Deflowered at the Surf Expo September 2008

No, I didn’t have sex in the Reef booth, or the Body Glove booth or even the Lucy Love booth, but man, I love the action sports industry! Attending for the first time, I expected the bikini models, throngs of t-shirt and baggy shorts wearing groms and reps, but what I didn’t expect is the proportion of the event. The booths were big as hell, the excitement was palpable, the skate ramp was an acre and the Skull Candy concert could be heard throughout the Expo.

Talking with Aaron from Eastern Skate Supply and Eastern Surf Supply, who’ve been exhibiting at the show for 20 years, I was really excited to hear that business is still good. I attend other conferences and the economy always comes up and is used as a way to lower the standards of expectations. Not this show! Mood at Quiksilver, “Great show!” WRV, “Killin’ it!” Allyance, “Buyers are there!” ESS, “Business is really strong!” And the list goes on and on.

I’m sure I stood out as the only person wearing a button-down shirt, but that’s me. When I’m not surfing or at home, it’s business. There is real money being committed in our services and I take that seriously. So while it was really a great time, I look forward to the next show in January. At least here in Fla. we can wear shorts in the winter!

Wanna pay $1200 to travel with 2 surfboards?

Rant #1

Yeah, me neither.

So go sign this: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/StopUnfairSurfboardFees/
And check the story here: http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/press-release/surfrider-assemble-to-petition-against-discriminatory-surfboard-baggage-fees_18288/

Cheers.

-Ryan

Guerrilla Marketing

The most important book I've read for small businesses is Guerilla Marketing. Go to the site and buy the book by Jay Conrad Levinson. Fourteen million of these books have been sold worldwide, and the book is worth every cent- it cost me $15.32 at B&N.

For those who don't want to read, below are the 16 secrets he talks about (they end in "-ent"). If you have any questions about any of the secrets contact me and I'll tell you how to implement one or more of them- no cost.

1. You must have commitment to your marketing plan.
2. Think of that program as an investment.
3. See to it that your program is consistent.
4. Make your prospects confident in your firm.
5. You must be patient in order to keep a commitment.
6. You must see that marketing is an assortment of weapons.
7. You must know profits come subsequent to the sale.
8. You must aim to run your firm in a way that makes it convenient for your customers.
9. Put an element of amazement in your marketing.
10. Use measurement to judge the effectiveness of your weapons.
11. Prove your involvement with customers and prospects by your regular follow-up with them.
12. Learn to become dependent on other businesses and they on you.
13. You must be skilled with the armament of guerrillas, which means technology.
14. Use marketing to gain consent from prospects, and then broaden that consent so it leads to the sale.
15. Sell the content of your offering rather than the style; sell the steak and the sizzle, because people are too sophisticated to merely buy that sizzle.
16. After you have a full-fledged marketing program, work to augment it rather than rest on your laurels.

Use them for everything you do- proposals, brain-storming, execution, revisiting. They will change your business and hopefully your life.

Cheers.

-Ryan

Great Article on Career Achievement at Transworld Business Web Site

I was going to post an entry on successful tactics for start-ups to get their word out, guerrilla marketing!!!, but ran across this article and thought it very timely...

How To: Make Your Job Work for You

Great advice. Cheers.

-Ryan

The 5 Ws & The H

I began Lionize PR in part because I’ve always felt that if you didn’t stand for something, you’d fall for anything. I’m a surfer and that lifestyle permeates Lionize. I’m also an entrepreneur and that drive guides Lionize.

While the left and right brain dominate at different times, it wasn’t until 2008 that they coalesced into Lionize PR. I also wanted to make sure we could provide a value to our clients and that takes experience- mix in Dustin Markland, our creative director, and we’re talking the chemistry of success.

Where we claim: the North End (Va.), CB (N.C.) and NSB (Fla.). I’ve met a wide range of people along the way and they’ve all been impactful in the way I view life. Those philosophies allow me to do what I do. Really that is the essence of PR, building relationships for opportunities.

PR is not the Wizard of Oz behind an opaque curtain pulling strings and puffing smoke. We’re not a weekly conference call or a monthly retainer. We’re specifically focused on surfing, the same way an optometrist is focused, sorry for the pun, on the eyes and eyesight. As doctors began to specialize, I foresee PR doing the same, and we’re jumping to the front of the line. I believe in PR and I believe in our clients, which is why I didn’t name the company Ryan Marks & Associates, or something. We take our clients to the next level and that is what every PR firm should do.

Cheers.

-Ryan