By Frank Ryan on April 28, 2009
More old-time sayings that we used to hear, from the 40’s -50’s and 60’s – it is a good idea to go over them with kids just for fun if you know the meanings!
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Hotter than a pepper sprout
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Faster than greased lightning
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Bright as a penny
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Silly as a goose
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Slick as a whistle
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Down home
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Turn down the volume (on the radio)
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Johnny come lately
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Old as space dust
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Sings like a canary
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Younger than springtime
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Stickier than a porcupine
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Lumpier than mashed potatoes
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Hotter than fire
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A real Einstein
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He / she is a gem
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Solid as a rock
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Soft as putty
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Slim as a reed
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Slim as a rail
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Strong as a bull
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It is fun to look back and remember the old days!
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Posted in Side Cars | Tagged Entertainment, Fun, Interesting Stories
By Frank Ryan on April 27, 2009
In life it is important to know how to get along with others and in a business or social setting. When going for a bank loan, meeting a new person in business or socially, or visiting family or friends. When you make a presentation the rules are always the same.
“A first impression is of GREAT value if the follow-up is always there!”
- Smile, smile, smile & dress for the occasion**
- ALWAYS be prepared…. for anything.
- “Up your positive mental attitude.”
- Make up your mind you won’t be miss-directed.
- Control your environment. Look people in the eye!
- Always opt for better speaking, thinking and above all
- Listen, listen, listen! Focus on the person speaking.
- Don’t interrupt others when they have the floor.
- Always thank your host and give others credit.
- Try to be as accurate as you can in all you say. Keep it simple.
“A first impression is of Great value if the service after the sale is really there.
Virtual service is of not much value. People prefer REAL Service they can qualify.
“A first impression is of Great value if your marriage vows are kept.
** Affairs of state and funerals one should not smile, or frown but maintain decorum.
The benefit
- You will be remembered!
- You will be known for your integrity and great people skills.
- You will be considered a better person for improving your person and skills.
Taken by Frank R. from notes at a company function in the mid 1960’s when personal conduct and ethics were considered very important. These points still have value today!
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Posted in Marketing | Tagged First Impressions
By Frank Ryan on April 27, 2009
About our Senior and Boomer Readers
The NW Senior and Boomer News is a high quality news magazine with a monthly focus on articles and features all about Boomers and senior readers.
A great opportunity presents itself for community members, non-profit agencies and for the general Chamber membership. The NW Senior & Boomer News reaches the Oregon marketplace and beyond with a vast number of readers in the age 50 plus reader base. To get free articles, calendar postings, and little news items in the paper please email your items. They go to Trudy McMillinat tcrow@eaglenewspapers.com or you may fax to 1-503-304-5394.
The exciting news is these mature adult consumers have the most money per capita, and have the most time to spend it. They support community and small business. They buy more furniture, cars, clothing, trips, and luxury items than any other demographic age group. They use more personal services and health related services.
Public relations and community donation base is at a high level of participation among the readers who are active in volunteer efforts. Seniors donate to charities, churches, and local organizations. The Boomers and seniors also are among the highest per-capita in votes at the poll box each election. Many of these readers are still working, full or part-time. They own homes and have money!
For small and large businesses alike the scope of senior buying power is evident In all phases of sales and marketing. The seniors in the Portland Gresham and Vancouver area make up from 33 to 60% of the total population. The NW Senior and Boomer News can help business get more traffic, calls and dollar volume with advertising in the paper. The paper has a distribution of over 38,000 papers each month. Readership averages over 100,000 readers a month in the Greater Portland area. We serve the entire I-5 corridor in Oregon State and from the Cascades to the Oregon Coast.
The News is a leader in the senior marketing arena. The paper has more than doubled in size in the past 6 years due to reader support and advertiser success. To learn more go to the information site at www.franksseniornews.com or call Frank Ryan at 503-408-8402 for more details Frank is dedicated to help you with your advertising and to do everything possible to try to assure your success.
Frank Ryan
NW Senior and Boomer News
(503) 408-8402
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Posted in Marketing | Tagged Senior Marketing Concepts
By Frank Ryan on March 31, 2009
ADVERTISING EXPENSE – How much to spend?
By Frank Ryan
According to the 2009 Newspaper plan book that is widely used in the advertising industry you can get a gauge of how much to spend on your annual budget by doing a quick one minute self study of your business to get how much you should spend on advertising and promotion. We offer two methods to consider.
Answer the following questions and you can get the base assumptions as a starting point in budgeting for the coming year. Points to give to each of the following questions about your business & tally the following points.
- High traffic 1 point , Average traffic 2 points, low traffic 3 points.
- Client Awareness of your business in the market – High 1 point, Average 2 points, Low awareness 3 points.
- Amount of competition Few competitors 1 point, Some competition 2 points, and Lots of competitors 3 points.
- Emphasis on price Little emphasis 1 point, moderate emphasis 2 points, and high emphasis on price 3 points.
To determine how much you might spend on advertising for a year if you had:
- 4 to 7 points you should spend 3 to 4 percent of gross
- 8-11 points you should spend 4 to 5 percent of gross
- 12 points you should spend 5 to 7 percent of gross
This is based on years of business survey and studies. It is done by news related researchers, but is for application in all phases of advertising and promotion. On new plans check similar businesses to get reasonable gross $ estimates.
COST BASED METHOD
For contractors, real estate, appliance and other direct sell service and large ticket sellers who want a direct link from sales to expense based on units sold.
- What is a unit cost or average sale of each item or service you offer.
- What do you make from that sale
- What dollar amount are you willing to give in order to get more sales
- Take the answers from above, figure how many units of sales a month or a year and add up the $ for advertising.
- Adjust accordingly by month. If your goal was 100 units and your ad allowance was $0er unit and you sold 200 in a month you would then double your expense or spend $2000. per month instead of what your allowance was for the previous month. Also you need to have a reasonable minimum budget for advertising in order to be able to purchase advertising. Thus if you had a goal of 50 units at $10 ad allowance and you spent $500.00 on ads and the sales were higher you would adjust upward. Likewise if you sold 30 units you would adjust downward. If you had no sales you better take a look at your offer as it is possibly not exciting enough to get response.
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Posted in Advertising | Tagged Advertising Expense, Budget Planning, Promotion
By Frank Ryan on March 17, 2009
My First Day
Working in the Oregon marketplace and in the newspaper industry for the past 15 years has been a great adventure, and very rewarding. Fabulous incomes are not a part of the scene but great relationships, and rewarding outcomes for advertisers have been a big personal satisfaction. It is a good time to reflect and remember my beginnings in the newspaper business.
The sun was warm and the air clean in downtown Bremerton as I made my way to the front door of The Bremerton Sun. I cheerfully greeted my new boss Dale Asay in the front classified office and we headed for the grand tour.
First we went to the business office where ten key adding machines were displayed with tubes full of #2 pencils neatly sharpened and ready for action. Harry Belt was introduced as the Accounting Department Manager. We then wheeled and moved quickly to proof room, where three elder ladies in print dresses were situated in a close 10 foot by 15 foot area that housed all the proof sheets for review, correction and resetting in the press galley downstairs.
These retired English teachers worked part-time for extra money and were responsible for “clean copy” that would have no errors. In those days a typo was the ultimate in bad results, as I would soon find out. Many times I saw the General Manager come roaring out of his front office lair to chastise the proof ladies and the writer or ad guy that made the original mistake. In those days it was akin to the original sin. A few got fired because of typo mistakes.
Next we sped over to the Editorial Department and met reporters, and the Editor, and the very famous Adele Ferguson, political writer and a fire filled gal that would someday be a friend. Then on to the Display Advertising Sales office where I met Manager Chuck Crawford and a bunch of ad guys then on to the basement. My eyes opened wide in that new world!
The basement press room, galley room and stereo department were like another world to the unwashed greenie.f It was semi dark and you could smell the paper and ink in the air. I viewed the galleys that held lead molded type that was fit in a frame and screwed down to make each page of print, and then saw the plastic mats that were produced in the stereo department, and then to the aluminum cast that came from the plastic molds. These casts were made to fit exactly on the press and produce the paper. We ran 31,000 papers in those days with about 2.1 readers per paper. Most homes got the daily evening paper.
Now of course we use electronic means to produce the pages and it is so much easier and cost effective to do. I spent the day in amazement. Later we left for calls to visit my new client base and assigned area of sales. Dale asked me, Could you adjust that mirror? I said “Sure”. My next move was to crunch the tiny mirror on his little black Renault. I looked at him and we both laughed. He was a great guy, and the one who taught me the basics of newspaper. The basics are still in place today and it is true that folks still read newspapers today, though niche publications seem more successful now, and old fashioned ways are passing away. I love the newspaper business and the ink is in my blood.
Frank Ryan is in the newspaper business in Portland Oregon and works for NW Senior and Boomer News.
Frank Ryan
503-408-8402 – fx 503-408-9006
NW Senior & Boomer News
ffmlryan@yahoo.com
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Posted in Stories | Tagged Newspaper Business, Oregon, Portland
By Frank Ryan on March 17, 2009
Did you know the average income per senior house hold is over $33,000 in the State of Oregon and with seniors who read newspapers and magazines?
This is a vital issue in the current downdraft economy. Local stores show sales at a steady pace with seniors who still dine out 3 – 5 times a week, and who are still buying 25% of all the toys purchased.
Seniors control 70% of the disposable incomes in the USA and over 72% among seniors in the State of Oregon.
This can aid business folk who are eager to adjust marketing plans and balance for reach, pull and direct customer response in upcoming quarters of 2009. It is imperative to be direct, put value price points and basically tell folks what you will do for them, and how they can get it.
It is also highly recommended that all print ads be in larger than 5 pt type.
Seniors will come if you make it easy!!
Frank Ryan
Northwest Senior & Boomer News
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Posted in Marketing | Tagged Advertising Tips, Senior Marketing Concepts