Internet Marketing « The Goofproof Blog

December 5, 2009

Never Think You Know An Entrepreneur!

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: Entrepreneurs, Hand Madw Woman's Clothing, Shop on Line — sol21 @ 12:18 am

Here we are again - in the season to be jolly. Now we have some very merry news for you! Never think you know an Entrepreneur!

Creative Unique Clothing for Women
JasperVisions’s Shop Announcement
Free shipping until Christmas!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JasperVisions
_________________________
In answer to my query for “her story” to be published in The GoofProof Gazette, Jan wrote:

I have an embarrassingly large collection of fabric, lace, buttons, and trims, including some from the 1920s or even older. Occasionally I sell some of this to make room so I can actually work in my workroom - so watch my store for these goodies as well!

Jan Jasper has been known to many of us for years as a time management expert and productivity coach.. She is author of the best-selling book, Take Back Your Time, a must for any entrepreneurial bookshelf. Signed copies can be ordered from her website, www.janjasper.com

But this very special announcement is about a stored away talent that has re-emerged just in time for this merry Holiday Season! It is:

I’ve been making things since I was pre-teenaged, started selling my stuff when I was around 19. Came to New York at age 27 to sell my creations in Soho before it turned into a mall. Earned a living that way for several years, then completely stopped and (long story short) did other things. I never stopped sewing, but going back to trying to SELL my creations is new, yet it feels very familiar. I don’t have help/partners. Only time will tell if it becomes an actual business. I decided a few months ago I needed a break, this was a kind of a respite.

I design unique clothing for women who aren’t afraid to be and look different. Some of the items in my Etsy store I made from scratch, others are gently-used garments that I’ve reconstructed or embellished. I also sell a few unaltered vintage items - everything is clearly marked so you know which is what.

I’ve always felt exhilarated by color and light. On a blah overcast day, just glimpsing a bit of pink or teal instantly improves my mood and even changes my breathing!

I mostly use natural fibers but occasionally I’ll use a synthetic if it looks and feels good. There tends to be a lot of hand-sewing on my creations.

I asked about her header design, which i find very attractive:http://www.etsy.com/shop/JasperVisions

Partly why I called my shop JasperVisions was that I considered about 40 other shop names that were already taken - so I almost HAD to use my last name, as it’s not a common word. Then the idea to add ‘Visions’ just popped into my mind..

Gift certificates are available, too!

My header design is an Art Deco-era textile design I think, I found it in a Dover clip-art book that came with a disk.

So stop by and do some unusual Christmas shopping. We wish Jan, and all the other Entrepreneurs out there. the very best of good fortune.

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November 10, 2009

October 31, 2009

The Red Flag Rule

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: Consumer Protection, Identity Theft, Red Flag Rule — sol21 @ 9:56 pm

Until November 1st 2009, the battered consumer was responsible for protecting his own identity. It was up to him to report any suspected fraud to the credit bureaus, and to check them frequently.

Starting Sunday, businesses that accept credit cards will have to take extra steps to protect your personal information on the front end, and investigate if they find something suspicious. Federal Trade Commission rules, called “Red Flag Rules” will kick in. Businesses small and large, must do a better job of verifying the identity of their customers - to keep them from being taken advantage of by identity thieves.

Focus will be on such information as “where they bill you now and you pay in 30 days,” said Miami attorney Luis Salazar, of Greenberg Traurig. “If there’s a red flag, they have to investigate.”

Even the smallest business, if they qualify as a creditor, are subject to the rules, which were enacted in 2007. The deadline to put the rules into effect was extended to give businesses time to come up with written plans to address identity theft. The red flag rule is supposed to help by shifting some of the burden from consumers to businesses. Learn more at http://www.ftc.gov/redflagrule.

But you, as a consumer, should still keep close watch on your personal information. Here are some suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission:

-Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your card if you don’t need it. Ask why someone needs it if it is requested.

-Handle mail with care. Shred documents that contain credit card numbers, banking information and credit card offers. Limit credit card offers: Call 888-5-OPT-OUT (888-567-8688).

-Don’t give out personal information on the phone, via mail or the Internet, unless you initiated contact and are sure of whom you’re dealing with.

-Freeze your credit report so potential creditors and others can’t access it unless you lift the freeze. This has to be done by contacting individual credit agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can learn more about credit freezes at http://www.consumersunion.org/campaigns/learn-more/003484indiv.html.

-Check your credit report for free three times a year at http://www.annualcreditreport.com. You can check one report from each major credit bureau once a year. Beware of sites that have a similar web address as this official site but actually charge for their services or require enrollment in some kind of program. You can also call 877-322-8228.

-Use intricate passwords that don’t involve your mother’s maiden name, birthday or the lst four digits of your Social Security number.

Identity theft has been consumers’ No. 1 complaint to the FTC for nine years running, with nearly 314,000 complaints in 2008.

“Nobody wants to be overburdened with regulations,” Salazar said, “but they want to do something about” identity theft.

Let’s hope it works!

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October 14, 2009

What? How? When? Where?

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: Add new tag, Creativity, How?, Innovation, What, When, Where — sol21 @ 7:39 pm

The four eternal questions pop into view whenever we think of beginning, changing, moving on, or revisiting Square One. All those verbs have been activated, perhaps too frequently, in the past couple of years.

Businesses of any size keep an eye on them to ensure survival in good or bad times. But all seem to agree that what we have been experiencing lately is no ordinary good or bad time. Each month focuses on one or another of the crucial words but, unfortunately adds little clarity.

The one thing that never changes though, is the human capacity to innovate - and that capacity increases geometrically with the need to survive - and thrive. Just check through the articles in your business magazines throughout 2009. Have they been moaning and groaning about the sad state of the economy? Hardly a word. What is the ONE keyword that has stirred up your brain cells? CREATIVITY! And how have thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide harnessed that valuable resource? First, and foremost, take your ideas seriously. They are your gold mine. Then ask yourself : WHAT can I do with “this?” No matter what “this” is, if it interests you, you can do something with it. It will lead you to finding the right partners, the right funders, the right buyers. And that takes care of the HOW! The WHAT teaches you the HOW. The WHEN is now. Right now. Don’t procrastinate. Do it now! And what about WHERE? Start wherever you are. Again, the right place will emerge from the WHAT and HOW. It’s all built in.

So dust off your brain cells and look around you - your future is probably right under your nose!

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September 29, 2009

Is Optimism Enough?

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: Economy, Optimism, Tangible Assets — sol21 @ 6:17 pm

Over the last few weeks the media has been loaded with what they call “Optimism.” When disected the word really means “not as bad as before.” My favorite quote on the subject is “bad is up from horrible.”

Last week we celebrated Advertising Week in NYC: A time for Optimism if there ever was one. If you have read the Fall catalogs or visited a mid to high end retail store in the last few weeks, you’ve noticed a tremendous shift toward “spiffing up,” even elegance emerging in all departments. This is great news for the consumer and should happen every year or so. The lure of shiny new goodies and never ending ways of making ourselves richer, more beautiful, and more desirable is a powerful undertow.

But the great American, and now worldwide, consumer can’t consume without cash, credit, or both. Does he have it? The “Theys” of this world say there is a great deal of cash sloshing about. Oh? Everyone agrees that credit is scarce and, where it exists, is very expensive. It’s true that the stock market has risen from its lows of a few months ago. But that’s speculation. It’s true that people still buy a ton of lottery tickets. But that’s risk-taking with a capital R. And horse-racing, etc., etc., etc., . . .?

All this circuitous thinking eventually brings us face to face with the fundamental question: What is the basis for the sense of optimism and is it related in any sound way to increases in productivity? Judging by the statistics coming out of the same media broadcasts, one can only repeat, “bad is up from horrible.” Housing prices are still falling but at a slower rate. Unemployment is still rising but at a slower rate. etc., etc. Those stats mean exactly what the words convey; nothing more.

Certainly people are happier and more productive (not staying home from work because of a headache) if they look forward to a bright future. But is the current wave of ”Optimism” just wishful thinking? Will it become another bubble? Is an intangible bubble potentially more dangerous than a tangible one? Houses and mortgages can be bought and sold, at whatever price conditions warrant. The price may give you a headache, but you will eventually pick yourself up and survive.

States of mind are intangible assets, supposdly belonging only to the people who possess them. We’ve all heard of Rainmakers, Con Artists, Ponzi Schemers, Card Sharks, and another long list. What are the assets these fellows buy and sell? Your States of Mind, nothing else. Their so-called tangible assets are as intangible as the wind but as destructive as a hurricane. Before you jump on the Optimism bandwagon, ask for a few relevant FACTS. has your income increased in the last six months? Have you been promoted in your present job? Is your new small business thriving? Is your old one growing? Do you have more cash to spend on the things you want? If you answered “yes” to at least two of the above, fine - be optimistic. If you answered “no” to all of them, beware. Either you are goofing somewhere, or economic conditions are not quite what is peddled.

Don’t let anyone steal your head. It may be your only tangible asset.

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September 17, 2009

Aesthetics and Pragmatism?

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: AIGA awards, JetBlue, Website Design — sol21 @ 11:48 pm

“The recipients of this award demonstrate respect for the millions whose lives they touch, a rare commitment to consistency and quality, and a model for the successful interaction between aesthetics and pragmatics.”

Can you guess what this award is and who is a recent receiver ? Unless you happen to have come across a news item or are a member of a select group of people, probably not. The part I like best is “the successful interaction between aeshetics and pragmatism.” Or more simply, . . . between form and function.

The award in question is The Corporate Leadership award from AIGA, THE professional association for design. The recipient was none other than JetBlue Airways, recognized for “reimagining the air-travel experience and building its revered brand from a people-centered, value-driven, design-based approach.” Congratulations to JetBlue!

“ A people-centered, value-driven, design-based approach.” How about applying those words to a website? To your website? Do they fit? Can you honestly say that your site is people centered? Is it value-driven? Is your approach design-based?

As scouring the internet is very much a part of my business, looking at websites often leaves me less than happy. What are they about? Can you find what you are looking for? Are the links helpful and focused on the main theme? Is the visual design appealing? Would you return to the site just to look at it because looking at it makes you feel good?

All that is a tall order and is rarely accomplished - but like being GoofProof it is something to strive for. It is a set of criteria to keep in mind as you think about a new website, or an update of the old one. Use your imagination - SEE what you want and then describe accurately every detail of what you see. If you can do that, you will get what you want in less time, spend less money, and have a people centered, value-driven, design-based website that you can truly be proud of. Hooray!

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September 8, 2009

Define Your Brand

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous, Mission — Tags: Brand Building, Build a Brand, Marketing — sol21 @ 1:34 am

Labor Day 2009 has been a bittersweet day for many. Those who had to put in a hard day’s work, Holiday or not, may have felt oppressed. Those with no job to return to tomorrow may have felt depressed. However, it is the concept of work as an opportunity and a priviledge that is celebrated, so we all can cheer for that.

Being in the design business as an entrepreneur has brought me face to face almost every day with the whole idea of a brand: What is it? How do you build it? How do you make it shine above all others of the same category?

An interesting article by Tim Reid of Flying Solo in an Australian newspaper caught my eye as it was about 10 things you must do to build your brand. None of them was far off the beaten track but what really got to me was the author’s definition of a brand. He called it an “emotional attachment.” Now that is something I had never heard before and the more I thought about it the better I liked it. Why? First, because you are attached to it. It has become a part of you. You love it. You hate it. You are bored with it, but whatever, you can’t get rid of it. It is like your shadow. If you hate your shadow, you know you have to do something about YOU before your shadow will change. If you love your shadow, and that leads to a smug attitude, your shadow will show you that too. It reflects your feelings, your attitudes, your behavior. You can’t be indifferent to it. It won’t go away. It is a part of you.

Starting from that premise with a brand of your own you really can’t go wrong! How could you? It’s YOU!

I’ll list Tim Reid’s 10 “Must Dos” and challenge you to think about them in the context of your shadow.

1) Know what your brand stands for. (His stands for making a business or charity irresistable.)

2) Do things properly. ( Skimp on office furniture, if necessary, but avoid anything shoddy in presenting your product.)

3) Have one designer do everything: Logo, fliers, website, signage, PowerPoint, stationary and so on. Make sure they know what they’re doing though, particularly in regards to your website.

4) Know your core values. These should form the basis of all decisions you make in your business and around your brand.

5) Identify your prospects’ problem. As brand builders we are problem solvers. Make sure your brand clearly says “Hey, I can fix your problem!”

6) Identify your brand’s personality. Then ensure it comes through in all its marketing - Logo, fliers, website, signage, PowerPoint, stationary and so on.

7) Be unique. Take a look at what the competition is doing, identify the gap and fill it with your brand. If all the brands in your category are black then be white. Great brands challenge their category.

Be consistent. Make sure you present your brand to the market place in exactly the same way no matter what the medium. You are creating one brand…not ten!

9) Socialise it. Make sure every person within your business knows what your brand stands for. It’s useless having everyone on different pages.

10) Make it visually really interesting. There are so many boring logos out there, don’t be one of them. Be brave…it pays off.

And, although it is not numbered, always under promise and over deliver. all these things are just common sense really but with an interesting slant and the slant is what makes you, and your clients, care. Give it a thought!

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September 2, 2009

101 Uses For A Tweet

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: Communimercial, Patio Construction, Tweet, Uses for a Brick — sol21 @ 10:36 pm

Remember that old question from a psychological test, “How many uses for a brick?” It was supposedly a determinant of creative potential! The more uses (legitimate) you came up with, the greater your unexplored creativity. I suppose in a general sense that is true, but the test left out the crucial element - actually using the brick for any of the imagined purposes.

Now in our blossoming “Communication Age” (as advanced from last century’s “Information Age,”) we have found a new brick. A Tweet. If you don’t know what a Tweet is, go back to sleep for another 100 years.

Those of you who occasionally watch television must have seen the phone commercial in which a couple of teen-agers berate their parents for misusing the Tweet. The father, lounging on a patio, texts on his mobile, “I am sitting on the Patio,” the son: ”I KNOW you are sitting on the . . . (ends in a gesture of despair.)

The point of the commmercial is to sell phones, but in my “uses for a brick” mentality, I found myself hoping that the patio builders were listening. That includes construction companies, brick layers, stone importers, cement makers, etc.,etc., and all their attached suppliers. What a boost to the economy!

You don’t have a patio? Where have you been? Compared to a house, it’s a relatively inexpensive addition. It will get you out in the fresh air. It will provide an escape from things you’d rather miss inside. It will be a haven for reading a good book (if you still read.) It will increase the value of your house and above all, it will be the IN place to Tweet! You can announce to all your friends and to the world in general in one instant: “I am Tweeting from my PATIO!!!!!!

Contact your local contractors, or Google, for the latest stats on Patio construction.

(This is a communimercial.)

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August 28, 2009

What’s a Lemming?

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: California Cars, Creativity, Innovation, Lemmings — sol21 @ 5:53 pm

News of the day: The State of California is selling its leftovers on EBay. The state’s governor is adding his signature to confiscated cars in hopes of increasing their value. Some are saddened by this latest move; some are embarrassed; most are waiting to see what happens.

Talk of “Green Shoots” is again surfacing, but added to it is talk of ”Weeds.” Every so often people have to give new names to the same old things, like “The glass is half full/empty” debate, which of course is just another way of saying that all people view anything/everything through their own tinted lenses. Aren’t rose colored glases better than dark grey ones? And aren’t “Green Shoots” better than “Weeds?”

I just discovered an actual blog called “Apathetic Lemming of the North.” The reason I looked at it was that it was listed somewhere under “Digital Art.” I could find no connection. But the title did interest me. We all know that Lemmings are pathetic little creatures who have no minds of their own. They just run with the herd, faster and faster to the edge of a cliff where they all fall into the sea and drown. Now the owner of this blog must be aware that mindlessness is a pathetic state, but is “Apathy” any better? The dictionary definition of apathy is lack of emotion, interest or response. So our apathetic blogger has no interest in running with the herd (good,) but neither has he interst in or feeling for anything else! I don’t intend to pass judgement on this person or his blog, just noting it as a curiosity in the bin with autographed California cars.

This blog is supposed to be about “Boosting Your Business.” If you want the usual “7 Steps to a Million” or something similar I can’t give it to you. But I can give you a taste of creativity, of innovation, of thinking, not only outside the box, but of asking, “What is the Box?” All your clothes, these days, are stretch something. You can stretch your head too! Give it a try.

If you would like all this in more concrete form (Graphic Design, Corporate Branding, Digital Art Work (not music) please visit sol21.com and follow the yellow brick road.

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August 25, 2009

What Next?

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Miscellaneous — Tags: Polish Your Apples, What to do in the fog. Marketing Strategies — sol21 @ 5:06 pm

After a few more days vacation (just working on something else, really) I should be able to view the road ahead more clearly, or at lest from a different perspective.

My favorite quote from last week, ( Bloomberg Radio) “We are in the sleepy time of August but no one is sleeping.” That sums it all very nicely. Underneath the superficial calm a rip current may be waiting. May be - not necessarily - but vigilance is called for. People seem to want to get BACK to normal. Let’s banish that thought forever. There is no getting BACK to anything, ever. Time moves in only one direction; forward. when we can envision what is ahead, we’re fine. We can see. We can plan. There is no need or desire to go back. But in the deep fog? It is perfectly natural to want to be in a place where we can see - where what we do leads to a desired result, not to a dead end, or to the ocean floor. If this sounds gloomy, don’t despair or stop reading. It’s more like “Pin the tail on the Donkey.” Just reach out in all directions until you bump into something - like the wrong end of the Donkey or a brick wall. There is a clue.

This is a true story. For some reason, which I didn’t understand until this minute, my fuzzy brain has been obsessed with a memory of an incident that took place long ago - but really did happen. You know the proverbial kid with the lemonade stand. I guess all children want to try the art of Entrepreneurship at some time or other. Well, my time came one summer, at about age 10 or so, when I visited a friend whose family owned a farm. There were apple orchards on this farm and one day my friend and I decided to pick some apples and sell them at the side of the road. So we gathered some bushel baskets (always plentiful where there are apples) and set about picking. As I put mine out for sale, I carefully washed and polished every one of them. My friend thought I was daft. “What difference does it make? They are all the same apples!” True. They all came off the same tree, had equal numbers of worms, were the same size, had the same taste. But they LOOKED different. They were perceived to be better apples because they were clean and shiny. And (true story) summer wanderers bought twice as many apples from me as they did from my friend.

Today I am an artist and a marketer. Do I still polish my apples? You bet I do!

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