Creating Positive Buzz: Abington Memorial Hospital staff gets it.
Just a couple of days ago, almost exactly one month prior to my 31st birthday I had an amazingly pleasant experience at my local hospital, Abington Memorial (well, okay as pleasant as it can be when having surgery). You see I’ve had bulged discs in my lower back for several years and after a recent fall had herniated one of those discs so badly that I had no choice but to get surgery. But that’s not the point…
The point is, the hospital nurses, assistants, and my surgeon, Dr. Hsu, all made the experience as painless and calm as possible. From the moment I was admitted to the moment I left, I felt safe, cared for and treated as a human…not just another patient. They could all sense my unease at being put under anesthesia and reassured me I’d be fine.
The nurses were so friendly and checked up on me regularly; but not so much that it was overbearing. The anesthetist was to the point and put me ease about the process, as did my surgeon, Dr. Hsu. I left as a true advocate for the hospital and would recommend them to anyone. Obviously, I’d prefer not to have to return to the hospital any time soon, but if by chance my husband and I decide to add to our family and have another baby, I’ll be at Abington Hospital. And if by chance I have to have a follow up back surgery down the road, I will go to Abington and hopefully have the same surgeon.
What does this have to do with creating positive buzz? Everything!
Whether they know it or not, the nurses and surgeons I dealt with for my procedure were selling the services of the hospital. They get it! They understand that patients want to and deserve to be treated as human beings and not just another number…or notch in their surgery belts. The customer service was excellent and attentive. I was comfortable and saw other patients being carefully and sincerely monitored. The staff had a level of compassion that anyone would want at a hospital.
So, thanks Abington Memorial Hospital and Dr. Hsu for making me an advocate for the service you provide to patients.
What organizations or providers that you recently used “get it” and left you with a warm fuzzy?
Copyright 2009-2010 Teresa H. Berger, MBA & Innovate Services
full disclosure – this post was strictly from a patient stand-point and was not a paid post in any way
Get your client greetings and keep in touch plan off your plate NOW!
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This holiday season let us take care of your holiday greetings to clients, prospects, colleagues and more! We can even use your digital photos to make your holiday greetings even more personal…and an image of your signature can be used too!
What does a virtual marketing firm do?
We thought we’d share our latest video with you to (hopefully) shed light on what virtual assistants or virtual marketing firms like ours can do for your business. It’s long, so we don’t expect you to sit through the whole thing…but we’d be thrilled if you did. Not only do we provide video / slideshow development support, but we can help you promote products, real estate listings and more with them through the various outlets available.
Let us know what you think – the good, bad and ugly by commenting below.
How to Avoid Overwhelm When Starting a New Project
You’re just back from your conference, and boy, are you excited! For the past few days, ideas for new projects and collaborations were flowing, and on the flight home, you filled several pages with notes about a new product you want to launch.
You arrive back in your office, and your desk is covered with notes, messages, and things that need doing…NOW! Just how do you keep this big new project of yours off the back-burner, and NOT get overwhelmed?
Here are a few ideas:
1. Harness your momentum. You’re excited about this new idea NOW. Take an hour to write down your goals for the project as soon as you arrive home. Post them in the most visible spot in your workspace to give the project priority status.
2. Tell your team, your family, and colleagues about your project to signal your commitment to the project a nd make it “real.” Once people know about your plans, they exist somewhere outside of your own head – the first step toward making it happen!
3. Create opportunities for “quick wins.” Think about your project as a series of easily achievable goals that lead to your desired end result. Take your big goal, and divide it into manageable action steps to complete each day/week/month, then address them one at a time.
4. Get a new perspective. Sometimes it is helpful to start with your end result and plan backward. This new view can help you see the big picture, while shedding light on details you may otherwise overlook.
5. Enlist help. Get your team on board! Determine what their responsibilities will be, create an action plan for each, and schedule regular meetings to stay on track and address a ny issues that happen along the way.
6. Use technology to stay on track. It’s easy to use a web-based project management and collaboration tool, such as Basecamp. It allows you to upload and share files, track to-do lists and milestones, and communicate effectively throughout the course of a project.
7. Make it fun. It’s easy to be excited about a project when you’re just starting out. Over time, you are bound to hit snags and stressors here and there. Rally your team with incentives, social outings and rewards for meeting goals throughout the course of the project – not just when it’s completed. And once it is complete, reward yourselves again for a job well done!
Donna Toothaker is CEO and founder of 1st VA the highly sought-after online marketing and consulting company. 1st VA specializes in providing online marketing support and services to entrepreneurs and solopreneurs who wish to effectively build or improve their online presence. To discover how 1st VA can help your business – visit http://www.1stva.com.
Thanks Giving – 11 Reasons To Be Thankful
Okay, this post is less about public relations, copy writing or editing and more about being thankful for what we have; having a sense of peace and contentment with where we are today. A colleague and friend recently published a book that speaks to this message — one day can make a difference in rediscovering dreams by gaining new perspective, modifying priorities and knowing your purpose.
So in this time of giving thanks, I thought I’d share what I’m thankful for. I wish all celebrating the U.S. day of Thanksgiving a safe and happy holiday!
1. I am grateful for client partnerships and collaborations this past year and those that are growing and will flourish in 2010. This past year I’ve returned to the life of a virtual professional by default (a product of a lay-off) and have continued working relationships with past clients and have built new ones. I’m grateful for each and every client this past year and am in a place where I can say I love all of my clients.
2. I am grateful for my partner and best friend, Peter. We’ve weathered some pretty serious storms — the premature death of my mother, my chronic back problems, and other challenges (ones that we all face at some point in our lives). I’m grateful every day for “my rock”.
3. I’m grateful that the sun rises and sets each day. There’s nothing better than watching a beautiful sunset. Having the time to watch a sunrise or sunset is rare, but when it comes it’s so peaceful and relaxing. As business owners dealing with several client needs at a time and our personal commitments, it’s so hard to practice being in the moment. My hope is that there is more of a commitment to that in the New Year.
4. Are you grateful for the mistakes you’ve made this past year? Why should we be? For one, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow, right? When we make mistakes we’re proving that we’re human but also giving ourselves an opportunity to learn and improve. So I am grateful for the large and small mistakes I’ve made this year.
One large mistake I made recently was to lift too much weight when I knowingly had a bulged disc in my lower back. This simple, or what I thought was simple, act of working on a home project with my husband is part of what led my bulged disc to become herniated…so badly that the orthopedic surgeon I am considering was shocked I was walking with no pain. So, the consequence of that mistake is requiring me to be more mindful of my limits and get surgery to prevent anything worse happening to my body. The consequences of this could be serious (especially if I do not get surgery), but I’m not letting it get the best of me. I’m owning up to that mistake, recognizing my limitations, and pledging to myself to never, ever sacrifice my health and well-being again. I’ve got big, muscular friends that can come by and help with the heavy lifting projects!
5. I am so grateful for the ability to help “create positive buzz” for my clients. I love writing; extracting ideas from clients and turning them into concise communications pieces. I am thrilled when a client gets exposure for their products or services. It’s not about the money; it’s about “creating positive buzz” and helping others achieve their dreams and goals.
6. If I were placing these 11 reasons in order by importance this would be #1. My daughter makes me grateful every day. Life changed completely once I became a mother and I would never change it for the world. I have a new source of laughter and inspiration every day and it’s all wrapped up in a 3+ foot tall, giggly, smiley package.
7. Philadelphia, “the city of brotherly love” is my home away from home. I’ll always consider Maryland my home, but for some reason I was always drawn to Philadelphia. I love this city, I love the diversity and its culture and I love living close enough to hop on the train to grab lunch with my husband or meet a prospective client.
8. I’m grateful for the ability to work from anywhere. As virtual professionals we often have the opportunity or even necessity to work outside of our home offices. I have worked from my back patio overlooking my yard, in the car, at Panera, at clients places of work, at the beach and at family members’ homes. You can be super-productive with a change of scenery from time to time.
9. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work at developing other dreams and interests. We don’t necessarily have to be tied to one thing always…I’m sure all of us have varying interests and aren’t solely tied to our virtual businesses. Being friendlier to the earth is one of my interests which is why I developed weeBGreen, with the help of a close friend, in April of 2009. My hope is that it grows to be a sought out source for shopping locally and regionally for earth friendlier products for “wee ones”.
10. I’m grateful for the lessons learned from my mother. I had 22 years with her and she is still guiding me today. She was a firm believer in following dreams and often referenced a poem by Louise Driscoll:
Hold fast your dreams!
Within your heart
Keep one still, secret spot
Where dreams may go,
And, sheltered so,
May thrive and grow
Where doubt and fear are not.
O keep a place apart,
Within you heart,
For little dreams to go!
Think still of lovely things that are not true.
Let wish and magic work at will in you.
Be sometimes blind to sorrow. Make believe!
Forget the calm that lies
In disillusioned eyes.
Though we all know that we must die,
Yet you and I
May walk like gods and be
Even now at home in immortality.
We see so many ugly things -
Deceits and wrongs and quarrelings;
We know, alas! we know
How quickly fade
The color in the west,
The bloom upon the flower,
The bloom upon the breast
And youth’s blind hour.
A place apart
Where little dreams may go,
May thrive and grow,
Hold fast – hold fast your dreams!
11. I am grateful for my membership to the organization for virtual professionals, IVAA. I’ve made great connections and have developed lasting client and collaborative relationships through this organization. I’m happy to serve as a volunteer staff writer for the IVAACast and hope to see many of my colleagues at the live summit in April!
What are you grateful for this year?
Share your comments here or on Twitter using #gratitudemonth.
Copyright 2009 Innovate Services & Teresa H. Berger
K.I.S.S. Tip – Best Places to Market Virtual Assistance Services.
Recently I was asked, “where are the best places to market Virtual Assistance services?”
This varies by niche, industry and what your personal interests are. The real question is:
Who is your ideal client?
- A corporate executive?
- A local business?
- Chefs/restaurants?
- Real estate professionals?
- Non-profits?
- Fitness professionals or “Fitpreneurs” as I like to call them?
- Women entrepreneurs?
- Travel organizations?
- A specific trade industry?
- Anyone that understands the value of a virtual assistant?
The possibilities for industry focus in the virtual assisting industry are endless. And as we approach 2010 and remain in economic turmoil here in the U.S., I’m guessing our industry will be gaining even more exposure and interest from organizations that want to work with highly skilled professionals while not having to endure the traditional hiring process; especially if a full-time employee is unnecessary.
Again, where to best market virtual assistance services is going to vary from one virtual professional to the next. My ideal client is not necessarily your ideal client. My comfort level with certain networking situations is not the same as others; to be honest I hate high-pressure situations…so organizations where leads are a requirement are not best for me. But I thought I would share where I communicate with others about my virtual marketing & PR services:
- local networking organizations
- chamber events
- business card exchanges
- Twitter
- online forums
- the gym (if the topic of work arises)
- LinkedIn groups and networks
- special holiday networking events
- moms groups (if the topic of work comes into play)
This list is not all inclusive and may not jive with your interests. It’s just to give you an idea of potential outlets for growing your business connections and building interest in the virtual assisting industry.
Where do you market your virtual assisting services or the industry as a whole? Please comment and share.
And if you have any questions you’d like answered here on the IS blog, send them my way – tchberger@InnovateServices.com.
Copyright 2009 Teresa H. Berger & Innovate Services
Creating Positive Buzz: Honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month with One Day Living
Creating Positive Buzz: Jonathan Fields Shares His Wake Up Call
Ever heard of Career Renegade? If not, check out what the author, Jonathan Fields, says about his life transition to work he’s passionate about:
This is the kind of wake up call many of us do not want to have! Now is the time for us to focus on work that inspires us; that drives our passion. If you are doing what you love, making a difference and following your passion let me know…I’d love to help you create positive buzz about your passion-filled business.
Creating Positive Buzz: The 350 project arrives in Philly.
What is the 350 project?
It’s not just a number.
350 parts per million is what experts say is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. And in December of this year delegates, businesses, and organizations from nations all over the world will come together in Denmark to develop a new global climate change agreement.
On Saturday, October 24th 350philly leaders and supporters will gather at Independence Mall at 1pm to make their 350 message heard. For more information, check out www.350philly.org.
Be a Balanced Entrepreneur: Slow Down and Chill Out
(Reprinted with permission from Andrea Kalli, Certified Internet/Social Marketing Assistant and Coach)
The world is in a permanent hurry. We all rush around as if our lives depended on it. While some people can cope quite happily, even thrive, on living life in the fast lane, many others find they ‘burn out’ easily, which leaves them anxious, tired, and depressed. They feel as if there are never enough hours in the day to meet all the targets they set themselves, without thinking that perhaps they are aiming too high. Feelings of inadequacy rise to the surface because they end each day feeling that they haven’t achieved very much, which leaves them feeling even more anxious.
We live in a 24/7 society that never seems to stop or even slow down. In days gone by, we would go to bed when the sun went down, and wake in the morning as it rose. Without electric light, most everyday chores were impossible, so life was organized around the natural movement of the sun. It ensured that however hard we worked during the day, we had adequate time in which to sleep. We lived life at a slower pace, following the rhythm of nature, because fewer demands and time limits were placed on us. Nowadays, it’s sometimes hard to tell when day turns into night, because we can carry on working at any hour. Some of us work and work, never knowing when to stop, as if we’re afraid that something will go wrong if we do.
When the pace of your life reaches this point, it’s time to do something. Actually, it’s time to do nothing at all. Here are some ways to ensure that you can build some ‘me’ time into your busy life.
First of all, no matter how hard you work, try not to bring your work home with you. When work finishes for the day, leave it at the office or in the factory – as they say, you work to live, not live to work. Similarly, if you work from home, try to make sure your workstation is positioned away from the areas of the home in which you and your family like to relax.
Make sure that, as far as you are able, you can find some time to relax at the end of a working day and, more importantly, at the weekend. If necessary, leave the answer machine switched on over the weekend, turn off the TV, the computer, and your mobile phone, gather up your family, and ask them what they would like to do. Chances are it will be something that you can all do together that will get you working as a team and spending good quality time with each other. You could arrange a picnic at a favorite spot or, if the weather is bad, get out some long-forgotten board games, or get the children involved in crafts and hobbies.
Stand still sometimes. You don’t have to be continually thinking or planning. Don’t feel you have to fill every minute of every day with something ‘constructive’. Just looking at the flowers and trees in your garden, or standing at the edge of the sea, will help to calm your thoughts. At the same time, slow down your breathing – too many of us do not breathe deeply enough. We rush through our breathing in the same way that we rush through the chores of the day.
If it really is difficult to find some ‘me’ time, look at the things you think you must do next week, and see if you can re-prioritize or re-schedule some of them. You may discover a spare hour or two that you can call your own.
We all want to live perfect lives but, in reality, this really isn’t achievable without having to compromise in some way. Instead, remind yourself that life is for living; give yourself time out to relax. You’ll find it much easier to tackle the more difficult aspects of your life.
Andrea Kalli offers a variety of business services, to include: Internet and Social Marketing Strategist/Coach/Assistant, editing for Podcasts/Audio/Video/Teleconferences/Audio Books, and productivity training and support for Microsoft Outlook and Windows SharePoint Services. Her primary area of focus is to work with businesses to achieve greater online presence in building their business and brand.
Innovate Services & Client Media Mentions…
http://www.business-opportunities.biz http://blog.cristinafavreau.com http://www.ivaa.org/pdfs/latestcast.pdf http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog
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