Patriot Express: SBA Program Office

This isn't a sweeping indictment of any group of people. However, we do have a challenge and the opportunity for a solution exists.

Prior to and during 1964, we had African Americans who were active in the civil rights campaign. We had a group who nonviolently boycotted and marched for freedom. We also had a group who fought for our freedom by any means they thought necessary. Yet there were others who sat on the sidelines, in the safety of their homes and jobs, and simply watched.

D. Kyle Moffett

Full Article: http://www.usebobo.com/philosophy.asp

W. Lazone Grays has invited you to join IBSA's Ujamaa Business Group on Black Business Space!

Come join me on Ujamaa Business Group! Click here to join! About Ujamaa Business Group IBSA's Ujamaa Business Group is another step in creating a network for African and African American entrepreneurs & organizations; as well as friends to the cause of equal opportunity in employment and business. About Black Business Space BlackBusinessSpace.com is a growing commUNITY of business owners, entrepreneurs, professionals and consumers, looking to establish and maintain beneficial and rewarding networking and social relationships.

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FYI

Thought you'd like to check out the video Charter School, now playing on Brightcove.com.

Maurice R. Holman Academy of Excellence
Openhouse reception

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North East Business Association, Inc.

Produced By: No Limits Media Group

You offer a reliable, quality service. You know that if more people knew what you can do, you'd increase sales. So you advertise in the most likely media for potential clients to read about you. But there's no response. Why?

If this scenario is familiar to you there's a few likely causes. 1. Maybe your ad's aren't designed well - poor layout, inappropriate offer, etc. 2. Maybe you have selected the wrong media, placement or timing. 3. Maybe you shouldn't be advertising your services.

Now I know there's a lot to consider when writing advertisements - creating "killer headlines", long copy versus short copy arguments, using white space, etc - and I could give you some tips on how to buy media. But I'm not getting into that today. I'm going to talk about the third point - maybe you shouldn't advertise.

But wait! (I hear you ask)... Why shouldn't I advertise my business?

Put simply, some services are not suitable to be advertised in the usual fashion. Most advertising is to stimulate action, usually a purchase or decision to place an order. If you're selling a 'product' this is relatively easy to achieve. Customers know what they are buying. There's usually some sort of benchmark, or product criteria, customers use to judge whether your product will do what they want.

But when it comes to services, many potential customers (or clients - I use both terms interchangeably) may not be able to make the same sort of judgement. This is particularly the case for services where the specific outcome is hard to predict, or where there is a large degree of emotional involvement or risk in the customers decision making process.

Think about it this way. Services can be broadly classified under the following headings: People Processing (eg hairdresser, medical) Possession Processing (eg computer repairs, dog obedience training) Knowledge Processing (eg education, entertainment) Information Processing (eg accounting, investment advice)

Generally speaking, possession and people processing services are more tangible than knowledge or information processing. For possession and people processing services, clients can see/touch/feel the outcomes, and they may even be personally involved in the delivery of the actual service. Additionally, tangible services usually incorporate a higher level of personal contact (intensity or frequency) between the provider and the customer.

So, for more tangible services, clients often have more reference points on which to base a future purchase decision.

If your business provides services with less tangible, and more variable, outcomes then media advertising may not be the best answer for you. For your type of services customers will be very interested to understand 'how' you deliver your service and will need to develop a suitable degree of trust in you before they will make the decision to use your services. These criteria cannot be fully met through advertising alone.

So what should you do to get more business? Here are a few ideas: Perform your service to an excellent standard - surpassing mere customer satisfaction. Provide information to educate your potential clients. Develop sales processes that identify real problems you can solve. Make sure you address the true concerns and risks of your clients. Understand the clues customers use to decide whether they will use you. Create a network of related service providers who may refer prospects to you. Develop mutually beneficial joint-promotional activities with well-respected businesses in complementary fields.

Please don't misunderstand my message. Advertising can be very productive. If you can clearly state specific benefits (i.e. outcomes) and overcome the initial concerns of prospective clients, then advertising may work for you. That's why possession processing services such as lawn mowing can be easily advertised. For your average lawn the customer can recognise and understand what they are buying.

However, if your business provides relatively intangible services that deliver outcomes dependent upon a variety of factors, then media advertising should not be high on your list of marketing activities.

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About the Author: Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue.

One could argue that if those descendents of slaves were left to natures design, this could be a snapshot of them or their children. While African Americans continue to lag in jobs, descent health care,,,, we do happen to have Americanized spending habits and at best a lot better living conditions than many living in third-world countries. There is no happy fathers or mothers day. No labor or presidents day celebration. There's no festivals, banquets and parades. Yes, regardless of our condition in America we are blessed to not be subject to such extreme consequences due to international neglect by the most powerful nations on earth and those in which should note their connection to Africa. It's sort of twisted to call ourselves African American while doing nothing on our own to help elevate livelyhoods and hope on the continent of Africa.

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Have a close look at both the photographs & read the messages

below them. Forwarding this message won't fulfill a wish; nor will deleting it cause any misfortune; but hopefully it wil be a reminder of our moral duty to be concerned...towards humanity.

Kevin Carter



This was found in his diary ,

Dear God, I promise I will never waste my food no matter how bad it can taste and how full I may be. I pray that He will protect this little boy, guide and deliver him away from his misery. I pray that we will be more sensitive towards the world around us and not
be blinded by our own selfish nature and interests.
I hope this picture will always serve as a reminder to us that how fortunate we are and that we must never ever take things for granted.


Please don't break.. keep on forwarding to our friends on this good day.. Let's make a prayer for the suffering anywhere / any place around the globe and send this friendly reminder to others...when we complain about our food and consider the food we waste daily.........

Youth between 14-21 and living in Wyandotte, Leavenworth or Johnson counties that are looking for help completing their GED, H.S. Diploma or getting into college or technical school may be eligible for these and other services for free by Pyxis, Inc. Other free services include tutoring, help with employment skills, assistance in building a resume and help with finding a job.

If you know of youth in these counties that are homeless, a runaway, in foster care, pregnant or parenting, have dropped out of school, are disabled, are involved in the juvenile justice system or are unemployed/underemployed, refer them or their parents to the nearest Pyxis office.

To contact Pyxis call (913) 287-5033 Wyandotte, (913) 254-9624 Johnson, (913) 682-3088. Summer job opportunities may be past deadline but these services are primarily offered all-year-round to income eligible youth.

Services and wages are paid for with U.S. Dept. of Labor Workforce Investment Act funds and are available in all U.S. cities. To connect youth to these services contact your nearest workforce development/career center.