Blog Author Mellissah Smith - Page 98

Each industry is different.

Let me assure you, if you follow the same marketing campaign as other industry sectors - you will fail.

Today, I drove to Dandenong to hear stories from Foster Care Parents and Students that are currently studying through VCAL as part of the Ozchild Day for Ambassadors.

There are so many amazing, giving people out there that dedicate their lives to helping others. They ask for no recognition or endorsement and are simply people who care about others that may not be blood relatives nor may they be people they see past a day, a week, a year.

Ozchild is a non profit organisation that needs your support. They help children who have no where to go, are abused, and whose parents cannot look after them for one reason or another.

They may have fallen to the way-side in the Australian Education System and in desperate need of alternative learning.

Whatever the case - they need your help.

Businesses

If you are business, think about ways you can work with Ozchild to raise money, give support or provide resources. Simply by making a small donation, it is helping children in Victoria.

Individuals

From being a Foster Carer through to lending your support in community events or volunteering in their office. Alternatively, if you have some spare cash or fancy a tax deduction, why not make a donation to www.ozchild.org.au.

Your support is appreciated.

P.S. If you like this marketing blog, then please feel free to share it on whatever social network medium you see fit. We love facebook, twitter and linkedin!

15 Years ago, I sat in the office of the then Silicon Graphics State Manager for Queensland, Mal Walker, and commenced a discussion with him to gain his support for the Information Technology and Telecommunications Awards. Basically, I needed a dollar value sponsorship for the privilege of Silicon Graphics presenting an award and gaining invaluable exposure in the IT industry.

He said, "So you have come here to sell to me!". I was mortified! I don't sell, I market! I was simply presenting an opportunity for Silicon Graphics to market themselves to the IT industry in Queensland and to gain profile. Then, my job was to ensure that they received the publicity and profile that is commensurate with their dollar value sponsorship.

We are 6 weeks into a new financial year. The market took a big nose dive last week causing many sleepless nights for people around the globe and housing prices are on the decline after a heated market that seemed to go for far too long effecting the sentiment of all consumers.

The Facebook's, Google's and Twitter's of the world, are rightly so, oblivious to any changes, because people are still flocking to their profitable billion dollar platforms that see the founders and investors laughing all the way to the bank. It's as if they won the lotto and the rest of us just keep putting our tickets in each week, in hope.

Have you ever been part of a truly historical moment?

From the humble origins of Spanish churros hundreds of years ago in the mountain grasslands of Spain to the arrival of churro makers to Australia in the 1800s, people from all walks of life now enjoy eating churros.

On Saturday 20 August Melbourne's Federation Square is host to “The World’s First Churro Eating Competition” at 12 noon.  The event will see ten dedicated churro lovers battle it out for the title and the $1000 cash prize!

This moment in doughnut eating history, organised by churro specialists Spanish Doughnuts, is heralded as the doughnut lovers’ biggest challenge.  The lucky finalists will compete by eating as many platefuls of hot, fresh Spanish Doughnuts’ original churros (a golden crispy doughnut rolled in cinnamon sugar, with a fluffy centre) as they possibly can in two minutes.

“This type of event has never been done before so we are very excited to meet the world’s first ever ‘Churro Eating Champion’.  We have received hundreds of entries daily from avid doughnut lovers via our website and stores so it really will be a close competition” says Michael Aldemir, Director, Spanish Doughnuts Australia.

Also, as part of this historical event you can enjoy salsa dancing by taking part in the “Salsa Churro Dance Competition” at 12.15pm, which offers a $500 cash prize for the pair who can dance while keeping their churros intact!  This promises to be a fun event for all, come along and be part of Spanish Doughnut history!

For further information please visit www.spanishdoughnuts.com.au

P.S. If you like this marketing blog, then please feel free to share it on whatever social network medium you see fit. We love facebook, twitter and linkedin!

Google for Small Business

If you haven’t sent off your details to be included in the latest social network craze, Google , then you should do so – immediately!

With more than 25 million people joining in the first month, since its launch at the end of June, Google may very well, become the most successful social network of all time.

I have a headache - but hey, who hasn't? With GFC, natural disasters and market crash after crash - I have to say, I have now stopped worrying about the small stuff and am trying, in vein, to not feel anything when another bout of bad news comes my way.

The US debt issue is bigger than one can imagine. It not only effects the US, but the entire global economy. To find out that our Australian dollar has fallen prey and is now on par again with the US dollar is incredibly disappointing. I have just found out how easy it is to buy everything and sundry online from the US and save big time. I now feel guilty every time I make a purchase in a store locally, because I know that I am being royally screwed when it comes to price.

Interesting to find that salesforce.com is listed as the world's biggest innovator by Forbes Magazine. I remember when the company first came to Australia, my good friend and someone who has been an amazing mentor to me Ad Nederlof told me all about the company as he is one of the world's most famous CRM pioneers. I kind of forgot about how big they really are until I read the story. Check it out on www.forbes.com Innovators - The Nifty 50.

P.S. If you like this marketing blog, then please feel free to share it on whatever social network medium you see fit. We love facebook, twitter and linkedin!

I've written pages and pages of notes whilst lying by the pool. I have recorded podcast after podcast in my hotel room whilst awaiting dinner engagements, meeting up with friends or going to the beach. And, I've written a new business plan, marketing strategy and information memorandum - all in one week.

Now, that may not seem like a holiday to most people, but as an entrepreneur, having a holiday is more about letting my body relax and freeing my mind from any stresses. If ideas and innovations flow from being in this relaxed state, then jotting down some notes, really isn't too difficult at all.

Being a statistic for failure isn’t much fun-let’s face it. I don’t like the idea, and I bet you aren’t too keen on it either. And when it come to small business, or any business or cause for that matter it is best to avoid it like the plague. This leads me to wonder why so many businesses out there do not invest in a solid online marketing strategy of an effective website.

Put simply- no business will survive without a good website. However, what is most surprising to me is not how bad some websites actually are but in fact how easily these website short comings or problems can be fixed.

Having had a browse around various small business websites recently it occurred to me the magic a good website can do for a small business.