Is it a bribe or clever promotion?

'Super Saturday' they call it. Woolworths is giving away $1 million dollars to shoppers through an instore promotion on Saturday between 10am and 2pm. Every 15 minutes, average and not so average Australians shopping in Woolworths have the chance to win $25 Gift Vouchers. The snag is, you have to be instore to win it.

Thinking you know how to grow your business, and actually doing it is two very different things.

MANY ENTREPRENEURS are AWESOME at coming up with ideas - and good one's at that. But how many of us are actually able to execute our ideas in the way that we wanted to?

People often ask me why I write a blog when I am so busy that I struggle to find enough hours in the day. The answer isn't EGO - yes, I do love that so many people read my blog, but most of whom do, I have never met and probably will never have the opportunity to.

It's not because I am bored or I think that I am an exceptional writer - because I have never had a bored moment in my life (it's my dream to be bored one day) and as for the writing, I only write well when I put effort in, and this blog is more a rambling of my thoughts, rather than something that I have placed alot of emphasis on.

The ONE reason I write this blog is to CONNECT with my target audience and to communicate with other marketers who have interesting ideas on marketing or who have a point of view.

Having worked in the sustainability sector for the past 10 years, marketing businesses 'green' credentials and promoting a greener way of doing business, running your business and getting consumers to understand that making a small change in what you do can mean a big difference to the environment - it's no surprise that the new carbon tax is something that I am becoming increasingly familiar with.

Ok. You've got a good brand. Actually, you have an AWESOME brand. You are in love with it and it seems, so is everyone else.

You have a website. It wasn't exactly what you wanted, but it does a pretty good job. Doesn't drive leads how you thought it would, but as a brochure, it's not too bad and it has all the information your customers need.

You have some great ideas. Well, more than great - your ideas are not too far from some of the one's that Albert Einstein came up with, just no-one knows it yet. Or at least you like to think so.

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?

Some people are more famous online than off. Some became famous just because they made themselves a STAR. Others, can't quite figure it all out.

If you are the latter, than spare a thought for the millions of other people that are in the same boat.

How many people have you heard, started their businesses from their kitchen table? I have heard many tales of people who started their businesses from their kitchen table, but other than foodies, I have never heard of someone who started their business from playing it ingredients in their mother's kitchen on the stove.

A sigh of relief. End of financial year has come and gone yet again. The pressure cooker in the last week, has everyone exhausted, so I can imagine there will be a few people out tonight, enjoying a few beers or wines, celebrating the end of the financial year.

I don't know if there has been a full moon or what, but positivity has gone out the door. Looking at a glass half empty rather than half full, seems to be the flavour of the week. Is it because everyone is so frantically working hard for end of financial year? Getting figures in, reports done and clients to bed?

It's hard to shake it when a negative spiral heads your way, but if you identify it early, it can mean the difference between whether you smile today or not. And we all know how good it is to smile.