Marketing Japan: Godzilla Lawyers Sue Maine Restaurant! True!

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

Well, the way this has been going recently in the last few days, you'd think that this blog was about Japanese monster movies or pop culture instead of marketing.

Well, here's one for you that is absolutely true and I have the links to prove it:

Think Godzilla is scary? Meet his lawyers! 

Click this for other adventures of Godzilla in Court!

Lawyer's for Toho Cinema, representing Godzilla, are threatening a restaurant in Maine with civil suit. The name of the restaurant is "Grill Zilla BBQ" and it is located in Damariscotta in Maine in the USA.

The restaurant has a mascot that looks like a your average cartoon dinosaur (T-Rex) wearing an apron and the motto is: "BBQ so good, it is scary!"

Owners of Grill Zilla BBQ stand next to their cool sign

I, for one, don't see any problems here with the mascot. But the mascot with "Zilla" is sure to set off a lawyer. But, of course, when you get a roomful of anal-retentive lawyers involved they've just got to sue somebody about something!

Read this from the original article stating the plantiff demands:

Either way, the lawyers for Toho Co. Ltd., a Japanese entertainment conglomerate that owns the rights to the 56-year-old movie icon Godzilla, recently took a long look at Grill Zilla BBQ and saw trademark infringement.

"Toho is concerned that your use of this character along with a name and mark which incorporate a portion of our client's famous GODZILLA mark will cause consumers to believe that there is some association with, authorization by or sponsorship by our client," wrote Jill A. Jacobs, an attorney with the Los Angeles firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP, in a letter to Swett and Burnham last March.

She was just warming up.

Jacobs wet on to request that Swett and Burnham not only deep-six their green mascot, but also stop using the name Grill Zilla "in connection with any 'lizard-like' or 'reptile-like' monsters or other monster designs or references to monsters or with any imagery or character depicted in a manner similar to the way in which Toho has depicted the GODZILLA character in its films."

Had enough? Sorry, there's more.

Lest Grill Zilla's owners not quite grasp what she's talking about, Jacobs went on the explain that Toho doesn't want to look halfway around the world to the coast of Maine and see "a colossal character; in a cityscape with the character crushing or stomping on the city, buildings, cars, people, etc.; in any other setting where the character destroys cities, villages, or mountains; where the character breathes atomic fire; or where the character emerges from the ocean, water, etc."

There is one part of the article that is amusing:. It's the restaurant owners comments on the long winded letter from the lawyer:  

Noted Swett as he reviewed the letter for the umpteenth time Friday, "She's probably getting paid by the word."

Now, you might think that Toho would be embarrassed by all this. But not so. This is not the first time they got all huffy about Godzilla...

Cool merchandise!

Remember Japanese baseball star Hideki Matsui who played for the New York Yankees and had the nikname "Godzilla"? Yep. Toho couldn't get people to stop using the nickname, but they were successful in stopping all sales of any items related to Matsui that had any sort of resemblance to any dinosaurs. Now those Matsui bobbleheads with godzillas body are quite expensive on E-bay! Maybe the Grill Zilla T-Shirts and goods will be the same!

So, I guess the barbeque restaurant might have to change their name... I can't see where Toho has a leg to stand on with the restaurant using a cartoon dinosaur as a mascot, but the name Grill Zilla might be construed as too close to Godzilla.... 

How about Zill Gorilla? Or Grill Gorilla? And use a giant ape like King Kong?


At least it is good to see the owners of the restaurant using this as the great promotion that it is for their establishment's benefit!


See Grill Zilla homepage here. http://www.grillzillabbq.com/

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Keywords: Marketing Japan, Mike Rogers, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, Toho, Godzilla, Japan, Barbeque, BBQ, 

I'm a Twitter Quitter!...

This is the third time that I will write about Twitter. It is also the third time that I do not have flattering things to say about it. Twitter is quickly becoming synonymous with frustration. Twitter will never even come close to taking down Facebook.

Today, again, Twitter is down and not in service in Japan... Again. Not only is it not in service, their excuses for why it isn't working keep changing.

I wake up earlier than most people do, I think, and I go on my computer and do the things I need to do; check my e-mail; see how much money I lost that night... Write. Whenever I write my blog, I always use Social Media to promote what I have written. My favorites to use are Facebook, Mixi, Myspace, Pick and Twitter.

You know what folks? I have never once had any irritation with Pick, Mixi, or Facebook (sometimes Myspace irritates me) but Twitter frustrates me far too often. I've come to expect that there will be some sort of trouble with Twitter. I never expect any trouble, with, say Google.

That's the way the Internet is supposed to be. Twitter? Problems at least once a week. Sometimes two or three times.

Not only is Twitter frustrating because I cannot put enough text into the short space allowed but also because Twitter experiences technical trouble far too often. Today is the fourth or fifth time in the last few weeks that Twitter has not worked properly. Throw on top of that Twitter admitting that they manipulate their "Trending" and it makes you wonder "What good is it then?"

I became a bit suspicious about the last time Twitter claimed that their "Service was over-capacity" as I had noticed that Twitter kept changing the excuses as to why the system was down. One time the screen would say, "Over-capacity" the next moment it would say, "Technical error." They've done the same thing today.

How is it that one minute Twitter says that the system is "over-loaded" - meaning that "we are too popular for you," (you know, like the prom queen would actually attend your birthday party!? Harrumph! Absurd!) then, a few minutes later, the screen says something completely different? This time they say it's a problem of technical errors (I believe that!)

Which is it Twitter? Over-load or tech problem? Either way, get your story straight. Some people might think you are confused... Others, like me, might think that you are amateurish and can't get the story straight... Er, well, people like me think you are lying - to put it bluntly.

Lying on the Internet is bad business no? Or do you lie because you want some fat-cat idiot company to give you more money? Isn't that really bad business?

You already committed several cardinal sins by manipulating your "trending" topics (For proof and admission, See here) so your credibility is already questionable. But lying about your service (again!)? That is just low-grade and no class.

Check it out. Here what Twitter landing page says at this moment:

It says, "Twitter is over capacity. Please wait a moment and try again. 

For more information, see Twitter status."

Folks, it is now 7:10 am Tokyo time, I have been trying Twitter since 6:30 am and this is still going on. Poor work Twitter! And, like I said, the fourth or fifth time, at least, in the last ten weeks.

No, Twitter. You are not that popular in Japan at this moment in time and at 6:30 in the morning.

But, then again, like I also pointed out, Twitter commits the ultimate sin of lying about the problem. Twitter, you are not over-capacity. That is not true. You even admit it with the Twitter status link above.

Check it out... I want more information. So, I click "Twitter status" what do I get?

This one says, "We're currently experiencing a high error rate on Twitter. Our infrastructure and operations engineers are responding to the incident."

Heck, Twitter, that's poor. I remember about a year ago when Google was having trouble with their G-mail. Sometimes it wouldn't work correctly for, oh, say sometimes ten minutes and then they had it up and fixed immediately....

You guys? Well, it's now almost an hour (at least one hour)...

This really sucks Twitter. No wonder 60% of all Twitter users quit using Twitter within the first 30 days. twitter can be incredibly boring and the service is poor.

I can honestly say that I have just about had it with you guys too. The way this is going, Twitter, while maybe not dead, will be just like Myspace or something that a few people use for a storage garage to keep their junk... I really predict Twitter will be a real dog by 2014.

As for me, just sign me, Twitter Quitter!

Twitter Sucks.

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Mike Rogers, Marketing Japan, Mixi, Facebook, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, Twitter, Google, G-mail, Twitter over-capapcity, Twitter high error rate, Pick, Twitter Quitter, Social Media, Japan, Myspace 

Marketing Japan: Foodlog. One Photo Measures Calorie Intake. Incredible!...

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

OK, are you ready for some real Science Fiction? Here goes. Remember the name "Foodlog." You read about it here first.

Some aquaintances of mine have come up with a fantastic new idea that I think might make them $500 million dollars profit. It's called Foodlog.

How many calories? Do you think he cares?

What is Foodlog? Well, sit back, cause this will blow your mind. Foodlog is an Internet SNS service that allows the user to use their cellphone to take a photo of some food and the site will measure how many calories for the user that is in that food.

"Rogers! You're nuts!" I can hear you say. But, no. It really does do that. I saw it in action earlier today

The technology is new and it uses something akin to the technology that can read human retinas to identify different types of food. The categories at this time are confinded to forty-seven different kinds of food and the current tchnology requires that the photos must be taken from above the food.

The next step in this technology will be that Foodlog will be able to measure, not only calories, but also salt, vitamins, and minerals, etc. How could it possibly do that, you say?

Well, they explained it to me, but, heck if I understood what they were talking about...

Some people might read this and think that this is all nonsense, but, no it is not. Tokyo University of Science is the main backer of this project and when the #1 university in Japan gets behind a project, you know that this is no joke.

Foodlog is up as a Beta system now and you are welcomed to go to the site, register, and try it out for yourself.

Like I said, this might seem too fantastic to be believed, but this is also coming from Japan; the country that promised holographic technology that could be delivered world-wide by 2022.

So, Foodlog is no joke. Imagine being able to store up online everything - and all the calories, etc. - you've ever eaten and, ten years down the road, you say, "Remember this meal?"

I shudder the thought.

See Foodlog here.

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Keywords:

Mike Rogers, Marketing Japan, Foodlog, Mike Rogers, Tokyo University, Japan, Internet, SNS

Marketing Japan: George Williams Lands NHK Educational Show....

Once again, George Williams lands another major program on the prestigious NHK Educational Channel 3 here in Japan.

The programs is a song and dance show for children and they really wanted George. The show starts August 29,  2010, every Sunday, and airs from 5:50 pm ~ 6:00 pm.

Congratulations George Williams!

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Keywords: NHK, George Williams, Channel 3, Japan, Educational Channel

Marketing Japan: George Williams lands major weekend show on Tokyo FM starting 7/3/10!

George Williams Starts Saturday Show on 

Tokyo FM starting 7/3/10!

Big News! ジョージ　ウイリアムズがＴＦＭ土曜日の朝の番組にレギュラー出演決定いたしました。

おめでとうございます。

Just goes to show you how effective his Internet marketing has been in Japan! George blogs, does U-Stream, Mixi, Twitter, and Pick. 

See? It does pay to stay online!

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keywords: Pick, Internet, blogs, Japan, U-Stream, marketing, Pick, Tokyo FM 
Pick, 


keywords: blogs, Japan, Pick, Internet, internet marketing, Tokyo FM, Mixi, U-Stream, marketing

I Have a New Article Coming Out on Lew Rockwell.com Today...

I will have a new article coming out on Lew Rockwell.com today. Lew Rockwell.com is the most read Libertarian site in the world and ranked by Alexa in the Top 15 of the most read sites in the entire world. Of course my new article is about Japan. Hope it helps you laugh. Article is here: http://lewrockwell.com/rogers/rogers234.html 

Lew Rockwell of lewrockwell.com

Of course, this is all a part of my ever continuing opinion that, if you want to succeed in Social Media, Marketing and the Internet, then you must continually produce content by writing and on your own blog and give it away for free. But don't think that I am a Johnny-come-lately here, I have been writing for Lew Rockwell since December of 2004. 




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Keywords: Internet, content, Lew Rockwell, blog, Social Media, Japan, marketing, article, Alexa, japanmarketingnews

Marketing Japan: How to Find Social Media and Internet Experts in Japan (Part One)

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers


There are many many companies in Japan, and here in Tokyo, who sell their services as "Experts on the Internet" and/or "Experts on Social Media". It was actually a pretty big eye-opener when I realized that all these people, who knew little about Internet and Social Media, were going around and selling themselves as "Internet savvy" and full of experience and expertise when, in all actuality, they were not.

Hey! I know this guy!

It is very surprising. I mean, when they know less than I do, there's no way they can claim expertise. This Internet and Social Media business is an education in progress.

I have also had some other friends and companies ask me to introduce them to good, dependable, experienced people to handle their business or services or Internet duties in Japan. That I can do... But, even though I know many people here, there are only a few that I could, in good faith, recommend. (In Japan, recommending people carries along with it responsibility to the person that you are recommending to. So if something goes bad, I lose face.) 

But the one thing that I'd really like to point out about people who claim to be experts on Japan (who aren't) and people who claim to be "Internet Savvy" (who aren't either) is they have one thing in common; they talk a good game, but the actions do not support the words.

Japan experts are harder to find than people who claim to be "Internet savvy" but just what is an "Expert"? Can they speak Japanese extremely well? I like to think that I can speak Japanese very well - I've even hosted TV and radio programs here - but I am reluctant to claim to be an expert on Japan... I've met lots of people who speak poor Japanese but still claim to be experts on Japan. 

Well, I suppose everything is relative. (Yes, I guess I am more of an expert on Japan than some guy who has never been outside of Idaho.) 

People who claim to be "Internet savvy," but are not, are easy to spot with just one question.  

I will give you that one question that you can use to judge if someone has some credible expertise, is Internet savvy, or up on Social Media; or is just blowing smoke in your face.

The other day, I mentioned during a conversation that a friend was "not Internet savvy at all." This friend heard about it and seemed to take offense. I don't know why. I meant no offense and that person is not Internet savvy by any stretch of the imagination. 

I've stayed in hospitals before but I wouldn't be telling people that I am an expert on hospitals or the medical profession. 

When this friend complained to me about that comment, I brought up a point that you can surely use in the future yourselves when you are searching for someone to help you with the Internet or Social Media. I said to my friend,

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were Internet savvy. What is your blog URL? How about Twitter, Pick, Mixi, Facebook, Myspace, or anything else? Can you send me your URL's by e-mail so I can check them out?"

Of course, this friend did not do any blogging or any of those other things. (Anyone who blogs would love for you to visit their blog. Blogging can be a lonely job!) And I haven't received any e-mail.

Of course he knows what these things are, but knowing of something and actually doing it is a world of difference. To be sure, just knowing how to surf the Internet or send e-mail does not make one 'Internet savvy' by any stretch of the imagination. So, whatever we do, if we do business, let's do smart business. If we market, let's do smart Marketing. 

So, for at least preliminary investigations into possible Internet or Social Media partners, pay attention to what they do, not what they say they do. So ask the one question, "Can you send me the URL's so that I can check them out?"


It works every time.


In Part Two, we'll hear directly from an expert who, in a little over six years, built an Internet company that had sales of over $50 million (USD) per year and went public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

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Keywords: Social Media, business, Pick, japanmarketingnews, expert, experts, Tokyo, URL, Internet Savvy, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, Marketing Japan, Mike Rogers, Google, blog, smart marketing, catchy idea, promote,  U-Stream, Buzz, Twitter, advertising, Japan, marketing, Internet,  blogs, 

Twitter Censorship? Not Good News.

(See BIG updates on this story at bottom)

Is Twitter guilty of censorship and Algorithmic Propaganda? Have they stepped over the line and gotten themselves involved with taking sides in political turmoil? Are they just another tool in the government's arsenal of propaganda? Is the new doll of Social Media and marketing, Twitter, guilty of censoring topics that make them and their stock-holders feel uncomfortable? Could Twitter be the newest member of the American Military-Industrial Complex? (Wow! Pretty sensational stuff, eh?) 

Let's hope not... But, I hate to say, this doesn't look too good for Twitter. Read on and you decide.

There's trouble brewing in Twitter-land, my friends...The word on the Blogosphere is that Twitter was censoring the #flotilla hashtag during the Israeli raids on May 31 on the ships that were heading to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.

At any given time, on the Twitter sidebar, one can see what is trending. At one point during the raids,   the #flotilla hashtag or information pertaining to  "Deaths on Convoys" (etc.) were ranking in the top. Then suddenly, as soon as they shot to the top, they were gone; these topics were completely "disappeared."

After their disappearance, if you searched for the #flotilla hashtag you got a result saying, "Twitter error." This was highly suspicious and, I suspect, the catalyst for many thinking that Twitter was censoring the #flotilla hashtag because most of the Tweets were critical of Israel.

Trendsmap shows Twitter hashtags being used following the attack by Israel on the convoy to Gaza

Now, when I say that Twitter might be guilty of manipulation and censorship, don't think that I am talking out of my hat. Already, twice in the past, Twitter has freely admitted to manipulating the trending sidebar. Once, during the Iran elections, after a call from the US State Department (when a revolution was supposedly going on when there wasn't one at all), Twitter voluntarily "disappeared" information from Iran and "#iranelections" in particular.

The second time that Twitter intentionally disappeared something was Justin Bieber. Laughable, but true. Yes, it's ridiculous, but Twitter did this. As many of you might know, Justin is an international teenage star. So when Justin was trending at the top, day-in and day-out, the management of Twitter decided that they were tired of seeing Justin Bieber's name at the top of the trending topics so they deleted his topics...

Justin Bieber's photo cunningly placed here just to irritate Twitter management

Yes, I too, would like to see Justin Bieber "disappeared" also (just kidding, of course), but on Twitter? Is that incredibly anal-retentive or what? I'm sure the management of Twitter would have never done this if the top trending artist was someone they personally liked like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or Barry Manilow.

So, did Twitter manipulate trends during the Israeli attack on the humanitarian mission? They are keeping their mouths shut for now, but this smells bad and the Blogosphere is demanding actions!

But, one thing remains, as can be gleamed from the #iranelections and Justin Bieber stories, is that  Twitter is culpable - as they have freely admitted - to news manipulation. Now the word on the Blogosphere is that Twitter has stepped over the line and is guilty of censorship and playing politics. If so, shame on you Twitter!

I think this does not bode well for the future of Twitter. You saw some of the repercussions to the MSM (Mainstream Media) after news manipulation before, during, and after the Iraq War. I don't think that, in this age of lightening quick communication that a company, like Twitter, can benefit by this sort of Skullduggery.

George Orwell's 1984

When Twitter manipulates the Trend-bar on the side, it's exactly the same as how Wall Street manipulates prices and that is criminal... A far better, and much older example, would be the "Memory Hole" down which Winston Smith "disappeared" people and news items in the classic, 1984.

What's next for Twitter? Manipulating and selling their top ranked slots like Billboard Magazine does for its music charts?

Like I said, I am not happy about this information concerning Twitter and think it is an infringement on our rights as a free people. The Internet was supposed to be the media that freed us from the bonds of the old media. If Twitter doesn't change its ways, then this could be the beginning of a long slide and they will lose me as a user....

Losing me as a user doesn't hurt Twitter much at all, but losing me and 100 million other teeny-bopper Justin Bieber fans probably does hurt. And with Twitter pushing very hard in Japan - a country full of apolitical people - I could see how they could need this market more desperately than ever...  Especially if they keep up this censorship in the west and there comes a time when people boycott Twitter or it gets a bad name.

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UPDATE! In what could be good news! According to Guardian UK, Twitter did not intentionally censor #flotilla. The Guardian article update states:

So: shock as Twitter not being used to censor news. But it does show the enormous sensitivity there now is about Twitter's impartiality that any suggestion that a world event might be pushed out of its "trending topics" (displayed on the right-hand column of every Twitter user's home page) can create such frustration.


(Admittedly, the Guardian UK is old school MSM and, as such, information from them is to be taken with a grain of salt.)


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UPDATE TWO! Yep! Twitter did it! They manipulated the "trending"!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/09/iran-twitter-revolution-protests

From that article: Twitter’s ‘Trending Topics’ index was manipulated has been confirmed. By manipulating ‘green revolution’ and other # tags to float up the index, Twitter was able to manufacture a #revolution that for the most part, was grossly exaggerated.  Whether or not Twitter simply did this purely for marketing purposes or was hacked by the Pentagon to help sell more weapons has yet to be disclosed.

• Iran’s ‘Twitter revolution’ was exaggerated, says editor

Thanks to Max Keiser 

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* If you would like to check daily, weekly or monthly trends on Twitter, go to here: Trendistic 

* From my point of view, as they say, "A picture speaks a thousand words" since Pick is better for photos than Twitter, then Pick looks much better day by day. Pick: http://naver.jp/mikeintokyorogers

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Keywords:  marketing, Social Media, Twitter, Pick, Justin Bieber, George Orwell, 1984, Internet, Japan, censorship, manipulation, market, media, #flotilla, hashtag, Mike Rogers, Marketing Japan, Mike in Tokyo Rogers

How to Capitalize on Events and Happenings

Staying in the public mind is a mightily difficult thing to do. You need to constantly be thinking and upgrading your efforts. You always need to keep one step ahead of the others. Today I will show you an example of how a tiny country like Croatia does a job a hundred times better than many of her European competitors.

This is not heaven or Hawaii... It's Croatia!

In this day and age, the Internet is the key to doing so. But many companies confuse the issues. As Brian Tracy writes in Focal Point:


Many Internet companies define themselves as providers for free information geared towards attracting as many eyeballs as possible. In reality, the Internet is a communication and distribution channel that must be focused on selling products or services and making a profit, like any other business.

Anyone who reads this blog with any regularity knows that I often harp upon the need to giveaway great free content to get readers... But how to reconcile that with the need to make money? That's what I'd like to blog about today; giving away great content online and offline and using that offline content to increase your online appeal by use of press releases and more.

Let me introduce you to a guy named Edouard Tripkovic Katayama. Edouard is in charge of the Croatian National Tourist Board in Japan and, since he set up the office here, three years ago, they've been a party to a 300% increase in sales and Japanese visitors to Croatia. That's incredible! (Disclaimer here: Before I go on too much, I must state that I know these things to be facts as I am proud to be a part of Edouard's promotional/marketing team and an advisor to such a cool service and wonderful country).


A 300% increase in Japanese visitors to Croatia? And in a down market? Are there any others who could make the same claim? I doubt it. Those are amazing results in any market, not to mention in a down one. I can't think of another organization that has shown such excellent results in Japan.


Of course there are many things that have all played a part in this success story, but let me give you a good example of one that we have coming up that is a marketing dream. The event will fulfill all the requirements that I always mention that are necessary: online and offline elements; news releases; promotion before, during and after; and mutually beneficial tie-ups to help defray costs amongst the partners.


Edouard had correctly decided that Croatian needs a URL that is Japan specific (I wrote the reasons for this here) so we are about to launch an Internet Funnel site for them. At about the same time that the Funnel site will be launched, a famous Croatian Classical Pianist named Kemal Gekic will be touring Japan...

Hear some of Kemal Gekic's fabulous music for free here!

Croatia is launching a new Japan specific Funnel site? A famous Croatian Classical Pianist is touring Japan?


I smell a great promotional opportunity!


Now, here we have an incredibly lucky convergence of events that we can use to promote Croatia Tourism, Kemal Gekic's tour, Croatian cuisine, and to increase awareness amongst the Japanese of just how cool and cultured Croatia is; and what a wonderful travel destination it is for the entire family. Not only that, since there are several parties with vested interests here, we can keep the costs way down. Anyone can spend massive amounts of money and run a good event. It takes imagination, planning and creativity to run a great event on a shoe-string budget!

Croatia: The Mediterranean as it once was

昔のままの地中海

What we are planning is to have a get-together with 30 - 40 of the most important writers for Tokyo's top Women's, Travel, Dining and Culture magazine's. The event will serve several purposes. It will be the announcement and unveiling of the new Internet Funnel site for Croatia as well as an opportunity to show off Croatian Culture with Mr. Gekic. We will also announce a secret (it's so secret that I can't announce it yet) promotional tie up with the most famous Pizza  delivery company in Japan...Also, we will use the event of create a buzz and to kick off our weekly newsletter that will come as part of joining our web community. (Concurrently running along at the same time as all these other goodies we have planned will be updates using our favorite Social Media like Twitter, Mixi, and photos (of course) with Pick).

The event will be held at the Croatian Embassy and we plan on featuring a short speech by the Croatian Ambassador as well as delicious food and refreshments from the top Croatian restaurant in all of Tokyo, Dobro. Throw this in with a few videos showing the striking beauty and history of the country and, there you have it, the seed of the buzz has been planted.  

Of course, as I said, this is a marketing dream. Everyone gets what they want; The magazines get exclusive information (as well as delicious free food and drink); Croatia Tourism (organizer) gets people to notice; the Embassy (provides the banquet hall) and makes themselves accessible; Kemal Gekic (performs) and his promoter gets people to see and hear his music and, perhaps, write about him; the restauranteur (provides food and drink) gets access to the magazine people who really matter and then he can invite them to write about his restaurant...

Dobro Croatian Cuisine in Kyobashi, Tokyo

〒104-0031 東京都中央区京橋2-6-14 日立第6ビル1F      03-5250-2055

This is a beautiful promotion that can cause nothing but smiles and handshakes (well, in Japan, lots of bowing)... And what does this cost Croatia Tourism? Almost nothing but the time it took to come up with this idea for a great opportunity and make the phone calls to bring in the partners.


So, perhaps, you might have guessed, even now, that this blog you are reading is, in fact, promotion for this event. It is the beginning of the creation of the buzz... I hope I have provided you with some ideas as to how you could steal my ideas and use it for yourselves.... If you can, by all means, please do!

Take a short video tour of Dubrovnik, Croatia here

But please don't forget to go back to the top of this blog and see what was written in the third paragraph;


"the Internet is a communication and distribution channel that must be focused on selling products or services and making a profit, like any other business."


So, I hope you get good ideas from this post that you can use to create your offline events and how to use them to benefit your online activities... I also hope that you've gotten some good ideas on how you can use your Social Media and blogs to sell your products/services without having to say, "BUY! BUY! BUY!"




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Post-note: Of course, as I mentioned in a previous blog, weekly press releases are a must. The above gives us several weeks of press release material before, during and after the event... It also allows us to create a buzz whereby it is easier to get good partners for future events... Heck, who knows? If they go so well, we might even be able to sell sponsorships to these events and have the sponsor pay for everything. So, just remember, the ceiling is your imagination!


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Keywords: business, press release, blog, smart marketing, catchy idea, weekly magazine, publisher, web page, promote,  U-Stream, Buzz, Tweet, Pick, George Williams,  advertising, Japan, marketing, Croatia, European, Internet, Social Media, blogs, 

Offline Marketing With a Better Business Card

If you are doing any sort of publicity, advertising or marketing in Japan, then you need a business card. In this country, a business card is a must. 


But is your business card boring and forgettable?

I think I have one of the best business cards around...

One of my favorite writers is a guy named Gary North. Gary writes for Lew Rockwell and he also sends out a weekly newsletter with tips on making and saving money. I highly recommend it. Gary gives out great information in his articles and newsletter for free! You can find it at the link above.

Divorce Lawyer's business card

Interestingly, Gary's newsletter this week was about a topic that I had written on yet never posted, yet I think about it every time I hand out my business card. Gary's weekly newsletter had great advice about business cards. I had never posted the article I wrote and it sat in my "edit bin" for months, because I thought what I had written was only half the equation. I was right. Gary had it pin-pointed precisely in this week's newsletter. 

He writes:

If you are in business, you have a business card.

I'll bet your card features you.  Mistake!

Why is this a mistake?  Because a stranger does not care about you.  He cares about himself.

Your card has your name in bold print in the upper left-hand corner.  Why?  "So that he will remember me."  But why should be bother to remember you?  "Because I can help him."

Conclusion: design your card to help him.

The #1 goal of your card should be this: to let him find the card readily when he wants a problem solved that you solve for a fee.

The upper left-hand bold-faced words should relate to the problem.  Example: Car repairs.  Example: Lawn mowing.

He will not recall your name.  He may recall the card because of the topic.  When he thinks, "Where did I file that card?" the card's topic may pop into his mind.  Your card's topic had better trigger this response. 

This is excellent advice. The only thing that I would add is that if you are going to make a card that is about you, then you had better stop to think of how you will leave your mark on the person you hand it to. In my former profession, nobody really thinks, "I need a disc jockey or a producer." So I had to make a card that people see once and they never forget me. I did.

The front and back of my "show business" business card* 

In Japan, there is a sports-card collecting boom going on. It's not just professional sports athletes, it's Star Wars, Pocket Monsters, Harry Potter, you name it, they are collecting it. I made my card to look like a sports card.

Now, when everyone else gets a standard white business card and then, two months later, they look at that card and wonder, "Who is this?" With my card, people keep it and show it to their friends and say, "Look at this cool card I got." Now, that is having people run around and promoting me when I'm not around. And that is smart.

Click here for a bunch of other good ideas for cards.  

Now some of you might be thinking that my silly card would be too expensive to design and make. Not true. I hired a professional designer and calculated the cost to where I got the per card cost down to the same price of a standard white card in lots of 100. (In Japan, 100 standard white business cards cost about ¥3,000 - ¥30 each). I printed up 3,000 cards and they were even cheaper than ¥30 each! 

So make a card that says what the customer wants in an easy-to-find place like Gary North advises. Or, if you can afford to go crazy due to your work, then GO crazy.

Stand out and be noticed. Do that online and offline.

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*My business card was designed by Tsuchiya san at G-Love... One of the best design companies in Tokyo. I highly recommend them!

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