Jayne Marie

think about Nov 5th... Jan 20th... this time next year

Jayne Marie — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:01:20 -0000

Dear prospective voter,

I've been thinking about the day after the elections, anxious about the results. I keep thinking, not about who's going to win, but what I will feel when I hear the results. I believe in private ballots and everyone's right to make their own decisions, so I'm not asking who are you voting for, but rather, what are you voting for?

When you go to vote on the 4th, think about what you'll feel on the 5th... If your guy wins, you'll of course, be happy and excited... but why? Because you beat the other guy? Because the guy you didn't want, didn't win? Is that all? On Nov 5th, when your guy wins, will you feel hopeful or optimistic? Will your feel relieved about your future? Will you anticipate change? Will you have a resolve to do your part to make this country better? Will you breathe a sigh of relief? Will you be telling people who didn't vote for your guy, that things are going to be OK?

If your guy loses, what's that feeling you'll feel? Fear? Dread? Do you fear that "your worst fear" has come true, that there'll be more of the same, or that things will get worse? Do you really believe that? Put yourself in that moment. If you've just heard that your guy lost, what's that feeling? Why? What do you dread will happen?

Take a moment and think about November 5th and think about what you're really voting for. Are you voting out of fear or out of hope? Does your candidate give you hope about November 5th and the days to come? Does the other candidate fill you with dread for the future of America? Are you fearful? Does your heart sink at the thought of the other guy as president? Is all your focus on why the other guy is wrong for the country? Do you understand the future that your candidate is promising you? Do you personally care or are you just going along with the party? What will your candidate make you feel on Wed? Will you feel hope? Does you candidate give you something to believe? Will your confidence in America's future be restored, reaffirmed or reassured? Bias, party affiliations and bad press aside, think, really think, about what feeling your candidate will bring you on Nov 5th and what you expect from them on Jan 20th.

This email isn't a ploy to talk you onto Obama's bandwagon or scare you into McCain's camp... or vice versa. This is just an email to make you consider what you're really voting for. What do you want? What are you expecting? What will you feel? Think about that moment. Think about your decision. Think about Why. Do your homework. Find out what kind of future your candidate is offering you and your home. Envision that future, then vote for it. Do what you have to do on Nov 4th at the polls with your vote. Make your decision for what you'll experience on November 5th when one man is chosen.

I hope your candidate, whomever he may be, gives you something to hope for, and not just fear. Ultimately, I hope that your confidence for your future is not in the limited power of any man, but in God. I hope that you pray for whomever is elected President as well as for your Reps and Senators.

Wrestling's Fake

Jayne Marie — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:02:48 -0000

A friend, whose opinion I trust, just told me that Santa Clause doesn't exist. Or was maybe he told me that professional wrestling was fake. No, I remember, he told me that the NBA was fixed, *frown* but it felt like he said Santa didn't exist. Mind you, I had heard it before, but simply took the claims about the NBA being fixed as disgruntled fans simply voicing their frustration. Mind you I'm not THAT trusting or organizations that throw around millions of dollars, still I'm not that much of a "conspiracy theorist" either. My thing is, to make assertions like that, you need proof or at some logical train of thought for me to jump on the bandwagon.

However, before I could simply dismiss this "conspiracy," because of the source this time, I actually applied thought about. Initially, logic led me to ask, "Why would a business compromise the integrity of it's product or main selling point?" At first I thought, well of course it wouldn't... until I remembered that I work in radio. Radio stations are notorious for switching formats, limited play lists and less than impressive commercials. (Not complaining I like my job, I'm just talking about the other companies in the industry. *grin*). Let's move on to another example. Bars, for instance water down beers, McDonald's will sell you stale food at the end of the day, TV will throw away programming in favor of cheaper, easier Reality TV programs, and Hollywood doesn't even half try to entertain us, with only a few exceptions. The News, more entertainment than information and rarely will they tell you what you can do about it (other than be depressed by it).

I sadly realized today that my concept of business integrity is one that exists only in my own mind. Very disappointing, far more disappointing than learning that the NBA is fixed.After all, I live in Detroit, so I'm used to hearing that same old sad song. And yes, I can see how one can believe that the NBA is fixed. It is a corporation - unchallenged even and it controls so much... which stations will air it, who can actually use the phrase "NBA" it's players, and they invest Millions of dollars into advertising and PR to make sure that it controls the way people feel about the NBA. Any organization that sees itself as having that much power, is likely to worship the almighty dollar over the integrity of the product. we've seen that companies dealing with far less money have done it. When so much is dependent on the success and image of the NBA, it's almost hard to believe that it could be run with corporate integrity. Sure, the commissioner may see to it that everything appears to be on the up and up and that there are no traces of dirt, but there's always what's under the surface

Lunch over. More to come later

Prediction: AA flys the coop by 2011! or AA Crash & Burn by 2011!

Jayne Marie — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:50:41 -0000

I received an email which inspired me to blog again. It came from my favorite traveling rescource, Airfarewatchdog.com (That's how you know I love you. I didn't hoard the good stuff.) So this is what I received:

Hi there Jayne Marie,

Did you hear about American Airlines? Well, hot on the heels of last month's new $25 fee for checking a 2nd bag, comes news that they'll soon charge $15 for your first checked bag. And that's not all. They also plan on cutting back domestic flights, and laying off workers, all in an attempt to cover the jump in fuel costs. Will other airlines follow? Details in the blog.

So here's what I have to say about that. SELL! SELL! SELL! Sell you AA stocks if you have any, because AA is going to be out of business no later than 2011 (I'm thinking as soon as 1st quarter 2010). Seriously, I no stock exchange expert, but I know a stupid decision when I hear one. I believe they will be out of business by 2011, if not sooner and chances are they're going to have to sell their company to another company - lol probably a foriegn one!

In fact, I have to wonder how good business must have been in order for them to feel secure in charging people more for something like this. Truly, I'd be curious to know before they announced this baggage charge, what their fees were like and how many seats did they actually fill percentage-wise.

See, if you run a monopoly you can charge whatever the heck you want... but with so many options... American Airlines simply isn't one anymore. It's not like they had the best fares to start with. So you have a company that tends to be pricey on fares, cutting back on flights and staff WHICH MEANS YOU'LL BE WAITING LONGER, you won't find as many good flights, and service will go down... Then, add to that you, now have to pay $15 - $40 additional dollars per person if you plan on taking any clothes on your vacation!

That's like ordering a soft drink at McDonalds and they tell you, "Well if you want that with a cup and straw, it's going ot be extra!"
!!!!!!!

And is there any garauntee that my baggage is going to arrive in great condition... that I'm not going to have to wait in baggage claim? that nothing is broken, spilled or stolen?

Unless they start giving away 1-night free hotel rooms, 1-day car rentals, free gas cards, or free weekend/ week long airport parking & shuttle service, then they can't get away with charging more for baggage in poor economic times while they have so much competition and again, they're rates weren't the best to begin with.

Luxury Airlines are going out of business people, right along with SUVs and Customer Service.Speaking of which... If there is an award for worst customer service, they deserve it! In hard times, people scale back. Period!

People can't afford to drive to their destinations any longer, so they're looking to fly. But they don't have to fly American. In fact, I'm outraged that they have the name American before Airlines. That's so Un-American. It's like their taxing the people!

So what happens? They get people to start packing everything in carry-ons? That doesn't fill the seats! What about the moms who have to check strollers and car seats? What about Christmas when kids return from visiting grandma with extra stuff. What about vacationing families who pack 1 - 2 bags per person? 12 -year old Susy's not paying $40 dollars for her 2 bags, her parents are paying for that, plus paying for their own bags. A family of 4 going on a 7 day vacation to Disney World just racked up an additional $160 for their bags. I suppose that's still cheaper than a few SUV fill-ups if they were to load up and drive there instead. Still, they still have to rent a car and pay for hotel rooms and food and park entry, etc and all of that other stuff that goes into vacationing.

I get it! This is a selfless, charitable move on their part. I suppose their suggestion is:
"You're supposed to buy clothes while on vacation and donate them to the Salvation Army before you leave." How thoughtful. Something positive to remember them by when they announce they've shut down operations.

The thing I don't get is... let's say rather than making money up on the passangers' luggage, people just start parking less or fewer people fly their airline. So even if that benefits them in other ways such as, they expend less fuel because the plane doesn't weigh as much, they'll still have fewer filled seats and will still waste fuel flying fewer people to a destination. Of course, I should suppose this means they're going to retire their larger jets and simply fly those inconveniently small ones... you know the ones you have to walk outside in the rain and up stairs to board and then wait for them to get a lift to board a wheelchaired person. I hate those planes. All of that adds more delay time and of course fewer available flights, cuts into safety, ads to connections, cuts down on in flight servicecs... I really don't see people being happy about this. I would love to see the data they resorted to when making this decision.

They need to take a cue from SouthWest Airlines... they advertise, they offer rates and flights that meet people's needs, and they are now top for customer satisfaction. The probably is if you want people to pay for the value of something, you need to get them believing in the value.

RIP AA

Would You Like Some Fries With That?

Jayne Marie — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:17:57 -0000

Commercial NWDodge.mp3

Jayne Marie — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:45:20 -0000

Tom's Diner by DNA

Jayne Marie — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:40:59 -0000

Business Brunch at Tom's Diner

Jayne Marie — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:21:55 -0000

The oddest, most random song in the late 80's/ early 90's for me happened to also be one of my favorites: Suzanne Vega's Tom's Diner. Oh, you remember it. "Dat-dat-dah-dah, dat, dah-dah-dah..." [Or "do-do-do" for some of you] Besides providing that catchy a cappella melody, Vega hauntingly sings these lyrics:

"There's a woman On the outside
Looking inside Does she see me?
No she does not Really see me
'Cause she sees Her own reflection

And I'm trying Not to notice
That she's hitching Up her skirt
And while she's Straightening her stockings
Her hair Has gotten wet"

I always thought it was funny that this woman would fix her clothing in the reflection of a business when people are clearly inside. But just like that had no bearings on her actions, that comment has nothing to do with the point I'm aiming to make.

It's said that "Vega wrote the song based on a comment by her friend Brian Rose, a photographer, who mentioned that in his work, he sometimes felt as if 'he saw his whole life through a pane of glass, and [...] like he was the witness to a lot of things, but was never really involved in them.'"

Today, we are going to examine this song and the above statement as they relate to your business, your marketing, the way customers view you, and the way you view them. You've heard people remark about the pitfalls of looking at your business from the "inside-out." Today, rather than figuring out from which side of the window are you deriving your vantage point, we're focusing on the equally important yet often- over looked point: Who you are seeing while staring at that window. A lot of times, the problem isn't how you view your clients; it's that you don't really see them at all. We'll examine that further.

Are you, while on the inside looking out, restricted in your view of the customer due to your own reflection getting in your way. In other words, do you block your own view of your actual potential customer? Word to the wise sisters, if you're marketing your business as though this reflection is your customer, you need to shift to the side. I can't say this gently, so I have to say this directly. You have to get out of your own way and recognize that your customer doesn't look like you. Your customer doesn't own your business. Your customer is not concerned with your success in the same way that you are. Your customer doesn't speak the language of your business like you do. Your customer isn't motivated by the things you are. You're customer is a customer, and the customer that you have to get in your sights.

Another point: While you're looking at your reflection, your customer is simply looking at you, not your image as it appears to you. When you attempt to fix your appearance by looking at your reflection in the window, your customers are watching you "hitch up your skirt," though they may be trying not to notice. Be aware of what you are REALLY doing. Know that your actions are been both seen and evaluated by onlookers. There's little that you as a business owner can do that is not being noted by someone. If you think changing your decorum will help your appearance, your client is noticing. If you think changing your personnel will make you better, your client is noticing. But here's the kicker... They're not seeing the changes in the same way you are. They don't see that you're trying to fix yourself in your reflection. They simply see you changing your clothing in public. What do they think of these changes? In attempts to straighten yourself, do they feel uncomfortable? Do they feel isolated as though you don't even notice that they are standing there? Do they feel as though you don't see them?

Here's a good example of how to change attire in view of the public. In an old classic, black and white film titled "Witness for the Prosecution" (Great Movie. I highly recommend it. It had a wonderfully crazy twist at the end) a gentleman makes friends with a rich, elderly woman upon coming to her assistance at a hat shop. I say at a hat shop rather than inside of a hat shop because he was actually peering through the window of the haberdashery when he noticed her trying on hats. When the elderly woman noticed him, it startled her momentarily, but she soon became grateful as the onlooker began offering his opinion about the hat that she was trying and the hats that she should try. Upon purchasing the hat that the stranger suggested, the woman commented that she would have never thought about trying on that hat. The flatterer then pointed out to the woman the strengths in her features that she hadn't taken into consideration and how, unlike the hat she was at first trying, this one would play to them.

The point?

So long as you're going to alter your appearance in clear view of the public, why not try to incorporate things that appeal to your target audience rather than making alterations that make them feel uncomfortable.This is what authors Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned refer to in their book, Don't Think Pink (a must-read), as Transparent Marketing. Transparent Marketing is when you subtly incorporate preferences of your customers into your existing business model. Though they may not be able to articulate or put their finger on why they like to patronize your business, clients from all walks of life, whether your target and others, openly admit that they feel more welcome and enjoy the experience of doing business with you, either better than before or better than your competitors.

Now that we've taken a long, hard evaluation of ourselves and extracted ourselves from blocking the picture of our customer, we need to look at the person on the other side of the glass. Beyond examining her attire, actions, interactions, expressions, and the like, I want you notice one thing and realize still another. Notice where her eyes travel as she's looking through the window. What is she looking at and what contortions does her face make as she's considering what she sees. After you've made note of this, please realize that she very well may not being seeing you. She too could be looking at her own reflection - and this is a good thing.

This is how you know that your customers see themselves when they look at your business. Do they return? Do they loiter? Does the volume of their voice indicate that they think they’re at home? Are their shoulders and posture relaxed in your presence? Do they maintain eye contact, nod, and smile when they interact with you? Do they feel comfortable asking you questions - especially embarrassing ones? Do they bring friends? Do they come in and go straight to a certain area or come in knowing exactly what they're looking for -- because they've been there before or researched your business and something encouraged them to come to you? Do your clients or customers talk to you as though you understand them, know them, and know where they are coming from? How quickly do clients leave once the transaction is complete? Where do their eyes travel or fixate once they turn away from you after their business has ended?

These are signs that your customer sees his or herself in a way that is comfortable and reassuring. These are people who will return because you have made this a place where they feel welcome. Good job!

Before we leave Tom's Diner, there's just one more person I need to point out to you. Suzanne Vega. If you hadn't noticed, her coffee isn't filled all way to the top. You haven't really addressed her since she's been sitting there and she feels uncomfortable at the way you're doting over your newly entered patron in stark contrast to the lack of concern shown her.

Now, you can look at this song as "simply about someone in a coffee shop," but I encourage you not take that attitude about your customers when they enter your "coffee shop," because it is their personal experience that you are affecting. People are thirsty to be noticed and belong. Fill their coffee cups to the brim. Strive to make for your customers, clients, consumers, patients, partners, patrons, or whomever a positive, inclusive, welcoming, comfortable, cozy, homely experience. Be careful not to isolate them, while "looking out the window at somebody coming in."

***Enormous thanks to SongMeanings.net and their posters for opening my eyes to the story and symbolism behind the random lyrics of Tom's Diner.

Too Much, Too Little, Too Late for Valetine's... thoughts on women

Jayne Marie — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:43:36 -0000

Just in time to be too late for Valentine's Day, I wanted to share some really brief thoughts about women. This really might have come in handy last week. Sorry.

As complicated as women are - and I suppose we ARE complicated; I'll admit that - I've been able to boil what women really want down to three things! Shock & Awe I Know! Wonder of Wonders! Who are you telling? lol. So here's my little bit of revelation.

In part, this is how we understand love, but it's also what we want in general. There are other things that we want but they can fall into these three catagories. Also, the degree to which a woman "desires" these things depends on her emotional health and upbringing. For instance, if her dad was really loving and supportive, she won't consciously seek these things from men, but she won't settle for love without them. It may be something that's a given for her and so she wouldn't feel the need to articulate or think about it. So here we go!

1. Women want to be wanted
2. Women want to be appreciated
3. Women want to feel safe.

Now, Jayne, that's really simple.... Jayne, that leaves out a lot.... Jayne, I know women in unsafe relationships....

There are no exceptions to these 3 rules. These are what every woman wants. Everything else is an extension of that in some way, shape or form. Well, how is wanting a talk, dark, handsome stranger a part of that. Who cares if he's talk, dark, and handsome. The real desire is to be equally desired by someone you find desirable. "Finding him" and having him want to be with you are two completely different things.

Let me break it down just a little.

1. Women want to be wanted: Desired, thought to be beautiful and desirable inside and out, chosen, sought after, requested, invited, etc. Beautiful almost made it's own bullet point because it's such a strong need. This isn't you needing us; this is you like us so much, that it doesn't have to do with practicality you just want us around in some way.

2. Women want to be appreciated: Noticed, Needed, Valued, Esteemed, Prized, Understood, feel like Superwoman aka your hero, seen, heard, acknowledged. This also applies to the work we do, our contribution, and even our very presence. I think actually every human wants and needs this one. Remember, for generations, women were treated like possessions and inferior to men. It's not pity or charity. It's mere recognization of our equally valuable humanity.

3. Women want to feel safe: Secure, Financially set, stable, at ease, comfortable around you, able to be emotionally vulnerable, supported, believed in, defended against anyone who would speak ill of us or take advantage of us, sheilded, protected, relieved of worry about the present and future, at ease about our pasts not mattering. This also extends to feeling that our kids or future kids are safe. Feeling safe also means that we can trust that you are indeed who you say you are, and that you do and go, in fact, where you say you will. Feeling about to trust you (man, woman, or child) is a part of our feeling safe. Women worry about a lot of things and, as much as we talk, we keep a lot of things to ourselves. When we feel safe, we feel free to be our true selves apart from what is or what we've imposed upon ourselves. This may mean being girly, sexy, boring, nerdy, sloppy, ditzy, Intellegent, impressive, creative, wise - whatvere, "good" or "bad."

Not as short as I had hoped, but he's a final question for now. IF ALL OF THIS IS TRUE, WHY DO WOMEN GET IN AND STAY IN BAD RELATIONSHIPS? I'll post my thoughts about this later. :)

Northland Mall Commercial

Jayne Marie — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:59:28 -0000

Krav Maga Commercial - GTA spoof

Jayne Marie — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:58:23 -0000