Neat Stuff on the Grow!

An Invasion at Neat Stuff U! Chuck Robbins and ARO Consulting have recently set up shop at the Worldwide Neat Stuff Headquarters in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina. "I see great synergy with us and the Neat Stuff crew...we're both all about getting results for our clients," said Robbins. Chuck is a veteran in the advertising, marketing and public relations community and is fast becoming FAMOUS for the results achieved on behalf of numerous clients with his Power Press Release program. Aro's recent release on the Canaan Zipline Canopy Tour attracted the following in the first 24 hours: 46,000 actual views with hundreds of links posted to other websites around the country and dozens of direct media inquiries. If you have a message that needs to be heard and you're not talking with Chuck then you should probably heed the words of the fella that said, "Not Advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but no one else does."


As a side note....my wife and Chuck have the same birthday...January 6 (though my wife is MUCH younger).

You'll have to sort out the babe and the goats......H. Maxwell, Chancellor-Neat Stuff University

#1 Golf Gift or Menopause Magic?

Cool (literally) New Product...Check it out:

Crazy Fall!

Wow. A lot going on for everyone it seems. Fall is coming! Just returned from Chicago and IMTS - one of the world's largest machine tool shows. Thanks to the gracious hearts of Riten Industries for allowing me to camp out at their rented house near Wrigley Field. Riten Prez Andy Lachat brought in a chef for meals and we even had "Robert, a customer from Oklahoma who uses lots of Riten products" share some great guitar music in the evenings...he even let us sing along!

Riten unveiled what I believe to be a very effective new marketing "weapon" - The Colonel. The "Ask the Colonel" program allows clients and prospects to ask ANYTHING of The Colonel - an industry veteran who is OLDER than metal AND dirt!

It was hard to miss Okuma...the "city" they build at IMTS grows each show. Big news - Okuma is partnering with Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2011 Indy Car and Grand-Am season. This reporter heard lots of "wows" as folks stopped by to check out the blue version of the Target ride!

A last minute shout out for those not on the Neat Stuff U. email blasts! FREEEEE inspirational movies all weekend long in Charlotte at Ayrsley Cinemas - 485 and South Tryon. Check out http://www.projectinghopecharlotte.com/ for details. Saturday bonus: Live, outdoor music from 2 p.m. til 10 p.m. Come join us! September 23 (today) - Sunday the 26th.

Blizzard of 2010 and Best of Show!

Once again, several inches of snow qualifies as a Southern Blizzard. One of the many benefits for this old guy was to mellow out by the fireplace for a couple of days and enjoy the fellowship and great cooking (see Dianne's homemade cheesegrits!) of my wife and Bailey, the Beloved Golden Retriever.

Speaking of cool temps....several weeks ago, the Neat Stuff Crew spent 3+ days in chilly Orlando at the ASI Promo Show. Check out our VIDEO featuring Alan Patrick, the national sales manager with M&Ms, and others sharing Neat Stuff and how to make an IMPACT with promotional products.

Once again, Bobby Lehew was one of our favorite presenters during ASI Education Day. Our friend from Oklahoma City turned us on to MASHABLE, The Social Media Guide, a useful site that features Facebook and Twitter "guides" and other useful content for those of us trying to get a grip on utilizing social media.

BORING Branding

WOW...what happened to November? Did December sneak up on us or is it just me!

Speaking of WOW...How do we cause folks to go "WOW!" when they think of us, when they see our "stuff", when we interact with them. A big piece of what we do revolves around marketing products...check out this brief video on some decoration techniques that can by used by any company, organization, school....serious WOW factor...let me know if you agree. Click here and brace yourself.

New things coming from Neat Stuff World for 2010...we are partnering with several other RESULTS-oriented firms to bring you 59 Marketing Tips in 59 Minutes (working title). Quarterly through the coming year, we will be joining with several folks including IMG Pro (video and creative services) and Skyline (Tradeshow Marketing) to offer a Marketing Blitz (while you eat!). Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro will be the blessed cities for this cool event.

First Friday Continues - Great time of food and fellowship the First Friday of each month. January will NOT feature a First Friday...the Neat Stuff team will be in Orlando at the annual Neat Stuff show getting great ideas for our clients. One minute and 53 seconds of what you're missing.

God Bless America!

JULY 1, 2009 - Live from the Mecklenburg County Courthouse - JURY DUTY! A great way to celebrate the upcoming Fourth of July. As "Truman" (the fellow in charge of the jury room) gave us an orientation at 8:30 a.m., I was reminded of our system - though not perfect - that allows a person accused of a crime to be judged by a jury of twelve. I would certainly prefer that (especially knowing that I would be innocent!) to having one man-an Ayatollah, perhaps-determine my fate. How about you?

Marketing thoughts-The hits keep coming from David Meerman Scott and Web Ink Now...check out the Marketing of the Grateful Dead. Scott shares his thoughts on the Dead's "counter-culture marketing" that begs the question, "How are we marketing our business...Are we doing it pretty much the same way our competitors are?"

Game Plan for Life-The Super Bowl and NASCAR champion Coach Joe Gibbs is releasing a book this month billed as "Your Personal Playbook for Success." Joe commissioned a research firm to ask the man on the street what "success" meant. From the results, Coach Gibbs recruited 11 experts to each write a chapter on subjects including Finances, Health, Relationships, God, Purpose. Check out the website for more of the scoop on this project. And putting his money where his mouth is, Coach is buying breakfast for 1000 men at the Westin in Charlotte on July 31 to talk about the book while sharing his heart and spiritual journey.

"When you are through learning...."

"....you are through." So said John Wooden, perhaps the most respected coach in the history of intercollegiate athletics.

There's no excuse for not learning when folks like David Meerman Scott, author of a book we featured in our early blogging days - The New Rules of PR & Marketing, continues to put out great stuff....for FREE! Check out his excellent site and download some of his latest content including Lose Control of Your Marketing and The New Rules of Viral Marketing.

Portions of Scott's latest e-book appear in his soon-to-be released World Wide Rave. What is THAT? Glad you asked. According to the author, "A World Wide Rave is when people around the world are talking about you, your company, and your products-whether you're located in San Francisco, Dubai, or Reykjavik. It's when global communities eagerly link to your stuff on the Web. It's when online buzz drives buyers to your virtual doorstep. And it's when tons of fans visit your Web site and your blog because they genuinely want to be there."

Scott gives you the RULES of creating a World Wide Rave...FREE...look 'em up on his site.

Speaking of RAVES.....our Neat Stuff Production crew is jazzed about our latest HIT video featuring the highlights of the 2009 Orlando ASI Promo Show - Episode One. We feature a handful of the COOLEST new promotional products with - hold your breath - more to come in later Episodes. Check it out and help us start the World Wide Rave.

Sunshine in '09!

It's the first Monday morning in January and the Neat Stuff/Western team is wrapping up a great four days at the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) Show in Orlando. It goes without saying that the multitudes (that's you) are anxiously awaiting the Neat Stuff Production videos featuring all the latest and greatest from the show. As always, our focus in not on "stuff" but on helping you get results. We're planning on a great year in 2009 and our primary objective is to assist our clients in having a great year as well.

Stay tuned.