NR Market Watch

Ad Age is the principal publication for the advertising business and it regularly features some pretty interesting items and rarely gets back to some of the basics of what advertising is all about. But, you’d expect that in a magazine that speaks to people who make their living in that business.

An article reminding their agency and business readers that creative (copy, design, artwork, headlines, etc.) is usually a more important driver of results than media mix is thus a bit unexpected. Obviously some media reach an audience more efficiently than others, but were talking about what turns prospects into customers.

If you are responsible for your businesses advertising I think you’ll find Jack Neff’s article and interesting read.

Business start-ups face about 50% survival rates over their first five years. If your business has made it you should feel good about that.

If your business is finance, insurance or real estate you chose a business line whose survival rate is higher than others, according to this graph and posting in Small Business Trends.

Business websites have become the first place many people go to get business contact information. Does your website make that information obvious and easy to find?

We all still have telephones because people use them and yet many website hide not only their telephone numbers but also the physical address of their business. Here is a bit of quick information to consider from one of the net’s most popular bloggers and most prolific business commentators, Seth Godin.

Think Local Umpqua is the latest iteration of programs designed to encourage local purchasing in our area but it is a distant relative to a Roseburg Chamber of Commerce initiative dated 1927.

Jennifer Coalwell, of Think Local Umpqua passed along the link to an Oregon History Project posting about the then eight month old program urging housewives to reject peddlers and mail order operations.

As part of the effort the Chamber of Commerce distributed 1,000 aluminum “No Peddlers” signs. Additionally, H. E. Cully, Chamber Secretary, sent a letter of thanks to Roseburg housewives expressing gratitude for them being, conscious consumers and allies in the Confidence Promotion Campaign.

Consumers tell Big Research they plan to spend 18% more on Halloween this year.

The holiday continues to grow in favor not only for retailers but adult parties.

So, how will the average $66.28 per person in Halloween spending shake out? Projections in the Columbus Dispatch are: costumes $23.37; candy $20.29; decorations $18.66; greeting cards $3.95.

The most popular costumes according to costumezee.com are: the seven deadly sins, pinup girl, jersey shore, couples and Lady Gaga.

The holiday increasingly appears to be returning to its ancient Roman and Celtic antecedents. The name, Halloween, more closely dates to a somewhat more holy day, particularly in the Lutheran Church where it is also known as Reformation Day. That name commemorates Luther’s nailing of his 95 Theses to a church, on October 31, 1517, complaining of the sale of indulgences and other church practices.

That wouldn’t sell many Lady Gaga costumes, though.

If you use your smart phone for as many things as I use my I-phone, you have a ton of information stored that you would not want available to strangers.

Sure there are phone numbers, addresses, photos, text messages, memos,  and maps of where you have been, but what about your personal and business financial information. Is your phone carrying business information because it is  synchronized to your business e-mail system? What about business information on your employees phones?

If you have not set your phone to lock up with password security when it hasn’t been used for a few minutes, you need to do that right now. (If you have kids with cell phones make certain they have similarly protected their phone). It is easy to do and it can save you lots of grief, time and money later. Here is another tip; don’t use simple codes like 0000, or 1234, or 9999. Password protection may not be a complete solution but it is a start.

It is amazing how many people store bank numbers, personal identification numbers, and all sorts of private personal and financial information on a phone that can easily be lost or stolen. Remember, too, to wipe the memory before disposing of an old cell phone.

I’ll admit it: some days my productivity meter doesn’t hit ten. As I walk across the parking lot in the evening I wonder, how did this day get away from me.

Usually it is a constant stream of meetings, calls, and stuff, with little pockets of time not big enough to move a large task ahead. I console myself with the recognition that most of those interruptions are why I am here, and that some of the days I feel most productive were days I just checked off a long list of small things. Maybe that happens to you.

Peter Bregan, in his Harvard Business Review blog, shares his  solution.

Here is the short version: start by writing everything to be done today down on  paper for 10 minutes (I already do this, so no prob), then 15 minutes of easy, fast tasks -(e-mail, phones, etc.) focus on finishing as many as possible. Then turn off phone, close windows on computer, and spend 35 focused minutes on the toughest task (of course many tasks are computer work – so modify accordingly) and only that without distraction,  then a quick break and start over.

Roseburg area children of all ages are once again invited to participate in the tradition of the Neewollah Parade to be held Saturday October 30^st, 2010.

The parade will stage at the corner of Douglas and Jackson not at the County Court House.  We have changed the staging to make it safer for parade participants The staging starts at 3:50 P.M. and the parade will commence at 4:00.P.M.  The parade route is traveling south on Jackson Street to Lane Street and then everyone “trick or treats” on their way back up Jackson.

Roseburg Town Center businesses will have treats available for the parade participants.   All children must be accompanied by an adult to participate.  Pets under the owners control are also welcome.  No unleashed pets!! The event is free.

This is a way for the businesses to say “thank you” to the community for working and shopping with them during the year.

Questions?  Call Stacey Crowe  541-580-0683 or Janice 541-673-5356

Here is an interactive unemployment map of the United States from the Wall Street Journal. You click the slider at the bottom of the map to see how the unemployment rate has changed each month since December of 2007.

Keeping your customers is always important, but never more important than during a period of economic distress or heavy competition. Here is an interesting little article from Ivana Taylor in Open Forum discussing ways to hold on to your current customers.