Is Direct Mail Out of Date?

With the advent of email and the current disdain for junk paper mail, is the practice of Direct Mailing out of date for small businesses? Well, yes and no. Actually, done correctly, Direct Mail can be very successful, not only because it is a real novelty in an email world, but because of the way you use it. It depends on three things: What you want to send, Who you want to send it to, What... [Read more of this post]

How To Grow Your Business In A Slow Economy

Every business experiences slowdowns at one time or another. Right now, there is not only a slowdown, their is downright malaise. I believe it is a collective emotional depression, fueled by the news media’s relaying every message of doom and gloom possible. If it’s not war, its the economy and now, sadly the grim reality of the Gulf oil spill. Not only does it paralyze us with fear, it... [Read more of this post]

Baby Boomers: The Club Sandwich Generation

Baby Boomers are often called the Sandwich Generation. They earned this moniker because they are often faced with caring not only for their children but their aging parents as well. I’d like to add another layer of cheese, tomato and lettuce, along with a slice of bread to this Sandwich, making Baby Boomers the new Club Sandwich Generation. In this current economy, Generation X and Y children... [Read more of this post]

Niche Craft: Finding Your Market Niche

Common sense would tell us that casting a broad net when marketing our products or services would provide the most customers. And we would be dead wrong. That thinking will keep you struggling for years to find your market – perhaps never finding it at all. Just like with fishing, casting too broad a net is going to yield you a lot of fish you are going to have to throw back  which will ultimately... [Read more of this post]

Ailing Senior, No Family, Needs Help: A New Life For Amelia

“Who?” said the booming female voice at the other end of the phone. When I identified myself as someone who had been referred to her to help her move into her assisted living apartment, she replied, “Moving? I’m not moving! Who told you that?” Later, when I finally met Amelia, I understood what had happened. At 80+ and in very poor health, widowed, alone and suffering... [Read more of this post]

Feng Shui Means Less Hazards For Seniors

Steven and Caroline had just moved in to their 900 square foot senior apartment having left their 2,000 square foot home they had lived in for 40 years. Their daughter telephoned me for help. Her parents had taken practically everything they owned with them and were now living among boxes and piles of clutter. She was worried for their safety and extremely frustrated that they refused her help. “Can... [Read more of this post]

What they don’t tell you in Network Marketing

Each and every day thousands of people join network marketing companies, aka multi level marketing groups. For the most part they are individuals with daytime jobs that are looking to supplement their incomes, college students, stay at home moms and retired persons looking to add to their savings and social security. What do they all have in common? They have very little or no experience running or... [Read more of this post]

Broke or Successful – Which Do You Prefer?

1. Broke People think everything is too good to be true. Successful People think that getting a job sounds too bad to be true. 2. Broke People give up when things don’t go their way; a few disappointments and they are onto something else, saying things like “it wasn’t for me”. Successful People work harder and become more determined when things go bad, and understand that you have to take... [Read more of this post]

How NOT to do business

After a subsistence of airplane peanut snacks and diet coke, my cross country journey ended in Philadelphia, having experienced a rerouting to Baltimore with a 5 hour delay. I collected my bags at the carousel and bleary eyed and stiff, walked to the ground transportation desk and checked in. Two hours later the shuttle dropped me off at the hotel my “host” had arranged for me. At that... [Read more of this post]

Another Side of Hoarding

When my new client, Sarah, opened the door, I immediately recognized the cluttered scene behind her. Sarah was a hoarder. Her kitchen counter as well as every available nook, cranny and flat surface was piled high with stuff – mostly papers but still the mess included all the other artifacts hoarders are drawn to: recyclables, bags, books and junk sale goodies. Sarah was a cheerful, senior lady,... [Read more of this post]