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No deal and they don’t care
By Jim Fordyce 2 28 2013 Congress went home today with no action on the day that was supposed to force them to compromise or take the poison pill. Did anyone care? Apparently not!
They poured a drink and swallowed the prescription that was never supposed be used. It was a “doomsday” device, so nasty, so draconian that no one would ever let it happen. One headline I saw said “Jobless will Suffer First.” “The Sequester” as it is called should have averted disaster and cleaned up budgets and attitudes in our capital.
They pointed fingers on the news networks, left Washington and went home without thought one for the people they represent. By the way, the networks devoted huge amounts of time to the Pope, rather than chasing around our so called leaders then doing their jobs: asking hard questions and then waiting for the answers.
I have been covering news across America since 1972. I have NEVER seen anything like this. DOES ANYONE really understand how dangerous this has gotten? We are gridlocked without moral, financial or political leadership. We can't pay the bills but they deflect the issue with religion, gay bashing, foreign wars, and whatever they think will scare the pants off of you while they act like spoiled brats fighting of the toy truck in the sandbox.
This all occurs while money is being placed in corporate coffers. It is YOUR money, (what do you thing taxes are?) It is being spread around and given to rich executives. It is being given to oil companies who raise gas prices without rhyme or reason. Then they have the nerve to say there was a broken pipe or refinery fire.
The Republicans blame the democrats and vice versa. BOTH sides are an embarrassment to our great country. John Boehner came off as a child when he was interviewed by Scott Pelley on CBS. All he could do was look away and say was it is the President’s fault. For goodness sake, this man is 3rd in line to the White House and he shows no respect for the office.
And the guy who is in the Oval Office was no better, today. Mr. Obama should have gone on the air and told America these guys and gals are leaving for the day without doing their jobs. Since you are their “bosses,” call them and ask “why?”
We as Americans apparently don't have the guts to challenge them. We need to make them fear us and work for us. We need to become the thorns in the sides of these arrogant, greedy legislators.
In the past few days several people asked me if I was ready for March Madness, if I saw “American Idol” or will I see “OZ?”
I literally screamed, and thought of Rome burning while Nero fiddled.
People: Shut off the game, the reality show and stop caring which celeb got arrested last night before it gets worse.
As one citizen, if I spend tomorrow and every day until this BS changes, calling, writing, and visiting congressional offices telling them “I am as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it”, I will, at the very least, be ignored and at most arrested for some hidden law that lets them accuse me of harassment or looking sideways at our leaders, even though I am a member of the Media.
IF we all do this and I mean "ALL," our e mails will clog computers, switchboards will seize up and imagine what would happen if thousands of us showed up in person and stood in line at congressional offices in DC and the states all day long just asking to talk your Senator or Representative about how you feel he or she represents you. Think about it. They cannot ignore all of us. Some think Facebook is just a bunch of malcontents in mother’s basement. Prove them wrong and send them your message
If you think you don’t write or speak as well as I do… Just send them this editorial and tell them you agree with Jim. We make dancing cats, dancing Koreans and sappy love poems with photos of roses go viral in hours. Let’s make this message go viral just as fast.
They poured a drink and swallowed the prescription that was never supposed be used. It was a “doomsday” device, so nasty, so draconian that no one would ever let it happen. One headline I saw said “Jobless will Suffer First.” “The Sequester” as it is called should have averted disaster and cleaned up budgets and attitudes in our capital.
They pointed fingers on the news networks, left Washington and went home without thought one for the people they represent. By the way, the networks devoted huge amounts of time to the Pope, rather than chasing around our so called leaders then doing their jobs: asking hard questions and then waiting for the answers.
I have been covering news across America since 1972. I have NEVER seen anything like this. DOES ANYONE really understand how dangerous this has gotten? We are gridlocked without moral, financial or political leadership. We can't pay the bills but they deflect the issue with religion, gay bashing, foreign wars, and whatever they think will scare the pants off of you while they act like spoiled brats fighting of the toy truck in the sandbox.
This all occurs while money is being placed in corporate coffers. It is YOUR money, (what do you thing taxes are?) It is being spread around and given to rich executives. It is being given to oil companies who raise gas prices without rhyme or reason. Then they have the nerve to say there was a broken pipe or refinery fire.
The Republicans blame the democrats and vice versa. BOTH sides are an embarrassment to our great country. John Boehner came off as a child when he was interviewed by Scott Pelley on CBS. All he could do was look away and say was it is the President’s fault. For goodness sake, this man is 3rd in line to the White House and he shows no respect for the office.
And the guy who is in the Oval Office was no better, today. Mr. Obama should have gone on the air and told America these guys and gals are leaving for the day without doing their jobs. Since you are their “bosses,” call them and ask “why?”
We as Americans apparently don't have the guts to challenge them. We need to make them fear us and work for us. We need to become the thorns in the sides of these arrogant, greedy legislators.
In the past few days several people asked me if I was ready for March Madness, if I saw “American Idol” or will I see “OZ?”
I literally screamed, and thought of Rome burning while Nero fiddled.
People: Shut off the game, the reality show and stop caring which celeb got arrested last night before it gets worse.
As one citizen, if I spend tomorrow and every day until this BS changes, calling, writing, and visiting congressional offices telling them “I am as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it”, I will, at the very least, be ignored and at most arrested for some hidden law that lets them accuse me of harassment or looking sideways at our leaders, even though I am a member of the Media.
IF we all do this and I mean "ALL," our e mails will clog computers, switchboards will seize up and imagine what would happen if thousands of us showed up in person and stood in line at congressional offices in DC and the states all day long just asking to talk your Senator or Representative about how you feel he or she represents you. Think about it. They cannot ignore all of us. Some think Facebook is just a bunch of malcontents in mother’s basement. Prove them wrong and send them your message
If you think you don’t write or speak as well as I do… Just send them this editorial and tell them you agree with Jim. We make dancing cats, dancing Koreans and sappy love poems with photos of roses go viral in hours. Let’s make this message go viral just as fast.
Reflection on Batman
by: Jim Fordyce June 20, 2012 As many of you know, I wear different reporters hats. In addition to reporting and producing here at Coachella Valley Business, I also host a syndicated dally radio news feature and two websites about Arts & Entertainment News, AmericanEntertainmentReport.com and CoachellaValleyFun.com, so the recent shooting at a movie hit home.
Even before I saw the Batman movie or learned of the tragedy in Colorado, I was upset by some of the things I was hearing about the new Batman movie. I did not get to a preview showing as I do with some films, so I was waiting to see it. When I am not going to see a preview, I deliberately avoid reading other reporters’ and critics’ thoughts so I will not be influenced by them. I could not be shielded from some of the things I saw online where some critics were getting death threats because they panned the movie. I have always been a reporter. I wrote for my elementary school newspaper and have held just about every job there is in TV and radio, including news director of a television station and radio talk show host. Popular folklore says I got my start as a movie critic when my parents took me to see “Snow White Meets the Three Stooges” at the Route 59 Drive in Rockland County, NY, in 1961. This is still considered to be one of the worst movies ever made. When it was over, my mother asked what I thought of the movie and I told her. I seem to remember having my mouth washed out with soap.
August 13, 2012, will mark the anniversary of the “official” beginning of my career. In 1972 I was on the air for the first time. I was a naïve high school sophomore who loved talking and writing, so what better career could I have asked for? An accidental meeting with the late, great Totie Fields got me going as an entertainment reporter and a morning disc jockey, which started my now famous rating system. I obeyed station policy and rated something as a perfect 4 out of 4. He said “so I guess that means it gets a perfect 4 out of Fordyce?” I said: “It sure does,” and the rest is history. Over the years I have commented on countless movies and shows, and, yes, I have gotten mail from people who disagreed with me. I faced an angry dad once who didn’t like the fact that I referred to his 23-year-old princess (who was being paid a salary to be in a show) as a “bad singer,” but death threats to a critic? Come on, people, it is a show and that is just one person’s opinion. I know one reader who says if I hate a movie he will rush out to see it because I am always wrong. Another one won’t go see a movie until I have reviewed it. My comments are my thoughts are meant to make you think. That’s it.
I am a long-time member of the Detroit Film Critics Society (yes, I should join the California version of that society now that I live in Palm Springs). What that means is that I get to go to movie previews and get some other perks. Now if seeing free movies sounds glamorous to you, think about how many movies I must see and how many of them are really bad. One thing I have never been fond of is critics’ screenings. Seeing movies with, for lack of a better term, “professional moviegoers” gives me no chance to see how the audience is reacting. So many times I opt to see the movies with the crowd.
I currently have a sponsor for my website that lets me see movies at the Mary Pickford Theatre near my Palm Springs home. Ultra Star Cinemas is a wonderful company and its people make everyone feel welcome. Most times, I just call and come over and watch the show, and I often see the midnight show of new movies. In the case of “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises” I knew the midnight show and others would be sell-outs and made arrangements to see another show. They kindly invited me to see the next show, which was at 10 a.m. last Friday. It was one of the few screenings of the weekend that was not sold out. I am not a morning person; I often work late and sleep in, but I was up at 8 a.m. Friday and put on the TV news and learned what had happened in Colorado. The BAD news coverage I witnessed, including ABC’s big mistake, will be the inspiration for a future column, but for now I will just say I was paying attention to it all and actually thought of not going to the show. I also read Facebook comments, including a poignant post from a dear friend who is now a studio executive in Hollywood. When I first met him, he was an intern in Detroit who helped out at movie previews. His comments echoed a conversation he and I had over a decade ago about how he goes to movies for a place that is secure and affords a chance get away from life for a few hours. I have always felt that way, too. He is and will continue to be one of the nicest and most insightful people I have ever met. With all this in my head, I headed out to the film, asking myself, “Will this senseless act by an unstable person with a sick mind affect my opinion of the movie?” The answer was yes. I am human. I sat in a theatre that was surprisingly full for 10 a.m. and watched the crowd a little more closely than I usually do, paying close attention to where the exits are. While the coming attractions were rolling off, some people were still coming in and I noticed people turning around and looking as they entered the theatre.
I did watch the movie. At the risk of getting threats, I didn’t much care for it. You can read my review at AmericanEntertainmentReport.com, but I will say here most of my complaints about this move were technical. I thought it was too long. I noticed several bad edits, out of sync audio, and one fight scene between Batman and the bad guy where you can tell the film was sped up.
I did find the movie was one of the most violent I have ever seen. And this is the place where I must ask: “Would I have thought the same thing if I had seen this movie before knowing about what happened in Colorado?” The answer is: I will never know. I have the common weakness we all share. I am human.
Even before I saw the Batman movie or learned of the tragedy in Colorado, I was upset by some of the things I was hearing about the new Batman movie. I did not get to a preview showing as I do with some films, so I was waiting to see it. When I am not going to see a preview, I deliberately avoid reading other reporters’ and critics’ thoughts so I will not be influenced by them. I could not be shielded from some of the things I saw online where some critics were getting death threats because they panned the movie. I have always been a reporter. I wrote for my elementary school newspaper and have held just about every job there is in TV and radio, including news director of a television station and radio talk show host. Popular folklore says I got my start as a movie critic when my parents took me to see “Snow White Meets the Three Stooges” at the Route 59 Drive in Rockland County, NY, in 1961. This is still considered to be one of the worst movies ever made. When it was over, my mother asked what I thought of the movie and I told her. I seem to remember having my mouth washed out with soap.
August 13, 2012, will mark the anniversary of the “official” beginning of my career. In 1972 I was on the air for the first time. I was a naïve high school sophomore who loved talking and writing, so what better career could I have asked for? An accidental meeting with the late, great Totie Fields got me going as an entertainment reporter and a morning disc jockey, which started my now famous rating system. I obeyed station policy and rated something as a perfect 4 out of 4. He said “so I guess that means it gets a perfect 4 out of Fordyce?” I said: “It sure does,” and the rest is history. Over the years I have commented on countless movies and shows, and, yes, I have gotten mail from people who disagreed with me. I faced an angry dad once who didn’t like the fact that I referred to his 23-year-old princess (who was being paid a salary to be in a show) as a “bad singer,” but death threats to a critic? Come on, people, it is a show and that is just one person’s opinion. I know one reader who says if I hate a movie he will rush out to see it because I am always wrong. Another one won’t go see a movie until I have reviewed it. My comments are my thoughts are meant to make you think. That’s it.
I am a long-time member of the Detroit Film Critics Society (yes, I should join the California version of that society now that I live in Palm Springs). What that means is that I get to go to movie previews and get some other perks. Now if seeing free movies sounds glamorous to you, think about how many movies I must see and how many of them are really bad. One thing I have never been fond of is critics’ screenings. Seeing movies with, for lack of a better term, “professional moviegoers” gives me no chance to see how the audience is reacting. So many times I opt to see the movies with the crowd.
I currently have a sponsor for my website that lets me see movies at the Mary Pickford Theatre near my Palm Springs home. Ultra Star Cinemas is a wonderful company and its people make everyone feel welcome. Most times, I just call and come over and watch the show, and I often see the midnight show of new movies. In the case of “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises” I knew the midnight show and others would be sell-outs and made arrangements to see another show. They kindly invited me to see the next show, which was at 10 a.m. last Friday. It was one of the few screenings of the weekend that was not sold out. I am not a morning person; I often work late and sleep in, but I was up at 8 a.m. Friday and put on the TV news and learned what had happened in Colorado. The BAD news coverage I witnessed, including ABC’s big mistake, will be the inspiration for a future column, but for now I will just say I was paying attention to it all and actually thought of not going to the show. I also read Facebook comments, including a poignant post from a dear friend who is now a studio executive in Hollywood. When I first met him, he was an intern in Detroit who helped out at movie previews. His comments echoed a conversation he and I had over a decade ago about how he goes to movies for a place that is secure and affords a chance get away from life for a few hours. I have always felt that way, too. He is and will continue to be one of the nicest and most insightful people I have ever met. With all this in my head, I headed out to the film, asking myself, “Will this senseless act by an unstable person with a sick mind affect my opinion of the movie?” The answer was yes. I am human. I sat in a theatre that was surprisingly full for 10 a.m. and watched the crowd a little more closely than I usually do, paying close attention to where the exits are. While the coming attractions were rolling off, some people were still coming in and I noticed people turning around and looking as they entered the theatre.
I did watch the movie. At the risk of getting threats, I didn’t much care for it. You can read my review at AmericanEntertainmentReport.com, but I will say here most of my complaints about this move were technical. I thought it was too long. I noticed several bad edits, out of sync audio, and one fight scene between Batman and the bad guy where you can tell the film was sped up.
I did find the movie was one of the most violent I have ever seen. And this is the place where I must ask: “Would I have thought the same thing if I had seen this movie before knowing about what happened in Colorado?” The answer is: I will never know. I have the common weakness we all share. I am human.
Local Chamber of Commerce in the Coachella Valley Are Not All the Same
Guest Commentary by: Lance Winslow July 20, 2012
Not long ago, I attended a Chamber of Commerce mixer here in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs, I'd rather not say, which chamber of commerce it was, but, I would like to tell of the event and the story. Being as it was on the other side of the valley, I left a little bit early in case of traffic. As predicted it was hard to find the correct address as it was offset from the main Palm Canyon or 111 Highway.
After passing the location, I turned on the next street and doubled back around the building looking for the entrance to the facility. Behind the business was an old hotel, once a resort, which was in terrible shape and closed down, a real plight on the city there. Next to the back parking lot was an empty field with trash strewn across it.
Still, after all this meandering, I arrived 10-minutes early, due to my proper planning. As I entered; they were setting up still. It looked well organized although it was a small area in the corner of the building certainly not set up for more than perhaps 15-20 people. Apparently, the business hosting the event did not take this marketing opportunity seriously, even if the volunteers with that chamber did.
The business where it was held, was somewhat run down, with about every fifth ceiling tile exposing insulation and wiring. Of course, if one is not an optimist they would not be looking up anyway. Since, I got there early, I thought I would use the restroom and look around. The bathrooms were disgusting and obviously had not been cleaned in hours.
Five minutes after the event was to start few had shown up, but I kept thinking how are 60 people going to be packed into that little space? Many times Valley Chambers do not allow for proper room at their mixers. I can remember being packed into the little area of a restaurant waiting area and lounge with 50 people, live entertainment and no way to move around. This has happened 3-times in the last two months, as I have attended mixers in nearly every city in this Valley. The improper planning is troubling to say the least considering that these are suppose to be the local business elite running these things.
In any case this last event was a rather dismal performance and to top it all off there was no sign of air-conditioning in the place, I am sure it was on, but the temperature in the corner was easily 85-87 degrees and folks were sweating and fanning themselves. Now some might say I am ungrateful of such a wonderful networking opportunity. Wrong, there was nothing wonderful about it. Some might say, well they were volunteers and they were trying - could you really do any better?
The answer is YES, in my sleep. It's just not good enough. Needless to say, so far I have joined four Chambers of Commerce in the Coachella Valley and the one hosting this last event, I will not be joining. Small Business folks need to understand that ALL Chamber of Commerce in this Valley are not created equally. I hope you will consider that and be wise with your chamber investment dollars.
Not long ago, I attended a Chamber of Commerce mixer here in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs, I'd rather not say, which chamber of commerce it was, but, I would like to tell of the event and the story. Being as it was on the other side of the valley, I left a little bit early in case of traffic. As predicted it was hard to find the correct address as it was offset from the main Palm Canyon or 111 Highway.
After passing the location, I turned on the next street and doubled back around the building looking for the entrance to the facility. Behind the business was an old hotel, once a resort, which was in terrible shape and closed down, a real plight on the city there. Next to the back parking lot was an empty field with trash strewn across it.
Still, after all this meandering, I arrived 10-minutes early, due to my proper planning. As I entered; they were setting up still. It looked well organized although it was a small area in the corner of the building certainly not set up for more than perhaps 15-20 people. Apparently, the business hosting the event did not take this marketing opportunity seriously, even if the volunteers with that chamber did.
The business where it was held, was somewhat run down, with about every fifth ceiling tile exposing insulation and wiring. Of course, if one is not an optimist they would not be looking up anyway. Since, I got there early, I thought I would use the restroom and look around. The bathrooms were disgusting and obviously had not been cleaned in hours.
Five minutes after the event was to start few had shown up, but I kept thinking how are 60 people going to be packed into that little space? Many times Valley Chambers do not allow for proper room at their mixers. I can remember being packed into the little area of a restaurant waiting area and lounge with 50 people, live entertainment and no way to move around. This has happened 3-times in the last two months, as I have attended mixers in nearly every city in this Valley. The improper planning is troubling to say the least considering that these are suppose to be the local business elite running these things.
In any case this last event was a rather dismal performance and to top it all off there was no sign of air-conditioning in the place, I am sure it was on, but the temperature in the corner was easily 85-87 degrees and folks were sweating and fanning themselves. Now some might say I am ungrateful of such a wonderful networking opportunity. Wrong, there was nothing wonderful about it. Some might say, well they were volunteers and they were trying - could you really do any better?
The answer is YES, in my sleep. It's just not good enough. Needless to say, so far I have joined four Chambers of Commerce in the Coachella Valley and the one hosting this last event, I will not be joining. Small Business folks need to understand that ALL Chamber of Commerce in this Valley are not created equally. I hope you will consider that and be wise with your chamber investment dollars.
We can only shop when the store is open
by: Jim Fordyce July 5, 2012 I know it was a holiday, but I wanted to walk around and shop on July 4th, so we headed to El Paseo, parked the car and had a pleasant afternoon. I was surprised to see lots of people joining us and I was also surprised to see many stores closed. Some for the day, some for “the season” As a year round resident of Palm Springs, I find the term “the season” almost offensive. I take this to mean that merchants don’t want my money in July and August. The interesting part here is there were stores open and they were full of people with their wallets open. We wandered the Cilantro Gallery, browsed the antiques at Dwight Polen and went in to a whimsical store called the Pink Club.
We spend some money at Savory Spice Shop. We got spices for our 4th of July Burgers and some Ginger Candy and were welcomed by owner Mary Cardas. invited her to be on a future edition of the weekly radio show. I wish I could have seen inside the other stores and I am sure those other people who were walking on el paseo, thought the same thing
We spend some money at Savory Spice Shop. We got spices for our 4th of July Burgers and some Ginger Candy and were welcomed by owner Mary Cardas. invited her to be on a future edition of the weekly radio show. I wish I could have seen inside the other stores and I am sure those other people who were walking on el paseo, thought the same thing
Keeping it Current and Professional on line
by: Jim Fordyce June 25, 2012 As a business person you MUST have an internet presence.
Most of you already have web sites and are on Facebook and other social media
sites. That is a good thing, because most people now use search engines like they
used to use the yellow pages. Just the other night, I was hungry and typed in: "restaurants. Palm Springs, Chinese." The result: We ended up in China King on North Indian Canyon Drive. (By the way, it is a good place. Nothing fancy, but great food and low prices.) People type in: "Plumbers, Coachella Valley" when the toidy runs over or "Movie times" when they want to see a flick.
Here is the problem: As I look at my clients marketing plans, the web site seems to take a back seat. My bank account is full of money from people who thought they could save money trusting their web site to their nephew, or their neighbors daughter who know about computers. While they save money initially, this is my opinion is not a good idea. An attractive, well thought, out easy to use logical design is a must. Then there are many tricks and to be in the all important search engines so people will find you.
If you do have someone doing your website, how often do you check in on it? How often is it updated? If you own a store and don't work there, I will just bet you drop by to check on it and talk to your manager. Your web site is the same thing.
One client who recently contacted me to help her marketing does her own web site. It contains spelling and grammatical errors, it was too wide for most computers to read and worst of all it contained outdated information. It told me I could save 20% on purchases made a trade show. Good deal, except the trade show was back in March.
We are overhauling the site even as we speak.
So keep you web site fresh, correct and current. Your customers will notice and so will you when they show up at your door or even better order from you on line.
If you dont know how to do it, don’t have the time for it, or are petrified of computers, get a professional to advise you. It will be money well spent.
Here is the problem: As I look at my clients marketing plans, the web site seems to take a back seat. My bank account is full of money from people who thought they could save money trusting their web site to their nephew, or their neighbors daughter who know about computers. While they save money initially, this is my opinion is not a good idea. An attractive, well thought, out easy to use logical design is a must. Then there are many tricks and to be in the all important search engines so people will find you.
If you do have someone doing your website, how often do you check in on it? How often is it updated? If you own a store and don't work there, I will just bet you drop by to check on it and talk to your manager. Your web site is the same thing.
One client who recently contacted me to help her marketing does her own web site. It contains spelling and grammatical errors, it was too wide for most computers to read and worst of all it contained outdated information. It told me I could save 20% on purchases made a trade show. Good deal, except the trade show was back in March.
We are overhauling the site even as we speak.
So keep you web site fresh, correct and current. Your customers will notice and so will you when they show up at your door or even better order from you on line.
If you dont know how to do it, don’t have the time for it, or are petrified of computers, get a professional to advise you. It will be money well spent.
As seen on TV
by: Jim Fordyce June 12, 2012 Last week I talked about shopping locally and why going to a local business benefits you and the community.
One of the things a local business must do is promote itself. There are so many ways to do that and we will talk about that in the future .
Right now I want to talk about TV ads in the valley. I am not sure who produces some of these. but as a long time TV producer, I have to say many of them are just plain bad. I won’t name names, but the are two ads right now, one for a restaurant and one for a retailer than have incredibly bad audio. They are both distorted to the point of being annoying. There are other ads where the business owner tries to convey his or her message and does not do a very good job. Then there is my biggest pet peeve and it comes from two stores that never put their location in the ad. They both look like nice places to shop, but how do you shop there if you can’t find them? If they are assuming I will search for them on line .. well you know what they say about ASSUME.
Whoever is giving these people advice and producing their commercials are hurting these businesses. I have made a career out of helping people do with advertising and promotion. One of the reasons people seek my advice or that of other marketing professionals is the fact that we will tell you the truth. In many cases, you don’t belong in your own ad, your kid maybe cute but doesn’t belong in your ad and you brother in law with a good voice shouldn’t be your announcer. He may have a good voice, but can he read a script? Experience tells me the answer is no.
Also producing your ad is a job left for professionals. We can all buy a video camera and editing software, but very few of us can produce a commercial that sends your message in an effective way.
And at the risk of annoying some of my TV and radio colleagues, be wary when someone selling you ads on their station offers to produce your commercial for free. Remember you get what you pay for. You will get a much better product when it is professionally produced.
So in a nutshell, put your ego in check with your advertising and get some independent unbiased professional advice. It will be money well spent
One of the things a local business must do is promote itself. There are so many ways to do that and we will talk about that in the future .
Right now I want to talk about TV ads in the valley. I am not sure who produces some of these. but as a long time TV producer, I have to say many of them are just plain bad. I won’t name names, but the are two ads right now, one for a restaurant and one for a retailer than have incredibly bad audio. They are both distorted to the point of being annoying. There are other ads where the business owner tries to convey his or her message and does not do a very good job. Then there is my biggest pet peeve and it comes from two stores that never put their location in the ad. They both look like nice places to shop, but how do you shop there if you can’t find them? If they are assuming I will search for them on line .. well you know what they say about ASSUME.
Whoever is giving these people advice and producing their commercials are hurting these businesses. I have made a career out of helping people do with advertising and promotion. One of the reasons people seek my advice or that of other marketing professionals is the fact that we will tell you the truth. In many cases, you don’t belong in your own ad, your kid maybe cute but doesn’t belong in your ad and you brother in law with a good voice shouldn’t be your announcer. He may have a good voice, but can he read a script? Experience tells me the answer is no.
Also producing your ad is a job left for professionals. We can all buy a video camera and editing software, but very few of us can produce a commercial that sends your message in an effective way.
And at the risk of annoying some of my TV and radio colleagues, be wary when someone selling you ads on their station offers to produce your commercial for free. Remember you get what you pay for. You will get a much better product when it is professionally produced.
So in a nutshell, put your ego in check with your advertising and get some independent unbiased professional advice. It will be money well spent
Think about where you shop
by: Jim Fordyce June 5, 2012
Going to a locally owned business is good for all of us. It is money well spent that stays in our community. Which would you rather do? Make a stock holder of an on line retailer richer, or go visit your neighbor who sells the same of similar items? I am often disturbed when people proudly tell me they go to local stores then go on line to save a few dollars. By using a local merchant as a "showroom," you aren't helping your own economy.
I recently needed to purchase a new electronic do dad… It was a news cell phone. Since I had not seen what was out there in a few years, I went to several retailers and checked them out. In the end, I got a good deal at Radio Shack and returned there when it was time to buy. I hear you.. thinking, "Jim that is not a local merchant." That is true, Radio Shack is a nationwide company that has been in business for years with a philosophy of helping the customer. In this case a young man named Tom at the store in Palm Springs Mall (yes there are still 2 stores there) helped me out and I know he gets a commission. So I went back and had him complete the sale. He was knowledgeable, friendly and took care of me. Problem is: I don't like the phone. It is too small for my big hands. So I am exchanging it. I called the store and was told "no problem".
Even though this is a national chain, I was still dealing with a company that employs my neighbor, in this case a young man who moved here recently, and I am being well taken care of. Had I ordered the phone on line, even from Radio Shack, I would not have left the store with a working phone, I would have had the hassle of activating it and I would have had more hassle with the exchange. As most importantly, the salesperson would not have gotten a commission and he did all the work to sell me on the phone.
You may think you are saving a few bucks on line, but in the big picture you aren't
Remember:
And that last one is usually true, but attracting local customers to local businesses relies on owners and employees holding up their part of the bargain.
Your customer service must be above and beyond. Make sure you or your employees greet the guests. And be sure your customer knows they are appreciated. Without any effort I can name 3 stores in downtown Palm Springs and 2 on El Paseo where I went in and was ignored. In one place the clerk was on her cell phone.
The opposite of that is businesses like Donkey Balls where Adam and his staff serve up hawaian coffee and chocolate with a smile and have suggestions for you. The Palm springs General Store is about as friendly a place as you can get and the perfect place for some Palm Spring souvenirs I am now searching for a house and our real estate lady Mary Ann Rojo has done everything she can to help in spite of paper work snafus on the house we are selling. She is a great example of wanting to do what she can for her customers. And when it comes time to furnish our new house, We will probably divide our dollars between Mathis Brothers where I was well treated when we got some furniture for our temporary apartment and I have my new table and some accessories picked out at Distinctive Home on North Palm Canyon. This is another business where I was made to feel welcome. One of the friendly faces there took time to tell us about the area when we first arrived. That is customer service that will bring me back
There are two restaurants in Palm Springs that I won’t go into. They both had serious flaws in their customer service and mediocre food. I gave them one bite at the apple and they failed miserably. I won't name them.
People ask me why I am seen so often eating at Guiseppes, Matchbox and Elmers. The answer is I feel welcome there, they have good food, good service and charge a reasonable price. Only one of them is an advertiser and that is Matchbox. The reason I am so up on that restaurant is manager Mike Estrada. He befriended me when I first started reporting here. He did not even know of my new websites, CoachellaValleyFun and CaochellaValleyBusiness when I asked if I could use his roof to take pictures of the holiday parade in Palm Springs. He wanted nothing in return. I gave him some ads as a thank you and enjoy the food their often. I now know how that restaurant helps many local causes and that’s how a locally owned business gets into its community.
Going to a locally owned business is good for all of us. It is money well spent that stays in our community. Which would you rather do? Make a stock holder of an on line retailer richer, or go visit your neighbor who sells the same of similar items? I am often disturbed when people proudly tell me they go to local stores then go on line to save a few dollars. By using a local merchant as a "showroom," you aren't helping your own economy.
I recently needed to purchase a new electronic do dad… It was a news cell phone. Since I had not seen what was out there in a few years, I went to several retailers and checked them out. In the end, I got a good deal at Radio Shack and returned there when it was time to buy. I hear you.. thinking, "Jim that is not a local merchant." That is true, Radio Shack is a nationwide company that has been in business for years with a philosophy of helping the customer. In this case a young man named Tom at the store in Palm Springs Mall (yes there are still 2 stores there) helped me out and I know he gets a commission. So I went back and had him complete the sale. He was knowledgeable, friendly and took care of me. Problem is: I don't like the phone. It is too small for my big hands. So I am exchanging it. I called the store and was told "no problem".
Even though this is a national chain, I was still dealing with a company that employs my neighbor, in this case a young man who moved here recently, and I am being well taken care of. Had I ordered the phone on line, even from Radio Shack, I would not have left the store with a working phone, I would have had the hassle of activating it and I would have had more hassle with the exchange. As most importantly, the salesperson would not have gotten a commission and he did all the work to sell me on the phone.
You may think you are saving a few bucks on line, but in the big picture you aren't
Remember:
- When you support local businesses, you are ensuring that people within your community have a job. The more money you spend locally, the more local jobs there will be, even if the company they work for has its headquarters elsewhere.
- When local business is locally owned, the money you spend in that business stays in your local community.
- Local businesses tend to support the community in which they live. When was the last time you an Amazon sign at a charity event.
- Many people comment that they get better service from local businesses.
And that last one is usually true, but attracting local customers to local businesses relies on owners and employees holding up their part of the bargain.
Your customer service must be above and beyond. Make sure you or your employees greet the guests. And be sure your customer knows they are appreciated. Without any effort I can name 3 stores in downtown Palm Springs and 2 on El Paseo where I went in and was ignored. In one place the clerk was on her cell phone.
The opposite of that is businesses like Donkey Balls where Adam and his staff serve up hawaian coffee and chocolate with a smile and have suggestions for you. The Palm springs General Store is about as friendly a place as you can get and the perfect place for some Palm Spring souvenirs I am now searching for a house and our real estate lady Mary Ann Rojo has done everything she can to help in spite of paper work snafus on the house we are selling. She is a great example of wanting to do what she can for her customers. And when it comes time to furnish our new house, We will probably divide our dollars between Mathis Brothers where I was well treated when we got some furniture for our temporary apartment and I have my new table and some accessories picked out at Distinctive Home on North Palm Canyon. This is another business where I was made to feel welcome. One of the friendly faces there took time to tell us about the area when we first arrived. That is customer service that will bring me back
There are two restaurants in Palm Springs that I won’t go into. They both had serious flaws in their customer service and mediocre food. I gave them one bite at the apple and they failed miserably. I won't name them.
People ask me why I am seen so often eating at Guiseppes, Matchbox and Elmers. The answer is I feel welcome there, they have good food, good service and charge a reasonable price. Only one of them is an advertiser and that is Matchbox. The reason I am so up on that restaurant is manager Mike Estrada. He befriended me when I first started reporting here. He did not even know of my new websites, CoachellaValleyFun and CaochellaValleyBusiness when I asked if I could use his roof to take pictures of the holiday parade in Palm Springs. He wanted nothing in return. I gave him some ads as a thank you and enjoy the food their often. I now know how that restaurant helps many local causes and that’s how a locally owned business gets into its community.
