Yellow Dog Consulting

Sales & Marketing Consulting for solo-preneurs.

Tis the Season: 3 Holiday Questions for Your Business

by // Leave a Comment

IMG_2647This is your friendly reminder that the holiday season is here. I’m meeting with a few of my clients this week and on our agenda: The Holiday’s. Here’s a few questions we’ll be discussing:

  • Do you need to order Holiday cards to send out to clients and partners?

    • How many?
    • When will the list be done?
    • Who’s in charge of mailing the cards out?
    • When will this project be finished?

  • Are you sending out a Holiday eCard?

    • It’s cheaper and easier if you don’t have mailing addresses!
    • Do you need your graphic designer to whip up something for you?
    • Do you have all your contacts updated in your newsletter program?
    • Have you let your marketing consultant know you need help getting this taken care of (hint, hint…)

  • Holiday Gifts

    • Are you sending holiday gifts to your clients?
    • Are you doing a donation in their honor to an organization close to your heart or theirs?
    • When do the gifts need to be ordered?
    • When will they be delivered and who’s delivering the gifts?
    • Do you need to include a card?

Depending on your lists and client base you may be getting to the wire here. Take the next few days and make these lists and create your plan for the holiday’s. Keep in mind clients who don’t celebrate the same holiday’s as you – a nice Festivus pole could be a more welcome addition than a wreath this year.

And remember, a Happy New Year card in early January is always a good option too, especially depending on your target market!

How to Ask for a Favor

by // Leave a Comment

asking for a favor
Hank waiting patiently for his turn

A while back one of my favorite debate students texted me and asked if I’d be a reference for her. I said of course, just let me know so I make sure to answer calls in that area code (I don’t usually answer #’s I don’t know). She texted me that she had sent references, I got a call the next day, and over the weekend she texted me that she got the job! Hooray!
I love when people complete the circle. I do a lot of referrals and introductions to jobs and then never hear from them again. It’s frustrating.
The other day I got an email from someone I don’t recall meeting, who referred to me by a nickname for my name which I have never used (strike one). This person then commented that they love my blog and newsletter and in the same breathe asked how Hank was doing…So now you’re just lying to me. And of course a resume was attached asking if I could make an introduction to someone at a firm this person is interested in.
I’m sorry, but there are many strikes on this email before they ask for the favor!
I love helping people out and especially young professionals on the job hunt. BUT, please make sure to do your job and make it easy for me.

  • Remind me how we met
  • Use the name the person uses (if everything is signed Michael – then don’t use Mike – unless you’ve met and know for sure it’s Mike)
  • If you compliment something they do (ex: blog/newsletter) make sure you’ve read the most recent ones (both my newsletter and blog this past week mentioned Hank’s passing)

October Pop Culture Roundup

by // Leave a Comment

you should watch Fargo!Well, just like that it’s Halloween. How did this happen? I’ve been spending more time than usual watching TV this month, luckily it’s a good month to want to sit on the couch and be entertained! I actually didn’t finish reading anything this month, a new low I know, but I have a pile of comics and books to get through and hoping with more rainy weekends I’ll start reading more!

Here’s where my pop culture needs have been met this month…

Watching

The Martian – I LOVED this book and the movie did an awesome job at being faithful to the book and while I loved all the “science the shit out it” stuff in the book, I’m glad the movie found a way to not make it two hours of math. Read the book, see the movie, you’re welcome!

The Walking Dead – It’s back and it’s more action packed than ever! I’ve liked that each episode has been focused on one location or group of people. I do hope they are all back together at some point, but for now, I like that they aren’t trying to jump all over the place and instead just focus on one group at a time. Oh, and no question that (redacted) is dead. This isn’t Game of Thrones.

You’re the Worst – I loved this show last year and am loving it again this season. Finding out that Gretchen has depression and cries in her car at night was an interesting place to take the show and I’m really excited to see how they handle it. Plus, Edgar has a girlfriend and I love it!

Fargo – I dislike Kirsten Dunst a ton, but man alive do I love this season! The characters are great, and I am so excited to see where it goes and how the pieces come together. I can’t say enough good things about this show.

The Leftovers – I watched the season premier with my dad a couple weeks ago – he said that by the end of the episode he’d either be hooked again or done with the show. I agreed and by the end of the episode we were both hooked again. I like that they first episode focused on a whole new family and community – and I like that it’s a shorter season, I think it’s forcing them to not get too distracted by shiny objects.

Listening 

I just finished listening to WTF with James Taylor like many people my age I grew up listening to James Taylor, and credit Mockingbird with Carly Simon as one of my youngest musical memories. It was an interesting episode, he talked a lot about his addictions and being sober (like many WTF ep’s) and made me want to listen to James Taylor a lot more.

Nerdist had a great hostful episode where they talked about getting engaged and getting married that was very sweet. I also loved the interviews with Colin Hanks and Mark-Paul Gosslaar. And I listened to the episode with Kristen Dunst but I still don’t like her all that much. This week’s episode with the Hyper Loop guys was AWESOME – I can’t wait 30 years for it to finally be a reality!

One of my favorite podcasts The Hollywood Prospectus is no more and I am so sad. One of the two guys on the podcast left Grantland, so it’s over. Sad day. But Andy Greenwald did a great interview with Seth Meyers the other day that made me happy. Andy also recently interviewed the Editor in Chief at Marvel Comics which was awesome, and the President of AMC’s original programming which was a great conversation if you like AMC shows (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, stuff I like).

We’re going on a short trip to the beach next week so I’ll get caught up on more podcasts and maybe do some reading while I’m gone. I’ll definitely drink good beer though, don’t worry.