Update: I had the best time at Alfresco's Italian Buffet in San Marcos, California. Each bite bursted with flavor and juices while the ambiance was exquisite. If you're visiting San Diego you must drop in for this culinary feast. But if you're not careful, you could get really addicted to Italian cuisine.

On a different note...

We're doing a case study this week critiquing a flyer for a Halloween event. Most flyers you see floating around are poorly produced with little regard given to the importance of the event. And unfortunately, the response becomes dismal. Let's review one that works well in today's feature article.

Feature Article: Fantastic Flyer

Resource: Signature Stories

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A Communication Key...

My friend Charles and I heard a great message in the church we visited. Pastor Jeff gave a passionate wake-up call about missions work. Out of every dollar donated only about half a penny gets to the actual field. That's totally disgusting.

He knows this because he's worked in missions' boards before and he submitted that it was the congregation's responsibility to further the cause. Made sense to me. After this soul stirring speech Charles asked me, "So who would you date from the choir?"

"What... come by me again?"

Charles is a financial planner and likes to attend singles events. He possesses a killer instinct on and off the basketball court. I guess his mind wandered during the service.

When you're giving your next message orally or in print, are you grabbing people's attention? Can you recapture their thoughts when their minds wander? Are you engaging your audience? Consider these questions whenever you're communicating.

Fantastic Flyer

Dear Associate,

"If you let people know—they will come."

Not always true.

The marketing associate you've just hired fresh out of college may believe that, but reality paints a different picture. Just because people know about your particular product, service or event doesn't necessarily mean they will respond to your offer. Like baking a cake, it goes better if you sweeten it with frosting.

If you're concerned about raising profits, awareness or attendees for your business, seminar or association gatherings—you're not alone. There are millions of organizations attempting this task every day with nervous anticipation. And most will miss the mark.

I'm sure you've experienced some of the least compelling, uninspiring and unemotional marketing stuff floating around in Cyberspace, in print media and in your mailbox. The majority are nothing more than cute and clever general announcements leaving you asking, "So what?"

But once in a while you spot a winner. Something that grabs your attention, holds it and compels you to take an action step. Let's study what the San Diego Blood Bank did with their latest fundraising promotion. (Click on the link to access the flyer viewed through Adobe Acrobat.)

It's a golf and dinner benefit for the blood bank corresponding with this season's Halloween theme. There's no question about the who, what, where, when and why. The headline is a superb play on words tying blood bank with Transylvania.

The flyer's colors, graphics and bleeding fonts are absolutely brilliant. The cratered circles resembling a golf ball and the chef's hat add depth to what could have been an ordinary circular highlight. The carved pumpkin, hideous spider and scattered skulls complete this fright night theme.

The "Join us for a ghoulish good time" headline wouldn't work for a business function, but it's perfect for this devilish occasion. The timetable body doesn't leave anything to chance, but a spooky surprise would not only be appropriate—but anxiously anticipated. "Limited seating and golf positions..." adds a light urgency to the close.

The costume contest, a raffle and live auction multiplies the fun for this fundraiser. And not everyone is a night golfing aficionado, so a cooking demonstration by a celebrity chef provides a nice option for those not preferring to tee off. Thankfully the underlying cause for this event was included which warrants a huge stamp of public approval.

This flyer has all the right ingredients. Good copy and attractive graphics make this a dynamic combination that will help the blood bank reach its goals. Bravo for them.

Warm regards,

Speaker, author and storyteller Chris King reveals the significance of your signature story. What is it, why use it, and how to develop your own. If you speak or write for a living you'll soon discover your audiences connecting with you on a deeper level.

Visit her article now.