Sometimes we seem to think that we are so busy, we have no time for anything. When I begin to feel this way I step back and ask "who. do you. think. you are?" As if I am so much busier than anyone who has come before me. As if this should excuse me from things like manners, courtesy, friendliness, helping others. WHO. DO I . THINK. I AM? It is nonsense. People before me got up before the sun did, to go out and tend fields and animals prior to leaving for work where they had to walk an hour to get there, work all day in the sun and after a 12 hour shift, walk another hour home. Get home and eat, then wash clothes by hand to prepare for the next day. That is, after they walked to the stream for water.
But. I am too busy.
As I said - Nonsense. It is an excuse. It is laziness. It is thinking too highly of one's self and position. That is what it is.
We HAVE time - we do not TAKE the time. THIS is the honest truth.
So, let's be honest. Let's be real.
Everyone likes to be noticed, appreciated, helped and thought of. No one says they do. We take on the role and attitude that we are fine and need nothing. However, if we go back to being honest and real, we will say it is true.
So, if we like it, why do we hold it back from others? This is where we go back to the excuse of being too busy and I say nonsense...
TAKE the time. MAKE the time. FAKE the time. If you don't have it - fake it! but make the time and make it count. It doesn't have to be anything huge but be real, be courteous, be kind, be helpful and show good manners. If we can just get this part down, we can change a society that is quickly becoming rude.
When I reach out to people, just in a personal manner as in dropping them a personal hand written note when they do business with us, they notice. They also respond with a thank you. This is because it is so rarely seen nowadays, so when someone actually does it - people notice and respond. This makes me feel good, because I have made them feel good for the day and hopefully brought a smile. And it took me all of a few minutes to sit down and jot them a note. A few minutes in the scheme of a lifetime, really is a small task when it comes to improving my relationships with another person.
So, I challenge you to find a way to be real. To be personable and to be personal. SMILE and see where that smile can lead you.
Don't think you are all that - Remember, we are all here and equal ... we just have different roles. So, be kind to the one who may pass you by in a short moment ... you may need them on the other side.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Happy Father's Day
Wishing all of you Fathers, a very Happy Father's Day!
Thank you for the sacrifices and for the love you share with your children and your family.
Thank you for the sacrifices and for the love you share with your children and your family.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Awards Showcase Coming End of June!
Family Review Center | Family Review & Award Center | Family Review Magazine
http://www.familyreviewcenter.com will soon be showcasing the Award Winners for this round. EXCITING times when we can share the best of the best with our viewers.
JUNE 30 is the date. Mark it in bold on your calendar!
We will announce it in an eblast to our opt in pals, so you do not forget to check in. Everyone else is invited to come on by, it will be prominently announced on the front page of the site and you won't be able to miss it.
http://www.familyreviewcenter.com will soon be showcasing the Award Winners for this round. EXCITING times when we can share the best of the best with our viewers.
JUNE 30 is the date. Mark it in bold on your calendar!
We will announce it in an eblast to our opt in pals, so you do not forget to check in. Everyone else is invited to come on by, it will be prominently announced on the front page of the site and you won't be able to miss it.
Be Relevant
How many times do we speak to those we do business with in a manner that neither grabs their attention or has any relevance in their life? If we want to get someone's attention, we need to be real and relevant. We need to know their needs, their desires, their situation and their problem, in order to speak into their mind, day and life something that will not only get their attention but demand an action on their part, to move them to what we want them to do.
We need to push beyond the point of what we want and desire and walk in to the mind and shoes of the one we are speaking with. If our only objective is speaking and unloading our thoughts, then this is not of any matter to us. However, if we truly wish to connect with the one we are speaking to, and especially if we want to have a business relationship with that one, then this is critical and something so many often overlook. We are not here for chit-chat. We are here to bring someone to the point of decision before we complete the dialogue with them.
Many salespeople are great at talking, yet have a hard time closing a deal. Why? Because they have not found this formula. They talk, but with no relevance.
Be relevant. Know a little about the one you are speaking to. Don't let it be all about You. The more you engage them and speak of them and their needs, the more attention they will give you.
We need to push beyond the point of what we want and desire and walk in to the mind and shoes of the one we are speaking with. If our only objective is speaking and unloading our thoughts, then this is not of any matter to us. However, if we truly wish to connect with the one we are speaking to, and especially if we want to have a business relationship with that one, then this is critical and something so many often overlook. We are not here for chit-chat. We are here to bring someone to the point of decision before we complete the dialogue with them.
Many salespeople are great at talking, yet have a hard time closing a deal. Why? Because they have not found this formula. They talk, but with no relevance.
Be relevant. Know a little about the one you are speaking to. Don't let it be all about You. The more you engage them and speak of them and their needs, the more attention they will give you.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Be Different
If you want to stand out in today's world you must be different. Everyone can fit into a cookie cutter mold, but what do you have that creates your niche? This is where you will find your success. This is where the pressure is less and the competition is more uncommon. This is where you want to be.
Find what you are good at, what you enjoy and how you can go that extra mile or walk the same mile in on a different route than the others and be a knockout success by being Different.
Different is sometimes looked at as a negative, but in business it is where it is at. So many do the same thing as everyone else and they struggle month to month to stay afloat and it is like a race to see who can keep running. Everyone gets a share of the pie, and it is finite, so most do not make it, as one will be chosen the winner and the rest will slowly crawl to their own finish line.
However, if you are in the race alone - there can be no other winner - only you!
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT! Be A Winner !!!
Find what you are good at, what you enjoy and how you can go that extra mile or walk the same mile in on a different route than the others and be a knockout success by being Different.
Different is sometimes looked at as a negative, but in business it is where it is at. So many do the same thing as everyone else and they struggle month to month to stay afloat and it is like a race to see who can keep running. Everyone gets a share of the pie, and it is finite, so most do not make it, as one will be chosen the winner and the rest will slowly crawl to their own finish line.
However, if you are in the race alone - there can be no other winner - only you!
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT! Be A Winner !!!
Lowest Price Wins. Or does it?
Sometimes being the lowest price is not the reason for celebration. If your product or service is of high quality, there is no reason to cut your price so low you struggle. If you cut your price too much or too often, you are actually lowering people's impression of your company and what you offer.
Keep your pricing moderate for what you offer and don't bend too much just to get business. Once you bend, they will keep you bending, until you break - and it will usually be your pocketbook that breaks.
If you have something of value to offer, it should be worth it's value. It should not be undercut because someone is looking to get something for nothing. Be kind to your customers but also be kind to yourself. You want to stay in business and not sell yourself into slavery.
Keep your pricing moderate for what you offer and don't bend too much just to get business. Once you bend, they will keep you bending, until you break - and it will usually be your pocketbook that breaks.
If you have something of value to offer, it should be worth it's value. It should not be undercut because someone is looking to get something for nothing. Be kind to your customers but also be kind to yourself. You want to stay in business and not sell yourself into slavery.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Promise Less, Give More
Do you get tired of pushy sales people who promise the moon and deliver the dust? Me too. That is why I try to ensure that never happens to those I work with. I would much rather be promised less and have a surprise when more is delivered, than vice versa.
When you are working with customers, it is always in your own best interest to minimally deliver all that you have promised and preferably add in some extras as well, if and when possible. That little extra bonus or personal touch goes a long way in the retaining and the return of a happy customer.
If you have a quality product or service to offer, at a fair (I did not say cheap) price, then that is enough to offer. Everything beyond that is a bonus. Promising the moon will not convince most savvy customers to choose you, the quality of what you bring to the table is what sets you apart. So, don't try adding in everything you can think of, to get them to sign that dotted line. Save that for the bonus after they have chosen you because they deem your products and service to meet their needs.
When you are working with customers, it is always in your own best interest to minimally deliver all that you have promised and preferably add in some extras as well, if and when possible. That little extra bonus or personal touch goes a long way in the retaining and the return of a happy customer.
If you have a quality product or service to offer, at a fair (I did not say cheap) price, then that is enough to offer. Everything beyond that is a bonus. Promising the moon will not convince most savvy customers to choose you, the quality of what you bring to the table is what sets you apart. So, don't try adding in everything you can think of, to get them to sign that dotted line. Save that for the bonus after they have chosen you because they deem your products and service to meet their needs.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Don't Leave Relaxing For The Weekend
Welcome to Friday Eve.
Have you noticed that we who live in the good old USA pay a lot of attention to the days of the week? Mondays are ho-hum, Wednesday is humpday, Friday is the day we all wait for. The day that allows us to take a break from our norm for two days and then return to another ho-hum Monday when it ends.
Perhaps we need to find little breaks in our every day routines, so we are not waiting for that one magical day of the week to score a break. Usually we are let down, as the weekend never feels long enough to get the rest we feel we need. Why? Because we don't encounter those little breaks through the week. We need them. Lunch with a friend or coworker, a walk at the beach after work, a late night ferry ride to catch the stars on a Monday... anything to break up the routine and breathe a little deeper and think a little lighter. If we can find an hour a day to do this, even when we have a busy work week, we will find we stress less, tire less, and are ready to really enjoy our weekends and make the most of them - not sleep them all away because we are on overload.
I hope you find some peace and enjoyment this week. Don't leave it for the weekend - that's a lot to ask of two days ... start it TOday.
Be blessed!
Have you noticed that we who live in the good old USA pay a lot of attention to the days of the week? Mondays are ho-hum, Wednesday is humpday, Friday is the day we all wait for. The day that allows us to take a break from our norm for two days and then return to another ho-hum Monday when it ends.
Perhaps we need to find little breaks in our every day routines, so we are not waiting for that one magical day of the week to score a break. Usually we are let down, as the weekend never feels long enough to get the rest we feel we need. Why? Because we don't encounter those little breaks through the week. We need them. Lunch with a friend or coworker, a walk at the beach after work, a late night ferry ride to catch the stars on a Monday... anything to break up the routine and breathe a little deeper and think a little lighter. If we can find an hour a day to do this, even when we have a busy work week, we will find we stress less, tire less, and are ready to really enjoy our weekends and make the most of them - not sleep them all away because we are on overload.
I hope you find some peace and enjoyment this week. Don't leave it for the weekend - that's a lot to ask of two days ... start it TOday.
Be blessed!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Today's Focus: Give Yourself a Break!
Today's Focus: Give Yourself a Break!
Sometimes we can feel we have not made it far, when if we actually looked thru someone's eyes besides our own, we would see we have come far and accomplished much. We are harder on ourselves many times than others would be, because we expect a lot of ourselves. This is a good trait, to a point. Past that point it becomes a stumbling block and not a help. One must balance the demands and expectations we place on ourselves, with our abilities and the number of hours there are in a day. We cannot do it all in one day and should not expect that of ourselves. ... So, cut yourself some slack once in awhile and take some time to enjoy life as you work hard to reach your goals in life.
Sometimes we can feel we have not made it far, when if we actually looked thru someone's eyes besides our own, we would see we have come far and accomplished much. We are harder on ourselves many times than others would be, because we expect a lot of ourselves. This is a good trait, to a point. Past that point it becomes a stumbling block and not a help. One must balance the demands and expectations we place on ourselves, with our abilities and the number of hours there are in a day. We cannot do it all in one day and should not expect that of ourselves. ... So, cut yourself some slack once in awhile and take some time to enjoy life as you work hard to reach your goals in life.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Today's Focus : Stay the Course
Good Tuesday Morning to you.
Stay the course is my motto for today.
Sometimes it seems there are so many things I want to do and accomplish in a day that if I allow myself, I can wander into a frazzle and not accomplish anything I set out to do initially. My goal is to pinpoint the important steps for my day and then walk that path and let nothing sidetrack me. If I complete my list for the day, then I can have a treat of being sidetracked for a while as a reward - but until then - FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS.
I think for me the main thing I always have to do, to remain on course through the day, is make a bullet list. No, not a bucket list (smile) ... a bullet list. These are the critical things that need done for the day. They can be personal, family or business related but things that I need to know at 5 PM they are done. (or whatever time I have chosen to end the day). These may be things like phone calls I need to make, appointments I need to make, followup emails I need to write, things I need to mail and places I need to go. There may also be updates to articles or postings to Facebook or Twitter, a review that needs to post today, etc. Anything that needs to be done - TOday. Then I can do my check offs and get them all done, without losing focus and ending up having a bunch of undone tasks because I allowed myself to get focused on something that did not need my attention today and should have waited until tomorrow.
Stay the course is my motto for today.
Sometimes it seems there are so many things I want to do and accomplish in a day that if I allow myself, I can wander into a frazzle and not accomplish anything I set out to do initially. My goal is to pinpoint the important steps for my day and then walk that path and let nothing sidetrack me. If I complete my list for the day, then I can have a treat of being sidetracked for a while as a reward - but until then - FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS.
I think for me the main thing I always have to do, to remain on course through the day, is make a bullet list. No, not a bucket list (smile) ... a bullet list. These are the critical things that need done for the day. They can be personal, family or business related but things that I need to know at 5 PM they are done. (or whatever time I have chosen to end the day). These may be things like phone calls I need to make, appointments I need to make, followup emails I need to write, things I need to mail and places I need to go. There may also be updates to articles or postings to Facebook or Twitter, a review that needs to post today, etc. Anything that needs to be done - TOday. Then I can do my check offs and get them all done, without losing focus and ending up having a bunch of undone tasks because I allowed myself to get focused on something that did not need my attention today and should have waited until tomorrow.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Welcome to The Family Review. Here familyreviewcenter.com will keep you updated on the news and happenings around the center and also offer some hopefully helpful insight and tips along the way.
We encourage you to interact with us, and let us know what you like as well as the stuff you find is not helpful, so we can gauge our efforts and focus on things that you will enjoy and appreciate. We don't like wasting your time nor our own!
Sit back and chill with us and check out the blog articles we offer.
Have a GREAT day!
We encourage you to interact with us, and let us know what you like as well as the stuff you find is not helpful, so we can gauge our efforts and focus on things that you will enjoy and appreciate. We don't like wasting your time nor our own!
Sit back and chill with us and check out the blog articles we offer.
Have a GREAT day!
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