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A Publication of WTVP

Media News
Chicago firm Kelly Scott Madison recently released its “State of the Media” report—55 pages on the latest trends in advertising and the media. Among its findings: faster technology adoption. It required less than two years for tablets to top 40 million users; smartphones took seven. Data overload and market clutter spell trouble in the current landscape, and advertisers and digital media creators share the challenge of being heard. Both must find the best delivery methods and master the fluctuating patterns of data consumption of today’s audiences. Read the report at ksmmedia.com.

Franchise Wise
Forbes.com recently compiled a list of the “top twenty franchises for your buck.” The study’s methodology was based on average initial investment, total locations, closure rate, recent growth in the U.S. market, and the number of training hours as a percentage of startup cost. The top five: Snap-On, the Wisconsin-based tool manufacturer; Aaron’s, the Atlanta-based furniture and household appliance chain; Servpro, Tennessee’s building clean-up and damage restoration company; and two you’re probably familiar with: 7-Eleven and Panera. Find the complete list at forbes.com.

Retiring Feuds
A Fidelity Investments study found that over half of couples don’t agree on the timing of retirement. Moreover, 73 percent disagree on whether or not they‘ve completed a detailed retirement income plan. The deciding factor of when to retire depends on money, age differences, job satisfaction, gender roles, marital happiness and the prospect of spending more time together. Therapists recommend couples work together on a plan using clear communication and compromise—no surprise to any one in a marriage that’s lasted long enough to plan for retirement.


Dodging Summer Slowdowns
It’s nothing new: summer days have us pining for a leisurely pace, slacking off in sight of vacation, slowing down in the heat. “You hear people say it all the time: business is just slow in the summer,” says Steve Johnson, co-author of Selling Is Everyone’s Business: What It Takes to Create a Great Salesperson. “For many sales organizations, it seems acceptable to slack off, to cut corners, to put off making the tough calls because ‘everyone’s on vacation’ or ‘no one’s in the mood to make big decisions.’ Well, naturally, if you expect business to be slow, it will be slow.” He offers the following tips to prevent your sales team from falling victim to summer slowdown syndrome.

Read more of Johnson’s suggestions at nextlevelsalesconsulting.com.


Artifacts of Another Age
The AARP recently published a list of onceeveryday items predicted to become obsolete over the next 50 years. It seems as society increases in digital suave, these once-essential abilities are falling by the wayside:

Other items listed as “almost gone:” answering machines, tube televisions, phone books, bank deposit slips, subway tokens, rolodexes, printed encyclopedias, film and incandescent light bulbs. But we’d say the event horizon is far less than 50 years—most of these items are close to obsolete already. Find the complete list at aarp.com/bulletin. iBi

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