You've Been Retargeted!

By Chrissie VanWormer

If you’re anything like me, when you got up this morning you sat down at your computer to check the weather before taking the dog out for his or her morning walk. As the weather site came up, you were likely served with an ad for a product or a service. And very likely that product or service was something you looked at last night before shutting down for the evening. If it was, congratulations--you were just retargeted!

Retargeting, also known as remarketing, is a simple concept that helps marketers serve people goods and/or services they have already shown an interest in. Used in conjunction with a full online ad campaign, it can offer an advertiser a second chance when a user does not initially purchase their product or service.

To explain the concept, I like to use the example of shoes. I personally love shoes and all shoe marketers on the web have my "number." You can go ahead and insert your interest everywhere I say “shoes” and the concept is the same.

Last Saturday morning I logged onto my computer and was served up with an ad for a shoe website. I clicked on it, did a little browsing, clicked on a pair of magnificent boots, and gazed at them for awhile. They were beautiful, made of soft, supple leather, and they were super stylish. But the price was a little out of my range. I navigated away and over to another site that contained information for a project I was researching.

As I moved through that site, I was once more presented with a photo of the boots and a link to the previous website. I noticed it right away, and I decided to flip through a number of sites to see how long the boots would follow me. Quite honestly, they shadowed me for the next couple of hours as I continued my research.

You're probably wondering exactly how this all works. And if you own a small business, you might be wondering how it might work for you.

Basically, when you visit a website, the website owner begins to create a “profile” of you by collecting data that links to your web browser. It’s called a "cookie." The information being measured are things like the amount of time you view each web page, the links you click on, searches you’ve done and ads you’ve interacted with.

Website owners use this data to create what are known as "defined audience segments" based on other visitors with similar profiles. In my case, my interest in shoes puts me in a category with other shoe lovers.

A standard yardstick in advertising is the idea a company needs about seven contacts with a customer on average before they can make a sale. Retargeting allows the small business especially to add up their contacts with potential buyers without spending inordinately higher amounts of money on their advertising. And that's where the value is for small business. Retargeting improves your advertising ROI by increasing the effectiveness of your ads while offering lower cost.

However, all of this may change if Do Not Track legislation is approved. Federal regulators and online companies are currently slugging it out over the issue. It's too early to tell how it will come out, but since browsers such as Mozilla Firefox already have a ‘do not track’ option in the settings the legislation might turn out to be unnecessary to protect online privacy. Maybe that will be enough for lawmakers to decide to let small businesses continue to use this valuable marketing tool.

Believe!

By Chrissie VanWormer

Sometimes, when we’re feeling the pressures of running a small business, we get so caught up in worrying about when the next check will come in, fretting over an employee who seems to be falling down on the job, or maybe focusing on a customer who is trying to micro-manage a project, that we forget why we even started doing our businesses in the first place.

We’re tired. Maybe we’re feeling a little ragged around the edges and sometimes we even find ourselves glorifying the job we left when we decided to strike out on our own. Remember how nice it was to work 9 to 5? Oh, and regular time off. Wow, what a treat that would be! I have a friend who runs a small auto repair shop and he often jokes about having to take a paid sick day. Yup, he says a paid sick day is one of those days that you work with a stomach virus because you need to get paid!

I’d like to share a true story. I have a friend who is a very talented clothing designer. She has run her own business for a number of years now but recently found herself struggling to maintain her faith in herself. Her coffers were depleted, jobs were not coming in and she needed money to start what she knew would be a great collection of her own designs. She was sure she could make it happen but as the song goes; she was “running low on faith and gasoline”.

Right around Christmas time last year, she took a drive to New York City for a visit to the fabric district which just happens to be her own personal nirvana. She had shopped all day and was feeling exhausted so decided to stop for a cup of tea. As she sat contemplating her dream and the outcome of the day, a feeling of discouragement washed over her. Why couldn’t anything be easy? She sent up a little prayer that went something like this: “I’m sure I can make this happen but I’m running out of steam. I don’t know what to do. Please send me a sign that gives some kind of an indication that I’m on the right track.” As she doodled on a coffee shop napkin, a Salvation Army Santa rang a bell outside the window. Suddenly a bright light flashed on just across the street causing her to look up. The red, yellow, blue and green and white lights practically shouted, “Believe!” There it was; a sign…both literally and figuratively.

So what's the point of all of this? Making a small business work is hard... and many times it takes everything we have. And let’s face it, some days really stink. But in the end, if we BELIEVE we can make it happen and we’re smart about how we do it, we CAN make it happen. Life is a lot about believing; believing in ourselves and the gifts God gave us. The doing is taking that proverbial bull by the horns and making it happen. Is it easy? Absolutely not. Is it fulfilling? You bet!

Make Some Noise

By Chrissie VanWormer

Yesterday was July 4th. I stood out on my deck looking out at the woods that surround my house as I sipped my morning tea. Everything was so green, except for the grass which is brown and dry at this point; we really could use some rain. But I digress. Scanning the edge of the woods, I noticed the daisies, the purple wild flowers that the hummingbirds love, and the vines I am working on digging out of the ground, but mostly I notice the trees. They are so beautiful when covered in the green of summer glory. Such an amazing contrast from the starkness of the winter season. Then my eyes jumped back to an opening in the woods. And then I realized what had drawn my eyes back to that spot. There were three…yes three…very red/orange maple leaves. The color is beautiful and vibrant.

And then it struck me.

I noticed those three leaves because they are truly different from the other foliage in the area. Their color is bright, eye catching, vibrant and it made me take notice. In that setting, those three rogue leaves had made themselves clearly visible –sticking out from that sea of greenery saying 'look at me, here I am, look here!'

Nature has many lessons to teach us and this is just one more. Each one of us needs to find a unique way to stand out from the crowd, to find a way to be noticed, to draw attention to our business and product and/or service. Maybe it’s your stellar service that becomes known just through word of mouth; or maybe it’s a quirky name that draws attention. Maybe you’ll have an employee distribute fliers wearing a chicken costume or Superman cape. Maybe you’ll hire an airplane and have your message painted across the sky. Whatever it is you do, consider how it will make your business stand out from the rest; because as a friend of mine once told me, everyone has vanilla ice cream; what’s so special about yours? Find your voice and figure out what makes you stand out and shine.

Organic vs Advocate

By Michael Massey

A recent article in SFgate.com brought up an interesting point. It bore the question: What is the best way to advertise; organically or by advocate? Student Adnan Ebrahim was blogging about the car business alongside his collegiate studies when he caught the attention of luxury automakers. According to Ebrahim, “If you can demonstrate to Lamborghini or Ferrari that you can drive a million views to a video, they’re more than happy to lend you a car.” Bloggers and other social media mavens continue to build influence to drive traffic to websites, increasing potential purchases; and they tend to be rewarded with some fancy perks usually reserved for big players. In the past month Ebrahim has flown to Portugal to test drive the Toyota GT86 sports car, Austria for the Lexus GS and Germany to see the Mitsubishi Outlander. He never picked up a tab. And on the Portugal leg of the trip, they stopped for an olive oil tasting experience.

It’s a great gig if you can get it, but it does beg the question: how unbiased will the content be when the reviewer is whisked off in a private jet to drive vehicles through the mountains of Germany and Portugal? Melissa Ward of NewWard Development LLC notes the analogy to TV news reporting. “When it was just the news, it was reported. Now that it is sponsored, it sometimes gives the appearance that it isn't always presented free of any bias.”

If Porsche lent me a 911 Turbo S to test drive, then picked me up at the airport and asked me to spend a week driving the Autobahn, you can be sure I wouldn’t say no. The review would be ripe with all the details. I’m sure I would extoll the feel of the supple leather against my pants, the torque speed and the fluidity of the shifting experience to the way the top of the line entertainment system sounded bouncing off the mountains. I would have become an advocate.

Organic content provides a truly unbiased opinion, free of outside influence. With it you you'll be assured of getting a broad overview with likes and dislikes highlighted which is an important part of any buying process.

Advocates would mine much deeper and deliver content that speaks like a true fan.

As marketers struggle to have their message heard within the new media outlets, it’s definitely important to reach out to both sets of influencers. Using organic and advocate content will give your delivery balance.

Go Ahead…Don’t Be Afraid…Cut Your Losses

By Chrissie VanWormer

We all know them: the friend who is in a never ending crisis and wants to talk their story to death while you’re trying to finish a project with a strict deadline. Then there’s the friend who shows up with coffee on Saturday morning at 7:55 after you’ve already asked them not to come because you need to leave for a hair appointment at 8:00. Then you’re the one left feeling guilty because it was so nice of them to pick up your favorite flavor. And don’t forget about the friend who continually states they have your best interest at heart but it seems as if they have their own motives for interest in your life. A number of times over the years, I’ve taken stock of the group of people surrounding me who fall into these categories and here and there have decided to cut one or two of them loose. Just this past winter I got a very strange phone call from a woman who has called me friend for about four years. She fell into all the categories above and many times felt more like a chore to me than any kind of friend. When I picked up the phone that day, she blasted me because I hadn’t mailed her Christmas gift yet. I quietly reminded her that she’s Jewish. She hung up on me so I emailed her. When she responded with a nasty remark, I informed her I didn’t need friends like her and even went so far as to unfriend her from facebook. In short, I cut my losses.

In business it seems to be very much the same. Every so often we secure a client that after getting to know them and their work and communication style, we’re not sure we should keep. They might be the client who is a major time sucker keeping us on the phone for hours or the type who sends a myriad of emails every day without thinking anything through and then expecting immediate responses. Maybe they’re micromanagers who are checking to make sure every I is dotted and T is crossed at least half a dozen times and then decide they want to re-do everything that has already been approved with new I’s and T’s. Maybe they don’t respect the work we’re doing; that’s a big one. Or maybe they are constantly trying to get a break on the price that already has a thin margin and are looking for every little thing in an effort to make it seem like it’s a deserved price break. When we’re really busy, these are the types of clients that maybe we need to release…in other words, we need to cut our losses.

In most cases it’s a tough decision to make. Let’s face it; money is money and as small business people we work hard for what we get. But if we step back and really look at the situation, many times it’s only money in the short run. These are not the clients who stick around for the long term. They are not the clients that talk us up and refer us along. Many times they are the ones who are jumping from vendor to vendor leaving a wake of stressed out staff, over flowing email boxes and unpaid bills. Is this really the kind of client we want to hang on to?

Not on your life.

Sometimes we find we have to cut our losses because while we’re giving these clients the attention they are seeking, we are overlooking new possibilities for new revenue streams and better clients who appreciate our time and talents. A friend of mine once said that by hanging onto these bad situations, we are tripping over dollars to pick up pennies. I agree with statement wholeheartedly and have repeated it many times. Take a moment to think about that. Then take a look at your client list and talk to your staff. Is there a client who is driving everyone crazy with no real return? If so, maybe it’s time to really look at the business you’re doing with them. Is it fruitful? Do they pay their bills on time? Exactly how much are you making per hour when you really look at. Are they a client who has brought your more business by referring you on? If not, maybe now is a good time to let them go. Maybe now is a really good time to cut your losses.

Pinboards and Pictures The Future of Pinterest

By Michael Massey

Lifeboards. It’s not really a new concept. I’ve got one propped up on a book shelf now that I started and stopped working on several months ago because it became too much of a pain in the ass to cut out pictures and write in a diary everyday. I’m more of an immediate pleasure kind of guy that wants everyone to see what I’m doing 24/7.

Pinterest is great for egoists like me. It allows you to create multiple virtual lifeboards, share and post pictures and create inspiration for others and yourself.

Ben Silberman, CEO and co-founder says: “I realized that people were using it for projects that were important in their real lives.” Once Pinterest began growing, it didn’t stop. Since inception, the site has added an estimated 40% to 50% more subscribers each month.

The burning questions you should ask yourself:

1) What does the future hold for yet another social media application?

2) How can a business use it as part of their media mix?

What makes this unique is that you customize your boards and title them the way you like, reposting pictures is easy and requires no technical knowledge and it’s a snap to feed this into your Facebook and Twitter feed. As long as users continue to check out favorite travel places, fitness tips and chocolate cake recipes it has a future. Hell. It’s free to use.

And since it’s free to use, any small business can use it to build buzz through contests and stunning visuals that can position your enterprise any way you like. See what I mean. Makes you want to book a flight today, doesn’t it:

My passport and running gear are calling me (see above) so I’ll be pinning pics of a road race in Bali. What about you?

Changing It Up

By Chrissie VanWormer

Sometimes we get complacent. You know what I mean. You’ve got a good business, good clients, good cash flow and all is well with the world. That was my 2011. I was content for the first time in a while and had a bit of time to have some fun. I wasn’t thrilled with parts of what I was doing but I was finally making some decent money. Then…BAM…2012 came in like a lion. Let me just back up and say that I had set my intention for 2012 to really change it up. I put it out to the universe that I wanted to grow personally, grow my business, and finally find my life’s purpose. But I forgot to ask it the change would come with grace and ease. That was my mistake!

Shortly after the beginning of the year, we were notified that a very large account was being pulled back and away in another direction. My heart sank. My stomach sank. I felt a little sick, a slight bit depressed and maybe a tad bit angry if I will let myself admit that. We worked hard for that client and went above and beyond at all times. The change had nothing to do with what we did or didn’t do. It just happened. Life happened.

I needed time to think.

About two days later, as I sat eating a lunch time salad, I had an epiphany. The feeling came in like a lightning bolt and I was suddenly 100% aware that the change was nothing but good. Good for me, good for our business, maybe even good for the world. Well, I probably shouldn’t go that far but I’ll tell you one thing…the whole experience made me re-think and re-direct my thought processes. I had been buried in minutia for two years which didn’t make me happy but the money was good so I kept at it. We had been handed the opportunity to change it up.

The excellent part of all of this is that we are really being forced to think out of the box relative to finding new clients and a new direction. We’re even re-branding our business and becoming more of who we want to be as a business and individuals. A very wise friend of mine regularly says, “Whoa, wait a minute, let’s back up and look at that again.” I’ve never been keen on looking backward but I have to admit, hindsight really is 20/20. We’re looking at where we’ve been, looking at where we want to go and finding the path to get there. Is it scary? Darn right it is but it’s exhilarating. And anything that’s new and unfamiliar is a bit scary but growth doesn’t come from stagnation. Growth comes from shaking it up, moving out of the familiar, and changing it up.

Geeking Out With Media

By Michael Massey

Television is finally making programming fun again. I have waited for years in hopes that broadcast and cable would figure out a way to 1) develop a portable application and 2) reward the watcher for tuning in. I’m excited to share a few of my favorites:

I tested Hulu Plus since acquiring my IPad 2 several months ago but I had to abandon it for two reasons. Delivery on high speed Internet was ok at best and there were limited shows and movies. So, it is now hello HBOgo and goodbye bad TV. It's my new favorite indulgence and it's FREE to use as an HBO subscriber. They've also provided links to Facebook and Twitter so you can let your social stream know what you're doing every hour of every day.

Next up is Get Glue. Watch your favorite show, become a fan, get a sticker, friend other fans. Pretty low impact but it reaches out beyond your usual core social group. Connect and invite your Facebook and twitter followers and you can create your own fan base.

Lastly, there is Viggle for the iPad which is similar to Shazam. During any TV broadcast, log onto the app,click checkin and your device will 'listen' for the program and check you in. Each check in delivers points and makes offers to watch a trailer or a teaser for more points. Points can then be redeemed for personal products and gift cards. Great opportunity for a multi channel retail business to offer new product, sampling and redemption. Tie into your social stream to connect and comment.

These day the media business moves with lightening speed. It’s jump on the train or get left behind!

Frustration, The Mother of Invention

By Michael Massey

Frustration is truly the mother of invention. Humans are pretty good about being inventive when the frustration level becomes too much. And wit is just that kind of frustration that was the impetus for designing and launching the Your Ad Here media calculator which is now available as a mobile app on the Android Marketplace. Here’s the story on how it all started.

We are media strategists. It’s what we love. We couple it with creativity to achieve results for clients by placing billboards, digital, broadcast TV, cable and radio. In order to make that happen, we also have to be number crunchers. My business partner Chrissie and our employee Chris will tell anyone that I personally hate all the spreadsheets and formulas involved in getting the best placements for our clients. And in our business, these spreadsheets can be very, very confusing since each type of media uses a unique benchmark for qualitative results.

To plan outdoor (billboards, etc.), we use the DEC count. For digital placements we use Cost Per Thousand (CPM) or Cost Per Click (CPC). In television it’s all about CPP (cost per point). For radio we’re using Cume rating or average quarter hour (AQH). For print publications it’s about number of subscribers. Even thinking about all of this makes my head spin.

To make it worse, we’ve had no central place for formulas. Oh sure, we could use an online media calculator or scratch it out on a piece of paper, but there was never any portability and certainly no ease of use. Beyond that there was nothing for both buyers and sellers to use seamlessly. Frustrating.

One day we sat in a brainstorm session discussing this challenge. There had to be a way. Somebody must have thought of something to overcome this challenge. We tapped our pencils, scribbled notes scratched our head then suddenly, I think we heard the angels sing. The concept of the Your Ad Here Media Calculator was born that day.

The really nice thing about the calculator is that there is absolutely no need to be a media math wiz. You can download the $1.29 app to your Android device (the Itunes version coming soon) and you're in business. The screens prompt you to enter your starting data to get your final media number whether it’s Cost Per Point, Cost Per Thousand, Gross Impressions, Reach, or Frequency. Everything you need is there at your fingertips. And if you’re not quite sure you understand the terms I’m throwing around, you should really have a copy of our book, Your Ad Here: De-mystifying the Business of Media and Advertising. And we’re going to make it easy for you. We are offering both the book and the media calculator for $16.24. That’s a great discount. But please hurry; the offer expires on February 28, 2012.

Somebody…please make it stop

By Chrissie VanWormer

For the last couple of years it seems like life is moving too quickly. There is so much going on on so many different levels and it has honestly been stressing me out. I’ve mentioned this in previous blog posts but lately I’ve been finding peace even though it’s my busiest time of year. I’m juggling multiple projects with multiple clients while at the same time researching for the next book project. So why am I suddenly so much more peaceful? It’s simple…I turned off my email.

Now you may be reading this and wondering how the heck can she conduct business without email?

Over the summer months, the constant tune of incoming emails became a major source of stress. One evening as I was sitting on my couch with a friend, I heard the mails hitting the server and I sighed. She looked at me and said, “You know what I do, Chrissie? I only check my email twice a day. You should try it.” Well, she is not self-employed so I thought, “How nice for you…” But the next morning, after plowing my way through over thirty emails that had come in after I shut my office door the night before, I realized how unimportant most of these communications were. (Between you and me, I wish someone would outlaw the “Reply All” button!) That day I made a decision to try the concept of checking my email twice a day. I sent a note to one of the prime offenders and asked them to only send emails to my box that were necessary for me to do my job. The request was respected and I was shocked at how many less emails I was receiving. I could finally let my breath out and it felt so good.

I’ve been talking with my business partner about this for a while now because he, too, is very conscientious about keeping our clients happy. He is careful to answer emails promptly and keeps himself open to instant messages all day. However, he constantly complains that he can’t get his work done and feels that he has no time to pursue other interests. Well, he just finished reading The Four Hour Work Week where the author talks about time saving ways to complete the work that needs to be done to have more time for an actual life. This very wise author offered the same suggestion; only check your email twice a day. So Michael committed himself to trying it. He sent out a communication to our clients explaining what he is doing and the flurry of mail quickly stopped. It’s been a very, very (did I say very?) good change. We have gotten so much done, and better yet, the communication is clear and concise. We’re both happier and the funny part of that is, our clients are happier as well.

So give it a try. Shut it down. No one is going to lose a kidney if they have to wait a couple of hours for an answer. And if it’s urgent, they can always make a phone call. Our phones are charged and they’re always on.

New Beginnings

I came across a survey this week that claims the majority of people under the age of 45 will make a New Year’s resolution. For those over 45; not so much. Maybe that’s because they are thinking that this is my life, this is who am and there's no need to change.

Well, being one that falls into the (cough) over 45 age group, I can honestly say that I'm finally feeling comfortable in my own skin. However, I continually struggle with wanting to live life more fully. I want more travel, more out of the routine experiences, more fun. That’s tough to do, though, when you own a business and support a family. So instead of the same old tired resolutions that have been made time and again, I think it’s more appropriate to publicly share some goals that will hold me accountable to my family, to my business partner and to myself.

1) I will find that all important work/family/fun balance.
2) I will travel at least four times a year.
3) I will plan and strategize. I’m the first to admit that I'm not a planner and tend to follow the shiny pennies that constantly take me off my path. (These are my business partner’s words!) 2012 will be a year of hyper focus, concentrating on activities that get us to our goals.
4) I will play without feeling guilty.
5) I will work on accepting that feelings are not necessarily facts.
6) I will accept that all human beings are unique and that I cannot expect them to change. I can only change the way I deal with them.
7) I will focus my energy on the things I enjoy.
8) I will not get frustrated with my “passionate frustration” because I understand that great things happen when you know ' there has to be a better way'.
9) I will drive creativity by learning how to let it flow over and around me.
10) I will accept and be proud of all accomplishments no matter how small.

The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months! Edward Payson Powell

A Little Hard Work

By Michael Massey

I grew up in a comfortable middle class home with two working parents. I don't ever remember feeling like the world owed me anything. I understood hard work and the reward that comes from it, except during those questionable ages of 15 – 19 but that’s a story for a different blog.

Lately we've been experiencing what could be perceived as a case of entitlement from several individuals that we do business with. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. One of our clients asked us to gather media coverage maps and to include some additional information for them. It was a request that would take probably about 30 minutes if someone in the office wasn’t familiar with Microsoft Word. This was a simple request and one not out of the ordinary realm of responsibility for any professional in the media business. The push back and transferring of responsibility really surprised us.

My parents taught me from a very early age that life is what you make it and the world owes you nothing. When I first graduated from college, I was quite frustrated with the job hunt. I had a Bachelor’s degree and I expected to be paid what I knew I was worth. But my father's wise words echoed truth when he said, “You have no experience and no one knows you. There won't be any big black limo that rolls out the red carpet for you. If you want something you have to be willing to make sacrifices and work hard for it.” Even then I understood the truth in his words and those words mean just as much at the end of 2011 as they did in 1988.

So here's some sage advice to you red carpet dreamers out there:

Add value to the equation in some way shape or form.
Think things through and do your job.
Respect is a two way street; give and you shall receive
Push beyond your comfort level and do something that scares you.
Be willing to be a resource with no expectations.

A little hard work will ultimately lead to a much easier path. Hard work is appreciated and it is rewarded. Be a resource. You’ll be the first on our list to call when there is money to be spent.

Who Needs Boundaries?

By Chrissie VanWormer

I found myself severely burned out over the summer of 2011. I had been working non-stop for about three years trying to build my business, write a book, expand services, manage clients and the whole myriad of everything else that goes on with keeping a small business running. I have enjoyed the process and the challenges that have gone along with it but over the summer months, I found that suddenly every time the phone would ring, I was startled. Every time another email came in, I felt anxiety. I began to wonder if maybe I was showing symptoms of depression and I became concerned.

My office happens to be in my house and most of my clients know that. Last spring after a particularly long day, I finally closed my office door at 9:30 pm. Normally I would have climbed into my pajamas and hit the sack but I was hungry so I made myself a big salad, poured myself a glass of wine and sat down to relax. When the phone rang, I saw the name on the caller ID and my curiosity made me pick it up. The client on the other end explained his issue and, although I was sympathetic, his issue was not pressing and it could wait until the morning. I told him I would research it for him and send a response first thing the next day. I was surprised when he became agitated and said, “I know your office is in your house, Chrissie. Why can’t you just go in there and do it now.” Honestly, I wanted to hang up on him but business is business and, for me, emotion has no place there. I explained once more that I would take care of the issue in the morning….which I did, and all was well.

When my office phone rang early one Saturday morning this past July, a friend who had stopped in for breakfast looked at me when I jumped up and frowned. “You’re not really going to answer that, are you? It’s Saturday and it’s 7:15 a.m.” I looked at her and replied, “I have to. He never got back to me yesterday and they need the report on Monday morning.” She raised her eye brows and gave me a look. You know the look. The one that says, “Are you out of your mind? How important is it really?” I was aggravated at her and I realized that the aggravation was misplaced. She had a valid point. It was Saturday morning, we had planned to have breakfast then take a walk and I had been looking forward to it for several days. I had already blown her off several times during the week because things came up and I needed to work late. I knew what she was thinking in that moment and I knew she was absolutely right. I had set up a very unhealthy pattern not only for myself but for my clients as well.

So what did I learn from these two exchanges and many more others like them? Well, sometimes I can have a pretty hard head because I want to take good care of the clients I worked so hard to get. But finally, on that sunny July morning, I learned to draw the line; to set some boundaries.

Right after breakfast, before we left to take a walk, I went to my office answering machine and changed the message. I laid out my office hours and related that all business calls would be returned between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It took about two weeks and a couple of agitated moments, but my clients all came around to the fact that everyone needs to have some free time and that I was better off for it.

When my kids were little, I always took time for myself to exercise, to write, to visit with my friends because I understood I was a better mother when I could be fully with them. My clients have come to realize that I provide better service when I can be fully in my work mind. We all need time off and we all need to set boundaries for ourselves.

As small business people, we want to service our clients. We want them to be happy with our services and we want them to refer us on. But if we set a few boundaries and be sure to take a little time for ourselves, we can provide even better service. And we’ll be a lot happier doing it. So, set those boundaries, change your answering machine message and do something that makes you happy. Life is not all about work. Have a little fun and come back to your work refreshed. Believe me when I tell you, it’s totally worth it.

Cancellation Nation

By Michael Massey

It’s happened time and time again. You find a show you love. And you love everything about it; the characters, the story line, even the marketing that goes along with it. And then, just when it will be revealed if the demise of the bitchy main character was murder or suicide, the show is cancelled. The proverbial axe has fallen and killed off the show. With the short little span of attention of the consuming public these days, writers better wow them and if they don’t, it’ll be nothing more than a bad romance and over quickly. But on the other hand there is some pretty useless content making it on to the screen and I have to wonder how that happens. I thought it would be at least moderately entertaining to take a look back at some of the losers.

Cancelled after one episode:

'Co-Ed Fever CBS 1979 Imitation of National Lampoon's Animal House
'Emily's Reason's for Why Not' ABC Jan 2006 A single career woman unlucky in love
'Quarterlife' NBC Feb 2006 Myspace series
'Lawless' FOX March 1997 Brian Bosworth stars as a private eye.

Top 10 Cancelled Shows:
"The Tick" (FOX)
Premiered: November 2001
Cancelled: January 2002

"My So-Called Life" (ABC)
Premiered: August 1994
Cancelled: January 1995

"The Ben Stiller Show" (FOX)
Premiered: September 1992
Cancelled: January 1993

"Sports Night" (ABC)
Premiered: September 1998
Cancelled: May 2000

"Firefly" (FOX)
Premiered: September 2002
Cancelled: December 2002

"NewsRadio" (NBC)
Premiered: March 1995
Cancelled: July 1999

"Family Guy" (FOX)
Premiered: January 1999
Cancelled: 2001

"Homicide: Life on the Street" (NBC)
Premiered: January 1993
Cancelled: August 1999

"Freaks and Geeks" (NBC) / "Undeclared" (FOX)
"Freaks" - Premiered: September 1999
Cancelled: July 2000
"Undeclared" - Premiered: September 2001
Cancelled: March 2002

Mr. Show with Bob and David" (HBO)
Premiered: September 1995
Cancelled: December 1998

Of course I could go on and on with this list as I’m sure you could. And I’d like to hear from you. Send along your cancellation favorites or others that you’d like to see gone! michael@youradherethebook.com or tweet us at @youradheremedia or facebook us at http://www.facebook.com/youradheremedia

Not a Match? Maybe it Is!

By Chrissie VanWormer

Right now I find myself dating. I’m not particularly thrilled with the process at this point in my life but I’ve made the decision to soldier on and soldiering on is what I’m doing. Anyway, a few of months ago I met a guy who initially seemed very nice. But as the evening wore on, he pushed every button I didn’t know I had. I was honestly surprised and a bit puzzled since it’s rare that anyone can do that, but at the end of the evening, I declared us “not a match” and walked away. As time has gone on, I’ve gotten to know the button pusher a bit and realized that he’s a real good guy. So what does this have to do with business? Everything!

Starting a business is kind of like dating. You have to go out, do the dance and hopefully you’ll find a good match for the goods or services you’re offering. As I look back to when I first started my business, there were definitely occasions that I jumped to a conclusion and declared a prospective client “not a match”. There were several who tried to beat me down on my price and I was very sensitive about that at the point. When I turned them away, I felt my reasons were solid and I knew I was justified in my decision. Then there were several other prospects that didn’t have the money to pay but were willing to work out an arrangement that was beneficial to both parties. At the time when I was working so hard to get something going, I felt like they wanted to buy a hamburger today that they’d surely pay for on Tuesday. It was frustrating but in a couple of cases we did move on to the second date and I brought them on as clients. Several offered payment on the back end of a project and others have offered equity in their companies. Of course I really couldn’t justify taking money on the back end considering I needed to eat in the meantime, so I had to carefully pick a couple I could provide that service for. The others were once more declared “not a match”.

For those I felt there was a “possible future” with, I continued the dance. For them I did whatever I could to help out by offering advice, networking opportunities and referring them to websites or experts I believed could assist. I was always happy to take their calls and applauded their successes.

Some of the companies who approached me during that period of time didn’t make it. In those cases I knew my assessment had been correct. It can be tough out there without resources and I have a pretty good gut. But several have made good and are continuing to grow. What I’ve noticed is the groups that I was willing to assist in whatever way I could have come back to me and are now paying clients. They were grateful for the help and are happy to refer me on to their business associates and colleagues. What I’ve noticed is for those I too quickly labeled “not a match” even a “congratulations on your success” email goes unanswered. Of course, I might handle that differently, but that’s for a different blog entry!

The bottom line here is to take each opportunity you get and treat it gently. Be careful to think beyond next month and continue the dance in whatever way you can. Of course it’s not necessary to continue “dating” a prospect you know will never be a fit, but don’t judge too quickly. What might at first glance not feel like a match, could end up being one of your best clients.

Service and Value: Two Things That Go Great Together

By Michael Massey

Service and value. Have you noticed a severe lack in these qualities lately- coupled with no integrity. I'm not advocating that we go back in time to an era where men were men and dungarees (my granfather's term) were 25 cents at Monkey Wards. However, attention to servicing customers and providing MORE than your money's worth would be a welcome change. It's not all doom and gloom however; two companies come to mind that embody service, value and integrity with no expectation of immediate return.

Southwest Airlines is a as a company that lives and breathes it's corporate culture and isn't afraid to make mistakes and expose it to the public through multiple communication channels. In flight magazines, social media and a TV show aptly named Airline share notbonly triumphs, but miss steps as well.

Consumers are accepting of errors in judgment; so long as they are informed promptly and resolved quickly. I had to contact Southwest regarding a true lapse in communication several years ago on a flight out of Chicago. The flight was delayed for hours with no notification as to why. Once we finally boarded, passengers were hostile, aggravated and hungry and the cabin crew provided no explanation. Calling customer service the next day was an oasis in a sea of no answers- not only did I find out what happened (it was a fuel to passenger ratio issue) but I also received a comp ticket without ever being asked. True customer service. Interested in finding out more about how they do it. Pickup a copy of 'Nuts' the story of Southwest Airlines.

Starbucks is another company that goes out of their way to make customers happy. Not crazy about that latte? No problem, we'll make you another one. Sorry about the long wait in the drive through- please accept a FREE drink on us. Every action they take is built to deliver a positive impact on the customer experience. You might be hard pressed to find a barrista that is unhappy.

What can YOU do in your profession or business to bring value and integrity to the table?
1) Take charge of the situation and don't pass the buck
2) Offer a creative solution to a problem
3) Be proactive.
4) Get more face to face time with clients. The digital age makes communication easier and faster. But there's nothing like a sit down conversation.
5) Think about your customer's business and be aware of their challenges
6) It's about THEM, not YOU
7) Be accessible but not on call
8) Read
9) Play
10) Unplug

There's an old saying: treat others the way you would want to be treated. Service and value will flow naturally if you keep that mantra in mind the next time you have to solve an issue or develop an idea.

http://www.southwest.com
http://www.starbucks.com

Just Do It!

By Chrissie VanWormer

Several months ago I sat in a room with a group of small business folks who had congregated for a small business seminar. There was every type of entrepreneur imaginable in that room including the fifty something woman who seemed proud of the fact that she didn’t know how to use the internet and wasn’t much interested in learning. There was the young girl who was quite full of herself that would have taken over the room if the moderator had allowed it. There was a late 30’s something business man in an Italian suit and several others who make a habit of turning up at these seminars as they get ready to launch their new venture. As the interaction continued and everyone began to share their pain, it became apparent that nearly 90% of the people in the room were very busy getting ready to get ready to start their businesses.

I was intrigued by this but I also understood. Going into business is scary. There are so many pitfalls and potholes that we can very unceremoniously land in. And a myriad of personal insecurities will most assuredly crop up when starting any new business venture. What if I don’t have any money? What if I put my life savings into my venture and it doesn’t work out? I don’t know anything about hiring employees. How do I start? Who will do my books? Do I trust someone other than myself to do it? But I hate accounting. What if I succeed? How will I handle the money? What if I don’t have enough time in my day to do everything I need to do? Will my home life suffer? Should I continue working my 40 hour work week while I’m starting my business or should I quit and just jump in? I need funding. How will I find someone to help me figure out how to find it? My elderly mom needs help. I don’t think I’ll have enough time to take care of her and start a business.

Believe me when I say that I’ve been there and I have suffered through my own list of insecurities. It’s not easy. But dedication to your business really needs to be item number one on your to do list every day. And you need to think each step through, find qualified people to help, and trust your instincts. Most people go into business because they are passionate about what they are trying to. Or maybe you have a talent that you know can make you the cash you need to live a decent lifestyle and you’re just not feeling the love from your employer.

The bottom line here is simple. There are many reasons to get started with your own business. Whether it’s personal gain, a passion for what you’re trying to do or maybe you want to change the world. All of these are great reasons to get started. But the one thing I know for sure is that the only real way to get started is to START. Seminars are great. Books will give you the background you need. But it’s up to you to jump in and Just Do It!

It's All About Perspective

By Chrissie Van Wormer

I woke up this morning feeling the residual effects of a crummy yesterday.   It was difficult to get out of bed and my eyes were blurry but Hannah and Leroy, my canine companions, needed to go outside and Trix, my twenty four pound cat was meowing his displeasure at an empty dish.  Even Pixie, my little yellow parakeet, joined in the cacophony chirping loudly at the morning sun that was now blaring through the back door.   

I considered not taking my usual early morning walk because it was already after 6:00 and I needed to get to work to try and clean up yesterday’s mess.  I looked around the kitchen that I hadn’t picked up after dinner last night and sighed.    Leroy, my mini-pin/greyhound mix came running in through the deck, bolted to the cellar door to begin his usual bounding up and down wanting to go out for a walk.  Hannah, now fourteen years old and very gray, joined in the excitement,   so I reluctantly headed into my bedroom and changed into shorts and a t-shirt.  I grabbed their leashes, my sunglasses and off we went.  During the first two miles my mind sifted through the events of yesterday.  I reminded myself that I am the only one who has control over how I react to any situation and repeated the mantra several times to solidify it in my mind for the day.  I was careful to take a few minutes to notice that the sun was playing on the pavement and the breeze that was deliciously cool.

As I crested the very steep hill that brings me in view of my house, Leroy tripped me and I found myself grappling to regain my balance.  In the process, my shoe came untied.  I have to admit; I cursed, and then bent down to secure the shoe.  As I pulled the strings into a double bow, I glanced toward the sound of a cricket in the grass.    It was weird, but suddenly, I saw that summer field from the perspective of Leroy and Hannah.  Much closer to the ground than I, they have the opportunity to see so many  details of the landscape; each blade of grass, each flower stem, a small spider web wet with dew.  They are also much closer to the enticing scent of whatever creature had just crawled across the back country road just before we came over that hill and they continued to investigate with much snorting and sniffing.    I sat down on the blacktop for a minute and just stared at the scenery, taking it in as though it were something I’d never seen before.  Of course I was seeing it every day; just from a different perspective.  The thought made me smile.  

This was answer that I had been looking for.  Every now and again it is necessary to look at things from a different perspective.   As small business people, sometimes we forget to stop and look at things from the perspective of our clients.  And many times our clients forget to look at things from the perspective of their clients.  And so it goes.  If you’re reading this today, take a moment and think about a challenge you’re facing in with your business.  Maybe it’s time to try something new.  Ask your client what you can do to help. Try to see the challenge from their perspective and attack it that way.   I can guarantee you, if nothing else, you’ll definitely be seeing both the forest AND the trees.  And don’t forget to take a minute, get down on the grass and check out that particular perspective.  It’s really quite beautiful!

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Stream Baby Stream

Michael J Massey July 28 2011

Stream baby, stream! Why would you be tethered to a television via programming schedule or DVR when you could be viewing your favorite episode of 'Royal Pains', 'The Closer' or 'Glee' on your laptop or other device right now? We live in a right here, right now culture. No waiting. Give me what I want when I want it. As for me, I think when it comes to entertainment, that's a good thing.

Obviously I am not alone because the numbers don't lie. Check these out!

· For 2011, Hulu expects “to approach” half a billion in total revenues (advertising and subscription combined), up from $263 million in 2010. That’s up from $108 million in 2009. CEO Jason Kilar says Hulu continues to increase its monetization, hitting $0.185 per half-hour episode and claims the 2010 average of $0.143 is second only to broadcast.

· Netflix has over 25 million members in the US and Canada and the current price increases may show an increase in cancellations. However, a Morgan Stanley survey notes that most users will be merely be forced into a DVD or streaming model which is exactly what the price increase was meant to accomplish.

· CBS Corp. and Netflix, Inc. have signed a two-year, non-exclusive arrangement allowing Netflix customers in Canada and Latin America to instantly stream many CBS Corp. shows starting in September 2011.

· Netflix and Lionsgate reached a syndication deal arrangement that allows streaming of the first four seasons of Mad Men in the US market.

· HBO has launched HBOgo, giving access to over 1400 HBO shows. These will be available on the device of choice using an authentication code. (In an odd twist, the owner of HBO Time Warner Cable is not one of the distributors!)

· Walmart recently acquired VuDu and will now distribute 20,000 titles through the walmart.com site for rental and streaming.

This should change the way TV and films are developed and produced both in the US, as well as in foreign markets. The old model of developing a script, getting funded, producing, getting distribution, being picked up then moving into syndication may be turned upside down. Why couldn't any indie producer create a direct to stream program in partnership with a streaming media property? Netflix has already taken that leap with 'House of Cards' starring Kevin Spacey, produced by David Fincher.

Wake up media property dinosaurs with your 1950’s megaphones! As more consumers realize they hold more power than you give them credit for, they'll change the game with their wallets. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to catch up on 'Mad Men'.

. (Sources gigaom July 22 2011, paidcontent.org-Stacy D. Kramer July 2011. The Wrap, Tim Malloy July 27, 2011)

Has New Media Changed the Business of Art

Is it possible that with the advent of new media has the art of creating and making music been lost? With the revolution of the internet and single song purchases, the business of music is even more about business than it ever was and certainly less about art than at any time in recorded history. Where record producers used to proudly produce a project where each line of each song was carefully crafted by wordsmiths, stroked and caressed by passionate musicians, lovingly voiced and re-voiced until the sounds being produced were as close to perfection as humanly possible. A completed project began on-air play prompting fans to go out and buy, buy, buy.

Rabid fans are voraciously following recording projects as they happen, listening to digital tracks on line and then carefully picking and choosing each $.99 to $1.29 track to their own specific tastes. While stores used to be filled from the ceiling to the floor with every kind of music possible, these days the racks are thin. CD’s are pricey and very few of us want to lay down anywhere from $12 to $22 to be disappointed by having only a song or two we really like. In an effort to make up for the increasingly low record sales, record companies are spending millions to find the next 5’11” blonde female or smolderingly sexy blue-eyed brunette wearing bright red lipstick and barely more than a thong. And of course there’s search for the next full-lipped blue eyed shaggy haired boy for the tween set. With the advent of pitch control and digital re-touching, these re-mastered divas don’t even really need to know how to sing. In this world of new media, the emphasis has turned to producing a package in which we can find not only music but the opportunity for selling clothing lines, make-up, spots attire, shoes, and musical instruments as well as whatever else the marketers can come up with to fill their coffers.

I recently listened to an interview with Taylor Swift where she spoke about how a song she was working on was “leaked” to market before it was ready to go. Several million copies of the song were sold in the matter of just a couple of hours and it has been one of her biggest selling songs to date. Was this the best song Swift ever wrote or was it the opportunity for owning a track that was not quite complete, not quite perfect, not quite done? We as human beings enjoy feeling part of the process and this is sort of like grabbing a little cookie dough while mom’s back is turned. Security tightens as these unfinished tracks can be shot out over the internet and hung like a carrot in front of us so tantalizingly close, making us feel so close to the artist. We are voyeurs in our own way.

Music is all about emotion. It’s about making a connection with the lyrics and music that can take you places your soul never knew existed. In my opinion, the pre-packaged bubble gum songs of the digital age are more about sales than art. I, for one, hope that in the near future, the music business will evolve into being just as much about art as it is about business and I hope those passionate musicians, along with everyone else they’re involved with will make money in the process.