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Category Archives: Networking & Sales Common Sense

Keeping your Sanity in the Political Opinion Volcano of Social Media

Posted on September 11, 2018 by admin Posted in Networking & Sales Common Sense, Social Networking, The Dark and Amusing Side of the Internet - Mature Leave a comment

We once agreed to disagree…

Back when I began working social media for my business (about eight years ago), people were a lot calmer and more balanced in their political viewpoints…except for one friend of ours. My husband and I would have intense discussions about the President of the U.S. at the time, the presidential race’s candidates and other topics we never saw eye-to-eye on such as creation vs. evolution. At the end of the evening, however, we always parted friends and agreed to disagree. That is just how my husband and I were brought up, respecting the opinions of others.

But our friend was young and fiery and would shake her head that we believed what we did, and by some miracle it never interfered in our friendship. To this day we don’t agree and even though she moved to the United Kingdom, she still keeps up on the politics of her parent’s native land – and is still fervent that she is right. Even when Obama got in (who she heartily supported) and after a few years expressed her disappointment that he hadn’t solved the world’s problems, she never learned to temper her righteous fervor with facts and common sense.

Facebook & Twitter taking lessons from Kilauea?

Today, in 2018, do the landscapes of Facebook and Twitter resemble the turbulent recent eruption history of Kilauea? They should. The fiery home of the volcano goddess Pele has always been prone to long periods of devastating activity, yet everyone acts as if this latest, long-term eruption of wide-spread destruction is something new. If they looked up the volcano’s geological history, they would know better.

Politics, like volcanoes, have their quiet times and eruptive times that last months, sometimes years – especially when someone is in office we don’t like. Remember your parents complaining about Regan in office? Nixon? Or when you’re as old as I am, it might have been grandparents bitching about J. Edgar Hoover. This is nothing new, but social media takes it to a whole new level.

Hating the next door neighbor…across the world

Back in our parent’s time if we didn’t agree with the next door neighbor, we might have had an argument or intense discussion with them, walked back into the house and ignored them until the next election – or their impeachment (ala Richard M. Nixon). Now, those people you friended on Facebook and Twitter who you thought you knew – including your friends – have taken on the viciousness anonymity and not being face-to-face with someone engenders. Shocked that the friend you thought you knew knows words like that? They would never say that to someone’s face, yet being behind a computer brings out the worst in some people, especially with hot topics like politics and religion.

Ignoring the volcano or facing it down?

It is tough for the small business entrepreneur to pursue their business and stay out of the hot-topics like sex, religion, politics and sports. When I was in Quattro University, we were told time and again to steer clear of them at all costs for fear of alienating our audiences. Forced to discuss “safe” topics like pets, favorite getaway spots, science and medicine are okay, but people tend to bond over topics both sides feel passionate about, so what do we do?

I have thought a lot about this during this current administration. Living in a state where the majority of people not only oppose who I voted for – and sometimes vehemently – I kept my opinions to myself even more than usual. Even outside of business I found myself around formerly sane friends who had gone off the deep end and could not stop spewing hate – even if they knew we once upon a time had agreed to disagree. It was hard enough, especially in my religious belief circles, to locate fellow worshipers to comfortably interact with, and when I did and they too, “went off the deep end” I knew I had to make a choice. I was frustrated and angry that I was the one who had to “keep my mouth shut” while they felt free to spew their hate and intolerance towards a man they disagreed with on one hand and then went into worship declaring they “loved all creatures great and small”.

The hypocrisy disgusted me and I had to leave.

So how do you keep your sanity and still surf the web?

People’s opinions and their extremist viewpoint aren’t going away – ever, but we still have to put up with it while we conduct both business and pleasure on the world wide web.

Or do we?

I learned from watching my husband that one can surround oneself with those of a similar point of view who are good friends and influential networkers without sacrificing our rights to our opinions and our right to view them in a safe environment. A couple of months ago I purged my personal Facebook profile of hate-spewing crazies – both on the right and the left, though truth-be-told, they were ALL leftists (I kid you not!). Reconfiguring my feed’s priorities in who I received notifications and posts from lowered my blood pressure and made viewing Facebook enjoyable again. Now I am experimenting with posting a slightly political post or two to see if those who remain will, if not agree, at least be of the same calm, even temperament as I am and not act batshit crazy. Today I start the process with a much more volatile arena – Twitter and have high hopes that with careful pruning of my connections and adding the right ones, I can go back to tweeting happily instead of as if walking on eggshells.

facebook networking tweeting responsibily

Should You Care that your Business is on Social Media?

Posted on August 26, 2015 by admin Posted in Networking & Sales Common Sense, Social Networking Leave a comment

Should people care?

This is a twist on a LinkedIn post this week entitled, “Why No One Cares That Your Business Uses Social Media“. Do people really care? Should people really care? Should you care if they care?

For the types of businesses I coach (small business & entrepreneurs), they always ask, “Should I be on social media?”, not the better question of “Why should I be on social media?”. Without the why should you be there, there is no motivation TO be there.

WHY people should care

The article has a very valid point which I would like to laud. In 2012, the idea of businesses on social media was novel, new and you could drive people to your social media from your website. It’s definitely a symptom of information overload now in 2015 that their novelty is gone. There are a million more social media sites out there to choose from. How do you choose? Which ones do you choose? Several clients tell  me, “I should be on XYZ media, but I don’t know what I should be doing with it.”. They have no idea how to leverage their presence to get more sales. And their customers spend more and more time on social media, but have no idea they are there or how to find them!

This becomes more important now than ever because the tide has turned. Marketers, finding their customers spend more time on social media, want to drive traffic BACK THE OTHER WAY to their websites to get those coveted sales.

Now that you care…

Most of the networkers I run into fall into one of two categories; the ones that feel they don’t have the time for social media and the others that have social media channels, but rarely use them.

Nearly every new website client asks it; the question of, “Should I be on social media?” . I always tell them, “Find out if your customers are on social media.”. Offer it, not for your exposure, but as a service to THEM. But remember, unless you are going to make consistent, persistent use of a social media channel, it seriously is not for you or your business. Go in with a strategy if you are going to go in at all and give it your all. Then – and only then – will you know for sure if it works for your business. But always remember, it isn’t FOR your business – It is always about what YOU can do for your customers.

Social Media Selling – Isn’t This Just Smoke And Mirrors?

Posted on August 25, 2015 by admin Posted in LinkedIn, Networking & Sales Common Sense, Social Networking Leave a comment

Saw a good article this morning on LinkedIn. Read it here.

It’s a great way to break the ice with new connections, find out what type of content appeals to them and show a genuine interest they will remember when it’s time for them to consider your services.

The Top 5 Ways to Create Customer Loyalty in Business

Posted on March 18, 2014 by admin Posted in Networking & Sales Common Sense Leave a comment

(Taken from “100+ Ways to Create Customer Loyalty in Business“)

1. Promptly Return Calls

When a customer or potential customer takes the time to contact your business via phone or email, a prompt response (at least within 24 hours if not sooner) immediately creates trust and loyalty. Even if the response is brief and notes that you are unable to respond in full until later, the customer will appreciate knowing that you have received their message and intend to give it attention.

2. Hit a Home Run

Too many people miss opportunities to hit home runs. After doing business with someone, following up every now and then with an actual thank you card and a box of chocolates in the mail is a massive home run. We’re in the game of trust points and emotional impacts. Loyalty is bred from home run human connections. It’s no secret that the humanization of business is happening right now. Anything human wins. Real, solid, meaningful heart to heart stuff will always be king.

3. Relationships Matter

Relationships are important in business and are one of the best forms to create customer loyalty. Non-promotional contact is helpful in remembering/recognizing clients. We send fun mail outs- hand written cards with a coffee card to “take a break on us”, a book they might enjoy, or a hand written note keeping in touch. We offer a complimentary follow up program to help clients maintain success after our training event. Building a relationship is the first step; maintaining it helps create loyalty.

4. There is No YOU in Customer

Understand that what you sell or provide is not what is important to your Prospect or Customer/Client. What IS important to them is what you can do for them. What problem can you solve? What need can you meet? What pain can you alleviate? What cost can you reduce? This is advice I give small business owners in all my workshops and both my books and they thank me later for changing their viewpoint.

5. Speak Their Language

When you dig deeper into who your clients are, you’ll get vital insights into their unique language. This is huge. Certain words make your clients light up and others fall flat. Talk to leaders about order, strategies, and productivity. Teachers speak of training, courses, and methods of study. Most entrepreneurs speak their own language. If this matches their clients’ terminology, everything flows, but if the clients have a different mental framework, then a disconnect will hold you back.

Feeling ambitious? Want more ideas? Go to the BIG list of 100 ways!

Ummm…How do I put this?

Posted on November 1, 2011 by admin Posted in Networking & Sales Common Sense Leave a comment

Do you care about the people you are doing business with? I mean, do you really care about them AS A PERSON and not just as another rolodex in your card file? Inversely, do the people you network with care about you?

Networking is not just about making connections and getting referrals. If you think that is all it is, you better go find yourself a book on human interaction and relearn how to talk to and treat people. If this sounds harsh, it might be because you need the book. I won’t apologize for the bluntness in this post and if it is found offensive, methinks it is because it struck a sore spot. Those that are ever evolving and refining their people skills will stop and take a look at what is said here and ask themselves, “Do I do that to people?” “Is that why I’m not getting as much business as I could have?”

There are few better ways to discover the value of your networking than in how people interact with you – especially when there is a crisis. People are mirrors held up to ourselves, and they can be brutally honest, whether we want them to or not. So, instead of taking offense at the networker who treated you like less of a person and more like a source of income, learn from the experience. We as a specie are so quick to take offense and so slow to learn. Don’t be stuck at the dead-end of the evolutionary chain with no sales and worse – no friends.

Remember, when you’re old and retire, or move on to another line of work where you no longer network, the friends will stay with you.

The networkers will leave.

linkedin networking social networks tweeting responsibily

Twitter – useless or useful?

Posted on August 24, 2010 by admin Posted in Networking & Sales Common Sense, Social Networking

hack-lab-toilet
(This scares the heck out of me)

When social networking fledgling giant Twitter began to pick up speed and gain popularity last year, all I heard from clients was, “I don’t want to get on it because I couldn’t care less when someone goes to the store, sees a good program on t.v. or is sitting on their porch doing nothing.

I couldn’t agree more.

But then we all started hearing how staggeringly useful it was when a hotel was bombed by terrorists in Southeast Asia – the “tweeters” getting the story out to the world before the media could comprehend what had happened. Again, when unrest hit Iran and their government imposed a media blackout, Twitter was asked by the U.S. government to delay their maintenance cycle so that the flow of information from that beleaguered country was not impeded. I myself used Twitter to warn locals of a water main break and to avoid that area like the plague and recently to warn my clients of the health warning of a salmonella outbreak in eggs across the United States.

What does all this tell us?

That Twitter is a force for either good or evil, depending on who you follow in your network.

twitter-cartoon

It is easy to blame the other guy for their tweets, but since we cannot control the actions of others, doesn’t it make more sense to take the responsibility of harnessing Twitter’s power for good and choose who we follow more carefully? Take a few seconds when considering whether to follow someone or not and do a quick scan of their last few tweets…are they garbage or are they useful, inspiring, uplifting and motivational information? Choosing to association with people that tweet with care will also reflect better of our character to others who choose to follow us. No one with a busy networking schedule wants to follow someone who follows gossipers and time-wasters, or worse, someone who constantly swears…if you really need to follow people like that, get a private Twitter account and follow such people anonymously. You will find it will make life a lot easier.

Follow me at: http://twitter.com/civicsitedesign . If you tweet responsibly, I will gladly follow you back.

linkedin social networks tweeting responsibily twitter

Email Discretion – the foot is firmly in the horse’s mouth!

Posted on April 16, 2009 by admin Posted in Networking & Sales Common Sense

I was attending a non-profit organization’s volunteer meeting last night. This group gets funding from a government agency whose representative made an opening statement last night that should really be taken to heart by many who often make this obvious, yet all too common, terrible business mistake. For clarity’s sake, I will paraphrase the lesson, and then go into what was said and why it was said.

The paraphrase is: “Be careful what you say in emails.”

What was said, “There has been a lot of negativity in the emails back and forth on this upcoming project…many seem to think we are the enemy, but the truth is, we aren’t AND you need us to fund your project.”

My long-time experience with sending emails and seeing the repercussions of poorly-worded/tactless emails made me sit there and silently agreement with this man. He had the grace and tact to word it in such a way as to not make it look like the friendly warning it was, and while I applaud him for his decorum, at the same time I feel sorry for him.

He is fighting an uphill battle against the anger ineffective government has engendered in today’s common people. Whether he or his department is guilty of the all too common funding shenanigans that run rampant in any City Hall, he is still a victim of it, as were the upset constituent, you and I. There is a time and a place for such ventings of one’s anger at officials or the “system”, BUT it is never at a volunteer meeting, or on an email list going to the very people one is accusing. I guess this must be a lesson learned, and not common sense, and of course, when tempers run high, ALL sense and common sense go flying out the window and back into the mouth of the horse who just said it (hence the title of this piece).

What amazed me is the fact that as soon as this official said this, someone spoke up right away (gee, I wonder who sent the email?) and added to the fire by reiterating what was in the emails. Gee, he wasn’t listening, was he? In this day and age in the United States/California, expecting government to have tons of money to throw at small, community projects when their budget is getting cut and their staff is let go is positively ludicrous. But I digress…

…back to the main point, at least in this blog. If you are in business, and I will capitalize this for emphasis, RE-READ THAT EMAIL BEFORE YOU SEND IT! Would you tell that person this to their face if you were face-to-face? I look at words spoke like pointing a gun – if you are going to point it, say it, email it, YOU BETTER BE PREPARED TO USE, DEFEND AND LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT HURLED VERBAL BULLET!!!

Don’t burn your business bridges because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut long enough to rethink that stupid, thoughtless, antagonistic comment you felt it was your God-given right to say. Sure, you have a right to say anything you want, but if it hurts someone else or your business for future, potential business, you better think twice or be prepared to live with the consequences of fewer friends in life and less business.

linkedin

Evolve or Die

Posted on March 1, 2009 by admin Posted in 2009 A Defining Year of Evolution, Networking & Sales Common Sense

How do you get better in business? You keep up with the evolving marketplace. Continue your education, for it is truly a life-long process. If you don’t, you will never survive it’s ever-changing pace!

Human beings are constantly striving to learn new things, to move forward, find the newest trend or fashion. They always evolve, and this means you have to, too. Not could or should, but HAVE TO. If you hate education, this is a good time to get over it and accept the fact that it is a must.

Don’t take this advice as being my opinion…it’s a proven fact of nature that creatures that don’t evolve to their ever-changing surrounds get wiped out. If you think human beings are exempt from this reality, you are sadly mistaken. We are as much a part of nature as everything else on this planet that lives, breathes, eats, sleeps, reproduces and dies. And if ANY OF US drop our guard for a moment, we get taken down – whether it be in the jungle, a street crosswalk or in the marketplace.

Now that that statement is out of the way…let’s get to the business of evolving you and your knowledge, not just in business, but in the all-important categories of Wealth, Wellness, Leadership & Legacy…

Never Take Advice From Someone More Messed Up Than You.

Posted on March 1, 2009 by admin Posted in 2009 A Defining Year of Evolution, Networking & Sales Common Sense

This was the first, best advice I ever got listening to a Quattro University presentation by one of its four founders, Cheri Tree. I think if people really thought about the advice they got, considered the source, and ran away when it was bad advice, they would be a lot less miserable

It’s always easier, less painful and quite often less expensive to take a look at the bad examples life gives us and learn from them. Why more people don’t do this, I have no idea. Why doesn’t this come naturally to adults? We always never take our parent’s advice during our rebellious teenage years…so ask yourself this important question, “The person giving the advice…is their life messed up?” If you don’t know any personal details about them to be able to answer this question, just ask them outloud (or yourself quietly), “Are you a millionaire?”

It’s like my husband Dennis always said when quoting Solomon Short. “It’s too bad common sense isn’t.”

Think about it and get ready to run TOWARDS some good advice for a change. It all comes from people I know who are millionaires and whose lives are definitely NOT messed up.

My passion and mission here is to relay some of the sales & marketing wisdom I have learned from the millionaires I know. After you digest what is here, what you do with the information is up to you, but remember, again, some of this advice is from millionaires…they are “paying it forward” to help others get out of the rat race and they KNOW what they are doing…don’t you want advice from someone like that?

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