A Comment on Modern Day Decorum Do’s & Don’ts

I realize that this is a little off the beaten track, but after reading Melissa Leong’s article, You’re Doing It Wrong, in the April 18 edition of the National Post, I thought it might be fun to change it up a little and offer some commentary on its engaging content. 

It seems that with life and technology moving these days at the speed of light, there really isn’t much time for the consideration of decorum.  But, manners and proper etiquette are things that help move us along in our daily lives as well, and should never be taken for granted or lost in the shuffle.  Even the little things like please’s and thank-you’s can make a difference.  Ms. Leong’s article goes further and cites a list of suggestions that we should all stop doing and start doing, as put forth by author & humorist, Henry Alford. 

Among the “Stop Doing This” list, Mr. Alford proposes that we think twice before using the expression, “No problem.”  He contends that it has become a phrase that is not only overused, but grossly inappropriate.  Unless an actual problem is implied or impending, responding with “No problem” to the average statement really is not the way to go.  True, but in my humble opinion, not the biggest deal in the world. 

It gets better, though!  Another of his examples of things we should all stop doing is taking cell phone calls at inopportune moments, unless the sky is falling.  This one, I wholeheartedly agree with!  It never ceases to amaze me how rude people can be when it comes to their cell phones.  As Mr. Alford points out – if you answer your cell while we’re in the middle of a conversation (unless it’s an emergency), you’re essentially letting me know that I and what I have to say really don’t matter at all.  And, don’t even get me started on texting – especially when walking – or even worse, driving.  A woman actually plowed right into me the other day at a mall, so engrossed was she in the earth-shattering text conversation that was taking place.  To add insult to injury, she did not even offer an apology.  She in fact barely even glanced up. And, don’t you just love the guy that answers his phone in a crowded public space and proceeds to talk at the top of his lungs because his conversation is just so important that we all have to be privy to it??  Ever wonder what we did before the advent of the cell phone?

Mr. Alford also cites a less talked about pet peeve, but one that does resonate.  You know when your best friend is complaining to you about her husband and his lack of respect or consideration for her?  Well, hard as it might be, try to refrain from trashing the guy along with her.  Why?  Because right now, she’s pissed at him and her anger is talking.  In a day or two, she’ll be in love again, but if you’ve verbally annihilated him in your last conversation with her, things could get dicey!  So, the point is:  Try to refrain from making nasty comments about others, especially in a situation like that!

And, now for the “Start Doing This” stuff.   The first example of this that Mr. Alford cites is the pre-emptive strike.  His point here is that “…sometimes bad manners beget good manners.”  For example, Mr. Alford writes that his mother, who is hard of hearing, will, at a dinner, share this fact with the people on either side of her so that she doesn’t appear rude if should she not catch everything being said.  Good idea.  I do something similar at home with my family.  If I’m in a particularly down or bad mood, I’ll let them know, so that if I happen to be a little bit short or impatient, they’ll understand why, rather than just think that I’m being ill-mannered.

Then, there’s the obvious stuff.  It’s only proper to stand to the right of an escalator if you’re going to stand still.  Or, if you’re driving slowly in the fast lane and someone comes up behind you, for goodness sake – move over into the slower moving lane so they can get by you!!! It only stands to reason, right?  But, how many people don’t do things like this?  And, how frustrating is it for everyone else? 

The real point is, we all have to co-exist.  Doesn’t it make your day when people are kind to you and considerate?  If we all treated each other with respect and a sense of decorum, what a wonderful world this would be!

FACEBOOK VALUED AT IN EXCESS OF 100 BILLION DOLLARS

“Facebook was just valued at $103 billion in a final private-market trade before the IPO.”

     – businessinsider.com - March 31, 2012

Wow!  I wonder if Mark Zuckerberg had even the faintest idea in October of 2003, when he first wrote Facemash (the predecessor to Facebook) that the little site he was to develop would take the world by storm to become the most prevalent social networking platform on the planet.  Anyone who has seen David Fincher’s brilliant film, The Social Network, can tell you that Facemash was first implemented as a means of comparing photographs of Harvard students to one another to discover who was the “hotter” of the two people in the compared photos.  A little crude?  Yes.  Kind of mean?  Definitely.  Facemash, however, according to Wikipedia, garnered 450 visitors and 22,000 photo views within its first few hours online.  And, once Zuckerberg wrote the code for Facebook in 2004, well… the rest, as they say, is history.                

Facebook today, is a medium that few people do without.  And, from a business standpoint, as any forward-thinking professional can attest to, Facebook is the vehicle to employ.  I’ve heard it said that if you’re not connected on social media these days, you simply don’t exist.  It’s an attitude worth considering in terms of your business, especially given the fact that Facebook will soon be able to pride itself on garnering over 1 billion users across the globe!

If you’d like some help getting started on Facebook as well as the other most prominent social networking sites, we’d love to see you at one of our Social Networking for Business workshops.  We’ll help you to create and/or optimize your social media accounts to best complement and advance your business.  For a schedule of workshops in your area, please click here: http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUR INSURANCE BUSINESS

Ah, the wonders of social media … imagine your insurance business optimized to its full potential.  Are you taking advantage of everything social media have to offer?  If you are, you’re on the road to a finely tuned operation and will be able to offer the ultimate in client care.  There are a few points you should bear in mind, however, to really take your social networking strategy to the next level!  

1. Your business should have a personality that shines through on social networking sites.  One of the most integral aspects to social media is that they enable you to bring forth your business’ human side.  Your business needs to be more than just a money-making operation – it needs a personality and a passion – and social networking is the most effective means of letting your clients and prospects know that your business’ perspective is a human one and its passion is client satisfaction.  Use social media to communicate ‘to’ and ‘with’, rather than ‘at’ your audience.

2. Really get to know your audience by listening to what they have to say.  Let them do more of the talking while you do more of the listening.  Social networking is nothing if not a great way to get to know people.  Take the time to visit your Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn account and your blog‘s comments section at least a couple of times a day to hear what people are saying.  Listen to the good, the bad and the ugly and make sure that you respond to people where required in a timely manner.  Ask questions that provoke people to share information about themselves so you can get to know them better and anticipate what their needs are.

3. Build awareness and trust at the same time.  Of course you want people to know what you and your business can offer.  Social media allow you to get your message out there and to build brand awareness, while at them - keep the dialogue going, and showcase your industry knowledge all the while allowing them to believe and trust in you.  Social media allow you to become indispensible to your clients by giving them access to you 24/7.

4. Remember that social media are interactive and people will be sharing their opinions – good, bad or indifferent.  Use what people have to say a learning experience and as a means of changing and growing your business.  People’s opinions are important information for you to have and social media provide the best means for people to relay their messages.  Again, ensure that you address and respond to people where warranted.

5. Focus on generating “word of mouth” buzz by delivering engaging, relevant and useful content.  Be helpful and informative when engaging in conversations with your audience.  People will appreciate it and spread the word about your expertise and professionalism within the industry.  Social media make it very easy to do this.

Need help getting your social media endeavors on track?  Why not join one of our Social Media for Business workshops.  Just click on the following link for a schedule of upcoming workshops in your area!

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

SOCIAL MEDIA AND TAXES: The Two Constants in Life

We are upon the season that we all love (Yes, spring is coming, but that’s not what this blog is about-sorry.)  It’s tax season!  Pardon me; I couldn’t help the sarcastic tone. 

If you’re a financial advisor trying to help clients out with their taxes, social media is a very effective means of getting your messages / tips to people.  Through the wonders of social media, you can:   

- provide tips on tax planning

- provide tips on how to save for taxes

-provide tips on filling out tax forms

- make suggestions on how to receive the highest return possible

- inform clients of changes to tax laws and policies

- And so much more!!

Social media technology allows you to reach a wide audience to easily spread your messages.  Use Facebook and Twitter to post useful information and have conversations with people. Post links to websites or articles that you think might be useful.  Use your blog to impart more in-depth information – as a how-to forum or an explanation of something that requires more space than Twitter or Facebook allow.  And, don’t forget to link your blog / Facebook page / Twitter account.

According to an ExactTarget blog post by Kyle Sollenberger, “…tax preparation service TurboTax® …used CoTweet to streamline their approach to Twitter presence and enhance customer service with a response time of just four minutes. With CoTweet, TurboTax was able to generate measurable business results, including:

·         48% effectiveness in helping complete tax returns

·         46% follower rate of Twitter users specifically seeking tax help

·         71% likelihood of customers to recommend TurboTax

(CoTweet is an application used to help business teams manage one or more Twitter accounts.)

Social media are powerful and necessary in today’s market.  In a customer-facing business such as finance or insurance, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make strides towards company strength and development without the use of these tools.  To learn more, we’d love to see you at one of our Social Networking for Business workshops, where we’ll show you how to make the most of social media to drive your business!  Just click on the following link for a schedule of workshops in your area: 

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS SHIFTING THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

Social media is an instrumental element in creating a new epoch in business with respect to transparency and engagement.  It has allowed for fresh opportunities and even challenges.

In a past life, businesses depended on artful advertising campaigns and press releases as means of communicating with consumers.  Companies were constantly trying to influence people into believing that their products and services were the best, with in-your-face, interruptive and one-directional advertisements and messages.

With the social media era now upon us, the landscape of business and marketing strategy has radically shifted, as consumers now insist upon a more transparent and direct relationship with the companies with which they choose to do business.

Companies (that are not already making the most of social media to grow their businesses) must now decide if they will remain in the dark ages, becoming increasingly obscure, or take a leap onto the social media bandwagon in order to become ‘humanized’ and to forge new, interactive relationships with consumers. 

It’s now imperative that businesses make the shift, transitioning smoothly into the new era.

Here are some of the ways in which the shift is taking place:

1. From “Trying to Make Sales” to “Trying to Make Connections”- Interrupting people’s lives and talking “at” them via traditional advertising means has shifted to engaging and connecting with people more interactively and on a more human level.  Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and LinkedIn, facilitate engagement and social interaction and as a result, consumers have more trust and feel more comfortable engaging in a business relationship with these companies.  The more successful brands in social media are posting not so much about their products and services, but more about ‘personal’ topics of interest that connects them with consumers.

2. From “Image Management” to “Just Being Personable” – It doesn’t do a company justice to maintain a constantly controlled image.  A friendly, trustworthy face that people feel they can depend on and relate to is key.  Drop the stiff corporate image once in a while and just be personable.

3. From “Unattainable” to “Readily Available” – Engaging with customers today is vastly different than it was in the days of simply including your email address and telephone number on your website.  People now want to engage businesses via their preferred means of communication and that usually means Facebook, Twitter or discussion forums.  People want to feel comfortable doing business with companies and need to know that these companies are accessible across the social media board.

Businesses that opt to not acclimatize to the new landscape that social media has formed, will be at a distinct disadvantage, as their customers begin to forge personal relationships with their competitors.  As we are now in an age of engagement, open communication and transparency, business success has less to do with the size of advertising budgets and everything to do with the quality of interaction with customers.

To learn more about how you can develop a social media strategy for your business, join one of our Social Networking for Business workshops and we’ll teach you everything you need to know to get started today!  Just click on the link below for a listing of workshops in your area.

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

RRSP NEWS – GET IT OUT THERE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

It’s RRSP season, and with the contribution deadline just around the corner, it’s important for all of you financial advisors and planners to get vital information out to your clients and prospects.  So many people don’t understand the in’s and out’s of RRSPs.  What better way to communicate with people than via social media? 

RRSP season is a great opportunity for you to get blogging.  There are a plethora of topics to blog about when it comes to RRSPs.  If you’re so busy that you don’t have the time to come up with any ideas, here are a few you can use:  

-          RRSP vs. Mortgage – Where should your extra dollars be going?

-          TFSAs – The New Alternative to Traditional RRSPs

-          How to Calculate What you Really Need to Retire Comfortably

-          How the Home Buyer’s Plan Program Works

-          What Do Index Numbers Mean and How to Read Them

These are only a few examples – for more ideas, just consider some of the most often-asked questions you hear and blog about them.  Blogs are a very effective way of imparting crucial information to very appreciative clients!

And, don’t forget to use Twitter and Facebook, too.  Tweet short bursts of relevant information and include a link to your blog & website, or to any interesting, helpful articles you think your community might benefit from.  Do the same on Facebook – remind people of the upcoming February 29 deadline and post your contact information so they can get in touch with you!  Post a reminder, for example, that the maximum contribution one can make to his/her TFSA in any given year is $5000.00 – let people know that they can be penalized for going over that limit and give them tips on how to ensure that they don’t accidentally do so.  Make sure your posts are useful to people – as I mentioned earlier, the average person does not know as much about RRSPs and retirement as we should know, and by sharing your expertise via the social media platforms that people are using, you are establishing yourself as the go-to person that people will want to deal with.

If you need help communicating via social media, why not consider joining one of our Social Media for Business workshops, where we’ll teach you everything you need to know to be effective on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and how to make the most of your blog!  Click on the following link to view a schedule of workshops in your area:  http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS WITH FACEBOOK EVENTS

Planning a special event?  An event is a great way to promote your business and Facebook makes event planning and promoting easy (whether the event is real or virtual).  Facebook Events allows you to organize gatherings, respond to invitations and is a valuable way of keeping up with what your friends are doing.  An Event can be anything from a store’s new location opening, to an Open House, to a charitable fundraiser sponsored by your business.  An Event can be used as a fundamental way to generate business.

A Facebook Event is a useful tool for exposure, for fostering new and existing relationships, for generating sales and for sponsorship opportunities.

Example:  Say you’ve just started up in the real estate industry and you want to generate some buzz with a wine & cheese soirée.  Great start and an effective way to promote your new business! 

To Create Your Event: 

Clicking on the Events link brings you to a page listing upcoming events you`ve been invited to.  Clicking on an event will bring you to the event’s page, and will allow you to RSVP and see details such as the event’s time, location, and a list of invitees.  Clicking on Past Events will display a list of events you’ve previously been invited to.

To create your own event, click on Events at left on your homepage

Then, click on Create Event

It’s simple and fast.   Just fill out all of the relevant info.  Note the Add Event Photo option on the left.  And, you can add videos as well!

Once you have added a time and location, your event is created.

You can invite any of your Facebook friends to your Event, or you can invite people that are not connected on Facebook by simply entering their email addresses in the box on the Guest List tab of the Edit Event page.  You can invite as many people as you would like to an Event, however you can invite only 100 people at a time.  You can also make the event completely public so that anyone on Facebook can see the Event and sign up to attend.  People like to be invited to things – it makes them feel they’re a part of something. 

A good idea is to promote your event via Twitter and your blog as well.  Tell people all about it, especially if it’s open to the public (always a good idea when promoting a business). 

Once you’ve got your party started, it’s up to you!!  Work that room. 

See how easy it is to create an event all of your own on Facebook?  Just remember, you don’t want to overdo – a strategically timed event can be great for business, however, you don’t want to start scheduling them once a week – people will get bored. 

To learn how to effectively create interesting, successful events, why not join one of our Social Networking for Business workshops and we’ll teach you everything you need to know about Facebook Events, Facebook in general and all things Social Media!  Just click on the link below for a schedule of workshops in your area.

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20