Entries from December 2005 ↓

It takes a big man (or a big moo) to fess up to some thinking that people disagree with.

We live in a neighborhood where all the firehouses are run by volunteers. I don’t know how we’d get by without them… they do brave work, with little credit.

One thing you’ll notice is how clean the trucks are. “Why are the trucks so clean,” a friend asked? After all, a clean firetruck isn’t a lot better at putting out fires than a smudged one.

The answer: Because when there isn’t a fire, the firemen wait for the siren to ring. And while they’re waiting, they clean the truck.

clean firetrucks

This makes fireman sound like a bunch of bafoons that do nothing but put out fires and sit around. Sorry, but that isn’t all they do. Who do you think makes sure buildings are up to fire code? Dogcatchers? Maybe part of their desire to keep the trucks in good condition comes from the fact that a firetruck costs something like $250,000 of taxpayer money? They better take care of them. Don’t just post to post. Put some thought into it.

As a scooter enthusiast, I like to hear about scooter tuning tips, and one that is especially helpful teaches how to winterize a scooter? Since most classic scooter owners take pride in their scooters, they will really want to read below. (My Stella Scooter just looks like a classic scooter, but I still have the scooter pride).

It’s a snippet about how to winterize your scooter from one of my favorite scooter shops and scooter dealers on the planet.

Step One: Protect from the elements.
Step Two: Stabilize the fuel.
Step Three: Properly store the battery.

Full details about steps one through three are online so scooter tuning doesn’t become a constant ritual. Protect from the elements. You drive a stella scooter? Winterize your Stella to.

Motorcycle winter storage

Have you ever taken the time to look at some of the search keywords related to your industry? What are people searching for.

In my case, a big one is PR Firm. From what I can tell, 7500 people looked up the term PR Firm during the month of November. I just happen to work for a pr company in Utah, and we haven’t spent a ton of time working on keyword traffic, but I think we should.

There a ton of terms out there related to what we do, including pr writing, pr writer, pr firm and pr company. Gold mine. What are you’re key words?

I did an experiement a few weeks ago where I put up a page about my favorite mode of transportation. The Stella Scooter. I littered the page with keywords and linked back to my favorite scooter shop. 20,000 people looked up the term stella scooter last month, and my site and my favorite place for scooter sales have now popped into the top 10.

I find it interesting that Seth Godin of all people would say that a lousy book cover would actually kill a great book.

Bad books are bad books, and there are plenty of them to go around.

Although, I do admit that covers can make a difference. Titles can make a difference. For example, The e-Myth. It’s horribly boring. Yet, lots of people read it.

Thoughts?

Thoughts about The E Myth?

Favorite Business Books?

I will be out of pocket for most of next week because I will be attending the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Otherwise known as CES, this isn’t to be confused with this CES or this CES.

For the gadget lover out there who has never been to CES (the Vegas electronics show), you are missing out bigtime. For instance, when is the last time you saw a 102-inch plasma television at BestBuy or Circuit City? Never.

With that in mind, CES often turns into one big brag fest for a lot of companies. They don’t maxize their time and efforts. They’re just there to show off new stuff with the hope that it will turn into distribution, partnerships, and more. They go because it’s what you do when your in the biz. They figure with 125,000 people walking around and a couple of cool products they will have great success. But, this is a bad marketing decision.

Why? Because it turns into exactly what it’s called. A show. The spectators pay for admission, get entertained, and leave. Show’s over.

How do you avoid being just another act at the show looking for spectators? Remember one very imporanat rule. It’s not a show. It’s four days of critical deal making for your business. It’s not a show. If you think it’s just a show, you’ll get a handful of spectators. End of story. Show’s over. If you haven’t lined up targeted meetings with buyers, press and analysts prior to showtime, you’re in bad shape. Why are you going? Sound like common sense? Then why are so many companies still in the “step right up” mindset? Because it’s all about the show.

Today is a significant day in history. Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith, the mormon prophet. He was born December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. I find this to be personally significant because I want to tell that he is who he said he was, a prophet called of God in the latter days to lead the world closer to Jesus Christ.

Those who receive the Prophet’s testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost will know the truth of the work he was called to do. They can also know the peace and happiness that come through the Savior Jesus Christ, whom Joseph Smith worshiped and served.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass;
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one starring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he’s with you clear up to the end,
And you’ve passed the most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

1934, Dale Wimbrow 1895-1954
Note: This poem is sometimes incorrectly identified as the Man in the Glass or The Man in the Mirror. Nevertheless, the message is clear.