Monday will be here in just a few hours and I have a plan to start the week on solid footing. I am going to get up early and after a cup of coffee… maybe 3,  I am going to go outside and see if the sky has fallen. If it looks like it’s still there, I will go to my reading chair and sit quietly and say a prayer for the Navy Seals families who just lost their loved ones.  Then I am going to say a prayer for my country and our leaders. God knows they need some help. Then I am going to get to work.

I am going to continue helping small businesses and startups develop a plan to get the word out about what they do. I will make a list of three companies I can talk to about what I can do to help them build their business even in these tough times. Then, I am going to continue developing a well crafted and designed piece to present to supporters of my nonprofit. This piece will let them know plainly that their financial help provides orphans with a safe home to grow up in.

This week, starting Monday, I am going to continue doing what I can to make a positive difference in the world. 

How about you? Here is a little saying to start the week out right…

Today, watching and waiting for our incapacitated economy to return to prosperity, I’ve noticed something happening akin to the good ole days. We’re once again hauling strangers home with us, so to speak.

While portfolios, earnings, salaries, and home values tank; while gas prices sky rocket alongside our national debt; good old fashioned charity is rising to the surface in our national psyche. Service groups, individuals, families, churches, business and corporations are pitching in and partnering with charities to help fill in the gap for the needy while we go through these times together. This is what makes our nation strong.

I feel a sense of pride when I’m asked by a clerk if I want to contribute a dollar to Autism Research or animal rescue. My consulting business chooses to donate to 200 Orphanages Worldwide, so orphans have safe shelter. I know many other professionals and businesses who actively volunteer or donate as part of their business model and it warms my heart.

While our nation struggles to get back on its feet, to build wealth again, we are remembering those unable to stay above water, let alone get ahead. It appears the important things, the things we learned in the good ole days, have risen to the surface. As greed slowly seeps through our nation’s cracked foundation, sprinkles of generosity are raining down.

I love that ‘We the People’ as individuals are pitching in to help those in need. This gives me a great sense of pride. God Bless America.

 1) Vogue: Buy Channel earrings: They’re well…in vogue I guess.

EE Marketing Strategies: If you succumb to those earring, let that Bling remind you to Listen Better. I’ve heard it said God gave us two ears and one mouth. Well, this year listening is in vogue. As marketers it is imperative that we listen well. In conversation, or a client meeting, determine to talk less, listen more.

2) Vogue: Wear bright colors.

EE Marketing Strategies: Color is important. We’ve become a very visual world; think IPAD vibrant color.  Incorporate some of the muted 2011’s colors into your graphics. It’s probably easier than you think and gives a sense that you are changing and growing.

3) Vogue: Where an orchid in your hat.

EE Marketing Strategies:  Find Your Unique SELLING POINT. Wear it like an Easter hat all year long.

4) Vogue: Wear leopard prints and African Safari Themed shoes.
EE Marketing Strategies: Don’t waste your money on same ole, same ole. Do something new and different. You can always back off and be boring.

5) Vogue: Stay Grounded: They are talking shoes here, like wear flats or ballet slippers.

EE Marketing Strategies: Yeah, no. There’s nothing like a pair of 3 inch heels to make you feel good about yourself. I say walk tall, even if you’re 5 foot. Feel good about yourself and your company.  Surround yourself with people/clients who make you feel good about yourself. That’s a win-win.

6)  Vogue:  Paint color on your white leather jacket.

EE Marketing Strategies: Celebrate. Big or small, treat yourself and your employees when you succeed. We beat ourselves up when we fail, so let’s resolve to celebrate our successes.

7) Vogue: See in 3D. Use holograph nail polish.

EE Marketing Strategies: Perspective. Have some. Step back and think. See things how your friend or competition sees things.

8. Vogue: Borrow from the boys/girls.

EE Marketing Strategies:  Step out of your comfort zone. Jump off a cliff (onto something soft), drive a motorcycle, and bake a cake. Stretch yourself in 2011: Join a club, meet someone new, and tell them your story. Invite them into your life.

9) Vogue:  Use your home décor to inspire an outfit.

EE Marketing Strategies: Take a look at your surroundings. Clean off your desk, your emails, delete some files, and place a fragrant flower nearby. 

10) Vogue: Brighten Up.
EE Marketing Strategies: Be Positive. Be upbeat. Nobody likes a nervous Nelly.

There you have it. Incorporate just 3 of these and you will set the stage for a great 2011.

Happy New Year… JH

 This year brought trials and triumphs as the economy remained stubbornly in a prolonged plunge. Month after month we held our collective breath waiting for recovery only to land on the same side of the recession that wouldn’t retreat. The economy has taken on a life of its own and we’re stuck in time… like  Bill Murray’s character Phil in Ground Hog Day.

It’s  become pretty clear it doesn’t matter much what we do to make things move along, the rules are changing. New variables make predictions virtually impossible.

But, we Americans aren’t quitters, now are we? We’re an optimistic bunch that rolls with the punches, we keep our upper lip stiff and when the going gets tough…well you know, the tough get going. And we’re not easily intimidated. If you tell us we can’t we find a way.

And, well, that’s the way it ought to be. In the spirit of Horacio Alger, we just keep on keeping on. Mostly because we have tasted the good life and it’s worth fighting for.  So, there 2011. We’re not afraid of you. Bring it on.

A young Oregon girl was given a written warning by a health inspector to shut her lemonade stand down. Now, this makes me wonder if that inspector had anything better to do and if not, why? The girl ignored the 1st warning and went back out there and sold her lemonade. I like her style.  A little bit of homegrown tenacity goes a long way. She made national news and suddently the offence didn’t seem so offensive.

Well, let’s not be stifled. Her innovation, tenacity and productivity is what makes America great. I’m convinced entrepreneurs, even little girls with lemonade stands, are the cure to our nation’s economic woes. It shows optimism. There are lots of  needs out there to meet and with a little ingenuity, we can come up with lots of great creative widgets to sell.

I found a website  that helps implement grassroots inventions in India. It’s not a wonder India is ahead of the rest of the world in economic growth. Their collective minds are on building a better widget and anything goes. I understand they are a developing country, but that only means opportunities abound. Check out the motorcycle plow, or the bullet proof jacket made from  herbs. And the windmill… I can only imagine how many people need these items inexpensive items around the world.

In my recent Rwanda trip I witnessed rows and rows of people with hoes manually breaking up fields by the river for planting. I also so observed an overabundance of motorbikes everywhere… hmmmmm….. we probably need to tell them about this motorcycle plow. How does this impact Americans? 

Well, maybe only a lesson to be heeded. We might just need to get in the right frame of mind and invent something or help someone else invent something. And for heavens sake, use some common sense so we don’t stifle the very thing that makes our nation thrive. 

 Got any ideas yet? Keep working on that.

Let’s get back together when have something.

Like many Americans I wave the flag, grill red meat with friends and family and enjoy a hearty hour of oohs and ahhs at the fireworks display. As this year’s Independence Day fell on a Sunday, I had the chance to practice freedom of religion.

I love America, not only because I was born here, but because I believe in its principles and values. My America is a beacon on a hill, a nation filled with people who care for each other and those around the world.

I recall a trip abroad when an Austrian commented that an American could be spotted among a crowd walking down the street. It wasn’t the camera around their neck, but the Americans stood out as the ones with a lilt in their step. Even subconsciously, Americans walk the walk of freedom…and we bring it with us everywhere we go. We can’t help ourselves, it’s a thing of beauty.

As Americans we’re guided by shared values of one nation under God.  We value hard work, honesty, respect for other’s rights and property, and we value generosity. We honor entrepreneurialism and ingenuity industriousness, resourcefulness and selfless sacrifice.

America is a gift to the world. Its government protects a person’s right to pursue personal happiness. Its laws are in place to encourage reaching for opportunities, believing in possibilities and using whatever resource is at our disposal to better our lives, our families and our country. Our laws and constitution even protects us from our own government, when it intrudes into our lives.

Our nation’s independence, our prosperity and our personal freedoms haven’t come easy. They aren’t guaranteed, nor are they a birthright. Wars are fought, people die. Being an American means commitment to shared values, it means hard work and sacrifice. It means keeping watch over our freedoms, being ever vigilant so they don’t erode away. Freedom isn’t free.  

I am an American, not only by birth, but in heart and in soul.  And for that reason on this Independence Day, I am celebrating with gratitude, pride, loyalty. God Bless America with continued prosperity!

So, people are still buying, if not sparingly. As for companies, it’s all the rage to conserve resources, preserve cash… minimum input for maximum output. Most are pulling back making sport of cutting marketing budgets which for most people means print marketing and advertising. It’s apparent that the web has become a powerful tool and I am all for it. I believe in leading with the web for marketing, but, (wo) man does not live by Web alone.

You can be all about Web Marketing, SEO and Social Networking, but it’s still important to use traditional means in the mix. If you watch your web statistics, the more you get in front of people the more hits you get on your web site. It’s not rocket science. So, in spite of reducing costs, it’s important to get in front of people with direct mail, a smattering of radio, trade or newspaper ads and even a good ol’ fashion phone call now and again. This brings new visitors to your web site and creates excitement around your product or service. While you’re at it, make sure you have a place on your site to enroll, register or contact you for more information. The visitor will spend all of 1 second at best on your site, so make sure you give them a reason to stay a while. Have your website prepared with something new and fresh. 

I plan on implementing a small snail mail campaign over the next month or so… Not only do I hope to give my lonely postal worker friends something to do, but I hope to reach out for referrals and reach a new audience. Remember what happens when you don’t advertise: absolutely nothing.

As a more permanent, temporary resident of Arizona, I now need to do the hard work of networking. That means meeting business owners in a new town. 

Here’s my plan, I am going to lunch with people I already know and am organizing my own networking luncheons. My friends can invite up to 5 business owners to lunch on my dime and I will do a small dog and pony show and then let them eat. The only requirement is that the guests own their own business and have a budget for marketing. Ok, sounds simple, but not easy, right? I will let you know.

Secondly, I plan to attend all the Rotary club meetings I can find and join the local Chamber. The North Scottsdale Chamber has plenty of opportunities to network. I will go meet them personally in the next few days. I will also get involved in other business effective networking groups. Before joining or even attending any event, I will scope out the competition, check out the who’s who in my industry and be prepared to give them a run for their money. I do marketing better than anyone I know, so why not give the locals the opportunity to work with the best… me. cough#!#^&…cough.

Oh, by the way, I had 11 hits on my nonprofit website this month because of a press release I wrote and submitted in 2008. Go figure! I am inspired to write an update and to keep them coming more consistently. Wouldn’t you be?

Happy Marketing!

I suggest the Day of Jan. How about it people? I will register at Target, Wal Mart, Costco, Kohls and anywhere else and you can go buy me stuff? It could get to become as big as Valentines Day, Christmas and Mothers Day.

Just trying to do my part.

Computers demons put up a roadblock in my productivity again today. 

Those of us who are self employed don’t have the benefit of an IT department. So we are self taught or we die. Just this morning, I couldn’t send from Outlook. I could do everything else. I could send yesterday. Well, it happens.

So,  I did all the right things, starting of course with rebooting, resetting my router, three times or more, calling my server and Internet providers, etc. etc. etc.

I want to say it’s not my fault…I am moderately technologically savvy, but admit to being mercilessly demanding of my machines. I don’t delete my emails, I travel a lot so use a lot of different Internet providers along the way, I save a lot of s___ on my desktop.  I actually have four back up mechanisms, one flash drive, one huge mother external hardrive and a smaller external hardrive and I pay for online back up via Mozy. One might say after a few crashes that I have learned my lesson. But, I swear I didn’t change the settings in Outlook. After trying everything, I compared settings on another machine and I did a search,”can’t send from outlook”.  It actually told me what was wrong: A setting had changed in my outgoing email settings… Gremlins and Demons. I fixed the setting and sent mail like there was no tomorrow. Go figure.

Just one more detour traveling down the information highway. Hope your day is better! Happy Travels Everyone!