Putting the Thanks into Thanksgiving
Putting the Thanks into Thanksgiving As an American National holiday, Thanksgiving has root in the 1620’s beginning as a celebration in gratitude for a much needed harvest in combination with gratitude for much needed and recently acquired freedoms. Thanksgiving is meant to commemorate a life of opportunity and abundance. But, in reality, does thanks seem to be the focus of the day? Oftentimes Thanksgiving ends up being more about turkey, pie and side dishes—this year, let’s take on the “THANKS-giving challenge” and put the thanks back into Thanksgiving. Step one: Pick a...
Read MoreThanksgiving: A Great Time for Estate Planning
Thanksgiving: Time for Estate Planning With Thanksgiving and other end of the year holidays just around the corner, its prime time to get family together and prime time to get your family talking about estate planning. Yes, yes, we know that conversations about estate planning can be awkward but we know that the longterm benefit of having these talks far outweighs the uncomfortable feelings in the moment. Many people like to keep things close to the vest and don’t share their wishes and pertinent financial information with close family members. While we respect individual feelings and...
Read MoreSmall Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday Tips We all know the drill, it starts Thursday with the food. We stuff ourselves with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, pie…the list goes on. Yum! We rest it off (or walk it off hitting the early bird sales) then hit the ground running Friday and shop ’til we drop. Black Friday is known for offering some of the best prices of the year on a variety of items. You can get everything from TVs to shoes to DVDs on sale. Then comes the somewhat lesser known festivity, Small Business Saturday. With all the big box stores setting their prices at rock bottom...
Read MoreEstate Planning Fatigue
Estate Planning Fatigue According to a recent survey conducted by CNBC.com, more than one-third of high-net-worth families have not set up a basic estate plan to protect and provide for their loved ones when they die. The survey found that 38 percent of millionaires with investable assets of $1 million or more have not established an estate plan with the help of a financial expert. Millionaires with $5 million or more were more likely to have an established estate plan with 68 percent having one. The survey also found that Republicans were more likely to use a financial advisor to set up an...
Read MoreAmazing Customer Service
Amazing Customer Service Experience #1: After spending some time in the yard, my brother-in-law, father-in-law and I decided to head to Subway to get some lunch. My father-in-law was nice enough to foot the bill but unfortunately he’d forgotten his rewards card at home. The cashier told him not to worry and that he could get a new card, go online and merge it with the old one once we got back to the house. After 45 frustrating minutes of trying to get the two cards merged online, we gave up—I’m a tech savvy guy and I literally couldn’t figure it out. Contrast that to another...
Read MoreMobile Marketing for Small Business
Mobile Marketing for Small Business Successful mobile marketing is a delicate balancing act. It is easy to set up and automate but can quickly overwhelm and turn off customers if the messages are sent too often or with the wrong type of content. A recent Bloomberg Business article noted that most cell phone owners are willing to share their personal data with merchants if they will be getting things like coupons and discounts. The article also highlighted 6 mobile marketing tips, specifically for small business owners. 1. Focus on customers. Make sure that you play into how customers...
Read More