By Hazel on Jan 5, 2010 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured | 0 Comments

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.
November 2009 a white…
By Hazel on Jan 4, 2010 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 3 Comments

Recently I took a road trip from Nashville, TN to Little Rock, Arkansas twice within a two week period! Is there some sort of an award for that? (LOL)
Of course one of the activities that go hand-in-hand with a road trip is making food stops. Even though I knew this would be a fairly long drive, I really had no plans on where to eat on this double trek trip except I did plan on getting some killer BBQ in Memphis which turned out to be a HUGE disappointment! But that’s another story.
I really ended up relying on roadside billboards…
By Hazel on Nov 6, 2009 in Facts and Statistics Everyone in Business Should Know About, Featured | 0 Comments
Interesting snapshot of the impact the digital age is having on us all. This wonderful snapshot is courtesy of the fine folks at Pew Internet and American Life Project. The 21st century will most certainly demand digital savvy business people who understand the old models for doing business will not work in this new economy. Different times, different people, need different approaches.

By Hazel on Jul 17, 2009 in Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 7 Comments
This is my final article of my four part series on Business Suicide Mindsets to Avoid in 2009.
Although I this one is last, it can be just as damaging for a business as the other three I have already covered.
I call this Business Suicide Mentality #4: The “I Don’t Have Too; I Don’t Want Too, I Will Not Change!” Mindset.
Yep, Change…it’s a word we all know yet often we find we are naturally opposed to the meaning of this word. We find change is disruptive and unsettling, so we resist it.
The dictionary defines change as…
Change
to make the form, nature,…
By Hazel on Jul 8, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured | 4 Comments

I, like most Americans have grown so weary of the unbelievably bad customer service in the everyday marketplace both online and off in this country.
Until recently, we as consumers did not have a very easy and effective way to share with the masses our experiences nor were we very successful in getting attention to our plight regarding bad service and products from the very companies we had the conflict with. The old “on hold forever 800 number” was many times the only recourse we could take against these offending businesses.
That was until technology put the tools in the consumer’s hands…
By Hazel on May 9, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured, The Great Business Digital Divide | 0 Comments
Well that day that all mothers long for, Mother’s Day…a day of recognition especially made for those of us who have contributed to one of life’s mysteries and wonders…Motherhood is close to showing up on the scene.
If your anything like me, it represents a “check out” moment from the hustle and bustle of life to reflect on the joys of beings mom (and the sorrows), how far you have come and how far your family has come.
Most of us our adorned with flowers, a gift, or dinner out and those are all such wonderful tokens of love from our families.…
By Hazel on Apr 29, 2009 in Featured | 0 Comments
STRATEGY ONE - Strategy is King…Status Quo is Dead!
Of all the things that entrepreneurs and small business owners fail to do, one of the most serious is strategic marketing planning. Strategic marketing planning in today’s marketplace IS the most important thing you should do. A Strategic Marketing Plan is a management tool that determines which steps to follow, and the methodologies and times to reach certain objectives. Gone are the days where marketing planning is an isolated activity! It has to be perfectly linked to the rest of the business functions (First contacts, billing, assistants/virtual, production, personnel, etc.)
STRATEGY TWO -Fall…
By Hazel on Apr 27, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer | 0 Comments
Ever wished you could contact someone at the companies you do business with to complain, resolve problem or just give them the props for something they did you liked without dealing with those aggravating automated phone systems!?
I have and so have many, many consumers for that matter!
It’s so hard to find direct access via the “old model” of doing business but now that social media has provided the tools to voice the consumers experience with millions online…you can now reach some companies and businesses who ‘get’ the power of the people in this digital economy.
If you want to position your business (this…
By Hazel on Apr 19, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer, Featured | 1 Comment
Susan Boyle
If you have not seen the videos or heard about the incredible voice of Great Britain’s Susan Boyle yet you must not come out very often!
Most have heard because her story has been all over the internet. But more importantly its what her story of ‘most unlikely to succeed’ has done to touch the heart of millions of people around the world.
Susan looked the part of an average person (like most of us) but when she appeared on TV show Britain’s Got Talent and she begin to sing, the greatness that has always been in her came out to woo the world…
By Hazel on Apr 11, 2009 in Age of the Super Consumer | 0 Comments
I read at businessweek.com yesterday about the new book In-N-Out Burger: Professionalizing Fast-Food by Stacy Perman. She tells the story of the enormous success this business has had and points out it has been due primarily to the vision of the deceased founders Harry and Esther Snyder, the management qualities and the great treatment of its employees.
Living in California for many years and having two family members that work there for 6-8 years I can attest firsthand they are amazing from the customer perspective. They beat any fast-food chain out there hands down when it comes to the service, the quality and…