Things are Happening at SuccessCREEations

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This has been an exciting week for us here and it’s only Wednesday!

Yesterday we signed the incorporation papers so we are now officially SuccessCREEations, Inc.

We are working on an official logo to replace the lighthouse badges that I’ve been using on the site in places like the Business Blogging 101 series. The new favicon will give you a little hint of the direction we are going with this.

Then, once that’s finished we’ll be working on a complete overhaul to the site here.

With all that going on we are still serving our clients by building out sites and such.

One of my favorite current projects is the Savannah Dachshund Club site. Each year they host the Annual Savannah Wiener Dawg Races. It’s always a hoot and we’re proud to be one of this year’s event sponsors.

Oh, and if you just can’t help your curiosity, head on over there to see an early version of our new logo in the sponsors section!

Some Rules You Should Never Break

Yesterday I mentioned some rules that you can get away with breaking in your efforts to keep focused on the money making activities in your business.

But there are some rules you should never break. These unbreakable rules apply not only to your business but also to your entire life as well.

Really there aren’t many of ‘em. But you can totally shoot yourself in the foot and potentially sink your business by breaking them.

They are basic rules, and should be common sense. Of course common sense isn’t so common these days, is it?

It all boils down to basic things like good customer service and treating your business associates and employees well. Most all religions have some form of instruction along these lines. Lots of philosophers even have addressed the issue.

Jesus said we should treat other people as we would like them to treat us.

It’s a rule we should never allow ourselves to break.

An Example

A friend of mine recently was burned pretty badly by a business associate in a way that was completely unethical. There was a bunch of money involved and talk of lawyers.

Thing is the industry my friend is in is way smaller than I think the burner realizes. These things have a way of becoming known. Before to long folks stop doing business with unethical players.

Treat someone the way my friend was treated and word will get around eventually.

It doesn’t matter whether you neglect you blog to focus on your core business (unless your blog is your core business, of course). Your web site will still be there.

And so will those customers, business associates, and employees. At least the same people will be there. You break this rule and they may become your competitor’s customers, former business associates and ex-employees.

Or you can follow the rule and keep them all on your side.

The choice is yours. Treat others well.

We’re Blog of the Day at FuelMyBlog!

Just saw the email letting me know SuccessCREEations has been named Blog of the Day at FuelMyBlog.

How totally cool! Thanks, guys!

Even sent me a snazzy new icon to put in my sidebar letting everyone know ’bout it too. So go ahead and click on it and fuel my blog!

Some Rules Were Meant to be Broken

It is easy to get distracted, loose focus, and squander precious resources as a result. Too much time doing just the things we like, or that we know we do well (or that are easy) can keep us from other more critical tasks and ultimately mean the difference between the success or failure of our business.

I see this happen all the time.

Say someone takes over a new job at the office. If they are generally a neat person, they probably want to clean things up a bit so they can get off to a fresh start. There is nothing wrong with that - especially if it looked like this when they started. But, if three weeks later they are still spending the majority of their time looking for things to throw away instead of doing more productive work, then there is a problem.

Spending all day flipping through file folders and moving sticky notes around our desks can sink our business in a hurry.

Don’t get me wrong. The extra things that happen in the course of business are important. Many a business has failed because the owner knew how to provide a service but neglected everything else that comes with being a business owner.

Just be sure that when it comes to your business you understand what it is that makes you money. Concentrate on those things. Let the rest fill in later. Read more

Old Media Powerhouse Learns New Media Lesson

There has long been friction between the traditional old media providers which include print and television, and new media information sources which are overwhelmingly Internet based.

If you look deep enough you can find some basic philosophical differences between the ways old media and new media approach information flow. Old media has traditionally provided information to folks who were willing to buy access to it. That access might be in the form of a magazine or newspaper subscription. Or that access might be purchased via a cable television package where some of that subscription money is passed on to the TV network supplying the cable company with content.

On the internet typically access to new media information is generally more freely available. It is closer to a radio model where the information is broadcast and the business supplying the information makes its money via advertising.

Where it gets interesting (and frustrating for some of us) is when old media providers apply traditional models to their forays into the new media realm.

One example is the New York Times. Roughly two years ago they launched their Times Select online service with much fanfare.

For a little under $8 a month or $50 a year you could get access to current op-eds and syndicated columns, and do special things like explore the NYT archives back to 1851 (but you could only access 100 articles a month or some such). Articles that were part of that service were annotated with a special orange ‘T’. I guess that was to make to make the readers feel special.

Well today this headline caught my eye:

New York Times to end paid Internet service

It seems even the venerable New York Times has finally figured out that hiding their content behind a subscription barrier is costing them money.

By allowing anyone access to their content they will are sure to get significantly more page views. Web traffic equals eyes on the page. And anytime you can produce a bunch of eyes looking in one place, advertisers are eager to pay a premium to put their add in that spot.

And that, my friends is a recipe for a sound revenue model.

Content X Traffic = Advertising Revenue Potential

Not only that, but the New York Times has determined that that model will be more profitable than hiding their content behind a subscription barrier. Kudos to the NYT!

Tagged with Joe’s Promise

I’ve been keeping a very low profile on the bloggosphere of late. I’ve my reasons. I’m keeping my eye on my priorities. All is well.

This morning Liz Strauss tagged me with Joe’s Promise.

You see, Joe had been keeping a low profile too. He explained what happened in his post about a week back when he wrote My Promise to the Blogging Community.

Joe’s Promise

• I will be sure to comment on other Blogs if I can add to the conversation.
• I will respond to comments on my own Blog.
• I will acknowledge any links to my Blog with a comment on the linker’s Blog.
• I will continue to link to other Blogs that are pertinent to a posts content.
• I will once again be a part of the Blogging Community.
• That is my promise to the Community as a whole, in part, and individually.

If you feel you are losing some of the interaction that is an integral part of Blogging, you may want to join me in this Promise to the Community.

It’s a good set of promises to keep, whether you are brand new to blogging, or whether you are an old hat that like me that has been focused elsewhere.

If that is you, then just pick up the words, post them on your blog, and link back to Joe’s post. Tag it “Joe’s Promise,” and pass it on.

And to do my part passing it on, how about we hear from April, Jesse, Jason, Troy, Rick, and Dawud.

Gorgeous Wins an Award

The past few weeks have been crazy for us here in the Cree household. Lots of great things going on.

One in particular I wanted to highlight for you is that Gorgeous was recognized last week for her outstanding achievement as an Entrepreneur. The local Savannah organization, A Working Woman in Need (AWWIN), hosts an award gala every year to honor the top working women in the city.

Gorgeous was nominated and selected to receive the honor for their Entrepreneur category.

That meant that I had to go find a tux to rent. Haven’t done that since we were married years ago.

Our local paper even had a little write up about the awardees the next morning.

Add to that the press release that went out and you begin to see why I keep telling folks that I married up!

Press Release:

NEWS RELEASE September 14, 2007 For Immediate Release: Sept. 14, 2007 Contact: Lisa Cree, 912-927-2838

Business Leader Wins “Top 10 Working Women of Savannah” Lisa Cree of eWomenNetwork awarded prestigious women’s award (Savannah , GA) Lisa Cree, Executive Managing Director of eWomenNetwork of Savannah was awarded one of Savannah’s “Top 10 Working Women of the Year for 2007″ by the local non-profit charity: A Working Women in Need, Inc. (AWWIN, Inc.). Lisa was awarded for the Entrepreneur category. The AWWIN, Inc. Awards Gala was held last night at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Savannah. “I am humbled to be chosen for this award. The business women of the Savannah Chapter of eWomenNetwork are the real success and this award is their award” stated Ms. Cree. To meet the growing need for the promotion of women in business in Savannah, Ms. Cree’s entrepreneurial venture culminated with the launch of eWomenNetwork of Savannah , the local chapter of the 17,000 member international membership-based organization connecting female business owners and professionals throughout North America . The Savannah chapter has grown to 70+ women business leaders in one year. eWomenNetwork is Savannah ’s most successful organization providing marketing opportunities for local women business leaders. eWomenNetwork is a community of women-owned business leaders who support and network with other dynamic women. This organization helps women access needed resources and creates business relationships that move from interActions to transActions. Local Accelerated Networking events are held monthly, along with other events including Strategic Business Introductions. Event information can be found at www.ewomennetwork.com or by calling 912-927-2838. The Local Chapter also raises funds for 2 programs: A) The eWomenNetwork Foundation’s Grant Award program, which will bring money back to a local non-profit that assists women and children in Savannah, and B) The Emerging Business Leader program, which honors and mentors a young emerging leader in the community. The Chapter recently sent Lisa Scarbrough, President and Founder of Coastal Pet Rescue, Inc. as an Emerging Leader Finalist to the International eWomenNetwork Conference this past June. eWomenNetwork of Savannah events host their monthly Accelerated Networking Events on the third Tuesday evening of each month from 5:00 - 7:30 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn Midtown Savannah located on Abercorn near Derenne. For more information, complete press kit, or to schedule an interview / speaking engagement with Ms. Lisa Cree, please contact Ms. Cree at 912-927-2838, fax 912-927-7143, email: lisacree@ewomennetwork.com or visit online at www.ewomennetwork.com.

AWWIN, Inc. “Top 10 Working Women in Savannah” awardees Lisa Cree (left), Executive Managing Director, eWomenNetwork, (Entrepreneur category) and Lisa Scarbrough (right), President/Founder, Coastal Pet Rescue, Inc. (Non-Profit category).

That’s my girl!