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Featured Article:
Basically, marketing is the presentation of a product to a potential customer. When you can get people thinking and talking about your product, you have a successful marketing campaign.
At one point in my career, during the 1970's, I was a 'shoe dog'. I sold shoes in a posh, upscale mens and womens clothing store. The owner ran weekly advertisements in the local paper, radio ads, the store was listed in both the white and yellow pages in the phone book and the sales staff was trained to maximize the sale once a potential customer walked into the store. Obviously, one of our marketing techniques involved the display of shoes in a pleasing manner. After we welcomed the client into the store and let them know we were available to help, we gave them breathing room. When a client showed interest in a certain shoe, we brought them a couple pairs, similar in color and style, we educated the customers on the benefits of one brand of shoe versus another, we invited the customer to try on the shoes, and finally we offered other products to enhance the shoes (handbags, shoe polish, shoe trees, etc). Also, the sales people had a card file list of customers, their shoe size, their preferences and their contact information. We were encouraged to make personal contact with these customers, offer a special order option, promotion or the arrival of new stock.
How many marketing techniques do you see that were used in the promotion of this shoe store? Lets see...location, visual presentation, show & suggest, education, customer service, and direct marketing. These "old school" techniques are still an important part of business promotions and marketing campaigns today, in the 21st century.
Since that time I have marketed many products; tailoring and fashion design services, clothing and fashion jewelry stores, human resource services, and home repair services. Until recently, all of these "old school" marketing campaigns have resulted in a measurable increase in sales activity.
In August of 2007 I experienced my first business marketing failure. I spent (or wasted) ten weeks on a marketing campaign to promote our family construction business. I used the "old school" method called 'direct marketing'. In other words, over the course of those ten weeks, I contacted my target market of potential customers: property managers, architects, interior designers, etc. I made about 2000 telephone contacts that I followed up with a mailed or faxed flier. Also, I made 50 on-site sales calls and I kept a 'tickler file' for serious leads and followed up on them weekly. My phone bill and postage cost tripled, and, I now have a very extensive marketing file, but, in the end, this marketing campaign failed! NO NEW BUSINESS!
At that point I started searching the internet for solutions. I already had a web site, but I wasn't getting any traffic to it. Almost every set of key words I typed into the browser sent me to a couple of websites for Contractor Referral Services. This was a new concept for me so I decided to try it. In other words, I paid for internet generated leads, about two to three a day. Unfortunately, most of those leads were from home owners simply researching the possibility of hiring a contractor. Still, I paid for those leads whether or not they were legitimate. However, the concept of generating leads on the internet was exciting, so I began the research process to understand why my existing web site was not getting any traffic.
I learned a whole new set of terms: Key words, Adwords, Adsense, Article marketing, Email marketing, Online blogs, Forums, back-end links...etc. All of these terms relate to the process of getting traffic to your web site. There are free articles all over the internet that explain what each of these terms mean and how to implement them into your marketing program.
In the process, I've paid for 'list' services to access OnLine Surveys and OnLine Data Entry Jobs. I've also paid for affiliate marketing training programs and turn-key affiliate web sites. Some of these products are scams, some of them are real legitimate businesses. What I have learned is; There is money to be made on the internet, however, you must apply yourself to the process and you must give yourself some time for the 'learning curve. My best advise to avoid scams; 'google' the product name, followed by 'scam', and check online for a Better Business Bureau report.
Marketing on the internet is here and it is here to stay. More and more, the internet is the place people go to for information, news, social contact and entertainment. In light of this fact, internet marketing should be one of the tools businesses use to market their product.
My advise to small business owners is: Along side all of the "old school" marketing techniques, make internet marketing part of your next marketing campaign.
Lynn Albro
Educating your Child in a Private School-is it a Good Idea?
Sending your child to a private school is an important, and possibly life-changing decision to be weighed carefully. Is it a good idea to uproot the child, put him or her in a new school, leaving their former school friends behind? In my opinion, from one who has been there myself, definitely, yes.
My introduction to private school started at the age of 12, when I entered 7th grade at an all-girls' private prep school called Laurel in Shaker Heights, Ohio. It was scary at first to leave the familiarity of friends from my former school, a large, public school in another town. Every day I had to be driven by my parents to my new school, which was nearly an hour from our home. Plus, a new school meant making new friends in new surroundings, pretty terrifying for a shy girl like I was. Kids can be a bit tough on the new kid, I got teased a little at first. And, to top it all off, I had to wear a uniform. No more jeans, t-shirts and casual attire. I thought it was the end of the world at first.
Truth of the matter was, it changed my life for the better in infinite ways. First, the classes were smaller, meaning each student would receive more attention from the teacher. This was good for learning, but bad for slacking off. Oh yes, we Laurel girls were masters of girlish pranks and silliness at times, but we knew we had to behave ourselves and saved the fun for study hall. It meant getting down to work, being a more disciplined student. If I had trouble with a subject, it meant summer school if my grades weren't up to par. Only once did I need to go to summer school, the following summer after 7th grade. It was actually a pleasant experience but a great motivator not to return there the next year.
It became clear to me even as a teen that wearing a uniform every day was a break from worrying about what to wear every day. It gave me the opportunity to focus on other things than fashion. The uniforms were comfortable, tasteful and nobody made fun of anyone else's fashion sense , since we all wore them. We had the choice between blue tartan, solid green or light green herringbone; along with either white, blue or yellow oxford shirts (long or short sleeved). I became a master at shirt ironing, since it needed to be done every morning. So, we did have a little control over what we wore, just a little. If we wanted dress more trendy or fashionably, we saved it for after school get-togethers with friends.
Also, my new school had (and still has) a great area for art, which was my main focus as a kid, in being an artist. Laurel School had a whole art floor! We were allowed to pursue all types of art that previously, I'd only read about such as enameling, Raku pottery-making, wheel-thrown pottery, color theory, and more. Plus, we were encouraged to be creative in other arts such as dance, theater and music as well. They had a summer theater camp, which I participated in. There wasn't a band (I'd been in the school band in public school, and missed being able to play an instrument) but there was glee club, and choir. I got into both, and enjoyed those thoroughly. My new school had a true appreciation for the arts that has led me to carry on my interest in all venues artistic throughout my adult life.
Being painfully shy, in private school, there was no way to blend into the wallpaper. They drew me out, whether I liked it or not. It was good for me, because that shy child is not a shy adult at all. The teachers were caring and supportive, welcoming contact with their students. It was lovely to be invited to my teacher's Christmas party one year, and being shy, she had me stick with her to feel more comfortable. Mrs. Priscilla Ford was my algebra teacher, and totally a class act. She tutored me in math, which was my nemesis in school, and was a painter on the side, so she related to my artistic endeavors. My art teacher, Mrs. Helen Biehle, too, was a friend as well as teacher. It was wonderful to have such powerful, wholesome influences during turbulent teen years. I sorely needed confidence, and as an adult owe my lack of fear of public speaking to my former Speech teacher, Mrs. Schenk. Four years of having to get up on stage and sweat profusely while giving every kind of speech imaginable can really force the shyness out of nearly everyone.
All in all, private education is a wonderful experience, a quality protection from a busy, crazy world. It was a sheltered existence but that is good during the formative years of a young, impressionable child. There were no boys for us girls to flirt with, and clear boundaries to what was accepted of us both socially and academically. It taught us all manners, and respect for not only each other but the world around us. We took trips nearly every year to educational and interesting places such as Toronto and Washington D.C. Our chaperones sure did have their hands full watching over a bunch of excited girls, but we always had an appropriately good time, wherever we went (no major mishaps or craziness).
Even in private school, we were able to have prom, formal or informal dances of different kinds, and we had friends who were from other schools. Being in a private school doesn't mean you no longer have your former school friends. I kept in touch with some of my old friends, and gained new ones, too. We worked hard, but had fun, too. After school, I spent most of my time with my horse, boarded at a local stable. I saw my friends there, and my horse. Then, went home and studied hard. It was a balance of hard work and fun, in a structured way.
Leaving the security of my small school (our graduating class had 54 girls in it) was a bit of a culture shock. I went to a large university, Rochester Institute of Technology, that was predominately made up of young men. It took a little getting used to, but I felt at no disadvantage. It was an adventure to try something new. Laurel School had accomplished its objective: to turn out a confident, disciplined young lady who wanted to further her education. I wholeheartedly reccommend private schools, because it always helps to have guidance as we grow as children and young adults. It helps to shape our futures, and promote confidence. Plus, colleges and universities love well-rounded applicants from schools they receive students from every year. Our full-time college counselor at Laurel worked hard to educate us on what colleges were out there to pursue. We even had a class trip to a few Ohio colleges and universities, from Ohio State to Denison, and others. It was fun seeing the different styles of colleges and learning which best suited our individual needs.
For anyone considering a private education for their children, go visit the campus, take a tour and read the different biographies about the staff. Talk to teachers and students. Look at different schools, as each has their own feel to it. Explore financing options with the financial counselor, there are usually scholarships for those in need. By giving your child a quality education, this sets him or her up for a bright future. Public schools are great, too, it all depends on your child's individual needs. Where would he or she best be happiest and prosper? Smaller class sizes will allow the teachers to help bring a shy child out of his or her shell. It did for me. It's worth the risk, if you take it.
About the Author
Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio. Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist and photographer. She has lived and worked in Cancun, Mexico for two years, among other interesting professional assignments in other countries. Clients include nature parks, museums, scientists, corporations and private owners. Her focus is on realistic, natural artwork and illustration through her agent and her website. She has been the subject of tv interviews, articles for newspapers and other popular media venues. Her art studio website can be seen at: http://www.cafepress.com/twopurringcats.
Can you paint a RED car School Bus yellow and havei it turn out OK?
Or are we stuck with the same old colors it came in for a credieable paint job ? I understand some colors won't cover others very well
it is not the color, it the system you use. you first need to use a primer-sealer to seal the red paint and prevent bleed through. then you can paint the car the color you like. this assumes that the paint you are covering is in decent shape overall, IE it isnt cracked or crazed, and isnt flaking off. otherwise you need to get down to either good paint, ot bare metal and go from there. remember that any paint job is only as good as the prep work. you can have the best paint system, but if the prep work is poor, the job turns out badly. if the prep work is good, then even cheap paint comes out well.
Sherrod's steadfast motto: 'Let's work together'
Shirley Miller Sherrod has spent most of her life fighting injustice.
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