Eco-fashion is about more than your look; it’s about how your look came to be. Designers who choose to integrate planetary consciousness into their clothing collections ask important questions: What kind of fiber was used to make that T-shirt? What type of dye was used to color that skirt? How did those pants get to this store? But though more and more designers- both established and new-are designing clothing with an environmental eye, greening your closet on a budget is not as simple as taking a trip to the mall. Try tossing around green lingo like “ingeo,” “soy,” “bamboo,” “cocona,” or “organic cotton” in your local clothing store and check out the looks you get.But it is possible to fill your closet with affordable, stylish clothing that was made responsibly. You simply have to know where to look. As with conventional fashion, environmentally minded clothing created by the world’s top designers carries some of the world’s top prices. So to keep his or her wardrobe up to date, the fashion forward, budget-conscious Lazy Environmentalist must rely upon a knack for uncovering deals and a willingness to embrace new designers, business practices, and retailers. Here’s some advice for choosing the right looks for you and the planet.KNOW THE MATERIALS Green fashion begins with eco-conscious fabrics, so it’s important to know your materials. Currently there is a (growing) list of materials that are considered healthful and more sustainable for humans and the planet. Organic cotton is the most prevalent- and accessible-of the bunch, accounting for about 70 percent of all eco-fashion sales. Unlike its conventional counterpart, organic cotton is grown without the use of toxic pesticides and insecticides -many of which are considered carcinogenic. Globally, 25 percent of all insecticides and 10 percent of all pesticides are sprayed on conventional cotton, so going organic not only removes the toxins from your T-shirts, underwear, and socks (and anything else made of cotton) but also eliminates a lot of poison from the environment.Fabrics made from other naturally grown crops like soy, corn (called “ingeo”), and bamboo are also considered earthfriendly because they grow and replenish rapidly. And many athletic garments include fabrics derived from coconut shells, which help moisture evaporate, absorb odor, enhance cooling, and provide UV protection. This wonder coconut fiber is called cocona, and it’s currently being used by brands like Cannondale, Marmot, New Balance, and Champion.On the other hand, synthetic fibers like nylon, spandex, and polyester are usually derived from oil, a finite resource that is presently at risk of being depleted and is also one of the main culprits of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. But materials don’t have to be grown to be earth friendly. Used plastic soda bottles made of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) can be recycled and transformed into polyester products such as strappy dresses, comfy T-shirts, or cozy fleece pullovers. Recycling materials for clothing (or anything else for that matter) is an environmental win because it reduces our dependence on virgin natural resources, reduces the amount of energy necessary to convert those natural resources into new products, and helps keep waste out of landfills. Less waste in landfills equals less methane released into the atmosphere (methane is a greenhouse gas that’s 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide and is produced as garbage decomposes). Designers and fashion labels that utilize greener fibers are quite literally a breath of fresh air.EMBRACE NEW FASHION LABELS Those of us determined to green our jeans will find that most ecoaware denim is priced at or above $150 a pair. But there are exceptions. Good Society delivers high-style, fair-trade certified organic cotton jeans for about $100. Not only is the styling clean and sharp, but every pair purchased also helps provide fair wages for the workers who produce them in India. When we think about “going green,” we typically focus on reducing our environmental impact. But fair-trade certification also ensures that the people making the products we use are not exploited in the process. This helps to create a web of positive change-a good society, if you will. And for Aiden Dingh, Good Society’s co-founder, it’s not enough to sell clothing that respects both the people who make it and the environment we live in, it’s also essential to make those items affordable. While Sling and Stones, Dingh’s original organic cotton denim line, carries designer prices, Good Society makes eco-chic clothing accessible to a broader audience. You can find the collection at big national retailers like Urban Outfitters and at smaller boutiques across the country. Good Society keeps the good going by giving 10 percent of its profits to environmental causes.As eco-aware designers are busy experimenting with new materials and inventive manufacturing techniques, some are also altering the traditional business model. Nvohk, a surf-inspired, eco-clothing company believes that business as usual is business as boring. Based on a model called “crowd- unding,” nvohk customers- or “members,” as the company calls them-contribute $50 and are able to vote on every major business decision like company logo design, clothing design, and even advertising. Once 60 percent of the members agree on a course of action, the management team implements the decision.Members receive a 25 percent discount on all products and collectively share in 35 percent of all net profits via reward points that can be redeemed for nvohk clothing (the company’s corporate structure prohibits the distribution of cash to its members). The model is designed to accommodate 40,000 members, but the business plan went into effect in June 2008 when 3,000 members had registered via the company’s website, Projectnvohk.com. Nvohk is market-based supply-and-demand economics set at mach speed: cutting out the middlemen and channeling customer preferences (demand) directly into manufacturing decisions (supply). Like any new concept, nvohk will undoubtedly attract a fair share of detractors, but several thousand people are already jumping at the chance to be part of a company that feeds the green economy by utilizing sustainable materials like organic cotton while donating 10 percent of net profits to environmental organizations.
21 Benefits of Blogging and 22 Blogging Tips
Combine “web” with “log” and you get “blog.” It’s a funny word, but serious business.This post is about blogging for business – with a purpose. We have a lot to cover, so we’ll knock it out as efficiently as possible with a series of lists.We’ll get right to it.Who should read this post? Non – blogger – You’ve never had a blog and you need to fix that now.
Unfulfilled blogger – You blogged for a bit. Magic never struck.
Beginning blogger – You blog, but don’t really know what you’re doing.
Regular blogger – You’ll pick up tips from a fellow blogger.
Expert blogger – You could steal the good stuff for your blog.
None of the above – You have nothing better to do, but to read about blogging.21 benefits of blogging with purpose. Connect with customers – A blog is a practical and powerful way to share useful, relevant information with customers.
Connect with partners – Blogging allows you to connect and team up with influencers and leaders who can be instrumental in building your business.
Generate traffic – A strategically planned blog, with carefully chosen keywords in play, will show up in search and drive traffic to your landing pages.
Establish authority – Your business blog is the hub of your content marketing efforts where you share your expertise.
Win business – 60% of businesses who blog acquire more customers, says HubSpot.
Inspire your social media – If you’re using social media effectively, you’re sharing your blog posts regularly and taking advantage of the magical amplification of social networks.
Increase reach – Your blog will be shared and find new eyeballs daily.
Grow your email database – Your blog should inspire people to opt into your email newsletter list. Also, your email feeds traffic to your blog.
Give your company a voice – A blog is your pulpit, your publication, your journal – the place where you talk about whatever you choose, however you choose.
Humanize your company – That voice needs personality. Great bloggers are genuine. Your personality comes into play, that is, if you aim to make real connections.
Exchange ideas – Blogs obliterate the wall that once stood between a company and its customers. You encourage interaction, comments and feedback. You create a conversation.
Get (and stay) customer focused – By blogging, you’ll learn how to speak in your customers’ terms, perpetually improve this vital skill and grow more in touch with your audience’s wants and needs.
Inspires content and productivity – Blogging is hard work. You need processes. Commitment. Consistency. You’ll need to step up – and you’ll be rewarded for doing so.
Increase focus – A subtle addendum to the point above, blogging consistently forces you to define who you are trying to reach and why.
Generate publicity – As I mentioned, business bloggers establish authority. Stick with it and demonstrate you know your niche and you’ll get asked for interviews frequently.
Invite outsiders in – While business blogger should refrain from being relentlessly promotional, the blog is an appropriate forum for delivering insight into your company, its values, and people.
Get strategic – You’ll get in the habit of closely examining the site’s analytics and gather all kinds of insights about what does and doesn’t appeal to your audience. Your marketing will get more strategic by day.
Learn – We’ll get a bit warm and fuzzy now, but there’s no denying you are going to learn a lot about yourself and the world around you. It comes with being a writer.
Get inspired – The research, the conversation, the experience… it’s inspiring. Trust me on this: a switch gets turned on and it’s impossible to turn off.
Have fun – Perhaps not everyone will agree blogging is fun, but I believe every great blogger gets into it and enjoys the ride.
Make millions – Maybe, maybe not. However, business blogging with purpose works. Every post is a long – term asset. Learn how to blog and you’ll lower your marketing costs and increase sales.Let’s look at how to do it.22 tips for blogging with purpose.I have to give a shout out here to my man, mentor, friend, Marcus Sheridan, a.k.a. The Sales Lion. No one understands and teaches the practice of blogging quite like Marcus. I won’t be replicating his great post, “50 Qualities of the Best Business Blogs in the World” here, but I did draw these ideas from it (and encourage you to check it out). Answer questions – Listen closely to questions prospects and customers ask and answer every one of them in your posts.
Teach, don’t preach – Avoid making your blog a heavy handed attempt to advertise your products. Adopt an educator’s mentality and you’ll win your reader’s trust.
Converse – Ask questions of your readers, encourage feedback, counterpoints and criticism. Respond to comments as promptly as possible in an effort to exchange ideas.
Create a blogging culture – Invite everyone in your company and its constituents to contribute ideas and participate in the blog.
Use images – Take advantage of the appeal of photos, illustrations, charts and infographics to increase your stopping power and make the posts more attractive.
Make it easy on the eyes – Use short paragraphs, line breaks, white space, subheads and lists to make your posts look inviting.
Be transparent – Write with uncompromising integrity and don’t be afraid to address real issues, problems, challenges, and yes, prices. Don’t avoid the tough questions. Tackle them.
Remove internal barriers – There’s no place in blogging for corporate red tape. Get permission in advance to write openly and honestly.
Don’t back down – Some readers (or co – workers) don’t love what you have to say? Say it anyway. It’s not a popularity contest.
Be consistent – The number one reasons blogs fail is they are neglected. Set a schedule and stick to it. Make the time to post often. No excuses.
Nix the fluff – Your posts can be short or long. Just don’t babble your way through them. Serve meat and go easy on the gravy.
Recognize others – Congratulate, write about and recognize customers, employees, partners, industry influencers and even competitors. Being generous will only help. You’ll enjoy reciprocity.
Optimize – Research and use the keyword phrases that will increase your search engine rankings. Install plugins to assist you with SEO.
Write passionately – Make your passion pulse through your prose. Tap into your reader’s emotions.
Tell stories – Learn how to become a master storyteller. Observe how the best bloggers unravel plots and develop characters.
Include customers – Drop the secrecy and anonymity. Cite real customers, real challenges and real solutions.
Invest seriously – Blogging only burns time and money when it’s a low priority. Invest in the tools you need and put the best writers and designers on your blog.
Market and sell – Don’t write ads and press releases disguised as blog posts, but do include a call to action and guide your readers along the path to discovering your solutions.
Stay tuned – Follow your industry daily and stay on top of what your peers are saying.
Encourage sharing – Don’t forget to offer social media buttons to make it easy for readers to share and email your content.
Promote your blog – Promoting a post can (and probably should) take more time than writing it. Write teasers for your content and promote it across social networks and all potential touch points.
Have fun – Never be stiff, formal, or jam useless jargon into your posts. You have the stage. Relax. Be entertaining. Allow yourself to have fun with the writingBusiness blogs are a major challenge.Blogs are the hardest channel for business to keep updated – and to really nail.Passle, makers of a blogging shortcut service of sorts, recently studied 525 businesses and reviewed their performance across blogs, company news pages, Twitter and Facebook. Their study, “The State of Business Blogging 2013,” reported: 75% of companies don’t update their websites in any way.
Only 20% have a blog and over one – third of them are inactive.
1 in 8 companies have an active blog.Ouch. Please understand…Business blogs should/can/will grow your business. 57% of companies with a blog have acquired a customer from their blog.
61% of U.S. online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog.
Blogs attract repeat visitors who continue to come back to the website for fresh content.
Blogging allows you to team up with people who already have an audience, which is an instantaneous way to attract readers.The figures above are conservative. Blogging gets more important everyday. Start now.Visit http://feldmancreative.com/
International Business Success
There is a lot of talk today about being “global”. What does global mean? A person of the world? Every country is as different. So is every locality and city or town. The skills a business person needs to be successful in international business go beyond being global. While not comprehensive, this list based on over a dozen years of international business experience should help.TravelFor the international business person, travel is a way of life. Long distance air travel can be especially brutal. The best advice is to arrive one day before any important meetings or conferences to adjust to any time difference. In the air, eat, sleep, work and read but do all in moderation. Air travel gluttony is common among international travelers. The on thing you cannot do is exercise on an airplane.LodgingStay where your host, whether a local office or a client recommends. While cost is a consideration, so is safety, convenience to meeting locations and services provided. This is the home away from home so chose it with care.MealsEat in moderation. Business travel is not the time to make up for every diet that one has ever been one. There is the temptation to eat more than usual. On the other had, when with people who live locally, whether colleagues or clients, ask what they recommend when dining together. Apart from allergies, one should be open to eating local cuisine.DrinkingSome cultures drink more than Americans. Some drink less. And some not at all. The best advice is to drink in moderation or not at all. Similar to eating, international business travel is not the time to beat ones college drinking record. It is not healthy and it is insulting to clients and colleagues.DressMost American business people, even after the business casual trend, still dress much more casually than business people internationally. Find out from local colleagues or even clients what attire is appropriate. If you do not know, dress in traditional business attire (suits for men and for women). This can always be dressed down if appropriate. Dress like you mean business but more importantly, dress appropriately. The same applies to evening dinners and functions outside of business hours.MeetingsBe at meeting early. Do not leave until the meeting is over. Even if others leave to take calls, do not do so except at scheduled breaks. Eat in moderation if lunch is brought in. Do not drink too much coffee but bottled water is good. Clean up after yourself after the meeting. And do not sit in the meeting with your laptop and read your email. That is rude. Do make sure you bring plenty of business cards. Introduce yourself to everybody. Do not interrupt, raise your voice or swear. If you have other calls, schedule them for the evening when not meeting with the clients or your colleagues.RecreationIn the evenings it is common to have dinner with clients or colleagues. After dinner is often a time to relax, exercise and catch up on some work before the next day. If staying over a weekend or taking a day off, visit local historical sites, museums, cultural events and also shops and restaurants. Staying in the hotel doing work is not healthy and it does not make one more internationally-minded or cultured.CommunicationFind out how your clients and colleagues prefer to communicate when not face-to-face. E-mail is common today. Conference calls are important too. Video conference calls can be very effective. Snail mail and faxes are less and less common today but are still necessary from time-to-time. Keep all communications clear, crisp and to the point. On international conference calls, listen more than talk. And do not interrupt. Ever. Take notes or minutes and make sure they are distributed within one business day of the call. Never e-mail jokes, gags, anything obscene or off-color. Do not swear or raise your voice on calls or video calls. Listening and patience are valued in most non-US cultures.LanguageWhile most non-US business people speak 2-4 languages most from the US speak 1 or perhaps 2 and not well. To this end, speak clearly in English. Be patient if asked to repeat or explain. This is especially true on conference calls. It is acceptable to pick up local words or phrases. Make sure they are appropriate and that they are pronounced flawlessly. Do not make a joke out of local words or phrases. This is insulting to clients and local colleagues.While business has a lot to do with finance, technology, human resources, research and development and law, it has more to do with people than anything else. To that end, doing business internationally is about people. By traveling and working with dignity and respect for customers and local colleagues, one is taking the first step toward the extensive skills needed to be successful in international business.