.

WWW--WHAT's up WITH the U.S. WOMEN's Market?

2008-08-01T23:23:00.006-04:00

Are you serving the largest market on earth?

Market Opportunity : The US Women’s market is the largest market on earth

Demographics

· Baby Boomers represent 27% of the entire population and own 79% of all financial assets.

Age

· Between 1992 and 2020, the number of people aged 50 or more will increase by 76%.

· Consumers aged 50 and older make up 27% of the total population and own between 70 and 79% of all financial assets. This group accounts for more than 40% of total consumer demand and control 50% of all discretionary spending. They buy $2 trillion worth of goods and services each year and spend 2.5 times as much as younger consumers on a per capita basis.

· By 2010, 43% of the country will be 50 or older. Between 2006 and 2016, the US adult population will grown by 22.9 million people. Of this growth, an astonishing 221.1 million will be in the over-50 group. Fully 96% of the growth of the US adult population will come from the 50+ market as the baby boomers move into prime time.[1]

Buying Power

· The 50 plus market segment is responsible for 40% of total consumer spending and controls 50% of all discretionary spending. They buy $2 trillion worth of goods and services a year.

· The 50+ segment comprises 40 million credit card users who own almost half of the credit cards in the US.[2]

Gender

· Women in the 50-plus age bracket today are the healthiest, wealthiest, most active and independent generation of women in history. They are the “mightiest money machine on the planet”[3]

· Women now account for 50% of managers and professionals, and there are more female doctors, =lawyers, engineers, computer scientists, CEOs, astronauts, policians, and high- powered consultants today than ever before.

Age and Gender Sub Segment- Prime Time Women

There are 38 million “baby boomer” women; born between 1946-64; and they control $1.6 trillion in spending per year.

· Right now of the 87 million adults over 50 years old, 40 million are men and 47 million are women.[4]

· There are 116 women in the 55-plus group for every 100 men in that segment and the percentage of difference increases as you move up the age scale.
All About Women Consumers. EPM Communications. New York City: 1999 p. 205 & p.
246.

· Women over 50 are 16 % of the US adult population and 41 % of the US adult female population.

· Today every fifth adult in the US is a female over 50. There are more American women over 50 than the entire population of Australia or Argentina, or even Canada.

· 35% of all women aged 50-70 in the United States are single- whether divorced, widowed of never married.

· Households of 55-64 year olds spend more on woman’s apparel than any other age group.

· Marti Barletta describes this group as women who are from 50-70 years of age.

· They represent 40% of total consumer demand

· They are responsible for 50% of discretionary spending.

· Between 2000 and 2010 the 55-64 age bracket will grow by 48%.

· By 2010 there will be 80 million grandparents in the US who already spend $30 billion a year.

· The Prime Timers grew up in the 60’s and were outspoken then and they continue to want to have their voices heard. Listen to her carefully and actively to gain her respect.

· They buy $2 trillion in goods and services a year.

Women’s Buying Power

· Women are responsible for 83% of all purchases. Their combined household and corporate purchasing amounts to $7 trillion.
[5]
· According to Lori Moskowitz Lepler of The Intuition Group , women are three times more likely as men to recommend brands when they know friends are looking for a particular product or service.

Women and the Internet

· 60% of women claim that the Internet has improved their connection to their parents, siblings and children.

· Today, there are roughly 10 million more women online than men.

Women Owned Businesses and Women in Business

· In the ten years from 2002 and 2012, the number of working women aged 55 to 64 is projected to increase by an astounding 57%, more than any other age group of women.

· For the past 15 years women have started 70% of all new businesses and 48 percent of all privately owned businesses are majority – or equally owned by women.

· Nearly 10.4 million firms are owned by women (50% or more), employing more than 12.8 million people, and generating $1.9 trillion in sales.

· Three quarters of all women-owned businesses are majority owned by women (51% or more), for a total of 7.7 million firms, employing more than 7.1 million people, and generating $1.1 trillion in sales.

· For the past two decades, majority women-owned firms have continued to grow at around two times the rate of all firms (42% vs. 24%).

· Women-owned firms, 50% or more owned by women, account for 41% of all privately held firms.

· 3% of all women-owned firms have revenues of $1 million or more compared with 6% of men-owned firms.

· Women-owned firms with revenues of $1 million or more are more likely than other women-owned businesses to market their products and services nationally.

· Women owners of firms with revenues of $1 million or higher embrace financial measurements as management tools and produce more financial reports more often.

· Women business owners are prepared to face risk: most (66%) are willing to take above average or substantial risks for business investments.

· Women and men business owners have different management styles. Women emphasize relationship building as well as fact gathering and are more likely to consult with experts, employees, and fellow business owners. Women owners of firms with $1 million or more in revenue are more likely to belong to formal business organizations, associations or networks than other women business owners (81% vs. 61%).

[1] Prime Time How to \Win the Hearts, Minds and Business of Boomer Big Spenders Marti Barletta 2006 P.7 from Matt Thornhill The Boomer Project.

[2] Prime Time p16.
[3] Prime Time How to \Win the Hearts, Minds and Business of Boomer Big Spenders Marti Barletta 2006 P.
[4] Ibid, p. 8.
[5] Ibid P. 21

Marketing Blogs Compendium on MENG website www.MENGonline.com

2008-05-21T15:53:00.006-04:00

MENG is an organization I am proud to be a member of for several years having served in a volunteer capacity on both the national board level and the local chapter level for many years now. It is important to give back and help others where you can I regard it as the premier association of senior marketing executives in the country. We are a group of employed executives, marketing and business entrepreneurs and more.

MENG is positioned as the indispensable community of executive-level marketers who share their passion and expertise to ensure each member's success. The site is located at http://www.mengonline.com/ and has a section for visitors, potential members and a password protected site for members.

Any association is continuously dedicated to insure that their members get value from their investment. As part of an ongoing evolution of benefits, MENG delivers by:

Enhancing your professional skills and industry knowledge
Providing access to an exclusive executive-level networking group of marketers
Offering a knowledge bank of data about companies, products, and people
Serving as a career center for hiring managers, human resource executives, and clients seeking top-notch consultants.
Delivering a source of discounts on other products, services, and organizations
Providing a venue for finding marketing resources
Organizing discussion groups to exchange expertise and information on the latest trends in marketing

The latest benefit available to members and visitors alike is a compendium of BLOGS by members, speakers and leading authorities on the art and science of marketing in all its varied disciplines.

I am proud that the KnightWorks blog has been added to that page......... as my mom always said you can judge a person by the company they keep. I plan to be around this group for many years to come.

The address of the Blog page is http://www.mengonline.com/visitors/recommended_blogs/

Visit and learn more about MENG and about marketing.

Ray G. Knight

Chief Envisioneer Officer

KnightWorks

MENG SoFlorida Chapter Chair 2005-2008

WEB 2.0 - Marketing Breakthroughs and New Brand Building Opportunities

2008-05-07T09:41:00.004-04:00

As the Chair of the South Florida Chapter of MENG http://www.mengonline.com/ KnightWorks produced a successful event last week at The Havana Club of Miami http://www.thehavanaclubofmiami.com/ with three expert speakers and 34 total attendees. Speakers included David Jacobson Partner and Director of Brand Strategy of http://www.turbulenceadvertising.com/ Jessica Kizorek Partner and Author of Show Me Marketing with Video on the Internet of http://www.twoparrot.com/ and Leslie Zigel Esq. of http://www.ziglaw.com/

If you would like a copy of the presentations, please email me ( haven't learned how to embed a file in my blog yet) at KnightWorks@RayKnight.com

EARTH DAY 2008 GOING GOING GONE GREEN 3 - The Greening of the Promotional Products Industry- Meet DANGO

2008-04-22T08:58:00.005-04:00

Some industries are taking the lead in popularizing the green movement and others are moving quickly to step in time. I asked Michael Lara, President of Brandango http://www.mybrandango.com/ a Miami-based promotional products agency about the ‘greening” of the $18 billion a year advertising specialties industry. An advertising specialty, also known as a promotional product, is any item imprinted with a logo or slogan and given out to promote a company, organization, product, service, special achievement or event. T-shirts, mugs, pens and key tags are popular examples, and just about anything can be imprinted. Lara had just returned from a major industry exhibition and reported, “This year, the industry association introduced a brand new Green Product Showcase and held a series of educational sessions to prepare us to respond to the skyrocketing demand for eco-friendly products. We now have available a 95-page catalog featuring 30 suppliers and over 150 products.”

I asked Michael to educate me about the range of eco-friendly products that are now available to individuals, brands and companies seeking to show their green-mindedness. Here is a partial list.

Mini-flashlights using wind up mechanisms to create power rather than batteries.

Lip balms and sun screens made from organic materials.

Recycled plastic water bottles. Each recycled bottle saves energy and enough to power a 60 watt light bulb for six hours.

Recycled leather cases and portfolios.

Key chains and tags made of recycled materials.

Soy bean candles- Soy wax is non-toxic and burns cleaner than paraffin, with no petrol-carbon soot, which can blacken walls, ceilings, and furniture. Soybeans are a renewable source, unlike paraffin, which consists of petroleum.

Tote bags, shopping bags and plastic bags made of recycled, reusable and/or biodegradable materials. Americans use 60,000 plastic bags every 5 seconds equating to 100 billion plastic bags a year. Plastic bags take nearly 1,000 years to breakdown in landfills. Americans use 1.14 million brown supermarket bags every hour

Wearable clothing- hats, t-shirts, polo shirts made of 100% organic cotton. Every conventional t-shirt requires 7 tsp of fertilizers and ¾ tsp of active ingredients like pesticides, herbicides etc.

Writing instruments- pens and pencils made of recycled wood, paper, currency, blue jeans and corn oil or plant starch products rather than plastic- a petrochemical byproduct.

Writing pads, Calendars, adhesive notes and diaries made of recycled paper. Every ton of recycled paper saves 3.3. cubic yards of landfill space.

Remember- Reduce..Reuse…Recycle...Regulation. Through this focus, you’ll start to get a clearer viewpoint about how some companies and some industries are more green minded than others

EARTH DAY- GOING GOING GONE GREEN? 2

2008-04-22T08:52:00.002-04:00

This was one of the submissions sent into the Miami Herald on Earth Day 2008.

The article GREEN MACHINE on April 21st was well written and informative. In my opinion, the key to the green movement catching on and gaining increasing momentum lies in raising awareness, fostering understanding and encouraging everyone to set individual and corporate examples that others will follow.

To sort through a dizzying array of new terms in order to differentiate meaningful terminology from marketing malarkey, I reached out to a local South Florida authority, Carl Hildebrand- the Chair of the South Florida Green Building Council www.thegreenbroker.com whose focus and passion in this arena have led to his creating a monthly green business forum branded as Green Flamingos. Carl put it into simple to understand terms for a consumer, “In evaluating the options to spend your money to be part of the solution and not part of the problem, simply start to look at products in a new light. Ask yourself, where it came from, how many times you can use it, how do you dispose of it—the entire product’s life cycle. To evaluate specific products, use the E-Scale.

The E-Scale

E1- 100% recycled or sustainable product

E2- 60-99.9% recycled or sustainable product

E3- 45-59.9% recycled or sustainable product

E4- 0.01- 44.9% recycled or sustainable product

E5- Alternative product or “green style” product that reduces carbon footprint.

Remember- Reduce..Reuse. Recycle. Regulation. Through this focus, you’ll start to get a clearer viewpoint about how some companies and some industries are more green minded than others.

Ray Knight

CEO KnightWorks

Miami Springs, Florida

EARTH DAY, 2008 GOING GOING GONE GREEN 1

2008-04-22T08:46:00.001-04:00

Going..Going.. Gone Green?

The cover article on The Green Machine in Business Monday of the Miami Herald was an important contribution to spreading the word. Our firm KnightWorks has been asking more and more people whether they have they….. Gone Green?

With any new product, service, technology or popular movement, there is a need to foster awareness and properly educate the market. In this case, the market is everyone- individuals, families, small, medium and large companies, leading corporations, local, state and federal governments.

Remember 7-7-07 Live Earth Day- the green shot heard round the world? 9 months later, Earth Day is April 22, 2008. With all the coverage in every media, if you ask yourself are you more green savvy now than 1-year ago, what is your honest answer?

Becoming green or “sustainably savvy” can be broken down into a few manageable steps. The first is awareness as in knowing what consumption decisions negatively impact the environment. The second is education. The third is taking action and setting an example- in your life, in your household, in your business and in your community. Exercise your influence and buying power by making smart decisions.

In researching these new developments for our own and our clients’ businesses, I learned a new green vocabulary with the guidance of a local South Florida authority, Carl Hildebrand- US Green Building Council Miami Branch Program Chair www.thegreenbroker.com.

Reclaimed - Made from material that is being reused, but in a different form. Halfway between being reused and being recycled, the reclaimed material is changed from its previous form, but not entirely reprocessed.

Recyclable- A product that can be collected and made into a new product.

Recycled- New products made from materials that would otherwise have been waste (post-consumer or post-industrial), broken down (melted or pulped) into a basic substance from which a new product can be formed.

Reduced - A product or package that uses a smaller volume of resources than another similar product or package.

Renewable- Resources that can be restored and replenished by nature in a reasonable amount of time.

Reusable- Products designed to be durable and used over and over again, instead of being "disposable" and thrown away after one use.

Regulation-Encourage governments to create legislative acts or implement specifications which create a more sustainable marketplace should voluntary initiatives not be taken.

Remember- Reduce..Reuse…Recycle...Regulation. Through this focus, you’ll start to get a clearer viewpoint about how some companies and some industries are more green minded than others

Baby Boomers and Web 2.0 Research and Links

2008-03-27T07:45:00.004-04:00

Do you use GOOGLE ALERTS in your marketing research activities? What a great tool to have in your arsenal- it works while you sleep. And its free!

Today, a Google alert advised that a site called URLFAN had indexed this blog relative to sources of info and outbound links about the research project underway to understand the dynamics of the baby boomer markets access to, and use of, WEB 2.0 sites and tools for gathering and disseminating information.

What is ://URLFAN?
://URLFAN is an evolving experiment designed to discover what websites the blogosphere is discussing all in real time. It does this by cultivating the content of thousands of RSS feeds and parsing billions of pieces of information. Now every website owner can see who's talking about their site in real time and how they compare to every other site on the Internet. There are many sites designed to rank the "traffic" of a website, such as Alexa, however ://URLFAN is different. We rank sites according to their popularity in the fast moving and growing world of RSS feeds. The site states that "Discover what sites bloggers are referencing in real time.Reading 1,306,248 feeds, parsing 74,444,692 posts, ranking 1,515,000 domains".

Here is the link to this site as a potential resource to others in search of insights into the evolution of the most fascinating information medium in existence
http://www.urlfan.com/local/baby_boomers_web_2_0_baby_boomers_and_web_2_0_baby_boomers_web_2_0/69019992.html
and a link to the page displaying the TOP 100 ranked sites http://www.urlfan.com/site/top_100/100.html

Miami- “The World’s Next Great City”

2008-03-13T09:05:00.003-04:00

Famous pollster, John Zogby responded to my query about the branding of Miami in his recent visit to our area and presentation of the findings of the regional poll about what’s on the minds and in the hearts of South Floridians. When I asked him about how he would suggest we position the Miami brand, he commented on various of the area’s attributes and replied, “I think Miami is the World’s Next Great City”. I agree.

As a transplant from New Jersey at the age of 10, I’ve thanked Whitey, my 89-year old dad, mentor and hero many times. Nothing wrong with New Jersey…..but Miami is just too cool and too hot all at the same time..

*we have the global location, location ,location;
*the weather and the beaches and the water-based lifestyle;
*an explosion of arts and culture;
*exceptional education infrastructure;
*world-class medical facilities;
*a thriving financial and international trade community;
*a plethora of outstanding professional services in the legal, accounting, engineering and it industries;
*the unparalleled green floor mat at our doorstep of the Everglades National Park;
*the exciting blend of music, entertainment and fashion and much more....

***a burgeoning under the radar ensemble of global corporations setting up shop to take advantage of all the region has to offer.

Miami has changed, or shall I strongly opine, EVOLVED for the better.

A recent survey released by World City magazine www.worldcityweb.com found a different type of underground economy than had been talked about in the past. A first time survey of multinational companies with South Florida offices unearthed a phenomenal amount of revenues--$203 billion in combined revenue from the 728 respondents of the 1183 company sample. That is larger than the entire Colombian economy. The average revenue for companies with global HQ’s here is $434 million. The investigative survey revealed that there are more than 40 billion-dollar companies in South Florida that hail from 56 different countries. Can you say “melting pot”? As we say, ‘Keep Florida Green, bring money”!

Ian McCluskey, Publisher of World City, will be my guest at the upcoming South Florida Chapter event of MENG www.mengonline.com ( I volunteer for the last several years as the Chair of this prestigious group of 1700 of the leading senior marketing executives in the country) on March 18th to present several unknown facts, opinions and insights into what makes Miami the World’s next great city. If interested to attend, or to receive a copy of the study, drop me an email with subject line “SURVEY SAYS” at knightworks@rayknight.com.

Well, while so many others say they love New York, I for one am “encantada” in Spanish or enchanted with Miami.

In a recent business focus group that I was honored to have been invited to organized by GM of Grass Roots, Jane Edwards- Hall, , I gained some new insights on how Miamians and international and national leisure and business visitors view our city. In an upcoming post, we’ll comment on the soon to be released mystery shopping survey conducted across 13 industries in 10 US cities by WPP family member GRASS ROOTS/Bit Time www.grg.com about how the “Miami service experience compares/measures up to other leading cities around the country. I think you’ll be surprised about the results.

OOPS, gotta end this post, just learned my wife 's name was just called on the radio station 101.5 and she won a thousand bucks...Saturday is our 28th anniversary, I TOLD you I LOVE MIAMI!

WEB 2.0 and Baby Boomers- Visit PublishALetter.com

2008-03-13T07:27:00.002-04:00

I applaud the founders of PUBLISH A LETTER as I think they have come up with a novel concept to stimulate dialogue, encourage freedom of expression and attract baby boomers who as we age tend to demonstrate an even greater desire to be heard, to be understood and to “feel connected” to one another and to the world around us.

A research project I have undertaken into WEB 2.0 has revealed that only a small percentage of the huge baby boomer market is taking advantage of the evolving array of online social and business networking sites.

These sites introduce a viable means to create an online community where professionals across the block and around the globe can explore areas of common interest and build bonds that lead to the creation of exchanges of information, advice and opportunities.

Recently I shared some of the results of the research project into the commercialization of WEB 2.0 and the baby boomer market with Editor Ian McCluskey of WORLD CITY magazine based here in Miami, Fla USA. www.worldcityweb.com An invitation to present my observations in writing led to the publication of WEB 2.0: Introduction to Networking on Steroids in the February edition of the magazine. Positive comments received and updates that readers have forwarded a copy on to some of their contacts by email led to my decision to submit this as a Guest Letter to PublishaLetter.com to share with their growing worldwide audiences.

Web 2.0: Introducing networking on steroids

By Ray G. Knight

The web is growing and evolving at breakneck speed. For business executives it is absolutely critical to stay on top of and leverage the latest developments to outsmart the competition and to enhance your personal growth, the growth of your business and that of your clients.

Today, a search on Google reveals 179 million mentions of Web 2.0, a buzzword that encompasses a new breed of developments, applications and innovations that have appeared since the Internet bubble burst in 2001. At the heart of Web 2.0 is user-generated content, consisting of posted ideas, opinions and knowledge, along with photos, music and videos that are stretching web capacity.

The online sharing of videos through YouTube, the creation of contributed knowledge in the form of a wikipedia, and the explosion of personal, corporate and group blogs are transforming web publishing and putting the power of communication, marketing and distribution in the hands of many. The biggest bang of all, reverberating worldwide, is the explosion of online social and business networking sites.

The phenomenal growth of these sites is attributed to the youth, teenagers and GenXers who have embraced online networking to find new friends, arrange dates, and to share opinions, photos, video and music. Their enthusiasm spread like wildfire across schools and college campuses, igniting a firestorm of word-of-mouth publicity. The two most familiar brands that have exploded in popularity are My Space, launched in 1999, the world’s sixth most popular website with 115 million users, and Facebook, launched in 2004 serving 62 million users.

But it is not just the kids that are discovering the power of online social networking. Business owners, executives and professionals of all kinds are logging on to sites that enable you to create your online personal profile for free elevating the concept of “being connected” to an entirely new dimension.

Two of the more popular online business networking sites are www.linkedin.com and www.xing.com. The first is a 17 million-member, U.S.-based network of professionals in 150 industries. Xing is Germany-based, the first Web 2.0 company to go public, that has 4.25 million registered members. Other social networking sites include Doostang, Orkut, Ryze, Spoke, TheLadders, and Ziggs.

How can you use these sites to your advantage? Easily, quickly and inexpensively.

Expand your online presence – also known as your “IQ” (internet quotient), by uploading your profile to these websites to increase the number of locations business contacts can view your professional information. Belonging to these online communities means that businesses can launch new products today and present new content to the marketplace in minutes. Road warriors can enjoy 24-7 connectivity to their networks of key contacts, clients and prospects through their internet browsers.

Professional networking sites allow people with common interests to create their own communities. Hundreds of groups are popping up defined by professional interests, industry specialties and more.

Financial executives traveling regularly from Miami to Brazil can be in either country and keep their digital finger on the pulse of the latest developments in their field. By joining investment banking or mergers and acquisitions groups online, they enjoy daily exchanges with their peers about deal structures, multiples, business models and financial solutions to be examined, discussed, traded, and considered. Active participation in these discussions can project their thought leadership and enhance their professional reputation.

I recently proved the power of online professional networking to reach into the executive suite of a major international manufacturing company that encourages submissions of “big ideas” for their consideration or investment. To avoid sending my proposal in cold, I researched into my network of LinkedIn contacts and learned that the leader of the division and I knew several people in common. An email citing our mutual connections, transformed a cold contact into a warn invitation to send my proposal directly to his attention for review.

I recommend that you leverage free online business networking websites to get the jump on your competitors. And do your clients a favor and bring them along for the ride. They’ll appreciate the journey. By becoming an early adopter and user of online networking tools, you’ll increase awareness of your personal and corporate brands, while exponentially expanding your exposure to new contacts, markets and opportunities.

Optimism about "Baby Boomers and Web 2.0" Baby Boomers & Web 2.0 and "Baby Boomers & Web 2.0" Age Segmented Business and Social Networking Website Mo

2007-11-19T11:57:00.000-05:00

I recently read a posting on a blog Emerson Direct Marketing regarding the above topics and followed the link to The Savvy Boomer to read a treasure trove on the topic ( I had mentioned in a prior post) which I am most grateful to both sites for their respective illuminations on the subject matter.

While I have read some learned opinions on these and other sites where some doubts about the success of current sites employing a WEB 2.0 age segmentation strategy have been cast,(targeting the baby boomer market segment, with or without certain specific lifestyle and/or affinity focus business models) in my opinion, the prospects of a sustained success have considerable merit for one/some of these groups OR those sites currently in the strategic planning and/or development phase.

Through others' trial and error....or trial and success.. I anticipate the entities/teams that:

- tweak the formula and find the right CONTENT and FUNCTIONALITY ingredients;

-AND--- can secure a combination of funding to sustain the period necessary to acquire critical mass;

-AND—can solidify selected SPONSORSHIP support enhanced eventually with subscription-based and/or advertising revenue models,

WILL set a new standard to shape the baby boomer target market's Internet usage patterns.

As WEB 2.0 businesse developers learn to capitalize on the WEB 2.0 technological phenomenon that has so captured the attention and imagination of the younger market segments, to the victor(s), a lucrative future awaits!

Ray Knight
Chief Envisioneer Officer
KnightWorks, Inc
www.RayKnight.com

"baby boomers + web 2.0" , "baby boomers and Web 2.0 , "baby boomers & Web 2.0"

2007-11-18T11:39:00.002-05:00

As part of my previous post, the project of researching the web to understand more about the use of, and participation by, the baby boomer target market on social networking and business networking sites, I have undertaken several research strings on Google to gain insights into this matter. For others who are equally curious, I have compiled a few links here:

http://live.agencynet.com/2006/03/21/the-importance-of-targeting-the-baby-boomers-on-the-web/

http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/headlines/10953131.html

http://www.cafebabyboomers.com/

http://www.evolvor.com/2006/10/10/baby-boomers-and-the-web/

http://www.propeller.com/viewstory/2007/10/25/baby-boomers-and-social-networks-are-like-parents-on-skateboards/?url=http%3A%2F%2Femersondirect.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F10%2F25%2Fbaby-boomers-and-social-networks%2F&frame=true

As part of the process, came across the phrase of "Silver Surfers" KnightWorks now owns the domain name www.SilverSurferz.com which will be reserved for a potential upcoming project. Other domains owned include www.e-epiphany.com .net, biz, .org and .info ; several "maritimeshare" .net, .bz, .info and more sites; several ArtBrandZ and BrandZarts sites. If interested in submitting an offer on any of these domains, please email KnightWorks@RayKnight.com

"baby boomers + web 2.0"

2007-11-18T11:39:00.001-05:00

Web 2.0 and Baby Boomers: Missing the Boat?

2007-10-23T17:24:00.000-04:00

A commitment to lifelong learning piqued my curiosity about WEB 2.0.

First exposed to it from those emails from Classmates.com and then from our kids showing us their MYSPACE pages. But at that time, like many other Baby Boomers- I just didn’t get it. Didn’t see the writing on the wall.

That’s changed. A small investment of time into some online marketing research reveals this world changing phenomenon of social networking, blogging, wiki production and more provided just a glimpse of what I had been missing. A retained executive recruiter shared how so many TOP marketing executives seeking to fill senior level ( big bucks) positions don’t even have a clue about these opportunities. SO......how to position one's self ahead of peers and competition? DIVE IN!

So here is the beginning of my new learning journey. A commitment to promote my brand on www.LinkedIn.com for the US and Canadian markets; www.xing.com for the Europe, Middle East and Asian markets; and a venture into the invitation only world of www.globalurbanites.com has in less than six weeks:

Made a five time increase in my direct networking connections worldwide.
Reconnected me with former clients and associates. Generated 5 recommendations from former clients, associates and contacts and new testimonials and spiked traffic to my website www.RayKnight.com.
Generated new opportunities and requests for proposals
Acted as an impetus for other clients, friends and strategic alliance partners to get with the WEB 2.0 program.
Tested posting on certain topics on my new blog and using Google Alerts watched those posts go around the globe in a few short hours.
And more :-)

Interestingly, as a baby boomer, my research revealed-I wasn’t alone in missing the Web 2.0 boat. Apparently, others are missing out too.

A Business Week Poll showed that of the Young Boomers aged 41-50 -54% are online but do not participate in any form of social media; of the Older boomers –aged 51-61-----61% have no participation and in Seniors 62+ ----70% are missing out.

Insight: As Web 2.0 keeps hurtling forward towards the advent of Web 3.0, watch those segments of non- participants decrease and the number of age specific and lifestyle specific social networking groups flourish. Why---- there is even a social networking site dedicated specifically to baby boomers now. HMMM- in the words of Bob Dylan….. “cause the times they are a-changin’.”

Have any insights about Web 2.0 and Baby Boomers you would like to share?

Please drop me a line at KnightWorks@RayKnight.com

Now..off to one of those old fashioned social networkers...you know, the ones with the canapes and cocktails.

How to Brand on a Budget

2007-10-06T15:56:00.000-04:00

There are so many articles and books in circulation about branding. They explain what a brand is. How to develop a brand. How to measure a brand. How to tie in emotions to brands and so much more. One of my favorite books on branding is written by a professional acquaintance Daryl Travis entitled Emotional Branding- How Successful Brands Gain the Irrational Edge. Visit www.BrandTrust.com to learn more from a worldwide thought leader in this field.

When you search on the topic, one area there is NOT a lot of information available on is about how to build and promote a brand without investing a hefty sum of money.

In an attempt to fill this void a few years ago, I published a few articles about Branding on a Budget and Brandishing Weapons that have been the most often downloaded articles on the website www.RayKnight.com.

Though a bit dated, they still offer several easy to implement and easy on the budget proven tips and techniques to help individuals, small and medium-sized businesses build their brands without breaking the bank.

I welcome your comments and any tips you would like to share by dropping me an email at KnightWorks@RayKnight.com with subject line Brandish This Weapon.

Click on the titles to download the PDF files.

Fractional Ownership of Yachts and Megayachts: In Portuguese ----- Portugues

2007-10-04T23:56:00.000-04:00

The market for the purchase of fractional ownership of yachts and megayachts is expanding globally. Savvy consumers are recognizing the various benefits of this successful shared ownership concept applied to sea going vessels of all types. As the market broadens, so must the language of the broadcasted message.

Here is some preliminary information in Portuguese at this link:
http://www.raynmaker.net/files/pressReleases/indexPortugues.pdf

For more information in Portuguese or French or German, email JoseCruz@RaynMaker.com

Fractional Ownership of Yachts and Megayachts: In Spanish---- En Espanol

2007-10-04T23:51:00.000-04:00

The market for the purchase of fractional ownership of yachts and megayachts is expanding globally. Savvy consumers are recognizing the various benefits of this successful shared ownership concept applied to sea going vessels of all types. As the market broadens, so must the language of the broadcasted message.

Here is some preliminary information in Spanish at this link:
http://www.raynmaker.net/files/pressReleases/indexEspanol.pdf

Fractional Ownership of Yachts and Megayachts: Insights and Forecasts

2007-10-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

KnightWorks 20 Deer Run Miami Springs, FL 33166
Office (305) 888 1905 Mobile (305) 989 4815 -
http://www.rayknight.com/ knightworks@rayknight.com
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Over the years, KnightWorks has enjoyed several marketing and/or marketing research assignments in the application of shared ownership structures to resort and urban real estate, resort villas, hotels, cruise ships and luxury recreation vehicles. A few years back KnightWorks in association with our partner in RaynMaker, a professional outsource sales firm and business to business matchmaker, we embarked on a major project researching the history and status of the fractional ownership of yachts and megayachts. At that time, we made some predictions about the future of the business and implemented a strategy to catch the wave. This post shares some background information about:

· Other shared ownership product offerings success stories and statistics
· Excerpts from the Strategic Plan developed about Fractional Ownership of Yachts/Megayachts
· Future Sights and Insights

SPECIAL BONUS-Excerpts from the American Affluence Research Center report on The Affluent Market For Fractional Ownership and Membership Clubs: Vacation Homes, Jets, Yachts, and Exotic Cars

After about two years away from the business due to other full time engagements ( Note: RaynMaker currently promotes fractional yacht offerings), we took a fresh look at the business. A recent KnightWorks search reveals ( as predicted) that the business is EXPLODING with new entities jumping into the business in various countries around the globe. Offerings vary to include motorboats, sailboats, catamarans, yachts, megayachts and feadships ( pronounced fed-ships). Fractions are now being offered by several companies in exotic cars and other high end travel and leisure products. Various conveyance structures are being introduced including ownership, non-ownership, leases, and club memberships. Variances in the size of the craft, number of cabins, number of staff, the locations, and movements of the inventory offered and amount of time allocated are just some of the differentiating factors. For potential buyers, key considerations and evaluation factors of any program are the experience, track record, and professionalism of the management company.

As the currently fragmented fractional yacht ownership industry evolves, more information is becoming available and as competition heats up, KnightWorks suggests that BUYERS BEWARE and encourages any serious potential purchaser to evaluate carefully the company's history and track record, the offering pricing, management fees, and any representations about appreciation and or potential charter revenues. Regarding transfer of existing owned interests, to our knowledge, no clearly organized, independently operated secondary market for the resale/transfer of currently owned fractional ownerships of yacht or megayachts has yet emerged…… but we expect this to change in the near future are the industry gains increasing momentum and consumer acceptance and the business model makes financial sense.

FUTURE SIGHTS and INSIGHTS: We believe that similar to the pattern evident in the sale of other higher end fractional ownership offerings (condominiums, individual luxury homes, and exotic cars), fractional yacht, and megayacht offerings are most often a considered purchase. The development and execution of prospect relationship development strategies that serve affluent prospects the information they require through the channels they are most comfortable with enabling an intelligent purchase decision should be a key to the success of any company currently in the business or planning to enter in the near future.

Watch for the evolution of existing programs and the introduction of new brands combining multiple products, experiences and locations as the battle for worldwide marketing and management superiority escalates.

What's behind this soaring popularity and projected growth curve?

Here is an excerpt from a business plan we worked on that presented the rationale that this would soon be a burgeoning segment* of the worldwide leisure industry.

*What is past is prologue. Over 10 years ago, KnightWorks as a result of strategic planning assignments in the spa industry, studied the status of the industry and the growing number of “day-spas” and predicted explosive growth of that business segment to serve the evolving and expanding health and wellness needs of aging baby boomers. A Google search today reveals: Results 1 - 10 of about 1,830,000 for "day spas".

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FREE INFO/ADVICE ( that may not be worth any more than you paid for it): Potential consumers, media and/or businesses interested in learning more about fractional yacht or megayacht ownership-or for that matter the fractional ownership of any type of luxury product/experience, are welcome to submit questions or requests for information (WITH NO OBLIGATION) to RayKnight@RaynMaker.com
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SPECIAL BONUS INFO: Included with permission of
Ron Kurtz of the THE AMERICAN AFFLUENCE RESEARCH CENTER*
3269 NE 209th Terrace Aventura, FL 33180 Phone: (305) 933-4887
E-mail: info@affluenceresearch.org http://www.affluenceresearch.org/

The Affluent Market For Fractional Ownership and Membership Clubs:
Vacation Homes, Jets, Yachts, and Exotic Cars

*NOTE: The American Affluence Research Center is a strategic alliance firm of KnightWorks and RaynMaker and these companies promote the AARC services to clients and potential clients. For information contat Ray Knight OR if you contact Ron directly—please mention that you did so as a result of the information found on the KnightWorks blog.
http://knightworks.blogspot.com/

See the copyrighted report after the KnightWorks Strategic Plan excerpt below.
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Opportunity/Strategic Plan Excerpt (circa 2005-early 06)
Executive Summary: Business Opportunity

BRIEF- Historical references evidencing success of various types of shared ownership structures applied to a broad variety of product offerings underscores the imminent international explosion of the fractional ownership of yachts and megayachts.

Shared ownership, in various formats, including ownership and non-ownership bases, has been proven attractive by a cross- section of middle income, upper income, and affluent target market segments.

The Timeshare Industry is credited with popularizing the shared ownership concept of resort real estate.

The Major Selling Point of all timeshare properties worldwide is the timesharing exchange concept- offering flexibility in amount of time and time of year used, location visited, experience attained. The worldwide timesharing exchange market has been dominated by two companies for over 25 years- Resort Condominiums International (Indianapolis) and Interval International (Miami).

The industry became the darling child of the hospitality and resort development industries and has gained international recognition and acceptance. 2005 U.S. sales reached nearly $8 Billion. An additional $4 billion was sold outside the US. The most successful operations worldwide are branded, multiple location and multiple experience offerings. Major brands include Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Ritz-Carlton, Bluegreen, and Four Seasons along with others.

Note: The author’s family, founded and funded Interval International, and the author Ray Knight and RaynMaker partner, were senior executives with the company in earlier stages of their careers and subsequently have been involved in segments of the industry in a consulting and/or marketing capacity for a number of years on several countries including U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Scotland, Spain and Portugal.

Searching for an appropriate alternative to timesharing and full ownership of resort properties, an intermediate product, fractional ownership was born. After a bumpy start, the industry took hold in 1999. Within 4 years, industry sales exceeded $1 billion. 2004 sales were $1.5 billion. In 5 years, nearly $3.5 billion in fractional interests were sold.

The shared ownership concept was very successfully applied to the private jet fractionals industry gaining the attention of the affluent and very affluent market segments. “There are some 4000 jet share owners in the US in a fleet of over 700 aircraft” per a 2003 newsletter at www.FractionalInsider.com. With nearly 500 million in sales in 1998, the industry had over $4 billion in sales from 1998-2002 alone. Recently, industry experts indicate that fractional 16th shares increased 35% in 2005 from the year before.

Fueled by the successful application to high priced assets in both resort real estate and private jets, the shared ownership concept was eagerly embraced by the affluent and very affluent markets Private residence clubs and high-end fractionals surfaced in the last few years in the US market. “Within a few years, private residence clubs became a billion dollar plus industry” (Robb Report April/May). A 2002 Survey by the American Affluence Research Center (note: a KnightWorks strategic alliance) revealed at that early date in the industry 39% of the survey respondents of the top 10% of wealthiest households in the country.

Mimicking the timeshare exchange and membership model, cruise ships and timesharing have entered into the timeshare equation through the combined efforts of several major cruise lines working with http://www.icegallery.com/. In 2005, the company forecasted $300 million in cruise bookings following a 21% increase in bookings in 2004. The company is affiliated with 650 resort properties and services 55 million consumers and businesses.

Condominium ownership and cruise lines product has been proven effective with the creation of Residensea. 95% of the 165 full ownership residences have been sold at prices ranging form $825,000 to $6.3 million. Current prices range from $1.3 million to $3.6 million. A new entrant, www.theorphalease.com will offer 200 residences at sea. Note: One of the author’s alliances was the managing marketing consultant to the Miami-based Residensea Corporation on multiple assignments.

Shared ownership at sea- The Residensea success has spawned imitators in full and fractional ownership. Four Seasons Ocean Residences, namely a shared ownership offering of the Four Season Hotel Corporation. The 96 Four Seasons Ocean Residences are proposed to be offered as whole ownership or shared ownership, both on a 50-year leasehold basis. The newest entrance into the field will offer both full ownership and fractional ownership- http://www.residentialcruiseline.com/. Prices range from $1.8 million to $8 million. Fractional interests start at $156,250 for a one month ownership in a 2-bedroom unit and $316,666 for a four bedroom unit.

Timeshare Cruises- several companies have touted this concept, several listings are found on Google, but the author is unaware of any successfully sold and operating cruiseshare projects in the US.

Fractional Yacht Ownership- The feeding frenzy has begun. New offerings are exploding onto the market, showing up in trade and consumer magazines and at boat shows. Various companies are listed online. The author has researched various developments over the last few years and has contacted and interviewed companies seeking to offer shared ownership on yachts, megaychts, sailboats and power boats and cruise ships offering ownership and non-ownership formats.

1. Results 1 - 10 of about 832 for "fractional yachts” THEN
Oct-2007- Results 1 - 10 of about 2,580

II. Timesharing Industry Snapshot- US Industry (2004)*
1,668 resorts located in 47 States
Average size of a timeshare resort is 94.4 units
2004 sales volume - $7.87 billion
Average price of a timeshare week/points equivalent - $15,789
3.9 million U.S. households own timeshare
5.8 million U.S. timeshare weeks owned

States With Most Timeshare Resorts
% of Total
Florida 376 22.7%
South Carolina 130 7.8%
California 126 7.5%
Hawaii 91 5.5%
Colorado 90 5.4%

Resort Occupancy
% of Total
Owner/guest 32.9%
Exchange guest 33.4%
Renter 12.3%
Marketing guest 6.0%
Average annual occupancy 85.6%

Maintenance Fees
Studio $242
One Bedroom $376
Two Bedroom $505
Three Bedroom $670
Total weighted average $479

Today's Owners**
Median age head of household – 53
84% are married
95% own their home
Median household income - $85,000
46% attended college
30% hold a graduate or professional degree

Purchase Motivation: Why Consumers Buy Timeshare**
Flexibility (including location, unit size & season)
Opportunity to exchange into other resort locations
Certainty of quality accommodations
Credibility of the timeshare company
Satisfaction Rates Among U.S. Timeshare Owners**

Nearly 85% indicate satisfaction with their purchase
Own the equivalent of 1.8 weeks

Perception of Product**Among the U.S. public who have never owned timeshare:
87% have heard of the concept
68% have a positive or neutral opinion of the concept
Worldwide vs. U.S. Timeshare industry Comparison (2002)**

Worldwide 5,425
U.S. Resorts 1,590

Resort locations
95 countries

Sales volume
$9.4 billion
$5.5 billion

Average price of a timeshare week
$10,600
$14,500

Average weekly maintenance fee
$325
$385

Consumers owning timeshare
6.7 million
3.0 million
Owner residence
270 countries

Timeshare weeks owned
10.7 million
4.9 million
Average size timeshare resort
60 units
83 units
Source: *State of the U.S. Timeshare Industry: 2005 Edition **Ragatz Associates Resort Timesharing Worldwide: 2003 Summary Edition **Ragatz Associates Resort Timesharing in the United States: 2003 Edition

III. Worldwide Timesharing Industry Snapshot

On a worldwide basis, some 6.7 millions households own the rights to about 10.7 million timeshare weeks

Timeshare owners reside in more than 270 countries

Around the world, typical timeshare buyers are upper-middle income, middle-aged, married couple homeowners

The median household income of buyers range from about U.S.$35,000 in some developing countries to more than U.S.$90,000 for buyers in the Caribbean

There are around 5,400 timeshare resorts throughout the world in more than 100 countries

Some 1,590 resorts offer timeshare in the United States

Worldwide there are approximately 325,000 timeshare units, including about 132,000 in the United States

Developers sold about U.S. $9.4 billion in timeshares during 2002 on a worldwide basis with sales of U.S. timeshares representing $5.5 billion of this

Globally, the average selling price for a timeshare week (in 2002) was U.S.$10,600 and in the United States the average price was $14,200
===============================================================

Copyright 2005 August 8, 2005
American Affluence Research Center, Inc.

The Affluent Market For
Fractional Ownership and Membership Clubs:
Vacation Homes, Jets, Yachts, and Exotic Cars

INTRODUCTION
Survey Overview

The data in this report was drawn from the Spring 2005 Survey of Affluent Americans, the seventh in an ongoing series of twice yearly research studies of the most affluent 10% of U.S. households. These surveys are conducted by the American Affluence Research Center, a private organization dedicated to providing information about the values, lifestyles, attitudes, investments and purchasing behavior of the most affluent segments of the U.S. population through both custom and multi-client research studies.

The surveys measure and track how the affluent assess current business conditions and their 12-month outlook for the economy, the stock market, and their personal household earnings. The surveys also monitor the anticipated changes in spending for a variety of different products and services, changes in expected rates of saving, and primary investment objectives. In addition, each survey contains special questions exploring specific new topics in some detail.

The recently completed survey included a series of special questions about fractional ownership and membership clubs for access to and usage of vacation homes, jets, boats/yachts, and exotic cars. For the relatively new concepts of fractional ownership and destination club memberships, levels of concept familiarity and brand awareness were measured. Current ownership and intent to seriously consider a purchase during the next 12 months were identified for each of the options for vacation homes, jets, and boats/yachts.

These surveys focus on the affluent market, the nearly 11 million households that represent the wealthiest 10% of all U.S. households in terms of net worth. Based on the latest research available from the Federal Reserve Board, these households:

· Have a minimum net worth of $750,000
· Have an average net worth of $2.7 million
· Have an average income of $270,000
· Earn nearly 40% of the total income of all Americans
· Own 65% of the personal assets of all U.S. households
· Hold 85% of the total value of all publicly traded stock and stock mutual funds in the U.S.
· Own residential real estate valued at an average of more than $600,000.

Research Methodology

This research is based on self-administered questionnaires mailed to a randomly selected,
national sample of 2,900 men and women in households that, based on their income and ownership of certain assets, were expected to meet the minimum net worth requirement of $750,000. The overall response rate was 14 percent. These survey results are based upon the 346 men and women who promptly responded to the survey and met the minimum net worth requirement. The maximum margin of error of this survey, at 95% confidence, is five percentage points.

Respondent Profile

Because the survey respondents included a disproportionately large percentage of people in high net worth households, the sample was rebalanced (using Federal Reserve Board data on household net worth) to ensure that the figures presented in this report for the total sample were more representative of the true mix of the most affluent 10% of U.S. households.

The net worth categories used in the questionnaire and in this report were selected to conform to the categories used by the Federal Reserve Board to define the wealthiest 10%, 5%, and 1% of U.S. households. The top 10% have a minimum net worth of approximately $750,000, the top 5% have a minimum net worth of approximately $1.5 million, and the top 1% have a minimum net worth of approximately $6 million.

Following is a profile of the rebalanced group:

Average net worth is $2.7 million with a median net worth of $1.5 million.
Average household income is $369,000.
Average invested assets are $1.4 million.

Additionally . . .

· The average respondent age is 52,
· 92% are married, and
· 59% are men.
Familiarity with Fractional Ownership and
Membership Club Concepts

Survey Question: Fractional ownership and membership clubs are new concepts for providing access to and usage of high cost assets that one may not want to fully own. Which of the following, if any, are you familiar with?

Note: Multiple responses were accepted and are reflected in this table.

Table 1 - - Concept Familiarity

Concept
% of Total Respondents
Fractional ownership of a vacation home 54%

Club membership for access to a portfolio of vacation homes 45

Fractional ownership of a large boat/yacht 20

Club membership for access to large boats/yachts 14

Fractional ownership of a private jet 39

Jet cards/pre-purchase of flight time on private jets 17

Fractional ownership of an exotic car 8

None of the above 40

Total 237%

Only about half of the survey respondents indicated familiarity with the fractional ownership and destination club membership concepts for vacation homes. Familiarity with these concepts appears to have increased by about 50% or more since our Fall 2002 survey, in which a similar question was asked.

Almost 4 out of 10 respondents are familiar with fractional jet ownership, which is more than double the level of familiarity with jet cards. The levels of familiarity with similar concepts for boats/yachts and exotic cars are much lower.

At least 40% of the affluent respondents said they were not familiar with either the fractional ownership or destination club concepts for vacation homes. This suggests substantial untapped marketing opportunities among the target market for both of these ownership concepts.
Concept Familiarity (continued)

Concept familiarity differs somewhat by gender and wealth, as shown in Table 2.

( Certain tables and content were omitted due to formatting issues transferring from Word to HTML----if you want to learn more about the missing info email knightworks@rayknight.com with your question/query)

Time share purchase interest was evident only among males under 60 years of age with annual incomes in excess of $200,000.

To the extent there was any interest in the purchase of fractional home ownership or destination club memberships for vacation homes or similar concepts for jets, it was slight among all demographic groups. The absolute volume of potential sales, however, is large in comparison to existing levels of ownership and concept familiarity.

Interest in jet cards and fractional ownership of jets increased with age and net worth.

Projections of Potential Buyers

The levels of purchase interest shown in Table 8 represent the number of potential buyers, during the next 12 months, shown in Table 9.

Table 9 - - Projections of Potential Buyers
A time share vacation condo or apartment 187,000
A fractional share of a home at a private residence club 187,000
A destination club membership for access to a portfolio of vacation homes 154,000
A fractional share or club membership for use of a large boat/yacht 0
A fractional share of a private jet 44,000
A jet card for flight time on private jets 66,000

The potential buyer interest for units of time shares, private residence clubs, and destination club memberships is about the same for all three concepts. This would represent a significant change from the current mix of ownership.

The potential buyer interest for fractional shares of a jet or a jet card is very large in comparison to the levels of familiarity with these concepts and the existing number of owners.
======================================================
THE AMERICAN AFFLUENCE RESEARCH CENTER

Providing Marketing Research and Services to Businesses and Organizations That Are Focused on America's Most Affluent Households.

Multi-Client Marketing Research
Semi-annually, in March and September, the AARC conducts a survey among the wealthiest 10% of US households to measure their level of confidence in the economy and to obtain a preview of how their spending and investment patterns will change in the coming months. The surveys focus on over 20 different products and services. In addition to the regular tracking questions, special questions are asked in each survey in order to gain greater insight into the attitudes and shopping behavior of affluent consumers.
Custom Marketing Research

The AARC conducts surveys of the affluent on topics ranging from vacation travel to personal investments. Areas of exploration can include customer satisfaction, media habits, shopping behavior, reactions to potential new products, attitudes on important economic or political issues, brand awareness and preferences, spending plans, and charitable giving.
Validated Prospect Lists of Affluent Americans

The AARC offers demographically targeted, research-validated lists of the affluent for direct marketing programs of all types. A brief description of the available lists is provided on the following page.

FREE REPORTS: To receive free copies of our periodic special analyses of secondary research (e.g. from Federal Reserve Board, Internal Revenue Service, and other published studies) and highlights from our twice yearly tracking surveys, please send us your email address with the note “future reports” in the subject line.

THE AMERICAN AFFLUENCE RESEARCH CENTER

Lists of the Affluent

We offer the following lists of the affluent, all with home addresses. The lists are regularly updated, and we have experienced less than a 3% rate of undeliverables.

If you tell us the wealth criteria you want to use and the geographic area that you want to cover, we can tell you how many records we have that match your specifications.

Wealthiest 10% List. This is a research-validated national list of almost 300,000 affluent people who have a minimum net worth of $750,000 and are not part of any affinity group. Profile: average annual household income of $417,000; average investable assets of $2.1 million; average net worth of $3.7 million; average age 54; and 92% married. These figures are directly from our most recent Survey of Affluent Americans. We know of no other list source that can provide you with this kind of specific detail about their lists.

Records from this file may be selected by age, gender, various life style and recreation interests, and geography (zip, county, metro area, or state).

Wealth-Customized List. If you are looking for a somewhat more or less affluent group, we can create a custom-tailored list for you based on the minimum level of income, net worth, or investable assets that you specify. Records may also be selected by age, gender, various life style and recreation interests, and geography (zip, county, metro area, or state).

Wealthiest 1% List. This file of 32,000 records identifies people who have a minimum net worth of $6 million, placing them among the wealthiest 1% in the country. Records can be selected by city, county, or state.

Wealthiest 1/2% List. This file of over 12,000 records identifies people who have a minimum net worth of $10 million, placing them among the top half percent of all US households. The list contains numerous recognizable names from the fields of sports, entertainment, and business. Records can be selected by city, county, or state..

We require a minimum order of $350 and a 50% deposit. Records are delivered on-line in Excel format. Lists may be used an unlimited number of times for 12 months from date of purchase.

How to: Cause Related Marketing

2007-10-03T12:16:00.000-04:00

Cause related marketing has become an increasingly important and effective component of the arsenal to create brand awareness and affinity. A teriffic example is currently underway by a longtime friend, former associate and KnightWorks client, www.designhergirls.com. Founder and Owner, Jeanne Fitzmaurice and her team have dedicated a portion of all proceeds from the sales of personalized products on her site to Stage 4 Breast Cancer.

Additionally, in a moment of sheer marketing brilliance, they have launched a Virtual Walk that will traverse the country during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. Yesterday, she was interviewed by ABC Online and the story has already been picked up by the wires and is circling the globe. Visitors to www.galtogalwalk.org can easily create an avatar in their likeness and for a $3 dollar donation contribute to the important cause. This type of marketing is a win-win-win-her company benefits, the cause gains further awareness and funding, and those making donations get the good feeling that they can make a positive difference with where they place their focus and how they use their resources. Watch for cause related marketing to continue to expand across numerous industries as it gravitates to becoming a necessary strategic marketing element for all established and evolving brands.

Here is an example of the exposure she is garnering for the cause and her brand from www.mediafiends.com

CELEBRITIES KRISTIN CHENOWETH, MARG HELGENBERGER, DAYNA DEVON, DIANE FARR, JORJA FOX, MOLLY SIMS, LYNN REDGRAVE, ANNABEL CLARK, MISS FLORIDA 2007, DIEDRE GOODWIN, LEISHA HALEY, MENA SUVARI, CHRISTINA CABOT, BOBBIE THOMAS AND MORE JOIN FORCES ON BEHALF OF DESIGN-HER GALS AND THE GAL TO GAL FOUNDATION IN FIRST OF ITS KIND VIRTUAL WALK FOR STAGE IV BREAST CANCER PATIENTS & THEIR FAMILIES

Just in time for Fall TV premiere week, television stars Kristin Chenoweth, Marg Helgenberger, Dayna Devon, Diane Farr and Jorja Fox will be joining models, feature film actresses, cable stars and talk show hosts in the first of its kind virtual walk that will benefit the GAL TO GAL FOUNDATION, assisting patients and families battling Stage IV breast cancer. Pre-registration for this innovative fundraising initiative begins today and the walk kicks off virtually in Boston's Harvard Square on Oct. 1, traveling to 31 cities in 31 days. Participants can register for $3 at http://www.galtogalwalk.org/ - create an avatar that most resembles their look, share why they're joining the walk, get ready, get set and start walking! To watch the TV gals in action, click on the following link:http://www.thirddoor.com/design_her_gals/tv_gals_nyc.html

2007-10-03T11:33:00.000-04:00

What is a blog?
According to Wikipedia, a blog is a website where entries are written in chronological order