Making a small world smaller
It never fails to amaze me with how the universe can send the right people into your life at the right time. Last year I took VA Classroom’s social media marketing specialist program and really enjoyed it. When VA Classroom offered an updated version for 2010 I signed up immediately. I wanted to learn more about what was new in the industry.
The requirement for completing the course was to create a social media marketing program for a business.
During the course I connected with a lady by the name of Lori Shandle-Fox on Linked In. She has written a fascinating book and is hoping to get it published – it will be the first of a fascinating series of books. Honestly, I can see it as a reality show. She had questions about WordPress, should she self-host or use WordPress’ site. Many people answered her question and she ultimately decided to self host. She then asked questions about themes, customizing them, etc. and again I offered by two cents. Over the course of emails we developed a relationship which ultimately led to a phone conversation. We bonded over the fact that she is a stand up comic and I am a comedy fanatic.
I felt comfortable enough with Lori to offer to do a social media plan to get reader interest, develop a following to hopefully attract the right attention that someone will publish it for her and generate pre-orders for book sales (whether she self-published or worked with a publisher). I told her it was a win-win for both of us; she’d get a social media marketing plan and I have a juicy subject for my VA Classroom assignment.
This morning I received word from Craig Cannings of VA Classroom that I successfully completed the assignment and passed the course. This has led me to definitely decide that I want to market my social media services to authors. Why? Their work is fascinating. I’m a fledgling author, working on my first novel and I love reading. So as they say in the networking world, “you never know who anyone else knows”, if you know authors who would like a social media action plan set up and implemented, please pass my website URL along to them.
I absolutely love how the social networking world has made a small world smaller and how it brings people together and removes boundaries. Craig Cannings of VA Classroom is in British Columbia, Canada. Lori is in Raleigh, NC and I’m in Ontario. Amazing, isn’t it?
Check out: http://www.vaclassroom.com and http://www.laughingISconceivable.com (content coming soon)
Cool gift idea
I received a really neat Christmas gift from a client (not that I expect gifts from clients and this one was a really nice surprise). The client sent me a Christmas card and included a gift certificate from www.wayspa.com.
I had never heard of this company before so I checked out their website and thought, “what a really great idea!” Way Spa sells gift certificates online and on their site you type in your city and it provides you with a a list of spas in your area that accept their gift certificates. I found several in Oakville and I’m looking forward to visiting one of them soon.
So if you’re looking for a gift for someone who is in another city, give wayspa.com a look. You might make someone very happy.
How to make someone feel good for less than $2.00
What does it cost to make someone’s day?
- Roses – $30 a dozen – sure, but it’s $30
- Chocolate Truffles – $6.00 plus – sure but it’s $6.00 or more – and let’s not talk about the calories
- A new car, $20,000 plus – okay, now we’re getting crazy
An unexpected card arriving in the mail can always make some one’s day. Cards are an affordable way to do something nice for someone. I’d like to share a couple of stories with you.
I belong to a web forum for pet owners – poodles mainly. We exchange Christmas cards every year. Last spring I decided to send a Happy Spring Card to them – people don’t expect to get those cards. I created a card online with photos of my dogs and in side the message read, “Spring is Nature’s way of saying, let’s party”, a quote from Robin Williams. The other side of the card said “Jet and Bella wholeheartedly agree! Happy Spring”. Many of the people who received the card posted saying that they really enjoyed getting the card, but one that brought a tear said, “you don’t know how much I needed the smile that card gave me on that day”. Her mother had just been diagnosed with cancer.
Later in the year I was in a store and the cashier was talking to the guy about her son (they obviously knew each other). Her son was sick (cancer, third time) and her upbeat, optimistic, cheerful attitude really made an impression on me. When I got home, I called the store and asked for her last name and sent her a card letting her know what an impact she made on me. I saw her again a couple of months later and asked her if she had received a card in the mail? She said, “was that you – that absolutely made my day – I keep it on the mantle and point it out when the kids don’t appreciate me”. Then she hugged me.
All it took to make an impression was a simple card that cost less than $2.00 to produce and mail. If you’d like to send a heartfelt greeting to someone you know, or even don’t know, but they affected you in some way, click here to send a card for free. You’ll be glad you did.
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