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Sep30
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I am forever thinking outside of the box and encouraging you to do the same, so here goes. If you don’t have a company newsletter, now may be a good time to start one. Here’s why. Why not produce a company newsletter, not just any newsletter, but and effective newsletter that serves your needs and those of the people with whom you communicate--employees. Okay, now here is where the effectiveness comes in—include in this newsletter not only information that relays pertinent facts about your organization’s goals, but also employee award recognitions, outstanding performance recognition, comments of appreciation from management to employees and vice versa and last but not least, a page dedicated to employees where they can voice their opinions, discuss issues and make open and honest suggestions. Encourage them to participate, be positive, and creative. Allow the employees to develop this newsletter. I wonder what would happen to morale.
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Sep30
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One very effective way to communicate with employees is through a reward system. According to an article by Paul Sarvadi, “Every company needs a strategic reward system for employees that address these four areas: compensation, benefits, recognition and appreciation. The...
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Working with people mandates that you have effective communication skills period. People come from different backgrounds with all kinds of baggage from personal experiences in their past. So understanding how to communicate with people of all walks of life will...
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Most small to medium businesses fall short in the people issues department because they get so wrapped up in making the business a success. However, by not realizing that it’s the people that will help contribute to much of the...
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Sep29
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In the fast-paced competitive world of business today, who can afford the time to be loyal to anything other than doing business? Well, consider me your voice of reason telling you that you can’t afford not to be loyal to...
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When I was growing up, I remember going shopping with my grandmother and recalling how nice everyone was and how the employees greeted the customers coming in and going out of their business. There seemed to be a spirit of...
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I am so proud of the fact that I am “almost” a bona fide “techie”. Well, maybe not, but I can attest to the fact of how technology has made my work and life easier and more productive. So when...
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Have you taken the time to truly determine who your customer is? Before you jump into a marketing campaign, first take the time to do your research and identify who your customer would be? Who needs your product? Who will...
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One of the main reasons I prefer internet marketing is because the results are almost immediate. If you are one of those people who like instant gratification, internet marketing may be the way for you to go. Internet marketing also allows...
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Sep28
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I know I encourage you to always discover, exercise and demonstrate your creative side. Well now I’m going to encourage you to engage everyone in your business to be creative. Everyone can be creative and do something different that will...
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It is a misconception in the business industry that customer service does not matter-- WRONG!! Do you think that most people think that a customer service jobs are medial and doesn’t matter? Or, is the fact of the matter, companies...
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I have talked plenty about poor customer service, now I would like to address the root cause of why employees might not value your business and their job enough to put their best foot forward for you and your company. ...
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I came across this article by JoAnna Brandi, 9 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged. Since I’m always talking about customer service and how you can make it better in your business, I thought I would share this with you. She...
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If as a business owner or company, you have not given your employee’s the truth of the matter that good customer service is not just the management’s responsibility, but everyone’s responsibility, it’s time you gave them a reality check. However,...
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Sep27
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My partner and I were recently discussing marketing strategies that would increase profits in our business. One thing that we both agreed on was the fact that we definitely had to have multiple streams of income. And the one way...
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May be you think and feel like you are the chief cook and bottle washer, your plate needs sideboards and there’s not enough time in the day to finish your “to do” list let alone marketing your business. Well, I’m...
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I am always talking about marketing and trying to give you new ideas to help you market your business and increase your profits. So in honor of tips week, I’ll offer some more tips to help you devise a strategy...
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Using the right power words can make all the difference in the world, so when writing content for your website you need to be aware that some words are better than others. Some words are stronger than others and you...
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I am often encouraging you to think, step out of the box and become creative with your marketing plans and strategies for your business. Now I’m really going to ask you to stretch you faith with your creative marketing. I...
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Sep26
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Even though companies have other means to earn profits, customer retention resulting from customer satisfaction is the single most effective way a company can profitably grow. Company leaders must fully understand and believe that customer relations makes a difference to...
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In this demanding world of ever changing business, business owners and corporations alike must face the ultimate reality that profitable growth will characteristically come from two areas- retaining current customers you do business with and acquiring new customers. So to...
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Why should businesses welcome customer complaints? That’s not a trick or rhetorical question; it is instead a question that all businesses need to take a closer look at answering. Most complaining customers handle their complaints by angrily walking away, never...
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Customers complaining about your service or product are actually extensions of your research, testing and quality assurance departments according to an article in Business Know-how. These customers offer valuable information with their real-time feedback on what’s not working in your...
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Many times as business owners, we balk at complaining customers and fell to realize that the complaints from customers can help the business improve its sales by correcting the problem that caused the complaint in the first place, meeting the...
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Sep25
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To take your business to the next level, the ability to compose clear and organized written communication is essential. Develop, understand and know your business style and write according to that style. Some things to consider is to develop ideas...
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When establishing your online presence, designing your website is very important to your online image just as much as your written message or content. Utilize your prior and present customer’s and client’s comments to incorporate information on your website to...
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Technology is forever changing in this age of information and to stay abreast of the advantages this new technology affords us, we have to continuously educate ourselves on the latest developments to gain an edge in our business. You must...
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If your business has not taken the leap onto the information highway and its limitless possibilities of giving and receiving information, you may be cheating yourself out of success that would not be available offline. Here are some relevant thoughts...
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Endeavoring to effectively communicate in any business is an absolute necessity if you want to increase the success of your online and offline business. Communication on the Web has become a mainstream for communicating, marketing and advertising products and services...
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Sep24
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Some Internet entrepreneurs has reported that they have tested the use of “because” in their advertising copy and found it worked. The word “because” helps because it pushes the reader to make a connection between an action and a consequence...
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If you haven’t heard this one, using the word “Because” provides context and context provides a framework for specific communication. An example would be, “Please review this contract before we mail it out, because a mistake could cost us thousands...
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So the words “Uh” and “Um” and “You know” are now perfectly acceptable to use because they all signal certain useful meanings to the other person you’re speaking to. “I mean” has also been added to this new layer of...
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In professional speech we were taught not to use certain words because they signified our inability to communicate effectively, but turns out all of that has changed. In addition to not using words like “Uh” and “Um”, “You know” was...
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My formal background is in Radio/Television Communications and when I was training to become a broadcaster, we were taught to eliminate words or should I say sounds that meant nothing and sound bad. The words or sounds like “Uh” and...
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Sep23
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If you are the person on the front desk and you are the first impression of your company or organization, you should not; I repeat should not eat at your desk. That is not good manners and you will not...
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Meeting colleagues or prospective clients for lunch is slightly different than business social gatherings. The atmosphere is not as relaxed or casual and the stakes are slightly higher. This is a time when you want to make the best first...
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I think that everyone knows you begin eating after everyone has been served. I missed this next one. Breaking your bread into small pieces is proper etiquette and buttering only one or two bites at a time, place the butter...
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In the world of business today, there’s a proper way to do everything and if you want to take your business to the next level, you need to know how to operate effectively mastering every skill you can, business dining...
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Bet you didn’t know there was such a thing as napkin etiquette. I wondered if people really pay attention to a small detail like placing your napkin in the right place at the appropriate time. But apparently it can be...
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Sep22
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It may appear that there are more eating utensils than needed, but choosing the correct silverware is easy. Becoming familiar with a formal table setting will put you at ease and keep you from focusing on whether or...
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Knowing how to conduct yourself in today’s business world is essential when entertaining or being entertained. You must know the proper etiquette from when, what and how to order, what utensils to use and how to use them in addition...
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Many business transactions are made at the dining table as well as lasting business relationships are born. Therefore it is essential for today’s businessman and professionals to know the do’s and don’ts of business dining. Dining out for business purposes...
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Communication is important when you are dealing with people period and it becomes paramount when you have to get a problem resolved. Having spent 21/2 hours on the phone with Dell cost me time and money. I have no way...
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I have spent two and a half (21/2) hours on the phone with Dell customer service. I finally got a partial resolution to my problem. The first technical support person hung up on me after an hour. In the middle...
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Sep21
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As written in previous posts, the office party is an extension of your job and of the office. ‘Office Parties are Business Functions.’ So if you do not like socializing and don’t feel comfortable in social event environments, consider the...
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Whether you like or dislike going to office parties is irrelevant because this is a function that everyone should attend unless an emergency or illness keeps them from attending. Remember, the office party is an extension of your job and...
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You can either use the office party to advance your career or sabotage it. Capitalize on the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to deal with business situations of a social nature, a requirement for upper level management. Usually senior executives...
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Office parties should be viewed as an extension of the office; it’s considered a business function and should not be mistaken for anything other than that. More times than not, employees mistakenly take the opportunity to become too familiar with...
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Contrary to popular belief, the office party is not the place to finally let your hair down and let it all hang out. There is basic party etiquette to adhere to because the office party is still more about office...
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Sep20
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In a recent post, ‘There’s More to Business Meeting Seating than Meets the Eye,’ I gave a run down of some business seating arrangements that I ran across in an article. I admitted that I had not considered that so...
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I conducted a workshop on last evening where I decided to put the language of business seating arrangements to the test. Before the participants entered the room, I strategically arranged the chairs around the table. In my post, ‘What’s A...
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If you are in a networking environment or a social environment, I would like to give you some tips on topics of small talk or conversations to avoid. Because new technology and the ability to conduct business worldwide, there are...
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As in any business environment, exercising basic business etiquette is the key to making for a productive workspace. One thing to keep in mind is respecting the other person’s workspace because you’re sharing the same space. Respect will go a...
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When sharing a small space or cubicle with a co-worker it can make for a rocky, to say the least, working relationship if you don’t implement certain etiquette protocols. Doing what you can to maintain peace and harmony can make...
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Sep19
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Okay, I have been talking about the language of seating in business meetings, obviously there’s more communication going on than we are aware of. And last by not least, there is the autonomous position. This position is across the table...
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There’s a language that speaks loud and clear when arranging seating for business meetings. When I came across this article, I was surprised and I wondered how many professionals really applied this particular etiquette when it came to the seating...
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A power position is apparently the position in the center of a rectangle table and is facing the door. I would imagine that the power comes from seeing who is coming and going in and out of the meeting. I...
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Remember when I told you about leveraging in creative marketing, well here’s a prime example of what I meant. My colleague Dr. Taffy is the author of our own MortgageVox. She received an invitation to be added to someone’s blogroll...
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Yes Virginia , according to Business Etiquette Expert Lillian D. Biorseth, there is a language of seating in business seating arrangements. She contends that where you seat people can affect the outcome of a communication meeting. I must admit that...
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Sep18
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One of the things I like about e-cards is the nice surprise when you open your e-mail. There are sites all over the internet where you can get free downloads of greeting cards of all occasions. However, I...
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If you recall, I told you that I hate it when someone misspells or mispronounces my name. What it says to me is that you don’t respect our introduction enough to spell or pronounce my name correctly. If you’re unsure...
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Sending business greeting cards is a well-meaning gesture, so by using proper etiquette, you are sure to impress and not offend. Take this opportunity to say thank you for doing business with me and I value your business and our...
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If you didn’t know, yes there is proper etiquette for sending greeting cards to business associates, clients, customers and co-workers alike. Although it make get a little tricky when sending holiday greeting cards to co-workers. Since it’s getting close to...
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In keeping with our business etiquette, I will address business cards. With all business, and business cards included, you should always aim to present your company and yourself the best you can. You can use your discretion as when to...
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Sep17
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There is an old saying, “you can draw more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Having and maintaining an attitude of being sweet and kind is the only way to go. I know that we are in a fast paced...
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When I read that ‘N’ in cranky customer stood for noodle as in use your brain to think, I laughed hilariously! I had not heard that since I was a little girl. My grandmother used to tell us not to...
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I think that if someone is going to hang out a shingle that says ‘open for business’ they should at least be prepared to do business. One of the most important things I think should be considered is hiring the...
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Right about now, I guess you can say that I’m a ‘cranky customer’ who’s trying hard to not become crankier. So the “R” in cranky means take responsibility for getting the job done right. After a long search and research,...
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I just read in a recent article by Anne M. Obarski, ‘Your Customers are Cranky! 6 Proven Ways to Fix Their Frowns!’ that “the latest results from the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index show a continuing decline in...
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Sep16
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How would you feel if you were meeting a very important business client and shortly after your introduction, the person turns to you and says, I’m sorry what was your name again. You would probably think (to yourself of course),...
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Having come from a military background, a handshake made all the difference in the world, literally. I have traveled over the world, met dignitaries and heads of state and believe me when I say that the way you shake someone...
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As a little girl growing up in the south, my grandmother would always tell me to look them in the eyes. Well, the them turned out to be everyone. She would also say that you could tell what a person...
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It is always important to put your best foot forward in whatever you are doing. My philosophy has always been---if it’s worth your time and effort to do something, then it’s also worth being or doing the best that you...
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