AI And The Human Need

 Sitting back with my morning coffee ☕ this Monday.

Easily the highlight of the upcoming week is the

#ChocagoBuild show this coming Wednesday and Thursday where I am a show Ambassador. In it's shadow I will be making an appearance at #TheAssemblyShow as I keep myself engaged in the manufacturing and technology sector. Yes I still am highly engaged in tradeshows as the #TradeshowFanatic .

Yet the elephant in the room and as shown on tradeshow floors is AI.

AI has a tremendous up side, yet there are dangers. 

1. Harm causing responses.

2. Possible loss of human control with lack of safety features from rogue programs

3. Malicious people 

4. Bad bot training.

I find it interesting (or not) that the biggest downside of AI is and will continue to be the human factor.

Here at Larson we are slowly entering AI. We started with pictures, mainly because it is just plain fun. We worked at Facebook reels. And last week we started producing AI Videos as a commercial part of our tool box.  Our biggest gain has been in understanding hashtags and groups. I find on Facebook and LinkedIn we excel at gathering views. And getting seen is what it's all about. The you the person need to engage, again the human factor which if not done can derail the whole process. At the same time as we experimented we lost our multichannel balance. We have taken care of that problem now, so we're back to a balanced marketing attack.

The hardest part of this entire Marketing/Sales equation is the human factor. Putting boots on the ground. Salespeople, Trainers and Instructors!

Howard

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws 

Www.larsonassociates.ws

Can't Turn The Mind Off

 Ahh  Sunday. As I settle back with my morning coffee ☕ . A slower pace but the mind is going 120. 

A few months ago I told you I found leaks in my marketing. As

of last week I finally plugged those leaky holes. At least the ones I know about. That's marketing. 

A few endeavors I have begun are not giving me the result I expected, like at 7:45am Monday thru Friday a place on my Facebook page where any business can post who they are and what they do. I expected to be getting at least 15 posts a day on that thread. Come on help me out here guys! 👍 . 

The second is on Fridays again on facebook, in a post if you put your name and company name I would pick 2 winners give them 25 raw leads. The only catch was a 20 minute phone conversation with me to reach into my vast data base and get you 25 targeted 🎯 companies. Are people that afraid of a phone ☎ conversation with me? 

Then a new service, AI video. Take advantage of this. For those of you in the trades it's a low cost game changer you really want! We had been getting good numbers on static reels with a few going over the 2500 viewers. But with AI it flows through. 

Another is our posting services. You need exposure? I can get it for you. Will you go viral? Let's just say 90% or my reels are getting over 1000 views. That is a long way from viral, but...

There are other services that are being launched, weekly or as fast as I find people, customers or both. Biggest need here are sales people. Leads are easy,  but skilled and even unskilled sales people to close them isn't. I am working on other AI marketing tools. That is the reality of today. If you have AI skills in marketing with an entrepreneur attitude lets talk.

It jus takes synergy between you and I to make the magic happen.

But now I will go to the Church of my choice for prayer and reflection.

Howard

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Must Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws 

A Business Plan Changes As Needed

 As I sit here with my morning coffee ☕ it has been quite a week. A new service AI Video is now a reality with our first

creation up and running for Neighborhood Handyman LLC now being views here on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google etc. 

All this in the middle of the fall tradeshow season. PackExpo and FabTech (where I am a VIP) this week, The Assembly Show and Chicago Build (Where I am an Ambassador) .

Which leads me to ask do you have a plan? I love road trips and good old paper maps I pick up at visitors centers along the interstates. When I start on a trip I do have a destination but as my wife and I cruise down the highway we are always looking for those extras, like the 35' statue of the Jolly Green Giant in Minnesota along I90. 

My business plan is like my road trips. I know where I am going. I will make unplanned stops. But the final destination doesn't change. Only the roads, or in this case services I may use for myself and to my customers.

Howard

Even Old Companies Need New Services

As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ yesterday for us here was the start into a new world. AI videos. Yes AI,

because putting a videoographer on site is next to impossible. I know I have been trying for 2 years to find someone for my Tradeshow Fanatic radio show. 

I wanted something that inspires and lets you dream of the possibilities and I think we hit the target for Neighborhood Handyman LLC up in Minnesota.

Most of what is out there is fast pased , in your face. So we went the totally opposite direction and slowed down so future clients could envision themselves in their future home. 

You need to stand out from the crowd. Who are you and what makes you special. Remember in life and in business, no one can be you. 

Howard

Larson & Associates 

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

848-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.we

Tradeshows Bring Out The Possiblities

 Enjoying a nice cup of coffee☕ with you this morning as I settle back after PackExpo. 

Shows like PackExpo , FabTech, the Assembly Show , Chicago Build , IFTChicago are exilerating as they are educational. 

It makes you think of what is or could be possible. Given the right people I could have closed on 2 manufacturer rep contracts. And those were only the two that approached me. Not the three or four others who had signs saying they were looking. Pretty crazy.

Then I was doing some product sourcing for sampler coffee cups for Larson Knows Coffee and I had not one but two companies wanting to sell me a machine to make paper cups. I told them I did not want to get into the cup making business BUT what if I did. Hummm. As Andrew Carnage once said take all my factories but leave me my salesmen and in 2 years I'll have everything back again. 

I think Andrew had it right. Salespeople vs AI ?  People skills vs tech skills. Given the choice I will always buy from a person. What do you think?

Howard

Profit Margins

 As I sit back with my morning coffee

this morning my thoughts moved to margins, profit margins to be exact.

That's where know your numbers comes in handy. I drove my overhead
down as far as possible so I could get better margins. But then a (not so) strange thing happened. Cost creep set in. It always does to every business and system (like government). When you're not looking you get sloppy and a recurring service here, a wasteful buy there and all of a sudden you have a problem.

Back to margins. Where does your company make it's money. Popular opinion says companies make too much profit. I have to believe these people never worked or owned a business or they would know better. When you need supplies, how do you pay for it. When you need to fix a machine how do you pay for it. When you building needs a new roof where does the money come from?

Know your margins and defend them. Things are tight for everyone these days so when needed a little push back is in order. Even 1% could mean your selling at a loss! But sometimes you need to play the game, just remember always know your numbers.

Howard

Wanting us to sell their stuff

Good morning friends. As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee I look at the requests of people and companies wanting us to sell their stuff.

As you my loyal fans know I am already looking for an army, well really 2 armies or reps. I even have a fairly decent referral compensation plan in my back pocket. So if you know anyone in any state in the USA send them my way please.

Getting back to the looking for sales and marketing that caught my eye was near and dear to my heart. COFFEE! I have about a dozen coffee roasting companies which follow me. I even picked up the phone, my favorite way to communicate, and talked to a couple about private labeling for advertising and marketing purposes. I even go to the Packaging Show I have a above average understanding of bags, labels and filling. But the dozen or so fans who were already following me were not interested so I go to of all places, a tradeshow, and find a coffee guy who was not just interested but had in his back pocket a plan to do the same thing!

I am now selling private label coffee!

The good news is its not an exclusive deal. The bad news is, it's not an exclusive deal.

So I can buy from other coffee roasters and the can sell through other sales and marketing organizations.

My point here is what you need is probably right under your nose if you look.

We still have openings for lead generation and cold calling so give us a call, why don't you.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws