Speed Dating with an “Edge” – Spacious!

Posted on February 5, 2011 by

Our Fourth Date…The space and panoramic view are great!

For the day dreamer in all of us

Whether a day dreamer or focused on the road (passenger and driver respectively), who doesn’t like to look up and see the blue sky, clouds, trees, birds, sun…OK, I digress. Whether in the front seat or back, the point is the view is great!  The front, large window tilts and opens completely giving passengers a panoramic view of the outside world – and fresh air! You’re envisioning it now, aren’t you? Imagine the combined space being more than 3x the traditional “moon roof”.

And, what’s really cool (as if that wasn’t enough!) is whether you call “shot gun” or like being a back seat driver, there’s always a view – from any seat, any angle.  There’s no room for jealousy in this car! The open feeling the Vista Roof™ provides gives me a sense of freedom (I like that!).

WARNING:  If you like bumping elbows with the person next to you, this vehicle is NOT for you. It has LOTS of space – in the front and back seats.  Plenty of leg room, you know, for you “leggy” types.  The back, back (my technical term) of the car is great for transporting stuff (another technical term).  I imagine it would be great for my dog but since I’m test driving I’m not allowing her in it. Too much shedding!!  I think Jeff Cryder and the Lebanon Ford team will appreciate my decision making process on this one.  It was great for grocery shopping!

Soooo……My plan was to do a Mission Impossible move to get a great photo of the Vista Roof but wanted to leave that to the local pros. And since the only person I know that can effectively pull this off is at the NADA conference, I’m going with an interior shot.

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Speed Dating with an “Edge” – Safety!

Posted on February 2, 2011 by

Our Third date…All About safety!

Once I get past imagining myself driving the car….with my kids and their friends…my first question when considering a new car is how safe is it? I admit having kids definitely takes my “caution” level to new heights. I’m definitely a “taxi mom” for my daughters and sometimes their friends. Of course I want the latest and greatest in safety features.  So, guess what? The Ford Edge has ‘em. 

When buying a car, the first thing I want to know is if it’s rear wheel drive. Yes, seriously. Geesh. :-) If it’s rear wheel drive – even if it’s sporty, powerful and all around full of awesomeness  – it’s not the car for me (given my current life style).  I need a vehicle with front or all-wheel drive.  It’s safer and easier to maneuver in these crazy Ohio winters!! The anti-lock brakes are a bonus – and a “must have”.  We know how drivers can sometimes get confused with which lane is really the fast lane (or they think it’s opposite day!). Well, sometimes it’s important to have this feature for that random driver that makes us go “What the H?” (that’s H for “Heck”, #justclarifyin).

But what really impressed me when Jeff Cryder reviewed some of the key features with me while still at Lebanon Ford, was the “curtain air bags”. I was thinking “what are curtain air bags?”.  He didn’t leave me hangin! These are new features in the front and back seats which basically make you feel like you’re surrounded by a safety bubble :-) .

A couple other cool safety features I mentioned in my Tweets.  The side mirror blind spot indicators which light when a vehicle is on either side of the car and a video cam you view on the MyTouch™ screen for when you’re in reverse (no beeping noise though – yeah!).

To sum it up, let’s just say I feel very safe in the “Edge”!

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Speed Dating with an “Edge” – Go!

Posted on February 1, 2011 by

Our Second Date… Pick up and go!

We picked up some speed! I love a car with a “kick”. And the Ford Edge has it – 0 to 60 in… just kidding Lebanon Ford :-) I admit, although I knew it was a V6 and 6-speed automatic, I had to look up the engine specs for you car lovas out there (it’s 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 engine, btw). 

What I know is stepping on the accelerator leaves no question you are moving forward…now.  Well, unless you accidentally put it in “Manual”, which I did, then the engine is like “What the heck?” which is how I decided to give the manual 6-speed a try. :-) Manual was like riding a bike – used the button on the side to kick it up or down a notch, watched the RPMs (while listening to the engine) and…piece of cake. 

If you like a car with power, this one has it!!
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Speed Dating With an “Edge”

Posted on January 30, 2011 by

The Introduction….

Whether speed dating, speed networking or just speeding…there’s a theme: speed.  I’m creating an experience in speed dating….with a car.  Whhhaatttt?  Well……The speed dating with an “Edge” that I’m participating in is called ”Drive One” and is offered by Lebanon Ford. Jeff Cryder spearheads this initiative for qualified individuals and provides an opportunity to test drive a new vehicle for ONE week. My choice? I’m livin’ in the Edge – a Ford Edge, that is. The 2011 Ford Edge Limited Edition at a cursory glance is…well, let’s just say it could be a happy ending :-)  

Jeff Cryder, Lebanon Ford’s Digital Communications Director/SEO, is easy to work with, open to choosing whichever vehicle you want, and gives complete autonomy to online communications. Thanks, Jeff!

The Pre-Screen…
There are a plethora of options to choose at this Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealership. I wanted a vehicle suitable to my lifestyle so I could fully engage in the experience.  My criteria? An on-the-go family
Lebanon Fordvehicle (aka lots of room with lots of cup holders), safe, reliable, great “taxi” for my two daughters. And don’t forget the sound system. Mamma’s gotta jam!!

After completing the necessary paperwork and picking out the the Edge, Jeff drove my daughters and I around and reviewed some features. Were my dauthers impressed? Yep! Did they want to buy the car right then? Yep! The Limited edition definitely has the “cool” factor goin’ on. Let’s just say the digital dashboard looks like something from NASA :-)

Our First Date…
I was excited and couldn’t wait for the Ford Edge to arrive (yes, they drop it off whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you, then pick it up. It’s like your personal valet service – nice!).

It arrives…. My first mission? Figuring out how to connect my phone so I could go “hands free”! I also figured out how to connect the wireless. Why these two? My iPhone is my life line so if I can access my contacts, make calls and listen to music with voice command, count me in! Wireless for when I need my laptop. I tried different buttons, stumbled a time or two and got connected. It was actually very easy! I love the voice command: press the voice command button, say “Call <insert person’s name> and it dials for you.  I like simple and easy :-)
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The Mobile You

Posted on January 4, 2011 by

Mobile is a changing landscape.

Mobile TechnologyThere was an interesting article in Wired Magazine referencing the change in how digital information is accessed. More traffic is being generated by third party resources such as apps for the iPhone, iPad and iTouch in addition to apps for the Droid and Blackberry. Chris Voss created a follow-up video which nicely summarized the article and what that means from an information access perspective.

So……..what??

Providing insight into how consumer behavior is changing – and the pace of change - is critical for business success – now in preparation for the technology and future changes. If businesses aren’t where their audience is looking for products and services today, it will be increasingly challenging to play “catch up” later.

What’s not changing as rapidly is how businesses adopt to reaching mobile users. Knowing the target audience dynamics not only helps understand where the online brand needs to be present, but how it’s being accessed whether via a mobile or standard website, business app, LBS, social media site, search result, email, etc.  There are too many digital options and adult purchasers using their mobile devices to NOT be in multiple solutions. Businesses should already be online and on social media platforms. This year, it’s all about mobile and apps.

Why mobile?

First, a few questions to validate a few things:  What feeling did you get when you left the house or work and realized you left your phone? Panic. When was the last time you didn’t have your phone with you? Lost. What happened when your phone broke, lost the signal, or died? Disconnected.

So, if NOT having your phone with you creates these emotions, it makes sense why we have them with us all the time. We all carry them for different reasons but it’s usually 1 of 2 things:  stay connected or stay connected. OK, it was one :-)

Not that we want to induce panic, a feeling of loss or disconnect, but these emotions demonstrate how important staying connected is to us. This is THE main reason businesses need to be easily accessible via a mobile device. Businesses should consider five digital venues in effort to reach, engage and communicate with their mobile audience:

  1. Mobile website: modify existing site for mobile screens (recommend) and/or create a .mobi version.
  2. SEO: relevant website content drives higher organic listing results on mobile just as it does on traditional
  3. SEM: targeted method for creating awareness
  4. Google Places: page is a summary of your business with quick overview including maps, reviews and contact information. This is important for mobile GPS mapping apps where mobile users can search, click and go.
  5. SMS: most direct, highest response form of communication that also creates an opt-in database for future use
  6. Social Media: apps for Facebook, Twitter (or a related app, i.e. Tweetdeck) and LinkedIn are easily accessible and easy to interact with friends, followers and connections

What’s most important…

…is keeping up with the change in behavior and integrating solutions. Whether the next phase of interacting with your audience is via a mobile website, app or lifestyle management site, it’s critical to continue reaching and interacting with your audience to determine what’s working and what’s not working. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~ Wayne Gretzky  I love that quote.

Statistics and sources….

According to the October 2010 comScore MobiLens study, 68.1% of US mobile subscribers used text messaging, browsers were used 36.2%, downloaded apps 33.7% and social networking sites/blogs 24.2%.  All statistics represent an increase ranging between 2.1 and 2.6 over the previous three month survey. What does this mean? People are using their mobile devices!

I read articles from various sources and the mobile source that keeps my attention is Mobile Marketer. Companies trial various mobile technologies to determine how they can help migrate usage behavior from current state to next state. Here are examples. Subscribing to the Daily will keep you informed on the latest and greatest in mobile.

The Ultimate in Mobile Experiences….

Is yet to come! Here’s my idea based on what I read and various access points and possibilities of how to bring what I think is the ideal “I’m in complete control” concept to fruition: a lifestyle management operating system. What this encompasses is your mobile desktop with fingerprint scanner and contains your most popular categories (apps) with mobile discounts and payment and an on-demand, real-time access to all documents via a cloud resource and predicts apps based on your profile and user behavior. How does that sound?

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Goal setting, look ahead

Posted on December 30, 2010 by

Imagine it’s December 2011.  What will your list of accomplishments look like?

The 40-45% of adults who make New Year’s resolutions already have in mind today what they want to resolve in 2011. I’m hopeful in doing so there’s also a plan in place that breaks it down into smaller, realistic achievable goals.  This list can be for personal or professional purposes.  What’s on your list?

Quick tips for successful goal setting:

  1. Set a goal
    1. What do you want to accomplish?
    2. Why do you want to accomplish it?  Very important!! If you don’t know why, re-evaluate.
  2. Divide goal into smaller steps
    1. Goals are easier to achieve if they are divided into smaller goals
      1. Start exercise regime – great! Now what?
        1. Week 1: Walk 10 minutes 3 days a week
        2. Week 2: Walk 15 minutes 3 days a week, etc.
  3. Determine how these steps will be accomplished
    1. Join a gym/ local YMCA, outside, bike, hiking, etc.
    2. Bring a friend at least once a week
  4. Set timelines for each step
    1. Exercise regime – Month 1: Walk at least 20 minutes a day 3 days a week
    2. Incorporate at least two exercises by end of Q1 (walking and biking)
  5. Create a list of rewards for accomplishing each step
    1. With any challenge, there should be a reward. Changes are difficult to make, incentives help.
    2. Carefully determine what the rewards are. If you’re trying to create an exercise regime, don’t take a week off as a reward. Instead do a fun activity or change a routine, song list, days at the gym, etc.
  6. Partner with someone who will hold you accountable no matter what!
    1. If someone’s helping you monitor and keep you motivated, it helps!
    2. Allow that person to access to everything you’re doing to achieve success
  7. Instill passion
    1. Your most likely to succeed if you are passionate about what what you want to accomplish. If you’re not, you may want to evaluate the reasons why you’re trying to make the change.
    2. Passion drives energy which drives desire and ultimately putting you putting that check mark next to a step
  8. Monitor your success
    1. Tell your family, friends on Facebook and Twitter, blog about it
    2. Celebrate the small steps, have a party for achieving the goal! :-)

Most importantly, and as a litmus test to the possible vs impossible, do you have what it takes to make those goals a reality?  Imagine it’s a year from now…will you accomplish your goals and resolutions? If not, what do you need to change now to make that a reality?

Find your passion, live your passion, create results through your passion. When you love what you do, it makes creating your “resolution” list easier and results in more energy and drive to accomplish what’s on it.

Forget the past, live for now and make the most of tomorrow. Live without regrets.
~ Vicki O’Neill

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The Season Is Now

Posted on December 1, 2010 by

How often do you consider “giving back”?

Most of us start thinking about giving this time of year because of the holidays, ’tis the season and, let’s be honest, for tax purposes. Have you ever considered “now” is a good time – whenever that is for you?

We have seasonal traditions and we have time stamps for creating or breaking habits: December is a season tradition for giving and January 1 marks the start of not only a new year but starting new habits. We all have unique schedules, thoughts and goals so “any time” is a good time to start something new whether it’s exercising, eating healthy, engaging with our online community, spending time with family/friends or giving back to organizations and your local community. Why not start “now”?

Yes, it is a busy time of year – we have end of year goals and projects we need to finalize, we have shopping, holiday parties, traveling, sporting events, etc. and to create time in our lives to think about what it is that’s important to us can be a challenge. See if you can create 15 minutes in one day to just “be” in your own thoughts and consider these five questions:

1) If I didn’t work in need of an income, what would I do with my time?
2) What are my passions?
3) Is it feasible to combine these two things? If not, what’s the roadblock?
4) If I can combine my passion with time, what are my options?
5) So, now what?

With the average adult performing best with 7-8 hours of sleep, that leaves 16 hours in a day for work, relationships, meals, activities, etc. Working outside the home typically is 9 hours, 10 hours for travel. That leaves us 6 hours a day to accomplish anything else. A weekly average of non-work, non-sleep time is 66 hours, including weekends. I’m thinkin’ there’s an opportunity to create 15 minutes :-)

After you’ve thought about, and decided to give to a charitable organization, I found an interesting and helpful site to checkout – Mother Nature Network. The blog includes a link to the Charity Navigator which can give you ideas (if those 15 minutes weren’t enough to decide) and information on non-profits.  And these organizations are operable and in need of assistance throughout the year. Now’s a good time to get started and can mark the beginning of a new habit. The season to consider is “now”.

Whether your interest is helping with natural disasters, supporting your local sports team, or are a car enthusiast, there’s always a need…and it continues throughout the year.

Challenge: 
Create 15 minutes to think about how you can give back to organizations and your local community then commit to when you will start supporting your passion.

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