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Trimming for the Holidays
By: B e v v Beirl
What are we thinking? Where is it written that the last 37 days of the year we have to gorge ourselves, over drink, stress to the point of a break down, or shop ‘till we drop? Where is it written that we have to gain 4-7 holiday pounds? Nowhere!!! So stop it. It’s as easy as that. Make the decision today that your weight will be the same on New Year’s Day as it is on Thanksgiving morning. Consider this: as we trim our houses, offices and yards for the holidays—let’s trim our calories and diet guilt too.
The BABM holiday strategy is to plan ahead. We can enjoy our traditional holiday foods, in moderation, while maintaining our health and weight. Now, more than any other time of the year, we must spread our food/calorie intake through out the day and squeeze in an a few extra exercise sessions.
Grab a piece of paper and pencil. We are about to begin our holiday plan of action.
First, make a list of your favorite holiday foods or treats. There are Aunt Ruth’s homemade dinner rolls and Aunt Mary’s pumpkin pie. And what would the holidays be without Mom’s traditional Peanut Blossom cookies? My guess is that most of our favorite holidays goodies are very high in the dreaded “6 whites” (sugar, white flour, white rice, potatoes, pasta and bananas).
Second, carefully look at the opportunities you will have to get in a brisk walk, tennis match, bicycle ride or work out at the gym. With a red pen, schedule those work out times right now. STOP READING. DO IT NOW!!!
Hey, I told you to do it NOW. Schedule your physical activities in red pen between November 25th – and January 1st 2010, RIGHT NOW. This may well be the very thing that gets you through the holidays with minimal stress, zero weight gain, plenty of energy and your sanity.
And now for the BABM Holiday Strategy:
1. Step on the scale Thanksgiving morning and write your weight on the bathroom mirror. Draw two lines under it for the Christmas morning and New Year’s Day weight. Tell yourself all three numbers WILL be the same.
2. Have a serving of protein, (hard boiled egg, 2 deviled eggs, small piece of baked or broiled chicken breast, or lean hamburger patty) before going to a party or holiday dinner. Don’t arrive hungry.
3. Forgo the pretzels, chips, dips and canapés. Spend your empty calories on the special treat you really want.
4. Position yourself away from the food table, in fact, keep your back to it.
5. Visit the buffet table after you have had one glass of sparkling water with a twist of lemon or lime.
6. Choose a small cocktail plate and make a design on your plate with the most colorful food on the buffet table. (Colorful foods are usually the high fiber, complex carbohydrates)
7. Before eating anything, make a fist, glance at it and remember that your stomach is the size of your fist. Keep portions small. Choose the high protein foods over the high sugar or starch foods
8. Wear form fitting attire or a belt with the goal of feeling as comfortable leaving the party or dinner as when you arrived.
9. Focus on socializing, rather than on eating and drinking. Make it a point to learn something new about everyone you visit with or plan to meet 3 – 4 new people.
10. While socializing, share your BABM Holiday strategy for zero holiday weight gain!!!
11. Plan your alcohol consumption (1 or 2 glasses of wine or mixed drinks) and have sparkling water in between.
12. Plan ahead to follow your evening party or dinner with a 30 – 40 minute brisk walk the next morning.
If you balance your consumed and expended calories the last 37 days of the year, you can enjoy one of Aunt Ruth’s home made rolls, one piece of Aunt Mary’s pumpkin pie and a couple of Mom’s Peanut Blossom cookies without guilt and weight gain. By planning ahead, there will be no need for your annual resolution of getting back in shape.
Happy Healthy Holidays
Besides being the founder and CEO of BABM, Bevv spent several years training and acquiring certifications in nutrition and exercise and launched the wellness program (at the time called On Target) at Morton Plant Hospital in the late 80s. During her directorship of the wellness program, Bevv taught restaurant survival, recipe modification and behavior modification.
Five Simple Strategies for Building Financial Security
Provided By Hollee A. Kier
The old toast, “Here’s to long life and good health,” was never more appropriate than for today’s women. That’s because women are living longer than ever before – more than 5.3 years longer on average than men. Yet, the advantage of living longer comes with a responsibility of supporting the cost of a longer retirement. And that’s where women are at a disadvantage.
According to the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER), women earn 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, are more likely to work part-time, and have shorter work tenure due to raising children and caring for aging parents. On top of it all, they receive only half the pension benefits that men receive . Since they earn less while working and have less to count on when they retire, many women are forced to deal with negative financial consequences during retirement.
Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that women tend to feel anxious when it comes to their financial futures. A study commissioned by Northwestern Mutual examined women with a household income of $75,000 or more, and found that 62 percent of these women are concerned about not having enough savings to maintain their lifestyle, compared with only 37 percent of men in this same demographic .
Other tell-tale findings from the 2006 study underscore women’s financial anxiety. Women view the following areas as a “major concern,” as compared with men:
High cost of health care coverage (79 percent of women vs. 60 percent of men)
Adequacy of income available during retirement (67 percent of women vs. 42 percent of men)
Future of Social Security (62 percent of women vs. 32 percent of men)
Major healthcare concerns (53 percent of women vs. 39 percent of men)
The good news is that women are continuing to close the gender gap in the working world, while gaining knowledge and power to overcome these financial challenges. Consequently, women are taking the initiative to build a financially sound and secure retirement for themselves.
The following are basic, easy-to-follow strategies to help women improve their financial know-how and enhance their retirement outlook:
Strategy #1: Get Informed and Start Now
Women reading this article already have a jump-start on this strategy. Understanding the need for preparation and learning the facts is a vital first step toward retirement. Women need to take charge of their own financial situation, especially considering the fact that a number of women will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives. Factors such as divorce or death of a spouse may require women to provide for themselves.
It’s critical for women to know and understand their benefits. For example, is there a 401(k) or pension available? Life or disability insurance? How much are these worth? Also, if they’re married, they should be familiar with their spouse’s benefits and understand how they affect the family.
Getting started on a plan sooner, rather than later, just makes good sense. The sooner saving starts, the greater the return will be upon retirement.
Strategy #2: Pay Yourself First
An effective financial strategy is to pay something into a savings or retirement fund – even before any bills are paid. In fact, the best way to “pay yourself” before even getting a paycheck is through an automatic deduction, a la 401(k) plans. If you never see it, you never miss it!
The old rule of thumb says people should save 10 percent of their income, but recent research is showing that women will likely need more to make up for wage discrepancies and time out of the work force. Women should talk with a financial professional to determine their individual financial goals. In fact, the Northwestern Mutual study also found that women who work with a professional are less likely to express major concerns about savings and income in retirement, and feel more optimistic about the performance of their investments.
Strategy #3: Bank Your Windfalls
Women getting by on what they earn now should consider investing any extra money that comes in. Pay raises, bonuses, commissions, tax returns and inheritance can all be invested and saved for retirement.
Strategy #4: Leave it Alone
Once the savings begins, leave it alone and watch it grow. However, it’s important to track performance and re-evaluate asset allocation at least annually – many factors affect one’s financial situation. Women should also resist the temptation to dip into their retirement savings.
Strategy #5: Be a Role Model
A good reason to begin and maintain a retirement savings program is to give kids a good example of responsible money management to follow. Younger siblings, friends and employees can also learn and benefit from our examples. Teaching kids about saving, investing, responsible use of credit cards and debt management are indispensable examples that will help enrich their own financial futures. One idea is to start a “401(kids)” program – an incentive program where parents “match” their child’s investment – just like an employer gives employees an incentive to save.
By learning about financial matters, getting started on a plan and following basic savings strategies, building financial security is realistic and attainable for almost any woman. A proactive and strategic approach to finances today can lead to good news financially tomorrow.
Read more articles about retirement and building a business at : www.babm.com
Are you unemployable?
By: Bevv Beirl
Editor in Chief BABM Business
Are you UNSUITABLE to be an employee? Cheer up! That’s a good thing. That means you are among the courageous and innovative lot that founded our country and who will continue to make it great!!!
There has never been a better time to realize your dreams and aspirations if you have the passion, persistence, patience and a good set of ear plugs and blinders. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, but if you are reading this newsletter you obviously are either among the ranks or thinking about joining this sometimes misunderstood group of pioneers.
>Do you have an idea that has been nagging your psyche?
>Do you find yourself constantly thinking about better ways to obtain
an outcome or result?
>Are you really passionate about something that could be parlayed into
a business?
>Do you have a little voice that constantly reminds you that you should
or could be doing better than your checkbook balance reflects?
>Have you ever had a great idea about a product or service and then a few
months later see an advertisement or commercial on TV that is marketing
YOUR idea?
If you answered yes to any one of the questions above, you must see the movie I had the pleasure to view this past weekend.
We are Americans and our opportunities are infinite. For every person complaining that the economy sucks — and are settling into the victim mindset — there are thousands of people outside the US who think our streets are paved with gold. And when they finally arrive here after sacrifices we couldn’t imagine — they proceed to prove it.
We are Americans and our opportunities are infinite. For every person complaining that the economy sucks — and are settling into the victim mindset — there are thousands of people outside the US who think our streets are paved with gold. And when they finally arrive here after sacrifices we couldn’t imagine — they proceed to prove it.
So here I am again on my soapbox but you should be used to that by now if you receive this newsletter or subscribe to our print magazine. Our mission is to educate, support and inspire. Sometimes inspiration comes in the form of a kick in the derriere. Sometimes it comes as an insult or in your face challenge.
If entrepreneurship is not for you — that’s okay too. However you know someone — maybe your child, a neighbor, a dear friend or relative that could literally transform their life if they had the right nudge. Be their nudge.
Check out this quick video introduction to an amazing movie that I had the privilege to view with a room of outstanding entrepreneurs.
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF YOUR IDEAS…TAKE ACTION ON THEM!
Click here to view movie trailer and buy DVD
EVERYTHING COUNTS
EVERY Thing Counts
Every THING Counts
By: B e v v Beirl
Color, Name, Size, Graphics, Demographics, Inferences and Perception…
Make no mistake, in this highly competitive society, nothing (no thing) can be overlooked or ignored when marketing a product or service. The consumer has multiple choices from birthing experiences, food, supplements, health care, and even burial options. To survive in this competitive marketplace a company must constantly be looking at trends and statistics. To flourish in the marketplace, a company must think outside the box, and be willing to act upon the data they receive on consumer profile and demands.
Women make more than 80% of the buying decisions in America today. The Center for Women’s Business Research state that working women and female entrepreneurs are the primary decision makers in a household, accounting for 95% of the purchasing decisions. To make it a little clearer as to the financial decision power of women: women make 70% of all travel decisions, 57% of all consumer electronics purchases and 50% of all new vehicles (and influencing 80 % of overall automobile sales). Maybe it’s time to understand what motivates them to write the check. And speaking of writing the check — women write 8 out of every 10 personal checks.
Some other important stats that should be noted are:
40% of the households with assets of more than $600,000 are headed by a woman
It is estimated that by 2010, 2/3 of all private wealth in the US will rest in the hands of the mature and Baby Boomer woman
Census Bureau survey data indicates that 48% of the working wives provide at least half of the household income
27% of US households are headed by a single female who brings in the entire income
Among married female executives, VP or higher in a Fortune 500 company, 75% out earn their husbands, bringing home an average of 68% of the income
So who are these women — the ones that will be evaluating your company, products and services? There are two generations in particular that will be making the most buying decisions and they are the Baby Boomer (age 45-63) at 40.8 million women of a total of 80.2 million and the Generation Y (age 7-27) at 36.2 million of a total of 74.2 million. It would behoove the business owner to get inside these two generations heads and lifestyle. They have the money and make the decisions. Every product we introduce should appeal to their sense of need or urgency. That’s not to say every product should be for women. Remember these women make the buying decision for everyone in the family — including children, pets and men.
There is no doubt the Baby Boomer is a tremendous target. And there are very few non-Baby Boomers who truly understand the culture. It is very difficult for a 30 year old to develop a marketing plan for a product this generation wants or needs. The 30 year old does not understand that EVERYTHING counts and most Baby Boomers need glasses to read —- print must be large enough to read. And although we need reading glasses, we are still active and do not want to hear things like, golden years, senior discounts or be reminded that we can be a card carrying AARP member. The average Baby Boomer woman will live 7-10 year longer than the generation before — however insert that 7-10 years in at about 45 years of age — not at the end of her life.
Women consumers are holistic consumers. They want the truth, no hype, and expect the product to deliver what it promises. Women are socially conscious and love to know that their buying dollar is contributing to a larger “good”. Many companies have adopted causes to fund — Mary Kay/Breast Cancer, Saturn/National Association’s Read Across America (Saturn also sponsors a cycling team, reflecting the fitness focus of their whole company)
When it comes to the internet — women and men exchange buying profiles. Women turn technologies into appliances. They use the internet as a tool and men are more likely to meander and surf online. Women are multi-tasters and will only use the internet if it is fast and easy to navigate.
If I were to use one word to characterize the female consumer’s wants and needs — it would be convenience. Knowing that over 80% of products and services are going to be purchased by females and that our fastest growing entrepreneurial population is the Generation Y female, it would be advantageous to make an effort to understand and cater to the consumers who holds the purse strings.
Assertive/Aggressive – all in the eyes of the beholder
By Bevv Beirl, CEO/Editor in Chief
BABM Business Magazine
www.BABM.com
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” the nice gentleman asks the little girl. “I want to be a business woman with a brief case that travels to exciting cities, goes to important meetings and makes lots of money,” answers the little girl. What a wonderful dream and declaration! Someone better tell her she will have to also learn how to walk a tight rope.
Have you ever thought or verbalized things like, “He’s a competent, assertive and bright businessman” or “He may not be the most personable person to work with, but he sure gets things done and I admire that.” How about, “She’s too aggressive” or “She’s difficult to work with and I don’t like her aggressive attitude.” Here in lies a huge dilemma, in fact one of the biggest challenges most businesswomen deal with on a day to day basis, whether spoken or not.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, assertive and aggressive are synonyms, having closely related and sometime identical meanings. And yet one usually thinks of aggressive as a pejorative term when describing a person.
Fathers are usually very proud of the daughter who studies hard, acquires professional or business recognition and can financially, emotionally and physically take care of herself. And yet some of those same fathers will look at someone else’s daughter who has accomplished the same status with the same disposition and think of that young woman as aggressive and distasteful. Why is that?
Many times the label we assign another reveals more about us than about the person we are describing. It’s very typical for a person low in self-esteem or confidence to feel threatened by someone who is surer of themselves. The lack of self-esteem can manifest as arrogance, being judgmental or critical and many times, the need to control. That is a realization that very few judgmental types will embrace let alone admit and decide to remedy.
What about the target (lady) of the judgment (aggressiveness)? We’ve been told by many personal development gurus, sales trainers, and even psychologists that, like it not, someone’s perception of you is your reality. So if you are perceived as aggressive and you are getting that kind of feedback, it’s your responsibility to turn that around. Who said life was fair?
As I write this article, I’m weighting every word as, I, like most business women have from time to time been labeled aggressive. I’ve also been labeled as a mover and shaker, catalyst and leader, all of which makes my husband, male partners and many male friends very proud. My father is surly watching from the other side saying “that’s my gal”.
There are many, many Bay Area women who are thought of as successful business women. I would wager that all of them have had to suffer the “slings and arrows” of misplaced and judgmental remarks about their business behavior. If you are a woman reading this article, how do you perceive yourself? Would you say you are aggressive, are you aggressive but with heart, are you assertive or are you both depending on the situation? If you’re a man reading this article — of the business women you most respect, how would you describe them?
The good news ladies—it’s getting better and negative perceptions of the assertive businesswoman are beginning to fade. Each generation has it a little easier than the generation before. The tight rope is more tedious to maneuver for the baby boomer than the Gen Y.
And gentlemen, before you pass judgment on the business behavior of a female colleague or associate, ask yourself if you would feel the same way if she were your daughter.
In the meantime —- smile ladies — it may be your best self defense. It was one of the most valuable lessons I learned while training for my martial arts black belt.
Yes, popularity still counts. When someone mentions that word the first thing that I think about is the popular people in my high school. I still remember their names but will not bore you with those details. Do you remember the popular people from your high school? When we were young many of us wanted to be one of the popular kids and many of you might have been. Well, we are all grown up, but popularity is still important - especially for your website.
Assumption: You have a professionally designed website that has been created to reach YOUR two target markets … the customer and the search engines. The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is complete, visual branding is done, an easy navigational structure is in place, a call to action has been implemented, and usability testing is done.
Did You Know?
“Google makes 300 to 400 changes to their search engine algorithm every year.” - Matt Cutts, Google Engineer
Backlinks are VOTEs for YOUR Website’s Popularity
Backlinks determine your websites digital reputation and are one of the main building blocks of your SEO strategy.
A backlink is a one-way (not reciprocal) inbound link from another website to a page on your website. Backlinks are currently one of the most important factors in determining your site’s placement for a specific keyword phrase on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Backlinks are also known as incoming links, inbound links, inlinks, inward links.
Not every backlink holds the same amount of credibility. Let me revert back to the high school days to get my point across. Let’s say you are a 9th grader. If one of the most poplar seniors tells their friends you are really cool that makes a much bigger difference than 10 of your 9th grade peers saying the same thing. The search engines are designed the same way. You want to get quality links from authoritative websites. Quality is much more important than quantity in regards to securing top placement on the SERPs. Ride on the coattails of successful websites and you will gain ground.
What are the characteristics of an Authoritative Website?
High Traffic
Longevity – older is better!
Have a PageRank of 4 – 10
Grades Still Count
Visit Website Grader and enter a website address to check whether they should be considered for your backlink strategy. The algorithm uses over 50 different variables to grade a website’s overall marketing effectiveness. grading is done just like high school and you want sites that receive an A to link to your website.
Anchors Away
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink.
Not Optimized: www.babm.com
Optimized: Business Magazine
Both hyperlinks go to the home page of the site, but the optimized link is infused with search engine fuel (i.e. keywords).
Semantics are important in regard to backlinks and with all good SEO strategies it must start with keyword research (what you think people are searching for and what they are actually searching for are two very different things). SEO is ½ marketing and ½ science and you have to think outside the box (the human brain is much more powerful than a piece of software).
Each page of your website should have a backlink strategy. If you offer an array of products and services each page has the potential for top search engine placement.
Building Backlinks
Membership Sites – Local Websites, Chamber of Commerce Sites, Networking Group Websites, etc.
Article Marketing
Blog Commenting
Forum Posting
Social Networking - MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, LinkedIn, and many others. Google treats these sites the same as any other website.
Not all Links Pass Credibility (It’s in the code)
The NoFollow link attribute (rel=”nofollow”) was created by Google to help deter the enormous amounts of spam in their index. The attribute was designed as a way for websites to link to other websites without passing their page rank (referral). This doesn’t hurt a website in any way; it simply says not to pass any credibility to the linked site. One of the biggest users of the nofollow tag is Wikipedia. Links from Wikipedia do NOT help your website gain credibility and search engine ranking.
In conclusion, do your keyword research, determine authoritative websites, write articles for digital publications, join membership sites, and build long-lasting digital relationships and your business will flourish.
SEO is not something that is done once; it must be maintained over the lifetime of your business. SEO is the fertilizer for your business and must be applied often for optimal growth.
Note: Once you get them to your website you must convert your users to customers. You can lead a customer to a website, but you can’t make them call or buy!
Backlink Puffery - Get thousands of backlinks overnight! (This will only penalize you in Google, MSN, and Yahoo.) Remember backlinks fertilize your website and nothing grows overnight.
About the Author
Deirdre Cavener is President and CEO of KISS Marketing, Inc. and founder of Go Local Tampa Bay, My Green Pages, The Beach Life, USA Hotel Zone, and USA Pet Zone. She is a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) in Analyzing Requirements and Defining Solutions Architecture and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Florida in 1996 with a degree in M.I.S. from the College of Business.
Contact Information
Website: www.KissMarketing.com
Email: deirdre@kissmarketing.com
Phone: 727-517-8450
Follower Deirdre on Twitter: www.twitter.com/deirdrecavener
By: Bevv Beirl, CEO/Editor in Chief
BABM - Business Resource Publication
“I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life.
The problem is I can’t find anybody who can tell me what they want.”
Mark Twain
Have you seriously thought about what you really want in your life? Is it more love, more money, a better relationship with your spouse or kids? Do you want a boat, a sports car, a condo on Cocoa Beach or a summer home in the mountains? Are you stressed, scared or sick of your current situation?
According to a study of millionaire growth released by Spectrem Group, a firm that specializes in wealth research, the number of millionaires increased 21% in one year. Millionaire households in the USA grew to a record 7.5 million in 2004 and continue the upward climb.
Drs. Stanley and Danko when researching for their book, The Millionaire Next Door, found that about two-thirds of American millionaires are self employed. They also found that about 80% of the millionaires are first generation affluent, in other words, self made.
In 2005 the personal development industry surpassed $6 billion dollars in revenue and exceed that in 2006. Considering 80% of the American millionaires are self made indicates that there’s probably a correlation between the rise in millionaires and the rise in revenues in the personal development industry.
After researching several studies on the affluent, the one practice or principle that was common to all millionaires was their realization that success is an “inside” job. They realize that working on themselves and for themselves, would net them success faster than any other factor. Another interesting fact found was that the more balance the millionaire had in their life, the more successful they were.
For centuries philosophers have told us that what we think about, we bring about, as we think, so we are, and what the mind can conceive, we can achieve. We now have physics and biological studies proving that the subconscious mind is more powerful than we ever thought possible.
So how do we harness, develop and utilize that power? How do we deliberately create our future using the subconscious to power the conscious? Thousands of people are doing it everyday and taking control of their lives, relationships, businesses and wealth creation. It isn’t magic or fairy dust we’re talking about here folks. Pure and simple, it’s doing what other millionaires are doing. Tapping into this existing knowledge and following a few principles will get you where you want to go. But only if you KNOW what you want and where you want to go.
So how do you get started? How do you begin creating a new life or a more fulfilling and abundant life? Step one is the most important step of all. Ask yourself and answer truthfully, “What do I want?” Write it down and then when you’re finished with that list ask yourself, “What do I REALLY want?”
Usually our first list will include material things. Material things are a great starting point and you will obtain all that is truly important to you. However, it’s the second list that will be the catalyst for your success. That list will most likely include items like, free time to spend with my family, college funds for children, time and money to contribute to your favorite charity or organization, regained health and so on.
Does this first step sound too simple to really work? Well there is a second part of step one that will lead you to the success path. Now that you’ve really thought about what you want, compose a ten word or less mission statement. Be as succinct as possible and memorize it. Every successful company and every successful millionaire has taken the time to create their mission statement and can recite it at any time.
Shortcut? Did someone ask for a shortcut?! Yes my friends there are a few shortcuts that self made millionaires consistently use along with several solid principles. However, before you can learn the shortcuts, you must develop your mission statement. So get to work — take some time, walk on the beach, really think about what you want. When you’ve reduced that to 10 words or less, meet me back here in the near future and I’ll let you in on the shortcuts.
_____________________________________________________________________
 A new story of common wisdom from the bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift
Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people. But like all humans on the planet, the good folks of Orange Beach have their share of problems - marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as the many other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.
Fortunately, when things look the darkest - a mysterious man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. An elderly man with white hair, of indiscriminate age and race, wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt and leather flip flops carrying a battered old suitcase, Jones is a unique soul. Communicating what he calls “a little perspective,” Jones explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. “Your time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely,” he says. “Don’t squander your words or your thoughts. Consider even the simplest action you take, for your lives matter beyond
measure…and they matter forever.”
Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why things happen and what we can do about it.
Like The Traveler’s Gift, The Noticer is a unique narrative is a blend of fiction, allegory, and inspiration. Gifted storyteller Andy Andrews helps us see how becoming a “noticer” just might change a person’s life forever.
Buy it now on Amazon
I opened my mailbox today, yes the snail mail kind, and pulled out the current edition of one of my marketing magazines. The first headline that jumped off the page was, “Yellow Pages Bleeding Red Ink.” I sat back and started to ponder that thought while smiling quietly to myself.
In 1995 I worked as an intern at a local website development company while working on my undergraduate degree in Management Information Systems. My job for the semester was to come up with something innovative that would harness the power of the Internet. The very first thing I did was grab the yellow page phone book off the shelf, look the owner in the eye, and say, “We should build an online yellow pages that is easily searchable from anywhere!” He agreed and that is how I spent my semester.
Fast forward six years later to 2001. I broke my tooth and had to find a local dentist fast. I went immediately to the Internet with the assumption that it would be “easy” to find exactly what I was looking for in a second or two. I entered “Dentist Seminole Florida” in the search box of the local yellow pages website and was totally shocked by the results - in six years nothing had changed. Dentists from the entire Tampa Bay area were returned in my search. I didn’t want the entire area … I only wanted Seminole, Florida dentists. I like to do business with people in my community. For those who aren’t computer savvy, this type of query is really simple if your database programmers know what they are doing, and your website isn’t geared specifically to making advertising money, instead of providing a valuable service to the users.
A year later I was having lunch with a business owner at a nice restaurant on Redington Shores. He spent a good deal of time telling me all about his new Yellow Page advertising campaign. He couldn’t wait for the new “books” to come out. He was as excited as a kid in a candy store and the whole campaign only cost him $800.00 a month. Being an Internet pioneer, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing … $800.00 a month! I bluntly said, “In ten years the yellow pages will be dead.” He looked me square in the eye and said, “You are crazy. The yellow pages will never go away.” Well, bleeding red ink is a pretty good sign I was right.
So what happened? Nothing!
The yellow pages had the money, the sales staff, the customer base and, most importantly, the data. Sitting still while the world changes won’t do your business any good. The philosophy of “Businesses need us, we don’t need them” doesn’t fly in today’s competitive marketplace. Did anyone advertise in the yellow pages because they knew, liked, and trusted their salesperson? Of course not. They did it because it WAS the way people found them. Like most large corporate conglomerates with a monopoly on the market, they just sat still and watched their ship sink.
Is your business just sitting around watching technology pass it by? If you answered yes, you’d better get up and start rowing because your ship is sinking too … one competitor at a time.
Local Internet portals, vertical portals, and search engines are the ones delivering business information to people searching. Not only is this good for your bottom line (much less expensive), it is good for the environment. Going online first is a very “green” thing to do. I don’t know about you, but last year I received 7 yellow page books on my doorstep. They all went straight into the recycling bin. Save a tree, or I should say a forest; go online first!
Make Sure YOUR Website isn’t a barrier to business!
Pull your website up right now and ask yourself … does it convey our business in a professional manner? Does it communicate the way we would if we were having a face-to-face conversation with the customer? Often your website is the first exposure your business has to a prospect. If it looks as though your neighbor did it, you not only lose a customer to the “back” button, you send them to your competitor. And you lose credibility. A non-professional website is a lose-lose marketing tool. I can tell you honestly, 99% of all small business websites fall into the lose-lose category! Start rowing! Your website is one of your most valuable marketing tools and should be viewed as an investment in your business. Make sure you invest properly. It should not be a do-it-yourself project.
Remember … don’t follow the dinosaurs (slow, big, unchanging). You know where they ended up.
About the Author
Deirdre Cavener, MCP is president and CEO of K.I.S.S. Marketing, Inc. and founder of PinellasLife.com, MyGreenPages.com, and TBLife.com. Deirdre is a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) in Analyzing Requirements and Defining Solutions Architecture and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Florida in 1996 with a degree in Management Information Systems from the College of Business. She can be reached at deirdre@kissmarketing.com or 727-517-8450.
What does the economic slowdown have to do with the Internet and your business? Everything! When the going gets tough, you better get going. This is NOT the time to pull back on promoting your business. It is the time to rethink your plan and invest in Internet Advertising!
The Internet is the Yellow Pages of the Millennium.
If you don’t have a Website and an Internet Marketing Plan the only thing that comes to my mind is “Business Closed.” Think about that for a second . When someone is searching for a product or service, can they find you? Is your business “invisible” to potential Internet customers? Why, why, why?! It is 2008, and amid the slow death of yellow page usage, only a small percent of local businesses have moved to the Internet. With the economy in turmoil you better step up your game if you want to survive this storm.
SWOT Analysis
Whenever there is a huge threat looming in the business world, opportunities are also abundant if you do a little strategic brainstorming. I love conducting a good old-fashioned SWOT analysis whenever the business landscape is changing to find that needle (opportunity) in the haystack.
A SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in your business. A SWOT Analysis groups together key pieces of information into two main categories:
Internal factors – the strengths and weaknesses internal to your business i.e., staff experience, credibility, longevity, and expertise
External factors – the opportunities and threats external to your business Many opportunities and threats can fall into both categories. i.e., the price of gas is a huge threat to truck manufacturers, but a great opportunity for motorcycle dealers, bike shops, and neighborhood businesses.
This powerful technique allows you to fully understand your strengths and weaknesses and brings to the surface opportunities and threats outside your business. It is a simple, but powerful, framework for planning your future!
Save Gas, Save Time, Save Money … Go Online First!
Doing business locally makes cents!
The price of gas is going through the roof! This drives people to the Internet first when searching for products and services. If they can’t find your business in a click or two, they will find your competition.
If you do a local Internet search you will be surprised at the vast array of businesses in your neighborhood. I can ride my bike up the street and find an Italian Restaurant, Walk-In Doctors’ Clinic, Local Sports Bar, Grocery Store, Gym, Chinese Restaurant, Video Rental Store, Jewelry Store, Florist, Convenience Store, Drug Store, Pack and Ship Store, Bakery, Hair Salon, Deli, Hardware Store, Accountant … you get my drift! Doing business locally not only saves you a small fortune in gas, it supports your local economy, and saves you time (we all need more of that)!
Get Ready … Get Set … GROW
Local Internet advertising can pay off quickly! You reach the people who want to do business with you right now. Investing in local Internet advertising is an investment in the future of your business and the payoffs are huge. People prefer to do business with those they know, like and trust. Make that you! The Internet is affordable to ALL businesses regardless of size or budget. So start your engines and fuel your business today!
People go online first to research big purchases and just about everything else. Is your business invisible?
While in the process of writing this article, I received the following email from a client:
“I really love your Advertising Ideas. I do not have $1,000.00 to spend at this time. I just placed an ad in the XYZ Publication, in all the XYZ Local Newspapers and I always advertise in XYZ Magazine. Also I just created and printed 5000 brochures, plus purchased signs for my new office and car magnets.”
All of the things my client did are important factors in branding, but I want you to ponder this thought. The Internet is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to everyone with Internet access. Wouldn’t it have been better to invest in an Internet Advertisement first and then implement the traditional advertising?
In conclusion, the Internet, although global, is the most important marketing tool available to your business today. If you aren’t utilizing the Internet, you will not survive in today’s digital business world! It is the yellow pages of the millennium! I can only imagine the controversy that arose among business owners during the introduction of the telephone. Can you envision not having a telephone? Of course not. Today a business without an Internet Marketing Plan and Website is like having no phone in the 1900s!
About the Author
Deirdre Cavener, MCP is President and CEO of K.I.S.S. Marketing, Inc. and founder of PinellasLife.com, B2B Tampa Bay, MyGreenPages.com Network, WomenEmpower.com, and The Beach Life. Deirdre is a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) in Analyzing Requirements and Defining Solutions Architecture and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Florida in 1996 with a degree in Management Information Systems from the College of Business. She can be reached at deirdre@kissmarketing.com or 727-517-8450.
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