Casual Articles - Business

Small Ad Agencies: Bigger Isn't Always Better
Why a small ad agency may be just what you need.Trying to decide whether you need the services of a big ad agency? Here are a few things to consider, before you hand over your marketing plan (and budget) for the coming year.Big ad agencies are great. In their own little way. They take care of big budget projects, in a big way. But smaller jobs, like sell sheets, brochures, buck slips and direct mail? Forget it. You're going to wait. And wait. And wait. On the other hand, a small agency has the time to give your business the one-on-one attention it needs. Thanks to lower overheads, a small agency it also much more flexible when it comes to both pricing and I-need-it-by-end-of-day timing.Big agencies are renowned for two things: big egos and big bureaucracies. The Creative Director and Senior Account Manager who pitched your business? Odds are they're off pitching another new business account somewhere and you'll end up working with juniors. Or trainees. When you work with a small agency, you work directly with the President and Senior Creative talent. People with the experience and knowledge necessary to help you actually sell more and raise brand visibility.Big agencies have a lot of layers. And mouths to feed. This means that unless you have a big advertising budget they can't afford to service your account profitably. Conversely, a small agency will service the heck out of you. Even in the evenings, if need be. Without having to deal with all big agency politics, a small agency is free to focus on the task at hand - building your business and profitability.Big agencies move painfully slowly. A small one moves at lightening speed. Without multiple approval layers to contend with, projects get executed efficiently and quickly. What's more, without the typical agency divide between "creative" and "suits", a small agency can be much more imaginative when it comes to both executional tactics and how to stretch your advertising dollar.Small agency or big agency? I'd go with small. You still get big ideas. Just without the big, big price tag.

n the “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” (BHAG) that guides them to the same distant horizon.

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” – Clemenza to Rocco, after killing Paulie (I)

Rule #2: Make It Personal
The old adage still applies: Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Your customer is the center of the universe, not your product. Don’t pay lip service…provide customer service. Sweeten the deal. Use a carrot rather than a stick. Go high touch, not high tech. Put a human face on your organization. Make your messages intimate and conversational, and use the magic word “YOU” with reckless abandon. Keep your promises and commitments so that it’s an advantage to become and remain your customer. One wonders whether PeopleSoft employees and customers will get enough cannoli to keep them satisfied in their extended Oracle family. Making it personal means conveying your passion and contagious enthusiasm, and letting your humanity shine through. After all, your goal is to build relationships, not sell widgets.

“Let us draw water from the well.” – Barzini to the other Dons, referring to Don Vito (I) and “Let me wet my beak a little” – Don Fanucci to young Vito (II)

The Growing Popularity of Self Builds
Self builds offer people the chance to obtain their dream home at a reasonably affordable price. As a result, more and more people are turning away from property development in favour of pursuing self build projects.The new trend in self builds is a direct result of rising property prices and housing supply shortages. Indeed, there has been a huge decline in commercial house building since the 1970s, which the government has tried to resolve by setting a target of 3.8 million new homes by 2021.Many people are addressing this problem by deciding to build their own houses rather than relying on what is available on the existing market.There are a number of advantages of self builds. Lower costs and higher quality are amongst the key benefits. On average, people who self build save between 20 and 30% of the house price. Furthermore, self build houses are generally of a much higher specification and are constructed with better quality building materials than existing properties.On top of this, you do not need to pay VAT on self builds. This can represent a significant cost saving when you consider the VAT that is normally paid on building work, fixtures and fittings.Self builds can be both financially and personally rewarding so that at the end of a project you are left with more money in your pocket and your dream home to live in.

Perhaps more than any other movie in the last thirty years, none has been assimilated into the lexicon of mainstream popular culture as much as The Godfather (1972) and its epic sequel – The Godfather: Part II (1974).

The revered place that The Godfather occupies in the American psyche is a testament not only to the box-office revenues (1) it has earned or the numerous awards (2) it has won; rather, what distinguishes The Godfather from other popular movies is the extent to which its dialogue is quoted chapter and verse. Its wit and wisdom have become, for lack of a better term, a guidepost in our daily lives: “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse” became the de facto mantra for advertisers, late-night comedians, and wiseguy wannabes; “Leave the gun...take the cannoli” epitomized the moral ambiguities and necessities of everyday life; and Luca Brasi (Don Vito Corleone’s chief enforcer) is often invoked on MSNBC’s Hardball when host Chris Matthews takes issue with some heavy-handed tactics in the political arena.

Background and Theme of The Godfather.

The screenplays for each of The Godfather films were co-written by Francis Coppola, the film’s director, and Mario Puzo, the author of the best-selling novel. In their unique collaboration, they refashioned a story about gangsters and elevated it to the level of myth – a cinematic tour de force which has long been praised for its poignant and tragic portrait of the Corleone “crime” family and its insight into a brutally corrupt economic system that sows the seeds of the family’s inevitable downfall.

As Coppola himself has remarked, the parallel lives of Vito and Michael are a thinly disguised metaphor for America and American capitalism. Underlying this metaphor, however, is a contradiction, namely, that the ideals of opportunity and social mobility are undermined by the destructive realities of the capitalist system, i.e., the unbridled desire for profit and power. The family empire that Vito builds is one that Michael cannot preserve. It is fragile and impermanent -- its loyalties based on the vagaries of business, not on the close-knit bonds of family and community. Michael’s yearning for acceptance and legitimacy, although sympathetically portrayed, remains largely unattainable.

Applying the Marketing Wisdom of The Godfather.

Although many articles have already made the obvious link between the wisdom of The Godfather and its applications to the wider business world, no one, to my knowledge, has specifically applied The Godfather’s system of beliefs and code of conduct to the world of marketing, branding, and competitive positioning.

There are many lessons to be learned: The marketplace in which companies go head to head is no less contentious, fierce, or profit-driven. The Barzinis, Tattaglias, and Sollozzos of the so-called legitimate business world are trying to expand their territory (read market share and mindshare); and the Hyman Roths and Johnny Olas, once your business allies, are now formidable competitors threatening to weaken your tenuous market position. They’re all playing to win, and want nothing more than to knock you off the shelf, as it were.

Instead of a battle of bullets, it’s a war of words and a jockeying of positions. It’s a world in which perception is power. Since sitting on the sidelines is not a viable option, you’ll either prevail (e.g., enjoy champagne cocktails in the mountains) or fail (e.g., find Khartoum’s head in your bed). There’s an old Sicil-icon Valley expression: you can either swim with the sharks or sleep with the fishes, but you can’t do both.

The distilled wisdom of The Godfather is a page taken right out of the marketer’s playbook. Successful marketing campaigns rely on persuasive attempts to achieve market dominance, cultivate customer loyalty, and convince prospects and customers to take immediate action. To be successful, you must articulate a clear vision, embrace a set of core values, and redefine the competition to your best advantage (without the accompanying murder and mayhem, of course). To remain successful, you must leverage your credibility, influence, and market intelligence in ways that make your competitors shudder in their shiny black shoes. Well, at least that’s the general idea.

First off, let’s make some key distinctions between the world of The Godfather and the commercial marketplace as we know it today. First, enemies will henceforth be referred to as competitors. Competition in your business world is with other companies and their products, not with individuals (“It’s business, not personal”). Secondly, no illegal or immoral tactics are glorified or condoned in this paper (“Blood is a big expense”). Finally, I apologize in advance for any pearls of marketing wisdom from The Godfather that may have escaped my attention (“Don’t overestimate the power of forgiveness”).

The Top 10 Rules of The Godfather.

This paper focuses on the top ten rules that embody the wisdom of The Godfather — rules that all competitive marketers and branding strategists should heed and follow. Each rule provides insight and direction designed to help you align your message, strengthen your position, and expand your brand. The rules are gleaned from actual quotes found in each Godfather movie, including The Godfather: Part III (1990) which, although not as critically acclaimed as the first two, deftly plays out the saga of Michael’s dashed dreams, operatic self-destruction, and ignominious defeat. In some cases, the same or similar quote appears in more than one film – giving it added thematic importance.

“Our ships must all sail in the same direction.”– Don Lucchesi to Michael (III)

Rule #1: Inspire Loyalty
Whoever first said “lead, follow, or get out of the way” must have been Sicilian. Maybe it originated with Crist?bal Col?n who realized he didn’t have a chance of making it to the new world without a vision (finding a new trade route to India) backed by ample financing and a loyal crew. One cannot underestimate the importance of having a bold vision that moves and inspires others: it defines the very purpose of your organization, is a reflection of your culture and belief system, and serves as a barometer of the values shared by your key stakeholders. More importantly, a strong vision stands alone – independent of external factors such as market share, profit, or competitive climate. Since each of your stakeholders (e.g., customers, employees, prospects, management, investors, etc.) has a slightly different perspective, align your message appropriately in order to unite them under a single banner and a common mission. Engage their sensibility. Stretch their imagination. Invite them along for the ride of a lifetime. Finally, inspire their loyalty by focusing their hopes and aspirations on the “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” (BHAG) that guides them to the same distant horizon.

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” – Clemenza to Rocco, after killing Paulie (I)

“Let us draw water from the well.” – Barzini to the other Dons, referring to Don Vito (I) and “Let me wet my beak a little” – Don Fanucci to young Vito (II)

Managing Change - Trust, Integrity and Change
Imagine sitting in an HR Managers office, a Director of Human Resources discussing a change project gone bad and he tells you, “I’m glad I travel, I hate people coming in to my office.” That actually happened on one project and the guy worked for a big, glamour Company and was in charge of a large division of the outfit. As a partner of mine said when I was relating the story, “He must be the Director of Non-Human Resources.Yet I see it everywhere I go. In the case above the change was major, the moving of the headquarters to another site a world away. The subjects of the change were long tenured employees who loved the company and their jobs. It was being moved just like the recent Halliburton announcement of going from Houston to Dubai to save money on taxes. This was similar.Now when I come in my work is to get people at this point to move on with their lives. I tell them that ‘it is what it is’. And that’s true, ‘it is what it is’. The place is moving regardless of how you or I feel about it, or whether they did a good job of handling the communications, which they rarely do. But this case hammered home a point that I see on every change project … leaders lose their integrity by failing to keep their word and insult the intelligence of their workers.When I go in to help the people ‘move on’ the first thing I hear is “You can’t trust these people, they have no integrity”. So I listen. What do I find? It’s all pretty simple, you can’t trust these people. You say come on Ed they aren’t all liars. No, they aren’t, they just use situational truth instead of being straight up and honest to the point of if you don’t know the answers to some questions you simple say so.As Stephen Covey so eloquently put it in his outstanding book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People … your words must match your deeds. To have trust you make a commitment and you keep it. Make it, keep it. That’s a person of integrity. Simple? Apparently not. So few leaders actually do it that I can only think it must be hard. But you and I know it isn’t.On change projects you are upsetting the norm in the culture, so it is important to keep as much stability as you can in the form of trust. By that I mean the trust that exists between leaders and the ‘subjects of the change’ as human resources is so ready to call the people impacted. Trust is the direct result of making and keeping commitments and when you do that makes you a person of integrity.In the example I above, the one where the Director of Non-Human Resources didn’t want people coming into his office, we can predict the trust that exists in that organization with on

erican capitalism. Underlying this metaphor, however, is a contradiction, namely, that the ideals of opportunity and social mobility are undermined by the destructive realities of the capitalist system, i.e., the unbridled desire for profit and power. The family empire that Vito builds is one that Michael cannot preserve. It is fragile and impermanent -- its loyalties based on the vagaries of business, not on the close-knit bonds of family and community. Michael’s yearning for acceptance and legitimacy, although sympathetically portrayed, remains largely unattainable.

Applying the Marketing Wisdom of The Godfather.

The Top 10 Rules of The Godfather.

“Our ships must all sail in the same direction.”– Don Lucchesi to Michael (III)

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” – Clemenza to Rocco, after killing Paulie (I)

“Let us draw water from the well.” – Barzini to the other Dons, referring to Don Vito (I) and “Let me wet my beak a little” – Don Fanucci to young Vito (II)

Management - How to Be a Great Manager
How would like to be a great manager? I mean a really great manager? Of course we all would but what does a great manager look like? It was years ago when first stumbled over a really great manager and boy I didn’t want to admit he was great. Let me explain.It was 1970 and I was driving truck for my Father’s company, a small trucker with a hundred trucks serving the building industry. There wasn’t much money in the business, the margins were razor thin and hauling clay pipe, brick and steel coils wasn’t too glamorous. The company had three terminals at this point, one in Chicago, one north of Philadelphia in Pottstown and the home terminal in Akron, Ohio.I just wanted to learn the business so I spent some time as a mechanic and was now on the road with some long term drivers. All the drivers hated going to Pottstown because the Terminal Manager there, Spencer, was as they termed, a real ball buster. Now I had heard from my father that he was the greatest guy to walk the earth. Umm?Over the next two years I went in and out of Pottstown and Spencer, which was his last name but the name everyone knew him by, was always there when we refueled. He’d come out, never in a particularly good mood, and make really small talk while he walked around the truck. If there was one dent or scrape that wasn’t there the last time you were in, you heard about it. You could say, Spencer was engaged.When I started out I was talking trash about Spencer just like the other drivers. My father would always respond, “Well, he always makes me money.” For my father, that was the overriding criteria. But as time went on I noticed something else. Spencer’s drivers had been with the company for a long time. In Akron, the home terminal, they never made money, had high turnover and the place looked a wreck.Over the course of those two years it became apparent that Spencer indeed was doing something right. Then one day I realized in the office that he didn’t even have an office. He had the same amount of drivers working there doing the same volume of work as Akron and had less than half the support staff. And get this … he didn’t even have an office or a desk. He just sat at the end of his dispatchers desk and long before it was popular he managed by wandering around. He knew the business better than anyone that worked for him.Over the years I became friends with Spencer and a finer man you wouldn’t meet. I worked hard to understand what his ‘secret’ was and you know what, I figured it out. He didn’t have a secret he just did three simple things:1. He knew the business better than anyone who worked for him. More importan

tails in the mountains) or fail (e.g., find Khartoum’s head in your bed). There’s an old Sicil-icon Valley expression: you can either swim with the sharks or sleep with the fishes, but you can’t do both.

The Top 10 Rules of The Godfather.

“Our ships must all sail in the same direction.”– Don Lucchesi to Michael (III)

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” – Clemenza to Rocco, after killing Paulie (I)

“Let us draw water from the well.” – Barzini to the other Dons, referring to Don Vito (I) and “Let me wet my beak a little” – Don Fanucci to young Vito (II)

I Want to Speak to a Supervisor, Part 2
In my regular newsletter, I pointed out how companies should empower and support frontline staff to do what the supervisor ultimately does, without having to check with the supervisor each and every time.Many readers sent in follow-up questions and suggestions.***Question: ‘If we do give staff more power, how can we measure if it is properly utilized?’Ron’s reply:You should measure utilization of empowerment only by counting returning customer visits or resulting customer compliments. If your high-value customers come back, make new purchases or praise your service, then your staff empowerment policy is effective.However, if high-value customers do not praise and come back, or if only low-value customers are happy and returning, then you need to change your staff empowerment formula.Here’s a hint: Contact some of your high-value customers who did not return. Ask them why they didn’t come back – and what your staff should have done to earn their repeat visit. Listen carefully. Your former customers will tell you exactly what to do.And here’s an added bonus: Just asking ‘non-returning customers’ what it would take to get them back – very often gets them back! Sometimes it’s not money that counts, but your time and personal attention.***Question: ‘How do we know where to set limits so the liability of additional cost are minimized?’Ron’s reply:To limit your liability, put a simple cap on expenditures allowed without supervisor approval. Be sure to link the financial cap to actual client value. Small clients, small cap. Big clients with big budgets, larger amounts allowed. Test this over time to get the right mix of flexibility and generosity by tracking your clients’ reactions.Remember, the ultimate deciding factor is whether good clients return and how much they are worth to your business with their repeat purchases and referrals. As long as customers come back, buy more and refer others, your expense is not a liability, it’s a smart investment.***Ken Orr, a Hotel Manager in New Zealand, wrote:After many long meetings to discuss our customer service levels, we came to a standstill. Supervisors and managers alike insisted they were doing all they could with the frontline staff we have. Every time the frontliners had an issue, I had to come to the rescue.We knuckled down to find a solution. An ‘empowerment pad’ was our answer. Each frontline staff member now carries one of these pads and when they see or hear of an issue in our hotel they note down the problem, quickly solve it and then pass on the docket for future consu

t and direction designed to help you align your message, strengthen your position, and expand your brand. The rules are gleaned from actual quotes found in each Godfather movie, including The Godfather: Part III (1990) which, although not as critically acclaimed as the first two, deftly plays out the saga of Michael’s dashed dreams, operatic self-destruction, and ignominious defeat. In some cases, the same or similar quote appears in more than one film – giving it added thematic importance.

“Our ships must all sail in the same direction.”– Don Lucchesi to Michael (III)

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” – Clemenza to Rocco, after killing Paulie (I)

“Let us draw water from the well.” – Barzini to the other Dons, referring to Don Vito (I) and “Let me wet my beak a little” – Don Fanucci to young Vito (II)

Starting A Business
Starting up your own business can be a daunting task: once you come up with your initial business idea, you need to formulate a business plan - a process that usually involves finding the necessary funding to make your company a reality. However, it's important not to be overwhelmed; after all, small to medium sized businesses make up over half of the UK's workforce and occupy a crucial place in the workings of the British economy. Simply make sure that you get the best advice possible, and consult the right financial sources to gain the necessary capital you require.Many banks and financial institutions will offer you comprehensive advice when it comes to starting a business, but it's important to make sure they take your idea seriously first. Come up with an inclusive, watertight business plan and the chances of your bank giving you the money you need is sure to increase, as will the range of financial services offered to you. New businesses can find a range of financial products from banks, including current accounts, savings accounts and secured loans to buy business equipment.What's more, some banks and financial institutions will also offer a range of business start up packages, which will include advice on how to choose your premises, as well as help on marketing, advertising and promoting your new business. Some banks even assign new businesses with a business manager, and this is always preferable to being diverted to a call centre or general advice bureau.Once you've secured your finances, it will probably be in your company's best interests to hire an accountant. An accountant will ensure that your business - even if it consists solely of one person - will be tax efficient and that your finances will run as smoothly as possible. Before you hire an accountant or an accountancy firm, however, make sure you check that they're registered with a professional accountancy body, such as the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants.Keeping a record of all your spending is also important for any new business. Keeping all your receipts and invoices in a ledger can help you keep a track of the money coming in and going out of your business account, as well as being able to notify you when money is owed to you.Furthermore, you should always remember to put some of your business money away, for tax and National Insurance purposes. Consult your accountant about how much you should set aside, and always make sure to place it in a comprehensive deposit account in order to make more interest. Following these basic rules to managing your money when you begin a new business can be crucial in making or bre

n the “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” (BHAG) that guides them to the same distant horizon.

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” – Clemenza to Rocco, after killing Paulie (I)

“Let us draw water from the well.” – Barzini to the other Dons, referring to Don Vito (I) and “Let me wet my beak a little” – Don Fanucci to young Vito (II)

Rule #3: Emphasize Solutions
Let’s face it, if you’re in business, you’re here to solve your customers’ problems. Become an indispensable resource and share the bounty. Communicate the benefits of doing business with your company, and find ways of contributing to their success. Tell your customers why they need your service now, and how you’re best equipped to produce measurable and positive results. Do everything in your power to make their job easier and give them peace of mind. Craft an overarching brand promise that your employees, customers, partners, and distributors can take to the bank. Fulfilling that promise means achieving consistency and delivering satisfaction. Make a real difference in the lives of your stakeholders and you’ll capture not only their business, but their loyalty.

“I want you to see what he’s got under his fingernails.” -- Don Vito to Luca Brasi, referring to Sollozzo (I)

Rule #4: Play To Win
Who are your main competitors and what are their core strengths and weaknesses? What position do they own and occupy? How do you stack up? Is your main message cutting through the clutter? If you’re not sure, perhaps a little digging for market intelligence is in order. Since you’re competing for mindshare, it means uncovering your competitors’ vulnerabilities and exploiting them. It also means keeping score of your messages and making each one count. Beat your competitors at their own game or make them play by your rules. Competitive positioning is more than just putting a stake in the ground and claiming it in the name of Spain. What claims are your competitors making? Perhaps they’re on shakier ground than you think. Although you don’t need a Luca Brasi to do your bidding, it helps to have a team of reliable sharpshooters, or an automated strategic market intelligence solution, to monitor the impact and reach of your messages and the extent to which your competitors are making inroads where you are not. Get a grip on your main message, keep your eye on the ball, and swing for the fences. This is one of the few opportunities you have to focus on why you’re in business and what makes you a player in the business you’re in.

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”– Michael to Pentangeli (II)

Rule #5: Know Your Competitors
How well do you really know your competitors? What makes them tick? Can you anticipate their next move? To do so, you need to understand their motivations, needs, and intentions. Study your competitors. Learn and borrow from them. Redefine them to your best advantage. To compensate for your own weaknesses, build alliances and pursue friendly “co-opetiton” as part and parcel of a practical marketing strategy. You can find common ground with anyone, even the Fanuccis in your market space. There’s a strange symbiotic relationship that exists between adversaries (e.g., cops and criminals, political rivals, hosts and parasites, to name a few). In the world of business, positioning is relative and in a constant state of flux: Predators devour weaker prey (SBC/AT&T); some fish band together (Chevron/Texaco); some eat their own kind (Enron); and others migrate to warmer, more protective waters (MCI). The ones that adapt to their environment survive – and that means being able to strengthen one’s competitive position even in the face of overwhelming upheaval and opposition.

“He’s thinking of going to the mattresses.” -- Clemenza to Paulie and Rocco, referring to Sonny’s plan for an all-out war requiring his “button men” to sleep in makeshift warehouses and safe houses (I)

Rule #6: Seize the Moment
Your competitor is winning the battle of perceptions. You’re losing mindshare. What do you do? Buy more advertising time? Sponsor a big event? Hold a news conference? Hire a celebrity spokesperson? What if your budget is anemic…then what? Regardless of the scale of your marketing, the important thing is to take a stand, and then take action. Sonny Corleone was not known for his painstaking market research. This is not to suggest you should be rash and impulsive; however, at a certain point, you have to rely on your gut instincts as a marketer and go for it! After all, timing is everything. That’s how campaigns are won and lost. Raise the stakes by bringing urgency to your most important messages. Give your customers a deadline. Force them to make a decision. Hit them from all angles. Sometimes it takes more than numbers to arrive at a difficult decision – it takes nerve. So when the opportunity arises, be prepared to pull out the stops and launch an intense and targeted blitz. Anyway, you don’t want to be too predictable. Use the element of surprise to throw your competitors off guard. Carpe momentum!

“Michael, we’re bigger than U.S. Steel.” – Hyman Roth (II)

Rule #7: Think Big
If you’re going to compete with the “big boys,” you might as well put yourself in their class and category. Perception rules the roost – so start by changing the way you perceive yourself. Branding has a lot to do with confidence. If you act big, bold, and brilliant, chances are the world will see you that way, too. When it comes to marketing, every campaign you launch should embrace one big idea. Focus on the big picture, not the minutiae. Failure to do so will result in your message being diluted, drowned out, and quickly forgotten. Find a major theme to anchor and amplify your message. Put an appropriate frame around it to give it perspective and gravitas. Create affinity with your customers by capturing their hearts, touching a nerve, and becoming, well, unforgettable. Give the world a direct and definitive way to experience your brand on a grand scale. Where would we be without movers and shakers like Edison, Carnegie, Ford, Walton, and Gates who not only had great ideas that changed society, but knew how to market them effectively?

“I believe in America. America has made my fortune.” -- Bonasera to Don Vito (I)

Rule #8: Be Creative and Innovative
This opening line of The Godfather says it all: Pursue your dreams, make money, and become an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the word. This means shaking off old habits, exploiting any and all marketing opportunities, and occasionally taking the road less traveled. Being a “me too” brand or communicating a cookie-cutter message will not enhance your value or contribute to your lasting success. If we know anything about the American dream, it’s limitless…and it smiles on the marketer with a better, faster, and cheaper mousetrap. Look at the phenomenal growth and success of the iPod. Within a few short years, Apple applied its vision and resources, and virtually cornered the market for digital audio players that use hard drives. Innovation is either part of your corporate culture, or it’s not. Find a new solution to an old problem. Reinvent your old bag of tricks. Challenge yourself. Break from convention, but know the rules you’re breaking. Make your message fun and fresh. Surprise and delight an unsuspecting world. Of course, that means going the extra mile – but, as they say, it’s never crowded.

“This I cannot do.” -- Don Vito to Bonasera (I) and Michael to Don Altobello (III)

Rule #9: Know Yourself
With all due respect to Socrates, who popularized the famous inscription (3) at the Apollo Temple in Delphi

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This article is packed full with statistics and information on the leisure and recreation market in the UK.

Laser engraving is a technique in which laser technology is used to engrave, mark or etch any object. People get things engraved for many different reasons and purposes. This method is much more popular than other engraving procedures because the result is very clean and precise. The method of laser engraving can be very complex and technical, and involves exposing the object to a laser ray.

Customer Service departments are often treated as a necessary evil. However, with the implementation of a simple tool, your Customer Service staff can become your corporate Early Warning system. This information can then be used to make corrections to your products or services before they become a large scale problem for your company.

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