I recently read that it’s important to let those reading your blog know about you, so here you go:

I was born in a small town in New Mexico…really… but flash forward to relevant info., after years of traveling for modeling & pageants, my brain needed to be re-engaged, and I needed a reality check, so I got a degree in journalism from Texas Tech University (Get Your Guns Up). After a year long internship at a TV station in Lubbock, I came back to Dallas to continue modeling (make some money) while searching for a job in broadcast journalism. I was quickly reminded that journalism is a tough career choice, with bad hours & low pay, so I went to work part time for a company called New LifeStyles, where a friend of mine worked. They were a growing company & needed help, so I could go in any time I didn’t have a modeling job. I quickly adjusted to the new surroundings & took on more & more projects until they offered me a full-time position, which was something I couldn’t turn down. I kept up the “database” (in WordPerfect) of state licensed records for the 12 markets we were in at that time.

Later that year later, I was asked to manage the web site for New LifeStyles. I asked if they were sending me back to school, as I didn’t know how to code, but I was put in charge of the site, making sure it was updated as guides were updated, checking emails (we had one for the whole company that had to be checked on the Mac), marketing, etc…  And I have been at it since then, more than 15 years, an additional 20 markets, numerous site re-designs, code upgrades, sites coming & going…

Since then I have worn many other hats, as most people do in small companies. I handle the ad sales in the Austin/San Antonio publication. I started our child care guide, The Child Care Source, and launched that site. We purchased the provider web site business from AssistGuide, moved it to Dallas & brought it to fruition, and much more. I continue to handle the online development & promotion of New LifeStyles Online. I have spoken at numerous national & regional conferences on topics like online marketing, what’s new on the web, social media and the like.

It has been amazing to watch the online world grow and the senior industry ride the wave. As I continue to learn, I hope to use my knowledge to help our company & clients succeed online. Send me your questions, thoughts & feedback so I can help you on your online journey.

Thanks for the opportunity!

6 Lessons for Handling a Lost Sale

http://ciscoco.com/6-lessons-for-handling-a-lost-sale

Multigenerational Households On the Rise and Impacting Community Marketing

http://www.creatingresults.com/knowledge/2010/08/26/rise-multigenerational-households-what-it-means-to-real-estate-marketers/

1000 Memories – A Place to Remember Loved Ones

http://1000memories.com/

Make Your Business Money with Location Based-Apps

http://suzannecordeiro.posterous.com/make-your-business-money-with-location-based-0

Just for fun: The Rapping CNA

http://futureofaging.aahsa.org/2010/08/the-rapping-cna/

It’s that time of year.  Summer is winding down, Labor Day is around the corner, football season is about to kick-off and yes, the kids are going back to school.  For the kids, its a mixed bag of emotions, as for the parents, most are celebrating.  Extensively.  Unfortunately, this celebration is tempered by the ritual of buying back-to-school supplies which could mean everything from stocking an apartment at a college campus to buying a new backpack and a variety of pencils, markers and crayons for a first grader.  School supplies aren’t cheap, especially college textbooks, but they lay the foundation for another year of learning (or, they are new doodle pads for those of a less ambitious nature).

I like to use this time for reviewing our company, refreshing our goals, planning new projects and preparing for the next few months.  Then, I decide what school supplies we need for the upcoming year.

What’s on your list of school supplies to help have a great year?

-          Is your web site still pertinent or does it need a tune-up

-          How is your web site traffic?  Need some SEO tools for the upcoming year?

-          How are your pictures and/or virtual tours?  Need to re-shoot to have fresh content for print and online materials?

-          How is the copy on all of your marketing materials?  Are you offering new programs, benefits, services that aren’t mentioned?

-          How is staffing?  Always tough to hire a new person, but if you aren’t getting to leads in a timely manner, then you are losing in the long run.

-          Need a little maintenance or paint around the key areas of your community? 

These are a few “school supplies” that can help you have a great year.  It may also be time to re-educate yourself or your staff on updates and new information, plus make sure the processes and procedures in place are being followed.  It’s never a bad time to go back to school and having the right supplies is always necessary.

Well, time to find my shiny, new Scooby-Doo lunchbox and have a bite to eat.  Hope it’s not bologna, again!

While getting run over by someone texting on their smart phone is not my idea of a good time, I do use mine regularly for both business and recreation.  We all do.  There are more apps being offered (free) or marketed (at a cost) every day.  You can mimic bodily functions, alter your friend’s appearance, pay bills and reply to e-mails from anyplace at anytime. 

There are a couple senior community and care applications for smart phones already in play.  There will be more.  What is the most user friendly functionality?

Should it drive primarily off of your location?

Should it let you enter a level of care first?

What is an acceptable radius of coverage?

What information should be readily available to the user?

What options should advertisers have to offer the user through the app?

Should it just be communities and residences?

These are just a few of the options.  Would love to hear your thoughts.

Creating an Excellent Marketing Message

http://ciscoco.com/creating-an-excellent-marketing-message

Connecting with the Planner

http://tiny.cc/o4l08

Build Links Through Social Media

http://www.searchengineoptimizationjournal.com/2010/07/13/links-social-media/

If you are going to advertise on TV, consider doing it during a cooking show

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=133446&lfe=1

Just for fun – Top 10 Office Pranks

http://www.buyerzone.com/deals/content/top-10-office-pranks.html?_requestid=12331

Like many others, I recently returned from vacation and I’m gearing up for back-to-school with my daughter (I think it should be called “back-to-business” for everyone). Feeling refreshed and focused always leads me to start planning for the rest of the year.

What goals did you set at the beginning of the year? Which have yet to be accomplished? What do you need to do to reach those goals? Are the unattained goals still worth the time & effort to complete? What other issues or opportunities have come to your attention during the year? Do these take precedence over your remaining goals or can you accomplish all items in the remaining time?

Make your list and re-prioritize. Then list the steps you need to take to complete each goal. How long do you think each item will take? Maybe you can knock out a few small projects when you are waiting for feedback on another.

Stay on track and complete your goals before the holidays are upon us (because they will be here before we know it)!

Good luck!

I received an email today saying that our site was featured on a blog focusing on housing options for seniors. It again brought to my attention how many sites are online now, specifically focused on this industry.

How do you wade through them and decide where your money is best spent?

 Look at the value

1. How much traffic does the site get?
2. How much traffic/how many impressions will the ad get?
3. How will the ad produce leads?
4. What is the price/How is the ad priced?
5. What is the contract length?
6. Will you be able to track the results of the ad – Reporting on impressions/views, clicks, leads, etc…
7. Are there any added benefits – Example: coupling another form of advertising for a discount
8. Can you make changes to the ad in mid-campaign? 

Don’t feel you have to advertise on only one site. Online advertising is normally very affordable. Test a few campaigns, tweaking them as you go to get the best results.

Once your ad is live, make sure you visit the site and check it out.

1. Are you coming up where you want/understood the ad would be?
2. Does it say what you want/appear how you envisioned it?
3. Can you better the branding/position?

Always talk to your sales person before ending a campaign as they may have suggestions on how to better it with a small change.

Happy Hunting!

Its review time here at New LifeStyles.  In many companies, reviews throw fear into the hearts of employees and fill management stress and writer’s block (note, having a few drinks before writing reviews is not the way to go).  Don’t let that happen.  Embrace the review and make it an opportunity to share ideas and plan out the next year.  We all have forms we use for reviews and methods we like to use for them.  Here are some of my tips and thoughts on reviews:

-          There should not be surprises during reviews.  You should be communicating with employees constantly, giving them feedback and coaching them through issues.

-          Don’t let reviews get too personal.  Focus on specific aspects of performance, citing facts and numbers more than opinion.

-          Don’t be afraid to rate somebody average.  Everyone can’t be a superstar and if they are, then compared to each other, they are average.  Only use outstanding ratings when they are deserved.  Put value in the higher ratings, don’t just give them because the person is a good person.  Make sure to use “needs improvement” and not just tell the employee.  Seeing it in writing drives home the point.

-          Make sure employees get a copy of the review and try to get written feedback.

-          Come out of the review with written, defined goals and plans for achieving these goals or improving performance.

-          Get feedback from the employee and make sure they understand all of the key points.  Give them an opportunity to tell you what they need or would like to see changed.

Reviews are an important part of the employee/company relationship and company development.  Make sure they cover the entire time period and not just the last couple months that you can remember.  But, it is just part of the process, make sure you are keeping communication open year-round, providing coaching for your team and an open forum for them.

Would love to hear your views and advice on reviews, as long as you don’t review my post, I’m very sensitive.

As print media works to ensure an acceptable return on the marketing dollar, New LifeStyles continues to invest in making sure our extensive distribution network is as strong as ever.  We recently added a distribution manager with years of experience in the directory marketing and advertising field and  also in the area of distribution of senior care guides.  David Moore is working meticulously on the distribution network of each guide, making sure it is accurate and up to date and also spending hours seeking our new distribution points and events that will feature our guides.  What should you expect to see?

-          New LifeStyles at more retail outlets

-          Our guide being handed out at additional senior fairs and events

-          Top Employers having the resource available for employees that must help care for their parents

-          Additional smaller health care centers carrying the guides

But, as always, we need your help!  If you have places in your area that should be handing out New LifeStyles or that could benefit the community by making them available, e-mail David@newlifestyles.com with the address or a contact name and phone number.

Our distribution is remaining strong and we are working hard to grow the network and ensure a strong return on your investment in our company.

Thanks!  Doug