Monday, February 11, 2019

Why Marketing Students Should Learn Database Management?

Graduating students have new responsibilities to deal with, manage, and manipulate data. With the advent of online marketing and increasing use of customer information it is important to store and understand data. Without the proper database management skills it will be difficult for marketers to reorganization data in a way that leads to more meaningful marketing results.

How Does That Skill Help While Working?

Lets say you are selling product "bubbles". As you source potential candidates you will come across those that are either interested in your product or have already made a purchase. That sourcing can come from any number of different sources ranging from content marketing to cold calls. Once you have talked to someone you should input the information into your database.

What does the Database do for Sales?

Tracking leads, understanding customer preferences, and following up on previous contacts makes a huge differences. Databases collect information that are likely to be useful for sales or customer service. As the database gets populated with information and opportunities it is possible to scan that database for resources as well as generate useful reports.

What Type of Information Should a Business Collect?

That depends on the type of business someone operates. One business may only need email, phone number, name, address, and purchase history. B2B sales may need lots of detailed notes that allow you to understand complex solutions and information.

How to Teach Students Database Management?

It is helpful for students to understand the broader reasons for database management that includes feedback loops, research, and customer impressions. Yet that isn't all of it. They also need very specific information on how to use those databases. It is wise to expose them to simple databases that can be created using basic software as well as industry specific databases.

"Get the Word Out" About Your Business.....and Relax!


Sunday, February 10, 2019

3 Tips To Pick Food While Dining Out

Eating out can reek havoc on your diet. The really good tasting stuff seems to be fried, greased and smothered in stuff you don't want. Food is one of the biggest battles for people who must travel. When you don't know what to pick then consider using three simple rules.

1.) Low Calories: If you are trying to loose weight eat lower calorie food.

2.) Low Carbs: Avoid bread and pasta.

3.) Vegetables, Protein, Fruit: Focus on healthy foods that contribute to the body in a lean way.

Small Joys- True Beach Bands

It's true that sometimes the simplest things in life make a big difference in how our day turns out. A speedwalk and a coffee run can be lots of fun!


Why Some Businesses Should Hire Marketing Consultants?

Companies are turning to marketing consultants to help them achieve marketing goals while staying within budget. It is said that marketing is 90% of business and without it you really don't have a business. Find an affordable marketing consultant that can help you achieve your sales goals while allowing you to focus on what you do best!

1. They Don't Have Internal Knowledge: Some businesses don't have sufficient marketing internal knowledge and should consider hiring a marketing consultant.

2. Focus on Core Business: Businesses should focus on what they do best so they can raise their income.

3. Sales Revenue is Declining: Misalignment of the marketing strategy or declining sales needs an improved strategy.

http://www.abelconsulting.com

Would You Die for Your Kids? Primal Urges Sometimes Take Over

At the very deepest part of our souls, before all the socializing, is the primal need to protect our loved ones. Our very soul and nature depends on the survival of the next generation. It is only our rational minds that have put in place other ideas of value that include wealth, land, and status symbols. Kristina Stratton tried saving her children and died in the process. Would you do the same?

Her children were at home upstairs sleeping in a California fire and she ran into the fire to save her children. Sadly here children survived but she did not. https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/09/us/california-mother-dies-in-fire-trnd/index.html


Of course we all say we would! Its expected of us to put others before our own needs. This includes our offspring and progeny. Yet it is a choice about who we are and many parents are unlikely to put their children's needs before their own unless they are healthy and aware. 


Healthy means living in the modern world and existing in a way that leads to greater growth of self and society. At the end of the day, it is the next generation that makes all of the difference. Our time has come but may of us don't know that. We are still focused on ourselves. 


I wonder why some parents do and some don't sacrifice for their children. The world is full of people who take resources from their kids. They may suck their feelings of safety or take their inheritance. It just happens as part of our species. No one really knows another's soul until they have everything to loose and that is where you see miracles happen. 

Saturday, February 9, 2019

How to Be Scientific and Creative

Scientific minds and creative minds are often seen as separate things. They are not! The scientific mind might explore minute details and the creative mind may experiment with new forms but they share something in common. They share that they are actively seeking to understanding something. The process of using specific data and creating a framework for that data to put it within context is important.

Scientific people weigh and balance. They use measurements to determine the strength between variables. They also seek out additional information to help "fill in the gaps". By learning the scientific method they can investigate ideas with sufficient confidence. They create valid and supported results.

The creative mind is more about creating forms and exploring the relationships between different variables. They are willing to think outside of standard wisdom and find new ways of seeing information. The creative person like art, music, and other exploratory activities.

The creative and scientific mind works best when it is in the same individual. One investigates in depth ideas while the other one creates new connections. You can't solve new and scientific problems without at first trying to find novel connections between the information. To be of a full mind requires the ability to think rationally and in unique ways.

Concerns over Income Distribution and Wealth for the "Little Guy"

Life isn't always fair. People with lots of money get an easier time than people with little money. If you haven't tried to climb up from the bottom you have no idea how difficult that is. Even people who work very hard, all the time, receive very few of the rewards. Those that do seem to be in "hot" markets and knew where and how they needed to spend their college dollars.

Let me say that the system does seem a little rigged but also that higher wages don't solve all the problems. If we pay Americans more, companies just move overseas and circumvent our laws. At the same time, we do know that those who are wealthy and in charge of such companies receive advantages by keeping wages low.

There is no easy solution to this and people who say they do often have no idea what they are talking about. They are either on the Left or the Right of the argument. No doubt we need to do something about how people are paid and how they are not. The system must be cleaned from undo influence that hampers small businesses and American families.

The first thing I might think about is how to ensure that American small family businesses have an opportunity to succeed. They should have some protections from being "swamped" by larger more powerful companies. A small inventor should not be sued by a larger company just to bankrupt them and take the patent.

That would require our judges to be moral. They often look at the fine points of the law and dissect in that mindset. It is hard to legislate morality. The judges will need to agree that certain value of fair play are important in society.  The rules should not be skewed in favor of the powerful or otherwise these rules just become part of the problem.

Businesses That Sell Something Unique Win



Businesses are competing for clients and trying to make things work. They are buying and selling products but not sure how to get the next step up from their competition. Small businesses should be focused on selling something unique in order to compete. Trying to compete on price and quality is difficult when you are not buying in bulk.

The other day I went down to Kansas City BBQ and had a great sandwich. This was where Tom Cruise was filmed in Top Gun. An excellent place to visit that has become famous for its food and the show. It isn't upscale and isn't the nicest place in town but does offer something the others cannot.

If you have a small business you will want to sell something unique. Something that no one else in the area has. You can do this by conducting a comparative analysis of businesses that may be your competitors and then offer something they don't have.

https://goo.gl/maps/ueEDiB3pFDx


Knowing What Type of Workout to Do and When? Growth and Recovery

The first rule of working out is to enjoy yourselves! Much of what you do and what you don't do will depend on whether or not you are having fun. Beyond that there are plenty of different exercises and activities you can do that will encourage recovery and improved health. I have created two lists that may be helpful.

Growth and Recovery: You are in your growth period trying to gain muscle and actively improve health.
-Weightlifting
-Jogging, speed walking, elliptical, etc...
-Sports and competition.

Recovery: You are sore and need time to recover. Some light activities will help you do this.
-Yoga
-Speed-walking
-Tai Chi and moving medication