Business to Business
April, 2003
Check it once, check it twice and then, check it again! 
When you are spending time and money on advertising, be sure that the most important points are addressed. More Information is not better in advertising that really works. Simplicity and addressing the obvious is the key!
To prove to yourself what catches the eye, scan through a magazine, newspaper or note billboards along the roadway. What catches your interest?
Once you close the printed piece or arrive at home, which ads are still in your mind?
Some factors to consider are:
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Color… and this includes black and white.
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Emotion…fun, cute, comical.
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Simplicity with words.
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Clean and easy to read.
Include complete information for obtaining MORE information. Be sure to include your website address on every ad. Forgetting to ad it is like omitting your name or phone number!
Employer: "In this job we need someone who is responsible."
Applicant: "I'm the one you want. On my last job, every time anything went wrong, they said I was responsible."
In case you missed it, look at what Woodall's Campground Manager printed last month
about the new Traveling Trade Show ~
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AGS Internet Services Launches 'Virtual Trade Show' Website
Imagine Attending a Trade Show without
the Hotel Bill or Airport Security?
That's What AGS Invisions for its New Information Site.
A Washington company has launched the campground sector's first "online traveling trade show," a site at which Web-cruising campground operators can visit vendor booths, attend seminars and exchange self-help information, much like they would at a regular trade show.
While some state associations provide their members with vendor lists as well as the ability to participate in password-protected forums, www.travelingtradeshow.com is the first website that enables parks and participating suppliers to freely interact. "There hasn't been a forum like this for campground owners," Louise Rogers, co-owner of Port Angeles, Wash. Based AGS Internet Services (AGS), said of the new website, launched in late January. "This is something where everyone can get involved. It's an online brainstorming session."
Rogers, whose company hosts website for private campgrounds and the National Association of RV Parks and Campground (ARVC), got the idea for the traveling trade show website after participating in numerous informal discussions with park owners and suppliers at trade events across the country.
"I started thinking, if we could give them that (trade show) information on the Web, and let them brainstorm on the Web, it would be something that would benefit the whole campground industry," she said.
Additional trade show formats involving the bed & breakfast and hotel industries will soon be incorporated through the same website.
Participating vendors pay $300 a year to have a booth on the site, which includes a photo of their product as well as their logo, a brief description of their product or services, a link to their own website and their e-mail address. But anyone can participate in the online seminars by simply e-mailing questions and comments and watching the discussions unfold on their computer screen. The only restriction, Rogers emphasized, is that content must be relevant to the seminar's subject and focus on positive, constructive information.
"I don't want to get caught up in talking about a bad camper, a bad situation," she said. "If a traveler stumbles onto it, I want them to see the positive sides of this industry."
Among the seminar topics: campground hospitality, activity ideas and campsite phone service. "We will add new seminars as we go and archive the others so they are always available for reference to the parks," Rogers said. "This is a great draw to keep the parks returning to the site, especially if it's fun and interactive, colorful and fresh."
The website also offers a wealth of other information, including links to a directory of entertainers www.wecanentertain.com, a food court with an online cookbook www.chuckwagondiner.com and a kids play area that includes things to entertain kids while traveling www.kidstravelfun.com. The site also includes l inks to AGS's Business 2 Business and Traveling Scene newsletters. For more information, visit the website at www.travelingtradeshow.com - Brett Lynch
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Good customer service, we all know the importance AND we all know the result of bad customer service, but what about the middle ground? What message is sent to the customer, and how are they handled?
Let me share an observation I had while visiting a major tourism area, in their off season.
I went shopping at a local boutique shopping area. I tend to be a "wander and look" more than a "stop and buy" shopper, but no one in any of these shops was aware of this. In fact, I did buy some things, so in every shop except the first one, I had at least one bag.
Invariably I would wander into a shop and the person working was either on the phone, talking to another employee or restocking supplies - but NONE were even acknowledging myself, or anyone else in their stores, much less welcoming us.
The topper was the shop owner that was going from shop to shop talking to the other shop owners about how bad business is!
But wait .. business wasn't BAD, not until the shopper was ignored and treated this way. There were numerous folks wandering around like I was, but to hear someone who hadn't bothered to acknowledge us, berate business was not a good way to encourage me to spend my money there.
This doesn't mean that I expect folks to stop everything - unless they're whining about business, or chatting on the phone - obviously, I expect that they would stop this. This does mean, say "hello", smile, make eye contact .. ANYTHING!
I could have shopped anywhere .. I chose to shop in their stores .. I wanted some appreciation for the choice I made.
So, with your customer service: Are you thinking of the past, focused on the present, or concentrating on the future?
The past is gone. For the present, you may be closed, but soon, you'll be open - Be sure you sound as welcoming today as you will be Opening Day!
And remember, wherever folks go .. it's a choice .. it's either a choice to go to you .. or a choice to go somewhere else!
Roxi Baxley
Mission Statement
If you want to create direction and focus with your business….be sure you have a Mission…and make it a statement to grow by! Here is how to make it work~
Write a guiding statement right away
Follow through on your mission
Involve the employees
Select clients who share your values
Be committed to strategic planning
What is domain hosting and why do I need it?
Domain hosting has become a very common term used among the internet savvy.
Great. But what' does it mean?
Well let's break it down into the two words.
First Domain:
A domain name is a unique name that identifies an Internet site. The Internet is made up of millions of computers and networks, all with their own domain name or unique address.
Domain names have an extension such as .com, .net or .org. There are also other extensions available such as .info, .us, etc
When the Internet was young all the nerds got together and decided that every computer on the Internet had to have an address. Of course that makes sense, doesn't it? How else could we find each other? You don't expect the mailman to just know where everyone lives, he needs an address to deliver to, right?
The decision was to give every computer an IP number (Internet Protocol Number). This number consists of 4 parts separated by dots such as 123.45.67.89 or 12.345.678.910. 
But as the Internet grew it became obvious to some that there must be an easier way to find someone than trying to remember a 10 or 12 digit number. Ah... Domain Names were born! Could you imagine saying, "Just email me at louise@209.101.232.52?"
And the DNS was born! (Domain Name System)
Now that other word: Hosting
If everyone got together they could give names to each computer instead of a number. But someone has to keep track of what name goes with what IP number. The DNS keeps track of domain names. Everyone still has an IP number but the DNS automatically goes to that number when someone looks for your domain name.
Once the mailman knows your address, there has to be a mailbox (and home) for him to deliver to right? HOSTING a domain, is simply where is all that information that I want to find out about your website located at. All those HTML pages, CGI scripts, graphics and everything else needed for your site to make it look and operate the way it does.
Your host provider has servers that are constantly connecting to the internet at a very fast rate so when requests come in for your DOMAIN name that is HOSTED on their servers, they can retrieve that information and resend the data back out into cyberspace where your customer is waiting for it.
Troy Leach
Pet Accommodations
We are actively looking for businesses who make special accommodations for pets. The Fido Friendly magazine has teamed with www.TravelingPets.com. The last issue has a great 2 page article about the J&H RV Park in Flagstaff, Arizona which is great exposure and lots of fun. An upcoming issue will feature a park in California.
The publisher has asked us for input and suggestions for future stories so we need you to assist.
If your business makes pets and the person on the other end of the leash feel welcome, please let us know.
Thought to remember:
A boss with no humor is like a job that is no fun.
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