Fred S. Weiner — Chicago, IL

Will Mobile Advertising Take Your Wallet Away?

by Fred Weiner on 03/21/2011

Hi,

Missed you, it has been a while; hope you are well.I tell you later what I have been doing but first I want to help you and optimize your advertising results.

So Will Mobile Advertising Take Away the Use of Your Wallet? This answer is fairly simple by saying Yes. Wallet’s, purse’s and computer’s will be gone.

Maybe a modified Ipad smartphone is probably what you will go to use for your workstation, to pay for things, read a book, get advertising from, watch a baseball game, take pictures etc. etc…

Of course you may already know this is happening.

Don’t laugh or say text campaigns are intrusive and I won’t be using a keyboard with my thumbs feverishly typing like on twitter? I heard that before from people two years ago and now they are Twitterholic’s.

If that is what you think mobile advertising is you are going to miss the proverbial “Boat”.

Just to get you thinking a little; their are 53,000 Text messages sent per second; you do the math. Their are 4 billion cell phones; how many people are on Facebook?

When you post to your 5000 Twitter or Facebook fans do they all see your post and respond 97% of the time. If I get 70 responses to a post I used to feel great.

That is what is supposed to happen virally, but we all have learned that 97% of your 5000 friends do not read your post or respond. Unless of course you are Brad Pitt or Rhianna. If you don’t know the last name you really need to call me today to talk awhile. Just kidding:)

How can you compare a 97% open rate within one hour with mobile marketing comparing to .05% click or response rate of a 15% open email rate or direct mail response. Or for that matter you would never get that % of any audience response from any conventional or digital media that is used today.

The major advertising firms are converting over to more Mobile ad agencies. They can see that they need to be active or they will be lost in the shuffle.

Some mobile advertising works by itself and much of mobile advertising is concetrated as a complete plan of not just Text campaigns, with coupons using Twitter and Facebook as a link to your campaign directly and through local search. That is a very small taste of mobile marketing.

Now if you followed the last paragraph you are in decent shape in the understanding of how to drive traffic to buy, like you read your books or listen to your music…

If not you are wisely reading and learning.

Building lists of really interested consumers who will buy today was never so available to you.

So where do you start?

Pick up the phone and call me or keep reading the blog posts and emails in this series I will be writing weekly. Maybe we can convert some of what I am doing with you into a text learning experience.

Let’s see what happens in the next coming weeks. I have been working on a great multi-platform mobile marketing concept that can apply to most industries and “Verticals”.

See you next week,

Fred

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Is it Really Fun Being A Father All the Time?

by Fred Weiner on 01/13/2011

Fun may not be a good word to use to describe what I am truly feeling. Maybe the sad parts of fatherhood can go deep inside and make me sad wanting to cry.

My son makes me laugh, cry from being proud and I know in his heart is a beautiful person.

He is 9 now and I am 55. I had my first and only child late and work mostly from the house as this is what I wanted when he was born. To get to know him like I never got to know my dad.

Well the homework is overwhelming him as he is smart so the teacher gives him advanced additional homework. He can’t have play dates during the week because of it, and lately he does not want to do homework at all. He just dreams a lot and makes up games. It has been a battle to get him to do the homework and yesterday he finally broke and hid in his bed and said no.

His friends are forming other friends and he being a shy only child finds himself alone a lot. I see this in his behavior when I pick him up from school, he would never answer the question of how was lunch was, as his whole grade, 120 children, eat together for 15 minutes then the next class comes in. He skips lunch to get on the playground and find an old friend. He never says anything, and is quiet ,when you ask what he played at recess. When pressed a little he still says nothing. When you ask why he did not eat his lunch, which is everyday, he says nothing.

I had a feeling about this when I kept seeing him alone coming out of school and the other kids playing together. Then one lunchtime I drove to school to see what he was doing at recess. My fears were true and real, many children playing many sports and my little son walking out of the lunchroom all alone. Trying to find someone he knew would accept him. He is quiet and people or kids don’t see that as friendly. He is so athletic, more than most, so that is not a problem. Yes, we can say their is something that he is doing or is happening to make him feel insecure or some other adjective. I don’t know that sounds great to figure that out and help him feel he has a problem that does not exist or behaorially can be handled.. So what might not be such a traumatic alternative then making him feel he has a problem; what do I do now. He even told me recently dad I really talk so much more now to the kids.

My wife works and all the mom’s in this neighborhood have coffee and yak during the day. I can’t do that as a father.

I asked him this morning and he finally said it bothered him and made him sad that he was alone looking for his old friends.. Now my heart is broken and wondering what to do besides wanting to put my arms around him and protect him for the rest of his life. I wanted to be his big brother there and say Dylan hang with me at lunch we’ll have fun, like my brother did with me.

I encouraged him to go try to play with some of the boys he knows from soccer and other sports. But he likes the old boys and is holding on. I said don’t put all you eggs in one basket and he understood what that meant. But inside to a shy boy that may only be words he knows but does or may not be able to act on. I have seen him cry when a boy does not come by to ring our bell anymore to play because his parents have issues with where we come from or how much money they have. He plays nice and the boys get plenty of snacks.

I told him not to hold onto the same old friends of which 4 have been in the same class for the first 4 years of school. But their mothers have expanded their worlds and introduced them to more children. That is what I saw yesterday. My son walks out with one of his kindergarten classroom friends and here is Dylan looking sad as he runs away from him to join some other child and jump into a minivan on a play date.

He looked dazed, he looked for me and I was directly in front of him. When he saw me that big smile came out, but inside he was hurting I could tell by the look on his face when this happened. He is a real tough boy with character, however this is going to break him sooner or later.

He asked me to play football with him after school today, I promised him I would throw the football around even if their was snow. I still wish I was his brother. More play dates are being arranged but maybe adopting is not a bad idea. For now my heart is his and I feel his pain from afar only. I love you little buddy.

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Is Online Marketing Helping You or Are You Spending Money You Shouldn’t?

by Fred Weiner on 10/12/2010

Hi,

I’m Fred Weiner and I’ve been gone for a while and not running for Governor. I had techno breakdown and couldn’t find a pill or shot for it.

Here is the cure; no more selling my followers or writing eNewsletters twice per week. I will give you content you should value and take back to your business that day and it is the secret bullet to marketing success.. Not!!! But close.

I have come to the conclusion that I am not an eCommerce type of guy. So I can’t sell you a book, CD or 1 million dollars in a box. Also, I enjoy talking about Online Strategies for marketing since it as my passion for 14 years. So that is one thing I am going to do.

Lets go; every small business I know is forgetting it takes coordination of regular old advertising and online to be successful.

So stop paying $85 dollars a keyword or $2500 for SEO and think that will drive the traffic you will get tomorrow.. Pleeese. Check statistics and see if most small businesses are either not spending enough or spending money they are wasting, or as the title says You Shouldn’t Spend.

Try something new, go to Linkedin and join Linked Strategies. No it is not a boring old people Linkedin site:)

Read about “What a Real Social Media Expert Is” . This will really help you know what to look for and is hilarious at times. This is our new start together.

This is a quote from Michael Schmidt-a true marketing professional.

Michael Schmidt – eSuiteOne.com • A Social Media Expert is someone who’s in between jobs and spends way too much time tweeting.

As opposed to a Social Media Guru who’s also in between jobs, but has been photographed checking in for Twitter Rehab.

Last but not least there’s the Marketing Professional who has Social Media as one of many tools in his/her toolbox.

Stop spending money online from a friend who uses this one or that person who is a real expert. I, Fred Weiner am not an expert, I have a job that allows me to spend 24/7 on this subject and knows how to make money online and off. Call it what you want.

I hear all the time; you don’t have enough time to follow the internet. Ok don’t tweet but start reading. Go to Google News it combines every major newspaper and online story. Simple, start getting knowledge and not depend on an “Expert”. Find a seasoned veteran who has more than 150 people in there Twitter account to help you.

That is it for today. It is good to be back. If you want Fred Weiner in Chicago you will know where to reach him.

So chow for now, see you soon:)

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Labor Day 2010

by Fred Weiner on 09/06/2010

So it is Labor Day 2010 and I find it a bit ironic that we all in the United States are respecting labor’s hard work by giving the work force a day of honor.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.

This day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

The irony today is about ten percent of the people in the country are not working. Do they need another day off or a job and working overtime today to pay for their bills, feed their children, pay the rent or mortgage and feel good about themselves.

Do they feel strength, well being or prosperity. For that matter do very many people with jobs feel that way?

Many people are giving up hope or just giving up trying to get a job? If you are over 40 you are in big trouble, as you are considered a “Senior Level” job candidate and need to reach out to your pier group for job help. That is a quote from a famous “Wunderful” recruiter in Chicago. I heard that and almost helped the person recruit an attorney to inform her of the penalties for being so prejudice and disrespectful of people.

Yes the Senior Level is something told to “Old People”, by some recruiters and business owners who could not get jobs themselves if they had to or just hire people who are 25-30 because they are cheap labor.

But that is not the purpose in this Labor Day 2010 writing. It is the sad feeling I have that goes with a day created by Americans and people with strong attitudes about work.

My own dad was never home and worked 6-7 days per week. When he didn’t have a job he walked the streets, gave up lunch and dinner and did not come home until he made money doing anything. He did not let my mother know he was not working regularly so she would not worry. He had no unemployment to lean on.

That is after coming home from a war that made sense to fight in. He fought on Normandy Beach in France during World War II, not looking for private Ryan, but to make sure that no oppression would have a chance of permeating our soil. Was he scared? You bet. The only analytics you worked with was counting heads of the alive and the misfortunate. For him and other men and women like him I salute you today.

I am not confusing memorial day and labor day. I think they overlap in meaning.

For all the people or laborers of 1882, all the wars or today’s people who are fighting to take care of their families and should feel proud about who they are. I salute you!

Wisdom, honor, honesty, loyalty, integrity and hard work do not mean as much anymore and have been replace by Social Media, blogging, bookmarking, RSS feeds, apps; as important knowledge for getting a good job applicant.

Having experience in developing multiple platforms and their analytic arena format are job qualifications that without you are worthless. If you do have this knowledge then there are 50 people going after that job.

So what is the answer? I wish I knew, but I don’t. I can wish those that read this to please help stop any discrimination of age, height, hair color, attractive or not.

Some peoples biggest fear is to make sure they don’t miss the latest iPhone; they will sleep outside at night to get a phone? Do that show strength and the well being of America?

So for the 6 million or 10% of the population not working I apologize that I cannot create a job for you. The economic stimulus national package did not stop at my door yet. But I am trying every day to make room for you.

For those that are living on our system that supports people to not work because some jobs pays less than their unemployment and food stamps, shame on you, you are disgraceful.

What did I do wrong as an American that helped create this problem. I blame myself not the legislators. Did I vote for the wrong person? Did I sin to much this year? Did I step on a butterflies wings when it was down?

I still salute the American flag and am very proud to live in America and have the luxury that being an American give you.

Let us show respect for the people who really need the jobs not the people who are still on another payroll and use jobs to subsidize them finding themselves. I am not bitter nor jealous of a young generation. I just want what jobs that are available go to the people who would do anything and have, and need to work.

Work together. Realize with age comes wisdom and judgement. Be humble and not arrogant. Listen and you will gain from all generations.

Let those old 40+ be able to watch the new generation in peace and security. Help my generation find the answers to these problems. Please fight and learn that strength and prosperity go with honesty, integrity and help recreate the well-being of our country. You depend on us and we really are depending on you, don’t let us down.

Peace and love to you on this Labor Day 2010-Fred Weiner Chicago

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Birthday’s-What do they mean?

by Fred Weiner on 06/06/2010

I love all these people

I want to write a few words about birthday’s. Today is mine. Try to guess which one I am in this picture. This is my backyard and these are my brother’s and sisters. I really miss them all, especially one or two who are no longer with us.

If it helps I was the baby of the generation.

But I remember when this picture was taken. So pure so natural; a different time.

In those days I remembering waking up and lying in bed, the warm sun coming through the window after a long winter just leaving. I would count the days until my birthday and the end of school. Would those days really come. I would sit there and wonder if that was possible.

The days of being 5 and a half, 6 and three quarters. Those extra fractions seemed so important to getting bigger.

My birthday was never forgotten. My parties were at our house with cake, ice cream and milk. We played pin the tail on the donkey, clothes pin in the bottle and I think the party was done after that. But all the presents and cards and feeling of being so special. It was so simple, I did not know about bowling parties, paint-ball did not exist, my party was like most parties of the era.

That party and that day seemed to last forever. The day was long and the surprises kept coming.

The people in the picture are my brother and my cousins. Only part of the my generation where my oldest cousin was almost the age of my parents. We were a gang that grew up in a six flat brown stone in east Rogers Park. My grandparents owned and lived in it. They bought it when they came from Europe for the family to be together.

The doors to our apartments were never locked and as being the baby, I was always welcome and nurtured.

The aunts and uncle’s always complained about never having privacy; but I would not want to grow up any different. It was the best, I was so lucky. My entire family was there, aunts, uncles, cousins.

All of us were really brothers and sisters. We went to the same grammar schools, high schools as our parents and nothing seemed like it should ever change. We went home for lunch, usually peanut butter and jelly, then hurried back to school within that hour. Yes we had an hour for lunch not 15 minutes and then recess. We usually watch Bozo and waited for the “Grand Prize Game”.

But let’s get back to birthdays!

They changed through the years. Everyone grew older and many left us to early. I was the youngest of generation and for 10 years or so, before leaving for college, I was the only one around. It was the time of the Beatles, hippies, love children, Martin Luther King, and John Kennedy. Wow birthdays were now mom and dad, everyone moved away.

I am not writing this trying to make you sad that poor me did not have the parties like my cousins and family or other people. Just the opposite, to say how lucky I was to be able to reflect on my greatest birthday’s because I was with the people who brought me into the world out of love; my mom and dad.

My parents new I might be sad because all the kids at those ages really did not have parties anymore. Also, they had to keep any eye out to make sure I did not take drugs or drink. All or most of the cousins and brother, moved away and had their own families. I really accepted all that, although, missing or reminising their parties and the fun. Yes, I was and still am a bit melancholy on my birthday. But I think that is a good thing.

I should say I had Aunt Frieda who never forgot anybodies birthday. She never married so we all were her children. I knew I could look forward to that Birthday card with $5 in it without a doubt. I got those unitl the day she left us.

But there was mom and dad, giving me my favorite foods, cards, gifts they could not afford, and lots of hugs and kisses. I miss those more than anything now, and loved it then. I did not realize there was not 30 people in the room. We laughed, played music and got really silly, even at 17.

So here I sit, many years later. I think I have a wrinkle for every year of my age. Now having my own little family. They make me happy and try to make my birthday special and succeed every year.

Now, I realize how I have to make my birthday and everyday be like my birthday. Not forgetting what is truly important about birthday’s; Your Special. That is the message of, “What does your birthday mean”. Enjoy it, remember the past ones, and remember everyday, money no money, even moderate health, today is your birthday, you are special and hopefully, the most important people start with your parents, you and the family you created.

That is the biggest gift you get! Happy Birthday to all.:)

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Great Blue Mood

by Fred Weiner on 04/07/2010

This mood is a positive mood of finding satisfaction in my work.

This piece came from a digital picture of my son. Ok you have seen that before or have done this and mastered the process. There is a story you may enjoy that goes with this piece. This picture was done 5 years ago when I always wanted to use the computer for my artwork and this was my first attempt.

As I started to work with the computer one day, I needed a break. It was go take a walk time; clear my mind. I happened to run into a man in my neighborhood, where we just started to talk and he was looking to keep himself busy.

As we talked he told me he was retired and owner of one of the countries top photography labs. He did work with the likes of Ansel Adams and others. I heard that and said, ok I will be polite and let this nice older man go on and talk, as his eyes were twinkling as he told me these stories.

His name is Ben. I did some checking and Ben was telling the truth! Ben is a special man; great physical shape, mind, great stories of the Al Capone days, incredible talent in photography, computers and 80+ years old.

It is another example of how lucky I have been in my life , where I will accidentally meet a, ” stranger on the street”, have similar interests and they happen to be great people and experts in various areas. I really do not understand how I have had so many of these experiences; but it is interesting how it revolves around art and photography.

Ben came over to my house on a hot summer day and started teaching my how to manipulate the computer, not just photoshop or Illustrator; functions that the computer can do that I was amazed by; and I am not a computer novice.

Watching Ben work was like seeing an expert pianist , the only difference is he was playing computer keys. His fingers playing the computer keys; all the time I was thinking about what did he say to Ansel Adams about the enhancement of a photo for exhibition. Was he using those same photograpy concepts of focus, subject enhancement etc, that he was talking to me about?

I actually became sad or a bit tearful as we continued to work over a few months, because I did not want our work together to end. I began to think this way because as I watched Ben work, I could see some skills slipping away. Sometimes his eyesight, sometimes his temperment with what beautiful thing he just created on the computer, he would loose with the hit of a wrong key. So the last thing I wanted Ben to get from me is watching his skills be lost.

Although Ben would not understand, as he had toughness in him, but I had love for him. Not anything funny, but love for a person I admired and got to know.

This is the first and last piece we did that summer and he was impressed with it and said I was ready to work on my own; but let’s stay in touch. I have not seen Ben since then, he did try to contact me, but life took over and the time to work together was not available for me anymore because of family responsibilities.

As I am posting this, you might get the idea, that yes I will be calling Ben and hope he is well, and I will want to see him again. But not out of a need to work with him, but to let him tell me those stories or new ones about his past. If he could not produce photography I thought I could see the twingling in his eyes again; that would satisfy me.

FW:)

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Nature and Beauty

by Fred Weiner on 03/30/2010

This beautiful red pepper I saw in New York with a couple of friends. I really wanted to take some New York pictures of the abstract nature that the city can offer.

One of my friends I was walking with is a pro photographer and told me to loosen up and separate from the reality of taking fixed rehearsed images. So I tried it; I was having a hard time until my friend jumped on a old hood of a truck dragging me by the shirt!

“See That” he said, that is what I am talking about. One thing for sure I was at that point separated from myself and just was part of my surroundings.

What he dragged me to see I can’t describe. I will share it another post, however it was of very unusual beauty. Also, it was kind of funny to me that his wife did not flinch. She said she was used to it after all the years.

After that jumping on the truck hood I started to realize what he wanted me to feel. It was a strange warm feeling after awhile; it could have been the sun on a hot day helping, but none the less it I felt somewhat weightless and sort of floating around. Seeing things in the pavement, street and people I never really paid attention to before.

I felt like a small child who was taking in all the new pictures of life around me. I saw this pepper and it’s beautiful color, like someone painted it this apple red color.

I hope you enjoy this summer day picture that I took while floating around New York .

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On Jesse James and Sandra Bullock

by Fred Weiner on 03/25/2010

Jesse James, who are you?

I watched you on The Apprentice, I’ve seen you on other shows, and you’ve always seemed like a real hardworking, straight-shooter kind of guy. Even a rags-to-riches story.

I liked you – you were the American Dream.

Turns out I was wrong.

It really doesn’t matter if you live in Hollywood, suburbia, or wherever – people are people.

How different are people where I am, here in suburbia, from Hollywood?

Not much different at all – we’re the same.

Stay-at-home mothers and fathers get lonely and busy, too.

Husbands and wives spend long periods apart from each other due to their work and have those same temptations and vulnerable feelings that you do among the beautiful people.

I’ve seen it. I’ve LIVED it.

So how am I different from Jesse James?

It’s called integrity, loyalty, and caring enough about my beautiful wife to want to cherish and grow our history together.

It’s about trying to picture your future with that same person.

Look forward and picture those days growing older together.

Personally, I see myself and my wife in our future, happily retired, working on the yard, waiting for the grandkids to come over, and still feeling the love we felt the day we got married.

Except the love is even stronger, because of our history.

Maybe I’m just a little more corny, but it seems like all you were picturing was which random girl from MySpace you could invite over, instead.

I guess that’s how we’re different.

(By the way, you still use MySpace??? Now I really know how backward you are, buddy.)

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