— Rip Off The Roof

Did you know that half of all small businesses fail within their first five years of operation? The main reason, according to Jeremy Carigg, Regional Director of the Small Business Assistance Center (SBAC.US), is a lack of critically needed awareness. “Driving awareness in those first years of business is critical, and companies need to find marketing methods that make an immediate impact.”

Neustar, a provider of realtime information and analysis to the Internet, has just launched their Kickstart America campaign which encourages small business owners to register their domains using the .US top-level domain  as a great way for for small businesses to get online fast and promote a local presence.

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In the world of social media, TED is a big name: specifically TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) events.

Held this past Sunday at the Somerville Armory, TEDxSomerville was an amazing blend of art, music, storytelling, comedy, social action, jewelry, dancing, food, celebration and inspiration.

The theme was “Creative Economy, Sustainable Community,” and the content of the talks was divided into four segments: Protecting the Past, Embracing the Present. Solidifying our Presence, Envision the Future.

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My mother always told me that if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all. I prefer Dorothy Parker’s version, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit by me.” Turns out, Mother was right. This old adage appears to be the fundamental business underpinning of the social network Facebook, who on the cusp of going public is said to be valued at between $75 and $100 billion dollars. (Perhaps Mark Zuckerberg and I are actually related??)

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Fear is the new black. Specifically, facing and embracing your fear – that which is holding you back from achieving your personal and professional goals.

Fear is not new to the American experience. Franklin Roosevelt declared in his 1933 inaugural address, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself” yet there was much to fear, or to be seriously concerned about.  Deep into the Great Depression, millions of Americans were out of work and without benefit of social or government resources. Nazism was on the rise in Europe with its xenophobic and fascist underpinning.  Roosevelt was concerned that the country was irrationally afraid of “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror” which is why he extolled the nation to not fear, fear.

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Last week was a busy one for conferences with many of my fellow Bostonians traveling west for the lights of LA and Blog World, while a small group of us spent two intensive days at the Harvard Faculty Club (also known as a reverse Zuckerberg) for the 6th Annual Society for New Communications Research Symposium & Awards Gala.

The Society for New Communications Research, or SNCR is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation/think tank focused on the advanced study of the latest developments in new media & communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society – and IMHO – a Mecca for research geeks like myself.

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Arists for Humanity in South Boston was transformed into an upscale marketplace where 250 Boston food lovers gathered to celebrate local chefs and restaurants for their commitment to local produce and farming, and to enjoy an evening of food, drink and sustainability.

Sustainable food is defined as safe, healthy and nutritious, having been raised or grown in an environment that limits production and processing, while being respectful of animal health and welfare.  Sustainable food is also grown or raised local to where it is sold.

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 Monday was a glorious New England fall day – a  great backdrop to the Awareness Exploring Social  Media Business Media Summit. This one-day event  featured many high profile social media  practitioners on the stage and in the audience.

The content spanned from the strategic, complete  with actionable steps on how companies can build  scalable social business programs, to the tactical,  showing businesses how they can improve blogs.   That session offered tips on writing more  impactful headlines by incorporating the following  techniques in choosing words:

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“There’s something happening here  What it is ain’t exactly clear            There’s a man with a gun over there, Telling me I got to beware              I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound, everybody look what’s going down”                                                     (1967, Vietnam war protest song.)

So what is happening in Boston?

Motivated by the actions of Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Boston (part of the 99 Percent Movement) was established two weeks ago.  What the participants share in common is frustration with government policies and remediations which have resulted in high unemployment rates and home foreclosures, and have helped to create an even bigger divide between the rich and poor in America.

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Barely a year ago the daily deal market was the hottest ticket in town.  Google offered to acquire Groupon for $5.3 billion and that market became flooded with competitors from LivingSocial to tons of copycat sites – all offering a daily deal.  Success for both vendors and merchandisers alike was considered a done deal.

So what happened?  There’s been much written lately about these deals, and almost none of it good news for merchants. Here are a few of the many valid reasons why merchants have turned cold on the daily deal market.

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The only thing I love more than clothes and shoes is discounted clothes and shoes. And my favorite store to find both was Loehmanns.  My affection for Loehmanns goes back many years to when I was a young shopper in Westchester, NY.  My mother and I would ready ourselves for a day of scavenging the racks, stripping and trying on clothes in an open dressing room; the only one I’ve ever encountered.

Many years later I moved to Boston, then to the suburbs, and Loehmanns, like a good friend, followed.  Shopping excursions to Loehmanns were approached with military procession:  identify targets;  secure targets;  leave with  self image and wallet intact.  And the bargains, TDF!!   In fact, it was a competition amongst friends to see who could save the most over department stores prices. 

Not only were the prices great, the salespeople at the Natick, MA, Loehmann’s store were exceptional. Having professional salespeople at high-end stores like Nordstroms or Neiman Marcus is expected. However, it is highly unusual for a discount chain to have quality sales people and very low turnover.

It is for all of these reason the the closing of the Loehmanns in Natick last year was truly a sad day for me.  I knew I’d miss my Gold Member status and Insider coupons that were sent to me in the mail on a regular basis.

Except, Loehmann’s keeps sending them to me.

The “Share the Secret” direct mail piece really got my attention. Receiving a glossy black envelope with promise of 20% of all my purchases from 9/22-9/26 and asking me to “Share the Secret”of a 5-day sale with my friends an family made me wonder:  Does Loehmann’s not know they closed their last store in Massachusetts over a year ago? Is it a secret?

Perhaps Loehmann’s launched an ecommerce website where I can apply my coupons towards their discounted fashions?

While Loehmann’s has a nice website as well as an active Twitter  and Facebook fan page, what they don’t have is a website set up for ecommerce where I can purchase clothes and uses my coupons.

Sending direct mail pieces to customers in a state where a store no longer exists is not just a waste of money, postage and the piece itself, it is a reminder to Loehmann’s most loyal customers that they can no longer take advantage of all that Loehmann’s has to offer.

Every channel your brand uses to communicate with your customer, and every interaction point you have with them is important.  You took the store away from me.  But you keep reminding me that they exist – only not where I can shop.  So, to answer your question, no, but I wish I could.


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