door-to-door « WordPress.com Tag Feed

Meeting Mr. Mayfly

ektachrome — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:49:32 +0000

The original submission did not use the word “damned” — it used “darned”, which, in my opinion, just sounds dorky. “Damned” sounds so much better.

Sometimes you just can’t beat a good swear word.

Communication retailers-to-consumers : time for one-to-few ?

shopfloorbelgium — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:23 +0000

J’ai souvent abordé le thème des folders, en rappelant tout aussi souvent que cet imprimé, aussi archaïque qu’il puisse être à l’heure du web, du e-couping, des forums …, reste une source d’information promotionnelle privilégiée des Belges.

Et malgré tout je commence à me demander s’il ne faut s’attendre à une révolution des stratégies média des retailers dans un avenir proche.

D’une part, il y a les considérations financières : le folder coûte cher à produire, à imprimer et enfin à distribuer (bonjours les taxes communales).

D’autre part, il y a les questions environnementales : les consommateurs ont beau les lire, leur durée de vie est limitée. Chaque semaine nous jetons des forêts entières dans nos poubelles.

Ensuite, il y a l’inévitable question de la rentabilité. Il y a un an un retailler DIY me demandait si j’étais en mesure de l’aider à calculer l’effet spécifique de chaque support média (radio, affichage … et bien entendu folder) sur le trafic building et les chiffres de ventes. Une question qui anime tout le monde à n’en pas douter.

Enfin, cet été je lisais que Colruyt avait pris une participation majoritaire dans une société spécialisée dans la gestion des mailings personnalisés (www.mitto.be). Ou encore que Delhaize collabore depuis de longs mois avec la société qui a accompagné Tesco dans la mise en place de ce qui reste la référence en matière de programme de fidélité dans l’alimentaire. Et enfin, que Makro a créé une fonction de CRM Manager occupée par Vincent Nolf.

Quoi de neuf, me direz-vous ? Rien sur le fond puisqu’en fin de compte nombreux sont les retailers qui ont déjà mis un pied dans l’engrenage. Je pense simplement que le rythme va s’accélérer. Les prestataires de services impliqués dans le processus de fabrication/distribution de folder devraient en être conscients. Il y a danger. Pour les prestataires CRM, il va y avoir des opportunités J.

Vincent De Coster

http://www.linkedin.com/in/retailtrendwatching

http://www.facebook.com/vincent.decoster

Doing Ministry on Foot

Jojo Agot — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:43:57 +0000

They came in droves this morning. A group of people representing a certain religious organization ro

Dumb crook of the week

eideard — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:00:22 +0000

A teenager who had been going door to door trying to sell marijuana early Thursday was arrested afte

Dumb Criminal, Ya Think?

DatGurlBenz~* — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:03:33 +0000

::this is NOT door-to-door selling material!::

A 19-year-old Brownsville TX man is jailed on a drug charge after he allegedly went door-to-door trying to sell marijuana!

If this aint the dumbest mofo here!

This happened at an apt complex near the University of Texas-Texas Southmost College campus.

Anthony Carrazco (with his drunk ass!) had about 3 zips on him, and knocked on doors in the complex offering his wares for sale.

Well he knocked on the wrong door, the door of an off duty police officer. The officer told him, “Sure. I’ll be right back.” I guess the fool thought he was goin to get his cash. But when he came back he had his badge and some cuffs.

Not only did he have the green, the dummy was also packin’! Now if this aint the dumbest thing! I bet he sittin in jail (under $10G’s bail at that!) wonderin’ how he could be so stupid…

Investment Schemes Target Affluent Seniors

Bert Copple — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:54:48 +0000

ConsumerAffairs.com recently investigated the claims of consumers in California and Florida who report that a company is making cold calls to seniors living in exclusive retirement communities, making sales pitches on the phone before mailing a brochure overnight claiming the company’s certificates of deposit earn above-average interest rates.

The investigation reports that several of the banks listed by International Banking Group (IBG) as supposedly issuing the CDs have never heard of the company. While IBG denies any wrongdoing, the company’s Web site has been taken down.

Investors should be suspicious of salesmen who solicit door-to-door or make phone calls, ConsumerAffairs.com reports. All investors, not just seniors, should check out all investments, especially those that claim to pay out much higher rates of return than would normally be expected.

ConsumerAffairs.com suggests:

To check brokers or firms, call 800-289-9999 or click here.
To check a seller’s background, click here or call 888-295-7422.
To file a complaint against a broker or firm, click here.

For more information, read the ConsumerAffairs.com article.

It’s good to know that home care companies like Home Instead Senior Care will never compromise client information or attempt fraudulent behavior towards senior citizens. Home Instead holds a very good reputation and has always put the client first. We always feed our clients the most up-to-date information and help to resolve any problems that may be present, including noticeable changes with your loved one.
Home Instead Senior Care will provide outstanding caregivers to help your loved one with personal care, incidental travel, companionship, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and even meal preparation. To learn more, call 248-203-2273 or visit www.homeinstead.com. Home Instead Senior Care is the world’s trusted source of in-home non-commercial personal care and companionship for seniors. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. And remember, to us, it’s personal.

Investment Schemes Target Affluent Seniors

Bert Copple — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:54:46 +0000

ConsumerAffairs.com suggests:

To check brokers or firms, call 800-289-9999 or click here.
To check a seller’s background, click here or call 888-295-7422.
To file a complaint against a broker or firm, click here.

For more information, read the ConsumerAffairs.com article.

Pakketje versturen naar Ghana? In Amsterdam Zuidoost van door to door

sfelter — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:23:56 +0000

- Posted using MobyPicture.com

Hawking The Goods

blackpittsbiscuit — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:10:48 +0000

In the foreign land known popularly as the United States, there is a class of biscuit-cookies like no other. These delicacies cannot be purchased in stores or shops. They are only for sale during spring and can only be had by dealing with young girls in uniform. Are you curious yet? Do you know what these might be? What product would use underage females in such a way in this day and age of child protection laws and helicopter mothers? This is something with which I have the most intimate knowledge for I was at one time not only the leader of such a group of young ladies, aged eight through twelve years of age, but a leader also of the cookie-biscuit sales force, the Cookie Mom.

The organization is called the Girl Scouts in the states, the under ten year olds are called Brownies. How appropriate. My two female offspring were heavily involved in these goings on and I was their troop leader. The largest fund raiser for the troop activities is the cookie-biscuit sales. Each troop was required to sell a certain number of these sweet treats and prizes were awarded to the girls who sold certain quotas. Order sheets were to be taken door to door for neighbors, friends and relatives to fill out how many boxes of each kind of several varieties they would like, to be delivered and paid for at a future date. The numbers would be tallied, the boxes assembled and distributed by the Cookie Mom and the money collected by the girls. Sounds like a piece of cake, doesn’t it?

Young girls collecting money, personal checks taken only as a last resort, door to door. What could be more wonderful? The cookies themselves vary from year to year with a couple of regulars, Thin Mints and Shortbreads always offered. The price steadily rises while the number of cookies per box steadliy shrinks. Surprisingly there are still many folks who will cheerfully pay for these sugary tooth breakers, remembering when their own little darlings were selling them or even when they themselves were part of this height challenged sales force.

Looking back through jaded eyes, it all seems outrageous now, if not some kind of child abuse. But for several years we had cupboards filled to the brim with boxes of Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Thin Mints and Shortbreads, my personal favorite for dunking in tea or coffee. There are cookbooks with recipes to use the cookies as basis for other desserts. They also freeze well. For anyone who was affiliated with this enterprise knows that the parents of the girls end up buying the majority of boxes.

The list of cookies was obtained from the all knowing Wikipedia.

Thin Mints: Thin, mint-flavored chocolate wafers dipped in a chocolate coating.

Peanut Butter Sandwiches/Do-si-dos: Peanut butter filling sandwiched between crunchy oatmeal cookies.

Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs: Crispy vanilla cookies layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolate coating.

Shortbreads/Trefoils: A traditional shortbread cookie made in the shape of the Girl Scout trefoil logo.

Samoas are also called Caramel deLites.Caramel DeLites/Samoas: Vanilla cookies coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut and laced with chocolate stripes.

All Abouts/Animal Treasures/Thanks-A-Lot: Shortbread cookies dipped in fudge and topped with an embossed thank-you message in one of five languages, including English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Swahili.

Lemon Chalet Cremes: Cinnamon sandwich cookies with lemon creme filling.

Cinna-spins: Introduced in 2008 by ABC Bakers, Cinna-spins are cinnamon-flavored cookies that come in 100-calorie packs. Cinna-spins are shaped like miniature cinnamon rolls. Retired and replaced by Daisy Go Rounds.

Daisy Go Rounds: Very similar to Cinna-spins, this cookie replaced them for the 2009 sale. They are advertised as low fat and also come in 100 calorie packs. They are cinnamon flavored and shaped like daisies. These cookies are only available from ABC Bakers.

Sugar Free Chocolate Chips: Introduced in 2008, they are small sugar free cookies.

Dulce De Leche: Introduced in 2009, these are Latin caramel cookies.

Lemonades: Round shortbread cookie with lemon icing.

Do any of these sound like the English type biscuit?

Frances Garrison

Obama Declares National Emergency

infolution — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:57:35 +0000

Obama Has Declared National Emergency Over Swine Flu

Kurt Nimmo
Prison Planet.com
October 24, 2009

Obama has declared a 2009 H1N1 swine flu national emergency. It is not clear if this declaration falls under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601–1651). The act is not mentioned in media reports.

The National Emergencies Act was passed in 1976. It has been extended six times. In 2007, the declaration was strengthened with the issuance of National Security Presidential Directive 51 (NSPD-51) which gave the president the authority to do whatever he deems necessary in a vaguely defined “catastrophic emergency” including everything from canceling elections to suspending the Constitution.

NSPD-51 (National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive) is unconstitutional. It was created on May 4, 2007, as a “presidential directive” (bypassing Congress) and signed by George W. Bush. It claims the power to execute procedures for continuity of the federal government in the event of a “catastrophic emergency.” Such an emergency is construed as “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.”

In other words, it is a martial law directive. On May 10, 2007, The Washington Post characterized NSPD-51 is a “shadow government” directive.

The John Warner National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2007 states that the military may be used during a “national emergency.” Sec 1076 is extremely explicit, notes Michel Chossudovsky, and “virtually creates a Pinochet style environment for the mass arrest of political dissidents without trial, the storming of public rallies, etc.”

NDAA specifically mentions “epidemic” as an excuse to declare martial law.

Prior to Warner and NSPD-51, legislation passed by the Clinton administration allowed the military to intervene in judicial and civilian law enforcement activities. In 1996, legislation was passed which allowed the military to intervene in the case of a national emergency. In 1999, Clinton’s Defense Authorization Act (DAA) extended those powers (under the 1996 legislation) by creating an “exception” to the Posse Comitatus Act, which permits the military to be involved in civilian affairs “regardless of whether there is an emergency,” according to Chossudovsky.

In 2005, a month after Hurricane Rita, a so-called bird flu “crisis” was hyped by the government and the corporate media. “I am concerned about avian flu. I’m concerned about what an avian flu outbreak could mean for the United States and the world… I have thought through the scenarios of what an avian flu outbreak could mean,” Bush declared at the time. “One option is the use of a military that’s able to plan and move. So that’s why I put it on the table. I think it’s an important debate for Congress to have” (emphasis added).

Bush’s directive, signed two years later, did not bother to involve Congress in the “debate.”

Obama’s declaration of a national emergency sets the stage for forced vaccination and internment of people who refuse to be vaccinated.

In January, the National Emergency Centers Establishment Act (HR 645) was introduced in Congress. It calls for the establishment of six national emergency centers in major regions in the US to be located on existing military installations to be used to quarantine people in the case of a public health emergency or forced vaccination program. HR 645 remains in committee.

Read Full Article Here

President Obama declares national emergency over swine flu pandemic, but why?

Mike Adams
NaturalNews
October 24, 2009

According to the CDC, swine flu infections have already peaked, and the pandemic is on its way out. Peak infection time was the middle of October, where one in five U.S. children experienced the flu, says the CDC. Out of nearly 14,000 suspected flu cases tested during the week ending on October 10, 2009, 99.6% of those were influenza A, and the vast majority of those were confirmed as H1N1 swine flu infections. (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/)

Your rights as an American are no longer recognized under this national emergency declaration.

Even though the H1N1 pandemic appears to have peaked out, U.S. President Barack Obama has now declared a national emergency over swine flu infections. The reasoning behind such a declaration? According to the White House, it’s designed to “allow hospitals to better handle the surge in patients” by allowing them to bypass certain federal laws.

Emergency powers trump the Bill of Rights

That’s the public explanation for this, but the real agenda behind this declaration may be far more sinister. Declaring a national emergency immediately gives federal authorities dangerous new powers that can now be enforced at gunpoint, including:

• The power to force mandatory swine flu vaccinations on the entire population.

• The power to arrest, quarantine or “involuntarily transport” anyone who refuses a swine flu vaccination.

• The power to quarantine an entire city and halt all travel in or out of that city.

• The power to enter any home or office without a search warrant and order the destruction of any belongings or structures deemed to be a threat to public health.

• The effective nullification of the Bill of Rights. Your right to due process, to being safe from government search and seizure, and to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination are all null and void under a Presidential declaration of a national emergency.

None of this means that federal agents are going to march door to door arresting people at gunpoint if they refuse the vaccine, but they could if they wanted to. Your rights as an American are no longer recognized under this national emergency declaration.

What emergency?

The declaration of this national emergency seems suspicious from the start. Where’s the emergency? The number of people killed by swine flu in the United States is far smaller than the number of people killed each year from seasonal flu, according to CDC statistics. People obviously aren’t dropping dead by the millions from H1N1 influenza. Most people are just getting mild flu symptoms and a few days later they’re fine.

So where’s the emergency?

The only emergency I can see is the emergency fabricated by Big Pharma to sell more vaccines. By declaring a national emergency over the H1N1 pandemic, Obama is playing right into their hands.

I find the timing of all this curious. Two days ago, New York gave up on its efforts to require mandatory vaccinations of health care workers. This was designed to defuse a large number of planned protests from health freedom-conscious people who don’t want government-mandated chemicals pumped into their veins.

The planned protests in New York would have fueled yet more resistance among health care workers across the country, and had it been allowed to continue, it could have resulted in a huge nationwide backlash against swine flu vaccines. By backing off the vaccine mandate and blaming it on a vaccine shortage (http://www.naturalnews.com/027313_N…), and then having Obama declare a national emergency, our state and national leaders have halted the protests and put in place a pro-vaccine Big Brother mandate that can be enforced at gunpoint.

Big Pharma must be pleased with all this. With these emergency powers in place, all that’s necessary to force vaccinations upon the entire population is a larger supply of the vaccines — and that’s coming in November.

Prediction: Barack Obama will order Martial Law during the economic depression

Multimedia retail : instore-mogelijkheden voor de merken, conclusies en denkpistes

shopfloorbelgium — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:35:13 +0000

De verkoop van multimediaproducten en consumer electronics is de afgelopen jaren exponentieel gestegen. Tegelijkertijd vonden enkel ingrijpende veranderingen plaats in de retailomgeving: nieuwe retailers, nieuwe winkelconcepten, meer concurrentie…

Hoe selecteren de consumenten in deze context hun winkels, hoe selecteren ze een product en wanneer en waar nemen ze de beslissing om een product te kopen?

We weten allemaal dat een niet te verwaarlozen deel van de aankoopbeslissingen in de winkel genomen wordt. Wat moeten we dan onthouden van de instore-realiteit? Wat kunnen we leren uit ons onderzoek? Wat zijn de denkpistes voor de toekomst? Zijn er nog instore-mogelijkheden voor de merken?

Wat vindt u in het rapport?

5 categorieën werden onderzocht: Tv/hifi/video – pc, notebook, laptop – mobiele telefoons – portable media (Mp3, iPod …) – digitale fototoestellen
winkelpunten van 13 keten werden bezocht

1. Omgeving en key players

Bron = web & desk research

Voorstelling van de voornaamste spelers
Evolutie van de verkoop per productcategorie
Evolutie van de reclamedruk van de folders per productcategorie en retailer
Voorstel voor de positionering van de winkelketens volgens 4 pijlers

2. Het shopping-proces

Bron = (consumentenpanel : 500 bevraagde personen)

Aankoopfrequentie per categorie
Geconsulteerde informatiebronnen voorafgaand aan het winkelbezoek
Criteria voor de winkelkeuze
Gemiddelde verplaatsingstijd naar een winkel
Wijze van verplaatsing naar een winkel
Spontane preselectie van de retailers tijdens de planningsfase van een bezoek
Beeldvorming van de ketens volgens 12 vooropgestelde criteria
Samenstelling van het shopping-team
Percentage van de aankoopintentie
Reden van een bezoek zonder aankoopintentie
Mate waarin hulp gevraagd wordt aan het winkelpersoneel
Aantal shopping-trips zonder uiteindelijke aankoop
Reden waarom er niet gekocht wordt
Mate waarin aankopen vooraf bepaald of impulsief aangeschaft worden
Zichtbaarheid van de reclamemiddelen in de winkels
Invloed van de instore-reclamemiddelen op het aankoopgedrag

3. Instore-waarnemingen, conclusies en denkpistes voor een optimale samenwerking tussen retailer, merk en winkel

Bron = store check + foto’s met toestemming gemaakt in de winkel

Winkelingang
De reclameruimtes en winkelgangen
De packaging
Category management
Cross selling
Uitvoering op het terrein …

Hoe kunt u de resultaten verkrijgen?

Light: Presentatie van een synthese van de resultaten (+/- 2 uur) voor uw teams. Presentatie in het NL of FR.

Full: schriftelijk rapport – 40 blz. – enkel verkrijgbaar in het Frans.

Vincent De Coster

http://www.linkedin.com/in/retailtrendwatching

+32 475 86 50 34

Multimédia retail : opportunités in-store pour les marques, conclusions et pistes de réflexion

shopfloorbelgium — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:22:50 +0000

Les ventes de produits multimédia/consumer electronics ont explosé ces dernières années. Dans le même temps, l’environnement retail a connu des bouleversements : nouveaux retailers, nouveaux concepts de magasins, élargissement de la concurrence …

Comment, dans ce contexte, les consommateurs abordent-ils le processus de sélection de leurs magasins, ainsi que les processus de sélection et de décision d’achat d’un produit ?

Enfin, sachant qu’il est acquis qu’une partie non-négligeable des décisions d’achat se prend en point de vente, que retenir de la réalité in-store ? Quels enseignements tirer des observations ? Quelles pistes de réflexion pour le futur ? Reste-t-il des opportunités in-store pour les marques ?

Que trouverez-vous dans le rapport ?

5 catégories screenées : Tv/hi-fi/vidéo – pc, notebook, laptop - téléphonie mobile – portable media (Mp3, IPod …) – appareils photos numériques
Magasins de 13 retailers visités

1. Environnement et key players

Source = web & desk research

Présentations des acteurs clefs
Evolution des ventes par catégories de produits
Evolution de la pression promotionnelle folder par catégorie et par retailer
Proposition de positionnement des enseignes selon 4 axes

2. Processus de shopping

Source = (panel consommateur : 500 personnes interrogées)

Fréquence d’achat par catégorie
Sources d’informations consultées avant la visite d’un magasin
Critères de choix d’un magasin
Temps de déplacement moyen vers un magasin
Modalités de déplacement vers un magasin
Présélection spontanée des retailers en phase de planification d’une visite
Perception des enseignes selon 12 critères suggérés
Composition du shopping team
Pourcentage d’intention d’achat
Raison d’une visite sans intention d’achat
Pourcentage de demande d’aide au personnel du magasin
Pourcentage de shopping trips qui se terminent sans achat
Raison d’abandon du processus d’achat
Degré de prédéfinition ou d’impulsivité des achats, par catégorie
Visibilité des supports de communication in-store
Impact des supports de communication in-store sur le comportement d’achat

3. Observations in-store, conclusions et pistes de réflexions, pour une optimisation de la collaboration retailler – marque – magasin

Source = store check + photos prises en magasin avec autorisation

L’entrée du magasin
Les zones promo et les allées magasin
Le Category management
Le packaging
Le cross selling
La Field execution …

Comment accéder aux résultats ?

Light : présentation synthétique des résultats (+/- 2 heures) devant vos équipes. Présentation FR ou NL.

Full: rapport écrit – 40 pages – uniquement disponible en FR.

Plus d’infos ? Mail ou téléphone

Vincent De Coster

http://www.linkedin.com/in/retailtrendwatching

+32 475 86 50 34

Champion : un folder un peu fourre-tout ?

shopfloorbelgium — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:24 +0000

La seconde semaine du mois de septembre, j’ai reçu comme toutes les semaines un des e-mail promo de la part de Champion. Comme d’habitude il y est question de produit frais et ultra frais. On connaît l’importance de ces catégories pour des supermarchés qui misent sur le sentiment de proximité avec ses clients.

En en-tête de mail, on me propose de consulter le folder de la semaine, ce que je fais. Et là, étonnement!

La première page, fait le lien avec les articles déjà mis en avant dans l’e-mail. C’est bon pour la cohérence. La 1e de couverture affiche un logo « C’est du Belge » et laisse entrevoir une sélection de produits bien de chez nous dans les pages qui suivent.

Et c’est la cas jusqu’en page 5. Un nombre appréciable de produits affichent d’ailleurs ce même logo.

Ensuite, sans que cela soit trop étonnant, on bascule vers des marques nationales fmcg sur les catégories épicerie, surgelés, PLS et DPH…. Difficile d’y attendre une majorité de produits de chez nous.

Jusqu’à la page 14, où ce sont les bières qui sont mises en avant. Grimbergen, Stella, Maes et Maredsous ne sont-elles pas des bières belges ? C’est n’est en tout cas pas mentionné.

Et j’arrive tout doucement à la fin, la page 19 et le début des offres « Saveurs du sud » qui proposent un aperçu des produits du pourtour méditerranéen.

En conclusion, je m’interroge sur la cohérence et la structure de ce folder. Le consommateur ne risque-t-il pas en définitive de ne plus faire la différence entre un folder concurrent, qui ne mettrait pas l’accent sur un thème précis, et ce folder Champion qui aborde 2 thématiques centrales, mais pas nécessairement complémentaires.

Champion et les marques présentes dans ce folder on-ils pu exploiter les rôles de trafic builder et de dynamisateur de volumes au maximum ?

Bref, alors que l’on connaît la place encore importante qu’occupe le folder dans les dispositifs de trafic building des retailers, je me pose deux questions :

N’y a-t-il pas, d’une manière générale, des opportunités de clarification des thématiques promotionnelles communiquées dans les boîtes aux lettres ?
Les folders restent majoritairement limité à un mise en page de prix promo accolés à de « petites » photos illustrant des produits. Ne serait-il pas opportun de permettre aux marques fortes d’y insérer des visuels qui allient à la fois l’exploitation de leur image et leur offre promotionnelle. Les magazines féminins sont remplis d’insertions de ce type.

Pour recevoir le folder en pdf (version FR) envoyez-moi un mail

Vincent De Coster

http://www.linkedin.com/in/retailtrendwatching

http://www.facebook.com/vincent.decoster

Knock, Knock....

Jim Reeves — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:48:26 +0000

Boy, did I miss a golden opportunity recently! A couple of Saturdays ago, mid afternoon, my doorbell rang. When I opened the door, there were two people standing on my porch, holding a book that looked suspiciously like a Bible, and some pamphlets. Immediately starting their little speech about having something they wanted to share with me about God’s love (or some such usual script – I really didn’t pay attention to exactly what they said), they wanted to give me one of their flyers.

The two were hispanic, one a middle aged man, the other a boy in his mid-teens. The older man let the boy do most of the talking, most likely training him to go out and spread the good word. I asked which church they represented, they replied “Jehovah’s Witness”. I told them “thank you, but I’m not interested”. They immediately said thank you, wished me a good day, and turned and left. I closed the door and was walking back down the hall to my bedroom, when it hit me… I had just missed an excellent opportunity! Usually they catch me when I’m still in bed asleep, and by the time I get to the door they’re gone. If they wait long enough, I drag myself to the door and tell them in a groggy voice that I’m not interested and close the door. This event reminded me of one years ago, when I did engage a woman in a discussion, and had her trembling with nervousness at having actually found an atheist!

It was in the mid 70’s, and I was still living at home. I was alone on this particular Saturday afternoon, when the doorbell rang. There on the front porch was what at the time seemed like an older lady to me (she was probably in her mid 30’s, but I was still a teenager, so what can you say?), nicely dressed in a conservative woman’s style, holding her bible and pamphlets. I don’t recall exactly how the conversation went, but at some point early on I told her I was an atheist. She was a bit dumbfounded, I think, and at first didn’t seem to know what to say! After a few seconds, she jumped in and gave it her best shot anyway. She tried the ever popular (at least in my experience at the time) “you look too intelligent not to believe in God”, and “the evidence is all around you!” Of course, I asked her what evidence she meant, and got the traditional “everything in nature around you routine”. As our conversation progressed, I noticed that she was trembling! This was quiet the revelation to me, as I had never caused that to happen in my entire life! Well, maybe once or twice, and the person trembling on those occasions was a parent, and it was with a very different emotion, I’m sure.

Anyway, back to our nice lady. She’s there on the porch, trembling, and doing her very best. I got the whole line about my truck, parked at the curb in front of the house, couldn’t have just come together from a hodge podge of parts, there had to be a designer and builder, and that life was just too complex to happen accidentally. Not being as well read as I am now, or as self-confident, I really couldn’t successfully counter her remarks, not that it would have done any good, anyway. She made some comment about Satan, and I told her I didn’t believe in him, either! She was a bit shocked by that one, too. I wonder if she realized that by not believing in God, that automatically means one does not believe in the Devil. She stood her ground for a good 20 or 30 minutes, before deciding she needed to get on to the next house. She left her printed materials, wished me a good day, and left, still trembling. I’m sure that must have been because she had finally come across a self proclaimed atheist! I wonder if she ever met anyone else who was so deeply in Satan’s grip?

The next bunch that come to my door are going to get a good talking to! I hope they’re cute Mormon boys! (See the movie “Latter Days”. It’s a good one) They may do more than tremble when they find out I’m both an atheist, AND gay! That would be a great double feature for their Saturday…

How NOT to Evangelize

Jason — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:53:36 +0000

Some friends and I have gotten together and formed a small video group called, Agathos Entertainment.

Agathos is a greek word for “good” and thats the kind of stuff we want to make.

Josh got a new camera a few weeks ago and we are messing around with some better sound mics.

Let me know what you think:

And if you want to subscribe to the channel. We thank you for the support.

Glasgow Door To Door Leaflet Delivery

menudelivery — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:28:49 +0000

Door To Door leaflet delivery is the ideal way to promote any business in the Glasgow area. The problem with leaflet delivery is the industry has a number of cowboy opperaters who offer cheap prices but poor quality serive.

One company which is working hard to change peoples opinion of the leaflet delivery market is Letterbox Unlimited who are one of Scotlands fastest growing leaflet distribution companies.

Z-Letterbox Distribution (www.z-letterbox.com )

zletterbox — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:03:33 +0000

Gazeta “www.z-letterbox.com” jest bezpłatnym (systemem ulotek) biuletynem regionalnym wydawanym w paśmie Beskidu Slaskiego.

Zawartość tematyczna: Główny content to materiały informacyjno-reklamowe, wsparte blokiem aktualnych wydarzeń z regionu oraz cyklicznymi działami tematycznymi: Kultura, Prawo&Finanse Nieruchomości, Dom&Wnętrze, Auto-Moto, Praca, Sport.

Zasięg : Gazeta obejmuje swoim zasięgiem do 13 miejscowości:

Bielsko-Biala, Żywiec, Wisla, Szczyrk, Kety, Sucha Beskidzka, Buczkowice, Rybarzowice, Jelesnia, Jelesnia, Czechowice-Dziedzice, Bierna,Wilkowice-Bystra.

Dystrybucja: System kolportażu oparty jest na stałych miejscach dystrybucji oraz systemie door-to-door (bezpośrednio do miejsca zamieszkania czytelnika).

Do stałych miejsc dystrybucji należą min.: miejsca użyteczności publicznej (urzędy, starostwa powiatowe, szpitale), hipermarkety i supermarkety ( Carrefour Express, TESCO, CASTORAMA,MEDIAMARKT), sieci sklepów samoobsługowych (min. Żabka, Biedronka), kluby fitness (min. Galeria Fitness), szkoły wyższe (WSKFiT), środki komunikacji miejskiej (WKD, SKM, autobusy WNUK) oraz w szereg mniejszych punktów handlowo-usługowych.

Nakład: Nakład gazety wynosi 3.000 egzemplarzy.

Profil czytelnika: Nie jesteśmy gazetą czytaną przez wszystkich – wiemy kim jest nasz czytelnik i jak do niego dotrzeć. Szczegółowe informacje o grupie docelowej dostępne w Biurze Reklamy tel.mob. 794-510-994 lub pod adresem mailowym

(z-letterbox.com) ENGLISH INFO

zletterbox — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:55:54 +0000

About the Company

z-Letterbox.com Distribution was set up in 2007 by Kacper Stec, who, with over five years of experience in the industry, saw the need for a more accountable door to door service for Poland and the Home Counties

We specialise in targeted door to door distribution and believe the key to a successful campaign is to ensure that the client understands the limits of this method of advertising and that we understand what response the client is expecting, or requires, from the distribution before commencement.

It is from this perspective that we can achieve the aims of the client, and retain a strong future working relationship.

Reliable service
Reliable service We are able to distribute leaflets, samples, newspapers and magazines within London and the Home Counties, using adult staff working out of Satellite tracked vans. We currently distribute up to three million items per week either solus or on a shareplan for existing clients and welcome the opportunity to quote on your requirements.

Company Structure Five Account Handlers
Two Sales Managers
Four Area Managers
Forty one driver/supervisors
Two hundred adult distributors
Design team
Printers and Print finishers
Warehouse and Stock control Manager

Graphic design

Our Design team offers the complete creative package…
…from basic design and artwork through to more creative projects involving corporate branding and advertising campaigns, and can be utilized separately or as part of a design, print and distribution package.
Printing

With both two and five colour Heidelberg presses …
…we are able to offer quality printing at a realistic price which completes the service and offers you the one-shop service which makes us truly ‘from the idea to the door’ in distribution. However if you wish to utilize our printing for business cards, letterheads or corporate brochures we can normally return a quote within the hour.

Corporate Prayer

hispeople — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:51:28 +0000

Pray that the Chick comics which were dropped in everyone’s door in Cowley, West London would bear fruit, and would not be like the seed on the wayside. Pray that one person would call upon the name of the Lord, and surrender to God. Pray that people would come together to God. Pray that His People graduates from all over the world would come to this website and be a part of this ministry.

Door to Door...

naikuu — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:28:30 +0000

After two and a half long months of applying for jobs with absolutely no interviews – make that, withouth even any word back from the places I’ve applied – I finally got a job. It’s far from glorious – it’s something I wouldn’t have seen myself doing, yet it makes perfect sense at the same time considering my summer Evangelism program and the door to door witnessing we did on occasion.

I’ve been going since last Wednesday – not very long, but enough to get a good perception of what it’s like. It is far from easy! But it is good – my job gives me freedom to witness to people, to interact with people, to just get to know people. I can go as fast or as slow as I want to, it’s up to me. I do have people who I report to, but they are very laid back and they are doing the same thing I am.

Tonight, I got invited in to join a lovely couple for dinner, and just got to know them over delicious home-made-from-scratch beef stroganoff and Dr. Pepper. Mmm! It was wonderful to just get to know people and share a bit of my life with them and hear a bit of their own – and make money doing it! Plus, with every door answered, the fear of man is broken off of me more – and yet I see it on others so strongly. So often I am met with skeptical looks at the door, and I have to break off the idea that I am trying to rip people off or scam them. I don’t entirely blame them.

Let me explain. My job is door to door sales, in essence. But we’re not selling for company profits. We’re working to raise money to help children from around the state who have been in accidents – helping their families with medical bills and helping the children have normal lives. Right now we’re raising money to get a Locks of Love wig for a little girl who was attacked by a cougar in East Texas. Skepticism is understood, but in the midst of the generousity of so many people who don’t have much to give, the skepticism can be frustrating particularly because of who it is coming from. Those who very apparently aren’t as well off are the ones who are typically the most welcoming and giving. It’s often the ones who are quite apparently more well-off that are the ones who are quickest to tell you all the reasons they cannot and will not help.

It’s just been quite interesting! I’m truly enjoying this experience, I believe that there are many character-forming things that can be gained from this if one allows it to happen. I recommend a person try door-to-door sales at least once in their life. It’s one of those things that just teaches you a new way to live. If nothing else it’s teaching me to relate to people quickly and freely! You HAVE to be yourself in this. You have to just let yourself be yourself and not let the demeanor of the people you’re talking to upset you. If you are yourself, they can tell. If you’re not, they can tell even more. If you’re yourself, they will be themselves and stop hiding behind their security doors. When I am myself, I get invited in to join dinner. The other day someone gave me an umbrella. People have been so sweet.

This job is one of the hardest, yet one of the most rewarding I’ve ever had!

And I’m getting great exercise. Word.

p.s. I don’t know if I wrote on it, but my computer recently decided that it would be great for the hard drive to have a head crash so I’m currently sans-Macbook whilst hitting the streets and earning a living, but once I get this down steady and start getting paid and pay off a few people who have helped me out during the job search, fix my balding tires, and get myself a bridesmaid dress for a wedding I’m in, as well as get some savings to pay rent… sometime, eventually, I will be buying a new hard drive and hope to get some creative things up – artwork, and hoping to record some original music and get that up as well!!! If you’re reading, pray for me – pray for favor while I am going door to door, and pray for the Lord’s provision for my every need (and more friendly families that will invite me in to dine with them!)

NIPSCO contractors in area

southbendpolice — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:56:21 +0000

Often we get calls about local “suspicious persons” in residential neighborhoods, who are going door to door. Residents are often right in being skeptical of possible scams and bogus services that are offered by door to door merchants.

In this case, we have a legitimate one to pass along that is in the area. We received an email this week advising South Bend Police of the following:

To: South Bend Police Department

This email is to advise you that we have installers in the South Bend area contacting qualified apartment dwellers and mobile home residents. Our purpose is to install FREE water saving products into their homes through a rebate from NIPSCO.

The cars that they are driving have signs on them that state: “WES (Water and Energy Solutions, Inc.) Utility Installer 1-866-611-5404.” They also have badges that state they are NIPSCO contractors.

Our purpose for this email to inform you of our presence in your city. We want to be able to work with the Police Department to get these products into qualified homes, which will save money for the dweller and the owner of the apartments and mobile homes.

Water and Energy Solutions Inc.
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
Toll Free: 1-866-611-5404

As always, if you are doubtful of persons going door to door and claiming to be from a utility and offering services, contact that utility company to verify they have persons or contracted agents in your area, before signing up for products or services.

Che ne pensi del venditore porta a porta?

frafalla — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:53:58 +0000

Questo post aspetta te per prendere forma.

Dì la tua…

Govt. Plans To Detain Mentally Ill During Swine Flu Outbreak

infolution — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:19:07 +0000

Govt. Plans To Detain Mentally Ill During Swine Flu Outbreak

Management In Practice
September 23, 2009

The government plans to rush through measures allowing people with suspected mental health issues to be quickly detained because of fears over staff shortages in any forthcoming swine flu outbreak, it has been revealed.

The temporary changes to the Mental Health Act, as laid out in an unusually short consultation lasting just one month, would mean it would only take one doctor, rather than two, to have a person sectioned and put on medication without their consent.

The measures could have a serious effect on the thousands of patients with psychiatric issues who currently live outside state care, meaning many could be detained against their will on the word of just one health professional.

With very little information on the proposed changes published, many mental health experts have warned the government that they risk side-lining an already vulnerable community and have called on it to spell-out the full raft of changes proposed in the consultation.

CDC Drafts “Isolation Order” for H1N1

Kurt Nimmo
Infowars
September 29, 2009

The following draft of an “isolation order” was discovered on the CDC’s website. It is a template for state and local officials to impose quarantines and what would effectively be martial law.

“Your illness [as determined by state and local officials] requires that you be isolated and requires further public health investigation and monitoring.”

Failure to obey will result in imprisonment without bail prior to trial and the possibility of a two year prison term.

In other words, according to this document, officials can impose quarantine without evidence that somebody is actually infected with a virus that is now negligible at best. It may also be used to quarantine potentially millions of people suffering from any number of illnesses — or not suffering from any disease at the discretion of the state — that have nothing to do with H1N1. It is basically a carte blanche for martial law under the cover of protecting the public from a communicable disease that is demonstrably a manufactured and weaponized threat.

Read Full Article Here

Folder et confusions entre les périodes promo

shopfloorbelgium — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:00:38 +0000

Les folders toutes-boîtes, j’en parlais dans le posting consacré à Makro et l’action sauvez la forêt. Son rôle de trafic builder et son efficacité sont à ce jour incontestables quoi qu’on en dise.

Mais attention aux consommateurs qui ont réagit au folder, qui se sont rendus dans un magasin à la recherche d’une promo, et qui au final ne l’on pas trouvée.

Le mois dernier, j’étais à l’accueil d’une grande surface dont je devais rencontrer le directeur et j’ai été témoin d’une situation cocasse. Un consommateur, après avoir consulté son ticket de caisse, se rend chez l’hôtesse d’accueil pensant que le prix qu’il a payé pour son bac de bière est plus cher que la promo qu’il avait vue dans le dernier folder de l’enseigne visitée.

En fait, il avait en main un folder qui couvrait différentes périodes promotionnelles, en fonction des catégories de produits concernées. Le consommateur a lu une date quelque part en pied de page dans son folder, sans se rendre compte que toutes les pages ne mentionnaient pas les mêmes périodes de validité promotionnelle.

L’hôtesse d’accueil attira son attention sur cette subtilité. Le consommateur, bon joueur, accepta de bon coeur. D’autant qu’il avait malgré tout l’impression que le prix scanné restait “inférieur au prix habituel”. S’en est suivi une délicieuse discussion sur les têtes de banc installée la veille du début d’une période promo et qui est déjà vide le matin même du lancement de la promo.

Bref, le folder a beau avoir un petit côté dépassé (un dépliant papier à l’heure du web), il reste efficace et il existe encore des possibilités d’optimisation à commencer par sa lisibilité.

Vincent De Coster

http://www.linkedin.com/in/retailtrendwatching

http://www.facebook.com/vincent.decoster