You’ve heard it so many times, it has become lost in the blinking lights, drowned in the eggnog and nullified by all the bleak news about unemployment. “Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards Man.” It is this very message that contains an encoded secret on what to do and how to genuinely use the holidays to forward your message, your image and your business philosophy.

And before you think I am just another huckster trying to spin the holidays into some cheap message, Hark! Thee merry gentlemen, called entrepreneurs, may you just take the high ground on this old saying. The word “Goodwill” is defined in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary as, “Friendly or helpful feelings or attitude.”

Now how can this be applied? Just ask yourself, “What friendly or helpful feelings or attitudes could I be sharing or marketing to my potential and/or existing clients?” Let’s take the example of a local Chiropractor.

That local Dr. could share ideas on how to take care of yourself when you eat to much sugar, carbs or intake a little too much of the holiday libations that would make a Roman senator green with envy. That Dr. could share via a newsletter to existing clients, or via his fan page on Facebook, videos on Youtube or all of the above, friendly advice and by doing so being quite  helpful to his patients. Actually, it could be done in such a way as to be very enlightenng with some easy-to-do tips on how to stay a bit more healthy over the holidays.

I see to many business people over the holidays say, “We’re not doing any marketing until next year.”  Yet they are missing out on not only a wonderful marketing opportunity, but a sincere and honest one in sharing helpful and friendly attitudes. Lord knows we could use, as Bob Marley would say, “Positive vibrations” in the world right now.

May Earth find the peace it needs in 2010, and may you merry gentlemen join me in spreading some goodwill to Man.

Best, Edwin Dearborn

I hear quite often that they are no longer doing any marketing or that they are going to wait it out. While health needs are not going away from a patient’s perspective,  too many doctors are counting pennies and not contemplating on how to make more dollars.

In fact, I have found a few doctors that clean up and INCREASE new patients and revenue during the holidays, as they know that too many of their fellow colleagues are pulling back, hunkering down and waiting out the storm. Many patients do not use up their annual benefits and so these few smart doctors take advantage of their clients lack of usage of benefits, as well as their competition’s sleeping at the wheel. November and December can be boom times because of these two crucial factors.

Without giving away the full story on my upcoming white paper, I can tell any business owner or doctor who has his own practice, that recessions are the best proven time to market heavily. This is not propaganda to sell you my services. This is statistically backed research that goes back almost an entire century. Needless to say, those who market in bad times make their own future great times.

When you focus on saving versus making more, you pull back. Not only your resources, but your creativity, ingenuity, industriousness and your demand for better results. When you let the throttle down in business, it can takes months – even years – to regain back former levels of production, revenue and profits.

Best, Edwin Dearborn

Despite an aging population, Stangler says, the United States may be on the cusp of an entrepreneurship boom because of older people starting business not in spite of them.

The highest rate of entrepreneurial activity is occurring in the 55 to 64 age group, Stangler says.

Other findings:

• In every single year from 1996 to 2007, Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 had a higher rate of entrepreneurial activity than those aged 20 to 34.
• For the entire period, the 55 to 64 group averaged a rate of entrepreneurial activity roughly one-third larger than their youngest counterparts.
• The average age of founders of U.S. technology companies is 39, with twice as many over age 50 as under age 25.

One key reason may be the erosion of big corporations keeping workers their entire careers. “Long-term employment has fallen dramatically for people aged 35 to 64 over the past 50 years,” Stangler says. “The most striking development today has been the deep drop in the incidence of lifetime jobs among men over 50.”

But Stangler raises a couple of other interesting questions: Will the deep recession make older people less likely to take risks? Are older entrepreneurs more likely to start “lifestyle” businesses rather than high-growth, world changing companies?

Thought you would enjoy this data that I copied from an OC Register article.

Best, Edwin Dearborn

In speaking with many people on how to not only survive, but as well thrive in this economy, I am always taken aback on how many business owners and entrepreneurs are not advancing themselves with more knowledge.

Knowledge has seem to take a back seat in importance. I think our recent economical debacle was built on the misguided idea that there was some quick, magical way to riches. “Make my money quick, and get out of here” seemed to become a common ethnic which has contributed greatly to our dwindling fortunes and our eventual demise.

And what got killed on the highway of greed, first and foremost, was knowledge.

You know there are man smart people out there who write with the simple purpose to educate and elevate others. Sure, they like the idea of becoming a celebrity of sorts, or maybe even satisfy some personal craving to owning the moniker of Author. So what. Take advantage of this.

I know of sales people who struggle in sales, who do not burn the midnight oil and read books on sales. I know business owners who do not educate themselves on the basics of organization, people skills or marketing. The result is always the same: Struggle coupled with apathy and no sense of responsibility for making one’s future a better one.

Hint: Read a half hour a day from those who have had success. Got to seminars, meet people who are successful and study what they are doing. Figure out how to implement, even if in small increments, what these successful people are doing. Emulating success is successful.

Best, Edwin Dearborn