Archive for the ‘Memory’ Category
Experience Racing In Indiana
Posted by Parkzone Corsair in Memory on December 18th, 2010
In the state of Indiana there is pretty much only one main city to speak of and that is the capital of Indianapolis. Although the smaller cities and towns in Indiana also offer excellent accommodations and activities for the traveler. However, Indianapolis is the largest tourist destination because of their variety of choices in attractions.
Everything from the Indiana State Museum to the Indianapolis 500 can be found within the city limits of Indianapolis. Although the Lincoln Museum is an excellent stop for history buffs and is found in Fort Wayne. This museum covers the life of Abraham Lincoln and how he contributed to society. South Bend has the Northern Indiana Center for History and Evansville is a historic riverfront town with the Willard Library that is listed as a historic place and has been reported to be haunted.
Perhaps the biggest attraction of Indianapolis is the largest single day sporting event in the world at the Indianapolis 500. However, there is more to the town than just auto racing. There are a variety of attractions and other sporting events that you can do year round in the city. In addition, the city offers excellent dinning and a unique shopping experience. There is the Indianapolis Zoo, the IMAX theater, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the White River Gardens, the Indiana State Museum, the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial and the Eiteljorg Musuem which showcases a wide collection of American Indian and Western Art so that no matter what your interests you are sure to find something that interests you in Indianapolis.
However, by far the biggest draw is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which was originally built in 1909 and can see four hundred thousand individuals with a two and half mile track on 559 acres of land. Three major races a year a held at this location: the Indianapolis 500, the United States Grand Prix, and the Allstate 400. Viewing a race here with cars zooming by at two hundred miles per hour is an experience that individuals won’t soon forget after leaving and its not just for the sports buffs, anyone will enjoy these car races.
Through the state, Indiana has a variety of chain hotels and motels to choose from at an affordable price for any traveler. In 2006 a new contemporary hotel opened called the Conrad Indianapolis on Washington Street which is twenty-three stories and has 241 rooms with a spa, two restaurants and a fitness center. For a historic experience there is the French Lick Resort Casino in the town of French Lick on State Road 56 which is currently undergoing renovations. It features a 1920 golf course and will soon have a casino, pool, fitness center and several eateries and watering holes on site for guests.
How to Tell a Story That Sell your Product and Service
Posted by Parkzone Corsair in Memory on December 18th, 2010
Storytelling is the most underutilized tool in marketing. Yet storytelling not only makes it easy for people to get to know, like and trust youâ¦it also increases sales!
Think back to a speaker you heard at a seminar. What do you remember about the talk? The theory? The principles? I doubt it. The bullet points? Maybe. But Iâm willing to go out on a limb and say you DID remember the stories the speakers told.
â¦Thatâs because good storytelling creates images in our minds that last for yearsâ¦even decades.
I remember hearing John Robins, author of âDiet for a New Americaâ, speak at a heath fair in Central Oregon. We were in a large park surrounded by a forest. The sun reflected off a huge white tent crammed with over 2000 people listening to his every word. People sat up breathlessly â straining to see John way up there.
I was amazedâ¦all these people and nobody movedâ¦and all he did was told stories. He was riveting.
â¦and droves bought his book and supported his organization. It was brilliant salesmanship and storytelling at its best.
Iâve worked with dozens of coaches one-on-one to help craft their âCore Storyâ â the story you leverage in your marketing materials to build credibility and build trust. Here are the three essential elements that make up stories that persuade, captivate and sell:
1. Use the P.A.R. Formula
Donât try to be clever in your storytelling â stick to this proven template for best results. P.A.R. stands for Problem, Action, Results. First, state the problem you faced. What wasnât working and how did that feel? Second, tell what action you took. What was the epiphany that changed your life? What was your âah-haâ moment? Finally, what was the result of the action you took? Be specific using numbers and real world results. Tell how you felt now that things are so different from when you had the problem.
2. Paint a Picture
The best storytelling causes the listener to see pictures in their mindâs eye. Itâs those pictures that burn in our memory and make us remember a story years afterwards. Hereâs how it worksâ¦
Pick a very specific moment in time that represents the pivotal moment of your story. Scrap everything else leading up to that point â just cut to the chase. Nowâ¦as you tell the story create the picture in YOUR mindâs eye and pick just a couple details to tell us about. Maybe it was the tightness of your breath, the blue paint chipping off the door you opened, the squishy sound under your shoesâ¦just enough to paint the picture. Donât over do it! Let the listener complete the picture in THEIR minds. Thatâs your goal.
3. Have Your Story Teach a Principle
This is the big marketing secret few useâ¦tell a story that also teaches a core idea behind your service, product or program. Nobody likes to be lectured toâ¦so donât. But we all love good storytelling.
For example, I often share the story on how I made ,000 in one week using a 25 page Special Report at a networking event. The story is interesting AND educational because I share step by step how to use direct response marketing. (i.e. moving a stranger to a friend, a friend to client and a client to a champion.)
Still donât believe me on the power of storytelling? Let me ask you somethingâ¦I just shared good information for you. But what do you remember most? Okayâ¦maybe it was the last bullet pointâ¦but tomorrow morning when you think of this article again, Iâm willing to bet youâll remember the brief story I told about listening to John Robins talk in the park. Thatâs because you probably saw a picture in your mind when I painted the picture: ââ¦large park surrounded by a forestâ, âThe sun reflected off a huge white tentâ, ââ¦people sat up breathlesslyâ.
Even though I was there and you werenât â you still participated in the telling of the event. You saw your own pictureâ¦and youâre more likely to remember the principle behind the story: storytelling sells!
Itâs as if we both shared a moment in
Wrestling With your Conscience
Posted by Parkzone Corsair in Memory on December 18th, 2010
Wrestling with your conscience.
“Stop, stand, still, foot on the ball, eyes on me. Right, all move around the square, big toe, little toe, keep control of the ball. Let’s go.” As I barked out these instructions at the top of my voice, my eyes were quickly scanning the group of boys and girls in front of me. The youngest was 4, the oldest 8, the vast majority 6 or 7 years of age. 25 young souls taking part in the delights that are a Soccer Camp. For 3 days they attend, for 6 hours at a time. At the end of the third day, it is hoped that they will have gained some new skills, acquired some tricks, had bags of fun and got value for their parents hard-earned money. The reality however is quite different. For working on ball control, drag-backs and shooting accuracy takes second place to splitting up fights, settling disputes and comforting the upset and unhappy. Taking control and responsibility for two dozen children is a draining experience in many respects.
The first day is exciting, getting to know them as quickly as possible. The second day is tougher as the naughty and mischevious start to show their true colours. By the third day, you’ve had enough of sly Ben, can’t wait for demanding Derek to go home, and as for angel-faced Jay, well, he’s fooling nobody. Yet it isn’t all doom and gloom for there are many special moments along the way. Some children, even in such a short space of time, endear themselves to you. Little Pat, with the face of a scamp and a heart of gold, lovely Helen, 6 years old and a professional footballer in every sense, and Elliot, a natural who doesn’t give you a minutes trouble. 25 of him and you could get the cigar’s out. But the overiding memory of the 3 day camp has to be the excitement created by an activity far removed from the beautiful game.
Getting 25 children to listen is a very difficult job at the very best of times. But throw in the names Batista, Rey Mysterio or The Undertaker and you have their undivided attention. The phenomenom that is the WWE, (World Wrestling Entertainment) has crossed the Atlantic and is creating quite a stir in Britain. All dates are immediate sell outs and the revenue generated run into hundreds of millions of dollars. And as a parent, the influence of these wrestling megastars is disturbing me greatly. My own son is a massive fan and we went to the Manchester Evening News Arena to see the show for ourselves. At £62 per ticket it was an expensive evening. But the traumatised look on his face as “The Boogeyman”, a man who eats live worms in the ring and leaves them like a calling card on his opponents body, will always stay with me. As I held him close, attempting to reassure him that it was all make believe, I couldn’t help feeling stupid as I had paid over £120 to see my son sob uncontrollably. The rest of the show was as entertaining as it was unsound. Female wrestlers are called Diva’s and are the ultimate sex object. Wet t-shirts, mud wrestling and bikini matches are the norm and at times it resemble soft porn.
Vendettas are common place but are settled in the most unsatisfactory manner possible. For there is no honour in the WWE.Assaults from behind, weapons, 3 v1, and handicap matches are all mainstays of the programme. If the remit is disturbing people, then they are doing a brilliant job. But the messages, obvious or subtle, go against the grain of basic decency. Cryme Time are a black team of wrestlers who steal and are always in trouble with the law, Eugene is a wrestler with mental illness who is always mocked and ridiculed, whilst John Cena, a clean cut, clean living former US Marine, is the ultimate peoples champion. Sexual innuendo, bullying, racism, its all there in spades. And the kids love it. But what harm is it doing? Are we poisoning the minds of our youth in the name of entertainment?.
We all know its staged, but watching somebody being reduced to a bloody mess is disturbing, whatever your age. And the way it is done, often from behind or with the element of surprise, gives the message that this is the way to settle disputes. What happened to reason? Diplomacy? Respect? I teach my children to stand up for themselves and to protect their own human rights. But if my son attacks somebody in the school playground, jumps on a girls back and pulls her hair until she screams, or beats somebody until he
