Cheap marketing is what everyone is looking for today and Chippewa Lake’s Lions Club is no exception. I am holding in my hand their flyer that I found by my mailbox last week. This enterprising group has combined creativity, resourcefulness and good old American ingenuity, to create Chippewa Lake’s 1st Annual Polar Bear Run and Jump (Jan. 29, 2011). This is a fundraising event to benefit two local groups that help feed the needy in our area, and to also raise funds for the Lions Club. Go to the  Chippewa Lakes Lions Club web site, you’ll learn that they help purchase eyeglasses, too. As a nearsighted graphic designer myself, I like that — who knew?

Recently some enterprising young boys have been coming to my door and asking to shovel the snow from the driveway. This is a first in my 12 years of living here. After I paid my most recent cold, red-cheeked laborer, my husband remarked to me that the driveway really didn’t have much snow to shovel this time. My response was that I had paid him for showing drive, initiative and having an entrepreneurial spirit, not for shoveling the snow.

Don’t let the daily news fool you, we’re not a nation of spoiled whiners and blamers who sit back in a paralyzed, apathetic stupor. We’re a nation of think outside the box doers. Chippewa Lake’s Lions Club can’t spend big money on marketing but that hasn’t stopped them. A good idea and a flyer, now a mention in a blog, who knows where it could lead? That’s exciting — that’s cheap marketing!!

As a Chippewa Lake resident and advertising professional, I salute and support my communities efforts in making a difference. I’ll pledge $25 to the first jumper to ask me to sponsor them (e-mail me) and I’ll also be in the crowd cheering them on as they take the plunge. I hope to see you there, too.

Levi’s has a cute, new, skinny jean that is sized to fit according to your shape using a system called Levi’s Curve ID. Their website does an excellent job of explaining how to find your Curve ID, while making it easy and simple to do. What I really, really, like about this website is that I was able to see several women of my same shape and size modeling the different styles of jeans. Funny how they all seemed a little heavier than how I see myself. Maybe my bathroom scale doesn’t need a new battery after all?

I’m getting a pair of these jeans as a gift from my hubby for my upcoming birthday. Guess we’ll be ordering from their website since the nearest store to us here in Ohio that carries them is in Michigan! There’s free shipping though, maybe I’ll get dinner and a movie, too.

Tell me ladies, do you help your man pick out your gifts or do you prefer to be surprised? Men, any thoughts on gift-giving?

How can you tell the difference? Ask to see samples of work created for businesses similar to yours. An advertising agency, design studio or professional freelancer will have a portfolio (either digital or traditional) full of successful promotions created for their clients. Your friend who teaches art, works real cheap, and knows how to use a Mac, will not.

My traditional portfolio is available by appointment and a digital version is available on my website.

I began to search my mind trying to remember hearing any news of a plastic bag shortage in the area, or maybe it was a “green thing” and they were cutting back on bags and no one told me… my mind continued to race as I looked to the long line of shoppers behind me for help.

The woman directly behind me tried to be helpful and suggested that the cashier ring me up twice. The cashier made some comment about loosing her job if she rang up the fish sticks. Now my confusion began to turn to embarrassment as I told the cashier the sign posted on the freezer door said $4.99 each and the only reason I was buying them was that I was saving $2.50 on each one. To which she responded, that yes, she was aware of that…

Now my embarrassment started to turn to anger and I told her to just keep them all and let me pay for my other items so I could leave. It was at this point the cashier showed me the stores current circular. The store was having a promotion called “Celebrate Frozen Food Month – 30% Off All the Frozen Items You Can Fit in the Bag!” Apparently I had already reached my “one bag” limit and the six boxes of fish sticks would not be eligible for the 30% off — hallelujah — now I knew what she was talking about.

This store had made the following four mistakes with their advertising promotion:

1. They assumed all customers would read their circular and also understand it.

2. The promotional artwork on the circular showed two large paper shopping bags with actual handles, not the much smaller plastic bag the store actually used.

3. The circular had no disclaimer copy explaining the promotion and it’s rules.

4. The store signage did not explain the “one bag” policy or the 30% off. They posted the reduced dollar amounts ($4.99) and the dollar savings amounts ($2.50), throughout the store, with no mention of it being 30% off or of purchase limits.

I wonder if this store realized that they were leaving themselves wide open for trouble?

When two large shopping bags were shown in the advertising, it implied that those were the type of bags that would be used. This could be seen as deceptive advertising. And it gets worse, because without disclaimer copy in the circular or proper store signage, and with the reduced dollar prices and dollar savings posted on the freezer doors, plus, no purchase limits, a customer could have tried to buy ALL of EACH item posted.

Depending on the customers determination and the store’s policies, this promotion could have resulted in a lawsuit or an out-of-court settlement. However, legal action of this sort is usually saved for the chain stores where an opportunistic shopper has much more to gain.

Now that spring is finally here I’ve taken a peek at the fall season’s color pallet. All that I can say is “move over spring and summer because fall is going to be gorgeous”. We’ll all want to include these trendy colors in our fall wardrobe, and of course, in any advertising and marketing promotions that are scheduled to release in the fall.

To help you do this I’d like to give you my “Top 10 Fashion Colors for Fall 2010″ bookmark. You can use it as a bookmark or take it along with you to the shopping mall to use as a guide. It even includes CMYK values for my graphic designer friends. Click here and download yours now.

I’ve met lots of great folks through social networks, people like Michael Albany, of Aston, Pennsylvania for example. He is a photographer and the owner of Michael Albany Photography. We didn’t actually met, we connected via LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking site. I was impressed by not only his corporate photography but something special that Michael does. He takes photos for the unemployed, those who need a professional photo for LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or other social media profiles and he does it for FREE! He says it’s just his way of giving back to the community. Learn more at www.michaelalbany.com/blog.

Another very talented individual, also on LinkedIn, told me that he had tried social networking and not seen any results. He said that he has an incredible portfolio, amazing website (take my word for it he REALLY does) and he is on Twitter. I have heard this complaint before and have even said it myself. What I know is that social networking isn’t something that happens overnight and that it is a process that involves a lot of time and dedication. I started my blog in March 2009 and since then have gotten on Twitter, created a Facebook fan page, held a contest and really, really worked on my LinkedIn profile. All this while continuing to work and care for my family. I have begun seeing results this month, results that I hope will continue to snowball throughout 2010. Wish me luck!

My New Year’s wish for YOU is that you take time to celebrate each and every day of 2010 —  CLICK HERE to download your 2010 Retail Promotional Calendar. Now you can celebrate National Karaoke Week, National Bathroom Reading Month and many more unique events.

Have a blessed New Year.

After doing some research, I discovered Wildfire Promotion Builder, an easy-to-use web application that allows designers to create interactive Facebook campaigns. To add to my excitement, I learned that it was much more than coupons—it was also contests and sweepstakes! My head began to spin…the more I learned, the more I had to have it, both to draw traffic to my Facebook fan page and to offer promotions via Facebook to my clients.

I signed up for the free version and installed it onto my fan page. Now I had it and victory was mine! What to do, what to do… I know—what better way to work out all the kinks than to take it for a test drive? Thus, the “Komjati Design FRESH CASH Giveway” was born.

Today is the third day of the sweepstakes and it has had a few touch-and-go moments. Moments that made me glad it was my own personal project. Like the first day when the Promotions tab completely disappeared from my fan page. I removed the Boxes tab, posted the promotion again and all was right in my world, whew!