Lois Martin Marketing

Formula for success: all grown-up and gourmet?

LoisMarketing — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:37:21 +0000

As my friends, family, followers and subscribers know, I’m a collector — and sharer — of recipes and entertaining ideas. I thought I had enjoyed meeting fellow cooks and bakers through social media … and then Pinterest came along. Oh, wow. The social world’s latest and greatest invention is catching the online community by storm as everyone everywhere seems to be “pinning” these days.

The other night as I was pinning-and-browsing I came across postings of recipes for “Grown-up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches” and “The Greatest-Ever Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese”. I had to laugh. Have we progressed so far? Are we so cutting-edge? Are we so determined to create, find and share the “next best” that we cannot simply let certain things be?

Grilled cheese sandwiches and baked macaroni and cheese should be among these things.

I’m kidding of course. Yes, we love the tried-and-true. We all have our favorite slippers, our favorite chairs, that pair of pajamas … and many more special things that make life comfortable. Then again (as Pinterest shows so well!), we also love to branch out and try new ideas for our homes, new styles, travel to new places … and, oh yes, adding that second … third … and fourth cheese to a long-time classic recipe.

There’s a lesson in this for our businesses as well. Once you’ve established your company and your services, remember what your customers count on day-to-day. Create comfort and build confidence when it comes to reliable, prompt service and good products. Then take a chance with fresh innovative ideas, new services, extra touches — those additional “ingredients” your customers cannot resist trying — at least once!

“Growing up and going gourmet” isn’t such a bad thing when you think about it.

P.S. for fellow cooks and Pinterest fans: The set of mixing bowls (as shown) is from Williams-Sonoma.

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Formula for success: learn how to learn

LoisMarketing — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:58:00 +0000

So much is at our fingertips — literally. When you stop and think about it, we are living in the most amazing time throughout history in which to explore, discover, share … and learn. This is so clear as you see young children exploring, discovering, sharing and learning all that is around them through everything from iPads to fingerpaintings. From snapping a photo of a flower to digging through the dirt to plant a seed and watch it germinate and grow.

Children with their hungry, open and eager minds are open to all that is around them. And all that allows them to learn. Books, computers, cameras … and the flowerpots in their schoolroom window.

May we adults do the same. May we not be “afraid of” or reluctant to embrace new technology and new ideas. And may we not be so caught up in being confident, being “expert”, being managers and developers and officers and owners and adults that we lose the insight and opportunity that comes from being a student. Think of the worlds and opportunities that are opened by admitting “I don’t know — but I would like to learn”.

That, my friends, is where the most amazing journeys begin.

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The entrepreneur’s tool box: beyond the fun of Pinterest

LoisMarketing — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:05:02 +0000

Over the holidays I received an invite to the “latest and greatest” of social media, Pinterest. Over New Year’s weekend I discovered just how fun, how addictive .. and how potentially influential the latest edition of social media can be.

In the social media arena, nothing has caught my attention as a way to share my hobbies, tips for entertaining, wishlists, all as a virtual “scrapbook” — and for my clients to share their products, ideas, etc. — quite like Pinterest. Visual, interesting, fascinating — with true engagement, not to mention links to new products, decorating ideas, recipes, fun and .. fun.

Whoever you are and whatever you are selling, promoting or marketing, Pinterest could be for you. The “windows” of invites to join seem to rapidly open and close, but no doubt it will be an open forum for all very soon.

This could be the best social medium for your business, your blog, your book.

Get ready. And, if you are part of Pinterest now .. start “pinning” — and start sharing!

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Holiday recipe: Green Jacket house salad

LoisMarketing — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:18:26 +0000

This recipe may surprise you — as you may expect a “twist” on traditional New Year’s fare from the Southern USA, such as blackeyed peas, ham or turnip greens. Instead, this is to salute something else we Southerners are proud of — the Masters golf tournament — and share one of my all-time favorite salad recipes. For a number of years, the Green Jacket Restaurant was a popular gathering place in Augusta and also in Macon, Georgia. Named for the greatest “trophy” in golf, the original restaurant was located across the street from the main entrance to Augusta National. The Macon location became one of my favorite lunch spots, especially for their house salad. Since the restaurants closed I’ve been disappointed with several “copycat” recipes that have been published — until the Viking website (www.vikingrange.com) came through with one that is the closest and best.

This will be our salad course on New Year’s Day. Yes, a salute to the South, to Georgia and to that famous “green jacket” that has put us on the map — and also because it’s yummy.

Secret: Make the dressing ahead of time. Add ingredients to jar, cover and shake, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight so that flavors can blend.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 12-ounce bags prepared Iceberg and Romaine salad
1 pita, split in half, toasted and broken into bite-sized pieces (you may wish to substitute plain pita crisps)
Shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

For dressing, combine vegetable oil, vinegar, tomato, seasoned salt, oregano, green onion and parsley and blend well. Combine lettuces in large bowl and add dressing, tossing well. Arrange on salad plates and top with pita bread pieces or crisps, garnishing with parmesan cheese if desired.

Makes eight servings.

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A special Formula 1 Friday: tools down

LoisMarketing — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:56:43 +0000

No wreaths and holly or singing Muppets in my annual Christmas post this year.

Instead I hope you will join me in a new holiday tradition!

In the United Kingdom, Australia and elsewhere throughout the world, to “down tools” means to stop working, typically because you are protesting working conditions or staging a work stoppage in support of someone or a cause.

This holiday season, why not “down tools” because you ARE satisfied with your working conditions? Because you value your job but more so because you treasure your family and friends, you treasure this season of the year … and you treasure the chance to be away, be quiet and still .. and just be.

Last week Formula 1 driver Mark Webber posted a message that he was glad to be home in Australia and was going “tools down” until after the New Year. That inspired this post and encouraged me to put tools down over the holidays myself. It will be nice to take a break from the computer. I’m even going to pack away my new Kindle Fire. Phone: essential use only. TV? I am going to break away from that, too.

I’m going to enjoy real live honest-to-goodness conversation with family and friends. I’m going to enjoy real live honest-to-goodness books. I’m going back to honest-to-goodness cookbooks to cook and bake.

Happy Holidays to each of you. Enjoy your celebrations, hug your family, thank your friends … and do something special for yourself.

The time to pick up the tools once again will come soon enough.

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