Brickman Blog

It's Worth The Drive!

When you have a local event, sometimes it's a little difficult to attract media mentions outside of your region but yet, when you are publicizing something absolutely fabulous, you might want to tell them all...it's worth the drive!!!

And, as a perfect example, the 10th Annual Monterey Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival is absolutely worth the drive! Come and check out some great entertainment...from Baxter Black to Paul Zarzyski to Juni Fisher and local Monterey County favorite, Mike Beck! And much more! Come by the Monterey Conference Center and shop at the Christmas Art and Gear Show too - something there's just perfect for everyone on your holiday gift list - - and the CDs of the musicians make great stocking stuffers, of course! See ya there!

 

 

Buy Local...Buy Local!

 Around Monterey, we've always said to "Buy Local" but now we really, really mean it. We're also excited about a new program that many of the alternative weeklies are promoting - it's their "Main Street Stimulus Package." I did my part yesterday. My husband and I spent the afternoon in Big Sur and bought a Christmas present for my niece (shhhh! I can't tell you what it is but it's great!) and a fabulous new book at one of my most favorite retailers on the planet - the Phoenix Store- check out the view of the Big Sur Coast from their balcony!!

Anyhow...here's what Erik Cushman writes:

Multiplication Tables

Building an economic stimulus package from the ground up.

By Erik Cushman

This is not a joke: One of the ideas being debated in Congress this week as a remedy for the current economic crisis is for the federal treasury to lend $25B to the auto industry. On the heels of buying up AIG and Fannie May and Freddie Mac, the newest cure-all is for those with control of the purse strings to offer an unsecured loan to Ford, GM and Chrysler to keep them out of bankruptcy. The cynic in me sees it as another example of a reward to executives who made really poor business decisions. If the Big Three had invested in innovative designs and fuel-efficient technologies at a time when they were selling bucketloads of SUVs, they would now be making a smooth transition to their cars of the future. Instead this latest proposal reminds me precisely of the joke that says to remember the golden rule: He who has the gold makes the rules.

It is against this backdrop that I am happy to put forward a modest proposal for economic stimulus being launched by a large group of alternative newsweeklies across the country. Monterey County Weekly is joining this group of 72 other papers and asking each of its readers to pledge to spend $100 this holiday season at local and independent businesses.

Spearheaded by Jody Coley, the publisher of the Oakland paper, East Bay Express, the idea is beautiful for its simplicity and impressive for its scope. This proposal rests on two seemingly obvious premises. That consumer spending really is America’s greatest economic driver, that the feds are not going to appear anywhere in Monterey County and reassure nervous merchants that their business is too big to let fail. Instead, this proposal says in the clearest possible way that if we want to help Main Street, then we need to go spend money there. The data is startling.

A HUNDRED DOLLARS SPENT LOCALLY HAS A PRETTY AMAZING RE-GIFTING QUALITY.

One hundred dollars is not likely to bust anyone’s budget this holiday season, but a hundred dollars spent locally has a pretty amazing re-gifting quality. According to the Andersonville Study of Retail Economics, for every dollar spent at a local and independent business, 68 cents stays in the local economy. This is what economists call the multiplier effect – meaning that the money is then re-spent by the owners and employees of the first shop at other restaurants, clothing stores, rug vendors, aestheticians, pet stores, bars, spas, gift stores, dentists, computer stores, golf courses, auto mechanics and massage therapists. By contrast that same dollar spent at Target, Wal-Mart or Best Buy re-circulates only 43 cents. The difference between shopping locally and at a chain store is a 58 percent increase in the multiplier.

Readers familiar with the Weekly will notice that the vast majority of the advertisers in these pages are local and independently owned businesses. That same model holds true at the other 72 newspapers participating in this holiday pledge drive. By combining the Weekly’s print and online readership together with the other papers across the country, the total audience is 17.5 million readers. If you, and all the others reading this, spend just $100 each in the next five weeks, the total holiday spending will be $1.75 billion. That money spent at local retailers, restaurants and service providers multiplies into $2.9 billion – $437 million more than if the money went only to Amazon.com or Costco.

“This is an incredibly exciting and unprecedented effort by the press to reach out and work with the local economic development community,” says Erin Kilmer-Neel, of the American Independent Business Alliance. “This can be a perfect partnership – local, independently owned publications helping other local indie businesses in their community toward positive economic change.”

Adds Kilmer-Neel: “When people choose to shop at locally owned, independent businesses in their communities, they are re-circulating dollars in those communities, supporting more local jobs, keeping their neighborhoods interesting and unique and reducing their carbon footprints.

“People came out in the millions two weeks ago to make change by voting. Conscious shopping, like voting, is a powerful way to make change. Collectively, we will continue to spend billions and billions of dollars as we shop throughout our lives – imagine the power that this money can have if each one of us tries to be conscious about where it goes.”

The absence of publicly traded media corporations in this effort is no accident – the list does, however, provide a pretty good snapshot of America’s urban communities. I would urge that if you have family and friends in any of these cities, contact them and encourage them to participate in this grassroots economic stimulus package. It’s no $25 billion for auto executives. But to the owners and employees of the shops in these communities, it’s a lot more important.

ERIK CUSHMAN is the publisher of the Monterey County Weekly

The Holidays Are Here!

Admittedly, this is going to be an unusual holiday season with the economic news bombarding us daily. However, it's not time to slack off on publicity and marketing...and also networking. Check out what our Professional Women's Network has lined up this year. If you're in the area, come on down!

Attention PWN Members, friends and colleagues! Come to the Annual PWN Holiday Luncheon!

The cost is $25 per person for a delicious luncheon for both members and non-members. RSVP and pre-payment should be received no later than Wednesday, November 26, 2008, and can be made at in the Store on the organization’s website: www.PWNMonterey.org. 

Instead of an evening meeting in December, we'll be holding a fun and festive Annual Holiday Luncheon on Wednesday, December 3rd from 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM at the Hyatt Regency Monterey, located at 1 Old Golf Course Road (lower conference center area), in Monterey.

During this special event, a special donation will be made by PWN to the MPC Women Supporting Women Program.  Be sure to join us for this very special networking holiday event!

Larry Wilde's Poem

Nationally respected humorist, Larry Wilde, was thoughtful enough to write a poem to honor me at the recent Professional Women's Network Woman of the Year event. I was so thrilled to be selected as the 2008 Woman of the Year and the 120 guests at the event loved the evening of networking, silent auction, and speeches. Larry Wilde's poem was the absolute highlight...and of course, I've publicized it to family and friends and colleagues. Great PR strategy!!!

Wendy’s Night

It is indeed an honor for me to be here tonight and have this chance to express my admiration and affection for Wendy. To say that she is special would be an understatement.

Wendy is the kind of person who gets things done. She phoned me one day and she said, “Be honest now. Do you believe in free speech?” I said, “Absolutely,” she said, “Good, I’d like you to give one for the Chamber Of Commerce.”

We were having lunch one day and we got to talking about the economy. She said, “Larry, never forget:  it used to be that only death and taxes were inevitable. Now, of course, there’s shipping and handling.”

Most people already know what a superb public relations person Wendy is  — but she has many other talents. Perhaps some of you may not be aware of how clever she is in financial matters. When it comes to money, Wendy has a brilliant philosophy. She once said to me, Larry, it’s true that money can’t buy love, but it makes shopping more fun.”

And then she said, “Remember, that the nicest thing about money is that it never clashes with anything you’re wearing.”  now that’s brilliant.

And now with your kind permission — to help Celebrate this wonderful occasion — I’d like to recite a little poem I’ve put together. It’s simply entitled: “Congratulations To You Wendy Dear.”

Congratulations to you Wendy Dear

The PWN’s distinguished “Woman Of The Year.”

Who wherever she goes brings lots of good cheer

Who travels the bumpy road of success without any fear

Who’s fashioned for herself a truly great career.

She knows all the media people both far and near

They all adore her because she’s very sincere

and tonight in front of all who are gathered here

Let me make this heartfelt salute crystal clear. 

And say it loudly without shedding a tear

To every single person who is her peer

At publicity and promotion she is the premie

This lovely lady we all admire and revere.

This incredible genius may sometimes appear.

Somewhat timid and reserved and austere

But being born a Leo in the astrological year 

Helps her to do everything in high gear.

Who’s known all throughout the atmosphere

As this planet’s greatest efficiency engineer

Monterey county’s most dedicated volunteer 

And without a doubt the world’s greatest marketeer.

to continue this rhythmical poem i must adhere

Don’t despair, the end of this acclaim is very near,

I promise, it will soon be over, have no fear

There are no more words that rhyme with “ear.”

Though this tribute may have smacked of corny jokery

And been spiked with lots of droll tomfoolery

I end this satirical sonnet sentimentally:

May your life be long and your conscience free

And assured in your stout heart for eternity

That loved by all of us you will always be.

Congratulations Wendy!!!  Larry Wilde    November 5, 2008

    

Big Sur Guides and Hiking

I just learned of an amazing business that shares the beauty and majesty of Big Sur with our local visitors from around the globe. It's Big Sur Guides and Hiking and the website is www.bigsurguide.com Owner and guide, Stephen Copeland, has provided just enough information to tempt all who visit his website.

In this blog, I always talk about the fact that great images are so important for marketing and publicity. The photos on this website, that reveal one of the most beautiful places on this planet, are very effective for giving the prospective customer a good sense of what they can anticipate. David Gubernick's photos show you what you're about to experience when you go for one of these hikes and they're simply dazzling. And, Stephen Copeland has provided a whole menu of choices to meet everyone's desires. It doesn't matter if you're from Los Angeles, New York, Beijing, Tokyo or Moscow...what you'll experience transcends language. These pictures will simply move you to call them next time you're here! Check it out: http://bigsurguides.com.

Let's Get More Productive!

I was just introduced to Ceboa and it looks like it is an absolutely outstanding web-based productivty tool. Anything that will increase my revenue, reduce business costs, allow me to conduct business anywhere, and simplify my life sounds fabulous. Freedom to roam - anywhere and anytime - wonderful! Effectively harnessing technology is one of the joys in our 21st century it seems to me!

Check out all of their great "A Day in the Life" scenarios that we can relate to very easily!

Here's a little more about it pasted in below...intrigued? They offer a 30 day free trial so check it out! Simply go to www.ceboa.com! Let me know what you think!

With Ceboa you can easily manage your personal and business information, client accounts, invoices, accounts payable expenses, financial accounts, business tax planning, sales leads, suppliers, business files, such as documents, images, video, and audio, and, operational information. Ceboa enables you to easily create shared information such as web-page content for your business web site and information for e-mail distribution. Ceboa gives you the freedom to be truly mobile and still have access to the client, business, and operational information that you need when you need it.

Ceboa gives you control of your business anytime and from anywhere. Ceboa provides web-based private and secure access to your critical business information. Ceboa's business management resources are tailored for the business needs of independent professionals.