Recommendations Received (67)
"Highly Recommended!"
"Shelli & Nathan are 2 of the most welcoming and knowledgeable people in the area.
They are..."
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"Shelli & Nathan are 2 of the most welcoming and knowledgeable people in the area.
They are dedicated to serving the community."
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Now is the right time to support organizations doing good in your community. Donating to Woodstock Museum is fully-tax deductible, and a great way ...
Make a real difference in your community by volunteering with us. Woodstock Museum has opportunities for volunteers to contribute their time. Inter...
Recommendations Given (208)
"Amazing knowledge to broaden your view of our U.S. military is available when you visit Maryland..."
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"Amazing knowledge to broaden your view of our U.S. military is available when you visit Maryland Historical Society. Live and learn. You might even come with questions. "
"Are you a history buff? Plan a visit to Jefferson Historical Society as they introduce new ideas..."
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"Are you a history buff? Plan a visit to Jefferson Historical Society as they introduce new ideas to share local history. Live and learn. Ask about the choosing of the for this town. Live and learn. "
Recent Activity
What’s to compare this year to? We were closed for the last two years due to COVID. This is onward and upward.
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What’s to compare this year to? We were closed for the last two years due to COVID. This is onward and upward.
2 Replies
Uh, oh! Marketing challenges are so varied. I'm thinking more about my job running an advertising agency responsible for different clients as opposed to these days running the nonprofit, Woodstock Museum, Inc. that I founded.
Imagine what category you are marketing first, a product or a...
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Uh, oh! Marketing challenges are so varied. I'm thinking more about my job running an advertising agency responsible for different clients as opposed to these days running the nonprofit, Woodstock Museum, Inc. that I founded.
Imagine what category you are marketing first, a product or a service? That in itself is a marketing challenge. Is the product so unique people don't know if they really need it or whether or not it will work as described? Often you sell something like that through demonstration. How do you convince someone you can use a disc in a washing machine and never need soap again? That's just one example of a challenging demonstration. Even if you film it, people want to see the results in reality. Street vendors in China sold a remarkable product on the street that removed stains in a jiffy. Kind of like a soap you rub onto the product. I bought it. It worked amazingly well. Too bad, I can't buy it in the U.S. At least I couldn't locate it. And, to add to the complexity of marketing such a great product of which I really don't know about the toxicity was the salesperson was terrific doing the pitch. He was quick, self assured and convincing. In this scenario the marketing was a product and a service.
All marketing is challenging and finding solutions within your marketing budget is the greatest challenge of all. Think tanks who work on these solutions include a creative director, writers with a gift to say the most in few words, savvy PR experts who get you free advertising by finding an angle to tell your story, price for product and/ or service competitive or within the ballpark of the person or company its intended for, and some luck. In essence, a top notch team that offers several solutions and enough time to execute the marketing strategy has the right tools on hand to implement a successful marketing program.
When I needed a team for a client who didn't have a large budget I used top notch experts in their field choice picked freelancers from other advertising agencies. A way to go! Good luck. Have patience. Marketing is perseverance and experimentation based on educated guesses.
I wish I knew how expensive Workmen's Comp was. Initially I was "chief cook and bottle washer" and without salary. As I run the museum I'm still a volunteer and we don't have employees so there's no need for me to discuss the present situation. The past was a different situation. I ran a...
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I wish I knew how expensive Workmen's Comp was. Initially I was "chief cook and bottle washer" and without salary. As I run the museum I'm still a volunteer and we don't have employees so there's no need for me to discuss the present situation. The past was a different situation. I ran a greeting card business and produced sewing items. Many products were licensed to other companies and Workmen's Comp was not a consideration. When my company grew to many employees this cost was another matter. I organized the sewers and bought them sewing machines and essentially helped set up their own in house piecework businesses just to avoid this huge cost and actually put more money in their pockets. Small businesses can find Workmen's Comp cost to be challenging.
Every industry has a trade association. Every trade association is there to guide you. The questions you might ask are what publications serve your product industry, are there meetings coming up that you might get invited to before you join, learn about membership, are there any conventions...
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Every industry has a trade association. Every trade association is there to guide you. The questions you might ask are what publications serve your product industry, are there meetings coming up that you might get invited to before you join, learn about membership, are there any conventions coming up that serve your industry? This is just the beginning. When you learn about the magazines or newspapers serving your industry, call them and get a sample copy. See what people send in for press releases and what kinds of photos they print. Is it color and/or black and white. Do they accept digital text and images. It may be possible to locate these trade publications online. Send in your new product releases. Go into stores carrying similar products and ask to meet the buyers. Have them recommend representatives to carry your line. Learn about the trade building where your type of product is sold. There's the gift building, the toy building, the furniture building, clothing wholesale, lamps, etc. Using your business card walk through the trade building and look at what products are similar. Look for reps who don't carry the similar products but need yours to sell. Good luck!
An introvert doesn't all of a sudden become an extrovert. Sales people are most successful when they come across as truthful, not pushy and have a viable product or service that practically sells itself.
The importance of your question is how long your money situation will last while you are...
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An introvert doesn't all of a sudden become an extrovert. Sales people are most successful when they come across as truthful, not pushy and have a viable product or service that practically sells itself.
The importance of your question is how long your money situation will last while you are coping in a new field. My instinct says you need a salaried job. Commission sales are "iffy."
Jobs where your personality is already a natural fit are your best bet. People who take inventory for businesses, bookkeepers, accountants, postal and other delivery personnel come to mind as a good fit for you.
In a more public way but still not requiring much conversation are cashiers, stocking shelves for stores and loading equipment on trucks or in warehouses.
I'm happy you are seeking advice. That's a positive interaction that allows for growth. I wish you well.
I have trouble with buying a gift for a loved one via secrecy. I simply ask my partner what's on your wish list for a gift. We even might discuss the cost of a gift and whether or not that's a realistic expectation. Are we kidding ourselves by thinking we are mind readers?
Gifts purchased...
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I have trouble with buying a gift for a loved one via secrecy. I simply ask my partner what's on your wish list for a gift. We even might discuss the cost of a gift and whether or not that's a realistic expectation. Are we kidding ourselves by thinking we are mind readers?
Gifts purchased without real knowledge of knowing exactly what someone wants is deceiving the closeness of what makes clear communication between friends and partners perfect. I like perfect. I can't always achieve that but I can strive for it.
Do you know many gifts purchased Christmas time get returned? That's a ridiculous way to shop in my opinion.
The job market is always fierce. For seniors it's most challenging. Let's start with your pluses. Your resume must detail specific office skills that you deem high. That explains you know something other office workers are not necessarily offering. Be blunt, use your age and those unique skills...
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The job market is always fierce. For seniors it's most challenging. Let's start with your pluses. Your resume must detail specific office skills that you deem high. That explains you know something other office workers are not necessarily offering. Be blunt, use your age and those unique skills as an asset. Finding the the jobs means going to where they exist. A willingness to relocate could show you still have an adventurous nature and admirably express an interest that pleases employers. I did some research for you. According to Forbes (posted in 2014) the top ten cities for finding jobs in general are: 1) Scottsdale, Ariz. 2) Columbia, Md. 3) Orlando, Fl. 4) San Francsico, Ca. 5) Colorado Springs, Colo. 6) Portland, Maine 7) Plano, Texas 8) Washington, DC 9) Boston, Mass. 10) Chandler, Ariz. The U.S. cities with the highest blue collar wages (Think oil and gas mining, construction, waste handling, and manufacturing.Imagine yourself in an office situation where a spike in these types of jobs since 2010 hold promise for someone who is not usually hired because of age. You will be around young, physically strong workers who may look for a fatherly role model. If you're a woman you might project the modern, strong woman profile. Confidence is important. Stay humble. Be friendly. Best paying wages for the blue-collar worker could translate into higher wages for you as well. The following cities paid the most. 1) Houston, $102,726. 2) Oklahoma City, $68,526. 3) Detroit, $80,964. 4) Grand Rapids, $66,157. 5) Nashville, $64,217. Be creative and convincing that there's lots of spark. Send a flattering picture of yourself. There's no hiding the facts. Age discrimination exists. You don't need to waste your time hiding your age, being invited in for an interview only to be told the job has been filled. Instead rely on your creativity to think out of the box. Accentuate the positive. Good luck!
Woodstock Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)3 federal nonprofit educational institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. We are part of SUNY (State University of New York).
A nonprofit business is still a business. We need money to operate. We have free admission and accept donations....
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Woodstock Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)3 federal nonprofit educational institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. We are part of SUNY (State University of New York).
A nonprofit business is still a business. We need money to operate. We have free admission and accept donations. The public who visit the museum are under the impression we are well endowed with government grants. Hardly true.
We are all volunteers. Grant writers charge large sums of money to write grants in advance of possibly getting grants. Thus, we have no grant writers. No volunteer grant writers either. We operate solely on the power of the good. Volunteers are also hard to come by.
Interns do volunteer from time to time. They love residing with us at the museum and it's possible to get college credit. We work that out with their college or university professors.
The joke is how on earth do we run such an operation? Like a horticultural exhibit, or a zoo, we had the chutzpa to be chartered as a "living museum." We are hippies living the lifestyle of back to the garden.
We serve our tourists with exhibits and films that have captured the era of the sixties and engage in the "Woodstock Notion" as dinosaurs of that era. We are artists and filmmakers. The Woodstock Festival(s) is a small part of the generation that is still changing the world. Organic or else!
Please visit our website: www.WoodstockMuseum.org
Woodstock, the town, the festival(s) and the notion. Believe in peace and love. Welcome. Learn about Woodstock's sister city in Nimbin, Australia. Live sustainably. We are blessed. Help one another right now.
The hippies were right. Stand up for your rights. Legalize marijuana. Take the crime out of drugs. Question authority.
Protection of a name: Is your company incorporated? Are you using your own name? Did you come up with a simple DBA (doing business as) name under your own name to open a business and checking account, etc? Incorporation of a company offers the most protection for the company name. If you are an...
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Protection of a name: Is your company incorporated? Are you using your own name? Did you come up with a simple DBA (doing business as) name under your own name to open a business and checking account, etc? Incorporation of a company offers the most protection for the company name. If you are an individual owner you will own 100% of the shares in the corporation. You can fill out the paperwork yourself and pay a modest government filing fee. Or have a lawyer fill it out for an agreed price. The government requires filing a few names making sure it's not already used in your particular field of marketing. Originality is always best assurance of getting a name accepted. When you use the name (logo) in your advertising adding, " inc." after the name will have federal protection. Using your corporate name could be challenged. In most cases it will be declared illegal and they must cease and desist from using it. There are exceptions. The best names are original. If they continue to use your specific name take legal action. I would also suggest having a well designed logo become your corporate ID (identity). After the logo put a TM in large caps or small caps always used in a tiny point size but readable. That is your first introduction in print that this is now your trademark and is in public usage. Thus, it doesn't cost money. This is a twelve year legal protection. Later you apply to the government patent office for an official registration mark. Federal registration of your logo is costly. A capital R in a circle replaces the TM mark. An abbreviation appears after the logo, name or slogan in a much smaller type size than your regular lettering. There is no set typography size for it. You use the mark for protection and what works best in your advertising but it must always be smaller in size than the corporate ID. Another form of protection is copyright. Write you advertising copy as a brochure. Put a C in a circle following instructions in your print matter. Add pictures, etc. Pay the copyright fee to the Library of Congress. If a company copies your writing you can sue and collect fines. If you just print with copyright protection without filing you are protected differently. The cease and desist letter will stop them but you won't collect money. The most economical way to protect this is by writing up many marketing campaigns and produce it as a small book. Pictures and writing all get protected for the same small fee. You can file direct yourself. Or hire a lawyer with an agreed price. I pi hope this was helpful. I am not an attorney. I have done all these procedures myself and saved money. These days I also hire lawyers when I deem it necessary. Don't be afraid of asking government representatives to help you. They are there to help.
We are a seasonal business and we are closed this time of year. A "Small Business Saturday" promotion would not have any significance for tourists visiting Woodstock Museum. As an advertising agency owner, I'd like to share my thoughts.
This idea "Small Business Saturday" of discounting is not...
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We are a seasonal business and we are closed this time of year. A "Small Business Saturday" promotion would not have any significance for tourists visiting Woodstock Museum. As an advertising agency owner, I'd like to share my thoughts.
This idea "Small Business Saturday" of discounting is not yet a household term and frankly most people don't know about it. It could take years of promoting via the media before it would be effective driving traffic to stores. The usual shoppers would benefit by surprise and may become future advocates. By the way I never heard about "Small Business Saturday" until I read about this from you.
In Mexico, there are four days of discounts in every store that occur Mid November celebrating "Buen Fin". It occurs this year on Friday Nov. 16th and continues through Mon. Nov. 19th, 2018. The discounts are substantial. Customers wait for that promotion to buy appliances, electronics, housewares, etc. Stores run extra promotion give always when they offer store sweepstakes. It is a major event.
Thousands of dollars are spent during that time allowing customers to greatly benefit and enjoy a spectacular shopping spree. I go every year to look for my bargains. In the past, I've purchased a refrigerator, a deep chest freezer, crock pot, lamps, bathroom accents, etc. The discounts are usually a minimum of thirty percent off. Sometimes fifty percent off.
I recently noticed one department store trying an early discount idea do offering 15% off on electronics with five months to pay it off. I suppose they are trying to offer an incentive ahead of "Buen Fin". If the discounts are not substantial the consumer won't bite. An extraordinary discount must be at least thirty percent off and more to excite someone to shop for the wish list item.
