Blog - Page 9 of 13 - Yonatan Maisel Business Blog by Yonatan Maisel

BUSINESS BLOGGING: A 20-Item Checklist to Pilot Your High-Flying MARKETING Machine To the Skies!

BUSINESS BLOGGING: A 20-Item Checklist to Pilot Your High-Flying MARKETING Machine To the Skies!

"Feathers shall raise men even as they do birds towards heaven — That is by letters written with their quills." –Leonardo DaVinci

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…blogging is the ULTIMATE 21st Century Marketing Tool! A blog is 100% FREE and nothing else is more effective in getting out your marketing message!

I have now gotten to the point where 90% of my new clients find me as a direct result of reading my business blog. And something incredible has happened that I never could have foreseen when I began blogging for business one year ago: I am now turning clients and customers away; I am simply overwhelmed by how effective a blog has been!

As my business blog reaches the official end of it’s first year, I present to you the ways I have learned to make one take off and SOAR. Here is my CHECKLIST for a Marketing High-Flying Machine!

1) The Flight-Plan/A GREAT Marketing Message: Which airline do you typically fly? Many shop for a great bargain. But many go with the big, reliable carriers whose brand they are familiar with. Think of great commercials and ads you see…most are impacted by these. With your blog too, it’s the message; every business blog needs a great one! Decide who your target-audience is. Focus on what type of message you want to convey…and start writing!

2) A Steady Flight/GREAT Content: Enlighten. Educate. Provoke thought. Offer tips and advice. Amuse. Entertain. Promote discourse. And…be fun!

3) An Attractive Machine/A GREAT Appearance: Have you ever flown on an old, rickety plane? Have you ever flown on a great looking aircraft with a great, colorful exterior, and a beautiful shiny interior? Which was the more enjoyable ride? Present your readers with a feast for the senses! Start with a great template. Add images, video and anything else you can for a more enjoyable eye-catching experience! Add a dash of color. Stylize with fonts! Never be drab…

4) A Flight-Plan/Research/Course of Action: Every pilot must file a flight-plan and take steps so as not to deviate from course. Successful business-blogging will entail a bit of research and planning.

5) Check for Technical Errors/Check for Blog Errors: Nobody wants to think about what can happen to a $100 Million airplane if there are technical or mechanical glitches. The same is true with your blog where you are striving to present a professional image of you and your business. Proofread. Edit. Check for errors! I’m never surprised at how the most information-packed, educational and interesting posts can be clouded by errors!

6) The Flight Simulator/Learning from Mistakes and Making Adjustments: Pilots, following theoretical training, start out on a flight-simulator. This hi-tech device allows for practical learning. Your blog is the same. Tried something that doesn’t seem to be working? Make adjustments. Make corrections. Get things going just-right! Trial-and-error is your gift when blogging!

7) Frequent Fliers/Regular Readers: Had a great flight? Great service? Chances are you’ll be flying the same airline in the future and chances are they’ll be rewarding you for it. Present a great blog and watch your readers become regulars!

8) On-Time Schedule/Regular Postings: Your flight was delayed for five hours. You napped on the hard terminal floor. Will you be flying with the same airline again? With your blog, post regularly! Let your readers come to expect your regularity. And be persistent! Remember, the average blogger blogs for less than a month before stopping completely!

9) Passenger Count/View-Counter: Before every flight lifts off, there is a head-count to make sure all are accounted for. Keep track of readers too! A blog must have a view-counter! Your last post had 158 views. The one before had 620. What did you do differently? What might have been lacking? Knowing how many people stopped by will give you valuable insight!

10) Advertise/Promote Your Blog: Start an airline and don’t advertise and your flights will probably have more empty seats than full! A blog with no promotion will probably have very few readers! Don’t just post…promote! Post links on BizSugar, the center of the business Social-Media Universe! Upload the url to Facebook, Tip’d, Google, Yahoo, and every other site you can think of! And Tweet about your blog! I’ve found that on average, every Tweet I make on Twitter brings me almost 20 viewers.

11) Fuel Up/Fuel Yourself Up: An airplane needs fuel. So does your blog! What is the fuel for your blog? Ideas! Where can you find them? All around! Look to nature. Read books. Watch a bit of TV. Turn to current events. Look to your dog. Look for subjects, themes and principles. Remember, even the most seemingly mundane, innocuous idea can be turned into a great article!

12) Courteous Service/"Thanks for Flying With Us"/Thank: You know that final message from the pilot, "Thanks for flying with us. I hope you enjoyed the flight…" Thank your blog readers for stopping by. And respond to comments! If they take the trouble to visit, take the time to thank them in any way possible!

13) Sell/Make the Pitch! An airline has many, many competitors. They must take every opportunity to sell themselves. Make a sales pitch in your blog. That’s not to say you should do it blatantly in the blog post itself…that turns a posting into an advertisement instead of an article, and readers won’t like that. Use a byline at the end to tell a bit about you and your business.

14) Allow Passengers to Make Connections/Links: If your passengers are making a connection to a second flight, make it easy for them! With your blog, it’s the same! Provide links to your website, portfolio, etc. You want to turn readers into paying customers. Don’t give them an easy-out to jump from your post to CNN, FoxNews or Sports Illustrated. Provide them with a user-friendly way to find your relevant information!

15) "My Name is Captain Roberts. I’ll be Your Pilot Today…"/Personalize: Your pilot always introduces himself or herself. It establishes a sense of trust! Put a photo of yourself in your blog. It’s a great way of introducing yourself. It makes an instantaneous and lasting impression. It shows who you are!

16) Be a Bubbly Flight-Attendant/Don’t be Shy: There is a single characteristic which most flight attendants have in common. They are outgoing and never shy. When it comes to your blog, don’t you be shy! This is your chance to shine! Promote yourself! Be outgoing! Sell yourself! Tell people why you are the one for the job!

17) Co-Pilots/Guest Bloggers: A back-up or co-pilot is always in the cockpit. Taking a vacation? Out of ideas? Need a rest? Some of the best blogs I see have guest-bloggers who step in and take the controls from time to time!

18) Give Everybody a Window Seat/A Great View: Do you like a middle or aisle-seat? I sure don’t. I like a window seat where I can see clouds, mountains, the ocean, etc. A plane, unfortunately, has a limited number of window seats. Your blog is not limited! Dazzle people with the view! Make the experience of visiting an enjoyable one! Make it a feast for the mind and the senses! Make it a pleasurable experience!

19) Gain a Reputation/Set Yourself Apart: Remember Captain "Sully" Sullenberger? The pilot from the "Miracle On the Hudson?" He did the unthinkable and landed his stricken plane on the Hudson River! No casualties. Be an expert in your field through your blog. Be someone who others turn to for insight and advice. Be a thought-leader!

20) Soar!

Image Credits: Airliner: Quantas; Pre-Flight Check: ImpactLab.com; Green CheckMark: All-Free-Dowmload.com

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I hope you enjoyed the post, and as always, "Thanks for stopping by!"

Yonatan Maisel is a professional writer and published author. He is a history buff who enjoys long walks in the woods with his wife and Canaan dog "Halva." His business-blog, going strong for ten months now, appears here at http://www.jobshuk.com/, with updates occurring twice-a-week.

Cloak and Dagger Corporate Espionage: 5 Ways to Spy Your Business to Success

Cloak and Dagger "Corporate Espionage": 5 Ways to "Spy" Your Business to Success!

Okay, before I get letters from the FBI and SHABAK, the Israeli General Security Service, (I was born in the US and live in Israel), please let me clarify: I am not speaking about secret listening devices. Nor wire-tapping. I’m not alluding to Watergate-type middle-of the-night-break-ins. And I’m not hinting at planting human moles in companies to gleen their best kept secrets!

Other than not wanting to be arrested, interrogated and jailed for the crime of corporate espionage, there is one other reason why I don’t advocate it. This is the 21st century. You don’t need to spy. In this age of the Internet and with a bit of research, all of the information you need is just a mouse-click away!

So "Mr/Mrs Not-So-Secret-Agent," get ready for some sleuthing! Booting your computer is necessary; a Sherlock Holmes hat, pipe and spyglass are optional:

1) What Are Others Offering?

Espionage Tidbit: Did you know that KFC’s Original Recipe (used to be Kentucky Fried Chicken before fried became such an ugly word), is one of the most closely guarded industry secrets. Security is tight as can be. Computers are encrypted. And the twelve spices are blended in several different factories so that nobody involved knows all of the ingredients or mixture ratios.

Your Business: So assuming you’re not in the fried chicken business, get started. Check out other providers of the goods and services that you offer or would like to offer. Now ask yourself: is your business on par? Are you competitive in terms of what you offer? Are there ideas that you can pick up from looking at your competitors? Is there "dead-wood" you can cut out of your business? Are there great new things you can add to your repertoire? Take a good look and see!

2) What Are Others Thinking?

Espionage Tidbit: In 1991, Air France was accused of helping the French Intelligence Agency, DSGE, acquire corporate secrets by planting secret microphones in airline seats.

Your Business: Want to know what your competitors are thinking? Forget about bugging their phones…check out their blogs. In these days almost every successful business has a blog. This is where your competitors will spell out their ideas, theories, concepts, plans and strategies for the whole world to see. Read and learn…it’s quite simple! It’s the best way to get into the minds of those who you are competing against. "But won’t they see my blog?" you might ask. Not if you write it in secret code! Another great tip, courtesy of my friend and Marketing Guru, Susan Oakes (www.m4bmarketing.com): subscribe to your competitors’ newsletters!

3) How Are Others Pricing?

Espionage Tidbit: The penalty for corporate espionage is: $500,000 per offense and up to 15 years imprisonment for individuals, and up to $10 Million for companies and organizations.

Your Business: Pricing is a biggie! Set yours too low and you are selling yourself short. Set them too high and you just might price yourself out of the marketplace. In order to remain competitive, your prices must be strategically competitive. Look and see what others are charging in order to come up with a range that is acceptable to both you and your customers.

4) How Are Others Marketing and Advertising?

Espionage Tidbit: "Steven Louis Davis was indicted in Tennessee on October 3, 1997 on five counts of fraud by wire and theft of trade secrets for stealing and disclosing trade secrets concerning the development of a new shaving system by The Gillette Company." source: wright.edu

Your Business: Take a look at how your competitors advertise and market their products and/or services. Where do they advertise? How do they market? What venues, outlets and media do they appear to be using. Could it be a great Social Networking campaign? If they’re successful, see what methods and means you can emulate.

5) Who Are Others Selling To?

Espionage Tidbit: Corporate espionage is generally considered to be a "white-collar" crime, so if convicted, pack your tennis racket and bathing suit. Your prison will most likely look more like a country-club than a jail.

Your Business: So who are your competitors’ customers? Take a look on their websites and see. Find their list of clients which is usually displayed quite prominently and with immense pride. If their customers seem of little importance or interest to you, you might wish to ignore them. If however, their list reads like a "Who’s Who" of your dream clients, perhaps you might look into their methods and practices to see what exactly seems to be working so well for them.

The Internet is a Treasure-Trove of great information. It’s all there at our fingertips in this day and age. With a bit of research we can size up the competition and use what we learn to propel our businesses to success and prosperity!

Image Credits: Secret Agent: larpk at flickr.com; Sherlock Holmes: britfilms.tv; ?: all-free-download.com

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Yoni’s Top 15 All-Time Weirdest, Wackiest, Dumbest and Most Bizarre Vintage Ads of Yesteryear!

Yoni’s Top 15 All-Time Weirdest, Wackiest, Dumbest and Most Bizarre Vintage Ads of Yesteryear!

As 21st Century businesspeople, we will all need to advertise in one form or another. Perhaps the best way to see how to advertise in today’s world is to look back to the bizarre, nutty, preposterous and startling ways that products and services were advertised in the past!

Perhaps in another time and in another place these ads were effective?

The following are the top-15 weirdest, wackiest, dumbest and craziest vintage ads I found. I hope you enjoy my accompanying commentary:

1) Ah yes, just when society was finally realizing the dangers of smoking, the younger crowd is advocating it as a supplement to proper parenting!

2) And if you needed any confirmation of the safety and health benefits of smoking, just ask your doctor to see what he smokes!

3) Darn! You forgot to buy your child that toy you promised! No worry…just give them your Iver Johnson Revolver for hours of fun!

4) It’s rare that I’m speechless! I offer no commentary on this one except to say…as someone with many relatives who perished in the Holocaust…

5) Yes, with so much talk among the liberals of legalizing drugs, why don’t we start with the younger crowd and see how that works?

6) Perhaps nasal congestion is not the only issue here? http://www.weightwatchers.com/

7) What else can instill a sense of security and well-being in a child more than seeing worlds destroyed? Order now parents…Christmas and Hanukkah are fast approaching!

8) 95% of dentists recommend 7-Up for their infant patients who drink soda!

9) Again, I’m completely speechless!

10) Can cowboy boots turn you to a life of crime? Perhaps…

11) "Happy eight birthday son and happy shooting! And get that crazed look out of your eyes!"

12) Schlitz: The Official Beer of KGB Spies!

"One minute comrade, I will resume sending the secret code after I enjoy a cold American brewski!"

13) Young child, hot fire, and griddle filled with boiling oil…noooooo problem!

14) Yummmm! And plenty healthy too!

15) Cures headaches, coughs, tendinitis, and gout. Removes age-spots, wrinkles and warts. Improves short-term memory, vision and posture. Reduces the symptoms of Yellow Fever, chronic constipation and meningitis. And more…

Image Credits: 1. Klitscky-Klitschy-Coo.com 2) Heavenica.org 3) Cachefly.net 4) crazyvintageads.com 5) Unlicensed image 6) Parke-Davis 7) gadgets.boingboing.net 8) surfjerry.com 9)weirdworm.com 10) emptees.com Bonus: Creativecriminals.com 11) Winchester.com 12) bonnier at flickr.com 13) jayzee5 at flickr.com 14) unlicensed 15) crazyadvertisements.com

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3 High-Profile Rumors Which Devastated Businesses, Their Products and Their Profits: PR & Damage Control

3 High-Profile Rumors Which Devastated Businesses, Their Products and Their Profits: PR & Damage-Control

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a rumor as:

1: talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source

2: a statement or report current without known authority for its truth

There have been many rumors which have had a very public and negative impact on businesses and products. Here are three of the most notable that I have witnessed throughout the years:

Church’s Fried Chicken:

The following is an excerpt from a work by Patricia A. Turner, Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies at UC Davis and also a faculty member in the programs of African and African American Studies.

"Since the early, 1980’s African-Americans have been sharing one particularly provocative story with each other. The tellers allege that the Church’s Fried Chicken Corporation is owned by the Ku Klux Klan, and that the white-supremacist organization is contaminating the chicken so that eating it will cause sterility in black male consumers. In many versions, the teller "authenticates" the story by claiming that a friend saw a television news-magazine expose on the plot. "

–Patricia A. Turner, Western Folklore, Issue 46 (October 1987)

According to the official Church’s company website’s history, the rumor had a very negative effect on profits and sales.

Bubble Yum Bubble Gum:

In the late 1970’s, rumors began widely circulating that Bubble Yum’s soft texture was due to the addition of spider-eggs. Sales of Bubble Yum, at that time America’s best-selling gum with sales of 300 million packs in the first year alone, plummeted.

In an interview with People Magazine, company President William Mack Morris stated, “Fighting the rumor was like punching air.”

The company eventually spent hundreds-of-thousand of dollars on full-page ads in newspapers nationwide to refute the rumor. The headline read “Somebody is Telling Very Bad Lies About a Very Good Product.”

On a personal note as the writer of this article, I remember an extended period of my childhood when we completely stopped buying Bubble Yum for this very reason.

Snapple:

In 1992, a rumor began circulating that Snapple, an extremely popular product line of soft drinks and iced-teas was owned and supported by the Ku Klux Klan.

Detractors pointed to two facts to substantiate their claims. The first was the ship on the Snapple bottle which they said was a slave ship. It was in fact a depiction of the Boston Tea Party. The second was the "K" on the bottle which supposedly was a symbol of the KKK. It is in fact a "Kosher" symbol.

Profits and sales plummeted as a result of the rumor. It took the company a long time and large financial expenditures, again ads in major newspapers, to finally quell the rumors.

Business Rumors:

As businesspeople, we must always be cognizant of our reputations. A reputation in the business world can take years to build and only seconds to destroy. One way it can happen is by unfounded, unsubstantiated claims: rumors. It can be at the hands of a detractor, a competitor, a disgruntled present or past employee or a disatisfied customer. And as these three historical examples illustrate, they can be started by a few people, spread like wildfire, and take on a life of their own until the multitudes accept them as fact!

If a rumor does get started about our company, products or services, it is time to instantly shift into a Public Relations and damage-control mode. I am not an expert in this field, but there are many fine articles on damage control and PR.

A highly-recommended book on the subject is:

Rumors and Rumor Control: A Manager’s Guide to Understanding and Combating Rumors (Routledge Communication Series)

http://www.amazon.com/Rumors-Rumor-Control-Understanding-Communication/dp/0805838759 .

Image credits: Rumors: islkkj at flickr.com; Church’s Restaurant: businessweek.com; Bubble Yum: costco; Snapple Bottle: realsimple

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A Great Business Lesson from Isaac Asimov and MAGIC! A.K.A.: How to Become a Published Business Writer Today!

A Great Business Lesson from Isaac Asimov and MAGIC! A.K.A.: How to Become a Published Business Writer Today!

You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you’re working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success – but only if you persist.

—Isaac Asimov (1920-1992), prolific and acclaimed writer of science-fiction

As a published literary writer myself, I can tell you that Asimov was indeed correct. Keep sending work out! Again and again! And Again!

Why?

Because as a literary writer the odds are so heavily stacked against you! The odds of success are daunting. Let’s take a look at three statistics before we move on to the world of Business Writing:

Some Facts from the World of Literary Writing:

1) Thinking of writing a book? Estimates are (no firm statistics are kept) that in the United States only .003 of all manuscripts that are submitted end up in publication. In simpler terms: for every 10,000 manuscripts sent out, only 3 are published! Need a visual? Here are 10,000 dots; pretend each is a book…3 of them will be published!

2) Jacob Appel is A Writing Hero of Mine! He is a giant in the world of literary fiction and short stories. Anybody in that field knows his name; his stories have the potential to blow your mind! Take a look through the leading journals of modern fiction and his stories grace the pages. Over 100 of Jacob’s short stories have found their way into publication. Guess what? Along with those 100 published works, he has a stack of over 10,000 rejection letters!

Yes, with 10,000 rejections, he’s the epitome of success!

Cold War Clock by ckaiserca.

3) The AGONIZING Wait! Write a short story; go ahead! Send it out for possible publication to a major literary journal. Think you’ll have an answer in a few days? Weeks? You’re kidding yourself! I personally have responses, both acceptance letters (quite a few), and rejection (many), which have taken between 250 to 500 days to arrive! Imagine receiving an answer more than a year and-a-half after submission! It’s more common than you might think!

The Beauty and MAGIC of the Blog: Instant Publication! Every Time!

A business blog is a thing of beauty! It is the #1 way of attracting clients to a business as far as I’m concerned. It is cost-effective (100% FREE) and anyone can do it! I have personally gotten to the point where approximately 90% of my new paying clients now find their way to my front door as a direct result of having read one or more of my blog posts. That’s how well they work if done correctly!

So what is it that makes a blog so beautiful?

1) No Publishers. No sending blog postings out for approval. Simply write great content. Give it a great title and relevant keywords. Hit the "submit" button and send it into Cyberspace! Instant publication every time! Don’t forget to post links in relevant social-bookmarking sites…that’s the key. The number-one rule of blogging is if readers can’t find your postings, they won’t read them!

2) No 10,000 Jacob "Appelian" Rejection Letters Clogging Your Inbox! Every article you post is a "shoe-in!"

3) No Agonizing Wait. It’s instant! Post your blog. Go to Twitter and send out a "Tweet" to let people know you have a new post… Upload the link to BizSugar, the numero-uno business-related Social-Media site. Submit to Digg, LinkedIn and all the others. And in the time it takes to make yourself a good cup of coffee, rest assured that your first batch of visitors is already reading your post!

Blog for business and get published today!

…and tomorrow…

…and the next day!

Image Credits: Isaac Asimov: JT332 at flickr.com; Clock: ckaiserca at flickr.com; books: beckabat at flickr.com; Magician: wpclipart.com; CheckMark: all-free-download.com

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John Brown: American Hero & 19th Century Radical Abolitionist as a 21st Century Business-Model

John Brown: American Hero & 19^th Century Radical Abolitionist as a 21^st Century Business-Model

"…though a white gentleman, John Brown is in sympathy a black man, and as deeply interested in our cause, as though his own soul had been pierced with the iron of slavery." – Frederick Douglass (freed slave, author, statesman, abolitionist)

In history lessons, film, non-fiction (John Brown: a Biography by W.E.B. DuBois; 1997, M.E. Sharpe Inc.) and in historical fiction such as the best-seller Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks (HarperPerennial, 1998), few historical figures have captured my attention, imagination and admiration more than John Brown.

The following original business article tells the story of John Brown and builds a business-model based upon the principles embodied by this brave, iconic, incredible, historical figure:

The Amazing Life of John Brown:

Early Years:

Born in 1800 to deeply religious parents who were vehemently opposed to slavery, John Brown quickly developed strong abolitionist (movement to end slavery) feelings of his own.

Brown began his storied life in the northeastern United States where he worked as a farmer, merchant and tanner. All the while, he supported the anti-slavery movement with speeches, writings and with financial contributions. He knew in his heart however, that he had a "higher calling" and would need to take more drastic action to end the evil of slavery. While other northerners advocated peaceful means to end slavery, he knew that this approach would never work.

Vow to End the Evil of Slavery By Any Means:

In 1837, brown publicly proclaimed at an anti-slavery meeting: “Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!”

John Brown formed a league to protect blacks and freed-slaves and soon thereafter became a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, ferrying groups of slaves under armed guard through the legendary network of hideouts and safe-houses and eventually to freedom in the northern States. He knew, if caught, his penalty would be death. And if you were a slave-catcher, looking to collect a bounty on escaped slaves under Brown’s protection, not laying down your arms and walking away meant you paid with your life!

In 1850, Brown and five of his sons made their way to Kansas with the dream of turning the state into a sanctuary for settlers who shared abolitionist views. When those supporting slavery burned the community of Lawrence to the ground, Brown, his sons and a group of followers exacted their bloody revenge. The name John Brown instantly instilled fear in the heart of the slavers.

Raid on the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry and the End:

In 1856 Brown formulated and finalized his plans to free all Southern slaves through armed insurrection.

Based in Virginia now, Brown set out with a small army of 21 of his closest men, including free slaves; their target was the federal arsenal and armory at Harpers Ferry. His plan was to "liberate" the arsenal’s armory and arm slaves for the massive uprising and rebellion which lay ahead. He believed that hearing of the raid, thousands of abolitionists would show up to join the cause.

After capturing several buildings within the armory, Brown and his small army were pinned down inside of the armory’s fire-house. In the storming of the building by local militia and federal troops, ten of Brown’s men were killed. He and six others were captured alive.

Following a sensational trial, Brown was convicted of treason. On December 2^nd, 1859, he was hanged. Allowed to make a final speech, he uttered the following words:

. . . I believe to have interfered as I have done… in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it be deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children, and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit: so let it be done."

Brown has been called by biographer Richard Owen Boyer "an American who gave his life that millions of other Americans might be free."

Principles of John Brown as a 21^st Century Business-Model:

1) Believe in What You Do! Our lives’ works will probably pale in comparison to what John Brown did to end slavery. But, whatever we do, we should pour our heart and soul into it! Give maximum effort! See things through. Believe in yourself and in your vision. Don’t give up.

2) Assess Your Morals, Ethics and Principles and Stand By Them! In our businesses, we will probably not take on issues as large as those which John Brown faced down, but there will be challenges along the way. Job offers from companies whose products and services we don’t agree with? Clients whose practices we don’t deem fair or just? Decisions which cause inner conflict and turmoil? Business can demand soul-searching. Let your morals, ethics and principles be your guide! Do as and what you know to be just and right!

3) Find a Cause (or Causes) to Champion! The world is filled with those less fortunate. As businesspeople, we are often in a position to do good with what we have. It can be in the form of finding a charity and pledging donations. It can be in sponsoring those who need assistance. And it can be in pledging our time, resources and/or expertise to help those whom we can! Whether a single-person entity or large corporation, with business and profit can come making the world a better place!

4) Distance yourself from your detractors! I wish I had a dime for every person who probably said, "John, slavery is here to stay! What can one person do about it? Give up man!" We as businesspeople will meet our own detractors along the way. "The market’s too saturated!" "Businesses are failing!" "This is not the economic climate in which to start a business!" "You have no experience!" And remember, we are often our own detractors; detraction can manifest itself in the form of self-doubt.

5) Surround Yourself with a Great Team! Brown rode with his sons and a band of loyal followers and adherents. The fact that he managed to assist thousands of slaves in reaching freedom attests to the effectiveness of his team. In business, there is no substitute for a strong, finely meshed team with a common purpose, plan and goal.

6) Become a Dynamic, Charismatic, Energetic and Effective Leader! All organizations need a great leader. Hopefully your goal won’t be armed insurrection, but no matter. How do you go about becoming a leader? You lead your business. You lead your team. And…you lead the Web! Through blogging and through Social Media and Networking, people are looking for leaders. Network. Demonstrate your acumen and skills. Prove your expertise to others by dispensing knowledge, wisdom and experience. Give great tips and advice to others. When people see you as an expert you will establish a reputation. That reputation will bring those in need of the services you provide to your front door!

7) Sacrifice! Most of us in business will never have to pay with our lives as John Brown did. But business demands sacrifice. Establishing a name and reputation can take years of blood, sweat and tears. It takes learning, formulating, re-learning, reformulating, overtime, advertising, marketing, networking and more. No one ever said it would be easy!

8) Don’t Let Them Tell You "It’s Always Been Done Like This!" By the time Brown came on the scene, the horror and abject cruelty of slavery had already existed in America for well over two centuries. Brown knew that things could change. It took an incredible man to set that change in motion. He taught a nation to "think outside the box!"

John Brown being led to the gallows.

May You, John Brown, Rest in Peace!

*Final Note: Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has expressed interest in memorializing John Brown in an upcoming Hollywood motion picture. Tarantino calls Brown his "favorite historical figure…"

Image Credits: Black-White John Brown Image: Britannica.com; Colored John Brown Image: RustBeltRadical.com; #7: clipartnow.com; Gold Pocketwatch: justinbrw at flickr.com; John Brown led to gallows: executedtoday.com

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My Business May Survive Armageddon, but Will Post-Apocalyptic Zombies Be Good Customers? A Biz-Blogging Lesson!

My Business May Survive Armageddon, but Will Post-Apocalyptic Zombies Be Good Customers? A Biz-Blogging Lesson!

FREE VECTOR ZOMBIES

Okay, a few things right off the bat! I am a business-blogger. I am not on drugs. I have not been drinking. And so far as I know, I have not lost my mind!

And one other thing: Business blogs like https://www.salesforce.com/solutions/small-business-solutions/resources/small-business-management/ are by far the most cost-effective ways to market a business. They are 100% free and they work! I am now getting 90% of my new clients as a direct result of my blog! I have stopped accepting new customers for at least the next four months. That’s how well they work!

Red Question Mark Circle clip art

Zombies and Armageddon?

Okay, my latest idea sprung from a convergence of ideas:

1. We have guests who are visiting Israel. They have just gotten back form Meggido (Armageddon in Hebrew), the site of the biblically referenced final battle between good and evil.

2. Last week in Israel, there was a national security drill. Air-raid sirens wailed throughout the country and citizens were instructed to go to their nearest bomb shelter. We took refuge in our bunker-like bomb shelter/safe-room which all new apartments and homes in Israel have.

3. And last night, unable to sleep, I watched a 60’s flick; one of those post-apocalyptic movies where the almost-dead wander through the ruins of society with murderous intentions in their eyes and a taste for human flesh in their bellies!

It got me to thinking as a businessman. Perhaps I and my business will survive the bomb, but will zombies need resumes, corporate bios or PowerPoint productions?

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What the Heck Does This Have to Do With Business-Blogging? Some Answers:

More and more, I see posts from biz-bloggers who are burning out. They are overwhelmed. They are in a rut. And they are exhausted. As a business-blogger, literary writer and author, here are my tips for extricating yourself from the ‘blogging blues”:

1) Put the Fun Back Into Blogging! Think of zombies! Stop always thinking of “business only” for business blogs. Have fun! Enjoy yourself. Tell stories!

2) Remember “Crazy Eddie!” Crazy Eddie, for those who don’t know, was a fixture of television advertising during the 70s and 80s in America. He was a wacky guy, perhaps a bit crazy, whose pitch was “Crazy Eddie…His Prices Are I-N-S-A-N-E!!!” People loved it! Lesson: Dare to be different! Think…I hate this expression…”Outside the box.”

3) Create Unusual Content and Titles! Okay, the real point of this blog is not zombies and nuclear war. But I bet it made a lot more people click than would have if I had titled it “Ways to Put Energy Back Into Your Blog.”

4) Get yourself On a Blogging Schedule You Can Live With! Many who write about “blog burnout” are blogging on a fixed schedule. Every day. Three times a week. Stop forcing it! It’s not your job, though it is part of it. Wait for inspiration to strike. If and when it does, that is the time to write! Stop driving yourself crazy!

All Images in this post courtesy of all-free-download.com!

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Yonatan Maisel is a professional writer and published author. He is a history buff who enjoys long walks in the woods with his wife and Canaan dog “Halva.” His business-blog, going strong for ten months now, appears here at http://www.jobshuk.com/, with updates occurring twice-a-week.

From Warhol to Harleys to Brando: Business Blog Readers LOVE Pop-Culture References

From Warhol to Harleys to Brando: Business Blog Readers LOVE Pop-Culture References!!!

"Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio

Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe…" — Billy Joel, from "We Didn’t Start the Fire"

I love music and chances are you probably do too. It is enjoyable, it is who we are, it speaks of where we are going and it tells where we have been.

Among the thousands upon thousands of hits, one stands out in my mind as having changed everything…

It was the "Piano Man" Billy Joel’s 1989, mega-blockbuster hit-song "We Didn’t Start the Fire!" It was everywhere. Everyone was singing it! Radio stations, including WZZO, our local station when I still lived in Pennsylvania, ran contests to see who could be the first to explain all of the references in the song.

It was like an entire compendium of modern culture. It still stands as a testament to how much people adore pop-culture!

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Pop-Culture in Business Blogs:

Some of my own favorite blog posts, and those of other bloggers which I most like to read, are those with pop-culture references.

So you have a business blog? What are you going to write about? Your business? Your field? Your products and services? Of course? But is this alone enough? As educational, informative and compelling as the posts might be, chances are it won’t make for exciting reading.

So what is one of the answers?

Pop-culture. It is a connector. It is a common denominator. It is something EVERYONE can relate to! It is something which an entire business blog can be successfully built around! That’s not to say the blog can be devoid of meaningful content, but that meaningful content can be based around the story that you weave!

Incorporate the story-line to your product or service, that’s the key! "10 Great Business Principles from Confuscious." "From Alexander Graham Bell to the iPhone!" "Richard Nixon and How Not to Influence People!"

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Pop-Culture; A Well-Spring of Ideas Which Never Runs Out:

The great thing about pop-culture is there is no end to it!

Think of great books you might have read: To Kill a Mockingbird. All Quiet on the Western Front. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Think of musical groups you love and have loved: Sinatra. Elvis. Jimi Hendrix.

Think of news events which for one reason or another were truly unforgettable: Man on the moon. Watergate. The contested 2000 elections.

Think of great television shows, past and present: M*A*S*H. The Cosby Show. All in the Family.

Movies? How about Blade Runner, Citizen Kane, The Bad News Bears or Mad Max?

From songs to famous products to blunders to famous fictional characters, you will find that the possibilities are indeed infinite!

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A Word on Cross-Cultural Marketing:

In this 21^st Century, global marketplace called the Internet, we as writers and bloggers are marketing and advertising to a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic world.

Keep in mind that readers from other countries might not understand some culture-specific or geographically-specific references. Try to pick subjects which are universal and try to provide a bit of background information as to what you are referencing!

Image Credits: All images in this post courtesy of all-free-download.com. In compliance with regulations, all images are used for educational and illustrative purposes only!

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Yonatan Maisel is a professional writer, published author and blogger. He is a history buff who enjoys long walks in the woods with his wife and Canaan dog "Halva." His business-blog, going strong for ten months now, appears here at http://www.jobshuk.com/, with updates occurring twice-a-week. Come check out JOB SHUK, the place that "Connects Israel’s Businesses with the World!"

Ten Great Lessons Learned from Business History: The 1970s Harley-Davidson/AMF Fiasco

Ten Great Lessons Learned from Business History: The 1970s Harley-Davidson/AMF Fiasco

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It was and remains one of the biggest fiascos in American business history…one which almost destroyed a company, a legend and an iconic brand in one fell-swoop…

Whether you are a fan of Harleys or not, lessons from this chapter in business history abound; they are lessons which have implications, repercussions and ramifications for all of our businesses, no matter how big or small they may be. I hope you enjoy this original business article which presents a brief history of Harley Davidson, the "AMF fiasco" and business lessons drawn from the epic chapter…

Company History: Early Years, WWI, the Great Depression and WWII:

Harley Davidson was founded in 1903 by William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, in their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The motorcycles the company built quickly caught on with the American public. World War 1 was a watershed event for the company; having realized the benefits of combat mobility, the Department of Defense (the Department of War back then), contracted with Harley-Davidson; the company produced and provided approximately 15,000 bikes for the war effort.

Harley’s production numbers plummeted during the opening years of the Great Depression. It soon recovered. Savvy marketing and production practices as well as the introduction of new product lines resulted in Harley Davidson being one of only two American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. Harley’s "Servi-Car," a motorcycle/compact-car hybrid became a mainstay of small-businesses, vendors, delivery drivers and police departments throughout the United States for decades thereafter. In my thinking it was a mark of genius: the Great Depression was probably not the best time to fill up your tank and joyride, but it was the perfect time for an efficient vehicle which was an alternative to a delivery van.

Following the outbreak of World War II hostilities, Harley Davidson plants shifter from civilian to war-production; from 1941 to 1945, almost 100,000 motorcycles would be delivered to the US and her allies. The company would receive numerous citations and commendations from the military for "Excellence in Production."

Company History: Post WWII:

Harley Davidson continued to thrive following World War II. Everything appeared to be going the way of the company until several forces conspired…

In the second half of the 20^th Century, Japanese companies including Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki began producing and exporting high-quality, affordable motorcycles to the western markets. Streamlined production and efficient business practices ensured a quality and highly-competitive product. Sensing the danger, Harley-Davidson applied to the US Tariff Commission to have a huge tax placed on imported cycles. The result? The company was charged with unfair trade practices. The financial downspin had begun and just around the corner was…

DISASTER!

In 1969, amid financial difficulties, Harley-Davidson was bought by the AMF Corporation. AMF, rather unfortunately, was a company whose expertise lay in the fields of producing skis, bowling balls, bicycles and golfing equipment. With no experience in the motorcycle industry, company heads took over…

Decline was quick in coming. The AMF/Harley Davidson years were plagued by dubious marketing decisions, bad managerial practices and utter mismanagement. Massive layoffs and worker strikes which ensued damaged the company reputation. A "family" company was now seen as an ugly part of corporate America. Marketing and production decisions were wrested away from seasoned, experienced Harley personnel and given to their inexperience AMF counterparts. Production, inexplicably, was moved from its home-base to York, Pennsylvania. "Tried-and-true" icons were discontinued and new lines were begun with little or no regard for public desire.

Profits plummeted as quickly as quality; engines failed, breakdowns were frequent, and the company began investing almost as much time repairing bikes under warranty as it did in producing new models. Products once known for their incomparable quality and workmanship were now widely considered to be inferior to their less-expensive Japanese counterparts in all regards. Reviewers ridiculed the company and its products, the pubic derided the venture and faithful and loyal Harley consumers were up-in-arms! The company almost went bankrupt and the brand which had taken nearly seventy years to cultivate and nurture was almost destroyed wholesale.

The "AMF Years" are widely considered to be one of the greatest corporate disasters in American business history.

Practical Business Lessons from the Harley-Davidson/AMF Fiasco:

1) Competition and financial hardship are reasons to become more competitive, but cutbacks in quality are unforgivable!

2) A successful brand can take months, years, decades or longer to establish, nurture and thrive. Tarnishing the brand typically requires a much shorter period of time.

3) Going into a particular business or line of work requires much more ammunition than financial capital. It requires intimate knowledge of product and service, the customer-base, an interest in all of these and a sincere desire to succeed.

4) Succeeding in business requires asking your customers what they want, not deciding what you believe they want.

5) "If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!" Tough times might require tough measures. They might require belt-tightening, technological innovation, streamlining, increased efficiency and more. But never, never, try to reinvent a perfect wheel. The result is more often than not, an unmitigated disaster!

6) Major decisions should be left to those who are experienced, savvy and "in-the-know," not to overambitious outsiders and pencil-pushers who believe they are "in-the-know."

7) Never discard a beloved, family-based brand for one which represents or even "smells" of the corporate-world. Loyal consumers and customers rarely tolerate such things.

8) Face down your competition in creative and constructive ways, not in ways which are divisive, damaging, non-constructive and which represent complete and utter disregard for your clients and customers.

9) Recognize when something is not working and don’t continue for the sake of ego alone. The Harley-Davidson/AMF fiasco continued for the better part of a decade. It was only the fact that the company was eventually re-acquired which ultimately saved it from the business graveyard.

10) Beginning, taking over or acquiring a business takes homework, preparation, examination and soul-searching. Those who take the decision lightly are often doomed to failure!

Image Credits: Motorcycle and Blackboard: all-free-download.com; Globe: Jason Lister at flickr.com; Hindenburg: unlicensed image.

Note: "Harley Davidson" and "Harley" are registered trademarks of Harley Davidson USA.

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Yonatan Maisel is a professional writer and published author. He is a history buff who enjoys long walks in the woods with his wife and Canaan dog "Halva", the only breed of dog native to Israel. His business-blog, going strong for ten months now, appears here at http://www.jobshuk.com/, with updates occurring twice-a-week.

Back2Basics: 5 Incredibly Low-Tech Gadgets for the 21st Century Business “Rat-Race”

Back2Basics: 5 Incredibly Low-Tech Gadgets for the 21^st Century Business "Rat-Race"

Okay, I’ll admit it: I HATE technology! I despise it! It has been with a great deal of reluctance that I have gotten online, adopted social media, gotten a cell phone and gotten connected. But truth be told, I’m an anachronism: I long for simpler days and times gone by. I prefer Motown over Rap music, black and white Gregory Peck movies over the new computerized "in-your-face" flicks and didn’t think it was so bad yesteryear when standing up to change the channel on the television set or actually "dialing" a phone number was such a bad thing.

As such, I propose a step away from technology, the "electronization" of the modern business-world and a healthy and productive journey back to the basics. For this "H.G. Wells-ian" leap back to basics, you will not need a time-machine. Just a few simple things which I feel seem to have gotten lost in the insane, crazed, ultra-competitive, migraine-causing, ulcer-rendering hubbub of 21^st Century business-life.

1) Windows. Nope, not Windows™. Plain Old Windows!

Stop staring at a wall while you work! It’s not healthy and it’s not inspirational, no matter how many pictures you might have up. Facing a wall while working can make you feel confined, closed in, compartmentalized and can make you forget that as you work, there is a whole beautiful world mere feet away. If you are at home and not facing a window, move your desk so as to face one. If you are not facing one in a traditional workplace, re-arrange things or ask the boss if you can (assuming you are not the boss). Whether it is sunny, cloudy, or whether there is a Cat-2 hurricane brewing, a view of the outside work makes for a far-less restricting and enclosed workplace. Whether your work-shift coincides with sunrise and day, evening and twilight or the moon and stars, a view of the world makes working a much more relaxed and enjoyable experience!

"Let there be many windows to your soul, that all the glory of the world may beautify it." -Ella Wheeler Wilcox, American author and poet (1855-1919)

2) Pencil & Paper

That’s right, ditch the Blackberry! Nope, I’m not joking around! Instead, face the world the way we did so long ago: with a notepad and pencil. Remember "doodling?" Yup, drawing silly little pictures. Jotting down things which spring to mind. Putting ideas, concepts, designs, theories, notions, impressions and reflections into print. It’s a refreshing departure from pushing buttons and clicking. It’s rejuvenating, liberating…and it’s a conduit for the birth of great ideas. Whether it’s a new concept for your business or a new article idea for your blog, start doodling and jotting things down…and watch great ideas flow like they haven’t in years!

3) A Great Pair of Walking Shoes/Hiking Boots

Nothing can burgeon or flourish in a vacuum, including ideas. Ideas are conceived, born, nurtured and thrive in open space. For some reason unknown to me, they are most likely to come to fruition in places where leaves, trees, animals, vistas and fresh air are plentiful and in abundance. I highly recommend a wooded area, forest, nature trail or any other outdoor area which might be available to you. So get up, get away from the office, head back to nature, and watch ideas start flowing…naturally! The only thing you’ll need for this activity is a good, supportive pair of shoes or boots!

“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” –Hal Bortland, American author (1900-1978)

4) A Hobby

Man, where did this one get lost among the hustle and maddening pace of the 21^st Century "rat-race?" How many of us wake up in the morning, check our emails, shower, head off to work, head home, eat dinner, check our emails more, watch TV, go to sleep, wake up and begin the whole process again? If you don’t already have one, it’s time for a hobby! My definition of a hobby? "An enjoyable activity meant to get you away from a computer screen, lower your blood pressure from incredibly unsafe levels and help you keep your sanity!" From bowling to astronomy, model airplanes to needlepoint, poker-night with some buddies to bird-watching with the kids, there are no shortages of great pastimes. It’s time to put some enjoyment back into life…work is not everything! You work like a dog! Relax and unwind from time to time…you surely deserve it!

5) A New Bottle of Cologne/Perfume

Sound silly? It’s not! A great brand of cologne/perfume can usually be bought for less than $75 and should last you for at least six months. That’s pennies a day. Treat yourself! Personally, I prefer Hugo Boss and L’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent (no, I don’t own stock in either of these companies…just suggestions). In your next business meeting, in the office, or in your next face-to-face with a prospective client, you will exude confidence and surety! Watch people ask you, "What’s that great scent you’re wearing?" In business, as in life, there are few things more invigorating or revitalizing than knowing you smell great!

Image Credits: building blocks: courtesy of istockphoto.com; black dial-phone: unlicensed photo; antique car: B. Glen Dailey at Flickr.com

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Hello. My name is Yonatan Maisel. I am a professional writer, published author and business-blogger.

I will not be available for the next month or two. I will, however, faithfully continue with my business-blog postings. Hope you enjoy them and, as always, thanks for visiting!

If you are seeking a skilled writer for your writing needs, might I suggest that you visit Job Shuk’s homepage and click on "Writing and Translation." Among the professionals whose profiles you will see, I’m certain you will find the perfect person to fulfill your needs!.

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