What's So Great About Being a Cubs Fan, Anyway?

Me and my dad - always buddies, he taught me
the love of Baseball

Growing up, my dad played baseball with our church league.  Some of my earliest memories involve playing with my friends in the grass behind the bleachers or lawn chairs, where our moms sat and watched while our dads and brothers played ball.

I was 10 years old when I went to my first professional baseball game. Or at least it’s the first one I remember.  I can still recall the feeling of awe and overwhelm as we walked through the stadium to find our seats.  I remember sitting down with the hot dog and soda my parents bought me, thinking that I was experiencing the coolest thing in the world. 

And I was.  I was experiencing a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

A Graceful Thanksgiving

Today millions of Americans will gather around an abundant table with their loved ones and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving.  We often refer to this as saying Grace.

But in a world filled with imperfect human beings, there are other forms of grace I'd like to take a closer look at this week.

If you look in Webster's Dictionary, the word "grace" has many definitions.  

1. The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.

Public Isolation Project: Do TOO Many People Know Your Place?

In today's Web 3.0 world, we are bombarded with the newest, latest, greatest ways to stay connected via technology.  But the Public Isolation Project has forced many in Cyberland to take a long hard look at the real world ramifications of living in a social media world.

Those of us in the marketing industry noticed a huge shift several years ago as Social Media changed

Beginning Business Relationships: Social Media Style

Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn.  Oh My.

If you haven't set up profiles on the "Big 3" in Social Media, you might be wondering where to start.  And even if you HAVE joined the party on all 3 Social Media platforms, you may not have a full grasp on how to get the most out of them.

A quick overview:

What is Vital to your Speech?

Presentations and Public Speaking.  Getting "eyeball to eyeball" is paramount to connecting with your prospects and clients, as well as helping you establish authority and credibility in your area of expertise.

That's why I Can Relate Talk Radio had David Murray, Editor of Vital Speeches of the Day, as our Featured guest.  I met David at the Communitelligence Conference in Scottsdale, AZ.  David was one of the Keynote Speakers where he gave an insightful speech on what makes a great speech.  His insights are priceless to ANY professional giving presentations, whether to 3 people or 3,000.  So listen to this podcast...it's 30 minutes of time well-spent!

A brief summary of David's interview:

Increase your "Purpose Portfolio"

It's no secret that the recession has brought about many changes in our world. But not all of these changes are negative. People trying to live within their means, bad business practices exposed, the overall greed-factor decreasing significantly, the list of positive effects goes on.

My favorite is wrapped up in the saying "Meaning is the New Currency."  I believe this to be true.  Actually, I believe it's not the "new" currency.  It's the currency we were meant to exchange all along, we just somehow lost sight of that fact somewhere in the economic boom.  So if meaning is currency, I have to ask:

What are you doing now to increase your Purpose Portfolio?

Choosing Your Future - Les Brown shows us how it's done

Last week on I Can Relate Talk Radio's episode, "Bring It!" we talked about the 3 top things you can bring to your business relationships.  We ended with our Standing Strong Segment, which was to work on yourself, so that you are bringing the best version of you to each relationship you have.

I let you know that I had recently listened to Les Brown's Choosing Your Future speeches.  This is a 6-CD series that highlights the following steps to creating the future you dream of and living your true purpose:

It's Possible
It's YOU
It's Necessary
It's Hard
It's Worth It
It's Done

If you have never heard "The Motivator" speak, then it's time!  He is a powerful man with a unique and personable style.  I first heard of him last year, and was moved by his message.  A few weeks ago, a dear friend and I were talking, and she felt led to lend me this CD Series.  After listening, I believe this message is so relevant and right on track, that I'd like to encourage you to listen to this series of speeches.  It just might be the tool you need to change your life!


Until Next Time,
Jacki

Two Voices: One Reality

We all have two voices within our minds that struggle to be heard. One voice is telling us our purpose, our desires. It tries to convey our value and our strengths. The other voice is busy telling us why we can’t do all of the things that the first voice is saying.

Yet we can only give life to one voice at a time. And we do that by choice. We can choose to listen to what the first voice is saying, and our reality becomes one of purpose and strength. Or we can choose to listen to the condemning negativity of the second voice, and our reality is then wrought with struggle and strife. Which voice we choose to let determine our activities is solely up to us.

So my question to you is this: which voice are you letting guide your reality?

In these tough economic times, it’s easy to give into the voice with bad intent. We see our circumstances as insurmountable, and so it is an easy fix to listen to the negativity. But there is a huge difference between our circumstances and our reality.

A circumstance might be out of our control, but our reaction to it is up to us. Maybe you’ve heard the saying that “Life is 10% what happens to us, and 90% how we react to it.” We can choose to react by listening to the voice that tells us that things are too tough, so we might as well give up. That we’re banging our heads up against a brick wall trying to survive right now. Or we can react to the voice that tells us that we are strong enough, smart enough, and creative enough to not only get through this tough circumstance, but to thrive because of it.

Stand Out From The Crowd

We've all heard about figuring out what makes our businesses unique, but what about the person behind the business? Whether you are self-employed, an employee of a large company, or an independent contractor hired to represent a company, it's YOU that the prospect is really sizing up. Whatever your business is, you have competition. And there's always someone out there that can provide your service or product better, faster, cheaper than you.

But there's one thing your competition doesn't have:

There's Power in Personalization: Article by Eileen Harris

Here's the last of the winning articles from the "I Can Relate: Business Relationship Tips" newsletter contest. This entry was received from Eileen Harris, a Realtor with Zip Realty. Eileen is a Real Estate Agent in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and other areas within the Valley of the Sun.

In her article, she hits on the importance of personalization in building her client relationships, and just how much it effects her bottom line. I hope you enjoy the article!

Jacki

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"There's Power in Personalization"

by Eileen Harris

As a Realtor, each month, I send out my company newsletter by email to all of the clients in my database. It is a well-written, informative newsletter that I enjoy reading each month and I'm sure my clients enjoy it as well.

Last month, I sent out 750 newsletters by email. My response: 4 clients telling me how nice the newsletter was and thanking me for sending it.

At the same time, I sent out 10 cards from my Send Out Cards account. Response: 1 client wanting to buy a $500,000 home!

Do the math: 4 responses to 750 emails = less than .01%

1 response to 10 personal cards = 10% (+ the potential for a big commission!)

Sending cards is a no brainer; just a couple of minutes and a few clicks can reap big benefits, personally and professionally. There is power in personalization. Send a card NOW and tell a few friends.

Newsletter Article Contest winner Alan Underkofler

Here's another great article that was submitted into my "I Can Relate" Newsletter article contest. This was submitted by a good friend and colleague in SendOutCards, Alan Underkofler.

Alan and I met on the 2008 Eagle's Challenge Bahama's Cruise. We were two of the 80 or so distributors that won the challenge and were on the cruise back in March. We also happened to be on the same plane heading west...there's a picture of us on the plane back from Ft. Lauderdale.

Enjoy his insightful article on how building relationships is like the perfect cup of coffee.

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Savoring the Investment IN a Relationship by Alan Underkofler

This morning I was up very early and decided I wanted a cup of coffee. My first thought was to take a quick shower, grab my laptop, and head over to my local Starbucks. As I was getting out of bed I realized I wanted something different… I really just wanted to enjoy a cup of coffee outside in the cool morning air.

Some of you reading this may know I am a goal oriented, multi tasking, crazy scheduled, always going in multiple directions type of person so getting ready and starting my day running is pretty normal for me.

Something about this morning, at this moment was a bit different… I was looking for a different approach or a different experience this morning. It hit me… where is that French Press that I used to love making coffee with?

As I entered my kitchen in search for my lost press I started to remember why I love it! Boiling the water, grinding the coffee, pouring the hot water over the coffee, letting it sit for a few minutes, finally pressing the plunger down to pour my perfect cup of coffee. Sitting outside I realized why I love this process so much.

So what the heck does this have to do with followup and why would I post my morning coffee experience here? Well as I was sipping my coffee listening to the morning sounds I realized how the process of my morning cup of coffee is very similar to the process of followup. It’s not always about the quick cup of coffee or the quick meeting of a new prospect. It’s about the process! When I take the time to really get to know a person, learning about them and their business, I get to enjoy the result.

Following up and building relationships is just like making the perfect cup of coffee. When we take the time and go through the entire process we can enjoy the result.

Tomorrow is the start to a brand new week. I might just start with another perfect cup of coffee.

Burning Bridges: When to Sever a Professional Relationship

Toxic people. We've all ran into them before, and it's never pleasant. Some are toxic right out of the gate. There are the ones that SEEM normal enough, but then try to lure you down their path to darkness. Sometimes, perfectly good people can turn bad due to their own outside influences.

Whatever the case may be, these are people that you cannot afford to influence you. For the most part, we learn ways to deal with them, keep them at arm's length, and are able to coexist.

But that's not always the case. We do live in a professional culture where we are taught to "never burn bridges." But sometimes you HAVE to if you're going to survive. So let's look at some reasons to walk away.

1. Your reputation. In the end of the day, your reputation is all you REALLY have that will make you or break you. None of us can afford to tarnish it. And while it takes years to build up, it only takes one instance to bring it to ruin.

Our reputations can be destroyed by association. So maybe you have a professional relationship with someone who is unethical. Keep associating with that person, and it will be assumed that you are unethical as well.

2. Your quality of life. If you have a Toxic person that you associate with in business, they can literally take the joy away from you. I've had a person so filled with negativity in my career that every time I knew I would have to deal with them, I would get that sick feeling in my stomach and dread the encounter. Wow! That's no way to exist!

3. Your conscience. Maybe you have a client that is asking you to do something that you're not comfortable with. Or maybe it's a boss that is insisting you adhere to questionable business practices. Or maybe it's a strategic partner who is bringing you a ton of referrals, but you find out that they're talking bad about you behind your back. Whatever the case may be, it's time to listen to the instinct that is telling you to run!

Now I completely understand that it's not always a simple matter of walking away. And often times, the decision will cost you business, money, referrals, or even your job. But in the end, you have to weigh the potential loss against the cost of allowing that person to stay in your life. When the cost outweighs the loss, then it's time to burn the proverbial bridge.


Jacki Semerau © Copyright 2008

Business Relationship Tip: It's the Little Things

From the July 23rd issue of "I Can Relate: Business Relationship Tips from Jacki Semerau." Enjoy!

It's the Little Things

We often get so wrapped up in the big things, that we forget what we consider to be "little things." But this week, I want to remind you that it's the little things that are infinitely more important.

Not too long ago, I had a client call me unexpectedly. I had done some extra work on their marketing campaign and put in some extra hours for to help the company meet an important deadline they were facing. This client called simply to say "Thank You" for putting in the extra effort. That was it...the entire purpose of the call. It took less than 3 minutes, and yet it had a tremendous impact on me.

It's cooking a meal even though you've had a tough day at work. It's giving your kids your undivided attention for just 5 minutes, even though you've got a million things on your plate. It's smiling at that complete stranger you just made eye contact with, instead of quickly looking away. It's sending flowers to someone who's ill. It's remembering what your client's favorite candy is, and then bringing some with as a gift the next time you'll see them.

Throughout the years, I've witnessed time and again the amazing power that the Little Things have had. If you stop and think, I bet you can come up with at least a dozen in the next 60 seconds. Go ahead....try it!
We're all after the big results, the big clients, the big score! But remember, the Big Things are just a lot of Little things all put together. So this week's tip is to take the extra few minutes to do something nice for someone...something little that could have a big impact.

Business Relationship Tip of the Week: Appreciation above Self-Promotion

From my weekly newsletter dated 7/16/08....enjoy!
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When we are trying to increase our profits, it's easy to think of getting in touch with clients and prospects to remind them why you are so great. We think of it as promoting. We think of it as advertising. We think of it incorrectly!

That's not to say that there is anything wrong with promotion or advertising. Quite the opposite. Remember, one aspect of my consulting is in helping business people create and execute marketing plans! But everything must be kept in it's proper perspective.

And there's a big difference between Marketing Opportunities and Relationship Building Opportunities. Many people confuse the two. And if you are thinking that you need to reach out to the people in your Sphere of Influence, then try thinking "Appreciation" over "Self-Promotion . Why? Because when you promote yourself to 100 people, maybe 10 of them will contact you, and maybe 1 or 2 of those people will actually close business with you.

However, when you reach out in appreciation to people who have either done business with you, or have somehow helped you in your career path, do you know what happens? They turn into evangelists about your services. Now they are busy spreading the word about your services. They are creating Buzz, and Buzz leads to increased business. They are actively looking to refer you, because they know if you treat them well, you'll treat their friends, family, and associates the same.

So this week's tip is to show your appreciation. Reach out the people in your business that you haven't thanked lately and let them know how grateful you are to them.

Jacki Semerau © Copyright 2008

Business Relationship Tip of the week: Show You Care

Every week, I'll post the relationship tip from the newsletter that went out the previous week. In other words, this post is the tip from the July 9th edition.

If you aren't yet receiving my weekly newsletter "I Can Relate: Business Relationship Tips from Jacki Semerau," Simply fill out your email address in the box to your right that says "Sign up for my weekly newsletter."
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Show you care while being sincere!

There's a popular phrase when talking about business relationships: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." I'm not sure who the first person to come up with this phrase is, but I can tell you that they couldn't be more accurate!

But the challenge for many is learning how to do this. How do I show someone I am just beginning a business relationship with that I care about them? I've only just met them, and so how can I possibly care about them already? And even if I DO care, how do I show them in such a way that they believe me, and don't just think I'm a big phony?

Here's the secret: when you care about people in general, you will naturally care about ANY individual you've just met. And if you care about people in general, you will earn yourself a reputation as being a truly caring and sincere person.

For some of us, that may come easy. But for others, maybe you really DON'T care. And I'm not saying that makes you Bad. But that comes through to people, which makes it harder for you to build that valuable relationship, which in turn makes it harder for you to earn referrals. You may make SALES, but if you feel that you have to work exceedingly hard for every deal, then maybe you need to evaluate your Care-Factor.

Caring for other people is a discipline, just like any other business practice. Next week, we'll take a look at some tips for creating that discipline within yourself. But you can start right now simply by making the conscious decision to Care.

When people know that you care about them, they naturally want to give back to you in whatever way that they can. In business, this usually takes form by way of a sale or a referral. So show you care...the more you do, the greater your chances of success!

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Jacki Semerau © Copyright 2008

The Winners of the "Name That Newsletter" Contest!

I am amazed by the creative thoughts and suggestions that have come through regarding the Name That Newsletter contest. I can assure you, making the decision on which name to choose was no easy task. In fact, it was so difficult, that I actually chose TWO winners and combined their entries!

Congratulations to the two winners:

Karen Kanefsky, who recommended Winners Relate.
Andy Kolton, who recommended Better Business Relationship Tips from Jacki

These entries inspired the official name of this newsletter:

I Can Relate: Business Relationship Tips from Jacki Semerau

This was a tough decision! I'd like to thank everyone who entered the contest...you had such wonderful and creative suggestions!

Allen Blaker
Andy Kolton
Anita Bell
Chef John
Jill Hall
Jim Kelder
Joanne Lipuma
Josephine Saineghi
Karen Kanefsky
Laurie Dickman
Mark Tait
Nicole Muench
Paul Hershenberg
Paul O'Brien
Robi Barkoff
Sherry Cornillie
Tammy Abernethy
Vicky Semerau


If I missed your name, please contact me immediately! I want to give you recognition as well!



Until Next Time,



Jacki