Just Blogging

Ron Maier Jr. asked:




Merchandising used to be thought of as a waste of money for businesses running on a small budget. Attractive displays were reserved for the wealthy and successful large chain stores. Today, there are more small businesses than ever and you’ve got to find a way to get ahead. You need to make yourself unique and special in every way possible. The way to do that is to pay attention to detail. Brand your image and attract attention at the same time by concentrating on merchandising as an important part of your marketing plan.

Figure out what unique services and products you have to offer and push those ideas and products. Be sure to deliver on all the promises that you make and stick to your specific company theme. Choose racks and floor plans that match your retail marketing plan. Keeping your theme in mind, you can choose chrome, black, brushed nickel or other metals for your display racks. Design your walls and counters to match every aspect of the store.

Small details should play an important role as well. Even your clothes hangers can attract customers, entice them to spend more money, display your items in a positive light and encourage customers to return. High-quality wooden hangers give the impression of timelessness and longevity of the product. Live up to your customer’s expectations by providing quality details around every corner.

Your signs and promotions should represent the feelings and impressions that you would like to convey about your business. High-end stores shouldn’t use cheap-looking signs or bad copy flyers. This can reflect on your business and turn the customer off. Stick to high quality, sturdy, well printed materials when you have a promotion or sale.

A lack of lighting or even improper lighting can turn customers away or they’ll simply not notice your store. You’ve spent the money on your location, space and merchandise, now concentrate on the details. Lighting is an important part of your shopping environment. Do you want your customers excited or relaxed? Do you want to highlight certain new items or attract attention to your sale racks? Lighting is important for attracting attention to certain areas, such as your display cases, but it can also be used to deter shoplifters. A dimly lit dressing room or dark corners hidden from the cash register are encouraging for thieves. Dim lighting makes them feel more comfortable and like they’re not being watched.

Keep your window displays updated often. Go with a theme that matches the season, promotion or event that you are focusing on at the time. Keep the lighting interesting and have a central focal point for people to focus on. Changing out your window displays often will help keep people interested in checking out your store over and over. Don’t discount the importance of all the little details in your store. You can’t afford not to.

Kimberly Reynolds asked:




Valentines Day is a great time for fundraising, particularly for school groups and small nonprofits. Here are four quick ways to raise funds with easy Valentines Day fundraisers.

Sell Roses

One of the easiest ways to raise funds on Valentines Day is to sell roses. You can offer single roses, a full dozen, various flower bouquets, or delicious chocolate roses.

Each one can usually be sold at 100% markup for a 50% profit margin. You can source roses from supermarkets with flower departments, wholesale florists, or websites that specialize in bulk shipments from the major rose-growing areas on the West Coast.

Obviously, men will make up the bulk of your target market for flower buyers, so you should gear your marketing to them. You’ll need to pre-sell your roses or stake out some high-traffic areas to reach a lot of last-minute guys.

Chocolate roses are a great seller in schools and workplaces. They are a great gift that fits a good niche on Valentines Day. They are unique and generate a lot of interest. They are also a safe gift to give for non-romantic purposes, and they never go to waste.

Take advance orders whenever possible and have a central pickup point. You can also increase your results by providing extra services on Valentines Day such as gift delivery, singing telegrams, offering last-minute roses in high-traffic locations, etc.

Create Gift Baskets

It’s easy to create gift baskets for your group to pre-sell for Valentines Day. Simply go to a craft store such as Michaels and purchase the quantity of baskets you’ll need. Then do several shopping runs to major wholesale clubs like BJ’s, Sam’s Club, and Costco for your gift basket contents.

Create some baskets with a selection of wine, cheese, chocolates, coffee, candy, gourmet biscuits, etc. Give them each a theme and establish a variety of price ranges.

Once you have your samples ready, you can start pre-selling. Use a simple order taker form and collect payment upfront. Then, create the rest of the baskets needed to fulfill your advance orders.

Use a central pickup point or offer local delivery or UPS shipping for an extra charge.

Auction Valentines Day Gifts

Another great Valentines Day fundraiser is to conduct auctions of gifts appropriate for the holiday. Your choices include running an event-based auction, conducting a silent auction, hosting an online auction on your website, or listing your gifts on eBay. You can even do combinations of these four auction styles.

Some simple items to auction are the gift baskets mentioned above. You can also offer restaurant gift certificates, specialty items, business services, or donated items.

High-ticket items that you can offer might include spa visits, limo rides, romantic weekend getaways, and a night on the town at a gourmet restaurant.

Don’t forget to offer gifts for men such as sports memorabilia, event tickets, bottles of wine, etc.

Raffle Themed Prizes

Another way to raise funds is to sell raffle tickets. You can offer a selection of prizes such as those Valentines Day gifts previously mentioned. Or, you can even include some with a different theme or timing such as ski vacations or a condo stay with a week at the beach.

Raffles offer an easier way to reach a larger potential audience than you might draw for an event or for various types of auctions.

A raffle allows you to put a larger sales force to work than you can with other methods, but be sure to check your local regulations regarding selling raffle tickets.

Good luck with your Valentines Day fundraisers!

Chris Robertson asked:




Let’s face it: most small- and medium-sized companies don’t have huge advertising budgets. Traditional media, such as print, television, and radio advertising are far too expensive. And, for those businesses that rely on walk-in traffic, Internet advertising won’t reach the intended audience. Thankfully, there’s another advertising medium that’s incredibly effective for a variety of businesses: advertising balloons. Advertising balloons - also known as advertising blimps and advertising inflatables - are an incredibly cost-effective method of gaining the attention of passersby and turning prospects into customers. Starting at slightly over $100, the cost of an advertising balloon can be recouped in no time at all. There are several different types of advertising inflatables. Advertising blimps have the traditional blimp shape, but come in a variety of sizes. They are easily customizable with a company logo, special message, or unique combinations of colors. Advertising blimps can be large enough to attract attention from miles away, or small enough to catch the eye of a trade show attendee. Larger advertising blimps can even be lit at night to garner notice 24 hours a day. Round advertising balloons are also attention-grabbers. Again, they come in all sizes and can be flown high above the ground, acting as traffic magnets for a business’ location. A business can also buy a pre-made advertising inflatable, such as one in the shape of a hot air balloon that says, “Grand Opening.” Eye-catching shapes and colors are sure to attract customers. Similarly, dancing balloons (also called wind dancers) are eye-catching. Inflated with a cold air blower, dancers will delight both adults and children. However, they’re generally made with a light material that doesn’t hold up well in sunlight or strong wind. For that reason, a tarp should always be placed under a wind dancer. When you order custom balloons, you first need to think through the various elements that will give your advertising balloons maximum impact. Here are attributes to consider: Lettering: If readability is important, stay with a small number of letters on one or two lines. Determine the distance at which you want your advertising balloon to be read. For maximum impact at 30 feet, for example, letters that are three inches high will suffice. On the other hand, letters that are 12 inches high have maximum impact at 120 feet but are still readable at 525 feet. Colors: There are specific color combinations that will give your advertising balloon more impact. Black lettering or art against a backdrop of yellow, white, or orange is the most effective, followed by blue on white, white on green, green on white, red on white, and white on red. Like everyone else, you probably look up when you see an advertising balloon in the sky. Just imagine how much recognition you can get from your business from the relatively small investment of an advertising balloon!

Tony Jacowski asked:




A career with NASCAR requires complete commitment. It comes with working hours that are not compatible with raising a family. However, once you’ve settled the commitment issue, a wide range of careers is available on the NASCAR racing circuit. Among the different types of jobs available with NASCAR, jobs for mechanics, car chief, fabricators, shock specialists, painters and engine assemblers are the most pursued.

NASCAR Courses

For a career as a NASCAR mechanic, you will need to enroll at the NASCAR technical institute (NTI), a branch of Universal Technical Institute of Arizona and the exclusive educational strategic partner of NASCAR. At the NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI), you are provided with an education that enhances your career to the next level. The institute is the first technical education school to officially combine a complete automotive technology education program with NASCAR specific courses. The institute offers a range of automotive technology courses that will jumpstart your career as an entry-level automotive technician.

The following are the specific-NASCAR Programs:

• Automotive & NASCAR Technology

• Automotive & NASCAR Technology w/ Pit Crew

• Automotive / NASCAR / Ford FACT Technology

• Automotive / NASCAR / Ford FACT Technology w/ Pit Crew

• Automotive Technology w/ NASCAR Engines I & II

• Automotive Technology w/ NASCAR Engines I & II + Pit Crew

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program:

• Provides the opportunity for qualified candidates to work with NASCAR teams, sponsors, NASCAR’S sanctioning body and other motor sports-related companies.

• College and university students are given an employment stint in a ten-week summer program specially designed to give them a broader view of the world of NASCAR and the opportunities available in the industry.

The Job Of A NASCAR Automotive Technician

Automotive service technicians and mechanics have more complex jobs than a simple mechanic. Today, mechanics are required to analyze integrated auto electronic systems through complex computers and measure their performance on the road. An automotive service technician will need to study diagnostics and be high-tech problem solver.

You must have knowledge about how components work. You should have a knack for handling electronic diagnostic equipment and technical reference material. You should be able to use your technical skills to inspect, maintain and repair vehicles like automobiles and light trucks with gasoline engines.

Automotive technology has necessitated the need for technicians to keep abreast with the every changing world of technology, but at the same time maintain their skills with traditional hand tools. This change in the occupation has resulted in these mechanics being increasingly called ‘automotive service technicians’. Imagine the thrill of standing on the racetrack and watching the car you have nurtured hit the finish line ahead of the others. You will be proud to be part of a team who toiled so hard to realize a dream.