If you pick up any local newspaper in the Midwest today, there is a good chance you will see the words “Extreme Heat Advisory” on the front page.  It has been hot in the Midwest this summer.  Not just hot…really, really hot.  As my Grandfather used to say, “It’s so hot, you could fry an egg on the sidewalk!” 

The hot, humid weather we have been experiencing can be dangerous to people and animals, but did you know it can also be dangerous to your durable outdoor products?  Logo labels and decorative graphics can fade in the noonday sun.  Reds and yellows tend to fade first, but all colors will fade with time.  Extreme heat and humidity can cause your warning and safety labels and other regulatory labels to fail, increasing your odds of a product liability claim. 

The good news is that there are solutions to these problems.  For plastic products and components, in-mold labeling technology is the answer.  Our in-mold labels permanently bond with your plastic parts, so they will not fall off.  We utilize the latest in printing and coating technology, for excellent fade resistance that withstands the harshest conditions.  For products and components made of metal and other materials, the latest in overlaminate technology protects your product labels from UV exposure, abrasion and solvent exposure.  Want to learn more?  Check out our website, or you can request more information here. 

And if you have to be out in the heat and humidity, visit the Centers for Disease Control website for helpful tips for preventing heat-related illness.

This is exciting news for label producers and product manufacturers who want to reduce the environmental impact of product marking.  Much work remains to develop the adhesive for commercial use, but we will be monitoring this new opportunity and we’ll bring you news as it becomes available.

I don’t get to watch a lot of television, but I often hear friends and colleagues talking about reality shows, where camera crews follow people around and record everything they say and do with the intent of showing it on live television for everyone else to view. I don’t pretend to understand the “reality show mentality,” but what I do know is that it seems like we’ve become a society fixated on being able to delve into the lives of complete strangers and watch their every moves.

But you don’t have to be in a reality show to be a part of this experience. It seems like everywhere you go today, you’re confronted with a camera. Whether it’s for security purposes or to ensure we’re obeying traffic laws, we just can’t seem to get away from them.

There are many who complain about the cameras, but for the most part, we’ve seemed to become accustomed to having them around. But this thinking has started to change a little over the past year, especially with new strides being made in the advertising space. The force behind the shift in public opinion is being driven by the changes made in the facial recognition technology that is becoming more popular throughout the U.S. and other countries.

If you’ve been to an airport or shopping mall lately, you’ve probably noticed the digital signs that are often placed in the middle of the aisle. Typically, these signs flash various advertisements for stores or businesses that have paid for advertising spots. What most don’t realize, though, is that facial recognition software has been added to many of these displays to capture features about those who are watching the ads. Initially, the technology was used to determine which ads were viewed and for how long. However, recent developments have enabled companies to capture much more than just viewing metrics.

Today, facial recognition software captures the facial image of the individual that looks at the ad which is then stored and used for future reference. The stated goal of this new technology is to enable companies to display specific advertising to people based off their facial features which enable them to display age-appropriate or gender-appropriate ads. The overall goal seems to be to bring about the society that was made popular with the movie “Minority Report.”

But many fear that this may be going too far and actually is an invasion of privacy, especially since the user is not a voluntary participant who has given the company approval to capture and retain their facial features for future reference. There’s also fear that the information being collected could eventually be sold or given out to other companies without their knowledge.

There will be some interesting legal battles that will undoubtedly come about over the next few years as more and more information becomes public on what the facial recognition technology will and won’t do. Suffice to say, this technology will be around for the long haul.

What are your thoughts on the use of this technology? Any way you look at it, remember that the next time you watch an ad on a billboard or kiosk, smile big, because they might just be watching you back.

As a public relations and communications practitioner, I read a lot of publications, including local and business newspapers as well as industry trade periodicals. Recently, I’ve spotted several articles about a topic that I’ve never investigated in the past—succession planning. I figure if multiple publications in different industries and geographies are covering the topic, it must be of interest, so I read up on some current trends in succession planning.

One article I found in an issue of the Commercial Carrier Journal did the best job of summarizing most of the information I read about succession planning. This particular article focused on the management side of planning and asked the readers to answer a series of questions to determine if they have a solid plan in place:

1. Does the person you deemed your successor have a passion for the business? Don’t assume that just because this person has a long tenure at the company and/or a title that comes with great responsibility that they want the job. Ask them.
2. Is the person’s motivation appropriate? If their aspirations are driven by money and perks, you may want to reconsider your choice.
3. Can the person make a contribution that will help the company endure through the next generation? If they don’t have the skills needed for the job, you may be putting their career as well as your employees’ well-being in jeopardy.
4. Does your selection meet the minimum requirements? As stated by the CCJ, the scope of your operation determines what knowledge and experience a successor absolutely needs.
5. For family-run operations, do you feel obligated to keep it in the family? Just because you think everyone expects you to do so doesn’t make it the right choice.

After you’ve answered these questions and have selected a person you feel is best for succession, there are additional factors that must be considered. For example, no matter how qualified and capable the successor may be, there will always be resentment from others in the organization who feel that they or someone else is better fit for the job. Some things to consider to help curb this resentment include:

• Selecting a successor who has industry experience outside of your company
• Making sure your selection has demonstrated the capability to work hard and has put in the hours
• Seeing that the successor has established and developed his or her own relationships with others in the company at all levels of the business

Once you’ve selected the successor for your business, the all-important element of communications comes into play. First and foremost, be clear and upfront with your employees. This is most critical if you are to facilitate a smooth transition. Second, don’t forget your customers. Communicate with them as personally as possible and make sure none are surprised by the news.

This, of course, is a very high overview of succession planning. There’s a lot more to it, and every business will be unique in its plans. Do you have succession plans in place? Do they meet the criteria above? Are you prepared to implement the plan? I welcome and encourage your thoughts and comments.

Like many people, I have become addicted to staying connected 24/7 with my Blackberry. I’ve even found myself pulling out the phone to check email during meetings and presentations. But an article I read recently highlighted the dangers of allowing technology to distract us from making good business decisions.

In the Second Quarter 2010 issue of Corporate Board Member, author John R. Engen’s article, “Mind Your Blackberry Manners,” discusses the danger of inattention during board meetings due to technology distractions. You can read the full article here:

http://www.boardmember.com/MagazineArticle_Details.aspx?id=4853

Although this article is aimed at board members, it started me thinking. How many times have I been physically present but mentally absent from a meeting due to technology distraction? We’ve all been there: the strategic presentation we can’t remember because we were checking email; the key due date we missed because we were updating our Twitter status; the question that is asked twice because we were texting and didn’t hear it.

Even though we are not all board members, we all have a responsibility to make good decisions and protect the interests of our business and our shareholders. I recently started leaving the Blackberry in my office when I head out to meetings, and not only am I more engaged in the meetings I attend, I’ve also found that I enjoy getting a break from the constant technology distraction. After all, my Blackberry should work for me…not the other way around!

For those of us who cannot find time to exercise, here are some helpful tips from Magellan, an employee assistance program, on getting some exercise at your desk and elsewhere:

For your abdomen: Straighten your back and draw in your navel as close to your spine as you can without holding your breath. Hold until you can’t hold it any longer. You can do this simple exercise at your desk, while waiting in line, sitting in a meeting or driving to and from work. This simple move will help strengthen your abs, improve your posture and flatten your stomach.

For your arms: With arms out to the side at shoulder height, make dinner plate-size circles with your fists. Do 10 circles, then reverse direction and repeat.

For your legs: Do simple leg squats. Place your hands behind your head. With feet shoulder-width apart, lower yourself as if about to sit at your desk chair. Do 10 leg squats and repeat.

For your core: Lift your legs off the floor and hold them straight out. Hold for 15 seconds, release and repeat. Try this core strengthening exercise while sitting at your desk.

To burn more calories overall: Look for opportunities to stand. Stand while talking on the phone. Eat lunch standing up. Trade instant messaging and phone calls for walks to other desks or offices. You automatically burn more calories standing than sitting.

These are just a few exercises and activities available to you for the office environment. What other suggestions can you provide or which exercises have worked best for you? Please share so that everyone can benefit and improve our health together.

Although home sales increased more than expected in April, real estate experts are concerned that the housing market may face renewed downward pressure in the second half of 2010. The National Association of REALTORS^® reported this week that sales of pre-owned homes in April rose nearly 8 percent compared to March and close to 23 percent from April 2009. Even more encouraging is the fact that the average price of an existing home was $173,100 in April, the best price gain since the summer of 2006.

These optimistic trends can be attributed to several factors, including:

• Home prices falling from highs that were reached during the housing boom have helped restore affordability in many markets
• Interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages remained at very favorable levels in April
• Recent government data suggests that the labor market is finally showing signs of recovery after a long period of job losses
• The tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified buyers who signed a sales contract before April 30 and closed on the transaction before June 30

Many experts anticipate home sales to slow now that the tax credit has expired. The thought is that the tax credit helped pull many of these sales forward, sales that otherwise may have happened later in the year. Also, the inventory of unsold homes increased in April as the average number of months that homes spent on the market hit 8.4 from 8.1 in March. The recent improvement in the real estate market also may convince more sellers to list properties, increasing the supply and potentially pushing prices back down during the second half of the year.

While lower prices, more affordable mortgages and government tax credits have caused the recent increase in the real estate market, factors such as the backlog of distressed homes remaining high, difficulty in getting home loans backed and the slow recovery of the job market lead the experts to believe the recovery may slow in the second half of this calendar year.

What are your thoughts and experiences with the current and future real estate market?

Once again, we are dealing with a disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. And while it is originating in the Gulf, the effects of this disaster will be felt by businesses all across our nation. Many already feel the oil spill will dwarf the $81 billion in damages caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The cleanup will likely take longer, be much more difficult and cost more than it did in 2005. As many businesses in- and outside of the Gulf Region take steps to continue to do business as usual and serve their customers, the oil continues to flow. As of the time of this post, the oil is still flowing into the Gulf. No one seemed to be prepared for such a disaster.

The questions I keep asking myself include, “Are we prepared for a disaster in our business? Have we done everything we can to continue business as usual in a disaster? Would we be able to continue to serve customers who are depending on us?”

Are you and your business prepared? What are your disaster recovery plans?

Now is the time to ask those questions. Now is the time to make the necessary changes. Now is the time to find the service providers who can deliver in times like these—those companies who will be able to help you continue to serve your customers and run your business through a disaster.

Now is the time to make sure you are ready!

I’ve been doing a fair share of highway travel lately, and one of the things that I’ve seen on many tractor trailers and semis is a diamond-shaped safety sign divided into four colorful segments. This is more commonly known as the “hazard diamond” and was developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as part of its Code 704. These signs caught my eye because I’ve had a lot of past experience with them during my tenure at a nuclear facility, where these diamonds were present at the entrances of every building.

While we’ve all seen these hazard diamonds on everything from vehicles to product containers to material safety data sheets (MSDS)—and many of us have been trained on their meanings—unless you use them day-to-day, it’s not uncommon to fail to recognize their meanings. Therefore, I thought a little refresher course was in order.

Using the example to the right, you can see that the diamond is divided into four sections, each represented by a different color. Within the three sections colored blue, red and yellow, a number from 0-4 is listed, with 0 representing the least severe hazard and 4 representing the most severe hazard. The white section is blank or contains a symbol that indicates special fire fighting or hazard precautions which must be taken when dealing with the noted hazard.

The BLUE section represents health hazards. Using the 0-4 scale, a hazard diamond with a 0 in the blue section means there is no hazard beyond that of normal combustible materials, whereas a 4 indicates that very short exposure can lead to death or severe injury. In our example, a 3 indicates short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury.

The RED section denotes flammability. In this section, a 0 would indicate that the material in question will not burn. As shown in our example, a 4 indicates that the hazardous material will rapidly or completely vaporize at normal pressure and temperature, or is readily dispersed in air and will burn readily.

The YELLOW section represents the instability of the material. A 0 in this section means the material is normally stable, even in the presence of fire and water. When a 4 is used, it says the hazardous material is readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition, or will react at normal temperatures and pressures. In our example, the 2 indicates that the hazardous material is normally unstable and will readily undergo violent decomposition but not detonate. It also says that the material may react violently with water or may form potentially explosive mixtures with water.

As you can see, a shift from one number to the next on the 0-4 scale can mean a significant difference in the severity of the hazard. For a complete breakdown of all the hazards for each section of the diamond, visit the ILPI Web site.

In the white section, there are four indicators or symbols that you’ll see:

• Blank/No Symbol: There is no special precaution associated with the hazardous material
• OX: Denotes that the material contains an oxidizer that could greatly increase the rate of combustion
• SA: Denotes that the gases associated with the hazard are asphyxiates
• W: As seen on our example, this indicates that the material reacts unusually with water

These are the only NFPA-approved symbols. There is a chance that you will see additional symbols in this section when used on MSDS sheets and container labels, but they are not compliant the NFPA 704.

Does your organization use the NFPA hazard diamond? Are your associates and employees cognizant of its warnings and their meanings? What do you do to ensure there is an understanding and proper usage of the hazard diamond? I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Whether you’re visiting a customer, prospect or partner, you need to first ask yourself, “What is on the mind of a CEO, CFO, COO or SVP?” You may be in the building attending a meeting when the CEO walks past you in the hallway. He or she may stop you in the in midstride and say, “I understand you are meeting my marketing team this morning to support our U.S./Mexico campaign.”

At that very moment, you have 30-45 seconds to speak with confidence around what you do and how you engage clients to act. If you blurt out, “We offer print management programs that help clients reduce cost,” for example, you are just one of those other guys! Trust me, you’re no different. You’re not memorable.

This is a defining moment for many business professionals and may determine if you move forward in the sales process or lose your executive sponsor. Remember, you need to be speaking “their language” in a way that makes it interesting to them.

Here’s a thought: If you can’t (1) properly introduce yourself, (2) articulate what your company does and (3) explain how you go to market, you may not motivate him or her to act. Today, your team members will collaborate around what works and what you should leave back at the office!

Here’s another thought: Being able to articulate your business will separate you from your competition. People at the executive level want partners, not suppliers. Furthermore, most companies in today’s economy are reducing and eliminating the later. You need to be credible as you interact at this level.

It all goes back to the question, “What is on the mind of a CEO, CFO, COO or SVP?” And once you figure that out, can you speak their language? Take the following terms, for example, that are certain to be critical elements in any conversation you have with an executive:

• ROI: Today, you have to be talking days and weeks, not 18 months
• Working Capital: Cash is king! How are you going to help senior executives free it up?
• Obsolescence: Waste of actual product, financing for that product and warehouse space
• Enabling Technology: The ability to take command and manage business outcome
• Customer Loyalty: Measured by lower product defect, increased customer experience
• Branding and Compliance: Communicating your brand effectively, remaining agency compliant

A final thought: Today more than ever, U.S- based companies compete in a global market. I read a book by Thomas Friedman that all of you should read, titled, “The World is Flat.” This book looks at the overwhelming and compelling evidence that our world continues to shrink (flatten) and “business players” are accessible two clicks away.

The reason I bring this up is that today’s executive needs to be “athletic” when approaching corporate objectives verses 10 years ago.

If you’d like to comment on any of these topics or if you’re interested in accelerating and sharpening your sales techniques, drop me a line. There are some terrific programs out there that could both help you and benefit from your experience and input.