Company Names, Language, and All That

Even a business that spends nothing on advertising should pay attention to "marketing." Sometimes that simply means doing a good job so that the neighbors will keep coming back, or choosing an appropriate name.

In my youth, before the Internet, Telstar, and international direct dialing, common sense was enough for most marketing decisions. It still is, but I think we need to make more of an effort to learn about customers and clients today.

That's particularly true when a company starts attracting attention in other countries. For instance, someone introducing a chain of landscaping services in another country might think that combining two family names might make it seem more 'local.' I think that makes sense, but Bush-Hacker Landscaping might not be a good name: even if those really were names of the company's American partners.

That brings me to a company name I ran into recently. It's headquartered in Japan, and translated its name into English for use on this side of the Pacific. Toyota and Honda did something like that for their American branches, and have done pretty well.

In this case, though, I don't think the folks who decided on the English translation were entirely familiar with American English. Over here, the outfit's name looks and sounds entirely too much like "[redacted] Wannabe."

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Good Candles and Good Neighbors in North Dakota"
  (June 16, 2012)
• " 'Social Media Experts' and Other Hazards"
  (February 21, 2010)
• "Comment Moderation Goes Into Effect Now"
  (February 15, 2010)
• "I'm Not a Forty-Year-Old Kid Any More: Time, Organization, Energy, and Priorities"
  (July 20, 2008)
• " 'Webmasters' are Amateurs: Who Knew?"
  (March 4, 2008)

Candles that Burn in Circles, Stores, and a Holiday Visit

It took my son-in-law and me about a minute to start talking shop this weekend. He and #2 daughter were 'home for the holidays.' Happily, both she and my wife understand and tolerate their husbands.

Folks at Spiral Light Candle have been keeping up with orders during the holiday season, but it's been a scramble. Still, that's a good sort of 'problem' to have.

Customers at Artistic Treasures (13625 Quinn Street NW, Andover, Minnesota) offered to help unpack the store's shipment of candles: and bought out their supply of Spiral Light's products. Artistic Treasures reordered, had a similar experience with the second shipment: and ordered a third time before the week's end.

Artistic Treasures is on the north side of Minnesota's Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. You can stop in to see if they've still got our candles in stock. Or, not. Your choice:


View Larger Map

I've known folks to organize shopping excursions specifically to pick up Spiral Light Candles: but that's not necessary, now that we've got a pretty good online store.

On the other hand, there's nothing quite like visiting a store in person: which is why I keep updating Spiral Light Candle's Find a Retailer page:



My son-in-law's 'candle that burns in a circle' has come a long way in the last year.

"Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle - YouTube.flv"

SpiralLightCandle, YouTube (January 9, 2012)
video 1:31

Related posts:

• "Candles, a Store Locator, and Online Shopping"
  (November 28, 2012)
• "Spiral Light Candles: Snapshots from a Texas Trade Show"
  (June 24, 2012)
• "Good Candles and Good Neighbors in North Dakota"
  (June 16, 2012)
• "Candles in a Box, and an Online Video"
  (June 15, 2012)
• "Spiral Light Candle: Factory and Offices In Use; New Website Launched"
  (April 13, 2012)

Social Marketing: Tech Changes; People, Not So Much

With two decades of experience in marketing, I can safely say: I'm not an expert.

I'm some guy who writes fairly well, understands how language works, and knows better than to overstate something's value. Or, in this case, someone's.

Expert My Opinions About Marketing and Social Media

I've read articles and heard folks complain about teenagers' lack of connection with each other: how they never have 'real' conversations. 'The youth,' anguished authors assured readers, would never learn to deal with the real world: because their social contacts were mostly conducted through a sterile, artificial technology.

This was the '60s: and the terrifying tech was the telephone.

Today, it's chat rooms, blogs, and whatever the latest wrinkle in social media is called.

The point, for someone who wants to use social media as a marketing tool, is that 'social media' is like the air in a room, or ink on paper, or a telephone line. It's the medium people use to communicate with each other. Media have changed: quite a bit, in the last half-century.

People using media? I haven't noticed all that much difference.

Sure, there's some change:

• Clothing worn to important meetings
  • Togas Powdered wigs are out
  • Business suits are in
    • Or 'business casual
• Hiring practices
  'Irish need not apply' is out
  • Hiring based on competence is in
    • Theoretically, at least

But people; what they like, and don't like; and how they react: that, in my experience, hasn't changed. Not the essentials.

Here's an ultra-condensed set of guidelines for successful marketing with social media that I ran into a few years back:

1. Make it personal
2. Keep it real
3. Don't be afraid of opinion
4. Focus on interactions, not followers and fans
5. Keep the distribution of traditional marketing messages to a minimum
   (from Patricio Robles)
   (micro-reviewed May 29, 2010)

I think all five are common-sense guides for interacting with folks in any setting. Even the fourth point, that discussed "followers" and "fans" in the context of social media, reminded me of an gag: about some fabulously 'popular' VIP/diva/whatever, who invited "a few hundred of her close personal friends."

Back to Work - - -

I ran across my micro-review of Patricio Robles' article while doing re-educating myself about online marketing. I was modestly up to speed with current technology: six years ago.

Back then we only had wood-burning computers, so I've got a lot of catching up to do.

Related posts:

• "Spiral Light Candles: Snapshots from a Texas Trade Show"
  (June 24, 2012)
• "Factory Construction on Schedule; National Sales Manager Hired"
  (January 4, 2012)
• " 'A Candle With a Twist' at Grand Forks Trade Show"
  (November 18, 2011)
• "Sincerity: Once You Learn to Fake That, You're Set"
  (May 29, 2010)
• " 'Social Media Experts' and Other Hazards"
  (February 21, 2010)

Spiral Light Candles: Snapshots from a Texas Trade Show

I am definitely not a 40-year-old kid any more. It's about 1:00 a.m., I've been talking with my son-in-law, Aaron McWilliams, and two snapshots from a trade show he's at are now ready for posting. For some reason, I have this urge to close my eyes and relax - 'just for a minute.'

Aaron has been in Texas, letting more folks know about the candles he invented: and the company he and his wife have been developing. Along with quite a few other folks. I'm not sure that Spiral Light Candle Corporation is quite what most folks think of as a "small business" any more.

Anyway, I said I'd post the snapshots Aaron sent, so I'd better do that. While I'm still sort-of-awake.


Bright lights, and folks looking at Spiral Light Candle products in Texas. June 2012.


Aaron McWilliams and candles. Lots of candles. His kind of candles. The Spiral Light kind. June 2012.

Spiral Light Candle Corp. launched their online store recently, which is nice for folks in places where 'the candle with a twist' isn't on a local retailer's shelf. Yet. You can check for retailers in your area on the website, too:

• Spiral Light Candle
  (SpiralLightCandle.com)
  • Find a Retailer
    (SpiralLightCandle.com/find-a-retailer)
  • Spiral Light Candle Store
    (shop.SpiralLightCandle.com)

I think that's it. Let me check: Texas; candles; photos; son-in-law Aaron McWilliams; how to find the candles. Right. That's what I planned, that's done: and now I'm getting some sleep.

Related posts:

• "Good Candles and Good Neighbors in North Dakota"
  (June 16, 2012)
• "Candles in a Box, and an Online Video"
  (June 15, 2012)
• "Spiral Light Candle's Online Store - Open"
  (June 15, 2012)
• "Spiral Light Candle Factory Construction: More Photos"
  (January 18, 2012)
• "Factory Construction on Schedule; National Sales Manager Hired"
  (January 4, 2012)

Factory Construction on Schedule; National Sales Manager Hired

Spiral Light Candle's new factory is coming along nicely. Interior framing's done, and dry wall is in place. We expect to start manufacturing candles there by the first week of February.

Meanwhile, we've hired a national sales manager, Connie Schmidt, who lives in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, area. I'm very glad to see someone with her experience with the company.

This afternoon I learned that I'd be working with Connie Schmidt, when she needs some technical work done, like developing spreadsheets. I'm not the easiest person to work with, but Aaron McWilliams told her what to expect: I think we'll get the job done just fine.

My desktop display was a little livelier than usual this afternoon, as Mr. McWilliams tweaked our file-sharing system. It's more streamlined now, a necessity for something that's being used by several people. This means I'll have to re-learn where to find folders and files: but that shouldn't take long.

Besides, I enjoy this sort of rapid change.

Related posts:

• "Loan Approved: Next, Spiral Light Candle's New Factory"
  (December 20, 2011)
• "Candles: Analysis, News, and Very Odd Questions"
  (December 3, 2011)
• "Spiral Light Candle in Hillsboro, North Dakota"
  (November 9, 2011)
• "First Full-Time Employee, and a Busy Monday"
  (September 12, 2011)
• "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show: Second Morning on the Floor"
  (August 4, 2011)

Spiral Light Candle: Website; New Phones Now Working

Right now, Spiral Light Candle's website, spirallightcandle.com, is up and running. It's doing everything it's designed to do: which doesn't include taking online orders. The Spiral Light Candle retail storefront, Spiral Light Candle Corp. Storefront at Amazon.com has been around for a while now, and got updated recently.

Which brings me to a big of Web nostalgia.

Remembering the 'Good Old Days'

Back in the 'good old days,' you'd see "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" graphics on many websites. I liked the animated ones. There were silhouettes shoveling; and a frazzled programmers pounding a keyboard, with a hammer in one case.

They were funny, attention-getting, and a useless distraction.

I haven't seen that sort of thing much lately. Partly, I suspect, because website developers and users realized that a good website is always 'under construction' in some way. It's a rare business that hasn't changed something about products, services, prices - or seasonal sales.

There's something to be said for maintaining a consistent visual style on a corporate website. On the other hand, it's wise to distinguish between "consistent," "archaic," and "apparently abandoned."

Making Sure it's "Coming Soon"

Not all bad ideas for websites are as obviously misguided as, say, green-on-purple text or an investment service with an animated puppy on its 'about us' page.

Sometimes a caffeinated developer decides to re-name pages that customers have bookmarked/Favorited/whatever: because 'everybody's using [this week's hot database software].'

"Coming soon" announcements, like anything else, need to be managed, updated, and sometimes removed. But I think they're basically okay. I'll get back to that idea.

Flash, a Movie About Coffee, and Clueless Supervisors

Then there are the dilbertesque supervisors, who are a lot funnier in the comics, than in real life:




(Scott Adams' Dilbert, used w/o permission)

Technology, Telephones, and Me

My son is more tech-savvy than I am, but I get along with computers pretty well. I've even learned to cope with telephone menus.

Automated telephone menus have improved since companies started using them. A lot. I think it helped, when someone realized that the most loyal customer would eventually get fed up.

I've learned quite a bit about telephone menus in the last few days. Spiral Light Candle now has a working customer service section - complete with a mercifully-short menu. Spiral Light and the service we're using got the system up and running yesterday.

Spiral Light Candle's system isn't quite so simple on the 'company' side, but I've gotten familiar with the basics. Which is a good thing, since I'm answering phones for the company now.

Also doing the occasional spreadsheet, and whatever else I can lend a hand with.

"Currently Working on Our Website"

I mentioned Spiral Light Candle's new website yesterday. The developer has a nice, clean, and simple home page; easy-to-spot navigation; and graphics that unobtrusively match the product line.

I like it. More to the point: it's being done by a competent developer, and isn't any fancier than it needs to be.

The software that will support our online ordering is still getting tweaked, but I heard yesterday that it's progressing. In the right direction.

That's why I don't have a problem with this snippet from Spiral Light Candle's home page:

"...We are currently working on our website, so please check back again soon...."

We won't launch the new website tomorrow. At least I don't think so. But work on Spiral Light Candle's website is in good hands.

I'm looking forward to seeing the result.

Related posts:

• "Spiral Light Candle: New Website Coming; New Phones Here"
  (November 28, 2011)
• "Spiral Light Candle's New Amazon.com Photos"
  (November 24, 2011)
• "Christians in Action Trade Show, No: Website, Yes"
  (November 2, 2011)
• "Simple 'Secrets' for Affordable SEO"
  (May 18, 2010)
  • Ultra-condensed version
    • Learn to write copy that's
      • Simple
      • Short
      • Focused on your topic
    • Don't get tricky
      • 'Clever' code can backfire
  • Key headings -
    • Getting to the Point: 5 Content Marketing Goals
    • SEO: Search Engines and Being Smart
      • Being Clever isn't Being Smart
    • SEO: It's Brains, Not Bucks
• "If Content is King, Voice is the Ambassador"
  (September 14, 2007)

Spiral Light Candle: New Website Coming; New Phones Here

I saw a mockup of Spiral Light Candle's improved website this afternoon. We'll be keeping what's up at spirallightcandle.com/ for now, since the technology that's 'behind the screen' isn't quite finished.

Meanwhile, there's the Spiral Light Candle Corp. Storefront at Amazon.com for online retail orders.

We've also got a new phone system, that's letting me take orders. We tried it out for the first time late this afternoon. It works, and I'm learning.

Slightly-related posts:

• "Spiral Light Candle's New Amazon.com Photos"
  (November 24, 2011)
• "Spiral Light Candles in Hillsboro, North Dakota"
  (November 9, 2011)
• "Christians in Action Trade Show, No: Website, Yes"
  (November 2, 2011)
• "Psychology and Web Design: This Introduction isn't At All Bad"
  (May 24, 2010)
• "Simple 'Secrets' for Affordable SEO"
  (May 18, 2010)
  Basically, 'don't be stupid;' key headings:
  • Getting to the Point: 5 Content Marketing Goals
  • SEO: Search Engines and Being Smart
    • Being Clever isn't Being Smart
  • SEO: It's Brains, Not Bucks

Spiral Light Candle's New Amazon.com Photos

Spiral Light Candle's storefront on Amazon.com has new/updated photos now: Spiral Light Candle Corp. Storefront.

I'd taken the original photos, some months ago: with a somewhat less-than-top-end camera. It was high time we get something better to show off the spiral-burning candles.

I've posted this half-size video before. If you're in a place where background sounds are a factor, take note - the video comes with music. No words, though:
"Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle"



(shown half-size: full version at YouTube)
anoasisproduction, YouTube (July 28, 2011)
video, 1:31

Now, the obligatory 'for more information' contact stuff:

• Spiral Light Candle Corporation
  (spirallightcandle.com)
  P.O. Box 868, Hillsboro, ND 58045
  (701) 425-0682
  info@spirallightcandle.com
  • Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle
    (also on YouTube)
  • Brocuhre (pdf)

Somewhat-related posts:

• ""A Candle With a Twist" at Grand Forks Trade Show"
  (November 18, 2011)
• "Spiral Light Candles in Hillsboro, North Dakota"
  (November 9, 2011)
• "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show: Second Morning on the Floor"
  (August 4, 2011)

"A Candle With a Twist" at Grand Forks Trade Show

I'd been looking forward to Spiral Light Candle going to a major trade show in Houston, Texas. That was around the beginning of this month. (November 2, 2011) Instead, we wound up developing a new website. We're still using the existing one, but this morning I got an update on the search and online purchasing software we'll be using. Basically, the new website will look good: and, at least as importantly, work.

Which our current one does, just fine. (Spiral Light Candle, spirallightcandle.com) We've got a video that shows what our "candle with a twist" does, a brochure in .pdf (Acrobat) format, and contact information. If you want to buy our candles online, though, our Spiral Light Candle Corp. Storefront
on amazon.com is probably your best option.

But, like I said, that's changing. Soon, I hope.

The photo near the top of this post shows a display stand in our booth at a Grand Forks trade show, on Tuesday of this week: November 15. That's about an hour's drive north from our home office and factory, which made getting there an economic possibility. Logistics were a whole lot easier, too.

Spiral Light Candle at Grand Forks trade show. November 15, 2011.

More than 3,000 folks were at the trade show, we got an "amazing" response to our product line, and I'm hoping we'll get that new website up and running soon: It'll give me something nifty and new to write about.

Spiral Light Candle in Hillsboro, North Dakota

Yesterday afternoon, I learned that Sapphire's in Hillsboro, North Dakota, has been re-ordering those candles that burn in a circle. The Spiral Light Candle things. Folks are driving in from Fargo, and Grand Forks, to get our self-filling candles.

Then there's Shepherd's Path in Bangor Maine, another place selling our candles. And more than two dozen others, on a list that's seriously out-of-date now.

What impressed me wasn't so much that Spiral Light Candle Corporation keeps getting orders from new retail businesses: it's that they re-order. Quite often, in some cases. Folks keep coming into the stores and buying out their stock. Which is good news for everybody: with the possible exception of whoever has to re-arrange the displays and keep track of inventory. And that's another topic.

This video does a pretty good job of showing what these candles do:

"Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle"

anoasisproduction, YouTube (July 28, 2011)
video, 1:31

Spiral Light Candle is changing gears right now, since we need to make a whole lot more candles than we did a month ago. It's an interesting situation: My wife's been taking long strands of candle wick, cutting them to length, and shipping the ready-for-assembly wicks back to Hillsboro.


Making long strands of wick into shorter strands. October 28, 2011.

Right now, having wick preparation done partly as a sort of cottage industry makes sense. I'm not sure how long that's going to be the case. My son-in-law and I have been discussing locations for a factory: and that's yet another topic.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "First Full-Time Employee, and a Busy Monday"
  (September 12, 2011)
• "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show: Second Morning on the Floor"
  (August 4, 2011)
• "Hiring Relatives and the Chinese Business Model"
  (June 5, 2007)

Christians in Action Trade Show, No: Website, Yes

About an hour ago I learned that Spiral Light Candle won't be attending the Christian Trade Show and Business Expo's Houston trade show. It's the 15^th Annual Christians In Action Trade Show, and would have been a fine opportunity to show folks these candles. And a good networking experience.

But we've got finite resources, and the decision was made to focus on getting the Spiral Light Candle website ready for online commerce. Now, a blatant display of self-promotion:

• Spiral Light Candle Corporation
  • Spiral Light Candle
    Video: A Candle With a Twist

That's Spiral Light Candle Corporation. (spirallightcandle.com)

I also learned that I'll be handling routine maintenance and updating for spirallightcandle.com - which isn't as impressive as it sounds. All the code will have been taken care of by the time the project gets to me: leaving me with a nice, friendly, interface and a list of clerical duties.

I was looking forward to at least hearing about Houston, the Christians in Action Trade Show, and all: maybe even being asked to help out. But that's the way things go. I'm looking forward to seeing how the website looks - and how it works.

More-or-less-related posts:

• "Candles, Another Trade Show, and an Upscale Shopping Center"
  (October 29, 2011)
• "First Full-Time Employee, and a Busy Monday"
  (September 12, 2011)
• "Families, Vacations, Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show, Schedules, and a Candle"
  (August 1, 2011)
• "Family, Business, and Focus"
  (November 30, 2007)
• "Hiring Relatives and the Chinese Business Model"
  (June 5, 2007)

Candles, Another Trade Show, and an Upscale Shopping Center

Spiral Light Candle Corporation will be at The Westin Galleria Houston in November. Not the Houston Galleria - that's the whacking great shopping center across the street. I put links that might be useful, under "Hotel, shopping, and stuff," at the end of this post.

I won't be going along this time: which is probably just as well. I've just gotten over the last trade show, in Pennsylvania. It was a wonderful experience, by I'm not a 40-year-old kid any more. Posts about my experience in Pennsylvania are linked on "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show."

Spiral Light Candle: in Houston November 18-19

View Larger Map

The "A" on that map points to the Westin Galleria hotel. There seems to be a skyway/overhead walkway from the hotel to The Galleria shopping center across the street.

I think Mall of America, a couple hours' drive southeast of here, does a better job with its website: and that's another topic.

Where was I? Candles. Trade show. Houston. Right.

Spiral Light Candle will have a booth at the Christians In Action Trade Show, Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19. Here's part of what the CATS folks say about the event:

"...The Christians In Action Trade Show is a Business Expo that brings together hundreds of businesses, entrepreneurs and ministries to network and promote their goods and services. The event is a great networking experience, packed with a lot of....

"...Over 200 exhibitors and 3,000 participants from various states and countries are expected to participate in the show....

"...innovative ideas that will motivate the participants....

"...and a concert featuring well-known gospel artists on Saturday 19th, 2011...."
("Welcome to the Houston Trade Show," Christian Trade Show and Business Expo)

Add up the exhibitors and participants, and you've got about 3/4 as many folks attending, as live here in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Looks like it's going to be a lively event.

Not-entirely-unrelated posts:

• "First Full-Time Employee, and a Busy Monday"
  (September 12, 2011)
• "Families, Vacations, Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show, Schedules, and a Candle"
  (August 1, 2011)
• "Working From Home: Kids and Computers, Utopia and Reality"
  (February 1, 2008)
• "Family, Business, and Focus"
  (November 30, 2007)
• "Hiring Relatives and the Chinese Business Model"
  (June 5, 2007)

Hotel, shopping, and stuff:

• Houston, TX - Hotels, Events, Things to Do - Official Vacation Info
  Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Hotel:
  • The Westin Galleria Houston
    5060 West Alabama
    Houston, TX 77056
    United States: phone (713) 960-8100/Toll-Free (800) 937-8461
• Shopping center:
  • The Galleria (Houston)
    Wikipedia
  • "Houston Galleria"
    Houston Outside
  • "About Houston Galleria®"
    • Simon Property Group
• Spiral Light Candle Corporation
  • Spiral Light Candle
    Video: A Candle With a Twist
• Christian Trade Show and Business Expo
  • "Welcome to the Houston Trade Show"
    Christian Trade Show and Business Expo
• Catholic Marketing Network

First Full-Time Employee, and a Busy Monday

Spiral Light Candle Corporation (spirallightcandle.com), my son-in-law's latest venture, has a full-time employee, as of Friday. Last Friday, that is, not the one coming up.

So why am I spending part of today, getting Spiral Light Candle Corp's Amazon.com account ready? I've got about 20 years' experience in marketing, which makes me a pretty good choice for the task. I'll get back to that in a bit.

Now, some blatant, shameless self-promotion. Almost. Actually, it's part of what I'm preparing for Spiral Light Candle Corp's Amazon account:

About Us

Spiral Light candle all started with a simple question: "Why does a candle only burn straight down?" With this in mind and his interest in motion and video, inventor and entrepreneur Aaron McWilliams had made the world's first spiral burning, self-filling prayer candle.

Following his love of the Catholic faith, Aaron's first venture into the Catholic market came when he opened a Catholic book and gift store in central Louisiana with his late wife Kelly. After she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Aaron and Kelly decided to document this difficult journey in an effort to share their experience.

Later Aaron and his new wife, Sara, founded Oasis Productions and completed the documentary entitled: "The Art of Serenity, A Journey of Faith."

Today, Spiral Light Candle Corporation is the McWilliam's newest venture as they stay close to their faith, and strove to provide new and compelling product lines for the market they love.

How Does It Work?

Spiral Light self-filling candles are a new twist on an old staple. The self-filling candle is first lit, using the horizontal wick on the upper edge. The candle burns around the hollow center with the wooden wick allowing the wax to drain inward, filling the center.

The horizontal spiraling wick self extinguishes when the inside wax level reaches the top of the spiral, to prevent any spilling. This creates a solid pillar candle.

By writing your prayer intention on the wooden wick before inserting it in the candle's center, you start bringing your prayer and the candle together. As the spiraling wick burns, a pillar candle forms around your written intention: to remind you that God never forgets.

Back to Me

About four years ago, I posted about the 'Chinese business model:' hiring relatives as a way to get motivated, loyal employees. It's the way quite a few folks in the Far East operate. Here in the West, we've had bad experiences with bosses who hired their idiot brother-in-law: so we call it nepotism, and pay more for the skills of occasionally-excellent non-relatives.

I think it's a cultural thing. This family works pretty well together, which isn't the case for everybody.

I've spent part of today working for my brother-in-law - at zero cost to the Spiral Light Candle Corp. - because he's family, I'd probably think the product is a good one, no matter what. Or at least say so. Also because I'm a part-owner of the company. If we succeed, I'll get paid - indirectly.

But so many stores have ordered Spiral Light's candles - and then ordered more - that it's not just my opinion. These things have a wide appeal.

And, no matter what happens, I've gotten a good review in graphic design and marketing.

Now, it's time for a coffee break and my daily exercises.

Related posts:

• "Catholic Bookstores, Choices, and Reasons"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (August 3, 2011)
  Particularly
  • Why Run a Catholic Bookstore?
  • Evangelizing, Not Annoying
  • Sour-Faced Saints?
    • Not the best role models, I think
• "Trade Show Preparation: Is Work Important?"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (August 1, 2011)
  • Depends on what you mean by "work"
    • And "important"
• "Families, Vacations, Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show, Schedules, and a Candle"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (August 1, 2011)
• "I'm Not a Forty-Year-Old Kid Any More: Time, Organization, Energy, and Priorities"
  (July 20, 2008)
• "Hiring Relatives and the Chinese Business Model"
  (June 5, 2007)

Selling to Small Retailers

I suppose someone could decide to sell a product only to small stores as a matter of 'conscience.' The idea being that 'big box stores' are icky.

There seems to be a more common-sense reason for wanting a lot of small-to-medium accounts, instead of a handful of huge accounts.

Let's say that XYZ Widgets sells 100 units a month to 1,000 stores. I haven't a clue what their widgets are, and it doesn't matter. Their chief competitor is PDQ Widgets, that sells the same number of widgets a month: 100,000.

The difference is that PDQ Widgets sells 50,000 units a month to one major retailer, 40,000 units monthly to another big chain, and 10,000 a month to about a dozen smaller accounts.

Then the 40,000 widget per month chain decided that they'd start stocking a different brand of widget. One of XYZ Widgets' accounts quit buying, too.

But PDQ lost 40% of their income - while XYZ lost 0.1% of theirs. 'Nuf said.

Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show: First Morning on the Floor

We got the Spiral Light Candle Corp./Oasis Productions booth set up yesterday. Actually, my son-in-law and #2 daughter started work on Monday: My contribution was mostly putting a few labels on candles.

When I wasn't on gofer duty at the booth, I visited a few other exhibitors. Here's what I remember, in alphabetical order:

• America Digital Accessories Corp. (electronicrosary.com)
  • A hand-held talking prayer assistant
    • In several languages
    • Three modes of operation
    • (small) pictures
  • Started in Hong Kong (I think), now in
    • Nigeria
    • Malta
    • United States
    • Other places too, probably
• Catholic Kids' Games^TM (catholickidsgames.com)
  • The Priest Game
    • A family game
    • Educational
      • You don't need to let the kids know that
      • Teaches
        • Colors
        • Color words
        • Numbers
        • Shapes
        • What parts of a priest's clothing is called
    • Fun
      • Looks like
      • I haven't played it, myself
• Royal Consumer Information Products, Inc. (royal.com)
  • It's a cash register/office machines company
  • With a talking King James Bible
    • At the Catholic Marketing Network trade show?
    • It's beautiful literature, anyway
  • Their 'coming soon product:' a NAB digital Bible
    • That doesn't talk
      • Fairly easy-to-read display
    • With internal links
    • Searchable
    • Pending approval
    • With
      • Baltimore Catechism
      • Prayers
      • More stuff I don't remember
    • All in a little palm-size keyboard/display

So, Why am I here?

Like I said, I'm with the Spiral Light Candle Corp./Oasis Productions booth. We've got self-filling candles - a unique product. I've posted this time lapse video before: but repetition is supposed to be good for learning and explanations, so here it is again, still half-size to fit in this blog. The full-size video is on YouTube.

"Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle"

(shown half-size: full version at YouTube)
anoasisproduction, YouTube (July 28, 2011)
video, 1:31

Related posts:

• "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show, Labels, and Money"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (August 2, 2011)
• "Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show and Me"
  (August 1, 2011)
• "Trade Show Time: Catholic Marketing Network"
  (July 27, 2011)
• "Trade Show Preparation: Is Work Important?"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (August 1, 2011)
• "On the Road to the Trade Show: Schedules, Attendees"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (July 31, 2011)

More about the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show and me:

• "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind

Background:

• Catholic Marketing Network
• 15th Annual Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show
  Near Philadelphia, PA (Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - Friday, August 5, 2011)

Families, Vacations, Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show, Schedules, and a Candle

We started setting up the Spiral Light Candle Corp/Oasis Productions booth at the Catholic Marketing Network's trade show this evening. More accurately, my son-in-law and #2 daughter started setting it up. I stayed out of the way, for the most part.

Trade Show Children's Area

There's something new this year: a sort of 'kids' area:' a section for children with activities and (don't tell them?) educational things going on.

This makes sense, I think, since some folks plan their family vacations around the show, or at least work it into their vacation plans. With the children's section available, parents have the option of getting a few moments on their own, to check out the booths.

The public part of the trade show starts Wednesday, and goes through Friday, I'm told.

Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show Floor Schedule

Here's what I found on the trade show's website-

Trade Show Floor Open:

• Wednesday, August 3
  • 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, August 4
  • 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Friday, August 5
  • 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The trade show's website has a more detailed schedule.

Who's at the CMN trade show:

• "Attendees"
  15th Annual Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show (via www.cvent.com)

Just a few from the list of attendees:

• America Digital Accessories Corp
• Bless Our Faith Gifts, Inc.
• CCC of America, Inc.
• The Donut Man
• Liguori Press/Publications
• Mr. Jon's Gift Shop
• Wee Believers

Spiral Light Corporation's Self-Filling Candle

I'm particularly interested in the Spiral Light Candle Corp./Oasis Productions booth. Naturally, since I'm a part-owner of the Spiral Light Candle Corp. - and working there as the gopher,

Here's a time lapse (and half-size) video of one of our self-filling candles. The full-size video is on YouTube.

"Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle"

(shown half-size: full version at YouTube)
anoasisproduction, YouTube (July 28, 2011)
video, 1:31

More about the Catholic Marketing Network's trade show and me:

• "Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show"

Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show and Me

Later today, I expect to arrive at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania: near Philadelphia. My arrival won't be a big deal, but I think the event is.

I'll be at the Spiral Light Candle Corp. boot at the 15th Annual Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show. I put links to the Catholic Marketing Network, and the trade show's site, under background, at the end of this post.

The Spiral Light self-filling candles are something new. Here's a time lapse (and half-size) video of one of our candles. The full-size video is on YouTube - you can follow the link.

"Spiral Light's Spiral Burning Self Filling Candle"

(shown half-size: full version at YouTube)
anoasisproduction, YouTube (July 28, 2011)
video, 1:31

I'll be updating the link list below, as I post about my experiences at the trade show.

More-or-less-related posts:

• "On the Road to the Trade Show: Schedules, Attendees"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (July 31, 2011)
• "On the Road to the Trade Show: Accident in Indiana"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (July 31, 2011)
• "Trade Show in Pennsylvania, Ecclesiastes, Software, and Schedules"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (July 26, 2011)
• "Lemming Tracks: The Lemming's Taking a Sabbatical, Sort Of"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (July 26, 2011)
• "Wealth, Poverty, Stereotypes, and Snidely Whiplash"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 8, 2011)

More about the Catholic Marketing Network's trade show and me:

• "Catholic Marketing Network's 15th Annual Trade Show"

Background:

• Catholic Marketing Network
• 15th Annual Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show
  Near Philadelphia, PA: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - Friday, August 5, 2011

Trade Show Time: Catholic Marketing Network

After trying several approaches to running a successful small business, I think I've found what works for me: ride on my son-in-law's coattails. Sort of.

Seriously, now: Oasis Productions is my son-in-law's company. He's done - and is doing - a good job of running it. He did such a good job, that I'm now a part-owner of Spiral Light Candle Corporation. Which makes a line of unique candles he's developed:

"Spiral Self Filling Candle"

(shown half-size: full version at YouTube)
anoasisproduction, YouTube (March 15, 2011)
video, 0:42

"A candle that burns around a hollow center and fills itself...."

"Unique" gets over-used. In this case, though: I think it fits. These self-filling candles are made by Spiral Light Candle Corporation, and nobody else. It's a remarkable product - which is what you'd expect me to say. What I've enjoyed seeing is the way folks react to them. They're in stores in a few states so far - and I'll stop before I start sounding like an advertisement.

Where I'll be next week:

• Catholic Marketing Network
• 15th Annual Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show
  Near Philadelphia, PA: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - Friday, August 5, 2011

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Lemming Tracks: The Lemming's Taking a Sabbatical, Sort Of"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (July 26, 2011)
• "Sense of Touch Affects Decision-Making? Maybe Not a Crazy Idea"
  (June 25, 2010)
• "Out on a Limb: Having Opinions That Aren't Approved"
  (May 31, 2010)
• "Simple 'Secrets' for Affordable SEO"
  (May 18, 2010)
• "Annoying Your Website's Visitors: Not as Good an Idea as it Seems"
  (February 4, 2009)

More about the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show and me:

• "Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind

Advertising, Income, and Time

Noted:

• "Internet Marketing | Google Reduces Adsense Revenue Share"
  Internet Marketing, by Brett Prince (June 25, 2010)
  • An brief analysis of recent AdSense policy
• "Internet Marketing Tips | Attracting Potential Advertisers"
  Internet Marketing, by Brett Prince (April 8, 2010)
  • Three-step process for increasing your website's visibility

The first article shows what looks like a not-ideal trend in what content providers get from Google's AdSense. After showing what seems to be happening, Brett Prince writes this:

"...This isn't the greatest news, but it's meant to inform people of what's going on with the AdSense program rather than scare people off...."
(Brett Prince (June 25, 2010))

He suggests that folks with focused blogs or websites could consider making deals directly with advertisers. What he doesn't discuss, as far as I saw, was the additional effort - and time - it would take to manage advertising accounts.

Interesting, though.

---

A tip of the hat to BrettPrince, on Twitter, for the heads-up on his articles.

Sense of Touch Affects Decision-Making? Maybe Not a Crazy Idea

When I read this article's headline and first paragraph, I was ready to dismiss the whole thing as silly science: the sort of thing that folks with letters after their name do sometimes, to increase their own status or push some political preference. Or maybe because they don't know any better.

Anyway: here's that headline, a link, a citation, and a few excerpts from that article

"Sense of Touch Shapes Snap Judgments"
Wired Science (June 25, 2010)

"Sitting in a hard chair can literally turn someone into a hardass. Holding a heavy clipboard leads to weighty decisions. Rubbing rough surfaces makes us prickly. So found researchers studying the interaction between physical touch and social cognition.

"The experiments included would-be car buyers who, when seated in a cushy chair, were less likely to drive a stiff bargain. The findings don't just suggest tricks for salesman, but may illuminate how our brains develop.

" 'The way people understand the world is through physical experiences. The first sense they develop is touch,' said study co-author Josh Ackerman, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology psychologist. As they grow up, those physical experiences shape how people conceptualize abstract, social experience, he said. 'Later on, you can do what we did - trigger different physical experiences, and produce changes in people's thoughts.'..."

"...Other research shows that the brain doesn't always have different structures for different functions, but often uses the same systems in a variety of ways. And given the importance of touch, it's easy for developing brains to use tactile associations - heaviness requires effort, roughness leads to friction, hard objects are inflexible - in understanding social situations.

" 'Those connections that people have, between physical experience and mental understanding, don't ever disappear,' said Ackerman...."

"...For those fearing exploitation by marketers, Ackerman noted that tactile suggestion's effects diminish when people pay attention. 'It's when you're distracted, thinking in a shallow fashion, that you get hit by these cues,' he said...."

The sort of research described in the article is in a relatively new field called embodied cognition.

The parts I left out describe - briefly - how the experiments were done. It seems to me that if the researchers were careful about procedures and crunching statistics - they're probably on to something here.

I was particularly impressed that they had a working hypothesis to explain the apparent link between our sense of touch, and how we're inclined to interpret social data.

Apart from the practical business angles - like 'no hard chairs for the clients' - there's some really interesting science going on here.