with and to you – all while you operate your business?

B.  Local Online Search and SEO Lead Channels

http://www.bestlocalsearch.com

Hyper-Local.  Consumer “Stickiness.”

FACT:  “Reviews, recommendations, video, smart phone applications, bounce-back texts, hotlinked with your website.”  — Measured and putting a rocket booster under your website’s search results.

 

How could you possibly and effectively combine these media in a meaningful way that causes customers and clients to “stick” with and to you – all while you operate your business?

C.  “Groupon-Type” Offer Delivery….. NOT Google Results…KANSAS CITY RESULTS!

You determine the offer, the timing, and the limits.  TRUE, no-cost information delivery.

LOCAL DEALS:  “Showcase your business and attract new customers risk-free and online where your buyers are.”

To learn more and sign up for BestLocalSearch.com Local Deals, contact me, OR…

Go to the home page here and click on Local Deals:

http://www.bestlocalsearch.com

How could you possibly and effectively combine these media in a meaningful way that causes customers and clients to “stick” with and to you – all while you operate your business?

D.  “Val-Pac-Type” Offer Delivery

It’s almost certain one of your neighboring businesses has printed a coupon, placed it in an envelope (along with 40-50 other coupons) and “snail-mailed” them to thousands of people    — all for one great price called “ValPak” – along with its “signature Blue Envelope.”

Instead, Summit Publications micro-targets businesses and consumers in each of its unique 18 trading areas.   The combination of “flush-cut inserts,” “tip-on” cover offers, etc. can be better alternatives.

 

FACT:  “Print Directory advertising has a retention of 18 months…everyday.

 

E.  Social Media

Do you know the 70/30/10 strategic approach to Social Media?  It’s not what you may guess by visiting my Social Media advertising and message networks:

http://twitter.com/#!/Douglas_Burson – Approaching 20,000 “Followers”

http://www.facebook.com/douglasburson – More than 1,000 “Followers”

http://youtu.be/67gu-2EM2pg – New YouTube Channel 500 “hits” 5 Days (No Promotion)

 

G. DOUGLAS BURSON/LINKEDIN:  “Slightly less than 200 “Followers” and you must be a member.”

How could you possibly and effectively combine these media in a meaningful way that causes customers and clients to “stick” with and to you – all while you operate your business?

Call Me.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhAste9hczE

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