Making the leap: Your first home as an investment in your future

Thirty years and $300,000. Those rather intimidating numbers combined with a commitment
to a piece of property and the responsibility for its upkeep can make buying your first home a daunting prospect.

While it does take a big leap to first make that commitment, doing so can literally pay off in spades as a solid investment for the future.

Derek Denier, a Nelson-based mortgage broker with Mortgage Financing BC says if you’re ready to settle down and build a life in the Nelson area you should consider buying a home one of the best investments you can make – if you do it right.

“Instead of giving your money away to rent, if you have some pride of home ownership you can build value into your property,”Denier says. “And combined with appreciation and principal
pay down over time it will really pay off in the end.”

For those who are questioning whether buying a home is right for them, Denier says the best sign is how they care for their rental property.

“It’s the people who really look after their rental properties that are great candidates for home
ownership,” he explains. “If you do that for a rental property and you’re a great tenant, you’ll be a great home-owner. You see people accumulate wealth and grow their net worth just by looking after their homes,” Denier says.

If you need another incentive to surmount that uncertainty around home-buying, consider that some properties come with mortgage payments that are on-par or less-than current rents in Nelson.

A recent report by the Nelson Committee on Homelessness showed the average rental cost for a bachelor suite in Nelson is $800 to $850, and people should expect to pay about $1,000 and $1,500 respectively for a two or three-bedroom place.

New local real estate developments like West Creek Village offer units starting at $225,000 for a two bedroom and $284,000 for a three-bedroom.

A recent mortgage estimate from one bank places the mortgage payments on the two-bedroom units at $1,045 per month with five per cent down over 30 years at the current fixed interest rate,
and as low as $845 per month with the same down payment and a variable interest rate.

West Creek Village project manager, Pat Davis said the development was done with value in mind. “We negotiated even harder than ever to get good prices on material and good rates
on labour so we can keep our price at a level that gives people exceptional value,” Davis says.

Prices aside, though, Davis says quality was a huge component in West Creek Village,“We didn’t skimp on anything,” he says.“We’ve got nice floor coverings, upgraded light fixtures and upgraded cabinets . . . materials that will stand up over time.”


He added that the units all feature a number of green upgrades, including energy efficient lighting and windows, and low-flow toilets. Like all new homes the units are also protected by the provincially-mandated Home Warranty Protection Plan.

“In the entry-level market, you’d be lucky to find a small 80-year-old home that would require a lot of maintenance,” Davis said. “This is new construction. So there’s no worry about mold, a cracked foundation or having to redo the plumbing. “If you can afford the monthly payment, you’re not going to have any surprise bills.”

So for those who love Nelson enough to make a long-term commitment to the community, buying a home need not be such an intimidating thought. Do it right and it can be a life-changing investment in your future.

Finally a solution to the shortage of affordable housing in Nelson

West Creek Village homes with pricing comparable to local rent

Nelson, BC – Pat Davis and Al Benjamin of West Creek Developments studied the trends of the real estate market in the West Kootenay region, and realized that a new approach to housing in Nelson was needed: New home construction of exceptional value with pricing that is comparable to local rent.

As the city of Nelson watched the value of homes increase, many locals feared their dream of home ownership was lost, particularly for prospective first-time home owners or those with limited incomes. The reality of having a sustainable future for Nelson came into question when local people started to realize they couldn’t afford the current pricing and began to leave the community. City council and many officials formed groups and researched how Nelson could increase its housing density without sacrificing quality of life.

Pat and Al of West Creek Developments paid attention to what the market was saying and what the people of Nelson needed.

The perfect location was found on Perrier Road within City limits and adjacent to Cottonwood Creek. With a location walking distance to Baker Street in hand the company went on to create a housing design that was much needed for the region. High quality, new construction priced at a level people could afford with monthly payments comparable to local rent.

Welcome West Creek Village, an eight home condominium community with easily accessible two-bedroom designs on the ground level and spacious three-bedroom living on the upper level. With 9-foot ceilings, vaulted on the upper level, solid maple cabinetry, custom built-in entertainment centre, wall-mounted fireplace, and elegant detailed finishing , West Creek Village is quality living with pricing that will give home owners the ability to enjoy the resources and services that Nelson has to offer.

As West Creek Village nears its completion date the Developer is creating added excitement and urgency by offering a $15,000.00 cash back incentive to the first three home purchasers. The incentive can be used for a partial down payment, to pay off other obligations, lower the mortgage amount or just about anything.

“I wanted to help people by providing quality new construction with home ownership comparable to local rents,” says Pat Davis. “This is a beautiful place and West Creek Village is a much needed addition to the community. We designed it to provide quality living for many different lifestyles.”

West Creek Village will be opening their show suites to the public on May 14th at 11 am. Registering for a tour is strongly encouraged so you don’t miss out on this opportunity. To make
your reservation or to find out more go to www.WestCreekVillage.ca or call 250.505.4820.

The end of the first quarter of 2011 – How are you doing?

THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2011 – HOW ARE YOU DOING? It is the end of the first quarter of 2011 and it is time to ask yourself - How is my business doing this year? The best marketing advice during this time of year is to review your Sales. How do you sell? What do you use to sell? How do you manage your sales? Do you have a sales / time management system? The big question: Did you make your targets and goals? Did you keep track of them? By keeping track of your sales targets and goals and taking into account trends and timing, you will be able to find ways to improve your efficiencies. The more efficiently your sales system works the more you can focus on attaining your goals and allowing for growth. Keep in mind Is this new to you? Do not let the fact that you are learning a new system bring you down. Learn as you go We learn by doing, and sales will always provide us with great lessons and opportunities to learn and improve upon. Set your goals, but don’t lose focus if you don’t make them.This is a learning process. Before the Carry over effect de-motivates you, remember, closing any business is one step closer to making your targets. Keep track of all of your sales activities. This will allow you to evaluate how to improve meeting your sales objectives. Success is achieved through growth - You grow through learning - Anonymous

Juggernaut and Selkirk College Team up to Help Businesses in the Kootenays

Kootenays BC, Juggernaut Marketing Communications and Selkirk College have teamed up to offer businesses a rare opportunity to improve their return on investment with the introduction of the 7 Slices of Marketing Success Program starting February 18th. This fun and educational opportunity has been developed specifically for businesses that are already established and looking for ways to improve their existing Marketing and Sales.

Juggernaut Marketing Communications has been working with local businesses for the past 8 years helping them to improve the efficiencies of their marketing efforts with a focus on increasing sales. Juggernaut has created a comprehensive methodology to help people enjoy the marketing process, increase controls and visibly see what is working and what isn’t. The 7 Slices of Marketing Success are what is needed to create and utilize a successful Marketing Plan. The 7 Slices are Sales, Direct Contact, Online, Publicity, Promo/Events, Advertising and Fusion. Similar to a pie a well implemented marketing campaign has a recipe for success. The 7 Slices of Marketing Success teach the recipe for success.

The economy is changing more rapidly than anyone can predict; new developments in technology, changes in consumer habits and opportunities to grow new market segments can sometimes prove to be too much to handle. The 7 Slices of Marketing Success Program has been developed to take all of this into consideration, and is focused on helping businesses have fun creating an easy to implement marketing Plan.

For just 3 hours a week over 8 weeks, this program was developed to be accessible to the busy business owner / marketing manager. It was developed as an action program with tools that will start to help a business’ marketing plans immediately, making it a worthwhile investment.

“The 7 Slices of Marketing Success Program came from the overwhelming need expressed by clients, and businesses desire to take control of their marketing and enjoy the process,” says Chris Holland of Juggernaut Marketing Communications, “Once you have control and understand the big picture, the details fall into place and you will see the success in your own marketing endeavours.”

Selkirk College is offering this program on Fridays starting on February 18th. The workshops are 3 hours long, and filled with the tools you need, the inspiration to make things happen and the motivation to keep you on track. For more information call Selkirk 250.352.6601 or online at http://Selkirk.ca/ce.

Here Scott Newland (L) of Phoenix Computers and Chris Holland (R) of Juggernaut Marketing Communications discuss the benefits of the 7 Slices of Marketing Success.

NEW YEAR'S MARKETING

I've been getting a number of requests about what would be the best use of time and money for Marketing in the New Year. Things are changing at a faster rate than ever, you need to be on top of what you did and where you are going. Are you tired of wasting money and having your marketing efforts feel like an unfinished project?

Best advice...

The 7 Slices of Marketing Success is a new formula for helping businesses control and maximize their marketing efficiency and it is being released during the perfect crossroads: the start of a new year.

At the beginning of last year Chris Holland of Juggernaut could feel the paradigm shift happening and realized that the marketing and communications industry was changing and fast. As Chris embarked on trying to find the most efficient ways to embrace the changes, he was continually inundated with obstacles and barriers that the average business person was facing. There were new opportunities on the horizon but there needed to be a system that could help make sense of these changes and obstacles.

Over the past year Juggernaut Marketing Communications has been developing and testing a new Organizational Methodology that helps businesses create an easy to implement Marketing Plan. This system takes into account the individuality of each industry and the logical flow of a successful marketing campaign. The 7 Slices of Marketing Success is a revolutionary new system for ensuring the success of a business's marketing efforts. The principle of the 7 Slices of Marketing Success is that every Marketing Plan needs to have a clear objective, purpose and goals. The 7 Slices are 1.Sales, 2.Direct Contact, 3.Online, 4.Publicity, 5.Promotions/Events, 6.Advertising and 7.Fusion. These slices work together in a prioritized sequence to make sure that any marketing campaign is utilizing all of the opportunities available.

“I was approached by a number of clients about how to help make sense of the new developments in technology as they apply to marketing. I always had a love for new technology and have been studying it all my life. Many professionals have offered excellent advice, but not many of them really put together a system that was easy to follow and added extra elements for efficiency and control,” says Chris Holland. “The 7 Slices of Marketing Success makes creating and implementing marketing plans fun and easy by helping business owners understand and enjoy the process.”

Juggernaut Marketing Communications has embedded this new methodology into an annual marketing review and recommendation package that will help businesses gain control and ensure their annual Marketing Plan is efficient and effective. To find out more contact Chris Holland of Juggernaut Marketing Communications at 250.505.5016 or email info@JuggernautMC.com. You can also find research on http://www.juggernautmc.com/ and http://juggernautmc.blogspot.com/

Fusion Marketing - Know Your Benefits

Before we start to explore the world of fusion, you should have a good understanding of your business, your audience and your marketing objectives.

You should have your mission statement and vision statement prepared for your business. Your mission statement is the definition and understanding of your business; it is a brief review of your company’s objectives. Your vision statement is the direction you see your business going in. Most people have a mission statement, but few take the time to write down what direction or path they vision their venture will take.

Understanding your benefits is also very important. For each section of your business there will be different benefits. Your suppliers, customers, staff, neighbours and community will all receive different benefits from your company. It is important to have an idea of the diverse advantages your business offers, and how they apply to each section.

As an example:

Customers – Benefit from you providing them with a service or product they need. Your customers may also receive other benefits such as information, interaction and experience.

Suppliers – Benefit from you selling more of their product. They also benefit from the exposure you provide through your business and your marketing initiatives.

Staff – Benefit from being employed, and also receive education, experience, interaction and growth.

Neighbours and Community – Benefit from you providing a product / service or increased foot traffic to an area of town or an entire community.

Yo Ho Ho, it's off to the Capitol Kids Series we go!

The Capitol Theatre and Bumblebee Toys Entertain the Kids of the Kootenays

Nelson BC – The Capitol Theatre joins with BumblebeeToys.com to offer a fun giveaway for young theatre goers attending shows for the Capitol Kids Series. Bumblebee Toys is generously donating two large wooden Venture Pirate Ships valued at $200 each to be given away live during the Capitol Kids Series this 2010/11 season.

Every year The Capitol Theatre brings in talented diverse groups that inspire the imagination of the Kids of the Kootenays. The Theatre has been bringing generations of families spirited live entertainment that have inspired and help culture our community. This year The Kids Series is hosting a buffet of fun and excitement for everyone. The adventure starts with The Story of Esther by Major Conrad Flapps, then to the International Magic of ¿Qué Bolá? from Cuba, Flyn’ Bob swings in with his One Man Three Ring Circus and the series ends with a wonderful interpretation of The Velveteen Rabbit by Kathryn Popham. This year the series has something of inspiration for everyone.

To add more excitement for the Kids Series, BumblebeeToys.com has donated two wooden interactive Venture Ships to be awarded live throughout the series to a lucky theatre goer. Bumblebeetoys.com has a mission to inspire the imagination and nourish the senses. That is why they teamed up with the Capitol Theatre and their quest to enrich the imagination and minds of children through live entertainment.

“We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful cultural opportunity with the diverse events featured at the Capitol Theatre Kids Series,” Quotes Neil Harrower Executive Director. “It takes a village to raise a child and we are excited to do our part by providing live entertainment opportunities to youth and young families.”

To find out more about The Capitol Kids Series and get tickets go online at http://www.capitoltheatre.bc.ca/ or call 250.352.6363 and when you go to the show keep a look out for your chance to win one of two Venture Ships from BumblebeeToys.com. See you at the Theatre.

Dreams to Reality - The Power of Positive

Two topics have come to my attention recently – Dreams to Reality and Power of Being Positive. I find these two themes to be very important to the life and the success of businesses.

I want to start with Dreams to Reality; I was recently approached to help facilitate a workshop on helping people take their innovative ideas and make them into a feasible business opportunity.

The first question that I was asked – “Is it possible to help people take an idea from just a thought to an actual achievable concept in just one weekend.” – without hesitation I responded with a YES. But you need to have a path, a plan and access to resources, networks and research.

As I create the path to help people make there Dreams and Ideas become achievable I realized that there is one topic that is not really highlighted in the “Business Success Books” – That is infinite power of being positive.

Sure there are many different books about facing fear, staying positive, but when you are starting out on your own entrepreneurial adventure this power is more important that ever.

Mistakes, research, the off handed negative comments of others – such as, “It’s been done and didn’t work or what kind of world do you live in” – obviously do not help, but it is the mind of the positive thinker that takes anything that is handed to them and turns it into a lesson.

Learning is one of the greatest gifts we have as humans, the more chance there is to learn and improve the better life becomes. The Power of Positive is looking at everything that happens as opportunities to learn.

One of my favourite philosophies is to congratulate yourself whenever you run into an obstacle – you run into obstacles when you are moving – so when you are faced with something to overcome, there is a lesson to be learned and a reason to be positive – you are growing. Growth is what makes us stronger, wiser and happier.

So when you are thinking of an idea, an innovative concept or a dream that you want to make real, it truly is the power of staying positive that will ensure success. Sometimes the process of staying positive will be taxing on you, the reward of learning and overcoming will make the success much sweeter.

Use the Power of Being Positive to help make your Dreams become Reality and Enjoy the process.

Thoughts from the desk of the Juggernaut

KAST Calls for Big Ideas

Business Boot Camp Helps Get Your Buck in Gear

Kootenays BC – On September 24 to the 26th the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology will be educating and inspiring young innovative entrepreneurs to Get their Buck in Gear with a 2.5 day business blitz.

All great businesses and employers started at one time with one idea, one person and one drive to do things differently, better or perhaps do something entirely new all together. In addition to attracting new businesses to the area a sure fire way to grow the economy is to foster, incubate, grow and promote the next big ideas in our youth. Anyone who’s ever been to this region knows that creativity abounds. Building on KAST’s commitment to growing the region’s economy and foster entrepreneurship we’re launching a new event to harness that energy in our youth and help guide that creativity into the next big thing.

There is no better time or opportunity to launch new enterprises than in an economic downturn. With jobs getting that much harder to find, this is the time to run with that great idea to do things better. While great ideas abound, the process of taking idea to money maker can be daunting. To ease that process KAST is launching the first annual Business Boot Camp for Young Entrepreneurs to help teach youth to consider the possibility of creating their own opportunities and jobs.

This two and half day entrepreneurship program is structured to offer practical and hands on learning from generating new ideas, developing them into effective business plans and ultimately launching a new venture. Attendees will participate in sessions that focus on six core components of business and entrepreneurship education: idea generation, vision planning, sales/marketing, networking, technology, and giving back (social entrepreneurship). Budding business moguls will learn first- hand from young local entrepreneur who just like them had the ambition to take their future into their own hands and launched successful businesses.

“This event will not only be informative but inspiring as there will be opportunities for people to find out how they can make their innovative dream become a reality” Quotes Chris Holland Business Facilitator for the Event. “Not only will you be given a path to follow, you will also have the opportunity to network with successful entrepreneurs and gain valuable advice.”

Open to young adults aged 18 to 34 KAST’s Business Boot Camp for young entrepreneurs will provide the information, confidence and push they need to start a business of their own and continue to grow our local economy while retaining the talent of our youth. To find out more and register go online at http://www.kast.com/ or call 250.483.5052.

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What do you mean - Distinction over Competition?

When developing strategic alliances and fusion partnerships a good methodology is Distinction Over Competition.

Distinction is what differentiates you from everyone else. Every business has its own unique mission, vision and benefits. These include the type of products you carry, the brand of products or that distinct way you deliver your services.

Competition is not a bad word, but it is often used in a bad way. Having friendly competition in business can be a motivator, but too many times the word competition is used negatively. There is a mindset that without competition you become the monopoly, which will then guarantee you success in your venture. Some believe the idea in marketing is to crush the competition until they go out of businesses, thus giving you more market share.


Distinction over competition is working together with like-minded business to highlight all of the unique differences that you bring to the same target audience. Even businesses that are in the same industry will have subtle differences. Two stores that sell fashion will have different brands, styles of clothing and shopping environments. Although these two stores could be targeting the same audience, they both provide unique experiences.

Attitude is very important as it contains a hidden message. If you are excited about the variety and different experiences available within your industry, and you educate your customers about it, they will appreciate the enthusiasm and most likely will return. If you are negative about your competition and would like to see them go out of businesses, you could potentially be offending customers (especially in small towns).

Today’s consumers like variety and experience most of all. Being able to have a selection to choose from and creating an enjoyable purchasing process will create a happy customer. Happy customers go on to tell others about their wonderful experience, while dissatisfied customers will tell even more people about their negative experience.

The Fusion Marketing model is based on Distinction over Competition, working together to create a greater impact and reach is achieved through collaboration. When implemented correctly, Fusion Marketing focuses the efforts of a number of businesses to achieve similar goals. By working in a collaborative way you increase your reach and decrease your costs.

GROUNDED GIVES A HUGE SUCCESS - AGAIN

Grounded Gives to the Kids surpassed this years target and raised $3,300 for the Kootenay Kids Society Family and Nutrition Program. Along with donating their daily proceeds Grounded sold $20 cups of coffee that were accompanied by gifts from local businesses. “It is important as business owners to support organizations and programs that we feel benefit our town,” says Sasha Kitch, “If we truly want to be a sustainable community then it is up to us to ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to succeed especially children in need.”

In two years Sasha has raised over $5,500 for the Kootenay Kids Society. Her motivation comes from need that we have to help others in our own community. As we discuss transition and sustainable community it is individuals and business that create fundraising promotions such as these that are part of a solution of action. Have fun with your business celebrate your mission and vision.

Fusion Promotion - Helping the Community

Last year I helped Grounded Organic Coffee House raise money for a local childrens chariety, this year they wanted to do it again, but this time they wanted to do it bigger and better. Here is their first press release for the event. I encourage everyone to use their promotional ability to help others. It makes you feel good.

Photo: Grounded Gives Final Touches – (L to R) Brianna 5years old, helps Sasha of Grounded, Jill of McLaughlin’s and Stephanie of the Kootenay Kids Society put together the gift voucher booklet for the $20 Cup of Coffee to help raise funds and awareness about the Nutrition for Families Program.

Press Release

Contact: Sasha Kitch

Phone: 250. 352.1712

Grounded Gives to the Kids 2010
This year the goal is higher and the benefits are bigger

Nelson BC – On Tuesday May 18th, Sasha Kitch of Grounded Organic Coffee House is once again hosting the hugely successful Grounded Gives to the Kids. Last year Grounded gave all their daily proceeds to the Kootenay Kids Society and raised over $2,000 for the Life After Birth program, this year the team have a bigger goal, to help bring nutrition to children of unfortunate circumstances, the catch is, we have this need right here in Nelson.

The Kootenay Kids Society helps families, especially the young, get the proper nutrition and guidance when it is needed most, at the beginning of life. Kootenay Kids Society’s mission is to help individuals, families and child care providers achieve their full potential through the provision of support, education and childcare programs.

The Kootenay Kids Society provides services and workshops about nutrition, cooking and food preservation which helps families and children get the food they need in the short term and teach them skills to provide for a healthy future. These programs work closely with local resources and businesses making it truly a community effort.

When Grounded was deciding on what they could do this year a big idea and a major project started to form. Sasha discovered that $20 will, not only help a family eat a nutritious meal, but they will also gain knowledge about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In short nutritious food and education inspire families to be healthier which directly benefits the community it also reduces savings to healthcare and social services which are major benefits to society.

This is an important issue as the challenges in life don’t exist in isolation, what happens to kids and families is absolutely critical for the well being of a sustainable community.

To help raise awareness and funds for this program Grounded Organic Coffee House and a dozen other businesses have got together to help create a win-win fundraising event. Along with donating her entire day’s proceeds away, Sasha at Grounded and other local businesses have created the $20 Cup of Coffee. Along with your delicious cup of Kootenay Coffee you will get a bundle of gifts generously donated by local businesses. When the call came out to help the Kootenay Kids Society, businesses didn’t even hesitate, the gift bundle is a booklet with vouchers for Candy from Pixie, Toy from Mountain Baby, Fudge from Cottonwood Kitchens, Flower from Touch of Dutch, Emergen-C from Natures Health, Admission to Touchstones, Climb/Try with Gravity Climbing Centre, Drop in pass from Kootenay Fitness and a deal at Tribute Board Shop.

“I feel it is very important that we don’t loose focus on the needs that exist in our own community. It is surprising to hear who in this town has fallen onto tough times and have needed help to get back on their feet. Some of these people have gone on to create major benefits for our town. I do this fundraising event to make sure that everyone gets a chance.” Says Sasha Kitch Owner of Grounded, “Once we decided on what we wanted to do and explained it to our business friends everyone jumped on board, we live in wonderful community.”

On Tuesday May 18th 2010 Grounded Organic Coffee House, 616 Vernon St., will be donating all of their proceeds for day to the Kootenay Kids Society Nutrition for Families; there will also be an opportunity for you to purchase a limited edition $20 cup of Coffee filled with gifts from local businesses. For further information or to reserve your $20 cup of coffee, call Grounded Organic Coffee House at 250.352.1712 and learn more at http://www.kootenaykids.ca/ .

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Fusion Marketing is based on the Fusion Model

The Fusion Model

The fusion model is the practice of having many voices saying the same thing, as opposed to just one. As an example, if you were to go to an event in a stadium or arena there would be the chatter and voices of many people saying many things. With everyone speaking about different things all at once it makes individual messages inaudible. Granted a very boisterous individual may get attention, but it will soon be overcome by the mass noise. At some point at these events a group of people will start to cheer the same message. They will repeat it together and their message will be heard throughout the stadium.

The Fusion Model is getting a group of people to start saying the same message so that it is heard clearly. When many businesses are all trying to get attention, messages get lost, while those who work together with a more unified message are heard clearer. By working together with a number of different businesses your message will have more power and influence, and you may reduce expenses, too.

The benefits to fusion are not just the ability to be heard but also the opportunities to increase your appeal, get more time with customers, lower your marketing costs, become an industry leader, educate more people about your vision and create a “WOW” factor.

Appeal
To have someone to want to come to your establishment is the goal of increasing your appeal. By fusing your efforts with other business, you have a bigger voice explaining to people why they should utilize your services. When one business refers customers to another, it acts as a testimonial.

Time
When like-minded businesses work together they can create more experiences for their target audience to enjoy. A group of business that send out a message that there are plenty of shops of the same industry in a specific community say that there is an opportunity to experience variety. There is a ratio of the distance a consumer will travel vs. the amount of time they will spend at their destination. Giving your target audience more to do will get them to come from greater distances and stay longer.

Costs
When you work as a group you have the opportunity to share costs. You also have the opportunity to utilize the benefits of your businesses to reduce expenditures. Contributing prizing, sharing displays and working for trade are examples of cost effective marketing ideas.

Leader
The best way to understand your audience is to do research. Businesses who communicate well with each other will share industry knowledge. When a customer realizes that you are a resource of information in your industry they will be more likely to refer your services or repeat business. A leader of their industry will know what is best for the customer even if it involves referring them to a competitor. When a customer is satisfied they will tell friends, if they are unhappy they will tell everyone.

Educate
From letting people know about your new product line, to helping causes get a stronger voice, you have an opportunity to increase the reach of your message by working with a group. Your service may be a benefit and complement another business; working together to educate your audience will result in smarter consumer.

WOW!
It is that goal we strive for when we are trying to impress. To get a “WOW” response from your target audience gets attention, and people have fun in the process. The formula to going from a good marketing campaign to a WOW campaign is passion and teamwork. When there are many people working on individual aspects of a marketing program they focus their enthusiasm.

Last year Sasha Kitch of Grounded Organic Coffee House gave all of her proceeds for one day to the Kootenay Kids Society Life after Birth Program. Sasha created a Fusion Promotion to raise money and awareness for a group that she is very close to. She worked with the business community, suppliers and the society to raise over $2,000 for the local family resource. This year she is adding more fusion partners and looking to raise even more money this year.

Stay tuned for updates on Grounded Gives to the Kids 2010.

Cold Call Myth

Throughout the years Nasty ways of motivating and negative experiences with making a business call have created “Cold Call” myths.

These myths present the “Cold Call” as a difficult process, which should only be attempted by those that are trained, experienced, have tough skin, enormous super sales powers and ability to deflect negative comments without wincing. There are many Myths about Cold Calling from “I don’t want to be like a telemarketer” to “What if they tell me to stop hassling them and leave them alone?”

What is important to remember is that a myth has purpose. A myth, according to the wikipedia.org
“A myth is often thought to be a lesson in story form which has deep explanatory or symbolic resonance for preliterate cultures, who preserve and cherish the wisdom of their elders through oral traditions by the use of skilled story tellers.”
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=X&start=1&oi=define&q=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myth

Anyone who has had a negative experience with making a business call will most likely pass on this information to others, specifically to people who will be making the same type of call. By passing on this negative experience there is reinforcement into the fearful aspects of making a business call.

A “Cold Call”, simply put, is a sales call. You need to generate revenue for your business so you must sell. This opens up another Myth about the “Cold Call”, that when making a call you are coming off as a stereotypical salesperson. Ask your friends what words they associate when you say “Sales”, they will usually come up with a list of “Salespeople” that they profile and present in a negative manner. “Car Sales, Telemarketers, Door to Door, In Your Face”.

There is one thing that we all can agree upon; profiling is not a good way to describe anyone. We are all individuals and we all have our own perspectives and ways of doing things.

In business we have to generate revenue to succeed. We generate revenue by conducting sales; you determine how sales will be done. The wonderful thing about myths is they are lessons.

Each myth or story you hear about making any type of business call will have a lesson buried inside.

When conducting a sale you are establishing a relationship of equal benefit to all parties involved. This seems to be an easy process but when first establishing the relationship there can be hesitation and apprehension due to unknown fears.

Passion a Secret Ingredient to Sales

I have three secret ingredients to Sales. The first and most important is Passion.

Passion is one of the most talked and written about subjects. It has been proven that passion is a key for success and happiness. This topic is too big to cover in a quick blog entry so I will be addressing Passion at least once a month while I re-introduce an old friend… “Roy”.

When I first arrived in Nelson I was blown away by the amount of talent and skill that existed in such a small community, one of my first encounters was with a much understated yet highly gifted illustrator Kevin Macintyre.

I love comic illustrations, they posses the ability to say many things in a very short period of time and the best have hidden elements and messages that are exposed to you as you grow with the characters.

When I met Kevin he was discovering his new world as he produced a comic strip titled “Roy”. The thing that got me excited was to meet someone with such quiet passion. When I first met Kevin I came off I little bit too energetic – but you will learn more about this later. His talent and passion are not visible to the naked eye; and I feel that this type of energy exists in all of us. When you look deep within yourself, no matter who you are, you will find your own superhero no matter how far you have to go.

I sometimes hear people comment about how they wish they had the energy that passion seems to need. Truth is, passion comes in many shapes forms and styles. Find your passion and explore it, you may be very surprised at what you discover.

I will talk further about passion in future blogs, but for now let me introduce you to Roy…

Fusion Partners with Green Words

A true Fusion Mind explores all areas of oneself and will find like minded / compatible people to work with. I need help with grammar, spelling and getting my great ideas into a professional format. For this, I use Anne Champagne at Green Words. She is very busy, due to her excellent work, so if you need editing, writing or research, call her soon!

Here is a write up about her business with links to her webpage.

Green Words Writing and Editing

Take one nature lover, add a genetic predisposition for good spelling and you (eventually) get Green Words Writing and Editing: help for the linguistically challenged, the wordophobe, and those too busy to tangle with dangling participles.

A 30-year veteran in the environmental field, Green Words' owner Anne Champagne specializes in researching, writing and copy editing words devoted to protecting all things green and beautiful. That hasn't stopped her from red penning everything from art to travel writing, psychology, scientific reports, fiction and poetry. She's copy edited books, magazines, a newspaper, websites, reports, brochures and ads and would like to do so for you. Crazed souls from book editors to magazine mavens have thought her prose worthy of print, going so far as to include it in a coffee-table book, Islands of Hope: Ontario's Park and Wilderness.

"It's all about credibility," says Anne. "What you have to say is considered more trustworthy and legitimate if it's clearly written and free of typos and grammatical errors."

Anne draws on her university training in environmental studies and communication, and college training in copy editing (a BA in Environment-Resources Studies and English and a master's degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on communication). She works with another seasoned researcher/writer and a graphic designer to turn out finished documents, ready to make their mark on the world.

Whether you're a non-profit group, academic, publisher, writer, consultant or green business, Green Words will do the research you don’t have time to do, write copy suited to your target audience, and clear your documents of spelling and grammatical glitches. At a discount if you're a non-profit.

According to one Green Words client, "Anne’s amazing attention to detail and ability to quote reliable sources for her suggestions and proposed changes are second to none. I don’t think you will find anyone more dedicated or reliable in the industry."

Green Words Writing and Editing
http://www.green-words.ca/
250 358-2666
annec@green-words.ca

The Marketing Crossroads – Time to Evaluate and Plan

There is a time of year when it is critical to make key decisions about your marketing plan. Now is the time! Every January offers us a critical time to evaluate the past year’s marketing effectiveness. Even if your business year-end doesn’t coincide with the “New Year” it still offers many opportunities for you to improve your marketing efforts.

The “New Year” offers a psychological reboot to the mind of the consumer. There are predictable trends that happen throughout the year, but a collective thought in January is to get into shape. This also applies to businesses: retail is clearing out inventory, tourism is preparing for the next season and manufacturing is constantly preparing for the next seasonal industry purchase.

No matter what state your business is in, start-up or existing, it is important to reflect on the marketing decisions of the past year, compare them to the actual earnings achieved and evaluate the effectiveness of each strategy. This will also help you to be better prepared for the up and coming year and you can improve your Marketing Plan so it will better serve your business.

Too many times when businesses are looking for ways to improve their bottom line, they panic and fret and react to marketing decisions based on pressured or hurried tactics. Many of these businesses do not have a controlled Marketing Plan. By not having control over your marketing or a system to keep it organized a business will end up wasting a lot of time and money.

People are constantly faced with different tools and methods to market their business and at this crossroads there are more choices than ever.

In the past five years there has been a steady increase and change in the opportunities available online. There are now specialists that preach the domination of this media as the new coming messiah of marketing. It is true that there are many new benefits and opportunities with the development of technology but these new systems are only effective when balanced with traditional marketing.

A wise man once said “The more means there are to communicate the more communication needs to have meaning.” –Anonymous

Online technology is growing faster than any other marketing tool and people are finding it hard to keep up. Business owners and marketing managers are constantly being introduced to and “sold” on the latest trend. This is causing a backlog of confusion and fear. People are feeling slightly overwhelmed by the opportunities now available to them and some find that proceeding down a new path can be intimidating and difficult.

The new marketing opportunities available to us and the beginning of the year make this marketing crossroads more important than ever.

To get started, do it yourself, and have an area, department, individual or time allotted each day to review and plan for your marketing future. Some people are naturals at this but they miss out on organizational details such as keeping good notes, having a logical plan that follows a natural flow and focusing on your purpose and goals for each activity.

Some businesses find that they do not have enough time to plan strategically and usually make reactionary marketing decisions that are not cost effective. If you are having time troubles this is a good opportunity to sit down with a professional to get expert advice on the best uses of your marketing time and budget. The key is to find a Marketing Consultant who has a firm grasp of traditional marketing but is also versed in the benefits of new opportunities/technology. In the marketing toolbox there are so many opportunities that it is important to focus and find the best methods for your business, taking into account the distinct characteristics of each industry.

Over the past year Juggernaut Marketing Communications has been developing and testing a new Organizational Methodology that helps businesses create an easy to implement Marketing Plan. This system takes into account the individuality of each industry and the logical flow of a successful marketing campaign. The 7 Slices of Marketing Success is a revolutionary new system for ensuring the success of a business's marketing efforts. It does this by creating a more fluid and easy to follow system. The principle of the 7 Slices of Marketing Success is that every Marketing Plan needs to have a clear objective, purpose and goals. The 7 slices are prioritized steps that when implemented correctly create a logical flow to your marketing efforts. The 7 Slices are 1. Sales, 2. Direct Contact, 3. Online, 4. Publicity, 5. Promotions/Events, 6. Advertising and 7. Fusion. These slices work together in a prioritized sequence to make sure that any marketing campaign is utilizing all of the opportunities available.

This January is a crucial crossroads for marketing and no matter what marketing you do, you should have a plan. Take the time this month to get organized and gain control of your marketing efforts. The most successful businesses have a very clear plan that balances what they will implement and what type of returns they will receive from their investment.

Juggernaut Marketing Communications has embedded the 7 Slices methodology into an annual marketing review and recommendation package that will help businesses gain control and ensure their annual Marketing Plan is efficient and effective. To find out more contact Chris Holland of Juggernaut Marketing Communications at 250.505.5016 or email info@JuggernautMC.com. You can also find research on http://www.juggernautmc.com/, http://juggernautmc.blogspot.com/ and http://juggernautpr.blogspot.com/

The 7 Slices of Marketing Success

Whether you are just starting your business or looking for ways to improve and grow your marketing efforts The 7 Slices of Marketing Success is an easy path to understanding the priorities to focus on and the efforts needed to make it happen.

The 7 Slices are 1.Sales, 2.Direct, 3.Online, 4.Publicity, 5.Promo/Events, 6.Advertising and 7.Fusion Marketing. These seven specific marketing tools are organized into a logical flow that takes into account efficiency in relation to priority.

The purpose of the 7 Slices is to give a clear perspective on what areas within your marketing you will need to focus on by providing you with a unique common sense overview. By following the 7 Slices to Marketing Success you will have a more comprehensive understanding of all of the marketing options available to you and inspirational methodologies to help you attain them. This methodology is a benefit to all types of businesses at any stage in their development or marketing campaign implementation.

This Blog will explore the different slices and provide you with new ideas and perspectives on how you can instantly increase your Marketing Efficiency.

Stay Tuned...

JUGGERNAUT MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Juggernaut Marketing Communications is located in Nelson, British Columbia, specializing in affordable marketing consultation for local and international businesses. Primary services include innovative marketing solutions, media coordination, training, special events planning, and HR/communication systems overview.

This company is the passion of Chris Holland, a Communications Specialist with a diverse work history and grounded understanding of the needs of businesses. With a degree in Communication from Simon Fraser University, Chris launched his career by creating a one person traveling promotional show for the opening of Science World. Moving into the raucous world of hospitality promotions, Chris spent the next decade pioneering new ways to promote, market and advertise using guerrilla tactics, fusion campaigns and hosting the grandest events on the most impoverished of budgets. The adventure continued as Chris spent the next six years in the corporate world developing sales strategies, resource/account management, professional training development, human resource consultation and advertising/marketing analysis.

Now residing in the Kootenays, Chris Holland brings his knowledge and experience to a new plateau with Juggernaut Marketing and Communications. The motivation behind this company is Chris’ passion to accomplish goals. “It is extremely exhilarating to have an idea or a dream and make it become a reality,” says Holland. “The key ingredient to the process is to be open minded and have fun.”

Juggernaut’s mission is to enable businesses to accomplish their marketing goals by obtaining professional assistance and learning unique strategies that work for them, in the process. Juggernaut aims to wow clients with outstanding customer service and ultimate client satisfaction.

Read, Cook, and Roll Around

Why I Love Being a Dad
By Chris Holland

Before I became a Dad, I researched, read, listened and asked questions on the best ways to raise a healthy and well balanced child. In almost all of my research there was an underlying theme; Engage, Communicate and Relate

Engage the mind – encourage them to think, this world is a wonderful place and the best way to engage your child is to read. Take the time to rediscover the stories you remembered as a child yourself and if you don’t have any memories, now is the time to create them.

I discover as I read stories to my daughter, that we share a moment together and as I watch her grew daily so does are relationship. I decided to shut of the TV and explore the endless wonderment of the human mind and let me tell you, there are a lot of fun surprises in store when you try this. From the crazy and wonderful mind of the Munch Man to the rhythmic dance of Sandra Boynton I have read more books with my daughter than I did in college.

For me, I was never invited into the Kitchen until late into my teens, and then it was more about survival than exploration. Today my little girl and I routinely create meals, bake bread and make cookies. I’m not an expert in the kitchen but by letting go the fear of the unknown and having a co-pilot to discovery, my daughter and I enjoy our time in the Kitchen, she understands were food comes from and the process of how it is made and I get to see what it is like to taste sugar for the first time.

I realized very quickly when my daughter was brought into my life that she is way smaller than I am. I watched other parents and remembered what it was like to be small. The one thing I remembered was this world was not built for children, bank tellers sat in towers, chairs were always to big, the underneath of the table was my first view of dinner and when the adults gathered around me to talk, I felt like ant amongst giants.

With my daughter I make sure when I’m talking to her that I make eye contact, this means getting down on my knee to her level to show respect for her current height. I also discovered that while your down there you can play, goof, laugh or just plain roll around.

The other day my little girl came to me with a secret. As I got down to her level she cupped my ear and whispered – I love you Daddy, you are my best friend, Thank You.

And that is why I love being a dad.