Life-enhancing outreach

The real value in the marketplace is PEOPLE...not technology. But, in today's recessionary environment, the reverse is not only believed but acted upon. It is time for those who know the truth to band together and demonstrate it. Below is a list of links to tools that are designed to serve the needs of people. But, keep in mind, the technology is meant to be the servant - not the master:

30 Boxes - The free calendar that contacts you.

About.Me - The free landing page that provides AOL Mail and analytics.

Branchout - A tremendous Facebook tool for people in career transition.

Brazen Careerist - An Infographic and business networking tool.

Cardcloud - The free virtual business card.

Google - Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Google +.

Linkedin - A tremendous job-seeking/business networking tool.

Moo Cards - Business cards with "printfinity."

Prezi - Multimedia that helps organize your ability to make presentations.

Referral Key - A tremendous business networking tool.

Skype - An amazing phone and video conferencing tool.

Squidoo - A free online publication service that pays contributors.

Thumbtack - A unique job promotion service.

Tungle.Me - An online phone/meeting scheduling service.

Youtube - a video depository (great educational resource).

WiseStamp - An amazing email signature service.

Causes.com is a wonderful online resource for fundraising. These folks are extremely clever. Something as simple as a person's birthday can be utilized to make a positive difference in the lives of needy people. For more on how this system works, click here.

A restaurant night fundraiser is the solution to a slow evening of customer foot traffic. Here the public gets to contribute to what they believe is a worthwhile cause simply by eating a meal. The restaurant not only collects money from the customers for the meal, but a form which helps them tabulate a tax-deductible donation to the nonprofit organization. This is a win/win/win situation. The restaurant wins because it gets more customers on what would otherwise be a slow night and provides a tax-deductible donation to a worthwhile cause. The customers win because they not only eat a meal, but in doing so help a worthwhile cause. The nonprofit wins because thanks to both the restaurant and its caring community of people, it now has revenue it might not other have.

What kinds of restaurants hold restaurants night fundraisers? Almost every kind:

Applebees
Arby's
Baja Fresh
Big Boy
Black-Eyed Pea
Boston Market
Burger King
Carl Jr's
Chevy's Mexican Restaurants
Chick-fil-A
Chipotle
Chili's
CiCi's Pizza
Culvers
Fazoli's
Fresh Choice
Friendly's
Fudruckers
Jack-in-the-Box
Jersey Mike's
KFC
La salsa Fresh Mexican Grill
Loco's Deli
Maggie Moo's
Max & Erma's
McAlister's Deli
McDonalds
Mongolian BBQ
O'Charley's
Outback Steakhouse
Panera Bread
Papa Murphy's
Pizza Hut
Pizzeria Uno
Ponderosa
Rio Bravo
Sonic
Sweet Tomatoes
Subway
Taco Cabana
Tortuga's
TRU
Wendy's
Zany Brainy

For more about this clever fundraising opportunity, visit Fundraising For Small Groups Newsletter.

Getting a proclamation, letter of endorsement from a Governor or any government office is a lot easier than you might expect. For me, knowledge of the process began when I was actually challenged to discover for myself just how easy the process was. Here's how it all started. I had simply made inquiry to an individual as to how his nonprofit organization was able to get a proclamation from then-Governor of Georgia, Zell Miller. The person's reply truly shocked me. He simply said, "I asked for it." I could not believe getting a proclamation was that simple. So, the fellow challenged me to prove him wrong. Not being one to refuse a challenge, I proceeded to prove this person wrong. I had no idea that the process would end up educating me over a span of more than 10 years.

Step 1 - Ask for what you want. Whether you need a proclamation from your local city hall or the entire state, the first step is to ask for the template. If you are asking on behalf of a nonprofit organization that is celebrating an anniversary that is divisible in years by 5, chances are good you will not only be sent the template, but once the document is ready, you will be given multiple options for its delivery:

a) You can physically go down to the city hall or state capital and pick up the document, which will likely be rolled up in a tube.

b) You can request the document be sent to you in the mail.

Step 2 - When the template arrives, edit it to suit your purposes. There will be blank spaces that need to be filled in. However, do not hesitate to scratch out any of the exisiting text and replace it with your own. It is, after all, your document.

Step 3 - Return the edited document to the sender in the mail.

Step 4 - A government official will contact you when the document is ready for your use. Do not be surprized if you are provided with various options regarding delivery of the document to you. For example:

a)Simply receive the document in the mail.

b) Go down and physically pick up the document yourself.

c) Have a public official bring the document to a banquet you are planning and publicly read it to the audience. (Option C is exactly what I did in January of 1996 for the 10th Anniversary Banquet Celebration of Amiga Atlanta, Inc. The banquet was co-hosted by CNN and PBS without the payment of TV personality fees. Why? I believe the fact that a representative from Gov. Zell Miller's office was present to read a proclamation was the reason.)

What you see in this module is a letter of commendation from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. This was made possible by Marty Keller, Small Business Advocate for the State of California. The letter came to me as a result of some clever game strategy that was implement by Keller to uplift a rural Northern California community. Sometimes it is not just what you know, but who that helps work the special blessings.

If you would like to get help with a proclamation or letter of commenation, I would be more than happy to help you. Simply schedule a phone consultation with me.

Did you know that whenever a couple celebrates their 50th wedding anniversary that the First Lady of the USA will send a card congratulating them on the achievement? All that is required is a few weeks advance notification to the White House. I do not know if the White House has a way of verifying this information or not. Or, if money is spent to make the verification. All I know is that back in the 1990's I informed the White House that the parents of friends of mine were scheduled to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary soon. The daughter of the couple later informed me that her parents had received a very nice greeting card from First Lady Barbara Bush.

If you know of someone scheduled to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary and would like a special greeting card for First Lady Michelle Obama, please let me know. I will see what can be done.