Full Moon Rising - Made In The USA

Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less

I know this sounds like I have lost my mind, since we as a company make money selling things, but our philosophy has always been to only sell what is needed and to make the best recommendations possible.

It is also the reason we focus on USA Made products and Eco-Friendly products and solutions to marketing. By helping you to make good choices about clothing and promotional marketing items, you will increase your ROI (Return On Investment) and overall cost.

This article is from Zen Habits and I think is very appropriate for the times we live in.

Personally I have been moving away from having more things. I find the more clutter and things I never use that I get rid of the happier I am. I find joy in knowing that many of the items are used and needed by others. Some just end up in the recycling bin.

I'd like to hear what you think of this article and concept. 

Bryan

Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less

Posted: 09 Mar 2009 04:07 PM PDT

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

When my grandparents were young, none of the appliances (let alone hi-tech gadgets) in our homes were in common use — not the refrigerator, electric stove, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, toaster, television, computer, air-conditioner, microwave, etc.

None of it. They had cars, but they walked far more often than we do today. They had telephones, but not cell phones or Blackberries or iPhones, and they weren’t using phones all the time. They had stores, but they didn’t order things online and they didn’t buy all the time. In fact, during their Great Depression childhood, they bought very little and used very, very little technology.

And while the last 70-80 years have advanced our lives in amazing ways, and there’s no doubt that the comfort and convenience of our lives have improved tremendously … we rarely stop to consider whether technology and consumerism have always changed our lives for the better.

I mean, I am as big a proponent of the miracles of the Internet as anyone, but have we given up too much of our lives that used to exist offline and outdoors? It’s great that we have such comfortable cars that can drive incredibly fast and take us anywhere we want to go in minutes … but have we thrown away the joy and the health benefits of walking places?

It’s great that we can communicate instantly from anywhere with our mobile devices, but have we given up personal face-to-face conversations and the pleasure of being outdoors, disconnected from the world?

It’s great that food is so convenient these days, but have we given up the pleasures of slow eating for fast food, the joys of cooking for microwaving, the wonders of real food for processed food?

It’s great that we can buy pretty much anything we want these days (and often do), but have we allowed the abundance of cash we’ve had (until recently, but even now we’re still pretty rich) to force us to have bigger houses just to store all our stuff?

I propose a life of less. A life that’s more sustainable.

And yes, some will wonder if that will hurt the economy even more — buying and consuming less will mean people will lose jobs, no? Not necessarily. Scaling back our lives means we need to find jobs for people that are based not on producing more goods, but on producing more value — valuable information, valuable inventions that require fewer resources, valuable contributions to the community. But how will all of this be paid for if no one is buying stuff? There will be less wealth produced because less is being consumed … but if we consume less then we actually need less wealth. We just need to get off the escalating cycle of consuming and producing more.

We work more than ever before, despite advances in labor-saving technology that mean we should be able to work less. We do so to support a lifestyle that has become more expensive than ever, because of the new levels of convenience and abundant consumer goods that we’ve become accustomed to. We can break out of this trap, by consuming less and then needing to work less.

I’ve thought these things for awhile now, but it struck me most as I was walking to a meeting with a friend and business partner. Most people where I live don’t walk — cars are used all the time, even if the destination is just a few blocks away. I’ve been getting into the habit of walking places — for traveling, not exercise — but I’m a weirdo for doing so. And it struck me that only 50 years ago, I would have been normal — everyone walked back then.

And I wondered how we lost this valuable activity — walking to get places.

We lost it because convenience and speed have become more valuable to us than health and frugality and the enjoyment of the world around us.

I propose a life of less. A life that is more leisurely, a little more spartan, a little less expensive, a little less heavy on consuming the Earth’s resources.

I don’t think we can change the economy overnight. We can’t even change our lives overnight. But we can make a gradual change in that direction, with small steps.

Here are but a few ideas — I’m sure you could contribute some of your own:

• Can we walk to more places and drive less? We’d get fitter and use less fossil fuel. We’d have to loosen up our schedules to do this, but I think that’s a good change anyway.
• Can we start building more livable communities, where things are less spread out, so that we can walk more instead of driving everywhere? Where everything we need is a 10-20 minute walk away, or at least reachable by bike or public transportation? You might already live in a place like that, but not where I live, and not in lots of places. Even work should be close by. Again, this is a long-term change, but I think a good one.
• Can we start living in smaller houses, so that we need less heating and cooling and land and maintenance and cleaning? We can if we buy less stuff, which leads to …
• Can we start buying less stuff? We don’t need all the stuff we buy.
• Can we start celebrating things like birthdays and Christmas without spending sprees? We could do nice things for each other instead, or make things, or bake something.
• Can we start buying locally more? I know a lot of people already do this, but it would be great if this trend continued. It supports local farmers and drastically reduces the amount of resources needed to get food to our homes.
• Can we start packaging food less? Even non-food items (like toys) come with ridiculous amounts of packaging these days. I’d like to see a return to olden ways, when you scooped flour out of a huge bin into a container or something like that. Packaging we throw away (or even recycle) is so wasteful.
• Can we stop buying so much processed food? Real food is so much healthier, requires fewer chemicals and resources, and tastes better once you wean yourself from the addiction to processed foods.
• Can we eat slower, and enjoy the food more, instead of rushing through meals?
• Can we stop our addiction to mobile devices and being connected all the time, so that we can enjoy the pleasure of other people’s company without interruptions, or enjoy solitude or a nice quiet walk without being connected?
• Can we design cities and towns so that they aren’t based on the automobile, so that perhaps private vehicles parked at the outside of cities, and then people used public transportation or walked within the cities? We’d reclaim the streets for the pedestrian, make them alive once again with street markets, cafes, parks, children running around without fear of death, people exercising and doing tai chi and jogging and walking and enjoying a fume-free outdoors.

Again, these are just a few ideas. There are thousands more.

And I’m not saying we should give up techonology. I love connecting with people from around the world! I love being able to access information instantly that I would never have had access to just 15-20 years ago! I love the ability to express myself online that is unprecedented in human history!

But I also think we need to keep the good things that have come with the advances in technology, and throw out the bad, the things that have made our lives worse.
—
Read more about simplifying your life in my book, The Power of Less.

Air-Traffic Controller Turned Distributor

I was featured in this profile from the February issue of Counselor magazine. I feel that they over simplified or glossed over some things I wish they would have focused on concerning our company. I hope it allows you to see a little more into my life, assuming you were interested to begin with.

PDF version also available,

Bryan

Air-Traffic Controller Turned Distributor

By Dave Vagnoni

It’s 9:00 on a Wednesday night and Bryan Thompson’s day is far from over. At arguably the busiest airport in the country, Thompson is working as an air traffic controller, nearly finished his shift. About eight hours earlier, he arrived in the tower, after working all morning at his “day job.” And he still has energy left to burn. “Usually, after work I go to the gym for a while,” he says.
It was almost 30 years ago when Thompson enrolled in the United States Marine Corps. At the time, he was a professional photographer, but opted for a change. “The $5,000 bonus helped convince me to sign up,” Thompson admits.

While he came close to choosing a path as a pilot, he decided instead to pursue a different type of career in aviation. Before he left for boot camp, he had never been on an airplane. Today, after stops in places like Tennessee, South Carolina and Louisiana, Thompson works six days a week at O’Hare Airport in Chicago.

“Sometimes it’s stressful, sure,” he says. “I used to love getting up and going to work. I got paid well. More recently, things have changed a bit and it’s more about procedures. But it’s still a good challenge.”

Thompson concedes he’s looking forward to retirement. He actually has a retirement countdown clock ticking on his computer. With his future in mind, he’s started to pour his heart into his promotional products business, Full Moon Rising Inc. (asi/199736). Along with two partners, who are also air traffic controllers, Thompson generates annual revenues of over $400,000.
“We started as basically a non-profit,” he says. “We would sell embroidered items at conventions for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. People wanted jackets, shirts, belt buckles and key tags. A few years ago, we decided to incorporate.”

While Thompson sold logoed products, he also made time to design the first ever Web site for the NATCA. Plus, he served as an editor for the quarterly, 48-page union newsletter. “My friends are used to the fact I’m always busy,” he says.

Busy, but happy. Thompson is also an avid musician. He plays the saxophone, trumpet and piano and recently he bought an electric guitar. But he’s not a guitar expert just yet. “I’m trying to find time to learn it,” he says. Working through the office of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Thompson also shoots photographs of the city’s annual Jazz Fest and Blues Fest. The photos are often used on brochures. “I work pro bono, in exchange for access to the shows,” he says.

And there’s more. Thompson enjoys riding motorcycles as well. He’s ridden cross-country to honor prisoners of war. Despite his growing interests, Thompson is committed to his company. He feels his business is doing well, despite the economic slump. “I take time to talk to people,” he explains. “Sometimes I’m on the phone for 20 or 30 minutes with a customer getting to know them. We send ‘thank you’ cards to everyone who places an order. And we send Christmas cards out, too. I think it makes a difference.”

Thompson says he’s creating more profits by adding more customers and focusing on marketing USA-made apparel to clients. He uses social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to promote his work. “Recently, the orders haven’t been as big, but we’re getting more of them and that’s helping,” he says. “If you don’t try new things, you’ll never know what works.”

The Cyberspace Race

I was featured in this article from the January 2009 issue of Counselor magazine on industry web sites. It is an interesting look at the current state of the industry , and I was honored that they found my input valuable.

PDF version also available,

Bryan

The Cyberspace Race

Why the future of apparel ordering is online and what industry suppliers are doing to beef up their Web offerings to distributors.
Byline: By Dave Vagnoni

Bryan Thompson is a professional multi-tasker. He works days, nights and weekends growing his promotional products business, while still fitting in time for his other job. And that other job is no ordinary thing. “I can’t afford any false starts in my life,” Thompson says understatedly.
When he’s not selling ad specialties, Thompson is guiding airplanes, working as an air traffic controller at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. “Obviously, time is important to me,” he says in a dead-panned tone.

Time is also important to his clients, which is why Thompson takes advantage of another useful skill. He designs Web sites. “I’m self-taught,” he says. “I used to put together grassroots newsletters and then went online.”

When he started his distributor company, Full Moon Rising Inc. (asi/199736), Thompson built a main site. Soon after that, he began creating a suite of Web stores for his clients. “The idea was to make access easier for clients and it’s worked out pretty well for us,” Thompson says.
Yes, it has. FMR has doubled its sales every year since it was established in 2004. Even in a staggering economy, Thompson continues to gain clients, mostly through the Web. “People are using their computers, even the elderly,” he says. “They’re finding me online. I can tell by their voices when they do call, some of them, they’re in their 70s.”

Armed with graphic design experience, and strapped with a heavier schedule than most, Thompson is an ideal distributor to ask about an ever-evolving and more frequently-discussed industry topic: online ordering of apparel. Like many salespeople, doing business on the Web allows Thompson the convenience he needs to be successful. “I like fast, reliable, clean Web sites,” he says. “I want to maximize the time of my customers and not waste their time. I expect the same from vendors.”
Thompson is one of several distributors Counselor called on to explain what features they value most about apparel supplier sites. Some of the most appreciated points are sophisticated, like fancy and targeted marketing tools. Others are more basic, like 24/7 information access. No matter, all apparel suppliers are facing a never-ending cyberspace race to provide the most desirable and practical online services, especially to smaller distributors that lack large sale forces and in-house creative departments.

Here, we look at the different capabilities that apparel suppliers have online, and how distributors are taking advantage of them.

Why Web Sites Matter

Spurred by constant feedback from distributors like Thompson, apparel suppliers have spent thousands of hours and millions of dollars redesigning and upgrading their Web sites. For example, Broder Bros. Co. (asi/42099), Vantage Apparel (asi/93390) and River’s End Trading Company (asi/82588) have finished major Web site overhauls in the last two years. Ash City (asi/37127) and Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788) redesigned their sites within the last year. SanMar (asi/84863) committed to a Web site re-launch after the 2008 holiday rush.

The payoff has already been noticeable. River’s End has seen Web sales increase 15% since it recreated its Web site. Also, a full 50% of Broder’s orders are now placed online, accounting for 43% of sales. A year ago, only 40% of orders were made on Broder’s Web site.

“We took a lot of time researching, talking to customers and studying other sites,” says Girisha Chandraraj, vice president of marketing at Broder. “We feel like we have the best B to B site, built on customer behavior and customer service experience.”

Distributors say the most attention-grabbing Web sites aren’t the ones with catchy graphics or colorful animation. Actually, the sites most complimented are those that are simple and streamlined for time and energy savings. “Sites that are too flashy can be distracting,” Thompson says. “Sometimes, designers want to show off a new technique they just learned.”

Ash City and River’s End got exceptionally high marks from distributors Counselor spoke to for designing clear and understandable sites. “We don’t have an overwhelming amount of information on our site,” says Lori Anderson, River’s End marketing manager. “We hear it’s easy to find the right brand and the right products.”

Personalized Accounts and Search Engines

The most trusted apparel supplier Web sites offer user-specific online accounts. After registering with a login and password, a customer has immediate access to a variety of tabs, portals and charts. As purchases are made over time, Web sites remember order history and patterns.

Broder gives account holders numerous online product search tools, enhanced by a tutorial for beginners. The Express Order option allows customers to enter a style number and be given instant product information, including available colors. A buyer can order up to eight different sizes, in any quantity, with updated price lists highlighted on the screen. At any time, a customer can access a checkout window, which provides an order breakdown and shipping options. “We want to make our site so good that customers can get everything they need here,” says Chandraraj.

Broder customers can also search for products by category and brand or by browsing through an online catalog. Broder provides comprehensive size charts as well that include details on two dozen clothing manufacturers.

Besides Broder, distributors give high marks to SanMar for its Web site search tools. On this site, a first-time user needs to download software before ordering. Once the plug-in is installed, users can search based on several criteria, including price range. Chad Stokes, owner of Utah-based 801 Promos (asi/186309) touts SanMar as having an especially useful site. “SanMar’s site is excellent,” Stokes says. “Having a clothing specific site is critical. A good supplier will have order look-up and tracking history online. They have amazing turnaround time, too. Talking to customer service is so outdated.”

Real-Time Inventory

Distributors widely agree that providing real-time inventory is the greatest online tool currently available. Suppliers know it. An increasing number of real-time systems, including the one employed by SanMar, will even automatically locate the warehouse closest to a distributor with the amount of product requested. Instant information and coordinated shipping are tied together. Some sites can also estimate when a product will be restocked.

“We want our site to think like our customers think,” says Lee Strom, senior marketing manager at SanMar. “The site should link to wherever they live and give info that’s relevant to them.”
It’s a sentiment that distributors appreciate. “It may be 10 o’clock at night and I want to place an order or confirm stock,” Thomspon says. “I don’t want to guess. I want to lock it in.”

Of course, Web site speeds and download times are also key factors in convenience. Improvements are constantly being made. For example, despite a considerable increase in recent daily Web traffic, Bodek and Rhodes’ site is able to update inventory every 15 seconds. “When you’re with a client on the phone or in person, it’s about your word,” says Jean Obad, owner of Diamond Stitch Embroidery (asi/180213). “It’s a huge advantage to know availability and to know if a shirt has been discontinued. To be able to recommend a product and size is nice.”

Strom admits his company’s site wasn’t always the fastest, but upgrades have made a significant difference. “Now, our site is notoriously fast,” Strom says. “Customers are able to cruise through our site and quickly satisfy their needs.”

As part of its Web site upgrades, River’s End implemented a new software system to provide interactive real-time information to customers. Account holders can view detailed product descriptions, merchandise in stock, invoices and close-out specials. “It’s a great benefit to our customers if they can log on to a generic Web site while sitting with their customer and pull up products and inventory availability right on the spot,” says Anderson of River’s End. “Distributors have to be more efficient, so as suppliers we need to make sure they have quick access to information.”

Payment Options

Most distributors have accounts set up with apparel suppliers with agreed upon net terms. But with online ordering becoming more common, more distributors are considering using credit cards to gain points for travel or other purchases, like office furniture. “I’m using a credit card more often,” says Thompson. “I like to fly first class.”

Before a distributor makes the switch to credit cards, though, be warned that some suppliers charge an extra 3% for credit card purchases. Among larger apparel suppliers, Ash City is one that does not tack on upfront credit card fees.

“We continue to get great feedback about our site,” says Chris Clark, vice president of sales at Ash City. “We want the online ordering experience to be the best it can be for our customers. Good payment options are part of that. We don’t charge additional fees.”

Marketing Tools

Apparel suppliers have committed significant online resources to marketing – especially providing marketing help to their distributor clients. The viewpoint: Suppliers are trying to create distributor loyalty by doing some of their marketing work for them. Indeed, apparel supplier Web sites allow distributors to advertise with interactive e-catalogs and pricelists, design flyers and Web sites and order embroidery.

Vantage offers trend reports, decorator information and a variety of sample kits. SanMar produces survey tools as well as product videos that give distributors the option to personalize with a message at the end of the demo. Broder has a variety of marketing options available to its distributors online. And, Ash City just added new marketing features, including a “make your own movie” section that can be customized with logos. Customers can choose from among six short movie clips that each spotlight a different type of performance apparel. The clips can be personalized and e-mailed to clients. In one clip, an unsuspecting football player is hit by a man in an advertised bonded fleece. The caption reads: “This season’s big hit.”

To supplement its marketing features, the company is adding to its customer service staff and inside sales team. “We’re about to move into our brand new world headquarters and we want to be pounding the pavement as much as possible,” says Clark.

Smaller distributors expect to benefit the most from upgraded marketing tools. Dan Kaufman, president of DKG Promotions (asi/173954), believes Bodek and Rhodes maintains one of the most comprehensive Web sites among apparel suppliers. But he was more impressed when he took a closer look at recent updates. “I hadn’t looked at their marketing tools in a while,” Kaufman says. “I’d definitely consider using them now.”

Bodek refreshes its site with new features about every two months with online, print and showroom displays. Months before the new year, the site provided a section that gave customers a sneak peek at upcoming products for 2009. “We’re finding that our revenue online is increasing,” says Marc Held of Bodek. “Our site is very accurate with sizing instructions and pricing and our customized tools are great.”

Thompson is one distributor who uses as many online marketing materials as possible. “Ones that we can brand with our company info are also great,” he says. “Most of the bigger sites offer this on their catalogs.”

Artwork & Virtual Samples

As image resolution improves on apparel supplier sites, logo transferring is gradually gaining popularity. More and more sites now offer users the option to upload and save artwork and then essentially paste it digitally on an online silhouette. These virtual samples can be e-mailed to clients as part of a highly-effective sales presentation.

Realizing the desire for this technology, Vantage as well as Bodek and Rhodes are testing ways to enhance logo features. Both companies expect to apply the upgrades to their sites early this year.
“It used to be that it would take hours for anybody to produce a virtual sample,” says Gina Barreca, marketing director at Vantage. “We continue to develop tools that are easy and that control quality and output.”

Ash City gives customers a six-step outline for developing virtual samples. After uploading an image, customers can move and modify logos then send the image to clients. Broder even goes so far as to supply customers with a DVD of product images. There are also options to create virtual samples on Broder’s product detail pages.

But despite suppliers’ efforts, many distributors still prefer to create virtual samples in-house, trusting their own skills or the talents of their design staff. “This is the digital era and we’re trying to be more eco-conscious, but we like to do samples internally,” says Memo Kahan, president of Top 40 distributor PromoShop (asi/300446). “We think it’s more fluid and speeds up the sale.”

Michael Kaufman, owner of Wear It’s At (asi/356021), understands that virtual samples can save time, but he prefers his clients to see an actual sample instead of one online. “I like clients to be able to feel the material of a shirt and see the collar and buttons to make sure it’s OK,” he says. “You can’t do that with a virtual sample.

Room For Improvement

1. In general, smaller distributor owners have few complaints about apparel supplier Web sites. But large industry distributors have some suggestions for how these online outlets could be more applicable to their needs. Here are three ways that distributors believe apparel supplier Web sites could be more effective.
   
   1) Product Descriptions – Some distributors feel apparel suppliers have shrunk copy to fit more products on a screen or Web page. Distributors want more detailed product information – the details are what their clients ultimately are interested in.
   2) Back Images - Distributors would like to see images of the backs of apparel in creating virtual samples. They say it would help them give clients a complete picture of a product. While the front of a shirt or jacket is what many see first, buyers of promotional apparel need to have a feel for a garment’s complete look.
   3) Integration - Large distributors don’t need suppliers to build them Web sites. They want specific information electronically sent to them. “We are looking for ways for them to help us flatten the supply chain, such that our end-buyers have more of an "Amazon" experience,” says Dawn Olds, director of operations at Halo/Lee Wayne (asi/356000). “Electronic information regarding order status and shipping information, sent automatically to us when status changes and in a way we can integrate with our systems, is ideal.” – DV
   

How to Create the Abundance Mindset

I found this on a blog called Zen Habits. It will take some time for me to go through all of the information on the blog, but I can tell right off this is a site I need to read.

One of the first things I noticed was he has released all of his posts for others to post, no copyright. This ties right into this first post. I will be reposting some of his articles here, and giving credit in the hopes it will bring more people to his site so they may share and learn from what he has to say.

I hope you find it illuminating and informative.

How to Create the Abundance Mindset

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Steve of Freedom Education.

Give away what you got.

It’s not that complicated, really.

But let’s think for a minute; what do a great number of people do instead?

When someone has a great idea, they hoard that idea.  They don’t give it away.  They shelter and protect it.  They keep it to themselves in fear that someone else might take it.  They think, “I better save that idea for later.”  They don’t share their ideas or give them away - they keep them.

Well, let’s think - why would you do that?

The problem isn’t that your ideas aren’t any good.  It’s not even because your ideas aren’t worthy or that you aren’t worthy - because you are.  The problem is your thinking.  You think that if you give one idea away that you won’t come up with more great ideas.  And that fear has got you living in the lake of lack.

Instead, you could start by giving what you got.

Let’s look at Bloggers

Why do a lot of bloggers fail to be successful online?  Bloggers don’t fail because they’re terrible writers (although there are some).  And they don’t fail because they don’t have something valuable to say; they all do - they fail because they stop writing; they stopped giving and providing valuable ideas to others.

To create the abundance mindset, be willing to give.

It’s no different than with money.

Are you Mr El-Cheap-O?

Maybe you’re one of those people who holds onto every penny you’ve got - save money for a rainy day sort of thinking.  I know because I used to be that person.  Maybe you’re really frugal with your money or what I like to call Mr El-Cheap-O.

There’s nothing wrong with being frugal.  What I’m talking about is something completely different.  I’m talking about the hoarders, the real savers - the people who are scared to spend their money.

Just remember that holding onto your money doesn’t bring more of it to you.  It does just the opposite.  Holding onto or hoarding your money (in fear) is evidence enough that you don’t think there is enough.  And when you don’t think you have enough, you’re projecting the scarcity mindset or what my friend Julia calls the “scare-city” mindset.  This mindset is based in fear.

Are you short on time?

Some people are always running out of time - like it was cash or some commodity.  They’re always in a panic to get stuff done.  They’re time vampires.  They literally devour their time and suck the life out of themselves - until there is no time left.

These time vampires live in the lake of lack.  The don’t give away their time because they don’t think there is “enough time” to give.  And when you don’t think there is enough, you’re coming from scarcity or lack.

The way you do anything is the way you do everything.  If there is lack in one area, then there is lack in all areas of your life.  It really comes down to your mindset.

So, how do you break the pattern?

You’ve got to be willing to give from where you are.

Give what you got because giving signals “more-than-enoughness.”  It signals abundance.  When you’re in a state of giving, and giving willingly you’re telling others (and yourself) that there is plenty.  That there is more than enough for everyone.

“You receive through the same doorway through which you give.  The way to receive freely is to give freely. Quality is more important than quantity, since the universe amplifies thought into circumstance.  Begin giving, and let God perfect your giving.” ~ Brad Jensen

Here are 6 ways to give and create the abundance mindset:

• Are you short on time? If that’s the case, give away some of your time. Take time to give to others. You don’t have to dedicate 90% of your day to serving others - that’s not what I’m saying. Just find that balance between giving and receiving. Find an organization or a person that you really love and volunteer some of your time. Give your time away.
• Don’t feel loved? You’ve got to give some before you get some. Give away some hugs. Go out right now and give 5 people you know a big hug. I guarantee right after you do this, you’ll feel great. You’ll feel like a million bucks! Why? Because you feel loved. And you can only feel loved when you give that love to others. Go out right now and hug 5 people!
• Short on Cash? Give some away. Yes, you heard me right. I’m not saying you should sell the farm, far from it. But you may consider giving money to a charity, giving money to a friend who needs it, or even giving money to a panhandler in the street.  Givers gain.
• Are you stuck? Do you want to get unstuck?  Help others first. Think of someone you know that is having a similar problem. And think of a way that you could help them based on what you know.  Write down what you plan to do to help this person and then go out and do it. I’m telling you this works!  When you help others wholeheartedly, help will always come back to you.
• Lacking self-belief? Yup, you know it. You’ve got to give it away! If you lack self-belief, then give away that belief to others.  What do I mean?  Find someone you know who is lacking in self-confidence or in self-belief and give them a boost.  Spend some time with this person and feed their mind.  Tell them how much you believe in them.  Tell them how successful you see them becoming; how you always knew they could make it. Tell them how proud you are of them. Fill their mind with positive ideas.   Instill belief in others and belief will come flowing abundantly to you.
• Short on ideas? This is my favorite. If you’re short on creative ideas, give them away! Give others creative ways to increase business, find a new stimulating career or improve their health.  Give ideas away and ideas will flood right back to you.

With all of these tips, you have to start with where you are.  You can’t give what you don’t have.  Be willing to give what you got from where you are and I promise you - abundance will flow into your life.  You will be actively creating the abundance mindset.

Steve is a Life Coach and the creator of Freedom Education - Mind Power for Your Personal Growth.  He is also the author of the ebook, The Genius Within YOU. You can download his ebook here.

15% Coupon

We are reactivating / extending our 15% off coupon until June 1st of 2009

This is your reward for reading our blog!

This is good for any purchase on our web stores and is good for the clothing. Upcharges and decoration are not included.

Look for a free shipping coupon in the future.

We would be interested to hear which you prefer when shopping.

Coupon code is FMRBLOG

Thanks
Bryan

It's More Than Just A Business Card

Today's business cards are more than just a way to communicate your name, address and telephone number.

Your business card is also a marketing piece that is consistently being requested by others. Here are some creative ways to use and distribute them.

1. Send your business card in every piece of correspondence including letters, invoices, holiday cards, etc.

2. Include back copy on your card - Add information that will be useful to your clients. This will give them a reason to hang on to your card.

• A list of provided products and/or services
• Calendar
• Sports Schedule
• Appointment Information
• Price lists
• A map to your business
• A coupon or special offer

3. Attach a business card to a promotional product or business gift.

4. Insert a business card into your product before delivery.

5. Have your spouse, family members, neighbors or friends carry some to hand out in the case they meet someone who would be interested in your product or service.

6. Instead of "Hello, my name is..." use your business card as a name tag at meetings and conventions.

7. Ask surrounding businesses if you may display your business cards near their registers.

8. Tack them to bulletin boards at restaurants, retail stores, supermarkets, etc.

9. Leave them on the table when you visit a restaurant. Put your generous 20% tip on top of your business card.

10. Have your card designed as a file card.

11. Print your card on a label and attach it to packaging, samples, brochures, etc.

12. Use them as bookmarks in your library books and "accidentally" forget to remove them.

13. Hand them out during personal meetings such as the PTA, church, your children's hockey games or any place you meet new people.

However you choose to distribute your cards be sure to carry them with you at all times. Keep a stash in your wallet, purse, car, briefcase, jacket pocket, planner, at home or any place you can think of and refill often.