Once is not enough. I had to ask Kathie several times before she agreed to marry me.

Is your audience responding “yes” to your messages? Years ago, I took a sales training course that taught it takes 7 no’s from a prospect before you get your first yes. In a world that’s full of so much noise and so many distractions, you probably won’t be heard the first time. Or the second.

What’s the solution to this problem? Keep telling your story. Redundancy doesn’t have to be boring or annoying. Take advantage of all the communication channels you have available... direct mail packages, email, website, Twitter, YouTube and others.

Does it work? Definitely! Kathie responded “YES” after the third ask, and we will celebrate 23 years of marital bliss next week.

I like me.

Today I heard Andrew Keen, an author and speaker, share about our “narcissistic culture” and how Web 2.0 – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogging, etc -- offers the perfect platform to express it. We love to share our opinions, talk about ourselves and open ourselves to the world.

Does your marketing (including your social media) focus on selling your product/service or is it about you or your company? Are the TV ads featuring a company’s CEO more about promoting the CEO or selling the company’s products? It may be time to review your marketing to see if the focus is on selling or on you.

I got an email from My M&M’s about all the ways to personalize M&M’s candy. I can put my picture, company logo, and so much more on M&M’s of all colors.

Would having my face on a red M&M’s result in more books sales or speaking engagements? I doubt it, but it would be a conversation starter about my ego. If you’re going to spend money on marketing, make sure it’s selling your product/service.

I do like me. I do like red M&M’s. I just don’t want to mix the two.

Growing up, I was the dishwasher in our home. Today, 21 percent of people think a dishwasher is a necessity. I certainly thought of myself as a necessity back then.

A recent Pew Research Center survey asked whether various household items were a luxury or necessity. For example, 47 percent of respondents said a microwave is a necessity, which is down from 68 percent in 2006. The percentage of people who think televisions are a necessity is 52. That’s down 12 percentage points from 2006 and the lowest percentage for televisions since the question was first asked in 1973. Is the recession driving these declines or is there something else behind the numbers?

Certainly the recession is having an impact, but maybe your television is not as important as it once was. Those saying cell phones are a necessity remained unchanged from 2006 at 49 percent including a disproportional share of young adults. The information and entertainment we once relied on television to provide is now available on our phones and computers.

Are you still relevant in the market place? Are your products or services becoming a luxury or a necessity? Are the channels you use to market your product or service a luxury or a necessity?

I’m still a necessity in our home, especially when the dishwasher breaks.

See survey results at tinyurl.com/ce4uw7

I feel like I’m in my 20’s. Sadly, parts of my body are starting to act their age, 50. I recently got a contact for one eye, so I wouldn’t have to keep up with reading glasses. And I’m not alone.

Baby Boomers are a huge market segment with money to spend. They just have to be able to read and understand your message. When developing your marketing – blogs, emails, direct mail, websites, etc., please keep these tips in mind.

Make it easy to read.

· Use larger font sizes (12.5 or more)

· Double space. The more white space the better.

· Avoid reversed type except maybe in a headline. Reversed type becomes hard to read after a couple of sentences.

· Avoid using light colors for copy and having screens behind your copy.

· Choose fonts that are easy to read. Arial and Times New Roman are good choices.

Make it easy to respond.

· In your direct mail package, have a separate reply device with the recipient’s name and address already printed on it.

· Have a special landing page for your online offers.

· Have a big, brightly colored box on your home page that says “Buy Now” or “Donate Now.” Make sure with one click your customer is able to buy your product or service.

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler can still rock. He just needs glasses to read the lyrics to Dream On.