The week between Christmas and New Years is often an interesting time for most business owners and professionals.  The rampage of the holidays has started to soften, the year is winding to its’ end, and yet the holiday numbers haven’t been reported so year-end financials aren’t quite ready to be addressed and a large portion of the office is still away.  It can often feel like a ‘slow’ week, but the ardors of the new fiscal and year-end responsibilities are imminent.

If you are in the office this week, use your time wisely to prepare for the upcoming fiscal and New Year ahead.

• Identify your goals for the coming year
  • With each new fiscal comes new opportunity and new potential for growth.  Review your goals from the previous fiscal and identify how close you were to achieving them, or how much you over-achieved in 2011.
  • To identify your goals for 2012 first identify where you would like your portfolio/business/department to be this time next year including measurable deliverables and results.  Identify the milestones required to achieve the over-all vision and attach timelines to each.  By creating short-term, mid-term and long-term goals associated with your ultimate strategy you are better prepared to identify the resources required to achieve your end result and create a business plan to lead to your ultimate success.

• Take the opportunity to de-clutter
  • Take advantage of your quiet phone and less convoluted in-box and create a fresh working environment for 2012.  Remove un-wanted material from your desktop and shelves.  Edit the contents of your storage space to remove any collateral that no longer reflects your logo or brand correctly or contains dates from previous years.  Ensure your materials are correctly labeled for ease of retrieval and complete a general sweep of your professional environment to make it more streamlined and clutter-free.

• Organize your calendar, contact  book and files
  • Digital calendars and contact cards tend to contain repetitive information and include errors which are time consuming to identify.  Take a morning or afternoon to critically review the databases you utilize every day.
  • Review your daily/weekly/monthly meeting schedule to identify changes which could make your calendar and those of your staff more efficient.  Combine meetings with the same attendees or align them to be more effectively timed, separate meetings which consistently go over schedule due to increased content or reduce/increase the frequency of meetings accordingly
  • Review your contact list to update information on those who have experienced a recent career move and create an archive for contacts you don’t require on a regular basis but wish to keep in your files.

Are you ready to embrace the challenges of 2012?

The holiday season is a fascinating time of year for many.  Christmas is on the same day every year.  There are millions of dollars spent by companies of all sizes reminding us to get our holiday shopping done early – every store, shopping centre and coffee shop is transformed into a holiday wonderland almost as soon as the pumpkins from Halloween are stashed away.  And yet, for oh so many, it tends to all come down to a mad rush at the 11^th hour to accomplish those little tasks we need to do before December 25^th!

If you are one of the MANY who find themselves racing about to get their holiday ‘to do’ list actually done, here are some fantastic resources to help you along the way:

• Need a personal, thoughtful gift but no time to wait in long shopping line-ups?
  • Finding the perfect gift for someone who seem to have everything they ‘need’ and is always on the move can be very challenging – and the ‘gift card’ option can lack the personal touch!  We each have small ways that we like to pamper ourselves – which can be quick and easy to set up.
  • To ensure your loved one has something more than an envelope to unwrap under the tree combine a gift certificate option with a related physical item:  for the spa lover tuck a half or full day spa treatment certificate into the pocket of a plush robe, for the athlete – include introductory sessions to a new sport/activity with a piece of athletic apparel, for the photo buff/ fledgling artist insert a certificate to their favourite camera/art shop or a digital photography class into a picture frame, for the foodie – wrap a bottle of wine with a dinner certificate to that new restaurant s/he has been eyeing

• Have children to shop for but unsure as to what is appropriate?
  • Children can be difficult to buy for – especially for those who aren’t parents themselves, and ensuring that a gift is age appropriate is very important.  Toys R Us takes some of the guess work out of toy shopping with a very convenient on-line shopping guide for every age group ranging from infant to 16yrs.  Visit their web guide at Toys R Us and shipping is still guaranteed in time for Christmas if you act quickly.

• Holiday baking causing you to panic?
  • When you need to provide dinner or even just dessert to a group of people it can be harrowing if you haven’t had time to research or test a recipe.  There are some fabulous online resources which include step by step recipes, time-lines, ingredient ideas and most importantly – public reviews to help you decide what falls within your skill level and the satisfaction expectations.  Visit Epicurious for thousands of recipe ideas, tips, recipe ratings and user reviews.  Using your mobile you can also download the app which is helpful when shopping for required ingredients.

• Need somewhere to take visiting friends and family?
  • Every city/town or community generally has an event calendar with activities ranging from free ice skating sessions, artisan events, donation based garden and light displays, paid holiday concert listings and community theatre plays or performances.   A quick Google search with ‘holiday event calendar’ and the location you are looking for should assist you in finding easy, local outings to impress your visitors and add some interest to your holiday calendar.  For Toronto listings visit Toronto Event Calendar.

All the best to you and yours during this holiday season!

Here at the Imaginis office, the tree is a lit and the radio croons Christmas.  It’s a challenging time of year with increased workloads alongside bursting social calendars.  So to help us through (and give us that much needed energy boost), we’re snacking on our favourite holiday cookies.

So we bring you our baked gifts from the East…that’s King Street East.  We hope these recipes inspire you to take some time out in the kitchen.  We’d love to hear about your family favourites.  Who’s your office bakery king or queen?

Melanie – Anti-Kitchen Queen

Who does a go-to girl turn to for the best holiday cookies?  Mom, of course. These golden, buttery Graham Almond Squares are a family favourite in the Dowhaniuk household.  Light on ingredients and quick, these are perfect for busy people keen to inject a little homemade essence into their holiday traditions.

Graham Almond Squares

½ lb. butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sliced almonds

36 graham crackers

• Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar. Cook & stir until sugar is melted & mixture is clear. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds.

• On large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out graham crackers. Pour butter mixture over grahams, spreading evenly.

• Bake at 350F for 9 minutes. Cut each cracker in half. Let cool.

Sean – Disciple of the Jamie Oliver Revolution

A self confessed savoury cook and fan of Mr Oliver’s bold flavours, Sean’s first foray into baking had to be something that grabs the taste buds.  The addition of ancho chilli and cinnamon does just that, creating a warm, spicy chilli-chocolate glow.

Chocolate Crackled Cookies

12 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided

¾ cup flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ancho chile pepper

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• Melt 8 oz of the chocolate as directed on package. Set aside. Coarsely chop remaining 4oz chocolate.

• Mix flour, cinnamon, ancho chile pepper, baking powder and salt in small bowl.

• Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.

• Add melted chocolate, beat until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Stir in chopped chocolate.

• Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 1 ½ inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

• Bake in preheated 375F oven for about 10 minutes or just until cookies are set and slightly cracked on top.

• Transfer cookies on parchment paper to wire rack; cool completely. Makes 3 ½ dozen.

Lisa – Baked Goods Guru

Our tummies shed a tear as Lisa heads off on maternity leave.  Our regular supplier of feather-light scones and chock-full chewy cookies will soon have another more important mouth to feed.  We make do instead, with her parting gift to us, the recipe for Chocolate Wafer Cookies from San Francisco’s Miette bakery. Perfect for an impromptu ice-cream sandwich or stacked between layers of flavoured whipped cream and chilled in the fridge for an ice-box cake. Even great on their own. Suppose we’d better get the cookie sheets out….

Chocolate Wafer Cookies

1¾ cups all purpose-flour

½ cup + 2 tbsps brut or natural unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar + extra for sprinkling

2 tbsps lightly packed light brown sugar

3 tbsps honey

• Sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl.  Set aside.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, granulated and brown sugars, and honey and beat until fluffy – about 4 minutes.

• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, beating just until combined after each.  Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 days.  You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months.

• Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick.  Using a 3¼ inch round cookie cutter with a scalloped edge, cut out the chocolate wafers.  Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, placing the cookies about ½ inch apart.  Sprinkle each cookie with granulated sugar.  Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

• Gather up the dough scraps, re-roll, and cut out to make more cookies.  Bake as directed and let cool.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

As we whole-heartedly embrace the Holiday season with all the traditions passed down from generation to generation, it’s interesting to look at what we consider a ‘Canadian’ Holiday tradition.  A melting pot of many cultures, Canada hosts a variety of traditions, particularly around the Holiday season.

Here’s a look at some of the most ‘Canadian’ Christmas traditions, and where they originated;

The Christmas Tree

• The custom of erecting a decorated Christmas tree can be historically traced back at least as far as 15th century Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia) and 16th century Northern Germany.

• The modern Christmas tree originated in western Germany. The main prop of a popular medieval play about Adam and Eve was a fir tree (paradise tree) hung with apples representing the Garden of Eden. The Germans set up a paradise tree in their homes on December 24, the religious feast day of Adam and Eve. They hung wafers on it (symbolizing the host, the Christian sign of redemption); in a later tradition, the wafers were replaced by cookies of various shapes. Candles, too, were often added as the symbol of Christ and an angel or star was erected on the top to symbolize the heavenly host or star of Bethlehem

Santa Claus

• Known at Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or simply Santa, is a figure with legendary historical and folkloric aspects.  The modern figure was derived from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas, which, in turn may have been based on hagiographical tales of a gift giver Saint Nicholas and a nearly identical story attributed to Greek and Byzantine folklore to Basil of Caesarea.

• The modern image of a jolly, rolly Santa derived in the 19^th century due to the significant influence of Clemence Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem ‘A Visit From St. Nicholas’ and a caricaturist/political cartoonist Thomas Nast.

Turkey Dinner

• The Canadian ‘turkey dinner’ comes from the English tradition.  At first, in medieval England the main course was either a peacock or a boar, with the turkey appearing in the 16^th Century.  Popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas dinner, a tradition which rapidly spread through England in the 17^th Century.

Decorative Lights in the Windows

• Now evolved into elaborate displays, the light in the window originated in Ireland during time of religious persecution.  The Window candle signaled the location of a religious service, primarily Protestant in nature, and was used to symbolize the star of Bethlehem to lead the religious fold.

Sharing holiday cookies are becoming a yearly tradition and growing with our team. Later this week we’ll reveal our favourite holiday cookies.

As we uncovered last week, the mobile and Smartphone is actually beginning to replace the laptop or PC as the consumer vehicle of choice.  With the advancement of technology, and the evolution of consumer behaviour, mobile apps are growing beyond the gaming and entertainment platforms into the area of direct consumer purchasing.  This advancement and the desire of consumers to have everything at their fingertips has created powerful brand opportunities.

In this 2^nd and final part of our series, here are some additional facts about Mobile Marketing:

• Mobile marketing goes beyond advertising
  • When stepping into the mobile market the easiest place to start is through mobile advertisement.  This is easily set up through GoogleAdWords (for example) but they might not provide the intended return.  The nature of mobile browsing is not the same experience as being glued to a PC or laptop so enticement by simple advertising is unlikely.  Embracing the full suite of mobile technologies can allow you to create exciting and engaging content.

• Technologies will change quickly
  • Mobile marketing has to be treated as a specialist area within your marketing or digital department.  With the rapid advancement of technology, consumer behaviour evolves to change the method and timing of purchasing behaviour.  Mobile commerce is growing rapidly and brands have to adapt to fit the consumer need and continue to provide something of use to the customer base.

• PayPal engages $10M in mobile transactions each day
  • Although much conversation exists around the projected figures for mobile commerce, the actual transactions taking place are substantial.  PayPal recently released figures showing that they are processing up to $10 Million in mobile transactions daily, and is expected to reach $3 Billion in total by the end of 2011.  This is merely one payment provider, so the interest and monetary value is already flowing through mobile commerce.

• Smartphones are used for photos
• Photo sharing is showing massive growth throughout the social media space with new photo sharing services popping up weekly.  As services develop to make photo sharing more accessible, this represents a huge potential market for brands.  By recognizing where the demand is and finding interesting, if not unexpected ways to meet consumer need, opportunities to broaden your brand penetration and entice new consumer behaviors can be achieved.

• Tablets cannot be ignored
  • Tablets may seem like a small market at the moment, but they cannot be ignored as your brand expands into the mobile space.  According to Forrester, at the start of 2011, half of mobile commerce was coming through tablet devices and the momentum is growing.  This may be due to the fact that tablet users are likely to have increased expendable income with a higher intent to purchase, but may also be heavily linked to the easier browsing and user experience tablets provide.

When you leave your house for the day, you always take your phone with you.  By engaging in the mobile environment you allow you consumer base to access your product and create a simple and elegant method to engage in your product.

As the Holiday season quickly approaches calendars become more hectic with increased social engagements in both business and social circles.  With the increased responsibilities associated with this time of year it can become a bit overwhelming to see how we can accomplish everything on our ‘to do’ lists while maintaining the usual or increased schedule of work, home, fitness, socializing and managing the day-to-day activities of our lives.

Here are some tips to manage a few of the requirements of the Holiday season to avoid the hectic nature of December and ensure a more peaceful and fun holiday:

• Corporate Holiday Event
• Are you planning a holiday get-together for your employees or business partners? Set the date and send out invitations now or book your event space to ensure you can get the dates you desire.
• Holiday Travel
• Planning to travel over the holidays? Look at your travel options sooner than later and book any flights or reservations to avoid the highest prices and guarantee availability.
• Holiday Time Management
• Whether it’s visitation with friends and family, holiday baking, or socializing with key corporate partners – break your weeks down and start managing your calendar in the early weeks of December to avoid a crunch later in the month.  Book breakfast or lunch meetings throughout the week with social or corporate contacts or review recipes that can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for holiday gatherings.
• Gifting
• If holiday gifting is a huge commitment, start viewing online resources and ordering some of your gifting purchases now. Many online shopping facilities provide gift wrapping service, user friendly exchange or return policies, and ensure timely delivery for the holidays.

Not everything can be done ahead of time to prepare for the holidays, but many of the small things that add up to a hectic month can be accomplished early on in the season.  Have you started your Holiday Season to do list?

Stay tuned for our upcoming blog on our favorite recipes

As we head into the ‘crunch time’ of the holiday season it’s important to understand and embrace the major consumer trends in a timely and effective manner.  Mobile marketing continues to increase in popularity and it’s important for brands to understand the value within this industry, as well as how it can provide important return.  As Smartphone technology advances, many are still in the dark as to the extent of mobile and Smartphone usage, and unaware of how much of their marketing strategy should be centred on mobile.

In this 2 part series, here are some facts about Mobile Marketing which you should know!

• People will pay for apps
  • When considering the production of an app for your business one of the first decisions you will make is whether or not to charge for it, and if so – how much?  A recent survey by Nielsen shows that people are willing to pay for apps.  The appetite for payment is dependent on category with gaming coming out on top (93%) while news was the poorest performance category (76%).  These figures are highly encouraging, and show that when presented the right way, mobile content can be directly monetized.

• You will NOT be the first to launch a mobile app
  • Many companies mistakenly assume that launching an app will itself drastically improve revenue and drive new customers.  The reality is that this is a crowded market, and the key it to catch your customer’s attention and keep it.  Focus on what you need your app to do and the purpose it needs to serve to your customer base.  Don’t make the mistake of concentrating on the technical aspects without looking at the pragmatic application to your audience

• Phones aren’t really phones anymore
  • Mobile internet and app usage has become so pervasive that the majority of people aren’t even using their phones as ‘phones’.  In a recent survey, Smartphone users reportedly use their ‘phone’ 15% of the time while 56% of time is spent on mobile apps and 19% by email and messaging.

• You could be running out of time
  • The brands that are getting an early start to mobile marketing are uncovering valuable lessons which will continue to shape and influence their mobile strategy.  Early mobile adopters will emerge as the winners in the mobile race as they benefit from experience and tailoring their offer to match what their consumers actually want with sophisticated strategies.  By ignoring the mobile movement you could soon be ignoring the dominant consumer platform and be far behind on the learning curve when your platform launches

• Mobile commerce is key
  • Although gaming, entertainment and news currently dominate the mobile app market, shopping is quickly growing as the commerce solution of choice.  A survey of 15,000 mobile users across 14 countries found that 35% prefer shopping via mobile vs. 15% who prefer shopping via laptop or PC.  This indicates that mobile usage isn’t simply an additional access point for shopping, but is actually replacing the PC as a consumer tool.

Our phones come with us everywhere and create a constant point of connection.  Join us next week to learn more about the important factors of mobile marketing.