“The Original Search Engine.” When I saw this Yellow Pages industry tag line in an ad campaign to resurrect directory usage, I thought it was pretty clever. But too little, too late.

Today I was assured that they still don’t understand that tag lines mean little when you don’t understand your customers.

Case in point: Yellow Pages sales reps quote costs on a monthly basis. This old trick implies lesser cost than facing the daunting numbers of an annual quote. However, they now also offer quotes and billing on an annual basis when a customer requests.

The monthly cost is tied to a 12-month lifecycle or, the 12-months in which the directory is on the street working for the advertiser. Sometimes the directory company decides that 12-months just doesn’t work for their purposes so they delay the next printing cycle a few months. They now call this a 14-month directory and they have the gall to charge for these additional two months.

Here are some analogies:

You contract for 30-second radio spots but the radio station decides that 60-second spots work better for their scheduling – and they charge you for it.

The magazine that sold you 6 insertions over six months just added a special mid-month edition – and they charge you for it.

You contract for a billboard that estimates traffic counts at 40,000 automobiles per month. Then a new lane is added to the highway adding 10,000 more cars – and they charge you for it.

You get the point.

I’m finally convinced that the medium will continue to wither and fade away. And not because social media pushed the Yellow Pages aside but because the Yellow Pages never moved past their 1980’s monopoly mentality.

Footnote: Many of you know I spent several years in the Yellow Pages industry. This rant is not new but now it is sad, indeed.

At the recent American Marketing Association Nonprofit Marketing Conference one theme kept recurring with speakers and facilitators; a solid brand message must be developed and delivered internally, long before any external advertising is created. But developing this message is easier said than done.

While most nonprofits painstakingly create vision and mission statements, the brand statements (also called brand positioning) is not usually a focus and is often missing from internal and external language. The cost of an unclear brand message can result in poor communication to the community and decreased advertising impact. But how do you know if your brand message is intact?

Assemble key members or your organization including volunteers, Board members or staff. Ask the group to individually describe “What we do” using only three words. The result might look like this; We help people. We build bridges. We create hope. If the group assembled has widely divergent answers, then the brand message is already unclear – even among your internal audience.

Building a powerful brand positioning statement begins the same way. Through dialogue and consensus, the group should agree on the three key words that describes “What we do.” Then the exercise expands, adding words to the statement in segments. In each case, answer a specific question that focuses on your audience or customer. You may also include questions and statements that distinguish you from competitors or others with similar services. Each statement segment builds your brand position with clarity.

For example, the results of a brand positioning exercise might result in a series of statements like this; We create hope (what we do), for families facing financial crisis (for whom), through counseling and support (how), in a faith-based community environment (unique proposition). This statement then expands to fill your communication needs, but the strength of this exercise is that each person who helped create the wording will carry the same message to others in the organization and in the community.

A brand positioning statement must have champions whose challenge is to permeate the organization with these words and phrases. Repetition is the key to memory. The average American is exposed to over 3,000 advertising brand messages a day. Consistent delivery of the same words and phrases, developed with thought and clarity, is the first step in building an effective brand.

How much time and energy should you devote to establishing a series of brand positioning statements? As much time as necessary to develop a clear and concise message. In absence of this process, future communications and advertising can significantly lose its impact. Three small words can help start a process that will add power to your message.

Big consumer brands have understood the importance of brand positioning for some time. Many in the nonprofit community also understand the value of the process. If your organization has yet to explore your unique brand position, consider the importance of spending a little time to make your words more powerful and more memorable.

Eligible participants are individuals placed on any home and community based-services waiting list in the state of Kansas, or those deemed eligible by The Dream Works.

The community partners are local not-for-profits, volunteer groups, some community service programs and church groups.

All volunteers will be thoroughly screened and be bonded and insured via The Dream Works.

Organizations who would like to volunteer with the nurturing neighbors program should contact Joe Leal or Zach Hodson at (913) 281-8695 or ZHodson@TheDreamWorksInc.com.

The Dream Works will coordinate an introduction, assist with identifying immediate needs, facilitate service delivery, and monitor for quality and a successful outcome.

The types of services offered are light housekeeping, shopping, laundry or yard work, companion services, and meal preparation.

“The Dream Works makes a serious commitment to improving the lives of individuals. Our primary emphasis is on helping the aging and disability communities maintain a lifestyle that makes sense to them, in an environment of their choosing,” said Ed McInnis, The Dream Works president/CEO.

“If we can provide additional support and services to those on the waiting list and avoid them going into nursing homes or institutions, we are keeping our commitment as a company and saving the state of Kansas money, as it’s much more cost effective to keep people in their homes and communities.”

The Dream Works, Inc. The Dream Works is a comprehensive home health and social service agency serving Kansas and Missouri. Their primary purpose is to help individuals in the aging and disability communities maintain a rewarding lifestyle in an environment of their choosing, while reducing the burden on family and friends. The Dream Works is locally owned and operated in the Kansas City metropolitan area and offers residential services, service coordination, specialty services, and medical supplies and equipment with fast, free delivery on most items. They are passionate about giving back to the community. Every dollar spent with The Dream Works helps another person add quality and choice to their life. For more information, visit www.TheDreamWorksinc.com.

Brookside Barkery & Bath is an all-natural pet food store focused on dogs and cats, and offers all-natural grooming and self-serve pet washes with no chemicals.

After hard work and perseverance, it became evident the concept was filling a missing niche in the Kansas City area. In 2005 the second location opened in Independence, and in 2007 the third location in Olathe. Also in 2007, the Independence store re-located to the current Lee’s Summit location.

“Our proudest accomplishment over the past seven years has been the ability to educate so many pet owners about healthy alternatives for their beloved pets,” said Stout. “Our customers have truly embraced us, and come back to thank us for what we have done for them and their pets.”

What better way to celebrate success, than by expanding the original Brookside location. Construction is underway to expand the store from 1200 square feet to 2700 square feet into the adjacent retail space. The expansion will be complete in late September, 2010.

Customers can look forward to more room for additional products, for pets and their owners to roam the store comfortably, as well as a larger grooming and self-bathing area.

“Our customers love the Brookside store, but during busy times it gets a bit crowded with people, their pets and a web of leashes,” said co-owner Debra Manfield. “We are looking forward to more space to leisurely browse, a wider selection and better display of products, as well as expanded services.”

Future plans include possible expansion in Olathe, and possible franchise expansion.

About Brookside Barkery & Bath

Brookside Barkery & Bath is a comprehensive source for all-natural and raw pet foods, supplements, treats and accessories, with a variety of brands and formulations to meet its customers’ unique dietary requirements. No pet food sold at the Brookside Barkery contains corn, soy or wheat, animal by-products or chemical preservatives.  Free nutritional consults are offered to all our customers.   All locations offer walk-in, self service dog bathing, as well as professional grooming by appointment. There are three convenient Kansas City metro locations in Brookside, Olathe and Lee’s Summit. Visit www.barkerybath.com for more information.

Midland Metal’s story is one that symbolizes American family values and the customer loyalty that continuity brings. In its first year, the company earned $60,000 in revenue. When Billy, Bill’s youngest son, joined the business in 1999, sales were up to $20 million.

Today, the company supplies fittings, nipples, valves, clamps and plumbing accessories to the oilfield, well water, plumbing and HVAC markets. Several customers, like the Neenan Company, have been with Midland Metal from the beginning. But this growth over the years did not come without a few twists, turns and a long-lost third cousin along the way.

In 1985, Bill Hodes sold his stake in Midland Metal to Nick. In 2000, it was decided that the industrial division would be separated from the plumbing, gas and oil division and sold to Nick’s brother, Vince. By that time, Billy had joined Midland Metal, and Nick was ready to move on to other ventures. Though the business was losing money between 1999 and 2001, Billy was determined take the reigns and change its course with a new business plan and a self-coined “big, hairy, audacious goal.”

“I found a willing bank in January 2002, which allowed me to buy Midland Metal from Nick. My plan for the business focused extensively on investing in technology and personnel so that we could position ourselves operationally and technically for a strong push on the sales side — by implementing my new business model with specific initiatives to strengthen the national sales network and build a more efficient sales process,” explains Billy.

It took three years for his plan to come to fruition, but by 2004, Midland Metal was operating in the black once again. Many family business owners agree that the most influential changes in their companies are not market or industry-related, but are instead personal in nature. According to Billy, this is the case with Midland Metal. In 2003, mid-way through implementing his business plan, he joined the executive coaching and business leadership group, Vistage.

“Meeting with other business owners in an organized forum helps me process issues. Other members share their experiences and it is a huge help in running Midland Metal. It is one of the best investments I’ve ever made,” states Billy.

2006 brought another company milestone in the form of a new employee who happened to share the family name. The fact that Jim Hodes came from one of Midland Metal’s competitors and had over 25 years of operations experience made him the right person for improving the company’s operational focus.

“I had never met Jim before, but he ended up being my third cousin. His expertise has made all the difference in positioning the company for growth,” says Billy.

There is an expectation today that successful companies should give back to the community and Midland Metal takes its civic duty seriously.

“There has never been a company philanthropy policy. We’ve never needed one. Everyone here just does it,” explains Billy.

Sharon Colbert, now in her 12th year as accounting manager, takes charge of adopting a family from the Bishop Sullivan Center each holiday season. After getting to know the family, the Midland Metal employees bestow them with gifts, cash donations, gift cards and a special holiday meal. However, one annual project did not satisfy the staff’s generous spirit.

Midland Metal is a proud benefactor of the Halo Foundation’s Gulu Girls Home in Uganda, Africa. Gulu is an orphanage for girls whose parents were slain in the war-torn area. With the monthly support of Midland Metal, girls ranging in age from 7 to 12 are provided with food, clothing, caring housemothers and the opportunity to attend school where they will learn an entrepreneurial trade. An amazing 90 percent of the girls go on to attend secondary school and university, while some are trained as ambassadors for the Foundation. It is a cause near and dear to Billy’s heart. He intends to visit Gulu this summer with his 12-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son.

Billy is not ready to pack his bags for Africa quite yet. Now that the planning and strategy portion of his business plan is complete, he and his team are rolling up their sleeves in preparation for the next phase — accelerating profitable growth, especially in the west and central regions of the United States. With a solid sales infrastructure in place and adding more product lines, Midland Metal is primed for organic, conservative increases in revenue. If Billy has his way, that means reaching the $25 million sales mark as well as achieving his “big, hairy, audacious goal” to be the hallmark in their industry over the next 10 years.

And all the while, he is keeping a watchful eye on the up-and-coming third generation for the next Midland Metal owner.

For more information regarding Midland Metal, visit their web site at http://www.MidlandMetal.com or contact Karrin Huhmann directly

“By embracing the value of entrepreneurship and treasuring our talented staff, we are proud to receive such prestigious recognition,” said EAG President Paul Weber. “Now the bar is even higher as we continue to forge ahead, helping entrepreneurial companies succeed with affordable and accessible advertising and marketing.”

For over 10 years the partners at Invision have answered this question and many more from business owners concerned about making the right choices throughout the life-cycle of their business. In response to this need, Invision has created a Small Business Guide for IT decisions. The guide specifically addresses the most critical needs and decision points for most business owners.

What type of back-up system should I use? Do I really need a server? Who owns my URL? These are just some of the questions addressed in the IT decision guide. The tool is available as a download on the Invision website or can be requested in printed form by contacting Invision at 913.962.6674.

About Invision

Invision clients call on the Lenexa, Kansas based company to maintain the health of their computers & their business. Invision provides remote access and on-site network and computer support services for companies throughout the metropolitan Kansas City area. From preventative maintenance to new network design and workstation support, Invision provides a host of small and mid-market solutions through their proprietary products and services including: NetMedic, NetTuneUp and Netserv.

Gaining confidence that business will continue trending upward, EAG has announced the addition of Melissa Mackay as Marketing & Art Director, and Deb Lilla as Account Director.

“We’ve found that one of the brighter spots in our industry is the small business sector, with economic recovery well under way,” said Paul Weber, EAG president. “Our client roster is growing at a steady pace, and the new demand has led us to job creation. Business really is moving in the right direction and should continue to shine.”

Previously an art director and designer in New York, N.Y. and Dallas, Texas, Melissa Mackay brings to the agency extensive experience in graphic design and advertising, with nearly 10 years in the creative field. Mackay will manage client creative strategies, as well as the EAG brand.

Deb Lilla joins the firm with over 19 years experience both as an entrepreneur and in corporate marketing. Before working on corporate branding at a Fortune 500 company, Lila began her career as an art director on the creative side of the business. Lilla was the owner of Spa for the Spirit, a business she started and ran for almost seven years.

Fueling the need for additional staff, EAG has added two new clients, both Kansas City-based companies; Omni Employment Services and The Dream Works. EAG will provide brand strategy and creative direction for both organizations.

When the state of Kansas made cuts to their Medicaid budget, its effects were far reaching. Ten percent cuts were directly felt by individuals who are often in most need of services: the aging, frail and disabled.

The cuts were also felt by those organizations that provide care, like The Dream Works, a Kansas City, Kan. based home health and social service organization.

“Regardless of funding levels today, these communities still need care and resources,” said Ed McInnis, The Dream Works president/CEO. “We must find creative ways to deliver service to our clients efficiently and effectively.”

Well before the Medicaid cuts were enacted, The Dream Works staff considered contingency plans to not only cut costs but to add value to their relationship with existing clients.

The addition of services like home medical equipment sales, a nurturing neighbors volunteer program and home delivery of food and sundries enables The Dream Works to expand its relationship with its clients. The additional income sources are highly efficient because The Dream Works staff is already working very closely with the individuals and their families.

In many cases, waiting lists for state funds for long-term care services delay home care workers from delivering services to those in need. The Dream Works recently began conducting home evaluations of people on those waiting lists at no cost. The goal is to look for ways The Dream Works can provide guidance, supplies and services to help make the wait for the state funded, long-term care more bearable and safe for the person in need.

“At a home we visited last week we discovered a woman was using her shower faucet and shower sink to pull herself up off her shower chair. Both the shower faucet and the sink were very loose and not far from being pulled completely off the wall – a very unsafe situation,” explained Zach Hodson, home medical equipment coordinator for The Dream Works. “The woman was able to purchase grab bars and we then spent a few hours installing them free of charge. Her whole family was very appreciative that we were looking out for her safety.”

The Dream Works administrative staff has worked diligently to reduce energy consumption, recycle supplies and travel with the greatest efficiency. McInnis is adamant that the last place The Dream Works will cut costs is in delivery of service to customers.

In a challenging economy, many organizations immediately slash payroll and salaries. But for The Dream Works, maintaining salary levels is an important part of working through the current Medicaid cuts.

McInnis notes that a stable, competitively paid workforce actually reduces long-term costs. When those receiving services switch from one home health organization to another, there are costs incurred within the system. “Fewer turnovers of our self-directed workers means a more stable client base and less administrative costs for the entire system,” said McInnis.

Tremendous uncertainty still revolves around Medicaid reimbursement rates and the ability of care providers to maintain service levels. For The Dream Works, there is still a long way to go before the unthinkable will even be considered – any cut in services to those who need it most.

The Dream Works, Inc.

The Dream Works is a comprehensive home health and social service agency serving Kansas and Missouri. Their primary purpose is to help individuals in the aging and disability communities maintain a rewarding lifestyle in an environment of their choosing, while reducing the burden on family and friends.

The Dream Works is locally owned and operated in the Kansas City metropolitan area and offers residential services, service coordination, specialty services, and medical supplies and equipment with fast, free delivery on most items. They are passionate about giving back to the community. Every dollar spent with The Dream Works helps another person add quality and choice to their life. For more information, visit www.TheDreamWorksinc.com.

The inaugural year of the Art Annual, Virginia Kellogg, past director of the Brookside Business Association, envisioned a Brookside art fair similar to what Prairie Village and Plaza merchants were doing. Limited to Kansas City-based artists, the first Art Annual displayed paintings in Brookside business storefronts, according to LaDene Morton, author of an upcoming book on the history of the area’s shops. After growing in popularity among the public, local merchants and artists, the first tent went up on Brookside Boulevard in 1987.

What began as a small-scale art fair in storefront windows now draws artists from around the country; local, national and international artists displaying art of all types and price ranges.Art Source consistently ranks the Art Annual, the first art fair of the season in Kansas City, as one of the top 25 in the country.

The event also attracts a diverse crowd – from families and groups of friends out enjoying the spring weather and the chance to browse and purchase eclectic art, to serious collectors who rely on the reputation of the Brookside Art Annual to attract and assemble a large and varied group of works. A wide variety of media – including acrylic, oil and watercolor painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, glass, fiber and jewelry – will be represented.

The Brookside Business Association invited a select group of artists to create artwork commemorating the Art Annual’s 25th anniversary. Rusty Leffel’s photographic montage of Brookside was the chosen winner. His work is displayed on the Art Annual’s 2010 logo. Commemorative merchandise with the 2010 logo will be for sale at the event at the information booth, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, posters and note cards.

New to this year’s event will be a gift certificate program, rewarding shoppers for supporting the arts. If you spend $500 in art purchases, you get a $20 Brookside gift certificate. Or, if you spend $250 in art purchases, you get a $10 Brookside gift certificate. Simply bring your art purchase receipts to the information booth located along 63rd Street by the food booths and get your gift certificate to “taste” Brookside. Multiple receipts can be combined to reach one of the qualifying amounts. One gift certificate is allowed per person for the entirety of the event.

Artists’ booths are set up under tents, allowing the show to go on, rain or shine. The event hours are 5 – 9 p.m. on Friday, April 30; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 1; and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 2.

A children’s art activity area will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Several Brookside restaurants will be serving food from booths during the fair, and light music will enhance the festive atmosphere each evening.

A complete list of participating artists and schedule of events are available at www.brooksidekc.org.

When Jim Martin of Kansas City-based Griner and Schmitz, a 100 year-old supplier of surveying equipment, was looking for an advertising agency to launch his new GPS surveying network, it took a reference from, of all people, his UPS driver to find a firm that would take on his business.

When prominent local environmental lawyer William Session needed help to create a brand identity for his new business venture, TWS Construction, it took a reference from the University of Missouri’s Small Business Development Center to connect him with one of the few firms that would consider taking on a young enterprise.

Both Session and Martin found a perfect fit with the one advertising firm in Kansas City that embraces small, but growth-driven businesses, Entrepreneur Advertising Group (EAG).

In late September, EAG celebrated two milestones, its sixth year in business and successful service to nearly 150 companies and entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes.

“Six years ago we found what we thought was a real need in the market,” said Paul Weber, president of EAG. “There was a huge chasm between what small and mid-market companies needed from an advertising firm, and what most agencies would offer.” EAG and Weber have spent the last six years closing that gap with what he likes to call, big-brand services in small company doses.

They come by city bus and walk in off the street, having passed the EAG sign at its Crossroads location. Some come having heard Weber speak at local small business incubators, and some just wander in out of curiosity.

Even famed Kansas City entrepreneur Barnet Helzberg ventured in to the office one evening while attending a fundraising event in the Screenland building (EAG’s former offices). The word “entrepreneur” on the door led Helzberg to ask what this business was all about.

For Jim Martin of Griner and Schmitz, several calls to local advertising agencies resulted in few willing to help him launch his regional GPS network used by surveyors and engineers. Literally within minutes of venting his frustration to his UPS driver, a connection was made between Martin and Weber whose offices, coincidently, were less than a block apart.

William Session had run his successful law firm for over 15 years. But when it came time to help his staff develop deeper skills for building a new company, he reached out to the UMKC Small Business Development Center. It was through UMKC that Session was introduced to Weber, who serves as a subject matter resource for young companies.

Not only has EAG helped launch TWS Construction’s presence in municipal utility construction, but Session has also retained EAG to establish a brand initiative for his 15-year old environmental law firm.

According to Weber, the down economy has only fueled the need for our services and our model. In the case of Session and Martin, these were long-standing companies with new ventures. EAG’s client list includes 50-year old companies with sales over $50 million dollars.

“Most of our clients are established organizations, some second generation family businesses, that don’t have an internal marketing department,” said Weber. “We simply scale our services to create an external marketing department that fits their size of business.”

Weber is deeply ingrained in the small business community, and can often be found lecturing and mentoring at many of the small business incubators around Kansas City, including the UMKC Small Business Development Center. He is also a small business coach for the prestigious Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneurial FastTrac program, which educates new venture businesses throughout the United States.

“At the end of the day, we still do what other agencies do,” said Weber. “We create branded advertising messages, we build websites and we drive business though direct marketing. More importantly, we spend a lot of time educating our small business clients about marketing.”

Through the first half of 2009, EAG has worked with nearly 50 different companies in the capacity of what Weber describes as a retail ad shop. “We have a lot of clients who pop in and out every few months for a brochure, a direct mail campaign or website update. It works well because we know their business already, and we can focus on being very efficient with our few employees.”

Also unlike traditional advertising agencies, heavy media budgets are the exception, not the norm. So while gross billing numbers may be lower than most other agencies, efficiency has led to strong profitability growth and minimal impact from client turnover.

“We don’t worry if we don’t hear from a client for a few months,” said Weber. “They simply have other things on their plate. It’s the nature of small businesses to be intermittent in some aspects of marketing and advertising.”

Averaging over 50 percent growth per year through 2008, EAG has not been immune to the economic downturn. Although growth has slowed, Weber sees EAG’s future as limitless. “Small business has been, and will be, the backbone of our local and national economy,” said Weber. “We’re just going to be there to help along the way.”

Small Business Miracles is the EAG tag line that greets visitors to its Crossroads office. “We don’t create miracles,” says Weber. “We bear witness to the miracle of entrepreneurship each and every day.”

Entrepreneur Advertising Group (EAG) today announced the addition of netEOP to its growing client roster. netEOP is a national provider of web-based software for emergency planners, state and city governments and institutions. EAG will provide brand and creative strategy as well as tactical execution.

“We have had a long-standing relationship with the founders of netEOP and look forward to expanding their national footprint in this unique service area,” said Paul Weber, EAG President.