Alberta Business Marketing

As we mentioned back in December, Google still had not found the Golden Ears Bridge across the Fraser Valley here in British Columbia.  It took two years to build it and it had been open six months but there was still no sign on Google’s Maps.  The Google spiders may get a new blog post in its database within minutes but apparently they rely on others for their map data.

Tele Atlas, one of the map suppliers, informed those who wished to know just after midnight this morning that they have now included the Golden Ears Bridge in their database.

You can confirm that if you are a MapQuest user because here is the route they will show you going from Langley to Maple Ridge here in British Columbia.

Unfortunately perhaps Google Maps only works West Coast Office hours.

If you check directions from Langley to Maple Ridge with Google Maps, they are still showing the same picture as before.

If you do not find that circuitous route too appealing and look for an alternate route then here is their Plan B on the right.  That is no better since it uses the Albion Ferry that closed down some 9 months ago.

So until further notice, residents in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia would be well advised to use MapQuest in working out their travel plans.  After all, the Golden Ears Bridge is a most elegant bridge, has lots more capacity for extra traffic and really changes how one should get around.

I’m sure Google Maps will get to this soon so watch this space for further travel advisories on the Golden Ears Bridge.

If you spot that Google Maps has finally found the Golden Ears Bridge, why not let us know in the comments here.

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Golden Ears Bridge Still Not On Google Maps

Related Posts

• December 15, 2007 -- Following the Trans-Canada Highway with Google Maps (0)

Tags: google
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

As we mentioned back in December, Google still had not found the Golden Ears Bridge across the Fraser Valley here in British Columbia.  It took two years to build it and it had been open six months but there was still no sign on Google’s Maps.  The Google spiders may get a new blog post in its database within minutes but apparently they rely on others for their map data. Even though there were many human comments pointing out this serious omission, none of that seemed to get through.

Tele Atlas, one of the map suppliers, informed those who wished to know just after midnight this morning that they have now included the Golden Ears Bridge in their database.

You can confirm that if you are a MapQuest user because here is the route they will show you going from Langley to Maple Ridge here in British Columbia.

Unfortunately perhaps Google Maps only works West Coast Office hours.

If you check directions from Langley to Maple Ridge with Google Maps, they are still showing the same picture as before.

If you do not find that circuitous route too appealing and look for an alternate route then here is their Plan B on the right.  That is no better since it uses the Albion Ferry that closed down some 9 months ago.

So until further notice, residents in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia would be well advised to use MapQuest in working out their travel plans.  After all, the Golden Ears Bridge is a most elegant bridge, has lots more capacity for extra traffic and really changes how one should get around.

I’m sure Google Maps will get to this soon so watch this space for further travel advisories on the Golden Ears Bridge.

If you spot that Google Maps has finally found the Golden Ears Bridge, why not let us know in the comments here.

Update: It took a further month before Google Maps added the bridge.

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Copyright © 2010 The Other Blokes Blog. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact admin@otherbb.com so we can take legal action immediately.
Plugin by Taragana

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Golden Ears Bridge Still Not On Google Maps

Related Posts

• April 28, 2010 -- Golden Ears Bridge BC now on Google Maps (3)
• December 15, 2007 -- Following the Trans-Canada Highway with Google Maps (0)

Tags: Albion Ferry, Fraser Valley, Golden Ears Bridge, google, Google Map, MapQuest, Tele Atlas
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

Recently, Cornerstone concluded a study of our Fundraising Clients’ 2009 mailing activity versus 2008. Results from early in the year showed a significant decline in mailing levels – particularly in the area of new donor acquisition. Overall, our clients mailed 12% fewer solicitations in 2009 than in the previous year, including both prospect and house file mailings. Although mailing levels increased to previous levels for existing donors by the end of the year, prospect mailings continued to be significantly reduced.

So what will be the impact of that decline in volume? The good news is that response rates and revenue per donor increased in 2009 for both prospect and house file mailings, indicating that fundraisers have a stable base of high quality current and future donors. However, those fundraisers who severely curtailed their prospecting activity in 2009 will be in a weaker position in 2010 due to smaller growth in their house files – which represents the most lucrative source of ongoing donation revenue available.

Moving in to 2010, we recommend that Fundraising Clients start prospecting more aggressively again to make up for this shortfall. Results from 2009 demonstrated that Canadians are clearly willing to give and smart fundraisers will want to benefit from their generosity.

For Cornerstone’s complete 2009 Direct Mail Performance Analysis, click here.

By Kamy Zarbafi, Vice President, Publishing Services/Fundraising Services, Cornerstone Fundraising Services and Chair of CMA’s Not-For-Profit Council

Tags: Not-for-Profit
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

Imagine opening the mailbox and every piece of direct mail looked identical, the card stock was the same size, shape and colour—the only thing separating the two was content. Now imagine the same situation except the complete opposite—where every piece of mail had a different shape, size, and colour, but not a lick of content. So what is more important: content or design?

The beautiful thing about direct mail is that it is (without a doubt) the most measureable form of advertising available. It is not overly expensive; a company can directly tailor messaging to their target audience—current clients or potential new customers that match the demo/psych/geo of your audience profile. When conducting a direct mail campaign, one must ask: do I hire a graphic artist or a copywriter? Well, in my opinion, it all depends on how recognizable your brand is to your target audience. Large companies such as: McDonalds, Blockbuster, Rogers and Bell, contain a high level of brand recognition. The golden arches of McDonalds restaurant can be spotted a mile away on a foggy day by a 5 year old. So what does this mean in terms of a direct mail campaign?

People are much more likely to take interest in a mailing piece that they recognize. If they received a white piece of paper in the mail that read, “McDonalds, two can dine”, they would think of the offer as a prank. This is where design is vital in a campaign. Smaller companies may not encompass brand recognition as well as larger companies—this is where I feel content plays a more important role while still complementing design. A company cannot measure the success of their campaign if the mailing piece is just a design to build brand awareness. There needs to be an offer, a call to action, and more importantly, persuasive content.

Content will drive people to the product/location and word of mouth will build the brand. It can be argued that content is design—typography is a brilliant branding strategy that many organizations use. I asked a marketing professional, Lindsey Fair, what her take on the subject is, her response included, “Without sitting on the fence (because that’s a copout), I would have to say the design. If it doesn’t catch my attention to begin with I will never even read the content. But, content can make it or break it, the content is what can make me throw it out.” I would be very curious to read what other marketing professionals feel about this debate.

What do you think is more important in a direct marketing campaign—content or design?

By Eli Nicholson, a student at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, ON

Tags: Direct Marketing
Posted in Advertising | | Comments Off

“You can’t do that from here in the United States because the market is different in Canada, it’s unique,”

Arvind Rajan, the Vice President of International at LinkedIn is one smart businessperson in my opinion.  Of course the way we do business in Canada is totally different from our colleagues in the south and in my opinion you can not run a Canadian business without having feet on the street.  LinkedIn understands the importance of connecting with the local communities.  LinkedIn now has over 2 million users in Canada according to a recent Financial Post interview with Rajan.  LinkedIn also went on to say that Canada is one of the most active countries online.

Read more about LinkedIn expansion to Canada here.

LinkedIn is also looking to expand into the UK, Netherlands, Australia, Ireland and other countries.

Tags: Australia, canada, Community websites, Company Expansion, Geography, linkedin, LinkedIn Ltd, Netherlands, Online social networking, Republic of Ireland, Social information processing, social media, United Kingdom, United States, web 2.0, World Wide Web
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off