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Daily Archives: September 24, 2010

Retailers, break out the candy corn – Halloween sales looking up!

24 Sep

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.

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2010 in Business, retail

 

When your cell phone is an open door to your life and finances – who looks in?

24 Sep

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.

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2010 in Uncategorized

 

Overwhelmed? Can’t catch up? Try this plan

24 Sep

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.

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2010 in Business

 
 
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