Some Afternoon Fun – The Mom Song…

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Etiquette Awareness — Social Media: How To Have Impact

To quote a colleague, “Social media is about connecting and building relationships — talking to people. Taking part in discussions gets you noticed as well as keeps the conversations going, along with the sharing of information, viewpoints and knowledge.”

Very well stated! And like anything else you do, keep in mind that how you present yourself on the social media platform is something you will be judged by, and once again, it is the details that will make the difference.

• Pay attention to what others are saying on the social websites and be a part of the conversation. Remember, the most important part of any conversation is listening.
• Yes, you are using social media to further yourself or your business but non-stop self-promotional postings are not beneficial to your followers. What information can you provide that is of value to them?
• SPAM is a no-no! Avoid inapplicable email forwards, chain letters, texts, etc.; they are unwanted and irritating.
• It’s not a numbers game. Building a community of friends and followers in your industry increases the possibility of seeing a return on your marketing efforts. Quality is much more important than quantity.
• Remember, whatever you post on the internet is going to be out there for the world to see. Your comments are a permanent reflection of your identity; you are either building your reputation or diminishing it!
• Be yourself! If social media is about building relationships, how real are they if you are not authentically you?

Remember…

The contacts, friends and followers you meet and develop on-line are real relationships and should be treated as such. Any interaction you have via a social media platform should be treated with the same respect you would a face-to-face connection.

You will be remembered for it.

Please feel free to send me any of your

etiquette or customer service questions or stories!

Previous editions of Etiquette Awareness

may now be viewed at my website,

www.jodiblackwood.com

Jodi Blackwood

Business Etiquette & Customer Service Specialist

Speaker & Seminar Leader

“Etiquette is about polishing your approach,

not changing who you are.”

mailto:jodi@jodiblackwood.com

360-798-4912

www.jodiblackwood.com

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More Good News on the Economy, And This Time, Jobs

Posted by geri via GNN

Friday, 05 February 2010

Economists are reacting to the new jobs report saying the fall in the unemployment rate is legitimate good news, while President Obama calls it a “cause for hope.”

“It was not driven, as it sometimes is, by labor force dropouts,” wrote Stephen Stanley, of RBS. “The labor force grew by 360,000 in January while household employment surged by 784,000, more than reversing the big December decline.”

(Read more economists’ opinions on the Jobs report at the Wall Street Journal)

Sales Growth is Back

Make no mistake. The economy does appear to be improving at long last — albeit slowly. Here’s how you can tell. Corporations are finally reporting sales growth, not just better profits juiced by pink slips and other cost cuts. Honest-to-God revenue growth.

On Tuesday, for example, companies in a variety of industries reported that revenues were up at least 10% from a year ago, including Whirlpool, Dow Chemical and Fortune 500 homebuilder, D.R. Horton.

(Read more in CNN-Money)

New GE Renewable Energy Facility Brings 650 New Jobs

650 new jobs were brought to life a year ahead of schedule in Schenectady, NY at the “green ribbon” cutting on General Electric ’s global headquarters for Renewable Energy. Doors opened on Monday at the state of the art facility, housed in a newly renovated 100 year-old warehouse on GE’s main campus.

Congressman Paul Tonko said, “This is a day of celebration. The winds of change are upon us, whereby we utilize our wind, our soil, our sun and our earth to make a difference to supply the energy needs of this nation and this world.” (CBS, Albany)

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Celebrity Spelling Bee/ Storm Large sings Amazing Grace [Video]

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Wind Power Grew 39 Percent Last Year

Posted by geri via Good News Network

Tuesday, 26 January 2010

Despite a crippling recession and tight credit markets, the American wind power industry grew at a blistering pace in 2009, adding 39 percent more capacity. The country is close to the point where 2 percent of its electricity will come from wind turbines.

While that is still a small share, it is up from virtually nothing a few years ago. Continued growth at such a fast pace could help the nation lower its emissions of the gases that cause global warming, The New York Times’s Jad Mouawad writes.

Continue reading the article in the New York Times.

Global Manufacturing Surges Back, Key US Index at Highest Since 2004

Posted by geri via Good News Network

Tuesday, 02 February 2010

Manufacturing activity soared around the world in January, according to surveys released yesterday that will bolster the hopes of a strong global recovery.

In the US, the Institute for Supply Management index – a key measure of industrial activity – rose from 54.9 to 58.4, its highest level since August 2004 and well ahead of economists’ expectations.

The key components of the index – production, employment and new orders – all increased, offering significant assurance that the manufacturing sector is in recovery.

(Continue reading in the Financial Times)

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Etiquette Awareness — It’s In The Words

Many things factor into the impression we make on others, one of which is the way we speak; specifically, the words we choose.

Our choice of words will convey our intelligence, how well informed we are, our level of education and our respect for those around us, qualities clients and employers are looking for.

Most of us know that foul language, or swear words, are inappropriate in a business setting. But what about some of the everyday words and expressions we hear — and use?

• “How are you guys doing?” vs “How are you today?”
• Answering the telephone “Yeah” vs “Good Morning”
• “I’m pissed off” vs “I’m annoyed/angry/mad/irritated”
• “That sucks!” vs “That’s too bad!”
• Say “Thank You” instead of “No Problem”
• What about “You’re Welcome!” or “I’m happy to help!”

Add polish to your everyday words and expressions! There is a good chance that people won’t recognize what is different about you, but they will know that there IS a difference.

Remember…

Only 7% of the message you send comes from the words you speak but it can have a powerful effect. You may have the perfect appearance, a friendly smile and a great handshake but coming forward with the wrong expression at the right time can ruin it.

The words you choose can leave a negative — or a positive — impression that lasts.

February Customer Service Class

Customer Service: An Attitude, Not A Department …

Consumers have a multitude of choices available to them every day and they are looking for the outstanding differences: courtesy, image, service and reliability. Are you doing all you can to draw customers to your business … and retain them? Join me for this three hour class and learn how attention to details really do make the difference. February 17, 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Cost: $69.00

Pre-registration required through Clark College, Vancouver, WA

Register here

Please feel free to send me any of your

etiquette or customer service questions or stories!

Previous editions of Etiquette Awareness

may now be viewed at my website,

www.jodiblackwood.com

Jodi Blackwood

Business Etiquette & Customer Service Specialist

Speaker & Seminar Leader

“Etiquette is about polishing your approach,

not changing who you are.”

mailto:jodi@jodiblackwood.com

360-798-4912

www.jodiblackwood.com

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One of the funniest license plates I have seen

Pano from Mt. Tabor

The Money Knot – Flexible Standards

Your ka-ching newsletter from $ensible Coaching

Flexible Standards

February 2010

In this issue

Bringing the Ka-ching

Welcome to the February 2010 Money Knot, a newsletter with articles that bring you to the ka-ching.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about something we might to label as Customer Service or Customer Satisfaction. I get fascinated by the way independent business people often shoot themselves in the foot around these issues. As a self employed person myself, I’m all too aware of what we all go through to get clients. We work hard at presenting our products and our selves in manners that will be appealing to others. Certainly, there is a great deal yet to learn about how to get clients. I’m more interested here in talking about how to keep them, or at least to not alienate them. Oddly enough, or maybe not so oddly, it is often a money issue that tips the scale, isn’t it?

So, let’s explore this some more. A fascinating thing I learned years ago, but that still eludes many small business owners is the FACT that if you make a mistake with a customer, and fix it well, you have more loyalty from that customer than if you hadn’t messed up in the first place. What a wonderful idea. I can be a doofus, and make a mess, and if I clean it up in a timely and efficient fashion, I’ll be lauded for it. Wow! And the opposite is also true. If I mess up, and leave the client in the lurch, I will definitely not be getting them back.

I’ve got a few examples for you to consider. I don’t really mean to pick on contractors, but since we have used a couple lately, they come to mind. First we had a company that fixed the driveway at our old house. They did a great job, clean, on time, on budget. When we moved and needed a smaller concrete job, we called them first. We had to call them about four times before the person who we needed to talk with called us back. When he finally came to give us a bid, he tried to convince us of a very grandiose expansion of our project: “Let’s take out the whole patio and redo the whole thing!” We called him back and asked for a quote on what we had said we wanted to begin with. He said he would quote that, but then he never called us back. I imagine he’s sometimes puzzled at not having more business. He certainly won’t have any more from us.

So then we get another contractor to do the work. Good bid, on time, good job. We paid him promptly, and called to ask for him to come back at do some clean up of the mess the concrete left. This was well within the scope of the work, and he said he would be back in a couple of days to finish up, and we never heard from him or saw him again. It seems that once he had been paid, he disappeared. I make up that for him a good job is one he gets paid for, not one that is complete. He, too, will not get any more work from us.

A client told me a story recently of a situation in a department store where she shops. She’s been shopping there for many, many years. They know her well. She came in and bought several items. One blouse she liked had a rip in the seam. They said “oh, we can fix that”. So she asked if there would be a reduction in the price. They said “no, no one will ever know, it’s on the seam”. This didn’t sit well with her. She didn’t want to pay full price for a piece that was damaged, even if it got fixed. She refused the sale, but more importantly now has developed a very negative feeling about the store. By not fixing this situation well, they have damaged a very established relationship, and have probably lost money in the long run. It’s not about who’s right here: it’s about understanding and accommodating your customer.

Do you want them to come back? Do you want them to refer you to others? Do you want them to have a positive experience with you?

Certainly, as an independent business person, you need to have standards. Those standards help the client to respect you. I have a friend in customer service who says it’s about managing client’s expectations, not meeting them. I think that’s true. Help the customer to know what you expect. Set ground rules, set expectations. Set high standards. And then be flexible and accommodating.

Yes, you can do both. And you can do it around money, too. Let’s talk about fees a bit. I charge a certain fee per session for clients. That’s the fee. That’s my standard. You can imagine that some people feel they can’t afford my fee. How do I accommodate? How am I flexible? Well, in a variety of ways. I let the client decided how many times a month we will talk. I offer complementary sample sessions. I do free teleclasses. I have a liberal policy around schedule changes. I’m generous with my time and experience. And all the while I hold a standard and don’t discount my fees. Flexible and accommodating. And yes, I let people know these things upfront. These, of course, are just examples, my examples. Holding to standards, yet being flexible can be done in many ways.

I truly think the thing that is missing is the goal, the standard, the mission statement piece around how to treat customers/clients. Seems to me like it’s the good old Golden Rule. Treat others as would like to be treated. I’d like to know what to expect up front. I’d like to not be surprised. If I have a problem, I want to be treated respectfully, like my concern matters, and to be given some attention. I recently changed my business bank because I was tired of being ignored, stuck in phone trees, and regulated. I want personal attention, not rubber stamping. Don’t we all?

So think about it: how do you treat your clients? What do your current actions with them say about your standards? Are there ways you are forgetting to make allies of your clients? How can you be flexible and treat them like you’d like to be treated?

I really love to refer people to businesses and services I admire and respect, and ultimately, as I market my own business, that’s what I’m doing. I’m referring others to me, because I believe they will get great value and service. Let’s all strive to be able to do that, to be proud of how we treat each other.

Upcoming Teleclass:

This month’s Money Knot is about how, as business people, we sometimes shoot ourselves in the foot. Often, those unfortunate lapses in judgment are around our fees. Come explore how to truly understand your value to your customer/client.

Teleclass: Charge What You Are Worth

$ Do you often find yourself tongue tied when people ask your fees or rates?

$ Do you sometimes discount your rates even before you are asked to?

$ Do you occasionally think that deserving people cannot afford you?

$ Do you ever feel guilty about how much you charge?

$ Have you ever thought that you would be a better person if you gave away your services?

This teleclass is an examination of how we often self-sabotage ourselves around our fees and our charges. In this class, we will start to untangle and shift your beliefs about your worth and value, and their affects on your fees and clients.

Date: Wednesday, February 17th

Time: 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Pacific (1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Eastern)

Registration: www.sensiblecoaching.com

Fee: FREE your only cost for this call is your regular long distance call charges.

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The Money Knot Story:

In case you are wondering why this is called The Money Knot, here’s the story. I’ve always been fond of Celtic knots, and you notice I use one as my logo. From my perspective, there are several things about these knots that relate to our money journey. One, you can see the whole knot; nothing is hidden, it’s all revealed. Two, the knot has no beginning and no end; it’s an ongoing, dynamic process. Three, the knot that I have chosen is a bit askew; our maneuvering is often out of the box.

Our money lives are like this knot. They are a visible maze that is intricate and sometimes challenging. Sometimes we get stuck in a corner; sometimes money is confusing, embarrassing or even scary. And yet the knot is always there. It’s a never ending relationship.

Together we go into your knot, and I help you to understand and maneuver through the knot. You will get familiar with the territory, know your way around, understand the twists and turns. Together we will make sense of where you are on your own personal money path and help you get to where you want to be.

Quick Links…

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Happy New Ka-ching in the New Year!

Shell Tain, pcc, cpcc

$ensible Coaching

503.258.1630

shell@sensiblecoaching.com

www.sensiblecoaching.com

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