What's New at Marketing Idea Shop &
Opportunities for You

IN THIS ISSUE

1.    What's New at Marketing Idea Shop?
2.    Opportunities of Interest
3 .   Quote of the Week
4 .   Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers
5 .   A Little Fun
6 .   Smell the Coffee


Don't forget to tell all your friends and business associates about this informative newsletter! You don't want to be the only smart one in your group, do you?

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1. What's New at Marketing Idea Shop?

New Business Structure
We have very exciting news to tell you this week! Exactly one year after starting Brainy Tidbits, we are happy to tell you that as of June 30, Marketing Idea Shop is officially Marketing Idea Shop, LLC. My husband, Don Crawford, who has always been an advisor in this business, has joined me on a very part-time basis. He is now our Chief Financial Officer, but he will continue to be the Sales & Marketing Manager at Shickel Corp. for a very long time ... probably until ya'll make us millionaires by buying tons of ebooks and other products or hiring me to help you with your marketing and writing needs. ;-)

Check Out the Blog
Debbie Weil's "Uncool Blogging" seminar last week was very informative. As I told you last week, a blog is short for web log, which is one of the newest business tools available. According to Don Crowther's "Blogging for Business" ebook (an excellent resource participants of the blogging seminar received free), blogging is "a program that allows the user to log into a form, type an entry, press submit, and to have what they typed immediately posted to a website for all to see." Some folks use them as journals, opinion columns, and methods to hold a dialogue with clients.

I've been posting almost daily to my new blog since June 24. The Marketing Idea Shop Blog contains announcements and information that is helpful to business owners. Please take a look now, and visit it often.

Brainy Article Bank Updated
New articles are added to our Brainy Article Bank all the time. This week you'll find:

• "Identify & Attract Success" by Emil and Carolyn Kalil
• "99 Cows" (ebook) by Seth Godin
• "Testify! How Remarkable Organizations are Creating Customer Evangelists" (ebook) by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba
• "How Can a Restaurant Sell on the Web?" by Shel Horowitz and Lois Carter Fay
• "What Makes a Great Manager?" by Emil Kalil
• "13 Publicity Ideas for Retailers" by Joan Stewart.

Go here to read these new articles.

Need More Sales?
If your sales are down and you want to turn the situation around, pick up a copy of 52 Ready-to-Go Sales Meetings, the ebook I co-wrote with Jim Wilson of Selling Strategies. In 52 easy-to-follow lessons, you can become a sales superstar.

And with this offer you get a 2-CD set, Upfrontational Selling, too! Most people need a combination of visual and auditory stimulation to learn best. Read lots more about this special offer or download it here.

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2.  Opportunities of Interest

Thanks to Shel Horowitz, author of "Principled Profits: Marketing That Puts People First" for sending this:

Become an influencer. With Kenneth Lay's (former Enron executive) trial set to begin next month, I have started a campaign to get 25,000 people to endorse the idea that ethical business is actually more effective and more profitable -- and to commit to spreading this message to at least 100 other people. I am hoping to reach a critical mass that will make the next Enron impossible, because employees won't cooperate with the crooked directives.

Sign the pledge campaign here.
Read more about it here.

Thanks to Matthew Langley for sending this announcement:

Do you or know of a nonprofit advocacy group - a 501(c)(3) - based in DC or Virginia that urgently needs graphic design and public relations services but can't afford to pay for these services? Perhaps you volunteer with or know of a small local advocacy group that is struggling along and would benefit from a high-quality graphic design product combined with a communications plan about how to best use that product to achieve maximum results.

If you do have a group in mind, please direct their attention to this important upcoming event. CreateAThon(TM) is a 24-hour blitz of creative activity that enables design and public relations specialists to give back to their local communities by using their professional expertise. In October 2004, Mediastudio, an agency that specializes in cause-related branding and design, will host a CreateAThon(TM) at its Falls Church, VA office. It will be joined for this event by Advocacy Communications International, Inc., an Alexandria, VA public relations consultancy that serves socially responsible organizations.

Here's how CreateAThon(TM) works:

• Local 501(c)(3) organizations located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area (including VA but not Maryland) are invited to submit applications to the Mediastudio hosted CreateAThon(TM) in October.
• The deadline for applications is noon EST on August 26, 2004.
• A short list of applicants will be invited by Mediastudio to share their stories and answer questions with members of the CreateAThon(TM) team based upon a list of established criteria including: level of need, lack of funding, etc.
• 10-12 organizations will be selected to work with the CreateAThon(TM) team on the creation of a graphic design product and communications plan.
• All projects will be completed -- from start to finish -- during a 24-hour period starting Friday, October 1, at 8AM.

More information about Mediastudio's upcoming CreateAThon(TM) is online here.

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3.  Quote of the Week

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."

Mother Teresa
1910 - 1997

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AND NOW, A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS...


What's your definition of success?
Email your comments to me.


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4.  Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers

• FREE! Marcia Yudkin's "Web Site Makeover Case Study"

  Are you thinking of changing your website? Has it gotten out of date? Has your business changed over the years so you need to promote your products or services better? When someone comes to your website, can they quickly see what you do?

  Recently, marketing consultant Marcia Yudkin decided it was time for a makeover on her website. She felt it didn't look as up-to-date as she knew her information was. But she didn't want to lose the momentum she had created (not to mention all the incoming links!) since starting her business in 1998. Marcia gave it very careful study and the end result met all of those needs and then some. In fact, within 4 weeks she had 31% more visitors, 224% more subscribers, and a sales increase of 178% just by re-doing her website.

  Download this free report before July 31st and see how she did it.
  

• Looking for something cool to do on your site?

  Check out this idea. How about a "Listening Lounge?" Tim Patterson of Interpretive Exhibits interviewed me about using experiential marketing at trade shows. Then he put the interview on his site in his Listening Lounge. Take a "listen"!
  

• Looking for a great shopping cart system? How to Pick a Shopping Cart System that Makes You Money is an ebook that explains all the important features. You can get it here, free!
  
  
• Do you like these resources? There are plenty more like these in my ebook, BUSINESS SUCCESS SECRETS: HARD-WORKING TACTICS & RESOURCES.
  37 pages, packed with ideas you can use immediately ... to get more business, generate more traffic to your website and make improve your bottom line. Over 135 hyperlinks that can take you directly to a marketing resource or idea you can use right now...so you can save time and money. Beginning and advanced tactics to really make a difference in your marketing results...and you can make more sales with much less effort. Learn to save money on your advertising. Get a list of websites that would LOVE to post your articles. Get a list of websites that would LOVE to post your articles.
  
  Read more about it or order it here.
  
  
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  5. A Little Fun
  

Thanks to Candace Womack Dettloff, CLU, LUTCF, for this one:

A guy walks into the local welfare office, marches straight up to the counter and says, "Hi... You know, I just HATE drawing welfare. I'd really rather have a job."

The social worker behind the counter says, "Your timing is excellent. We just got a job opening from a very wealthy old man who wants a chauffeur/bodyguard for his beautiful daughter. You'll have to drive around in his Mercedes, but he'll supply all of your clothes. Because of the long hours, meals will be provided. You'll be expected to escort her on her overseas holiday trips. You'll have a two-bedroom apartment above
the garage. The starting salary is $200,000 a year."

The guy says, "You're kidding me!"

The social worker says, "Yeah, well, you started it."

Help keep the smiles coming ... please send me your marketing, PR or sales jokes. I'll be happy to give you credit and list your website! Email me.


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6. Smell the Coffee...

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend and hope you did, too. The weather was beautiful ... just a touch of rain so I didn't have to water my flowers. The girls are almost back to normal after having their wisdom teeth pulled a week ago, too.

We spent Saturday in Winchester, shopping at Target for the final items to finish Roni and Nessa's rooms, and then having a lovely lunch in Old Towne Winchester. It's a 1.5-hour drive from our house to Target, but Harrisonburg doesn't have one yet and it's our favorite store. I've heard we should have one by 2005.

It's our anniversary today. Don and I have been married two years. Thanks to all of you who sent us good tidings

Lois


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Published by:
Lois Carter Fay, APR
Marketing Guru, Marketing Idea Shop, LLC
411 Rainier Road, Massanutten, VA USA 22840
Voice 540.289.3840 or 800.203.8660

© 2004 Marketing Idea Shop. All rights reserved.

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