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SCAPEMAKER by Steve Cypert
Matthew is the son of Mr. Nicholas Namely, a local high school teacher. However, Matthew does not know that his father is a dreamscaper, whose classroom is connected to the dream-world. From his classroom, Mr. Namely's students enter the halls of Scapemaker, a dream-world high school for young and inexperienced dreamscapers. Following a couple of tragic events—his father's sudden comatose condition and the unbelievable mysteries surrounding the unexpected death of his best friend, Dobian Brown—Matthew is compelled to investigate and is propelled into a whole new world. Matthew and his mother, Mae, are soon coerced into moving across the country for his father's strange medical needs. While attending his new school, Matthew comes to know the secrets that Daedree, an annoying girl from his former high school, has locked away. Matthew also meets Amber, a beautiful enigmatic girl who leads him to Mr. Xoner's classroom. While there, he learns the art of dreamscaping (which, unbeknownst to Matthew, has been in his bloodline for thousands of years). This new life will lead Matthew to unbelievable characters with the most extraordinary abilities he could have ever imagined—and the most deadly and wicked villains he never thought he'd be up against.
Matthew will come to know of Nox Celare, otherwise known as The Sandman, who is after a special element called Magineum. He must not only solve the mysteries surrounding those tragic events, but he will also have to protect the Magineum with his life and find a way to be with the girl of his dreams. Neck deep in skinwalkers (shape shifters), sandsleepers, zombies, goblins, soul feeders, ghosts, ogres, dragons, dream-world criminals known as "night terrors" and more, Matthew learns he is in over his head. With the help of his friends, Mr. Xoner, and a determined FBI agent, Matthew will learn more about his father than he ever hoped to—or wished to know. He soon uncovers the reason for his father's comatose condition; with vague implications of a traitorous act and a possible connection to Doby's death, Mr. Namely had been convicted and his mind held within the notorious Sandstorm Prison inside the dream-world. Matthew must now prove his father's innocence as a helpless victim of Nox's plan to escape Sandstorm Prison.


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Reflections on the Power of Asset-Based Community Development/
SCOPE staff attended a dynamic workshop last week at Art Center Sarasota called, "The Power of Asset-Based Community Development," presented by Dan Duncan (Faculty, ABCD Institute), Mary Butler, (ABCD Neighborhood Organizer, former Americorps VISTA Volunteer at SCOPE) and April Doner (Fellow, ABCD Institute and former SCOPE staff). SCOPE is no stranger to Asset-Based Community Development of course, having embraced this methodology over the years and worked with community-building thought leaders such as John McKnight and Peter Block. Given this history, we welcomed the opportunity to partner with Dan, April and Mary on this event.
Workshop participants started the day by finding a partner in the room and getting to know them better by identifying their gifts of the hand (physical skills), head (particular knowledge) and heart (passions). This exercise led into an introduction to the Principle of Asset-Based Community Engagement, presented by Dan Duncan. Following this presentation on ABCD Principles, April Doner shared her experience with Broadway United Methodist Church in Indianapolis as a good example of "ABCD in Action." Then Mary Butler shared a local example based on her experience as a neighborhood organizer in the Newtown area of North Sarasota. April and Mary's stories highlighted the central role of residents in building stronger communities.
One of the most impactful comments of the morning was this quote from the pastor of Broadway United Methodist Church in Indianapolis: "At one point we stopped wondering how to get others involved in what we're doing, and started wondering how do we get involved in what they're doing?" This statement is the essence of Asset-Based Community Development. True resident engagement requires government and institutions to lead by stepping back and creating space for residents to be involved as producers. ABCD helps us see people and places not as problems for experts to solve but as being full of hidden assets.
During the afternoon, the workshop discussion centered on the subject of Asset-Mapping. This is a strategy to identify assets that are available in the community, emphasizing the place-based orientation of ABCD. Asset Mapping is a process for engaging with the community around the assets of an identified geographic area in order to use the talents of people to solve problems and build a better community. This particular aspect of ABCD especially resonated with us as members of the Sarasota County Community Data Collaborative that is working to develop a neighborhood-centric, online Community Platform for Sarasota County.
We left the workshop feeling inspired by the positive energy in the room, excited about new connections made, and looking forward to opportunities of the coming year.
If you were unable to attend the workshop but would like to peruse the materials, they are available here on Dan Duncan's personal website.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chapter 674: The Wang Patriarch Cometh
Saint Sun Soul watched enviously as Meng Hao put away the war chariot. After holding back for a long moment, he finally said, "That treasure of yours is pretty nice, want to sell it?"
"NO," replied Meng Hao without hesitation.
"Fine, forget about it!" replied Saint Sun Soul with a cold harrumph. "Crappy thing. I wouldn't take it if you gave it to me for free."
"If you give me one for free, I'll take it," said Meng Hao, blinking.
"Screw off!" replied Saint Sun Soul angrily.
"Look, swindler, the Demon hearts are all in my bag of holding. Say 'screw off' one more time and see what happens!" A bright gleam appeared in his eyes, as if he looked forward to finally be on his own again.
Saint Sun Soul opened his mouth, but struggled to control himself and didn't say anything in response.
A long moment passed, and when he finally did speak again, he changed the subject. "Alright, no screwing around. What was that thing back there?"
"A damnable, accursed Resurrection Lily," replied Meng Hao frankly. "Assumably, it resides in the Second Ring."
"Resurrection Lily!" Saint Sun Soul's eyes narrowed and flickered.
Shortly thereafter, the two arrived back at Seahold, undetected. Back in the tower, they divided their spoils. Although Meng Hao frequently conned people, when he gave his word, he would never go back on it. Therefore, he wouldn't be secretly stingy. Although he was responsible for collecting the Demon hearts, he didn't hold even a single one back.
According to their previous agreement, Meng Hao got ten percent of the Demon hearts and the rest he sold to Saint Sun Soul at a fifty percent discount. A vast amount of Spirit Stones poured into his bag of holding. Meng Hao once again was struck with the realization that Saint Sun Soul… was filthy rich!
As he left the tower with his Spirit Stones, Meng Hao once again adopted Steward Zhou's manner of carrying himself. He returned to his own residence, then gritted his teeth for a long moment. Then he considered how incredible the Time Sword tip was, and finally pulled out the copper mirror to make a duplicate.
This time, he made five in one go. Altogether, he now had ten Time Sword tips, which meant that he could utilize the first form of the Lotus Sword Formation!
Now that the form was complete, its power was increased exponentially. Meng Hao sent the formation flying back and forth a bit, his expression one of excitement.
Then he retrieved his Wooden Time Swords and began to imbue them with more Time power.
Several days later, he and Saint Sun Soul once again snuck off to a distant area of the Third Ring and used the same method as before to slaughter Sea Demons. They worked together even better this time. Saint Sun Soul grew more and more excited at the killing, and Meng Hao sat there with eyes closed in meditation, remaining on guard against the Dawn Immortal.
A month passed by, during which time the two of them ran amok in the Third Ring. Other Cultivators in the Third Ring were shocked to suddenly find that there were virtually no Sea Demons around.
Furthermore, the Third Ring was so often filled with enormous waves that it made it impossible to go out.
Of course, the profits made by Meng Hao and Saint Sun Soul Li Tao were incredible. In addition, Meng Hao's Cultivation base had now been reduced from three portions to two.
The day that he could perform his Spirit Severing was just around the corner.
Furthermore, the one hundred Wooden Time Swords in his Time Sword Formation were now filled with ten sixty-year cycles. When the formation was unleashed, its power was incredible. Of course, his most deadly killing move was the ten Time Sword tips.
Even alone, they were enough to shock Saint Sun Soul. However, if he combined them with the Time Sword Formation, making them the nucleus of the lotus, then Sword Qi would fill the surrounding thousand meter area of Seahold.
Meng Hao also purchased a large amount of self-detonating magical items from Saint Sun Soul. Such items were now piled up like a mountain inside his bag of holding.
He was now armed to the teeth, and his overall strength was far more than before.
They didn't encounter the Dawn Immortal again, although Meng Hao's vigilance in keeping guard never lessened.
Currently, Meng Hao sat cross-legged within the spell formation. Countless Sea Demons filled the area around them, and Saint Sun Soul was engaged in slaughter. "Just how many Sea Demons are there in the Third Ring?" asked Meng Hao. "We've killed so many, and yet every time there are still tons of them."
Saint Sun Soul killed eight Sea Demons with a sweep of his sword and then looked back at Meng Hao. "They're endless. Actually, there was once a legend floating around the three Sects that three Star Portals exist underneath the Milky Way Sea!
"Supposedly, the Star Portals connect to the Ninth Sea, and that's where most of the Sea Demons come from. Of course, the Star Portals have limitations preventing any incredibly powerful Sea Demons from entering."
A month before, Saint Sun Soul would never have told Meng Hao about the Star Portals. However, they had been working together for a whole month now, and despite their daily bickering, their bond of friendship had actually grown stronger.
"Three Star Portals?" said Meng Hao, staring in shock.
"One in the Third Ring, another in the Second Ring, and a third in the Inner Ring!" replied Saint Sun Soul.
Meng Hao sat there thoughtfully for a moment, and was just about to ask some more questions when suddenly, he sensed a cold, evil aura. Without hesitation, he rose to his feet and started walking forward, pulling out the war chariot at the same time.
When Saint Sun Soul saw this, his face flickered and he instantly headed toward Meng Hao, who grabbed him and pulled him into the war chariot.
Meng Hao was about to send the war chariot flying off, but then, his eyes flickered. He had just noticed that the reaction of the Resurrection Lily inside of him was strangely different this time.
It did not seem active and excited like before. Rather… it was trembling, as if it were terrified. It was almost like it had run into something it considered deadly; it even began to retract its own aura, not letting a scrap of it emanate out.
Meng Hao made a light "eee?" sound, and then spurred the war chariot into movement. It was in that moment that he suddenly heard an ancient voice in his ear.
"The day the Resurrection Lily blooms in seven colors, the flower blooms, Immortal Ascension, one thousand years….
"Immortal Ascension failed, and a Whitebone Lily appeared…."
When he heard the voice, Meng Hao's mind trembled. The Resurrection Lily inside of him trembled even more violently. At the same time, the war chariot shot up out of the sea and then flew at top speed through mid-air.
"I was unable to sever the Resurrection Lily," continued the voice, "so I could only sever myself…. From then on, the Resurrection Lily was no more, and the Whitebone Lilies bloomed from shore to shore …."
Meng Hao took a deep breath and then looked down at the sea beneath him. Then the war chariot split the air as it vanished off into the distance.
When it reappeared outside of Seahold, Saint Sun Soul's face was a bit unsightly. He had been in charge of the city for many years, besides which, the three Sects called themselves the Lords of the Milky Way Sea. However, in recent days he had come to the realization that there were secrets lurking in the depths of the water that even he wasn't aware of.
The voice which Meng Hao had heard just now, he had also heard. Furthermore, every time he and Meng Hao came back from their journeys, he had gone to search through the ancient records. Gradually, he had come to an understanding of the Resurrection Lily.
Meng Hao and Saint Sun Soul were silent as they returned to the tower, where they sat down cross-legged on either side of a table.
After a moment of silence, Saint Sun Soul looked at Meng Hao. "That Resurrection Lily has most likely been here for many years, but has never made an appearance. Why would it suddenly emerge after you show up?"
"Because I have a Resurrection Lily inside of me," replied Meng Hao coolly. He tossed a bag of holding filled with Demon hearts over to Saint Sun Soul.
Saint Sun Soul's pupils constricted. Meng Hao's answer to his question was a conclusion he had already speculated about.
A long moment passed, after which Saint Sun Soul took the Demon hearts and then produced Spirit Stones to give to Meng Hao.
He was just about to say something else when a jade slip began to glow inside his bag of holding. He took it out immediately and glanced it over, then frowned. He looked up at Meng Hao.
"Saint Flying Immortal, Saint Sea Divinity, the seventy thousand disciples… even the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch are all emerging from the Stormwind Divide and are on their way here!"
Moments ago, countless ships had begun to emerge from the Stormwind Divide that separated the Third and Fourth Rings. Sitting cross-legged atop the ships were crowds of Cultivators. Rumbling sounds filled the air.
They were densely packed together, and from a distance their numbers almost seemed endless.
Flying in mid-air were two middle-aged men. One wore a blue robe, the other, a white one. Their auras were bright, and their Cultivation bases were shocking enough to fill the sky with a riot of colors. Next to the two flew an old man.
That old man was none other than the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.
As soon as they emerged, they contacted Saint Sun Soul, and then began to speed toward Seahold. Behind them, seventy thousand disciples charged along, blotting out the sky.
Back in Seahold, Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever as he listened to Saint Sun Soul. However, deep in his eyes, a bright glow appeared. He stood up.
Saint Sun Soul muttered to himself for a moment then waved his right hand, causing a jade slip to fly out, which Meng Hao grabbed.
"I'll do my best to help you," said Saint Sun Soul. "This jade slip describes an area controlled by the Sun Soul Society. You can hide there temporarily with no problems. After everyone heads out to start searching for you, I'll arrange for someone to get you out of the Third Ring.
"That will make it harder for them to track you down."
Meng Hao looked at the jade slip, then turned to leave without saying another word. Saint Sun Soul looked at his retreating figure, a complicated expression on his face.
Just as he was about to step foot out of the tower, Meng Hao stopped.
He had suddenly thought of a question he had been contemplating for over a month. "There's something I've been wondering about for a while. Is it just the Sun Soul Society that has such a shocking amount of Spirit Stones, or is it all of the three Sects?"
Saint Sun Soul gave a faint smile.
"Are you aware of what exists in the Stormwind Divide? A quarry. Inside that quarry are three astonishing veins of Spirit Stone deposits. The Sun Soul Society… doesn't care at all about Spirit Stones!"
"That make sense," said Meng Hao. "But, would it be possible for you to tell me why you buy so many Demon hearts? What do they do?"
This time, Saint Sun Soul hesitated for a long moment. He didn't really need to answer the question, but after looking at Meng Hao for a long moment, he finally said, "Demon hearts have a far more important function. Actually, it would be best for you not to sell the Demon hearts that remain in your bag of holding. As for what exactly they do, even my understanding is incomplete. However, I can tell you that seventy percent of the Demon hearts collected by the three Sects… end up being sent away from the lands of South Heaven. We use a special method to deliver them to a Sect in the stars who specially collects them.
"The price we purchase them for… is actually far lower than the price we sell them for."
Meng Hao nodded, and then his body flickered as he left the tower. Before departing, he found Wei Li and gave her a large sum of Spirit Stones. Then he took out the war chariot and disappeared over the horizon.
Not too long after Meng Hao left, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch arrived, along with Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity. They moved with incredible speed; in one breath, they were far off in the distance, in the next breath, they were in Seahold.
Saint Sun Soul strode out from within the tower, his expression cold. He now looked exactly the same as he had when Meng Hao first met him as he glanced over the three approaching Cultivators.Previous Chapter Next Chapter


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The Las Vegas Screenplay Contest welcomes your submission. With your script perfected and ready to go in a digital format the next step is to complete the contest submission form and upload your screenplay. Read our contest rules and then click the link below.
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Sometimes, the best way to help a new client acclimate to the Charlottesville area is with a map. I was looking through my moleskin the other day* and noticed that I've drawn a few maps in the past few weeks. Thought I'd share.
Charlottesville's Real Estate Blog. Buyer &/or Seller Representation, Real Estate News


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Blog Archives
Bowling for Business: Forget the Fine Print
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on November 22, 2010 and in the Biz Press on November 24, 2010.
When I was in sixth grade, Mr. Khouri called my parents for a conference because, although I was excelling in Honors' English, I was failing math. Since he wrote math problems on the chalkboard, he and my mother and father decided the solution was a giant pair of gold-rimmed aviator eyeglasses that made me look like John Denver. Not a fan of that particular fashion statement, I often "forgot" to wear my glasses or "accidentally" dropped them behind the back tires of our Pinto or "absentmindedly" flushed them down the toilet.
Unfortunately, there was a seemingly endless supply of hideous replacement frames at LensCrafters, which arrived in rapid succession…each pair unbelievably more hideous than its predecessor. This pattern continued until I finally earned enough baby-sitting money to buy contact lenses.
The horror of it all is probably why I refuse to acknowledge my increasing need for reading glasses. For months, I have been complaining to my family that every food manufacturer, magazine publisher and pharmaceutical company has recently, inexplicably reduced the size of the printing on their products.
Unwilling to consider that the problem might lie with me, I decided the logical thing to do was to start ignoring instructions. After all, at my age, I already know how to lather, rinse and repeat without having to read it on the bottle. Turns out, I am not alone.
With so many things competing for our time and attention, most of us are too busy to breathe. Rather than enjoying the luxury of leisurely pouring over every detail in each article that lands in our email inbox, we are lucky if we have time to skim headlines.
But, ironically, when it comes to creating content for others to read, most business professionals write website content and brochure copy as if their readers have nothing but time. So, if you have something you want to say to current and prospective clients, customers, guests, diners or donors, eliminate the fine print.
For Free—
When money is tight, you might be forced to do your own marketing. If this is the case, be brief. Without benefit of a professional writer or editor, and since you'll be writing about something with which you are intimately acquainted, you will probably be prone to ramble. So here are a few words of advice:
- Write whatever you want in a stream-of-consciousness style. Don't even worry about adding punctuation or breaking your thoughts into paragraphs. Just get it all on paper.
- Tear up what you wrote. That's right. Toss it. Don't worry. You know the material. Creating a disposable first draft will help you stay on track with your second.
- After you finish writing your second draft, reduce it by at least 50%.
- Then, get a second opinion from someone outside of your industry, who can alert you if you unwittingly used insider terminology.
- Use plenty of headlines, sub-headings and bold print to divide copy. Nothing turns off readers more than an endless sea of words.
On a Limited Budget—
Hire a freelance writer. If you are preparing a newspaper advertisement, find someone who specializes in writing punchy ad copy. If you are producing a corporate brochure, commission a professional who specializes in formal business writing. Few writers excel at all styles. And the benefit of using contracted professionals is your ability to hand-pick the right people for every project.
The Sky's the Limit—
Hire someone to create a campaign centered on a very clear message. The more you try to say, the more you will dilute your message. Take a cue from these successful ad campaigns, and associated short-slogans:
- Nike: Just do it.
- Mountain Dew: Do the Dew.
- Kay Jewelers: Every kiss begins with Kay.
- Burger King: Have it your way.
- KFC: Finger-lickin' good
- Taco Bell: Think outside the bun.
- Bounty: The quicker thicker picker-upper
- Subway: Eat fresh
- BMW: The ultimate driving machine
- Avis: We try harder
- AT&T: Reach out and touch someone
- Visa: It's everywhere you want to be
- Skittles: Taste the rainbow
- Yellow Pages: Let your fingers do the walking
- Miller Beer: It's Miller time.
- Home Depot: You can do it. We can help.
And, my personal favorite—LensCrafters: Eyes love LensCrafters. (Hey, I never said a slogan had to be true in order to succeed.)
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in blogs, Bowling for Business, Bowling on a Budget, Business Tips, For Free, Internet Marketing, marketing campaign, Marketing Plan, On a Limited Budget, press releases, Social Media, The Sky's the Limit, Uncategorized
Tags: Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, brief writing, business writing, lake arrowhead, mountain marketing group, rough draft writing, slogans, stream-of-consciousness, taglines
Bowling for Business: The Pay it Forward Proposition
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on November 8, 2010 and in the Biz Press on November 10, 2010.
I don't think I've ever seen a more depressing movie than Pay it Forward.
Spoiler Alert: Although the premise of doing things for the sole purpose of making the world a better place to live is one I support, I wish the screenwriters would have framed the story in something other than the murder of a 11-year-old cherubic everyman played by Haley Joel Osment when he was still adorable (before his voice changed).
With that said, paying it forward is worthwhile not only in Hollywood but also in the real world…especially in business. The general idea is to selflessly give to three people without expecting anything in return. Then, the three people you help should do the same until the impact is felt in large scale. It's a small but revolutionary idea. And I can't think of a better time than the holidays to give it a try.
I propose you use whatever line of work you are in to pay it forward in your own little corner of the world. If you take the time to open your eyes, you'll discover that opportunities abound. And they come at several different price-points:
For Free
One of the services we offer at Mountain Marketing Group is ghost-writing for social media accounts such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Our goal is to build a foundation and then teach our clients how to build on it by maintaining the accounts on their own. Although many choose to retain us in lieu of riding solo, most enjoy the process of learning how to provide industry-specific, valuable content to the folks in their target market.
But we usually have to repeat our social media strategy numerous times before it actually starts to sink in. Experts in my field agree the ultimate goal of social media is to contribute and engage instead of directly selling. But providing something for nothing is counter-intuitive to savvy business professionals who generally measure success by terms like ROI and "the bottom line."
Like it or not, we are living in a brand new world, where we can no longer pretend we have cornered the market on anything! The Information Superhighway has made it necessary to honestly represent your offerings. But don't worry; sharing information will not make you irrelevant. On the contrary; you will emerge as a leader in your field. For example:
- If you sell soap, write blogs about secret ingredients and tools of the trade. Don't worry; you won't reveal anything that isn't already posted online.
- If you teach Latin, tweet key phrases and uses for the dead language.
- If you make blankets, provide Facebook status updates when fleece and flannel go on sale.
According to a September 2010 Study by Pew Research, 54% of people conduct online research before buying anything…regardless of whether they end up making the actual purchase in the real world or in Cyberspace. So providing information to fuel their inquiries is a great way for you to pay it forward.
On a Limited Budget
Use some of your profits to fund a charitable organization. While I can't show you a ledger to prove the value in contributing outside of your own firm, I can personally testify to the benefits (both personal and financial) of paying it forward by giving. Since we are near year's end, perhaps the idea of donating is a tad more attractive now than at other times? Whatever it takes, go with it. Put your money where your mouth is.
The Sky's the Limit
Sponsor a charitable event. Since sponsorship usually comes with PR-related perks like corporate attribution and public acknowledgment, some may argue this is not a true "pay it forward" activity. But I maintain you are paying it forward whenever someone else is the beneficiary of your benevolence. So select any organization that makes sense to you.
Call the executive director to set up a meeting so you can determine the needs and availability of the organization. Now more than ever, non-profit groups are in need of folks to pay it forward. According to SiloBreaker, due to the recession, donations to our country's 400 largest charities declined this year by 11%. And that figure is even more depressing than fictionalized homicide.
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Bowling for Business, Bowling on a Budget, Business Tips, Internet Marketing, marketing campaign, Uncategorized
Tags: Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, Marketing For Free, Marketing on a Limited Budget, marketing when the sky's the limit, mountain marketing group, Pay it Forward with clients, PR, return on investment, ROI, Social Media, social media marketing
Bowling for Business: Miscommunication Situation
Make sure you network the right way in the right place.
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on October 25, 2010 and in the Biz Press on October 27, 2010.
While saving money to return to college my sophomore year, I did a short stint as an international flight attendant with a little-known charter airline called Arrow Airways. I was delighted to work one particular flight from Denver, Colorado, to Gatwick, England because one of my fellow crew members was a hunky Italian named Alberto.
When we landed, I quickly accepted his invitation to join him for dinner. Although his accent was thick, I was sure he said he would be taking me to an Italian restaurant called Apple Luigi's. So imagine my surprise when we arrived at our destination in downtown London, which was not a fine Italian eatery called Apple Luigi's but a gay men's club called Harpoon Louie's.
Why would I share this humiliating story? Because the lessons I learned apply to successful networking for business:
- Shut up and Listen.
- Kill the Agenda.
- Check your Six.
Shut Up and Listen
Instead of just waiting for your turn to talk, pay attention when you are chatting with someone. If you practice active listening, you will stand out because most people approach networking events with mouths open and ears shut. If I had spent more time listening to Alberto instead of trying to impress him with flirty banter, I might have ascertained that he was not a viable romantic prospect.
More recently, I participated in a speed-networking event where organizers asked participants to rate fellow networkers. The top three had this in common: they listened more than they spoke. If you want people to think highly of you, listen to them.
Kill the Agenda
Entrepreneurs often have "Type A" personalities who like to manage everything, often to their own peril. The reason I was surprised by Alberto's revelation is because I came to the party with my own romantic agenda. But even though my time at Harpoon Louie's isn't what I had expected, I ended up meeting lots of interesting people. So, even though I had to find my own ride back to the hotel, the evening wasn't a total waste.
Try to make the best of your circumstances because you never know what might unfold. Buckminster Fuller called this phenomenon the Processional Effect. As a Christian, I call it the Sovereignty of God. Whatever your belief system, try to let things happen naturally instead of trying to control the world. You might be surprised to make a friend, land a new client or learn something new.
Check your Six
Make sure you're in the right place. Although you should go with the flow no matter where you end up, try to start off somewhere that makes sense. Before selecting networking groups to join and events to attend, figure out if regular attendees fall into your target market. Since I was interested in meeting someone I could date, Harpoon Louie's was not an ideal location.
The good news is you don't have to learn these lessons the hard way. Take a tip from me and network for maximum results on any budget:
For Free—
When it comes to finding places to network, think outside the box. Networking opportunities don't occur only at official mixers that are labeled "Networking Event." You can meet potential clients, customers and associates literally anywhere and everywhere…in the real world as well as Cyberspace.
For those who regularly read my columns, please allow me to repeat myself. The most effective way to network for free is online. Join and maintain social media accounts like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. And, above all else, remember to be the same person you are online as you are in the real world.
On a Limited Budget—
In this troubled business economy, when time and money are often in short supply, carefully select which networking groups to join. Instead of spreading yourself too thin by signing up for several organizations, start small. Join one group and take a leadership role. Arrive early and stay late. Volunteer to help set up and clean up so people see you as an active member.
The Sky's the Limit—
If the funds are available, sponsor your own networking event. This will position you as a leader in the business community and enable you to hand-pick attendees from your own target market. And you can host the event wherever you want…from Apple Luigi's to Harpoon Louie's.
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Bowling for Business: Something to Buzz About
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on October 12, 2010 and in the Biz Press on October 14, 2010.
I'm sick. So I should have spent the weekend in bed. But instead of resting and downing chicken noodle soup, I thought it would be a much better idea to stand in line for 3-1/2 hours in the blazing desert sun, waiting in line with hundreds of other women at the Brighton Collectibles Anniversary Sale in Cabazon.
Like cattle, we were herded into the shade and given small portions of water at regular intervals so we wouldn't pass out. Wild with anticipation about the jewelry and purse bargains we would likely encounter when we were allowed into the showroom, we chatted like over-sugared kindergartners waiting for recess. And when the red velvet ropes were finally lifted and we were ushered into Handbag Mecca, we clamored for the right to exchange cold, hard cash for baubles and bags. And the reason we did it all was because of Buzz.
Not some new caffeine-laden soda or alcoholic beverage, buzz is the stuff that you, as a business owner or manager, should strive to generate about your product or service. At Brighton, the buzz about the big sale began over a year ago, with distribution of a punch-card, which was given to every customer who made a purchase at the outlet store. Sales associates used the cards to convince existing buyers to anticipate and even invest in the sale by promising extra rewards for frequent buyers.
Eager to do my part to help the struggling local economy, I shared the news with my aunt and we made plans to attend. And we weren't alone. On sale day, we met women who had flown in from Missouri, Nevada and Arizona because news of the sale had spread like dandelion spores on a breezy summer day. And though the Brighton marketing campaign included corporate-sponsored postcards and radio spots, buzz about the sale was organic. In other words, the message was carried by the people who cared about it. The most successful marketing messages always are.
So how can you get people buzzing about your product or service?
For Free—
Word-of-Mouth Marketing is the easiest way to get people to buy your product or donate to your non-profit organization. If you're passionate about what you do, you are already your own best brand-evangelist. But if you don't believe in what you're trying to sell, then it's probably time to look for something else that you can enthusiastically endorse. The most important thing to remember about word-of-mouth marketing is that the motivation for sharing has to be your desire to help the people you are pitching. If you're disingenuous, it will show. So make sure you don't come off like a carnival barker.
On a Limited Budget—
The first order of business for building buzz is to come up with something that is genuinely worthy of attention. I can't tell you how many times I've met with clients who have asked me to write press releases that have no content. Putting your business hours or menu into a press release template won't make the information newsworthy.
If you want people to take notice, host or sponsor an open house, anniversary sale or trade show, allowing plenty of lead-time so your campaign can gain momentum. Use social media websites like Twitter and Facebook to start the groundswell. Then wait for folks in your target market to spread the word.
The Sky's the Limit—
Supplement your electronic campaign with printed materials such as brochures, postcards, direct-mail pieces, ads and rewards program. These days, you can't buy a stick of gum without being asked to apply for a customer loyalty card. Technology has made it easy to track spending patterns and preferences and communicate directly with specific segments of your target market. So take advantage of the data.
Also, don't forget to partner with businesses whose targets overlap with your own. The approach will help you and fellow vendors as well as end-users. This weekend, for example, I was given a 20% discount on a pretzel at Aunt Annie's when I presented my Brighton receipt. The strategy drastically improved foot-traffic at the snack shop. I enjoyed chewing on my spongy pretzel like a cow with her cud. But I think my body would have preferred chicken soup.
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Bowling for Business, Bowling on a Budget, Business Tips, Buzz, Facebook, Internet Marketing, Marketing Plan, public relations, Social Media, Uncategorized
Tags: Blogging, blogs, Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, Branding * Business Tips, buzz, Facebook, Internet Marketing * linkedin, lake arrowhead, logo, Marketing Plan, mountain marketing group, Pay Per Click, Podcasting, public relations, Relationship Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, Uncategorized, websites
Bowling for Business: Set Yourself Aside
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on August 30, 2010 and on the Business Press on September 1, 2010 and the Press Enterprise on September 4, 2010.
It was a bonehead move for my counselors at Summer Fun Day Camp to take a van full of impressionable seven and eight-year-old kids to see the 1971 Vincent Price horror movie, The Abominable Dr. Phibes. Filling my nightmares for years, the film featured a disfigured physician methodically killing the surgeons who had failed to save his wife following a car accident.
One scene in particular sent me repeatedly running to my parents' room in tears. Dr. Phibes juiced Brussels sprouts and drilled a hole through the ceiling above his victim's bed so he could pour liquefied vegetables all over her body. Then, he sent a swarm of hungry locusts to crawl down a tube, where they devoured her entire body.
I recently purchased the movie so I could face my fears some 40 years later. Instead of a hideously scary, realistic portrait of terror, as I had recalled, my second viewing revealed a hokey, campy farce. The Brussels sprout scene, in particular, is absurd. The locusts ate all but a cheesy plastic skeleton and her entire head of hair. It was all so preposterous that, as an adult, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
It all boils down to perception. Teenage counselors probably didn't realize the movie choice would freak out their campers. To select more suitable fare, they should have looked at the field trip from our perspective. This is a concept I share with clients, who often choose advertising campaigns based on their own opinions and experiences instead of the needs, ideas and prejudices shared by potential clients and/or donors.
"I like this kind of advertising. So I'm sure my clients will like it, too," explained one Mountain Marketing Group client.
"That's fine," I told him. "But let me ask you something. If you didn't own the company, would you be in your own target market? Is this a product that you would buy?"
"Well, I have an iPod."
"Yes. You have an iPod. But is your best customer a middle-aged white male who will buy one or two sets of headphones in his lifetime, or is it someone else?"
"I'm not selling to the end consumer. I'm selling to wholesalers who buy in bulk. And most of the buyers are girls in their 20s and 30s."
It was then that he had his aha moment, realizing that the methods that persuade him may not be the same as strategies designed specifically to reach potential customers in his target market. A typical entrepreneur, intimately involved in every step of the business, from conceptualization to manufacturing to marketing, Rick found it difficult to set aside his own frame of reference. But once he agreed to do so, we were able to launch an effective social media campaign that catered to his customers instead of to him. And you can do it, too.
For Free—
To gain fresh perspective, ask for outside input. You can do this even if you run a one-man (or one-woman) show. Just make sure you ask the opinions of people who fit your Ideal Client Profile (ICP).
In The E-myth Revisited, Michael Gerber says business owners are often too close to their own enterprises to accurately identify the best overall picture of their own ideal clients. So make sure you ask around. It might take some detective work. And bear in mind that it's entirely possible your current customer list does not yet include your ideal client.
On a Limited Budget—
When funds are tight, take advantage of books on tape, DVDs and webinars, which provide ready access to the best business and marketing minds in the world. Here are a few authors I recommend:
Ken Blanchard: The One-Minute Entrepreneur
Seth Godin: Free Prize Inside
Guy Kawasaki: The Art of the Start
The Sky's the Limit—
With effective market research, you can determine the need for your service, a product's likelihood to sell, target-market demographics, and desirable storefront locations. There are numerous ways to uncover this information—from online research to focus groups to counting customers. When money is no object, the most effective method for determining and catering to your ideal client is to hire a market research firm to compile data and prepare a report.
Here are a few options:
Market Research.com claims they have the best research offerings and expertise to make sure you get the right report every time. They do.
Vizu offers a full suite of customer-focused online market research survey solutions.
Polldaddy—software for data collection, which is more affordable than hiring a market research firm to handle everything for you. Polldaddy gives you the ability to collect data about virtually everything, from how to promote your product or service to evaluating age-appropriate entertainment options for skittish seven-year-old campers.
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Blogging, blogs, Bowling for Business, Branding, Business Tips, Facebook, Internet Marketing, linkedin, Marketing Plan, public relations, SEO, Social Media, Social Networking, Uncategorized, websites
Tags: Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, for free, guy kawasaki, iPod, Market Research.com, on a limited budget, One-Minute Entrepreneur, Polldaddy, Seth Godin, The E-Myth Revisted, the sky's the limit, Vizu
Bowling for Business: How to Succeed in Business by Really Trying
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on September 13, 2010 and in the Biz Press on September 15, 2010.
At 18, I didn't understand the subtleties of the musical How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying. So I unsuccessfully lobbied our director to produce the far more popular and ever racier show, Grease. As a senior in high school, I related more to the naïve, love-struck Sandy than to the part I begrudgingly landed… matronly secretary Miss Jones. Ironically, I now realize I should have taken notes from my role.
In the climatic show-stopping scene, Brotherhood of Man, lead characters J. Pierrepont Finch and Miss Jones sing about the common business practice of networking by joining groups like the Elks and Shriners. If "How to Succeed" were written today, the lyrics would likely also include references to social networking websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
In the two and a half years that I have owned my own advertising agency, I've learned one indisputable fact: If you want to succeed in business, YOU HAVE TO TRY. My take on the best use of your time and talent might come as a surprise. As a marketing professional, of course I believe in the power of a well-conceived advertising and public relations' campaign. But, when it comes to business success, in the real world as well as cyberspace, there is no substitute for networking.
By networking, I mean more than attending mixers or posting status updates on Facebook. Real networking involves investing yourself in the lives of those around you. Only this kind of venture will produce dividends in business as well as life. But don't take it from me. Some of the best business minds in the world agree:
Jeffrey Gitomer:
How important is networking? If you're trying to be successful, it's the difference between mediocre and big.
Dale Carnegie:
You can be more successful in two months by becoming really interested in other people's success than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in your own success.
Keith Ferrazzi:
You don't just network when you need it. You don't network just to get something from someone. The goal is not to get from others. It is to give.
Dr. Ivan Misner:
Networking minus follow-through equals a waste of time.
If you are ready to raise the stakes with your business—to really try to succeed—get started networking today. Here are a few budget-friendly ideas to get you started creating and contributing to communities, in the real world and online.
For Free—
Check out Free Networking International, which provides information about networking opportunities across the globe. But this organization heavily promotes a $40 course to teach you how to network. So you might be better off heading to the park and striking up a conversation with strangers.
Though some have tried charging for access to community websites in Cyberspace, the best the Internet has to offer is still available to everyone for free. So if budget is a concern, take advantage of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, which allow you to fan, friend and follow folks who share your interests, goals and religious or political leanings. And when you join communities, do so as a thoughtful collaborator instead of as a bombastic broadcaster.
On a Limited Budget—
Hire someone to establish and maintain your social networking accounts so you can use your time to attend events in the real world. Make sure you are a fixture at chamber of commerce mixers, community events and networking get-togethers. One group I recommend is BNI, which is the largest business networking organization in the world, offering members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and business referrals on a weekly basis.
The Sky's the Limit—
Don't just attend networking events. Sponsor them. Take a cue from the Business Press, which hosts the annual Inland Empire's Largest Mixer as a service to the local business community. This year's effort is especially intriguing as reporters will conduct and record brief interviews with interested business men and women and provide participants with a flash drive for upload to their websites. By taking an active interest in and providing for the needs of their target market, the BP is building a network that would even make J. Pierrepont Finch and Miss Jones proud.
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Bowling for Business, Business Tips, Facebook, linkedin, Marketing Plan, Relationship Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, Uncategorized
Tags: advertising agency, BNI, Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, business press, Dale Carnegie, Dr. Ivan Misner, Facebook, for free, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Inland Empire's Largest Mixer, Jeffrey Gitomer, linkedin, mountain marketing group, on a limited budget, the sky's the limit, Twitter
Bowling for Business: Info on the Go
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on August 16, 2010 and in the Biz Press on August 18, 2010.
After borrowing my sister-in-law's mobile phone in 1988, I was convinced that cell phone technology would never gain much of a following. As attractive and portable as a cinder block, it came with a 42-page instruction manual that was as user-friendly as the directions for programming the clock on an early-model VCR.
I noticed a sharp contrast while hosting a garage sale last weekend. Several customers walked up and down the makeshift aisles while feverishly tapping on tiny touch screens. When I asked one girl what she was doing, she said she was checking eBay to compare prices. It's a brave new world.
Today, well over 250 million people in the United States use cell phones on a regular basis, which puts the mobile saturation rate at 82.4 percent. I have constant and immediate access to such statistics courtesy of the Information Superhighway delivered directly to my trusty Blackberry Smartphone.
Gone are the days of painstakingly searching for answers in reference books at the local library. If you have a question, just key it into your PC, laptop or handheld device and the answer will appear within seconds. Unlike a browser such as Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, which power keyword-based Internet searches, Q & A sites like ChaCha are designed to answer very specific questions via Internet and/or text message.
One mobile question & answer website I often reference is ChaCha. My kids use the word as a verb, as in "I cha-cha'd" this or that, which might sound strange. But so once did "googling."
ChaCha was founded in 2006 by a disgruntled Jet Blue flight attendant who purportedly cussed out a passenger, cracked open a beer and activated the emergency slide to make his escape. When he launched ChaCha, the site joined the ranks of popular Q & A platforms such as Yahoo! Answers, WikiAnswers and Ask.com.
These sites are significant for small business and non-profit managers because they offer cost-effective vehicles for interactive target-marketing. Let me explain. If someone wants to know why bug bites itch, they can enter the question on Ask.com. Immediately, organic (unpaid) search results appear in response. Then, immediately thereafter, related, paid text advertisements show up by companies including Terminix and BedSBug.net. And relevant, colorful banner advertisements appear at right. The smartest Internet advertising strategy includes all three.
For Free—
Build SEO so your website ranks high in organic searches. The most effective way to do this is to set up and regularly post to social media websites such as a blog, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Resist the urge to use your social media sites to do direct sales. Instead, provide relevant, frequent content to your target market, so the name of your organization will appear when potential customers, clients or donors ask questions related to your field. In this way, you earn your position as a noted expert.
On a Limited Budget—
Pay for text advertisements that appear underneath natural results. The great thing about this type of marketing is that you only pay when someone clicks thru to your website. Ad rates for sponsored results are usually set by silent auction. The more competition there is for any given phrase, the higher the price. If you want to investigate this option, check out several Q & A sites, since rates vary greatly. Some sites to compare:
- AnswerBag
- Askville
- LinkedIn Answers (Business-Focused)
- Lycos
- Minti (Parenting)
- Point Ask
- Trulia (Real Estate Research)
- Yedda
The Sky's the Limit—
Develop colorful banner ads so visitors can click-thru to your website. The term "banner" comes from the general shape for such advertisements, which is a short, wide strip that is usually placed at the top of a webpage. In his book, How to Grow Your Business on the Internet, Vince Emery says that a click-thru rate of 1 percent is normal, while 10 percent is outstanding.
Although display ads are considerably more expensive than either text-based or social media positioning to gain Search Engine Optimization, no one can argue the appeal of sharp graphics and a clever turn of phrase. But then again, Internet advertising probably won't ever really catch on.
Until next time, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Bowling for Business, Business Tips, Internet Marketing, Marketing Plan, public relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, websites
Tags: AnswerBag, BedBug.net, Blackberry Smartphone, Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, ChaCha, eBay, for free, googling, Internet advertising, LinkedIn Answers, Lycos, Minti, mobile phone technology, Mozilla Firefox, on a limited budget, PointAask, Q & A Websites, SEO, Terminix, the sky's the limit, Trulia, why bed bug bites itch, Yedda
Bowling for Business: Stop the Hype
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on March 15, 2010
Under-promise and Over-deliver
Before the advent of the Internet, cable television or PlayStation, as a five-year-old, I was over the moon with excitement about my kindergarten class's upcoming field trip to Albertson's. In the weeks leading up to the outing, Mrs. Dale would remind us to turn in our permission slips and then she would recount the following highlights of our impending journey:
- We would be greeted by the store manager, who would give us an official "Albertson's uniform."
- He would usher us to the back of the store, where we would be given an exclusive "behind the scenes" tour of the market.
- Then, the produce manager would show us where the deliveries arrived and how the fruits and vegetables were processed.
- Next, the bakery manager would take us into the magic room where all of the breads and pies were created.
- And, finally, to cap off the exciting event…we would be given a special treat, created exclusively for us.
After what felt like several years, the morning of our field trip finally arrived. To kill time (and evidently drive the rest of the bus crazy) on the 45-minute journey, my friend and I sang an endless loop of Grandma's Feather Bed. (Don't ask me why we didn't visit a grocery store nearer to our school. Even in the 1960s, there were markets on every street corner. Also, don't ask me why we chose that particular song. Even at five, I wasn't a huge John Denver fan.)
Unfortunately, our arrival at the store marked the end of the adventure. No one greeted us at the front door. Instead, we wandered back to the meat counter, where a gruff butcher gave us paper hats in lieu of uniforms. Mrs. Dale and the room mothers were told to occupy us by pointing out the food. Mind you; while we were easily amused in the 60s, walking up and down the aisles was hardly entertaining, much less educational. And, our exclusive "treat" was a small, stale cookie…the kind that each child gets at every bakery department in America, when accompanied by an adult.
As we rode home that afternoon, I made a silent resolution. "I'm just a kid right now. So they think I don't matter. But, someday, I'm going to be a grown-up who shops for groceries. And I am never going to spend my money at Albertson's."
Somehow, despite the loss of my business, some 40 years later, Albertson's remains a viable entity. And, looking back, I doubt any field trip could have lived up to the hype. But I learned a valuable lesson that day which has served me well in my own business. Whatever your product or service, target market or budget: under promise and over deliver.
For Free—
If you can't do it, don't say that you will. While this sounds like common sense, the concept sometimes evades sales reps intent on landing new clients. This is especially true of mountain folks, who are, unfortunately, notorious for saying they will start and finish projects in unrealistic timeframes. If you can't start a project for three weeks, tell the truth. If you do what you say you will do when you say you will do it, your business will grow. And this is true regardless of the location of your company.
On a Limited Budget—
If circumstances arise which make it impossible for you to hold up your end of any business bargain, hire someone to help you out. While this might negatively impact your bottom line in the short run, in the long run, it will pay dividends where they matter most…in satisfied customers and glowing referrals.
The Sky's the Limit—
If you can afford to promise the moon, then do it. There is nothing wrong with promoting the superior products that you provide. If you can afford to give away exclusive gifts, then, by all means, let your target market know about the perks. Just remember that if you fail to live up to the hype, you will most likely lose their business for life. Because that's the way the stale grocery store cookie crumbles.
Until next week, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Blogging, blogs, Bowling for Business, Marketing Plan, public relations, Relationship Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Uncategorized
Tags: Albertson's, Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, for free, mountain marketing group, on a limited budget, over-deliver, the sky's the limit, under-promise
Bowling for Business: Take my word for it.
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on Monday, March 8, 2010.
A stray Labrador Retriever we found sitting quietly in front of the dog pound, Maggie was beautiful, loyal, intelligent and, unfortunately, quite destructive. She met me at the door when I came home from school; sat on top of her doghouse instead of inside of it, dumped over the trash cans inside and outside of our house and routinely opened the gate so our other pets would run away.
Fed up with her antics, my parents reluctantly decided to give her to my friend, Lori, and her family. Since Lori lived in the country, they explained, Maggie would be happier and less hyper. Devastated, I sobbed into my faithful companion's shiny black coat the entire drive to Lori's house. I'll never forget Maggie's sad brown eyes staring back at me when we left. I was certain she felt abandoned, forsaken and betrayed.
The weeks that followed were difficult. Usually a happy, bubbly kid, I was inconsolable, moping around as if I had lost my best friend. So the day my dad drove by Cherrylynn Elementary School during my lunch break, with Maggie in tow, remains one of the highlights of my life. It also marked the first and only time I got into trouble and had to stay after school.
When lunch was over and we went back to our classrooms, I was too excited to contain myself. Regardless of my classmates' interest or lack thereof, I told everyone the news that Maggie was back in my life. Mrs. Tomasini repeatedly warned me to be quiet. But I was, literally, incapable of biting my tongue.
As punishment, I had to write "I will not speak out in class" 100 times on the chalkboard. Not exactly scared straight, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing. Sometimes, news is just too great not to share. And that is the essence of word of mouth marketing.
Word of Mouth is defined by Wikipedia as the passing of information from person to person. Originally the term referred specifically to oral communication (literally words from the mouth), but now includes any type of human communication, such as face to face, telephone, email and text messaging.
Any time you form an opinion and share it using your mouth to speak or fingers to type, you are engaging in Word of Mouth. Where you share the information determines how many people hear what you have to say and whether or not it is passed on to others. Until now, my story about Maggie was heard only by a small group of third graders at an Englewood, Colorado elementary school. But when content catches on and travels, it's referred to as buzz or going viral.
Among the first to successfully systemize word of mouth marketing was Trip Advisor. Founded in February 2000, the free website provides a forum where customers can write reviews and share opinions, favorable or not, with Internet users. Amazon.com and eBay were also early adopters of the practice of publicizing unbiased customer reviews.
Of course, there are inherent risks associated with allowing folks to share their opinions. People expend effort to communicate only when they are passionately driven to do so for one of two reasons—a great experience made them fans or a negative incident turned them into foes.
In the Gas Pedal book I highly recommend, Word of Mouth Marketing, author Andy Sernovitz examines how the world's most respected and profitable companies get people to talk about their company, their causes, and their stuff through the power of word of mouth. The nice thing about this particular form of advertising is that you can implement it regardless of your marketing budget.
For Free—
Make it easy for folks to share their opinions about your products and service. To do this, first, make sure you provide excellent products and superior customer service. And then, add a public forum to your website. But don't censor negative feedback or you'll appear disingenuous.
On a Limited Budget—
Have your webmaster add plenty of links to "share this post," "comment," "subscribe," "follow us", "join our community," "tell a friend," and "share your experience." The easier you make it for visitors to participate in your online community, the more invested they will be.
The Sky's the Limit—
While you can't pay for word of mouth, you can hire someone to help you publicize legitimate comments from your existing fan base. People trust people. Professional communicators know how to gather the best feedback, give full attribution and strategically position testimonials to let existing customers advertise your offering. Take my word for it.
Until next week, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Bowling for Business, Business Tips, Internet Marketing, Marketing Plan, Social Media
Tags: Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, business press, buzz, comment, feedback, follow us, for free, gas pedal, going viral, join our community, Kathy Bowling, marketing budget, on a limited budget, press enterprise, public forum, rimoftheworld.net, share this post, subscribe, the sky's the limit, trip advisor, word of mouth marketing
Bowling for Business: Confessions of a Professional Spinster
This column first appeared on RIMOFTHEWORLD.net on February 28, 2010
While I was growing up, my best friend, Lori, and I used to play in the woods near her home in a small rural suburb of Denver. We would leave her house in the morning and stay out all day, trying to make it back home before dark. But sometimes, our vivid imaginations would carry us away, causing us to lose track of our play-time curfew. On such occasions, when we finally arrived at Lori's house, we were greeted by her very unhappy mother, who had quite a set of lungs for a woman of such an advanced age. (Everyone seems old when you're in grade school. At the time, Judy was all of 28.)
To try to ward off the lectures, Lori and I manufactured elaborate cover stories on our way back to her house. On one such occasion, we told her mom that we had been kidnapped by factory workers at the abandoned DuPont factory in Louviers. An impressive sleuth, Judy somehow saw through our tall tale and promptly called my mom to ask her to pick me up. Lori and I learned a valuable lesson that day. No matter how creative the spin, a lie is a lie.
As a public relations practitioner, I try to disassociate myself with unscrupulous folks in my field who have yet to learn the message. Popular culture portrays us in shades of gray, with television shows like Spin City and SPINdustry and movies like Thank You for Smoking and The Hoax. The prejudice can probably be traced to our predecessor P.T. Barnum who had a knack for finding and exhibiting people, animals and a range of oddities, many of which were hoaxes, such as the infamous Feejee Mermaid.
But leaders in our field know that the only way to successfully pitch anything is to make sure all promotions are based firmly on the truth. Wikipedia defines Public relations (PR) as the practice of managing communication between an organization and its publics, which gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that provide a third-party endorsement.
What sets PR pros apart is our knack at taking any given company or individual's reputation, activities or incidents, and reinterpreting them from the Point of View (POV) of the client to the POV of the intended target market. A timely case study of this is the recent public relations' nightmare faced by SeaWorld Orlando. Global news coverage started shortly after the attack when an animal trainer drowned after being dragged underwater by a 12,000-pound killer whale during a show called (of all things) Dine with Shamu.
Further complicating the incident is the fact that Shamu is the name generically used for the killer whales at the theme park, according to Steve Baker, president of a theme park consulting and management company called Baker Leisure Group.
Shamu is the SeaWorld icon. Shamu is SeaWorld.
So how do you convince potential park guests that Shamu won't dine on them? I believe the order of the day for SeaWorld is honesty. Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, Inc., a management consulting firm, concurs,
The big task (for SeaWorld professionals) is to be honest with the public and the media as they conduct their forensic study on why the accident happened, because that will determine how SeaWorld is perceived in the future.
If I were on the public relations team for SeaWorld, the first order of the day would be the prompt removal of the tagline currently posted on the Dine with Shamu section of the theme park website. "It's exclusive. Intimate. And unforgettable." no longer seems appropriate. It will be interesting to watch the actual SeaWorld PR team in the weeks to come. No doubt they'll be pulling out all the stops to get SeaWorld back on track. Tools at their disposal include the same ones your company or non-profit group can employ.
For Free—
Dust off your phone book and call an editor to introduce yourself. If you take time to get to know their editorial needs (without wasting their time in the process), they might give you an idea or two for potential coverage. The most important advice I can give you about press relations is to learn to be a resource instead of a pain in the neck.
And, on June 15, the Public Relations Society of America's-Inland Empire Chapter, is hosting a free event, Speed Consulting at the Speedway, for businessmen and women in need of pro-bono PR.
On a Limited Budget—
Hire a freelancer to write a press release about a new product or event you want to promote. Then, subscribe to a free or low-cost electronic press release service such as E-Releases, I-Newswire, BusinessWire, PR Log or PR Newswire. The social media releases we post get clicked an average 215 times. Those clicks lead to valuable press coverage.
The Sky's the Limit—
Hire an agency. Only a trained public relations professional will be able to skillfully speak on your behalf, work with the media, handle crisis communications, manage social media and oversee effective employee communication. And that's not spin.
Until next week, I'll be Bowling for Business.
Posted in Bowling for Business, Internet Marketing, Marketing Plan, public relations, Social Media
Tags: Baker Leisure Group, Bowling for Business, bowling on a budget, Business Wire, Dine with Shamu, Dupont Factory, E-Releases, Feejee Mermaid, I-Newswire, Inc, inland empire, International Theme Park Services, Kathy Bowling, Louviers, non-profit pr, point of view, POV, PR, PR Log, PR Newswire, PT Barnum, public relations, public relations nightmare, Public Relations Society of America, rimoftheworld.net, SeaWorld Orlando, Speed Consulting, spin, Spin City, SPINdustry, Thank you for smoking, The Hoax, wikipedia


text:
Why Do You Need to Edit Profile On LinkedIn?
According to Lori Ruff writing for LinkedIn, it is important to update your profile regularly to ensure that it is up to date and relevant. She suggests a couple of times a month if you are actively seeking to be found and move on within your career. But if you have never updated or checked your profile it may be in need of some serious reviewing.
Our LinkedIn profile editing service can provide you with the support that you need to get that page to the standard expected. A poorly written page that fails to effectively sell you to recruiters is not going to aid your job hunting. Nor is a page that simply repeats your resume word for word. This is why it is vital to spend the time to update and edit what you have there.
Our professional help with LinkedIn profile editing has been supporting job hunters for many years online. We are able to provide you with a top quality support that you just will not be able to match elsewhere through some of the most experienced LinkedIn editors that you will find online. Through us, you can be confident that your profile will be improved to the highest standard.
How Can We Provide a LinkedIn Profile Edit?
LinkedIn profile editing is more than a quick read through to fix mistakes and use the correct structure. Our editors work directly with you when editing your LinkedIn profile to fully understand what you expect from your page. They will help to improve all aspects of your page's readability with regards to how it flows and is formatted through to the word choices that you make.
Our editors can ensure that you use catchy content that is going to get the attention of the recruiters and help you to get noticed. They also fully understand exactly how the search functions work within the site for recruiters to find you. They can ensure that relevant keywords are used in your writing so that your profile shows up in searches.
Remember the following from Libby Kane:
"Many people think that just having a profile is enough, but employers probably won't simply stumble across your profile, be struck by your brilliance and offer you a job on the spot. You have to work for it."
Who Will Edit My LinkedIn Profile?
It is not enough to simply edit your profile to ensure that the wording is correct, flows well and is free from errors. You need an editor that truly understands the purpose of your profile and how the site works so that they can provide you with more informed improvements to your page. Editing your LinkedIn profile needs to be done by real experts in this area and this is why you will need to work with us.
With many years working with LinkedIn we have put together a large team of experts that fully understand recruitment and the use of the site. This allows us to carefully select your editor so that you are always working with the best. We will always provide an editor that is:
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Hatters boss John Still is looking forward to locking horns with old friend Martin Allen when his side entertain Barnet this afternoon.
The pair have a close relationship off the field, with Allen mentioning in the press this week how Still helped him put together a side that were capable of winning the Conference last season and return to the Football League.
Still said: "He's a good friend, Martin's going to come here all guns blazing, no doubt about that.
"They've had a solid start for their first year, it's going to be a very competitive game, but I think that will make it a very good game.
"It's a local derby-ish and they always give games a little bit more.
"My friendship with Martin, the fact that I've managed the club as well, my friendship with the chairman, are all ingredients to make it a feisty affair."
It's not just in the dugouts there will be a familiar face for Still as two of his former players, John Akinde and Gavin Hoyte, whom he signed when in charge of former club Dagenham & Redbridge, are in the Bees team.
He continued: "John is a great lad, he did really well there and Gavin's another one, he did good for me too, he was a good, steady player.
"Both of them great lads and like all your old players, it's always good to see them and not just see them, see them doing well."
After a sticky start, the Bees have hit form in recent weeks, with four wins from five.
It hasn't surprised the Luton chief, who was in charge of the Bees earlier in his career, though as he said: "They've come in and bedded in well, they're hard working, and will they be happy to keep away from the bottom half? I don't think they will be.
"I think their ambitions will be more than that, as we know, if you win the Conference, you're a good side, I'm telling you.
"We finished one off the play-offs last year, they've brought in some good players, they really have and have probably invested more than Barnet ever have done before as I don't think they want to tinker with that National League.
"I think the chairman realises that and they've invested more heavily than they have previously.
"They'll be a test for anybody and was I surprised they beat Blackpool (in the FA Cup)? Not at all. I thought they would win it."


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Monday, November 13, 2006
N N u a r t t u u r r e e
The nature/nurture debate is relatively unimportant to me, personally. Why should it matter? You don't hear this sort of debate with, say, handedness ;-), even though it's far more out of the genetic category. What if someone did choose to only be attracted to their same sex, a choice as simple as one to, say, date a brunet or practice a particular religion? If a person wants to date a man I don't see why they want that should matter, be they a man or a woman.
But it does matter to many minds. Gay-rights opponents hope to control other's agency, coerce them into not having relations with men, either remain celibate or marry women, and so on. They best gain that control over their neighbors, politically and socially, by posing gay attraction as chosen or alterable. Gay's just have to want to be good, bad enough. Then, because nurture strikes most as more alterable than nature, nurture is their favored cause of gayness.
Of course, because they don't want to be coerced or controlled, most gays tend to be biased to favor nature.
But, nature or nurture, it's fuzzy territory.
What is the practical difference between an event that causes a person's sexuality occurring one week before birth, and one occurring one week after? What's the important difference between an event that occurred in an egg ten years ago, a sperm yesterday, or in a newborn boy 10 months from now? The effect is undeniably there; gay people are there. To me, the causes of being attracted to men are only important from the standpoint of discovery, be they in the genes, prenatal hormone exposure, the actions of siblings, birth order, family size, or any other event in a person's life.
An infinite web of events come together to make a person who they are, from their eye color to their religion, but there is no real need to segregate these events into post and pre-birth or pre-conception slots. A hormone or gene combination, for example, can be just as valid an effect on a person as being orphaned or losing their arm in an accident. In fact all such events, which we categorize as either nurture or nature, may be enduring or alterable (even, someday, the genetics).
So "nature", "nurture", "narture", whatever; they are all merely causes. As to the more potent of them, I do favor what most would call nature for homosexuality and I feel those causes may be sufficient (I'll go into why in my other posts on the topic in great detail, as I have in a small part here). But I don't discount nurture, nor do I disbelieve it may be a cause for some gay men. If there's one thing I'm sure of, there are many causes for human sexual orientation.
One last thing I want to point out is that, regardless, all sexual attraction has a very natural cause. All our wants, if traced back far enough, have to come from outside us: nature, god, the teachings of others, space aliens ;-) and so on. The debate here is over the desire's focus, which, again, must originate from outside us, in nurture or nature. Hunger, for example is undeniably natural. It is the basis of the human act of eating and without that innate drive of achieving the pleasure in eating or avoiding the pain of hunger (and the drive to live) we'd not eat. What you want to eat, though, is certainly a mix of nature and nurture, but it all remains contingent upon the nature of hunger with which we all come pre-programmed.
Sexuality is one area where children in general are much less ridiculous than adults, by far :-); most never even think about it, let alone make awful decisions because of it. But, come puberty and the new, very natural expression of our once dormant genes, that all changes. No one would attribute puberty to early childhood upbringing. All sexual attraction, even mine, is and was brought on by the very natural effects of some well known chemicals. But when my switch was flipped, I got more of a surprise than most; I got what the female half of the population gets, and, unfortunately, that's important in these days (though, gratefully, not as important as it was centuries past).
3 comments:
- Chris said...
Good post, Scot.
- Loyalist (with defects) said...
I'm a little nervous about commenting in a subject area that is somewhat outside of my area of knowlege, especially considering your a scientist.
However, I've always wondered (and i know this is a entirely an LDS viewpoint on the subject) if nature/nurture was really that strong of a argumentative point.
A few months ago while listening the kids talk and watching their actions I wondered if the reason why they seemed to carry more of my traits wasn't because of my genetics or the function of my super parenting skills (NOT!) but more to the fact that they are so much like me (and my wife) in the first place.
Is it possible that in the spirit world that many of our sibilings are just like us? That we are like them? And that we make those connections?
Extremly theoretical (both scientifically and theologically) I know but it was a thought I had.
If its crazy then I accept the critizism. Besides I've been told I'm slightly off my rocker anyway. :-)
Thanks for your posts. They are very thought provoking. I like'em.
- Scot said...
"I'm a little nervous about commenting in a subject area that is somewhat outside of my area of knowlege, especially considering your a scientist."
Don't be nervous; I'm not a very good one ;-).
Seriously, I'd hope you'd never hesitate, and thank you.
"Is it possible that in the spirit world that many of our sibilings are just like us? That we are like them? And that we make those connections?"
Firstly I don't see how such a theory would be testable (sans dying :-)), not that that's a problem for theology, but it's one for science.
Nevertheless, the question of nurture and nature is then pushed back one theological level. In the pre-life "nature" would be the way in which God made you, and "nurture" would be your experiences from there. It could take the blame off us parents, though ;-).


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Over the past few weeks here at Fantasy Sharks, the Individual Defensive Player Bargain Bin series has looked at some value picks among individual defensive players. Whether it's defensive linemen, linebackers or defensive backs, I pointed out some late-round options that will allow fantasy owners to get the most bang for their buck.
However, there's also a dark side of IDP, the evil twin of sleepers, a nefarious foe who is hell-bent on seeing your championship aspirations ruined.
They are the busts, players who for whatever reason have a good chance of coming well short of the expectations that go with their average draft position.
Here's a look at some of the leading candidates this season. This isn't to say that these players should be avoided altogether in IDP drafts, but fantasy owners should go into those drafts with their eyes opened to the very real possibility that these IDP studs will be relative disappointments.
Average draft position data courtesy of My Fantasy League.
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston (DL1, 4th Round)
No reason to postpone the name calling, and no, I haven't been drinking.
Yes, J.J. Watt was the king of the proverbial mountain last year. The third-year pro was the top overall IDP and the top player at his position by a ridiculous margin. Watt had more tackles (81), sacks (20.5) and passes defensed (16) than any other defensive lineman in the NFL. He was a force of nature.
So what could there possibly be not to like about him in 2013?
Well, for starters there's that fourth-round asking price. Unless you play in an IDP league with large starting lineups on defense or weighted scoring, Watt essentially has to repeat last year's numbers to justify the pick. It's not enough for him to just be the top defensive lineman … he has to be No. 1 by a mile.
The recent track record of defensive linemen coming off of transcendent seasons doesn't bode well for his odds of doing that. I go into more detail about Watt's 2013 prospects in this article, but the long and short of it is that, as fantastic as J.J. Watt is, he's by no means a slam dunk to terrorize IDP leagues again in 2013.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York Giants (DL2, 7th Round)
I know, I know. I must be absolutely insane to infer that the top two defensive linemen in fantasy drafts in 2013 are both big bust risks. I mean, there hasn't been a season where the top-2 defensive linemen in IDP drafts were both disappointments since all the way back in … 2012, when both Pierre-Paul and Minnesota's Jared Allen saw big dropoffs after huge years the season before.
The reason why Pierre-Paul is a risky bet in 2013 is easy to pinpoint. The 24-year-old had back surgery in June, and that has left his status for the beginning of the regular season very much in question.
New York general manager Jerry Reese has stated that he expects Pierre-Paul to be back in time for the season opener, but Pierre-Paul gave no such guarantee. Speaking with Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Pierre-Paul said that he's not going to rush back until he's 100 percent, stating that "I already know that I'm going to be taking on two guys, double-team, triple-team maybe. So I'm not in a rush to hurry up and come back to put myself in that position."
The possibility that Pierre-Paul could miss time, coupled with the additional possibilities of Pierre-Paul working back into shape "on the fly" and/or the injury lingering, makes that seventh-round pick needed to land Pierre-Paul a pretty big gamble.
Von Miller, OLB, Denver (LB4, 8th Round)
Granted, this average draft position is inflated by drafts that were conducted before Miller was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, but the third-year pro is still being drafted as a top 10 linebacker even after the ban came down.
Miller is confident that an appeal hearing will result in the suspension being lifted according to The Sporting News, but it's hard to share his optimism.
Remember, this isn't like Richard Sherman's PED suspension last year, which was overturned on a technicality. It's unknown what exactly led to Miller being suspended, but per the NFL's policy it doesn't have to be a failed drug test. Just missing a test is enough to draw a ban, and given that Miller was just arrested for failing to appear in court it's not exactly a stretch to imagine him blowing off an appointment with a man holding a cup.
Also, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Miller will all but certainly face at least a four-game ban, with the possibility of six. Word that they are trying to negotiate the suspension
down to six games all but destroys any hope of Miller being available in Week 1.
Even if Miller didn't miss a snap there's reason for some concern when it comes to his IDP prospects for 2013. With Elvis Dumervil gone, the Broncos no longer have a complementary pass rusher to take attention off Miller. Unless Derek Wolfe or Shaun Phillips steps up, Miller is going to be facing constant double-teams.
Take the missed time and throw in Miller paddling upstream all season long, and it gets a lot harder to justify making him one of the first handful of linebackers off the board, talented though he may be.


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Fellow Ugandans, again for the fourth time in a month, we are seeing how Murderer Yoweri museveni is oppressing and disregarding the fundamental rights of our fellow Ugandans that natured him when his Burundi Twa father sought asylum in Uganda from Rwanda.
If a man can mistreat his closer friends,doctor,family friend and people that took care of him, then what about those thugs that are brutalising and humiliating our people, they're nothing to him-but just tools??
The man is a brutal selfish thug that uses people-if you love him, try and ask people what happened to Muhozi Kainerugaba's mother, unbelievable, he killed her!
Those that are carrying out brutality against their fellow citizens because they belong to a different political thought will never have a future in Uganda. What we have are criminals working for an oppressive regime they thinking that they're equal too, However in reality they're not, but similar.
Again today, we are witnessing a group of thugs that are accomplice in crimes of humanity against their fellow citizens, because Yoweri Museveni has moulded them to his brutal desires..
The struggles for liberation in Uganda, have taught us that the terrain for liberation are always dependent on the social and political atmosphere of the time.
However, Ugandans for long have been in denial that the terrain has been ready for along time-what is happening today is nothing comparable to what has happened in Northern Uganda. The absorption of the opposition and the mainstream media into the system, isolated voiceless Ugandans that were being brutalised day and night by murderer Yoweri Museveni.
The Political conflict therefore emerged and was fought in terms of Northerns versus Southerners. Thus, the opposition remained at the level of bickering among itself and the Tyrant got away with murder.
The Ugandan politicians that are using the rising prices of commodities as a political short-cut to glory-have been unable to connect to wider political issues and, in particular, to the nature of the brutal political rule in the country-If the intention was for a popular uprising, then the planning has so-far been very poor.
I'm sure, it would have been different if Kizza Besigye, Olara Ottunu, Mao,etc, set fire on themselves-Yes, the people's reaction would be different. Thus, it would become a meaningful popular uprising that would capture lots of sympathy.
However, its very heartening to see the way they've been brutalised by the state-what sort of man is in-charge of Our country???
No…No.. its unacceptable to see some brutal tyrant terrorising our Brothers ,Sisters, children and parents in that manner!!
Trigger happy thugs Killing women, men, infants and tear-gassing toddlers in schools is something done by evil people that have no heart for humanity but for themselves.
Fellow Ugandans, lets not deceive ourselves that the current hardships in Uganda is something new. Yes, the oppressing class has never had it better as the wealth and opportunities have only trickled to them and living the rest of Ugandans in abject poverty.
They've mastered the art of using brutality and using it on civilians is no big deal to them. Yes, the only way to confront them is by armed struggle and that time is coming very soon.
The first stage in the struggle has to be the creation of fear among the regime's errand Boys and Girls. Yes, its them with the spending power and they live among us-Poison is easy to a quire and to deploy in their drinks, food, clothes and beddings-concealing the people's weaponry in Kikomando(Uganda sandwiches) will create fear.
All autonomous sleeper cells, its time to party and liberate your people.
Please, make sure the People's Voluntary Forces get this!!!!!!
Joram Jojo


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Lasagna Soup Recipe
In my opinion, this recipe for Lasagna Soup is even better than the real thing! Don't get me wrong, I love lasagna. But Lasagna Soup? Even better! I made a batch up this week and it did not last long. I've been craving a bowl of it ever since and will have to make it again soon.
The recipe itself is very straightforward. I appreciate that I only have to dirty one pot to make it. Everything cooks right on the stove. My house smelled so good!
I like my soup a little on the spicy side. If you prefer less heat, use mild Italian sausage and less of the chili flakes or even omit them altogether. I find the ricotta cheese balances it out though and adds an extra element of creaminess.
It also saves time that I don't have to pre-cook the pasta and it cooks right in the soup itself. Comfort food at its finest.
Lasagna Soup
Better than the real thing! This recipe for Lasagna Soup is simple to make and so satisfying.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp hot pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup fusilli pasta (or any other kind of curly pasta)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- Add the oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add in sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon so it's not in big chunks. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until it's no longer pink. Drain the excess fat.
- Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes until softened. Add in the garlic, oregano and hot pepper flakes and cook an additional minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute.
- Add in tomatoes with the juices, chicken broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to minimum and cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add in uncooked pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is desired tenderness. Remove from heat and take out the bay leaves.
- Stir in the fresh basil and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, add a dollop of ricotta to each individual bowl. Top with the soup and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
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Mercedes engineers covering one part of the car with LED display. Then on the opposite side of the Canon 5D Mark mounted camera for video recording. Well, the camera is recording in real time situation on one side. Then the results are displayed on the other side of the car. Be the car look translucent.
Invisibility technology was initiated by scientists at the University of Tokyo, Japan. Mercedes designed the car to display in the transparent video ad about hydrogen powered cars. There is no information whether these unique cars will be mass produced.
Check out the transparent look of the car in the video below:


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Are you a hands-on parent who wants to ensure your baby is smart and intelligent? Are you looking for easy and practical ways that will help channelize your baby's energy to develop his intellect to its full potential?
With some fun ideas and practical tips, you can help your baby be smart, intelligent and creative. Using everyday things and some smart parenting tips, you too can do just that. Read on to know how you can stimulate your baby's senses to achieve this!
Fun And Practical Ways On How To Make Your Baby Intelligent And Smart:
Your baby's brain will develop through various experiences and exercises. Senses of touch, smell, sight, sound and taste will also aid this development process. You need to start giving your baby different sensory experiences from an early age, to help him identify and differentiate things. Development of his cognitive and motor skills will help you know how to raise a smart baby.
Here are a few practical tips that will help you make your baby smart:
1. Avoid TV:
The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that parents should not let their infants and toddlers watch TV. Constant TV time will not provide any stimulation to your baby's brain. It rather impairs your baby's cognitive skills and wastes crucial time that you could utilize for the development of his intelligence. So, instead of letting your child watch TV, use the time to involve your baby in some physical activities that require him to move around and think. A simple game of rolling the ball or baby football will improve your baby's coordination skills while being fun.
[ Read: Physical Development In Early Childhood ]
2. Interact More With Your Baby:
According to scientists, constant interaction with your baby can vastly improve his brain development. Cuddling, playing and expressing your love to the baby will stimulate his brain. When you interact more with your baby and bond emotionally, it helps in the development of your baby's thinking skills. It will also make your baby more secure and confident.
3. Breastfeed Your Baby Until He Turns Two:
Studies suggest that babies who are breastfed will have at least five percent higher IQ levels than those who were not. Make sure you only breastfeed your baby from the time of birth until he is six months old. Your doctor may recommend you to continue breastfeeding your child while supplementing his diet with other healthy and nutritious foods until the age of two.
[ Read: Bedtime Stories For Babies ]
4. Music Can Boost Your Child's Memory, Attention And Learning:
Studies suggest that listening to music can increase your baby's attention span and boost his memory. Introducing your child to a musical instrument will help develop his proportional thinking ability. Learning music nurtures his spatial and temporal reasoning and develops his numerical aptitude in later life. While research may recommend starting with the piano, you can introduce your baby to any instrument, preferably a string one.
5. Introduce Your Baby Early To The World Of Books:
It is never too early to introduce your baby to the joys of reading. From the time your baby is a few months old, you can read aloud to him from any book or newspaper that you are reading. Speak out the words so that your baby can hear them, stress on the pronunciation. You can introduce board books with interesting pictures to your child as he grows older. Read out stories and rhymes. It is a good way to increase your baby's vocabulary and introduce him to things that are in the house as well as the world outside.
[ Read: Benefits Of Reading To Your Baby ]
6. Create Challenges For Your Baby:
You should always set interesting challenges for your baby with age-appropriate activities. Use objects like blocks, balls and shapes to create fun games at home. You can teach your baby to identify numbers or shapes and colors through simple activities. Take him to the garden to teach him about birds and plants.
Leading by your example is one of the best ways to teach your baby. Regularly do things that you would want your baby to do. Read, write, play a musical instrument, walk, spend time with nature, play a sport. Keep your baby around while you are doing this. Involve your baby in fun learning activities and bond with him over it.
If you have a smart baby, please share with us some tips or fun activities that you think were of help.
Recommended Articles:
- How To Monitor Infant Vision Development?
- Baby Health – Everything You Need To Know
- How To Teach Your Babies To Sit?
- Dark Circles in Babies – 10 Causes & 4 Symptoms You Should Be Aware Of


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