Sample Marketing Plan for Limited Budgets

Sample Marketing Plan for Limited Budgets

With a small staff, it would be easier to establish several static marketing projects.

Static Marketing Projects

Requires little maintenance.

• Take digital pictures of facilities and amenities.
• Create a blog page (a website requires more maintenance) — a blog page is usually free and can be static or dynamic. Include photos, logo and slogan. Emphasize strengths and unique features.
• Let customers know if you do or do not take credit cards.
• Develop a Press kit. (See below.)
• Create a flyer listing products, services and contact information for customers, for distribution at various locations, or use as advertisements.
• Create small text advertisements and submit to: Yucatán Today, Craig’s List Yucatán, TacoList, Vivanunicos, Expat Blog, and other online websites with free classifieds.
• Build an email list of customers and other interested persons who want updates on your business. Send email announcements of upcoming events, news, and specials.
• Send out email with any new pictures, prices changes, new reviews, etc.
• Encourage guests to blog about their visit on TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet or other online forums.
• Create and post a YouTube video.
• Create outdoor signage.
• Offer special promotions in the low season.
• Team up with local merchants or nearby businesses for joint events or shared advertising. Consider tie-in promotions.

Dynamic Marketing Projects

Requires effort, planning, maintenance, and money.

• Create a marketing calendar to plan various marketing strategies in advance.
• Interact on one or two social media like Twitter, Instragram etc., at least once a month.
• Social Media can include: a blog or website, Twitter, Instagram, TripAdvisor, Foursquare, Linkedin, Travellerspoint, Tumblir, Facebook, and Wayn, for example.

• Target audience websites like budget travelers’ forums, foodies, or sites with shared interests, for example.
• Respond to customers’ reviews, with thanks, and note any criticisms.
• Have press kits handy for media requests for information.
• Create and mail a direct promotional piece, usually tied to a special promotion.
• Get imprinted promotional items like magnets or memo pads, pens or others as handouts.
• Hold workshops, readings or other events that appeal to customers.
• Contact local cable TV stations or radio stations for an interview.
• Put paid advertisement in local travelers’ publications such as Yucatán Today, or Explore.
• Get a paid radio advertisements or interviews
• Create online or print newspaper ads or articles
• Create online or print magazine ads or articles
• Sponsor an ad for event publication
• Attend conventions, as a panelist or attendee
• Contract billboard advertising

• Contract a booking service.

Recommendations

• Collect information about area activities, events, restaurants, art galleries, and more.
• Use a mix of static and dynamic marketing options.
• Limit use of interactive social media that require regular maintenance.
• Start with free marketing strategies before spending money on other marketing options.

• Advertise opening and special events.

 

Spontaneous Writing - Trees

 Spontaneous writing is an exercise.

A person or a group writes for 5-10 minutes about a suggested word or image.

Trees

Gold, green, tall and wide, their branches are like roots in the sky. Watching birds fly through the leaves tells me there is another world in the trees.

Budding or falling leaves, the cycle of life and death mirrored in the shape of a leaf. Mythical layers of meaning are bound in the life of a tree.

These are some of the things I see in trees in a moment of time.

Skeletons against a winter sky, bright green and budding in Spring or fire red or muddy brown in Fall. The kaleidoscope of colors abound, always changing, always the same, the wonder of trees inspire and give joy.

Toast Topping Combo - Mug O'Scrambled Egg and a Sardine

Alex Fergus is a riot.

I laugh as I read and reread Alex’s  51+ recipes for sardines (https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/51-sardine-recipes-for-the-fussiest-of-fish-eaters).

Now, I do eat sardines. And like Alex, I do it for health reasons.

But, generally, I eat sardines either on top of crackers or as a Sardine Spread/Dip. Beyond that I don’t do much with sardines.

So, I am intrigued by Alex’s enthusiasm for sardines.

I am going to give a few of his recipes a try but I will have to adapt them to my circumstances.

For #29, I am going to make a combo of two of my favorite meal preparations, toast topping and a Mug O’Something.


Toast Topping: Mug O’Scrambled Egg and Sardine
(Adapted from: https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/51-sardine-recipes-for-the-fussiest-of-fish-eaters)


Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 slice bread, intergral
1 egg
a dollop of milk
1 sardine, drained, chopped and mashed
4-8 dashes of onion powder, to taste
4-8 grinds of black pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 Tspn Lime juice
A sprinkle of paprika
1 Tspn of Mayo

(Mayo, paprika and lime juice not in picture. Used Ponto Sardinas http://www.pontonutricion.com/)

Process:

Make Toast

• Put a small dollop of olive oil into a skillet.
• Smear it around to coat the bottom with the oil. Use a spoon or a clean napkin.
• Heat skillet low to medium temperature.
• Add slice of bread.
• Toast bread on one side.
• Flip over and toast on the other side.
• What I do is flip the slice more than once, to make sure the toast does not burn and toasts evenly.
• When done place toast on a plate.Spread mayo on toast.

Make Mug O’Scrambled Egg and Sardine

• Add a dribble of olive oil to the mug.
• Swirl and swish the oil around to coat the bottom and sides of the mug.
• Crack the egg into mug.
• Add milk.
• Add onion powder and black pepper.
• Stir well.
• Whip mixture with a fork to add air.
• Add sardine mash and lime juice.
• Stir well.
• Place mug in microwave.
• Cover the top of the mug with a small plate.
• Microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Check to make sure mixture is fully cooked and not runny.
• If runny, cook for 30 seconds or more.
• Once done, place on top of the toast.
• Use a fork to divide egg mixture, spread and flatten mixture over top of toast.
• Sprinkle with paprika.

Notes:

When I first researched sardines, in 2015, I thought they were a sustainable seafood choice. Today, they are not. This made me mad. So, of course, I had to do more research.


Resources

California Academy of Sciences
https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/sustainable-seafood

Monterey Bay Aquarium
https://www.seafoodwatch.org/

Sustainable Seafood / Australia
https://sustainableseafood.org.au/

NRDC Smart-Seafood Buying Guide
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/smart-seafood-buying-guide

Eating Well
http://www.eatingwell.com/article/289436/are-sardines-as-sustainable-as-they-seem/

Trying to find information on sustainable seafood or any topic that benefits the environment is not easy. There are many websites that offer misinformation.

In addition, many “charities”, “foundations”, nonprofits, and environmental protection organizations have been taken over by neocons and they have subverted the organizations’ mission to support for-profit international corporations.

For example:

Salon
https://www.salon.com/2014/08/04/the_countrys_largest_environmental_group_is_profiting_from_oil_drilling/

But, this topic needs more information and would need weeks and months of research.

People should not accept standards or practices that pollute our air, water and soil, or that profit off the pain of others. We can do better.


Short list of Reputable Environmental Non-Profits

Mongabay
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/

Mother Earth News
https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/environmental-policy/environmental-nonprofit-organizations-zmgz14amzsto

Note: This list is not comprehensive.

#Not a Seafood Sustainable Recipe

Updated: 4/7/19

Star Trek Calaman Sherry Mocktail...Many Versions

Thanks to Neelix (Ethan Phillips with William J. Birnes) and their Star Trek Cookbook (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/star-trek-cookbook-ethan-phillips/1104309366), I have some great recipes to try.

Calaman Sherry
Here’s a blush-colored drink that should look like pink champagne. Strawberry Kiwi is again your base drink of choice, lightened with Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider, which also provides effervescence, or straight club soda if you don’t want it too sweet. Serve in a tall, long-stemmed champagne glass so you can watch the bubbles rise.
Phillips, Ethan. Star Trek Cookbook (p. 223). Pocket Books/Star Trek. Kindle Edition.

Calaman Sherry Mocktail…Many Versions
(Adapted from: Star Trek Cookbook)

I made several adaptations to this mocktail. "You adapt," as the Star Trek Voyager crew would say. The ability to adapt is a good quality in Star Trek crew and fans, right?

I used a 4oz champagne glass.

There are more pink beverages available besides Strawberry-Kiwi than I realized, for example: pink grapefruit, cranberry, passion fruit, and more, so I choose a few.


Version 1


Ingredients:

1 Commuter Mug with lid
1 Fancy glass
1 baggie
about 6 ices cubes
4 oz del Valle nectar mixto guayaba naranja
2 oz Club Soda


Process:

Put ice cubes in the baggie.
Pound them on the kitchen counter with something hard like a cutting board to make ice chips.
Add the chips to the commuter mug.
Add juice and club soda.
Add lid and close.
Shake a bit.
Strain/pour liquid from mug spout into fancy glass.
Enjoy!

(Made with de Valle nectar mixto guayaba naranja https://jugosdelvalle.com.mx/portafolio/#del-valle/producto-519%20)

This mocktail smells mysterious and wonderful. It has lovely pink color and tastes great!


#GERD-friendly



Version 2


Ingredients:

1 Commuter Mug with lid
1 Fancy glass
1 baggie
about 6 ices cubes
5 oz Penafiel toronjada w/mineral water
1 oz carbonated apple juice


Process:

Put ice cubes in the baggie.
Pound them on the kitchen counter with something hard like a cutting board to make ice chips.
Add the chips to the commuter mug.
Add juices.
Add lid and close.
Shake a bit.
Strain/pour liquid from mug spout into fancy glass.

(Made with: Penafiel toronjada w/mineral water https://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/brands/penafiel)

This mocktail smells like pink grapefruit. It has a nice pinkish color. Tastes great!


Not GERD-Friendly

In addition, I got cranberry juice, too. I could make many different versions of Calaman Sherry!

Note: I think the lighting in my apartment is not strong enough to show the bubbles in my mocktails.

Microwave: Chicken Meatballs or Hairy Risian Bird Eggs

 March 9, 2019 is National Meatball Day!

This is an adaptation of an adaptation.

In the past, I made ground beef meatballs using guidance from the recipes below.

Now, I switched to ground chicken and made the recipe more #GERD-friendly.

Several of my recipes turn out looking alien. This is one.


Microwave Chicken Meatballs or Hairy Risian Bird Eggs
(Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Meatballs/ and http://www.cookingnook.com/recipe/meatballs-recipe/)
 

Makes about 30 mini-meatballs.

Ingredients:

1.5 - 2 Lbs ground chicken
1 egg
2 Tspns garlic powder
1 TBspn onion powder
1 TBspn dry parsley, crushed
1/2 Cup parmesan cheese
1 Tspn dry oregano
5 dashes hot pepper sauce (Optional)
1 TBspn imitation bacon bits
18 saltine crackers, crushed or commercial bread crumbs
Ground black pepper to taste
Milk, if need to moisten


Process:

I realize that there is a difference between 1.5 - 2 Lbs of ground chicken. So, adjust use of spices accordingly as you wish.

Add ground chicken to a large bowl.
Add egg and spices.
Add crackers or about 3 TBspns of Bread Crumbs or more if needed
Stir, mix and mash ingredients together thoroughly.

 On a cutting board or other prep surface, sprinkle some bread crumbs.
Roll approximately a tablespoon or more in palms to create a ball.
Roll ball in a bit of bread crumbs to help the meatball stay together.
Use a microwave casserole dish with a cover.
Line the bottom of a microwave container with meatballs.
Add lid.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove balls, place on plate to cool.

Create next batch and microwave to cook.
Continue making balls and cooking until mixture has been used.

While they came out tasty, I had no crushed the crackers sufficiently.

So, they look a bit odd and would probably fit right into the Star Trek Cookbook as a recipe, maybe called “Hairy Risian Bird Eggs." (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/star-trek-cookbook-ethan-phillips/1104309366)


#GERD-friendly
Updated 7/11/19

DIY Thousand Islands Dressing

There are a lot of recipe/cooking websites out there.

But, one website always comes to my rescue, Simply Recipes, https://www.simplyrecipes.com/

This time, when I ran out of Thousand Islands Dressing, I wondered if I could make it myself. With the help of Simply Recipes, I did.


DIY Thousand Islands Dressing
(Adapted from: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/thousand_island_dressing/)


Ingredients:

1 Cup Mayonnaise
1 TBspn onion powder
2 TBspns Ketchup
2 TBspns Pickle Relish
1 Capful of lime juice concentrate
1 Tspn Paprika
s/p to taste


Process:

Now, as I began, I realized I had a bit more than a cupful of mayonnaise left in the jar, so I just used the jar and its contents and mixed in the rest of the ingredients. Also, I did not add any ground black pepper or salt. I feel many processed foods already have salt in them.

Then, I stirred the mixture well.

It was tasty.

Thousand Islands dressing reminds me of my mom. One of her favorite meals was a Rueben Sandwich. I modified the idea of a Reuben and make a Turkey Rueben Toast Topping. I add shredded cheese on top of the toast, top it with a slice of Turkey lunch meat, then add a scoop of sauerkraut and add a spoonful of my DIY Thousand Islands dressing!!!

It's the little things that make me happy. It makes me proud, I can make Thousand Islands Dressing!!! and I can barely boil water.

Condiments: Chipolte Sauce and more

Two condiments I have tried recently:


Mayonesea con Chile Chipolte

Ingredientes:

Soy oil, egg yolk, vinegar, agua, sugar, salt, mustard, lime juice concentrate and spices (chile chipolte en adobo: agua, tomato paste, vinegar, salt, onions, chile, sugar, soy oil, and spices)



Maggi
Cocktail Sauce or Mexican Bitters

Ingredientes:

Aqua, hydrodized soy and vegetable oil, vinegar, manzana, citric acid, piloncillo, azcar, sal yodada, pure de tamarindo, artificial flavors, maltodextrina, carmel coloring clase IV, benzoato de sodio, condimentos y glutamato monosodico, contiente soya, sulfitos, y gluten de trigo (or basically - water, oil, vinegar, apple juice, citric acid, sugar, salt, tamarindo juice)


I use Mayonesea con Chile Chipolte often, in small doses. It has a kick.

I tried the Maggi Cocktail Sauce in a few Mocktails, it's ok but I might be better off making my own "Bitters."