
Many year’s ago there was a character on Saturday Night Live, Mr. Bill and he would get into all types of difficulty and would exclaim oh no!!!! Today(5/21/2019) my day morphed into a Mr.Bill type day leaving me to wonder how do some businesses manage to thrive despite their management team. The day started off on a good note as I was out collecting donations for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life most everyone was nice but there were some that simply don’t understand the importance of relationship building and building strategic partnerships. I understand most places I went they didn’t know me and that I was interrupting the flow of their business however it doesn’t cost anything to be kind. I went into Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and they are very good supporters of Relay For Life and I appreciate all they do for the cause however today they dropped a few notches as The Manager said I couldn’t go table to table to collect so I asked if I could stand outside the restaurant or if we can set up a day to simply do a collection she said no which I didn’t mind. What I did mind was the manner in which she talked with me she seemed to think I was beneath her. If only she knew the reach I have and how I could be a great ally. I encountered this no soliciting allowed attitude in many places that I went and I thought wow you are cutting off your nose to spite your face. I thought this way as I would have done a live video( My last Live Video had over 1100 views) and promoted the restaurant given the restaurant a good review and strengthened a business relationship. When I went to Habit Burger I simply disobeyed the GM’S wishes and was successful as one patron gave me a $20 donation. I later called their corporate office and had a nice interaction with the marketing director who in turn sent me details to host a Give Back Night there. I told her all The GM had to do was say we don’t allow soliciting however we do offer a way for your organization to fundraise here is our flier how to set up one of our Give Back Nights. The gentleman at McCallister’s were very arrogant and condescending as they told me no. I can accept a no even if I don’t understand why anyone business would say no to someone who has a proven track record of over 20 years of fundraising for The American Cancer Society. They could always take a minute and check out www.relayforlife.org/sunrisetamaracfl and see I am The #2 fundraiser with over $4500 raised.

Had the people in leadership roles at these restaurants taken a step back and seen the big picture perhaps their sales would have increased a bit. I have come to learn that there are always going to be those are so worried about complaints that they simply have programmed themselves to say no to everything. Many times they simply don’t see the benefits that someone brings to them and are so set in the ways that they lose out on the many opportunities that are presented to them.
I know going uninvited and putting people on the spot may not be the best way however many times it works and people respond in a great way like the time the hair salon owner said sure you can make an announcement and one of the patrons donated $40 or the time the ophthalmologist asked what type of donation I was looking for and I answered whatever you are comfortable with and he wrote a check for $100. Yes I have encounters some people who made me feel like Mr. Bill however I have also encountered people who have shown respect and appreciation for what I am doing. I have come to understand that not everyone is as advanced in the sphere of cause marketing as I am and many times employees of larger corporations are not empowered or inspired to think outside the box.

So the next time someone comes into your business seeking support you should look at the benefits and be open to what they are doing for they may have a large following that can become your client/customer. Imagine if the managers and general managers of businesses were empowered to do local area cause marketing how much more profitable a business would be.

A few years ago I approached Hungry Howie’s about supporting The American Cancer Society Relay For Life and Xavier was very happy to help and donated 10 large pizzas and each year since has supported our effort to help those touched by cancer. In return Hungry Howie’s has gotten my business and promotional videos and an outstanding revenue. I share this to show you how to avoid those Oh! No! Mr. Bill moments in your business.












In business it all comes down to the bottom line of how much revenue are you producing and how much of that revenue is profit. In our society today it has become all about the Benjamins. It is important to know why you went into the business you went into. Once you find your why you can begin to generate a whole lot of Benjamins. Many people I come in contact who have a business do not understand that you need to invest in a solid advertising and marketing program so as to generate the Benjamins. I have walked into many a business and been the only shopper there and I thought how is this business surviving. The other day I stopped by a store that I used to work at and in the 1 hour I was there they had 0 traffic. The fact that they are located in a busy shopping plaza behind three sports oriented bars and due to the merchandise they have they should have been busy. I asked how sales have been they said a bit on the slow side. I did notice a buy 1 get 50% promotional sign at the entrance. I thought how are they letting people know they are open and making this great offer? In a matter of minutes I had formulated a plan of action that if the owner was receptive and willing to make a small investment could work in driving traffic and being on the top of the mind of the consumer. They have incredible merchandise however if no one knows they are there and no one is shopping in the store they will not be making many Benjamins. I thought they need brand awareness so I did a quick live video which is something they should be doing daily with a featured item of the day. They should create a tag line that is easily remembered and entices people to shop there. They could implement some type of cause marketing program as consumers like to support businesses that they perceive to be giving back to the community. They had an item that I really liked and I thought why are they not advertising is sports memorabilia publications and featuring this item. They recently placed an ad for a social media marketing intern for $10 an hour. If you are serious about creating a buzz on social media and acquiring customers and turning them into loyal customers it is going to take more than paying someone $10 an hour to do social media marketing. If you want to make Benjamins you have to invest Benjamins. Make sure that when you have a retail store that your associates working the floor have top notch customer service skills and that they are creating buyers not browsers. Ask questions get to know the people coming into your store. Treat every customer as though they are the most important person walking into your store.
If you are going to attract Benjamins to your business and create a nice profit margin you need to have a plan that is proactive. Sometimes it is necessary to go back to the old school way of doing things and hit the street talking to people that are with in 3 feet of you. For example you have an eyeglass store you should go out and everyone you see wearing glasses you should hand them your 4″ x 6″ card showing who you are and what you do and why they should do business with you. Make shure that when you planning that you include your unique selling proposition or point of difference so people know what sets you apart from everyone else. Look at who you are seeking to attract and where you might find your ideal customer and then formulate a plan to bring in those Benjamins.
If you want to learn more about strengthening your brand and increasing your revenue so you have a good flow of Benjamins please attend the OLD SCHOOL MEETS NEW SCHOOL MARKETING WORKSHOP in October. Look for more details coming soon. For a $50 investment you will receive a video interview, a promotional one sheeter, and a tailor made press release to help you in your quest to strengthen your brand while increasing your revenue.
Jonathan JDOGG Lederrman has been helping businesses to grow for over 20 years and has a proven track record of success as he possesses a keen ability to find the essence of a business and come up with easily and affordable marketing programs that will build brand awareness while also increasing revenue. Businesses that have listened to JDOGG have had success. STAY POSITIVE!!!
As someone who has been involved in the non-profit and for profit sector for over 40 years I believe that I possess the ability to help many businesses to have a heart. Having a heart means being kind to everyone who comes into or calls your business for you never know how that person can be of service and value to your business. In all your advertising you should be showing people that you are a business with a heart by showing what organizations you are supporting as people like to do business with those that they perceive to be giving back to the community.
I have seen where having a heart increases business. I was The Sports Memorabilia Manager at Sinbad Sports in 2016 from May until October and I made it point to donate items to local charities when they asked. The owner had to be convinced that this was a good idea so I showed him the stats as I tracked where sales were coming from and I was able to show an increase in sales. In my final month at Sinbad Sports we did $12,000 in sales and I was responsible for $10,000 in sales as I was beginning to build a following simply from donating a few items to local charitable organizations. In using cause marketing in every position that I have held I have been able to show the community that the businesses I represent have a heart and thus the brand awareness improved and the revenue increased. The key is to have a heart and be willing to give as it opens the channels to receive.
One of the best ways to show that your business has a heart is by partnering with a local organization and donating a percentage of sales back to the organization. This brings people to you that normally would not patronage your business and allows you the opportunity to cultivate new customers/clients. In having a heart and showing that you care you will grow your business and word gets around that your business has a heart. Remember there is no substitute for kindness.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches and WWE sent items to use in the fundraising efforts for The 2018 American Cancer Society Relay For Life Of Sunrise. As a result they have gained some positive publicity. In giving you open up many opportunities to put your company in a positive light and reach an audience that maybe you did not think about before. In being open to say yes and finding a way to be of service and value to the community you will see that your revenue builds and your brand is strengthened.
It is time for you as a business owner to stop making excuses and find ways to say yes. Think about it there is always something your business can do to help the community and as a result you will help your business. It is when you give that you receive a return ten fold.
The other night I stopped by my local Subway and mentioned Relay For Life and they asked what they could do and I told them we can always use food items. They said they would donate 100 cookies. Guess who will be getting more of my business.
It is now time for you to find ways to show that you have heart and to show the community that not only are you taking money from the community but you are putting money back into the community.
Today (8/31/2017) was another lesson earned about people and the fact that in business you are going to deal with people who say one thing and do another. When this happens you have a choice you can put up with it and accept it or you can simply say to bad so sad don’t let the door hit you where GOD split you. Today I was supposed to have a meeting with a perspective buyer for The University Of Miami Replica Championship Rings that I am selling. A gentleman by the name of Brian Goon, stated he wanted to purchase the rings through a Facebook message. I made arrangements to meet him today and sell him the rings he was a no-show. I sent a message and also left comment on Facebook to which he didn’t reply. I found this to be an example of the bad in people as I know I would have given the person the benefit of a reply even if I had changed my mind. This got me to thinking this is why people continue to struggle in their personal and professional life as they lack the common courtesy to treat people with respect. Guess who I won’t be doing business with in the future? After I got over the initial disappointment and the lack of professionalism that this gentleman showed I realized that not everyone understands that their action not only affect them but their actions affect others. I am sure I will sell the rings will sell as I am asking $100 and donating $50 to The American Cancer Society Relay For Life. 

Yesterday (8/22/2017) I encountered a situation that got me to asking why the hate? Here I was reaching out to a business owner, Mike Artz of Collectables in Hobart, Indiana and this was his response via a Facebook. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for him to simply write thank you for reaching out to me I wish you much luck in your effort however at this time I am unable to support your project. Think about how you are responding to people and it will tell you why you may be struggling in your business. If this is how he responded to me how many other people has he responded to in this manner and how many of them have not done business with him and share their negative experience with others. In today’s marketplace it is imperative to be nice in all encounters so that people are moved to do business with you. At the end of the day the only thing that endures is your character.
He obviously forgot the first adage of business that Kindness Counts. I simply did what I have been doing for over 40 years and asked a business owner for support of a charitable cause. I never expected this type of response. This only goes to show us that our marketplace needs to be taught compassion.
Now think about it the next time someone approaches you for support because you never know the reach that person has and how they can impact your business. In this case all the accolades that Mike Artz may have built up are gone because he will never see my business and those that read this article may think twice about doing business with him.
As an experienced marketing and public relations consultant the 1st thing I teach my clients is to be kind in all that they do as you never know how that kindness will be returned. Imagine if Mike Artz had been kind in saying no I may have still recommended that my colleagues who collect sports and pop culture memorabilia contact him to see what he is selling. The lesson to take from today is that all it takes is one oh crap to ruin a thousand accolades.
It is now time not only to think outside the box but to burn the box and release the contents that may be stopping you from maximizing your brand awareness and revenue. In the 40 years that I have been working with non-profit organizations and for profit businesses I have noticed something that those who struggle have in common and that is they get stuck in their ways and do not adapt. There is no reason today for anyone to struggle. The reason you may be struggling is that you allowed yourself to be caught in a way of thinking that hasn’t allowed you to move forward in a positive direction of your goals. I have heard so many times over the years that I don’t have money to advertise or I’ve tried everything and nothing is working. This mindset is what is keeping you trapped in the box and why you are falling short of your goals. It is time to burn the box and go from limiting beliefs to limitless beliefs.
It is time to put all of your limiting beliefs into a box and burn the box then spread the ashes as compost and then begin to change the way you go about doing things. When you think you don’t have money to advertise you need to turn that into I will find affordable and effective advertising methods. I recently came into 19 boxes of books from assorted genres as a result f a death in my family. Instead of saying oh I don’t have the money to advertise theses books I found some free resources like sell and trade groups on social media and started posting photos of the books. I also decided to donate 50% of all book sales to The American Cancer Society Relay For Life Of Sunrise. As a result I sold 4 books today (7/15/17). I still have a condo that looks like a used book store but I am finding ways to let people know about the books and as a result I am moving the books and helping a cause that I believe in while also turning inventory into cash. When you burn the box and release the stinking thinking that is stopping you from manifesting the life that you want you will find that you begin to attract more peace, love, joy, and prosperity into your life. It all comes down to having the proper mindset when it comes to raising funds for charity or running your own business.