Part of the idea of my blogs was to integrate keywords into them for the purpose of SEO or Search Engine Optimization. The purpose was to drive more people to the site. I think with the holidays upon us, it’s a great time to sit back, reflect and consider LEO or Life Engine Optimization.

Here are some of the keywords that we might want to search. Love and all that goes with it. Tenderness, honesty, random acts of kindness and tolerance. Not easy. Today’s world has done a very effective job of stripping us of patience and understanding. But we need to remember:
Consideration –We are all just one of many. No worse. No better. Slip into another man’s shoes and see if they pinch.

Contentment –Be thankful for what we have. Our glass is not simply half full, it is overflowing. There are so many thirsting for an easy breath and a moment’s peace.

Joy –It’s there. You just have to open the door and let it in. If you don’t see it, you are looking in all the wrong places. It’s usually not a what, but rather a who.

Truth–A daunting task. Start with yourself. When you have that in check, you will be a beacon for others.

Like gym memberships, resolutions tend to go by the wayside a few weeks into the New Year. Make this more of a mind-style change and be aware of these keywords on a daily basis. You already have a life. Your heart is your engine. Your resolve is your optimization. Keyword: Happiness.

Having been involved in the start- up of a cruise company, I can appreciate those early days when you needed to figure out a way to get things done without the “that’s how we always did it” thinking. We had to create a way to do it. We created the path to the future “that’s how we always did it” thinking. Unfortunately, many of those early procedures and processes we created years ago are still being used today.

While I consider myself to be a very open minded individual who always looking for new ways to get things done, I have learned much since starting my own consulting company. I now have the benefit of seeing how other companies operate and address these same issues. I also have the benefit of working with a number of companies that provide solutions to today’s challenges. I think everyone would agree that technology has changed the way we live and do business. New technology is all around us and you can’t avoid it.

What I have found surprising in my new venture is the reluctance of a number of companies or people to embrace the new technology and change the way they operate. I have spoken with a number of key decision makers that do not want to change the way they are currently doing business even when a new and improved process is available. I am talking about better quality, less expensive, more effective, better tracking, etc… and I get the “we will keep doing it the old way” response. The fear of change is remarkable.

When it comes to connecting with your existing or potential clients, I believe you have to stay ahead of your competitors and constantly review and modify your approach. I was very surprised to learn that many do not share this view.

By working with J.M. Field Marketing, I have discovered a number of new and improved ways to lower marketing costs while improving quality and effectiveness. One example is using technology to deliver collateral material to customers more efficiently and quickly. Whether printed or electronic, J.M. Field Marketing is providing their clients with cutting edge technology that closes the gaps between ordering materials online and through a sales person.

With that said, there are still a few people that resist this process even though it improves producitivty and save cost. Most companies will kill for a $200,000 piece of business but a few won’t make simple changes to save the same $200,000.

When I am looking at the most successful companies in the travel industry today I see a direct correlation between the forward thinking leaders and company success. You can see this in their product delivery and their internal processes. If they are slow to change inside the company, you can bet they are slow to change the outside.

Developing a good mouse trap may initially seem like the easy way to sales success. In the case of travel products, that is not always the case. Having an effective sales strategy is really the key to finding sales success.

So why do so many travel suppliers not only survive and prosper during these hard economic times, while others struggle and fail. It’s called having a sales strategy. Without a well designed and precisely executed strategy even the best mouse trap will not succeed.

Having personally developed and executed numerous sales strategies over the course of my years in the cruises sales field, I can speak from experience when I promote the importance of this strategy. Once the mouse trap is built, how are you going to let the world know you have it? Communicating this new or improved mouse trap (value proposition) becomes the challenge.

In the case of travel suppliers for hotels, cruise ships or theme parks, I am a true believer in the value of a professional sales force. Nothing can beat the benefits of having a professional sales team calling directly on the sales distribution channel. A sales force that has strong relationships with those agents that drive the buying decision cannot be replaced by marketing. I have witnessed the attempt to build long distance relationships with travel and cruise buyers and witnessed the failure that followed.

Working together, a professional sales team and a robust marketing team can and will make the difference with each complimenting the other.

All that said, don’t dismiss the importance of a having a good mouse trap.

Some of these comparisons are pretty accurate. Just use your imagination.

Business cards (small, attractive and over-exposed) Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, Beyonce, Donald Trump

Flyers (cheap, easy, but not always reliable) Tara Reid, Andy Dick, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan

Brochures (colorful, dynamic and versatile) Angelina Jolie, Tina Fey, Ellen DeGeneres, Drew Barrymore
Catalogs (interesting, timeless and powerful) Madonna, Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Redford

Postcards (small, eye-catching yet adaptable) Johnny Depp, Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Reese Whitherspoon

Posters (talented, larger than life, but occasionally temperamental) Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears

Letterheads (classy, polished and beautiful) George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry

Presentation Folders (elegant, professional and upscale) Anne Hathaway, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Keria Knightly

Envelopes (practical, unexciting and staid) Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Heidi Klum and Seal (boring celebrity couples)

Play along and add other celebrities to the list (plus the reason why).

I have no bone to pick with Hallmark. I’m just wondering why people find it so difficult to create and send a personal holiday card. Now of course it is a whole lot easier to buy a package of 100 cards sign them, and run them through the postage machine. Boom, done. But what about the message? Does Hallmark know your Aunt Mildred or your cousin James? I think not. Commercial holiday cards are kind of like supermarket apple pies complete with expiration date. Mom’s pie didn’t have an expiration date.

Remember when you were in elementary school, and you would make a card for your mom on Mother’s Day or your dad on Father’s day? They would always tell you that “this is the best card I ever got”. Well guess what…they meant it because of the love and innocence in which it was created touched a nerve, heart or the soul.

With about eight weeks still remaining before the Holiday season, we here at JM Field would be happy to help you find the right holiday gifts for your clients, family and friends. And, you still have plenty of time to set aside a few minutes an evening to think about what you really want to say to the people who mean the most to you.

It doesn’t have to be War and Peace or perfectly composed or clever. It just needs to be personal. You’ll be amazed how easily the words come. Just write from the heart. So grab your box of crayons and think back to 3rd grade. Your cards were the best……and I mean it.

Visit us at www.jmfieldmarketing.com

Your clients need a calendar for 2010. Why not have YOUR logo on it?

Here are TEN reasons a Seed Paper Desk Calendar is the ideal way to advertise your company.

1. Keeps your company’s name in view all year long. The ad can impact a recipient as many as 8 times per day.

2. Advertising on calendars is cost effective, with virtually no waste.

3. Express a thank you to all customers receiving one.

4. Invite new prospects to call and buy from the advertiser.

5. Provide key placement in a customers’ office or home.

6. Encourage referrals, stimulate “word of mouth” and strengthen business relationships.

7. An appreciated year-end gift; everyone needs at least one calendar to guide their year.

8. Make a positive impression on the customer or prospect who receives it.

9. J.M. Field Marketing provides high-quality calendars.

10. It’s a unique and eco-friendly way to advertise your company.

Visit us at www.jmfieldmarketing.com

Whether we like it or not, people who speak well both privately and in front of a group are generally perceived to be more intelligent and possess greater leadership qualities. There is no doubt about it, being able to speak effectively is especially important in the business world.

In today’s world of talking heads, those individuals that can effectively make their point and rise above the others will come out ahead. We have just witnessed this with the election of Barak Obama. When it came to speaking, there was never a doubt who would win between the candidates.
On the business side, everyone at every level of an organization would be well served to improve their speaking skills. Effective speaking skills are especially valuable when you are called on to make an unexpected presentation. Many people are frightened to deliver a speech or presentation in front of an audience. For many it’s their number one fear.

Knowing how to speak is a vital part of the sales process. Once you have a meeting or presentation with your target audience, this is your opportunity to use your speaking skills to shine. If you don’t or can’t speak well, you have wasted the opportunity. At Six Degrees Consulting Corp., we continually emphasize the importance of presentation skills to our clients. But, call center companies that offer lead generation and lead qualification services can be very helpful in generating warm leads, so you don’t have to actively pursue prospects.

However, you still need to know how to speak well to close the sale. Learning the art of public speaking should be a top priority for people looking to expand their careers or move up in their organization. Why don’t more people recognize this need? If you want to know how well a speaker you really are, videotape yourself giving a speech. Than play it back and watch. This can be a very humbling experience.

If you want to be taken more seriously and be recognized for your ideas, take the time to polish your speaking skills.

Visit us at www.jmfieldmarketing.com

With so much information going out online, some people wonder if direct mail is a dinosaur. Hardly. It’s kind of like the argument of books vs. e-books. There’s just something about turning the pages. I love the feel of laminate and the smell of fresh ink in the morning. The truth is that it’s just more personal. And, you know that the publishing company took the time, talent and expense to engage you, because you’re worth it.

It’s like magazines. Sure, you can get the crux of the content on your computer, but you’re unlikely to go back to it. That’s what nightstands and coffee tables are for. We not only see it s a tried and true business-builder, but as an art-form. You know my position about off-the-shelf creative, as in never any recycled, one-idea-fits-all concept.

Our direct marketing strategies are specifically created for your company. We’ll partner with you to create a campaign to capture your target audiences’ attention. And, the campaign doesn’t end after the piece is mailed. We have a sophisticated tracking and measurement program that clearly tells us how well the program is doing. The other benefit of direct mail is that we know it makes it into the hands, however fleeting, of the recipient. There is no subject line that triggers an instantaneous delete.

Actually, there is such a thing as junk mail. It’s anything that comes from the government.

Visit us at www.jmfieldmarketing.com

Before you start wrapping your corporate holiday gifts, consider using personalized gift wrapping paper. It’s an excellent way to stand out from the competition this holiday season. Your clients will have no doubt who their corporate holiday gift is from when they see their present. Our personalized gift wrapping paper will effectively create a positive impression. This is a great want to get your customers talking about your company.

Our designers can create personalized wrapping paper that will prominently feature your company name, logo, colors, image and a holiday greeting. Finding that perfect gift is a plus, but wrapping it with our personalized wrapping paper is the best way to add that final touch. Personalized gift wrapping paper is also ideal for presenting bridal gifts, wedding gifts and anniversary gifts. Let us help make your next gift presentation a distinctive one.

Visit us at www.jmfieldmarketing.com

Four pairs of socks
Three underwear
Two pair of pajamas
and no partridge or a pear tree.
And at $1,200 an ounce, I wouldn’t count on the five golden rings. According to research studies, holiday gifts will be running more on the practical side this year.

Nothing’s wrong with that. In fact, it makes a whole lot of sense. Want to test the theory? Just head into your closet, attic or garage, I’m pretty sure you’ll find several gifts of “Christmas Past’ still in their original and sometimes unopened boxes. I’ll bet that the cost of those unused treasures equals the GNP of some small countries. But, who doesn’t need underwear or socks? Actually, it’s an opportunity to take the time and figure out what Uncle Mike really wants.

It gives us a chance to show the ones we love that we took the extra time to make their gift personal and meaningful. For example, I’m getting my sister-in-law a muzzle and she doesn’t even have a dog. I’m getting my friend Alan a wallet, so that he can put money in it and pick up a lunch once in a while. Now I’m getting in the spirit. For my Aunt Mildred however, I am still scouring the Internet for a good deal on French Hens. It is after all…..Christmas.

Visit us at www.jmfieldmarketing.com