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Foundations

Those of you who know me in 'real life' know that I'm in the dating world....fun, crazy, excruciating (no, I don't exaggerate!) and--today, anyway--instructional. I joke about my experiences a lot, but I got an email today, from someone I don't know of course, that talked about the foundations of a healthy relationship.

He talked about loyalty, trust, etc...not in terms of lofty, philosophical concepts but as the building blocks to something bigger. He talked about how little actions build upon each other to create a solid foundation, how whatever is built must be built on something stable in order to survive. Pretty smart guy right out of the gate.

And in addition to thinking about relationships, it made me think of my day to day routine. Am I wobbly sometimes because my foundation isn't strong? Do I follow my own advice of tackling the big 'things' first and letting the other stuff filter in where there's room? Do I plan for success or do I let the events of the day lead me around like an unruly child being pulled to the principal's office?

Yeah, so I'm not going to tell you the answer :)

What I did do, though, was put the a few touches on a daily calendar I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. The idea is simple: the day before, take a few minutes to plot out the next day. Not every minute, but the important stuff that will be left in the dust if we don't remind ourselves to just do it. So if you look over the left, there's a link that says November 1, 2010 under a Calendar tab.  Go ahead, click it. I'll wait.

Did it open for you? Good. Print it out. Fill it in. Don't edit yourself--write down the names of people you've been meaning to touch base with but haven't. Create your own list of daily must-do's that keep you sane, healthy and happy. Down at the bottom, list the stuff that you absolutely must do but in that far right column where it says "Dreams" make sure you remember your big picture goals and take one tiny step today to make the dream a reality. Just one.

I'm thinking of posting a new calendar every day....new quote, new updated holidays, etc. Tell me if you'll use it, what you want it to include, what would rock your world. Would love to hear it!

Until then.....go build your foundation!!

Marketing NEVER stops

Often sessions with my clients focus on marketing. Specifically schedules, print, web, social media, websites,blogging--you know, all the planned activities that allow you to create the message you want the world to see.

When you create a brochure or write a blog post, you are completely in control of your message. You have your 'marketing cap' firming in place and you write or create with a specific goal in mind. You are, so to speak, on your best behavior.

What about all the other times you represent your business, though? I remind my clients all the time that every single contact they have with a human being is part of their marketing plan. If you are driving a company vehicle and cut someone off in traffic do you think they'll have a positive impression of your company? How about if you're wearing your name tag and you are rude to a waitress while out to dinner? I'd lay odds that she will remember the place listed on your name tag and associate it with your surly demeanor.

I'm thinking of this because I recently attended a wine party. It was a concept I was unfamiliar with--well, with wine as the product, anyway. It was like other home parties to sell product only the wine was flowing and by the end of the evening I'd learned a bit and sipped a bit and thought it was a fabulous way to not only add to my wine collection but to enjoy a girls night out as well.

Fast forward a few weeks. I emailed the rep who conducted the party and asked if I could host one. I didn't get a response, so a week later I emailed again. And I was a bit perplexed by her response (no editing here, this is the entire email):

I will gladly do a wine party for you, Lisa.

 

I promote wines by the CASE (12 bottles of one kind)

As long as you and your friends understand I am there to make new customers

and what it is all about. We need to keep it 12 people or under,

I will bring bring 8-10 wines and the knowledge to go with.

 

At the end, we hopefully will have people who are interested in becoming clients.

 

Just call me when you get the chance and we'll talk about it and look at some dates.

 

I am sure that this lady is a lovely person; however, what I read in this email is :  'Sure, I'll take time out of my busy schedule and let you promote me for what I really think will be a waste of time if you can make sure that everyone knows I'm there to make money'. Needless to say, I haven't called to schedule a party. Perhaps she thought that because I only bought two bottles of wine at the party I attended that sales would be below her standards, or perhaps she doesn't want to travel to my area. Regardless of the 'why' behind her email, it left a permanent impression with me that reflects poorly on her business. 

My point in sharing this is solely to remind us all to remember that marketing NEVER stops. Every email, every tweet, every interaction with someone leaves an impression about you or your business (or both) that usually cannot be erased. And, I'd  argue that an errant email or comment that leaves a permanent negative impression is much more impactful than a perfectly appointed and executed marketing plan.

Celebrating You

I was a slated spotlight speaker at one of my monthly networking groups today. As I thought about what I wanted to say, I realized that trying to explain what I do is pretty darn difficult to do in 10 minutes. It's not that I can't give an elevator speech, because I can. The problem is that my job as a coach is different with each client.

Some clients need specific marketing help, others need encouragement to pick up the phone, still others need to find their "perfect" balance between being a mom and a business owner. They are all at different stages, with different goals and different needs. When I do my job, I adapt to where they are and we walk from there.

So I decided to boil it down to what my clients DO have in common: as women, we are loathe to sing our own praises. It makes us uncomfortable, exposed even. We encourage our children, spouses, friends, employees and everyone else in our worlds to show their greatness. But when pressed, we are so much more comfortable singing the praises of others than we are tooting our own horns.

So I challenged the amazing women in this group to start their very own "brag book". Not something to show off to others, but a place to collect pieces that refuel our fire. A collection of 'things' that remind us, when we forget, how amazing we really are. So-called 'brag books' are sometimes encouraged in job searches as a way to visually show potential employers what sets us apart from all the others applying for the same position. But why save it until we're waiting for someone else to look at it? It matters that we awknowledgte our brilliance, too. Doesn't it?

Think about the last time you defined yourself as an asset rather than a commodity. If you're like most women I know, you introduce yourself as 'someone else's something'. Me? I'm Adam/Nicholas/Erin's mom, Stan's daughter, Brenna's sister....I don't say "Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm a dreamer, a doer, a big thinker." People would think I'm crazy, no? Doesn't make it any less true, though. And that's what a brag book reminds me of when I am feeling down and I forget.

I fill mine with thank you notes from clients who tell me the difference I've made in their lives, notes from my kids, pictures of me with people I admire, notes to myself from days that I felt really good about what I did. Your book can contain whatever fuels your fire,whatever instantly signals to you "I am unique, I am brilliant, I make a difference."

If you don't believe it, why should anyone else?

October...DO something

Personally, October is my favorite month. The slightly crispy air, the transition from fleeing the uncomfortable heat to craving the warm fuzzies of fleece blankets and thick socks, the ramping up of holiday baking plans. Everything about October screams "comfort" to me.

Comfort Set One

Professionally, I was searching for something to DO in October. Not work wise, as I'm blessed to have several projects that I am enjoying. But you see October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and many of my favorite businesses--big and small--are giving back in their own way. Doing something. I wanted to follow suit but was at a loss, searching for something that spoke to me.

Like almost everyone I know, I've been touched by cancer. Not personally, but through my stepmother Karen, who is a survivor. Even before she battled cancer Karen was one of the strongest women I've ever known; she has to be, raising six girls! When she married my father, she inherited three far-from-perfect redheaded girls and welcomed us into her home. She was, and continues to be, a living example of the type of mother I aspire to be to my own children. And I will forever adore her for making my father so happy for all of these years.

Life is funny, sometimes, in how opportunities are presented. Today, my chance to do something found me.  My beautiful and insanely talented friend Diana of The Studio 56 creates the most lovely cards. Her photography is, quite simply, perfectly simple. She consistently takes my breath away when she allows me to see what she sees through her lens. And these two sets of cards, appropriately called Take Comfort, struck me as my way to DO something.

Comfort Set Two

So, please visit Diana's boutique and purchase a set (or two, or three.....) of her gorgeous cards. Blank on the inside, they are perfect for any occasion or no occasion at all. They are perfect for birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, teacher and hostess gifts or "just because".  When it comes down to it, though, an occasion isn't even necessary. If you're anything like me, you love to get an unexpected 'thinking of you' card in the mail for absolutely no reason at all, and these card sets are for anyone wishing to soothe, console, reassure, bring cheer or give comfort to another. 

And as a bonus, she'll even ship them to your recipient so you have absolutely no reason to stand in line at the post office.

My part in this? Well, when you place your order please tell Diana that "Lisa sent me" and she'll track those orders. At the end of the month, I'll donate .50 for every single set of cards that is purchased from Diana to  Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I'd love to write a great big check, so pass this along to anyone you think of. Best of both worlds, really--spreading comfort and doing good. Makes the world go round!!

Direct link to Take Comfort Set One
Direct link to Take Comfort Set Two

Brand You

I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with people over the past two weeks about the importance of creating a personal brand. I haven't started these conversations with the intention of talking about personal branding; they simply evolved into the same conclusion: in today's employment and economic climate, it is vital to brand ourselves regardless of title, salary or even employment status.

Think about that. There are so many different elements here: the fact that even though your job title may define you in one aspect, it certainly doesn't completely encapsulate all that you are; the fact that, if people like and respect you, they will want to do business with you regardless of what your current business is; and, finally, even if you are a dedicated 'corporate type', you have to stand out from the rest of the suits in one form or another.

If thinking of a personal 'brand' is a little too foreign of a concept for you, replace the word 'brand' with 'reputation'. That's what we're really talking about--what other people think of us. Your reputation often determines whether or not people listen to you and how they react when you speak. Not all that different from your credit score: when someone is deciding whether or not to do business with you they want to know if you are reliable, if you keep your word and if they'll be able to find you later should they need to do so.

Just like traditional marketing, branding yourself encompasses everything from being kind to the waitstaff while you're out at dinner to whether or not your business card is consistent with your website design. Every little aspect of who you are rolls together to continually form the picture of you as a brand.


What has changed is that we are no longer in complete control of our brand. With social media it's very difficult to control what someone else might share about us via twitter, blogs, yelp and a myriad of other sites that, when complimentary can be a boon for business but when used to reveal shortcomings can be particularly devastating. More on that in the next blog.

For now, think about what you want your personal brand to be. I find it easier to reduce it to a list of adjectives. Do it freestyle....just start writing down the words that you want people to associate with you. That's the first step to creating what can be a personal brand no matter what circumstance you find yourself in.

As a side note, a long time ago (seems in another lifetime, really), I wrote about this very subject for a trade magazine called Rave Reviews!. Unless you owned a gift basket business I doubt you knew it existed. I'm posting that article on the ReInvent-U Facebook page.

Hello August

Holy moly it's already August? The eighth month of the year....which means we are well past the half-way point of transitioning from 2010 to 2011.

How's it going? Do you remember those resolutions you wrote in January? Have you looked at them since? Go ahead....find them. I'll wait.

Good, you're back :) That list that was so shiny and full of promise all those months ago...how does it look now, when you read it? Are you well on your way to crossing some off the list and claiming victory? Or do you read then entries now and wonder what the heck you were thinking when you wrote them out? Do you feel exhilarated or defeated? Ready to go, or ready for a nap?

The good news is that you still have a full FIVE months to hit those targets. The bad news is you have to get moving....NOW!!   No more waiting until the circumstances are just right, until you land just one more deal or finish one more thing.  NOW! Even the longest, most arduous journey begins with one single step.

What is your step?

I'll share one of mine. A professional goal of mine for 2010 was to write a book. The experts say to write what you know, and what I know best right now is being a single mom.  The book I've started is both contemplative and practical; I want single moms to know they're not alone when they feel stressed/happy/alone/at their wits end/etc. I also want them to have some very practical ways to make things a bit easier. Ultimately, my book will combine those two elements. I'm about half-way done, but I've stalled.

So, I'm looking at August as my one and only chance to cry "DO-OVER" and look at the project with fresh eyes. A few things I'm doing to make sure I keep my focus on the goal include carving out dedicated time every week to work on this project only, telling friends who will hold me accountable to my goals, and scheduling a fun 'reward' weekend that I can't enjoy until the book is done.

Now it's your turn--what's your first step? Do you need help to get there? What help do you need--time, money, a firm push, encouragement, fresh ideas? You can't find it if you don't identify it! So get busy...time's a tickin'!