The Works of Marketing with Ray INDEX
July 29, 2003 • Volume 3 Issue 7
Fast Company of Friends
Fast Company is one of the few magazines I still receive compliments of a tree.
For the most part my newsletter and magazine reading is done on line. It's not that I don't like sitting and reading - it's called T I M E. In an earlier life I was getting 57 different titles a month. Now it's a handful - Fast Company is one of the few.
They have a side-bar operation called Fast Company of Friends. I joined. You may wish to do so, too. It's easy ... and it's free. Here's more on why you may wish to consider this interesting site.
To begin, the leader of Fast Company of Friends is Heath Row. With a name as interesting as that, there just has to be creativity in the site. Heath is described as a "social capitalist and founder of CofF", and can be reached @ heath@fastcompany.com if you'd like to communicate directly.
CofF is a reader's network. First, it's an online discussion group, yet available offline, too. It's purpose is to "help each other improve careers, companies and communities." I find the word 'communities' interesting ... as this comes from a hard sell business publication. Not that community doesn't enter into the life of every business - it most certainly does. Yet, except for the occasional personality story where a strong corporate leader is also an active community leader, I don't think of Fast Company and cities, towns, regions, communities in the same breath. So be it.
Further definition of the purpose says this; "...CofF is to help readers connect, communicate and collaborate." You might think they've gotten cute with the 'C's' ... connect, communicate, collaborate. I don't think so. This is a serious business group that can be fun, too.
Yet., why join CofF? Even if it is free ... there must be benefits within this 'C series'. And there are. Including this laundry list;
- 'connect' with other business leaders, they say 'like-minded' ... my guess is both like and unlike, which is good,
- 'communicate' with 'intelligent networking' ... vs. un-intelligent is the drift, with a variety of different activities and special events,
- enjoy discussions - 'collaborate' - about a wide variety of current business ideas, thoughts and practices with others similar to you, and not so similar,
- find others by geography, industry and specific interest who you can exchange with,
- optional, is getting yourself on a CofF house mailing list to receive notices of upcoming special events and activities,
- post your own profile through a creation of an online business card,
- enjoy special pricing on a variety of Fast Company events, products, services - such as the RealTime conference.
The organization is about people. Sure, there are things and stuff that happen ... yet, those that belong, get active and gain say it's all about people.
"The Company of Friends has introduced me to some very valuable, helpful and encouraging people" says Suzanne Paquette.
"I love the idea of being able to sit down and have an open forum" says Richard Pascarelli.
Norm Stoehr says it this way; "I joined without expectations, except to meeting interesting folks I might not otherwise have the opportunity to rub shoulders with. I really like the people I've met ...".
CofF is a contact group. By signing up you agree to accept contact. That's the idea ... get back and forth dialogue going on business matters important to you. Online and, when it's fitting and works, live, face-to-face. This direction is taken seriously. Fast Company says "if you're uncomfortable with that, don't sign up". And they mean it.
On the other side, if a CofF member acts in an impersonal or inappropriate way, sends spam, makes a straight-out sales pitch, the group leader - Heath Row wants to know. Sounds similar to what's become a public issue for E-Bay ... where they are forced to monitor way beyond common sense. Heath gets to do the same - step in when the spirit of the CofF concept gets out of hand.
The online world is global. And so is CofF. There are "chapters" in many cities about the States and on several continents. From Seattle, Washington to Melbourne, Florida. And Shanghai, China. About 60% of these groups gather together live once a month. Some have expanded their activities to include special speaker events and problem-solving workshops ... all have informal knowledge exchanges and chat sessions.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have become a factor in many associations. CofF has SIGs for Arts & Entertainment, Telecommunications and Sales & Marketing. Since you've gotten his far in this E-zine, the S&M SIG alone may be good enough reason for you to join.
If you want to know more visit www.fastcompany.com/cof.
A FREE Audio Tape for YOU!
Because Ray Speaks ... it is expected he'll have audio and video tapes.
Why? To share with speakers bureaus, meeting planners and others interested in what he may have to say. So "yes", there is an audio tape. And he'll be happy to send you a copy. FREE. No strings attached.
The tape is a selection from several speaking gigs. A few case histories, some "how to..." ideas. And such. About an hour's worth of chatter ... some of it actually very entertaining!
If you'd like you very own copy, send an E-mail to ...
Ray@RayJutkins.com
with your complete mailing address.
Your tape will be on the way to you within the day.
Oh, when you have a need for a speaker, and feel a demo video tape could be valuable to you, just ask for a copy. Not much use for video these days - with the Web - still, we'll be happy to forward one to you.
. . . a loose Thought
So . . . You Think you Know Everything
If most of what you learned was while you were in kindergarten, you may wish to test your skills with this fun list.
EnJoy!
- A USA dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
- A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
- A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
- A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.
- A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
- A group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; a group of geese in the air is a skein.
- A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
- A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
- A snail can sleep for three years.
- Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
- All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
- All of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are stuck on 4:20."
- Almonds are a member of the peach family.
- An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
- Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.
- Butterflies taste with their feet.
- Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10.
- Did you know that crocodiles never outgrow the pool in which they live?
- "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
- February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
- In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
- In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
- If the population of China walked past you in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
- If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an average of 6 months waiting at a red light.
- In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10
- It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
- Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
- Los Angeles' full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula"
- Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
- Mr. Rogers was an ordained minister.
- No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
- Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
- Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.
- Pinocchio is Italian for "pine eye."
- Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
- Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.
- "Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand, lollipop" with your right.
- The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
- The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.
- The Bible does not say there were three wise men; it only says there were three gifts.
- The characters Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver in Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life."
- The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel it burns.
- The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.
- The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."
- The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube
- And a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
- The only 15-letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is "uncopyrightable".
- The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet.
- The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.
- The words 'racecar' and 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left.
- There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
- There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.
- There are more chickens than people in the world.
- There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
- There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."
- There is a word in the English language with only one vowel, which occurs five times: "indivisibility."
- There's no Betty Rubble in the Flintstones Chewables.
- Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
- Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.
- TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
- Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
- Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
- Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks; otherwise it will digest itself.
Now you know everything.
Ray's Product Offers
BONUS: when you invite me to speak at your special event,
conference, corporate meeting or association gathering, you get your
choice of 100 FREE copies of either my book, or the audio/booklet
direct mail package titledMagic Marketing Minutes!
Everyone can learn.
And those of us who've been in business more than a day and half ... well, we can learn, too. Many times I find myself being reminded of things I know ... and forgot. Or at least forgot to use. Knowing and doing are two completely different things.
Well, just maybe my collection of products is something you - or some of your team - can learn from.
For details on every product, and to place your order,OR to book Ray to speak and thus get your BONUS!, visit Marketing Products at www.magicmarketingminutes.com/. Or fax 1+810+815-2520. For questions on quantity orders phone Ray at 1+928+785-9400.
... another Idea
New business friend Gerry Sacks of Houston, Texas sent me here. It turns out this leading information resource from the financial world offers a collection of marketing & sales ideas. Still, no matter your business, you will find good material here. Offered by 80+ experts (including me!) ... visit ProducersWEB.com
"It IS What's Next!"
It's become known as "the story".
I've shared it with a number of health care organizations, a database marketing business, a direct marketing firm, a publishing organization, a DM association - and several others. And I'm ready to bring it to your group. (Visit It IS What's Next!)
When you have a need for a 40-60 minute program, I'll give you this different, interesting, meaningful, warm and true action presentation. If you want a half-day interactive seminar, that can happen, too. For your club. Your company. Your organization. Your association. Your school or University. Any group you have. At any place. At any time. For any reason.
It IS What’s Next! is available to you as a Keynote Address. As a special program. As an opening or closing presentation. As a different / unique session.
Interested? Visit the web site @ It IS What's Next! And E-mail me Ray@RayJutkins.com and let's make it happen. I look forward to hearing from you. Soon.
Thank you!
... and one more Idea
An eon ago Burt Dubin came into my life. And has stayed. We continue to swap ideas.
One area of common ground is we're both speakers. And, Burt is a "teacher" ... working with professionals helping them grow to masters - as well as new comers just breaking in to the speaker business.
To learn more about what Burt might offer you, visit his exclusive resource and most interesting web site. Plus, you may wish to opt-in for his FREE E-zine. It's easy - surf to www.SpeakingBizSuccess.com and take a tour. Or send an E-mail to burt@speakingbizsuccess.com.
Anonymous
There are stories of many - Abraham Lincoln among them - who failed deeply before success.
Anonymous sees those two words ... failure and success ... tied together;
"If you want to triple your success ration
you have to triple your failure rate."
"Quotes with Direction" has been a part of my web site collection from day one. If you like quotes visit the archives ... www.rayjutkins.com/quotes/. There's a new batch up every 4 weeks.
More Speaking of Speaking
Thursday evening, September 26 Ray kicks off an annual event for the Los Angeles Direct Marketing Association.
His opening night topic for this 9-week school is 40-30-20-10 ... Blast Off with Direct Marketing into the 21st Century.
You can go to the web site (Los Angeles Direct Marketing Association) for the complete schedule, or E-mail coordinator Bob Hughes (BHughes@bertco.com).
In November Ray will be back in Central Europe, teaching DM to those formerly behind the Iron Curtain. Watch this space for details.
Magic Marketing Minutes
What Direct Mail Can Do For Your Business
There are scores ... maybe hundreds and even thousands of ways you can use
Direct Mail to improve your business. Here are just 13:
1. Use Direct Mail to introduce a new product or service.
2. Use Direct Mail to cross-sale and up-sale your products and services to your best existing customers.
3. Use Direct Mail to reactivate those inactive accounts...make them a special offer and get them to come back again as a customer.
4. To make marginal accounts more profitable, use Direct Mail as a regular contact medium.
5. Use Direct Mail to get an order...for as little as a few dollars up to six and seven figures.
6. Use Direct Mail to build your customer relationships. To achieve more from your current customers - talk to them with Direct Mail.
7. Use Direct Mail to gain fast entrances into new marketing areas, to introduce a new opportunity, to go into a new marketplace ahead of your competition.
8. Use Direct Mail to generate measurable store traffic through special merchandising. Use Direct Mail as a traffic building tool.
9. Use Direct Mail to recruit volunteers, enlist proxies or to get out the vote.
10. Use Direct Mail to sell seminars and trade show attendance - to get your best prospects to come visit you at your trade show booth.
11. Use Direct Mail to deliver your company message on policy/ product/price/contests or other major factors to your sales force, your distributors or your dealers.
12. Use Direct Mail to raise funds, to solicit contributions for a special cause or need.
13. Use Direct Mail as a lead generation tool. To generate leads for your sales staff so they can call on prospects who are most interested in buying from you.
13 ways you can use Direct Mail to improve your business.