Cover Letter Tips and Suggestions (Get that job Edition)

So I'm currently working on putting together a nice, sexy cover letter and have been doing some research into what makes a great cover letter.

After some lengthy Google searches I came across a great find that I wanted to share with you guys.

It's titled "The 7 Deadly Sins of Cover Letter Writing" by Jada Graves for money.usnews.com.

The article is packed with some great tidbits on proper formatting, importance of grammar and how to better introduce yourself. I've highlighted the bullet points below but if you'd like to read the whole article check it out HERE

1) If you're starting with 'To Whom it may Concern,' you're not as concerned as you should be

2) If you're including typos and misspelled words "your" going to miss a good opportunity

3) If you're using a form letter it will come across as _______________ (insert an adjective for impersonal)

4) If you're bringing up something new and different you'll appear forgetful and something or other

5) If you're too wordy, you're going to bore the reader leading them to put your letter in the trash bin, and then...

6) If you're using big, outdated SAT words, you'll appear supercilious

7) If you're too folksy, then no one will take you seriously, dude

Some great points! A couple extra I want to add on to consider

1) Have a generic letter cover letter ready at a moment’s notice so you can simply interchange a couple key words and have it turned on. A quick response will impress your potential employer and put you ahead of the competition. But like the afore mentioned point suggested don't forget to take time to tailor it enough so it grabs their attention.

2) REMEMBER you cover letter it suppose to expound on your Resume not repeat it.  Use it as an opportunity to really highlight your skills with examples and proof that you are the right person for this job.

Hope these help with all you guy’s potential job opportunities! Happy job hunting. 

Nelson Mandela - A Portrait of a Leader

While normally this blog centers around my business plan, the industry and news that revolves around the two I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of Nelson Mandela.  As someone who is building a company and is looking to grow and build a strong community around my business I want to thank Nelson Mandela for living a life as an incredible role model.  While business ideas and technology comes and goes one thing that Mandela taught us is that integrity and love for your fellow man will never become obsolete.

While I have never met Nelson Mandela nor any sort of interactions with him or his camp I have always respected Mandela's strong anti-racists stance and been a fan of his teaching and words.  Mandela taught us the value of human life, how to respect opposing parties views and how to lead at a time when very few people wanted to follow.

As one who aspires to lead there are plenty of tips and advice to take away from Nelson Mandela. Here's a few that I've written down.

• Respect the opinion of others, even if it starkly contrasts yours. While Mandela fought racial discrimination his whole life he made sure at the start of his presidency to not isolate his opposition.  In fact Mandela kept many of his opposing party members close to him and allowed his actions and leadership to speak for itself. This in turn resulted in many of his opposers to become his closest followers.  An incredible lesson for those of us leaving our Master's program and going into management roles.
  "I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to see problems from all angles"
• Lead by example and do it through hard work. Mandela struggled his first years in office with steep opposition and a divided country.  As I mentioned in the previous point Mandela made some of his biggest opposers players in his political system.  While Mandela allowed dissenting views to be present in his regime he took it a step further and allowed his opposition places of perceived power.  Mandela has a great quote about this leadership strategy below.
  "Lead from the back - and let others believe they are in front"
• You can be the smartest and most qualified but you won't have followers until you first have heart. One of the biggest differences we can see with Mandela over other political leaders is that Mandela has passionate followers.  Mandela gained these followers over the course of his life by proving over and over again that he loved his country and his people.
  "A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination"

Nelson Mandela will be greatly missed but his teaching will live on through the centuries as his is remembered for his passion, his wisdom and most importantly his love of people.


“Difficulties break some men but make others.” (From a letter to wife, Winnie Mandela, from Robben Island, February 1975)

Narrowing the Vision

Last blog post we discussed Carlos Slim and Chuck Blakeman and their different views on business models and planning.  To refresh everyone’s memories Blakeman highlights how not to get focused on the “how” when building a business plan.  “Life happens” says Blakeman and no one can be truly prepared 100% for life’s ups and downs.  Slim on the other hand says that the focus should fall on clear objectives within a given company. The two businessmen, while holding differentiating views both have valuable input that I have tried to implement into my business plan.

Firstly when reflecting on Blakeman’s words I thought of realistically how I can incorporate not worrying so exclusively about the “how.” While there are a lot of different moving pieces that go into a backpack company I do not take Blakeman’s advice as not worrying about how those pieces will fit together.  Rather I think Blakeman is saying don’t worry so much about your big goals but focus on the small ones and the “how” will come together.  For me this means putting a large amount of time in effort into making sure the backpack design and creation process is taken care of.  By doing this the small things will come together to help me reach my end goal which is becoming an industry defining brand.

Secondly I reflected on Carlos Slim’s advice.  Slim highlights the need for clear objectives in a business.  Thus, for my business plan I have gone back and started editing my chapters and goals to help create clearer objectives.  By keeping my brand’s goals and objectives clear and concise it will help create a more focused and streamlined corporate culture.  

On top of looking at my business plan through the eyes of two inspirations I also wanted to lay out the most important aspects of it to my investors.  After looking through the plan I believe the place I will highlight the most will be my distribution chapter.  One of the things that really sets my business apart is that it’s all home crafted backpacks made in America. I’m really going to focus on how my company delivers, creates and packages some of the finest backpacks in the industry.

In the Footsteps of Giants

While an entrepreneur loves to be independent and show the world how they can do it on their own they will always admit to having a hero or two to model their lives after.  While being a lone wolf is great there are many useful tactics and strategies laid by those who have come before that all upcoming business men/women should take note of.  For this week's post I take an in depth look at a couple leader's in the industry who have laid some serious ground work for upcoming business people to follow.

For some great business insight one only has to look at the top of the world's richest list at Carlos Slim.  Slim, known for his mobile empire in Mexico, has some great business tips and insights for those following after him.  Slim preaches a simple business model that revolves around the simple concept that hard work pays off. The Slim business model consists of a few simple markers but one concept he harps on is keeping clear objectives in what your company is doing. The Slim business model consists of a few simple markers but one concept he harps on is keeping clear objectives in what your company is doing. If you want you want your company to be a multi billion-dollar empire then draw out a long term, multi-year goal that lays out how to accomplish that.  Slim teaches that keeping your eye on the prize pays off in the long term.

While Carlos Slim has made his money in a more “traditional” fashion, serial entrepreneur Chuck Blakeman says not to get to hung up on the “how” in your business plan.  “Life happens.” Blakeman states while explaining that no matter how much a person prepares one can never really be 100% prepared for what life is going to throw at them. Blakeman doesn’t say that one should forget the how, he only states that you must be flexible and adapt at a moment’s notice to your industry’s changing environment.  The recommendation is made by Blakeman then that you keep an open mind and let your business take you where it will.  As long as you’re being successful what does the "how" matter?

The Future of Marketing? Look to the Skies

Last week Australian based textbook rental business Zookal announced it would be delivering text books to renters via Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).  This announcement sparked a national argument debating on whether UAV's should be allowed for commercial use.  Currently countries like Australia and China allow the use of UAV's for commercial business but, the US currently has them outlawed under such circumstances.  While the debate certainly holds a variety of political and social issues regarding the use of UAV's but I being the marketing junkie I am, would like to take a different perspective at the subject.  

While the long term viability of this business structure can certainly be argued one thing that cannot is the impact this stunt is having.  This marketing stunt of sorts is a primary example of a business doing something outrageous in order to make the headlines. This growing trend has been the standard for most creative businesses trying to make an impact globally. 

This trend can most recently traced back to Red Bull Stratos the global science experiment that Red Bull conducted to send a man to the edge of space.  While the event may not directly correlate with an energy drink Red Bull may have consciously (or unconsciously) started a new marketing trend.  The event activated over 61,340,000 impressions worldwide and set Red Bull out as the premiere energy beverage.

And granted Zookal may not be dropping textbooks from space the marketing stunt is a prime example of a local company making a global impact utilizing digital outlets and a clever idea.  If Red Bull Stratos shows us anything its that you don’t have to be a relevant subject to make a big impact on the Internet.  It will be interesting to see how Zookal is able to turn this marketing stunt into a multi-media activation and turns into profit.  

When the Absurd wins Users

The internet is a scary place. It's kind of like an inner city playground. It's awesome to play with all the swings and toys during the day with your friends but, you really don't want to be there after dark or wonder too far off.

That being said the current generation that's rising up is being exposed more and more to ridiculous stuff and is becoming increasingly difficult to impress and impact consumers.  However, some companies are embracing the digital age and using its lower overhead and open creation format to really help build their brand.  One company who is really embracing this and growing is Old Spice.

While most people know Old Spice from their witty television commercials they actually did an entire digital marketing campaign in which they aired the campaign from start to finish entirely on youtube, tumblr, twitter, o and released an album on bandcamp.com.

The campaign centered entirely around the Old Spice Wolfdog who took over Old Spice as their Director of Marketing.  The wolf explains to its wolfings that it will be instituting things like "computers" and "tennis balls" in the office to help promote productivity.  The campaign was an instant hit and immediately developed an online cult following.

Ok, so this campaign was cutesy, tongue and cheek and had all the makings of a solid internet campaign but how did it really do? Well according to Mediabistro.com the 7 day campaign garnered over 4,000,000 impressions for Old Spice's new line of products. Not too shabby by internet standards.

Also you have to remember that aside from simple banner ads and production costs the campaign was incredibly low budget to execute compared too say a 7 day television spot.  The campaign was also timely and allowed Old Spice to respond directly to comments and questions almost instantaneously.  While the campaign was solid and its execution nearly flawless there's a lot of room for improvement and I'm curious to see what the "Love my smelf" brand comes up with next.

Slipping Between the Cracks: How to Find a Small-Time Manufacturer

In my last blog I discussed Alibaba.com and how it is revolutionizing production and manufacturing.  I also mentioned in the blog that while Alibaba is a great stop to get some stuff created and prototypes made up it has some limitations.  I briefly touched on that Alibaba is more directed at larger businesses in need of products created.  For instance if you are a smaller time business looking to produce 50-100 items to get their business off the ground then this site is probably not for you.  Well when you are a small start up like myself you need to find that middle producer to help create your product. Here's a couple steps I did to help find my local manufacturer.

1. Google...and I mean more than page 1- if you are serious about your business you can do like me and get frustrated at the lack of small time producers of products. But we live in 2013 and I promise you if you can't find someone who will create your small amount of products you can definitely find someone who's run into the same problems as you.  While it is incredibly tedious read through discussion forums and see what other people who are trying to do what you are did to resolve their issue.  I'm sure there will be someone who's dug and found contact info to help you on your journey.
2. Consult people in your industry- for myself I am building a backpack company and needed someone small time to help create my bags.  So I called, emailed and talked to a multitude of people who owned, worked in or were around sewing studios.  Usually places like that have contacts on call for when they need to send business somewhere and these people are not online or easily found. I found the woman to create my first prototype this way.

Get creative when you're searching. Remember the law of attraction. What kind of people are in this industry, who's the all knowing sources? Consult them, glean as much information as possible.  While finding small time producers will never be that easy you gotta do what you gotta do if you are serious about your business.

Happy hunting!

Alibaba.com- Changing how we (Americans) Purchase

The way the world produces, manufactures and purchases its products is constantly evolving.  With the development of the internet as a global medium to for consumers and sellers, there is always some new website or service being developed to serve people.  For my business plan I am developing a new line of high end backpacks and I have stumbled across a site that fits perfectly in this mold, Alibaba.com.

Alibaba.com connects people across the world with manufacturers in China, India, America and beyond.  The goal of Alibaba is to connect up and coming businesses with companies who can help manufacture their products. A rising hat business can find different styles and producers who will compete to create your product for you and win your business.

The way Alibaba.com works is you search through thousands and thousands of companies across a host of industries and identify what you are looking to produce.  For example if you are looking to produce your own line of clothing, specifically shirts, you can organize your results into clothing and individually look at companies.  These companies each have a profile page with how big their operation is, the minimum you must purchase, pricing etc... From there the customer compares and looks at other prices to find that perfect company to produce their items.  The customer will then contact the company and begin the production process.  Turn around time here is usually a month or so but some manufacturers can do it in more/less time.

While Alibaba is an awesome outlet for up and coming businesses it also has its limitations.  For instance most of the businesses only take orders of 1000 or more. If you're just starting out and have to order 1000 of something even if its just $5 that adds up quickly.  So future consumers just need to be mindful because if they're looking to make small purchases Alibaba probably isn't the place for you. But it is a great place to get started with prices, connections and who knows what you'll find on there.

Entertainment Law Update Blog

For this blog assignment I've taken the time to listen to a couple law podcasts in an attempt to expand my knowledge about different aspects of my business.
For my first podcast I listened to Gordon Firemark's podcast Episode 43- No Copyright Sherlock.  I'll be honest, I was dreading this assignment and thought this was going to be the most boring thing I've ever listened too but I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast.  I think being a former English major helped because Gordon discussed Faulkner and Harper Lee and a couple copyright issues.  The main issue I found interesting was the Faulkner people vs. the Midnight in Paris movie people.  At one point in the Midnight in Paris film George Clooney stands up and proclaims a profound statement about the past that was in the Faulkner piece "A requiem for a nun." Faulkner's folks said the one phrase in the movie violated copyright laws and that they were owed for the quote.  The judge however, cited fair use and said that there was no way this a copyright violation.

I found this 1st case quite helpful because I plan on making tshirts and hats down the road as my brand grows.  And a few of my designs all have common phrases on them.  I will need to ensure that I am protected under fair use for a few of them so that I cannot be sued for violating copyright laws.

For my 2nd case I listened to Entertainment Law Update Episode 36- Einstein, Faulkner, Superman and talent managers. There were some interesting points brought up in this podcast but one point in particular I found insightful.  Gordon discussed in this podcast Fox News vs. the wife of a deceased US Marine.  In this case Fox News used pictures of the family on vacation and pictures of the deceased Marine for their documentary "Afghanistan ER." Gordon discussed the moral issue of using pictures of the family on vacation but legally they didn't do anything wrong. The story proved as a stern warning to hurting your brand's image.  While yes Fox News did not do anything legally wrong they really did severely hurt their public image. For my brand we may never deal with anything this heavy but, we always need to keep our public opinion in the forefront of our minds.