Holiday Shopping Guide
Dear Consumers:
I know you are very busy getting ready for a big family gathering in a few days! But if I could have your attention for a couple minutes, I would be very grateful.
As I walked around Times Square in New York City with my son Adam last weekend watching all the national outlets entice customers to come in and buy from them, I was inspired to do something to help women owned businesses in my organization increase their exposure and holiday sales.
Since most of the women we represent don’t get the same high end exposure and foot traffic as Times Square, today’s special blog contains a link to a holiday shopping guide to help them gain exposure and “eye traffic” so consumers like you reading this piece will consider buying from them this holiday season.
Did you know women still earn 72 cents on the dollar compared to men ? Do you know the easiest way to put a dent in this unfairness is to shop with purpose this holiday season? Please help me put more money in the pocketbooks and bank accounts of women owned companies by earmarking a percentage of your holiday shopping money with them!
Our marketing piece links to many awesome holiday sales specials and even 2012-2013 business service specials posted by some of our members. Please help me help women in New York State earn more holiday sales revenue by shopping online or in their stores starting today! Click here to review the specials!
More Chefs Needed in the Kitchen – Entrepreneurial Advice
The aroma in the kitchen, the quaint lighting and the welcoming personalities of the business owners, make a three year old restaurant popular. Every day their original menu of the best tasting food feeds hundreds. The inviting ambiance coupled with the delicious menu makes their clientele feel like they are home. 
The problem this business faces is not the quality of food or quantity of customers, it is the burned out souls of the owners. Technically they perform their duties well; making the best fare, setting the right mood and keeping clients content. But they aren’t content. They are simply exhausted. From the outside view they have a successful business but internally they are failing.
The owners love their company so much, they don’t want to share the duties of cooking the food or even cleaning the dishes with anyone else. They are hard workers. They also want to keep all the profits to reinvest in the business. They don’t understand how important it is to hire staff to continue the success of the restaurant.
Entrepreneurs who build their companies around their technical talents alone will face this same situtation. When the three year mark hits and there is a higher demand for their products or services, they will stall too. What they worked so hard for begins to falter because they never built the business with a growth plan.
Today you can’t achieve your highest entrepreneurial growth goals alone. It’s not possible. Consider whether you are limiting the growth of your company
because you are still too involved with the technical side of your business. The saying, “Too many cooks in the kitchen” can actually be good for women entrepreneurs. We all need more chefs in the kitchen so we can gather more customers at the table, market the menu and add innovative touches to our original concept.
I hope this Thanksgiving holiday you let someone else do the cooking so you can test your leadership skills. See what it feels like to have someone else do the work and then try it in your own business after the holidays are over. I wish you a meaningful Thanksgiving.
Social Graces
Before becoming an entrepreneur I worked as the Assistant Alumni Director at Le Moyne College. One of my duties involved coordinating and managing alumni receptions around the country. I typically accompanied the College President, but one event I escorted one of the college’s most popular past presidents, Father Reilley.
On the car ride to an alumni event in Binghamton, Father asked me a number of questions about my education, career and role as a mother. We discussed his belief that everyone’s social graces were learned by the time they are 7. He felt if someone didn’t master politeness, respect and manners by that age, they never would. Coming from an upbringing where I was taught early to keep my elbows off the table, not chew gum in church, be respectful of elders and say thank you every time I should, helped me in early leadership roles and in my career. I agreed with Father Reilley and never forgot the statement from this wise and gentle priest; especially as I raised my two sons.
Today’s message is a simple one, it’s to remind you that as entrepreneurs we must remember our social graces – especially the grace of thanking our clients, employees and business associates for their involvement with us and our companies. Being grateful for our lives, in a world filled with so much hardship for so many people, is an easy choice. We mustn’t get caught up in the small and large frustrations of running a business that we forget to be kind and appreciative to those who work for and with us.
On Thanksgiving I hope you’ll take time to look inside yourself and be thankful for your intellect, your passion, your belief in your life’s purpose; look outside of yourself and recognize the people who have helped you along your journey; look above and recognize the importance of faith, grace and guidance leading you forward; and look below you at your healthy feet, legs and body that support you every day and help you walk down your destined path.
Increasing Retail Store Sales – A Lesson from Times Square
My son and I just got back from a New York City trip. As we entered the Billabong store in Times Square, we were immediately greeted by a friendly salesgirl named Breanna. She asked us where we were from, how we ended up in Times Square and how we were enjoying our trip. Her approach was upbeat and friendly – like we had known her for years. Her welcoming personality made us stay and shop.
Two minutes later a salesman named Ben showed my son around the store, walked him to a dressing room, had him come out and asked other customers what they thought of his new clothes. My son felt like he had a new buddy. We stayed in the store longer than we would have and bought more than we would have because we were “befriended” by two very 
well trained, personal sales staff. When we checked out at the register and were asked who helped us, we happily gave the names of our two sales assistants.
This blog post is to inspire any retail stores or small businesses looking to increase sales this holiday shopping season to implement a new, very friendly approach to sales. Hire some energetic staff to place strategically at openings. Invite your staff to befriend customers. Give your staff an incentive for selling too. When we checked out at the register we were asked our sales assistants names. We happily said “Breanna and Ben.” I’m sure our salespeople earned extra money when we gave their names.
Remember by treating new customers like old friends, you’ll keep them in your store longer, increase your sales and have new “buddies” to give testimonials to other shoppers.
Creating A Sensory Experience for Customers & Guests
As we walked in the door, we were greeted with an indelible ambiance. Wooden rafters, elegant pine cone sculptured lanterns, overstuffed leather chairs and fresh picked Adirondack flowers. A little farther down the entranceway a man was drawing vibrant caricatures of jubilant young children, warm chocolate chip cookies and fresh lemonade sat on a welcoming table, and an acoustic guitarist was performing in the frame of a window looking out to Lake Placid. The first impression of our stay at the White Face Lodge was truly an unforgettable one.
The experience reminded me why I believe strongly in the power of details. As a professional event planner for my own companies Five Star Events and Women TIES for twenty three years, I have always believed “success is in the details.” It doesn’t take extraordinary effort to add creative touches within a business to create experiences guests will remember, it takes thought.
Women business owners in all facets of industry can create more memorable moments for their clients by paying attention to special details more frequently. A strand of simple details linked together can create a panoramic sensory experience for guests. Here are a few creative suggestions to add to corporate surroundings, meetings, and events to bring more pleasure to customers:
- Buy a beautiful water decanter with matching glasses for meetings. Have the decanter and glasses full of ice cold water, ice cubes and lemon slices for your clients to enjoy during meetings.
- Pick or purchase small bouquets of seasonal flowers and inexpensive vases and make small, simple arrangements placed in greeting and meeting areas for customers to see.
- Pipe in soft beautiful, soothing music in your waiting areas, on your telephones, and in the bathroom where guests can enjoy the soft sounds.
- Order fresh baked pastries and have fresh brewed coffee available at every client meeting.
- Place monogrammed pads of paper and pens for at each meeting place for your customers to use and take after the event is over.
- Adjust the lights or shades in the room based on the weather conditions outside to make it more soothing for everyone.
- Offer extra touches when clients enter your office or events. For example: A staff member who offers to take a client’s coat and hang it up, someone to offer an umbrella when the client leaves if it’s raining outside, and interesting industry reading material in the waiting room
Success is truly in the details. If you create a more aesthetic environment at any business venue, meeting, event or even during the holidays, you’ll stimulate your customer’s and guest’s senses and make their experiences with you unforgettable and definitely worth sharing with others.
Abundance and Thanksgiving
Last Wednesday wasn’t an ordinary Wednesday, it was special. As women entered the venue to attend a typical Women TIES luncheon, many had gifts in their hands. A majority of the gifts were to support a Hurricane Sandy Relief Drive and the rest were for me. As the corner of the room filled up with heights of donated clothes, blankets, toiletries and water bottles, the energy in the room filled up as well. As my registration table became covered in birthday treats, I became covered in appreciation for the women who remembered my special day.
Yesterday Benita Zahn, a guest speaker at an event I hosted, said this statement as part of her leadership speech, “100% of people want to be recognized and acknowledged.” When we are faced with an upset client, a woman entrepreneur suffering from business loss or a major customer’s milestone, stop and acknowledge them. It doesn’t take more than a call, a card, a token of affection, a gesture to help recognize someone. It will take you less than five minutes in most cases.
This past month has shown me abundance. When a woman entrepreneur stood up in Binghamton and asked women in the room to support her café with sales so she could keep it open, I saw her community stand up to support her. When I asked two women in our network who also own storefron
ts to speak with her to lift her up, they said yes immediately. After listening to a popular television anchor woman in Albany take time from a demanding schedule to inspire women, I was moved.
We live in abundant times no matter what the media says and no matter our circumstances. If we have food on our table, we aren’t hungry. If witness a sunrise, we have light. If we have clients who support us, we have money. If we have a passion and spirit to change this world through our business, we have a gift.
Today’s blog post is to remind you to look at the abundance around you. It’s everywhere. You’ll see it in the faces of loved ones at Thanksgiving. You will feel it today as you communicate with customers. You know it’s within yourself when you wake up with energy and enthusiasm to face what the world offers.
I know, like me, you are living an abundant life – one that fuels you, encompasses you and motivates you to be the best person you can be. Remember to look for the abundance in your business life today. And remember the people who support you professionally and personally are the most prized gifts of all.
I wish you an abundant day and hope your Thankgiving holiday is filled with grace and love.
Pampering Military Customers
It was a typical Women TIES networking program in Watertown, NY but one of the guests wasn’t a typical woman entrepreneur. Dressed in army gear, a woman stood up to introduce herself as a Pampered Chef party saleswoman and member of the Fort Drum Military. She explained how a friend got her involved selling Pampered Chef when she wasn’t busy with military duties to give her something else to focus on and a way to meet new people.
As our guest speaker arrived at the podium, she asked everyone to give a round of applause to this brave woman. Forty women jumped to their feet giving exuberant praise to this special business woman. It was a poignant moment in my entrepreneurial career and one I won’t forget.
As Veterans Day and other special military holidays, entrepreneurs should thank customers they know who are part of the military or have loved ones in the armed services who are fighting for or have fought for our country. Here are a few ways business owners can show appreciation to military clients and military personnel during special occasions:
- Offer a special discount coupon to any military customer or their family during Veterans Day or Memorial Day weeks, at Thanksgiving or during the entire year. Send a thank you letter with a personal note along with the coupons to your customers to show your gratitude for their service.
- Advertise corporate specials in local or regional media for military personnel who shop in your store. Make sure the special is significant and meaningful not just an advertising ploy. If you have the budget, also give military customers a special token of appreciation like a “Thank You for Your Service” magnet for their filing cabinet or refrigerator so they can see your appreciation all year long.
- Take a photo of yourself with any long time or favorite military customers and post the image with a special thank you note about them in your social media marketing outlets. Consider using the image (with their permission) in your store as a way to continue to recognize their dedication to our country all year long.
People who serve our country deserve special recognition not only once a year but throughout the year. I hope this Veterans Day you decide to stand up and give exuberant praise to your special military customers. Pamper them with some special offerings and appreciation they won’t forget.
Social Media to the Rescue
The recent Hurricane Sandy devastation reminded me of this blog post written in September 2011 after Binghamton, New York was devastated by floods from Hurricane Irene. I am re-blogging it to provide some business wisdom to those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
In September 2011, I received an unexpected phone call from a woman entrepreneur from Owego, New York who wanted advice about postponing an event due to the devastating September floods from Hurricane Irene. Before we talked about the benefits of moving the event to a 2012 date, she shared with me the power of community and how social media marketing helped during the crisis
As you heard thousands of home owners lost valuable treasures. Highways and community parks were damaged. Businesses lost equipment, records, and buildings all because of the flooding. The devastation sounded like Hurricane Katrina had hit the Southern Tier.
The woman who called told me how she came across an elderly couple, evicted from their home, with all their belongings on the sidewalk. The landlord wanted to start repairing his property and didn’t have time for them to find another place to live. Having witnessed the helplessness of the couple, this Women TIES member sent out an urgent social media marketing alert asking for 10 volunteers and two trucks to meet her at the address to help the couple. Within 30 minutes, her plea turned into volunteers with trucks. Community spirit and social media marketing came to the rescue.
It’s hard to hear the daily news sometimes because it is full of negative stories that dampen our outlook and create a sense of hopelessness. But there are good stories like this one all around us. Sometimes we forget we are part of a giving community who want to help if they are asked.
We must remember we aren’t only part of a familiar community – our family, our neighbors, and our sister entrepreneurs – we are also part of a global community – our Facebook friends, our LinkedIn associates, and our Twitter network. All are willing to lend a hand if we need it.
Today’s blog post is to remind you that you are part of a local, national and global community. If Facebook can find caring people to help in a crisis and LinkedIn can connect an unemployed person with a friend’s connections to land a job, and we still have our neighbors, family and friends, we are very fortunate. Don’t forget to reach out if you need help or to give support if you are asked.
Business Forecasting Like the Weather Channel
When you live in a lake effect snow zone, you understand how the wind’s direction and velocity can produce a range of snowy outcomes. A subtle wind over the warm waters of Lake Ontario can produce a small two inch accumulation of powdery precipitation on the lawn or two feet of treacherous sludge on the highway so can a Nor’easter heading up the east cost. All the variables which produce lake effect snow and Nor’easter weather conditions – wind direction and air temperature – determine slight or significant changes to our weather forecast.
So what do you think determines slight or significant changes to our business forecast? Is it the condition of the local economy? Policies created by the government? Basic economic supply and demand principals? Our own mindset?
At the end of each year entrepreneurs are starting to set new goals and plans for the next year. But maybe this year, we should take a hint from the Weather Channel and start by forecasting what we expect to see. If you’ve been in business longer than 3 years, you should have a good idea of your sales and revenue cycles, your competition and your niche in the market. How can you use what you’ve seen in the past to predict, plan and forecast for this year?
Part of the process isn’t only reviewing statistics, but evaluating your mindset. Are you ready to transform yourself from a timid entrepreneur to a bolder one? Do you find yourself eager to gain financing or staff support to finally climb to the next level? Are you ready to be a manager and leader to take your business one step higher?
Today’s inspirational blog is meant to encourage you to consider the role your past and current mindset has in influencing the risks you take, situations you avoid, and growth you are scared of facing. I hope you are ready, like I am, to take the next big step and making 2013 a transformational year for your company. Let’s keep in mind what we really want to do to move upward or outward with our companies. Let’s commit to some big goals together.
We might not be able to predict lake effect or Nor’easter snow totals like the experts but we can predict a year of growth for ourselves and our businesses. Let’s make some forecasts to take our companies to the next level in 2013. As you enjoy the winter weather outside your window today or in the months to come, remind yourself to start forecasting a brilliant transformational new business year.
Lessons from a Hot Fudge Sundae
If you live in the Northeast you treasure sunny 75 degree September days because they are a gift. After attending three back-to-back stressful meetings one fall day, I found myself driving down a winding country road on my way home. In the distance was an ice cream stand. Knowing I deserved an ice cream for my skillful negotiation and management skills used at the meetings, I pulled into the ice cream stand’s driveway.
Waiting to serve me was a twenty year old man who was patient listening to me as I droned on about needing a dessert to decrease my stress. As I ordered my chocolate ice cream, chocolate fudge, with chocolate sprinkle sundae (they were tough meetings), he commented on my love for chocolate. As he went to put the cherry on top of the whip cream he said, “Wait a minute, I know what you’d love,” as he walked the cherry over to the hot fudge and dipped it to coat it. He said, “Hey, I just invented a new topping for our chocolate loving customers.” As I complimented him on his innovative and creative thinking I left him a two dollar tip for the three dollar sundae. We both departed content with the transaction.
It doesn’t take a lot to be innovative. It doesn’t take a lot to impress a client. It doesn’t take a lot to be a great customer service provider. It takes interest, attention and action. I’m not sure this cute little ice cream stand will make millions of dollars offering chocolate covered cherries on all their hot fudge sundaes but innovation has to start somewhere. How else would we have the E-Z Pass, the IPad, Google, and other fantastic products and services we can’t live without. It starts by wanting to create something new. Being observant to what your customers are asking for; then producing the “new item” by actively putting time and money into creating it.
Today’s blog post is meant to inspire you to think about how you can become a more innovative entrepreneur. What ideas have been brewing inside you? What frequent “problems” do your clients want you to solve that could mean a new product or service? What seems cutting edge in your industry that might turn some heads and get you noticed?
If you need a little inspiration to get you going, stop by a great ice cream stand that sells hot fudge sundaes with innovative chocolate dipped cherries to help you on your way.
Women TIES 
