McIntosh Laboratory Inc. strives to make dealers successful—on their own terms.

People don’t get into the luxury home-entertainment channel because they have a cookie-cutter approach to retailing. The high-end audiovisual business always has been about passion, personal taste, self expression and style. So when it comes to special events and in-store promotions, it’s not surprising that the luxury retailing landscape is rich, varied and reflective of dealers themselves, and their discriminating clientele.

Angelvision, an Internet marketing and advertising company, has made a name for itself with its Impact Movies-video productions for companies looking for unconventional ways to deliver their message. You can distribute your video message via email, local cable TV spots, Internet ads and social networking sites. Recently unveiled is Angelvision's new Impact Books offering-customized books with your personal message on the front cover. It's a clever, thoughtful gift for clients, employees or business associates, personalized for their individual interests - business, health, cooking, travel, inspirational, sports and more. You can add your own introduction and include pages with your ads and personal messages. To view the video, click here:

Futurist Faith Popcorn coined the term "cocooning" a few years ago with regard to our societal need to hunker down and stay home - which was music to every installer's ears. Home theaters were referenced as the "new American hearthside", which certainly helped all of us in the consumer electronics and installation worlds. Popcorn's latest report points the way to living la vida "lo-co" - or local cocooning. She predicts a wave of loyal support of all things local: minor league sports teams, farmers' markets, community colleges, businesses and even "loco-tainment". Read on to see what this means for your local brand identity (after clicking on the website, read the full "2010" report):

A mega-shift is taking place in the technology sector-audio and video included-driven by major players who are moving into new product and service lines to capture a larger overall market share. This White Paper by well-known business consultants Deloitte discusses the implications for midsize and smaller tech companies. What is your unique niche in your market and how do you compete successfully? What future developments might affect your position? Should you align with other companies through joint ventures or partnerships? Or is it time to fold the tent and sell your biz to a larger company? Read on to learn more about this important shift

The CEA's TechHome Rating System is a powerful, nationally recognized system to measure a home's technology infrastructure. The system identifies the home's technology infrastructure and its potential for technology. Tech-rating an existing home or using the rating system to help plan a new home allows integrators to bring their expertise and depth of knowledge to the table - giving them credibility in the eyes of builders, architects, designers and clients. The system's three tiers - bronze, gold and platinum -help integrators determine the home's technological capabilities, as well as the complete integration throughout the home for multi-room audio and video, control, security and communications. A TechHome rating can also be a valuable tool when a home goes on the market. To download a TechHome brochure for your next new client intro packet, go to

How valuable can your personal brand be to your business? Your face is powerful as a recognizable, graphic icon whether it is on social networking sites or at public events. People equate familiarity with trust. Add that to a magnetic personality or a memorable catch phrase and you have a key differentiator in a crowded field. Think Col. Sanders' face on every ad and store sign for Kentucky Fried Chicken. For you fans of TV's Friday Night Lights, think Buddy Garrity, the ebullient car dealer. Before seeking the spotlight, the first question you should answer is, "What do I have to offer that no one else can?" Examples: free detailed CAD documentation or true 24/7 response to service needs. Doing this will help you figure out how to stand out from the crowd, says public relations guru Lisa Elia, of Lisa Elia Public Relations in Los Angeles. Once you have established your personal niche, it's important to incorporate that into your daily interactions, including writing. Elia recommends striking a balance between a friendly and an expert tone: warm and inviting, but still authoritative.

To learn how to make the most of your personality, go to:

Selling a product and selling an experience are two totally different things.

Despite the lagging economy, I had the chance to observe two very effective transactions take place at a pair of high-end retailers during my latest visit to San Francisco. At Tiffany & Co. on Post Street, the salesman, who greeted his client by name, was engaging and personable—and had a sense of exactly how much the client would spend. As a result, he suggested a modest bracelet charm, and completed the transaction within minutes.

Most Americans are struggling to rebuild their battered finances. But the country's wealthy are once again doing just fine, thank you very much. New data show the number of millionaires increased sharply and hold a larger percentage of the country's wealth than it did in 2007. Households with at least $1 million in bankable assets rose 15% to 4.7 million. According to Monish Kumar of Boston Consulting Group, the number of millionaires in 2009 was 10% lower than in 2007 but the percentage of the total wealth held by those households was slightly higher at 55%. Read on to learn more on this all-important demographic: