It’s never to early to learn how to talk to customers. My kids are learning to do this at ages 7, 5 and 2 thanks to their very first lemonade stand. We live near a park and have a relatively constant flow of potentially thirsty neighbors walking past our house. So my boys decided they… Read more »
Big Ideas
Does Your Business Need a Social Media Coach?
I work out a lot – for fun, for stress relief, and because it’s in my nature to set and strive to achieve goals. To help me reach these fitness goals, I hired a coach. Having a coach gives me accountability and someone to help me overcome obstacles and celebrate my successes. For my clients,… Read more »
Does social media make you nervous?
I found out recently that some employees at one of my customers’ offices are scared to talk around me! They are worried that anything and everything they say will end up on the Interwebs via one of the nine social media platforms that I manage for their brand. Where did they get that idea? They… Read more »
Bauhaus Advice for Writers
On a recent trip to Germany, I visited the Bauhaus Archive/Museum of Design in Berlin. I wasn’t expecting to find great writing advice while on holiday, but there it was, in a summary of the instructional style of weaving master Benita Koch-Otte. She advised students in her weaving workshop to work for “Utility and economy in… Read more »
Should You Deliver Bad News in Person?
Should you deliver bad news in person? I would argue yes. Experts say that 70% of our message is carried in non-verbal communication, that is how we convey meaning without words. The height of our eyebrows, the position of our arms, the volume of our voice, even the rate we blink all carry important information… Read more »
How to Write Positively Without Sounding Fake
One of my favorite aspects of LinkedIn, besides Answers, is Recommendations. I’m not shy about asking for Recommendations, and all the pundits will tell that waiting patiently for someone to take the initiative to recommend you is fruitless. You must make the request. And if people are following that advice, chances are you’ll be asked to… Read more »
Need social media content? Become an Alchemist
Can’t think of what to write for that next blog post, tweet or update? Even the most creative writer gets in a slump. I never get “writer’s block” because I’ve discovered that I’m an alchemist. What looks like ordinary matter to some is pure gold to me. After I get my feet wet working for… Read more »
Are Grumpy Kids Driving You Crazy?
Mine was, and sometimes still does. But as a mom, I am always looking for the solution that fits the personality of each child (much the same way I work with clients). And as a writer, I know a well-told story can really convince a potential customer to become a satisfied client. So I combined… Read more »
Children’s media provides secret insight into business innovation
Creating a fantastic new product doesn’t always require starting from scratch. Just observe the world of children’s media. Some well-loved new books and television programs have sprung out of the marriage of two perennially popular themes. In our house, two telling examples are Shark Vs. Train by Chris Barton and Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids. Trains hold a lot… Read more »
Do you know when to follow the process and when to invent your own?
You arrive at work and find a lovely gift on your desk – a brand new box of Legos. Do you dump them out on your desk and start stacking? Or do you flip through the enclosed book to find a project you think you can tackle? Legos are a double-edged sword. They literally provide… Read more »