Be True to Thy Self!!!

A Woman’s Worth Is Far More Than Rubies. Proverbs 31:10

Woe is me… A popular song women choose to sing on certain holidays and during this time of year. Tis the season! Wedding bells are ringing, extravagant cakes with four to five tiers are being baked, expensive wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses are shopped for as we speak. Although, through it all there are female participants in the festivities and bystanders wondering, moaning… “Why not me?”

Always a bridesmaid never a bride.

A couple of female friends and I sit comfortably in my living room sipping wine and playing catch up. The conversation is wonderful then here it comes. The mood takes a turn that I have no interest in because they always hate my outlook. I’m not wielding pom- poms! All from one jealous statement. “Why is Susan getting married?” “When will it be my turn?” Faces turn red, eyes are rolled! Negative and slandering statements are made about the soon- to- be bride. The male bashing begins!!! I reach for my wine in aggravation! Thinking about the character of each woman as a glance around the room. Two, are not married for good reason!!! No shade! My friends are quite aware of how I feel.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect! If I was, I would not be single. I’m the woman who tries to fix men. I will find a bad boy and dress him in a suit and tie and call him “reformed”. LOL!!! But, if I know nothing else… I know my worth! As a woman, the one thing we should not do is measure ourselves against another woman. What is even more deplorable is stomping on another woman’s success. Shame on you!

The woman in the mirror!

Instead of standing in the mirror taking duck-faced selfies, look into the depths of yourself. Again, I am not throwing stones. I have one or two duck- faced photos of myself on Instagram. Although, when I look into the mirror I rather speak positivity into myself. Mantra’s like:

“I am beautiful; We may hear it from men constantly but it means the world when you say it to yourself.”

“I am strong; It helps me through the times that I feel weak.”

“I am successful; Quiets the voice that says, you will fail.”

“I am who I say I am; Powerful against all self- doubt.”

Ever heard the saying… Why buy the milk if you can get the cow for free? I asked the women that question. Of course, I giggled at the looks of contempt. So, I explained myself. Half naked pictures advertising that you’re single. More than willing to sell your virtue for dinner and a movie. Maybe a trinket or a trip here and there. Why in hell should he put a ring on it? Newsflash ladies: Men are looking for a woman, not a girl using her looks and body for an opportunity.

Who can find a virtuous woman?

Listen for a moment! Do you hear that? Men are asking their counterparts, married homeboys, and mothers… Where do I find a virtuous woman? My brothers, guy friends, workmates, business partners ask me that very question. They claim to want a woman who is going to add stability to my life. I need an equal! You would not believe how men truly feel about women.

“Women are just as aggressive as men. You don’t have to work for it!”

“It’s ok for a one night stand but I would never take her home to meet mom.”

“She’s not wife material.”

“Women nowadays are golddiggers.”

If this is the type of woman I have to look forward to then why commit? So, men rather play the field and drink the milk of all the free cows roaming around. Once they get their fill or use up one, they move on to the other. You, my friend, are left empty and wondering what went wrong. Did you think he was the one?

You are powerful!

Stop giving up your power! He does not define who you are. Find your worth within yourself and you will attract he who is worthy of you. Decide what you can and will bring to the table and whether he is worthy to take a seat! It’s okay to eat alone!!! Once you realize that you’re worth more than rubies you will never again settle for being treated like costume jewelry.

Don’t worry ladies, I know there are two sides to a coin. Part two will talk about those men who are “dazed and confused”.

 

Build Your Unique Brand🏢

Define what your brand stands for, its core values and tone of voice, and then communicate consistently in those terms.

Simon Mainwaring

What is branding?

“The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.”

When was the last time you have reviewed your company brand? Is your brand strategy competitive? Most importantly does it represent the voice of your business? These are questions we as entrepreneurs must ask ourselves. Branding is important to all businesses be they big, small or startup. Your brand is indicative of who you are.

Build a strong foundation.

The logo. This symbol is how consumers recognize your business. Make it secure in what you want your company to represent. Visual identity is crucial. The logo should also be versatile, capable of being used in all aspects of marketing. When seeking a logo the best option is to review may different options before deciding on the final one. The opinion of fellow entrepreneurs, family, and friends can be quite helpful.

Who are you? 

I have worked with many entrepreneurs who describe their business as an extension of themselves or their baby. If you are of like mind, then it is important to ask yourself the following questions.

• What is the company mission?
• What are the characteristics of the business?
• How will my values be perceived?
• How will consumers view the features and benefits of my products and services?
• Will my customers be loyal to my brand?

Answering these questions will ensure a strong brand identity. Once you have thoroughly studied your responses to these questions then once again examine your logo.

Brand formalized.

At this point in the branding process, you have a logo in place; a catchy tagline and mission statement carved in stone. Now is the time to go live. Put the word out about your startup; your intent is to break the internet with the news of your business. Social media is the perfect accomplice in this journey. Here are a few ways to introduce your business.

• Company website.
• Blog
• Facebook Page
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn

All of the following allow you to build a community or a forum for you to advertise your services and your product. Pay much more attention to the comments and questions of your customers. There are many benefits to utilizing these and other social media sites. Use social media to your advantage through regular and memorable posts. Smart marketing tactics will not only put your business in front of consumers but also ahead of the competition. Leads and sales are important, but consistency will prove to be much more lucrative. Put forth the necessary effort and care into building your brand; it will withstand the tests of time and make you a success.

 

Quote Courtesy of Brainy Quotes

Branding definition from the business dictionary.

Featured branding image by Peggy_Marco.

Self Image by John Hain

Social Media Image by Geralt

 

Are Writers Destroying On-line Writing Sites?

What is the quality of your writing?

Get Social to Enhance Customer Satisfaction.

I recently wrote an article entitled “Transitioning Your Business in The Growing Virtual Industry”. My article highlighted the change from traditional business practice to the virtual world. It points out how we have moved deeper into the virtual way of running businesses. This change not only affects how we do business but who patronizes our business.

Customers are an important part of every business. Customer satisfaction determines business growth; customers can help a company excel or go belly up. The Genesys Global Satisfaction survey shows that 86% of Americans are satisfied customers. The survey was conducted in 2012 but I feel it still has some merit. My opinion is the percentage has dropped over the past three years, I was unable to find statistical data to support my claims. I’m speaking from a customer’s point of view!

As a customer, I have had some outstanding and horrible service. There are some companies that I will remain loyal to because of their product or the service. While I refuse to patronize a couple due to the poor service I received. I know that I’m not the only customer who feels that way! During my many years of customer service I have worked for a couple of companies that lost customers not because of their products but due to the service. Even before I became an entrepreneur I hated to see them go.

Is it not disheartening to patronize a company for years then one day call the company to have an issue resolved only to talk to an ineffective IVR system? It’s even more frustrating to sit on hold for thirty minutes before you speak to a representative if you get that far. Thirty minutes to some is not that long but when you are busy with work, in a hurry or have children to look after thirty minutes is an eternity. Some companies have online chat representatives that are waiting to assist their customers. That is not always convenient, especially when there is not an agent available. Online chat agents are limited as to what they can do so they often times refer you back to the customer support line or give you a link to their frequently asked questions. Frequently asked questions is not a solution for all customer’s issues. In the minds of most customers this level of support is unacceptable thus pushing them to sever all ties with the company.

There are many ways businesses can improve customer support thus increasing customer satisfaction and retention. Customers do not want options that are ineffective or not readily available. They want service and a solution to their problem. Scripted representatives with empathetic opening lines is not effective customer service. I agree with empathizing with the customer but it’s impossible to always understand what the customer is feeling. They want empathy but most importantly they want their issue resolved, quickly and efficiently.

The companies that choose to utilize social media as means to service their clients will dominate in customer satisfaction. These companies are making themselves more accessible to existing and future customers. Recognizing that increased response time for their customers’ issues is key to survival in this industry. A happy customer is a forever customer!  Most companies use social media strictly for marketing their product and service. Why not use social media to acknowledge and engage with our customers. Outwardly showing the world that we do empathize with our customer. We will efficiently handle your issue! It does not make sense to keep issues and opinions about a product or service hidden. Customers are aware no matter how much we sweep them under the rug. The transparency of handling customer disputes over social media is a bold concept. However, allowing us to acknowledge it and offer a resolution in a reasonable amount of time. Customer service using social media can bring more customers while keeping current customers happy. In my opinion, more companies should consider how social media can enhance customer satisfaction thus improving customer retention.

Writers, Bloggers and the Overlooked Press Releases

Why Aren’t My Press Releases Effective? 

Wondering why your press release is not working for you? Over my six years of virtual assisting career, I have noticed many incorrectly written and marketed press releases.

Entrepreneurs and writers fail to capture the attention of most readers with these inadequately worded and promoted press releases.

Due to my growing affiliation with the literary community, I’d like to share some tips to inform writers, authors and bloggers of the correct method for writing and marketing a press release.

With proper research and due diligence, anyone can create a good press release, giving your book, article or blog the exposure it needs.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is a written communication to announce something newsworthy.

While mainly targeted to news media, a press release may be used to target a particular audience. Press releases are presented as:

• A media release
• Press statement
• Video release

Why is a Press Release Important?

Are you seeking exposure? A press release is typically used to assist its users in gaining much-needed publicity.

Whether you’re an author, writer or a blogger, a press release is designed to alert its readers to your past, present, and future accomplishments such as:

• Announcing your blog to increase its page rank
• Promoting your upcoming book release
• When you write a guest post on a blog
• When your article is published in a magazine

Any time that you do something that warrants additional publicity is a good time for an expertly written and press release.

How To Market as a Writer and Blogger

How would a press release benefit an author, writer, and blogger? A press release would be beneficial to those in the literary community due to its ability to excite an audience.

When well-written and marketed, it gets noticed by many, and in turn, many of those readers choose to feature and promote the press release from other sites or publications.

A large number of views and reposts will increase book sales, blog traffic, and article views. The goal is to gain publicity for yourself, website or publication. Be sure to convey your message clearly and ensure it grabs your audience’s attention.

How To Resourcefully Market Your Press Release

When creating your press release ask yourself, “Who is my target audience”? Market to those who would enjoy your site, book or article.

A press release is used to build relationships with prospective readers, followers and customers. Be careful not to turn your press release into a sales pitch or advertisement. Instead, set out to educate and inform those who are or may be interested in what’s to come.

Optimization will help you in this process. Inserting keywords and phrases, as well as text links, will increase the value of your press release.

The probability of your press release being seen grows with strategic optimization. Optimization should include media and video.

Including images and video makes your press release more interesting while adding to its marketability.

Pictures of yourself, book cover, or video reviews and interviews are strategic tools you use in your press release. Be sure to use relevant and quality videos and images!

How Do I Correctly Create A Press Release?

To better assist you in creating a press release here is a complete outline. These tips describe how to create an effective press release.

Tips

1). Make your font professional: Times New Roman and Garamond are good for this.

2). Try to limit your press release to a single page.

3). Make it newsworthy, so it is reported by other websites.

3). Include: Photos, book, blog, interviews or article reviews

4). Add relevant links and be sure to optimize.

5). Post your press release on your website or blog.

6). The press release should be double- spaced with a white background.

What Should My Press Release Layout Include?

1). For “Immediate Release” or “Embargoed Until…”

• This phrase goes in the top left margin of your page. If choosing “Embargoed Until” be sure to include the future date of release.

2). Name, address (physical or web), and phone number.

• You may add an email address for future correspondence purposes.

3). Title of book, article or blog. Page count, price, ISBN.

4). A brief synopsis of the book, article or blog.

5). Short bio with any earned awards.

6). Reviews and recommendations.

7). Links to purchase books, view an article or blog.

Take some time today and look at the opportunities you have to promote through a press release any breaking news for your blog, book or guest postings.  You might just get the attention and rewards for this effort.

The Importance of Writing

When I was asked to write about “writing” I was immediately excited. My excitement was not just because I love to write, but because there were so many ways I could approach the subject of writing; all of which allowed me to be imaginative!

I chose the “importance of writing” because writing is an essential part of my life, whether it is my blog, expressing my thoughts and feelings to others, or in my professional field as a virtual assistant.

Writing is important because it gives us the ability to express a thought and deliver information, using words or symbols. In the simplest manner, writing is: words and symbols on paper.

We have grown considerably from the old way of jotting out letters, essays and greeting cards.

Writing is involved and evolving: we text, email and utilize blogging as well as other types of social media to get our messages out there for others. We now write on a MacBook, IPad, Laptop, and Smartphones.

Conveying the Important Information

Have you ever attempted to express an opinion or provide information about a subject but didn’t know where to begin? Outlining your ideas, thoughts seems like a daunting task for some; myself included some days.

However, if I begin by brainstorming and developing various aspects of my topic, I find I have a lot of information. Then I can begin to research all the diverse aspects of my subject and help me solidify my writing objectives.

What is The Important Objective in Writing?

The ultimate goal or objective of any writing is to ignite a particular reaction from the audience. The way in which you use the words in the composition determines the response of the reader. What response are you hoping to receive?

Whether writing to advertise, educate, deliver a speech or entertain; the way in which you choose to present the topic is important. Determine the type of audience you intend to attract.

Research and brainstorm any topic and write, just don’t forget to rewrite; it’s not as in-depth as you may think, and it pays off in the end.

Writing does not require you to be a creative genius or literary scholar. All you need is the ability to convey a thought or emotion in the form of words.

I often find myself writing articles, advertisements, call- to- actions, and blogs, for those who deem themselves incapable.

It is not that they don’t have the ability but that they don’t know where to start. Begin by writing down the subject matter of your composition that may consist of a compilation of thoughts, research and statistical data.

Once you have completed this process, you can start to build your final piece from there. My advice is to write from the heart even when including all other information.

My joy of writing comes when I write using my voice and emotions coupled with all other data.

And it’s that personal quality that makes my writing important to me; it’s authentic, easily understood by others and just maybe in time, it will have importance and give hope and encouragement to someone else to find the importance of writing.

Just Write!!!