Great Newsletter – Cat’s Eye Marketing

Each week I get a few different online newsletters sent to me, but one in particular that I look forward to and actual find the information valuable and fresh is from Cat’s Eye Marketing.  Here is what this weeks newsletter was about -

5 Steps to Finding ‘Warm’ Prospects

1. Stay connected to your friends. Though you may be tempted to hunker down and spend every waking minute in your store or office, this is the wrong time to drop out of sight. Keep going to those lunches and networking meetings. My friend Dan McComb, founder of the phenomenally successful business networking site, biznik, calls it “the strength of weak connections.” Your friends won’t necessarily be your clients or customers, but they probably know people who could be.

2. Network with colleagues–yes, even your “competitors.” As a copywriter, I go out of my way to meet other writers. Not only do they prime the well of creativity and inspire me, but we actually look out for each other and refer specific jobs that come our way but don’t fit our individual niches.

You will have to sign up if you want to read on.  As they say, “leave them wanting more.”  I am interested in knowing what you think.  Are their newsletters that you enjoy?  Please share.

Time+Research = Savings

We live in a society of impulse. If we want it, we get it. But, with the economic downturn, it is time to change. Change, isn’t that a great word? It has a whole new meaning now. Sorry, that is for another day.

We all get the junk mail circulars each week, but how many of us actually sit down and look at them? Or the ads in the Sunday paper? If you just take a few minutes each week to plan your shopping needs, you could save 10, 20 maybe even 50% of the cost on groceries electronics and that impulse item you just “have to” have. When I know that I want something, the first thing I do is take it to the web. I often start with Amazon.com. I use it much like Google. I research the item. Have I picked the best make and model for the price point I am willing to pay. Then I do a broader web search and see which retailers are selling it. But, the trick with web shopping is shipping and handling, which is an additional cost I often do want to pay. So, once I decide on an item, I wait for the weekly ads. You would be surprised how often what you need will pop up in the weekly ad.  If my item is not on sale at a local store, I search the web to see if I can find a free shipping code.  As long as I can get what I want at a deal of a price, that is the bottom line.

When you are perusing the circulars, cut out the coupons. You might not need it today, but who knows what tomorrow might bring. Michaels Arts & Crafts offers a weekly 40% off an item coupon. That is a great one to keep in your purse. You can get gifts, office needs, candy, just about everything there. You never know when you might be in the area and want to stop in. Be prepared and save some cash. Macy’s is another great retailer that often has coupons that last upwards of 6 weeks.  Don’t leave your house without your coupons, they don’t work when they are lining your kitchen drawer.

Great Service You Might Not Know About

One of my clients turned me onto Jott.com. I find that my mind is the clearest when I am alone driving and that is when I think of items for my to do list. While it is difficult to “jott” the information down on my own, it is really easy to dial Jott.com’s customer service line and share my thoughts with them. They then turn my call into an email or text message sent directly to me or who ever I designate. This service is so quick and easy to use. Below is a quick description from their website.

Turn your words into action

Jott makes sure you stay on top of everything. With a simple phone call to 866-JOTT-123, you can capture notes, set reminders and calendar appointments, stay in touch with friends and family, and interact with your favorite web sites and services…all with your voice!

Simply call Jott and tell us where you want your message to go. We capture your voice, turn it into text, and send it to the destination you chose.

2009 Standard Mileage Rates

I know that everyone has a New Year’s resolution to stay on top of their expense reports. To keep you going, here is the updated IRS Standard Mileage Rate for 2009. This is a drop from the second half of 2008 by 3.5 cents.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2009, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

• 55 cents per mile for business miles driven
• 24 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

Money Saving Tip

I came across this great tip in the November 2008 issue of Good Housekeeping -

Before you shop online or head out to the mall, do a quick Google search for the merchant name plus “coupon” or “promo code” to find offers, discounts or free shipping.

Do you have corporate gifts to send out? Hate shopping? Let J2J Creative help you find just the right gift for your budget.

Happy New Year

J2J Creative would like to wish a happy and successful new year to everyone. 2008 was the beginning of a great adventure that will only continue on into 2009. As we all take those first few steps into the new year, why not begin it with The Blog.

The Blog, the simple and sweet name for our blog, is where we can share items with you that help us, as virtual assistants, perform our tasks more efficiently. These can be ideas, articles or tried and true methods from days gone by.

We look forward to your comments and hope you enjoy The Blog as much as we will enjoy writing it.