I’m thinking about installing a ventless gas fireplace in a room addition I’m building. I’ve been doing some research on fireplaces in general and this seems to be a good choice. In the winter, I really enjoy the warmth of gas logs. I do not like conventional heat pumps only.

A gas fireplace and gas logs just make a room more inviting and cozy. I’m doing a lot of work myself but I’m not sure I want to tackle installing the fireplace myself. Some of the work may require a permit anyway because gas pipe will have to be installed.

I went to the local outdoor hearth store last week and took a look at all of the ventless gas fireplace logs available and some actually look very real. I’ll probably have to drop at least $500 to get a decent setup that looks nice. Oh well, no one said that remodeling would be cheap.

Where I live it doesn’t get extremely cold and I do not want to spend my time cutting or buying firewood. I don’t want to burn any firewood so I can actually cut my installation costs by not building a chimney. So overall, this is a good alternative for me to provide supplemental heat to my new room.

Are you using Social Media in your business? I’m not talking about just starting a Facebook account or a Twitter account, anyone can do that and I would not call that actively participating in Social Media. If you are not participating these days, your business could be left behind. Social Media is a cool way to communicate and in some cases it can increase the bottom line of your company.

What if you do not know anything about it and you need to start from scratch? Well, the first thing I would do is to evaluate if this new media could actually help your business. Do you run a retail business? Would you like to target specific customers? Would you like to offer coupons? Do you have a website? If you do not have a website, it’s a little more difficult but not impossible. Is your business attractive to a niche group of customers? If you have answered yes to most of these questions, you probably should consider stepping into the world of Social Media.

Let me give you an example on the opposite side of the spectrum also because I have heard of some businesses trying to do a little social media and I’ve only scratched my head and wondered why? Let’s say you own a septic tank company. For the life of me, I do not understand why this type of company would want a Facebook or Twitter account. Who wants to follow a septic tank company? I guess there are those that would but I would not want my face to be seen on Facebook following such a company. What would you post on Facebook? Pictures of your latest septic tank cleaning job? Please, give me a break.

Are you starting to understand exactly what I’m talking about? A company like that is destined for social media failure. A much better idea would be for that company to actually start a blog. Even if no one ever read it, you could optimize it for the keywords that people in your community would be using to find septic services. In a way, blogs are social media too, but I want Google to put me at the top of the search page when someone types in septic repair. That’s where you make your coin as a business owner…dominate thew search engines.

If you are a new business or an existing business, you might want to consider getting some help from Social Media Consultants. These companies can plan a marketing strategy with you and help you optimize your website. Social Media marketing can put your business in the local spotlight. A Social Media Consulting Company can help you determine if you should actively participate or lay low. Do you understand SEO, Search Engine Optimization? If not, allow professionals to come in and make recommendations.

Probably my favorite TV commercial of 2008 was the Jaguar car commercial. Flashy, hip, cool car, hot babe and cool tunes. What more can you want when you market a product? Most of us probably do not have such a product in which we can tie in all of this. How cool can a cordless drill from Black & Decker be? This commercial is not played much lately, but it’s deserving another look as we close out 2008.

How many of you know which group is responsible for the tune played on the commercial? It’s called Hush, by Deep Purple. If you are under 40, you would probably have to Google it to find out who the song is played by.

Lyrics to Hush

Words & music by Joe South
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
I got a certain little girl, she’s on my mind
No doubt about it, she looks so fine
She’s the best girl that I ever had
Sometimes she’s gonna make me feel so bad
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Hush hush – I thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush hush – She broke my heart but I love her just the same now
Hush hush – I thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush hush – I need your love and I’m not to blame now
Love love – They got it early in the morning
Love love – They got it late in the evening
Love love – Well I want that needing
Love love – Oh I gotta get ahead of it
She’s got a love like quicksand
Only took one touch of her hand
Blow my mind and I’m in so deep
That I can’t eat and I can’t sleep
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Listen…
Hush hush – I thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush hush – She broke my heart but I love her just the same now
Hush hush – Thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush hush – I need that love and I’m not to blame now
Love love – They got it early in the morning
Love love – They got it late in the evening
Love love – Ooh I want that needing
Love love – Hey I gotta get ahead of it
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa
Naa na na naa na na naa na na naa

What was NBC thinking?

WARNING!! You may need a barf bag. Proceed with caution.

Imagine this. You are a fly on the wall in the NBC programming boardroom. One executive has a genius moment and comes up with a remarkable idea… “Let’s start a variety show and try to bring an old, tired, TV format back into popularity”! Great idea says another executive, “But who will star in such a groundbreaking show”? Another executive says, “I know…Rosie O’Donell”. The entire boardroom applauds and agrees that the idea of a new variety show is on the cutting edge of entertainment. Another 90 year old executive removes the oxygen tube from her nose and asks “Who could we get to make guest appearances on Rosie’s show”? Suddenly, from the speaker phone sitting on the conference table, a feeble voice calls out from the nearby nursing home and says that Clay Aiken and Liza Minnelli would be fantastic guests to premier the shows debut”.

Here are two of the “A-list” guests that premiered Rosie Live

After watching the clip below, one has to wonder how such a show could fail? Clay Aiken prances on-stage wearing a prince outfit and they both remind all 177 people in America, Russia and Packfudgistan who happened to be watching the show about their gayness. Then he prances off stage as if he’s riding a broomstick horse. Once again I must ask, What was NBC thinking? What is going on at this network?

Try to watch this clip below of Rosie and Alec Baldwin without throwing up. It’s terrifying to say the least and this video clip should be looped on a TV inside O.J. Simpson’s jail cell. Only then would OJ regret that he murdered his wife and Ron Goldman. This loser, Alec Baldwin, takes a shot at Christians also for no apparent reason. It’s sad to see such a deterioration of a man who was once a fine actor. His Saturday Night Live appearances are some of the funniest of all times. Is it just me or is Conan O’Brian’s appearance in this clip, clearly a threat from the higher ups to appear so this show will have some form of Star Power? It’s obvious he didn’t want to be there and watch what these two idiots do to one of the only “Stars” that NBC has. Warning, it’s horrible and I apologize up-front for this video clip.

I can think of a more appropriate show for these two individuals to star in. I can’t help but think that if you want to be successful in marketing a product, take a lesson from NBC. Just do everything exactly the opposite as NBC did for this show and you should be a hit.

NBC Variety Show Sponsored by Nutrisystem

This should be the NBC’s next show.

Your initial reaction was probably like mine…Nothing! Oh, that is so wrong my friend. Ludacris can teach us a lot about marketing. Ludacris just schooled the state of Georgia and the Democratic National Committee in marketing and public relations. You are probably scratching your head and wondering the point I’m getting at. Ok, let’s get to the point of how the Rap Artist “Ludacris” can teach us all about marketing.

The state of Georgia just had a runoff election between Saxby Chambliss (Republican) and challenger Jim Martin (Democrat).

The Implications

The implications of the results of this election were huge to both political parties. If Jim Martin were to win, there existed a possibility that the Democratic Party would hold a super majority in the U.S. Senate. If Saxby Chambliss were to win, the Republican Party would retain the right to filibuster and make it harder for the DNC to pass their agenda without much opposition.

Saxby Chambliss brought in the current “Big Gun” of the Republican Party, Sarah Palin the Governor, to rise up the crowds and get out the vote.

Jim Martin and The Democratic National Committee brought in Ludacris the Rap Singer to rise up the crowds and get out the vote.

I can’t help but feel that the second most important election in the history of the Democratic Party, they really dropped the ball with a simple marketing and public relations mistake. The chance for a Super Majority and they brought in Ludacris the Rapper to campaign for Jim Martin. The Republicans had already made one mistake by putting up a 72 year old man against a young, hip and polished persona named Barack Obama. I’m sure they didn’t want to blow it again. They brought in the biggest star in the Republican Party. I seriously do not understand why Obama himself did not go and campaign for Martin. Big mistake!

How The press Portrayed Palin when she came to Georgia

Keith Olberman does not recognize the obvious

Keith Olberman refused to make mention of the obvious faux pas made by the Martin campaign on his TV show. He was too busy bashing Palin to point out the obvious. I’m not bashing Olberman, he’s a commentator, not a reporter. Commentators commentate. They speak their opinion. That’s what he does. Check out the very short video clips below as he describes the election in Georgia.

Olberman continues

Olberman continues to bash. His bash is irrelevant to this story

Now listen carefully as Olberman mentions the fact that Ludacris is on the campaign trail for Martin. Barely a mention or an opinion from Olberman who saves all of his opinions for Palin. He actually calls Palin, Governor Ludacrist. Listen carefully.

Here is the headline from Olberman’s network, MSNBC.

Check the article here. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28010799/

I figured that Olberman just accidentally forgot to put in some video footage from Ludacris. Maybe it was just a lack of air time to keep his show on schedule. Since Olberman forgot to air footage of Ludacris, I thought I would do it for him. The DNC is also welcome to use these clips the next time they are trying to get one of their own elected.

Ludacris clips for the campaign

Don’t miss this clip for the campaign.

Ludacris wants to “Lick you from your head to your toes” in this video.

So what can Ludacris teach us about marketing? A Hell of a lot!

Just ask Jim Martin what Ludacris can teach us about marketing

Gov. Sarah Palin recently went to a turkey farm in Alaska for a Thanksgiving Day ritual of pardoning a turkey. Much in the same fashion as all of our Presidents do at Thanksgiving. Sure enough, she selected one turkey to receive the pardon.

One lucky turkey received the pardon.

The problem was that after her ceremony she stopped to do an interview. She stopped in the wrong place. Check out the video and what is happening right behind her. I was very surprised that one of her handlers did not stop the interview and set it up with a different camera angle. This is a good example of “bad video marketing”.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day. I hope everyone has something to be thankful for. I’m thankful first and foremost for my family. I would be nothing without them. I’ll be hitting the gym this afternoon to burn a few of those calories off.

Success is not always about substance. You can have all of the substance in the world but if you can’t get your foot in the door, what good is it? We live in the age of American Idol. The better your image, regardless of your talent, the longer you stay on the show. If you want to stay in the game longer, work on your image.

Image is everything in marketing your small business

I want to leave a thought with you today. “Image is Everything”. It’s all around us. If you do not project the proper image, you will not be successful. I was watching VH1 this morning and it’s all about image for these artists. They are larger than life beings. They have cool videos. One guy walked into a roadside diner. I’ve done the same thing many times in my life but never as cool as this guy. He walked in slow motion. When the hot girls looked at him, their heads turned in slow motion. When the waitress took his order, it was damn sexy when she whipped out her order pad in slow motion.

If I could only walk into Wal-Mart in slow motion and nod to the 75 year old greeter chick as her silver hair slowly flew from the breeze from the overhead “fly-fan”. If I could only reach slowly for my Gillette “Cool Breeze” deodorant stick as an overweight housewife wearing gray sweat pants pushing a cart with a crying baby slowly gave me a sexy glance. That would be cool. I would be the coolest guy in Wal-Mart. It’s only an image but you will be perceived differently. Keep this in mind when marketing yourself and your business.

Who is cooler?

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OR

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Case in point since I mentioned American Idol. These wannabe music stars all dream of making the big time. A high placing in the American Idol contest could certainly propel these singers way ahead of the pack. They could leap frog into a position that would take many years of hard work, practice and luck. What gets me about this show is the fact that just by being on it, can almost guarantee success. You don’t even have to win. Come in 4th, sign a deal and then we all have to observe and listen their mediocrity for the next couple of years as every TV show and radio station seem to cram them down our throat.

Example: Kellie Pickler’s image was manufactured

For instance, let’s take Kellie Pickler. She has become quite the babe now. She didn’t start that way though. Remember all the Pickler Mania? You couldn’t turn on the TV without hearing her name for 11 weeks while American Idol was in season. After hearing all the hype, I watched the show one night and looked at my wife and said, “What’s up with her”? Cute…yes. Can she sing?…no, not really. The show or her publicist was trying to force this girl on the public and manufacture a star much like all of the boy bands of the eighties and nineties. I had nothing against her but I thought she had very average talent. She spoke with a hokey, heavy, cute southern drawl saying “Hey Yall” every other sentence. She was able to project this image and lasted week after week while singers with more talent but less hype were eliminated.

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS

Check out the video of Kellie Pickler. This is before her image was manufactured. Pay attention to her remarks about keeping it real and just being herself. How long did this philosophy of hers last?

Check out her “After” manufactured image and video. Notice “Kellie Pickler’s enhancement” in this video. This is what this young girl was willing to do in order to market herself and sell her product. Her eyes and lips appear to be altered also. All in the name of marketing.

I’m not bashing Kellie Pickler. This young lady made decisions about how to market herself. She altered her body and her style. This is a perfect example to illustrate what you should consider as you market your business. You are competing with other businesses in your area or your niche. Make yourself look cool even if you aren’t. Your bottom line will benefit from it.

I hope to highlight a lot of frugal stuff here on this site. Everything that I can find to save you and I some money. I like “do it yourself” projects because it saves money for me and my family.