Last week, Office Depot launched a search for the nation’s best and smartest small businesses. The “Office Depot Adopt a Small Business Contest” will recognize 500 small businesses, awarding them each with a $1,300 Office Depot Gift Card, tech support for a year from Office Depot’s Tech Depot Services, and copy, print, and ship services from Office Depot’s Design, Print, and Ship center. Total prize value is over $2,000. This could save the winner enough for a vacation!
To enter, you can upload an original two-minute video that outlines the smart things your company is doing to survive these difficult times. Visit the site for official rules and regulations; here’s the link http://www.thesurvivalofthesmartest.com/#/contest.
To win, you brag about how smart you are coping with the recession. How about how you are scheduling better? How about the way you are managing your buying needs based on input you receive from your Facebook fan page, Twitter feed or email contest? How about the way you are using stealth ways to get by the gatekeepers at larger businesses to get your message to employees? New ways you have altered hours to react to customer demand changes? There are thousands of things readers of this blog like you are doing! Just share it with us!
How to do it? Low tech you can use the Flip camera available just about anywhere to quickly video, import into your Mac or PC and edit with the included software. 
Want to do it high tech? Use HD Sony cameras to import into iMovie and use Title cards, annotations and music. Either is fine -you just have to do it!
Oh and if you’re thinking, “A competitor will steal my idea,” get over yourself. Even if a competitor learns of an idea, less than 10% will ever do it. You’re more likely have to have A-Rod walk in the door before that happens.
What I like about this contest my buddy Steve Strauss alerted me to is that it is what is RIGHT with American businesses! We hear of so many dumb things a few people do but not the innovations and smart things 90% of businesses do on a day-to-day basis. Now’s your time! It doesn’t have to be major, just “smart.” If you’d like to send to me it first, I’d be glad to give you any helpful feedback, just send me an email.
The prize is great but the experience of creating a two-minute video is one of the best byproducts to get you comfortable with trying new technology. Tomorrow I’ll cover YouTube so stay tuned and get shooting!
I was in a CVS at the border between Huntington Beach, CA and Costa Mesa early Sunday morning looking for foot powder. I’d been on my feet too much during this trip and figured Tinactin would do the job quickly.
I moved back to the aisle cleverly signed “Foot” to find Tinactin locked up like it was an expensive digital camera with the words I hate in retail, “Please ask for assistance.” I went back to the counter where Jorge was, “Can you open the Tinactin display for me?” He pleasantly said, “I’ll be right there.”
There was the end cap for Bounty paper towels with cleaner, a bag for holding the cleaner and disinfectant spray.
In the cosmetic aisle where you can hardly move in many convenience stores because they are so loaded with product, this store had a simple table with one manufacturer’s sun care products in different heights with coordinated gift bags. Very smart.
