You may already know that ice cream was invented by the Italians, but did you know that Dolly Madison is the person credited with popularizing it in the US? When Thomas Jefferson first experienced the wonderful taste on one of his trips to France he wanted to introduce it to Dolly. She loved it and when she became first lady, she served it often at White House dinners. However, it wasn’t until 1946 that it became popular with the masses. In fact, by that time an average of 20 quarts of ice crème were consumed per person each year, making the United States the ice crème capital of the world.

For those of you who love ice cream and in honor of National Ice Cream Month take our Ice Cream Personality Quiz…

If you chose Vanilla or French Vanilla, You are colorful, and impulsive. You set high goals and have high expectations of yourself. You also enjoy close family relationships. A vanilla personality is looking for someone to spend the rest of his or her life with – but will go through a lot of relationships to find that perfect someone.

If you chose Chocolate, You are lively, creative, dramatic, charming, enthusiastic, and the life of the party. Chocolate fans enjoy being at the center of attention and can become bored with the usual routine. Chocolate personalities look for social partners to have a good time – just don’t try to take the limelight away from her or him.

If you chose Butter Pecan or Pistachio, You are orderly, a perfectionist, careful, detail-oriented, conscientious, ethical, and fiscally conservative. You are also competitive, and have a take-charge type of personality. You’re a traditionalist who believes that “if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. Butter Pecans & Pistachio types get along with anyone who will listen.

If you chose Banana, You are easy going, well adjusted, generous, honest, and empathetic. You love all warm fuzzy items. Banana personalities love to cuddle. To a Banana personality, nothing beats a cold winter night, a blazing fire and a warm body to get close to.

If you chose Strawberry, You are shy, idealistic, detail-oriented, sometimes opinionated, introverted, and even self-critical. The born skeptic, you tend to be a private person. Strawberries like anyone who will build his or her esteem and make them feel good about themselves.

The chocolate chip and cookies and crème personalities are generous, competitive, and accomplished. You are charming in social situations, ambitious, and competent. A conqueror, the chocolate chip personality enjoys being catered to, a go-getter, and is intolerant of defeat. You are also a romantic, warm and loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch.

If you are the Double Chocolate Chunk type– You are Sexy, always ready to give and receive, you very energetic, and really like to get into life. The opposite sex is always attracted to you. You’ll recognize the Chocolate Chunk Hunk or Hunkess as he or she is Seductive, well-dressed, extroverted, intuitive, and enjoys intimate relationships.

Neopolitans aren’t satisfied with just one flavor. They say variety is the spice of life and this shines through in your Ice cream of choice! Neopolitan personalities surround themselves with a very eclectic group of people and you will recognize them because they are the friends with the most one night stands.

Mint Chocolate Chip personalities are smooth and creamy with a few rough bits mixed in.You are very popular amongst your friends. You are a risk taker, often living on the edge. Mint Chocolate personalities are born leaders and visionaries. As a realist, the Mantra of a Mint Chocolate Chip personality could be “opposites attract” as you are attracted to romantics.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Doughs and Rocky Road types are fancy shmancy! You like bling bling and your sense of self is strong. You never feel pressured to try anything you don’t want to. Fun-loving, sassy, humorous, you love to spend money, and usually have plenty of your own. You go after a man or woman of means as you want to stick to your own kind!

Peanut butter personality types like to be helpful, you are patient, thoughtful and generous with your time, so friends often come to you when they have problems. Smooth and articulate, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don’t try to walk and chew gum at the same time. You don’t have to worry about relationships because people will stick with you through thick and thin.

Coffee Ice Cream your favorite? If so, you have confidence in your ability to get things done. You are a leader among friends, and a good one too. You are responsible and like to challenge yourself by taking up difficult tasks–and you usually succeed. You want a relationship that stimulates all your senses, but doesn’t keep you up at night.

If you just cannot make up your mind…You are a negotiator. You’ll do anything you can to avoid open conflict so you never start quarrels. You will give in when you think it’s appropriate but you can be very persistent when you know that justice is on your side. You make a good friend, sharing your unique perspectives on things, and you are able to have fun without winding up in jail or something.

Disclaimer - (Sources for these personality traits came from a variety of places – including my head – They include Breyers, Edyes, and personalityquiz.com – These descriptions are meant to be purely entertainment and should not be construed as advice or gospel. ENJOY!)

Here are three tips to invest in your employees:

1. Provide your people with the skills they need to do the job properly. Don’t just give them an hour training and then let them loose on your customers (and other staff).  And make it ongoing. Promoting a culture of learning will let your staff know you care about their growth as much as that of your company. Check out these TEN Employee Training Tips from Dunn & Bradstreet Small Business Solutions http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1465-1.html

2. Ask Employees for feedback. Asking employees for their input on ways to improve your company and its operations will elicit surprising results. If they truly on “the front lines,” it is likely they know best what works and what doesn’t. Remember an empowered employee feels more loyalty to a company and 99% of the time will do a better job than you even imagined or hired them to do.

3. Find ways to increase the quality of life at work for your employees.  If their quality of life at work increased, their overall life satisfaction increases. They become better employees and turnover is less likely.  Turnover costs companys billions of dollars a year.  And most employees state that they leave because of job disatisfaction. Find out what they love about their jobs and what they don’t love. Creat opportunities that allow them to do more of what they love and those things that they are not particularly fond of doing become less of a chore. 

People want to please. They want to improve and mostly they want to feel important.

If you hire right, make your employees feel important and give them the recognition they deserve for a job well done, you will find your company thrive even in the worst of times.

Today is also:
Cotton Candy Day

Also on this Date:
In 1498 Christopher Columbus discovered island of Trinidad
In 1774 Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen
In 1790 The US Patent Office opened
In 1893 Henry Perky patented shredded wheat
In 1922 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson rode world’s 1st water skis
In 1965 Cigarette Ads banned on British TV
In 1981  Arnette Hubbard installed as 1st woman president of National Bar Association

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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Here’s a wonderful story I found when researching Father in Law’s day ~ Happy Father-In-Law’s Day When I Married the Brady Bunch… By Dave Konig. I think it should be forwarded to all Fathers and sons in law!

Today is also:

Cheesecake Day
System Administrator Appreciation Day

Also on this date:

In 1898 Will Kellogg invents Corn Flakes
In 1928 George Eastman shows 1st color motion pictures
In 1935 1st Penguin book is published – starting the paperback revolution
In 1942 FDR signs bill creating women’s Navy auxiliary agency (WAVES)
In 1956 U.S. motto “In God We Trust” authorized

But I digress…

Okay so now you have a name for it. How are you going to implement yur Rain Day Marketing Strategy?

First of all you need to know what you want to “offer” on Rain day. You need to decide if you want to make this a once a year event or a once a week or every time it rains program.

Then you need to decide how you are going to promote Rain Day. Will you offer a 25% discount on Rain Day? Will it be for only one item or several, a group of products or services?

How will you let people know about it? Will you promote in your newsletter, on your business cards, in your store window, during networking events, or take out an ad in some local media?

The important thing about Rain Day Marketing is you come up with a catchy title and include your company name. Maybe even walk around with an umbrella that is imprinted with your company name and says something to the effect of:
“when it rains you save” or “don’t let the rain get you down.” Get 25% off next time you come to town at (insert name of company).

The point is, you could become known as the Raining Queen, or King of (insert industry here) ~ no pun intended.

Happy Rain Day!

July 29th is also:

National Chili Dog Day

Also on this date:

In 1655 the Biggest townhall in the world opens in Amsterdam
In 1957 Jack Paar’s Tonight show premieres 

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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Amelia flew her first plane at the age of 24 (in 1921). In 1932 Amelia became the 2nd person to fly solo across the Atlantic. In 1935, she was the first person to fly solo across the Pacific. Her next flight was set to circle the globe at the equator. On July 2, 1937, she and her navigator disappeared at sea just 2 days short of finishing the trip. Neither she or her plane were ever found!

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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