Actually WATCH These Videos

Seth Godin posted links to a series of videos up on the AMEX Open site, but I know what happens. Sometimes, we see the links, we recognize that there’s something there, but we don’t actually DO the next step. Well, you’re missing out if you don’t click. The videos are brief. The questions are segmented. Seth is Brilliant. And Tom Peters is on stage, too. It’s all top shelf stuff.

Sogo here and watch the videos (the little links in the post).

(AndBattelle’s team on AMEX Open: wouldn’t you entertain embed codes? I get the goal, but please?)

Technorati Tags: Seth Godin,Chris Brogran,Video Training

Incorporation Processing Free for a Day

This content from: Duct Tape Marketing

Incorporation Processing Free for a Day

MyCorporation, an Intuit company, takes a lot of the headache and hassle out of legal requirements of forming a corporation.

I’veused the service over the years to form, admittedly, pretty simple corporations, but it is a great tool and can save you a substantial amount of money. Particularly when it’s free!

OnTuesday, November 11, 2008 from 6am to 6pm (pacific time), MyCorporation is offering FREE FOR A DAY. For one day only, MyCorporation will process a new Corporation or Limited Liability Company for FREE. That’s a savings of $149 off regular service fees (note: document shipping, state fees, publication fees, and additional product fees are additional). To take advantage of this opportunity, just call 1-888-MYCORP-1 (that’s 1-888-692-6771) or visit the website MyCorporation.com and mention code FREE149 to receive the $149 discount.

Noanybody who needs to incorporate? Pass it on.

Who has been thru tough times to lead?

In the last few weeks I've been just blasted with e-mails, blog posts and other types of advertising. The headlines have been saying things like:

1. 10 ideas for marketing in a tight economy.
2. Recession proof your business.
3. How to successfully market, your small business in tough times
4. Recession-Buster

That was an afternoon check of my e-mails. Ok, aside from the dot.com era which was largely regionalized, when was the last recession that all these people have gained their experience from?  The last recession that I really remember is in the Jimmy Carter era.  When we had, double-digit inflation, interest rates skyrocketing, and long lead times or scarcity. Does anybody remember?

We have been blessed for the last 25 years, with relatively low interest rates, practically zero inflation, and next day availability. With that in mind, I think it will be extremely interesting the path people will choose to counteract these turbulent times. Just ignoring it will not make it go away. Have we decided been there, done that - doesn't count anymore. Have the recession - busters decided to "Just say No."

I think it's a great time to re-evaluate your strategies for moving forward. To be completely transparent, I am a gray hair myself but I would recommend adding a little age to my circle of advisors. Most importantly in the strategic side of your planning.  I just don't think it is going to hurt to have some been there, done there talent surrounding you. Just like the IRS will tell you, ignorance of a tax law is not an excuse. Ignorance of recession, if it happens, is not one either.

Important tip: Make 3 budgets out for next year. Best, Worst and what you think scenarios. Watch  the accounts that deviate the most.

Technorati Tags: Recession,Depression,Budgets,Forecast,Manufacture,Marketing Plan,Business Planning,One Page Business Plan,Marketing Plan Pro

Difficult times ... here's what I'm doing

These are challenging times.  People react in two fundamentally different ways - "fight or flight."  If your reaction is "flight" then this message may not apply to you. 

Sharing ideas, strategies, and tactics is a good thing - and I welcome yours.  Here's what I'm doing:

1. Stay calm and think rationally - There will be opportunities I don't want to miss.  I don't want to over react either.

2. Examine expenses - I'm reviewing all my business and personal expenses.  There are always some discretionary items that can be slashed.

3. Conserve - Look for ways to use less of everything (gas, electric, office supplies, entertainment costs, etc.).
4. Be a smart shopper - Take advantage of special offers and promotions, negotiate, buy in bulk.

5. Accountability - Make everyone more accountable. Hold everyone from back-office operations and administration to front-office sales and marketing, and even myself, more accountable for their performance.  As they say, "If you can't measure it you can't manage it," so I will do more reporting and "open-book management" so we can see results. 

6. Manage receivables tighter - I don't want customers to transfer their financial problems to me.

7. Reassure staff - Everyone's nervous and it's not necessarily a bad thing for your people to "value their jobs" more.  By the same token, I want them to know my commitment to them is still strong provided they step up to the challenge and put the effort in that I expect of them. 
8. Better opportunity and project management - This is the crux of our business and I know we can improve on this for the sake of both our customers and ourselves.

9. Invest in technology - We need a new phone system and there's never been a better time to do it. 

10. Marketing & sales - Just because business is off is no reason to back off on your marketing & sales.  I liken these times to "pushing a ball up a hill."  You can do it if you keep pushing!  But if you stop and give up the ball will roll down hill three times (3 x) faster! 

 
From Bob Ritter of 1st Direct,  http://www.1stdirect.com

Your brand is not your logo

Ok, Logo Works what do you say to this?

Freshfuel and the Dieline point to some new logos from big players.

Cluelessness on the half shell.

Smart marketers understand that a new logo can't possibly increase your market share, and they know that an expensive logo doesn't defeat a cheap logo. They realize that the logo is like a first name, it's an identifier.

So, when Pepsi and BestBuy start 'testing' logos, and proclaiming that a new logo might change their market share, I get nervous. You can't test a logo any more than you can test a first name. Sure, you can eliminate Myxlplyx as an outlier, but given the success of the Starbucks mermaid and the Dunkin Donuts typeface (two outliers) you can see that this testing is sort of meaningless.

I guess the punchline is: take the time and money and effort you'd put into an expensive logo and put them into creating a product and experience and story that people remember instead.

From Seth Godin

Technorati Tags: Seth Godin,Branding,Marketing,Pepsi,Best Buy

Guest Post- Learning To Become a Great Public Speaker by Picking Up Women

An excerpt from a Chris Brogan post the other day: 

The following is a guest post from Dean Hunt. What leads me to putting up this post is two-fold. One, Dean is a very energetic and determined man. He has goals, and he intends to meet them. Two, Dean shares his experience of drawing similarities between learning how to be a “pick up artist” and how that relates to speaking. Why that’s interesting is that I saw the entire first season of the VH-1 show, The Pick-Up Artist, and thought there were actually some communications lessons hidden in their less-than-savory intentions. Human nature is what it is. The TV show chose to apply it in ways I wouldn’t, but the information wasn’t inaccurate.

So,with that as a backdrop, I give you Dean Hunt:

Learning To Become a Great Public Speaker by “Picking Up” Women

SelfConfidence –

BodyLanguage –

VocalTone –

Charisma –

Performance –

At the end of the day, public speaking and meeting people are intertwined with the same skill sets. While “picking up” women may sound sleazy… what it really means is making yourself more attractive to the opposite sex. I.e. Making yourself a more interesting and appealing person.

 

Do you Trade Show?

From: Rich Sloan's Amazon Blog

Just returning from a Trade Show in Tampa called "WasteCon". It's a gathering of municipalities seeking the latest trends in waste management. Sound fun, huh?

First, I have to say, I can't stand most trade shows. Flourescent lights, cheesy attention-getting gimmicks, noise, schmoozing, long hours standing around, the repetitiveness of it all, hotel rooms. Etc., etc., etc...

HOWEVER, you have to go. You have to get out and into the mix. Everytime I head out to a trade show, I'm filled with dread, anticipating the drudgery of it all, but what I learn everytime is that, if you can tough your way through it, attending trade shows can transform your business.

GREAT ARTICLE ON MAKING TRADE SHOWS WORK FOR YOU

The intensity of networking, business card collecting, education, getting caught up on trends and the pulse of your industry - especially in high-pressure economic times - is invaluable for your business success.

When you go, be sure to take a box of business cards and hand them out aggressively. Don't be afraid to give multiple cards to individuals you think might pass extras along to other people.

Also, get "off campus" with key people. Activities like golf, dining, etc., can help you form close relationships with people you might not live near and that can help when the business relationship reverts to emails and phone calls.

Have a specific follow up plan for contacts made and follow up IMMEDIATELY upon completion of the trade show or even DURING the trade show while your discussions are fresh in your new contacts' minds.

I say, trade in the dread and get to your industry trade shows. You'll be glad you did.

Technorati Tags: Rich Sloan,Amazon blog,Trade Shows,How to

901Blogs

Advertising Is Not Marketing

The E-Myth Insider

16 October 2008 Brought to you by E-Myth Worldwide

Do you believe that 'marketing' is a synonym for 'advertising'?

In our Seven Centers of Management Attention™ business model, advertising is not part of Marketing, but an element of Lead Generation. Marketing produces knowledge of your best customers rather than generating leads, and with this knowledge you will waste fewer of your advertising dollars.

Advertising is Not Marketing

Not everyone is a potential customer for your business, and knowing the demographics of those most likely to become customers is valuable. This knowledge is gained by marketing, which is the research and analysis of who your customers are, where they are and why they buy from you.

Marketing discovers your customers' demographics; their age, gender, occupation, income, education, marital status and location. Effective marketing will also show their psychographic profiles as well; their self-perceptions, personal values, behavioral tendencies and purchase preferences.

Read and comment on Advertising is Not Marketing.

www.e-myth.com

E-Myth Worldwide | 2235 Mercury Way | Suite 200 | Santa Rosa | CA | 95407

901blogs

How To Launch A Successful Blog In The First 90 Days

Read the headlines than go to Rohit blog for the descriptions. Great advice about blogging.

Starting a blog is not for everyone.

DAYS 1 TO 15:

1. Find a good niche.

2. Choose a name and URL.

3. Grab a template and launch quickly.

4. Add Google Analytics.

5. Create an editorial calendar.

DAYS 15 TO 30:

6. Reevaluate your blog title.

7. Design your blog brand. 8. Get your blog listed.

9. Set up your feeds.

10. Learn the art of headlining.

DAYS 30 TO 60:

11. Set your targets. 12. Learn the 25 styles.

13. Contact your influencers.

14. Actively share your posts.

15. Integrate your blog into your profiles.

DAYS 60 TO 90:

In these days, your main focus should be on content and connections.

This is from Influential Marketing, and written by Rohit.

Technorati Tags: Rohit,Influential Marketing,Blog,blogging,Social Media,Writing

A clickable slideshare primer on the subprime

 

Michael in Los Angels, a finance expert who arranges structured finance transactions for real estate developers, sent me the link to this Slideshare below that was created seven months ago. "It's very simplistic but it does a good job of giving a pretty good flavor for what went down," wrote Michael in a recent email. "Everyone knew this was going to eventually fold, although I don’t believe anyone really knew that the credit markets would get to this point." Michael even used one of the slides in a recent presentation and he said the entire auditorium got it. "It was amazing how powerful just showing one slide was." A few finance professionals have sent me the Slideshare link this week; it's a good followup to the whiteboard presentation in the previous post. Visually this Slideshare is simplified to the point of being quite crude, and yet as a sort of tongue-in-cheek overview of at least part of the financial crisis this works. The downside of this Slideshare is that you'll have to view it at "Full Screen" to read the text. Warning: some of the language may be too crude for some (you've been warned), but given what took place in the market this week, I heard much worse in the Tokyo pubs.)

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: subprime mortgages)

This is syndicated from Presentation Zen, and written by Garr.

Winning in a Down Economy

We live in interesting times. The rapid changes that thrust Wall Street into a tailspin these past few weeks has created a business environment that is far different from anything we've seen in the past. The panic on Wall Street has rippled quickly from the investment community into the executive suites of all of organizations and down the line to each and every employee. Everyone is talking about how to react. What are the impacts to our nation? our economy? our business? us?

Pragmatic Marketing is a great reference site for Manufacturers and I encourage you to follow their blog. In the upcoming weeks they will be discussing: these three macro ideas:

1. Accept that you don't know what you don't know right now. Get real and increase the reliability of your decision making by gathering the data your organization craves about the market ... the thoughts of your buyers, their likely actions and your most valuable solutions to their problems.
2. Develop a conservative plan of attack. The filter for your strategies needs to be built on a solid foundation ... a real connection to what the market needs now and what your organization has a unique ability to deliver and execute flawlessly. Focus your action plan on that core.
3. Overhaul your marketing engine. Now more than ever, you're going to need to be able to create an authentic relationship with your buyers that are based on a solid understanding the realities they face and how they want to do business with you. Provide a more flexible mix of services vs. hype that builds an experience that they'll appreciate.

This is syndicated from Tuned In: Uncover the extraordinary opportunities that lead to business breakthroughs., and written by Phil Myers.

Technorati Tags: Pragmetic Marketing,TunedIn,Phil Myer,Manufacturers,Business Breakthroughs,Product Intorductions,New Business

IDEO Launches an official blog!

 

The thing I Iove about the Web is that it levels the playing field. Novices and professionals each have equal shots at being heard. So when a company like IDEO launches official blogs (later in the game compared to many), it really doesn't matter because the Web thrives on quality of content and interactions. Everyone has a chance.

IDEO brings us two blogs worth checking out. The first is IDEO Labs, which is described as follows: While IDEO Labs is not posting in large volumes, it does offer some behind-the-scenes glimpses into their process and how they work. Check out this video of an IDEO team as they play around with their own multi-touch experiments.
Next is Design Thinking by IDEO's Tim Brown, an outspoken evangelist of the design thinking movement. Design Thinking has more of a personal touch (I'm sure this is by design) compared to IDEO Labs as it offers direct perspectives from Brown on topics such as optimism and critique, and asking questions about the differences between product + experience.

In addition to learning about design methods and thinking, you might learn something about how to market your own organization from them.

This content is derived from the Logic+Emotion Blog.

Technorati Tags: IDEO,Marketing Blogs,Design,Logic+Emotion,Business901

Our you a designer, check out some of out

best practice and quality videos.

Financial crisis simplified (a whiteboard presentation)

6-minute video that is pretty good about the mess we are in, I would like to remind every one though. Einstein said: "Seldom can problems be fixed by the minds that created them."

Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) are investment instruments that are partially to blame for the mortgage crisis. What, you say you don't know what CDOs are or why they matter? Don't worry, almost no one does (maybe that's part of the problem). But not to worry, Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch goes analog to simplify and visualize the problem at the whiteboard in a 6-minute presentation he calls Financial Crisis 101: CDOs explained. I should have paid more attention in my finance class a million years ago; I had to watch this presentation twice, but you'll surely get it the first time. Nothing simplifies and illuminates like a good teacher at the whiteboard (and you don't even have to be an artist). I love whiteboards. Checkout the presentation below. For more information and more simplification of what CDOs are, listen to the Marketplace Radio broadcast and see the transcripts here. Enjoy.

Here's the money quote at the end after a good (albeit very simple) explanation at the whiteboard: "The fact is, we're in a mess of our own making." Indeed.

H/T Adam R.

This is syndicated from Presentation Zen, and written by Garr.

Technorati Tags: Presentation Zen,Garr,Marketplace Radio,Finanacial Crisis

AT&T Reply to Your Small Business Question

 

Hello,

Small business expert, John Jantsch, has posted a customized response to your business challenge.

To review the response, follow the link below.

http://smallbiz.att.com/community/expertadvice/johnjantsch

Thank you for looking to the AT&T OnwardSmallBiz web site as your ultimate resource for the latest industry news and insights. Continue to turn to AT&T Onward Small Biz for expert advice to keep moving your business onward.

Sincerely,

The AT&T OnwardSmallBiz Site Team

Technorati Tags: Duct tape marketing,John Jantsch,AT&T,small business,onward small biz

Other links: Duct Tape Marketing, Business901 Weblog

Marketing Plan Pro Review

 

A review by Ivana Taylor on the new Marketing Plan Pro. A good PR piece for Duct tape Marketing. Remember the definition of PR: A positive mention of your product or firm by a 3rd party.

BestPoints

• Practicaland easy to use — This is not your corporate marketing plan. It is intuitive and uses your natural entrepreneurial thinking. This makes it very easy and quick to fill out.
• Hasaudio guides and examples — I love that John Jantsch does these little introductions as audios – it feel like he’s coaching you through the process. There are also several examples for each section – you can read, get inspired or just copy and edit to change later.
• Resourcesreduce the risk of procrastination – Love the resources section! This will get you started on creating the business of your dreams.

What They Could Have Done Better

The software won’t write your plan for you – but it comes pretty close.

Youhave to listen to the introductions – there’s no reading or writing ahead. On the other hand, there was NOT an audio instruction for the Gap Dashboard section, and I felt that many of us would have liked some additional explanation to complement the instructions that were provided.

WhoShould Get Marketing Plan Pro

• Marketingprofessionals for any size organization — this is a great tool to get your thoughts and ideas out of your head or off of scraps of paper, into an outline.
• Smallbusiness owners and entrepreneurs creating their first real marketing plan, or looking for a painless way to create a plan.
• Independentconsultants who help clients create plans and want a structure to follow.

About the Author: Ivana Taylor has spent over 20 years helping industrial organizations and small business owners get and keep their ideal customers. Her company is Third Force and she writes a blog called Strategy Stew . She is co-author of the book “Excel for Marketing Managers.”

Othersites for Marketing Plan Pro:

Nonprofit Marketing Plan

Nonprofit Marketing Plan Forum
MarketingPlan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing, Coaching Offer

Duct Tape Marketing

TechnoratiTags: Ivana Taylor , Small Business Trends , Marketing Plan Pro , Duct tape Marketing

Top 5 corporate blogging mistakes and how to avoid them

Like many of you, I regularly follow a bunch of business-related blogs and check out dozens of others each week. Most of the new ones I check out have no value (for me) so I never return. I've been thinking about why I choose to pay attention to a blog vs. just cruise by after a quick check.

I've come up with my top 5 corporate blogging mistakes. These are the mistakes that I see again and again.

1. Start a blog without first following other similar blogs (and commenting on them)

2. Write excessively about their company's products and services

3. Focus on one-way propaganda and don't involve other blogs and bloggers

4. Accept all the defaults in the blogging software package

5. Fail to realize the importance of the "About" page.

Read David's entire post here: Web Ink Now, and written by David Meerman Scott.

Technorati Tags: David Meerman Scott,Web Ink Now,Blogging,Corporate Blogging,Bloggers