Finding Your Rhythm, Determining Your Height

By Karen D. Swim

I was not much of a daredevil as a kid but I loved to swing. I would place my hands at just the right height and slowly move backwards as I prepared to take flight. I can remember the effort and determination it took to propel myself higher. Once you had momentum, the effort was not as hard. To remain high you simply had to keep moving at the right rhythm and force.

As I soared higher, my belly would clinch in fear but the joy of soaring through the air was too good to pass up even if I was scared of falling. I felt the most comfortable when I swung back and forth in a straight line. If the swing began to swerve a little to one side, it made me nervous and I would slow down to align myself.

Business has many parallels to swinging. When you first begin, you have to push a little harder to get to your desired altitude. When you've reached a goal (and there will be many) you may need to slow down a bit and check your alignment. Have you gone off course? Are you swinging to the left or right? Are you in danger of falling?

The higher you go the scarier it can be but you learn to push past the fear so that you can soar higher. And you can always go higher. Your height is as infinite as the sky and only limited by how much you can thrust forward. You control your motion.

You can also go higher, faster with a little help. As a child, my mom or an older cousin would push me until I soared higher than I would have dared alone. The initial result was thrilling but if they pushed too hard, I would be annoyed and make them stop. I would then quickly slow my speed until I was once again comfortable. However, I would inevitably climb higher on my own because their push had shown me I could reach that height.

You may find that you have become comfortable swinging at a certain height. You're coasting along enjoying the view, secure in your position. Alternatively, maybe you want to soar higher but you can't pump hard enough to get to the next level. You need a push. A push can come in the form of inspiration from someone we admire, or a word of encouragement from a coach or mentor. And yes, sometimes a push really is a hard push that jolts us from our comfortable height and forces us to find our balance while swinging.

I am at a time in my own life when I feel that nudge to go just a little higher. My belly clinches with a mixture of fear but excitement too wondering, "How high can I go?" I hope that you will stay with me as I propel myself backward, thrust my legs out and prepare to go just a little higher. How about you? Do you need a push or are you soaring at the right altitude?

Karen

Photo credit: Higher and Higher - mathteacher on Flickr

Lying Authors and their Tales of Woe

Another author has been outed as a liar. Margaret Seltzer is the latest author to pass off fiction as a memoir. In the language of the ‘hood she professed to have lived, her own sister “dropped a dime on her” (translation, her sister told). Seltzer’s book “Love and Consequences” was supposedly a memoir detailing her violent and drug running childhood in South Central. Writing as Margaret B. Jones the critically acclaimed novel enjoyed a week as a literary darling before the lies were exposed.

Seltzer/Jones now joins James Frey and Stephen Glass in the growing list of writers who lie their way to fame. Lying authors make it harder to gain the reading public’s trust. The internet and “reality” TV have already taught us to be leery of what is spun as truth but there was a time you could trust a memoir to be true.

Seltzer’s story is both tragic and laughable. A news reporter checked one part of Seltzer’s story, her college education, in 5 minutes, something her publisher never bothered to do. Uncovering the lie before publishing certainly would have raised red flags and prevented the now humiliating venture.

Other clues were obvious. To begin with, “South Central” is a media term. No one who actually knows Watts, Compton, Inglewood or LA actually uses the misnomer. Insiders also would have never fallen for her half white / half Native American drug runner for the bloods. I am from Southern California and know these neighborhoods well including Seltzer's real hood - The Valley! But I digress….

What really bugs me is why authors feel the need to pass off fiction as fact? Why not just write a good story and call it what it is – fiction? Readers do still love a good story, don’t they? In fiction, you have the freedom to pull in bits and pieces of reality and twist and shape them into a good tale.

Thanks to Seltzer and others the book public has once again been duped, and the writing community stung by the shame they bring to the profession. May their pens melt at the touch!

Karen

Photo: © John Weise | Dreamstime.com

The Importance Of Managing Relationships In Sales

I always enjoy Online Spin but this post (click read more below for full post) really resonated with me. I have written on the topic of authenticity in the past and I am passionate about spreading the message. Shifting our thinking from "what can I get" to "what can I give" has the power to transform the way we do business. Stop for a moment and consider how would your marketing message change if your sole goal was to give something to your customers with nothing to be gained in return? One of the reasons that "sales" has such negative connotations is because it is viewed as a one way attempt to manipulate you into a purchase decision. Authentic sales is creating a relationship, uncovering needs and providing solutions. If you're in business you obviously beleive that you have something valuable to offer. Why not market from that perspective? What do you have to give and why it is important?

read more | digg story

Twitter Dee, Twitter Dum

A few weeks ago I blogged about my foray into social media marketing and the experiences have been surprising. One site that I have found particularly interesting is Twitter. Twitter has been described as Instant Messaging on steroids. Each message is limited to 140 characters and unlike IM you are talking to no one and everyone at the same time. The messages are called Tweets and those who Twitter are fondly referred to as Twits.

On Twitter, you build a network by “following” others. They in turn can choose to follow you too but it is not required.

Each day when I power up and greet my virtual work world, it is Twitter that I most look forward to reading. Throughout the day the stream of messages from across the globe weave together forming a story that is uniquely mine. The conversation threads range from the weather in Scotland, the anniversary in the Bay Area, the job openings in the Silicon Valley to a running commentary on politics, news and the economy.

I love the ability to follow multiple conversations at once. The eclectic mix of topics and global voices freely flowing throughout the day broadens my worldview. Twitter, for me is a like an international coffee shop. You can ease into your chair in the corner, sip your latte and delight in the myriad of conversations and interactions. The only difference is that you are free to join in rather than quietly observe.

Is Twitter good for business? Yes, but not in the ways expected. I am enriched by Twitter and the fleeting conversations. I have picked up resources, tips, and tricks that I would not have found on my own. All of these things allow me to be of greater value to my clients. However, the best benefit (in my opinion) is the opportunity to meet and interact with a diverse group of people. You learn what others are doing, thinking, reading, watching and what/who they value, all in 140 characters or less.

Do you twitter? What are your experiences? I’d love to hear from you. Comment or send a tweet, I’ll be listening. ;-)

Karen

twitter.com/karenswim

My Love Affair

My lover calls to me in the light of the early morning as the moon drifts higher in the sky and the smoke from nearby chimneys drifts gently into the clouds. I curl my toes in glee as I sink into his familiar warmth knowing he will always be there.

I cannot recall a time when my lover was not present. At the age of two when I picked up a book desperate to untangle the mysteries of the dark and structured letters, he was there. At five when I could not put crayon to page in my coloring book without first telling the story behind the pictures, he was there.

Throughout the angst of my terrible teens, my lover was a gentle presence allowing me to express my anger, frustration and uncertainty as he guided me on a voyage of self-discovery. When the hospital called to say that Daddy was gone, my lover took my hand and helped me to say Good Bye as he gently recalled the man who had so wonderfully sparked the fire that birthed our love.

First love, first dance, and first heartbreak – he was there. Year after year, he listened as I questioned, reasoned, wondered and chronicled love, loss and life. He was sometimes quiet with an air of mystery, and other times bold, aggressive demanding to be heard but always, he was there.

When I lost my mom, my best friend, and had to be reminded to fill my air with lungs, my lover wrapped his arms around me and carried me through the dark days. He was there when I once again felt the sunlight on my face and the joy return to my spirit.

When my husband was dying of cancer, he was there in the middle of the night, attentive to my tear stained prayers and declarations of love. And when my husband died and my pen went silent, my lover waited patiently for my return.

My love affair with writing has been a constant in my life. Writing has allowed me to express my deepest thoughts, sorrows and joys without censure or fear of recrimination. Pen and paper beckon me and as I unite them, I am still awed by the power and passion they produce. I am mesmerized by words that unite and pulsate to a rhythmic beat unaware of their magnetic beauty as they wind across the page challenging me to follow their lead to places unknown.

Karen

This post is a contribution to the Group Writing Project sponsored by Confident Writing. Joanna Young’s theme this month is Leaps and Bounds. The deadline for this project is February 28th so it’s not too late for you to take part!

Click Here?

“Click here to update your email.” I never would have guessed that this simple little phrase would one day have me dancing with joy.

Last week I changed internet service providers. This also meant that some of my email addresses had to be updated. I expected it to be an annoyance but some companies managed to make it down right impossible.

There were those blessed few companies that made it simple with a nice little hyperlink in the communication allowing you to simply update your email address. Ah, how I have come to value the one click, one-step link. Others, provided an unsubscribe option but no update option forcing you to go to the website, recall your login and then change your information. This was an extra step that proved costly in time. It’s fine when you’re updating one company, but try doing it for 15 or 20.

Ah, but even that extra step was not as bad as the companies that simply provided no way for you to update your email address. One even taunted me with allowing me to edit everything else except my email address.

I learned a lesson that I had not intended to learn. If you are going to take the time to communicate with your customers, make it easy for them to stay in touch with you. When doing business online, we spend a great deal of time crafting messages and strategies to drive traffic, why not spend an equal amount of time keeping those same customers?

You got me to sign up for a newsletter, why not make sure I can continue to receive it? Must I unsubscribe and then go back to your site, hunt down the link and subscribe all over again?

Footloose and Fancy Free

As a child I loved musicals. Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, anything with a song and dance delighted me. I sang and danced along with gleeful abandon.

When I was 5 my mother took me to a tap dance class. Naturally, she thought this child who sings show tunes in the hallway and dances to Teddy Bears on Parade will love this class. I was excited until we arrived and I discovered I would have to dance in front of others. I was painfully shy (yes I know hard to believe!) and simply could not let loose in front of strangers.

We returned home, my dancing dreams on hold but my love for the art form firmly intact. I still love to dance and do so frequently with the same gleeful abandon I had at age 5. I dance until I am breathless and spent, but never for an audience.

In the past week, I heard three different variations on the “dance as though nobody is watching” quote. Two of the variations revolved around the theme of writing as though no one is reading. I love to dance but writing is my passion.

I now write for a living and it thrills me, but I no longer write as though no one is reading. The same fears that gripped me in that long ago dance studio creep back in to mock me daily. “People are watching, you’ll really screw it up and make a fool of yourself.” Each client project brings a fresh wave of doubt mixed with the pleasure that I get to do this for a living.

Yet, I long to go back in time and quiet those idiot voices, to step out onto that dance floor and work it out!

Instead, I have decided to work it out on paper (or screen). I will write as though no one is reading. Tapping keys, twirling pens, words moving in time to the music of my choosing, and writing until I am spent and breathless. No longer bound by the voices that hold me back from expressing, learning and growing and most importantly enjoying something I love.

What about you? There is room on the dance floor for us all. Will you join me?

Karen

Good Bye Kaleb

I sat at my desk gazing at the vast expanse of freshly fallen snow. I could see little clouds of smoke from nearby chimneys as they swirled up and into the cold morning air. Warming my hands on my coffee mug, I contemplated my day ahead when the phone rang.

“Something is wrong with Kaleb. He didn’t eat, his eyes are almost closed. Can you help me? He’s my favorite dog.” Anxious and unable to think, I googled “favorite dog sick,” as my brother searched for a vet who could see him immediately. After typing strings of terms which yielded no other answer, we hung up, my brother off to the vet with his favorite dog and me left to hope that all would be okay.

Two hours later I received the call, “The vet said he has a bug. He has lots of medicine.” I breathed for what seemed the first time since the morning call. Longing to hang on to hope, we hung up again but there was an unexplainable unrest.

The day wore on and near the end of what surely must have been the longest February 12th on record, the phone again rang. “We’re headed back to the vet.” I hung my head in silent prayer and instructed my brother to call when he knew something.

Two hours later my stomach clenched when the phone rang. I heard my nephew’s choking sobs and then my brother’s quiet declaration, “He didn’t make it.” “No, what, he didn’t make it?” I heard the voice of a father trying to be calm for his son in the midst of his own heart breaking, “He went into a coma. We tried to call him back but he wouldn’t come. He fought hard. His tail was still wagging.”

And so it was that dear sweet Kaleb with the giant head, wagged into eternity. He was my brother’s favorite dog.


Karen

Social Faux

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed my leap into social networking with Facebook. Since then I have embraced the whole notion of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo Pulse, LinkedIn, Digg, Yahoo Groups, LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, you name it I'm networking it.

I have met some really interesting people and gained great insights from them. With a click of a button I can tap into my network with a question or share a new resource that will benefit a cyber colleague. I began this journey as another way to grow my business but the benefits are so much greater than I expected.Yet, there has been one troubling aspect that is common to all social media - the invitation.

The always insightful Seana Mulcahy nails it on the head in her latest blog post. I want to share and interact with my network through social media, but how much is too much? I find that each platform offers something different. For example, LinkedIn is great for pure networking but the only way of interacting is through the Answers section. Twitter is a fun and useful way for quick communications but not one I use as a networking tool. So I find myself asking who to invite and to which platform.

There are many people in my network that I'd like to share with across platforms but have largely resisted out of politeness. My hope is that one day someone will create a unified tool that allows multiple interactions across all of these various applications. Plaxo seems to be heading that way with their Pulse Stream but we'll have to wait and see how effective their efforts will be.

In the interim, I do not have hundreds of people in any one single network. In fact until today I was friendless on Twitter. I am open to exploring these applications and anyone who wants to join me...well, these days I'm everywhere!

read more | digg story

What Message Are You Really Sending?

A group of older men are gathered in a barber shop. A younger man looking freshly scrubbed, wearing a dark suit walks in and hands the owner an envelope saying “Usually I just mail this but I thought I’d bring it in person.” The owner opens the envelopes and joyfully replies, “After all these years I finally own this place.”

Huh? The ad is supposed to brand Charter as the bank that offers personal service. It makes me cringe each time I see it. The guy is so old he can barely cut hair! It took him 30 years to buy his building! Oh yeah, as a business owner that’s exactly what I want in a bank. (Not!)

The banker in the ad smiles like he’s just given a 5 year old a squiggly puppy. The message I took away was that the American Banking System is not designed to help us build wealth but to be debtors. And we wonder why our economy stinks? But that’s a topic for another post.

I am sure the creative minds behind the Charter ad would be dismayed about my take on their ad. While I would agree that you cannot tailor your message to please a general audience, it is worth taking time to ensure that you’re saying what you meant to say to your desired audience.

What’s your take? What methods do you use to make sure that your message is clearly articulated?

Now, if only I could get the makers of Celebrex to cut that annoying music from their very loooonnng ad….

Karen

Super Bowl Musings

Super Bowl XXXXII is now history. The New York Giants ramped up a 17-14 win over the Pats, spoiling their perfect season.

The Pats played a perfect season and still lost the championship. And this year’s champs will suit up next season and none of this will matter.

Business owners and athletes have much in common. Running a business requires intense focus and dedication. You can’t just show up on game day and expect to win. You must practice, prepare and do the work day in and day out.

Like athletes we have W's and L’s in our column totals but every game stands alone. We know that our record has historical validity but we don’t allow it to dictate our continued pursuit of absolute excellence.

The Pats will feel the sting of their loss for some time to come. But they will use that loss to fuel their drive when they suit up next season. The Giants will ride the waves of celebration and savor their remarkable feat. They too will find motivation in their victory when they suit up to try to do it all over again next season.

For the business owner, well, we play everyday as if it’s the Super Bowl. And we all hope to take home that trophy year after year.

Karen

Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow, predicts more winter ahead

If you believe in folklore, bundle up for six more weeks of wintry weather.This is Groundhog Day, and the furry little critter known as Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning. That, according to tradition, means six more weeks of winter. As I sit at my desk looking out at our snow covered grass and icy pond, I'm inclined to agree with the little critter. With the Writer's Strike, my TiVo is not getting much action and I find myself spending more time working and checking out the blogosphere. So, maybe six more weeks of winter won't be so bad..

read more | digg story

I Coulda Been A Contender!

It is Election year in the United States and candidates faced with shrinking support and dollars are beginning to drop like flies. High profile candidates who seemed promising last year are now out of the race.

As I read the latest list of casualties I realized that for business owners every year is an election year. Political affiliations aside, the now former nominees were filled with hope, and ideas for a new America. They marketed those ideas vigorously finding favor with many people. Yet, in spite of their expertise, talents and marketing their bid for the presidency is now over.

Although each former candidate could list their own reasons for failure, the end result is the same –They lost the race to be in the race. Ouch!

Education, experience and great plans mean nothing when you simply can’t connect with enough people to keep you afloat.

Business owners must stump for votes day in and day out. Thankfully, unlike the nominees, our “voters” can choose more than one front runner. Yet, we still must win them over day after day. And like the candidates, if we fail to connect with enough people, we too will be out of the running.

My own solution is to stay focused on my mission of helping others move their business forward. I have a genuine passion for helping others to give birth to their vision. In order to continue to be a solution I must remain open to always learning, growing and sharing.

What about you, how do you remain relevant to your customers? What do you do to stay in the running?

All the World’s A Stage

My stomach quivered with excitement as I sat riveted by the words spoken by the actors on the stage. However, I was not moved by the performances as much as the thought of the playwright who had written the dialogue now being spoken on this stage.

I leaned in closely to capture the texture, ideas and power in the playwright’s words. Once again, I was my 5 year old self in love with the ability to tell a story.

All these years later (and trust me I am decades past 5!) my fascination and respect for those who write has not diminished. In fact, today I believe I have a greater appreciation for those who dare to inspire, educate, inspire, engage or entertain with their words.

So how does this translate in business? Writing for business is no less powerful. Your audience is (potentially) rapt with attention and you have the power to persuade them to listen to your thoughts, ideas, solutions and passions or you can cause them to leave at intermission.

Well developed characters and tightly woven plotlines will peak their interest and have them on the edge of their seats as they anticipate the next act. And like the playwright you must tell a story that is meaningful to you and will resonate with your audience.

The next time you sit down to write for your business respect the power that your words can have and then write not only from your head but from your heart – your audience will thank you by sticking around for Act 2.

The Road to Success is Paved with Giving

I received my weekly e-newsletter from Jeff Crilley, TV Reporter and in it he writes:

“Whether you are having a Starbucks with a potential client or trying to pitch the media a story, it is important to remember--- IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU!

I run into a lot of people who say they are networking. But I have discovered that if you go into any relationship with YOUR goals in the forefront of your mind, you will fail.

Try this the next time you are approaching a member of the media or trying to attract a new client or customer---help them first.”

I could not agree more. I am a huge proponent of AUTHENTICITY in marketing. Authentic according to the dictionary is to be genuine, real, not false or copied. I believe that for your marketing to be authentic you must create real connections with your market. Connections which are only possible when you truly care about their needs and wants.

Are your marketing materials all about YOU? When speaking with potential customers are you more interested in what you can sell them than what they need?

In his newsletter, Jeff quoted one of my favorite Zig Ziglar quotes: “You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

Try implementing this simple philosophy into your networking and marketing. I guarantee that if you look for way to help others get what they want your business and life will be richer than ever imagined.

Sexy Text Messages Sink Mayor’s Credibility

It’s been quite a week in Detroit, Michigan. A series of steamy text messages between Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick and his Chief of Staff, Christine Beatty were made public. Both the Mayor and Beatty had vehemently denied an affair under oath, during a whistleblower trial last summer.

In the racy text messages Beatty and Kilpatrick had much to say, but since the story broke on Wednesday there has been an eerie silence. Considering that each can be indicted for perjury, one can assume they won’t be texting each other anytime soon.

In our technology driven society we don’t give much thought to what happens to the words we text, IM or post in cyberspace. This case is a chilling reminder that words can come back to haunt you.

When it comes to texting, email and cyber communications there is really no such thing as privacy. Before you press enter, consider how your words will be viewed and more importantly, how would you feel if they were plastered on the front page of a newspaper?

Job seekers are often surprised when I ask about their online identity management. Your Facebook or MySpace profile or comments in forums are discoverable by employers. It’s worthwhile to make sure that like the clothes you wear, your words are presenting the right image.

Should we simply never text or IM? Of course not. We should however practice self restraint. I’m sure that Mayor Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty now wish that they have saved those steamy love messages for in person conversations.

2008 The Year of the Meltdown?

A scant two weeks into the New Year and the keyword in headlines seems to be meltdown. Hillary Clinton, Miley Cyrus and Paula Abdul have all reportedly had one, and poor Britney has had several. These personal meltdowns are all in addition to the Capital One, subprime mortgage and global meltdown. What’s going on?

Has the year of the DUI given away to meltdowns? Will we now have teary eyed public confessions followed by stints in rehab for meltdowns? Well, count me out. I’m happy and make no apologies for it. Not only am I happy, I’m downright giddy. Take that you negative naysayers!

It’s a brand new year with brand new opportunities. In spite of the writers strike, the wobbly US economy and the continuing mortgage crisis, I’m optimistic.

Tales of meltdowns, break ups and disasters are the normal ups and downs of life. The headlines spouting them are not a trend in meltdowns but a trend in our insatiable demand for negative news.

It seems we North Americans enjoy a good train wreck. We want to look away, we want to bypass those headlines but we just can’t seem to avert our eyes. So we keep getting more of the same.

Business owners have even resorted to courting controversy to capture attention. Can you blame them? It seems the only way to get attention these days is to cash in on the controversial. Negativity has become the new “sex sells.”

I don’t know about you but I’d rather remain upbeat and positive. I want to attract new clients by being, well nice. I probably surf hundreds of blogs each week. There is a great deal of quality content out there. There is a also a dark underbelly. I’ve been to blogs that have more traffic than a Southern California freeway during rush hour, but I cringe when I read the comments.

Readers are not only nasty to the blog author but nasty to others commenting. Many other blogs have managed to really develop a nice community. These blogs have great content and great readers who are kind and supportive. I’ll take that any day even if it means a few less traffic hits.

Social Media Mania

Well, I'm officially on Facebook. I even managed to add a few friends. As a business proposition I am still not sure of the value but I did catch up with a few long lost friends.

Joanna Young, of Confident Writing raised an issue that resonated for me. All of the social media require you to invite people to join you. I can see how easily these invitations can get out of hand.

I have always prided myself on being minimally intrusive. I've been on LinkedIn for awhile and was comfortable inviting people. Then I signed up for StumbleUpon, Digg, and now Facebook, Twitter and others. How do I manage this process so that I am not filling up mailboxes with endless invitations?

It is predicted that the social media space will soon experience some consolidation. However, that does not include "specialty" social media sites which are expected to survive consolidation.

Because social media is still evolving many people like me sign up for multiple services as we seek to find the service that will best meet our needs. As I take the journey I'll share my findings with you. Of course if you have any advice or tips for making the most of the social world, please share your comments.

Hot Trends - Facebook

Well, I finally did it. I took a leap into the social media network and joined Facebook. Moving from observer to participant was actually easier than I anticipated. In the past I simply had not bothered because I did not clearly see how it would help business.

It took one conversation with a search expert to sort it out for me. In a friendly conversation with Jon Rognerud of Microsaw, he enlightened me on the value of Facebook. Jon is nothing short of an expert in the search field. He is the first person who made search understandable for the "common folk" and I trust his advice.

Jon shared an Alexa Movers and Shakers graphic with me via skype that convinced me that this Facebook thing was indeed worth a try. The numbers indicated that in a short period of time Facebook has driven an impressive amount of traffic.


As search traffic grows more competitive and adwords cost prohibitive for many website owners, social media becomes a more interesting platform. And quite frankly one that makes sense. Social media provides an opportunity for you to engage your audience. I realize that in marketing on or off line there is no magic bullet but I'm interested to see how the social space evolves and how I can use it to drive business.

Are you using social media for business marketing? I'd love to hear about your experiences. And if you're a Facebook user look me up and add me as a friend.

Happy Networking!

Give Your Business More Legroom

The other day I braved frigid temperatures to walk the ½ mile to get my mail. I was rewarded with my January copy of Runner’s World. I was tempted to run back to begin reading but was slowed by all of the icy patches.

I peeled off my layers and ran up the stairs to grab green tea and read the latest running news. Just as my toes were thawing out, an ad caught my eye. The ad read:

Dear Runners,

We now have the most legroom in coach.* Perfect for stretching out those sore quads, calves, hamstrings and pinky toes.

Sincerely,

jetBlue Airways

Now if you’re thinking, “so what?” allow me to enlighten you. I don’t ever recall seeing a jetBlue ad in Runner’s World. I have every issue since January 2002 so I could actually check…but trust me on this one. If there was an ad it didn’t catch my eye like this one.

The ad was ingenious in its sheer simplicity. It spoke directly to runners. Now I have personally always like jetBlue but when traveling for marathons I’ve settled on any airline that was going. Will I think twice next time? You betcha!

The ad is a beautiful example of how easy it is to create a new niche and expand your brand. jetBlue did not rebuild their planes for runners, they simply leveraged an existing asset to an audience with matching needs. Genius.

What business asset do you have that can be used to target a new audience? Answering that question could very well revitalize your business this year. I’d love to hear your ideas on the subject.

I’m off to stretch those sore quads.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2008! Well, here we are in a brand new year, a blank slate waiting to be filled with what I believe will be victories, successes, breakthroughs and joys.

It’s hard for me to believe it’s 2008. I can so vividly remember the start of this new millennium and the Y2K hysteria leading up to it. Before the clock struck midnight, I was pulling money out of the bank, stocking up on canned goods and bottled water and waiting for the massive computer crash that was predicted.

Thanks to careful planning from the tech community, Y2K went off with barely a glitch.

I’m pleased to say that the dawn of 2008 was not filled with any angst, only joyful anticipation. It’s a year that is fresh, new and filled with possibilities. We begin the year with another 12 months of wisdom and life lessons to help guide the way. The challenges and victories of 2007 continue to feed us with knowledge. As we look back we know what to do to continue moving forward.

As you look back over 2007, assess what went well. What were the positive things that you did that contributed to your business? How can you increase that in 2008? Are there systems or processes that will help you? Focus on the positive and resolve to do more of it to get even greater results in 2008.

Who were your best customers in 2007? Increase your efforts to your best customers; let them know how much you value their business. Why are they your best customers? Identify the common traits to refine your ideal client profile. You can then use that information to target more customers just like them.

What marketing channels worked well for you in 2007? Do more in 2008. Even in downturns the companies that are consistent in their marketing efforts, increase their market share.

What was the greatest thing that happened in your business last year? Use that great success to set an even bigger goal. Set a goal that scares you and then break it into smaller goals that can be attained throughout the year. Keep challenging your business and yourself. You are only limited by your own beliefs.

I look forward to celebrating your successes in 2008.

The Random Journey to Somewhere

I have a TiVo, well actually two which I love. This thought crossed my mind today as I sat staring at the white background of Microsoft Word. A background I might add that should have been covered with words. So, I thought of the dreaded “blue screen of death” feared by TiVo users. Of course thankfully my TiVo has never been broken which then made me think of things that had been broken. This is the random thought process in which I often engage when words fail me.

At one time I would have chided myself for engaging in pointless head chatter. I have learned, however, that allowing my mind to wander and roam free often actually leads somewhere. It leads to a place, a thought , an idea that never would have been allowed to form in my otherwise structured, deadline driven day. So often in doing nothing I accomplish a great deal.

Everyone can find value in allowing time to drift along with their thoughts being carried wherever they may lead. Seemingly unrelated threads can sometimes form the basis of true innovation. Far too often in business we focus so much on structure that we miss the opportunity to dream, plan, visualize and create.

Engaging in random thought is different than brainstorming. With brainstorming you are still focused on a specific problem or concept. You simply free yourself from censoring any idea or solution. Random thought is wholly unstructured in every way. You take a back seat and allow your thoughts to do all the driving. Random thoughts have a number of benefits including:

· They can help you overcome a challenge or problem. Giving your mind a break from mulling over something can often lead you right to a solution.

· They can reveal underlying issues that you have been avoiding.

· They can reignite your creative spark.

· They open the dam and allow a release of fresh thinking and new ideas.

· They help you to recover lost memories.

The next time you find your mind drifting along don’t try to harness your thoughts. Unless of course you’re behind the wheel of a car in rush hour traffic! Otherwise, give yourself the freedom to drift along on a sea of random thoughts. You may be happily surprised where those thoughts take you.

This post was inspired by the awesome writer, Joanna Young who wrote a post on Random Facts which got me thinking….

What you can Learn from Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland, star of 24 is currently serving a 48 day jail sentence for a DUI. His popularity with fans has apparently not suffered. Kief is receiving boatloads of fan mail in jail.

Surviving a setback is not limited to celebrities. Many companies have not only made it though a crisis or bad publicity but emerged better and stronger. What’s the secret?

Fess up. Acknowledge your mistake and work to make it right. Whether you are dealing with one irate customer or a major recall, “We were wrong, we’ll fix it” goes a long way.

Learn from it. Adversity has a way of making us stronger. Take the time to assess what went wrong and why. What systems can be put in place to prevent the error from happening again? Don’t fix a problem one time, fix it for all time. If a customer brings something to your attention, standardize the solution.

Actions speak louder than words. Kiefer Sutherland admitted his mistake, apologized to his bosses and quietly made arrangements to serve his time. He did not make the talk show rounds with a tearful apology and public plan for redemption. Once you’ve acknowledged your error and set about fixing it. Let your actions continue to speak for you.

Bad things happen – in business and life. How you handle the tough times can show your customers (and competitors) what you’re really made of.

Is Your Business on Welfare?

Recently a writing colleague posted an article on the Elance water cooler. The article written by Ron Lindeboom, highlighted the three different buyer types. The article is several years old, but the principles still hold true.

Lindeboom discusses the three marketing types and groups them into top tier, middle market and low end. The top tier clients representing about 15% of your client base are those that value quality and relationship. The middle tier represents about 70% of the market and they want good but fair pricing. The low end wants high end service for cut rate prices. Lindeboom calls the low end segment “Grinders.”

As a business owner, why would you ever want Grinders? Yet, far too many businesses, particularly small businesses fight for this client type. Understanding the psychology of the client segments is important but it’s equally important to understand what type of business you are.

Many small business owners are standing in the welfare line and not sure how they got there. They work hard. In fact they may be working longer hours than CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. They deliver high quality work. Yet, they are barely making ends meet. These businesses are well intentioned but are not appropriately targeting their market or pricing their services.

Other small businesses are locked into a mentality that says they can only compete on price. To win against the “more established,” or “the “larger competitors” they have to compete on price. Does this sound like you?

Still others believe that volume makes up for low pricing. These business owners proclaim “yes our pricing is low but our volume supports it.” These same business owners would like to convince you to work at a fraction of your normal fees because they’re going to give you a large amount of work.

Although I’m humiliated to admit it for a long time I too had a business that was on welfare. My company was turning out high quality work and a sucker for every sob story that justified someone negotiating our rates lower. We wanted to help and by golly help we did to the detriment of our own profit margin. In fact our margins were negative!

I’m here to tell you “Don’t try this at home! You’ll go broke!” I am a big believer in volunteering, giving back and charitable giving. However, when running a business you must realize you exist to make a profit. You can set a fixed amount of time aside to donate business services (and I advocate doing so) but your day to day operations should be generating income.

Let’s look at this from another angle. In corporate America, did your employer negotiate your salary daily? When you showed up for work, did HR say, “Gee you know right now our budget is stretched, so can you work 3 extra hours for half your salary?” Of course not! Yes, companies get into budget trouble and they often solve it by doing lay-offs or salary freezes but no company negotiates your pay (or value) on a daily basis. So why are you doing this in your own business?

Negotiation is a natural part of doing business. Negotiation however is an exchange and not the seller simply giving everything away. It is an exchange to work toward a mutual win where the critical needs of BOTH parties are satisfied. Great negotiations end with all parties feeling like a winner and it sets the stage for a good long term relationship.

However, you are not obligated to negotiate price with every potential client. When you walk into the grocery store to buy a gallon of milk, there is a price you will be required to pay. Do you get to the register and ask to pay a different price? Do you ask them to give you more milk for the same price?

Yes, I realize milk is a commodity and service businesses operate a little differently, but do you negotiate price with your doctor, dentist or hair dresser at every visit? We ask for lower pricing when we beleive the price does not reflect the value but more often than not we simply pay what is asked or we don't buy.

So, how do you begin turning things around? The first step is to examine what you have to offer. What does it cost you to provide the service? What is the value of that service to your ideal client (ideal being key here as you are not targeting grinders)? Set a fair price and stick to it. Your ideal client will pay you for the value. Grinders will not buy from you.

You may end up with fewer clients, but that’s a great thing. You want fewer clients that pay you what you’re worth. Unless of course you really do want to spend your time killing yourself for the pennies that grinders are willing to pay.

I’ve learned the hard way that clients will only value what I have to offer if I first realize that value myself. This means getting off welfare and saying No to the people who really can’t afford my services. Am I missing out on a large segment of the market? Yes, I am but it’s a segment that does not represent my ideal client anyway.

New Website Launched

I hope you won't mind a departure from business as usual today but I'm excited! After agonizing, writing, rewriting and trashing a number of websites I finally launched the new site. It's funny how procrastination often leads back to the road of simplicity. I had toyed with complexities that I never would have been able to manage, flash images and flying objects but in the end decided on a simple, clean Web 2.0 design. The whole website experience reminded me of a few valuable lessons that I'd like to share.

Do not be paralyzed by perfection. So often we're so focused on perfection that we lose sight of the big picture - getting it done. There are times that perfection is required (like in plastic surgery) but there are other times when good enough is really good enough. Spend your time and resources accordingly and saved yourself some anxiety in the process.

Good help is to be celebrated. Greg Ogorek, of Global Internet Services (globalinternet.net) was just the kick in the rear I needed. His expert guidance made the process so easy. I had tried and failed to accomplish this on my own for 10 months, but one good expert was exactly what was needed.

Just do it already. Sometimes we just need to take action. I was so afraid of doing, writing, designing the wrong thing that I had my cruddy old site up for almost a year. As a result I never promoted it or made it work for me. So, I'm taking my own advice and just doing it.

So, please check out the new site at www.wordsforhirellc.com. I will be adding new resources throughout the year and always sharing with you what I learn from my failures and successes.

Until next time,

Karen

Break from the Herd

I’ve been out sick and am now finally catching up. Before I post the low cost marketing tip, I have to share this great post that I read over on the Media Post blog (http://blogs.mediapost.com/spin/?p=1134#comments):

Tom Cunniff from Combe Incorporated says:
September 27th, 2007 at 7:59 am

“Businesspeople run in herds, for safety. Many of us run in the Formula Herd; our heads down, ritualistically reciting our formulas like a prayer. We desperately hope that we can get rich before our formula loses its mojo. Others of us run in the Silver Bullet Herd; eyes constantly scanning the horizon for Deus Ex Machina. We desperately hope that our Silver Bullet will make us rich before anyone realizes it’s really just a little man behind the curtain.

A few crazies split off from the herd and form their own small groups. We desperately hope that logic and reason will win the day, and that our superior survival skills will make us rich in spite of the insanity of business. Usually the most successful crazies can be found at conferences peddling Formulas and Silver Bullets to members of the other herds.

And, there you have it ”

I seriously laughed out loud when I read this thoughtful, dead on comment. So kudos to Tom Cunniff! Tom’s comment is a perfect lead in to a discussion of business marketing. Too often people are joining the herd rather than being brave enough to be different and do what works for their business. I read today of an internet marketer who hired a copywriter to write optimized blog posts. Unfortunately the marketer was neither a blogger or SEO expert so had no idea how to evaluate the final product! I applauded the marketer’s honesty and felt bad for the situation. It’s likely that he/she got some advice from the gurus in the herd and eager to achieve success followed along.

Okay, enough of the soapbox. There are so many great low cost marketing ideas that have proven the test of time. Remember it’s critical to evaluate your own market and use only the ideas that align with your overall plan. So the first low cost tip, use your business cards. What? Yep, that little card is marketing gold. You can have really nice business cards printed and still not break the bank. Rather than stick them in your business card holder or wallet, use them. Resolve to pass out ten cards per day. Strike up conversations wherever you go and pass out that card. Drop a few in the thank you notes you send to clients (you are sending thank you notes, aren’t you?). We miss so many opportunities in our day to day life to talk about our business and how we can help people.

You will be surprised at the number of contacts and leads you can develop with that tiny little card. Happy Marketing!

Crystal Ball Marketing

In the past few months, I have watched several businesses open and close in my community. The latest to bite the dust was a New York style deli around the corner. Was it to be my fate to welcome a new place only to have it close it’s doors in a couple of months. In the span of a few months, a coffee shop, Mexican restaurant, grocery store and drycleaners had all shut down. Here in Michigan where unemployment is among the highest in the country, it would be easy to place the blame on the economy. While the economy certainly played a role these business failures can be traced to fundamental errors made by the owners.

Nosiness is a professional hazard, so I talk to everyone, and ask lots of questions. I had chatted with the owners of the businesses on many of my visits so in every case had gotten to know their story. Many of the businesses had opened and closed in less than 6 months. In every case the owners had been filled with enthusiasm and hope only to close up shop a few months later. So, what happened?

The economy does impact spending. But let’s be clear consumers do not stop spending money they simply become picky about where those dollars go. This means that businesses have to work a little harder to attract their customers. Each of these businesses had failed miserably at attracting customers. They opened their doors and hoped for the best. None had a solid marketing plan (I asked) and apparently all were severely under capitalized. The owners all mistakenly believed that they could not afford to market so their efforts were a couple of fliers and coupon offers in local papers. Yeah, that worked out real well.

It may surprise you but these owners are not unlike many business owners. So for all of you out there allow me to share this: Consumers do not have a crystal ball that will direct them to your business. You have to TELL them not only that you exist but WHY they need you. You have taken the time to develop a business idea, raise enough capital to get started so isn’t it worth it to close the deal. Without customers, you don’t have a business so shouldn’t the acquisition of customers play a central role in your planning? Consumers are not psychic and the mere presence of a building (or website) will not guarantee you business. In fact as a business owner, the majority of your time should be spent on acquiring business and creating systems to improve the customer experience. Again - no customers, no business.

Marketing does not require a million dollar budget. There are many creative, low cost ways to acquire customers. The key is to understand your target market and find the most cost efficient and effective way to reach them. Who is your market? (Here’s a clue, your answer should not be “everyone.”) How and where does your market make decisions? How does your product/service help them solve a pain point, or avoid pain? Here’s a great example. The Mexican Restaurant that was briefly open did a fair share of take-out business. They had a small dining area which was perfect for the lunch crowd but most of their business was take out. Yet they did nothing to market or cater to this business segment. What could they have done? Local delivery service could have helped to grow this market. Fax and express phone service are other low cost ideas that could have worked. Dominos Pizza built an empire by filling a customer need and marketing it to death. By the way, they were not the best tasting pizza but they certainly were savvy in their marketing.

Marketing is not a nice to do task, it is essential to the life of your business. You cared enough to start your business so share that passion with your target market by telling them what you can do for them! Stay with me in coming weeks as we look at low cost ideas and methods to get you the recognition you deserve.

Lessons from Michael Vick

Whether you are a football fan or not, you have certainly heard the ugly details of the charges brought against Atlanta Falcons Quarterback, Michael Vick. The case has dominated headlines for several weeks and sparked nationwide anger against Vick.

Vick and co-defendants allegedly operated an illegal dog fighing ring and are been charged with various charges including federal conspiracy. The illegal activity occurred on a property owned by Vick but lived in by his cousin (who has been charged and pleaded guility). According to Vick he was unaware of the activity and rarely visited the property. In spite of his profession of "ignorance" he has lost several endorsement deals and is temporarily suspended from Falcons Training Camp. More importantly he faces five years in jail if found guilty.

I am not sure what the final outcome will be for Vick but the case is a cautionary tale for everyone. Lately, it seems that we could fill a book with tales of "celebrites gone wild," but at the heart of many of the outrageous headlines is the basic concept of choices.

Every choice we make has a consequence. Vick chose to entrust his home and reputation to his cousin. If in fact Vick did not know what was going on in a home he owned, that too was a choice...and it was a very wrong choice.

We learn from Vick that ignorance is not bliss but it is a choice that can carry serious consequences. As business owners we too make choices. While we cannot avoid mistakes or failure (in fact both are key elements in our growth) we can make better choices. If your choices are driven by knowledge and active decision making and you fail that's okay. You made a choice and it did not work out but you have an opportunity to learn from the stumble and move forward. However, if you were not aware of what was going on in your company or chose to associate your business with questionable relationships and as a result you fail...well, you have to take responsibility for that and hopefully you can recover.

Successful people guard their inner circle. Not everyone is allowed in to that precious space, related or not. The successful understand that your associations are a choice and can reap negative or positive consequences. They are not willing to damage their earnings or reputation by poor choices and neither should you.

Today take stock of your own moral compass and guiding values. Are your choices aligned with those values? Next, take stock of the people in your inner circle. Are those relationships aligned with your values and vision? Finally, as you seek to erect that fortress around your vision and reputation, where are your blind spots? While it is not necessary to micro manage every area of your life, it is up to you to know what's going on and understand the choices that others are making which will directly impact you.

As an animal lover I am horrifed by the Vick case. But as a human being I am heartbroken for Michael Vick. It is not easy to watch another person's life fall apart and in doing so it is impossible not to shine the light back on myself and think there but for the grace of God....

The Great American Balancing Act

In the United States we talk a lot about work-life balance. Harried employees talk of the lack of work-life balance, while corporations entice recruits with their culture of work-life balance. Some employees and employers solve the problem with alternative work arrangements such as split shifts, telecommuting or 4-40 work weeks.

Yet, as a country we seem to be failing miserably at achieving this so called balance. Americans take fewer vacation days than any other country. We are one of the only modern countries without vacation-time minimums mandated by law.

A new study by employment firm Hudson noted that “Thirty percent of Americans say they use less than half their allotted time. And 20 percent take only a few days instead of a week or two (Business Week May 21).

Our technologically advanced culture was predicted to give us more leisure time. Instead it has increased the pressure to be “always on.” Even when we’re off, we’re at work. We have blackberrys, laptops and voice mail that allow us to remain at work even on vacation.

As the workplace grows more competitive, the pressure to be there increases. This trend however has not only impacted employees but has also affected business owners. In fact many business owners allow work to consume every waking hour believing that they don’t have the luxury of taking time off.

However, working all the time does not increase productivity, it decreases it! We all need time to decompress and relax. Time away from work allows you to come back with more energy and a fresh perspective. I have gotten many of my best ideas when I was far from an office and work setting.

Balance looks different for everyone but it is something that we all should strive to find. I suspect that for many that means first dealing with the fear of not being at work. Employees and business owners face competition within and outside of our borders. Business owners may lose opportunities to foreign countries that can do it cheaper. Employees may lose their job as organizations merge, or consolidate to cut costs. Many are afraid that if they don’t stay on top of things they could lose their income.

The answer is to overcome your fear with faith. Have faith in your talent and abilities. Focus your energies on becoming productive and giving 100% during the hours you are at work and then go home and give 100% to the other parts of your life.

Your time will be better spent focusing on the positive and living your best life now. Employees should take charge of their careers by keeping their resumes updated and networking to stay current on market trends. Working a 60 hour week does not protect you from reorganization; it simply makes you angry when in spite of all your time you too receive a pink slip!

Business owners should develop multiple income streams to protect themselves against the natural up and down cycles of business. Spend focused time weekly working on the business and not in it. Create systems and processes for success.

Time off does not detract from your competitive edge, it enhances it! Let’s face there will be times for all of us that we’ll put in more hours and work harder but that should not be our way of life. Life is far too short to spend it all working in fear that you will lose ground.

I challenge you to find a better balance, you will not regret it!

Paris Hilton and Purple Cows

Do you ever feel like the Nicole Ritchie of the business world? Destined to be lost in a sea of larger, flashier competitors? Volumes of books have been written about standing out in a crowded marketplace so it’s obviously a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of millions.

Job seekers ask professionals to write resumes that will make them “stand out” from the crowd. Businesses strive to find their “purple cow” solution that will make them stand apart from competitors in their space. Even those running for President are looking for ways to be different in one of the largest and longest pre-primaries in recent history.

In the past, there was a clear dividing line in business. There were major corporations participating on a national or global stage, small business that was primarily local or niched and mid-sized business that fell between the two.

The size of the business no longer determines the playing field. Technology has made it much easier for small and mid-sized businesses to look much bigger and compete on a global scale.

Like it or not, almost every business does compete locally even if their desired customer base is local. The freelance writer in Paducah may face competition in the business writing arena from Great Britain, India and Chicago.

Technology has made the world much smaller and it can be hard to rise above the blogs, adwords, youtube videos and MySpace pages to get noticed. No wonder Barack has turned to hip hop music videos and Hillary is spouting one liners on Letterman!

So, how do you get noticed? Is it possible to rise from oblivion to greatness without a porn tape or shaking your groove thing at a Hollywood party?

Believe it or not the business principles that pre-date our modern technological tools remain relevant today. People still value good old fashioned quality and service. Yes, they may download songs from iTunes but it’s not the technology that makes them listen it’s the music.

In other words, the technology is a tool to reach your market but you will win and keep customers because you offer something of value to them. Album, CD or MP3, a great tune is a great tune!

The key is to know your market. What does your market want and where are the gaps in your industry? What do you bring to your market? Take time to discover your value to your market and then tell them! Once you’ve got the substance go ahead and add the sizzle! Use the most effective technology and marketing for your market. You may never become as famous as Paris but plenty of people have never heard of Martin G. Carver either.


Be purple, fuchsia, sing a song or tell a joke, but just be uniquely you!



Until next time!

KDS

Bring on the Experts!

After an extremely long hiatus, I’m back! I must admit I considered abandoning blogging altogether. My strange addiction to 12 hours of news per day resulted in an overload of stories about bloggers targeted by crazy cyberstalkers and it freaked me out. Yet, what scared me even more were the multitudinous conflicting theories on blogging by “experts”. A sampling of expert data included:

-Your blog must have a very specific business theme (no random musings allowed!)
-You should absolutely not have a blog as it provides no real business value
-Writers should not have blogs unless they are promoting a book
-Writers should have blogs because how else could they build readership!

Um, okay. All of it left me scratching my head in frustration. With each opinion I carefully weighed the entire argument. All of the “experts” raised good points but in the end all that advice left me feeling unworthy to implement any of it. My quandary over blogging could apply to any aspect of business advice.

How often have we all found ourselves flummoxed by conflicting “expert” opinions? More importantly, how do we sift through the opinions and counter opinions to choose what is right for us?

Every week I have clients contacting me wanting me to do something that was advised by an expert. I can clearly trend popular seminars by the requests that I receive monthly. One month I may be deluged with requests for “SEO articles that will drive traffic to my website,” and another it may be “a sales letter written in AIDA style.” The “expert” advice is not necessarily wrong, but often it’s not the right strategy for that client’s business.

I am a big fan of learning from the success of others. However, I believe that one person’s successful strategy could be a total failure for another. It’s important to consider the advice in the context of your business environment, and your overall strategy. Implementing tactics that are not aligned with your overall strategy can prove disastrous.

One of my favorite words to use is “authenticity.” Unfortunately it’s far too often ignored in business. Many business owners have implemented “tips and tricks” advised by experts only to become frustrated when it didn’t work. A 7 page web sales letter is not the right strategy for every business. A single press release will not cause reporters to line up at your door. Tips and tricks work best when they are authentic to the goal and character of your business, otherwise it’s just a slick trick.

So, what brought me back to blogging? In the end, it was a simple decision. I may not win tons of new business from my modest blog nor become a best selling author but I do enjoy writing and connecting with others. I missed the emails from those who shared their opinions and the insight I gained from “putting it out there” for the world to read and comment. Writing a blog may not make me lots of money, but it’s certain to allow me to practice what I truly love – writing. In the process I hope to inform and entertain those who read and along the way get better at something I love to do.

Until next time,

KDS

Fad junkies

I have a friend who seems to spend all of her time at seminars. She owns a business but I'm not sure when she actually has time to run it! Each time I speak with her she has changed her business model (again), on the advice of yet another guru who she heard at a seminar.

While I am a proponent of continuous learning for some it can be dangerous. The power of learning new things is actually applying them. It is my belief that there are even greater lessons to be learned when you apply knowledge. To simply run from one seminar to another is a waste of time and money and I am sure that the purported gurus would agree.

So, is my friend addicted to learning? Possibly, but I think the true problem is fear. I have witnessed her inability to make a decision for fear of making a mistake. Her answer? Continue to run around and allow others to make the decisions for her. The result of her actions (or inaction) is that her business hasn't really changed or grown in 5 years.

I challenge you to act on one piece of advice or knowledge. Apply it to your business, refine it, learn from it. Don't make the mistake of running from one fad to another. Let me know how it changes your business.

New Year, New Beginnings

Happy New Year!

I don't know about you but I'm really glad that the holidays are behind us. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the celebration of Christmas and many of the holiday festivities but it can be exhausting! So, here we are in 2007 and off to a new start.

This month represents a fresh start, and for many - new beginnings. Very few people approach the new year without wanting to make it even better than the last. Even those who had a great year strive to improve when a new year dawns.

It is for this reason that so many people make New Year's Resolutions. Gyms and churches are filled in January, but the crowds thin out before the month is over. Some people will give up on their resolutions before the week is out.

I love resolutions. I typically don't make them at New Year but instead I set goals weekly, monthly and throughout the year. I am always working to improve some aspect of myself and or my business, and trust me there's much work to do!

I have found that it's not enough to want something, you have to plan for your success. I write down my goals and then break it up into action items. Some goals may take all year to reach, while others may only take one month. I celebrate the milestones along the way and re-evaluate periodically to make sure the goals still make sense.

For example, last year I had a goal of running my third marathon. However, I found myself consumed with my new business, stressed, overwhelmed and worn down from overtraining. Realizing that the goal was not right for where I was in my life, I had to postpone it. I was disappointed but got over it and actually used the loss to improve my workout routine.

Goals should not be things that torture us but should be motivators. Your goals should align with where you are in life and what is realistic to achieve. As you contemplate this new year, by all means make a few resolutions! Just ensure that your resolutions are meaningful and achievable. Also keep in mind that changes don't come overnight. Plan the steps that you will need to take to reach your goals. Along the way, you may have to readjust, but it's okay. Life is a journey filled with twists and turns. Be open to new pathways as you pursue your dreams.

I wish you all a fulfilling year!

KDS

Is Service Dead?

Tis the season! As we endure the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, nerves are a bit more frayed, wait times a little longer and prime parking spots a little more difficult to find. Just before the initial kick-off of the holiday season, several encounters made me question whether service, or I should say service with a smile is dead.

I went to a well known restaurant chain for a take-out order (which I had called in). I walked in and there was no hostess at the podium so I stood in line to pay for my order. After waiting patiently for 15 minutes, I was told by the manager to step aside because he was busy and would have to check to see if my order was ready. In fact if he had taken three steps to the food prep area he would have witnessed my order being thrown into bags at that very moment.

You see I had been watching the harried waitresses pulling tags and fulfilling orders. I watched as one waitress went from cashier to the food area (with no hand washing in between). I watched her ask about my order and then take the styrofoam container with my slice of pumpkin pie (I know what you're thinking, but we're all entitled to the occasional indulgence and I do skip the crust!) and shove it on top of a whole pie and slam the glass shut crushing the container.

Yet, I stepped aside as he took payment from the dine in customers. I did so because I was curious to see how he would handle the situation. I finally got my order. I was never asked if I needed silverware or condiments, never asked if there was anything else (missed opportunity for an upsell) nor did I ever receive a smile or the customary "come again." Thank you, I won't!

Sadly, this has all too often been my customer experience. Business owners, small and large need to realize that a focus on customer experience will result in greater profits. This is beyond service with a smile but service with a purpose. Without customers, a business will die. So it is hard to understand why more companies do not focus on the centerpiece of their very livelihood.

Customers can help you to correct ineffiencies in your business, fuel your product/service development and grow your business. When a business realizes the true value of its customer, it will soar. I hope that during this holiday season you experience purpose driven service with a smile!

Price versus Quality

Writing for a living can be a tough and often thankless job, particularly for writers who work in the commercial space. I am fortunate to be doing what I love for a living. I take as much pride in the quality of my work and professionalism as I did when I worked in Corporate America. However, there are those in the business world who seem to have a disregard for the commercial writing profession.

As a commercial writer I have to find jobs. No fancy bylines or articles for me. I have to spend a portion of my week on business development. In the past year that I’ve been in business, I have developed regular clients but as all business owners know you can never stop marketing. So, I use several of the freelance boards to bid on writing assignments. It’s a great way to reach a target market but every group has its rotten apples. As I sifted through project listings today, I ran across what sounded like an awesome creative writing project until I read the post. The client was looking for talented, creative, dependable, flawless writers with excellent command of the English language. This client was tired of posting projects only to work with writers who have disappointed in some way. The client was unwilling to pay any up front deposit because he’d been burned in the past. The post was one of the longest I’d ever seen with many requirements. I was interested until the end “will only buy in bulk, 50 articles, 1 per day, will pay no more than $1 per article.”

If the article takes 2 hours to research and write, you are making $0.50 an hour. At 2 hours per article, you are giving this client a little more than 2 weeks of your time for a whopping $100.00. The client complained about quality but the old adage “you get what you pay for” does apply here. This client will get lots of bids but at that price will not find quality writers.

It leaves me wondering, if we have reached the point that we are so price driven that quality no longer matters. For my sake and that of other service professionals I hope that time will prove me wrong.

Off to the Naughty Mat!

I am an avid fan of track and field, among other sports. As a runner though, I particularly enjoy watching athletes race at speeds I will never, ever reach. So as a fan, the news of doping allegations against Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones really troubled me. These allegations came just as I was digesting the Floyd Lndis scandal. Unfortunately for sports fans, there has been no shortage of bad boy (or girl) behavior from the sports world. In recent weeks, rather than headlines about home runs, touchdowns and birdies, we have been treated to items about weapons charges, child molestation, rehab and manager with bloodied noses. Sadly the sports section is beginning to resemble the crime beat.

I realize that the world itself has become a different place, so it is inevitable that all facets of society will be impacted, but must it be that way. What message are we sending to our children? We encourage our young people to dream big and work hard so that they can achieve greatness and inspire others. We teach them that success and good citzenship are intertwined. Yet, public figures seem to spit in the face of this logic.

JonBenet Ramsay's alleged murderer has received rock star media attention. Mel Gibson drives drunk and denigrates the Jews and receives a publicity blitz bigger than any of his film openings. Pitchers hit their manager in the nose and it hits the front page of the papers. In this country, it would appear, in spite of what we teach, bad behavior is rewarded.

It is easy to blame the media and they certainly have some responsibility, but we must share the blame. We continue to watch, read, listen and comment on bad news items. Certainly, the public is deserving to be made aware of many of these situations, but must we be bombarded with them daily? I think we would all benefit from a little less of the bad and a little more of the good. Instead of hearing about every nuance of a murderer's life, why not treat the public to stories of hope, survival and good behavior? If we shift the balance, even a little, I believe that we and our children will benefit in the end.

Growth and Renewal

One of my favorite places to run is a local park. It's only four miles from my home. I can run there and back on the days I need longer miles. As you drive through residential streets and turn into the entrance, it looks like an average park. There are benches, playsets, harried parents and children laughing. However, as you pass the play equipment you walk over a bridge and enter an oasis of serenity. The trees loom over the path creating a quiet, forest setting. There are ponds and streams that wrap around wooded trails each leading to a new adventure.

It is here in what I fondly call my "happy place" that I do many of my long distance runs. I also come when I am pondering, procrastinating or otherwise in need of a diversion or pick me up. This morning, I was here for the pure simple joy of running in the place I love. The first 6 miles passed in silent thought. I mulled over new business ideas, thought of stories in progress and examined areas of life and business that I want to improve. I was beginning mile 7 when a leaf fell in my pathway. It was so quiet that the gentle sound broke through my thoughts. As my running shoes crunched over the leaf, I looked up at the tree. It was so tall I had to strain my neck to see the upper branches. There were mature leaves and new leaves sprouting from its sturdy limbs. I glanced over at the pond and saw a large branch floating along the surface.

I kept running but I thought of that tree and how much it resembles our lives. Each year that goes by, our base grows stronger and although we are aging, we never stop growing. Like the tree our lives have seasons. We have our share of the barren winter months. A time when we are quiet and still as we await the new season. We also have our spring, when hope is renewed as God waters the seeds that have been planted so that they will grow. We have our summer, when new gifts spring forth and enjoy the slower rhythm and time of play. Finally, we too have our autumn, when once again the dead places in our lives fall away so there is room for new growth. Each season has a purpose in our lives, although not all are enjoyable. We need the different seasons to reach our full potential, just like the trees.

There are times in our lives when we shed more than leaves, but we lose an entire branch. We can lose a larger branch during a time of intense challenge or trauma. We can lose a branch because it has been broken by someone who did not exercise the right amount of care. We may even lose a branch due to aging, we simply cannot support the weight of it anymore. Yet, the branch does not bring down the tree.

I finished up 17 miles and I felt physically and spiritually stronger. I realized that God gives us the ability to weather all of the seasons are life. Because of Him, we can grow and flourish and one days our branches will also touch the sky.

My Dad Dot Com

My 76 year old father has developed a sudden fascination with the net, not in using it mind you but in having others use it for him. My Dad does not own a computer, and seems to have no interest in acquiring one but over the past several weeks he has gone out of his way to ensure that all of his transactions are handled via the net. Last week he drove 15 miles to my niece's house to have her send an email on his behalf. Why didn't he just pick up the phone to ask my niece to send the email? It's a mystery to us all and we have learned not to ask too many questions of a 76 year old man! A few days later, he called me and asked me to RSVP to a wedding via email. Of course it took three phone calls for him to decipher and tell me the email address (aha, perhaps that explains the 15 mile drive!) but we were finally able to get it done. I have no idea why he didn't check the little box and drop it in the mail, or even call for pete's sake. He just seemed mighty determined to use the technology that the bride and groom had offered! Today, I get a call from my Dad asking if I was really, really busy. Uh, I write for a living Dad, am I ever too busy for distractions? When I avoid a direct answer (I'm not letting on that I was procrastinating on an assignment by reading about Lindsay Lohan) and say calmly "What's up Dad? What do you need?" he answers, I need you to cancel an appointment. Well, yes this I can do! "Sure Dad, do you have the number?" Silly me, I still pick up the phone to make appointments. My Dad replies, its Henry Ford dot com. Uh, okay Dad. So I log on to the site and he recites his medical number. "Dad who is the appoinment with?" "It's with the hearing aid people." (Gee, thanks Dad I'm sure there's only one audiologist there). I input his name and birthdate and then ask "Dad who's your doctor?" Does he know? Of course not, but darnit he knows Henry Ford dot com! Okay, I type Audiology and hope that combined with his name and birthdate they'll figure it out. Surely, they'll figure it out when he doesn't show up! Okay, Dad it's done. He excitedly says "Thank you Baby!" tells me good-bye and is off to who knows what adventure. Can online shopping be far behind?

Merry Christmas?

Once upon a time I really loved Christmas, alas that time has come and gone. Rather than a time of peace on earth and joy, Christmas has become a time of higher crime rates, depression, major stress and general nastiness. Gifts are no longer given out of joy but out of a forced sense of obligation, so we get things we don't want and buy things we cannot afford and then we regift. Children are overindulged (yeah, I said it, go ahead throw tomatoes at your pc), and stressed out parents strive every year for the bigger better toy, decoration and celebration. Does anyone out there actually still enjoy this holiday?

We have even gone over the top in our "all inclusive" policy. We no longer want to call it Christmas but simply a "holiday." Hey, why not desecrate Hannukah while we're at it. Christmas is what it is - a time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Don't like it, don't believe it, don't celebrate it!

Now, while I may sound like a sour sport, I'm really not. I long for the Christmas of past, simple celebrations that honored the Christ child. A celebration of the victory and triumph that Christmas represents. A time when families came together in remembrance. A time when gifts were simply given from the heart. A time when we remembered to reach out to those that are in need.

Perhaps we would all benefit by even taking it down a notch or two, spending less and loving more, receiving less and giving more. I have personally found no greater joy than giving to others, and that joy is expanded when the recipient is someone in need.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

The Richest Nation

In viewing a Nightline report last night, I was once again reminded how blessed I am to live in this nation. The Nightline report dealt with the crisis situation in Niger. I watched in horror as the BBC reporter spoke with families that are literally starving to death. I wanted to turn away, yet could not, as images of starving children filled my TV screen. People lay dying because there is no food and no water. Some of the villagers found rats to eat, and so were able to have a meal. When a bit of help did arrive, starving people had to hike 6 miles to get food, and there was not enough for everyone, only the most critical were allowed food. My eyes flooded with tears as I watched.

I too have had days of need but I have never known starvation. Yes, I have been hungry and without food, but I live in a country where at the very least I can get a meal. In America we make provision for the needy. We have shelters, and food banks so that no one has to starve to death. I was humbled as I watched people in far dire circumstances than I shall ever experience. This is a tough time for me, and my refrigerator is empty but my situation is 1000 times better than the people of Niger. I do not take joy in their misery. My heart aches for them and I pray that the richer nations of the world will not only help in this crisis but make provision for ongoing help for those that are less fortunate. If you are reading this today, I urge you to make it your personal mission to not only count your blessings, but share them. Whatever you lack, there is someone who has even less.

The Business of Basketball

For sports fans following "As the Pistons Turn" the news of Larry Brown's departure came as not shock. Unlike many loyal Michigan fans, I say "Good Riddance!" Don't get me wrong, Larry did a great job when committed to the team but following "the brawl," his health difficulties and the negative diversions during the playoffs, well...Perhaps change is good. What is disturbing is that so often in sports things turn ugly. Sports used to be a way for us to teach our children discipline, commitment, loyalty. Players were drug free, team oriented and stood out as good role models for us. Today's environment is all about me, me, me and the almighty dollar. Loyalty, shmoalty! Agents, contracts and cold hard cash are what drive the game. Frankly, the Pistons deserve better. They have remained a team of level headed guys who truly seem to enjoy what they do. They give back to the community and show a genuine appreciation for the fans. Detroiters and the Pistons have a mutual love affair. Although the players come from various places, they seem to be more representative of Detroit - hard working, no frills, down to earth like so many of the people that live in the city. I'd say the Bad Boys deserve a coach that will be committed, hard working and not looking for his next job while his team is fighting to win a championship.

Grief and Anniversaries

Today would have been my 12th anniversary. It is a really tough day and one that I must endure alone. This is the second anniversary since my husband's death. There are times when it still seems unreal - is he really gone forever? People seem to think that becoming a widow at a young age offers some kind of advantage. They think it hurts less because you were not married that long. They forget that I have not been widowed after being married 50 years so I cannot compare my pain and somehow minimize it to "not being as bad." No one talks to me about my husband anymore. I suppose people either feel that I've moved on or they do not want to bring up the pain. Yes, I have continued to live and have written new chapters in my life but my husband will always be a part of me. You don't just move on from those that you have loved. Many of my tearful remembrances have now become happy ones. I think of my husband and smile or laugh. Sadly, there is no one with whom I can share these moments. No one remembers that today is the day that I pledged "till death do us part." I don't really have the energy or the inclination to bring it to anyone's attention - so I will deal with this day as I have all the others- alone. I will mourn, laugh, cry and try not to feel self pity. I will remind myself that life does indeed continue to be an adventure filled with change, wonder, and challenges. I will thank God for the time that I had with my dearly beloved. I will embrace the lessons that I learned and continue to grow as a person. I will work through this difficult day, with faith and an undeniable truth that this too shall pass.

Hug someone you love today, you may not get another opportunity.

Is it really Spring?

Soon after I wrote my last post, the weather once again returned to Winter conditions. What a dirty trick! It seems that this has been the "Year of Weird" for weather everywhere. I'm not sure if its due to global warming or not, but I do know that the weather has an effect on your mood. As I look out the window today, I see trees blowing and rain gently falling. That normally would lull me into a sense of peace, but yesterday it waas blue skies and sunshine, and people were driving around with the top down! Going from wonderful to dreary overnight makes it very difficult to spring into action (pardon the pun). I am expending a great deal of energy today, motivating myself to work. This poses a real problem because I'm self-employed, and if I don't work, I don't eat! Yesterday, people were smiling and willing to chat. Today, everyone is gloomy and in a hurry to just get through the day. Still others look up at the sky and will the sun to shine. They refuse to carry an umbrella or dress in warmer clothing, by golly its Spring, even if the weather will not cooperate! Well, I'm going to put on my sunglasses, pick up my umbrella and head out to drum up business. It may be cold outside, but in my heart it's Springtime baby!

Make it a great day! Karen