I just finished writing this press release for Westside Health Authority, a community-based non-profit on Chicago’s west side, and the topic is so compelling that I wanted to share it with you. 

Perhaps you can pass it or help them out…

  PEOPLE’S RALLY ON JULY 14^TH LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO DEMAND RIGHTS FOR AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS…“WHY NOT OUR CHILDREN?” Chicago, IL. (July 1, 2009)… Since 2004, Chicago’s largest school district — the Austin community — has faced injustice by having no public high school to accommodate all its students.  Meanwhile, the site of the former Brach candy company, the only lot in Austin with sufficient space for a state-of-the-art high school — sits empty.  Austin also has the largest gap in the city between the number of seats available in high-performing schools and the number of students who need them.  To draw attention to this travesty, the Westside Health Authority (WHA), Every Block A Village (EBV) and the Austin Community Education Network (ACEN) are leading a protest march, “The People’s Rally” on Tuesday, July 14^th, at 5:30 p.m. from 4800 W. Chicago Avenue to 401 N. Cicero Avenue (Brach site). 

Despite recognition by Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education and prior CEO of Chicago Public Schools that “Austin has a huge unmet need for a high school,” the city’s redevelopment funds from TIF (tax increment funding) were primarily been spent on South Side schools.  Each year, about 1200 Austin youth need a high school to attend.  

Currently, the makeshift solution of adapting a few middle schools into a high school has been inadequate.  The local charter and private schools can only manage a small number of students.  As a result, about six hundred students each year – for a total of about 2400 STUDENTS are faced with challenges in attending school outside their district.  The problems of gang violence, bus fares, drugs and spiraling drop-out rates might be reduced with a renewed focus on providing Austin with a proper, state-of-the-art high school.  Chicago Police Department statistics rank Austin as #1 in overall crime.

“The sign of a healthy community can be measured by the quality of its schools,” says Jacqueline Reed, Westside Health Authority’s CEO/Founder. 

Virgil Crawford, Community Organizer from WHA and ACEN adds, “Other communities provide a good education for their high school students.  Why not our children?”

Community members, parents, students, clergymen and community advocates will be given a platform on July 14^th to express their concerns to local officials.  For more information about the rally, contact Chanel Glover (WHA), 773-287-6086.

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Everyday we’re faced with choices. 

Besides working to fulfill our basic needs, we also choose our attitude.  How will we handle the ups and downs that will inevitably happen?  Are we prepared?  What perspective do we choose?

Our attitude is ultimately up to us.  I find when I make time in the morning to repeat positive affirmations, the day seems to flow more smoothly.  I like this one from T. Harv Eker, “I deserve to be rich because I add value to other people’s lives.”

Do most people recognize their own value?  I still struggle with that issue myself.  Sometimes, the idea of filling this blank space with the “exact right words” can be paralyzing.  What is good “enough?”  After a publisher’s polite rejection of a manuscript, the emotional tendency is to recoil with doubt. 

What can one do to ride on the wave of positive thinking?   How do we continue focusing on a positive attitude, when we begin sliding down into critical thinking?   Any ideas?

My friend, Randy Sandknop, has a coaching business that helps people “practice happiness.”  You’d never imagine the power behind practicing happiness, but it really can make a difference in your life.  Check out:  www.practicehappiness.com.   

A little positive affirmation can go a loooong way….

How would YOU feel if your deaf child was given the miracle of sound through cochlear implants, but then couldn’t hear the teacher or other students because of acoustical issues in the classroom?

 Nicole Hubert, a 6th-grader in Naperville, has been contending with acoustic problems in schools for most of her life.  It has caused many problems — both socially and academically — but she isn’t sitting back and doing nothing.

 Thanks to the inspiring encouragement by her dad, Greg, Nicole and her father spoke out on Capitol Hill today, along with an organization called ASHA (American Speech & Hearing Association).  Their objective is to have the nation’s public schools become sensitive to poor classroom acoustics. 

(I’d compare this issue to our country’s slow decision to finally install ramps in public places, so those who are disabled are allowed to enter.)

I wrote a press release and distributed it to many media people.   The news is JUST starting to come out.  Check out the latest story about Nicole Hubert from the Daily Herald.

Just returned from a FABULOUS seminar in Orlando, “Extreme Business Makeovers!” 

A BIG THANKS go out to Thom Scott and Bob Burg who created this heart-warming business extravaganza.

What a terrific weekend program.  Burg-Scott Communications, Inc.  brought together a group of  national leaders, who gave insights on how to grow your business more effectively.  (See:  www.extremebusinessmakeovers.com)

 To quote from their website –

“Three national bestselling authors, a branding expert who was responsible for launching Dr. Phil and a marketer so skilled in using online tools that his viral marketing pieces have received over 60 MILLION views, and more … Do you think that there is something you can learn from these people?”

Besides the depth of information that we all received over 2 1/2 days, an expert team was chosen, based on these three things:

• They must have RESULTS that demonstrate their true expertise in their field
• They must be entrepreneurs - successfully dealing with their own businesses
• They must have the heart to give more value than they receive in payment ‘

And BOY — was there a lot of “heart” in that convention space.  So many delightful people. 

The power of twitter suddenly became apparent to  me.  Many people around the room were “tweeting”  (sending messages) throughout the program.  Then, we heard from the Mayor of Twitter himself — Scott Stratten, known at twitter as “unmarketing.” 

I realized that this is a whole new world that I’ve been totally unaware of… a way to reach lots of new people in only 140 characters per message.  I’m sure there are many others like me who just aren’t aware of its power.

And yes — it can be quite addictive.  Like the thrill of opening up the mailbox and getting a letter in the mail.  You just want to keep checking to see if someone wrote a note or “re-tweeted” you… 

This has DEFINITELY got to be top priority on my marketing tips.  You can subscribe on my website — www.parkaveproductions.com,  or at the free tips” section on this blog.

My tweet name (created before all this knowledge was just presented to me) is lynnb0608.  The question is… can I change it now to something more memorable?   Or will I lose all my followers by doing that? 

What’s In A Name?

  How important is your company’s name?  To most of us, a name is everything.  It’s your image, your “brand,” and vital to attracting prospects to your business.   In some cases, your company name describes exactly what you do — i.e. “Topnotch Medical Center.”  In others, your name may not reveal your service.  But no matter what, your name can attract potential customers…  especially when you establish your brand on the internet… where many new prospects can find you. 

How do you get people to find you on the internet?  As one colleague shared with me, “you’ve got to think out of the box.”

One way is to build your online reputation around your name. To make your name stand out from the crowd, consider saving more than just your name with search engines.  For about $9.95, you can save descriptive names at Go Daddy or 1and1.com.  Think of names beyond your company name.

Think “out of the box.”

For instance, if your company name is “Smith Communications,” what other phrases   could describe your services in a positive way?  

T. Harv Eker, best-selling author of, “Secrets of the Millionaire’s Mind, branded his marketing seminar as, “The World’s Greatest Marketing Seminar.”  He confessed to his audience that he was surprised no one else had taken “that name” before.  Now,

that phrase, “World’s Greatest Marketing Seminar” is redirected to his website.  Wouldn’t you agree that it probably attracts business?

(Harv also went from zero to millionaire in 2 1/2 years, and he is the founder of Peak Potentials, the fastest growing success training school in North America.)As an affiliate for Harv’s work, I saved the phrase:  www.lynnsuggests.com, so I can get credit for referrals.  (Check it out…) 

I’ve also saved several names for my business.  One is for this blog:  www.greatmarketingmessages.com.  Another is my own name – www.lynnsanders.biz.  

What names might best describe YOUR services?  Search on Google to see if those names are available.  Consider saving a name – and then link it to your website.  The more traffic, the more business.

Make YOUR Brand Stand Out! 

For years and years, I’ve read books about the power of positive thinking. 

From Napolean Hill’s book, “Think and Grow Rich,” to “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wattles, to T. Harv Eker’s bestseller, “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, I’ve come to realize that inner principles of success DO exist to lead us to a world of wealth. 

So — why aren’t more people instantly rich after reading any of the gems of positive thinking out in the universe?  Why?  Because there is a difference between awareness and actually putting a principle into practice.  It takes work….  INNER work…. just as we go about our daily physical tasks each day, it’s equally important to do inner work on a consistent basis. 

 There is a difference between just realizing a truth and actually practicing that awareness on a daily basis.  For instance, how many times do you find yourself saying something negative to yourself?  It’s so easy to lapse into negative thought.  (Especially when surrounded by negative thought throughout the media.)

 How about putting ourselves on a diet of positive thought?   To start, we could make ten minutes to meditate, contemplate positive thoughts and aspirations, and repeat positive affirmations.  When (or if) negative thoughts creep up during the day, we can watch these mind games and replace them with positive words. 

The inner game of success means mastering the ongoing chatter within our mind.  When that chatter becomes more and more positive, our outer world is bound to reflect those inner thoughts.

I’d be interested in your thoughts about this…

It’s interesting how influential visual media has become in our daily lives.   Whether it’s television, movies or videos, our eyes are bombarded with images both day and night.  

Yet, equally important is the need to craft that story with effective writing.  Compelling writing can be placed in blogs, in articles, advertising and publicity releases.  Writing is the foundation of how others view our business.

Northwestern professor, Fred Shafer, shared his insights last fall at a writer’s meeting on creating effective writing.  To a packed audience, with my colleagues hanging on his every word, Fred offered his wisdom.  Here’s what he said…

1.  “Good writing is designed for the ear, not eye.  Long before I write stories, I listened for stories… ”

2.  “Narrative writing is all about movement.  Effective and pleasing movement is made possible by variations in sentence length and structure.”

3.  “Longer sentenes can convey an emotional rush.  Words can spill out… they can pull things together that belong together.”

4.  “Shorter sentences slow down the narrative.  They show urgency.  Emphasis.  And how a process is carried out methodically.”

5.  “Long and short sentences work together to create a pleasing movement.”

6.  “What makes writing beautiful?  It’s rhythm… Changes in paragraphs are not as much about subject but about changes in emotion.”

So, the next time you’re sitting across an empty page, imagine how you’d talk to someone about your message.  

Listen to the rhythm of your sentences.  Do they vary in length?  What choice of words are you using?  Do long sentences alternate with short ones?  As you become more conscious of your writing, you’ll be honing your skill in creating a compelling story… even if the story is about you. 

The great philosophers of all time recognized that our thoughts ultimately determine what happens to us.  It’s not the other way around.

“We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing.”  Oliver Wendell Holmes

 When we realize that we all have innate power to reach out and make a difference, then all kinds of wonderful things happen.

I’ve been greatly inspired lately by the deeds of our youth.  In completing research for my first children’s book, “Social Justice:  How You Can Make A Difference,” I did internet research and discovered a number of non-profits, started by kids, who have helped millions of others. 

What’s fascinating to me is that kids often don’t have a preconceived thought in their mind that they can’t accomplish their goals.  They just go out and DO IT! 

In my book, one of the youth I talked about was Bilaal Rajaan from Toronto, Canada, who started fundraising for earthquake victims at age four.  He heard about children who had lost their parents and happened to be eating a clementine at the moment.  So, he decided to go door-to-door and raise funds for these kids by selling clementines.  That first effort netted him $350.

Now, Bilaal has literally raised millions of dollars, and has just published HIS first book — at age twelve.  If you’d like to hear his interview with Alex Mandossian, check out Alex’s blog — www.alexmandossian.com, and scroll down to his audio clip with Bilaal. 

On Bilaal’s website (www.makingchangenow.com), you’ll find that Bilaal has raised over $5 million for various causes and is the youngest Ambassador ever for UNICEF, worldwide. He has been granted many awards for his tireless efforts these past eight years.

Bilaal’s  ultimate goal is to inspire one million kids in the next three years to maximize their true potential and get involved in creating a better world, to have fun and to MAKE CHANGE NOW. There is only now, because tomorrow isn’t here yet. Now, today, is when change starts.

It’s amazing to hear from youth what it takes to make a difference.  As Bilaal recommends, “Just go for it!”

Hooooooray!

November 4, 2008.  This is a day that goes down in history.  Barack Obama has done it!  The first African-American to be elected as the next President of the United States.  And we, the people have helped make it happen.

What a thrilling triumph for the American people.   I felt lucky to have heard Obama speak at the Highland Park Women’s Club several years ago — long before he considered running for the Presidency. 

After he spoke with such passion, everyone gave him a standing ovation.  Whispers floated across the air.  “This is the kind of person who should be our President!”  People nodded, cheering, clapping, and wondering if such an idea could even be possible.

I could only hope and dream.  And tonight, those dreams have been answered.  Our country needs a change, and the people have spoken.  May we all pull together — at last — and rebuild our country… with liberty and justice for all.

It was an adventure we would never forget. 

On July 23^rd, 2008, a group of thirty-one volunteers journeyed to Ecuador on a program called Causes For Change International.  Most came from the Chicago area, but others ventured from Ohio, Michigan, California, Jamaica and even from as far as Australia.  For many, this was a first-time experience.  Our purpose was to provide free medical and dental services to poor children who had never received help before.  For those who weren’t healthcare professionals, we offered to do whatever we could. 

It was a life transforming experience, filled with the joys of giving.  My husband Joel Sanders, a holistic dentist in Highland Park, couldn’t resist.  Soon, our intrepid teenage son, Andrew decided to join, along with his buddy, Jack Fuller of Winnetka.  Others from the North Shore included Highland Park college student Anne Bartels, Dr. Ricardo Senno of Evanston/Lincolnshire and Wilmette photographer, George Pfoertner.   

As my son Andrew recommended, sometimes you’ve got to “step outside the box.” 

So, although nervous, I decided to go along too.  The trip pushed me beyond my preconceived limitations, and offered much more than we all anticipated.  Causes For Change International showed us a wider perspective of the needs beyond “our box,” and the value of giving.  After all, the deepest connections are the inner ones.   

When given the assignment to collect 1000 small stuffed animals for the Ecuadorian children, it seemed impossible.  Yet, with faith and effort, we were able to surpass that goal.  Thanks to the generosity of North Shore locals, about 1800 toys were donated, which the children cherished.  Dental supplies were also donated, and monetary contributions purchased 1700 new toothbrushes and 250 solar calculators for the schools which lacked electricity. 

It was amazing to realize these children have no toys.  The stuffed animals motivated the children to sit down for dental treatment.  Dentistry consisted of a check-up and if needed, dental extractions.  (They were more afraid of the shot than the extraction!)  There was no electricity.  No fancy equipment.  And no x-rays.  A flashlight provided light over each child’s mouth.     

From our hotel base in Naranjal, Ecuador, a bus drove us to different remote schools.  Each day, about 500 children waited at a schoolyard, accompanied by a parent.

They came by bus, canoe or on foot, often traveling for hours.  An armed guard stayed with us for added protection.  

We were a handful of people serving 2,300 children in one week.  Three dentists.  Two general doctors.  An ophthalmologist.  An occupational therapist.  And everyone else – both youth and adults from different professions.  Using five separate rooms, we set up stations at each school:  an education room – teaching kids how to brush teeth, a dental room, medical room, eye doctor room and a pharmacy, rationing out 10 children’s vitamins, anti-parasite pills and aspirin. 

Children sat in a plastic seat, alongside a garbage pail with a plastic bag for spitting.  With plentiful sugar cane and no toothbrushes, toothpaste or dental checkups, children in the past had died from dental abscesses.  Before treatment began, some children screamed.  Some cried.  And some refused to open their mouth, even with their desperate mothers urging them on.  There was no other healthcare option for them.  Most children in need lost their baby teeth.  Some had adult teeth removed to prevent bigger problems in the future.

Under 90-degree heat, as the kids waited their turn for hours in the schoolyard, we distracted them with activities.  Everyone pitched in, doing whatever they could.  You could see by the looks of gratitude that we were appreciated.

As the Naranjal Mayor said in an inspiring speech, “You are the causes for change.”  I learned that he was right.  Yes, we each can create change.  All it takes is the belief.