SNAPSHOT! Air Travel Sucks Sometimes...

SnapShot with Stefanie Gorder

SnapShot is a monthly column offering a collection of travel & networking concepts to destinations and activities worldwide.
Expose yourself to travel!

Remember the movie, “Planes, Trains & Automobiles”? I loved the twist of transportation and humor and given that I’m in the travel business, it makes it even funnier to me. The characters are naïve, but still bring us a sense of how crazy it is for those of us who travel more than the average person. It never ceases to amaze me that some of my family and friends think my life is so “glamorous”. I admit having adventures all around the world is very fulfilling, but I get stuck at the concept they find something interesting about being on airplanes. There is no way to get “from here to there” for a fantastic and exciting destination unless planes are involved.

Are you like me? It doesn’t matter if you’re in first class, coach or cargo. When you board the plane, you look around and hope you don’t have that one annoying person (too talkative, drinks too much, a little fidgety child or heaven forbid, a pet carrier!) sitting next to you? You gracefully dance down the aisle balancing your reading materials & coffee and have a way too heavy laptop bag slung over your shoulder. Hoping to avoid knocking the face of someone already seated, you plop down heavily into your aisle seat and say a silent prayer you have made it. The storage of your over packed carry-ons can come when you catch your breath. Which never really happens because then we all fight for the same overhead space. As you stand to place your laptop bag ahead, you cautiously glance at your seatmates … thankfully this time they don’t look like ax murderers!

Do the airlines honestly believe they are helping us by charging for checking bags? This in turn causes some to use the oversized carry-on luggage that keeps getting larger and larger and larger!!! Let me be honest … not me! I still use that super heavy over the shoulder laptop bag which does fit in the overhead and then I use the floor space for my super tiny purse that is stuffed inside a larger carry-on. I learned years ago, I must check baggage (it’s the four pairs of shoes that make me bring a full sized suitcase, although one time I took seven to a weeklong convention and was forced to take two bags). Every year I have to buy new luggage because mine has been torn or shredded. I send a silent curse out to the baggage handlers who don’t provide the same loving care I do to my bag. Then again, perhaps they would say it’s my heavy packing style? Seriously, I only need to pack two pairs of shoes, right? If someone has a lead on a great piece of light luggage that will last for years, I’d like to know about it!

Last month I was on a direct flight from Atlanta to Anchorage. Long flights should mandate an exercise program. “Everyone up now … walk in a clockwise motion around the aircraft while doing arm lifts. Hop! One. Two. Three. Four. Now wave to the people still seated who think we have lost our marbles.” My seat mates were from Florida and headed to Alaska for a family reunion aboard a cruise ship. It was their lucky day since I was not in the mood to chat (yes, at times we all have the ability to turn into people we don’t recognize aboard airplanes). I was busy making a list of the things I needed to do when I returned to Anchorage and announced my life was changing. Then I heard “are you visiting Anchorage or do you live there?”

It’s that moment you turn with a snarl on your face and anger in your eyes at having been interrupted, then immediately regret it as you look into the eyes of a warm and inviting elderly couple that gets to you. Nice people. No more lists. No more concentration on a project that needed to get done. I had seven hours ahead of me that I thought would be my own. And then immediately I switched gears. I had seven hours to show off my brilliant knowledge of Alaska and the tourism industry by giving these visitors the best Alaska they would ever see or hear about!

Sometimes, networking on the airplanes means money! My friend Meg is an independent contractor with an amazing portfolio of skills like training, running travel trade & consumer awareness programs, and even assisting on movie sets. She was once on a cross country flight having just finished a consumer trade show gig and needing a well deserved break. Her seatmate was headed home to DC. Turns out he was a managing partner for an environmental company and they began to chat. Meg has worked up on the North Slope (where’s is cold and dark during Alaska’s winter months) and her seatmate was seriously interested in her experience. Within one week, she began working for him and instructing classes on OSHA compliance. Now that’s a great airplane ride!

My friend Dawn was in recovery from a gall bladder issue and the last thing on her mind was traipsing across the country with her family in tow for a reunion. Air travel is more worrisome for mothers, especially when extremely full flights are involved. On one segment, the family of five was unable to obtain seats together. They had one row of 3, a window seat across in the same aisle and a seat directly behind the row of 3. The middle child wanted a window seat and their three year old was in her car seat so that meant the 7 year old had to sit across from Mom with … strangers! Just before the doors closed, a young couple in their late 20’s boarded with pizza boxes, salad and unsteady feet. Mom asked if they would let her son move to the aisle so he would be closer to the family. Apparently the man was a queasy flier and wanted to be on the aisle so the little boy sat at the window far away from his family. A short time later, Mom realized that the couple was severely intoxicated as they continuously hit the call button to request alcoholic beverages. Three hours into the cross country flight, Mom was resting with one eye open to keep an eye on her neighbors. Honestly, don’t we all do that? … see something that makes us hit our seatmate and say “wow…look at that over there in the next row”? Both eyes opened when she noticed the young woman applying lip gloss from a tube that looked just like Lancôme mascara. And of course, it was. Kids do not care if mascara is used for lipstick and Mom’s son was talking up a storm. By the end of the flight, the young woman gave the 7 year old her email address which his mother quickly confiscated. Alcohol and altitude do not mix.

Scott McMurren owns Alaska Travelgram and he’s always on airplanes. One time he was downgraded from an “F” seat to a middle seat between Seattle and Boston. Now, that’s another LONG flight! He ended up between a radiologist and some sort of holistic witch-doctor (his words). Scott is one of those individuals who say it like it is … and when he tells me it was a FABULOUS flight, he must have been highly entertained. There have been two hook ups since the original meeting at Pike Street Market in Seattle. He wasn’t really clear if these seatmates became business partners or friends so I just dropped the subject. The lesson in airline companions is to hope they are interesting enough to keep you entertained during a cross country plane trip.

Flights can be boring. People can be rude, hurried, sad, happy, irritating and an assortment of other emotions. It might be better sitting in the dentist chair. Or, it might be the time of your life. My friend Russ Rosenberry sent me this link showing a Southwest Airlines flight attendant who rapped out his entire safety message. Link through to You Tube and watch the expressions on passenger faces: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjybzdXVmI

May all your future flights have a bit of fun included and keep your fingers crossed that I’m not your seatmate. Happy Trails!

Submission: October 2009

Stefanie Gorder, ctp, ds
marketingCents, llc.
Email: Stefanie@marketing-Cents.com
Twitter: @StefanieGorder

SnapShot is a monthly column offering a collection of travel & networking concepts to destinations and activities worldwide. Expose yourself to travel!

For more information, please visit Stefanie's TNNW Bio.

Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
The National Networker Companies

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SNAPSHOT! Air Travel Sucks Sometimes...

LASTING IMPRESSIONS: What Are We Missing ~

Lasting Impressions with Sian Lindemann

Jim Zuckerman Fine Art Photography
http://www.corporatefineart.com
http://jimzuckerman.blogspot.com


"What Are We Missing?"

Hmmm ... something to think about ...


Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:


The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:


A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:


A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:


The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:


He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

Findings:


No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.

He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and people's priorities.

The questions raised: "In a common place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

Do we stop to appreciate it?

Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?"

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made....

How many other things are we missing?........."
Author ~ Unknown


Networking The Right Room ~

This is a poignant story, and it relates to the innumerable people, products, services and "craft" who attempt to network their craft in the wrong domain, room, venue, or other featured location.

The example is excellent.

One must "walk a mile" in another's shoes. Perception is everything. You've heard the term, "Location, Location, Location." This story defines the necessity to choose an appropriate venue for exhibition, as a FIRST priority.

Did I say "FIRST" priority?

Of course, one's work needs to be excellent, the best you can produce, both technically and from the best of tools available in your industry. Secondly, it requires being "masterfully" displayed, as one would want to comfortably place it in their own home or office.

These, too, are important aspects regarding the quality of the work, but just as in the story above, it is essential to consider the quality of the venue...and I'm not limiting that venue to an exhibition space in a "gallery."

I've done several art shows in the least likely of locations, most of which were not galleries...but were independent venues where only my work would be featured and would not be mixed with a variety of styles, or mediums. I wanted to be "exclusively" featured, so as to warrant the price tag placed on each item.

The venues I have selected, over the years, were not usually used as exhibition space, but through appropriate negotiation with the provider, I have usually been able to secure "free" space that benefited the provider in other ways.

Examples of this type of venue were:

Grouse Mountain ~ Theater in The Sky
Known as a ski resort in Vancouver, British Columbia, it is required, initially for all visitors to ride a gondola from city floor to mountain top, which allows for the most spectacular view of Vancouver, British Columbia.

The venue at the top of the mountain is actually a Multimedia Theater, used predominantly for Corporate Events, and most days goes completely without notice. Conveniently it is located next to a "sky" bar and restaurant.

The negotiation process went like this. Inquiring of the "business office," I asked if I could secure the Theater for an Event for a 3 day Weekend Exhibition. I offered no payment for the venue but in lieu of payment assured the executives that I would bring 100 people up the mountain per evening.

The benefit to the resort was as follows:

1) They received revenue from the purchase of Gondola Tickets ~ 100+ per day
2) They benefited from the sale of food and drink from the "Sky" Bar
3) They benefited from the PR of new people visiting the Ski Resort

Thus I was given the "use" of the venue free of charge for 3 days ~ Good Deal

There are many other options one can choose, but based on the story above, GET out of your studio and into the "LIGHT." It can be more affordable than you can imagine, yet the value to your company and your visibility as an artist, is priceless !

Wishing you the best of Success
Sian Lindemann
October 2009


For more information, please visit Sian's TNNW Bio.



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LASTING IMPRESSIONS: What Are We Missing ~

KENSEL TRACY: Is Traditional Media Dead in Canada?

by Kensel Tracy

My topic this month is something that is being hotly debated by almost every media outlet in the country and all across North America. Its a question that is on everyone's mind. Is traditional media dying an untimely death?

I personally don’t think so. Just like the telegraph and the morning newspaper media is always in a state of change and the impact of new media on traditional advertising and communications is no different. Let’s just say the amount of attention that new media is getting is making us feel as if traditional media can no longer compete. So in some ways there may be a collective thinking that traditional media is dead. Lets look a some of the facts.

In Canada is safe to say that ad revenues from traditional media are down across the board and online media is definitely on the increase. Newspapers are having the biggest problem securing advertisers since their daily news is reported well in advance on any of the major websites like Canada.com, Sympatico.ca. MSN Canada, Yahoo Canada and Google. For instance as a dedicated newspaper reader, I now only buy the weekend papers and no long subscribe at the office.

The key area that seems to really be taking a hit is the classified ad sections of most newspapers. With free ad sites like Craig’s List, Kijji and any number of local online and employment sites offering free ads and amazing search options, traditional classified and employment ads are also generating the lowest revenues in years.

National television is also suffering not only from the loss of local ad revenues but from the ever changing role played by cable and satellite in Canada. The two national commercial networks are fighting it out with the cable companies promoting the value of local television as cable and satellite companies now want to charge subscribers extra for the right to watch local news in their areas on their local cable or satellite station. The local news represents the largest number of concentrated local viewers and the most revenues since these local stations retain the rights to sell local advertisers into a well watched local program with a highly consistent and dedicated audience.

The main media that seems to remain stable through all of this is radio. With the advent of television in the 1950’s there was much discussion that the radio was dead or would over time die out. As we can see this did not happen. Every local radio station has a bevy of local listeners who continue to support them regardless of the role new media plays. Everyone has a local favourite radio station for local news and sports and local activities. Satellite radio continues to gain popularity; however local news and weather can only be garnered from stations in the local market. So radio's demise is not going to happen anytime soon. However the Ipod is having a major impact on what individuals listen too and when so the jury is still out.

So what does this mean for the individual or the business organization that has a mission to promote an event, sell a product, promote a new service and meet new customers? In my last column I felt that new media such as Facebook, Tweeting, My Space and blogging all help to build profile and help to create new contacts and some new business opportunities as well.

For me personally however, being active in your local community be it online or offline is still one of most important things a person or a company can do. An online community is great to make contacts if you have product that is national in scope and can be sold over great distances. A local community made up of local businesses, events and organizations are still valuable if you get personal service referrals, provide a local service or need to deal with individuals that in your own back yard.

The key point is traditional media is just changing and as they say on Monty Python it’s not time to "bring out yer dead yet".

The local media revolution is no different than any other media revolution that came along throughout history. These included the printing press changing town hall meetings, the telegraph was replaced by the telephone, couriers were replaced by fax machines and typewriters were replaced by computers and radio was changed immensely by the advent of television. So media and communications is always evolving

The key ingredient for change however is that information will always be required and requested by human beings and will be required in selective ways that still include a great deal of personal activity.

People still buy from people and personal relationships are still the most important thing. Regardless of what happens with traditional ways of communicating there will always be something that is just around the corner that will make it easier and more efficient to get the information you require. So traditional media my be dying as we know it, however most organizations are scrambling to reinvent themselves just like my grand father did when upon graduating from telegraph school he found the telegraph was about to not exist anymore. He changed his career path and found a new solution. Advertising and media is resilient and will do the same.

Kensel Tracy is the Marketing Coach and Senior Partner with the Corporate Coachworkz Inc. and President of Business over Breakfast Clubs (BoB Clubs) of North America and with offices located in Ottawa, Ontario and Chelsea, Quebec.


For more information, please visit Kensel's TNNW Bio.


Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
The National Networker Companies
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KENSEL TRACY: Is Traditional Media Dead in Canada?