Thanks

Don Grose
Show me the prison - show me the jail.
Show me the prisoner, whose life has gone stale.
And I'll show you young man with so many reasons why.
And there but for fortune go you and I - you and I.

Show me the alley - show me the train.
Show me the hobo - as he sleeps out in rain.
And I'll show you young man, with so many reasons why.
and there but for fortune go you and I - you and I.

Show me the whiskey stains on the floor.
Show me the drunkard as he stubmles out the door.
And I'll show you young man with so many reasons why.
And there but for fortune go you and I- you and I.

Show me the country, where the bombs had to fall.
Show me the ruins of the buildings once so tall.
And I'll show you young land with so many reasons why.
And there but for fortune go you and I - you and I.


I don't know who wrote that - if you do please let me know..the song is "There But for Fortune" and the
only version of the song that I've ever heard was by
Chad and Jeremy the British duo from the 60's. In fact,
I was never a big Chad and Jeremy fan but I heard the song on an old compilation album from the TV Show
Hullabaloo - or Teenage a Go Go. I loved the song
the first time I heard it - first for the harmonies -
then for the melody - and lastly, strangely, for the
lyric. It was one of the first songs I started to play
when I picked up the guitar again after a layoff of a
couple of decades. Today I love the song more than
ever...today it means so much more than it ever has.
Each of us - no matter what our circumstance - has so
much for which to be thankful.
Last night we had a dinner party - four couples that
get together three or four times year. We're four different couples - eight very different personalities - we eat, we drink, and most important we laugh - and laugh and laugh...what a wonderful tonic for those minor aches and pains that life throws
at you.
I guess really, if there was any disappointment at all it was in the fact that Dee promised to misbehave to get a mention in the blog.But she was the model of
sophistication and decorum....as she always is.
Advertising Tip au the Day...
When I first left my job as a Radio News Director in Kitchener Ontario to join sales I had no idea how little I knew. I was very fortunate to have had been on the air broadcasting the
news and sports every morning for ten years so my first few months in sales were made
much easier by the fact that people I was calling on already felt like they knew me....and in many cases they were pleased to finally meet me "in person." It made the sales process so much easier...so much less threatening and adversarial for both parties. I knew nothing about
Reach and Frequency and GRP's and Cost Per Point and even less about "Positioning" and
"Branding" and "Differentiation.."...it didn't take long for me to realize that I had to develop in my own mind, a theory as to what works best in advertising, and why it works.
Developing advertising strategies is not something that happens overnight.
and different businesses have different needs...and that's what makes it interesting.
There are however, in my estimation, some pretty basic principles to which I adhere in
discussions with my clients.
" Our product is steel, our strength is people. "
That is a positioning statement used by Dofasco back in the late 50's or early 60's...
I'm guessing at the dates.
The reason I constantly bring that up whenever I discuss advertising strategies is that
when Dofasco was using that in their advertising - and when I was exposed to it - they sponsored radio newscasts - I can only assume coast to coast in Canada. It may have only been in Ontario, I really don't know. The point is - every morning when as a child I sat down to
breakfast - I'd hear stories on the radio about people who worked for this company and every
one of these stories ended with , " Our product is steel, our strength is people."
Now, as a seven or an eight year old, I was neither looking for a job at a steel plant -
nor was I about to make any significant financial investment in that company.
But the story impacted even a child - and I remembered the "positioning statement" for
decades - and beleive me, as a youngster I harboured no overwhelming desire to get into
advertising or radio - it was clear in my mind that I would become an NHL star - and if that
didn't work out there was always pro baseball.
The point I am trying to make is - buying decisions are made everyday...As a business you
need to be planting the seeds of a relationship with the consumer long before he or she
concludes they need your product or service. You want people to want to do business with you.
You create that environment by providing them with as many reasons as possible to choose you
over their competition...and by being in front of them, or in their faces, as often as you
can afford to be there.
I did very well my first year in advertising sales...but it was because most of those
with whom I came in contact already knew me, already trusted me, already wanted to do business
with me because for years I had been part of their daily routine. I had read them the news
and sports in the morning - every day - the relationship was established long before I made
my first phone call or entered their place of business.
That's what you should have your advertising do for you !
Think consistency and think long term. Make friends first - they make the best customers.
We'll discuss that someday soon...why the relational shopper is so much more desirable than
the transactional.

Senior Pro Golfer Howard Twitty once said - " I'd be happy to be a household name in my own
household."

Til next time - Hittem long and hittem straight.

Let's Change the Title

Don Grose
Do you hear that tolling bell ?
Can you nhear it in the distance ?
Or is it something I just long to hear ?
Not a breath of wind to grace our sails,
Just another night without you.
It's mine to find a reason to go on.

Well...no major surprises in the federal election..
except the number of Nova Scotians willing to accept
the hateful, cheap, honorless conduct of the Liberals.
Steven Harper do not let us down.

Don Grose

Don Grose I love this..."Blog this" it says..so I did !
My son Tyler sent me an article at work the other day...Actually I was at home in Fall River, Nova Scotia, because while employed by CHUM Radio Halifax, I recently came to the conclusion that I could be far more effective working from home...and I am ...but I
digress....what he sent me was message that said:

When you're having one of those days at work - and we all have those days - take the time, on your way home
to stop at the pharmacy...buy a Johnson and Johnson
rectal thermometer. Take it home - close your drapes,
turn off the phone, so you're not disturbed - take a deep breath - and open the thermometer package.
Read carefully the literature in the package . In the small print it says that every rectal thermometer made by Johnson and Johnson is checked personally.
Ponder this for a moment - and celebrate the fact that
someone has a job that's more of a pain in the ass than
yours.
I immediately sent it out to my co-workers.
I have a great job ! Radio advertising sales is challenging enough to be interesting - allows for
enough creativity to be fullfilling and allows all kinds of freedom I've never experienced in any other
vocation. I can't imagine doing anything else over the
long term...
But I was thinking the other day - I took one of my guitars, my Gibson Gospel, into the Halifax Folklore
Centre to get repaired. I was quite concerned about it.
I think the gentleman's name was Tom...he took a look at it...told me it would be a week or ten days and that
he would do what he could. Six days later he called.
An instrument that I secretly feared I might never
ever play - was transformed into a gem. What wonderful rewarding, satisfying, work that must be - That's a skill of which I am envious...
Ad Tips don't run on weekends...Monday I'll be back with another....
Have a nice weekend.
Don

Don Grose

Don Grose

" You're a party with the lights down low,
You're my Friday night movie show,
Love Me Tender on the radio,
Just hold me tight and don't let go.

It's the smile on your face,
It's your style and your grace,
and that's why - that's why - I love you."

Andrew Gold

What a lovely pop lyric...what a terrific pop song. If you've never heard it try and dig up a copy of it.

A little ray of sunshine as brother Doug would say quoting
the unforgettable Count Frightenstein.

So I got thinking this morning, lying in my warm bed, rubbing the tummy of the ever present Ceiladh the Wonder Dog, how good life really is...Advertising is great industry of which to be
a part, radio is exciting, fast paced, and the two have allowed
me to pursue two major passions, music and golf..a little about the golf as we get closer to spring...I have been blessed having married a wonderful person ( who denies ever having been a victim of diminished capacities ) and having two healthy,
great young men as sons...Son Matt, the younger , who lives in
Fort McMurray, Alberta, called yesterday from Chile where
he is vacationing with his partner, the lovely Eliana...He's having a marvellous time, loving the experience, and revving up for the Chilean wedding they'll attend Saturday night.
Tyler, my eldest son, called asa well with exciting news.
He was going to have to change the dates of his upcoming trip to Cuba with his sweetie Jacqulyn...because the dates conflicted with the trip to the Dominican he was going on with
Xerox, the company for which he works...Nice problem to have....life in the family is good indeed.
Now..Mario..I'm sorry...your reaction to my first blog was a little extreme...hadn't been posted for even 24 hours..I suggested that you clean house - pay attention - allow Craig
Patrick to function as your Pittsburgh Penguins General
Manager...Now you're selling the team ?!?!?
If this medium is that powerful let's try this..
The CBC . Our esteemed public broadcaster.
As I age I mellow. I still can't imagine anyone listening to them
full time although I will grant you, on occasion, you can trip on a nugget that is worthy. But at what cost !?!
It is absolutely no wonder this country has financial problems.
If ever there was on-going proof of government mismanagement and fiscal irresponsibility - the CBC is it ! In
spades. How this country can justify more than one radio
signal per official language and more than one French and one
English TV channel is beyond all conscience.
Is the CBC's original mandate not to tie this great country
together - coast to coast ? Then explain to me if you will why
our tax dollars are being spent to broadcast "The Simpsons"
at five o'clock in the afternoon. Is five o'clock in the afternoon
not prime viewing time for youngsters. What a wonderful
vehicle for instilling national pride and a sense of our unique
culture..The Simpsons...BALLS !!!
Note to Stephen Harper...you can seal my vote with a promise
to butcher the CBC and trim it back to something akin to a bearable burden. Note to Paul Martin...don't bother because
your party has already proven it cannot be trusted. I don't dare leave the milk bottles on the stoop these days for fear a Liberal might happen by. I can't imagine they are all like that
but how could you ever find out ?
I've rambled on long enough...I will leave my feelings about
the CRTC for another day.
Advertising Tip of the Day....from Roy Williams, the Wizard of Ads.. # 3 of the 12 Most Common Mistakes Thbat Advertisers Make:
Business owners are uniquely unqualified to know how to
reach their customer. Know what the customer needs.

Til next time - Hittem Long and Hittem straight.
Don

Don Grose

Don Grose Welcome to my blog...Every couple of days depending on my schedule and what's happening I'll be updating this page with things I hope you'll find of interest.
I won't be following any particular format - just passing along things that I find interesting, commenting on things that I find
disturbing, praising random acts of kindness and generousity,
pointing the odd finger, thumbing the odd nose, and attempting to share my own particular ( peculiar ) point of view.
First....Canadian's will be lining up at the polls next Monday
night. Unlike in past elections, the Liberals , I'm guessing, will
be unable to pull their habitual rabbit from a hat and
stay in power. I certainly hope that Canadians will oust the
power abusing, arrogant, deceitfull, and wasteful government.
Do I like the Tories any more than the Liberals ? No...but any
Canadian who votes Liberal is nurturing and encouraging the shamefull, reprehensible and doubtless terminal condition that we call our government. Canadians should bring down as much shame as is possible on the Liberals and send a message that cannot be confused.
Canadians expect and demand more.
Whether it be the Conservatives or the NDP, and I frankly think the New Democrats will win the Stanley Cup before they
hold power in Ottawa , I hope that an effort will be made
to govern with an eye to digging deep and rediscovering
character, integrity, community, charity , and family.
If greed and blind ambition can somehow be sentenced to lower priority value than the qualities that made North American civilization ( or western culture ) what it used to be - our country will be on the road to reaching it's true potential.
It's good to dream !
So - I'm also surprised that the Pittsburgh Penguins have not
traded away - given away - liquidated all the high priced talent
they brought in since the end of the lock out - and replaced it with kids who want to work - want to hustle - and will protect
Sid the Kid...Sidney Crosby is the only member of the Penguins who plays like it matters...and it's obvious the veterans on the team resent all the attention that Crosby is
working so hard to earn. Is it just me or is there some meddling going on in Craig Patrick's office ? I suspect the
General Manager is finding his role more that of trigger puller
for the owner than that of determing the direction in which the
team is headed...whatever the problem ..Mario..Craig...WAKE
UP...your franchise is getting his 18 year head kicked in and
you seem oblivious to his plight..Eric Cairns should be the first
step in a major housecleaning...
I was speaking with Anne, our research specialist, at the office
the other day , talking about music...We were talking about
Roger McGuinn and Byrds harmonies, and I got to thinking about some of the other musicians directly or indirectly connected to the Byrds, the Burrito Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Desert Rose Band, and Souther Hillman and Furey..
That night I found myself elbow deep in 20 year old cassettes.
This morning I drove into work listening to Chris Hillman and
Herb Pedersen, and the McCarters...I came to the conclusion
that it is very difficult to revisit good bluegrass without
smiling...and smiling...and smiling...Acoustic guitar and
tight vocal harmonies...a far more telling tale of man's genius
than the way we do business...or govern.
Please feel free to drop me a line - tell me how you feel -
visit my website - or the Golf Shop Radio Program website
at www.atlanticgolfradio.com . Changes coming to the
Golf Shop website - and we expect to begin the 2006
program season by mid April...details as they are finalized.
By the way, if you have any questions about marketing and
advertising, feel free to contact me. It's what I do...and consults are without obligation.

Advertising Tip Number One:

Never buy advertising until you have decided what you
need your advertising to do -
until you have communicated that need to your ad representatives -
and you are comfortable they have designed an ad campaign that will deliver what you desire.
I firmly beleive the main reason for unsuccessful advertising is
poor planning...that leads to poor communication...and at that
point if the execution is flawed...who cares ? It was too late
anyway.
Radio, TV, Newspaper, Billboard, Internet..it all works if
it's used properly...I choose to beleive that Radio works best !
Til next time, hit em long and hit em straight.
Don

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