So I’m no Zen master but…

…I really wish I were.

The strange thing about it all is the way it speaks to me…that quiet voice in my head.

You know the one.

“There are so many things to get done” it says.

Or it might say “Not now, stay focused”

Depends on the weather of the day, the mood of my family, or the side of the bed I woke up on.

The point, is that it’s complicated. All of it. Everything in the universe, impossibly complicated and unable to provide us with the information we need to feel safe. Safe from harm, monsters, meteors, angels, demons, sprained knees, or another trip to the oncologist. We invent these fears and then project them into our lives.

Why? What do we get out of it?

What we get back is the experience of living on earth. Taking up a body comes with a price(less) gift.

 

Personally, I don’t have any answers. But I enjoy asking the questions.

Method vs. madness

So I’ve struggled with the idea of ‘method’ to attract leads and sales.

The trouble I come up with is this dilemma.

  • Do the people hearing my advertisement really want to hear it?

VS.

  • Is the product on the other end going to ACTUALLY help them in some way?
If the answer to the first question is ‘yes’ then there isn’t an issue, but the fact is that most people DON”T WANT ADS, and that includes myself.
Unobtrusive ads make it easier on the eye than big ol’ ugly banner ads, or pop ups (something I refuse to participate in).

However, what happens when the product being advertised is:

A good product created by people who genuinely want to help.

Effective.

Backed by good Customer Service.

Has a great refund policy like a 60 day “no questions asked” return.

If all 4 of those qualifications meet then its a little better for the customer on the end of the annoying ad.

Nothing takes the place of a clean, ad-free environment, it’s true.

I only hope that by making every effort to advertise quality products makes up for the temporary annoyance.
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Giving back…

So in an effort to come to terms with the ‘evils’ of marketing, I’ve decided to give a portion of ALL profits to some kind of worthy organization.

It seemed a logical decision and I wanted it to be BIG

So I made a pact with myself, that a whopping %50  of ALL profits will go to a worthy charity.

How do I determine worthy? Um….that’s a little harder.

I’ve come up with a list of criteria that any organization that is going to get my money needs to have. I hope you enjoy

 

#1. They must help people directly

I want to know that they are really mixing it up by getting close and personal with whomever it is they are trying to help. Example: The SOS (Save our Shores) get down and dirty with beach-cleanup crews, rescue participation, or non-violent action against mega-fishing corporations.

Here is a link to their latest escapades, of which I participated in Santa Cruz by cleaning up the beautiful Bonny Doon Beach.

#2. They need to do what they SAY they are doing.

Too many times, a company strays from it’s tracks in the road to ‘being successful’. I research every company donation to make sure it’s actually going to help the cause.

#3. It needs to be providing a solution to current world problems in a way that is non-violent, open-minded, and open-hearted.

This usually means calling the company to find out what kind of culture they have, and how they treat the people around them. It’s well worth the work, and I’ve had more than a few fun conversations with sales-people, managers, executives, and researchers, who are genuinely trying to make the world a better place.

 

If you have any ideas for good criteria, please leave a comment!

“This is the beginning…

 

…of the zombie apocolpsye.”, is what it would read if that were true.

It isn’t. It’s just the beginning of my blog.

So glad you could drop by.

 

note to self: add content to blog about mini-cows. moo.