The Niagara Guide - New things in Niagara Business & Other Observations

We're moving...

2010-01-27T15:06:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's true. We're moving the blog to another blog provider. We've been working with a new CMS system and it lets us host our own blog, so in the interests of SEO and all that other good stuff, we're moving the blog there. Here's the new address:

http://www.theniagaraguide.com/_blog/The_View_from_The_Niagara_Guide

I know what you're thinking. "Couldn't you have made it shorter?" Probably.

Here's how it will hopefully be set up really soon.

http://blog.theniagaraguide.com

Just wanted to let you all know where we've gone. Thanks for reading!

Fine Kettle 'O' Fish now Online

2010-01-19T14:34:00.002-05:00

After having eaten close to a dozen meals at The Fine Kettle 'O' Fish, I have to say it is my new favourite fish & chip restaurant. I used to hang out at Laurie's Orchard Cafe in Vineland but when she closed, we stopped eating fish & chips. Now I've got a new place and I couldn't be happier!

Malcolm and Doris took over The Kettle in 2008 and have been steadily improving the overall experience there. The staff are great and the owners certainly take pride in what they're doing. Having extensive experience in hospitality from running a five-star resort doesn't hurt either.

If you're not into deep fried food, you have TONS of dining options at The Kettle. There are so many ways to prepare fish without frying that you'll be certain to have a nutritious and flavourful experience there. Try their Boston Style Fish & Chips - definitely one of my favourites.

Niagara Romance - Why We're a Sponsor

2010-01-19T13:51:00.002-05:00

The Niagara Guide is a sponsor of the Niagara Romance Expo. This is a bit of a "naughty" step for us as Niagara Romance is being promoted as Niagara's only Expo featuring Sex, Romance, Intimacy and Relationships.

So, what are we doing sponsoring this event?

Well, for one thing, it's run by Power Two You Productions and we sponsor their other events, so there's a bit of history there. Carrie and Donna are two great ladies to work with and we enjoy helping them out.

There's also the fact that waaaaaay long ago, The Niagara Guide attended a romance-style show in Toronto. The price was right and we were promoting Niagara as a romantic getaway. At the time, we registered the domain NiagaraRomance.com which we've held onto for years. The show was a bit of a bust (no pun intended), but we still had the domain. When Carrie and Donna came up with their idea, I thought it would be a good fit for The Niagara Guide again.

So, we'll be there, along with the exotic bodypainters, erotic hypnotists and other TRULY sexy businesses but we'll be promoting our accommodation, dining and winery advertisers as having THE places to go for romance.

Check them out - NiagaraRomance.com. 18+ only can attend, but the website's pretty tame.

There's also some press online about this event and our sponsorship, available here.

What Year is it for You?

2010-01-02T01:02:00.003-05:00

Welcome 2010! The New Year is another one of those opportunities to sit back and navel gaze about the year that's gone by. So, while you're sitting there contemplating the fuzz of 2009, here's a great question to ask yourself.

What kind of year is 2010 going to be?

I know from my own experience there were things I could'a, should'a, must'a done but for one reason or another, didn't get done. Is 2010 going to be another year of that? For my sake, I intend to act faster to get my business and life positioned the way I want it to be.

Did you make it through 2009 meeting all your goals? Most people sat back and did the same-old, same-old and made it through the year. Is that going to be you, or will you be making changes so you can start living your dreams?

I know which way I'll be going. Thank you for being with me on the journey so far, and I look forward to your continued company.

Cornerstone Carpentry

2009-12-16T12:34:00.003-05:00

We're glad to welcome Carl from Cornerstone Carpentry to The Niagara Guide!

Yes, I know, 'tis the season to be spending tons of money on gifts and other goodies, but if you're anything like me, your home probably needs some TLC in a few places.

Carl provides complete, professional renovation and building services. If your idea of a Christmas present to yourself is refinishing your basement, call Carl. Is your deck falling apart? Call Carl. Want to put some new laminate or hardwood flooring in? Call Carl.

If it needs doing around your house, Carl's the guy to call. 905-734-4470 or visit online at http://www.cornerstonecarpentry.ca.

Welcome aboard to Cornerstone Carpentry!

Chlorine in Your Daily Shower

2009-11-16T10:08:00.004-05:00

I hadn't really thought about chlorine in water very much. Then I moved to Thorold where the water in our area had a distinct taste of chlorine. So I switched to bottled reverse osmosis water for our drinking and cooking needs. Good start, right?

Well...there's more.

This new article from The Water Superstore brings together some of the research that's been done linking chlorine to health issues such as cancer, bronchitis and asthma. Click on the link below for the full read.

http://www.niagarahealthguide.com/niagara-healthcare-articles/your-daily-shower-chlorine-exposure.asp

Having a shower? Definitely read this article. Personally, I picked up a shower chlorine filter. The water definitely smells a lot better now and I feel better knowing I'm not inhaling chlorine.

Looking for a place to showcase your stuff?

2009-09-29T15:44:00.001-04:00

Press Release

Power Two You Productions is Wrappin’ it Up for Charities/Non-profits & Organizations across Niagara

September 28th. 2009

WRAP it UP! – 2009 is in search of unique vendors

Power Two You Productions, in its 4th.year of hosting, “WRAP it UP!” - Niagara’s Only Christmas Shopping Extravaganza and is inviting all unique vendors to register for their 4th. Annual “WRAP it UP”, Niagara’s ONLY Christmas Shopping Extravaganza in support of The Hope Centre, W.A.R.M. & The Niagara Chapter Native Women.

Event happens Sunday December 6th. At Four Points by Sheraton and features over 50+ unique vendors from across Southern Ontario – featuring gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list including; unique attire, jewellery, gift baskets, home décor, fashion & beauty, health & wellness, photography and many food vendors.

Advance tickets are on sale now for admission to event at $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 and are in support of The Hope Centre, The Niagara Chapter Native Women. and W.A.R.M. With over 50+ door prizes and 1 Grande Prize – value at $300+ ( for advance ticket holders only) featuring a one night stay at Four Points, breakfast and all the things needed to make a perfect evening. Advance tickets are already 50% sold out.

For complete vendor registration and ticket information please check out the website www.WrapItUpNiagara.com or contact:
Donna Panetta at 905-714-1642/ fndpanetta@hotmail.com or
Carrie Matthews 905-735-9798/ knowit@niagara.com for further information.

Leadership - IdeaShare Niagara

2009-09-10T14:29:00.002-04:00

I just came back from IdeaShare, which is a monthly meeting focused on developing and mentoring leadership in business people.

Attendance was down from the usual, which is interesting to me.

We're in / just coming out of a recession. Business has its challenges. We all need to get / hone our business edge, which often means getting stimulated, motivated and educated - and IdeaShare helps do this and more.

Still, attendance was down.

Are businesspeople in Niagara not interested in being leaders? Are they content to be sheep? The people who attend IdeaShare regularly say they wouldn't miss it. I'm part of that crowd - I learn something new every time and I enjoy sharing what I know.

If you're interested in attending an IdeaShare meeting, they're on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. RSVP to me at info@theniagaraguide.com if you want to come.

Today we discussed how leadership pervades every aspect of our lives, from raising children to running corporations. If you're not focusing on leadership, where exactly are you going?

Hope to see you at IdeaShare.

What you can use for home renovation tax credits...

2009-09-02T16:44:00.002-04:00

The team at Aqueduct Water (two locations - Welland & Fonthill) informed me that most water purification, filtration, softening and recycling systems are eligible for the home renovation tax credit the Ontario government is supposedly providing homeowners.

Aqueduct Water sells a full range of reverse osmosis systems, water softeners, the BRAC Greywater recycling system and the Aquacore Ultra Filtration system.

They currently have a 5-stage reverse osmosis system on sale for $399 - including installation AND taxes.

If you were looking for another reason to get better water or save water in your home, the tax credit sounds like a pretty good one to me.

Aqueduct Water - http://www.aqueductwater.com - in Welland and Fonthill.

Bye Bye Barter Group Inc...

2009-09-02T16:34:00.001-04:00

If you didn't know, Barter Group Inc. was one of Niagara's barter organizations. They ceased operations at the end of August and their members were given the option of moving to Barter Network Limited, based in Toronto.

Dirk Wiens will still be a local broker for Niagara businesses interested in getting started in barter. Barter Network Limited's owner Patti Fallus is a big fan of Niagara and intends to make her way down to visit former BGI members and learn how she can promote their businesses to the rest of the BNL members in the GTA and Ontario.

Personally I'm excited by the move because I think it gives people much more opportunity to trade. There seem to be more members in BNL and the variety of services is good - likely better than through BGI, although much of the new variety of services is outside Niagara. I'm originally from Toronto so this isn't so bad...

According to Patti, BNL members did an astonishing $55 million in barter last year. That's quite a lot in my opinion, and I'm glad to be a part of it. Thank you Dirk for making what promises to be a good change for your barter members.

So, farwell Barter Group Inc., welcome Barter Network Limited.

Fine Kettle O' Fish

2009-06-17T12:22:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, I've been a huge fish & chips fan. Now I'm a slightly smaller fish & chips fan : )

However, I also have to admit I'd never been to the Fine Kettle O' Fish for fish & chips. There used to be two locations - one in St. Catharines in an odd location on Hartzel Road and the other location is in Niagara Falls on Portage Rd.

I didn't notice when the St. Catharines location closed down. I hadn't heard very positive things about the place. I also didn't notice the Niagara Falls location had changed ownership in 2008. It was just another restaurant to me.

I suppose familiarity breeds complacency. Fine Kettle O' Fish has always been around - to my knowledge anyway. It's celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. I had a chance to sit down with the new owners Malcolm and Doris - delightful people - who took the opportunity to share a few things I didn't know about them and the restaurant.

There are three parts to their business - restaurant, banquet & party facilities and a fish market.
The business was family-owned for the past 23 years. They are not related to the original owners and took over in 2008.
Malcolm and Doris met while Malcolm was working for the United Nations in Africa. Together they managed one of the top resorts in Ghana, a country on the west coast of Africa known as the "Gold Coast" in earlier days.
Malcolm was raised in Queenston before his globetrotting days. Doris is Ghanaian.
The Fine Kettle O' Fish has one of the largest selections of seafood dishes in Niagara, despite being known primarily for fish & chips.

On my last visit I was treated to their Haddock & chips. Actually, I passed on the chips and had a salad instead (thank Sandra Alvarez for that . . .) but I have to say that the Haddock was really well done. The portions were generous and the batter was light and crisp. A very enjoyable fish & chip experience (without the chips).

You'll be able to find out more about the Fine Kettle O' Fish soon through The Niagara Guide. Malcolm and Doris have made a lot of changes at the restaurant. If you've visited before, you'll notice the difference! If you're a first-timer, you're likely to become a repeat customer.

Welcome to The Water Superstore!

2009-05-07T11:38:00.003-04:00

I'm pleased to announce The Water Superstore is now online in The Niagara Guide.

The Water Superstore carries a wide range of water products, from reverse osmosis sytems, water softeners, ultraviolet purification systems as well as the more mundane stuff like pumps and water coolers.

They also carry a line of far infrared saunas. Why? Because their mission is to help you live well - and that means being healthy.

Check them out today!

http://www.shoppingniagara.com/water-superstore

Garrison Little Theatre - The Perils of Persephone

2009-05-01T23:35:00.003-04:00

Just got back from Garrison Little Theatre's production of The Perils of Persephone. I like community theatre - it's entertaining, less expensive than professional productions and at dinner theatres like GLT, you often meet interesting people during the dinner.

If you haven't been to a Garrison Little Theatre dinner theatre production, you're probably missing out on one of the better entertainment values in Niagara. I know - some of you will gripe that it's all the way in Fort Erie - but so what? It's closer than Toronto and it's fun!

A couple of points - the food has been the same since about the second production 20+ years ago. Maria's Catering at the Italo Canadian Hall in Fort Erie has been pumping out the same combination for years and it's been working. This time around though they improved the service by putting the food out faster and not busing the tables after dessert and coffee was served. This allowed the show to start somewhere between 20~30 minutes earlier than usual so we were on our way just after 10:30 at night - still time to hit the casino!

As for the production, it was fun. This comedy lampooned Ontario's politicians and spin doctors which always make for good targets. Garrison Little Theatre's lineup for the 2009/2010 season features three comedys so will make for enjoyable entertainment.

Not everyone will be a fan of community theatre, but to borrow a phrase from the nice folks who make Alexander Keith's beer - "Those who like it, like it a lot".

Social Media Additions

2009-04-24T15:42:00.002-04:00

For those of you who have Facebook and Twitter accounts (and who doesn't?), you can now join our Facebook group directly through The Niagara Guide. Just look at the top right banner and click to get to our group. We'd be really happy if you became a member.

Similarly, Twitter updates are now available at the bottom of many of our webpages - this will become complete once we're done updating the site to the newest layout.

Social media marketing, here we come!

Robson Tents - for Niagara Weddings and More!

2009-04-08T01:06:00.005-04:00

The nice thing about Canada is the weather, eh?

I mean, here we are on April 8th and it's snowing - and this is the second day of it. Welcome to Canadian spring! I feel sorry for the robins who look really ticked off.

Because of our weather, if you're planning an outdoor event this spring, summer or fall you'll probably need a tent for shelter from the sun, rain or whatever else mother nature decides to throw at us.

If you need a tent for an outdoor event like a wedding, corporate BBQ or a private party, we are pleased to announce Robson Tents is now online with The Niagara Guide!

Robson Tents is a new company in town, but they're affiliated with some of the larger local tent companies so they know what they're doing. They carry a wide variety of tents and have enough on hand that if you're a procrastinator you'll probably be able to get a tent on short notice.

You can find Robson Tents' listing in The Niagara Bridal Guide but they do more than just wedding tents. Call Dean and his crew today to arrange your tent rentals for the summer.

Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Now Online!

2009-04-03T13:31:00.003-04:00

As always, I like it when we get the chance to represent Niagara businesses. Niagara Vintage Wine Tours is one that sounds really great. Not only do you get a wine tour of some of Niagara's nicest wineries, you also get expert commentary from your tour guides who have an incredible depth of knowledge about Niagara Wine, Wineries and Winemaking.

As they describe themselves...

"Niagara Vintage Wine Tours is owned and guided by local wine educator and industry professional Chris Fuccillo who has 17 years experience in fine dining and hotel hospitality. His work experience includes various positions within the Fairmont Hotel Chains and was a winery Manager for Chateau des Charmes and Pillitteri Estates, two of the most successful wineries in Canada.

If you wish to learn more about food, wine and the history of the Niagara grape growing region Niagara Vintage Wine Tours provides one of the most educational and professional wine tours in the Niagara Region! A Californian style wine tour here in Niagara!"

It sounds great to me. So, if you're looking for a Niagara wine tour this year, check out Niagara Vintage Wine Tours - now online in The Niagara Winery Guide.

Natural Wonders Bed & Breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake

2009-04-03T13:17:00.004-04:00

We are pleased to welcome Natural Wonders Bed & Breakfast to The Niagara Bed and Breakfast Guide!

How do you describe Natural Wonders B&B?

Modern, stylish and peaceful B&B within the Historic Old Town of beautiful Niagara on the Lake. A departure from the "traditional" B&B look as you'll not find any patchwork quilts here, no flowery sofas, and no cottage-y look of any kind! Just a relaxed and relaxing atmosphere, casual and friendly hosts, and an emphasis upon your enjoyment.Our beautiful tranquil grounds extend into a forested ravine, which is home to a wide range of wildlife. With over 50 species of birds identified in our garden to date, we also offer breakfast served "al fresco" as an option for those who would like to dine whilst immersed in birdsong.

If you're looking for a bed & breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake, check out Natural Wonders! You won't be disappointed.

The Front Business Club - Now Online!

2009-04-03T13:14:00.005-04:00

We are pleased to welcome The Front™ Business Club to The Niagara Business Guide!

The Front™ Business Club is a membership club providing entrepreneurs, small business owners and sales people a professional atmosphere to meet, dine, work and network.

It's a great place to meet, and I'm a member there as well. I've hosted two seminars and a business after 5 and it's been a pleasure dealing with Lynn and Mark Beaudry, the 2Brains behind The Front™.

I highly recommend you visit this place and become a member.

The Front Business Club - online!

News Flash - You're Going To Die

2009-03-11T16:27:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I posted to the blog - almost a month - gasp! However, this is the first chance I've had to sit down and relax a moment. You know the saying "life gets in the way"? That's been my catch-phrase for a few weeks.

I have an elderly uncle who is closer than most of us to passing onto whatever comes next so I've been spending a lot of time in Toronto where my family is. It's amazing what needs to happen before you die. The preparations can be overwhelming.

Two things I have learned from this experience.

1) Make your will BEFORE you go into hospital.

2) Select a Power of Attorney for your health and property at the same time as you do your will.

I bet this doesn't sound like rocket science to most of you. It wasn't to me - I've had mine done for years - but I've been appointed Power of Attorney for my uncle and it's been a real eye-opener.

For starters, if someone else is going to appoint you power of attorney for property, know that it's important for you to go to their banking institutions with them BEFORE they get into hospital. My uncle waited and the bank - while doing their job - was going to insist that my uncle be there to prove I was power of attorney. When I told them he's in hospital and probably not coming out, they relented and settled for a phone call to his hospital room.

On a related note, my uncle had his power of attorney done for him by two social workers at the hospital he was in. They used a government of Ontario form which he signed and had witnessed by the two social workers. Sounded fine - but the bank didn't like it as it wasn't from a lawyer. Again, they had to call both social workers to verify they had actually witnessed my uncle sign the form. One didn't remember right away...

Now, on to the will. It'll be much easier for you if you do your will before you go into hospital. My uncle needed a lawyer who would visit him in hospital. Some lawyers will - for an extra fee. We were fortunate that a family friend is a lawyer so he went to the hospital to make up the will for my uncle. He would have done the power of attorney as well, but my uncle said he'd already taken care of it (see above) so the lawyer didn't push it. I wish he had.

Wills can cost a few hundred dollars, so another option is to get Pre-Paid Legal service. It's a great service to start with - I'm a member of it - and a bonus is you get a will and power of attorney done for free as part of your membership. These are signed by lawyers so you shouldn't have a problem at the bank.

If you're in Niagara, call Gary Burnett for information on Pre-Paid legal services. Or, if you want to spend more money on a lawyer, you can check out The Niagara Legal Guide for a list of lawyers in the region.

Just do it before it gets too late.

More of the Same

2009-02-19T08:35:00.003-05:00

I attended the Small Business Club Niagara trade show yesterday. Only for an hour or so, near the end of the show. Got to have a bit of face time with people I usually only interact with online, so it was worth the time.

As I walked around the show, I was struck by how vendor activity has both changed and remained the same over the years. New vendors were behind their tables, more experienced vendors were in front. At several tables I stopped for around a minute looking at the products on offer with vendors present, but wasn't engaged by them. A couple just sat there watching me look at their products. Some were talking to other visitors. At all those tables I walked away empty-handed.

Some tables were completely devoid of human presence. I kept moving.

I wouldn't even want to guess how many books, articles, e-zines, blogs, videos and other resources exist with advice on how to run a better trade show. Many show promoters send out information packages or run exhibitor nights with seminars on how to set up and run a booth. Despite this, many vendors seemed bored to be there

Some vendors commented attendance was down from previous years. They talked about how the weather was bad, or that people don't come to trade shows after business hours. I've heard all those reasons before, for every show I've been to.

There are lots of reasons people may not attend trade shows as much as they used to, but I think the real reason has to to with the perception that shows just offer more of the same. It'll be the same as it was last year. The same people representing the same businesses offering the same things at the same price in the same way will be there, just like before. And, if things go as usual, there will be virtually no post-show follow-up from the vendors I left my card with.

If you're an engaging person, you'll probably do fine at a trade show. For the rest of you who have to work at it, trust me - it's worth it. Otherwise you'll be lumped in the "more of the same" category by attendees which means you'll have wasted your time and money.

Not Doing What's Good For You

2009-02-18T00:19:00.003-05:00

What aren't you doing that's good for you?

If you're like most people, the list has more than a couple of items on it.

From the time we're kids, we rebel against doing things that are "good for us".

Broccoli. Homework. Music lessons.

We're all "grown up" now, so when it comes to business, we like to think we know what we're doing and that what we're doing is alright. But sometimes, it's not. Sometimes, we're doing exactly what we shouldn't be doing if we want to create success.

What's on your list?

Horses, Haircuts and Spa Services - Updates in The Niagara Guide

2009-02-10T14:50:00.003-05:00

Saturn Stables - updated packages, specials and photos.

Blackbeards Barber Shop - updated photos.

Spa In Motion - updated spa party packages

Enjoy!

Niagara Spammers Strike Again!

2009-02-10T14:14:00.004-05:00

This might sound a lot like my previous post. However, it's a different company this time.

Does that make it any better?

You're probably not the type of person who likes to bother people, nor are you the type to congratulate others when you observe them bothering others.

So why is it seemingly okay to bother strangers by including them on a mass-e-mail list without their permission?

It's easy to send bulk e-mail, and there's nothing really preventing you from doing it. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Think of the other messages you're sending about yourself aside from the one in your fancy HTML e-mail.

Respect. Sending a bulk e-mail to someone you have no real connection with sends the message you think you're more important than they are. It takes no time to send an e-mail to someone you don't know. It takes time for them to decide whether it's junk or not. You're interrupting them and wasting their time which is not a sign of respect. If someone did this to you in another context you'd likely get annoyed.

Work ethic. When you take the time to build a permission-based list, you're doing things the "hard" way. You're offering something of value to your audience and you are rewarded when they CHOOSE to sign up to your list. Message after message you send to that list contains enough value that they remain subscribers and you are rewarded for that effort when subscribers buy from you or tell people they know to choose you as a supplier they can trust.

Sending bulk e-mail takes very little work. You haven't built a relationship built on value with your audience and they know it. Your spam campaign might generate some results, but you lower your credibility and damage your reputation with everyone else who doesn't respond.

Quality. Think about the other things pushed on bulk e-mail. Flaky investment schemes. Lottery scams. Libido (and other body part) enhancements. Porn.

Do you really want to be lumped in with the rest of the companies that use spam to push their products? I know - you're using spam to let people know about your wonderful product or service and you have no other way of reaching them. However, since you're sending e-mail flogging your business to people who don't know you, how are they to know you're a legitimate business and not some fly-by-nighter? Spamming your list regularly isn't a way to show you're a stable company either.

A list built on permission is a great asset. People have chosen to give you their attention instead of you begging and pleading for it. This is why I'm a fan of blogging and permission-based e-mail marketing. The value you get out of them depends on the value you put into them. Think about that the next time you are tempted to use spam. In the long run it will likely do more harm than good.

There's nothing more important than this.

2009-01-28T13:46:00.008-05:00

Is the problem of parking abuse so prevalent that you could think of nothing more important to tell the world about what benefit your organization offers?

Once you tow someone's car, I think they'll figure out they shouldn't have parked there. Some people just have to learn by experience...

This is a sign in front of one of Niagara's community organizations. I know they hold fundraisers. I would look at the parking issue as a potential fundraiser for them.

They call a tow truck to take away the illegally-parked vehicle. The owner of the vehicle has to pay to get it out of the impound lot. Part of the impound fee goes to the organization as a donation. The organization and the towing company win and people eventually get the message they shouldn't park in that lot without a pass.

If the most important thing you can use a sign for is for this kind of message, perhaps you need to re-think your communication strategy.

Renovations & Updates

2009-01-26T13:12:00.002-05:00

I'm a believer in direct e-mail. I like it. Really, I do. But in the spirit of testing and looking for better, we will be moving to blogs to put specials and promotions directly online instead of making people sign up for a weekly e-mail.

Specials will also be promoted directly on customer's web pages in addition to on the blog. I may also send out a compilation e-mail to the existing list.

This should allow us to make specials more timely and bring more awareness to individual advertisers' promotions.

Starting this week...

What do you have to hide?

2009-01-19T12:47:00.003-05:00

Ooh - I'm steamed today because I learned the truth.

Normally there's nothing wrong with learning the truth - except it's 18 months too late.

No - I don't have an unexpected 9-month old child running around out there...but I do have dead rechargeable batteries that I sent to an early grave because I didn't know the truth.

I've been using Energizer rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries in my digital cameras and for a variety of other electronic goodies. I wasn't happy with the 8-hour recharge time in the regular charger, so I ponied up $70 for a charger that would do the same job in 15 minutes.

I called Energizer because I've found many of my expensive ($4 / battery on average) batteries are no longer accepted by the charger and I learned two things:

These batteries only have an 18~24 month lifespan (learned from the call center rep)
Fast chargers decrease the number of total charges possible to around 150 over the course of the battery's lifespan, from 500 with a slow charger.

None of this information was available on the packaging of the batteries OR on the chargers I've bought.

Now that I've done a little research on batteries, I have learned there are many better batteries and chargers on the market that you can't find in the store. Does this mean I will never buy Energizer batteries again? Possibly.

I do like the 15 minute recharge. I don't like having rechargeable batteries only last a couple of years. Let's face it - they're expensive and in this economy, you want to invest in something that's valuable.

To their credit, Energizer does put information on its website about how fast charging decreases the life cycle of their batteries. What they leave out though is their batteries are only good for 18~24 months before they suggest buying new ones.

Energizer tells its story well - big pink bunny's now 20 years old - but the reality of their products is different from my expectations.

Living up to the story you tell is how customers judge you. Your marketing can be great, but if the truth hurts, your customers will remember - and they'll tell others.

If you have to hide the truth about your products, perhaps it would be better to work on improving the products to make something truly remarkable that would delight your customers instead.

Recognizing Limits

2009-01-12T08:55:00.003-05:00

There's a phrase I often use with my martial arts students.

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right!"

This is a great phrase. It's true in many ways for many activities. I have realized though it's not applicable for EVERYTHING.

That's because there's another phrase that is ALSO applicable in many circumstances.

"Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD."

Again, a great phrase, applicable for many things.

Why am I talking about this? It's simple: I have found that just because I CAN do something doesn't meant that it's necessarily the RIGHT thing to do. And because of that realization, I have decided to change the operating procedure of The Niagara Guide slightly.

Visitors probably won't notice the difference. Advertisers will notice a difference, but only a slight one, I believe.

The change is that The Niagara Guide is ending the pay-for-performance model and moving back to a flat-rate payment system.

I'm doing this for one really simple reason: reduction of overhead. It is too time-consuming and labour intensive with our current methods to administer the pay-for-performance system. I think it will also be easier for our advertisers in the long run.

The new pricing is pretty straightforward: $100 / year, G.S.T. included. Or, $10 / month + G.S.T. if people prefer to pay by credit card (through PayPal) on an automated billing sytem.

I still believe in pay-for-performance, but with the infrastructure we have, it's not cost-effective for us to do it the way we've done it.

It's a limit that's been recognized and we've modified our behaviour as a result. I still think we're offering exceptional value, so that part of the equation hasn't changed. Thank you for joining us on the journey so far. Let's see where we go.

Onward!

Onward

2009-01-05T09:53:00.005-05:00

I trust everyone's hangovers are gone? Good.

Happy New Year! Will it be one for you?

The New Year is the time of year where we supposedly take some time to reflect on what has gone by and make resolutions to change behaviours etc. This is good, but I am taking this a step further. I am watching EVERY MOMENT to focus on my behaviour this year. I think this is a better approach because it allows for instantaneous correction and increased awareness of my "sins".

I am the first to admit I'm not perfect. Fortunately, nobody is. The only way to improve is to know what you WANT to improve, then work on it.

This takes two things: a bit of self-knowledge and discipline.

For the self-knowledge bit, I attended a Brian Tracy seminar and in the process, wrote down nine goals I absolutely want to achieve this year.

For the discipline, well, that's up to me. When it comes to discipline, I have a couple of suggestions.

Stay positive, even in the face of "failures". As an example, I like food. I also intend to lose a significant amount of weight by June 1. Last night I had two slices of pie (hey - it was fresh sugar pie from Quebec...), which by most objective standards is not conducive to weight loss. I could have beat myself up about it mentally, but instead, chose to remember that for the past few days I have eaten more healthily in general and that I am moving in the direction I want to go. I also got up at 6:00 a.m. and did a workout this morning so there's another move forward.
You are in the present, so focus your discipline moment by moment instead of worrying about the past or the future.
Be more organized. I have never before used a day planner. Don't know why - I just never did. Now I am using one and even in the first couple of days of this year, it has helped. I also cleaned my office over the "holidays". That makes a BIG psychological difference.

Onward!

Wishing you health, happiness and prosperity in 2009.

Mark Kawabe

The Universality of Time

2008-12-19T14:59:00.003-05:00

I have decided it's a good idea to stop complaining about how little time I seem to have.

The reality is that I have the same amount of time to do things as every other person in the world.

No matter how rich or poor, nobody has more or less time than I do.

It's time to stop complaining and start facing the truth.

How can I best use my time?
What am I doing that I shouldn't be doing?
Does it really take as long to do things as I think it does?
Why do I spend time on things that are a waste of time?

It's never a bad time to do this . . .

How Would You Use a 4 x 8 Sign?

2008-12-10T09:16:00.005-05:00

So, you have a business with an outdoor sign. You know - the usual 4' x 8' variety with fluorescent lettering. How would you use it?

I drove by a vacuum repair shop the other day. Their sign proclaimed "We fix all makes and models of vacuum cleaners". I thought "Good for them" and kept on driving.

Doesn't every company in vacuum repair work on all makes and models? I assume this is the case. Maybe it's not, but I assume it is. Because I already assume this statement to be true for everyone, I keep driving, because it's not important to me.

Our eyes stumble across hundreds if not thousands of advertising images in a day. How many leave an impression on you?

There's one sign I ENJOY reading every time I drive by. It's for a you-brew wine company and they have a big sign with their name and a space below where they have a funny saying that changes every week. I get a kick out of reading their sign and if I ever need to brew my own wine, or if I know someone who wants to, I recommend them first because I remember them.

Does this work for everyone's business? No. There's a paint shop in St. Catharines that does the same creative thing with their signs. I enjoy the creativity expressed on their sign too, but we buy paint at the big box hardware store in spite of the sign. It's a matter of convenience. I remember the paint shop and try and read their sign when I drive by but because paint is a commodity in my mind, it doesn't matter where I buy it.

If you are already in a niche market with no BIG competitors, a bit of creativity can make you stand out from your competitors.

If you're selling something sold by big box stores, you are selling a commodity. You have to show how your product or service is NOT a commodity - that you are different in a meaningful way that your customers will value and go out of their way for.

Whether it's a 4' x 8' sign, a newspaper ad, a radio spot or a website, you need to be in tune with your market, your competition and yourself to get the most return on your advertising and marketing investment.

The Big Scoop In Winter

2008-12-05T19:35:00.003-05:00

I was chatting with Chris Pacquin, owner of The Big Scoop in Thorold. It's tough to be in the ice cream business in winter. Especially when you're not in a shopping mall. At least there's the chance people will overheat while they're shopping and want an ice cream in mid-January when it's -20 outside.

I asked Chris what she is doing differently this winter since the ice cream business is not going to sustain her while it's cold out. She answered she is now offering home-made frozen dinners for seniors and busy people who don't want to cook. Chris loves to cook, so this is a great outlet for her while filling a need in the community.

A frozen dinner is $6.75, and if you order 4 or more, you can get them delivered to your door for a $2.50 delivery charge (in Thorold & St. Catharines only). It's real, home-made food - frozen in individual heat & serve containers. Salmon with lemon dill sauce, southwest fried chicken with potato and veggies, among others. The full menu will be online soon... It's all real food - not from a factory - but from The Big Scoop's kitchen.

She's just started this service this week and has already had takers in Thorold and St. Catharines. The response to the food has been good, with customers happy about the quality and portion sizes. I think this is going to well for Chris and will keep her and her customers well-fed this winter and beyond.

How Much is Too Much?

2008-12-03T22:36:00.003-05:00

The answer: It depends who you're talking to.

I used to drink Buzzwater. It's caffeinated spring water. You get all the caffeine advantage without any additives - like cream or sugar in your coffee, or artificial colours and flavours in energy drinks like Red Bull.

I say I used to because I got told it would be healthier for me to drink less caffeine. I was drinking a couple of pots of tea a day, plus the occasional Buzzwater, so this made sense.

It's been interesting to hear people's reactions to my change of beverage.

Some people are horrified I could have consumed "so much" caffeinated beverages and tell me how badly they react when they get even a whiff of a caffeinated beverage.

Others say that it's nice I've made that decision but for them, they enjoy caffeinated beverages and don't see a reason to change.

Personally, I think people can eat and drink whatever they like, as long as they're not hurting themselves (immediately) or others. I draw the line when people want to drink stuff like drain cleaner or eat shards of glass. Not that I know anyone like that, but you get the point.

The point I want to make is how one product's story can elicit opposing reactions from different people. Buzzwater's story seems to be most compelling to youth and those under 30. People in their 30's seem to be split on whether it's for them or not, and those over 40 are pretty much against the idea of energy drinks in general - except for people in the tech sector.

When you consider your product or service, make sure you know who you are going to have the easiest time convincing to purchase it. There are always going to be people who want MORE of what you offer and others who think you're an agent of evil. Catering only to those who love you and ignoring those who don't is probably the best use of your resources.

A caveat: the last sentence only applies if you're not HURTING other people. Global warming is a case in point. It is seen as something that hurts everybody. Therefore, any company or politician that supports industries or viewpoints that ignore global warming and other environmental issues automatically make enemies with everyone who loves David Suzuki or Al Gore. When you make enemies, you divide your resources between catering to those who support you and defending yourself from attacks.

Lead by Example and Inspire Me!

2008-11-26T00:42:00.007-05:00

I drive by the office of a wind and solar power product dealer every week. They have a 3-bladed wind generator outside, presumably to showcase their products and perhaps generate some power. Even on moderately windy days, I don't see it turning. In fact, I have seen it turning at what I felt was a reasonable speed only once.

About 3 km away, there is a private home with a vertical wind turbine. It is ALWAYS turning, even in light breezes. It also looks nicer than the one mounted outside the wind power product dealer's building. I am so impressed with it - I will probably be stopping by to find out where they bought it and how it's working out for them.

Maybe - they bought this from the very same dealer with the lethargic turbine. (Note: Feb. 2/09 - there is a sign out front from the same dealer indicating this is their installation.)

Maybe - the dealer has only put out a model for show and it's not hooked up to anything.

Maybe - it's not installed in the best of places (the mounting pole is quite close to the building) so it doesn't get the necessary wind.

However, the only thing that comes to mind when I think of these two turbines is that the dealer has blown it. The lethargic turbine outside doesn't give me the warm fuzzy feeling I WANT to have when I think about wind power.

It doesn't convince me the company knows what they are doing - because if they did, the thing would be spinning like crazy (because it's in good wind), possibly generating electricity for a huge sign that reads "This sign illuminated by self-generated electricity - let us do the same for you!".

Even if they didn't use it to advertise, it could at least be spinning and LOOKING like it is generating electricity.

I want to deal with companies that "walk the talk". Inspire me. Make me believe in you.

What are YOU doing to inspire potential customers?

The Stories of Our Lives - And Businesses

2008-11-23T11:56:00.007-05:00

I was sitting around with my parents & in-laws this weekend and listening to them telling stories of the past. I remember some of them, but I remember them differently. Of course, we all swear our version is "right".

We can't go back and re-live those moments to see what actually happened, so it will remain a point of discussion for years, I suppose.

In your business, you tell a story to every customer who you touch. If you sit down with them later and compare stories, will your stories match?

Does the experience you provide meet the expectations you create in your advertising? Do people who get referred to you because of the story they heard from others feel relieved or disappointed to actually meet you? When there are discrepancies between the story and the reality, the failure to meet expectations results in lost sales and perhaps more importantly, a break in the story chain.

Remember the shampoo commercial with the "she told two friends, and she told two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on...". When word of mouth marketing works, it works because the story is compelling and because the product or service lives up to (or exceeds!) expectations.

Anyone can tell a good story. Actually creating the experience that causes stories to be spread is where the challenge lies.

Don't Disappear During a Recession

2008-11-21T10:53:00.002-05:00

I received an e-mail from a business colleague which contained a list of companies that are closing. I noticed immediately that one of the companies has a US and Canadian division. The US operations are closing. The CANADIAN division is doing fine and is remaining open.

Obviously, this is a chain e-mail that originated in the US, with US information. That's fine. But with the internet and e-mail, the information flow is not limited to borders. Nor does the information have to be accurate.

This is a potential problem for companies because of the possibility that false news or speculation about the company's health could lead to heightened worries about dealing with that company or worse, customers would stop coming.

This is one reason why it is so important to continue to advertise, market and promote your business in times of trouble. It shows customers you're still there, ready to serve them. Some companies talk about "hunkering down" and saving money during tough times - which means they do disappear when their ads are gone from the paper, the radio and other places they used to be.

Now is not the time to do what accountants suggest and cut costs by reducing advertising. By doing so, you are likely to cut your own throat. That being said - MEASURING the success of your advertising becomes even more crucial so you can cut costs on stuff that doesn't work and increase spending on stuff that does.

Rational Fear

2008-11-20T09:33:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the first major day of snow in Niagara. Woohoo! For the autobody shops, I mean. They're the ones who are going to be busy after yesterday's mayhem on the roads.

I haven't switched to my winter wiper blades yet. You know - the ones with the big rubber covering on them to keep them from getting clogged up with snow and ice. Of course this meant that my wipers were clogged up with snow and ice this morning and in my rush to get moving, they weren't properly cleaned out.

So, there I was, driving on the 406 when I realized my windshield was becoming increasingly dirty. Visibility was getting worse, but only gradually, and I only had one more exit to get to. I figured that with my wipers being clogged, I would try to clean my windshield only to have the situation become worse. So I put up with the increasingly poor visibility until my exit.

When I got to the exit, I figured since my speed was lower I would try to clean the windshield. The wipers worked perfectly. A few streaks, but nothing like I was expecting it to be like. I chose to avoid the solution to my problem because of my negative expectations and the fear built up around them. In other words, I was afraid of a negative outcome instead of expecting the best.

How often are we like that in business? We have a problem - and there is a solution that for one reason or another, we fail to choose. Sometimes the problem doesn't seem bad enough, or it may seem insurmountable. Either way, we feel the solution will be more trouble than the problem, so we move forward with poor visibility and decreased productivity because of our fears.

Examine the areas of your business where you have problems. Are there solutions? If so, have you tried them? Why not? The solution may be easier than you think.

In today's economy, the effect of small problems will be magnified. Take the time to eliminate the problems you ignored during the good times. Get creative and get to it.

MT Bellies is open again

2008-11-19T11:26:00.001-05:00

I neglected to post this, but since I commented on it earlier, MT Bellies in Welland re-opened Nov. 6th after the health department gave it a clean bill of health.

Television - The Drug of The Nation

2008-11-19T11:06:00.004-05:00

For those of you not familiar with the song...

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgOWTM5R2DA

Lyrics: http://www.ocap.ca/songs/televisn.html

News found today on Yahoo says that long-term television viewing is directly associated with higher levels of - wait for it - unhappiness.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081118/entertainment/centertainment_us_misery

The story also says that as economic times worsen, people will have more time on their hands and will turn to television to fill that time.

"Through good and bad economic times, our diary studies, have consistently found that work is the major activity correlate of higher TV viewing hours," Robinson says. "As people have progressively more time on their hands, viewing hours increase."

Great news for the networks. Bad news for society.

How many hours a week do you watch TV? 1? 5? 10? 20?

What could you do during that time that would be better for you? Exercise? Read? Take up a hobby? Volunteer? Start a new career that makes you happy?

It is your choice what you want to do with your life. However, in the spirit of staying positive, it seems important to choose things that enhance your quality of life. Good food, clean water, fresh air and activities that are beneficial in some way.

My opinion. Your choice.

Have a great day!

Banner Advertising - Campaign Analysis

2008-11-17T11:59:00.005-05:00

Historically, banner advertising has provided click through ratios (CTR) of around 0.25%. Or, for a more "real" number, if the banner is shown 1000 times, there would be 2.5 clicks on it.

This past week, we did a very short-term banner campaign for the Niagara Youth Orchestra. In the three days the banner was online (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), it garnered 3248 impressions and 242 clickthroughs. A 7.5% CTR doesn't sound too bad, does it?

Statistics can be misleading though. The goal in this case was to create awareness of an event. We did this by advertising an incentive (a free $150 couple's spa package)which then linked to the information about the event (the 6th Annual Niagara Youth Orchestra trivia night).

The banner itself said nothing about the event - just the incentive. So, the Niagara Youth Orchestra didn't get any exposure from the banner - only from the clickthroughs. Because the banner didn't say anything about the actual event, the people who clicked through were very untargeted - they had no idea HOW to get the free $150 couple's spa package, just that they had to click the banner to learn more.

Of those 242 clickthroughs, how many of those people actually came to Trivia Night? Ah - there's the rub - there's no way to know - because the campaign wasn't set up to measure that statistic.

So, the banner earned a 7.5% CTR and 242 people learned about the Niagara Youth Orchestra's Trivia Night. There is no way of knowing how successful it was in bringing people to the event.

How could this be tested better?

For one, the banner could have advertised the trivia night itself. I learned that night there are people who follow the trivia night hosts around the region every week and participate in trivia nights at a variety of charity events. They probably clean up too...

The page the banner linked to could have had a ticket order form on it as well, so ticket sales could have been tied to the exposure provided by the banner advertisement.

All in all, the campaign wasn't bad, but it could certainly have been improved. Perhaps with more time and planning (this came together in the space of an hour) the results would have been more interesting. I will chronicle different banner ad campaign results in future posts. Enjoy your Monday!

The Niagara Positivity Complex

2008-11-15T11:13:00.004-05:00

I'm tired of bad news and doom and gloom scenarios.

Yes, I know that bad things happen. Economies rise and fall. This is natural. It's the way the world works.

I'm not interested in negativity. I am interested in positive change. I want to find creative solutions to problems.

We hear the bad every day. Today's newspaper (St. Catharines Standard) talks about how people are going to be spending less this Christmas and that merchants are nervous they're going to make less money. Fair enough - I'm told retailers make the majority of their sales around Christmas time, so this could be trouble for them.

Where is the news about creative solutions? Where are the stories about the merchants who aren't struggling to make ends meet during the year, hoping for salvation with Christmas sales? There must be a few of them. What are they doing that is different?

I was listening to Seth Godin's audio book Tribes, in which he tells the story of Jerry Sternin who went to Vietnam to help starving children. Most organizations at the time were simply handing out aid to the people who came to them for help. This fellow had a different idea. He asked around and found the families who were in the same conditions as everyone else, but who were doing better - kids not sick, family had enough to eat etc., and he asked them what they were doing that was different from other families. He then asked them to share their knowledge with the other families in the community - and positive change ensued. This is now referred to as the principle of "positive deviance" - and it's incredibly powerful and transformative.

This is what Niagara needs - a celebration of deviance from the "norm" - an examination of the positive - and a duplication of what works. This is the approach I am working on with The Niagara Guide. I hope you can find ways to make this work in your business too.

Here's to a new Niagara Positivity Complex!!

A Bright Spot Against Negativity

2008-11-11T11:00:00.003-05:00

I have mostly stopped listening to the "news".

It's not really news.

It's a re-hash of the same stuff, happening over and over and over.

War. Crisis. Building / bridge collapses. Suicide bombings. The economy. Layoffs. Strikes.

Bad news over and over and over.

I majored in psychology and criminology in University. (University of Toronto 9T1, Trinity College, in case anyone cares.) One thing that has always stuck in my head is the creation of "learned helplessness" in animals. Dogs were put in cages with electrified floors, through which a series of shocks would be applied. In some cases, the dogs could avoid the shocks by jumping to a non-electrified portion of the floor. In others, they couldn't. Eventually, the dogs who couldn't avoid the shocks just lay down and whimpered while the shocks were being administered. They stopped trying to avoid them - they had learned they were helpless in the situation.

I think the same treatments have been applied to our society for generations. The "news", albeit mostly bad, is simply what makes good headlines. People respond to bad news better, it seems, than to "good" news.

How sad.

How sad it is we are bringing up generation after generation of children this way. How sad we are brainwashing society by bombarding ourselves with the worst possible outcomes. Where is the celebration of the positive? Relegated to D7 in the newspaper, if you can find it at all. We are learning, through repetition, that the world is full of sadness and evil.

Well, I for one have had enough of it. It's one thing to have had enough. It's another to do something about it. So, in my own way, I am.

Introducing, The Niagara Guide Forums. http://forums.theniagaraguide.com.

The forums actually consist of two things - a discussion group and calendars.

The discussions are about the good things happening in Niagara. New business launches, discussions about good restaurants. Suggestions on how to make things better if you experience sub-par service at a store. The focus is on the POSITIVE - how we can help. How we can celebrate the good in society. How we can make our businesses prosper and thrive, despite the naysayers out there who focus on all the ways something "can't be done" while ignoring how, in fact, it CAN be.

I hope you will join me on the forums in celebrating the good stuff in Niagara.

Why the Status Quo Doesn't Work

2008-11-08T00:07:00.002-05:00

Ford announced layoffs today. GM announced a disastrous 3rd quarter. The media was quick to announce the difficulties these companies were having and dutifully followed up with the interviews with the union and worried workers. There's nothing new about this. It's how things have always been done.

Of course, doing things how they've always been done is how the Big 3 got into the mess they're in today. Everything from how cars are built, to labour relations, to the marketing of cars and the research about what consumers want in a vehicle. The Big 3 did not see enough reason to change fast enough, or even change at all when things were good (i.e. when oil was cheap).

In contrast, while Japanese manufacturers are hurting as well, they are not being as hammered in the marketplace. Toyota even saw a 14.9% sales INCREASE in September 2008 compared to September 2007. Honda also reported a small overall sales increase while GM sales were down 11.9% during the 3rd quarter compared to last year.

I don't know enough about the automotive industry to know exactly why these things happened. I think the problems the Big 3 are facing could just as easily be facing your industry to one degree or another. In other words, companies in your industry are doing things as they've always been done, which in these changing times, is a recipe for disaster.

Einstein said "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it." Everyone in business today has a problem. How is your thinking going to have to change to find not just a solution to the problem, but the BEST solution to the problem?

We don't know how this economic situation is going to turn out, but we can surmise there will be more people unemployed as companies go out of business or lay people off. Since that is a certainty, considering all the other things that go along with unemployment, how are we going to deal with what is yet to come?

Most entrepreneurs wind up working IN their businesses. It is time to work ON your business to solve the problems that have yet to materialize. It's time to plan ahead, because when your problems become insurmountable, it's too late to implement a solution.

The Little Red Rooster Re-Opens

2008-11-05T13:50:00.001-05:00

After shutting down on October 24, 2008 because of E. coli poisoning, the Little Red Rooster restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake is re-opening today.

Niagara public health stated "there were no problems identified during the inspection relating to food preparation or handling". In other words, the restaurant knows what it's doing when it comes to food preparation.

There are so many possibilities as to how E. coli entered the food chain that it is unlikely the source will ever be found.

I, for one, will be going back to the Little Red Rooster. The food's great, the ambiance is nice and it's a good value when you're looking for a place to eat in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

For more information, check out Niagara Region's press release on the issue.

http://www.niagararegion.ca/news/Nov0420081.aspx

Thank you to the owners of the restaurant for the work you've done to ensure the health of your patrons and best wishes for a speedy recovery of your business.

Clarion By The Falls Now Online!

2008-11-05T13:45:00.001-05:00

Clarion By The Falls, Niagara Falls - located on Stanley Avenue, two blocks away from Niagara Falls and in the heart of the Niagara Falls tourism district. If you are looking for Niagara Falls accommodations and tour packages look no further!

The Clarion By The Falls offers spacious and comfortable accommodations in our fully-appointed, contemporary style guest rooms offering panoramic views of the city of Niagara Falls.

Now online in The Niagara Hotel Guide directory of accommodations.

Fallsview Plaza Hotel Now Online!

2008-11-04T16:30:00.003-05:00

Fallsview Plaza Hotel Niagara Falls is now online with The Niagara Hotel Guide!

Located on Fallsview Boulevard, one block away from Niagara Falls and directly across the street from the new Fallsview Casino. If you are looking for Niagara Falls accommodations and tour packages look no further!

Rising 18 storeys over Niagara Falls, the Fallsview Plaza Hotel offers some of the most spectacular views of the famous Horsehoe Falls that Niagara has to offer.

Now online in The Niagara Hotel Guide directory of accommodations.

Embassy Suites Niagara Falls Now Online

2008-11-04T14:50:00.005-05:00

Embassy Suites Niagara Falls - Fallsview Hotel, is the newest Niagara Falls hotel in Niagara Falls Canada. The hotel towers 42 storeys over the Brink of Niagara Falls - and is located only 100 yards from the water's edge. Located on Fallsview Boulevard in the Fallsview Tourist District - beside the new Niagara Fallsview Casino, the hotel is surrounded by Niagara's finest restaurants and attractions and offers the finest in Fallsview accommodations.

Now online in The Niagara Hotel Guide directory of accommodations.

Niagara Hotel Guide's Getting a Facelift!

2008-11-04T14:48:00.003-05:00

In preparation for welcoming three new hotels to The Niagara Hotel Guide directory, we have been doing a bit of a facelift to the site. Database tweaking and a new template were in order, so that's all underway now.

Where there is passion, there is success

2008-11-03T09:16:00.003-05:00

Since it's Monday and you've probably dragged yourself kicking and screaming out of bed (likely requiring lots of coffee), have you wondered why you are doing what you're doing?

Jobs are a necessity. I realize this is true. I also realize you don't have to spend your life at a job doing something that doesn't inspire you.

I have worked for five different companies (excluding my own) in my working life. I was inspired by exactly one of them, but left because management's views of my career there didn't fit with where I wanted to go. I left to follow my own dream. This blog is partly the result of that decision 11 years ago.

We don't know how long we'll live, but one thing I am sure of is that life is too short to be working at a job that doesn't inspire you - doesn't allow you to follow your passion. Aptitude tests in high school or parental expectations about what job you should have result in many of us developing mental tunnel vision. Of course, once you're in a job, it's often hard to imagine yourself doing anything else.

If you're passionate about what you're doing, that's great. If what you are doing allows you to do what you are passionate about in your non-work hours, that's great too. If your job is neither of those things to you, well, I'm not one to tell anyone what to do - I'll leave that job to your boss.

Happiness, passion and success aren't things most people associate with Mondays. It's the beginning of a new week - another beginning. Perhaps it's time for something new in your life.

Just food for thought - to go along with your coffee.

Advice for Telemarketers and the Entrepreneurs Who Hire Them

2008-11-01T02:39:00.003-04:00

At 5:06 p.m. last night, I received a telemarketing call.

5:06 p.m.

Dinnertime.

On Halloween.

I actually laughed at the telemarketer. What made the situation worse was he was calling from my insurance agent's office to let me know about their mortgage life insurance products.

I like and respect my insurance agent. What surprised me is he would hire a guy to make calls on a Friday evening at dinnertime on Halloween - the time when people are either getting their kids costumed and preparing dinner (or ordering pizza - Halloween's one of the busiest times of the year for Niagara pizza companies) or having an early dinner so they can greet kids at the door with candy.

In short, this was NOT the time to be making telemarketing calls. I mentioned this to the caller who said "I know, but this is when I was called in to work."

This makes the whole situation even worse. Not only was the caller not likely to get any interested parties on the phone - he would be demoralized about making the calls, further reducing his effectiveness. My insurance agent would have been much better off, in my opinion, to tell the telemarketer to take the night off and have a fresh start at it on Saturday.

Last point - I know I distracted the guy, but I don't recall him asking me if I HAD mortgage life insurance. I may not have it through my agent as banks sell the stuff all the time, but I might have had it already. Asking me if I had coverage first would have saved him a few minutes of talking, thus increasing his call rate.

Those are my observations on a rather unproductive telemarketing call. Maybe the rest of the caller's evening was spectacular. Somehow, I have my doubts. I'll have to call Mr. Insurance on Monday to see how the weekend went . . .

The "Big Lie" About Marketing Online

2008-10-31T10:00:00.001-04:00

The internet is rife with sites that claim you can market your website ** Without Spending a Dime!!! **

Hey - I like free marketing as well. So how do you do it?

The old fashioned way - roll up your sleeves and get busy.

From promoting yourself on Facebook, LinkedIN, MySpace and others to writing blog articles, getting to know your local reporters etc., this all takes time, and - as the saying goes - time is money. If you're not willing or able to pay to have someone do the work, then you need to invest time.

The ironic thing is, most of us think we don't have enough time to do the things we need to do in a day. Of course, this isn't true. If you spend 1/2 hour every day writing a blog article, you'll be ahead of most of the people in your industry.

Do you watch television? I don't. It isn't time well spent. It is better described as "time well wasted" (thank you to the Comedy Network for that one...). Skip ONE reality show and you have an hour you can devote to bettering your business or your career.

Of course, spending an hour on Facebook can also be a waste of time unless you really focus your activities there. Knowing HOW to spend your time is just as important (or more) than knowing what to do. If you say you're going to write a blog post then spend two hours dithering over what to write about, you're not really further ahead.

In short, if you're not going to pay for someone to do the work for you, you need to invest your time. It's not free to do this. But, if you're like most people, you would have more time to do the things you NEED to do to further your business if you shift time away from meaningless activities.

It's taken me about 10 minutes so far to write these words. Some people who have never met me and who don't know about The Niagara Guide will read them and hopefully want to know more about pay-for-performance online marketing system. While my primary goal is to provide useful ideas and insight in my blog, I also want to raise awareness of what I do and how I can help people.

Hopefully I've done these things in this short article. Have a great Friday!

How Does Your Business Deal With Disaster?

2008-10-30T12:09:00.003-04:00

What would constitute a disaster for your business? How are you set up to deal with it? It's not a question most business owners contemplate, but it's an important one to consider.

What if, for example, the building your business is located in burns down? Are you adequately insured? Is the data stored on your computers also backed up offsite? Do you have a plan to survive financially until you can re-open?

With every business having a computer, data backup is one of the most critical things for any business owner, yet it's something mostly overlooked. It's pretty easy though to keep things backed up. There are many easy ways to do this on your own (for under $250 in hardware and software costs) and there are dozens of online backup sites you can use on a subscription basis.

"Failure to plan means you are planning to fail." I remember this from the first day of a program I took when I started my business. Looking back over the years, I can see this was true. When something bad happened, I got through it better if I had planned for it than when I didn't. I'm sure you can see the same in your business as well.

Mistakes happen, but as long as we learn from them, they're not so bad. Disasters happen, but if you're not prepared, you'll be learning a lot of painful lessons and your business may not survive. Plan accordingly.

Two Popular Restaurants Closed due to E-coli

2008-10-30T12:03:00.003-04:00

Niagara-on-the-Lake's popular Little Red Rooster restaurant and Welland's M.T. Bellies are both closed due to e-coli contamination.

You have to feel for the folks who run restaurants. It's widely known the restaurant industry is one of the toughest to operate in. When a problem like e-coli pops up, the damage to business, both immediate and future, can be enough to shut a restaurant down.

The owners of both establishments are co-operating fully with the public health authorities to try and determine the cause of the contamination.

I have no doubts both restaurants will re-open and extend their long traditions.

Best wishes to all those who are affected by the situation, both the business operators AND to the folks who are sick with e-coli poisoning. May everyone recover fully.

A Chat With A Local Spammer

2008-10-28T11:49:00.003-04:00

I got to speak to a spammer today. Since they're a Niagara business, I thought I'd call them to ask about the e-mail campaign they're running. I was happy to talk to the person running the campaign and had a short but friendly conversation with her.

First off, let me define spam from my perspective. Spam is unsolicited commercial e-mail.

However, the person running the e-mail campaign disagreed that their messages were spam, for two primary reasons.

They were using publicly available e-mail addresses, found in various business directories. No addresses were purchased for their campaign.
They were sending messages individually, instead of in bulk.

Hmm. That makes me wonder - if this company thinks it's alright to send out spam, but to addresses they hand-picked, and sent with care (individually), what do the receivers think about their approach?

I asked if I could call back in a month or so to ask about how their campaign went and the person running the campaign gave me permission to do so. I expect to follow up in a month and hopefully get more insight into what local entrepreneurs think about what I would consider a local spammer.

What do you think? Take my poll. I'll let you know how things go.

What's more important - a logo or a brand?

2008-10-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

I read that Best Buy is testing a new logo. Pepsi is also considering a new logo. I recently heard a speaker talk about the importance of having a "good" logo.

I'm also a fan of Seth Godin, Rob Frankel and other marketing and branding experts who by and large discount the idea of the logo as the most important thing to a brand.

A logo is an image you use to identify your company as being the one behind the product or service being sold. What is more important though, according to branding experts, is the EXPERIENCE you have with said product or service. In this way of thinking, a brand is NOT a logo. A brand is the STORY that people associate with a business, product or service. A logo is just an identifier. This is a more holistic view of branding than the "burn your symbol into the side of the steer" origin of the term.

Let's say you have built a thriving business - it doesn't matter in which field - because you deliver "the goods". Great products. Fabulous customer service. Superior value. You live up to your reputation even when things go awry. Is a fabulous logo going to make your business better? Probably not. Is a bad logo going to destroy your business? Probably not.

Why? Because your BRAND is based on the story you tell about yourself, and more importantly, it's based on the story that PEOPLE tell about you. Your logo is the visual reminder to people about your story. The logo is important, but not as important as your brand.

What if the story people tell about you is negative? A great logo won't save you. At best, it will allow people to easily identify you - so they can avoid you.

I've been told the logo for The Niagara Guide is a good logo. Personally, I like it. It took about 10 minutes for my graphic designer to come up with the basic design and the balance of an hour to refine it. I think the colours are nice, the "N" looks pretty neat and the whole thing is kind of balanced in a yin-yangish kind of way.

What is The Niagara Guide's brand? Certainly not something that can be symbolized by a blue-green circle with an "N" in the middle. If another company came along in our marketplace with a very similar logo, we'd certainly fight them for copying our logo because it would cause "brand confusion" in the marketplace. However, if we had to change logos, it wouldn't destroy our underlying brand.

I and the people who run The Niagara Guide work hard to deliver "the goods" to the advertisers who support us and the visitors looking for information on our sites. Our brand is only as good as our delivery. When we do well, our logo can be like a beacon attracting new advertisers and visitors. If we do poorly, it can be a lighthouse warning all of danger ahead.

I'm glad I have a "good" logo. I'm happier that The Niagara Guide delivers value to those who use it. The logo work is done. The work on maintaining our brand continues every day . . .

A little known fact . . .

2008-10-24T10:21:00.002-04:00

The Niagara Guide sites are tied together by navigation links as well as by a group-wide search engine. This search engine has its own domain but I've never really promoted it. Why? I don't know - other things to do?

Well, I still have other things to do, but I thought I would suggest this as something useful. For a Niagara-specific search, visit the following website:

SearchNiagara.com

No ads. No fuss. Just a search box. Type in what you're looking for and you will automatically search each and every Niagara Guide website for appropriate results.

It's not perfect, but it works pretty well, and getting better as we continue to add content to the site. It's also a quick way to see if your business is listed in our guides or not. Basic listings (name, address, phone number) are free for all businesses (click here to get listed).

If you find the site useful, please tell your friends.

Facebook vs. REAL Networking

2008-10-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

If you're a small business owner, you've probably tried to do something using Facebook.

Is Facebook an essential tool for entrepreneurs?

No.

Don't get me wrong. I like Facebook, but it is just a tool among many other tools, and it is not the one that is going to make or break your business.

Why? Because of typical human nature. Let's look at how we measure "success" on Facebook.

It's your friends list. How many people are on that list? 100? 1,000? 10,000?

How many of those people do you know well enough to sit down and have a cup of coffee with?

How many of those people do you know well enough to ask money from?

How many of those people would let you sleep in their homes for a few days while you're in town?

For most entrepreneurs, your "friends" are on the list because they think they're going to get something out of being connected with you, or merely because they are too polite to press the "ignore" button of your friend request.

What you are building on Facebook you are building because of your ego. NOT because it makes sound business sense to do so. You CAN build a solid business relationship on Facebook, but you could also do it by e-mail, or over the telephone, or in person, face to face. Facebook is a tool, nothing more, nothing less.

Facebook has been glorified by the media and online marketers, but so was e-mail when it first appeared on the scene. We wonder how we could live without e-mail. I could live without Facebook, and so could you. Instead of spending your time digitally networking, you would be better off spending time cultivating REAL relationships with people.

Do I spend time on Facebook? Yes. Does The Niagara Guide have a group on Facebook? Yes. If Facebook and all other social and business networking sites disappeared from the internet tomorrow, would my business suffer? No.

Use Facebook to your heart's content, but remember what it really is and ask yourself, as an entrepreneur, whether being on Facebook represents the **best** use of your time. Chances are, you have more important things to do.

How Gary Burnett Does It

2008-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Who is Gary Burnett? He's arguably Pre-Paid Legal's most visible member in Niagara. That's who Gary is.

How does he do it?

Aside from being a serial networker, he has made himself a hub within the business community.

People who need things call Gary. He mentioned at his monthly networking luncheon that 10% of his phone calls have nothing to do with his business, but are from people calling him because they know he'll know someone who provides a product or service they need.

Gary's not pushy about his business, but he's everywhere, and if you're talking to him, you'll eventually ask him what he does. By providing the opportunity for you to talk to him, he gets the word out about how he can help you. If you provide enough opportunities for people to find out how you can help them, chances are you'll get the call when people need you.

That's why cutting back on advertising in this "down" economy is the wrong thing to do. You need to give people the opportunity to talk to you - and if they don't know about you, there's no chance to have a conversation. No talking = No business.

Venice Restaurant in Welland Closed

2008-10-23T11:05:00.003-04:00

The Venice Restaurant in Welland has closed.

Reasons cited: poor economy and major business disruption due to the incessant construction along East Main Street.

23 people out of work. Another sad day for Welland.

Are You A Leader In Your Market?

2008-10-23T10:45:00.000-04:00

I was meeting with Dennis O'Neill this week. He's my business coach - and a fine one I recommend to anyone looking to up their value. While going through our agenda, we raised an interesting point.

How many business owners are leaders and how many are followers?

This was interesting for me, because there are always leaders in every business category.

The leading driving school.
The leading cleaning company.
The leading home inspection service.
The leading you name it.

The leaders see things differently from the rest. They look for ways to stay the leader. They look for the competitive edge that sets them apart from the rest. They find niches where they can dominate, and then do so.

Being a leader sometimes means giving up the broad view for a narrower focus that can bring more results. Maybe you aren't the best restaurant in Niagara, but you could be the best Italian restaurant in Niagara. Or the best Thai restaurant. Or the best sushi restaurant.

Cities can be leaders. Port Dalhousie has been the leading tourist destination for summer partiers for years, often to the dismay of the local residents. Niagara-on-the-Lake is the leading destination for live theatre in Niagara, courtesy of the Shaw Festival. Niagara Falls is the leading tourist destination overall in the region, thanks to, well, the "real" Niagara Falls.

How do you get to be a leader? Sometimes, simply by being there. That's Niagara Falls' advantage. The city happens to have a great waterfall with a rich history of people going over it. Beamsville couldn't just build one and compete with Niagara Falls' waterfall, could they?

For the rest of us who don't have our own waterfalls in our backyards, we have to become leaders the hard way - by building our business and our fan base one step, one person at a time. Then we have to cater to our fans to give them what they want.

In other words, decide what you're going to be a leader at then create and execute a plan to make it happen. That's my path. I hope to meet you on it soon.

It's Monday - What are YOU Afraid Of?

2008-10-20T09:19:00.003-04:00

Fear is what holds most us back from accomplishing our goals and realizing our dreams.

Mondays are hated. Why? Because most people have to go back to "work". What's wrong with that, if you're doing something you love to do?

The problem is, most people AREN'T doing what they want to do. Maybe you see yourself reflected in that statement. If you're not doing something you LOVE, why not?

I believe the reason is fear. Partly because I've seen it in action in other people's lives, but more importantly, because I've seen it in my own, and if I have fear, I'll wager everyone else does too.

The times in my life where I've had the most difficulty growing as an entrepreneur, a person, a father, a son, a husband, a teacher or as a leader are the times when I was afraid. The fear took many forms, but it was all fear.

Fear of failure
Fear of success
Fear of rejection
Fear of humiliation
...and so on

Monday is the de-facto start of the new week - when the cycle begins all over again. Instead of hating Mondays, we should embrace them as an opportunity to start over - an opportunity to conquer your fears, or at least look at ways to move past them to begin creating the life you love. Acknowledge your fear, stare it in the eye, then figure out how to get past it.

Today is Monday. I am afraid, but I will prevail. Will you?

When the economy sucks, advertise.

2008-10-06T12:36:00.003-04:00

So we're headed into lean economic times. Happy Monday.

What does this mean for your business?

If you're a pessimistic sort, you're probably thinking it's time for restraint. Hunker down and ride out the storm. Stock up on bottled water and canned goods because the downside's a'comin.

If you're an optimistic sort, you can benefit from the negative thinkers out there, because they are providing you with an opportunity to get more customers.

Lots of companies cut back on their advertising and marketing in troubled times because it saves money. This means there is a void in the advertising world that you can fill with YOUR message. Consumers still need stuff, although in tough times, they may need less of it. With a shrinking prospect base, getting MORE people through your doors is what you need to survive, not less.

For companies who "stay the course" with their advertising, or even start a new campaign to "fill the void", the opportunity to be seen by your target audience instead of your competition can lead to you getting the leads THEY would have gotten, resulting in sales going to you instead of them.

While you're busy growing your client base, your competition is "weathering the storm". When the storm passes, you'll likely be better off financially and better able to compete overall than if you had done nothing.

Remember, there are lots of opportunities for companies that continue advertising through tough economic times. The challenge is capitalizing on the opportunities that present themselves. Are YOU up to the challenge?

Why controlling advertising costs may not be your biggest concern.

2008-10-03T10:01:00.001-04:00

I have found that once business owners understand how our pay-for-performance system works, the inevitable question is "How do I control costs?". This is a reasonable question. It may also be the wrong one, in my opinion, when it comes to The Niagara Guide. Here's why.

Let's say you received 100 clicks on your listing which cost you $10. Of those 100 visitors, 20% of them clicked through to your website, costing you another $4. Three percent of those visitors sent you an e-mail with an inquiry about your service, costing you another $3. Your total cost for the month is $17 + GST.

Let's look at what you get.

For $17, The Niagara Guide gave you the opportunity to do the following:

Establish or re-establish your relationship with 100 people in your target audience.
Gave you an opportunity to upsell 20 visitors who visited your website on your service. These are motivated prospects who want to know more about your business.
Provided the opportunity to personally respond to 3 qualified leads, furthering the relationship between you and your prospects. Now 3 people know that your name is "Bryan" and from your timely, relevant and personal response to their inquiries, they know you are passionate about your business and that you care about them as well.

Is that worth $17? I personally think so.

Ah - I hear you ask - but what about sales?

The Niagara Guide is a lead generation service. Selling is up to you. Same with every other type of media. A radio ad may get someone in the door, but if something goes wrong in the selling chain, the radio station isn't the one to blame.

Let's assume for $17, you acquired two new customers - so your cost is $8.50 per new customer. Is that expensive? Perhaps. It depends on the lifetime value of a customer to your business.

I pay $24 for a haircut. I get 12 haircuts a year which cost me $288. Over 10 years, I will spend just shy of $3000 on haircuts. Is it worth $8.50 for a barber to get me as a customer? Sure. The acquisition cost represents 0.3% of my 10-year value to that barber. Assuming they keep me happy, I'll keep coming back unless I move, shave my head, or die.

In this scenario, $17 / month is pocket change compared to the lifetime value of the customers acquired.

The 30-day free trial in The Niagara Guide is designed to give you an idea of how the system costs and what kind of results you could expect. Figure out the lifetime value of a new customer for your business and let's see how well The Niagara Guide can do for you.

Pay For Performance Advertising

2008-10-02T09:30:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been a year since we switched to a pay-for-performance advertising model. The transition had a few hiccups as we managed to miss contacting a few people about the switch, but we're firmly in PPF mode and we're staying there.

Some people have asked us whether this is "pay-per-click" (PPC) advertising. Here's what we measure:

The number of unique visitors to your listing.
The number of visitors who click through to your website.
The number of visitors who send you an e-mail (a LEAD) through your listing
The number of visitors who refer a friend to you.

In a strictly PPC model, the number of people who clicked through to your listing would be the primary measure. OR, the measure would be on the number of people who clicked through to your website FROM your listing. So, I suppose, we have a "double PPC" model, plus the e-mail measurement and referral tracking. The referral tracking is not yet functional (coming soon...) but it's not something we are currently billing for.

Using the tools we provide, you can make this system work for you. More on that later.

How can you shop Canadian?

2008-09-12T10:31:00.005-04:00

I spoke to an entrepreneur last night whose husband is one of the 800 people affected by the John Deere plant closure in Welland. This is not good news for Welland - or for their family. Our discussion veered onto the topic of buying Canadian to support our economy.

The Canadian economy is very dependent on imported goods. My father and I went shopping for a DVD player at Canadian Tire. He's retired and on a fixed income, so we were looking for an inexpensive DVD player. All of the DVD players were made in China. As we wandered down the aisle, my dad noted that pretty much all of the electronic products in the aisle were made in China.

Most of the products in Canadian Tire are probably made in China.

How then does one buy Canadian?

There's no more "Canadian" store than Canadian Tire - except for perhaps Tim Hortons - which is now owned by an American company.

The reality is the Canadian-owned companies in our economy can not provide everything consumers WANT, all the time.

What do consumers WANT?

Low prices
Good (or at least reasonable quality) goods for those low prices
Choice
Value - I would have put "value" as #1, but judging by the number of people who go for "cheap", I don't really think value is #1 with average consumers.

I have not researched this topic at all, but I would guess things made in Canada are more expensive than stuff we import. Are willing people to pay more for "made in Canada" or to deal with Canadian companies?

Last year I needed new tires (4), I wanted rustproofing, and I needed an alignment. I wanted to shop at a Canadian store. I went to my local tire company, Canadian Tire and Wal Mart. The alignment was least expensive at Canadian Tire - Wal Mart doesn't do 4-wheel alignment. However, the tires and rustproofing was $140 less at Wal Mart than at Canadian Tire, and $180 less than at my local tire company. Money was a little tight, so the tires and rustproofing were done at Wal Mart, under duress.

Shopping Canadian is something Canadians WANT to do on an emotional level. Few are prepared to commit to the cost of doing so. Unfortunately for all of us, the cost of doing so means we are more dependent on foreign companies for the things we need, from dish rags to jobs.

If you have Canadian products you feel are good replacements for imports, please drop a line and let me know about them.

WRAP it UP for Charity!

2008-08-18T12:12:00.002-04:00

In Support of Niagara Charities, Non-Profits and Organizations, Power Four Productions is hosting their 3rd Annual "WRAP it UP" - Niagara's Only Christmas Shopping Extravaganza

August 6, 2008, NIAGARA - Power Four Productions is in search of Southern Ontario’s unique vendors for their 3rd. Annual “WRAP It UP”, which occurs Sunday December 7th. @Four Points by Sheraton. This event will offer an incredible day of shopping with some very unique vendors you wouldn't find otherwise and offers opportunity to local charities/non-profits and organizations an easy way to fundraise, receive major public relations and marketing exposure as well as becoming better known throughout Niagara. This event has attracted over 1000 of shoppers from in out of Niagara and continues to offer and support Niagara charities/non-profits and all organizations through their easy and affordable advance ticket sales.

Features of this event include: Holiday food samples, 50+ unique vendors for all your holiday shopping ( including jewellry, health & beauty, home décor, children’s items, photography and much more), vendor draws, 50+ door prizes and the Grand Give-away of a holiday Gift Basket as an added bonus draw for advance ticket holders only.

This fabulous one day shopping extravaganza happens Sunday, December 7th. from 10 a.m - 5 p.m. at the luxurious Four Points by Sheraton on Schmon Pkwy. - Thorold/St.Catharines.

List of unique vendors are filling up quickly, and to date Community Living Welland/Pelham and W.A.R.M have partnered with Power Four Productions for this years event. All Niagara non-profits/organizations, schools and charities are invited to become involved and be part of this fabulous Niagara event.

For registration, ticket info or fundraising opportunities please call Carrie 905-735-9798 - knowit@niagara.com or Donna 905-714-1642 - fndpanetta@hotmail.com or visit www.PowerFourProductions.com for complete details.

Our First In-House Video Now Online!

2008-07-24T18:09:00.003-04:00

I'm really pleased to announce the introduction of video on The Niagara Guide.

I've held off doing this for some time, but there are two main reasons this is the time for us to add video features:

1) YouTube and other video sharing sites have demonstrated that video picture quality is no longer a major factor in whether people will watch videos online.

2) The cost of entry has been dramatically lowered through advances in camera technology and free video editing software that does a sufficient job for the purposes of The Niagara Guide.

That being said, I am NOT interested in putting grainy, low resolution, "no-storyline" videos online simply for the sake of adding a "cool" feature. We're not out there shooting videos with camera phones and our videos are going to be primarily "interview" formats so there should be more content to them than others we've seen.

Our first video features Brian Yungblut of Yungblut Photography in St. Catharines. You can see it at http://www.artsniagara.com/brian-yungblut/index.asp. It is also in our video section of The Niagara Guide's Facebook group and yes, it will probably wind up on YouTube in fairly short order.

If you are interested in having us produce a short video for you for inclusion on your Niagara Guide listing, please let me know. I can be reached through Facebook, e-mail (mark@theniagaraguide.com) or of course, by more traditional methods like the phone (905-227-6667 or 289-241-3080 for my cell).

Feedback on this first video will be appreciated!

Something new . . .

2008-07-15T16:27:00.003-04:00

Taking a vacation is usually a good thing for the brain to come up with new ideas.

In my case, I bought a really nifty video camera before I left, and after playing with it a bit, I am thinking it is time we added more video to The Niagara Guide.

So, here's what we're going to do.

We will soon be offering videos to all companies who sign up for our pay-for-performance online marketing program.

In fact, I expect we'll have the first one online before the end of this week.

Just keeping things moving forward here at The Niagara Guide

On Vacation

2008-07-03T01:50:00.002-04:00

Mark Kawabe here - I'm away on vacation until July 14th.

Wow. Vacation. It's been like a dream leading up to it.

Sunny beaches. Warm tropical breezes. All-you-can-drink slushy-fruity-drinks.

Mmmm. Vacation.

I'll be back on July 14th with some interesting news about The Niagara Guide.

What the heck is Kendo?

2008-07-01T11:15:00.003-04:00

The Hayakawa Kendo Club is dedicated to the teaching of Kendo - Japanese Fencing.

Most people have no idea what Japanese Fencing is.

So, as a public service, the Hayakawa Kendo Club is pleased to present this completely non-explanatory video about Kendo.

The clip you're about to see is from a Kendo competition at the Canadian National Kendo Championships this past June 28th weekend. The competitors are Mark Kawabe from the Hayakawa Kendo Club (white tag on back) and Wayne Chang from the Mississauga Kendo Club (red tag on back - also - the shorter player).

Kendo scoring is a bit of a challenge to figure out. For more information, visit the Hayakawa Kendo Club's webpage on how to watch a Kendo match.

Match at the Canadian National Kendo Championships from Mark Kawabe on Vimeo.

Niagara Rowing School online in The Niagara Guide!

2008-06-06T09:01:00.003-04:00

Looking for a great way to get fit in the great outdoors? Consider The Niagara Rowing School - now online in The Niagara Recreation Guide.

Amber Cuthbertson and Dave Wright are two of the elite level coaches (former Canadian National Team Members) who run the school, and they offer programs for beginners to accomplished rowers.

Located on the shores of Jordan Harbour, The Niagara Rowing School also offers dragon boat training (a great corporate teambuilding activity!) as well as bicycle rentals.

Learn more by visiting them today! http://www.niagararecreation.com/niagara-rowing-school/

Welcome aboard!

The Big Scoop Now Carries PIES from Angus The Pie Man!

2008-05-30T00:39:00.002-04:00

Chris and Dan Pacquin at The Big Scoop are excited to announce a whole new section of baked goods at their fantastic ice cream parlour.

The Big Scoop is now carrying pies from Angus The Pie Man.

Many people were disappointed when Angus closed his shop, but he's still baking up a storm.

Call The Big Scoop at 905-227-2800 to order your pies today!

The Happy Medium

2008-05-16T11:56:00.002-04:00

Have you ever experienced a psychic who passes you information from the other side ? More than a psychic experience Shane Flannigan is an professional International Deep Trance Channeller who channels the spirit known as Zoltach. Zoltach guides you with life's path information and answers your deepest questions about your contract direction.

Communicating directly with the other side is one of the most profound experiences you will ever have and the Zoltach energy will leave you feeling as you never have before. Come and bask in the light from home.

Zoltach is now online in The Niagara Guide - have a look and see where it leads you.

http://www.shoppingniagara.com/zoltach/index.asp

Welcome aboard Shane!

Niagara's Pre-Paid Legal Maestro Joins The Niagara Guide!

2008-04-15T12:58:00.002-04:00

If you live in Niagara and you've heard of Pre-Paid Legal services, then there's a very, VERY good chance you've heard of Gary Burnett.

Gary was one of the pioneers of PPL in Niagara (and Canada). He is responsible for putting PPL on the map and helping masses of people afford legal advice that would otherwise have been unattainable.

What is Pre-Paid Legal service? In short, you pay a small monthly fee to have 24/7 access to a lawyer - but not just ANY lawyer - you get to talk to a lawyer that specializes in your area of inquiry. This is because Pre-Paid Legal (the company) has a multi-million dollar contract with a large law firm with a "stable" of lawyers who are available to help you when you need it the most.

I am a Pre-Paid Legal client. I have the base Pre-Paid legal coverage, plus the identity shield coverage (to restore my identity in case it gets stolen) as well as the business rider so I can have access to the Go Small Biz service. I think the service is great - and it's nice to know that should I need legal advice, it's there, one simple toll-free phone call away. I haven't used it a LOT (around 5 times last year), but it was quick, convenient and hassle-free.

Click here for more information on the services provided through PPL Legal Care of Canada and Gary Burnett.

Welcome aboard, Gary!

Niagara Health Article on Tai Chi and Type 2 Diabetes

2008-04-11T02:15:00.005-04:00

We've just posted an article from Sifu George Picard about how Tai Chi could help in the fight against type 2 diabetes.

Here's the link:

http://www.niagarahealthguide.com/niagara-healthcare-articles/tai-chi-type-2-diabetes.asp

This study was published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and provides even more evidence that traditional Eastern approaches to health can benefit folks in the west.

An excellent read - it'll make you think.

Get The Scoop!

2008-04-11T01:53:00.002-04:00

Welcome aboard to The Big Scoop - Thorold's BEST Ice Cream Parlour!

Some would say they're the only one, but that's missing the point.

Some of you will remember The Big Scoop from when they were located on Highway 20, outside Beamer's Market. They moved from there when Beamer's was sold and relocated to Pine St. South in Thorold, at the corner of Sullivan.

The Big Scoop reminds me of the places I used to go when I was a kid. Lots of candy, treats and ice cream. They serve it the "old fashioned" way. They scoop a generous serving into a cone and hand it to you. No weighing involved. Prices are good (in my opinion - try them yourself) and the ice cream's great. Stoney Creek Ice Cream. Yum.

They also serve light lunches and are the only place I've been to that sells the Crystal Beach Loganberry Drink concentrate.

All in all, a cool place to be. Nice people - great ice cream. Visit them today!

Welcome aboard to The Big Scoop!

Out of this world horseback riding in Niagara

2008-03-31T00:37:00.003-04:00

A hearty welcome to Saturn Stables of St. Catharines - the newest addition to The Niagara Recreation Guide!

Saturn Stables offers trail riding, horse riding lessons and lots more, including a trail ride through Shorthills Provincial Park and through a local vineyard for a tour and tasting. Sounds really cool to me.

Horseback riding in Niagara's pretty popular, it seems, or at least, people in the horse community are internet-savvy as Saturn Stables is the third horseback riding company to request a listing in The Niagara Guide.

Welcome aboard!

Got Anger? There are solutions!

2008-03-31T00:34:00.002-04:00

Giant Life Solutions offers anger management training and laughter therapy. I know a few people who could use this, myself included sometimes . . .

They're the newest addition to The Niagara Business Guide.

Welcome aboard!

Ancient Journeys School of New Medicine Now Online!

2008-03-18T10:58:00.002-04:00

Ancient Journeys School of New Medicine is now online with The Niagara Health Guide.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, NEW Medicine refers to a partnership between patient and providers to develop a diagnostic and therapeutic program that uses a variety of treatments to provide maximum benefit.

There are many modalities that Western medical doctors are not familiar with that have demonstrated benefits and it is training in complementary treatments and technologies they offer their students.

Ancient Journeys School of NEW Medicine offers courses in:

Egyptian Reflexology™
Egyptian Head & Neck Massage™
Egyptian Healing Rods
Reiki
Hot Stone Massage Certification Course
Certificate in Holistic Health Eduction
...and other courses too numerous to list here.

Welcome aboard to Nance MacLeod and Ancient Journeys School of New Medicine!

Niagara Home Staging - The ReDesign Co.

2008-03-05T00:27:00.003-05:00

Welcome aboard to JoAnn O'Hara of The ReDesign Co. - Niagara's newest home staging service!

Home Staging means preparing a home for the real estate market so it appeals to the greatest number of potential buyers and brings focus to the home's main selling features.

JoAnn works with clients who want to sell their homes, or, in some cases, simply want their homes to be more attractive with a fresh, organized look.

The ReDesign Co. can be found in The Niagara Home Guide's Home Staging category as well as in Clutter Consultants.

Welcome aboard JoAnn!

Pacific Productions International Online!

2008-03-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to announce the addition of Pacific Productions International to The Niagara Business Guide.

Pacific Productions International is an award-winning, full service multi-media marketing and production company specializing in emerging audio-visual technologies. We utilize a network of highly skilled creative associates from across the country to create, produce and deliver the most distinctive and effective marketing campaign imaginable, to promote your service, product or business.

Their services include:

Motion Picture Production
Broadcast Television Commercials
Interactive Digital Video
Web Design
Branding Design
Digital Photography

Welcome aboard to Pacific Productions International!

Before & After Professional Make-Up Graces the Niagara Bridal Guide!

2008-03-01T00:14:00.000-05:00

Sandra Maude from Before & After Professional Makeup offers wedding, graduation, party and other special event makeup services.

Sandra is an independent Makeup Artist serving the Niagara Region. Her training, natural talent and love for makeup artistry has been the cornerstone of her success with hundreds of clients.

With Before & After Professional Makeup you can feel comfortable and confident about the makeup that you’ll be wearing on your wedding day by first receiving a trial makeup consultation and application. As a trained makeup artist, Sandra will listen to your hopes and expectations to create a look that captures your true beauty.

On your wedding day Sandra will come to the location of your choice and treat you and your bridal party to individual and personalized attention specific to your wedding. Using only top line MAC products, your makeup will be both natural and camera-ready for colour and black and white photography.

Welcome aboard Sandra!

Bad Businesses Processes are a "Pane"

2008-02-26T00:52:00.001-05:00

Yes, I know the title has the "wrong" word in it. Here's why.

I got a call from a local window manufacturer / installer today asking if we were planning on replacing windows. In fact, we are considering doing so. The friendly agent set up an appointment time for a representative to come out and provide a free estimate. She said someone would be calling back to confirm.

The even more perky and friendly agent who called back wanted to confirm the details of the meeeting date and time, and then asked me how many windows I was planning to replace.

I'm only considering replacing one window this year. It's a big one though.

Regrettably, I was informed that if I didn't have at least three windows to replace, they wouldn't be sending a person out for my free estimate.

I do have other windows I'd like to replace, but probably not this year. So, I said that I have four basement windows I'd like to replace, only to find that this company doesn't "do" basement windows.

Well, that kind of put a damper on my enthusiasm, but since I was interested in knowing how much my big window would cost, I (truthfully) said we have other windows that need replacing so could they please send someone over.

Everything was good, and the agent started to wrap up the call by confirming that I and my wife would be available to meet with the representative.

Whoa - the appointment was set for the day time - because I can make that time. My wife and I have really busy evening schedules, so setting up an appointment in the evening just isn't going to happen. We could have set something up for a weekend, but not for a few weeks as we're really busy and frankly, I wasn't interested in tying up some weekend time a month down the road for a window appointment.

Apparently I am not capable of making a decision myself, since I was informed that since my wife wouldn't be present, they would decline the opportunity to provide an estimate on my windows.

We spent about 15 minutes on the phone between the first and second call only to find that we were incompatible customers to this company. When I got off the phone, I was annoyed that they'd wasted my time simply because the first agent hadn't determined I was a "qualified" prospect for their company.

The people were fine. The process was flawed.

Do you have a process in your business that is flawed?

When's the last time you thought about the processes in your business to see if they could be made better?

When's the last time you talked to your customers about your processes to see if they can suggest improvements?

Ron Layton Photography Joins The Niagara Guide!

2008-02-21T17:31:00.003-05:00

Award-Winning Photographer Ron Layton is the latest to join The Niagara Guide.

With an impressive portfolio, Ron is available for your personal, group, commercial, residential or other photographic needs.

Ron is also the designated photographer for "KNOW it ALL" Niagara.

For more information on Ron Layton's photographic services, click here to see his listing in The Niagara Arts Guide.

Welcome aboard Ron!

On Call Concierge Now Online!

2008-02-21T17:27:00.002-05:00

Charyl Brooker IS your On Call Concierge.

What is a concierge? Think of her as your personal assistant, helping you recapture time you're wasting doing less important things.

We all have jobs we wish we could delegate to someone else. Whether it’s something we don’t like to do or simply don’t have time to do. Like taking the car in for an oil change, standing in line to register the kids for sports, waiting at home for a repairman, sourcing companies and getting quotes for something we need done.

For times like these, call On Call Concerige to free your time up!

On Call Concierge can be found in The Niagara Shopping Guide under the Niagara Personal Assistant category, as well as in a number of other link areas.

Welcome aboard Charyl!

Laurie has Landed!

2008-02-19T11:32:00.001-05:00

For those of you who remember Chef Laurie Shepherd of Laurie's Orchard Cafe, you'll be pleased to know we've learned where she's been hiding.

Laurie is well-known for her gluten-free menu and it was a sad day for many when she closed her cafe.

While we don't normally make a habit of promoting out-of-area establishments, for Laurie, we'll make an exception - especially as she was a strong supporter of The Niagara Restaurant Guide.

Laurie can now be found at Ivanka's Downtown Bistro & Grill in Burlington, ON. She can be be reached at 905-639-7577 at the restaurant.

Update: May 15, 2008 - Laurie has left Ivanka's. More to follow

BTW, Laurie is now Laurie Shepherd-Vasile. Congratulations Laurie!

Introducing Bridal Beauty

2008-02-15T12:01:00.001-05:00

With the addition of our Niagara Make-Up Artist category in The Niagara Bridal Guide website comes our second addition to the category.

Lisa of Bridal Beauty has a vision for artistry, color and flawless beauty. For more than 15 years, Lisa has dedicated her self and has taken great pride in her field as a professional beautician. Formerly of Picassos Salon and Spa and the Vintage Inns Salon Hawaii, Lisa has helped hundreds of Brides from all over the World make their Dreams become reality.

Lisa's 15 years experience ranges from Beauty Consultant, Product Educator, Make-up Artist and Hair Designer. Throughout her experience, Lisa has obtained various training from Trucco, Sebastian, Metro Academy, Loreal, Complections and Mac make-up. In 1999, Lisa was awarded the Sebastian Trucco Make-Up Award. As seen on the Wedding Channel 2006 for" I Do! Let's Eat! " Recently voted Winner of the Ontario Bridal Excellence Award, for Hair and Make-up. Bridal Beauty has been providing excellent service to brides since 2000.

For more information on Bridal Beauty, click here.

Welcome aboard Lisa!

Introducing Make-Up By Tammy Lynn

2008-02-15T11:56:00.000-05:00

With the addition of our Niagara Make-Up Artist category in The Niagara Bridal Guide website comes our first addition to the category.

Make-Up by Tammy Lynn is the brainchild of Tammy Lynn Cleary, a make-up artist who has helped beautify hundreds of Niagara brides over the years.

Her extensive experience means she realizes just how important your make-up is on your special day. It is imperative that you feel like a princess and that your make-up feels weightless, comfortable and lasts all day.

Tammy Lynn specializes in creating a natural, radiant look - exactly how most brides want to look and feel on their big day! On your wedding day she will help to create a relaxing, calm, fun atmosphere to relieve stress during your make-up application.

Tammy Lynn is a mobile Make-up Artist, so she will travel to your home or to your venue on your wedding day, no trips to the salon, just a nice relaxing experience!

For more information on Tammy Lynn and her services, click here.

Welcome aboard Tammy Lynn!

New Bridal Category

2008-02-15T11:49:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to announce a new addition to our Niagara Wedding Guide website.

We have added a category specifically for Niagara Make-Up Artists.

http://www.niagarabridalguide.com/bridal/make-up-artists.asp

EMR Services of Canada now Linked!

2008-02-11T09:36:00.000-05:00

Carrie Aiello of "KNOW it ALL" Niagara is pleased to welcome Jay Byers of EMR Services of Canada as a new Linker.

EMR Services of CAnada distributes EMR technology, including portable electronic medical records stored on a chip.

Click here for more information on "KNOW it ALL" Niagara.

Brilliant!

2008-02-11T00:10:00.001-05:00

I love the billboards for Diamond Shreddies. I like the TV ads too.

Why? Because they made me think of Shreddies.

I haven't really thought of Shreddies in years, yet these ads made me think of them in a new way. I got a laugh, and the old slogans came back to mind. Memories of my childhood (which just happened to be full of Shreddies) and all that goodness.

Why? Because some marketing genius turned a Shreddie 45 degrees and said "hey - let's call them Shreddies Diamonds".

When you have a product that has been around for generations, it's hard to make people take notice of it. Making people think about your product in a new way is brilliant.

Way to go Shreddies marketing team!

How can you make this work for you?

"KNOW it ALL" Niagara adds VIP Connect as Linker

2008-02-07T11:25:00.000-05:00

Carrie Aiello of "KNOW it ALL" Niagara is pleased to announce a new Linker.

VIP Connect - provides discount cards to consumers and an effective way for businesses to market

Welcome aboard VIP Connect and congratulations to "KNOW it ALL" Niagara on your continued growth!

What is "KNOW it ALL" Niagara? Click to learn more.

KNOW it ALL Niagara announces new Linkers

2008-02-06T10:47:00.000-05:00

Carrie Aiello of "KNOW it ALL" Niagara, is pleased to announce several new Linkers.

Lasting Impresions Consulting Co. - Crystal Parsons - Event Management, Weddings, Fundraisers, Corporate Functions and Single Events

City Auto Centre - Gabe Santarella - complete auto body restoration and more!

Kallai Home Renovations - Ernie Kallai - Kitchens, Bathrooms, Drywall, Decks, Painting, Additions, Carpentry

Home Interiors - Janet Marck - home decor accessories

Welcome to the newest Linkers!

What is "KNOW it ALL" Niagara? Click here to find out.

Hidden meanings in statistics

2008-01-16T02:29:00.000-05:00

I received an e-mail yesterday informing me an incorrect phone number was resulting in a person being called "constantly" as a result. This happens from time to time and we correct it immediately.

While I like to think that The Niagara Guide works so well that it generates dozens of phone calls for companies that don't advertise with us, the word "constantly" piqued my interest. After all, I didn't think the category the incorrect number was in would have been particularly popular.

Upon investigating, I found that there were less than 50 unique visits to the page over the past year. That was a little saddening as I had hoped it would have been a little more popular. I also found that of the searches that brought people to that page, only 4 would possibly have resulted in the erroneous number being called. I made the correction, thanked and apologized to the person who let me know of the error.

The immediate issue settled (at least from my perspective), it got me thinking that it's unfortunate this page received so few unique visits.

Then again, it also got me thinking that volume is not always the most important thing to consider when you look at web statistics.

Yes, it would have been better to have 1000 unique visitors to that page. Absolutely. However, the unique visitors who DID visit were definitely interested in that particular category. After all, nobody would visit a page they weren't interested in.

Those were 50 qualified prospects, just looking for information on companies in that category. Some of those people were looking for specific companies in that category, but I'd wager that they would have at least looked at information about another company if it were available.

I also did some comparisons and noted in some cases, an advertiser's listing gets viewed far more than the webpages of the categories they're listed in. That's because of the OTHER online marketing services we offer.

So, The Niagara Guide currently represents a tremendous value to companies who are in categories where there are no current advertisers. Not only would they have a chance at diverting business from their competitors, but the Niagara Guide's pay-for-performance fee structure is probably the most cost-effective local online advertising they're likely to find.

Lots of silver linings in those clouds . . .

Edwin's Restaurant Now Online!

2008-01-14T01:17:00.000-05:00

I am always excited to meet new restauranteurs because a) I like to eat and b) because I think those who go into the restaurant industry are among the gutsiest of all entrepreneurs.

Chef Edwin Clarke is one such entrepreneur. His new restaurant is located in downtown Niagara Falls - which is not known for a thriving restaurant scene. However, Edwin has a vision and he's working hard to create it, one step at a time.

Chef Edwin has worked all around the world - from Jamaica to Brazil, Scotland, France, England and Canada, notably at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto and the Brock and Sheraton Foxhead hotels in Niagara Falls. He led the Caribbean Culinary Olympic Team in his younger days and has cooked for Margaret Thatcher, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Gerald Ford & other dignitaries. He is a member of the Master Chef Institute, holds the Canadian Red Seal and is a Canadian Certified Chef.

What's he doing in Niagara Falls? Creating some of the best Canadian and Caribbean cuisine you'll find anywhere in the region. THAT's what.

Chef Edwin offers sit-down service for breakfast, lunch & dinner as well as catering services throughout Niagara. Reservations for dinner are recommended, especially for larger groups.

I've eaten there a lot and taken friends and business associates for dinner and Chef Edwin has always come through spectactularly. While the restaurant is still new and is a work in progress, the food is definitely worth going for.

Visit Edwin's Restaurant, Sunshine Catering and 21st City Buffet in The Niagara Restaurant Guide.

Don't forget to download his 10% discount card from our site as well!

Knowing When to Fire a Client

2008-01-14T00:58:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks since the holidays, so posting has been sporadic, but I've been inspired to write today because hopefully I can pass along something positive from a negative experience.

I fired a client today.

I know. "Fired" and "Client" aren't two words you usually hear in the same sentence. However, it's true. Here's why.

During the past year, I've had this client act seriously disrespectfully towards me in my presence as well as through e-mail. I've also heard through the grapevine that he has been, shall we say, "less than charitable" when discussing me. Ironically, despite his actions, he was interested in making an arrangement for permanent advertising in The Niagara Guide.

I have a great deal of gratitude for my clients both for The Niagara Guide and The Web for Business.com. They keep the bills paid, my kids fed and many good things are possible because of them. They are a pleasure to deal with. Why then keep a client when they are not a pleasure to deal with and their overall contribution to my business is negative?

Letting a client go is sometimes the best thing you can do for your business. There are hidden costs of keeping them. In my case, I am happy I no longer have any sense of obligation to this client personally or professionally. The improvement in my mood makes up for any loss of revenue immediately.

More importantly, now that I am not expending energy thinking about this situation, I have more energy to put towards improving the guides.

All in all, it's not the best way to start a week, but it's only getting better from here.

Enjoy the day!

Making it easy to find you

2008-01-03T12:05:00.000-05:00

What do you do when you're not from Niagara and are looking for a bar in St. Catharines with the name "pepper" in it?

You e-mail The Niagara Guide, of course.

That got me thinking though, that while I was happy to answer the e-mail, it would probably have been better to have the person find the information they were looking for on the site more easily. It WAS there - but perhaps not as easily found as it could have been.

One of my resolutions this year is to make The Niagara Guide easier to use. Search functionality is there already, but we'll be looking at ways to enhance the results so people can find what they're looking for more easily.

Have you resolved to do this on your own website this year? If not, you probably should. You never know what people are trying to find on your site . . . unless you have a good statistics program in place.

Just for fun, I created a search portal for our sites called Search Niagara. It simplifies the searching of our sites and hopefully provides the results people are looking for. Check it out when you're looking for something Niagara-based.

http://www.searchniagara.com

Travel Winners!

2008-01-03T00:16:00.000-05:00

In December 2008, we held two draws for two travel vouchers worth up to $1000 and $2000 respsectively. All new subscribers to our shopping mailing list were entered, and here are our winners...

For the Early Bird Draw, Deborah Baker was our winner.

For the Year-End Draw, Karan Bhatia was our winner.

Congratulations to both of you! Certificates will be in the mail shortly.

We're pleased to be able to offer another travel voucher worth up to $2000 for a January draw. This voucher is good for a 3-day, 2-night stay plus round-trip airfaire to a variety of destinations including Vegas, Reno, Orlando, New Orleans, Cancun or Puerto Vallarta. Just sign up for our shopping news updates at http://www.shoppingniagara.com/shopaholic.asp!

We might be able to offer another early-bird draw as well, and possibly, extend the draw to include our restaurant or winery newsletter subscribers as well.

Sign up today for your chance to win!

So, what's in store for YOUR year?

2008-01-03T00:10:00.000-05:00

2007 may be past us, but what's 2008 have in store for you?

Hopefully for all of us, we'll all have learned something from 2007 that we will start applying in 2008 to make some aspect of our lives better.

For me, I'm excited about The Niagara Guide. We're always updating and there are some pretty interesting companies coming online in the coming weeks.

Some people think of January as a "slow" month. I prefer to think of it as "the time to be doing things to make it busy" month. That is, if your "busy" season doesn't start until the Spring or Summer, you've hopefully gotten a start on promoting yourself NOW.

Wishing you Happiness, Health and Prosperity for 2008 and beyond!

Hitting the Wall with Google Analytics

2007-12-17T21:18:00.000-05:00

Alas, Google Analytics no longer suffices for our web analytics requirements. We have so many companies starting with our pay-for-performance online marketing program that we've exhausted the capabilities of Google to provide tracking services. So, we're switching to Statcounter, starting tonight. What's even more interesting is we're keeping the Google Analytics service running for our main site stats, so it will be interesting to compare how the two systems track visits.

Need a Fresh Start?

2007-12-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

Fresh Start Services is our newest advertiser in The Niagara Health Guide.

At Fresh Start Services, we're here to help the whole you, inside and out. We offer Sei Tai Massage Therapy and Counselling services to help you bring your mind, body and soul into balance. WHOLENESS promotes WELLNESS.

Sei Tai embraces many kinds of healing arts, including massage therapy, use of essential oils, atsuikuroishi (massage with warm stones), acupressure, manipulation of limbs and joints, and advice on the use of herbal remedies, specific exercises and life strategies. These techniques can be combined with Counselling and advice on personal issues, stress management and life guidance.

Find Fresh Start Services in the massage and counselling sections of The Niagara Health Guide. They have some great Christmas packages available, so watch for information on those soon as well!

Welcome aboard!