I have been looking forward to this weekend for years because today is opening day for the A-Team movie!  The tv series went off the air in 1987, so I have had to wait more than 2 decades to see a new adventure with my favorite characters.

I refuse to read any reviews for the film.  Not so much to keep an open mind- at this point, I would still see it if it got zero stars- but just to know as little as possible beforehand.  I want to experience the excitement and surprise I felt when I watched the show as a kid.  I know it's not high-brow material, but to me that's not the point.  It will be nostalgic and fun!

My wife, always a pragmatist, however, informed me the movie did not fare well with the critics.  I'm not deterred, but I know there are folks who won't see it due to bad reviews.  My wife's pronouncement made me think about marketing in general.  It takes a lot of advertising to overcome anything negative someone tells us about a product or service.  Usually, we have to be saturated with images and promises in order for us to be willing to try something after we've heard bad things about it.

In many respects, then, marketing is critical in proportion to the lack of negative reviews.  That is, heading off negative comments should be a crucial part of any marketing campaign; less bad press means fewer resources have to be allocated to advertising.  Those resources can then be devoted to actually having a better product or service, which should (hopefully) mean less negative comments.  Integrating this philosophy into marketing means being aware of the tipping point (one way or the other) between being devoted to delivering satisfaction... or only delivering the image of it.

Obbee is devoted to offering the best sales leads in the industry.  Using the internet, we provide cutting-edge prospect lists to realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants.  We can even match up clients with professionals in real time.  No fist fights or exploding cars, though- for those, I'm off to the movie theater!  :)

- Dave

It starts as a not-so-faint song in the distance, the mechanical notes endlessly repeating some asinine tune through a mobile, blaring speaker... As the first strains reach my home, my children react as if they have been injected with an industrial stimulant.  They sit erect, their eyes widen, their pupils dilate, their pulses quicken and their faces instinctively turn to the front window as they utter the magical words: "The ice cream man!"

If my daughters are allowed to go outside and wait for the ice cream man, as his truck slowly rolls through our neighborhood, oh, such is their joy!  To be denied, however, is to enter an abyss of melancholy, dwelling on the unfairness of childhood.  Such is the power the ice cream man holds over the young denizens of suburbia.

It's funny, really- The ice cream man sells the same desserts you can get at the grocer's except he charges 4 or 5 times what they cost at the store.  And yet, his allure cannot be denied.  Is it the music?  Does it have a hypnotic, Pied Piper effect?  I think it's the novelty of delivery.  Kids can't drive themselves to the market, so in their world, they're dependent on the ice cream man to bring the goodies to them.  The music's just loud so it can be heard above tv's, video games, or whatever else is competing for our children's attention.

In a lot of ways, the internet has become the "ice cream man" for grown-ups.  I love bookstores very much, for example, but I make most of my purchases online- same with Christmas shopping, now.  I enjoy the saved time and the convenience.  For any service or product, the novelty of delivery may well be the difference between success and failure as our society becomes more, well, child-like in its expectancy of immediate gratification and entertaining content.

Obbee is an internet-based company.  In our case, we use the World Wide Web to deliver sales leads to professionals in the real estate, insurance (home & health), mortgage, debt settlement and loan modification fields.  We can even match up prospects with salespeople in real time... No annoying music, though- I promise!  :)

- Dave

Yesterday I was washing my hands at home and happened to glance at the back of the liquid soap bottle when I set it on the sink.  The bottle actually had printed instructions on the label!  They said:  "DIRECTIONS: Pump desired amount of product into hands.  Work into a refreshing lather then rinse."

I was flabbergasted.  A few questions ran through my mind.  First: What kind of person would need directions to use liquid soap?  Are there really folks who would mess it up without the instructions?  Second: Could it be part of some legal disclaimer?  Is the company afraid it would be sued if it didn't explicitly tell people how to use the product?  Third: Is it a cleverly disguised marketing ploy?  The directions did say to work the soap into a "refreshing" lather, which implies, of course, that it feels really nice.

I don't have the answers.  The third question, though, made me think there may be ways to use instructions and disclaimers (in any business) as a supplementary marketing tool.  The first sentence of Obbee's website disclaimer, for example, is: "By using this website and/or purchasing goods or services from Obbee, you are bound by these Terms of Use and Agreement."  Maybe this would be a better introduction?: "By visiting this wonderful website and/or purchasing Obbee's excellent goods or services..."  I'm being a little facetious, but the point is that directions and disclaimers are usually only treated as an afterthought, or just some necessary legal mumbo-jumbo.  With a little tweaking, however, they could easily help promote your services or products.

At Obbee we do strive to provide excellent goods and services- In our case, we provide sales leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries.  Using the internet to procure prospects, we can even match up clients and professionals in real time.  We don't give you instructions, however- closing the deal is still up to you!  :)

- Dave

Yesterday I had the pleasure (or misfortune, depending on your viewpoint) of accompanying my daughter and her 4th-grade class on a trip to the state capital.  We visited the capital building and a museum of the state's history.  What an interesting day!  And not just from an educational standpoint.

It was fascinating to watch how 9 & 10-year-olds get through an 8-hour field trip.  Some kids were great all day.  Some were attentive in the morning, but loopy by the afternoon.  Some paid attention without guidance, others needed reminders and a few paid almost no attention at all.  Some students were always at the front of every line and some at the back.  Some kids stared vacantly during lectures but came alive whenever there was anything interactive to do.  In short, the day was a chance to observe a collective microcosm of disparate personalities in action.

I noticed the techniques the teachers used for "crowd control" worked better for some students than others, although all the kids made it through the day.  I have to believe, though, that the students who either remained focused on their own or were actually able to respond positively to the teachers' reminders to pay attention derived more from the trip than their peers.  It made me think about the workplace... Some employees work just fine without supervision, some only work well with it, and some just plain won't work.  The question becomes whether the employees are inherently bad or whether the employers aren't using the right supervisory tools.

Kids don't generally know any better.  As adults, however, we know if we have internal motivation or whether we need an environment that provides it externally.  Open, honest conversations with bosses, coworkers and employees can help prevent misunderstanding and can increase communication and harmony in the office.  As "grown-ups" we have more flexibility than 4th-grade teachers to accomodate different personalities to achieve a common (successful) goal.  More power to the teachers, though- By the time I got home last night, I was exhausted- and ready for work today!

At Obbee, we're always ready to provide the best sales leads in the industry to realtors, insurance agents (home & health), mortgage brokers and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants.  We use the internet to provide cutting-edge prospect lists, and we can even match up clients with professionals in real time.  That way no matter how or when you like to work, you can increase your business.

- Dave

Yesterday my wife set out some catfish fillets to thaw on the counter, leading me to look forward to a nice meal after work.  However, by the time I got home, my poor spouse had experienced a stressful day between clients, the kids, the dog barking too much... She needed a break.  So, I was informed dinner was up to me.  My never having made catfish before was not a deterrent- I was told to look up recipes on the internet.

I did, finding one after a few minutes of searching.  It wasn't too hard, either.  It involved breading the fillets in an Italian dressing/egg mixture, with parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic powder mixed in with the bread crumbs (then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes).  The recipe said to put aluminum foil on the baking pan, so I did.  When it was coming out of the oven, my wife came down from her respite and immediately asked me about the foil: "Why did you use foil?  I never use foil- have you ever seen me use foil?"  I became a bit defensive, explaining that the recipe said to use foil.  I was directed never to use foil again, prompting an argument.  Ultimately, though, my wife had to concede the fish turned out great.

The lesson I derived from that incident was the importance of "letting go" if you're going to delegate without specific instructions.  We all have our own ways of accomplishing our duties, and- to us- our ways are the best.  When you tell an employee or coworker (or anyone else) to undertake a task, however, you have to decide if you're really only worried about the end result.  If you're concerned with how the task is performed, then you need to be up-front and clear in your wishes.  Otherwise, you cannot expect that everyone will perform functions in the same sequence and manner that you do.  Maybe, by not being specific, you can even learn a new (better) way to do the jobs you've always done.

At Obbee, we only have one job: providing internet-based sales leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries.  We can even match up prospects with professionals in real time.  Our methods are proprietary, but the end results are terrific... and do not ever involve aluminum foil.  :)

- Dave

At dinner the other night, my older daughter was talking about class trips at her elementary school (She's visiting the state capital next week).  My wife and I chipped in with memories of class trips from our student days.

The one that stood out to me was a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo when I was in junior high school (I grew up in Illinois).  We were given pretty free reign to explore the zoo, and a bunch of my classmates and I walked past an exhibit with a young elephant.  As part of the exhibit, you could pay $10 to ride the pachyderm around an enclosed circle.  It was a similar concept to the pony rides for young children you see at fairs and carnivals.  Indeed, the line to ride was made up almost entirely of boys and girls who appeared to be no older than 7 or 8.  Much to the amusement of my friends, however, I got in line too.

My peers teased and jeered at me as I slowly rode on the elephant's back.  Probably so as not to scare the watching toddlers, its pace was a step below sluggish.  We trudged around a couple of plodding times and it was over.  My classmates started to rib me about the event, kidding me about how "lame" it was, when I said to them: "For the rest of my life, I'll be able to say I rode an elephant.... Will you?"  The joking stopped, and a few of my friends quietly got in line.

As I related that memory to my daughter, I explained it stands out to me because I stood up to derision, and I took a chance.  In a lot of ways, that made the incident far more important than actually riding the elephant.  By going against the "popular tide", I got to do something I never did before (or since), and I'm proud of that.

In business, there are a lot of elephants to be ridden.  So many people tell us what we can't accomplish, or are quick to point out the disasters that await us if we take risks and fail.  And yet, if we don't take certain chances, we'll never achieve higher levels of success.  Believe me, on the back of even a small elephant, the view is better than on the ground.

At Obbee, our sights are on the internet.  We use web-based tools to provide cutting-edge sales leads for realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants.  We can even match up clients with professionals in real time.  If you're looking to increase sales with better prospects, climb on up!  :)

- Dave

Yesterday on the way home from work I was listening to NPR (National Public Radio).  In the "All Things Considered" segment, there was an interview with the actor, Robert Duvall, who was talking about his career and current plans.  It was an entertaining piece, but one quote stood out in particular.  Mr. Duvall said, "I always want to think of myself in the potential."

After the interview ended, I turned down the volume and thought about that idea for a while: "I always want to think of myself in the potential."  The more I mused on it, the more I became enamored with all that statement entails.  Always thinking of what you can accomplish means never settling.  It means never allowing yourself to be held back by your own limitations... because you envision yourself without them.  It means a life of possibilities and open-ended success.  I think I want to live "in the potential" too!

Obbee explores the potential of matching prospects with sales professionals in real time.  Using web-based tools and methodologies, we provide cutting-edge sales leads to the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries.  When it comes to increasing business (ours and yours), the possibilities are unlimited!

- Dave

My Memorial Day weekend wasn't very relaxing- In some respects I'm glad to be back at the office!  My wife and I cleaned, straightened, gardened... and I moved 8 yards of dirt with a shovel and a wheelbarrow.  At one point, I gave my sore and sunburned body a break, and sat down inside with my puggle.  Of course, the puggle immediately wanted to play!

He had a chew-toy with which he was trying to "tempt" me, so I played along and grabbed it, hid it for a few seconds, then tossed it across the room.  He immediately ran to get the toy, brought it back and then chewed it within reach, just in case I wanted to grab it again- which I did... over and over for about 1/2 an hour.  After a while, going back outside to work didn't seem so bad.

My dog loved the play-time, though, and not just for the attention.  For him, the repetitive actions were a game- a very fun game.  I thought about playing with the toy while I was trudging loads of dirt around my lawn, thinking of a way to turn wheelbarrow-hauling into entertainment of some sort.  I couldn't come up with anything, and ended up just listening to my ipod to avert the monotony, but I still liked the idea.

In any job there will be times when we're faced with monotonous tasks.  Sales, in particular, has some repetitive aspects, from cold calls to stuffing envelopes to mass e-mails.  When boredom sets in, our enthusiasm and energy levels tank.  However, if there is a way to inject some fun into the actions, then they're not so dreary.  Some offices have contests.  Some have other means of adding variety.  Whatever you can come up with, turning something routine into a game can keep spirits up and productivity high.

At Obbee we're enthusiastic about sales leads.  We provide cutting-edge leads for professionals in the real estate, mortgage, insurance (home & health), debt settlement and loan modification industries.  Using proprietary internet tools, we can even match up prospects and salespeople in real time.  Better clients lead to better revenue- and making money is never boring!

- Dave :)

Well, I bought a new pair of running shoes, and yesterday I officially launched my new exercise routine by going for my first jog of the year.  Wow, am I out of shape!  I think I cramped up within a couple blocks and, just going around my neighborhood, I had to alternate walking and running so I wouldn't hyperventilate.  It was a bit humbling.

What I found is something I've experienced in the past: When starting a new routine, it's important to introduce it incrementally.  I knew that, I guess, but in my enthusisam (I had new shoes, after all!) I thought I would simply exit the front door and blaze off a mile or two.  Sadly, I was wrong.  So, today after work I will start off with a slower pace and try to jog yesterday's route without stopping.  In a couple days I'll add a few blocks, working my way up until I really can run a couple miles without an ambulance following me for good measure.

New routines are implemented in business all the time: New call scripts, software, program incentives, compliance procedures... The office landscape is rarely static.  Sometimes the new routines are individual: "I will commit myself to making 50 contacts today!"  Maybe such plans are realistic and maybe not.  However, executing them on a gradually increasing scale will allow for a greater chance of success, as you gain familiarity and experience.  It is a lot like getting in shape.  More practice each day will build up the endurance needed to succeed, and will prevent the workplace equivalent of an aching side and shortness of breath.

At Obbee we've got our routine down pat, providing the freshest sales leads in the industry for realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health) and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants.  We use the internet to compile motivated prospect lists, capable of matching up clients and sales professionals in real time.  Thankfully no heavy lifting is involved.  :)

- Dave

All winter long, I kept thinking (and even occasionally announcing) that I would start a new exercise regimen once spring rolled around and the weather got nicer.  I decided my main approach would be to run.  I would also work in biking and roller-blading on off-days to give my knees a break and get some benefit from "cross-training."  All I needed was a new pair of sneakers.

Thinking about a plan is one thing.  Last night, however, I took an action step (pun intended) and I bought a good pair of running shoes.  Today I will run!  In order for me to take the plunge, I had to eliminate my last excuse (1: weather; 2: lack of shoes).  That's what was necessary for me to get over the mental hump keeping me from succeeding.

In sales, there are an endless number of excuses not to succeed: Not enough time in the day, bad economy, stale leads, poor training, saturated market, too much competition... You can wear yourself into a depression before you even have your morning coffee!  But like an exercise regimen, you have to dive in and just start "doing it."  You have to call the prospects, man the phones, work the e-mails, make the appointments.  If there's one major obstacle (like my lack of shoes) then overcome it.  Need a new phone or computer?  Buy it.  Whatever it is, eliminate that excuse and use its elimination as a springboard to recommit yourself to success.  As Yogi Berra said, "Ninety percent of the game is half mental."

Obbee is running full-steam ahead in the sales lead industry.  We provide cutting-edge leads to realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents (home & health), and debt settlement/ loan modification consultants.  Using proprietary internet tools, we can even match up clients with professionals in real-time.  Unfortunately we still wear dress shoes to work- the new sneakers will have to wait until later!  :)

- Dave