It’s a given, if you are in business…you want people to support your business so that you prosper!

However, often times business owners overlook the importance of ‘reciprocity’ when it comes to them supporting others who seek their

Mind boggling! The entire business landscape is going through a metamorphous of sorts…nothing is business as usual anymore! Really, nothing is!

I see business sector after sector old standby

In marketing and advertising lingo…the term Branding carries a lot of weight! But when it comes to the very target Branding is suppose to make its impact on, well they don’t really care about that term because that is not how they refer to a company, product or service and it’s not what gets them to take an action.

Their touch point, frame of reference, what gets their interest…is the ‘human experience’. Period.

Today’s American consumers (whose ever changing life stages must be taken into consideration) start their relationship with your business by examining and experiencing your intent and motivation.…

A good part of being successful has to do with character and what being successful means to YOU.

Character shows up in those little things most take for granted like keeping your word especially when it’s inconvenient, taking personal responsibility even if it cost you, returning phone calls, looking out for others well being before your own.

Basically, the way I see it is business success in this new economy will depend largely on your intentions, your motives. That is the way it used to be and that is how it should be in my books.

Everyone gets it you…

Saw a post today on one of the blogs I read where the reader had this idea he was going to offer to manage social media for small to medium size businesses by outsourcing it in India or Malaysia.

He indicated a busy businessman would pay $20 month to have their Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo or Bebo account updated, messages replied and so on and this would be way cheaper than hiring a new employee in-house or contracting independent U.S workers.

Sounds reasonable right? Well I guess it is if you want a…

I just read a great article by Jay Deragon on Digital Nashville and he talked about the astonishing fact that so many who are in business today don’t really know what is going on in this “New Business Era”. He posted this very interesting chart that gives you a great snapshot of just how fast things are changing when it come to your customers behavior. Check out Gary Hayes Social Media Count below.

Oh, also bookmark Jay’s website while your at it. He has a great forward thinking mind!

Also, while you are at…

After all the bad PR Toyota has had lately, somebody over there came out swinging with a new ad series all built around life in the “Daddy Like Swagger Wagon”.

This is a great example of how creating and leading with relevant stories built around the lifestyles of your target market can be a hit like the campaign Toyota did with this targeting young, hip families.

They created an entire  “Swagger Wagon” destination to promote the Toyota Sienna. Notice they led with the lifestyle story not pushing boring specs on vehicle MPG’s, safety features, etc. No! They led…

In December 2004 new kid on the block Facebook reached 1 million active users. Fast forward six short years later and we are talking about over 400 million users who are active!!

Now you tell me how anyone in business who is fairly intelligent can ignore this or not see the significance of what is going on here? Honestly, it does not take a PhD to see this in not just a trend! No this is the END of business as usual forever. This is a new age, a new business era, and huge shift in our culture.

This is…

With so many things available through technology to market and reach your customer directly today…why don’t more business owners take on more of their own marketing efforts?

You would have to have been on another planet this past decade not to know we have entered into a new business era. This is so a direct-to-consumer market now. People want customization and personalization and a one-to-one experience.  The middle man and gatekeepers are dying off by the droves in every industry segment!

One thing I’ve discovered and relate to as a consumer over the past few years is people…

Ahh the mature woman! Something all of us girls grow up to be…well hopefully. As I have embarked on this leg of my personal journey I have noticed more than ever the lack of significance placed on my role, generation and participation in the marketplace.

Is it marketers have counted me out? Do they think I am over the ‘hill’ and no longer am a substanable source of revenue for their bottomline?

It could just be our fascination and even obsession with “being young” but whatever it is…marketers that ignore this market segment are pretty stupid in my books.…