Are You Freecycling?

Freecycling, you ask? Well, if you haven’t heard of it, here’s a crash course.

It’s a network of over 3.5 million members across 75 countries that have signed up to give items away and/or to take items no longer wanted. But don’t let the large numbers scare you.  Why?  Because the group is divided according to local geography (i.e. I’m a member of my county’s group), and all postings are done through a free Yahoo! discussion group. 

People giving something away post a message to the group, and those that are interested reply. The donor decides who gets the item. People that are looking for items also post a message to the group, and members respond if they are able to help.  

If you’re interested in finding your local group, the site is www.freecycle.org. 

I have been freecycling for almost three years now, and while the group has grown substantially, the caliber of items offered has remained great. I started right after we purchased our home. I wasn’t sure how well it would work, but I figured it was worth a try. So, in the nature of “give and ye shall receive”, I started with offers. I offered my entertainment center (in very good condition, just didn’t fit my new home), and an older record console. I received responses right away and the items were moved out of my home almost immediately. To me, this was perfect since I didn’t want to have a yard sale. 

Then, shortly after we moved into our home (and by shortly I mean the second day), I answered an offer and received a chaise lounge for my living room. In fact, over the course of my time as a freecycler, I have received not only the lounge, but my list includes a:

• washer

• upright freezer

• dresser

• nightstand

• storage chest

• changing table

• glider and ottoman

• treadmill (necessary after I had the baby…)

 Now, I must say I have also given many things, mostly household items as well. And while my list includes household items, freecyclers offer many things. From clothes to appliances, music to books, it’s offered. In fact, there are very few rules. As long as the item is free, legal and suitable for everyone, it’s pretty much okay.  

So, if you don’t mind secondhand (I absolutely love bargains, yard sales, etc.), I strongly encourage you to try freecycle.  It is a community of sincere people that really want to find a good home for items they no longer need. If you try it, or if you have a freecycle experience, please share. 

Towanda Long, The Café Lady

Michael Vick and Lindsay Lohan, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

As I watched various morning news shows today, I was once again baffled by the coverage of celebrity legal woes. Not because of the story lines, but because of the way the stories were covered. 

I watched as anchors went into great detail about Michael Vick, his indictment, and how horrific the charges were against him. There was no tone of innocent until proven guilty, or even a “let’s see what his side of the story is first.” Instead, he was demonized, the NFL was praised for asking him not to come to training camp, and a couple of expert guests even went so far as to say they were “almost certain” he was guilty of something. 

Then, within the same block of news, came Lindsay Lohan with her DUI arrest and cocaine possession. This time, not only was there sympathy in the tone of the anchors, but one even referred to her as a “troubled young lady that needed the public support.” Okay, but not only is this Lohan’s second arrest, she just left rehab.

 I find it absolutely amazing that two alleged criminal acts could be covered with such different tones. In a country where the news organizations are supposed to remain unbiased, it is consistently evident that this is not the case.  I am not sure whether this biased coverage was race-related, or if our tolerance as a nation is distorted. Does the life of an animal really weigh more than the potential harm to a person? I also wonder if the coverage would have been different if Lindsay’s actions had caused bodily harm to a person. But then I remember – it shouldn’t make a difference in the way the news is reported. 

The charges against Vick and Lohan are both terrible. And as an educated consumer of the news, I would like the opportunity to draw my own conclusions about both situations, without biased reporting. 

If you want to read more about Michael Vick or Lindsay Lohan check out these links:  

Michael Vick: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070724/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_falcons_vick_leave 

Lindsay Lohan: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070724/ap_en_ot/people_lindsay_lohan_arrest  

That’s it for me today. Let me know what you think. 

Towanda Long, The Café Lady

Branding Your Company: Designing Marketing Materials for your Company

As a start-up or small business, many professionals decide to design their own marketing materials. If this is you, consider these factors: 

1)    Consistency 

All of your marketing materials, whether print or online, should have common characteristics and evoke a similar feel. The message should be clear and the message format should be the same. For an example of this, consider Target’s television campaign. Whether the ad is for a clothing designer, household products or seasonal items, the average viewer knows that it is a Target ad before the bulls eye symbol at the end of the commercial.  

Why? Because the use of white space, bold color and upbeat music is consistent. In other words, the message is delivered in the same format each time. 

2)    Color selection 

When choosing a color, it is extremely important to consider your target audience, not just your preferences. To start, research the feelings a color provokes when choosing a logo and supporting colors. For this you can do a google search, such as “color research”.   

One site that I find particularly helpful is: http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm

In addition to this, consider cultural stereotypes. For instance, if your ideal client were a professional male, age 35-50, blue, instead of purple, would be a better choice. This is a very basic example but you get the idea. You wouldn’t choose a dark green for a children’s company.   

3)    User Friendly 

One popular problem with marketing materials is that they cater to the ego of the business, not the customer’s needs.  

It is pertinent that your material is easy to use, that the potential client can easily understand the benefits of using your service and/or product, and that you are offering information that they find valuable. 

To do this, keep the text in your materials to a minimum. Remember most people are busy and they will not take the time to read your 3-page essay. Also, use visuals when possible to tell your story (photos, charts, graphs, sidebars). 

In addition, avoid industry jargon. Remember that you are writing for the average consumer and consumers are impressed with what you can do, not your large vocabulary or usage of acronyms.  

And lastly, offer information that will benefit your prospect, whether they decide to use you or not. By offering a tip or two, you are showing that you are an expert. And people want to hire an expert.    

There are many other things to consider when designing your marketing materials, but these basics will put you on the right road. Feel free to leave your comments. I’m always interested in your feedback. 

Towanda Long, The Café Lady

Is “Just Enough” really enough?

Over the past few weeks I have had this conversation with a number of people, and I have been amazed at how many people are really okay with just getting by. Throughout my conversations there was an overwhelming theme of contentment and security in working a mediocre job, living check to check with minimal perks, and being able to afford the necessities in life, with a few wants thrown in from time to time.  

In a country known for opportunity and wealth, I find this disheartening. If we are known for the “American Dream”, why do so many have a distorted view? Why do people believe that they can’t have it all, that it’s a choice between a great family/personal life and a successful professional life? In a time where there is a huge focus on work/life balance, why aren’t people getting the memo? What’s with this “just enough” mentality? 

Well, I’ve come up with a few reasons. For starters, I believe people are afraid to step out on faith and make the decisions necessary in order for them to reach their full potential. I believe that for a long time our culture has encouraged going to school and getting a job, without mentioning the important role personal happiness plays in the equation. And I also believe that as a culture we lack persistence.  

For instance, can you get up, go to work for a set number of hours, and come home to do nothing else all day? Absolutely. Will that advance your life? Absolutely not. Why? Because that does not include steps of faith. That is safe. You do not need a dream, vision or passion; you just need the desire to not be homeless or hungry. You are doing “just enough” to provide the necessities of food, shelter and clothing. This is mediocrity at its finest, especially once you are making what is considered a decent salary. Notice I said decent, not great or excellent. 

On the flip side, you can decide professional advancement is key. So you create and then implement your game plan for success. This plan will definitely include doing more than the norm, whether that be in a company or with your own business. We’ve all heard the stories of people that sacrificed (time, money, stability, even homes) in order to start a business, invest in an idea, etc. While this is beneficial to professional development, it’s easier to neglect parts of your personal life while on this path. Does the saying, “All work, no play…,” ring a bell? 

However, neither of these is ideal. The ideal plan, most people would agree, includes Work/Life Happiness. Is this easy to attain? No. But it is worthwhile.

One reason I was disheartened in my conversations is that I believe God desires for us to be fulfilled. I believe he gives us passion to motivate and propel us forward, allowing us to achieve our best. So, when I see people content with mediocrity I want them to know that mediocrity is a choice that they have made. With hard work, perseverance and prayer, we can each be fulfilled. And while that will mean different things to each of us, we all deserve that feeling. 

So, if you are tired of “just enough”, and you truly want more, I encourage you to look at your life and the areas that need improvement. Then pray about the steps you should take, and create a plan. Don’t stop there; instead take a leap. Then, when you think you’ve leaped all you can, leap again. There is always one more thing you can do. Think about it, how many people have missed their happy place by just one or two steps they failed to accomplish? I’ll help you out, the answer is a lot. 

Anyway, this is my perspective. Let me know what you think. 

Towanda Long, The Café Lady