Keeping Your Sanity As A New Year School Year Starts
By Angela Wenke
Like a lot of you mother’s right now, my kids are putting the finishing touches on getting ready for the new school year. Checking their backpacks to make sure they have everything ready for school. Pondering over what outfit to wear on that first day, and where their classes are located. As this week has progressed I have realized, not only does the kids going back to school stress me out but my kids also. So I thought I would share some great tips to help you keep your sanity while we try to get back into the swing of school life again.
It is that time of year again where we have to role out our appointment books to mark all the children’s after school activities, and the kids school schedules and the parent and teacher meetings. Sometimes it can seem very overwhelming, especially when you have more than one child to get ready for the school year.
One of the biggest tips I have learned through trial and error in raising my children, is being organized is an absolute must, While I was doing all the school supply shopping for own kids, I also purchase a few items to help me keep track of our lives to help me keep my sanity.
Items we purchase:
Purse size agenda or calendar
Wall Mount Calender
Dry Erase Markers and Eraser
One of the best tools we have in our home is our Wall mounted calendar in our kitchen, With this calendar we keep track of the kids sports and games, early dismals or school meetings and so much more. I keep a small dish on our counter top with four colored dry erase markers in it, Each person is assigned a color so if they need to add activity to our calendar we knew who’s writing it was. Every Sunday I will take my purse size calendar and compare it to the Wall Mounted Calender so I know that our calendars match and I know where I have to be for each day of the upcoming week.
Next to our Calender I have Two paper hanging on my wall that show my girls chores charts for the week. Now my girls are 10 and 15 so obvisouly they have more chores than a child say starting kindergarten., But I have learned through running my own home daycare and also teaching preschool that a child from the age of 4 years and older should have a chore chart to help your child feel a sense of responsibility. When my children come home they immediately grab themselves a snack and rest for a short period then it is off to chores and homework. They know if they plan on playing with the neighborhood kids or visiting friends that the chores and homework have to be completed first.
Another tradition we have developed in our home is to set aside two nights a week that is strictly FAMILY NIGHT which I know can be hard in a busy household. Especially with everyone running in different directions, but on family night not only do we all eat together and discuss the days events but afterwards we either watch a movie together or play a board game or go for a walk. Just to allow us time to connect together as a family at least for couple nights out of the week.
On the weekends I try to plan our menu for the week according to what our schedule looks like, this not only helps in our grocery shopping by allowing us to only buy the items we will be needing instead of ton of extra junk food but this also allows me a easy to look at menu to see what I will be cooking for each night. Now there are times where we may switch a meal to a different night but the menu is a nice outline for our family, If I plan on having any meals that are very time consuming I tend to prepare the meals on the weekends, this helps me out a great deal. So that I am not rushing to prepare dinner right after the kids get home, but I can sit down and chat with them about their day they just had.
Showing posts with label Button Advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Button Advertising. Show all posts
Friday, August 17, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Improve Your Craft Sales Results
Want to improve your craft sales results?
You have to change the process to change the results.
It's estimated (and I can well believe it) that of every ten sales people, only three will actually ask for the business. Of those three, only one will be successful in closing the deal. Are you the one who makes the sale, or are you part of the nine who don't?
If you're in business for yourself, it's because you have something to sell. Are your results what you expect or would like them to be? Do you think (or know) that you could do better?
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - Can You Sell?
It's a common scenario - for example: You make something that everybody loves, so you decide to start selling your products in the hopes that you'll build your little business into something big enough to sustain a full time income, but you're just not selling enough to be able to quit your job and work for yourself.
It may be that you've never been trained in sales - this is not unusual, you're an artist or crafter for a reason, if sales is what you were born to do, that's what you would be doing. It may be that you're not very comfortable with or confident at selling - also not unusual if you've never been taught sales skills and techniques, because it takes time to develop the confidence to sell when you first start out.
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - Develop Your Skills
Whatever the reason, the good news is that it's really easy to turn the situation around so that you start closing one deal after the next, resulting in a much improved cash flow!
Yes, it does take confidence, and you will build that confidence up sale by sale, because it also takes skill and technique - once you've learned how to sell, and you apply your new skills, you'll be so thrilled with the results that your confidence will grow in leaps and bounds, and so will your sales!
I'd like to share a personal anecdote on this topic, because what I'm writing about here is what I've experienced myself.
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - A True Story
At one of my previous jobs where I worked in a customer service role, my employer thought I showed promise to do more, and offered me a position in sales. I accepted, wanting to improve my earnings and climb up a notch. However, I didn't do very well at all. My employer hadn't offered me any sales training, and all the other sales consultants came from experienced sales backgrounds, so they didn't need to be trained (or so he thought).
I didn't want to lose this opportunity or fail at it, so I made some enquiries and I found a one day seminar that offered sales training for beginners. I asked my employer if he would pay for it and allow me to go - he wasn't very keen at first, but he could see how enthusiastic I was, and he was impressed that I'd been proactive instead of just giving up.
Well, that one day practically changed my life! I didn't realize it at first, of course, because the techniques seemed like such a "hard sell", and I didn't think I was confident enough to go through with it all. But little by little I started trying a few things out - a different rebuttal if a customer was giving me a reason s/he didn't want to buy; or a different introduction to the beginning of my sales pitch - and I could see that these things were having an effect on my customers, an effect that was positive for me.
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - Take Action!
A lot of people think you have to be a "born salesperson", but I can testify that isn't true. When you learn the right sales skills and techniques, and you apply them, you can become a successful salesperson. And if you want to run your own successful craft business, you have to become a successful salesperson - your business depends on it.
There are a number of ways you can go about learning the sales skills and techniques you need:
* Search the internet
* Find out what courses are offered in your area
* Browse your local library or book store, etc.
Generally speaking, not everything of value that you find is going to necessarily be free or inexpensive, but very often "you get what you pay for".
Article by:
For more free craft business info and resources, visit Craft Business Home.com - the free guide on how to turn your craft into a profitable home business!
You have to change the process to change the results.
It's estimated (and I can well believe it) that of every ten sales people, only three will actually ask for the business. Of those three, only one will be successful in closing the deal. Are you the one who makes the sale, or are you part of the nine who don't?
If you're in business for yourself, it's because you have something to sell. Are your results what you expect or would like them to be? Do you think (or know) that you could do better?
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - Can You Sell?
It's a common scenario - for example: You make something that everybody loves, so you decide to start selling your products in the hopes that you'll build your little business into something big enough to sustain a full time income, but you're just not selling enough to be able to quit your job and work for yourself.
It may be that you've never been trained in sales - this is not unusual, you're an artist or crafter for a reason, if sales is what you were born to do, that's what you would be doing. It may be that you're not very comfortable with or confident at selling - also not unusual if you've never been taught sales skills and techniques, because it takes time to develop the confidence to sell when you first start out.
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - Develop Your Skills
Whatever the reason, the good news is that it's really easy to turn the situation around so that you start closing one deal after the next, resulting in a much improved cash flow!
Yes, it does take confidence, and you will build that confidence up sale by sale, because it also takes skill and technique - once you've learned how to sell, and you apply your new skills, you'll be so thrilled with the results that your confidence will grow in leaps and bounds, and so will your sales!
I'd like to share a personal anecdote on this topic, because what I'm writing about here is what I've experienced myself.
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - A True Story
At one of my previous jobs where I worked in a customer service role, my employer thought I showed promise to do more, and offered me a position in sales. I accepted, wanting to improve my earnings and climb up a notch. However, I didn't do very well at all. My employer hadn't offered me any sales training, and all the other sales consultants came from experienced sales backgrounds, so they didn't need to be trained (or so he thought).
I didn't want to lose this opportunity or fail at it, so I made some enquiries and I found a one day seminar that offered sales training for beginners. I asked my employer if he would pay for it and allow me to go - he wasn't very keen at first, but he could see how enthusiastic I was, and he was impressed that I'd been proactive instead of just giving up.
Well, that one day practically changed my life! I didn't realize it at first, of course, because the techniques seemed like such a "hard sell", and I didn't think I was confident enough to go through with it all. But little by little I started trying a few things out - a different rebuttal if a customer was giving me a reason s/he didn't want to buy; or a different introduction to the beginning of my sales pitch - and I could see that these things were having an effect on my customers, an effect that was positive for me.
Improve Your Craft Sales Results - Take Action!
A lot of people think you have to be a "born salesperson", but I can testify that isn't true. When you learn the right sales skills and techniques, and you apply them, you can become a successful salesperson. And if you want to run your own successful craft business, you have to become a successful salesperson - your business depends on it.
There are a number of ways you can go about learning the sales skills and techniques you need:
* Search the internet
* Find out what courses are offered in your area
* Browse your local library or book store, etc.
Generally speaking, not everything of value that you find is going to necessarily be free or inexpensive, but very often "you get what you pay for".
Article by:
For more free craft business info and resources, visit Craft Business Home.com - the free guide on how to turn your craft into a profitable home business!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
We're Having a St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt On Our Primitive Times Magazine Forum
We're having a St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt and it's going to be loads, and loads of FUN!!!
Come on over and join the St. Patrick's Day Scavenger hunt that we're having on our Primitive Times Magazine Forum!
What's that?
You don't know what a scavenger hunt?
Well, you are in for a treat!
It is game where we hide St Patricks Icons (see example below) throughout our Primitive Times Magazine Forum! We'll be hiding them on Mondays-Wed. On Fridays you get to find the icons! The more points you earn the better!
Here's the OFFICIAL RULES:
1-You can ONLY claim each icon TWO TIMES! When you find an icon post a message like I FOUND ICON so it can be counted.
2-You can play each round which begins on M-W-F.
3-NO CHEATING lol .
PRIZES
1st Place gets ONE MONTH Button ad on Heartland Marketplace and Primitive Times Magazine.
2nd Place gets Banner Rotation for one month on all sites.
3rd Place gets a PLUGBOARD Button animated by Angie!
GOOD LUCK
So, come on over to our Primitive Times Magazine Forum!
and "Sign-up" to play. Just CLICK on the " NEW Contests and Games Section" and then look for the "St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt" thread.
CONTESTS STARTS MON FEB 26, 2007
SEE EXAMPLE OF ICONS BELOW
Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com
Come on over and join the St. Patrick's Day Scavenger hunt that we're having on our Primitive Times Magazine Forum!
What's that?
You don't know what a scavenger hunt?
Well, you are in for a treat!
It is game where we hide St Patricks Icons (see example below) throughout our Primitive Times Magazine Forum! We'll be hiding them on Mondays-Wed. On Fridays you get to find the icons! The more points you earn the better!
Here's the OFFICIAL RULES:
1-You can ONLY claim each icon TWO TIMES! When you find an icon post a message like I FOUND ICON so it can be counted.
2-You can play each round which begins on M-W-F.
3-NO CHEATING lol .
PRIZES
1st Place gets ONE MONTH Button ad on Heartland Marketplace and Primitive Times Magazine.
2nd Place gets Banner Rotation for one month on all sites.
3rd Place gets a PLUGBOARD Button animated by Angie!
GOOD LUCK
So, come on over to our Primitive Times Magazine Forum!
and "Sign-up" to play. Just CLICK on the " NEW Contests and Games Section" and then look for the "St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt" thread.
CONTESTS STARTS MON FEB 26, 2007
SEE EXAMPLE OF ICONS BELOW
Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals, Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns, and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer. http://lindawalshoriginals.com
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