Just because you have my business card and it happens to have my PO BOX on the front…
Doesn’t give you permission to put me on your annoying, pointless mailing list.
Am I bitter?
No, I’m just thinking about the environment ALL YEAR LONG and I find it annoying every single trip to the post office. Thus far, no newsletter has actually made it back to my house. Why? I didn’t want it in the first place, so it goes right from the box to the other box. You know, the trash.
Ok, maybe I’m a bit bitter at people’s lack of common sense and basic business etiquette.
The moral of this story: ASK before MAILING.
I can’t wait for my next set of business cards to be printed… I know what’s not going on them anymore!
It’s that one day of the year. Earth Day is here and it irks me that it’s the only day of the year when the majority of people give the state of our environment even a passing thought.
How about Earth Day every single friggin’ day?
Instead of riding your bike to work for just one flippin’ day (good for you, by the way!), how about thinking of long-term changes you can incorporate into your everyday life. For example, instead of walking out of your office and keeping your computer on all night long, how about making a pact to turn it off every night?
Seriously, you don’t have to permanently ditch your car to take care of the environment. You can do your part in small ways.
(photo via areakids)
When it comes to the workday, it’s important to keep the makeup understated.
You need to communicate that you put thought into your appearance while understanding the importance of business etiquette. Unless, of course, you maybe work, ah-hem, in the entertainment industry… if you know what I’m saying. 
I can’t believe the amount of professionals (not entertainers) I run into who have no idea as to what appropriate workplace makeup looks like!
Keep it simple and suppress the urge to put on more eyeliner and mascara.
Don’t drive to work looking like a drag queen, unless that’s your actual job. 
Is your business on Twitter? Are you thinking about entering into the Twittersphere to help your business?
If so, you’ll find these tips useful:
1. Twitter is about community. When you’re posting or chatting with other users, remember to be a good citizen by not hard-selling your business. Twitter is about soft-marketing, which makes traditional marketing techniques seem more like spam.
2. Twitter is about conversation. Before you start chatting up your business, you need to find out who is in the community by starting or joining conversations. Talk to people, don’t just be a billboard for your business because nobody will pay attention.
3. Twitter is sometimes about taking online… offline. In most larger cities, the Twitter users actually know each other in real life. We network and play together based on mutual interests. It also means we love to do business with each other because we’ve formed our own trusted community and conversations.
Have you ever received a business card from someone only to get home and not remember who they are or what they do?
[Raises hand]
That would be me and it has unfortunately happened more times than I can remember. This mainly happens after large networking events, so here are a few tips:
1. Take a marker or pen and write a reminder on the business card. This could be something you have in common or a unique aspect about their business.
2. Save time sorting through business cards later by keeping organized at the event. If there’s a connection with the person and I want to follow-up, I’ll place the business card in a particular pocket or area of my purse. If there’s no connection, but I’m taking their card to be polite, I’ll keep the card in a separate “no can do” area.
This way, there are fewer faces, names, and cards to connect the dots when you get home!
The iPad is NOT for business use, people. This means: it’s not to be used as a replacement for your laptop.
At least, I can’t see how it could possibly be of use. Unless, of course, you’re a raging social media-o-holic for a living.
Truth is, it’s not much more than a glorified and large iPhone. It doesn’t have flash, there’s no actual keyboard, space is limited, and yada yada yada.
I supposed you could use it for email, but the keyboard isn’t much more comfortable than a standard iPhone.
That’s why I was shocked and then proceeded to ROFL (roll on the floor laughing) at what this idiot thought his iPad would be… and why he immediately returned the thing.
Here’s the article: Why I returned my iPad
Thoughts?
It has been the strangest of times…
I haven’t really been networking for business like I probably should. After all, it’s always good to keep up relationships and show dedication to the organizations in which you’re a member.
But I seriously just haven’t had the time. I’ve been so busy and the thought of going to another networking group… it means the standard introductions, the pitch, the smiles, and of course following up!
The latter is such a time sucker.
But, again, it’s all about building relationships and that takes work!
The past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time networking and it’s finally paying off. People I met a few years back are finally calling me to do business!
SCORE!
Remember that you won’t always see the results right away, but if you get out there and keep it up… you could be pleasantly surprised.
Now I just need to get back out there and schmooze…
I sooooo need a new business wardrobe. People have probably seen me in the same clothes a gazillion times and I’m sick of the same stuff. Always.
As much as I try to be imaginative, it gets hard. There are only so many combos a girl can make!
Every once in a blue moon, I’ll come up with some spectacular “why didn’t I think of that before” odd & end clothing combo. So, I proudly sport it and then can’t remember what that cool outfit consisted of a few weeks down the road.
Business wardrobe dementia? Likely.
Or, I could just go shopping…
(Photo via mimifroufrou)
The other day I had to clean my office. It was a total mess and all my fault.
The key to organization is putting items back when you are finished, something I’m not very good at doing. Everything should have a “home” and whenever you use an item, put the darn thing back!
I’ve asked several professional organizers their recipe for success and they all agree that putting things away is one of the best keys to organizational success. Kind of a no-brainer, but a difficult one!
Giving every item a home also prevents you from buying and obtaining more things than necessary. If there’s no room for a new item, you are less likely to go out and buy more. Same goes for lost items…if an item is where it is supposed to be, you won’t have to go out and waste money on something you already have.
PUT IT BACK!
Having a smart phone has changed my life in the past couple of years.
Pre-smart phone, I’d spend my days going to meetings and then come back home exhausted… and still have to check my email! Then, I’d end up losing more sleep because I’d want to check “just one last thing” before signing off for the night.
Now that I have a smart phone, I’m able to keep up with my email and communications throughout the day. If I’m early for a meeting, I sit in the car or office lobby and check my email. I’m also less likely to aimlessly surf the Internet because it’s a slight pain in the butt on a smart phone.
At night, I’m no longer catching up on email before I go to bed.
That’s what I call quality of life!
