Web Business Woman

By Guest Blogger Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

The short answer: Never, if I’ve got the chutzpah. 

However, should I wear them is another question.

Recently, the NYT had an article about us 50+ women and our fashion choices (written by a 50+ woman) – Irony & The Old Lady  in which she ponders,  “When do coy socks, Heidi braids and vintage hats stop working?”

Personally, I was never a fan of Heidi braids…although I’ve always thought one should wear whatever one wants, at whatever age…as long as you look good in it (with some notable exceptions such as Italian Vogue editor Anna Piaggi, shown at left – she’s a walking piece of performance/life art, and us common folk shouldn’t try this in the real world.)

So, where am I going with this?

 Well, let’s segue to a basic marketing to women point: Anyone selling anything to women somehow, someway must deal with style.  We may not even be conscious of it, but we notice design. This doesn’t mean that we don’t also care about the technical details, product performance and service. And, as we get older our tolerance for frippery and BS decreases dramatically.  The guy will be all a quiver about the ginormous flat screen; we’ll ask the same techie questions (for different reasons) AND try to figure out how to make it fit the decor.

Now, specifically about selling fashion (whatever that may be at any given second) – we grown-ups have it tough.  The majority of designers and clothing stores seem to really not like us – when they’re not ignoring us all together.  At best, we get larger sizes of things we really shouldn’t be wearing at all.  (Sorry, fellow boomers, but those tiny little belly shirts, floaty flower child tops, and strappy, barely there tees?  Not a good idea. Makes us look like we’re desperately clinging to something we may not have had in the first place.) Or, we get fobbed off with box-shaped sacks designed for matronly figures. Sure, most of us have a bit more of – ahem – what we’ve always had, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still “clean up good” as we say down South.  We simply need a little consideration of changing shapes.

Me?  I’ve pretty much stopped buying clothes.  Of course, part of that is due to my lifestyle and the laid-back culture of New Mexico (My summer look is a man’s linen or silk shirt, over capris, with good earrings, a scarf, and my “good” flip-flops.  That’s dressed up compared to many.) But, even when I go out purposely to buy something new…I often come home with nothing.  I refuse to wear those tiny styles writ large (way too much showing in all the wrong places) or give into the matronly sack look.

If somebody designed for us grown-ups (and offered pieces at an affordable price) – they’d make a mint, even in a “down economy.”  Yet, seemingly every industry is still chasing the youngsters, for everything from entertainment to electronics.  (Psssttt…this 51-year-old woman can’t wait to see the new Transformers.)   

This past weekend we went to a local event called Bark in the Park, here in Erie, CO. We attended it last year, too. The idea is to get lots of dogs and dog people together and showcase some of the local pet companies, including the local humane society, and then have the dogs perform.

When I say “perform” I mean just that – there’s the treat toss, the frisbee throw, the scent dogs of the Rockies, and more. Fun, frolic and more.

During the Frisbee toss, or throw, I can’t rightly remember which it was – one Golden Retriever stood out among all the other dogs competing. He hit his mark (the Frisbee thrown far and high) every time. As I was watching this incredible dog do his thing, and watching his owner gleefully throw that Frisbee higher and farther, I realized that this is how business should be conducted.

Those two did not get that good by practicing the day before the event. That dog was so eager to please, and so proud when he accomplished his amazing feat of atheletic ability (like the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge dogs here), you had to admire not only his atheleticism, but his determination. And, you had to wonder, “how many hours did he and his master train, for this little, local event?”

I’m betting they trained for hundreds of hours. I’m betting they trained evenings and weekends, in the backyard and at the park. I’m betting they wanted to WIN…not merely PLACE…and they knew they had to work hard for that.

A pretty well-known phrase in the sports world, well, it’s actually a book by Lance Armstrong, is “It’s Not About the Bike.” Last weekend, watching all the dogs at Bark in the Park, and especially watching this Golden perform, that phrase, ‘not about the bike’ really meant something to me.

When you’re at your wit’s end, or so tired you can’t keep your head up; when you are seriously doubting your ‘great idea’ or wondering why everything that can go wrong, is going wrong; when you’re ready to give up because your computer is too slow, or your chair is too low, or your head hurts or your air conditioning is on the fritz – stop, pause, get a cool drink and remind yourself, “It’s not about the bike.”

It’s about that Golden – never giving up, chasing that Frisbee as if the rest of the world did not exist. It’s about the goal and the feel of that plastic in his teeth and not letting anything, how high it is, or how far it’s thrown, get in the way. It’s about enduring the failures to learn how to begin again and move forward…until that dance you’re doing, that jig that you’ve been doing around your kitchen table, begins to fall into place and mean something. And then, when you’re at that place where the Frisbee is just out of reach, just an inch above your head, even though you’ve jumped as high as you possibly can, push yourself a little bit harder, and catch that Frisbee.

Then, when the crowd applauds, be like that Golden, don’t turn for a bow or even acknowledge the cheers, just get back where you started, and do it again. The accolades and applause and speeches will come later, when you’ve caught enough Frisbees to start training the next Golden or Springer Spaniel, or Greyhound (or entrepreneur).  

That’s when you accept the applause (humbly) because then…you can say you did it. And you can help someone else do it. Because becoming incredible is just the beginning.

Ready…set…go!

By Guest Blogger, Donna DeClemente, Donna’s Promo Talk

Well this week officially puts us into the Summer of 2009. I’m feeling a bit melancholy today since we will be attending the high school graduation ceremony tonight of my youngest daughter. She recently walked in the door after finishing up the physics regents exam this morning and shouted “no more high school!”

So I can’t believe where the time has gone. I know every parent says that, but it’s so true. More recently, where did this Spring go? After what always feels like a long winter, especially in Western New York, spring just flew by. It seems like just yesterday it was Easter and the kids were getting ready for their spring recess.

Many families go on a vacation during Spring break, however we didn’t this year because our daughter was on the varsity softball team and they had their own road trip which was mandatory if you were on the team. So then it took us right into softball season, which we’ve been watching our daughters plays since they were in the rookie league back when I coarsened my husband into being a coach. He ended up coaching for ten years and loving every minute of it. Of course except when one of the parents would get too involved, which there always were a few of those kind.

Were going to really miss the games, the kids and many of the parents.. The end of the school year is busy enough, but when you add in the fact that it’s their senior year, there are so many more events. Next is the graduation party that we’re preparing for which is this Friday and the entire weekend is filled with parties from other grads in her class. So besides graduations, Spring also consisted of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and don’t forget those weddings.

Now being in marketing and having worked with Kodak for some many years, we always built seasonal promotions around the Dads, Grads and Wedding theme, even though I’ve never personally liked lumping them all together.

comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, yesterday released its monthly analysis of U.S. consumer online activity which I found some interesting stats. During May online visitation at gift-related sites increased tremendously as Mother’s Day and the other seasonal events prompted many to search for gifts online. Coupon sites also witnessed strong growth as bargain-hunting remained a top priority for many Americans. So I’m going to assume a vast majority of this online activity was from women.

“Mother’s Day, along with high school and university graduations and the beginning of wedding season, make May a traditionally strong time of year for flowers, gifts and greetings sites,” commented Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of comScore Media Metrix. “Coinciding with gains to these sites in May we also saw a sharp increase in the number of visitors to online coupon sites this year. As rising summer gas prices put the squeeze on Americans’ overall purchasing power, online coupon sites have become an attractive resource for reducing retail costs during this gift-giving season.”

Besides the flower sites being highly visited, I was surprised, based on the fact that the economy is still in a recession, to learn that the Jewelry/Luxury Goods/Accessories category experienced double-digit growth. Nearly 18 million visitors during the month visited sites in this category with Swarovski Crystal leading and Kay Jewelers following. 

That’s the opposite of what the rest of the report shared which is that millions of Americans turned to online coupon sites in May for better deals on their retail purchases. The Coupon category posted a particularly strong month, up 19% to 34.7 million visitors to lead as the top-gaining category in May. Coupons.com captured the #1 position with more than 15 million visitors, a gain of 85% from the previous month. I was one of those consumers that visited the site and downloaded some coupons for my grocery shopping trips.

And speaking of Kodak, photo sites witnessed strong growth in May as consumers posted, viewed and ordered photos from and for gifts of these seasonal events. I finally got all my photos downloaded out of my camera, onto my computer, cropped and edited and then uploaded to my Kodak Gallery account so I could share them with friends and family. Here’s one on my daughter with her friend Libbie dressed in yellow for Senior Day. I’ll be taking more photos tonight and all weekend.

More than 90 million Americans, slightly less than half of the total U.S. online population, visited a photo site in May. Facebook.com photos led the category with 34.6 million visitors, followed by Photobucket.com with 28.1 million visitors and Flickr.com with 24.4 million visitors. (which by the way “Summer” photo I used at the top of this post came from Photobucket).

So congrats to my daughter on her graduation and here’s to the next chapter in your life. For now let the more laid-back summer season begin. I certainly don’t want to wish it away, but I expect that with two teenage daughters at home that we’ll all be welcoming September when they both go off to college! Oh yea BTW, get ready next for those back-to-school ads and promotions which should probably be starting up right after the 4th of July!

I’m in sunny (well, mostly sunny, they are experiencing a lot of storms this year) Colorado with beautiful mountain views – at least Tom tells them there are beautiful mountain views, I, myself do not care to look at the mountains. They look mighty foreboding to me!

We have a houseful. There’s my daughter and her husband and my so delightful granddaughter, who is much more beautiful than the mountain views, and two dogs. Two noisy, rambunctious, out of control, dogs. Am I complaining – no way! I’m having the time of my life!

While I’m here, I’m also working. When your work is Internet based, you never leave it behind. Even when you’d like to. As I work, checking and answering client emails, or invitations from PR firms to promote their clients…regardless of whether or not their clients are people I’d like to promote (hint: you can refer to me by name all you want, but if you ask me to promote a conference that has no clear female keynote, it’s clear you don’t know me and I’m not mentioning your conference on my blog), I do stop now and then and check out the twitter pages or websites/blogs of my bestest blog buddies.

I’m happy to say that blogs are still going strong. Blogs by the famous, and blogs by the not so famous. Blogs create conversations and even scoop reporters, sometimes. Blogs are the tools of engagement that bring client and consultant closer together. Unless…

…the consultant is a big blowhard. I’m sorry. If you noticed the title of this post, you knew this was coming. I received an email this week that announced in big loud terms, yes, even in text I can tell when someone is shouting…that So-and-so had just launched a blog! OMG! I felt like I was supposed to jump up and down and do cartwheels.

While I’m actually happy about this new blog – the PR announcing it might have been better. My dear friend Susan would get a real kick out of this. The “noise” was blinding. You know, unnecessary pictures, lots of PRspeak, that kind of stuff. The link offered took me to a page that required me to click another link…which took me to a page showing the blogger and asking me to “join” for more information on the blog.

Excuse me…just to read the blog I have to “join” your … whatever you’re calling it? I can’t merely click your blog link and read? You require membership for your blog?

Ok, this isn’t the first blog to do this. I’ve seen others. And…no, I have not joined any of them. In fact, if your blog requires me to “join” in order to leave a comment, I don’t do that, either. Blogging isn’t about joining anything. It’s about talking to people. It’s about community – like the free community center where you might have to buy your own drink, if there’s an event you’re attending but the community center itself is free and open to the public because it’s there to allow people a place to meet and talk.

So, friend…at least, I assume you’re a friend, you correctly addressed the email you sent me and I do know who you are… I’ll pass on joining your blog. I have other blogs and social media friends to visit… CYA around. Maybe.