Here is an infographic she provided regarding the state of social media for small businesses:
Our Random...and sometimes, not so Random Thoughts
We hope you find some of the following articles to be of some assistance to you in your personal or business life.
Maria Peagler host online learning tutorials for many of the social media outlets. If you are wanting to learn how to leverage social media for your small business, check out her website.
Here is an infographic she provided regarding the state of social media for small businesses:
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I had a wonderful lunch experience this afternoon. I was invited to speak at the monthly Small Business Connection sponsored by the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce. Met some great people and am looking forward to speaking with many of them again. I was asked to speak on the subject of customer satisfaction and how it is dependent on the employees of a business and the customer service they provide. I ended my presentation with some thoughts on employee training but ran out of time to share some of the practical observations I had hoped to pass along. So here are some of the thoughts I didn't get to share in the actual presentation.
Quality employee training begins by defining your businesses needs and goals. Look at your business through the eyes of your customers – or hire a third party to come into your business as a customer to provide an assessment of your customer service needs. Once you identify where your business is weak, develop training modules which address those weaknesses. Define your company’s short and long term goals as well as the standard of excellence you desire to provide your customers. Develop your training as a strategy to meet those goals and enable your employees to meet your standards. The next step in employee training is identifying which employees need what training. Some training modules may be specific to certain departments or employees within your business. Don’t waste precious resources by offering blanket training to everyone which includes a great deal of information that is irrelevant to many of your workers. Once you have identified which portions of your training are appropriate for each of your employees, develop a training matrix which lists your employees and the training modules that each needs. Use that system to plan your training. Once you have prepared your training and you know who needs what, implement your training program. Prioritize your training so that the most important aspects of the training are being offered first or the training that affects the greater number of your employees being offered first. Use a professional trainer – someone within your organization who has the skill to present the training in an engaging way or someone hired from outside your company to perform the training. Allow your employees to provide feedback from their training and tweak your training based on their input to maximize its effectiveness within your organization. Once your system is in place, make certain that the training materials become a part of your new employee orientation program so that everyone working for you is on the same page – pursuing the same standards of excellence and striving to achieve the same goals. I try not to write political commentary on this business site as I realize we all have different views and I don't want to alienate anyone whose view is radically different than mine. However, the current situation with our government begs some comment. Please understand this is an apolitical commentary due to the fact I blame all politicians, regardless of party affiliation, for the mess they have made of our current state.
It appears to me politicians are a unique breed in that they are among the very few who can fail to perform adequately at their job over and over again and not get fired for their incompetence. Of course, a large part of the blame falls at the feet of the people who keep voting them into office. But let's be real - with our current political landscape and the power exerted by special interest groups and lobbyists, it is nigh impossible for a common sense, low or middle income individual to ever be elected to a national office. Even when they are elected, they have little clout once they arrive in Washington and soon fall under the control of senior Senators and Congressmen who are in turn controlled by special interest groups. This will never change until the government passes some sort of serious campaign reform. This is unlikely to happen because the people who are the only ones who have the power to pass such reform would be negatively affected by such reform. We would need politicians who were willing to make personal sacrifices in order for such reform to ever be adopted into law. From where I sit, self-sacrificing politicians are near extinction. Now to the government shut-down. Does anyone else find it maddening that it is the common people of our country who end up bearing the brunt of this action. The politicians can't do their job but it is John Q Public who is punished. National Parks are closed, other government services to the American people are shut down but how does a government shutdown affect those who caused it? Does President Obama still have the benefit of Secret Service protection? Is Michelle Obama still being ferried around in a limousine fueled by taxpayer monies and driven by a chauffer who is on the government payroll? What about our Senators and Congressmen? Are their offices still being air-conditioned? Are they still enjoying all the privileges that automatically come with their office? How are they suffering in any way for their own incompetence? How much money have the Obama's spent on personal vacations and other luxuries while lower and middle class Americans stress over their ability to pay next month's expenses? How many Congressmen and Senators enjoy the luxury of having at least two homes - one in their home state and one in Washington DC - while many Americans struggle to pay their mortgages, utilities and taxes - or worse - while many are homeless and live on our cities streets? How many of our courageous military men, women and their families are facing financial stress during this government shutdown while our privileged government officials are sitting down to extravagant meals at home or in restaurants with little or no thought to how their inaction has affected people all across this nation. Frankly, I am sickened by the elitist attitude of President Obama, his family, Senators and Congressmen who are directly responsible for this fiscal mess they have created. I think our political system is broke. I hate to complain without being able to offer solutions, but I feel helpless. I feel Americans are at the mercy of our elected officials. I believe the days envisioned by President Lincoln - a "government of the people, by the people, for the people..." have passed into oblivion. I can't help but believe this is how the patriots who declared and fought the war of independence felt at the birth of our country. I wonder if it is time our nation experienced a rebirth? Last Thursday morning, my work was suddenly interrupted by one of the loudest claps of thunder I think I have ever heard. The flash of lightning lit up the overcast day simultaneously with the noise. I jumped, knocking papers off my desk as I flailed about. Miraculously, our electricity didn't even flicker. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our internet connection. From about 10am on Thursday until mid afternoon the following Monday, our internet worked for a few minutes at a time then stalled for several. It was next to impossible to get anything done for work, for personal or recreational purposes.
During that time, I was reminded just how dependent I have become on the internet. I pay my bills online. I do most all of the research I perform in my business online. I write and post to sites online. I service customer's websites online. I even keep up with what is happening with my friends and family online. This weekend, I was trying to make final plans for vacation online. But for four days, it was nearly impossible to accomplish anything in a timely manner due to the issues we were experiencing with our internet. This dependence is alarming. I realized just how much of my life is tied up with the computer and my ability to access the internet. Fortunately, my computer still worked and I could access the files saved to it. But the experience of losing the internet for those four days caused me to evaluate how difficult it would be for me to access essential information if I were to lose not only the internet, but my computers as well. If the files stored on my computers were to suddenly become inaccessible, I'm afraid I would be at a loss as to how to function. I wouldn't know essential account numbers, phone numbers of friends and family or emergency contacts, where my business accounts stand or a myriad of other important factors which I need at my fingertips daily. I want to be ecologically friendly and I'm trying to cut down on my use of paper. So I save things on my computers. But now I realize I must find ways to store my essential information in ways I can access it even if the power were to go out. Actually, I'm grateful for that close lightning strike that took place last week. It was a wake up call to prepare for the very real possibility of life without all of our electronic gadgets. I'm looking for ways to balance my dependence on computers and the internet with some kind or kinds of ways to keep my essential information accessible even in the absence of electricity. This may be an exercise many of us should embrace. Quote for the Day (Sept. 13): "You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of." Jim Rohn
Quote for the Day (Sept. 12): "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." Thomas Jefferson Quote for the Day (Sept. 11 - Remembering those who died as innocent victims and those who gave their lives as heroes on 9/11) "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." John F Kennedy Quote for the Day (Sept. 10): "People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything." Thomas Sowell Quote for the Day (Sept. 9): "Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" Dr Seuss I am convinced every boy ought to be taught an important truth sometime during his years in Jr. High school. It is a lesson that will save him many hours of heartache and distress later in his life. The lesson?
There is no right answer if your girlfriend/wife ever asks, “Do I look fat in these pants?” Rather than attempt to answer in any way, those of the male gender ought to be taught to do nothing more than turn tail and run. No matter what they say, invariably it will be subject to interpretation by the woman who will interpret it in the most unflattering way, thereby immersing the man in the proverbial pot of hot water. To often, men speak first – think later. My dad used to warn me, “Put your brain in gear before you run off at the mouth.” Unfortunately, I have not always followed his advice. Take for instance the night my wife, Lisa, was flipping through the TV channels while I browsed through the evening newspaper. She landed on one of those talk shows hosted by five women. I glanced over the top of the newspaper and looked at those five ladies then asked, “Did they have auditions for this show and pick the five ugliest women they could find to host it?” Lisa, ever the protector of her gender, responded, “Those women aren’t any uglier than I am.” Now, here’s where the trouble started. I had already gone back to reading the newspaper so my brain was only partially engaged in the conversation with my wife. I heard her comment. Then I heard my own voice, though I don’t remember actually speaking the words. In fact, as soon as I heard my words, I prayed to God they only existed in my mind. Unfortunately, it was too late to pray. “Oh honey,” I heard myself say. “Those women are a whole lot uglier than you!” If I recall correctly, though I must admit I was too busy watching my life flash before my eyes to be conscious of much else, I physically attempted to catch my words with my hands in mid air before they reached Lisa’s ears. My brain, now at full attention, asked me, “You surely didn’t say that, did you?” But it was too late. I had contracted the sometimes deadly “foot in mouth” disease. That happened a couple of years ago and Lisa has since forgiven me. But it came up again the other night and Lisa reflected on the many “foot in mouth” moments that most couples experience. She challenged me to write an article on this phenomenon. That is what this letter is all about. I’m wondering if you have ever had one of those experiences, and if you have, would you be willing to write it out and send it to me along with your permission to use it. I’m hoping to get enough responses to compile them in an article or booklet. If I use your anecdote, I’ll send you a free copy of the booklet. I’d also love it if you would pass this note on to your friends/relatives on your mailing list and ask them to send me their stories. Who knows, if I get enough responses, perhaps I’ll even be able to create a book. A book that will become required reading for every Jr. High boy. Thanks in advance for your help. Quote for the Day (Sept. 6): "A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." Colin Powell
Quote for the Day (Sept. 4): "Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people." Jim Rohn I'm sharing two quotes today, since I didn't put one up on Monday. Read today's blog, Our Response to Failure to gain a better insight as to why I have chosen to highlight these quotes. Quote for the Day (Sept. 3): "In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure." Bill Cosby "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill This week-end I watched a series on the History channel that provided an overview of the lives of some of the most successful men who had a hand in shaping our country. During the segment on Dale Carnegie, I was amazed at the number of times he was on the brink of financial disaster yet managed to not only survive, but thrive. One contemporary CEO remarked "Failure can either paralyze you or motivate you. How you respond to failure determines the level of your success."
Bill Cosby once stated, "In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure." Today, we often hear the same sentiment expressed in these words - "no risk - no reward." It is true that men and women who are most successful at what they do are individuals who are willing to take risks. Not "shots in the dark," but calculated risks. Ones they have investigated and thought through. Finally, they get to a point where they must make a decision. The outcome is not certain, but based on their research and intuition, they believe the risk is worth it. Despite the potential for failure, their desire for success is such that they are willing to take the leap and move ahead. Sometimes, their decisions pay off in a great way. Sometimes they do not. Sometimes they experience the exhilaration of a magnificent success. Other times they must swallow the bitter pill of failure. The mark of a successful individual is they do not allow failures to impede their forward progress in life. Nor do they allow their successes to lull them into a false sense of security. As Winston Churchill once noted, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." It is that "courage to continue" that appears to be a trait shared by the vast majority of successful individuals. While it is much easier to continue when you are racking up success after success, it is more necessary to continue when you experience failure. How do you respond to failure in your personal and business lives? Does failure paralyze you? Worse - does the fear of failure paralyze you? Or, have you used past failures as motivation for future success? Frankly - failure is a given. How you respond to failure is a choice. Here are the quotes I shared from the week of August 26th:
Aug 29 "People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads and the boss drives." Theodore Roosevelt Aug 28 "Procrastination is like a credit card: It's lots of fun until you get the bill." Christopher Parker Aug 27 "A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit." Arnold H. Glasgow Aug 26 "If all you do is respond to complaints, THAT'S ALL PEOPLE WILL SEND YOU." From The 36 Rules of Social Media Fast Company Magazine Sept 2012 And one I really enjoy from the previous week: Aug. 22)(Mildly paraphrased) "Bosses and employees are both looking for freedom in the workplace from management, mediocrity and morons." From The Gifted Boss - How to Find, Create and Keep Great Employees by Dale Dauten Many are familiar with the adage, "Laughter is good for the soul." I'm not certain who first expressed the thought in those words but I do know that King Solomon said it this way in Proverbs 17:22 a few thousand years ago - "A cheerful heart is good medicine." The question I want you to ponder is this - Would laughter increase productivity in your workplace?
In a 2005 study conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Michael Miller, M.D. reported a correlation between laughter and increased blood flow. According to the research, laughter appears to affect the endothelium - the tissue that lines the walls of blood vessels - causing it to expand, thus increasing blood flow. In the course of their study, Dr. Miller and his researchers discovered that when healthy volunteers watched and reacted with laughter to a humorous scene from a movie, their blood flow increased by 22%. According to their report, that is about the same increase one would experience in the course of performing aerobic exercises. Another interesting observation from the study is encapsulated in this statement from Dr. Miller, "At the very least, laughter offsets the impact of mental stress, which is harmful to the endothelium." In his book, The Gifted Boss, Dale Dauten touches on the importance of laughter in the workplace. During the course of a fictional discourse between two old friends, the mentor says, "If you don't walk through your department and hear laughter, then you're not doing it right. When people are doing what they do best, they feel a special energy that comes close to giddiness. That could be one standard you put on yourself - you walk the halls and count how many laughs you hear." Most every workplace is fraught with stressors of some sort. While stress, in acceptable levels, can be a positive force that pushes us to perform, if increased to extreme levels, it can become a negative force that saps our energy and creativity and kills productivity. In the study mentioned above, those same volunteers who watched a stressful scene from a movie experienced a decrease in blood flow of 35%. To balance stress and keep it within acceptable levels, a wise manager utilizes humor to relieve the stress among his employees. Laughter not only reduces the stress level, it increases the blood flow to the brain which in turn affects the mood and productivity of workers. Not only are they producing better work, but they are happy while doing it. Quote taken from: The Gifted Boss - How to Find, Create and Keep Great Employees (Revised Edition) ©2011 by Dale Dauten, Published by HarperCollins |
AuthorChris has an opinion on just about everything - Just ask Lisa. And he's usually right - just ask him! (LOL) Archives
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