Monthly Archives: May 2014

05.28.14
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Available Real Estate? Somehow sacred? The next big thing?

Advertising on license plate holders!  About to ramble, hang on almost over.

It is already being done but think about it, who cares where you bought your car? Do you save money or get anything for allowing them a spot on your car? Why not sell this space? Are you willing to identify with someone/something strong enough to allow them on your car?

Could it be to much?  Not sure, people routinely put magnetic stickers on their side panels.  How much time do you spend parked behind another vehicle at a light?  Is it dangerous to put your Twitter handle on there?  Not sure, at the very least a web address and something catchy?

What is the difference between this space and a bumper sticker?  Heck it is probably easier to remove a license plate holder than it is a bumper sticker.  And as far as bumper stickers, can someone let me know why we allow a car dealer to place their logo on our car?  Think about it, you bought it, leased it or financed it and whomever holds the note is likely not the dealership.  Why do they get your real estate for free?

Not sure.  So a ways back I removed all of the car logos that I could and have no license plate holder.  What now?  Not sure.  Not sure if I am ready to commit to driving a billboard.  Maybe soon.

How about you?

Just some thoughts.

05.27.14
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An underutilized sales tool

YOUR VOICE MAIL!!

Seriously, people call you and you have 15-30 seconds to say something cool.  Credit to Jeffrey Gitomer who first put this thought in my head.  ” I am on my phone or away from my desk…”  Says nothing, shows nothing but it does waste the time of the person that called.  Help them smile, maybe even laugh.  Why not?

How about letting a call go to voicemail?  Absolutely!!  Stay on the phone with me, show me you are interested in just me.  Show me you are committed to speaking with me and getting something done.  Instead you click over or put me on hold.  You then need to try and reengage in the conversation.  We lost any flow we were in but hey you probably also just made another person feel unimportant as well.

Do you think you make anybody feel good when you tell them your are busy and will need to call back?

Now I understand sometimes things happen.  I do make exceptions for my wife, but not all the time.  She knows she can text or  email as well.  But if a child is sick or one of us is traveling, yes, in my world, this may constitute a good time to interrupt some business.  Beyond that, I am not rue of any reasons

Heck not answering the phone while on the phone or engaged in a task that already has your focus is more polite than interrupting someone.  On some level it also shows you are in demand

P.S. Please respond to all your messages and make some effort into leaving good voice mails as well.  Honestly, if a text or e-mail will work it is more important that you thoughtfully respond.

Just some thoughts, use as you see fit.

05.19.14
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Marketing killed my dandelions

Here is what my lawn looked like a few weeks back;

2014-05-08 16.44.56

Chbly 6-8 chock full of dandelions and various other “flowers”  Probably 6-8 inches high and looking a bit rough.  But did it really?  Looked like a bunch of flowers and several dozen shades of green.  Why must a lawn be perfectly kept at all times?  My must people spend money on treatments to their lawn?  MARKETING  Ah, the pesky “american dream” of a perfectly manicured lawn.  No thanks.

Seriously take a moment to read about dandelions; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraxacum

Not bad, used as medicine and food throughout the world.   Here is another little diddy on eating dandelions http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/benefits-of-dandelion-greens-zmaz08amzmcc.aspx#axzz329i7YVdD

Oh but your long grass produces ticks…prove it.  Oh but it looks bad, maybe to you.  What instead I am supposed to have a bunch of little yellow signs warning kids, I have two, and dogs, I like them, to stay off?  No thanks, let whatever grows grow.  Remember the people telling you that only grass should be growing in your lawn have something to sell.  Would they really mind my weeds if they did not have something to sell that “killed” them?  Of and on that note, why would you want to kill anything?

Anyhow, moving on.

05.05.14
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Never end the referral loop

Here is what referrals would look like if they were a “symbol”;

Thanks Charles Petzold

Pretty simple, where the intersection takes place is the referral/sharing moment.  The idea being that the referral takes place and the Referrer and the Referee continue on the path and eventual pass and receive another  referral.  Reality is in perfection it is more like this;

thanks Etsy person.

A continually growing chain of infinity symbols that interlock with one another therefore allowing a continual stream of referrals and sharing to take place.  If at some point you choose to cut the loop you hinder the ability to give and  subsequently receive referrals in the future.  Why would you want to do that?  No idea.

Keep the chain going.  Keep sharing.