e-dreaming

So if, as I contend, businesses need a bit of a catalyst to promote the thawing of this economic freeze, then what the heck is the salt?

I think one of the answers is in having fun!  I've noticed in my personal and professional life that when we were laughing and having fun, life not only seems better (regardless of our circumstances), but pretty quickly becomes better.  The positive influence of having fun cannot be overstated.  Now that's not to say that you stop providing a quality service and have the entire team head for the nearest game store or saloon, rather, I'm suggesting that we consider productive activities that promote business while having fun.  For example:

• have a party and invite current customers and everyone on your prospect list
• shut the office down and take the team to a movie that is somehow related to what you do, how you do it, or a comedy staged in a business setting
• bring a video camera to the office and shoot candid shots throughout the day and post them on the company website
• have a contest to see who can come up with the most outlandish and yet profitable idea
• start taking clients out to lunch or a drink after work every week and keep it social
• buy your favorite vendor an unexpected gift or dinner for their entire team
• have a bring-your-pet-to-work-day and encourage the entire staff to participate
• have a bring-your-kid-to-work-day and encourage the staff with kids to participate
• call an office clean-up day, and insist that nobody do regular work, rather, focus only on organization and cleanup
• have an offsite meeting with the entire team— be sure to include fun activities and have it catered
• order pizza for the staff for no particular reason
• have the entire team participate in an arts-and-crafts project, producing a unique gift for one of your clients
• call time-out on regular job duties, and have the staff focus on sales and marketing for an entire day
• load the team up and take them to a mall or business complex, and have everyone drop off business cards or brochures, then take them to lunch... then do it again at another mall of business complex
• make up a board game that includes clients and their typical problems/challenges, with rewards for exceptionalism
• if you're the boss, say stupid stuff; the staff will love it (and I'm particularly good at it)!