“Team AdBirds” to work with community based organizations, booster clubs, charities who will help us spread the word about our free and business level online classified advertising services.

Are you with a school booster club, community outreach program, or some form of 501.c3 charity?  AdBirds wants to help!

Let’s get started now.

AdBirds has reopened the “affiliate” program in order to team up with community based organizations and charitable organizations.  Any registered user can become and “affiliate” and help their favorite charitable / community organization.  If the user is not a charity or end user of the donations, such as a publisher or on air announcer,  all they need to do is promise to make a donation to the organization from their affiliate payment.

Here’s how it works:

Charitable and community based organizations can create their free Charity account with Value level services from adbirds at no cost or obligation other than our Terms and Conditions.

The organization’s adbirds account manager can log in and apply for the affiliate program within his/her account page.

When we have the org’s info we will contact the manager or welcome his or her call.

AdBirds will work with the account manager to create a special “coupon” and tracking link which can be shared online,  on print or radio and tv.

We will email a special .pdf flier which the organization can take to local stores, which will state all the great services adbirds provides Value and Unlimited account holders along with the special coupon – usually a word, name, or initials of the organization, which when used during account creation or upgrade, credits and pays the organization with each client payment.

AdBirds will donate or pay – depending on the affiliate’s status, 33% x each credited Value or Unlimited account, on the 15th day of the month:

Value account monthly = $5.00 per month x 1/3 = $1.65 per Value account per month x total.

Value account annually = $55.00 per year x 1/3 = $18.15 per Value account per year x total.

Unlimited account monthly = $30.00/mo. x 1/3 = $10.00 per credited account x total number.

Unlimited account annually = $330.00/yr. x 1/3 = $110.00 per credited account x total number.

The client’s subscription rate will never be increased.

AdBirds will send every Value and Unlimited customer a Team Adbirds sticker and We’re with the bird! adbirds logo sticker that can be placed at the front door or point of sale so they will not be solicited further.  Note: Some organizations may offer to provide assistance with ad placement or account management.   Such additional services provided by the affiliate for the adbirds customer are not guaranteed or endorsed by adbirds!

AdBirds will also socially network their ads and perform SEO and cost-per-click services to help users find their ads via search engines, and even help with a store’s inventory upload.

online classified advertising – eco and community friendly – browse ads – post ads free

List Free,  Shop Smart,  Save Gas!

 © AdBirds Design & Market Inc. – 2040

Take A Minute

Take A Minute

Count a minute in seconds

Imagine the numbers as chairs on a carousel

Each chair is a year of live as it moves toward you, and past your moment in time

Imagine the year as it approaches and what significant thing you did that year

How soon do you wish to slow the carousel and live in that year for a bit longer?

Each minute in life is a gift

We don’t know how many chairs are on the carousel

You don’t have to accept the gift, but may choose to live in the moment

There’s always time to walk with your friend.

-Randall Stephens                  

Austin has a new event marketing service

Managing time and activities is critical for success.  At 51 I have learned to take notes and set a schedule.   The most important element of my day is making sure the client is served, gets a positive response and follow-up on the action items of yesterday.   The last week or so, I have seen the adbirds website spin when it needed to connect.  That’s just wrong!   These days we are all used to speed, and seeing a browser hunt is inexcusable when we want to see our hosted site snap to attention.

I regret to say our 4 year-old wind & sun powered, dedicated server ran out of wind.  The good news is that a new server is up and transfer request has been initiated as of 9:23 this morning.  Hostgator is a great provider, and we can expect the transfer to be completed within 25-72 hours.

If any paid subscriber experiences down time for their ads, we’ll refund the entire month. I doubt this will occur; let’s see.

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Another development this week is the launch of AD&M’s* new Fission512 unit to provide a communications channel for our advertising services.   Fission512 will provide event marketing services in Austin, as well as SEO, SEM, cost per click advertising, banners, graphics and print collateral, entertainers, actors and models for events and public appearances, as well as street-level open air advertising.

Fission512 is “Austin’s Atomic Advertising”!   We’ll make sure our clients are noticed by visitors during major events, around sports venues and conventions.  Questions?
Check the schedule of events in your area or ours and contact Fission512 by AD&M*, for great advertising any time of the year.

See:  www.Fission512.com for local or web advertising services.

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*AdBirds Design & Market Inc.  PO Box 170189 Austin, Tx 78717

SpaceX founder Elon Musk inspires real progress

Sept. 21, 2012   by Randall Stephens

What is your It?

On CBS this morning, Elon Musk was interviewed by Charlie Rose.  I find Mr. Musk to be an inspiring personality, having co-developed Paypal which enabled ordinary people to have merchant accounts so they can be paid by credit and debit cards;  – for developing stylish, high quality Tesla electric automobiles; and lately, – for advancing the civil space exploration and services industry with SpaceX, which designs, builds and deploys space-faring rockets and capsules on contract with NASA and the space launch industry.

Said Musk; “Within about three years we’ll be transporting astronauts to the international space station.  We have a goal of transporting large numbers of people to Mars.  When asked if that is possible, Musk replied; … “At first people would have to live within domes’, ..’ and by terra-forming the planet, we could eventually go outside and walk about as on Earth”.  “Mars is a fixer-upper of a planet”.
On Tesla motor cars Musk stated; “Tesla is about accelerating the advent of electric cars.  (starting with a very fast limited production sports car).  Now we are about making mass market electric cars affordable”.
By the way, Tesla Motors has recently offered up a new sedan.  This reminds me of having been cut off by a Chevy Volt the other day which then accelerated away at high speed.  I was impressed, albeit not by the driver.  Technology is advancing and improving daily.  I am reminded also of a class during my own training in avionics where we learned how power is delivered by electric motors immediately.  In a word,  fast.

Rose; “What enables you to dream about (your inventions)’ … ‘What is the secret to you”?
Musk;  “Most people reason by analogy.  I (like to) reason from truth, and (applying understanding of) physics”.
- My own shortcomings have me typing away while trying to listen to the very short interview segment, so catching every word on the first go-around while listening to one of the most interesting people to come along in a century is a bit taxing.  I would look for a link to the segment by searching … cbs charlie rose studio 57 elon musk (Google doesn’t care about capitalization).

People like Elon Musk succeed or fail, based upon their skills in business development and management.  But without perseverance, faith in one’s vision, and the will to try and fail, and try again, nothing of merit happens.  Elon Musk is someone many people pay attention to.
Inspired by an amazing industrialist, I ask myself; “Have I done everything I can do to make it work”?  – It must be made to work profitably.   A lot rides on my “It”, and yours too, I’ll bet.   That’s why I am betting on us working together to get your It in front of your customers.

What is your “It”?  Put it out there on adbirds and we’ll try to help you succeed, Arte and I.

Today I am reaching out to merchants,  auto dealers and real estate agencies with a dynamic new offering nobody else can match.  In an industry first, we now offer a million reasons to become an adbirds annual unlimited user and advertiser.  That’s guaranteed million ad impressions across the Google display network, pointing to your store on adbirds.

All store managers need to do while this special offer lasts is register an Unlimited ad account and select the “annual” option.  Then simply log in and start placing ads.
We will do the rest!

Adbirds assures you will reach your local shopper by geo-targeted search engine advertising.  What else can we do to get your “it” in front of your local customer?

Just contact us and let me know.

-Randall

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“Every day above ground is a good day.  Some are better”.

-Randall Stephens

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Will we help? Yes, and here is how we do it.

Linda Botello, an outstanding local realtor and I helped form a local business networking group several years ago, and have remained loyal referral partners long since moving on.   She sent me an email the other day, after a friend of hers announced she is retiring and needed to sell some neat antique items from her long-time Pflugerville, Texas restaurant known locally as the European Bistro, which closes August 31st.  Anna is retiring and her building will soon house new businesses.

My family was out of town last week, and I was getting hungry so after the owner, “Anna” sent me an email, I drove over for a look at her items and have a bite to eat.   Anna had already posted several antique items for sale,  and an employment ad.  By the way:  She needs a dishwasher.  Funny how people start looking for work when you plan to close.

Even a temporary job is a good thing when you need employment, and since the most widely known online ad site charges for employment ads,  placing her free ads on adbirds was a great idea since we network ads for free via Facebook,  Twitter and LinkedIn among others.
I promised to network her ads, and after Anna served a delicious dish of Hungarian cabbage rolls with paprika enhanced sauerkraut I decided to go the distance with our full Google AdWords service for the same price.   – Free, pointing to her adbirds online ads.  Then there is the blog thing, done across various topics under AD&M Publications.

It was time to drive some traffic to the Furniture and Employment categories,  and since Anna is such a great businesswoman (yep, a free gourmet quality dinner) she deserves everything one can do.   What is everything, anyway?

The free stuff was easy.  Anna placed several ads, and adbirds networks them out for free.  Clients can take advantage of the rest, including Search Engine Optimization (referred to as; “SEO”) services on-page and off-page where we build links.  AdBirds Online Services also handles services like Google AdWords,  Bing/Yahoo, and Facebook with very affordable setup and management fees based on account requirements.

Every advertising budget is limited, and deserves measured, effective management that works for the client to generate sales.

That brings me to what we are:  AdBirds Online Services and AD&M Advertising, branded under the same company.  We also have AD&M Publications now, where we create and manage industry-specific media.  “We” is currently defined as direct providers for link – building, coding and artwork, the stockholders (yours truly), and adbirds.com at this point, all under  a little Texas corporate entity “AdBirds Design & Market Inc.”.    Dang, that’s a mouthful.

But don’t worry,  we’ll make your advertising turnaround painless, affordable, and the best decision you make this year.   Contact us via adbirds for a free quote and initial consultation.

Or contact me directly if you are ready to set an appointment.
AD&M Advertising  “Our methods,  your success”!
- Randall  Stephens         Call or text (512) 796-5339

Angels for Entrepreneurs

Are you an entrepreneur?  I found these tips on approaching Angel Investors on a LinkedIn group as provided by  Mike Lebus, director of Angel Investment Network Ltd, and want to share the advice with you. 

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1. Remember to tailor your business plan. The plan you pitch to an angel should be different from the one you use to pitch to a bank.
2. Figure out the least you need to get to the next stage and raise that amount. Then you’ll have to give away less equity.
3. Always ask for feedback after pitching your company. You can learn from each investor that says no, and improve for the next time.
4. Try to invest some of your own money in the business. Angel investors like to see financial commitment from the management team.
5. Have business plans and pitches of various lengths (e.g. 50 words, 200 words, 500 words, 1,000 words, 2,000 words and the full plan).
6. Make sure you can explain exactly what your business does in under 30 seconds.
7. Remember that investors will want high returns, due to the high risk nature of angel investing. Of every 12 companies they invest in 1 might be huge, 2 might be good, 3-4 will be marginal, and the rest will fail.
8. Never tell an angel “the product will sell itself”. It won’t! An investor wants to see a clear USP & well thought-out sales strategy.
9. Be enthusiastic – Investors expect energy and dedication from entrepreneurs.
10. Angels like to invest in deals with other Angels who have done this before and learn from them to get started
11. Make the most of social media – it’s free and a great way to get yourself known in your sector.
12. When pitching for funding, don’t get bogged down in technical details, or you’ll lose the investor’s interest.
13. The management team is one of the most important factors for angels. Consider what skills you and your existing team have and what needs to be brought in.
14. Angels look to invest in strong markets. You can fix a lot of things about a business, but you can’t fix a bad market.
15. Keep your pitch short and sweet, so the investors stay interested and are keen to find out more.
16. When you read your business plan, put yourself in the investors’ shoes. Ask yourself: ‘Would I invest in this business?’
17. Make sure your business plan isn’t too technical and that anyone can understand it.
18. Don’t be afraid to ask the investors questions about their background. They should be keen to impress you and willing to answer any questions you might have.
19. To reassure investors, get someone in your team who has successful experience with start-ups and exits.
20. If possible, approach investors with a working prototype. Investors like to see, touch and test what they’re investing in.
21. Use facts and stats rather than personal opinions. “I think this market will grow” isn’t as powerful as “This market has grown 30% annually for the last 3 years”.
22. Positive feedback, customer lists, presales and letters of intent are very useful when trying to convince investors.
23. Join an association in the field in which your business operates. This will give you great networking opportunities.
24. Decide exactly what you want from your angel: money, contacts, industry experience, entrepreneurial experience, etc.
25. Investors will expect you to have a very good understanding of your competitors.
26. Avoid general statements, such as “We will provide excellent customer service” or “I am very hard working”. Everyone could make these claims.
27. Do due diligence on any investor you’re thinking of doing a deal with.
28. Try to target angel investors with experience in their industry – their expertise will be invaluable.
29. Expect the angels to want an active day-to-day role to share advice, knowledge & expertise.
30. Ask for a non-disclosure agreement to be signed if there is any information you feel uncomfortable disclosing to the investor.
31. Remember no legitimate investor will ask you to pay money.
32. Be completely open from the beginning. If an investor finds a skeleton in your closet, the deal will be off.
33. A market with high growth potential is very attractive to investor.
34. Start your pitch with “a hook” – a statement or question that grabs the investors’ attention and makes them want to hear more.
35. Don’t write “No Competition”. There is always competition, even if it is indirect competition.
36. Be enthusiastic – Investors expect energy and dedication from entrepreneurs.
37. Don’t use acronyms – people outside the industry won’t know what they mean.
38. Gestures, body language (e.g. nodding and smiling) and confidence are very important when you’re speaking to investors.
39. Ask family, friends and colleagues for feedback about your business plan and pitch.
40. The more you practice your pitch, the more relaxed you’ll be when you’re in front of the investors.
41. It’s really worth spending money on a good lawyer.
42. Don’t be afraid to admit your weaknesses and admit you may need help in certain areas or strengthen part of your team.
43. Use short paragraphs, bullets and lists: This makes it easier and quicker for the investors to read.
44. Don’t write “Guaranteed Return”. No return is guaranteed!
45. Check your business plan for spelling and grammatical errors they make you look unprofessional.
46. Don’t say “My projections are conservative”. 90% of companies say the same thing.
47. Make sure you have legit market research to back up your claims about market size and competition.
48.       If applicable, investors will want to see that you have the necessary patents and protection in place.
49. Don’t say “We only need a 1% marketshare to have a turnover of 1 million” – financial projections don’t work like that.
50. Last but certainly not least, visit  Mike Lebus’ LinkedIn profile and follow his sage advice.

Arab Spring – An Opportunity Not To Be Missed

Arab Spring Is An Opportunity Not To Be Missed.  

As an American with pro Constitutional leanings,  I see a great opportunity in the so-called “Arab Spring”  movement which might be better named.   Hence,  while often hated for our foreign policies, the United States of America is still revered by the world for our Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of expression,  religion,  rights to privacy,  and private property.

All this is a “given”.  So I have to ask;  … “Why have we – the USA – not fully developed and distributed a  “Manifesto of Freedom” to be carried by people in every nation,  written in each language as the Gideons translated the Holy Bible, – a New International Version of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution – modified to be acceptable in each culture,  guaranteeing these same rights and privileges to be fought for and adopted globally”?

Then distribute the “NIV Declaration and Constitution for Liberty” in places like Iran,  Lybia,  Egypt,  Russia, China, North Korea,  Myanmar,  Saudi Arabia,  Sudan,  and let the peoples of those nations do their own good work.

They will I think, and in my view we can then realistically base all our troops at home, trade with our friends, and keep the ‘nukes warm – just in case.  Nobody will dare attack us or even care to at that point.

I will leave you to think about this, copy and paste to your favorite blogs, and comment further.

-Randall F. Stephens
CEO  AdBirds Design and Market Inc.
http://www.adbirds.com