Role Model Mom: Living the Life of Your Dreams
Creator:
Published:07/13/2011 10:49pm
Mothers cant deny it: motherhood is truly a satisfying role and many women have said that this is the best job in the world. However, many ambitious, working, entrepreneurial mothers do feel disconnected from their dreams, as they are often overshadowed my maternal obligations and duties. When a mothers life starts to just become all about her family and children, she loses sight of her own passions and dreams.Nonetheless, a mom who knows how to follow her dreams and achieve something besides being a mother is showing her children the importance of following your dreams and working to achieve something. Below,...
2011 American State Litter Scorecard
Published:07/12/2011 02:56pm
By popular demand--a NEW, up-to-date State Litter "Scorecard" is now released for the 2011 ASPA Baltimore event--measuring each states overall environmental quality through public and environmental performance efforts. The CARD uses tried-and-true, hard-to-publicly obtain objective and subjective measures, leading to a total overall score for each measured jurisdiction. Readers can thus gain a realistic "picture" of "what's going on" within one or all of the 50 states. Littering/dumping remains harmful, serious American environmental crimes, creating dangers to public health and safety, and contributing to the deaths of over 800 Americans in debris-attributed motor vehicle accidents.The first, original 2008 Scorecard was cited...
Creating with The Universal Law of Action
Published:07/12/2011 12:58pm
The Law of Attraction is an amazing Universal Truth, ancient in its roots but made popular again with a rush of material in popular media. The basic idea is that you have the power to set your intentions about what you want in life and then attract it to you via focused thought. While many people have had initial success with this concept, there seemed to be something missing from the equation. There was quiet restlessness beginning to stir in the spiritual new thought world. I, as well as a growing number of others, began wanting something more, something deeper,...
Job Interview Deceit and Deception
Published:07/09/2011 04:30pm
by Barry James HickeyNever go on a job interview without good information about the hiring company. It can be a real waste of time, especially when what you are applying for may not be what is advertised.Here is a good example: I was contacted by a marketing company that discovered my resume on Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com or SimplyHired.com. They couldn't remember which. They were offering 40,000 a year in guaranteed salary with the potential to earn 100,000 in commissions. Flag #1: The company would not reveal the nature of their marketing. All would be revealed in the interview. Do I enjoy promotions?We...
First Date
Published:07/09/2011 04:09pm
First DateBarry James HickeyI was pumping gas at the Texaco when I finally asked Marnie out. She agreed, wrote down her address and the date was set for Sunday at five. Our first date. A movie, we agreed. She drove off in an older Pontiac.After the gas station closed at eleven, I pulled out her address and drove down 105th Place to see what her house looked like. There it was: 1755 West. It was small, modest and brick. The car she drove earlier was parked in the driveway. I felt giddy inside.The next day at work, in between customers,...
My Dogs Are on Facebook
Published:07/09/2011 04:04pm
My Dogs Are On FacebookBarry James HickeyGeorgie Girl and her accomplice Portia are rascal mutts. I know they take me for granted. I used to wonder what they do around the house all day while they send me to fetch money to keep them living in doggy heaven. Then I stumbled across something very disturbing this week. My dogs are on Facebook.Are dogs intelligent? I suppose. I know dumber people. But dogs are also cunning master manipulators. My girls always wake me before sunrise to feed them. They force me to walk them at least once a day. They eat dinner...
Five Simple Steps to Use When Planning Your Events that Guarantee a Successful and Memorable Affair
Published:07/07/2011 01:49pm
These are the 5 steps of event planning that are found in every event, regardless of the size, location, date, reason, or amount of money you will spend. There are hundreds of additional steps to take but these will set the foundation for your entire planning process.1.Discuss and Choose Your Goals and Objectives:Every event will have goals and objectives whether they are set, discussed, and confirmed upfront or not. You must ask yourself and your committee members, what is your primary purpose for having the event? Pick a primary purpose that matches what your intentions for the event are. What do...
Headline Copy Tweaks You Can Make Today to Increase Sales Tomorrow
Published:07/06/2011 04:25pm
So, youve already determined your copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. Now, lets take it a step further.Do you know what people read first practically EVERY TIME they read your copy?Its your headline. Studies have shown that your headline is the single most important part of any of your marketing, advertising and promotional materials. Think of it as your welcome mat, the tidbit you throw out there to entice people to want more.Here are two quick examples:A) Would you like to earn more money?Chances are this question piqued your interest if youre...
Email Etiquette ~ 6 Key Guidelines to Consider Before you Hit Send
Published:07/06/2011 04:21pm
For many, email correspondence has improved business efficiency on many levels. Sending an email can save time and money as well as provide a virtual paper trail of information sent and received.While the internet and email can provide quick and easy access to information and interactions, there are some issues of etiquette to consider. First, not all computer users view email the same way. Some people use email for business purposes only, others for a social outlet and sometimes a balance between the two. It's important to know what people on your email contact list want to receive and what they...
Crafting Copy that Compels Your Customers to Act
Published:07/06/2011 04:07pm
What are you asking?One of the best pieces of advice I can offer when creating copy is to always include an offer, otherwise known as a call to action.What do you want your customers to do? Dont assume theyll come to your website or storefront just because youve told them youre there. Results driven advertising, marketing and promotions take more planning and effort than an If I build it they will come approach.Give your prospects and customers a reason to support your business. Invite them in to your storefront, request they visit your website and be sure to ask them to...
Business Breakthroughs Via Masterminds~
Published:07/06/2011 04:00pm
Im sure youve heard me discuss the importance of masterminds and investing in your business. This is the single most important aspect of professional growth. Exposure to new ideas, fresh ways of thinking and resources are vital to expansion of your mind and soul.Who do you mastermind with? Do you utilize your connections to the fullest? Are you expecting miracles when NOT doing your part?These are some questions I want you to REALLY ponder.Personally I do what I can to make the most of all my connections.Here are some tips to help you.1) Participate actively Step up and be involved2)...
Audio & Video Visibility to Support Your Brand Integrity
Published:07/06/2011 03:54pm
While audio and video are not new to the marketing mix, the demand for quality and thoughtful messages is increasing rapidly. Personally, I believe quality video and audio are an integral part of maintaining brand integrity.Heres what I mean. As business owners we put a lot of time, thought and research into creating our brands. Some marketers own a personal brand, others a corporate brand and really savvy marketers embrace co-branding.To break it down further Ill give a laymans definition of a brand.Brand: The overall impression and experience that your customers receive from your business.This definition seems to demystify the concept...
Article Marketing Tips & Techniques
Published:07/06/2011 03:51pm
Just One Article Can Make a Difference (but dont stop there)Article Marketing is here to stay. In fact, its one of the quickest ways to gain notoriety on the web, get picked up in various publications, increase ezine (electronic newsletter) subscriptions and boost the Ive heard about you somewhere factor.If you are not currently including article marketing in your plan, here are some quick tips and techniques to get you started.1. EVERYONE is an expert at something. What knowledge can you leverage to help others and increase interest in your products or services?2. Creating articles is a cost effective way to...
Are You ‘Offering’ Your Customers REAL Value?
Published:07/06/2011 03:28pm
Lets quickly recap the elements of good copywriting. Copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. There are several components to copy and they all must work together.Here are some of the basic elements to keep in mind when you begin to write your copy:-Its vital to craft engaging headlines the headline is the 1st thing people read in ANY marketing advertising materials.-Take time to clearly show customers the Whats in it for me factor. Simply put your customers dont care much about who you are or what you do but they do...
7 Surefire Signs of a *Virtual Violation and 5 ways to Avoid it ~
Published:07/06/2011 03:17pm
Published BusinessInfoGuide.com, Red Hot Copy e-zine Absolute Write July/August 2006As a small business owner you know the importance of marketing and investing in your businesses. This means attending workshops, trainings, conferences and maybe even entering business competitions or contests that can increase publicity. The intent is to further your business by networking with likeminded individuals while gleaning wisdom from tried and true gurus. Oftentimes, we find such events online. Unfortunately, not all things are what they seem. Perhaps youve been told not to believe everything you hear and only half of what you read. I can personally attest this is...
