The Holy Grail of Online Marketing

It's not how fast your website loads, it's not how well your website renders on a smartphone.  These and other technical factors are important in online marketing but one of the most important factors in online success for a brand are Consumer Recommendations.  92% of consumers report that word-of-mouth and recommendations are the leading influncers of their purchase behaviour in a survey from the Zocalo Group.  Social Media expands the reach of these recommendations...word-of-mouth on steroids!

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

The secret to running fast

The secret to running fast is..Jamaican cooking.  We've all heard the Jamaican folklore about the source of Usain Bolt's speed:  Roast Yam!  It's true!  At least it is for my running friend Dan Cumming.  He has a 'many generations ago' connection to Jamaica and a more recent one when he visited Jamaica 40ish years ago and 'ate local'.  He's a pretty good distance runner and that's an understatement!  It must be the Jamaican cooking!

In a cooking frenzy recently, Dan prepared the following mouth-watering Jamaican dishes. Since he lives in White Rock, British Columbia, finding all the ingredients was a bit of a challenge he noted. Two days of preparation and cooking followed...and the results:

Roast Jerk Yam.  I love roast yam.  I remember it from road trips around Jamaica as a kid.  Country vendors roasted who yams over open charcoal fires and served them fresh.  Doing it up jerk-style is a nice twist.

Pumpkin Soup.  I love a nice, thick vegetable soup, especially this time of year in Canada when it can be cold and dreary outside.  This will warm you up for sure.

Jerk Chicken and Jerk Pork.  My two favourite words when it comes to Jamaican cooking.  Jerk Pork in particular brings back memories of road-side Jerk Pits in and around Port Antonio.

Beef Patties.  I've never tried to make beef patties at home.  Truthfully we have a couple of Jamaican patty places in Toronto who make really good patties.  Nice going Dan!

Stamp and Go.  Dan, Al and I had some Stamp and Go last December in Negril.  Delicious then...sure these were tasty too.

Curry Goat.  While I'm not a super fan of goat, seeing Dan's creation in the photo above pushed my taste buds into high gear.

So...the secret to running fast is to regularly eat all the above.  Dan, all we need now are the recipees..

Until next time...

ThatRunninGuy

Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2017

It's always fun to forecast trends. It's impossible to predict the future but always fun trying.  Here are some digital marketing trends predicted for 2017:

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

Must. Have. Coffee

Must. Have. Coffee.

This is not a debatable.  First thing in the morning, after my first glass of water and before my early morning run, I must have a cup of coffee.

I like a Costa Rican blend from the Lowlaw's President's Choice label.  That's reserved for the brewed coffee maker.  For my single serving before running, I turn to our trusty single-serving Tassimo. Double Caffe au lait hits the spot.  Jamaica Blue Mountain is a special annual treat at Reggae Marathon every December...it's a nice goal to have.

I can't honestly say I'm a nicer person after a cup of coffee.  I can confirm though that pre-coffee I'm a sleepy-headed stumble bum.  I chalk up my last broken foot incident (The Boot Returns) to a meeting with an ottoman pre-coffee.  A coffee maker in the bedroom?  Hmmm...could I convince Sally?

There are side effects of course to too much caffeine. But I only drink a couple or three cups each morning...side effects be dammed!  There may come a day when I have to reduce my caffeine intake but today is not that day (I stole that from a movie).  For now is Coffee.  Must. Have. Coffee!

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy