Greg Hoffman, Marketing Gorilla

You have to laugh at unsolicited email sometimes

2009-07-01T15:26:00.002-05:00

Good Day,
We offer a part time job on your computer.

Job Description:
We will provide you with the texts for our employees with the important information and you will correct the texts as an english speaking person and send them back to us.

Salary:
We don't have a fixed salary for this vacancy. We will pay you USD7.00 for every 1Kb of the corrected text. You will get paid at the END of each month. Every month your salary will be different as it depends on your activity.

Example:
If you correct about 5Kb (5kb it about 2 pages A4) of texts per day you will get over USD1000.00 at the end of the month.

Requirements:
-Location: Has no value (the main good knowledge of English language)

-Age: 21+

-Home computer, e-mail address and Microsoft Word

-Responsibility

To apply for job please send us the following information to:
xxxxxxx

__________

FULL NAME:

HOME ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE:

Phone number (home or cell, but SHOULD BE available any day time):

E-MAIL:

AGE:

OCCUPATION:

EDUCATION:

AVAILABLE HOUR TO WORK WITH US:

___________

As soon as we revise your aplication we will contact you within 24 hours.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask.

Awaiting for your application.

Thank you,

Book Excerpt - Start With the Answer by Bob Seelert

2009-06-23T15:47:00.003-05:00

Leading in Tough Times
By Bob Seelert,
Author of Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders

The financial crisis that began in 2008 continues to unfold in unprecedented ways, thereby presenting business leaders with incredible challenges. How does one manage in such a crisis-laden environment? Here are "Ten Things To Do" based on my 40+ years in business.

#1 -- Get the truth out on the table. You need to begin with an open, honest, candid assessment of the facts. Sometimes the truth can be ugly, but you're not in a position to deal with it until you get it out on the table. Making unrealistic assumptions only will prompt inaction, with things getting worse before they get better. Get out in front of the problem.

#2 -- Establish standards for the new reality. When markets collapse, you can't be sure how far they will fall, but you can establish an expectation for how your company will perform relative to whatever happens. At Saatchi & Saatchi, even though our revenue may be down year to year, we expect to outperform the market by 50%. This sets a high standard for our people. We also recognize that there will be margin pressures, but we expect to "draw the line" at X%", in order to preserve our financial profile for the future. This implies tight management of costs at the same time we aim to outperform the market.

#3 -- Think long term; Act short term. Downturns in the economy present the opportunity for far-sighted companies to go for share of market. Inevitably, some of your competitors will pull back when times get tough. Take advantage of this to position your enterprise to gain when the inevitable market rebound takes place.

#4 -- Communicate, communicate, communicate. This is the time to increase the frequency of your internal communications and heighten your personal presence in front of the organization. People are understandably nervous and sometimes scared during uncertain times. Now is the opportunity to rally the troops and give them reassurance that your company will be out in front in dealing with what needs to be done.

#5 -- Get "All hands on deck." Tough times call for extraordinary efforts on the part of every employee. You can't get the job done alone. Now is the time to enlist every person in doing whatever must be done to ensure survival and prosperity. Outhustling your competition is the surest path to gaining share of market.

#6 -- Get out with customers. Heightening your interaction with customers will keep you tuned in to their needs and give you constant feedback regarding where the environment is headed. Meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations are the two sure pathways to success.

#7 -- Stay true to what made you great in the first place. Most high performing companies got that way for a reason. Now is not the time to lose sight of this. Toyota has achieved success in the U.S. car market through innovation and continuous improvement. Despite the current downtrend in auto sales, they are innovating by introducing the Venza, and putting into the marketplace the third generation improvement for the Prius. These are the kind of actions that will keep them out in front.

#8 -- Reframe value for the new environment. Marketers should reassess their messages for relevance in the current economic conditions. Tide always has been the best laundry detergent, but in this environment, it doesn't hurt to remind consumers that its color integrity feature keeps new clothes looking new longer. For Olay it's relevant to mention that the cost of Olay pales in comparison to more invasive or surgical procedures.

#9 -- Add/Reduce; Create/Eliminate. Despite the economy, it's likely that your company needs to add some new positions and create some new capabilities in order to meet the demands of the marketplace. You should press ahead in these areas, but you need to have the organization simultaneously thinking about how it reduces and eliminates things as well. Tough times force trade-offs.

#10 -- Set tight priorities. Now, more than ever, is the time to set tight priorities. Decide what is core, and what is non-core, and focus your time and attention on the critical few things that will make a difference.

Tough times can bring out the best in organizations and prompt actions that will position your company for future success. Follow these ten things and you will do well.

©2009 Bob Seelert, author of Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders
Author Bio
Bob Seelert, author of Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders, is Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, a leading global ideas and advertising company. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he has been CEO of five companies, has built brands and businesses, been a party to two mega-mergers, and enacted numerous turnarounds. He has served on boards of directors of companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. He lives in New Canaan, Connecticut.

For more information please visit www.StartwiththeAnswer.com

PLR Health Wizard Hires Greg Hoffman Consulting as its Affiliate Program Management Firm

2009-06-12T04:59:00.002-05:00

Greg Hoffman Consulting, an internet marketing firm specializing in affiliate, paid search and online public relations management, has been hired by PLR Health Wizard to recruit and activate new affiliates into its existing affiliate program for private label rights health, wellness and fitness niche content.

PLR Health Wizard chose Greg Hoffman Consulting to manage its affiliate base because of his prior experience with large e-Commerce merchants and his newly acquired affiliate manager certification from Lurn, Inc. Gail Trahd, President of PLR Health Wizard, was looking for an experienced and knowledgeable affiliate program manager to tackle her program expansion for 2009. She chose to search in Lurn's AC Certified "Who is Certified" database and found Hoffman, who earned his certificate in May 2009.

Trahd said, "I need someone who can motivate and energize my affiliates that have been part of my program for the last two years. I also need someone that has the connections and experience to recruit new affiliates into the program as we continuously add new health, wellness and fitness content. Our customers love our PLR content and our partners can benefit greatly by finding new and unique ways to market our products."

Hoffman said, "I'm very happy my certification paid off so quickly and I'm looking forward to working with super affiliates and PLR affiliates. I'm positive we can find more super affiliates to pick up the program and target relevant customers in need of health and wellness content for newsletters, blogs and multi-media marketing communications."

The PLR Health Wizard affiliate program uses Amember for its membership platform and starts affiliates at 40% recurring commission. Products range from $39.97 to $59.97. Trahd has generously set a lifetime cookie duration so affiliates can continually reap the benefits. Conversion has averaged near 4% since the program began nearly two years ago, she added.

Hoffman will be engaging affiliates by blog, phone, email, instant message and in-person at industry conventions throughout the next year. Hoffman will be working with affiliates on program-side training, helping them learn the PLR Health Wizard products and motivating them to perform at higher levels.

PLR Health Wizard is written and owned by Gail Trahd, a retired/former Nurse Practitioner. The health, wellness and fitness content provided can be used for ezines, newsletters, special reports, podcasts, and videos or inserted in private ebooks. Customers are also provided with illustrations to enhance the content as well as access to internet marketing tools to help them monetize the content. Visit PLR Health Wizard for more information: http://www.plr-health-wizard.com.

Greg Hoffman Consulting is an internet marketing firm with extensive experience in affiliate program management, as well as paid search management and online public relations. Hoffman recently obtained his Certified Affiliate Manager professional certificate from Lurn.com. He has previously managed affiliate and paid search programs for programs such as Thompson Cigar, Linensource, Casual Living USA, Café Belmondo, eBeanstalk and others. Visit Greg Hoffman for more information.

eBeanstalk.com Hires Greg Hoffman Consulting as Their Affiliate Program Management Firm

2009-06-09T08:05:00.002-05:00

Greg Hoffman Consulting, a newly formed internet marketing firm specializing in affiliate, paid search and online public relations management, has been hired by eBeanstalk.com to recruit and activate new affiliates into its ShareASale Affiliate Network program.

eBeanstalk.com chose Greg Hoffman Consulting to communicate with affiliates on a daily basis because of his extensive relationships with existing and future eBeanstalk affiliates in the ShareASale network. Hoffman has managed multiple e-Commerce merchants in all the top affiliate networks over the last five years.
Brian Gordon, President of eBeanstalk.com said "My decision was a simple one as I know Greg has a firm grasp on our vision of affiliate management. We need to nurture our relationships and look for new ways to market our learning and educational toys online, especially our niche line of baby gifts."

Greg Hoffman says "I'm honored Brian has chosen me to represent his brand as eBeanstalk's affiliate program manager. I look forward to picking up the phone and talking with super affiliates that can immediately provide unique content and promotions for the eBeanstalk affiliate program."

The high-converting toy affiliate program with ShareASale started in April 2007 and currently has a 30-day EPC of more than $8. Its holiday conversion rate is typically close to a healthy 5%. Starting commission for affiliates is 5% but eBeanstalk is looking for strategic partners to take advantage of higher private commissions, Gordon said. The program also has a 45-day affiliate cookie, monthly newsletter and a full product datafeed (Popshops available).

Hoffman will be engaging affiliates by blog, phone, email, instant message and in-person at industry conventions throughout the next year. Hoffman will be working with affiliates on program side training, helping them learn the eBeanstalk brand, the products and motivating them to perform at higher levels, he said.

eBeanstalk provides products that promote a child's development and offers visitors expert information on newborn toys, baby toys, toddler toys and preschooler toys. The group of experts include: a child psychologist, speech pathologist, child physical therapist, pediatric occupational therapist, special educator and more than 700 moms - called the Mother Board. The team has carefully selected, tested and approved more than 600 toys.

Greg Hoffman Consulting is an internet marketing firm with extensive experience in affiliate program management, as well as paid search management and online public relations. Hoffman recently obtained his Certified Affiliate Manager professional certificate from Lurn.com. He has previously managed affiliate and paid search programs for programs such as Thompson Cigar, Linensource, Casual Living USA, Café Belmondo, Shock Coffee and others. Visit http://www.GregHoffmanConsulting.com for more information.

ShipABall.com Helps Greg Hoffman Consulting

2009-05-28T17:21:00.003-05:00

I needed a gimmick to get the attention of a popular affiliate program owner and I decided against shipping Donuts this time. At some point last year, Shawn Collins suggested I use ShipABall.com to send a unique reminder of my services.

The customer service at ShipABall was very quick and responsive with my custom message for the 10-inch inflatable ball. I was pleased with the images and the price was right.

Now let's see what happens...

Try out ShipABall.com.

Men's Coupons Sites Soar in Second Quarter '09

2009-05-26T10:31:00.000-05:00

As the economy slowed and families had to dig deeper this Spring to make ends meet, coupon focused web sites have seen tremendous growth, especially one specific site that caters to unlikely users - men.

A quick review of Google News under the keyword "coupons" will show thousands of recent media mentions, all talking about how shoppers are taking advantage of online discounts, said Traci Dean, owner of MensCouponClub.com. "We focus on helping men who find it difficult to shop online or are too busy and want to find good deals in one place," she said.

Dean reports Second Quarter '09 sales for MensCouponClub.com will be an estimated 75% more than the Second Quarter '08 results. The site has also added approximately 500 additional e-commerce merchants this year and is working directly with affiliate managers to provide custom coupons for its customers.

"We have recommendations to what women want, suggestions made by women, and by the same token, for women using our site, we have recommendations for what men like, suggestions made by men," Dean said.

Stereotypes don't apply these days when it comes to using coupons and saving money at the grocery store or online, according to retiree Martin De La Montainge, of Tampa. "I'm happy to save money anyway I can. The only coupons I used in the past were found in Sunday newspapers, however, I found MensCouponClub.com that sends a weekly email containing many coupons for different products that fit my needs. Occasionally I will see a coupon for a product that I have never used before and the discount provided by the coupon is an incentive for me to purchase the product and try it at least once."

MensCouponClub.com works with reputable merchants and adds exclusive coupons every month in many different categories such as: Sports & Fitness, Electronics; Health; Apparel and many others. The owners of MensCouponClub.com also run CouponsandSportsBlog.com to compliment their services and give its visitors updates on major sports related stories mixed with deals they might like. For more information, visit http://www.menscouponclub.com or contact by email: contact(at)menscouponclub.com

Don't Panic! Take a Towel Wherever You Go Monday!

2009-05-24T20:35:00.001-05:00

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitch hiker can have. Partly it has great practical value - you can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a mini raft down the slow heavy river Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or to avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mindboggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you - daft as a bush, but very, very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitch hiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

- Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Greg Hoffman Becomes Certified Affiliate Manager

2009-05-13T22:52:00.008-05:00

In 2006, I attended Affiliate Summit for Thompson Cigar. While I was there I met Janet Meiners Thaeler and she convinced me to purchase the original Affiliate Classroom Affiliate Manager training course. It came in a box with a huge 3-ring binder with workbooks and DVDs all over the place. I found it to be a great resource but it lacked any final certification.

In 2007, while with Kowabunga, I bumped into AC's Anik Singal at another Affiliate Summit. I pestered him about when he would move the Manager course online. He said it was coming soon and that everyone was looking forward to it.

In 2008, my former employee and now one of my best friends, Lisa Van Noland-Caraffi, was one of the first affiliate managers to jump in and complete the AC Certified Training online. You can see her testimonial on the AC Certified homepage...

In 2009, I finally committed to investing in the training. Tonight, I completed the final exam. It's very rewarding and let me tell you, the final exam was not a piece of cake. After all the successful affiliate programs I've managed in the last 5 years in all the major networks, the AC Certified Training taught me tips and tricks I've never considered.

Thank you Rachel! I owe you some donuts.

Sign up for the AC Certified Course now.

Gorilla picks up a Nikon D40

2009-05-12T15:50:00.004-05:00

For the first time since 1994, I purchased a quality camera today. My last one was a Nikon 6006 purchased out of the Abes of Maine catalog. The D40 may not be top of the line but I'm sure it will fit my needs as a small business owner and a father to 2 very active children.

I attribute the purchase to a lucky birthday present. My aunt placed a bet for me in the Kentucky Derby and the horse that I chose at random won - Mine That Bird. So those 50-1 winnings along with some other birthday money, I set out to get a new camera. The battery is charging and I can't wait to test it out. Make sure you are following me on Twitter so you can see some of the Twitpics I upload later this week.

Find Great Deals on Brand Name SLR Cameras at www.AbesOfMaine.com.

Get Solar Power for Your Home

2009-05-04T10:15:00.006-05:00

SunPower Corp produces the world’s most POWERFUL and EFFICIENT solar systems and is leading the way in product innovation. As a manufacturer of the highest-efficiency solar-panels, SunPower is transforming neighborhoods and bringing the environmental community together like never before, providing a powerful global solution to homeowners.

This is cool technology -

Introducing the SunPower Monitoring System® with three ways to monitor — wireless in-home display, web interface, and on-the-go access from your iPhone™ or iPod® touch mobile devices. Now you can track the performance of your solar system on your terms.

Now if I could only get my apartment complex to install these, my power bill wouldn't be so high and I could say I was living a "green" lifestyle. Of course, I would have to live in one of these areas..Central Valley CA, North California, La Metro area, Bay Area CA, San Diego(Inc Palm Springs), Palm Springs, New York, Denver Boulder, Phoenix, Honolulu, Boston, South Jersey, Philly suburbs.

Cobb Chamber of Commerce

2009-05-04T08:58:00.003-05:00

I joined the Cobb Chamber of Commerce last week to help network locally. I was a member in 2003 when I did a few small projects for the chamber staff.

Today was the First Monday Breakfast at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest. The speaker was Margaret DeFrancisco, President and CEO, Georgia Lottery Corporation. She is a great speaker.

It was good to get out and start networking again. I look forward to more events with the Cobb Chamber and reconnecting with people I've worked with in the past.

Greg Hoffman Consulting is Born

2009-05-01T12:49:00.005-05:00

For the last year I have been working as an independent consultant for various online marketing agencies. I have enjoyed the work as an affiliate manager and I hope to continue picking up projects with some of the great teams I've worked with.

But in this economy, I felt it was time to launch my own consultancy. I can't wait around for others to do business development and with my Public Relations background, I can offer just a little bit more to some merchants on my own.

Greg Hoffman Consulting offers affiliate program management, online public relations, marketing communications and search engine marketing.

My point is to drive traffic to your site! Whether your site is a brochure site for a local company in Metro Atlanta or an E-Commerce site selling widgets, I can help you find the quality traffic you need to make the phone ring or convert sales at a higher rate.

GregHoffmanConsulting.com needs a few more tweaks but it gets the point across. Please stop by and read about my services.

Watch for press releases and new client announcements soon. First client is already on the books!

Two New Sites Created - Coming Soon

2009-04-17T19:15:00.002-05:00

I have two new hosted sites on the way, one is for my consultancy and the other will be a blog through Wordpress. I'm using BlueHost for my web hosting solution for both. BlueHost comes highly recommended.

More to come soon.

Engauge Teams up with WellStar Health System to Re-launch Website

2009-04-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

WellStar is a former client and I'm happy to see them moving forward with a more sophisticated web presence...

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Engauge, a total marketing solutions agency, and WellStar Health System, a not-for-profit health system offering Atlanta's growing community world class health care, have partnered to re-launch WellStar.org. The focus will be to create digital strategies that better align the company’s online presence with its various audiences, including patients, doctors, and staff.

According to Michelle Robinson, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, PR & Internal Communications for WellStar Health System, “Engauge brings to this relationship a deep understanding in online behavior and user experience – something of significant importance as we strive to create stronger connections online.”

“Having worked closely with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several US hospitals, the Engauge team brings tremendous subject matter expertise to the WellStar relationship,” says Melissa Read, Ph.D., VP of Research and Innovation with Engauge. “To us, this project is about so much more than driving conversion digitally. It’s about helping real people find real medical solutions.”

Engauge background: www.engauge.com

Engauge, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is a total marketing solutions agency, dedicated to delivering transformational ideas that move someone — to act, to choose, to believe in a brand. The agency focuses on discovering true insights, developing ideas with real impact, and then measuring that interaction and gauging the results. Engauge’s three Centers of Excellence combine the disciplines of branding, digital, and direct marketing to partner with clients such as Kraft Foods, Best Buy for Business, Chick-fil-A, The Home Depot, Sony, NGK, and Huntington Bank. The company has offices in Columbus, Austin, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Orlando.

The vision of WellStar Health System is to deliver world-class healthcare. WellStar, a not-for-profit health system, includes Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone, Paulding and Windy Hill hospitals; WellStar Physicians Group; Urgent Care Centers; Health Place; Homecare; Hospice; Atherton Place; Paulding Nursing Center; and WellStar Foundation. For more information, call 770-956-STAR or visit www.wellstar.org.

Survival Tips by Donald Trump

2009-04-07T09:07:00.002-05:00

By Donald Trump: Author of Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education In Business and Life

What's happened to the economy has been likened to a tsunami as well as an implosion. When the undersea earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit in Indonesia in 2004, the world was stunned by the devastation that took place. It triggered earthquakes around the globe as far away as Alaska. It happened in a very short amount of time.
This kind of event takes shape over a period of time and then erupts with incredible force. What happened this past year is similar in that respect -- it'd been brewing for some time. When it hit, it was like a tsunami which caused other economies to start crumbling as well. We are all familiar with that scenario. What we need to do now is deal with it.
The aftermath of a tsunami requires surveying the damage, picking up the pieces and moving on. Some people have bigger losses than others, but everyone has to keep going.
When it comes to implosion, it's more of a cave-in than a wipe-out, but equally potent. We saw the effects of an implosion watching the towers fall on 9/11. It's a domino effect. We won't sink because we can swim, but let's not go the way of dominos. Let's be smart and learn to think for ourselves in positioning ourselves for what comes next. Here are a few survival tips:
Pay attention to national and international news and finance coverage at least several times a day, preferably hourly. In volatile times, vigilance is necessary.
Absorb, assess, and then act. Knowledge without action is impotence.
When a tsunami hits, there's no time for procrastination. Keep your momentum in tune with the times.
Avoid your comfort zone -- it's probably outdated anyway.
If you're honest, you should know the questions that should be asked, as well as the answers. That's probably why there's so much confusion out there today.
Remember The Blitz. That can put things into perspective. Things may be tough and getting tougher, but we're not being bombed day in and day out either. If you don't know what The Blitz is, use your time wisely to study WWII to find out.
Is your life half empty or half full? Half is better than zip. Count your blessings.
Realize that fear is the exact opposite of faith.
Resolve to be bigger than your problems. Who's the boss?
Don't negate your own power. Whatever you've been dealt, know you can deal with it.
Copyright © 2009 Donald J. Trump, author of Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education In Business and Life

Author Bio
Donald J. Trump, author of Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education In Business and Life, is the Chairman and President of The Trump Organization. He is the preeminent developer of quality real estate around the world, rnaking the Trump brand synonymous with the gold standard. His commitment to excellence extends from his real estate holdings to the entertainment industry. As the star and co-producer of the NBC hit series The Apprentice, to his award-winning golf courses and skyscrapers, his business acumen is unparalleled. His Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue has become one of the most famous landmark buildings in New York City, and his Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City has received the coveted Mobil Five-Star Award. He is the archetypal businessman -- a deal maker without peer and an ardent philanthropist.

Learn more about Think Like A Champion at www.trumpthinklikeachampion.com

Don't Call it a Comeback, I've Been Here for Years!

2009-03-15T09:09:00.003-05:00

I've slipped on my blog postings over the last few weeks as I packed and made my journey northward from Florida back to Georgia.

I'm living in Roswell again for the first time in 10 years. The kids and I are doing great and now it's time for me to resume my job search in metro-Atlanta. There is one particular company that will be receiving a box of donuts this week. Hopefully they will enjoy the treats and the resume will speak for itself.

More book reviews coming soon.

Sticky Brain Teasers from the book Made to Stick

2009-02-23T09:12:00.004-05:00

Sticky Brain Teasers

By Chip and Dan Heath,
Authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Test the Curse of Knowledge With Tappers and Listeners

Take a song like "The Star-Spangled Banner" and tap out the rhythm to a friend on a table. Ask your friend to listen and guess the name of the song. Do you think your friend will guess right?

A 1990 study on this experiment showed that listeners guessed only 2.5 percent of the songs (3 out of 120 attempted). Before the listeners guessed the song, the tappers were asked to predict if the listeners would guess correctly. They predicted that the odds were 50 percent! Why the discrepancy? When a tapper taps, she is hearing the song in her head, but the listener can't. The problem is that the tapper has been given knowledge (the song title) that makes it impossible for her to imagine what it's like to lack that knowledge. This is the Curse of Knowledge. Once we know something, we find it hard to imagine what it was like not to know it.

The tapper/listener experiment is reenacted every day across the world between CEOs and frontline employees, teachers and students, politicians and voters, marketers and customers, writers and readers. All of these groups rely on ongoing communication, but, like the tappers and listeners, they suffer from enormous information imbalances. You can quash the Curse of Knowledge with the six principles of stickiness.

The Simplicity Test

Spend ten to fifteen seconds, no more, studying the letters below. Then write down as many letters as you can remember.

J FKFB INAT OUP SNA SAI RS

If you're like most people, you probably remembered about seven to ten letters. That's not much information. Compactness is essential because there's a limit to the amount of information we can juggle at once.

Now try the exercise again. The letters are the same but are grouped differently. Once again, study the letters for ten to fifteen seconds, then close the book and test your recall.

JFK FBI NATO UPS NASA IRS

Chances are you did much better the second time. Suddenly the letters meant something, which made them easier to remember. In Round 1 you were trying to remember raw data. In Round 2, you were remembering concepts: John F. Kennedy, the FBI, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, UPS, NASA, the IRS.

The Concreteness Test

1) Think of five silly things that people have done in the world in the past ten years.
2) Next, think of five silly things your child has done in the past ten years.

Most people can think of about the same number of things for each exercise–even though your child's actions are a tiny fraction of the world! Why? Because concreteness focuses your brain.

The Velcro Theory of Memory Test

Read each sentence below slowly. As you move from one sentence to another, you'll notice that it feels different to remember different kinds of things.

Remember the capital of Kansas
Remember the first line of the song "Hey Jude"
Remember the Mona Lisa
Remember the house where you spent most of your childhood
Remember the definition of "truth"
Remember the definition of "watermelon"

Each command to remember seems to trigger a different mental activity. Memory, then, is not like a single filing cabinet. It is more like Velcro. If you look at Velcro up close, you'll notice that one side has lots of tiny hooks and the other has lots of tiny loops. When you press the two sides together, a huge number of hooks get snagged inside the loops, and that's what causes Velcro to seal. Similarly, your brain hosts a staggering number of loops. The more "hooks" we can put into our ideas, the easier it will be for people to remember.

The Choice Paralysis Test

A group of students were given the following choice of how to spend one evening:

1. Attend a lecture by an author you admire who is visiting just for the evening, or
2. Go the library and study?

21 percent decided to study. Suppose instead they had been given three choices:

1. Attend the lecture by an author you admire who is visiting just for the evening.
2. Go to the library and study.
3. Watch a film that you've been wanting to see.

Do you think they answered differently? Remarkably, when a different group of students were given the three choices, 40 percent decided to study -- double the number who did before. Giving students two good alternatives to studying, rather than one, paradoxically makes them less likely to choose either. This behavior isn't "rational," but it is human. A consistent finding in the psychology literature is that too many choices can be paralyzing. If your ideas help people prioritize among options, you can rescue them from the quicksand of decision paralysis. That's why finding the core of your idea is so valuable.

Copyright © 2009 Chip and Dan Heath co-authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

http://www.madetostick.com/

Pending Review: Made to Stick

2009-02-20T17:45:00.003-05:00

I'm reading this book over the weekend for a review here on the blog. Here is a sampling of what it is about:

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
By authors, Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Random House; 1 edition (January 2, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400064287
ISBN-13: 978-1400064281

Product Description
Mark Twain once observed, “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” His observation rings true: Urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus public-health scares circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people with important ideas–business people, teachers, politicians, journalists, and others–struggle to make their ideas “stick.”

Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improve the chances of worthy ideas? In Made to Stick, accomplished educators and idea collectors Chip and Dan Heath tackle head-on these vexing questions. Inside, the brothers Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the “human scale principle,” using the “Velcro Theory of Memory,” and creating “curiosity gaps.”

In this indispensable guide, we discover that sticky messages of all kinds–from the infamous “kidney theft ring” hoax to a coach’s lessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new product at Sony–draw their power from the same six traits.

Made to Stick is a book that will transform the way you communicate ideas. It’s a fast-paced tour of success stories (and failures)–the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers; the charities who make use of “the Mother Teresa Effect”; the elementary-school teacher whose simulation actually prevented racial prejudice. Provocative, eye-opening, and often surprisingly funny, Made to Stickshows us the vital principles of winning ideas–and tells us how we can apply these rules to making our own messages stick.

Tana Hoy Announces New Teleseminar - Benefits of Gemstones and Crystals

2009-02-02T22:11:00.003-05:00

America's Foremost Psychic Medium, Tana Hoy, announces his first teleseminar for 2009 on a topic close to his heart and highly requested by his devoted fans - the benefits of gemstones and crystals.

The hour-long live teleseminar will be available to anyone who purchases a seat through Tana Hoy's website, prior to the February 10, 6 p.m. PST phone conference. The teleseminar will also be available for purchase on his website for those who miss the event.

"If you aren't aware of the magical powers of gemstones and crystals, or how you can use their powers to enhance your everyday life, then this is your chance to learn about how you can use them," Hoy said. "I will teach you how to choose the right gemstone or crystal for healing, meditation, balance and protection. You will also learn how to clean and properly care for your gemstones and crystals, as well as how to tune and program them to manifest whatever you desire."

Hoy is known to thousands of people nationwide as a spiritual consultant, and is famous for his very rare psychic gift - being able to communicate with the other side. Hoy not only hears spirit guides and guardian angels, but he can physically see them too. He first became famous when he predicted the Oklahoma City bombing live on national radio only 90 minutes before it happened.

For the last year, Hoy has been sharing his knowledge through a series of psychic courses to help others understand how they can develop their own natural psychic powers. Past teleseminars have included dream interpretation, developing psychic ability and harnessing the psychic power of water.

During this gemstone and crystal teleseminar, you will learn: how to block negative energy, how to release stress and worry, how to achieve deeper relaxation, how to heal your soul energy, as well as how to harness positive dreams, so that you can sleep better and feel invigorated the next day, according to Hoy.

"I want you to understand the magnificent power inside gemstones and crystals, and to teach you how you can combine different stones to attract money and success, relieve fear, anxiety and worry, along with much more," Hoy added.

To pre-register, visit TanaHoy.com and purchase the course for $39.97. The February 10 course runs live from 6-7 p.m. PST (9-10 p.m. EST).

New Phone Number and Address

2009-01-20T10:42:00.002-05:00

If you are trying to locate me, I have a new phone number and new address. You can email me for the contact info or you can check out the updates on my Facebook page.

I just joined the Offeratti CPA Network

2009-01-12T15:06:00.004-05:00

Offeratti Network - Make More Money from Your Traffic

The following description of Offeratti is straight from Jim Lillig, the president of the new network and someone I respect and trust in the affiliate industry. This is a network to watch in 2009.

Offeratti was developed from the ground up to be a different performance network. Unlike some of the competition, here’s what you can expect when you are approved as an offeratti publisher:

No Tiered Payouts on Downsells - Always Get Full Commission
Live Dynamic Custom Split Testing - You Get the Highest Converting
Control at ALL Times.
Custom Landing Pages Tailored to Specific Marketing Channels (i.e. PPC, eMail, Banners, International, etc.)
On Time Payouts
Top Biz Opp Offers from The Most Successful Internet Marketers

Offeratti Network - Make More Money from Your Traffic

Greg Hoffman, Marketing Gorilla ... What?

2008-12-22T14:28:00.003-05:00

Where in the world did the Marketing Gorilla name come from? Easy enough to explain.

During my time with the world-renowned Computer Security Guru Winn Schwartau, he needed guerrilla marketing to promote his new company and products. At some point he started calling me Gorilla Greg. That was about the time I started this blog for my own personal SEO and branding.

Over the last few years, it went from Guerrilla Marketing to Gorilla Greg to Marketing Gorilla. Then the look and feel evolved with the help of my graphic designer buddy, Brian Jones at Thompson Cigar and my blog template designer Karen Rani.

So if you want to do any research on who I am, all you have to do is type in "Marketing Gorilla" in the search engines. There are lots of copycats but I rank number one. Except of course for my name, because certain movie databases misspell the late Gregg Hoffman, producer of the SAW movies.

And then of course there is the tattoo to go along with the whole branding thing...That branding effort will be with me forever.

Why hire Greg Hoffman, Marketing Gorilla?

2008-12-04T13:58:00.000-05:00

Here is my pitch to all you recruiters, HR people and top executives at profitable companies in metro-Atlanta.

There aren't that many marketing or public relations management jobs open right now but thousands of people like me jockeying for interviews.

I'm here to tell you that I want the interview more than anyone else and I'm not done finding creative ways to get your attention. I am a hardworking team leader that is dedicated to helping companies like yours find profitable customers through any marketing channel - online or offline.

Now you have seen me, heard me and if you haven't read my resume, contact me through my website - GregWHoffman.com.

I am packed and ready to move to Atlanta at a moments notice.

Time to Vote For Pete Rose

2008-12-02T17:23:00.005-05:00

Eligible sportswriters from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) have received their ballots and its time to choose the next Baseball Hall of Famers.

I say its time to vote for Pete Rose. Forget what the cynics say: "Rose? Not until every last player, coach and manager who didn't corrupt the game gets in..." And forget what the rules say, "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

If enough sportswriters go with their gut and vote for Charlie Hustle, then the sport of baseball will begin to heal itself. Who cares about his gambling? Seriously...The man wasn't a saint but he was one hell of a ballplayer. He deserves to be in Cooperstown. The longer this goes on, the more the NFL, NBA and NASCAR will kick MLB's ass in ratings, attendance and merchandise. Get off your high horse and let Pete Rose in...

Jimmy Carter wrote about forgiving Rose.

I just joined a group on Facebook called "If you don't think Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame I will fight you. And here is there case for Rose:

All-time Major League record for most career hits:
4,256
All-time Major League record for most games played:
3,562
All-time Major League record for most at bats:
14,053
All-time Major League record for most singles:
3,315
All-time Major League record for most total bases by a switch hitter:
5,752
All-time Major League record for most seasons of 200 or more hits:
10
All-time Major League record for most consecutive seasons of 100 or more hits:
23
All-time Major League record for most seasons with 600 or more at bats:
17
All-time Major League record for most seasons with 150 or more games played:
17
All-time Major League record for most seasons with 100 or more games played:
23
Only player in Major League history to play more than 500 games at five different Positions:
1B (939) 2B (628) 3B (634)
LF (671) RF (595)
Major League record for playing in the most winning games:
1,972
All-time National League record for most years played:
24
All-time National League record for most consecutive years played:
24
All-time National League record for most career runs:
2,165
All-time National League record for most career doubles:
746
All-time National League record for most games with 5 or more hits:
10
Modern National League record for longest consecutive game hitting streak:
44
Modern National League Record for most consecutive game hitting
streaks of 20 or more games:
7

OnlineSports.com Increased Commission if you join today!

2008-12-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

We are close to 1,000 affiliates in our ShareASale program for OnlineSports.com. To get us over the 1,000 milestone, I am offering an increased 12% commission to all new affiliates that join by 2pm EST tomorrow. You will be set at that premium offer for the rest of December.

Join OnlineSports.com