A few weeks ago I got a call saying that Fuzednotions had won the Business of the Year award. **This is where I jump up and down with excitement** This is like Fuzednotions winning an Emmy!

Because of you, our clients, we were recognized at this event. Thank you SO much for all of your support!

You might catch us on Channel 10 during the week of October 24-29 or you can see our awards video on the Chamber of Commerce.

7:00 in the morning and we are out of the Sault: stuffed in my Impala and with a coffee induced state of wakefulness.  All that stands between us and 2 full days in one of the greatest cities in Canada is almost 1000 km of road and about 13 hours – ok, when put that way it sounds pretty horrendous actually. However, like a beacon of light at the end of a tunnel, Burger World in North Bay provides a great halfway point between here and there while providing some amazing burgers as well. It’s also a good preparation for the absolute void that is the stretch between North Bay and Ottawa. Seriously, you see that picture? Nice right? Now look at it for 5 hours.

We get to Montreal and a quick phone call later, the guy opening the apartment shows up and gets us inside “la suite” tout suite. Greetings, chocolate covered blueberries, handshakes and we’re ready to go out on the town. Our friends (and probably the greatest Montreal tour guides ever) Ashleigh and Dave (or “French Dave” as we call him) aren’t home yet, so we’ve got to survive on our own. Mission #1: Something to eat. First place that comes to everyone’s mind: La Banquise. Out comes the phone to locate the world famous poutine place, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s just around the corner. Words cannot adequately describe the T-Rex poutine. It’s a marvel of meat, cheese, gravy, and fries. In fact, so much meat that it’s hard to even notice that there are fries beneath. What type of meat you ask? Why, every type of meat: Ground beef, bacon, hotdogs, and pepperoni; So freaking good. Sporting an newly acquired meat, cheese, and gravy ball-and-chain we head back to the apartment and pass out.

The next day I awoke refreshed and ready to start the day. This was probably due to me sleeping in a bed rather than the kitchen floor like last year’s trip. Yes, I’m sad to say that the fridge slept alone this year. Ashleigh was eager to show us the Montreal Markets in the morning so off we went. As soon as we walked in Ashleigh pointed us toward La Crêperie du Marché. Now, I’ve never had a crêpe that I’ve enjoyed – so skeptically I ordered a supper crêpe that had ham, cheese, mushrooms, and béarnaise sauce. And so my eyes were opened to what a crêpe should taste like.

At this point I’m getting used to the slight feeling of culture shock in Montreal (I guess there’s something about eating a Crêpe in a french speaking province that does it). There’s something about being in a place where everyone around you is speaking french BUT can still understand everything you’re saying in English. I noticed around me that there were still some people who hadn’t quite grasped this concept. Most comedically, two women speaking quite loudly in english about something that they probably wanted to remain fairly private – I’ll just leave that right there.

Noon rolls around and it’s time for mission #2: Tattoo. We head to Art Cyniq and talk with Badj (who we met on the trip last year). Easily one of the greatest tattoo artists I’ve ever met; this guy knows what he’s doing. He gets the stencil all drawn up and then it’s time for a 6 hour tattoo marathon. For those who’ve never had a tattoo but have thought about it, it’s not that painful: kinda like a prolonged cat scratch. Thin outline, thick outline, shading, then colour and the masterpiece is complete. Badj did an amazing job, I could not have asked for a better final product. If you’re heading to Montreal and you’ve thought about getting a tattoo. Give Badj a call at Art Cyniq. Just take my advice and eat more than just a crêpe for breakfast (hindsight: 20/20).

Delusional with hunger, we walked around the city while Ashleigh and French Dave carefully analyzed each restaurant we passed finally coming to a rest at a bring-your-own-wine Asian Cuisine Restaurant that will remain nameless because it was horrible (and because I forgot the name). After which, we all got ice cream to make up for the inedible meal and laid down in a park.

Woke up the next day (in our apartment, not the park) and ate at Frite Alors! which easily won the best meal of the trip award. I had the Hamburger Texan (beef, grilled mushrooms, bacon gruyère, and barbecue sauce) and as a dip for the fries I had the Américaine which was a mayonnaise with paprika, garlic, shallots, onions, and harissa. I cannot tell you how amazing this burger was because doing so would cause me to completely lose control of my saliva glands, and I like my keyboard too much. After lunch, I found an SAQ (quebec’s LCBO). It took a couple different SAQ’s, but this one finally had exactly what I was looking for: Crystal Head Vodka. I ran in and cleaned out their entire stock of this skull-clad vodka (5 bottles for friends and family) and was on my way.

As for the afternoon, the girls headed into old Montreal and had pie, while I headed back to Art Cyniq to watch my best friend cringe and twitch through his tattoo. After that we rendezvoused downtown and ate at L’Académie. Ashleigh and French Dave informed us that at L’Académie, all of the chef’s are students which is why the prices were so low for such a fancy restaurant. Unfortunately, the pasta con poso was a bit undercooked, but it did make for a nice picture.

Bellies full, we headed to what would be our last stop this trip: Cafe Gitana – a nice little bar that offers a place to smoke flavoured tobacco (shisha). This place is always a nice and relaxing cap to the Montreal trip. Another year down and a small step closer to getting into Au Pied De Cochon and eating it’s world famous foie gras. I may have missed out this year, but I assure you – someday… someyear I will get into that restaurant. Maybe next year I’ll spend a little less time in a tattoo parlour.

To be successful, your marketing strategy should include a couple of fundamental marketing tools that generate traffic to your door.

Our Top 5 Marketing Tools that every business should have:

1. Logo: – Your logo is one of the most important marketing tools there is and is the foundation for all marketing material. It is a powerful, non-verbal cue that is your customer’s initial impression of your business.
2. Website: – Your potential customers are using the internet to find products and services – even at the local level! Keep yourself in the game with a website that is:  visually appealing, search engine optimized, easy for the customer to use and easy for you to update!
3.  Brand Standards: – Your message should be consistent – both how it’s seen and how it’s said. Brand standards ensure consistency in the details. It ensures credibility, trust and recognition of your business.
4.  Signage: – Your signage needs to capture someone’s attention and get them to act in a split second. Whether it’s a banner-up for a conference, a display booth for a tradeshow, or billboard along the highway; your signage must be visually strong, clear in its message, and reflects your brand/business. – Sound familiar?
5.  Ads: – Your ads should reflect your business’ image and brand (Tool# 3); whether your ads a radio spots, a banners on website or a traditional print ad for newspaper/magazine. The message should be clear, appealing and drive potential customers to your website (Tools# 2) and your door.

With these Top 5 Marketing Tools, you have the fundamentals to marketing your business; generating new customers and instilling confidence in your current customers.

If you need help with any of these tools or if you are not sure where to begin, make an appointment with Jessica for a free consultation – call 705-949-3198 or email jessica@fuzednotions.com. Fuzednotions can help you!

If you are a credit union member, and that credit union just happens to be Northern Credit Union, you’ve probably noticed a significant change when doing your online banking lately. Yup, that was us; over the last year or so, Fuzednotions has been rolling out updates to Northern Credit Union’s website. Just recently (and most noticeably), the final 2 updates have hit the web: A completely redesigned homepage and a complete makeover to the overall look of the website.

Northerncu.com has been completely overhauled and now features:

• A completely new look that focuses on strengthening Northern Credit Unions corporate branding while providing an open and friendly layout for their members.
• A redesigned homepage featuring a slider for highlighting important information and a more flexible News Feed.
• A streamlined and condensed site architecture to allow their members to quickly find exactly what they are looking for in the shortest time possible.
• A completely rewritten and optimized site copy to not only help with understanding their products and services, but to provide increased Search Engine Optimization.

See it in action!

Providing service like quick job searches, plenty of helpful resources, frequently updated workshops and events; this site has been geared to assisting its clients. A simple and versatile content management system allows Sault Community Career Centre employees to edit events and job posting to help their customers.

Check out our work at www.saultcareercentre.ca

SSMIC came to us with a request to “freshen up” their sign; to communicate to all that businesses based in IT, science or knowledge have support here in the Algoma District.

The sign we designed is inside the terminal at the Sault Ste. Marie Airport. It announces to all – newcomers and returnees alike – that innovative businesses in IT, science and knowledge thrive here in Algoma and new business are welcome.

Next time you’re out at the airport – check it out and let us know how we did!

Can you believe it’s already April-2011!!  Wasn’t it only yesterday that we were getting ready for the Christmas holidays? It seems that time is rushing by me at a very fast pace!

Don’t you find, that the older you get, the faster time goes by? You don’t have to be “old” to experience this phenomenon. Just stand at any water cooler on any given Monday morning and there is usually a litany of laments from all ages of how fast the weekend went by.

I have a theory that there is an enjoyment/time relationship!

Here’s the rationale:

Fact# 1 – Time is constant – and I’m speaking from a very general perspective. The same number of seconds makes up a minute; the same number of minutes makes up an hour, the same number of hours makes up a day and so on and so on.

Fact# 2 – The Enjoyment/Time Relationship! The more you are enjoying yourself: the faster time will go by. Conversely, the less enjoyment you are experiencing the slower time passes. Think – passing a kidney stone … Need I say more! L

Fact# 3 – Physics has taught me that if you travel fast enough, time will slow down. Jump into a spaceship and travel out into space, returning to earth many years later and you will have aged less than those who are earth bound. … What’s with that!!! – This is rhetorical

If the universe can slow time – albeit under certain circumstances – then why can’t it inverse the enjoyment/time relationship? Wouldn’t you rather have time slow down when you’re enjoying yourself then when you’re not having fun!

Maybe you’ve discovered the secret to reversing the enjoyment/time relationship? If so, spill the beans – we’d love to know your secret!

On the cover we have incorporated the green of ADSB into the chalkboard, highlighted goals of the district and showcased the most important aspect of this Board, its students.

The layout has more space and a brighter feel; additionally, we have kept the design picture oriented to feature the events of the past year. Furthermore elements such as the sticky notes, draw attention to important information and achievements, creating an interesting layout which is enjoyable to read.

All in all, we are proud of this publication, and so we pat ourselves on the back for another successful production of the ADSB 2010 Director’s Annual Report.

I’ve had quite enough. You have penetrated the walls of Fuzednotions this winter… forcing me to bundle up in my Snuggie with a space heater at my feet. I cuddle close to my thermos of coffee (aka. bean-water) every morning after the nippy 15 minute trek that you like to make so difficult for me.

Today I walked into work with frosted hair, wearing my very unfashionable snow pants and pea coat ensemble. Why must you make me embarrass myself even more then I already do?

Last night you froze my fingers. I came home and stared at my hands in horror as my numb fingers thawed… thankfully my roommate was more than willing to lend her armpits. So excuse me Jack… but  i need my fingers. I AM a designer. How would I click my mouse? What I’m getting at is – be a bit kinder!

Attached is an image of how I fight you off in this Northern Ontario climate. Hope you get a good laugh… and maybe feel a bit guilty.

Yours truly,
Cassie