Working from home in your pajamas all day sounds like a dream job right? Of course it does! But did you know your appearance can effect your attitude?
When you are dressed lazy, you feel lazy, and this can translate into your attitude while you work. You will be less productive.
Getting dressed every day for work will put you in the mindset for work regardless if anyone will actually see you. Being dressed for work changes your attitude and you are ready to work. You are more productive and even have a professional tone in your voice when dealing with client calls.
Getting dressed for work is fixing your hair, put a little make up on, appropriate shirt (no t-shirt unless it is a logo shirt), pants, and proper shoes. You may say to yourself this is a lot of work just to stay home and work. This is your job we are talking about. If you went to an actual office you would get dressed correct? What makes your home office any different?
It all goes back to if you look good you feel good. If you look professional you feel professional. Try it for an entire week and you will notice a difference.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2011
Welcome!
Find Articles for building a better business, Sales and Specials, from fellow WAHMs, Party tips, Fundraisers, Product Reviews, Advertising, WAHM Tips, Recipes, and so much, much more! Take a moment to visit some of our favorite links before you leave. Don't forget to leave your comments and interact with others. Enjoy!
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible"
~ Anonymous
Find Articles for building a better business, Sales and Specials, from fellow WAHMs, Party tips, Fundraisers, Product Reviews, Advertising, WAHM Tips, Recipes, and so much, much more! Take a moment to visit some of our favorite links before you leave. Don't forget to leave your comments and interact with others. Enjoy!
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible"
~ Anonymous
Showing posts with label professional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label professional. Show all posts
Get Dressed Every Day
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Thursday, June 23, 2011
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Labels:
appearance,
attitude,
home office,
professional,
work at home,
work attire
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1 comments
Mobile Office
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Thursday, May 12, 2011
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Labels:
article,
business,
file box,
mini demo kit,
mobile office,
professional,
tips
|
1 comments
If you meet a potential customer or recruit away from home, are you
prepared to service their needs? When you are out and about you want to
be prepared for anything. Just because you are off running an errand
doesn't mean you are off "the clock." You want to create a mobile
office.
Your mobile office can be a simple file box with separate file sections for catalogs, hostess packets, recruiting packets, business cards, brochures (sales and recruiting), order forms, calculator for on the spot orders, and pens. I use a really nice accordion file at the moment. Everything is organized and neat. You can even use those nice colored milk crates with hanging file folders.
You may even want to consider a mini demonstration kit so you have a few of your most popular products available to show. Samples are other items you may want in your mobile office.
Keep your mobile office in your car (or any car you are driving at the time) so you are always prepared when you come across a potential customer or potential recruit.
A couple things to remember:
Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2011
Your mobile office can be a simple file box with separate file sections for catalogs, hostess packets, recruiting packets, business cards, brochures (sales and recruiting), order forms, calculator for on the spot orders, and pens. I use a really nice accordion file at the moment. Everything is organized and neat. You can even use those nice colored milk crates with hanging file folders.
You may even want to consider a mini demonstration kit so you have a few of your most popular products available to show. Samples are other items you may want in your mobile office.
Keep your mobile office in your car (or any car you are driving at the time) so you are always prepared when you come across a potential customer or potential recruit.
A couple things to remember:
- Check and restock your mobile office weekly or as needed. This way you always know you are never out of anything and avoid that moment of saying "I am all out"
- Keep that car clean. You do not want to have your potential customer or potential recruit looking over your messy car. Even when you are making house calls, this is an extension of your home office. Keep it clean and professional.
- You may want to also consider a car freshener. Most don't think about this because we are used to how our car smells but it may have an odor. Having an air freshener helps with this. Don't go overboard. Just something simple and light such as vanilla and lavender work well.
- Do not smoke in your car. Regardless if your mobile office is in the trunk or backseat, smoke does linger and will get into your mobile office. Many people are allergic to the smoke while others are simply turned off. You do not want your personal habit to get in the way of your business.
- If you sometimes travel with your pets, it may be best to keep your mobile office in the trunk. This area is less likely to come in contact with pet hair and dander that some people are allergic to.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2011
Passing on a Lead
Someone says hey I need a new hair stylist, you give them the salon name, hairstylist, a card if you have it, location, rave reviews, and prices right? There is no difference whether this lead is personal or professional. You don't want to send people searching. You want to give as much as you can. Give a lead in a manner you would wish to receive a lead. Not only did you help your professional but you helped your friend in the process.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2010
Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2010
"Do Not Buy" List
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Friday, July 3, 2009
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Labels:
advertising,
business,
customer,
do not buy,
professional,
sales,
wahm
|
0
comments
You start your day by reading your email and like most days you sort through some spam. You are quick to discover spam from WAHMs who "think" you will benefit from their products or service. Maybe the first few times you blow it off as bad habits but as the habit continues you subconsciously build a "Do Not Buy" list in your head.
This is a frequent practice that takes place in many areas of the Internet. An example is you belong to a message board, your post an introduction, and the first thing someone mentions is "Hi my name is Mary and I sell wigglebams and I'd love to tell you about them". Another example is you are part of a group and send out a post looking for socks and you send a post for something other than socks. This is not OK to do.
What ends up happening when you send out your "helpful" or "beneficial" message, you are ultimately black balling yourself and hurting your reputation. You may feel it is unfair and even rant and rave how all someone had to do was tell you it was not wanted. You should not have sent it in the first place when it was unwanted so their is no reason for them to be that courteous towards you.
If it was not asked for, it is spam. Spam is illegal. Spam can lead to an undesired reputation. An undesired reputation can lead to decreased or even no sales. Nobody wants to do business with someone participating in an illegal act.
Spam is not the only reason some make their do not buy list. How you conduct yourself with others can also be a factor. If you seem confrontational it is undesirable. If you are negative in everything you share why would anyone want to do business with you.
We all have our problems in life but if you are constantly posting a new tragedy each week, it gets old and unbelievable. That will make others who may have potentially purchased from you questioning if you are truly who you say you are. You can go through a bad spell of bad luck and all is true but you will be questioned and you will lose sales and be part of the "Do Not Buy" list. Reality is you will be questioned as to whether you are running a scam. Yes it is harsh but it is reality.
If you are constantly defending your "friend" you will give the impression you are part of a clique. Cliques are turn offs in business and it intimidates others. This is a deal breaker for many and will get you added to the "Do Not Buy" list.
Do you have a habit of hijacking posts? This is when you someone starts a post whether be the appropriate ad and you come running in with the competition trying to steal their sale. Maybe you justify it as giving the person options but it can be seen as a shady practice. This is a big no no and will get you added to the "Do Not Buy" list.
Also watch those personal pages. Customers are doing their research more and more. If they go to Google and type in your name that takes them to your personal profile on a networking site with inappropriate graphics, pictures, and blurbs, you instantly just lost a sale.
Do not give customers a reason to not buy from you. Do not go with the attitude if they don't like me that's too bad. You are the one that loses out. Not the customer. And remember if bad news travels. We are more likely to pass on a bad experience before we pass on a good experience.
Image is everything in business. Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times and follow the rules. Someone is always watching and you don't want that someone to think twice about ever buying from you. You never know who is making that "Do Not Buy" list.
This is a frequent practice that takes place in many areas of the Internet. An example is you belong to a message board, your post an introduction, and the first thing someone mentions is "Hi my name is Mary and I sell wigglebams and I'd love to tell you about them". Another example is you are part of a group and send out a post looking for socks and you send a post for something other than socks. This is not OK to do.
What ends up happening when you send out your "helpful" or "beneficial" message, you are ultimately black balling yourself and hurting your reputation. You may feel it is unfair and even rant and rave how all someone had to do was tell you it was not wanted. You should not have sent it in the first place when it was unwanted so their is no reason for them to be that courteous towards you.
If it was not asked for, it is spam. Spam is illegal. Spam can lead to an undesired reputation. An undesired reputation can lead to decreased or even no sales. Nobody wants to do business with someone participating in an illegal act.
Spam is not the only reason some make their do not buy list. How you conduct yourself with others can also be a factor. If you seem confrontational it is undesirable. If you are negative in everything you share why would anyone want to do business with you.
We all have our problems in life but if you are constantly posting a new tragedy each week, it gets old and unbelievable. That will make others who may have potentially purchased from you questioning if you are truly who you say you are. You can go through a bad spell of bad luck and all is true but you will be questioned and you will lose sales and be part of the "Do Not Buy" list. Reality is you will be questioned as to whether you are running a scam. Yes it is harsh but it is reality.
If you are constantly defending your "friend" you will give the impression you are part of a clique. Cliques are turn offs in business and it intimidates others. This is a deal breaker for many and will get you added to the "Do Not Buy" list.
Do you have a habit of hijacking posts? This is when you someone starts a post whether be the appropriate ad and you come running in with the competition trying to steal their sale. Maybe you justify it as giving the person options but it can be seen as a shady practice. This is a big no no and will get you added to the "Do Not Buy" list.
Also watch those personal pages. Customers are doing their research more and more. If they go to Google and type in your name that takes them to your personal profile on a networking site with inappropriate graphics, pictures, and blurbs, you instantly just lost a sale.
Do not give customers a reason to not buy from you. Do not go with the attitude if they don't like me that's too bad. You are the one that loses out. Not the customer. And remember if bad news travels. We are more likely to pass on a bad experience before we pass on a good experience.
Image is everything in business. Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times and follow the rules. Someone is always watching and you don't want that someone to think twice about ever buying from you. You never know who is making that "Do Not Buy" list.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com
Your Image Means Everything
In the WAHM world we come across women from all walks of life. One thing that never changes in the professional image we expect from a business. No matter whether you are the frugal mom trying to help provide for your family or the seasoned owner building the bigger and better business, your image is everything.
When we speak about image, we are not always talking about the physical sense. We will talk about the physical sense though. For now this is more the details in which we operate our business. This can start with your website and end with your business card and everywhere in between.
As a WAHM myself I am far more forgiving than the neighbor down the street seeing and hearing about what you have to offer for the first time. Because of this, you need to think in the shoes of a customer purchasing from a business no matter the size. Here you have a specific standard and want nothing less. Being the business owner (as a consultant you are also a business owner) you can't expect your customer to be understanding of you being the WAHM and excuse a less than expected image. Your customer feels the same about you as they do about any business and is not going to lower the standards just because you are a WAHM. This is the harsh reality and why it is so important to focus on this area.
If you can only spend money in one place for your business, make it your business cards. Get high quality glossy cards. Do not make your own here. The cost is cheap because they quality is cheap. Now that sounds brutal but amateur printing sets the tone for an amateur business. If your first set of business cards has to be done at home, keep it simple, keep production small. Upgrade ASAP though. Another sign of amateur is ordering free cards and advertising for that company stamped on the back. These things do not sound important and you may be told by several close to you this is OK but think about a multi million dollar company doing this. No you are not a multi million dollar company but you are a business and should show the most professional abilities available to you.
Now you may think these costs are too outrageous just starting out. As the old saying goes - it takes money to make money. You just need to plan well. Before starting any business, you need to have a plan and part of that plan includes a financial budget. In your budget you should include marketing. Business cards and such are part of this category. If you started your business before planning, it is not too late. Break out that notebook I am always talking about. Start working out a plan.
Previously we talked about goals. This is another reason why goals are so important. You need to know where you are going and how to get there. Advertising and your image are part of your goals. In your notebook you should already have jotted down an idea of where you want to be financially. For you to make a profit this month after paying for products and services, business suppliers, advertising, what number have you given to make that happen? We will get more into budgets in the future but for now you need to keep these in mind. Having that goal and knowing how to get there allows you to follow a course and not just stumble your way there.
Another big no no but a common project is printing your own catalogs on standard paper. Not only do these bleed through, crease easily, they look terrible no matter how clever your attempts. Many times there is an obvious printing margin set by your printer that looks out of place and shows you printed these items. Now this does not mean never do it. You can explain you printed them a catalog so they can see the products and you will be sending them your normal catalog soon. If you must print your own, create a border that looks like it belongs, use a nice card stock or specialty paper (available at office supply stores), don't go overboard with unnecessary graphics.
If you don't want to take my word for it, look at those who are making a good living doing what they do. Are you getting flimsy business cards and self made catalogs? Are you getting cheap flyers that bleed through due to double sided printing? Are they crinkled because of wet ink?
Another part of image we forget is our fun profiles. We sign up for social networking sites for business or pleasure but we forget others are watching even the personal pages. Those sexy pictures that lead to an active imagination are not the pictures you want your clients to see. They may not be actively looking for them but may stumble upon them. If you must share these, make them private and not available openly in public areas. Another is watch your language. In a fun atmosphere you feel free and let the words flow but those words can portray a very unsavory business person and turn people off. Not to say you shouldn't let loose and enjoy but watch how much you partake in and how far you take it.
Never show up to a party in a t-shirt and jeans. It is inappropriate. If you must wear a t-shirt wear khaki slacks and business casual shoes. Not tennis shoes. Jeans and a t-shirt should be reserved for athletic activities not parties. Keep hair clean and simple, jewelry simple, makeup appropriate, tone down the perfume (some are very sensitive), shoes always clean.
There is always somebody watching. They watch how you run your business, interact with others, how you dress. Everything. Nobody wants to deal with someone unprofessional. Don't give anyone reason to not want to do business with you.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
When we speak about image, we are not always talking about the physical sense. We will talk about the physical sense though. For now this is more the details in which we operate our business. This can start with your website and end with your business card and everywhere in between.
As a WAHM myself I am far more forgiving than the neighbor down the street seeing and hearing about what you have to offer for the first time. Because of this, you need to think in the shoes of a customer purchasing from a business no matter the size. Here you have a specific standard and want nothing less. Being the business owner (as a consultant you are also a business owner) you can't expect your customer to be understanding of you being the WAHM and excuse a less than expected image. Your customer feels the same about you as they do about any business and is not going to lower the standards just because you are a WAHM. This is the harsh reality and why it is so important to focus on this area.
If you can only spend money in one place for your business, make it your business cards. Get high quality glossy cards. Do not make your own here. The cost is cheap because they quality is cheap. Now that sounds brutal but amateur printing sets the tone for an amateur business. If your first set of business cards has to be done at home, keep it simple, keep production small. Upgrade ASAP though. Another sign of amateur is ordering free cards and advertising for that company stamped on the back. These things do not sound important and you may be told by several close to you this is OK but think about a multi million dollar company doing this. No you are not a multi million dollar company but you are a business and should show the most professional abilities available to you.
Now you may think these costs are too outrageous just starting out. As the old saying goes - it takes money to make money. You just need to plan well. Before starting any business, you need to have a plan and part of that plan includes a financial budget. In your budget you should include marketing. Business cards and such are part of this category. If you started your business before planning, it is not too late. Break out that notebook I am always talking about. Start working out a plan.
Previously we talked about goals. This is another reason why goals are so important. You need to know where you are going and how to get there. Advertising and your image are part of your goals. In your notebook you should already have jotted down an idea of where you want to be financially. For you to make a profit this month after paying for products and services, business suppliers, advertising, what number have you given to make that happen? We will get more into budgets in the future but for now you need to keep these in mind. Having that goal and knowing how to get there allows you to follow a course and not just stumble your way there.
Another big no no but a common project is printing your own catalogs on standard paper. Not only do these bleed through, crease easily, they look terrible no matter how clever your attempts. Many times there is an obvious printing margin set by your printer that looks out of place and shows you printed these items. Now this does not mean never do it. You can explain you printed them a catalog so they can see the products and you will be sending them your normal catalog soon. If you must print your own, create a border that looks like it belongs, use a nice card stock or specialty paper (available at office supply stores), don't go overboard with unnecessary graphics.
If you don't want to take my word for it, look at those who are making a good living doing what they do. Are you getting flimsy business cards and self made catalogs? Are you getting cheap flyers that bleed through due to double sided printing? Are they crinkled because of wet ink?
Another part of image we forget is our fun profiles. We sign up for social networking sites for business or pleasure but we forget others are watching even the personal pages. Those sexy pictures that lead to an active imagination are not the pictures you want your clients to see. They may not be actively looking for them but may stumble upon them. If you must share these, make them private and not available openly in public areas. Another is watch your language. In a fun atmosphere you feel free and let the words flow but those words can portray a very unsavory business person and turn people off. Not to say you shouldn't let loose and enjoy but watch how much you partake in and how far you take it.
Never show up to a party in a t-shirt and jeans. It is inappropriate. If you must wear a t-shirt wear khaki slacks and business casual shoes. Not tennis shoes. Jeans and a t-shirt should be reserved for athletic activities not parties. Keep hair clean and simple, jewelry simple, makeup appropriate, tone down the perfume (some are very sensitive), shoes always clean.
There is always somebody watching. They watch how you run your business, interact with others, how you dress. Everything. Nobody wants to deal with someone unprofessional. Don't give anyone reason to not want to do business with you.
Olivia Vidal
© 2009
http://sochicbagboutique.com/
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