Imagine! The Joy of Backward Thinking!

Imagine that it is the year 2015 and you are in a courtroom. You are well dressed but your feet hurt. You are there to finalize matters with creditors at your bankruptcy hearing. Huh?!? How did THAT happen?

Imagine that it is the year 2020 and you are in a courtroom. You are well dressed but your feet hurt. You are there for the final dissolution of your marriage. Huh?! How the heck did THAT happen?

Take a few moments to consider what events most likely happened in your near future as the building blocks to the disastrous outcomes above. What could you have done to prevent these things? What is well within your control that you maybe neglect or get too busy for that may  prevent such dreadful outcomes.

For many of us, looking backward is easier than looking forward. I suggest you use this exercise to look back from your future. This is a great way to rethink your own behavior before it leads to disaster. The beautiful thing about this backward/forward vision is that you can utilize it to prevent failures and also to get you closer to your desired goals. 

Imagine that it is the year 2016 and your are writing the tuition check to your kid's college of choice for a full year. Today, you have enough in the college savings account to pay for a tank of gas. Visualize how you get there in just 6 years time. You can still do this, you have 6 years!!!!

Imagine the day you retire from the career you love. Visualize the hobbies and travel that can become your daily life. Now is the time to plan that future.

Companies routinely use this backward thinking in their strategic planning for future growth. See the goal and work backward, planning the action steps, resources needed, etc... to get them there.

The next time somebody accuses you of backwards thinking, say "Why yes, thank you!".

Mary Rogers

Would you like fries with that?

No matter what type of business you are in, the old truism stands: Nothing happens until someone sells something. You may be the best at what you do, but if you avoid selling, you are dead in the water. If prospecting isn't your idea of fun, and let's face it, who among us enjoys cold calling, maybe there is another way to boost your selling. 

Before you get a cold call panic attack, let's maximize each sale that comes in the door now. Fast food companies are the ultimate marketers of selling more than the customer plans to buy. "Would you like fries with that?" or, " Would you like to Super Size that for just a dollar more?" Why not apply the same philosophy to how you service your current clients? 

Keep them in the Family

Do you have related products or services to your core business? Begin today to offer them with every sale! Consider packaging or bundling products and services with different names (Silver, Gold, Platinum). Example: Siding installers can offer power washing. Call it what you want but offer an add-on of 3 annual power washings and free inspections. 

Get a Commitment

Do your customers need your services repeatedly? Example: Hair stylists... Offer an annual hair care package of a cut every 8 weeks, color every 16 weeks, nail service and a $50 retail credit for products. Discount it for advance purchase or throw in a labor only expense such as unlimited brow waxing.

There's a place down the road...

Could you expand your line of products or services. Here's an exercise: What type of referrals do your salespeople make most often to another business. Why pass revenue to someone else's cash register. If you are a window cleaning service, think about adding screen repair. If you are a travel agent, consider a house or pet sitting service.

It's that time of year

Check in with customers as they near the anniversary date of their last purchase. Your business may be seasonal, or the customer always calls you in October because that is when their birthday reminds them of your service, in any case, take advantage of the opportunity to call and check in. Even if it is just to "see how things are". It is a chance to tell them about new offerings that may be of interest.

Your current clients are the easiest path to larger revenues. Before you embark on a prospecting campaign, be certain that all staff with customer contact are looking for sales potential of current buyers and that they have a menu of offerings.

Good luck and get selling!,
Mary

Rest and Win!

Ten years ago (post 9/11) the trend was Nesting. In February, I was remarking to my geeky marketing friends that I believed that an upcoming marketing trend would be Resting. My geeky friends scowled at me, thinking I had lost my trend-spotting touch. After all, our culture prizes the go-go-go lifestyle accessorized with speedy technology pushing us to heights of frenzied productivity and madness. 

I held firm. More and more research is showing that without REST, we diminish the returns from our efforts, both cerebral and physical.. Think about your weekends and vacations, restful? I'm not asking are they fun. Are they Restful? Do your body and mind ever, ever, ever get a chance to catch up. Just relax. Do you find yourself creating to-do lists while getting a massage, having sex, trying to fall asleep. Perhaps, you have forgotten how to... rest.

I had put my Rest Marketing Trend  on the upper shelf, out of my reach with a wait and see attitude, until this conversation took place:

Mary: Thank you doctor for taking my call. I'm wondering what I can do to speed up my recovery from surgery?

Doctor: Rest.

Mary: Yes, I understand, but what else? Supplements? Pharmaceuticals? CDs or tapes I can download to my iPod?  Special exercises? A class? Yeah, an expensive Get Better Faster class? I'd like to sign up for that right away!!!

Doctor: Rest and time are the only two things you need. And maybe more sleep.

Mary: Tell me, please, that you are kidding.

Doctor: Mary, all you need is rest.

Now not every one needs to recover from surgery, but I think we are all going to start getting the message from health and mental wellness folks that what we need, in order to be more of whatever we are trying to be, is, in fact, rest.

I predict that:

• You will see products launching to help us get better rest, like Zeo, your personal sleep coach. 
• You will learn strategies from the sports world about resting for winning.
• You will begin to hear more about the impact of fatigue on your body and mind.

So my message is twofold: 1) get more rest; and, 2) if you are a marketer, begin to think of how you can bring a promise of rest to your customers and clients.

Love and Business

As women will do, I was chatting with a friend about well, yes, relationships. We were talking about people marrying up or down. My friend recalled a conversation she had with her bright, successful niece about her engagement to a man that was quite frankly a total loser. The bride-to-be beamed when she spoke of how her loser fiancé made her feel special and loved like never before. The wise aunt asked her “Tell me what you love about him?” Again the bride rallied on about his understanding of her personality, his patience with her, how he adores and accepts everything about her. She had never felt so confident about herself in a relationship or even in general. She owed it all to him. Asked again, “But really, what do you love about HIM?”  The young woman cocked her head and said “I don’t get what you mean?” Yikes. Fast-forward three years, and predictably the niece had taken her now self-confident self on the road and left the loser, telling her friends that she realized she never really loved him. Double yikes. Aunt: 2 points!

So what does this have to do with business? Plenty. The employer/employee relationship is very similar to a marriage. If an employee judges their marriage with your company only by what they get from the relationship, it won’t last. However if an employee loves being a part of the company, feels pride in how the company operates, can point to specific examples of the company doing the right thing, acting with integrity and charity in the community, respecting all employees, and making smart decisions, the employee will stay with you through thick and thin.

These are the businesses that when a company-wide pay cut is needed, employees don’t gripe or curse; they work harder to save the company they love. How do you know which type of company you are?

Ask yourself:
Do departing employees typically leave for higher paying companies?
Are company parties, special occasions poorly attended?
Employees would prefer to not wear logo attire?
There are many long time employees?

Your answers should give you some insight into how lovable your company is. Surprisingly it has very little to do with compensation and more to do with integrity, smart management and caring about your staff.

My advice: People need to know that they a part of something bigger and better than themselves. Be a good company and communicate the how and why to your employees and your community. Make employees feel proud of their association with your company.

If you work for a company you love, tell us why. Maybe an employer will learn something.

Mary

Your Mary in the Morning Internship Experience

What do you do when you need more staff and the budget master says "No!". You hire interns!!!  If you need college credit, or you are "available for new opportunities", this may be just the way to spend your summer, gaining valuable work experience, references and contacts. You do not need to be interested in a radio career to benefit from the Mary in the Morning Internship Experience. You will be using skills in marketing, research, social media, promotion, entertainment and more. You will also have more fun than any intern deserves, but we can't help that!

Join the Mary in the Morning Show as an unpaid intern.
The Official Mary in the Morning Internship Experience 
Spring/Summer 2010

Title: Mary in the Morning Intern

Location: Traverse City, MI

Job Description: Intern will support Host and Producer of Mary in the Morning.  We are currently offering a unique and exciting internship with Northern Broadcast, including 1067YOU-FM, Marigold and Mary in the Morning.

Approx 25-30 hours per week with some flexibility.

Roles and Responsibilities: Intern will assist in day-to-day activities of creating the Mary in the Morning show with heavy emphasis on show prep including guest/topic research, developing local contacts, and social media.  The vast majority of your duties will be hands on, seat of your pants Mary in the Morning show creation providing support for all behind-the-scenes elements including promotions and programming. During the live show, you will be greeting show guests, making them comfortable, assisting chefs with their gear, getting coffee, pulling audio from internet sources, and generally working in fabulously orchestrated chaos.Yes, you may find yourself ON-THE-AIR, but your primary role will be behind the scenes.

Requirements:

•    Must be computer literate and internet savvy

•    Internships are available to non-students looking for work experience

•    First consideration is given to college students seeking an academic internship for receiving academic credit - it is the applicant's responsibility to set up the internship with the school

•    You must be 18 years of age or older

•    We specialize in lifestyle issues of women age 30-55. Interns must relate to this market segment

•    Must be available in-studio 6AM to 9AM Mon-Fri. for 90 day internship. Interns are invited to, but not required to work off-site events.

How to get this position:

Send an e-mail to Mary@GoMarigold.com including a message of WHY you want to join our team, what you bring to the table and when you can start. Also include a link to a you tube video or article that you think would make a great topic for a segment of the show. Include your resume and contact info!

Which "Jane" are you?

Last week, I spent time interviewing Michele Dekinder Smith, author of See Jane Succeed: Five Types of Female Entrepreneurs Reveal What it Takes to Win in Business and in Life.She contends that female entrepreneurs usually fall into one of 5 types of "Janes". After interviewing over 3,000 of them, she should know.

You can take her assessment at www.janeoutofthebox.com to find out what type of Jane you are. After talking with her, I think she has nailed down the profiles very well. It's worth your time to check out the site and the book. For each of the five "Janes" there are action plans to overcome the unique obstacles to your success. You may find that you are a Merry Jane, a Go Jane Go, a Jane Dough or perhaps, like me, an Accidental Jane.

When I launched Marigold Women in Business in 2004, my end goal was to produce 6 luncheons for women in business, assist a handful of local businesses in reaching that market and replace my very modest income from a part-time position at the Chamber of Commerce.I had achieved that goal within 2 months of conceiving the idea. That is when I accidentally became the force behind a much larger enterprise. The tail started to wag the dog, the horse was out of the barn before I hitched my wagon to it, you know all of the analogies. 

Accidental Janes find themselves running a business that demands more of them than they expected or in some cases, more than they desired. It may sound like a good problem, but requires a re-focusing of her priorities and capabilities.

Many laid off workers are taking on contract work, or freelancing to keep the wolves away from the door. One day she realizes that she has no time to job hunt because she is to busy working. "Wait," she says, "how did that happen?" That's an Accidental Jane.

What type of Jane are you? Click here to find out

The Fair Factor of a Family Business

I've bumped into one topic several times in the past few days and figure that somebody who follows this blog will benefit. "That's not fair", we all say this as kids when a sibling got some thing or privilege that we did not. Where was the equality????? As parents we do try to be fair with our kids and, for the most part, kids expect that their parents will do right by them. Hence the outrage when they experience a violation of the code.

Fast forward to real life where guess what? Life's not always fair, especially in the work place. Is that bad? Can we still cry "That's not fair!" Nowhere does this issue of fairness become a convoluded contest of contestents and judges of equality over performance than in a family owned business. A very wise working partner in a family business pointed out to me that trouble erupts when you apply the same principles of family life to a business culture. It just doesn't work. Compensation and promotion must be based on performance not the membership card to the gene pool.

Not easy to implement when you have siblings or cousins (of any age) working in the business. Just because you own equal equity does not mean equal compensation.

What to do? Three principles to guide family member/owner income from the family business:

1. Family members should share equally in business equity, especially if inherited from parents. Any draws on equity should be handled following strictly agreed to policies that are consistently applied to all family member owners.
2. Compensation (salaries, commissions, bonuses, etc...) for family and non-family should be based on the market value of the employee within your region's economy and circumstances. Inflated salaries for family members will have non-family employees stormin' for the door.
3. Family members not employed by the business should never receive benefits of employment.

These principles will serve you well in times of "That's not fair!". They will also give non-family member employees a sense of fairness. It doesn't matter if you are 8 or 48, we all want to be treated fairly, if not equally. 

Aha! Guest Blogger: Robyn Marcotte, Aha! Leadership

Today’s Aha!    

Great ideas can come from the craziest places…

Don’t underestimate the source of a great idea. Over the past week, I can’t tell you how many times I have said “Aha!“ or “Wow! …that’s an awesome idea!   “The simplest comment can be so profound.  And it can come from the most unexpected person or place.  So, check this out…

I am on the treadmill watching Oprah (yes, I am a closet Oprahaholic…) and she is having a conversation with some big important movie star using Skype.  If you’re not familiar with Skype it is a free online video telephone.  Seriously, it’s like George and Judy Jetson used to use in the old cartoon “The Jetson’s”.   Anyway, I thought to myself …Oprah keeps using this Skype gizmo to have guest on her show.  Why does she do that? Well there are probably at least two reasons good reasons: 1) it saves on travel costs and 2) it saves a ton of time shuffling last minute guests to and from Chicago.   I thought to myself… that’s it, I can use Skype to  connect with customers all over Michigan.  It’s free… it’s fast … most important it’s fun!  I now Skype 6 to 10 times a week and beam myself from location to location in minutes.  Pretty cool!

My point, open your eyes… your ears and your mind…  There are so many great ideas out there that can be used to solve so many different problems.

A couple of days ago, I was in a leadership meeting at our church.  Just like the for profit sector, non-profit organizations are getting creative with cost cutting ideas.  We learned that the janitor came up with a $12000 per year cost cutting idea.  Get this… by closing off one section of the massive parking lot on weekdays the church saves money by not salting the parking lot. Because the parking lot fully surrounds the building there are over 6,000 other parking spots to choose from.  Besides the demand for parking is obviously the greatest on Sunday morning.  So, none was really inconvenienced by the change.  Now … that is a simple idea from a truly unexpected place.

If there is one thing that I have learned over the years it’s that sometimes we just look too hard and take ourselves way too seriously  when looking for great ideas.  So, today put on your pink sunglasses and go out looking for ideas.  See every encounter, every interaction, and every situation as an opportunity to spark a new idea.  I guarantee you will be amazed at how many great ideas you’ll spot.
Just think of the possibilities….
Pay it forward and share your Aha! comment here!

     

Robyn Marcotte
Aha! Leadership LLC.

Robyn.Marcotte@ahaleadership.com
248.882.2354
www.ahaleadership.com
Skype: robyn.marcotte

“Is it possible that she’s just plain stupid?

We all learned in kindergarten that STUPID is not a word you should ever use, but sometimes, just sometimes, it is the only word that works. Stranger yet, it may be the verdict you hope for.

Have you ever had a client, colleague or co-worker do something to you that was so nasty, unethical, under-handed, sneaky, dishonest, etc… that you had to stop for a moment and think to yourself “Is she just stupid or is she doing this on purpose?”.

My experience is that these moments first prompt head-shaking shock, you say “WHAT?”, as if you can’t comprehend what the person is doing/saying. In most cases you are initially stunned and then seek counsel from others. “Is she just stupid or is she doing this with full knowledge that she’ll be voted off the island for this?” It is the “Just exactly what am I dealing with here?” question.

As mature and polite members of society, we might first seek clarification directly from the offender with a question that sounds something like….   “Do you realize that I’ve worked for 2 years on that account and you are going to take food from my kid’s mouths if you continue this?” 

One of 2 things will happen here: 1) Confession of pure stupidity with profuse apologies for not having grasped the finer implications of her actions; or 2) Stone faced admission of “I don’t give a damn”.

And then the Trial of Character begins.

We seek character witnesses who can shed light on the likeliness of her stupidity or evil greed. Is there a history of other offenses? Any prior convictions? What is the word on the street about this person?

Here is the point in this: How would you stand up to a Trial of Your Character? Would it be the consensus of your peers that you are just being stupid (this is the desirable determination, by the way) or would others have stories about you demonstrating something less than the highest standards of ethics. “Yes Mary, you need to watch out for her”.

In this small town market, the Trial of Character can be completed in less than 10 minutes, without the accused ever knowing it happened. The more questionable the character, the longer the trial tends to last. More conversation, more gossip, more history, more damage…

I was called upon to be a character witness in such a trial this week. My experience with the accused was that she was of high integrity and this really must be a case of stupidity or ignorance or just not getting it. I was shocked to learn that when confronted she pulled the stone faced “I don’t give a damn”. Wow.

The problem with these situations is that now my impression of her is certainly called into question, I can’t really call her up and say “What????”, but I’m still hoping, that she is just stupid. Please just be stupid. Mary Rogers

Answer your phone, you'll be amazed!

I met with a business owner friend from out of town last week to help her with some business troubles. Her very established business was feeling the squeeze from discounting internet-based competitors. A secondary concern was lagging employee morale, especially her sales team.

As we casually talked over a few hours, her cell phone was vibrating and beeping and and humming away. Even though I'd told her that I didn't mind if she dealt with business, she never so much as looked at her phone. It was starting to distract me as I grew concerned about why she was so "in demand". She assured me that it was like that 24/7, in fact she encouraged her customers and staff to just text her what they needed. She found it much more efficient to respond to texts, e-mails and voice messages. Her friends, collaegues, and even CUSTOMERS knew she didn't answer her phone. This was how she preferred to do business and run her business.

WHAT??

You can connect the dots between her business troubles and her communication habits. Maybe you are not so extreme, but I wager we can all learn a lesson from my friend. Answer the damn phone! Maybe even place a call yourself to check on a client. How about walking out of your office to a colleague's and asking how they're doing????

I am as guilty as anyone, letting our technology play our gatekeeper. Be careful or you will lose your relationship. When times get tough and everybody is shopping price, your only asset may be "the relationship". That relationship is with you, not your cell phone or Inbox.

Mary Rogers
Mary@GoMarigold.com

What is a Real Woman Part 2

Last week, we began the conversation "What is a Real Woman?", I suggest that you read that post to catch up with us. Readers replied here, on Facebook and in actual human conversation. The Instigator, Brett Gourdie, publisher of  NM3 Magazine has gotten a ton of response to his article "Real Men". So Brett is coming on Mary in the Morning this Thursday, January 14 at 7:30AM to discuss Real Women and take calls (231 929-1067).

Some of the best comments have included:

A Real Woman...doesn't care what she looks like when a child is crying, understands the value in not answering an email, has worn her child's macaroni necklace in public, has decided not to scold her husband at least once, treasures a mysterious conversation with a stranger in an airport bar, has more than one swimsuit that fits, knows where her safe deposit box key is, can do her own taxes, snow blow her own driveway and in a pinch mow the lawn. She can grill a steak, open a bottle of champagne and drag an armoire across the floor using a towel.

and another...

I think that being a Real Woman, if there is such a thing, is about acknowledging the unique power of ones femininity while showing strength and confidence in one's convictions. We have more power at our manicured fingertips than we know what to do with.

and another...

Nurturing, confident, self sufficient. A real woman lets the man open the door and helps with her coat. I real woman is assertive and knows there is never a second chance for a first impression. She balances work, family and community involvement.

 The vast majority of responses included a healthy nod to confidence and respect for herself and others. A real woman is confident in her role as a woman, whatever that may mean to her, and she is ruled by self-respect. What other women may choose for themselves is none of her business and she supports their decision.

I think it is much easier to be a Real Man than a Real Woman. The lines are drawn fairly clearly on the man gig. Women have a much tougher road, with traditional vs. modern roles. Not only must we carve our own path, we may be straying from our mother's path, which was our natural model to follow.All the while feeling quite criticized and judged by others. It is a big no-win, unless you believe 100% in yourself. Unwavering belief.


As for the stories about real men being bullied by women for whom they opened a door for... if these women had more self-confidence, they would see this as a gesture of respect, would smile and say "thank you".


Tune in to Mary in the Morning (106.7FM or 105.5FM or www.1067youfm.com) Thursday, January 14 at 7:30 to hear NM3 publisher, Brett Gourdie and Mary Rogers discuss Real Men vs. Real Women. Phone lines open at 231 929-1067.


 

Not a program person!

Ready to make your New Years Resolutions? Going to quit smoking? Drinking? Overspending? Undervaluing yourself? Good luck with that.

I have a friend who is a "program person". You know the type: If weight loss is her goal, she writes a check to the gym, joins the 7AM Tuesday & 6PM Thursday step classes, purchases a bunch of sleek aerodynamic workout clothes, new bouncy shoes, buys the book "Grapefruit Fasts for Every Figure" and begins her countdown. After missing the first Thursday step class, she decides the whole thing is quite useless, the grapefruits are not as tasty as she recalls and she'll wait untill next January to try again. Let's call that a $650 effort toward her goal to lose 10 pounds.

We know the same people who do this with other quests. Want a new career? Take one semi-related class, buy some career books, buy a new resume software program, get tired of the whole idea, drop the class, use the books to hold a door ajar, blah, blah, blah.

Having been raised by a self-respecting AA drop out, I did pick up at least one useful tidbit of life guidance: Take things one day at a time. This is how addicts approach quitting. Just try to quit for today. If you need to start again tomorrow, cool. I feel the same way about weight loss, career planning, physical fitness, etc... Just look at today.

Try this at the start of your day: Have a list of 5 big picture goals for the year. Let's not even call them goals, that is way too much pressure. How about "My Things"? Maybe your My Things List includes

1. Better Marriage
2. Steadily Reducing Debt
3. Job Promotion
4. Organized and Tidy Kitchen
5. Be Healthier

Print about 15 copies of this sheet. Each day, have a goal to have taken at least one step toward one thing becoming a reality. An entry next to better marriage might be something like this...Kissed him before leaving for work. Write theses things down. How simple is that? Some days you may be a super-achiever and have several entries, wow! fantastic.

Here is my point with this: If you screw up, it is only one day! Each day we make thousands of minuscule decisions that impact our big picture Things. Just try to make mostly good decisions each day. Highly structured changes don't come easy. And grapefruit just gets plain old boring!

You're Not the Boss of Me!

"You're not the Boss of Me" is the title of our next Marigold Forum on December 17th. I know this topic well, having been raised, both personally and professionally, in family run operations.

First I worked for my dad's business, temporary executive housing. That means he owned upscale furnished townhouses which he rented to the Big 3 auto companies for their European and German designers and engineers brought to Detroit for 6-12 month assignments. It also meant that I was shoveling snow, cleaning bathrooms, doing laundry and posting the company checkbook by the time I was 13.

In my spare time, I worked for my mom's first business, a tour company, filing travel brochures. Occasionally, I was working for my grandmother's importing business affixing mailing labels on direct mail pieces and helping her with inventory of place mats and women's' slippers from the Philippines.

The first "real job" was at 14 working for a Greek family's Coney Island restaurant. Then for a married hippie couple at their vintage clothing store.

So I suppose it was no big leap for me to team up with my mom and launch a full-service travel agency right after high school. I was to be a sweat equity partner, poised to inherit the business when my mom retired. Essentially, what this meant is that I worked 70+ hour weeks for a whopping $12,000 a year. I also got to manage a staff of 8 travel professionals, many of them old enough to be my mother, who universally resented my position and I'm quite certain assumed I was making a ridiculously large salary. I was not very popular in the employee break room.

This is so common in family-owned businesses. The kids actually get a pretty raw deal (upon retirement, mom & dad inevitably find that they need the money from the business and offer the kids first right of refusal to the purchase but the sweat equity just disappears) , the non-family employees feel unappreciated, and spouses end up without a "safe place to hide from work".

Big sigh. I bailed on the biz. I'm sure that others have figured out a way to make it work and I can't wait to hear the ideas flow at our Forum. I hope you will share your experiences, help out newbies to family businesses or gain some support from those who know your pain!

As frosting on the cake... how about having friends work for you!!!! Don't get me started.

For more information on this event, Click Here.

What's in a name? The Story behind Marigold.

The first time I saw somebody spell the name of my company "Marygold", I knew I had a problem. That was never the intent of the brand name. Sheer coincidence, I swear. If you are a gardener, you would understand.

Here was the idea for the company:

• Bring a lot of attention to women in business, a diverse and sometimes wildly individualistic group.
• Highlight their numbers, but accentuate their personal uniqueness and flair.
• Offer organization and structure to the group with out stealing the glory of the spotlight
• Deflect criticism of women in business in general, and of women business owners more specifically.
• Be a strong champion for others with well grounded financial structure for company growth.

Well, a gardener, familiar with Marigolds will see the analogy:

• Marigold plants make excellent border flowers, drawing the eye to the entire garden without being the showpiece. The flowers within the garden, delphinium, salvia, snapdragons, impatience, hollyhocks, geraniums, etc... are the showy, flamboyant, gorgeous centerpieces, they just need a structure to pull the viewer's focus together in an orderly fashion.
• Marigolds are considered excellent companion plants because they ward off insects from the other flowers in the garden.
• Marigolds are hardy suckers. It isn't easy to kill a Marigold! They are tenacious little workers requiring little to no attention.

We are almost 5 years into the Marigold Experiment, how well have we done to achieve what we set out to do? Love to hear your comments!

Your friend,
Mary Rogers

Sitting on a footstool....

I'm trying to keep up the pace with all that is happening this week. Currently, I'm sitting on a footstool in the back of the Marigold booth at the Chamber's EXPO, hovering over a laptop writing this blog. Isn't technology great.

The question every one is asking me today is "How do you guys do EVERYTHING you do?".

Well, honestly... we end up doing things like I am right now: Sitting on a footstool, huddled in a corner, blogging on a laptop! At 7PM last night our team was in full swing at Chef du Jour at Phil's on Front, 9PM the team is putting the finishing touches on the Expo booth, 4AM we're getting Mary in the Morning ready to roll, then everyone over to EXPO to spread the love. The Marigold e-News goes out this afternoon, hence the blogging in the corner while the team chats with visitors to our booth.

We all love what we do, and I hope it shows. There is never an internal crisis or a"feels like a distaster" moment that doesn't leave us laughing our butts off. We cover as much ground as we can, cut ourselves a lot of slack, bring along as many people as we can on the sweet ride of life and help folks make money and contacts in the process.

You are always welcome to join in our fun, as a listener to Mary in the Morning, a visitor to a Marigold event, a sponsor of either, etc... Do join in!

Zing Train Take-away

Marigold brought Zing Train to town last week and the 150 people who took part in all or some of the day have been raving about the content shared by Stas' and Ann from Zingerman's. I think each person had a different aha moment that they wanted to share as soon as they got back to their own business.

Mine was this: Customer service isn't just for customers. Customer service extends to employees, co-workers, vendors and yes, even competitors. How we treat other people and organizations contributes to our brand and reputation in the community.

If a co-worker is being crabby, instead of blowing them off or complaining about their bad attitude, maybe an offer of help would break their bad-day cycle.

• To the receptionist about to explode: "Looks like some one really teed you off, can I answer phones for you for 5 minutes so you can take a break?".
• To the vendor or supplier sounding overwhelmed by your order: "I know you guys are crazy right now, want me to call you back in an hour?"
• To your business partner who can't focus on your conversation: "I can see you have something important going on that's distracting you, should we shelve this project for a few days?'

In each of these cases we could legitimately complain that the other person was not being "professional" or whatever other derogatory term you choose. But haven't we all been there, when a kind word of understanding without a bunch of questions would have been sooo appreciated.

Unless this is a chronic situation, being helpful in their "moment" creates such a better environment for everybody.

Mary

Open invitation to vent!!!!!!

I just loved the comment made by Anonymous to last week's blog post about women and equality in the workplace. It deserves a post all its own!

Anonymous said...

The timing for this topic is amazing to me. Last night I finally arrived home from my daughter's swim meet at 10:30pm. (I drive her to school every morning at 7:15am and then go to work.) My husband had been home for at least 2+ hours having left the meet early to go home and walk the dog. He never thought to take care of the dishes or help with laundry and doesn't understand why I'm so stressed to arrive home to a messy house and then I can't sleep with so much left to do in the house. Why am I not ready for romance when I enter the house? No my man does not contribute to the housework enough at all. Thanks for letting me vent.

Dear Anonymous:

I feel for you. We all feel for you. We've been in your tight pumps with our screaming swollen feet at the end of the day, only to find more to do when we walk in the door. And there sits the family on the couch eating chips from bags you bought, leaving crumbs on the carpet which you will vacuum, unless they get scarfed up by the dog who you feed, bath, and take to the vet 6 times a year. The kitchen sink is filled with dishes of a meal you made the night before for your family, crusted baking dishes that "need to soak". The dishwasher is filled with the clean dishes you ran that morning because nobody knows "where they go". Laundry, you say? I won't even go there.

Please consider this blog post an invitation from me to openly complain, vent & vetch about the crappy deal we've made with the idea of equality. Go for it! I'll edit the really bad words out, but promise to keep the spirit of your rant.

Your friend,
Mary Rogers

Time for Women? Time for Men & Families.

TIME magazine's cover story this week: The State of the American Woman. You can imagine the little dance I did from my mailbox to my reading chair when it arrived! Pages and pages of statistics comparing the status and positions of men vs. women/women of 1971 vs. 2009/working vs. stay-at-home moms/ moms vs. dads, etc.., awaiting my eager eyes and commentary.

There is WAY too much to share here, but The State of the American Woman is... drumroll, please...... much improved. I strongly urge you to pick up the issue.

Here is what I found interesting: Among the most highly featured survey results are the following:

• Forty years ago, one-third of all workers were women; now nearly half are. 76% of adults view this as positive for society.
• Forty years ago, most children grew up with a stay-at-home parent; now only about 30% do. 65% of adults view this as negative for society.

And here lies the problem. We're getting the equality that we wanted (or at least we're a heck of a lot closer to it), but are unhappy with the results. Working mothers are ambushed by guilt and it is not solely of their own making as is bantered about. Forty years later, we don't think that we know how to raise our kids, have healthy happy children, sustain strong marriages and have financially and personally fulfilling careers.

We all race around looking for balance. Is it there at your part-time job?...is it there at PTO?, it is at a yoga class on your lunch break?, is your husband doing the dishes?

As a society, we haven't figured it out yet. Here is my hope. To do my personal best and set an example for other women. Just as my mother went to work after I was "grown", she gave me the role model of a female in the work world. Our dads pretty much never had to change. Today, the job of our generation is to be the role models of what it is to be working mothers and working fathers.

As hard as the struggle for equality for women has been, I truly believe the next struggle will belong to men and families as a whole. Where do men figure into this? They love their kids just as much, they pull more of their weight with household chores than their dads did, they respect mothers' needs for financial security and career satisfaction, but what is their role now? How do we help families adjust to our equality?

TIME Magazine, we need a survey!

National Customer Service Week

What is great customer service? Like many things, hard to define, but you know it when it happens. Here we find ourselves in National Customer Service Week and you may think of this as an opportunity to experience it rather than give it. For many of you in professional careers, a customer service conversation makes you think of your employees interacting with your customers. You may groan or feel helpless.

Great customer service starts with the spirit of service from the top. Great customer service begins with managers and bosses treating their staff in such a way that it oozes out of every organizational pore.

Later this month Marigold brings ZingTrain! to town. Many years ago, the TC Area Chamber brought Disney trainers to town and many organizations sent their staff. Marigold welcomes your staff to Zing Train! but hopes to see many leaders there. Without you, your staff can only dream of great organizational culture leading to change.

October 29th promises to be a game changer for many. The Zing Train! staff brings all the wisdom of Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor where food and non-food industry leaders go for raising the bar of excellence. You can spend a grand to attend their on-site training, or $99 to come to Marigold Zing Train! at The Great Wolf Lodge.

The folks at ZingTrain are so confident in their approach, that many of their worksheets, essays, and forms are available on-line at no charge. Click here to requests a few.

Not to sound grandiose here, but this single event could truly change the Traverse City experience, no kidding. If you lead a company, a church, non-profit, or PTO, this one day event could set a new course for you and your organization.

Click here for more information.

See you there!,
Mary Rogers

Wine Survey

Local food and wine businesses are two serious economic drivers of northern Michigan. We may make light of our "Foodie Wednesday" visits with wineries, food producers and restaurateurs, but make no mistake, we appreciate their impact.

Mary in the Morning started listener events at wineries back in 2006 then switched to the Chef du Jour Tour in '08. The thought, guarantee a full house plus a bunch of promotion, was to help restaurants on Monday nights when business can be pretty scary for a restaurant owner. The Chef events sell out every time and now, we are looking at the wineries again.

Do you support the local wineries? Do you visit the tasting rooms? Do you buy the local wines at your grocery store? Do you consider a winery visit entertainment or are you a serious wine connoisuer looking for an opportunity to fine tune your palate before buying many bottles? Are there just too many wineries in our region? We want to know.

The TC Wine & Art Festival was such a huge success, we are wondering if the area has an insatiable palate for wine entertainment and access to local vino. Please take our survey!