Archive for the ‘Terri’ Category

I’d like to start the year by attempting to post a monthly tip for those of you who own your own on-line business and like to do things yourselves.  Being a small business person myself, please bear with me if I miss a month or two!  I know you’ll understand.  :O)

I’d first like to hit on some inside email marketing tricks that might seem super simple, but that get the clients reading.  Hence my article title above, “The Broadcast Game”.  Email marketing really is a game – you’re the offense trying to make the play, and the client is defense, blocking your moves!

Hopefully you already know what information you’d like to share with your list.  Maybe you’re writing a newsletter or thinking of a way to promote an upcoming event or new product.  If you can come up with some exciting content, these rules can help you tweak it – so hopefully not only will they open your message, but read every word of it!

Rule #1 – Mystify it. Think of a subject line that will grab their attention.  I’m not talking about, “Act Now!! Don’t Miss This Great Offer!”  Not only will that kind of line not entice your much coveted client (who already has everything he needs and a hundred other offers) to open your email, it’s likely going to get caught in their spam filter for excessive punctuation too.

A better title might be, “What Else Can You Get at This Price That’s Worth so Much?”  Hmm… intriguing, right?  You might just have to open it and see what I’m talking about!  Don’t give away too much – entice them with a bit of mystery.  Never use the subject line to tell them what you message is about in ten words or less. If you do, they’ll decide whether they’re interested or not without even opening it.

Rule #2 – Beautify it. Avoid sending plain text messages if you can help it.  Adopt a sophisticated image using a simple template that is probably offered in your email marketing system anyway.  The appearance of your email at first glance can make or break your chances of being taken seriously and the client moving on to that next step.

Rule #3 – Simplify It. Get to the point already!  Your message has a purpose.  Decide what you REALLY want to say and then add a link to find out more.  Keep it short and sweet and you’ll have them reading it to the end.

Rule #4 – Minify it. Dissect your message into bite-sized pieces.  Sounds painfully simple, but, this is a tried and true, effective way to get people to read.  People are busy, and when it looks like it’s going to take too long, you can be sure they’re going to skip it.  But, there’s a way to make the content look less intimidating.

For example, which would you prefer read?  This:

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men’s stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o’clock…

Or this:

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old
town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the
streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the
sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square.

Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered
on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to Hoover
carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the
live oaks on the square. Men’s stiff collars wilted
by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon,
after their three-o’clock…

Silly example, but you get the picture.  I used a free site called Format-It! to quickly shorten the lines of this text to 50 characters per line.

Rule #5 – Amplify It. Try adding snappy, bold, lead-in titles to sections of your text.  Client’s eyes will jump around for what interests them, or they may just quickly skim through.  If all you offer is an endless sea of similar type, they’re not apt to dive in.  They’ll dip in a toe, give a shiver, and move on to the next email.

Bold or brightly color lines of text that you really want to stand out. Make sure the text you select punctuates your message, so that if someone were to only read the highlighted items, they would still come away with your ideal message.

Rule #6 – Dignify It. Make sure the recipient knows that they’re important to you.   Don’t come across like all you want to do is make the sale.  A client should feel like you’re interested in meeting his needs, not making a buck. This often translates into a trust that will keep the doors of communication open for future broadcasts!

Over the years I’ve learned a few things. One thing in particular resonates with me. Life is a journey – a trip, you could say – and you’re in charge of the travel plans.

From our freshman year in high school we’re told to start thinking about what we’d like to do. Everyone has high hopes at first – we flash back to our (long-lost) childhood ambitions and think, “My parents did always tell me I could be whatever I wanted to be. I really have always wanted to be a veterinarian/doctor/lawyer”… But then we learn the cold, hard truth of the matter – that it’s going to take another 5-10 years of hard work to get a serious degree in that field – so we opt for something a bit less difficult with a still-acceptable monetary compensation. Maybe we aim for whatever the US Bureau of Labor Statistics says is the highest paying, most in-demand position that year. Maybe we just don’t know what we want to do and flounder until we’re almost out of college, selecting the most generic courses to cover the most bases.

This week I am sharing with you a very inspirational video. This video is by Michael Neill and has been put together by one of my own VA’s – Jeanne. Her talented work and Michael’s inspirational message are worthy of sharing. Please enjoy and feel free to forward this link to others!

For more inspirational tips visit Geniuscatalyst.com

May you soar through life!

Recently my longtime friend and the woman who sat my children from birth, passed away from pancreatic cancer. My 16-year-old daughter delivered the following eulogy (which she wrote) with her 18-year-old sister. There are lessons to be learned here…

“Love is stronger than death, although it can’t stop death from happening. No matter how hard death tries, it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”

Not too many kids get to grow up with two mommies. It’s a rare thing. But my sister and I were extremely blessed and lucky kids. For those that don’t know, Susie took care of me from the time I was born and up until I was about twelve, and likewise with my sister Karla. We spent every day with her, and once we started school, every morning and afternoon. She taught us how to read and write, walk and talk, and pretty much everything in between. Yet those aren’t the most important things I took away from her. I think anyone who knew Susie, whether personally or simply as acquaintances, saw something amazing in her.

She was the most loving, caring, giving, unselfish person that I’ve ever met. Not to mention patient.

When I was about eight years old, in the summertime, we went out somewhere in the car. I had just gotten my brand new box of 124 Crayola crayons. I was so excited, and it was just my pride and joy, so I brought it with me – not to Susie’s knowledge of course. Not so brightly, I left the box in the car on this ninety-degree day. As you can probably guess, the following day there was a completely melted rainbow of wax covering the backseat of the car. I was a completely oblivious eight-year-old. I had no idea what I had done until I saw it. All she did was smile, laugh and clean it up. By the next week I had a brand new box of crayons, along with a new rule: keep the art supplies in the house.

I didn’t get in trouble. I didn’t make her angry. It didn’t even phase her. It’s times like this that amaze me. Looking back, I realize that Susie was truly meant to be a caretaker. Even my amazing mother would have lost it at the sight of that mess. She took care of everyone – friends, family, strangers, children – everyone before herself. She never held it over their heads, or wanted credit for the things she did. She just did them. She made us breakfast and lunch every day until we started school. To put that in perspective, between my sister and I, that’s about 3,012 peanut butter & jelly or bologna & cheese sandwiches. Not to mention the other kids she took care of throughout the years.

Susie always had the ability to light up a room. She looked for the best in everyone and everything and taught me to do the same. She was a firm believer that wherever you go, no matter the weather, you should bring your own sunshine. She taught me the sunshine song, which ironically enough sums up the way most feel about her.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are grey.
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you.
Please don’t take my sunshine away.

I think that Susie left a little of her sunshine in all of us, and I know she loved everyone in this room dearly. She always had enough room in her heart for everyone and distributed love frequently. The most important thing to me has always been to make Susie proud – to show her that I was listening all those years through the ups and downs of childhood. What I’ve realized is that no matter what, she would be proud of me, and I know that she is. I think she’s proud of all of her children, whether blood-related or otherwise.

Susie never gave me any idea that I couldn’t do whatever I wanted to do or be whoever I wanted to be. She filled her house with books, and music, and love, and fun, unfailing in her efforts to give me inspiration and role models. As she raised me, I don’t know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her.

Once Susie passed I was worried, that for all that she had done for me I hadn’t given enough back. Sadly, I don’t know if we answered those sandwiches with 3,012 thank you’s. But Susie also told me she loved me every day, and that, I always returned. I’ve come to realize that was enough for her. That was everything to her. That’s about 5,245 I love you’s. But I think she deserves one more. So let’s make it 5,246. Susie, I love you. We all do.

The lessons I wish everyone who heard this and now everyone who has read it can take away from this are as follows:

1. Bring your own sunshine no matter the weather – it often makes the day brighter for others.
2. When things are tough, when you are hurting the most, you can rise to the occasion and help others, no matter your age.
3. Remember to see the beauty in the accidents of life – such as melted crayons.
4. Say I love you to those close to you while you can.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and though the turkey and the pie are must-haves,
they are not the best part for me.

I grew up in a family of 12 children. So, 14 at the table was a Sunday dinner. Over the years we added spouses, children and even great grandchildren. This year we celebrated with 41, proving the decision to move it to a fire hall with more ovens and more space was a good one.

My favorite part of thanksgiving has always been the blessing. When I was a child, my Dad was the one who said it. It was a prayer handed down by his father who could also recite it in German. It starts “Most merciful and everlasting Father”. But the best part is at the end. No matter how old or how young you were, at the end of the prayer, we went around the table and thanked God specifically for something special to us. Some of the things made us laugh, and some made us cry.

This year there were 41 people giving thanks, all included family on the list.

My mom gave her four F’s that she is always thankful for – Faith, Family, Friends and Food.

My nephew Nolan thanked God that it was not a school day.

My husband thanked God for the country we live in and the rights granted us.

So many people with so many blessings: safe travel, family being together, improved relationships, new marriages, children, parents, health.

And though the pumpkin pie was almost as amazing as the cheesecake and Ghirardelli brownies, it still pales in comparison to what we all really took in. What a gift it is to take those few minutes to see our blessings and to thank God for them, not only in our hearts but out loud for others to hear – the best part of my Thanksgiving.

Customer Support is a large part of what I currently do as well as what I have done over the last 20 years.  Of all of the things we have to do to make a business run, attending to the customer is one of the most important.  Without the customer, there would be no business.

Over the years of dealing with clients – and being one myself – I have learned that customer satisfaction really is key.  This is so with any business, but especially true in the online world.  Jeff Bezos, the Founder and President of Amazon.com, said, “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.”

The University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index listed Internet retail in 2007 as having an 83% rate of customer satisfaction.  That means that 17% of our customers are walking away unhappy!  Often an unsatisfactory experience is due to simple misunderstanding.  These situations can easily be resolved by reassuring the client that their problem will be taken care of expediently and also, will not be repeated.  Customers want to be dealt with on a personal level.  Take on each case as though you’ve put your arm around that person and made their problem your problem.

So what key strategies do I follow?

#1    Respond promptly.  Nothing burns a customer more than having to wait for a reply.  The longer they stew, the harder it is to diffuse their anger.  A quick reply denies them the advantage of saying they “tried to contact you several times with no reply”.  This only justifies their stance and puts them even more strongly on the defensive.  Even if you need to tell them, “I received your request and am looking into the issue.  Thank for your patience”, you will have given them your respectful attention.  Now the ball is in your court.

#2    Listen.   Find out what the customer is really asking for.  Let them vent and then reiterate what it is they want.  It should be your aim to please.  You will not only be securing a customer, but gaining credibility. J.C. Penney said, “A happy customer is your walking advertisement.”

#3    Empathize.  As far as the customer is concerned, you are the company.  Be as real and personable as possible.

#4    Commit.  Benjamin Franklin said, “Well done is better than well said.”  Avoid making promises you can’t keep.  Tell the customer what you plan to do and then do it.  If you aren’t certain of something, assure them that you will find out.

#5    Offer incentives to stay.  Go above and beyond what the customer is asking.  People inherently feel that there should be some compensation for their inconvenience.  An apology doesn’t always wipe the slate clean, so add a peace offering.

Here are 10 tips for dealing with those unhappy customers:

http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/223/Tips-To-Deal-With-Unhappy-Clients-From-Your-Strategic-Thinking-Business-Coach.html

Finally, look at the unhappy client as a guide to where you need to improve.  Their feedback is an invaluable resource.  Their issue resolved is one step closer to 100% customer satisfaction.

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates

I have been rifling through the same shirts for years. Shirts I never wear anymore, though I keep them. Why do I do it? Well, there are plenty of reasons that I tell myself. This one only has a tiny stain on it, and I can wear it for home improvement jobs. This one doesn’t quite fit me, but I could still wear it around the house. I got this one for a steal, and even though it doesn’t go with anything else I own, I’m keeping my eyes open for something that might match it. This type of nonsensical thinking about why we keep things is probably behind most of our clutter.

So, what’s the advantage to keeping all this stuff we don’t use? Well, I suppose there’s the chance we might actually use it someday. The disadvantages are more numerous. Just the idea of opening my shirt drawer makes me anxious. How many times have I had to refold clothes that I threw out of the way to get to the item I knew would fit me? How many times did I try on that one shirt, forgetting it was too small and then had to refold it and put it back in the drawer? How many times did I chastise myself for not fitting into it? I wonder how much time I waste in a year?

William Morris said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Doesn’t that just sound wonderful?

We hang onto unused gifts, ugly heirlooms, broken trinkets and even relationships. Socrates said, “How many things are there which I do not want.” How many of you have a box stuffed full of art projects from your kids? Knickknacks from past vacations? Books you’ve never read? Some of them are treasures for sure, but how many could be sorted into your “circular file” – if you’d just the guts to do it!

We’re all a bit unorganized, it’s true, but try this quiz to see whether your clutter has gotten out of hand: http://clutterworkshop.com/quiz.shtml

When it comes to our workspace, we’re usually just plain too busy to get to it, and organizing truly takes a time investment. However, a cluttered environment clutters the soul. It drags down productivity and creates anxiety. Think of it like this: “clutter creates resistance to the natural energy flow in a room and creates “stuck energy”. Stuck energy causes procrastination, lack of motivation, a feeling of being in limbo… confusion, and even depression.” [1]

At work it can be worse and the overwhelm of tackling the clutter is real. Perceived lack of time is a real roadblock though we realize in the end it will save time. Staying on top of clutter helps. A clutter basket that is cleaned out weekly can be a good tool. The freedom that comes from a clutter-free work environment is worth the investment to create some positive flow. Here is a quiz to see how badly you need to clean up your own workspace:

http://www.taylorintime.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=95

And also, some great decluttering tips for your life and your mind:

http://www.lifedesignstrategies.com/art/clutterbusting_tips.html

Visit this site and pick up your free declutter calendar:

http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm

If you could use some professional help with your clutter:

http://www.clutterfreeforever.com/index.htm

Remember:

The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed – it is a process of elimination. ~Elbert Hubbard