Breathe – when you start feeling stressed, take a couple of deep breaths. Sometimes just making the time  to do this by getting more oxygen in your body, it makes you feel better.

Ask for help - don’t forget that you aren’t the only person that has to do everything. Ask friends, colleagues and associates to step up and take the reigns on even the smallest of tasks…just so you don’t have to do everything.

Stay positive – When tempers fly and things get heated, remember to stay positive. Focus on the positive things in the situation and find process improvements so the errors don’t happen in the future. You can get more things done and motivate others with a positive attitude.

Take some “me” time – You are always doing for others, however, don’t forget to take some quality “me” time doing things that make you happy. Whether it is going to get a manicure, going to a movie, reading a book…be sure to schedule time for this “me” time. It will do wonders for your stress level to diminish the overwhelm.

Show Gratitude – Remind each of those who are dear to you, how much they mean to you. Take the time to show your gratitude for them being in your life.

Don’t forget the most important thing around the holidays is give thanks for those blessings you have in your life. Take the focus off the all those things you “have to do” and live in the moment. And don’t forget to breathe – yes, it is that important I wrote it twice. Remember to breath and inhale the beauty around you being with your family and friends. Take time to relax and be in the moment of the events you will attend. Be present with the others around you and have a good time.

I send each of you the happiest wishes for this holiday season. Remember those around you, embrace those blessings in your life, take time to be present in your life, and have a great time in your life.

Teresa Morrow is passionate about reading, writing and networking with others. She is on the Florida Board of the Women’s eCommerce Association International and Editor at Large for WE Magazine for Women.  In 2007 she decided to start her own business and thus, Key Business Partners was born. Started as a virtual assistant business, it has grown to a support company for coaches, speakers, authors and writers by managing their online promotion via virtual blog tours, internet radio shows and social media.

Wendy VanHatten is a travel expert for creative writing and photography and she loves to travel. And she wants to be able to show you if you are passionate about writing and traveling, you can do both for your career as well.

She wrote an ebook called, Travel Writing as a Freelancer and she shares with the reader the steps to be able to write about your travels.

I enjoyed reading this because I do love to write. And although I don’t get the opportunity to travel around the world, Wendy’s ebook has some good things for any writer to know, learn, embrace and remember.

• Do you have the urge and want to succeed in your writing/business/life?

• Be observant, listen, watch, be curious and then write about it.

• For travel writers….remember to write down what you see and who you meet.

Wendy takes you through the process of how to get started in travel writing…did you know there are different styles of travel writing? I didn’t think about it, but it does make sense.

And…another thing I liked that she mentions…you don’t need to be a world traveler to be a writer about places. You can get there but Wendy says you can start with your hometown. Give the “goods” about the city you grew up in.

Then you need to check out her 10 not so easy steps to become a travel writer. I like the fact that she doesn’t sugar coat it and tells you that it does that work and action on your part to become a successful travel writer.

Ok, I will give you just a few of her 10 steps:

1) Know your grammar. If you are unsure, buy a book and correct it.
2) Know what the editors what and deliver it to them.
3) Do you research and know your facts.

Wendy provides you an outline to help the writer in you to become a travel writer.
She gives you assignments at the end of each topic to help you though the process of writing. (like a checklist for your query letter).
Whew! This ebook is loaded with great information, tips and resources for writers.

This post was part of a blog tour. Yesterday, the blog tour was at Linda Dessau’s blog and tomorrow it will continue at Teresa Morrow’s blog

So then you may be asking, What do you mean by that Teresa?
Well, my husband was telling me about this (he has been in business for himself for over 30 years) and that is the reason for this post.

He said, when you cannibalize your business, you are “chewing it up” and helping create a evolution for your business. You find out what is working in your business and what isn’t working. You are finding those places where you can expand, others were you can streamline a process, tasks you can delegate and others you can totally eliminate.

Sometimes you get in your own way just because you are used to doing the same thing and don’t take the time to be sure that a certain task or connection is really aligned with your goals.

And not only that, but perhaps it is just that you aren’t reaching your target market by spending time in a certain place thus just “spinning your wheels” (or as my hubby would say, chewing on food but isn’t doesn’t taste good).

Also, sometimes it is just a matter of being mindful of the new “flavors” of business to be knowledgeable of —possible new services you may be able to add to your arsenal that is what your target market is looking for from you.

5 ways to canibalize your business:

1) Survey your target market – ask your target market questions about what they are struggling with and what resolutions they are searching for

2) Reach out to your target market in different ways-if you haven’t gone to a local networking group in your industry, make a commitment and go.

3) Create a focus group and ask them to go through your processes (website, newsletter, documents) and provide feedback.

4) Find ways to create process improvements, increase productivity, deliver higher quality customer service.

5) Go back to your past and current clients to ask them the areas in their business you may be able to assist them or give them resources.

It is unfortunate some companies don’t take the time to really look at these advertising and promotional processes to ensure the important details are in place to help their potential clients to purchase from them.
Be sure you take the time to invest in your promotional and advertising processes to ensure your potential consumers become your clients.

Echo-Sign – I found out about this from my online business manager, Jennifer Smith of Eco-Office Gals. This program allows you to fax a document via email and receive e-signatures. The program is free for up to 5 documents per month. After that, the cost is $12.95 per month for unlimited documents. Each party receives a PDF copy of the document that can be stored on your computer.
This service allows the confidentiality and legality of your business documents to stay in tact, while helping reduce unnecessary paper usage.
Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ecoofficegals

Free Conference Call – This program I found out about from (New Media Mavens) Alison Woo and Lena Claxton, authors of How to Say it! Marketing with New Media.
They also offer many other great services such as simple toll free, simple voice box, international conferencing and simple event.

Audacity – I was reintroduced to this program by Alison and Lena. Audacity™ is a free downloadable software to take care of your recording and editing needs. It works with Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems
You can do so many things with this program:
• Record on air audio
• Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs. (I didn’t even realize you could do this)
• Edit various versions (such as MP3, WAV or AIFF) sound files.
• Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together.
• Change the speed or pitch of a recording.
You can read more here at their list of features.

About Free Software (this is from Audacity’s site and I wanted to share it with you). Audacity is free software, developed by a group of volunteers and distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Free software is not just free of cost (like “free beer”). It is free as in freedom (like “free speech”). Free software gives you the freedom to use a program, study how it works, improve it and share it with others. For more information, visit the Free Software Foundation.

Color Cop
Color Cop comes with a built-in color picker, color preview screen, an (one of my favorite features) eyedropper to choose colors from anywhere on the screen. The eyedropper feature allows you to take a color you find and it will give you the “code” so you can use it on your site if you want.

Inside Area codes – During a interview on Beverly Mahone’s internet radio show, Passions, I found out about inside area codes and the different networks located throughout the United States. The idea of inside areas codes is to help develop micro business networks within certain area codes. The first one to take off was inside919 (Beverly’s area) in NC. Other networks are catching up each day. So check this out if you would like to expand your local networking efforts.

Full calendar – This little gem I just found out about yesterday from Donna Gunter on Twitter. Full Calendar is a event promotion service for some major metro areas such as New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and part of California.
Now, I found this pretty darn fascinating because you can choose to categorize how you wish your event to be focused…by city, by type, or by name. I am so bummed because they don’t have Tampa listed as a metro city.
You can follow Donna on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/donnagunter

For me, Twitter has been one of the most beneficial connecting tools on the internet. It provides me the opportunity to find out about news, resources, tips and events quickly and efficiently. This post was about sharing a few business resources I received from just a few people I connect with on Twitter.
If you wish to follow me on Twitter, you can find me at http://www.twitter.com/teresamorrow. Tweet with you soon!

Within the realm of online business support professionals, the need is climbing at a rapid rate each month.  When business owners get to the point they can’t do it all or even more so, they don’t want to do it all, they turn to hiring someone to help them grow their business.

During the search, business owners should be thinking about looking for someone not just to do the obvious administrative tasks, but add to your team someone who will be more proactive in the way of an Online Business Manager. An online business manager will be able to handle many aspects of your business for you so you can focus on the targeted tasks. You will be able to have someone by your side to work with you on a continuous basis without hiring an employee.

Although Forsyth’s book is somewhat focused to allow virtual assistants and support professionals to realize how they can increase their service, Becoming an Online Business Manager also assists business owners searching for the right online business manager to help you achieve your business goals.

If you want  to become like a “second brain” for your clients…you should read this book.

If you want someone who will be able to become a “second brain” for your business…you should read this book.

This post is a part of a blog tour.

Yesterday the blog tour stopped by to visit Donna Toothaker at 1st VA
Tomorrow, the blog tour will continue with Tracy Lawton of Office Organization Success & Andy Wibbels of Andy Wibbels.com and author of Blog Wild

Forsyth’s book, Becoming an Online Business Manager Playing a Bigger Game with your Clients (and Yourself), is available for purchase at http://www.becominganobm.com/

On Monday, Beverly had a lady named Olalah (pronounced O-la-la) Njenga (pronounced jan gah) from Marketing with Ease to talk about marketing in the current economic times.

I wanted to share with you one of the things that I learned from this show.

Olalah expressed her definitions between connections and contacts. She mentioned that she gets people who frequently disagree with her on this point and at first, I thought it sounded a bit backwards myself.

She said that contacts are those people who you may have talked to or met once and you know each other but not well. A connection is a person who you have a mutual solid relationship (more so as a friendship) with and a person you can count on as a resource.

Here is the Wikipedia definition of social contact : A person known to an individual, possibly on a different basis than friendship

and here is the Wikipedia definition of social connectedness refers to the duration of a relationship. It continues to discuss about the quality and/or the number of connections with family, friends.

Here is one way to think about it:

My librarian is a contact.
My website designer is a connection.

Now, I would like to go further to say that a contact can become a connection over time, if that is something you wish to happen. And as I even look back at the librarian being a contact, I want to say, that would be a possibly fantastic as a connection–you know most libraries have workshops, classes and event that could be beneficial to your business.

3 ways to turn a contact into a connection:
1) Find mutual ground between you and your contact. And produce a win win joint venture with your contact.
2) Be a referral resource for your contact. Bring others to your contact to bring in sales for your contact.
3) Become a go to person for your contact. Always provide value for your contact.

And now, I want to ask you—what do you feel about these definitions regarding connections vs. contacts? Do you have others ideas on how a contact can be a connection?

• Gift cards- With the vast amount of items an business owners or entrepreneur needs to keep a business running (from pens and pencils to computer software and hardware). Giving gift cards allow the entrepreneur to focus the money you are providing on the gift card to purchase what they really need for their business at the time. Some ideas: Staples, Office Depot, Microsoft, Best Buy, Home Depot.

• Headset with Microphone – If you are a person who networks at online web or teleconferences, a headset with microphone is an valuable tool . This headset allows you to communicate easily with the other attendees in the web conference room or on the phone A headset with microphone can be purchased at Radio Shack or office supply store for under $25.

• Industry Memberships – For entrepreneurs or small business owners, gathering new ideas and being current on the latest products and services is helpful. There are many great online community and membership sites. You can surprise your team members, friends or family with a new membership to an industry specific membership site.

• Business Books or Magazines – Reading is one of the vital ongoing tasks all business owners can do to help grow & stimulate their business. Be aware of books or magazines your clients and team members are interested in and purchase one of their favorite books or a year magazine subscription. Some ideas: Inc., Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Consumer Reports, Pink, Working Mother.

• Self care items – As business owners you work countless hours to get your ideas out their to your target market. When you are giving gifts for this holiday season, be sure to remember to remind your customers or clients about taking care of themselves. By you sending these types of items, it will bring a smile to their face because it is a bit more personal. Some ideas: Gift basket with green tea w/ mug, lotion and soaps, candles and holder, spa day gift certificate.

• Recorder – There are many times (well for me) when I get a fresh idea for my next blog post, article or project and don’t have a piece of paper handy. A recorder is great to have in your car so when those great ideas or reminders come into your head, you just pick it up and record the ideas. Once you return to your office, you replay the tape and start typing the idea to keep in your computer. This way you don’t have an excuse for forgetting your great ideas. These can be found at places like Staples or Office Depot for about thirty dollars.

When you are selfless and give someone else a gift, you will find it will make you happier than the receiver of your gift. For entrepreneurs and small business owners, it seems like the list of items needed to maintain a business increases. Remember that every day is a good day to give a gift to someone who needs it.

1) Ask questions. Always think about the Customer. Think about what they need. Listen to the customer. Ask questions of their needs and wants. And then deliver on what they tell you. Ask your clients what services/products they are looking for. Find a way to make this a part of your business. Don’t be afraid to gain more knowledge in those areas your clients are requesting information about regarding your industry. If they are asking you, this means this is in area of interest and they are coming to you to find the answer. If you have the answer or solution, they are more likely to stay with you then go and search for a new service provider. (*if the service in question is something you don’t like to do or isn’t your strength, it is a good opportunity to form a strategic alliance with someone who can accommodate your clients).

2) Become Your Customer. Take the time to go through your own purchasing or service cycle. This will give you first hand account of those places where you can tweak, adjust and make the customer experience better and thus make your customer happier. Another good thing to do is (which I read about in The Soccer Mom Myth by Michele Miller and Holly Buchanan) is to form customer scenarios/micro focus groups. Ask others to go through your purchasing cycle (starting with looking on your website through to receiving the invoice) and give you feedback.

3) Celebrate your Clients. Take a sincere interest in your customers. Show interest in what they are doing and be there to support them. Also, take the time to show your customers you appreciate their business. When you gain a new client, find your own special way to say thank you (not just a card). Once a project or service is completed, find a way to say thank you for doing business with you. Show your appreciation to your client for doing business with you.

4) Deliver the Extras. Provide the “something more” no one else is doing. Take the time to think about what the “something more” (without breaking the bank) could be for your business and do it! You will reap the rewards in the end. Donna Cutting, author of The Celebrity Experience, Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service, writes about how you should treat your clients like stars. What does your red carpet service look like for your clients? Perhaps it means making a 5 minute phone call as a reminder? Or maybe it means sending a small thank you bouquet with a note personally written by you?

5) Execute Consistent (Delightful) Customer Service. Don’t do a great job for one client and then an ok job for another. Keep the standard of customer services at a high level for every client. You have heard it before but it deserves to be repeated—Customers do talk with other people when they receive bad AND good service. So be sure that your clients are saying great things about your business.

Be mindful of your customers. Take the time to investigate ways you can enhance the customer service and experience in your business for your clients. By providing these customer service pieces for your clients, you will have an increased rate of happy clients, which equates to more new clients.

One thing many people will say is, “I don’t have enough money to do anything for my business”. Well, sorry, in this digital and web based age, there are many things you can do for your business that do not require a lot of money. You can set up a website through Wordpress or Typepad for no money. Now, in order to customize it and get proper search engine optimization done, that will take some money, but you can do it a little at a time. And at least you are taking action.

Don’t allow the fact of not having alot of money stop you from moving your business forward. You can take the time to write content or articles on your areas of expertise to your target market. You can submit these articles to submission sites such as ezine articles.com or go articles.com.

Research your target market and then go out and meet them. Ask those in your target market or industry experts if you can offer guest posts on their blogs. Also, you can create an online newsletter or ezine for little money as well. For instance, iContact has a free trail to get you started.

Another thing that people seem to have difficulty with and allows to keep them from moving forward in their business is the fear of competition. Have you ever found yourself thinking, “Well, all of what needs to be said about my field is already out there”. Or perhaps, you have thought, “I don’t want to team up with anyone else on a project because they are in the same industry and they will steal my ideas”.

Another way to think about the subject of competition; there are more than enough possible customers to go around for everyone. Don’t keep focusing on your competition and what they are doing. You can be mindful of their actions but don’t fear them.

Another fear that could be leading your business is success. I know that seems to be a backwards statement. However, it happens more times than you might think. Just when you start seeing some people become customers and others wish to connect with you, your inner voice or ego, may say, “But what if this works, can I do this?” Now you already know the answer to this…YES! You can do this. Don’t allow success to deter you. Success is a good thing. Now is the time to need to think about some possible outsourcing or creating systems within your business due to the success of the business. Celebrate your success and don’t allow fear to defeat your success.

I have met others who are “scared” to approach other people even though they really wish to connect with them. Well, the “secret” is…most likely, the person you wish to connect with, wants to connect with you too. You know the saying, You don’t know, if you don’t try. It is the same here. If you don’t try to connect, you won’t ever know the outcome. But not trying, you are leaving yourself with this result–nothing.

If you spend your time allowing fear to lead your business, you will stay stagnant in the place where you are right now. The time you are putting energy into these fears, utilize that time to take action steps to get to move your business in a positive motion.

You are allowing fear to control your business….is that what you want for your business? If not, take the control back and lead your business onto the path you want to grow and build.

Here are two things to leave you with. You will attract into your life what you tend to project. When things are slow or not going the way you want, have you ever noticed that by worrying about it, it doesn’t make it any better. So you might as well, work towards action and continue to lift up optimistic point of views.

It takes courage to be different. These times are not great—you know this. But don’t allow this fear and other fears to keep you frozen and not moving towards your goals. Work on creating systems, work on creating connections with others, add value to your discussions, and believe in your business to break through these barriers of fear keeping you back from your highest potential.

Teresa Morrow is on the Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and one of the Editors at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). Teresa has combined her passions; writing, reading and connecting with others. She began Key Business Partners, an online promotional company for authors, coaches, and speakers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com .

Most people would say that they know how to network. However, there are components of networking that will assist you tin achieving better results for the individual. The key to networking is to grow those relationships, expand your reach and get known by others while embracing your uniqueness and integrity.

Know Your Audience - One thing that gets talked about many times yet seems to get overlooked by some is that fact to be in front of those who will want your services or products. Be aware of who you are in front of and what the general wishes/wants are for those involved in the networking groups where you are a member.

One Step at a Time – With so many networking sites and groups out there is it hard to keep up and can quickly become overwhelming. Take it one step at a time. Start with only what you are able to manage. You will find that you will get invited to many networking groups and social networking sites by those who know you, but don’t feel obligated to join if you won’t be able to be present in the group.

Value, Value Value – Bringing value and solid information wherever you go on the internet and offline only increase your expertise level and you become the resource in your industry or market. Be a giver to others and you will be repaid over and over again.

Give it Time– A lot of people think if you join a group, then you should instantly gain friends, joint ventures and strategic partnerships. Know that time is on your side and it will pay off as long as you are consistent with your networking efforts. Don’t get nervous if you have been online and not too many people have connected with you. Give them time to get to know you and it will happen.

Ask how you can help – Look for opportunities to help others in your industry. When there is a conference or showcase in your area or online in front of those you want to get to know, ask the host of the event how you can help with the event. Make sure it is within the boundaries of what you can handle.

Don’t fear others – When you are in a group, don’t be afraid to share your knowledge, resources, tips with others (even those in your industry). You will find that when you are generous with your information, you will be the one people remember. Even people who are in your industry, could be great opportunity for a strategic partnership!

Know the Rules – Be mindful and read the rules of the group so you aren’t shocked when your ads are being posted. In some groups, there are specific days set up to post your ads for your business. Also, you need to be a regular contributing member in order to post your ads. Only being on a network to self promote is a no-no and this will not help you to gain a growing network.

As networking has become a cornerstone of building a business, it is a smart idea to know the pieces needed to network correctly in order to bring in more people into your circle. Being of help to others, taking your time and knowing the ground rules are some of those ideas to firmly grasp in order to construct your network properly.

Teresa Morrow is on Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and a Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She writes about networking, relationship building, administrative assistance and online promotion. Teresa started Key Business Partners, a virtual assistance & online promotional company for authors, speakers and writers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com .

Follow these tips and you may find yourself wallpapering your room with letters that say “YES, we want to publish your book.”

Donna Cutting is the author of The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service (Wiley, 2008) and a full-time keynote speaker on the topics of customer service and employee engagement.

This guest post was part of a virtual blog book tour done by Teresa at Key Business Partners.

Yesterday, the blog tour stopped at these blogs:
Betty Lynch / My Country Kitchen will showcase a book excerpt from Donna’s book.
Phil Gerbyshak / Make It Great who will run his own interview with Donna.
Becky Wyatt / Becky Wyatt Online where she will showcase Donna Cutting’s book.

Today you can read more about Donna’s book at these other blogs:
Heidi Richards/founder of WECAI and WE Magazine for Women
Carol Deckert will be interviewing Donna LIVE at 7pm on her Ladies In Business Today

And tomorrow be sure to stop by these blogs to read more about Donna’s book:
Sandra De Freitas / Tech Coach for Coaches
Dawn Goldberg / Write Well Mewill be doing her own book review.
Pam Archer / I Do Weddings

You can purchase your own copy at Amazon

I was pleasantly surprised by the comments I received so I thought you might wish to hear about my continued journey with Twitter. (I promise I won’t keep on doing these posts).

First of all, I will say that I have been updating my business focus to working with authors, speakers and writers regarding their online promotion.

So, in regards of Twitter and how that relates, I will say that when I do updates to my site or blog, Twitter does make it an easier and casual way of letting others know.

The other thing I have really come to like about Twitter is knowing that those whom are following me are doing so because they made the decision to do so, which is another thing I like.

And it is a simple way to find out about what other people are doing too—I just click on a link and then I can read the post of someone, comment and not feel like I missed out on something.

Recently, there has been something called Twitter Grader? I just found out about this 2 days ago.
I just did it and I received 62%. My first reaction was, What? Why such a low score? However, when I read the explanation it does seem about right.
A grade of 62 means that the user scores higher than 62 percent of the other user profiles that have been graded.

Your grade is calculated using a combination of factors including:

* The number of followers you have
* The power of this network of followers
* The pace of your updates
* The completeness of your profile

Now that is about right. I don’t have TONS of followers. I will say that I now have 116 followers (I think that is pretty good for only 90 days on Twitter).
The second one on the list makes me wonder…perhaps the people in my network don’t have the highest of scores either…or they are new too?
Now the pace of my updates is sporadic. I can’t say that I am on Twitter everyday (I do try) and I don’t twitter throughout the day when I am on either.
The last piece about the completeness of my profile…I will have to go and check that out too.

And the last thing I wanted to write about in regards to Twitter was using Twirl vs. TweetDeck. For me, Twirl is my preference over TweetDeck. The main reason for that is because I have it set up and it works for me. I think that is one thing to remember with Twitter and other social media, do what works best for you. For others, TweetDeck works better. Sounds great to me.

So overall, I am still enjoying Twitter as a great way to connect with others that I may not have otherwise been able to talk or network. I enjoy the quick, simple and easy way to communicate with others. I have enjoyed receiving followers on a steady basis.

I have created some wonderful joint venture and strategic partnerships with the help of Twitter—loving that!

So what has been your experience with Twitter? Still enjoying the journey with Twitter?

Please share with me about your experience too.

Teresa Morrow is on Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. Key Business Partners works with authors, speakers and writers to manage their online promotion. She is passionate about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

Selecting a pet is a personal decision because you are planning on having this animal become a part of your life. This animal would be a part of daily routine so you want to make sure you personalities connect well together.

And did you go into the pet store to pick up one particular pet but ended up purchasing a totally different one? If so, what made you change your mind?

Now think about your business. If someone is looking for your type of products or services, what is going to make them pick you over the next business owner who is in your industry?

A relevant story to share:

About 6 weeks ago, I came home from running errands to find a stray dog in my yard. I called him over and noticed he had a tag from the local shelter. So I called to find out he was “dropped” off and the owner was not wanting to be found (after many phone call attempts).

Anyway, I didn’t know how long this poor lil’ pup had been out in the heat (I live in FL). I got him some water while I tried to think about what I needed to do with him. Unfortunately, I am not able to keep him in our house because we rent and can’t have pets. So, I called the SPCA back and they told me to bring him to the local shelter the next day.

This meaning that yes, I did keep him overnight (shhh – don’t tell anyone).

Fast forward to the following day. I was taking my daughter and her friend over to my parents house for a day visit and on the way there I decided I would drop the dog off at the shelter.

Well, when I got to the shelter, we all got out of the car and started walking up the walkway toward the entrance. There was a lady sitting on a bench and when we passed, the dog stopped and went to “greet” her.

Now, I have to stop here and tell you, this dog had such a wonderful disposition, so well mannered (NEVER barked) and gentle.

Continuing with the story… As he approached this lady, she said, “well, aren’t you a cutie?” She continued by asking me, “Why are you dropping him off?” I responded by telling her the story of how he was “waiting” when we got home. She said, “Well, please don’t take him in yet. Can I spend a few minutes with him. I was looking for another animal but was waiting for someone until I went inside.”

I was glad to do it because my goal was to find a good loving home for this wonderful loving dog.

After spending a few minutes with this lovely dog, petting him and seeing his reactions to the attention (not jumping up and not barking) just wagging his tail like crazy, she said, you know what, “I don’t need to go inside, I have found my newest family member”. I was so happy that this dog found a home where we would be able to play (she told me she has a big fenced in back yard), be taking care of and had someone to play with (she had another dog).

Now why do you think this dog was chosen even before she went into the shelter?

1) He was being himself (displaying his personality and uniqueness)

2) He displayed the qualities (clean, quiet) and characteristics (playful, loving, gentle) this lady was looking for in a pet

3) The dog got along with the other dog (other members) with no immediate fighting or confrontation.

So what qualities and characteristics will you show to others so you will be chosen over others in your industry?

Your thoughts? Please share.

Teresa Morrow is on Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, a virtual assistance & online promotional company for coaches, speakers and writers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com .

]]> http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/pets-and-promoting-your-business/feed/ 4 http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/10-things-to-remember-when-promoting-your-business/ http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/10-things-to-remember-when-promoting-your-business/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:48:04 +0000 Teresa Morrow http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/?p=1331 For business owners, marketing and promoting your business is something you will (or should do) year round and not only when times are tough. So it is good to keep in mind some key things to remember to help you when you are promoting your business on and off the internet.

Keep it balanced

1-The world is not all about your business. Every time someone sees you or when you meet someone for the first time, do not go in directly with the sell. Don’t constantly talk about your latest products and services but take the time to offer tip, suggestions and resources to showcase your expertise and knowledge.

2-You do have the right to toot your own horn. You can share your successes and wins. Remember to ask others to share their successes with you. Celebrate with them. This adds another human and personal element to your networking.

3- Don’t be shy – As I mentioned above, you don’t want to constantly be talking about yourself but you don’t want to be a hermit and not offer suggestions and even say hello to others within a group. Everyone has something to contribute (and that includes you). No one will know about you and your business, if you don’t let them know you are there.

Make friends

4 – Connect and Build Relationships– Yes, you are going to say, well, Teresa that is called networking. Yes, true. However, get to know people and be helpful. Ok, I guess I have said that many a times in this post. Create lasting relationships with people by asking about them, what they like, what they don’t like, become their resource for your industry.

5 – Get to know your customers – Everyone in business is trying to get their products and services out there to their customers but if you are ahead of the curve and really know your customers, you will be the one who will be more likely to receive the customers.

6- Go after it – If you see an advertisement about upcoming event that you could be a part of in some way, make the phone call or go see the person in charge to see how you can become involved.

I did a article in Sparkplugging awhile back about Cheering Section. Be sure you create a solid cheering section so they will be willing and readily support you in your promotional efforts.

Show & Know your stuff

7-Pay attention – Keep an eye on what is going on in your industry, what is the “new thing” and who is doing what. One way to do this is by going to Google and search “Top 10, 20, 50 or 100 blogs in <your industry> and see what comes up. Visit these sites, connect with blog and podcast hosts and website owners.

8- Watch the market, but don’t panic – When things are slow in your business, don’t panic and start discounting your services/products. Instead, turn it around and give them a gift to show your appreciation to your customers. It is a nice surprise and you will probably receive a nice gift in return – their business.

9- Be creative –There are many ways to promote your business these days, try some done a bit differently, such things such as Fun Car Tattoos or Customized M&M’s .

10- Be yourself - Don’t forget who you are, why you are in business and keep your passion in the forefront. Display your integrity and honesty within business. People do business with people they can trust and respect.

There are many things to shuffle in the business world. Promoting your business is a non stop ongoing task no matter the status of your business. You need to be mindful of various ideas to liven up the promotion efforts in your business.

Teresa Morrow is on the Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). And recently, she has been accepted as a regular contributing writer for Sparkplugging. Since late 2004, she has developed strong connections with others on the internet and shares her passion with her clients. She enjoys writing, networking and creating beneficial connections for others.

Teresa started her company, Key Business Partners, as a virtual assistance company based on her over 15 years experience in executive administrative positions. Key Business Partners has evolved to an online promotion company for authors, speakers and writers where she puts the promotional pieces together for her clients so they can concentrate on core business tasks. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

]]> http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/10-things-to-remember-when-promoting-your-business/feed/ 6 http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/is-the-perception-of-what-you-see-promoted-really-the-reality/ http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/is-the-perception-of-what-you-see-promoted-really-the-reality/#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:16:18 +0000 Teresa Morrow http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/?p=1313 Does what you perceive equal the reality? You and I are so bombarded with ads selling hair products, shoes, clothing, medicine, etc but do you find the perceived value of the product is equal to the reality or more than it or less than how you perceive it?

This article began from a section of Michael Levine’s book, Guerrilla PR 2.0. In the book Michael has a section about perception being reality.  He gives some really great examples about perception and how it can craft the overall idea of something being either good or bad.

Then I started thinking, does perception always equal the reality? My answer was no. But the operative word in the question is always. Some of the time the perceived value does equate to the actual value. Some of the time the perceived value is more and some of the time the perceived value is less than the reality.

My personal example:

I am a 36 year old Caucasian women (will be 37 on Tuesday) married to a 57 year old African American man. Now, the perception for some (including my family at first) may be of full of questions on how this marriage could be a good one for a few different reasons. Yes, we are different races and that has had its share of perceived responses. We are also 21 years a part and that has had its share of perceived responses.

However, I will tell you that our relationship the perceived value does NOT at all equal the reality. I will tell you being married to my husband Eddie is the best relationship I have ever had and probably will ever have. We have known each other for almost a decade. Been together for 7 of those years and we will celebrate our 4 year anniversary in a few weeks as well.

Now, had I allowed the perceived value or perception of what this relationship might look like to others and taint my own feelings and thoughts about him, I would never have the blessed life to experience the deep true sense of love and compassion I have with my husband.

And that is another thing; can you change the perception to a new reality?

At first my parents and other family members were not okay with this relationship because of their own perceived value they placed on it before meeting him. However, once they met him, they realized what a wonderful caring person he is and now my family embraces having him a part of the family.

So, have you experienced situations were the perception was not the reality, either good or bad?

I read another great blog post this morning that brought up a similar thought process from Gina Marks at TouchLifeSpirit with her blog post http://www.touchlifespirit.com/home/2008/8/27/thinking-outside-the-box.html.

Also, another friend of mine Katherine Reschke made this statement about perception, “Brain science explains how what we perceive becomes our reality. We have a filter that only allows through to our conscious brain that which accords with our world views. Thus if perceive, for example, that the world is hostile, we are going to interpret actions and body language as hostile and we are going to notice and remember hostile actions more than friendly gestures.”

And what does this all of this have to do with promotion – Well, is the perception of what you see promoted really the reality? I think most of the time it is, but sometimes it isn’t. And how do we get past the others who are putting something out there that isn’t a reality. I think we just need to continue to be ourselves and not try to be something we aren’t.

In my true example, the perception others had about our relationship is it can’t work and be successful. However, the reality is the complete opposite and when people see us together, it is clear to see because we are happy and you can’t fake true happiness for an extended period of time. Eddie and I don’t try to convince others to change their perception; we just continue to live our happy lives with each other.

So I would love to hear from others about perception and promotion? When you see something promoted, is it reality as you perceive it?

Teresa Morrow is on Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ^TM (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ^TM (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, a virtual assistance & online promotional company for coaches, speakers and writers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

1) Doing too much - As an entrepreneur or micro-business owner, when you think about your promotional efforts do you think, “I am going to promote to everyone, all the time?” Even though, it may initially sounds like a great plan because the premise of the mindset is the more you promote to, the more responses you will get back. However, what happens more often is that you take all the time (and money) to promote to as many people as you can but you don’t stop and think about who is receiving your promotional materials.

Teresa’s Questions to ponder-

• How much of the time is being wasted going after those who aren’t ready for your services?

• How many of these people aren’t going to be good clients for your business, thus wasting more of your time in the process?

2) Not knowing your customers – Sometimes you need to take a step back and review your target market. Perhaps what you are offering is more of what you think your customers are looking for but what your clients really want is different. It is best not to assume you know your customers’ wants and needs.

Here come more questions, however, answering these may be your ticket to new clients:

• Where they are – demographically

• Where they are – socially

• What they do

• Where do they go to find information

The solution to answering these questions about what your clients are looking for – seek those you wish to be your customers and ask additionally; what they like, where they buy, why the buy, what they are looking for, what are their price points, are they the final decision maker, etc. Most people will be willing to give you answers to your questions because people want to find those who will help them solve their problems.

I know this process may sound tedious and perhaps unnecessary but the more you know about your customer, they more you will know how to be of service to them thus gaining their trust and their business.

3) Not Embracing Competition – Don’t be afraid of those who are in your industry. You could possible learn a lot from others who have been in your industry longer than you or specialize in a different aspect of your industry.

As business owners you have good intentions to offer your services and products to the world, however, you really can’t take care of the world’s orders. Be sure to take the time to reflect on what your customer is all about in the most possible ways to ensure you are the resource your customer relies on over and over again. Remember, a successful business is about making those solid connections including those in your industry (great way to create joint ventures or partnerships, a win win for all parties involved!)

Teresa Morrow is on Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, a virtual assistance & online promotional company for coaches, speakers and writers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

1) Banner or Button Ads –

For Banner Ads or button ads, these can be effective for promoting your business.

If you are unfamiliar with how a banner ad works:

~You will need to ask a logo or graphic designer to put together a banner or button ad for you.

~Logo or graphic designer creates a banner or button ad for you to complement your branding (such as your newsletter, website, and letterhead)

~Place them where your target market will see them and know if these are something that your target market will click on to send them to your website or blog. (**see the “things to remember” section below)

2) Other Social Networking – It seems like the bigger buzz lately on the web has been around Twitter and Facebook. And I would seem to agree those are more viable methods however, I have been reminded to give MySpace and Squidoo (individual web page focused on specific subject) another look. (Thanks to Lynn Terry and Michelle Waters).

3) Local Networking – Check out local offline networking groups such as Meetup.com, business associations (such as NAFE or FNI). You can also find those more focused on certain target markets such as Holistic Businesses or Baby Boomers). For your online business, it could be a way to connect with your local community and allow you to create possible joint ventures, cross promotion or sponsorship opportunities.

4) Local Article Marketing – You are probably familiar with online article marketing banks such as Ezine articles or Ladypens, however, you may wish to also look at local community publications to find out article submission guidelines.(Teresa’s Tip: Google search phrases such as “Wellness journals in <insert your state>”. Also, it is better to offer an article along with an ad instead of just an ad only because it lends more credibility.)

Points to Remember:

1) Know your ideal client – Hey, it seems as you are get “bet up” with this idea however, it can save you time and money if you are better focused on who your ideal client or target market is geared towards.

2) Know the habits of your customers – You can hear my Tuesday Minute Tip to help illustrate this point. This will eliminate you “spinning your wheels” in your promotional efforts.

3) Take action on these points. Nothing can be found out unless you take action.

4) Always remember: Be flexible and open to change, update and try new things. If something doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to try something else. As your ideal client’s habits change, you may need to change your promotional efforts.

As the speed of the world becomes faster and social culture changes, isn’t it amazing sometimes how things come back around again. This post is to just remind you of a few things you may not have thought of in awhile (or not at all) that could work well for your specific business and/or target market. As your customers’ habit change, you may need to change your promotional efforts.

Teresa Morrow is on Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and an Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, a online promotional company. She helps coaches, speakers and writers by handling all the details of online promotion efforts. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

Let’s get connected:

MySpace

Squidoo

Twitter

And this is how I found out about Scribd. One of people I follow (and I am sorry I don’t remember who you are) posted a tweet and I followed it to a podcast where these two gentlemen were talking about how Scribd was being utilized by users of Twitter to post the document such as Obama’s Energy Plan or McCain’s Energy Plan.

I have written this post for infomational purposes fro now, as I haven’t used Scribd yet. I did set up an account and I am planning on doing a follow up post similar to my 30 day journey with Twitter.

Well, this is how this post came to be….I am so loving twitter and the other social media to find such great finds to share with others.

Define it

Scribd is a place where you can publish your documents in a variety of formats (.xls, .doc, .docx, .pdf, .jpg and ppt). In fact, it is the largest document sharing community on the web.

*You need to make 100% sure that you own the copyright to the items you place on Scribd or you can have your account suspended immediately.

A bit of history

This was started with a couple of guys who wanted to find a way to publish their school papers online….cool, huh?

And what is that phrase, “If you don’t find what you are looking for…create it yourself.” These guys did.

Scribd was founded in 2006 by Trip Adler, Jared Friedman, and Tikhon Bernstam.

How to get started

When you first get onto the scribd home page you will see it similar to other sites where you will need to create an account to become a member.

Click on blue “login” button on the top horizontal navigation bar. Type in your username and password. Once you have created an account, you can start uploading your documents.

However I would first suggest you complete your Scribd profile by clicking on the “My Documents” tab in the top navigation bar.

You can upload a single document or if you have several bigger files, you can use their uploader (still in beta)

You have the option of searching either by category, subject or just browse in the library.

A few other features

iPaper

You can also send email attachments using their document viewer called iPaper (this is similar to Youtube where is used Flash widgets you utilize and embed into your web pages)

Scibd Platform, which is a set of tools you can integrate with your website. You can also find ways to monetize your documents on your site.

The Scribd Blog to gain news, announcement and updates regarding Scribd. For instance, the most current blog post on Scribd was talking about Manuals Mania – an online collections of

Become a part of the Scribd community, add friend, send message, create a group, and communicate with others in the Scribd community.

A few things you can’t do with Scribd

1. You can not use documents, images or any file you do not own the copy rights
2. Not able to use ipaper if you are using Wordpress. However you can still use Scribd to share & publish your documents on Scribd
3. You can not upload a image solely. The image needs to be a part of a document in order to be shared using Scribd.
4. You also can not use document such a ebooks with affiliate links
5. No documents for pure self advertising or self promotion purposes.

So I would like to ask others who have used Scribd, your thoughts, suggestions, tips about Scribd?

Here is a full FAQ section for Scribd

Teresa Morrow is on the Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and an Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, specializing in online event promotion management for coaches, speakers and writers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.

]]> http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/scribd-what/feed/ 2 http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/who-is-in-your-cheering-section/ http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/who-is-in-your-cheering-section/#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:28:36 +0000 Teresa Morrow http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/?p=1215 Why do you go to sports events or even watch the events on TV? You know when you are watching your favorite team whether it be soccer, basketball, or football, you go to cheer and support your team and let them know you care and you stand behind them because you believe in them.

In business, the relationships you develop over time with others should be built on respect and integrity so others will easily and naturally wish to be a part of your cheering section.

Well, I have recent had some engaging conversations with colleagues regarding the importance of developing solid quality connections and relationships with other people which will naturally allow others to becoming a part of your cheering section.

During various conversations, it was surprising (and a bit disturbing) to me, how easily someone brought up a incident where someone became disappointed by another because of different factors. However, it seems that in each case, the person who was disappointed definitely less likely to “cheer” for the other person. And in a couple of cases, the disapointment had become so bad, the relationship had been severed and wouldn’t be recommending the person again (ouch!).

Case #1: One person an avid fan of another. Person A has purchased product and services from person B. Person A has recommended and become a fan of person B…so much that person A has influenced others to purchase from person B. Then about 1 year goes by and person A decides to run a joint venture and send a offering (email) to person B to be a part of this joint venture. Person B emails person A responding as if person A doesn’t exist and almost offended that person A would even ask to be a part of their joint venture. Person A is disappointed at persons B offstandish response and a bit offended too after being such a cheerleader for person B. Person A has become cautious when dealing with person B. Person A has decided not recommend person B to others.
Lesson: Become of fan too- You can do this be being on the look out for opportunities benefiting others. Bring value to your relationship with others. It doesn’t mean you have to become involved in a venture the other person is doing, however, handle the communication with class. And if an opportunity doesn’t suit you, at least pass it along to others you know who might be interested.

Case #2: Another incident I was told about was concerning Person C who received a referral for some office support to person D. Person C was in need of some data entry and internet research from person D. The relationship started out nicely then it quickly became very questionable when Person D wasn’t responsive to Person C communications. Person C became distraught when there wasn’t any common courtesy follow up by this Peron D repeatedly. Person C stated I felt as I had to chase Person D. This severe lack of communication causes doubt and raises suspicion about the level of commitment.
Lesson: Communication – if you aren’t able to do something or your plans change, be sure that you keep the lines of communication open.

Case #3: I had a personal experience regarding a situation where my husband worked really (really!) hard for another company (he is self employed) and did all the things they asked of him (including making extra trips to meet with different people, having to stay away from home extra nights, spending his money to purchase supplies, etc.) Now he didn’t mind doing these things because my husband was under the impression there was a solid relationship building between himself and this company. They had told him they would have other jobs coming up and they needed his expertise. Well, the invoices were sent to the company for my husbands work when it was completed. It has taken several (about a dozen) phone calls to several (about 5) different people to get any answers as to why he hasn’t received his money for the work he completed. When phone calls were made, a different story was told (even telling us at first he wasn’t even in their system!). Or to be referred to call another office to talk to another person who needed to call someone else to find the “right answer”. But then they tell they will call you back and then you have to call them back because they didn’t keep their word.
Lesson- Respect people you work with. Respect them for their knowledge and expertise. Don’t be insulting to someone who has worked hard for you by not paying them. Be sure you keep your promises on timelines, deadlines and/or payments. There are exceptions however, the communication then comes into play when things can not be delivered as expected.

So, are you ensuring you have a solid cheering section? The more solid people you have cheering for you and “singing your praises” and you are backing up with solid and quality service over and over again….that is how you will build a solid business over time.

As you are meeting and engaging in conversations with people, be sure you are creating those solid relationships where others will be easily eager to talk positively about you. You know how sometimes you meet someone or just hear someone for the first time and that is “just someone you know you have to know”. You want to develop long lasting relationships with those who are willing and wanting to become a part of your cheering section.

Teresa Morrow is on the Florida Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, now specializing in online promotion management for holistic coaches, speakers and writers. You can sign up for her free 3 day ecourse: Steps to Proper Promotion when you visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net.