Kindness Matters

Wow!  What a difference a few weeks can make. So how are you managing these days?  

In all of this 'social distancing,' it seems that we could use this time to socially connect.  Now, more than ever, reaching out to family, friends, customers, clients, prospects, acquaintances, etc. to see how they are doing, to offer encouragement and help.  To show kindness.

I've talked with many over the past couple of weeks.  Some are busier than ever.  Some have no business.  Some are considered 'essential' workers and are still going to work.  Many are maintaining a positive attitude and finding ways to be productive and doing some of the things for themselves and their business that they didn't have time to do before. Where are you in all of this?

On the business side, I believe we need to continue to stay in touch with our clients, even if we can't see or service them now.  There are many ways to offer help.  One creative massage therapist is offering to use Facetime and Zoom to teach her clients massage techniques that they can use on their significant other or to do self-massage.  A real estate agent is offering tips on how to get your home ready to sell.  A Home organizer is offering tips on home organization throughout the home. A therapist is giving daily A to Z video tips on how to cope during these stressful times. Thinking outside the box to add value will be what people will remember when this is over.

Speaking of going virtual, my family arranged a virtual dinner party last weekend.  It was great to be able to see and talk to everyone, even though we were social distancing, we were still socially connecting.

All of my networking meetings have gone virtual also.

So what are some ways to can reach out to people?  To your clients to stay in touch and to stay Top of Mind?

Here are some suggestions:

- phone calls 

- email

- social media

- news letters

- greeting cards

The same list I would recommend prior to our social distancing.  The point is, we must continue to market, to stay in touch, to let our customers and clients know we care and are here to help and service them.  

Yes, in my last email I mentioned sending cards and this time I mention it for the reason of keeping in touch.  Sending out Kindness.  Sending out Happy Mail.

SendOutCards is offering a 12 Day series of Global Kindness Webinars starting today, Wednesday, April 1st.  These will be at noon MST (mountain standard time) for one hour.  They will be recorded so if you miss any you will have the opportunity to go back and review them. Each one will be different.

Here is the list:

Wed. Apr. 1st - Kody Bateman - 'How to Turn Promptings into Daily Habits.'  By attending his live presentation you will receive his book, 'The Power of Human Connections.' 

Thurs. Apr. 2nd - Jodi Bateman - 'Sending Happy Mail.'

Fri. Apr. 3rd - Darla Aquilera - 'Converting the Thank You.'

Sat. Apr. 4th - Jordan Adler - 'Delivering Opportunities in a Time of Need.'

Mon. Apr. 6th - Callie Teegardin - 'Expanding Your Reach.'

Tues. Apr. 7th - Linda Walters - 'Hope Sendathon.'

Wed. Apr. 8th - Jodi Bateman, Betty Ann Goldman, & Whitney Jensen - 'Nurturing Yourself - Being Kind to Yourself.'

Thurs. Apr. 9th - Dr. Ivan Misner - 'The Power of Networking.'

Fri. Apr. 10th - Larry Levine - 'Bringing the Heart into Business.'

Sat. Apr. 11th - Gayle Zientek - 'ABCs of Productive Quarantine.'

Mon. Apr. 13th - Kody Bateman & Dave Smith - 'Creating Habits of Prosperity.'

Sat. Apr. 18th - Kody Bateman - Promptings Academy

And I understand that Monday evening April 13th, there will be a special announcement by Kody regarding SendOutCards.

The calls will be on the SendOutCards Facebook page.  Click Here to view the calls.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Here are some additional resources for Working Virtually:

Seven Tips for Working At Home

Networking Online

5 Tips for What to Wear for Video Conferencing

The Gratitude Effect

Relationship Marketing 

To Your Success,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

'Helping You and Your Business Look Good'

Why should we show appreciation to our clients and customers?

Often times when I write a blog I search for material from online articles and blogs.  Recently I've been writing about the 'Why' we should do things.  Usually when we know and understand our 'Why' then the how is much more doable. 

When I did a search on 'Why' we should show appreciation to our clients and customers, I didn't find much.  I found more on the 'How.'   I believe our 'Why' has to be more than to increase our bottom line.  If the perception you want associated with your business is that of friendliness, gratitude, and humbleness, then this is an area to focus some time and resources.

Showing appreciation is important, yet not all of us practice that consistently with our customers, co-workers, volunteers or connections.  According to a SoulPancake video, The Science of Happiness: An Experiment in Gratitude, showing gratitude benefits the party being thanked and the person showing gratitude as well.

Being busy is often cited as the reason there’s a delay or oversight in sharing appreciation, followed by the awkwardness.  In the video, the experiment of thanking those who had been most influential in our lives was a bit awkward for some.  However, the results were very beneficial to both parties.

Probably showing appreciation to clients and customers may seen a little time consuming.  Good habits take time and showing gratitude is no different. 

The most important part of this is that it must be sincere and communicated in a way and form that the recipient can hear.   

Keep in mind people do business with people. A strong, appreciative culture growing in your business will exude and become a part of your brand culture. That will be evident in every interaction with your customers.

People are far more willing to associate and do business with someone who appreciates and respects them. By focusing on showing gratitude, co-workers, colleagues, customers and others around you feel valued and important.

I think this quote sums it up - “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow” - Melody Beattie

In appreciation,

Annette

www.PaintedLadyEnterprises.com

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*Excerpts from US News article - 'How to show appreciation to colleagues and clients.'

Social Media - 'It's about being social'

As I meet with small business owners about their social media, I'm often asked, 'How often should I post?'   To me there are no clear cut answers to that question.

Here is Wikipedia's definition of the word 'Social' -

The Wikipedia definition of Social - The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms as applied to populations of humans and other animals. It always refers to the interaction of organisms with other organisms and to their collective co-existence, irrespective of whether they are aware of it or not, and irrespective of whether the interaction is voluntary or involuntary.

So, to me, being social means interacting with others.  It's not all about how often we post.  When planning a social media strategy for business, I advise the following:

1.  Post relevant information about your industry, i.e. links to articles, stats, humor, etc.  People crave information and if you are perceived as the person who is helpful and knows their industry they are more apt to turn to you when they need your services or to refer you.
2.  Plan time to read and interact with others, both individuals and businesses.  Like their posts.  Comment on their posts.  Share what is relevant.  It shows others that you are paying attention and you care.  This is important to developing the relationship.
3.  Limit direct posts about your business to 1 of about 4 to 5 informational posts.  Posting to much direct information about your business comes across as being a pushy sales person.
4.  Be conversational.  Ask questions.  Do a survey.  Get your readers/fans involved.
5.  To gain loyalty, build relationships, and to gain more followers, if appropriate, offer specials from time to time.  However, use caution.  Make it about your followers/fans and less about you and your business.

I like to think of 'Social Media' as an online networking.  We go to networking events to meet people, get to know them, build the relationship, and hopefully eventually do business with them.  So, it's not about how often we post, it's also about the interaction and relationship building.

I hope that you find this helpful.  Your views, comments, and insights are welcomed and appreciated.

In appreciation,
Annette

Mamas Teach Your Children to Write Thank You Notes

I find that society has become more and more dependent on computers and that the art of saying thank you in the form of a real paper card or note is fading away.   But I think sending a real paper card is one of the nicest little tokens of appreciation you can give someone these days. I know when I open my mailbox, I'm excited when I find something personal, like a card.   I smile and I usually keep that card to remind me of that person especially if it was a genuine heartfelt personal card.

This is the time of year we usually receive a lot of thank you cards from such occasions and events like graduations, showers, weddings, etc.  I think one of best things we can teach our children is the importance of writing thank you cards and the proper way to write thank you cards.

The key is very simple – you really have to mean it when you say thank you!  People get it when you genuinely mean something and also when you are just going through the motions.

The most beautiful thing about truly thanking someone is that it creates a deeper and instant bond between people.

In 1922 Emily Post wrote, "In writing notes or letters, as in all other forms of social observance, the highest achievement is in giving the appearance of simplicity, naturalness and force."

Keep it Short - Only one or two sentences at the most. Anymore than that and you are running the risk that it will not be read at all.

Post It - Always use the traditional mailing method for your thank you notes. There is more of a chance that they will remember your note if it is delivered in an envelope, more so than they would if it is just another email on a long list of emails.

Time it Right – Write and mail your thank you notes immediately or as soon after the event or receipt of the gift as possible.   Sending notes weeks and months after the occasion or event loses sincerity.

Be specific about what you are thanking people for.  Sometimes it means even more when people know what they are being thanked for e.g. ‘Thanks so much John for the book on resume writing.  I will certainly put it to good use.’  Or 'Thank you so much for the coffee pot with the timer.  You know how we LOVE our coffee.'  It makes the whole exchange richer and more meaningful than just a casual generic “thanks."

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow” – Melody Beattie

Smile - Smile while you are writing the note because it will put a positive slant on your words and your happiness and enthusiasm will be conveyed to the reader.

Such a small gesture of appreciation and gratitude should be a habit in everyone's personal and business life.  

You may also reference the Seven Rules for Sending Greeting Cards  for more information on sending thank you notes and other greeting cards.

In Appreciation,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

Social Media and Relationships

Image by HubSpot via Flickr

Are you tapping into the Social Media market?  Are you having success?  Or are you still wondering how to make social media work for you.

Building relationships online is not to much different from building an in person, face to face relationship.  Here are a few tips that I think will go along way to foster and build good long lasting mutual benefiting online relationship.

-  Think about meeting someone in person.  You are either introduced or you introduce yourself.  Meeting someone online should not be any different.  So why do people not add a message on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,etc. to introduce themselves when requesting to connect and/or be your friend?  Unless it is totally obvious* a brief message only takes a few seconds and gets the relationship off on the right foot.  (*Just because you and someone else have 42 mutual friends does not mean a person wants to add you to their network.)

-  So someone accepts your friend request, what do you do?  Do you say thank you?  It would be a nice gesture and it starts to engage your new acquaintance.   By doing this, you are extending your hand in friendship.  To me this is equal to the in person handshake.  

- Ever heard the term, 'to have a friend, you have to be a friend.'  Friends help each other.  Offer your new acquaintance something of value.  Do a little research to find out their interests.  Share some information, link, article, etc. that relates to their interest. This furthers engages your new acquaintance.

-  Show you care.  Make positive comments regarding their posts.  Visit their website (if they have one) and/or their blog.  Sign their guest book.  Comment on their latest blog.  This shows that you really care and are interested in them.

-  Keep in touch.  One of the features that I like on Facebook is the one that shows me a  friend's page that hasn't posted in a while.  It's a good opportunity to  drop by their page to say hello, check in, make sure that everything is OK in their world.

These are just a few things that can be done to build online relationships.  I believe using old fashion manners, i.e. 'nice to meet you, please, and thank you,' etc. will go a long way in building long lasting mutual benefiting online relationships.

Please share with us what other things you have found that have helped you to build relationships online?

Here are my links:

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/paintedladyenterprises

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/paintedladyenterprises

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/paintedladyent

Send me a note, please, when you send your request. ;)

In appreciation,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good'

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Refresh, Renew, Refocus, and Re-evaluate

It’s Spring time!  Finally!  Green is sprouting from the earth, bushes, and trees.  Beautiful blooms are popping forth.  Time to Refresh, Renew, Refocus, and Re-evaluate.  I saw a post on one of the social media sites that asked the question, ‘It’s the end of the first quarter, what have you accomplished?’   Hmmm….how many of your New Year’s resolutions have already gone by the wayside?  What about those goals you set at the first of the year?  

No worries.  Don’t beat yourself up.  Take a deep breath and get out your list.  Do some accessing and refocus.   Sometimes we get over zealous when making our goals for the New Year.  Sometimes life happens and throws us a curve ball.  Instead of just throwing the list away, now is a good time to take another look and re-evaluate our priorities.

Here are some tips to get back on track.

·         Self Renew - Self-renewing people seem to get a lot done, and still not act harried or talk irrationally.

·         Pace yourself - There are only so many hours in a day to accomplish things, so focus on the main thing.  Don’t burn the candle at both ends.  Don't sweat the small stuff.

·         Keeping the first things first – Be value-driven, and determine what is important.   

·         Single Task – Give your undivided attention to the priorities first.  Trying to multi-task takes the focus off what is truly important.

·         Get support – Focus on what you do best and delegate or hire someone else to do the rest.  Re-evaluate and cull out those tasks that are no longer helping you reach your goals.  Remember the definition of insanity, ‘Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.’

·         Seek advice – Find the expertise from those who are successful in your field and find out what works for them.  Good networking opportunity.

·         Pause – Take some time away from it all.  The time could be to think about what are your priorities, to reflect on all for which you have to be grateful.   Sometimes we are so busy that we get side tracked from what our real priorities are/were.  Pausing is important, and if you need a weekly reminder, sign up at www.pauseworks.com for Pat Katz’s pause e-zine. We are all just one heart attack away from a disaster, so let’s learn to refresh and renew .

·         Find time to be playful and creative – We all know the saying, ‘All work and no play…..’   Stepping away from it all can often times provide that renewal we need to get back on track with our goals again.  Often times it can also bring forth new fresh ideas.

·         Keep in touch – Take time to spend quality time with family and friends.  This time can also provide a new and perhaps a different perspective on our priorities.  We certainly don’t want to get a call one day and then beat ourselves up because we didn’t take the time to go have lunch with an old acquaintance. 

"Common sense is uncommon practice.” Many of these tips are not new.  We all need a reminder.  Sometimes when we stop to reflect we realize that we are not as off track as we thought we were.  Refocusing can get us excited again so we can make those small steps towards those big goals that initially looked so huge.  How do you eat an elephant? – One small bite at a time!

For April’s Holidays and Celebrations, check out these websites.  

Holiday Insights
Brownie Locks
Web Holidays
Earth Calendar
Wellcat - Quirky Holidays

Celebrate the lives of those you love Everyday! Show them you care. Send them a
H.U. G. - A Heartfelt Greeting.

Also check out the Fan Page on Facebook ‘We Have a Card for That.’

In gratitude,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

“Helping You and Your Business Look Good”

*The inspiration for this blog came from www.ElaineFroese.com who is a catalyst for courageous conversations and intentional life design.

Lessons from the Irish

One place that's on my bucket list is Ireland.  Besides the scenery being so beautiful, it seems to be such a laid back relaxing place to visit.  The people exude a warmth and playfulness.   When it comes to building meaningful relationships I am reminded of the Irish.  They have such a strong tradition and culture which you can sense in their many blessings and inspirational poems.  Just think what a difference it would make if we treated our business relationships with the same care as our personal relationships.



For one thing, Irish blessings are about welcoming, warmth and turning a negative situation into a positive one.

Here are some examples of Irish Blessings:

May the roads rise to meet you,
May the wind be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May you be poor in misfortunes,
and rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness,
from this day forward,
May good luck be your friend,
In whatever you do,
And may trouble be always,
A stranger to you.

May you always have work for your hands to do,
May your pockets hold always a coin or two,
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane,
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain,
May the hand of a friend always be near you,
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

May the sun shine all day long, everything go right and nothing wrong.  May those you love bring love back to you, and may all the wishes you wish come true.

May the friendships you make be those which endure and all of your Grey clouds be small ones for sure. And trusting in Him to Whom we all pray, may a song fill your heart every step of the way.

Any of these would make a wonderful greeting to send someone in a greeting card.


We usually think of St. Patrick's day when we think of Ireland, but many of the holidays we celebrate today comes from the Irish.  Even 'spring cleaning' comes from the Irish Easter celebration.

For a list of holidays for the month of March, check out these sites:

Holiday Insights
Web Holidays
Earth Calendar
Brownie Locks
Wellcat - Quirky Holidays

Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

Source for some of the above information:  YourIrish.com

How to Build a Strong Network

February 1 - 5 is International Networking Week.

They say that Millionaires have the largest Rolodex or in today’s terms, databases.
 

Would you agree that most of the time when you go to a networking event and/or meet someone new that you exchange business cards and exchange information about your respective businesses?

What happens next?

Afterwards do you sit around and wait for your phone to ring from someone who wants to do business with you?

Lets examine how to take those meetings and collected business cards build a Network so that the Phone will start ringing.

It’s all about building relationships.

Here some things that will help with building strong relationships.

If you are a member of BNI you know what VCP means.

Visibility + Credibility = Profitability

The philosophy of BNI is

“Givers Gain”

The 10 points below are based on these two key points.

The first five are about Visibility which all help to build your creditability

1. Be Visible - Show up – Now that seems kind of obvious, right? How many times have you heard someone say, “Well I went to that network meeting and handed out my cards and I didn’t get one single lead.”

Do you know it takes people seeing and hearing you 7 to 8 times before they remember you and what you do?

In Advertising and Marketing it’s called ‘Spaced Repetition Education.’ Why do you think they run the same ads over and over again on TV? Because most of us don’t remember them. The same applies with meeting new people.

Think about when you join a networking group. Most want you to commit to at least 90 days.

When you run an ad, they want you to commit to running that ad a minimum of 3 to 6 times. Why? People have to see you and hear you 7 to 8 times before they remember you, must less what you sell or the service you offer.

So Find the Networking groups that work for you and go on a regular and consistent basis.

2. Brand Yourself – By Name, By Business Name, Tag Line, or Appearance, etc. This will make you memorable.

Examples of branding - What companies do you think about when you see -

I meet people all the time. A lot of people know me as “The Painted Lady” even though they don’t know my name. Or when I give them my business card they will comment, 'Where have I seen that before?' So I know my branding works.

Part of branding yourself and your business is being consistent in all your marketing material. And have a memorable business card. Because when they look at those cards later, you want yours to stand out. If someone doesn’t comment on your business card after handing out about 5 to 10 times, you need to redesign and get new business cards.

3. Your Elevator speech – Be able to tell someone in 30 seconds what you do that peeks their interest and makes them ask questions and want to hear more.

Know your USP – Unique selling proposition. Be able to tell someone what makes you and your business unique. Different from everyone else’s. And don’t say “Because I give great customer service.” Everyone says that.

Example: I have a friend and business associate that is certified to sell luxury homes. I thought that was pretty unique.

Practice your 30 second infomercial until it feels natural and make sure it is in terms your audience will understand.

4. Volunteer – Give back. Going back to the BNI philosophy of “Givers Gain.”

a. Within your networking groups – Offer to help

b. Chamber – Be an ambassador

c. Community groups – Charities, whatever is your favorite cause.

One of the best positions to volunteer for is the sign in table for meetings and events and/or membership chair. These are two key positions that will get you visibility.

This is giving you Visibility and building your Credibility

5. Be Reliable – Say what you do and do what you say. Building a relationship is about building trust. Being a person that can be depended on and to get the job done. Also part of being reliable is showing up on time or better yet - show up early. By being early you are more visible and you have the opportunity to meet more people.

6. The Fortune’s in the Follow up - How many times have you heard that?

a. Follow up if at all possible within 24 to 48 hours. Strike while the iron is hot. While you are still memorable

b. And - Keep in touch with people – Phone call, Email, Drop by, Send a card with a personal note by Snail mail, Just Because, birthday, anniversary, Congratulations, etc. Why? Because that makes you different. It shows you do go the extra mile. It shows you want to build the relationship. Any good real estate agent is taught to ‘touch’ their warm market at least 10 times per year – why – because Everyone knows somebody that will be buying or selling real estate. This same principal can be applied to any business.

c. Also, follow up with the person who gave you the referral. Say thank you and let them know you followed through, because that person has put their trust in you and they are depending on you to follow through.

7. Take the Initiative – Go beyond the follow up. Ask questions. Find out how you can help them be successful. Let them know you have an interest in them.

Call someone and invite them for coffee or lunch. One of the best ways to get someone to agree to meet you for coffee or lunch is to say “Gail, your business sounds fascinating. I would love to meet you for coffee and learn more so that I can be a good referral source for you.”

Now do you think Gail is going to turn me down.

An even better way to build that trust and relationship is to arrange an introduction. And all three of you meet. Now that shows trust and confidence.

Everyone has a Circle of Influence of about 250 to 300 people. You want to know who is in their circle of influence, but they have to trust you first to give out that information.

8. Be the ‘Go to Person’ - Be a referral source. We all know someone we trust and that knows everyone and when we need a product or service, we call that person. Be that person. Be a source for information.

Zip Ziglar says that if you help enough people get what they want, you’ll get what you want.

9. Offer something of Value – Do you have a website? A blog? Newsletter?

a. Offer tips, ideas, information, etc. Don't always be trying to make the sale.

I have a Facebook Group that is dedicated to “Networking Opportunities” in my local area. Why do you think I maintain this website? It offers people a source of information and something of value. I also help host an all women networking group. Again it’s a way to help others and especially women.

10. Say Thank You. “Silent Gratitude is of Little Value”

a. Honor and thank all those that lend a helping hand. Show your appreciation to your referral partners, clients, and anyone that has reached out and helped you in any small way. A simple Thank You card goes a long way

68% of clients go somewhere else due to perceived indifference.

In closing John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.”

Let’s give that a new twist – “Ask not what your Network can do for you, but what you can do for your Network.”

Networking is the most effective form of marketing and the most cost effective. But in order for networking to work, you have to work it. And I believe that by working to build long term strong relationships you will be rewarded ten fold.

Happy Networking,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"