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You’re a marketer taking seventeen clients to a restaurant and you want the evening to be unforgettable.  What do you do?

Marketer extraordinaire, Cara Tobias Ingram, always seems to come up with a novel twist to make occasions unforgettable.  Last week, in Winter Haven, Florida she chartered a bus to take her client group to The Ravenous Pig, a high-end restaurant.  Upon entering the bus Cara gave a pig mask and pig tail each attendee.  Push on the pig nose and an “oink” sound came out…imagine the laughter and noise as the bus made it’s way to the restaurant!  They laughed and giggled throughout the evening…and that, in and of itself, pretty much assures a successful event. 

Upon arrival at the restaurant, the “piggy” diners made a memorable entrance delighting themselves, the restaurant staff, and other diners.  As those of you who’ve read Marketing By Delight will remember, Cara has developed quite a reputation for pulling off quirky, but delightful and memorable events. 

The key is to somehow tie the delightful quirkiness to the overall theme, in this case the restaurant name.  Years from now, every person at that restaurant will recall the good time they had this evening, and will, of course, remember Cara.  I should say that Cara is always careful not to just be quirky but classy as well.  Every event she puts on has a high-end, quality flavor and that’s an important aspect of MBD.

After the event Cara was able to get more mileage in two ways: She sent a picture to her industry newspaper and it was published.  Then she sent a greeting card to each attendee with a picture of the “pig-faced” group uploaded into the card (www.sendoutcards.com/bobingram).  What do you think her clients will do with those cards?  My bet is that they will place the card somewhere in their office and are likely to look at it many times which conjers up good vibes about the evening well into the future.

The lessson here is to abandon your fear of being different and unleash your creativity.  Do you have a client event coming up?  Is there a way you can transform the event from plain vanilla to something exotic and memorable?  Marketing by Delight is not a difficult concept.  It’s a mindset, as I’ve said many times.  Adopt an MBD mindset and, like Cara, the ideas will flow to you.

Remember The Ravenous Pig story when your next event comes up and follow your inspiration! 

It’s the middle of the 5th inning.  The first half of the year is in the books.  This week is the first week of the second half.  Yeah, so what, you might say. Why is that worth noting, Captain Obvious?

Well, based upon my own unscientific observations, we humans seem to think, work, and function in spurts.  Waves, tides, whatever you call it.  I call it spurts.  We work in spurts.  It appears to be natures way.

How was the first half of 2009 for you?  You probably had some productive spurts of work and others that weren’t so productive.  Mine was a mixed bag, with some challenges as well as joyeous times.  As for progress in my business world, I am gaining strength.  How about you?  Where did you make progress?  Where do you want to make more?

I ask these questions because I want you to succeed and be happy.  It’s good to reflect at the half year marker.  I’m following my own advice and that’s not always the case! Thanks to the inspiration of two great friends I am building my Dream Book to help keep reminding my subconscious that I’ve already achieved my goals.

What did you feed your brain over the first 4 and 1/2 innings of 2009?  Did you bombard yourself with positive tapes, CDs, and books?  Or did you zone out on news, reality shows, and video games?  I admit it…I didn’t feed my brain enough positive fuel over the first part of 2009.  So today, I went to Borders and bought a 43 minute CD on Napolean Hill’s classic Think and Grow Rich, narrated by the silky smooth voice of the great Earl Nightingale.  My plan is to listen to it in the car 100 times until the powerful messages become a part of me and I know it verbatim.  Madison Avenue is always brainwashing us with commercials, why can’t we brainwash ourselves?  You and I can actually pick something, immerse ourselves in it, and it will become a part of us.  What a power we have!

So, back to working in spurts.  Today, I’m sending you out a message of “go get ‘em” in the 2nd half.  Hit the ground running and expect to do well.  Remember, it’s all about passion, consistency, and strong relationships.  Work with consistency, make friends, and treat people right.

You have the power to do whatever you want.  Believe in yourself and imagine that you already possess what you dream of!  You will find a way.

Recently, a friend send me a video link leading to an amazing reminder that humankind is not the only species needing to make adjustments in middle age.  Like so many of my friends, I’ve found the need to “reinvent” myself as the world around me and my circumstances change.  It’s often said that the only constant in life is change.  We’ve all heard that, but the short video clip at the end of this post really put things in perspective for me.

Last week, I was called upon at a Toastmaster meeting to answer a TableTopics question about survival.  For you non-Toastmasters, TableTopics is an impromptu speaking exercise where you have to answer a question with a 1 to 2 minute answer off the top of your head.  I had just seen the video you are about to view so I recapped the process an eagle goes through in middle age and related it to what so many of us “Baby Boomers” experience.

Knowing and understanding that we are always in such state of flux, some state of reinventing ourselves to better cope with current and upcoming challenges is helpful.  It is the way of the universe.

Somehow, watching this short video clip made me feel as though some of my struggles are not only necessary but normal.  While I’m an optimistic person by nature it was helpful to be reminded that we humans are not exempt from the universal laws of survival.

Embrace change, embrace rebirth.  Enjoy this video.  It will make you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S-EX8QJZ0k&feature=related

Your Pal,

Island Boy

I’ve been wondering about something for a long time.

As a lifelong devotee of positive thinking I’ve listened to tapes, CD’s, read books and consistently fed my mind positive thoughts.  I have no doubt that I am a far better, more well rounded person as a result of my focus on the positive.  People around me generally view me as a positive, optimistic guy.

Something nags at me though.  Despite years of effort I still occasionally can “go negative” within my own mind.  That little inner voice starts getting louder…”you can’t do that” or “it’ll never work.”  I am almost always able to suppress this defeatist inner voice in the long run but it requires focus.

Two days ago, I was working in my yard, pulling weeds.  I never planned it this way but somehow pulling weeds unclutters my mind as I focus on the weeds.  So, as I worked I began thinking about this inner, negative voice.  Then I thought of something that has occured to me over the years…I wonder if Zig Ziglar, Earl Nightingale or the other giants of the self-improvement industry have had the same struggle?  My guess is that at some point in their lives, they too, fought the inner voice.  Does it go away entirely for them or rear it’s ugly head occasionally like it does for me? 

I suppose that if I had a better memory I’d recall exactly what they’ve said about this issue.  I’m sure, over the years, I’ve heard them speak to this on some of the hundreds of hours I’ve listened and read their works. 

My bet is that Zig Ziglar and friends are much like me.  They put their pants on one leg at a time and they battle the inner voice like I do.  I’d bet they’re more effective in fighting it because of their intense focus.

Thanks Zig!  I owe you a great debt for all you’ve given me through your works but if I could have coffee or a cold one with you I’d still ask you my nagging questions.  Is the voice in your head too? Does it ever go completely away?

I had heard about Mike Boyle before I met him.  Mike is an extremely successful mortgage broker in Western Washington and is known throughout the Northwest, in fact, the world!

I was in the small town of Belfair, Washington a couple of months ago when I stopped by a bank in town to shoot the breeze with my friend, Marty who is a loan officer there.   Somehow, he ended up telling me about some of the interesting people around town.  Marty said I needed to meet Mike Boyle and proceeded to tell me why.  Marty had mentioned Mike to me on a previous visit and since that first time I’d also heard him mentioned by another friend in Belfair, who also told me I needed to meet Mike.

So, heeding their advice I drive the short distance to the highly visible office on the main drag in town.  Upon entering I immediately saw an attractive, smiling young woman greeting me in a most professional way.  I asked for Mike.  She asked if he was expecting me.  I said no.  She buzzed back to Mike’s office, told him a gentleman was here to see him and Mike came out.  He quickly invited me to his office and over the next 45 minutes I learned what an amazing man Mike is and the secret to his success.

In a word…Pens.  Yes, pens, as in ball point pens.  You see Mike has given away 1.9 million red, white, and blue pens in the last 8 years.  He has spent over $300,000 on giveaway pens and earned many times that as a result!

I know, doesn’t sound that special yet but read on and you’ll learn what makes Mike “Pen Man” Boyle a marketing genius.

Oddly, this story is linked to September 11th, 2001.  Mike had ordered a few pens shortly before that fateful day.  In the days and weeks afterwards, Mike gave away the red, white, and blue pens he’d ordered in August.  He started getting calls from people wanting more pens.  His business soared at the same time.  His never looked back and has built quite a mortgage empire of eleven offices by becoming the “Pen Man.”

Interesting story, right?  You haven’t heard the good part yet!

For three years Mike ran a series of contests whereby people could win prizes such as TVs and cruises if they sent Mike a photo of themselves holding one of his pens along with something in the photo proving where they were.  Mike would give prizes to whoever went the farthest from his office in Belfair, Washington and proved it with the photo holding one of his pens.  Mike has kept excellent track of the results with pins stuck in a world map on his office wall.  His pens have been in virtually every country on the planet.

He even had to involve an embassy once to resolve a dispute on who had traveled the farthest.  Two people were tied for the farthest distance from Belfair. They were both in Zansibar.  They didn’t know each other buit had arrived about the same time but one went east, the other went west.  Mike had to call the embassy to get clarification as to which location was the farthest.  There was a difference of only 2 miles between the two travelers!

I’m not sure I’m even at the good part yet.  Did I tell you that he rides around town in a large yellow, fully functioning fire truck?  Would you care to guess what is on top of the fire truck?  A huge replica of the 1.9 million red, white, and blue pens he’s given away!

Oh yeah, I said his office is highly visible on the main drag.  He has a HUGE pen in front of his building that flaps in the wind and draws every eye that goes by.

Mike estimates that 50% of his business comes from being The Pen Man.  He says that the mortgage business is boring and dry and that he wants to make it fun.  At times he hires 2 -4 “pen kids” from the local high school to just to all over the region giving people pens.  He instructs just smile and say, “here are some pens for you.”   He’s always smiling himself and always delighting people.  Mike gets it that he’s not really in the mortgage business, he’s in the delighting business!  You can see his pictures, pens, and read more about his adventures at www.northbaymortgage.net

As recently as 4 months ago I had not heard of Twitter.  Today, I consider it, along with other social media, as an essential tool for marketing your business.

So, what exactly is Twitter?  The short answer is that it’s a 140 character micro-blog.  People who use Twitter are called Tweeps and a message is called a Tweet.  I know…it sounds silly.  Even the name sounds silly but look beyond that and you’ll find great value.

First of all, it’s free and that’s always good!  You can set up a Twitter account in mere minutes at www.twitter.com.  You will then be able to “follow” others, meaning that you will see each 140 character tweet they send.  The same folks can “follow” you back.  As I write this I follow 520 people and have 660 people following my tweets.

Typically people follow others who have similar careers, hobbies, and interests.  You can reply to other tweets publicly or you can DM (direct message) people if they follow you and you follow them back.

Twitterville, as it’s sometimes called, has some rules of etiquette.  Like in real life, people are turned off by Tweeps who are obviously just on Twitter to sell, sell, sell.  A good rule of thumb is that you should only be selling 10-20% of the time. Like any other “community” you need to build friendships and trust first.

I have met interesting people from all over the world as well as Tweeps who live within a few miles of me whom I’d never met in person.  We even had a local “Tweet-up”( a meet-up) a few weeks ago where eight of us who had met on Twitter but never in person gathered at a local restaurant.   It’s no different than expanding your rollerdex for those of you who remember rollerdexes.  Last month I was interviewed for a 48 minute webinar about Marketing By Delight and my upcoming book by a gentleman who lives in N.C.  I met him on Twitter but we’ve never meet in person as we are 3,000 miles apart.

Twitter can be considered a “pointer.”  You can engage people in conversation and point them to your website for whatever business you’re in.  I sometimes tweet a message about the content of Marketing By Delight and people will want to know more, so they’ll check my website.  Then they can buy one of my books or ask about having a Marketing By Delight training session for their company!

 Lest you think that Twitter is something just for the young, consider this startling statistic: The most active age group on Twitter is 47 to 54!  Like Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media, Twitter is here to stay.  The genie is out of the bottle and Twitter is a tool that you need to be aware of and use.

Major companies now have a Twitter presence.  They do so because they can not only send out their message in another way but they can actually monitor what is being said about them by doing a word search of their company name.

The uses and advantages of Twitter are many and way too lengthy for this article to do them justice.  If you are serious about creative marketing you HAVE to embrace this new from of communication.  To get started is easy…click the link and sign up and follow IslandBoyBob!

Having grown up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. I know the feel of a hustle-bustle large East Coast city.  One of the casualties of crowding so many people in a relatively small area is a loss of the human connection.  Ironic, isn’t it?  More people, fewer human connections.  I’m not talking about the interactions with friends and family but those thousand other interactions with people we don’t personally know.

Ten years ago I walked into a large D.C. hotel to attend a black-tie affair with about 2,000 other people.  After parking my car I started to make my way from the underground parking garage to the elevator which would take me to the hotel and my event.  As I approached the elevator a good looking red headed woman cam around the corner.  Our eyes met briefly,  she smiled, and said hello.  I didn’t think too much of it at the time except to notice that this behavior was unusual.  Most people in D.C. avoid eye contact with strangers.  Women especially avoid eye contact with men they don’t personally know.  About 20 minutes after seeing this woman in the parking garage I settled into my seat at my table.   Lo and behold, out of 2,000 people at the event this woman was seated 2 spaces to my right.  The introductions around the table began and the woman introduced ehrslef as Cara Tobias of Portland, Oregon.  Without thinking I said, “well, I knew you weren’t from around here.  Women in D.C. don’t say hello to strangers in parking garages.”  Today, this beautiful woman is my wife.

I have since been very aware of the eye contact phenomenon.  I have since moved to Western Washington State where strangers routinely speak to one another and make eye contact!  This simple acknowledgement of a fellow human being passing by is powerful.   Looking at a passing starnger and nodding your head or smiling is a simple act of kindness.  Each individual acknowledgement in and of itself isn’t a big deal but cumulatively it is huge and makes a difference in my life.

What’s my point?  It’s this:  Make eye contact and a simple acknowledgement of your fellow humans as they cross your path.  You’ll be better for it and so will they!  It’s easy to do and as my grandmother used to say, “it’s no skin off your back.”

Last year I sat in an audience of 2,000 and heard SendOutCards founder and CEO Kody Bateman speak from his heart about “promptings” and the power of acting upon them.  He told the story of ignoring a prompting to hug his brother and tell him he loved him.    It was the last time he ever saw his brother.   He vowed to somehow find a way so others could act on their promptings.   His vision became SendOutCards, the best relationship marketing tool ever.  It’s brilliance is in it’s simplicity.  A simple heart-felt card to warm someone’s heart and your relationship with them.  Twitter is really cool and all that but 83% of people would prefer to get a card in the mail than an e-card. 

One of Kody Bateman’s oft repeated sayings is…Appreciation wins over self-promotion every time!   A consisent campaign of personalized, heartfelt cards with no mention of business, just pure gratitude.   I’ve had people tell me that their sales skyrocketed when they started sending out gratitude.  No mixed messages.  No business cards, special offers, nothing….just heartfelt appreciation.

I could go on and on about this topic so, that’s all folks!  Oh…check it: www.socreferral.com/bobingram 

In the ultra-competitive business environment we compete in, savvy marketers know the importance of communication.   The absolute best way I know of to quickly and inexpensively improve your communication skills is to join your local Toastmaster chapter.  As president of my chapter I have experienced a quantum leap in my speaking skills and seen similar progress in countless others.

A few weeks ago I had the honor of being the luncheon speaker for the Washington Society of Association Executives where I gave a 45 minute presentation on Marketing By Delight.  While my operformance was far from perfect I was comfortable in front of this very educated group and felt in control of the room.  This was only possible because I have immersed myself in Toastmasters for the last two years. 

Do you shake and quiver when you have do make a presentation?  Do you wish this weren’t so?  Are you at a loss for words when called upon unexpectedly?  Do you hope that you won’t have to speak in front of even small groups?  You are not alone!

So, you ask, what’s a Toastmaster meeting like?  Typically, a meeting will have about 15 members present.  There are two 5 to 7 minute speeches given and each speech is evaluated by an evaluator who points out strengths as well as areas of suggested improvement.    There is then a Table Topics segment of the meeting during which members have the opportunity to answer impromptu questions…simulating what occurs in the real business world.  This is all done in a positive, nuturing environment.

Guests are always welcome at meetings.  You can find a chapter near you by going to www.toastmasters.org. 

Once you’ve seen Matthew Lasko you’ll always remember him.  How can you forget a guy whose entire wardrobe consists of clothes with question marks all over them?  Even his car has the trademark question marks.

You know Lasko…he’s the guy screaming at you that the government has free money they’re just waiting to give away!  And he’s compiled all the info you’ll need to know to cash in on the government give-aways.  For a fee, of course.  Lasko sells LOTS of books with his very memorable zaniness.

Back in my East Coast life I lived in the same area as Lasko, just outside of Washington, D.C. in Maryland.  Occasionally, I’d see him at Starbucks.  Once, I saw him with his family buying their Christmas tree.  He always had the signature Question Mark clothing.

Lasko is clearly a practioner of MBD.  Everywhere he goes people point and smile.  He has their rapt attention.  If you’ve read MBD you’ll recall the story about Ben Franklin creating the image he wanted of himself.  Lasko is following in those famous footsteps. 

Sure, it’s zany and most wouldn’t do what Lasko did.  I’m not suggesting that…I merely want you to consider some semi-zany ideas to start. 

It’s all about creating moments of delight.    Check out Lasko at www.freemoneyguy.com