‘An Amazing Evolution’ – Atlas Café Turns 15

Popular restaurant to mark occasion by giving away Puerto Vallarta vacation.


Atlas Café turns 15 this month, and its owners are marking the occasion by sending two lucky guests on a Mexican vacation.

Until the end of April, anyone who dines at Atlas Café for breakfast, lunch or dinner can enter to win a trip for two to Puerto Vallarta, including travel and accommodation, for up to five nights. Additional prizes to be won include Atlas gift certificates and other promotional items.

“Being a part of this community has been an amazing experience,” says Sandra Viney, who opened Atlas Café 15 years ago with her husband, chef Trent McIntyre. “We wanted to give back to the good people of the Comox Valley, so we decided to utilize the Valley’s great WestJet connection with Puerto Vallarta.”

Over the last decade and a half, Atlas Café has become woven into the fabric of the Comox Valley and has earned a warm spot in the hearts and minds of Valley residents. But, like most homegrown success stories, downtown Courtenay’s favourite eatery evolved from modest beginnings.

In the early ’90s, Viney and McIntyre were two world travellers who had decided it was finally time to settle down. Though neither had roots in B.C. (McIntyre is from Saskatoon and Viney grew up near Byron Bay, Australia), they each shared a passion for snowboarding and great food, and so their dream was to open a restaurant in a small B.C. community at the base of a mountain. After criss-crossing the province, they eventually decided on Courtenay.

“The Comox Valley just won our hearts,” says Viney. “We fell in love with the character of the community, and the beautiful energy that this place has. At the time, there weren’t many healthy dinner choices in downtown Courtenay, so there was an opportunity for us to create something new.”

With a modest investment and as much “recycled” equipment as they could find, Viney and McIntyre opened Atlas Café on April 24, 1995 in a former surf shop on Sixth Street. In just a few years, its eclectic menu and welcoming ambiance had established Atlas’s reputation as one of the Comox Valley’s social hubs and culinary hotspots.

Although Atlas Café has grown over the years, its core values have remained the same. Viney and McIntyre remain committed to providing healthful and flavourful dishes while honouring the friendly, community-minded spirit that first attracted them to the Comox Valley.

“It’s been an amazing evolution,” says Viney. “The people who have shared our space over the years and the people who have worked here have touched our hearts. We’ve seen many a date turn into marriage and we’ve seen former employees launch successful businesses of their own. We’ve even started hiring the children of former employees; we’re all one big extended family.”

The winner of Atlas Café’s Puerto Vallarta vacation will be announced in early May. To participate, simply ask your Atlas server for an entry form.

Atlas Café is located at 250 Sixth Street in Courtenay. For more information, call 250-338-9838 or visit www.atlascafe.ca.



To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

Everybody Wing Chun Tonight!

Valley’s First Kung Fu Academy Offers Fitness, Combat and Self-Defence



Sifu Corny Martens could probably beat you up.

As a certified Kung Fu instructor, he’s quite confident in his fighting abilities. But unless you’re attacking him in a dark alley, all he’s interested in smashing are your expectations.

Martens has just opened Comox Valley Kung Fu Academy, the first of its kind in the Comox Valley. As such, one of his primary goals is to educate people about the Wing Chun style of kung fu that he teaches, which combines striking and grappling techniques designed for close-range combat and self-defence.

“This isn’t what most people expect from martial arts,” says Martens. “Its heritage ensures that Wing Chun offers more than just tough-guy aggression. The movements are accessible to all ages, and the culture is welcoming to everyone.”

Comox Valley Kung Fu Academy offers a broad range of options, including women’s self-defence classes, programs for children and teens and hardcore training for people who are serious about learning combat techniques.

“I was attracted to Wing Chun because of the options it offers,” says Martens. “Even someone who isn’t committed to learning the whole art can still benefit from learning some basic skills.”

Women in particular, he says, will love the Kick Classes, a cardio program done to music that he’s launching this spring. “You learn a few martial art skills,” he explains, “but it’s mostly a workout. You could call it a bag-slamming, aggression-releasing, self-defence workout for those bored with the spa scene.”

Wing Chun kung fu was developed in 17th century China by an 80-year-old Shaolin nun named Ng Mui. Certainly not your average grandma, Ng Mui was a grand master of two different fighting styles who collaborated with four other grand masters to create the Wing Chun style.

Anyone who has ever watched a Bruce Lee film knows that Wing Chun is an extremely effective fighting discipline. But more important, says Martens, is its teachings on avoiding violence.

“The art is 99 per cent self-defence,” he says. “We learn how to deal with confrontation and how to make a physical stand in order to stop further violence.”

Martens, who recently moved to the Comox Valley from Vancouver, has been a kung fu practitioner for 15 years, including four years under the tutelage of Canada’s leading Wing Chun grand master. He’s also a certified yoga instructor and has studied intensively with personal trainers.

In his 12 years of teaching Wing Chung, Martens has seen kung fu transform his students from flabby to fit, from hesitant to confident and from apathetic to passionate. He’s also heard stories about how kung fu has supported women through childbirth, helped ordinary people foil robbery attempts and, perhaps most remarkably, gotten teens to do their chores.

Comox Valley Kung Fu Academy is located at 3-1492 McPhee Avenue (across from Courtenay Elementary). For more information, contact Corny Martens at 250-702-3780 or cvkungfuacademy@gmail.com.



To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

Experiential Marketing: How to Market Your Company in the 21st Century

I recently posted an message on my Facebook page about experiential marketing. The original post was a bit vague, I admit, which prompted one follower to ask for more info. I've posted below a transcript of the post and my ensuing explanation, for anyone who's interested in learning how to market successfully in the 21st century.

My original post:

Here's an idea: Make your marketing as beneficial to your target customer as the product or service you're marketing. Experiential marketing - if you don't know what it is then you're likely wasting a lot of money.


The comment received:

please explain...


And so, ever happy to oblige, I responded:

Experiential marketing is all about actually involving your customers in your marketing, and making the marketing itself of value to them. It's a great way to break through the clutter of advertising and reach a more savvy market.

For example, one hand lotion company sent crews of ladies out to bus shelters across a city and gave free hand massages to people as they waited. They used the lotion of course, but didn't actively push it, except to give a free sample. If someone asked, then they'd explain all the benefits and virtues.

Another company (The name escapes me, but I think it was a baby-supply maker, like Johnson & Johnson or something) gave out free ultrasounds to pregnant women in malls in Argentina. For many women, it was the first time they'd seen an in-utero picture of their baby, and it was an experience they won't soon forget. As a result, they came away with a great perception of the company, and likely told all their friends about it.

Experiential marketing is a great way to tap into the potential of "brand evangelists," those who will essentially do your marketing for you by extolling your virtues to their network.

Of course, it can also be simpler, smaller things, like simply taking the time to offer free and genuine advice to potential clients. For example, I've had people come to me for a media release and, after discussing their budget, objectives, etc, I told them that their dollar might be better spent elsewhere (i.e. on a service they'd get from someone else). Sure I "lost the sale," but that person will remember that I gave them honest advice and that I'm someone they can trust. The simple fact that what I did was unexpected (and beneficial) ensures that they're going to remember me and return to take advantage of my services when the time is right.

Hope that helps.


Then I decided to post a couple of resources for more info:

A couple of resources: The first is great book called Experience the Message, by Max Lenderman. It is all about experiential marketing and its virtues. Another is one I just stumbled upon right now: The Experiential Marketing Forum.



To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

How to add a Facebook Badge to your Web Site or Blog

You've seen the links on everyone's pages: "Follow me on Facebook" they say. But how do you put one of those fancy badges on YOUR site? How can you attract fans to YOUR Facebook fan page?

Here's how:

1. Log in to your Facebook account. Once you're logged in, you'll be on your Facebook home page

2. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. You'll see a list of links in the bottom right. Click on Advertising

3. Click on Pages, near the top of the page (it has a flag next to it.

4. Toward the right hand side you'll see a button that says "Create a page." Click on "Manage your existing pages," right below that button.

5. Now, you'll either see a list of the pages you manage or, if you only have one page, you'll be taken directly to it. If you see a list of pages, click on the page for which you want to create a badge.

6. At the bottom of the column that's to the left of the Facebook ads, click on "Get your badge."

7. Edit your badge to customize its appearance. You can choose to display any combination of your name, picture, fans and recent updates. You can also change its layout and orientation - horizontal or vertical. Save your changes.

8. It will ask you where you want to place your badge. If it's for your blog, simply follow the instructions to insert it on your blog. If you want it for your web site, select other, and then copy and paste the HTML code that it gives you. You can then insert this code directly into your web site's code, or hand it off to your web developer who will do it for you.


Happy badging!




To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

Go Green For less $$$ with Eco-Friendly Window Film

Spring is finally here, which means it’s home improvement time once again in the Comox Valley.

Against a backdrop of growing environmental awareness and a looming HST that could increase the average family’s energy bill by as much as $200 a year, it’s not surprising that this year’s hot trend in home improvement is eco-friendly upgrades that won’t break the bank.

While heat pumps, Energy Star appliances and even solar panels tend to steal the “green” spotlight, more and more people are discovering another option that’s much more affordable and can reduce their energy consumption by as much as a quarter: window film.

Window film, at its most basic level, consists of a polyester substrate that’s applied to the inside or outside of a home’s windows or skylights. Residential window film has improved dramatically since it was introduced in the 1950s, and today’s consumer can choose from a wide variety of films, each with its own unique properties and benefits.

There are solar films that greatly increase the insulating effect of glass, one-way visibility films that protect your family from nosy neighbours and security films that strengthen glass by 300 per cent while making it completely shatterproof. Most window films today also block 99 per cent of the sun’s UV radiation, which virtually eliminates the fading of flooring and furniture.

The film that’s getting the most attention this year, however, is one that does it all.

“I call it Super Solar Window Film, and it’s the one that everyone’s asking for this year,” says Dave Barlow, who owns Safe & Sound Window Film in Comox. “In the summer, it blocks up to 83 per cent of the heat that enters your home. In the winter, it increases the insulating effect of glass by as much as 35 per cent.”

Customers who have had the film installed, says Barlow, have reported energy savings of as much as 20 to 25 per cent. Given that the film costs as little as six dollars per square foot fully installed and is guaranteed for as long as the customer owns their home, the film generally pays for itself in just a few years.

“Since the home renovation tax credit, a lot of folks have beautiful new hardwood and laminate flooring,” says Barlow. “The flooring experts all agree, the only way to ensure that your flooring won’t fade, bleach or discolour is with window film. So you’re protecting your investment, you’re lowering your energy bill and you’re reducing your environmental footprint. It’s not just a win-win – it’s a win-win-win!”

Dave Barlow will be on hand at the Safe & Sound Window Film booth at this weekend’s Comox Valley Spring Home Expo, in the Comox Valley Sports Centre. For more information, call 250-339-7003 or visit www.SafeAndSoundWindowFilm.com.



To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

Why Every Canadian B2B Business Should Register for GST (or HST)

I just had a conversation with a fellow business-to-business (B2B) professional in the Comox Valley and I was shocked that he was not registered for GST. As he didn't earn more than $30,000 each year through his business, he didn't have to register. I had to explain why he should register voluntarily - not next month, not next week, but TODAY!

The advantage of not registering, as he saw it, was that he didn't have to charge his clients GST (or HST, as will soon be the case here in BC). I explained that since all of his clients are businesses, the vast majority of which are GST registered, they don't care if they pay GST or not, since they get back any GST paid for business expenses.

The advantage of voluntarily registering for GST is that, once he registers (which I'm sure he now will), he can be reimbursed for any GST paid on HIS business expenses. Money for nothing, as Dire Straits would say.

So to recap: if you're a B2B business, chances are very good that your clients don't care if they're charged GST or not, since they get it all back anyway. If you register, you get back all the money you spend on GST on business expenses. If you don't register, you lose that money (or, more accurately, you give it oh so generously to the government - ain't you swell!

So if you're a B2B business, go and register. Don't be dissuaded by folks that tell you you don't have to if you make less than $30,000. You always have the right to voluntarily register no matter how much income you earn.

To register online now, click the following link:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/bn-ne/bro-ide/menu-eng.html

Local Copywriter to Represent B.C. Writers

One of Canada’s most prestigious writing organizations has selected a local copywriter to represent British Columbia on its national board of directors.

Ryan Parton, who writes marketing copy for local businesses and operates Ryan Parton Writing Solutions, was named B.C.’s Regional Director of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) in February.

“It really was a surprise and an honour to be chosen,” said Parton, who just returned from his first PWAC board meeting in Montreal last week. “I received some really positive feedback from the ideas I brought forward in Montreal. My next step is to introduce myself to PWAC’s B.C. members and to find out how I can best represent them at the national level.”

The Professional Writers Association of Canada is comprised of more than 600 of the nation’s top writers, including 110 in B.C. and three in the Comox Valley. Members of PWAC represent a diverse cross section of Canadian writers, including journalists, novelists and poets, but Parton is one of only a handful that specializes exclusively in writing marketing copy.

“Copywriting is unlike any other kind of writing,” said Parton. “You need to capture and hold the reader’s attention, and of course you have to convince him to hand over his hard-earned money.

“A lot of business owners will just put up a web site, print a brochure or run an ad without giving any real thought to the writing,” he added. “But it’s the writing that’s going to largely determine whether your marketing earns you money or costs you money.”

In light of Parton’s marketing expertise, his fellow PWAC board members were quick to name him co-chair of the organization’s Communications Committee. This committee is responsible for the maintenance of a members’ blog, as well as the production of PWAC marketing collateral.

Next up on Parton’s PWAC agenda will be the organization’s annual general meeting and national conference, which is being held in Toronto this summer.

To find out more about Ryan Parton Writing Solutions, visit www.ryanparton.ca or call 250-702-1103 for a free consultation. To learn more about PWAC, go to www.pwac.ca.




To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

How to Unlink Your Twitter and Facebook Accounts

Have any of you grown annoyed by having your Facebook account linked to your Twitter account? I sure did. It's annoying clicking on a link on Twitter, only to be redirected to the person's Facebook page whee you then had to click on another link to actually get somewhere of interest. (note: if you're trying to get your tweets to stop appearing on your Facebook profile, click here.

I hated myself for subjecting my followers to that, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to unlink my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I later found out that lots of my friends were having the same problem.

So here's the solution:

First of all, log into your Twitter account (at twitter.com), NOT your Facebook account. Next, click on Settings, then Connections. Where you see the Facebook icon, simply click on "revoke access."

Now that wasn't so hard, was it?

My apologies to all my followers on Twitter for months of annoying Facebook tweets!



To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

There's still time to find love this weekend in the Comox Valley!

Valentine’s Day will soon be here, and lovers everywhere are tingling with anticipation. But what if you haven’t yet met that special someone? Or the romance has vanished from your relationship amidst the chaos of daily life?

Local hypnotherapist and life coach Jeannie Spencer, founder of Invision Your Life, has the answer, and she’ll share her insights at two special “Invision Your Love” workshops this weekend. But there are only a few spots remaining!

The first, a full-day couples hypnotherapy workshop this Saturday, is designed to help busy couples, especially those with children, rediscover their lost passion, release and built-up resentment and embark upon a new, loving path.

Then, on Sunday, a special Valentine’s Day workshop for singles will help 10 participants discover what they truly want in a partner, build their confidence and attract their ideal mate in another half-day workshop.

“The mind is an incredibly powerful tool,” says Spencer. “It contains everything you need to achieve your potential and start living your ideal life – whether that means falling in love or falling back in love.”

To register, or for more information, call 1-888-556-8411 or click on either of these links:

Couples Workshop

Singles Workshop


To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

Use your mind to... Lose Weight, Rekindle Your Relationship, Find Love & Birth With Ease

For many of us, February is the time that we finally give up on our well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions. But for those who promised to lose weight, find new love or rekindle lost romance, this month could be different.

Local hypnotherapist and coach Jeannie Spencer, founder of Invision Your Life, has chosen the month of February to kick off a comprehensive series of personal development workshops in the Comox Valley.

The series begins with Spencer’s hypnosis weight loss program, which promises to help participants lose weight using the power of their minds.

"Anyone who has ever attempted to lose weight knows that it takes more than diet and exercise,” says Spencer. “People dealing with weight problems generally have emotional triggers that set unhealthy habits into motion. Once these triggers are identified and dealt with, weight loss and maintenance become easier.”
The 12-week program, beginning February 16 (she swears it’s a coincidence that the workshop begins on “Fat Tuesday”), is preceded by a private two-hour hypnotherapy session and continues with 11 weekly group classes.

The series continues on February 13 with a full-day couples' hypnosis workshop limited to only five couples. Entitled “Invision Your Love,” the workshop is designed to help busy couples – especially those with children – rediscover their lost passion, release resentment and embark upon a new loving path.

“Couples continually tell me there’s just no time or energy left in the day for each other,” says Spencer. “When they finally do find the time, all the pressure of romance takes hold and they end up disappointed. This workshop is about elevating your love life and reigniting the passion you’d all but forgotten.”

For those still searching for a significant other, a special Valentine’s Day workshop for singles may help guide Cupid’s arrow. On February 14, Spencer will help 10 participants discover what they truly want in a partner, build their confidence and attract their ideal mate in this half-day workshop.

Rounding out February’s line-up is Spencer’s highly acclaimed “Invision Your Birth” workshop on February 25. This unique, three-hour workshop adds a new spin to Spencer’s previous teachings as a Hypnobirthing practitioner and is open to expectant mothers and their birthing partners.

Invision Your Birth will show participants how to use hypnotherapy to reduce anxiety and achieve relaxation and control during the birthing process. Participants of the workshop, which has been endorsed by Comox Valley Midwifery, will also receive a CD of their personalized birthing script to help them achieve a natural and relaxed childbirth.

“The mind is an incredibly powerful tool,” says Spencer. “It contains everything you need to achieve clarity and realize your true potential; all that’s missing is the instruction booklet. These workshops will help you unlock the power of your mind and start living your ideal life.”

To register for any Invision Your Life workshop, or for more information, call 1-888-556-8411 or visit www.InvisionYourLife.com.




To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

It's official: I'm BC's new Regional Director of PWAC

To all of you who have been anxiously awaiting the verdict on my quest to become regional director for British Columbia of the Professional Writers' Association of Canada (PWAC), wait no longer - It's official.

I'm now undertaking the task of bringing myself up to speed with an organization of which I've been a member but not necessarily an active one for two years. My first real task will be to attend a weekend-long board meeting in Montreal later this month, after which I hope to have a better grasp on what's going on and what my role will be.

As an aside, I've also fallen into the role of communications co-chair, which comes ith its own set of requirements that I'll have to wade through at some point.

So yes, I am the PWAC's BC RD (for all you acronym fans) and will be so at least until the AGM in June (one more acronym for you!).

So thank you to the Academy, to God and to all my supporters. And in case none of you actually exist, then thank-you Mom!



To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

4 Tips for Money-Making Direct Mail

Writing for direct mail isn’t the same as blogging, or writing the great Canadian novel. Direct mail has a specific purpose – usually convincing the reader to hand over his or her hard-earned cash for your product or service – and there are proven techniques for making it work.

It would be impossible to explain all the intricacies of writing a winning direct mail piece, but here are a few tips to help steer you in the right direction:



1. Begin your writing on the envelope. A brief “teaser” on the envelope can go a long way toward persuading the reader to open it. Because remember, zero per cent of all mailings that don’t get opened result in sales.

2. Write about the reader, not about your company or product. Sure, you do have to mention what it is you’re selling at some point, but do it in a way that emphasizes benefits rather than features. For example, you’re not selling a shoe with an air-cushion sole; you’re selling relief from aching feet.

3. Offer something for free. “Order now and get my free report!” “Let’s meet for coffee – on us!” “Call now for a free trial!”

4. Include a postscript (P.S.) where you re-state your offer. Studies have shown that when people read letters, they read the salutation first and the postscript second. So state your main benefit, your call to action and, if possible, some sort of guarantee.



To learn more about how you can use direct mail to turbo-charge your marketing, or if you'd like help with any of your marketing materials, please call 250.702.1103 for a free consultation.




To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

How to Boost Your Profits With Direct Mail

January to March is the most profitable time of the year to launch a direct mail marketing campaign, according to Jay Conrad Levinson, best-selling author of Guerilla Marketing. So what are you waiting for?

Here's why direct mail is one of the most valuable tools at your disposal:

1. It's easy to track, meaning that you can see very clearly the response rate to a particular campaign.
2. You can target any specific market and personalize your message like crazy.
3. It's cheap as borscht, costing as little as 13 cents per prospect.
4. Done properly, you can achieve some of the highest response rates of any form of marketing.

To help you get started, I've compiled five tips to creating a successful direct mail campaign and 3 valuable tools to get you started.




5 tips for making the most of your direct mail campaign:


1. Ensure that you’re targeting the right audience. If you don’t know your target market, it’s time to give it some serious thought. Remember, if you try to speak to everyone you usually end up speaking to no one.

2. Send a letter along with your rack card or promo piece. Mailings with letters are more personal, and they almost always outpull mailings without letters.

3. Make your envelope (or subject line on an email) interesting. Zero per cent of mailings that don’t get opened result in sales.

4. Success in direct mail comes with the cumulative effect of repeat mailings. Make each mailing distinct, but always drive home your key message or branding.

5. Always, always ALWAYS tell the recipient what to do next. “Call now,” “Visit our Web Site” or “Download our free guide” are examples of what’s known as the “call to action.” It seems obvious, but too many advertisers forget this crucial ingredient.


And now a few tools to get you started:

1. CanadaPost.com – Your friends at Canada Post will help you hone in on your target market, make your mailing stand out from the rest, and give you detailed pricing information.

2. Me! I’m a professional marketing copywriter, and I can help you craft your marketing letter or direct mail pieces so that they speak directly to your target market in language that will compel them to buy, Buy, BUY! Call me at 250.702.1103 for a free 30-minute consultation.

3. If you decide to do it yourself, check out "4 Tips for Writing Money-Making Direct Mail."


To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.

I'd Like to be BC's Regional Director of the Professional Writers' Association of Canada (PWAC)

The BC Regional Director position with the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) has become vacant, and I've decided to throw my hat in the ring.

Why? Because I think I can help provide a fresh perspective on the issues surrounding PWAC.

I'm always following the discussions that go back and forth on the PWAC business listserve, and the thing that keeps coming up again and again is the need for writers to gain recognition as respected professionals, and to be treated as such. What's needed in a lot of ways is a change in perspective, as contractors need to recognize the value of professional writing and aspiring writers need to recognize the value of their own talents.

There are too many bad contracts (see badwritingcontracts.ca), too many disrespectful editors, too many rights-hungry publishers and too many starving writers wiling to prostitute themselves for a byline.

Although I've spent time as a freelance journalist, I now run a full-time copywriting business. As a marketer, I think I may be able to provide some insight on how PWAC could better promote the respect of professional writers. And hey, if I'm able to contribute in other ways, that would be icing on the cake!

I'm not saying that I could necessarily do a better job than other PWACers who may be considering the posting. I'd just like the opportunity to try. I don't have a lot of board experience, but I have worked with a board of directors as marketing coordinator with Comox Valley Tourism and I did sit in on several Tourism Vancouver Island board meetings. I also started up a nationally incorporated charity several years back.

I'm excited about the opportunity to become more involved with PWAC and I really think this could be a great opportunity to give back.

I'm currently seeking nomination by two PWAC members, and I'll keep you posted on my progress.




To learn more about my professional copywriting services, visit my web site at www.ryanparton.ca.