Archive | February, 2010

Enough of the Disrespectful Sea World Jokes

By on February 25, 2010 in General Interest, Society

A rare rant from me but I have to get it off my chest. On behalf of science and scientists can we please chill with the Sea World wise cracks? Zoos and aquariums – including their entertainment venues – are the only way most people are going to learn about the natural world and the animals that populate it. Fewer people will go hiking and camping than will go to a nice tourist attraction such as Sea World to learn and be wowed by nature’s wonders.

That’s not to mention the fact that you’re subtly discouraging amazing career options for young people who read your posts and comments. Watching a documentary pales in comparison to seeing these great creatures up close with your own eyes so let’s be respectful please.

End of rant. Rest in peace Dawn Brancheau, Sea World trainer.

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Amazon Affiliate Recyclable Packaging Tip

By on February 25, 2010 in Affiliate Marketing, Amazon.com, General Interest

I recently sold an ink cartridge on my Amazon Affiliate account and packed it in a little shoe box wrapped in plastic shopping bags.

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That’s the way to recycle baby! Customer bought cartridge (recylcable) and I sent him shopping bags (can recycle as lunch bags, as packaging or once finally as trash bags in his house).

How are you doing creative greening in your business? Share your tips in the comments section and let’s learn from one another.

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So Uh, What Ever Happened To That Rhinestone Rock Star Doll, Baba?

By on February 24, 2010 in General Interest, Music

I was listening to an old Bootsy Collins song Bootzilla and started wondering if Bootsy or George Clinton ever produced an actual “rock star doll” action figure? From my research, seems it didn’t happen but that would have been an amazing marketing coup.

And can’t you just imagine the collaborative potential? Picture in your minds Bootzilla and G.I. Joe with the Kung Fu grip executing a commando mission; Joe by land and Bootsy by space? A double trouble gift pack. How did they miss this one?

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Surely I’m not the first to have thought of such a brilliant thing? Am I giving away a grand idea? Well, probably not. Don’t know if there’s a retro-commando doll market out there but one never knows. That’s O.K. though. If it takes off I don’t mind being the public persona who inspired the idea.

So all you doll enthusiasts, what do you think? Any potential for this one? Click the comments link and tell me if I’m on to something.

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MartyBLOG’s Feeds and Seeds

By on February 23, 2010 in Blogging, General Interest

Want more of MartyBLOGs the easy way? Here are two simple options.

Sign up for the Entries RSS to keep up with our posts in your feed reader.

Sign on to the Comments RSS feed to keep up with what the other readers are saying about the posts.

You’ll find both at the bottom of the site in the left sidebar under the “Meta” heading.

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So Who Is This New MartyBLOGs Writer?

By on February 19, 2010 in Blogging, General Interest, Toastmasters International

Her name is Bridget Wright and she is a woman of many talents. Among my fave is that she’s a fellow Toastmaster. Need someone to speak to your group on a topic of importance? Get in touch with her.

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You’ll get a feel for her skills as she begins to kick in content here on the site in March. I can’t wait an you should definitely stay tuned. I can assure you you’ll be glad you did.

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How About A Hockey Puck For Black History Month?

By on February 17, 2010 in General Interest

My home town of St. Louis is known for lots of historic firsts, but this cold wintry season, and Facebook wise cracks from my buddy Phil Dawson (A Detroit Red Wings fan), made me recall that my home team mascot is named for one of the most popular blues songs of the era penned by W.C. Handy. The St. Louis Blues was published in 1941 and was adopted as the hockey team’s theme song many years later.

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William Christopher Handy

As an NHL expansion team in 1967 team owner Sid Saloman Jr. took inspiration from the city’s blues history and Handy’s famed song to name his new franchise. And if you look closely at the emblem on the jersey it’s a fanciful blue-note borrowed from standard sheet music notation.

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As a kid listening to the intro to games on KMOX radio I didn’t know that we were listening to a jazzed up version similar to this rendition by Glenn Miller’s Band. Not sure if this was the recording chosen for the broadcast but it definitely sounds like it.

It was great the way the radio broadcast would start. Jack Buck’s voice saying, “The St. Louis Blues are on the air!” and then the drums and horns kicking in exactly the way the song always starts.

So if you ever wondered how the blues and hockey are connected there’s your answer. Know any other little known historical tid-bits about this subject or hockey and Black History in general? Share with us and leave comments after this post.

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How to Create An eventbrite (and affiliate) Account

By on February 13, 2010 in Affiliate Marketing, Business, Eventbrite, General Interest

Many individuals and companies use eventbrite for event registration and/or ticketing to their events. In fact you’ve probably already used it a few times yourself. Well today is a good day to create your own account and here’s why. The eventbrite site has customizable features that you will really like along with the usual variety of payment options for your customers. It also allows you to enter event details in addition to an attendee list.

I really like this feature in particular for its networking value. It allows your guests to start interacting via web and social media ahead of the event when they see web links or social media links that pique their interest under the other participants names. For serious networkers this helps them plan ahead to intentionally meet two or three people at the venue that they think they may want to follow up with afterwards.

When you go to the site take a look at how some of the companies in the “Popular Events” section in the middle of the page have set up their accounts. You’ll get some really good ideas from them.

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Eventbrite has an analytics package as well that helps you to track customer demographics. This is important for learning what went well sales-wise with your last program and to fine tune your target marketing strategy for your next event.

When you get a minute also check out the “About Eventbrite” and “How To” sections at the bottom of the site to learn about some of the features in detail. The affiliate program may be something that works well for you in the future as your business expands. I just created an affiliate account recently myself.

Like I said earlier you have likely already used eventbrite a number of times to buy tickets and reserve seats at events so why not create a profile to take advantage of online ticketing on your own behalf? Click my link and create an account. Then the next time you or I have an event let’s help each other pub it and share in the revenue.

If the growing popularity of this site is any indication I believe eventbrite is going to develop into the next big online affiliate program and you’re not going to want to miss out on that growth so sign up today.

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A Change is Coming to MartyBLOGs

By on February 12, 2010 in General Interest

And it’s in the form of a guest blogger beginning next month. Who you ask?

Well you may have read her material here or kept up with her here.

If you haven’t then check her out. In the meantime there will be more to come in the following days as she prepares to make her MartyBLOGs debut.

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Snow Gear Now Available at MartyBLOGs

By on February 9, 2010 in General Interest

Snow gear, get your snow gear here!!! Here’s your chance to be a trueblood actionist by taking advantage of this latest spate of blizzard like conditions around the country.

Don’t be a cabin fever detainee. Get outside and get your downhill on or get your cross country legs going. Is school closed? Kick the kids out and tell them to jump off the nearest hill…on a sled of course.

What’s that? Did Junior say sleds are babified? Fine, buy him a snowboard and send him on his way. Hey, he might come back as the next Shaun White.

Don’t look at me like that. It could happen.

And what do you mean your street hasn’t been cleared? So what. Strap on some skis and pump it down the street.

People ride their bikes to bus stops and put them on the bus bike rack every day. Bet you a dollar you can take your alpine gear on any bus or train and nobody will say a word…they’ll be shocked at the novelty of it all.

So come on people. Let’s stop complaining about the weather and embrace it. The Vancouver Games are coming up this weekend. Opening ceremonies are on Friday. Get in Olympic spirit, order some gear from the widgets to the left of this post, get out into the elements and enjoy the white stuff.

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Sex No Longer the Biggest Online Draw

By on February 9, 2010 in Blogging, Society

It’s official. The most popular derivitive of the world’s oldest profession is no longer the main draw online. Pornography has been surpassed by social media for the first time in Internet history. So says Eric Qualman of Socialnomics – Social Media Blog. He refers to it conceptually; “Socialnomics” as a massive social economic shift.

Learn more on this and other characteristics of the changing tide on his site and in his book, “Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Do Business”.

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