Piracy has been around since book printing began. Things do work out, markets mature and sound business minds can navigate through these issues without more meddling. The track record of regulatory failure in Washington goes back for decades- take the mortgage crisis for instance.

Since our leaders in Congress barely represent what most people stand for anyway, It’s time to get focused on what is important-regulators step aside and let leaders in the Internet commerce field fix this.

If it helps here are some of the things on my agenda :

• Balance- pressure often comes from within prioritizing work/personal tasks, dividing up the day in segments is what I plan to try. Working in some exercise, music, pleasure reading and family time is on the radar.
• Doing the Work- scheduling  client assignments, meetings, writing tasks, phone calls, blog posts and other small business owner tasks even on days when I don’t feel like it.
• Helping- waiting for the corporate hand puppets in D.C. or  the State government level to help make this world a better place is a fantasy. The elderly, developmentally challenged and veterans are largely disenfranchised and that needs to change. These are amongst the causes I plan to help in 2012.
• Tuning negativity out- this includes much of the election year lunacy, divisiveness , lies and mud-slinging. I’ll tune in enough to be informed and then it’s off. This includes main stream news, “gloom and doom” market reports and pundits. People who want to moan and sap energy, the voicemail goes on; period. Sanity will come from interacting  with positive people that want to make a difference. Other diversions from the madness will include Sirius XM radio, my iPod and portable HD radio (a Christmas gift which is really nice).

Small business people have been hurt by Wall Street, State, County and local level governing bodies-they are clueless and don’t give a damn about you or your future. It’s time to build our own networks and move things ahead with self-reliance and old-fashioned grit.  Networking, referrals and opportunities through involvement are the key to success from my point of view.

Focus and self-help begins in 3,2,1…

Happy New Year to you all!

Jack

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,600 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 27 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Graduate Students Giving and Learning

In these times of chronic bad news, cutbacks and political fighting a positive movement has begun with my  graduate Integrated Marketing Communication students at Roosevelt University. In lieu of a Masters thesis, students in Roosevelt’s IMC program work on a complete marketing campaign for an actual company.

This year instead of working on an assignment with a corporate partner, we “adopted” a not-for-profit organization WINGS (Women In Need of Growing Stronger). This group located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago provides emergency services, sheltered living, legal help, employment training, child care and job search services for abused women and children.

WINGS creates a large percentage of its operating fund via three resale stores in suburban Chicagoland. Two student teams worked on integrated marketing campaigns designed to raise awareness of WINGS brand, its mission and the wide selection of quality, brand name merchandise available in their shops.

A formal client “pitch” that emulates a “real world” agency new business presentation was delivered to members of WINGS leadership team. An array of low-cost, high-impact creative concepts and “guerilla” tactics- events, advertising and social media approaches to build brand and drive store traffic were delivered for consideration.

In addition to creating a plan book  and numerous cost-effective tactical ideas, the students delivered more. Many were so moved by the trials and cutbacks WINGS leadership has been required to make for survival, they opened their own wallets to help. Members of both teams donated bags of “wish list” items and donated clothing that will help meet the daily needs of the women and children served.

The talent and generosity shown renewed my faith and hope that better days are ahead in spite of the madness we see and hear on cable news each day.

The essence of guerilla marketing is action- these talented and generous leaders of the future did just that-they delivered.

To learn more about WINGS and the meaningful work they do, visit

www.wingsprogram.com

Kudos to Mayor David Webb, Jr. and all the City officials who did not let a recession economy stymie their vision for affordable senior housing in an era of abandoned building projects. Here’s to some good news and best wishes for many years of easy living for those who’ve earned their golden years of comfort.

Markham Illinois-New Senior Living Complex

This small yet elegant display was at a Jones New York store (instead of sitting in the “guy chair” I elected to do something constructive and take a photo for this post). A tasteful point of purchase display and ribbons attached to the sales ladies clothing set the stage for a friendly ” register ask” to support St. Jude’s Hospital for Children in Memphis.

Certainly the economic times have created a multitude of donation requests from dollars to canned food. I’ve heard many people ask, what difference does my dollar make?  A lot when you are on the other side of the equation.

The concept of putting Americans back to work has obviously escaped many of our elected officials, so I applaud the efforts of people and companies willing to stand up and help solve the problem versus participate in further divisiveness.

My $5.00 is in and today I put the wristband on. It’s a small statement, but it’s a start.

So today I started with breakfast at Mac’s Cafe, a classic old diner that was remarkably busy. It’s on to some small merchants for a few Christmas gifts.

Ready to join me?

Over the past few days media reports have been fixated on “Black Friday” and all the retail speculation about the “season of giving” ahead. I’ve decided to start a mini online crusade of my own- the Season of Helping. It can be anything; offering an elderly person a ride to the store, changing a light bulb for someone too weary or unable to climb the step-ladder, help with confusing Homestead Exemption Act forms, raking leaves- anything helpful.

There is so much divisiveness and fixation on the material in the today’s world; we need some positive thinking and old-fashioned helping to get things turned around.

What do you say? Who’s in?

It’s important to remember that objectives are measurable and are really designed to make people accountable for results. To be brief, marketing communication objectives typically solve the following :

1. Driving “action” or traffic to a physical location or website
2. Promoting product or service trial
3. Establishing general awareness of a business or non-profit group
4. Establishing or regaining trust

Jack

At the cross roads...