Neglection of the blog

Oh blog you have been neglected!

I found myself very busy as I entered into the play return engagements. It went great! we had 10 shows and over 1400 people enjoyed our performance, we received a great review in which I was mentioned!

I've become a very excited person lately. There are many posts I could make detailing promotions I have been involved in let alone the jobs I'd hoped to post for any readers, or the few followers I might have.

Although I have started a secondary fb for my professional marketing and promotional work. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Eric-Schwalbes-Portfolio/126857434011410?ref=ts

I created it as a fan page since it could be tied to my original fb, not sure if I like the fanpage status as much as if I had created a second fb profile itself. Hmm, and if anyone knows how I can shorter up that url (aside from something so useful as tinyurl) please let me know, and please follow me!

Goldstar Global Gig one of few lead for week of March 21st

A recruiter from Goldstar Global is recruiting up to three people from the green bay area to work Mon-Thus 8pm-6am, so for one week four shifts overnight, a little way to pick up a little extra cash with potentaially more work to come. Didn't have the work posted on their own website, I found the ad on craigslist, and Diane responded within the hour and wants to hire people over the weekend to work March 22nd-March 25th.

Not the ideal in my jobsearch as I had set out yesterday morning and walked onto the recocstruion job of military ave in green bay, Dorner is doing the sewer utility work amonst several other cotnracters and road jobs in the area. I got told they still had 14 of their regular employees out of work, so although I did pass my resume off with a good verbal selling of myself, that job looks dim. Hopefully I have better luck with Lunda on the 172 job or any other local construction contracters.

So on my list, a few construction places I need to apply to EEO or by whatever means, and hope they have work and not too many workers. (Its a shame I don't really know anybody, cause that helps):
Dorner, Lunda, Degroot, and even the city? I used to work for Hillcrest Homes in highschool and even heard from one of their employees I should reapply, but got shut down by a lady at the front desk who said they weren't hiring, hung up on me before I knew the conversation was over.

Should would be nice to get a 9-5 or regular stable day job, but for now it's every little bit I can find.

http://www.atnpromo.com/

Overall yesterday left me feeling rough, but I also have one response I'm waiting for from Across The Nation Promos, sent me an email about a concert on March 27th they needed staff for, and then posted a less detailed ad on craigslist a few days later. Nice I got the email before the ad and responded, but I haven't heard back. So we'll see as the date approaches.

Cast as Henry in Return Engagement at Green Bay Community Theater!

Auditions have now been set for the final production of Green Bay Community Theatre's 2009-2010 season. Return Engagements by Bernard Slade, is the charming and funny play that examines the complexities of the human relationship over years time. Director Michael Laskowski is seeking eight actors; 4 men and 4 women.

Daisy: Age 23-25. Artistically ambitious actress. Rather thorny and humorless though.

Raymond: Age 18. Insecure and much too eager to please.

Joe: Age 24-26. Unpolished and rugged appearance of a former athlete.

Miranda: Age 25-27. Warm and open with a witty sense of humor.

Oliver: Age 31-33. Sarcastic and volatile.

Fern: Age 29-31. Bright and pleasant with an academic manner.

Henry: Age 27-30. Precise and unimaginative, though kind and decent.

Dawn: Age 20-22. Ditsy and perky.

Auditions will be February 22 and 23 at 7:00pm. Performances will be April 8-10 and 14-18 2010. Scripts are available at the theatre for rent. Please contact the theatre box office at 920-435-6300.

Above is the post that I responded to, and I have to say I'm glad I went on both open audtion days as something unexpected happened to me. I got on stage and suddenly I was nervous! I didn't expect this, and performed poorly. The next day I took a deep breath and with slightly more preparation went to my audition again, and did much better, I was cast. 


I was cast as Henry and have been enjoying my rehearsals with the Green Bay Community Theater, one of the longest standing theaters in the state of Wisconsin. Tickets are 16 dollars or 8 for a student, the theater is located at 122 N Chestnut Ave, Green Bay, WI 54303. Showtimes will be April 8-10; 14-18, 2010, call the theater at 920.435.6300 for tickets.


This is my first foray into acting in theater, I've long been a patron and fan of the arts, although only recently expressed an interest. Perhaps my inspiration is derived from the recent promotional modeling/brand promotion/field marketing gigs I've been involved in since this last fall, perhaps my recent work at the haunted house Terror on the Fox, or perhaps peer pressure. 


It's an unpaid gig, actors at community theaters tend to be unpaid volunteers, but it's an experience. I intend to add it to my resume, and my goal is that I perform well enough to use it as a stepping stone to real paid work in acting, modeling, or any foothold in the entertainment business available.

*sigh* What cheesy picture *sigh*

Coke Zero Promo bashed by weather at Packer Fan Event

http://www.oneredplace.com/



Redline staffing put me to work on a promo at Packer Fan event held at Lambeau Field on 3/12 and 3/13. Our promotion was for Coke Zero, which I've personally noted has been really pumping the area, especially packer events, with similar field marketing.

We began with a setup of coolers/stands outside Momentum's Truck with the Coke Zero labeling across its walls and set up multiple signs, stands, and speakers. We handed out three ounce plastic cups, all coke labeled, with samples to the crowd on their way into the stadium and offered them a full can on their way out. Over the course of the two days we managed to hand out a couple thousand cans, and at least went through a full pallet of product. One thing we did for market activation was a small contest, text a picture message to a Coke Zero number and every tenth person would win a tshirt. Simply focus on the box and send and it would respond whether you won or lost and staff reward accordingly.

Although these events tend to gather a small crowd of their own as people want to chat with you, thank you for the sample, and participate in interactive events such as the contest, the weather plagued. The event was scheduled for five hours Friday night, of which it began to rain, soaked our crew, and drove the crowd to rush from their cars to indoors. Also, who really wanted a cold soda on a freezing day. The next day rain held off but powerful winds had the same effect on the crowd, and were so rough as to bend our 20 ft sign sideways so many times we took it down as hazardous, and even blew speakers over (that were set on the ground)

Momentum World Wide is the company handling the mobile tour for Coke Zero, and they have a 10 month contract for 2010, great for them! Redline staffed myself, a friend of mine, and four other people locally for the event.

Even though the weather was miserable I had a great time as I always love being out making money (and even though the weather and this job was rough I still have a strong experience that promo's are great fun) and felt even doubly great as I was schedule both days at my part time job at Jackson Hewitt and yet was able to switch both days with coworkers and not lose any hours! Made my weekend Awesome!

Gigs! Sunday Night Jan 31st

Okay so heres a fun one...I'm applying for this job half to support my friend applying also half because I decided even though it is a commute if they agree to hire me on as manager/team leader that is one more peg up the ladder to add on my resume. So that determines my resolution tenfold, I am applying now.

The Job is for Attack Marketing, a quiznos promotion. Btw my partner and I are applying for Racine so please do the courtesy of selecting one of the other cities if anyone reading follows through. It is in southern Wisconsin, as I live in green bay the commute is a little more than acceptable.
http://attackmarketing.net/qwiil1/

WI: Racine, Oconomowoc, Lake Geneva, Beaver Dam, Grafton 

IL: Mundelein 

Tuesday February 16th - Friday February 19th 

Monday February 22nd - Thursday February 25th 

Job to watch out for!
There are many lists of signs for scams, here I'll set you one blog's article. See this example though of which I saw on craigslist in Mobile, Alabama. In response to an add asking for "expressive actress"  and then described a role as a background extra in some sort of shoot, paying up to $250. I received a response though suggesting I get a free trial of a tanning product and... .... ....? Here is the email in quotes and the website of the product.

Hi Eric,

Thank you for applying to our ad.  We are seeking background extras and beginner actors/actresses.  Here is our immediate need.  You do not need a casting agent nor do you need to be a member of any actors guild. This is a perfect way to get your resume started.

We are seeking testimonial shoots for a brand new product called Joliese Tan.  It's all about looking amazing with a beautiful sunless tan and having a healthy alternative to the damaging rays of the sun.

Participation requirements for the shoot:

1) Men or women at least 18 years old.

2) Must not be allergic to aloe vera.

3) Clear speaking voice with good enunciation.

4) Must be using Joliese Tan for 5 days (see below).

The Joliese Tan product is available people who received this letter for the purpose of testing prior to the shoot day. Please use the product. It is against the law for us to ask for an endorsement unless you have actually used the product.

The link for acquiring the product is here: Joliese Sunless Tan

This web site is for a free trial. We are using an independent company to handle this service. You may be required to pay a small shipping charge.**

Please email back when you have started your testing of the product so we can line you up for the testimonial shoot. Start using the product AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE IT. We have a deadline and you will miss your opportunity to be included if you delay. Shoots are being scheduled in every major city in the continental US.

Payment is $1,100.00 to complete the project. 

**Use coupon code "darker" to reduce shipping to only $1.50 (enter code on the left side of the page)

Thanks and Good Luck!

Jane Doba

This seems suspicious, so I will not reply.

Jobs! Or Gigs, from glances on my wensdsay off.

A quick scan across the internet shows a good plethora of jobs across green bay:

• Agency 'New Concepts in Marketing' is looking for demonstraters in,  PA, TN, WI, KS, TX, CO, CA, WA for Jan 29th and 30th (looks like). Thats perhaps a couple half days work for $54 dollars a 6 hour shift, was what I think they offer.
• Fusion is doing wine and spirits promtoions, in fact I know of one is the bud select 55, love bud select and want to pour people shots in Sam's Club! Need a bartenders licesnses, but thats easy enough with the internet, you just get the WABS 
• Photography gig Fri Jan 29th, someone on craigslist wants a photographer with a high end camera.
• GBCT auditions for Return Engagements by Bernard Slade, driect by Mike Laskowski
• And on that note, attend Green Bay Community Theater's production of The Meliville Boys on February 11-13 & 17-21,2010 , $16 bucks, or $8 with a Student ID.
• Weight Loss Trial?  

Survey will last 6 weeks.  - You will be paid $1500 total.

50 People aged over 18 and 110lbs in weight are allowed to participate in the Evaluation.

• DJ? Theres a male and a female advertisment for dj/emcee for wedding and corporate events I believe.
• A marketing  job a for a magazine, publisher wanted?
• Apac is always hiring, I think? Or so I hear they've been hiring. 
• Librarian Assistant, for 16 bucks an hour??
• So lets see, my main source... Craigslist, like always, http://greenbay.craigslist.org/jjj/
• On the rock models has work in Illinois...

Start: 05 Feb 2010

End: 07 Feb 2010

Fri. early evening

Sat. early afternoon

Sun. early afternoon

All days are 3-4 hrs. depending on location

Rates: $20HR.

• Thinking I really ought to get back into construction, best way I know is walking on a job or knowing the right people in the company chain, and talking to them. Hrm....I should look that up.

Three Companies to watch out for!

1. FHTM is a recruiting pyramid also that I saw advertising around here on cragislist and then googled
2. Then theres Primerica, they gave a friend of mine nad interview and got him really excited and although its suppose to be selling insurance or investment plans I beleive there is recruiting involved and it sounds suspicious. May be some truth to it but I would be cautious with them.
3. Vector Marketing wanst you to sell their Kirby's, maybe you can make some money for them and a little for yourself if you wanted, but it might be from your grandma and your friends and relatives.

Where I find my Promotion work

The internet is my business tool, I send my resume out via email multiple times a week as the few clicks are as easy as shaking a hand or passing out a business tool, and I receive and have several jobs offers sitting in my inbox.

My absolutely favorite resources are:

• Craigslist - Craigslist is the dominant classified advertisements. I no longer look in the newspaper for jobs (or couches for sale) and turn to the online source which is free to the advertiser, and only requires a access to the Internet. Often look in the 'gigs' category, although listings are also included in the jobs section also
• Stuck for Staff - A new website for the states which for it's detailed agency listing alone earns it a notation and is still still working out the bugs of the interactions between individual profiles and agency job posts, very promising though and I already receive emails about various jobs, the only problem with that atm is I get offers outside of my defined job market (IE wrong side of the country)
• Eventspeak - A forum I recently joined with has list jobs available in the marketing and event industry, although as I find the job list part of the website sub par (it seems poorly updated and hard to search for a particular state) I've found it more useful for finding company names and its social forum for networking.
• All for Models - A model's blog out of Chicago, although slightly too far for me to legitimately consider the majority of work posted, I have found a few companies with work encroaching into Wisconsin. This would be a great blog to follow for anyone in Chicago.
• Google - I kid you not, everything is on google.

I work primarily out of Green Bay, WI (although I am willing to travel and applying for mobile tour campaigns and also looking for work near Mobil, Alabama)

Here are a few of the companies that I have worked for and may have work locally (and most companies are nationwide).

• GMR is a popular and renowned organization with multiple events
• Events-Promotions put me in many in-store wine and spirits samplings under the sunflower group
• Integreat Staffing started my work in Wine and Spirit sampling
• Aras Promotions has been advertising for female promotional models for liquor promotions at bars
• I've also worked with both Victory Marketing and Lime Media for one day events as they brought their mobile tours to Green Bay's tailgating and needed a local hand.
• Again, I'll mention Stuck for Staff's immense agency directory, although it does require a free user name registration and login to the site.

To be considered for these jobs:

An applicant will typically need to send their resume to a staffing agency along with a head shot and full body shot. They expect a professional appearance of the applicant alone with no one else in the picture of obviously cropped out, although the picture itself does not need to be of professional quality and the simplest image from a personal digital camera will suffice.

While I personally find good results by sending out slews of emails to agencies contact email and their recruits email, a typically professional agency will have an application on the website demanding contact info, photos, and clothing measurements.

What exactly is a Brand Ambassador?

As a Profession:

Brand Ambassador, Promotional Model, Live Marketer? These are just three of the dozens of variations of a job title that uses friendly, knowledgeable, and interactive staff to subtlety or blatantly promote a product or brand to increase sales, not just a particular day but on a whole, by presenting the products brand with a powerful memory.

Live Marketing as opposed to the standard print, radio, and television ads reaches a smaller overall audience but leaves those interactions with a much more forceful and lasting impact than the commercials the market has learned to mostly tune out. By interacting directly with the community, a spokesperson for the brand can not only answer every question asked but also make small talk and have a memorable positive social interaction. Being presented a product you are told tastes good, by someone attractive, and as a free gift, often is such a positive experience that it enhances the customers perception of the qualities of the product.

Think of how many ads you've heard on the radio, and how little those words mean to you unless they manage to catch your attention and amuse you in a memorable way. How many do you recall?

Now recall any time you've ever been given a free sample of a product, that instantly catches your attention. Often grocery stores set up sampling or entertain a stop at a wine sampling cart with a young attractive bartender offering free samples, who are very experienced and hold your attention. Large companies have models handing out samples of products and various swag, which then later recalls your attention (although some things like poorly designed t shirts, sticker, key chains, and other junk handed out are often discarded immediately and a waste of money) at big events like football tailgating, holiday shopping days, and other events that draw a large crowd.

Word of mouth is the most effective advertising and the most acted upon. When your friend stops in to tell you about how he met a bartender at the liquor store who gave him free shots it might sound fun to go check out that store, or when that same friend raves about a new store or restaurant that review may shoot it to the top of your list. When your friend met the bartender or the brand promoter in public, even though they may have been stranger the promoter being there in person still has some feel of the word of mouth, a person is more trustworthy than a commercial, and when that friend then goes to you, you actually know them and may care about their opinion.

Now the jobs you are able to get in this field of entertainment and advertising are quite varied, and they do range on a sliding scale from setup and labor, certain customers interactions, and modeling. Some jobs require setting up a display and product placement at a store and then leaving, and I would classify that as mostly labor, if under certain specs and guidelines. There are jobs that find staff to work alone or fill a team, often dressing to certain codes (typically black pants, button shirt, dress shoes, or any variation of color scheme particular to each event or client desires) and demand a friendly outgoing attitude for gaining and holding customer attention. Many sampling events require certain certifications or licenses by law such as a state certified bartending licenese, food service certifications, or other requirements particular to the event. A CDL may or may not be required based on the vehicle being used on mobile advertising tours which often take a company branded truck to events across the country following sporting events or any sort of events allowing vendors. The scale slides into promotional modeling as some promotions demand pictures of the staff working the event for later publication, and it is commonly know that being attractive is a positive and desired trait. To complete the scale, many promotional models also do true modeling work, and even acting or work in the entertainment business.

What a Brand Ambassador really is:

Now above I have been discussing briefly what a brand ambassador is an a financially compensated promoter. A true brand ambassador is a customer unaffiliated with a company except for through their passion and support of a product.

An easy correlation would be sports fans, a packer fan is often a very passionate brand ambassador for their local sports team. Take it a step farther into beverages, many people define themselves as Budweiser drinkers, but some drink miller and passionately declare why their preferred beer is better and why. You can be a brand ambassador for any product though, and then even show your support for a company or corporation you support beyond an individual product. I would consider myself a true (if minimally motivated) ambassador for Google. I respect the innovations Google has made and find myself using their browser Chrome instead of any other merely because Google made it and I trust that their product is aligned with what I want.

Tax Highlights for 2009

So you had income that your employer withheld taxes on? Well even if you don't think you have to file or made enough (especially in that case as the simplest single return, if you claim yourself gives you back every withheld federal and state dollar when you make less that $9350)

First, you'll need get together your tax documents, such as:

• W-2s for wages, salaries, tips and pensions
• 1099g for unemployment, some states available electronically
• 1098s for mortgage interest paid
• 1099s for interest, dividends, state tax refunds and other payments
  
• K-1s from partnerships, S corporations, estates and trusts
• Your prior year federal and state return
• Any correspondence you've received from tax agencies
• - Basically, all the forms look similar, and are from ANY form of taxable income you've received

A couple big highlights for the 2009 tax season changes include:

• The Making Work Pay Credit - (6.2% of your income up to) $400 for a Single filers or $800 for MFJ.
• The American Opportunity credit is an educational credit that expands the prior Hope credit from 2 years of use to 4 years and adjusts the numbers for the year.
• Earned Income Credit (EIC) expanded to include 3 eligible dependents as opposed to 2 in prior years yielding a maximum refundable credit of $5,657 based on your income
• Government Retiree Credit - An addition $250 credit if you receive a pension from the Federal, State, or local government.
• New rule for divorced or separated parents, new for 2009 form 8332 is required whereas a copy of divorce or custody orders would suffice.
• Unemployment Compensation - First $2400 dollars of benefits received are tax fre

These are just a couple of the highlights I found most important for the 2009 tax year as an employee at a local Jackson Hewitt franchise, refer to the IRS website or the IRS's Listing of 2009 Tax Change for Individuals

Want to get the quickest refund you can? Find out your routing and account numbers off a check or by calling your bank and then both electronically file and direct deposit to receive your refund in 8-15 days. This same time frame is available to those with the resources to file on their own and those who go to a free or professional tax consultant.

Professional tax preparation offices are often tied in with a bank that allows them to facilitate loans that are paid off by the tax refund, thus enabling customers to get refunds in a day, in an hour, with fees subtracted from the refund, or any sort of financial package assembled by the bank. Several franchises and companies across the country are paralyzed this season with a lack of their rapid refunds as Santa Barbara Bank and Trust, a primary leader in the refund anticipation loaning business announced its unwillingness to participate with rapid loans this year weeks before the tax season started. With a year's time to renegotiate with competitor banks I assume the majority of companies should have this problem averted by next year.

WI State Homstead Credit

For those residing in my local Wisconsin, don't forget about the Homestead Credit, a refundable credit required a landlords signature on a rent certificate, and a schedule H. This credit is particular to wisonsin and gives credit to renters and homeowners with an income > $24,500

Initial Test Post for blog

Initial Test Post for blog.