We celebrate Thanksgiving Day in quiet times, decisive times

November 23, 2007 By Leave a Comment

As we gather with family and friends on November 22, we have much to be thankful for, not the least of which is the blessing of everyday life in America.
 In the midst of Thanksgiving, however, we may sense that we are living in a time of decisive moments. We could include a prayer for guidance in choosing a new president.

1107-231c.jpg
 Celebrating Thanksgiving in both decisive times and quiet times is an American tradition. General George Washington and his soldiers observed a Thanksgiving Day during the difficult days of the Revolutionary War. It was a decisive time.
 Washington”s first proclamation after becoming president named November 26, 1789 to be a national day of thanksgiving, a quiet time.
 In 1863, with the Civil War in progress, President Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Day proclamation included this touching statement: “We commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable strife in which we are unavoidably engaged.”
 In 2005, President George W. Bush’s proclamation said, in part, “We give thanks to live in a country where freedom reigns, justice prevails, and hope prospers. We recognize that America is a better place when we answer the universal call to love a neighbor and help those in need.”

Filed Under: Food, Seasonal

Conducting Market Research

November 21, 2007 By Leave a Comment

What Information Do You Want to Know and Why?
What information about your current or potential customers will help you serve them better? Demographic data and travel patterns can help you determine the feasibility of opening a new location, while knowledge about their daily schedules can help you set more convenient hours of operation.See What’s Already Been Discovered.
There is probably more published information available about your type of business and target market than you realize. Among the best sources are the U.S. Census Bureau, national and regional business publications, trade organizations and your local chamber of commerce.

Build on What You’re Doing
It’s easy to make market research a part of your day-to-day activities. Retailers can use sales receipts, delivery orders and charge slips to identify where customers live, or monitor inventory trends to gauge the popularity of certain product lines. Tracking orders of daily specials helps restaurant owners determine which dishes are most popular on a weekly or seasonal basis.

Watch the Competition
You can gain some valuable insights by studying the practices of successful competing businesses. No espionage is required. Just be observant about when and where they advertise, the setting and layout of their various locations, operating practices, etc. Remember that their approach may be driven by circumstances substantially different from yours.

Talk to Your Customers
As a small business owner, you’re face-to-face with your customers. Your market research can be as informal as observing customers in the store or doing a survey and as elaborate as conducting a full-scale research program with focus groups and computer-generated maps. A market research firm or ad agency will cost more than a “homemade” strategy, of course, but you will have the benefit of the consultant’s experience and objectivity.

Filed Under: Marketing

Holiday serenity is achievable

November 18, 2007 By Leave a Comment

Soon the turkey will be roasting in the oven and the sound of holiday music will be heard throughout the land.
 This is a time often pictured as chocked full of conviviality, cheer, warm heartedness, and a reaching out in love to those around us.
 But sometimes, when we are burdened with too much to do in too little time, the holidays can become a time of anger and frustration.

1107-151c.jpg
 To help keep your feelings of good cheer, peace, and serenity, you might want to try some of these ideas. 
 * Realistic goals: Compile a list of what needs to be accomplished during the holidays. Eliminate what you can and formulate a game plan that allows you to do a little at a time so the holidays are not a burden but a blessing. Don’t be afraid to evaluate family traditions and change what needs to be changed.
 * Restraint: Don’t become carried away with spending money on gifts and decorations, racking up huge bills that make reading the mail a dreaded experience. The guilt you will feel if you spend wildly will be enough to spoil any holiday. Stick to your budget.
 * Share: Remember not everyone has the ability to have a pleasant holiday season. Pick one or two charities and give of both your time and treasure.
 * Time for yourself: Sometimes we become so wrapped up in making sure everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas that we forget about ourselves. Take time each day to be alone and enjoy a quiet moment.
 *Empathy: You might become agitated while stuck in traffic or feel impatient with an inexperienced salesclerk but remember the people around you may be dealing with frustration too. A smile can be contagious.

Filed Under: Seasonal, Self Reliance

Take a walk, lose a pound

November 14, 2007 By Leave a Comment

American Diabetes Month: Take steps to prevent it …
Turn a card, take a walk, lose a pound
 What connection could there possibly be between a card game and diabetes? In one way, there is one.
 The Royal London Hospital reports that for every two hours you spend watching television daily, your risk of diabetes rises by as much as 14 percent. When you play games like cards and Scrabble, you are less likely to be snacking than when you watch TV.

1107-091c.jpg
 The hospital also found that when one spouse has diabetes, the other’s risk of getting the disease is doubled. Type 2 diabetes is not contagious, but a “diabetes lifestyle” is.
 During November, check your own risk factors. Search the Internet for American Diabetes Month and click on the Diabetes Risk Test.
 If your score is high, you may have pre-diabetes. The good news is that the recent Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people can prevent the development of type 2 by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.
 The study showed that medications may delay the development of diabetes, but diet and exercise work better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity coupled with a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in body weight produced a big reduction in risk.
 People are getting the message. Undiagnosed cases in black and Hispanic men, for example, have dropped dramatically in the last three decades.’
 People who have type 2 diabetes should follow their doctors” instructions to avoid heart attacks, eye disease, nerve damage, and kidney failure.

Filed Under: Fitness, Nutrition

Create a Marketing Plan

November 10, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Creating a Marketing Plan
A marketing plan is an essential tool for business. Developing one will help you think about what makes your business unique and how to get the message out to desired audiences through a variety of channels.A Marketing Plan is Strategic
Just as you plan for other aspects of your business, such as inventory, production and billing, thinking ahead about your marketing efforts is key to staying competitive. By plotting your marketing strategies ahead of time, your business will run more smoothly and your efforts are more likely to pay off.

A Marketing Plan Helps You Stay Focused
Your marketing plan is a map to guide you toward your goals—one that will get you there on time and with minimum stress. A plan will help you coordinate your efforts and be proactive. With it, you are more likely to be realistic about your time and energy. A plan will help you stay organized and on track throughout the year. Your marketing is more likely to get done when you take the time to identify what you want to do and when you want to do it.

Write it Down
Plan your efforts by first identifying your market and then letting it determine how to proceed. Which events and opportunities will help you accomplish your goals? Is it in your best interest to attend an association meeting that your clients are involved with? Think strategically about where you need to be. Consider what business you’re in and the natural cycles of your industry. A marketing plan may include marketing objectives, strategies, brand positioning, messaging and public relations activities.

Use a Calendar to Keep On Top of Your Marketing Efforts
Once you have identified the events and activities to target, incorporate your marketing plan into your current time management system. Some people find it easiest to use a wall calendar. Others like a desk calendar or a computerized program.

Set Goals & Assess Your Efforts
Think about the marketing ideas you want to implement. Determine how to implement ideas, assign each a date for completion, then work backward from your deadline. Also, be sure to examine your ideas to see whether any can be used to achieve more than one goal. Think about whom you want to reach when you want to reach them and how you’re going to do it. Then mark it on your calendar. When you plan your marketing efforts and merge them smoothly with your other responsibilities and commitments, they are more likely to pay off.
Filed Under: Marketing
« Older Posts