Happy New Year!

Glitter Happy New Year Graphics



Warmest regards,

Heidi Richards Mooney

The Gift of Life at Christmas...

We are having a new addition to our family in 2008! I couldn't wait to share and also wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Glitterfy.com - Glitter Graphics

Wishing you peace, love, good health and laughter now and throughout the New Year.

warmest regards,

Heidi & Family

Some of my Favorite Women's Quotes

Monday is such an inspirational day for me. It's a planning day, a day to celebrate new beginnings and to reflect on the week past.

So today I thought I'd share a few of my favorite women's quotes with you.

"I've always known I was gifted, which is not the easiest thing in the world for a person to know, because you're not responsible for your gift, only for what you do with it " Hazel Scott Trinidad-US pianist, singer, writer


"We all need somebody to talk to. It would be good if we talked . . . not just pitter-patter, but real talk. We shouldn't be so afraid, because most people really like this contact; that you show you are vulnerable makes them free to be vulnerable."
Liv Ullmann , Norwegian actress, humanitarian

"It is better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life." Elizabeth Kenny (1886-1952) Australian nurse. She developed a therapy for polio victims, 1933.

"I began to have an idea of my life, not as the slow shaping of achievement to fit my preconceived purposes, but as the gradual discovery and growth of a purpose which I did not know." Joanna Field

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." Marie Curie (1867-1934) Polish-French chemist.


"I could never tell where inspiration begins and impulse leaves off. I suppose the answer is in the outcome. If your hunch proves a good one, you were inspired; if it proves bad, you are guilty of yielding to thoughtless impulse." Beryl Markham (1902-1986) English aviator.

"A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." Grace Murray Hopper (1906-1992) US military leader, mathematician, educator.

"Truth isn't always beauty, but the hunger for it is." Nadine Gordimer - South African novelist.

"Our task is to strike a balance, to find a middle way, to learn not to overstretch ourselves with extraneous activities and preoccupations, but to simplify our lives more and more. The key to finding a happy balance in modern lives is simplicity." Sogyal Rinpoche

" . . in dreams begins responsibility." Edna O'Brien - Irish novelist

"Just look inside and you will find the answer to any question you may have. You are the mind of creation; create your life with all the answers." Tracy Braime

Feel free to share your favorite women's quotes with me in the comments section.

Have a great day... and then some.

Heidi

The Go-Giver - A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

Today a WONDERFUL BOOK arrived in the mail.

It is called "The Go-Giver - a Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea" by Bob Burg and John David Mann. I can honestly say this is one of the best new books I have read in a long time. It is short and easy to read. I know this because Bob is a dear friend of mine and a couple of months ago he sent me the "galley" to review.

David Bach, NY Times Bestselling author of "The Automatic Millionare" says this about the book: "Not since Who Moved My cheese? have I enjoyed a parable as much as this. You owe it to yourself to read "The Go-Giver" and share its message with those who matter most to you. It is a beautiful book that will touch your soul and inspire your heart."

I totally agree with Mr. Bach. The Go-Giver has a heartfelt, inspirational message. And much more than that. When you read this book and follow the principles outlined therein, you will grow your business, be a better communicator and be an all-around better person.

I am so excited that the book made it to the bookshelves before the holidays so everyone I know can get and give a copy.

I hope you put this on your reading list and gift-giving list for those you admire. I know I have!

Wishing each of you a wonderful weekend... and more.

Go forth and give... and see what comes back in return!

Heidi

Ps. Bob is the author of several best-selling books, including Endless Referrals and The Success Formula.

John is the author of The Zen of MLM and other best-sellers.

Women, Wealth and Planning

Today is Wealth Wednesday on HER Mastermind Network and Susan Kildahl, Topic Leader had some great advice to share which I thought would be good to post here as well.

Wealth Wednesdays is all about securing our financial future. Share your wealth-building, budgeting, money-saving tips and resources here.

Here's what Susan Posted:

Our topic today is: What are you doing for yourself, and for your business, to keep your income steady through the holidays. Because let's face it...the holidays can be rough! I work from home, as many of you do. I know that if you provide a service, rather then a product, then you might be finding the holiday months to be tougher then normal.

What can you do?

-keep your marketing efforts strong

-keep your networking efforts strong-follow up even more and plan for 2008 NOW

-keep your one 'to do' list up to dat

e-start your marketing plan now for 2008

-start your networking plan now for 2008

Susan also asked us to share our thoughts and here's what I wrote:

Susan,Great topic! And excellent advice.

I am doing all the things you suggest! Most business owners cut back on marketing and networking efforts during the month of December - retailers might do so because we think we have more business than we can handle, however once the holidays are over, often so are the "sales." I know because I have made that mistake more than once. This year I have 2 networking events a week scheduled for December, I have already completed my marketing plan for 2008 (rough draft) and am an avid "to-do" lister.

I have not yet worked out my networking plan for 2008 so thanks for the reminder! The last week in December is traditionally quiet for my businesses so that's when I look at all those things I accomplished, the things I didn't and still want to (which go on the 2008 list), I prioritize my marketing and networking efforts and I review all the networking organizations and event I participated in to see where I received the greatest "bang for my time and buck."

It is especially important to plan all our strategies and in many cases probably should have begun planning earlier. It is no accident that most large companies create their budgets for the coming year by October! This way know who they can support (other smaller companies, non profits and individuals). I believe that small business owners who model their calendars after largers corporations do better in the long run (at least that is what my clients tell me).

So it's almost December you say, well it's still not too late! January may not even be too late, however, if you wait to plan until you need to plan, it is often too late!I also think that our wealth self-talk and perceptions of aquiring wealth can hold us back. If we truly want to build wealth, we must know our attitude towards and handling of money situations money to begin with!

I also recommend reading the following book "The Girls’ Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business" by my good friend Susan Wilson Solovic, Founder & CEO of SBTV.com. She knows what she's talking about since she has built more than one!

Susan is a Licensed facilitator-Get Clients Now!™ with workshops starting in December. You can find Susan online at: http://www.coachedbysusan.com/

Have a great day... and more!

Heidi

Are You a Stress Junkie!

My dear friend Priscilla Marotta, Ph.D. http://www.solutionsnottalk.com/ created a new "Are You a stress Junkie" Quiz for Glamour Magazine Online. Priscilla is a psychologist and the author of Power & Wisdom, The New Path for Women http://www.amazon.com/Power-Wisdom-New-Path-Women/dp/0966633903 .

She is also the founder of Women of Wisdom http://www.womenofwisdom.com/, which is a website where Women and Mentors Connect. In 2005 Priscilla named me President of the site and it is one of my projects for the coming year – as it is in need of a redesign.

Here’s the link to the quiz: http://www.glamour.com/health/polls/stressaddict/junkie.

Good Luck!

Heidi

The Buzz about Blogs & Books

I was just getting ready write a blog post about an entirely different subject when I came across “The latest from Blogger Buzz." I love Blogger Buzz because you can find out what other bloggers are doing that’s cool and exciting. Today, Blogger Buzz profiled Sasha Cagen, Writer, editor, quirkyalone-movement- leader, and world's leading to-do-list-ologist. According to her bio “Sasha is an entrepreneaur and author who who builds communities around passions and new ideas. She is most well known for coining the term 'quirkyalone,' a person who prefers singledom to dating for the sake of dating. "

And she’s also know for her To Do List Blog - a blog that publishes handwritten lists. Sasha became fascinated by lists because they are such a rare window into our everyday lives–and everything that’s on our minds.

From her blog came her latest book “To-do List from Buying Milk to Finding a Soul Mate, What our Lists Reveal About Us"which is a collection of 100 lists and the stories behind them.

And you can find this book in all major book stores.

Although I haven’t read it yet, To Do Lists is on the top of my LIST of books to read. For two reasons. One: I think it will be fun to see what is on other people’s lists and Two: It never ceases to amaze me how such a simple idea can become a book and others will read it.

And this got me thinking. Thinking about turning a blog into a book, so I did some research on the subject and here’s what I came up with. (Note: When I “Googled” turning your blog into a book more than 13 million results came up and of course, like most people, just read the first two pages! ).


There are articles about how to do it, there are companies that can turn your blog into a book , export the blog into a pdf for you, software that turns your blog into a book, consultants who tell you how to turn your blog into a book , blogs about turning your blog into a book and there are writers who have turned their books into blogs such as Business Blogging Secrets Revealed - was developed directly from two blogs AND “Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit When He Split” by Laurie Perry aka Crazy Aunt Purl not to mention all the writers, writing blogs in hopes that they too will one day have the contents of a book.

John Paul Micek from Blog i360 advises: “For those of you who are blogging passionately about a niche topic, consider doing it with the purpose of creating a book. When you develop the plan for a book and then combine that plan with a blog (or blogs) that have an organized category structure and a solid schedule for posting — creating a book quickly and painlessly can be easier than you ever imagined!”

I totally agree with him and now all I have to do is figure out what ONE subject I want to write about!

Happy blogging,

Heidi

Adding Pictures to Your Blog & Empowerment

“It is better to have failed in something, than succeeded in nothing.” Unknown

WOW! I recently discovered how to add a picture and imbed links in my blogger blog and I feel empowered!

Like a child who just learns to tie her shoes, I feel exhilarated at the very idea that I can add visual personalities to my blog posts! And I never knew how to embed the links until I started playing with my other blogs at wordpress. Because I had someone show me how to do it on wordpress, I started clicking on links in the admin panel and voila'! I found both tools and started using them.

And it was so simple that I asked myself why it took me so long?

One thing I don't do is beat myself up over taking a while to learn something. It is more important to me to celebrate those little successes than to worry about how long it took. Of course, that was not always the case. I am one of those people who wants to learn it yesterday and tend to have very little patience with myself and my own limitations.

How about you? What do you beat yourself up over? What do you do when you learn something new? If it is something technological, I practice it over and over until I feel really comfortable with the new technology. I'd love to hear from you...

Heidi

ps.

When you are in the admin panel in Blogger, there are little icons on the top of the text area. I clicked on the one next to the color chart and a box comes up for links. Further left there are picture icons. One is for adding images and one is for adding video. Videos are next on my list!

If you need a wordpress expert who can help you set up an customize a blog, check out Heidi Caswell's blog, Connect Simply. She is the technology brains behind my other blogs, WE Magazine for Women, Women's Media Summit and my soon-to-be launched Redhead Marketing Blog!

WE Magazine for Women Fall Issue Now Online!

WE Magazine for Women Fall Issue hits the Newstands. The Internet newstands, that is.

The Fall issue is hot off the press and ready for you to read.

This issue includes dozens of great articles including ” Networking, The Naked Truth,” “All Out of FREE,” “Turning Your Trash into Cash” and “How to be more attractive to the Opposite Sex.”

In addition, in this issue you will be taken on a wonderful journey to Australia, where you absolutely won’t want to come home. You will meet the Diva Down Under - Linda Lowndes the Founder of Microskin, a revolutionary skin care treatment that has changed thousands of lives for the better.

In fact, there are 66 pages filled with great content, information and inspiration. To download your copy, visit: http://www.wecai.org/WeMagFall2007.pdf today. When you get the chance, please stop by our blog and say hi. Here it is: http://www.wemagazineforwomen.com. We would love to hear from you.

Women's Mentoring Workshop Friday September 28

"To the world, you may just be somebody. But to somebody, you may just might be the world." Unknown

My good friend Anna Campbell, leader of Women Business Owners is hosting "Mentors Needed, Mentors Found" online event this coming Friday, September 28, 2007 and I am speaking.

Here's the info on my workshop:

Topic: How to Investigate, Initiate and Evaluate a High-performance Mentoring Program for Your Company or Organization presented by Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO of The WECAI Network.

Time: 8am-9am PST ~ 11am-12pm EST

Description: In this session Heidi will give an overview of the following: How to determine if your organization is ready for a mentoring program, How to implement a successful mentoring program, The dos and don’ts of setting up your mentoring program, What to expect from your mentoring program, How to measure the success of the program, Heidi will also share case studies, best practices and stories of successful mentor/mentee relationships.

The program is free and open to the public.

Also presenting:

Yvonne Reeves-Chong with SeedTime & Harvest
Felicia J. Slattery with Communication Transformation
Dr. Teena Cahill with Wisdom and Beyond LLC
Amy Garner with Noevir
Barbara Theodosiou with Mommy Mentors

For more information and to attend, visit: Women Business Owners Mentor Program .

Hope to see you there!

Heidi

Email Time Management!

“Staying connected to email has become a lifestyle more than a choice these days… take back your right to choose and free yourself to do other important tasks.” Heidi Richards


Last post I wrote about being addicted to your inbox. You know you are addicted if you have to check your e-mail several times during the day and it’s not for business!

Did you know you can set your e-mail to check itself?

I just found out that with many email programs including Outlook Express you can set your email program to check at whatever interval you set it for – you can check every five minutes, every 30 mintues, every hour or twice a day (I highly recommend the latter – which is much more efficient – and you will be amazed at how much more you can accomplish in a days time.

Here’s how you do it with Outlook Express: open OE and go to Tools, Options and choose the General tab. Look for the Send/Receive Messages section.

Choose "Check for new messages every (blank) minutes." Check that box and then choose how often you want your e-mail to be checked. Also, directly right below that option, there is an option that if your computer isn't connected to the Internet at the selected time you chose to check email, you may choose to have your computer not connect you, connect only when working offline or connect even when you are working offline.

If you use a program other than Outlook Express to manage your email, do a little research to find out if this option is available to you.

This is a more efficient way to stay “connected” to your inbox without being dependent on it.

Wishing you a great day... and more!

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & Chief Visionary The WECAI Network - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”
Our blogs: WE Magazine for Women and VirtualWomansDay

To download a Complimentary Copy of our latest eBook “GET IT WRITE,” visit - http://wecai.org/wwps/html/getitwrite.html

Are you Addicted to Your Inbox?

“I don't believe in email. I'm an old-fashioned girl. I prefer calling and hanging up.”
Sarah Jessica Parker

This is so frustrating! I have been trying to check my email for the past 2 hours with absolutely no luck! It appears that my inbox cannot connect with the server hosting my email. And I am about to go bonkers. You see, I have tons of work to get done today (yesterday was a holiday in the US) just to catch up with the week.

I have emails to check, emails to send, blog posts to write and more.

Today I realized that I'm an addict! And email junkie! Seldom a day goes by when I don't check email first thing when I get to work and again last thing before I leave the office for the day. In fact, since I started blogging I even open up email at home and check it! I'm addicted to my inbox!

Once I realized that I could not check email today, at least not right now, I thought, there's gotta be other things I can do besides check my email. So here I am writing a blog post about it, and hoping (praying really) that I will be reconnected soon.

It also got me thinking, just how productive can I be if I'm always online attached at the fingertips to my inbox?

After all, I have articles I can write, my magazine needs to be be proofread, bills could be paid (now there's a thought more painful than not being able to check my email), and I have lots of files to go through and clean out.

Is there a cure? Is there an Email Addicts Anonymous group I could join? And the real question is, do I really want to?

Oh, well since I am going through withdrawal I might as well get busy and start on some of those other items on my "to do list." Maybe I should take Sarah Jessica Parker's advice and use the phone!

Well, at least one of the items on my list is now done for the day :D!

Heidi

Goal Setting is NOT the Same as Goal Achieving!

“Most people overestimate what they can do in a year, and underestimate what they can do in a decade.” Marlena Corcoran of Athena Mentor http://www.athena-mentor.com/

Anyone can set a goal. Heck, that's easy! All you have to do is write down what it is you want to accomplish and voila'! Goal(s) set!

But there is so much more. Yes, it's true a lot of people don't even set goals so how will they ever achieve them. And others believe that if you set the intention, the universe will somehow provide.

Being a realist I believe you have to set the intention and then work out the steps to achieve them.

And you also have to have accountability.

It is not enough to set the goals and work out the steps. You gotta follow them... and it is much easier to do so, when you have someone there cheering you on... or at least holding your feet to the fire.

I belong to several social networking sites, like HER Mastermind Network on RYZE. We have a day dedicated to sharing our goals for the week with the forum. I love doing that because not only are my goals now in black and white, they are written permanently into a conversation thread that others read. And often comment on - a great way to find out when others are paying attention!

And we also have a day called "goal review day." I have to admit that on a couple of ocassions I did not post on goal review day. Mostly because most of the goals I had set on Monday were not even touched by Friday. But it is a great reminder of earlier intentions. And ocassionally I realize that those goals were not the most important things to work on that particular week.

By the way, if you haven't joined a group like RYZE, I highly encourage it. You can check out HER Mastermind Network at:
http://HERMastermind-network.ryze.com

When you sign up, you receive a free copy of Motivation to WIN -The Winners Sourcebook to Achieve Your Goals and Get What You Want Out of Life.

Check it out today!

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & Chief Visionary The WECAI Network™- “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”
To download a Complimentary Copy of our latest eBook “GET IT WRITE,” visit - http://wecai.org/wwps/html/getitwrite.html

Looking for Book Recommendations from Women

“Reach out your hand if your cup be empty, If your cup is full may it be again, Let it be known there is a fountain, That was not made by the hands of men…” Robert Hunter and the Grateful Dead Band

I am writing an article and wanted to include a list of Greatest Business Books - it will be called 100 Business Books Women Recommend and I need your help!

Please share your recommendations for the best business books you have read. They do not have to be current books, they can be books written years ago.

For instance, I am a big fan of the eMyth and eMyth revisited so they will likely end up on the list.

If you want to say why they are your favorite, that's okay too, but not necessary. The title and author would be enough for my purposes. However, others reading this may wish to know why, so feel free to share your "whys." After the list is compiled, I will post it here. When we get 100 we will post 100 more.

Happy Saturday... and then some.

Heidi

Founder & CEO, The WECAI Network™
To download a Complimentary Copy of our latest eBook “GET IT WRITE,”
visit - http://wecai.org/wwps/html/getitwrite.html

GET IT WRITE is finally here!

"Writing a book is a lot like giving birth, it can be a painful, labor intensive exercise … Once your ‘new baby’ is born, the real work begins.” - Heidi Richards, President WUN Publications, INC.

Check out the newest ebook by members of the WECAI Network™ today….

GET IT WRITE! – The Women's eGuide to Writing, Publishing and Promoting Your Book by 20 Best-Selling Authors

For many people the thought of writing a book can seem overwhelming. In fact, people who have never written a book think it takes a lot longer than it actually can and often does take. Some writers spend years laboring over every word in their book and therefore, a project that could take one to two years to complete takes several. And others find a way to get their book onto paper in months, weeks and even days!

That’s why GET IT WRITE! was created. To help you to better understand the process of writing a book, getting it published and coming up with strategies to promote your book once it’s done. Because once it’s published, the real work begins. Whether you go the traditional route or self-publish (or somewhere in between) you must be willing, able and available to promote the book – sometimes in a very short timeframe.

The real question is not will you get your book written. If you have the drive, determination and commitment to the project, your book will get done. The real question is will anybody buy it – or read it? This 94 page ebook is jam-packed with ideas and strategies to write, publish and promote your book.

Part One of GET IT WRITE! takes you through the process of writing, including finding time to write, overcoming writers’ block, generating ideas for your writing projects, copywriting musts, whether or not to work with a co-author, and more.

Part Two of GET IT WRITE! covers how to find out if there’s a market for your book idea, finding a literary agent for the traditional published author, how to approach agents and publishers, and compares the various publishing options available today and the new face of publishing.

Part Three gives solid ideas to promote and sell your book beginning with creating your virtual media kit, doing book signings, selling outside the bookstores, internet marketing strategies for your book , participating in virtual book tours and at least 27 other ideas to sell your books.

Part Four is filled with resources for the new and seasoned author suggested by our contributing authors and the guest experts who spoke during the Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit. These include websites for authors, online forums, books, ecourses, books, organizations and more.

"The ebook looks great, and there's a wealth of information in it; I'm sure recipients are going to love it. And I'll look forward to hearing about next year's conference." Fern Reiss – PublishingGame.com

"Thanks, Heidi, I can imagine the many hours you put into this project. I still am in awe."
Jo Condrill, GoalMinds.com

"Hi Heidi: Wow! Great job, as always. Appreciate all the effort that went into this."
Rosalind Sedacca, CCT, HowDoITelltheKids.com

TO GET YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY, VISIT: http://wecai.org/wwps/html/getitwrite.html

Special thanks to Linda Alexander, Moira Allen, Linda & Allen Anderson, Laura Backes, Jo Condrill, Kathleen Gage, Donna Gunter, Marilyn Jenett, Sheri McConnell, Ann McIndoo, Elizabeth Parsons, Dan Poynter, Linda F. Radke, Fern Reiss, Heidi Richards, Lynn Rosen, Melissa A. Rosati, Rosalind Sedacca, Cathy Stucker, Dorothy Thompson and Debra Shiveley Welch for your contributions to GET IT WRITE! On behalf of each of them, I hope you enjoy reading GET IT WRITE! and use the information to further your own writing career. There is no time like the present to get your book onto paper and into the hands of your readers!

GET IT WRITE! WAS A COLLABORATION OF EXPERTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE WOMEN'S WRITING & PUBLISHING SUMMIT - You can still get copies of all 15 audios when you visit http://wecai.org/wwps/html/registration.html (and dozens of other free resources!)

Wishing everyone a wonderful day... and more!

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO, The WECAI Network™
Join TODAY - BASIC Membership is FREE! http://www.wecai.org/
Our Mission is to "Help You do Business On and Off the WEB!"

Congratulations to the Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame!

"But celebrity really doesn't mean anything unless you use it for finding some way to give back and I've always felt that way." Judith Light

Congratulations to Beverly Mahone, on taking the WEB by storm with the Baby Boomer Diva WEB of FAME awards. Several New Celebrities have recently been inducted including Diane Keaton, Natalie Cole, Jaisun G. McMillian, Vanessa Williams, Pam Archer, Diedre Hall, Carol Bayer Sager, Sharon Osbourne, Geena Davis, and more - check these and other exceptional women out at the WEB of FAME at:
http://www.enjoyyourmenopause.com/web_of_fame.htm.

I am honored to be among such an illustious group of women!

*Beverly Mahone is a veteran journalist, author, media coach and motivational speaker who writes about issues affecting middle-aged women in her book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age.

In addition, Beverly sent me this - if you qualify you could be on TVLand!

IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE

We’re looking for 45-55 year old couples who want to change their lives and start living their dreams.

Did you put your dreams on hold to bring up your family?

Is there something you said you’d do once the kids were older and have yet to get started?

Is it time to start living and enjoying this new phase of your lives?

We have the answer.

To find out more call or e-mail - Amber Mike TV Land Associate Producer at
Phone: 646-747-7940 or Email her amber.mike (at) rdfnewyork.com

Wishing you a terrific day.... if you're a baby boomer diva, be sure and stop by Bev's site and check it out. Who knows... you just might be the next celebrity inducted into the WEB of FAME!

Warmest regards,

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO The WECAI Network™ - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”
EdenFlorist - "NO Reason is the BEST Reason to Send Flowers!
Did you miss the Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit July 19 – 21 & 25?
You can still register to receive the audio files of all 15 sessions available at – www.womenswritingandpublishingsummit.com (lot's of great bonuses when you do!)

Journey to Freedom - Part Two

"...a time to tear and a time to mend..." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Yesterday was a perfect day. Almost! It was one of those heavenly days where the weather was perfect, the sun was shining and the seas were perfectly calm. At least most of the time!

It was also a very emotional time for my family. You see it was Alexis' Birthday. Alexis is my middle daughter and yesterday she would have been 28 years old. She never made it to her birthday. She died on February 6th and our family had made the decision to have her cremated.

We did that because we believe that is what Alexis would have wanted and because we wanted to keep a part of her close - her ashes. When she died we ordered a beautiful paper mache' holder for her ashes.

This past week we were trying to decide how we wanted her birthday/memorial to unfold. We knew that we wanted to have a ceremony at sea because Alexis was a certified diver and loved the ocean. We have two friends who are boat captains, one with his own sailboat and the other with access to motor boats of all sizes.

After going back and forth a bit, Jennifer and Suzannah (my oldest and youngest daughters) decided on the sailboat excursion.

I had forgotten about the mache we had chosen until we picked it up from my friends at Boyds Family Funeral Home and opened up the box to check it out. Painted on the top was a sailboat. At that moment we knew we had made the right decision.

At 4:00 pm we set sail from Miami and headed towards the Bahamas. Miami was always Alexis favorite city. It is where she modeled did most of her partying. She loved the night-life.

We left from Dinner Key Marina and went about 1.5 hours out (past the stilt houses). It got a little rough at one point and we decided to turn around and head back. We didn't want to put Alexis out in such rough waters. Her life had been rough enough. And we also knew that we probably would not go that far out to visit her. So we decided to have her ceremony between 3 historic stilt houses built in the ocean about a mile from the marina. It was absolutely breathtaking.

My husband planned a beautiful ceremony complete with words from the bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 which begins "There is a time for everything..." We gently put her memorial out to sea, followed by a long trail of rose petals and 28 hot pink long-stem roses all 14 people on board tossed into the ocean in memory of Alexis.

The boat captain, Conrad and his wife Carol were the perfect host and hostess. My family and I will be forever grateful to them for all the care they took to make us feel at home.

Alexis loved a good "party." She had an infectious laugh and joie de vive and she loved to be the center of attention. She sure was yesterday. Although it was a little on the sober side, I believe she would have enjoyed her day.

It was a beautiful day.

Heidi Richards Mooney

Online Networking that Brings Results

"The biggest challenge I see with conversations in the Social Networking stratosphere is the ability to find a balance between speaking strongly enough so people take notice and softly enough so that people will listen." Heidi Richards

Recently on a RYZE network someone posted the Online Networking Game. I only just found out about it because I never read the original post. And the way I found out was through another network. You see I got 3 private messages (PM's) from people mentioning that someone (only gave me a first name) had suggested they contact me. They did not make any other reference to the referrer nor did they mention they saw my name on the network as someone who should be contacted.

In addition, they did not say what possible connection we might have or why we should network in the first place. I deleted the first two PM's without responding since I had no idea what the person was talking about! I responded to the third one because she indeed gave me more information, said she saw the recommendation on a board and even gave the link in her PM to me. I checked it out and then responded to her.

In fact, I've seen this happen on several networks. You got this great referral or noticed someone online you'd like to connect with. And you cannot wait to reach out. Especially if you got the name via a casual referral as often happens on social networking sites such as RYZE. By casual referral I mean that someone made a post and said to the whole board, I suggest you contact "Jane Doe and tell them I said to call." Well, Jane Doe may not be a good referral for everyone, and yet, like all good networkers, many of us will stop by their RYZE page and send them a PM or sign their guest book and then, nothing! No follow up, no response, nothing!

That's not networking! That's being social. And that's okay. It's good to be social. I am all for it and encourage others to do the same. It can be the beginning of some great conversations if you know what to do next.

To me, networking is like advertising. It can take up to six times (or impressions) before the person on the receiving end really takes notice or tells you to get lost!

So here's some steps you can take to be more effective in reaching out and touching others online.

Before you connect with someone online, visit their RYZE page and website.

If they have a blog, go to their blog and read their posts – comment on them.

Then introduce yourself.

Tell the person why you are contacting them and who suggested you connect. Give the person's entire name and why they had suggested the connection in the first place. Many RYZE members don't read every post (I am guilty of that on some of the forums, especially if the subject line does not interest me).

Interview them. Ask questions to really get to know them.

Don't tell your whole life story in one message – keep your posts brief and fun.

Find things in common with those to whom you connect. Do you live in the same geographic area? Tell them! Do you also have children, grandchildren, pets? Say so.
Do you have a hobby in common? Ask them why they chose that hobby. Read any good books lately? Share your thoughts.

Never, ever try to sell them something in your initial contacts. If you do, chances are the person will never respond and you will end up with a reputation as a drive-by networker.

If you don't get any response, don't get discouraged. It may just be that the person you are trying to reach out to does not have an interest in what you have to say or does not want to connect for their own reasons.

That's okay.

Although RYZE is not as large as MySpace and some of the other social networking sites, (it has close to a quarter million members) if you find a few that don't respond, remember there are thousands more you can reach out to. Social networking is a numbers game as much as a game of patience and persistence and potential. And in the process, let's not forget it's about the PEOPLE!

True relationship building networking takes time. It cannot happen overnight. Virtual Networking is not "love at first sight," rather it is "slow and steady wins the race…" and the race is… to get to know, like and trust one another. And if appropriate, do business together in the process.

Just my 2 cents!

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEOwww.WECAI.org - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”www.EdenFlorist.com - "NO Reason is the BEST Reason to Send Flowers!Did you miss the Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit July 19 – 21 & 25? You can still register to receive the audio files of all 15 sessions available at – www.womenswritingandpublishingsummit.com

10 tips to On-hold Profits

"You can't move up, unless you STAND OUT." Tom Peters

As previously mentioned, I will be speaking at the 1st annual Entrepreneurs Virtual Convention to encourage and promote partnering and forming strategic business alliance amongst busy entrepreneurs. ...

One of the ten strategies I will be sharing is How to leverage On-hold time to add to your bottom line.

Did you know that the average on hold time in America is 43 seconds? If your on-hold message isn’t selling something or providing your customers and clients additional information, it’s time to do something about it.

Remember the mantra, "The more you tell, the more you can sell." Implement this in your on-hold messages and see how much it adds to your bottom line! Here are 10 tips to increase your profits:

!. Make your on-hold message compelling. If it just tells the listener who you are, where you are and what you do, that’s okay; but not compelling. While the caller is on hold – give them a reason to continue to listen. Tell them about your latest special. Or an add-on product they might not have known you offered or even considered purchasing.

2. Update your message. Tell the caller what’s new or improved in your business and product offerings.

3. Make your on-hold message funny or interesting. Share industry trivia with the caller.

4. Win any awards lately? If you are a recipient of the Best Florist in Dakota award, be sure to include that in your on-hold message. Include community involvement in your message.

5. Include your website URL, fax and email address in your on-hold message.

6. Share any changes in location or hours. Don’t assume the customer automatically knows that information.

7. Include directions to your place of business. Make it easy for the client to find you. Oftentimes this is the only information a client needs and the on-hold message will tell that so you don’t have to.

8. Have a company jingle? Play it while the customer is on-hold. This is a great way to reinforce your brand message, and if it is catchy you might just catch the caller whistling (or singing) along with your message.

9. Use customer testimonials in your message. Audio testimonials are powerful sales tools and make the decision to buy easier for the prospect.

10. Let the caller know what else you can do for them. Does your staff have special skills or talents that can help the caller make a buying decision? Tell him or her.

Are you seeking additional ways to strengthen relationships with current customers? Do you want to know what the other Nine Stratedgies are?

Tehn be sure to register at: http://www.fullcirclementoring.org/eventdetails.cfm?EventID=51

Hope to see you there!

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO, The WECAI Network™

Walk-by Marketing...

"To drive sales to your door, try walking around a bit." Heidi Richards

Since my topic for the Entrepreneurs Virtual Convention is Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget I thought I'd share one of my marketing tips.... Walk-by Marketing (low-tech Mobile Marketing).

Instead of the usual printed T-shirt, create a tote bag covered with pins & sayings about the GREAT advantages of doing business with your company - Fill the bag with your sales materials such as catalogs, order forms, business cards, promotional CDs and other items.

Carry this with you when you attend trade fairs and other appropriate networking events. Hand out when the opportunity is right. I often carry one or two copies of my books in my tote bag and give to the hostess/host of the event as a thank you or as a "raffle" prize. I also have one for each of my businesses and my books.

You can buy an inexpensive canvas tote at a local discount department store and take it to your local screen printing company (or embroider) and have them do it. Call first to ask them the requirements - have your sayings and logo created in a gif (or pdf)fromat, and put it on a CD.

Don't have time to take it to your local screen printer? CAFE Press also has a couple of totes and you can upload your file to and create (however I don't recommend the yellow tote) the colors don't come out the same.

Carry the tote with you and viola'! Walk-by Marketing is Born!

Have a great day!

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO, The WECAI Network™ - http://www.wecai.org/

I'm Speaking at the Entrepreneur's Virtual Convention!

"Give up control and give it away.... The more you give your idea away, the more your company is going to be worth. ” Seth Godin

Full Circle Global Mentoring Inc is hosting the 1st annual Entrepreneurs Virtual Convention to encourage and promote partnering and forming strategic business alliance amongst busy entrepreneurs. ...

.... and I'm one of the speakers!

My session, Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget takes place online at 11 AM CST on Friday, August 10, 2007.

During my session you will learn:

* How to have an endless supply of qualified prospects

* How to get more customers coming in the door

* How to get more business from past customers

* How to get more referrals from new and existing customers

* How to stop wasting money on advertising and marketing that simply doesn't work

* All this and more!


MORE ABOUT THE CONVENTION:

The mission of this exciting event is to bring entrepreneurs all over the globe together in celebration of entrepreneurialism and fostering strategic business alliances not only locally but globally as well.

This virtual weekend celebration and collaboration will be packed full of powerful and informative seminars being presented by some of the most sought-after guest speakers.

As participating business owners and entrepreneurs you will have access to useful resources, ongoing contests, power networking opportunities, live radio interviews and opportunities for global business exposure and partnering.

Expand your business knowledge and skills. Focus on the issues and concerns of aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners.

Share information with your virtual colleagues and competitors and capitalize on each others' knowledge and experience. This weekend’s convention will also give you an opportunity to make global connections with other individuals in your field of business.

Are you aware of the latest technologies available to entrepreneurs —blogs, podcasts, and social networking sites—and how to use them for greater success in your day to day marketing efforts?

Do your organization's branding and marketing strategies inspire and engage new clients, to help you fill your work force, membership or product/service marketing needs?

Are you seeking additional ways to strengthen relationships with current customers?

You can read more and register at:
http://www.fullcirclementoring.org/eventdetails.cfm?EventID=51

Hope to see you there!

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO, The WECAI Network™ - http://www.wecai.org/

ps. everyone who attends my session will get a copy of my latest ebook YOUR MARKETING CALENDAR - How to Make the Most of Holidays, Events and Celebrations to Promote Your Business - this ebook is not even available to the public yet, so you could be the first to receive it! But you have to register to get a copy....

Innovative Online Book Targets Women Planning Financial Future

"The road to financial security begins with the understanding of why and how you need to plan for your retirement.” Teresa Heinz Kerry

Heinz Family Foundation/ Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement Releases “How To” on Retirement...

Washington, DC – The Heinz Family Philanthropies and the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) today announced the release of an innovative online book entitled, What Women Need to Know About Retirement. Available for free on the Internet, this 76 page ebook will provide the reader with a blueprint to both get started planning a retirement and to grow that investment.

“Today we are offering a free online publication to help ensure that all Americans have access to sound financial planning advise that is often too expensive and out of reach for working families,” said WISER Chairman Jeffrey R. Lewis. “In particular, we are targeting women with this free book with the understanding that women often sacrifice retirement planning as the result of their traditional roles as mothers and family caretakers. We hope that this substantive guide allows women to get what they need to know without having to pay for a book, and to hopefully use those dollars instead towards their retirement future.”

What Women Need to Know About Retirement contains seven easy-to-read chapters, each written by an expert on retirement security issues. The book was written as an acknowledgment of the fact that poverty in old age is most often the face of a woman, for example:

· Two-thirds of working women earn less than $30,000 a year.
· Nearly half of all women work in low-paying jobs that do not offer any retirement plans or 401(k) plan.
· The median income in 2004 for retired women was $12,080 compared to men’s income of $21,102.
· Social Security continues to be the only source of income for 30% of non-married women over 65 and 46% rely on it for 90% of their income.

“Over the years we have found that most people ---and most women--- simply don’t have enough information about how to build a secure retirement. It doesn’t have to be this way,” said WISER Chairman Emeritus Teresa Heinz Kerry. “While there are no quick fixes, or simple solutions, the road to financial security begins with the understanding of why and how you need to plan for your retirement.”

The book is available to download or read online at WiserWomen.org

To your retirement... may it be a good one!

Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEOwww.WECAI.org - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”

What's Your Closing Statement?

"It is talent, not money, that drives the information economy. Talent inspires us as individuals, talent enriches the lives of the community. It's talent that allows us to tap into dreams and make them real." Unknown

The “Closing Statement” – Six Tips to come up with Yours

Sometimes called your USP or unique selling proposition, I like to refer to it as the closing statement. That little phrase that pays – that defines your company, your product, your service? The phrase that makes just the right client or customer stand up and take notice.

I call it a closing statement because if it works, it can close the sale, make your prospects buyers.

So what’s Your Closing Statement?” What sets you apart from all the whatahoozit manufacturers or consultants or companies in all the world (or at least your part of the world)? Are you having trouble trying to figure it out? Is the one you use not working for you. Perhaps you have not fully or clearly defined your market position.

Here are Six Tips to help you create or recreate your ‘closing statement.”

Get your team (employees, staff, assistants, partners) together – those folks whose business acumen and opinions you trust.

Put yourself in the shoes of your potential customer/client. What is it she or he wants from your service?

Make a list off the kinds of things these people might say about your products and services (that means YOUR products specifically, not your industry in general) including stereotypes, competitors, the global market.

Now take a look at the list from your own perspective. What makes your company different?
Choose those words, phrases and descriptors that you can claim as truly describing your company and distill them down to a single message that you can use.

Put it in writing – look at it for a while, make sure it is understandable and then test it out on your current customers, if it works, incorporate it into your marketing. If not, back to the drawing board.

When you have come up with the perfect “Closing Statement” for your company you will notice that the right clients and customers start showing up.


Heidi

Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO The WECAI Network™ - “Helping Women Do Business on and off the WEB™”
Check out our online magazine - WE Magazine for Women

Hero or Shero ... it's all the same!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizenscan change the world;indeed it's the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead (1901-1978), American Anthropologist

During the Women's Writing and Publishing Summit, we got into a discussion of Heros and the difference between a hero and a shero. I made the bold statement that the word HERO really does cover it all and that we don't need two words to articulate what in essence means the same thing. While the classic definitions of hero often refer to the male gender, if you look at all things written hundreds of years ago, you will realize that the word "man" really refers to "mankind" and hero can be either a man or a woman.

Take a look at the word HERO and you will see what I mean. He-ro has the root of HE and Her-o has the root of HER. If you look at the word from that point of view then hero really does cover any person you can look up to. It could mean an historic figure or an everyday hero. Heros impact our lives every day by their words and actions towards us and others. A true hero is a person who comes through no matter what, who is there in good times and bad, who does "good" without any expectation of repayment.

Who are your heros? Who emulates your definite of the word? Who is there when you need her (or him)? For many of us it is our parents, our spouses, our children, our friends. It may be someone whom you have not met, do not know, and quite possibly will never meet, however you admire them, respect them and honor their presence in the world. People in the military, educators, public servants and business women and men. And so much more!

For me it is my husband Timmy Mooney, my daughters Jennifer and Suzannah, my father Jim, my son-in-law Henry, my grandchildren Devon and Madison, My brother Monty and his wife Michelle, my incredible staff, the members of the WECAI Network™, the men and women who are there when I ask for a favor. My list is too long to include here, hundreds of people who have come in and out of my life over the years. They may or may not know who they are. I do!

Here are some great sites about heros, everyday and otherwise which I suggest you visit.

Tired of all the bad "news that's fit to print"? Here's your alternative! HeroicStories are about everyday real people who step up to the challenge and help others when they are needed. They're not just about people who save lives or stop a crime. Our stories describe both large and small gestures, they're from all over the world, they're true and, most of all, they're interesting. (They're also short! No story is over 500 words.) Visit: http://www.heroicstories.com/

At Your True Hero you can tell your story about a true hero who means something to you. The site invites you share your hero's story with the world. You can help bring recognition to the unsung heroes who make a real difference in our lives. Everyone has a hero. Tell us about yours. Tell your story. Honor your true hero. All for free. http://www.yourtruehero.org/

Check out My Hero.com - Their mission is to enlighten and inspire people of all ages with an ever-growing internet archive of hero stories from around the world. Now more than ever, children, teachers, and parents yearn for messages of hope and courage to face the challenges that lie ahead. The MY HERO web site hosts thousands of stories of remarkable individuals written by children and adults alike. These stories serve to remind us that we all have the potential to overcome great obstacles and achieve our dreams by following in the footsteps of our heroes. You can sign the guestbook and share your HERO with the world.

Also visit GoInside.com, Serving the Spirit of Humanity While Covering the Web of the World - http://www.goinside.com.


Wishing you a wonderful day filled with many people to look up to... and to whom many people look up!

Heidi

Networking is an Art, and You are the Artist – Four Tips for Success

"Position yourself as a center of influence - the one who knows the movers and shakers. People will respond to that, and you'll soon become what you project." Bob Burg

Too often people participate in what I call “drive-by networking.” In fact many people approach it from the “What can I get out of this conversation, contact, person, etc.?” You know them when you see them. They introduce themselves to you during an event, hand you their card (before you even have the chance to ask for it) they ask a favor, ask for a referral, ask you to pass around their resume, ask for free advice and then once the meeting is over they become a royal pain in the harass – because they call you to try and “sell you” what they have, even when you aren’t really interested. The business of networking is an art – it requires skill, forethought and what my mother used to call “class.”

Networking is about relationships and building those relationships takes time and effort. Michelangelo didn’t paint the Sistine Chapel in a day and it is unlikely you will establish a trusting, sharing relationship in a day either!

There are ways to work smart and enjoy the process of building those relationships. And you can learn to NETWORK SO NO ONE KNOWS YOU’RE DOING IT

Here are four tips to make sure your networking is working for you:

1. Add to your collage. The follow-through is like a piece of clay being molded into the form you envision. Follow up and follow through. If you meet someone, be sure to send a handwritten note, the article you promised them, or the contact name of someone who might be of benefit to them. Do it in a timely fashion. People will soon learn that you are someone they can count on. And will want to be a part of your own collage of friends.

2. Appreciate others as you would a beautiful painting. Make each person you meet feel as though he or she is the most important person in the world. Great networkers like people and it shows. It’s not just about what they can do for you, it’s about who they are. When you open your mind and your heart to people, you will be amazed at what opportunities are out there, just waiting for you.

3. Be the Masterpiece that you are. Confident people are like great works of art. People want to see them, be around them, even admire and emulate them. Confidence is the key to successful networking. If you are unsure about yourself or your product/service it will show. People like doing business with successful, confident people. That’s why the gal or guy with charisma makes the sale even when the product may be inferior. Keep in mind you’re part in the networking relationship. You too, have a lot to offer – your own gallery of friends and associates (contacts), your expertise and knowledge and your willingness to contribute to the relationship by sharing your circle and your knowledge.

4. Color outside the lines. Art comes in many forms. If everyone else is a painting, be sculpture. Find ways to stand out in the crowd. Be creative. If you feel you are just one of those people who doesn’t have any distinctive physical attributes, then do something about it! Be known as the woman (or guy) who wears a flower on her lapel, or the guy with the Stand-out ties. Wear a button that has a provocative saying (not risqué) so people can ask you about it. Create a style that’s memorable – people will start looking for you.

When you learn the Art of Networking you will meet interesting people, establish exceptional business contacts and walk in when new doors for you. Like any art, the contacts you make when you learn the art of networking increases in value over time.

Happy Networking!

Heidi

Did you know that you can join the The WECAI Network™ (http://www.wecai.org) for FREE?

Join at the BASIC level and see what all the excitement is about!

Masterminds & Trademarks .. A Powerful Combination

"The power of a Mastermind group goes beyond the simple exchange of ideas and information. The outcomes achieved by its members attests to the synergy that is constantly being created by the processing of those ideas as a group. You can use the mastermind principles to achieve goals in any area of your life." Heidi Richards

In late June, I mentioned a new network on RYZE that I recently had the privilege to lead. It is a network for Women and when I took it over changed the name to one I thought was fitting and available. What do I mean available?

Glad you asked! Apparently the name I chose was being used by another group who recently (about a month after I purchased the URL - during our redesign phase) applied for trademark. It never occured to me to apply for a trademark simply because my network on RYZE is free to members and because I had used the term before when I wrote an article on the topic of Masterminds and the title was "MastHERminding for success."

That was at least five or six years ago when I was involved in my third or fourth mastermind - it was with six other women and because I was describing my experience with an all-woman group, the title fit.

Trademarks are granted on a first use in commerce and based upon the time stamp of application (as well as many other factors). Since I am not using the word for monetary gain and did not make a claim to it, I am no longer able to use the name (and rightly so) since the other group who has "staked their claim" is using it on their site as a fee-based mastermind program for women.

When I got the letter from their attorney I immediately went to check our their claim and it appears to be an excellent program for women. As the owner of several Trademarks I know what is involved in applying and keeping a trademark. It isn's cheap, in terms of time or money. I don't have anything to gain by challenging their claim since I don't "charge" to belong. However, I did invest some money in the design of the network home page which will cost me to redesign.

The whole point is that if you plan to use a word or combination of words for anything you might later want to monetize or stake a claim to, be sure you do your due diligence beforehand and not go off "half excited" and create something you may later have to change (oftentimes at great expense). And if it is a great "new word" be sure and get it trademarked. You never know when someone will come along and claim it as their own.

We have since renamed our network and are calling it HER Mastermind Network. Feel free to check it out and if it appeals to you, JOIN! As of this posting we have 373 members and have grown tremendously in the past month. I am posting the network name here before we change it online so that we can have a time log of who used it first :)

BTW, in case you are uncertain how RYZE works, RYZE has 3 levels of membership - a free level and two tiers of paying memberships. If you are a paying member you can start your own network. And other RYZE members can sign up to belong to your group for free.

Feel free to comment on this post and share your thoughts about Trademarks.

Warmest regards,

Heidi

July 3rd is Eat Beans day, Compliment Your mirror Day... and more!

"History has repeatedly been changed by people who had the desire and the ability to transfer their convictions and emotions to their listeners." Dale Carnegie

Not sure how we can market our company on Eat Beans Day unless you host a contest to see who can eat the most beans (complete with prizes). Be sure and do this in an open area like a park, stadium or if you are going to the Daytona Firecracker 400 you could be ready when they hit the pits... :)

But seriously, using the calendar to market your company can have many advantages. The first being a starting point of what you want to capitalize on. Instead of coming up with ideas out of thin air, you could promote your products and services on someone else's ingenuity. For instance, did you know that yesterday was (July 2nd) Freedom from Fear of Speaking Day?

How many of you use Public Speaking to promote your business?

About 18 years ago I discovered this powerful tool to promote my business and not only did it help dramatically with my company's bottom line, it created a whole new business for me. I started out doing floral arrangments for local schools during career weeks, then became a speaker for women's groups and then started talking about marketing your business as an SBA Small Business Development Center Speaker ... and the list goes on.

In the past 3 years I have concentrated more in the online world of speaking however, still use speaking as a marketing tool locally (nationally and internationally too) whenever the opportunity presents itself.

If you are afraid of speaking in public, now would be an excellent time to check out your local Toastmasters Group or Dale Carnegie Course.

In part two I will share some tips to overcome the fear of public speaking.

Stay tuned...

Heidi

ps. For more calendar ideas, check out my online calendar at EdenFlorist.com

Closing Corporate Sales

"Companies should identify potential customers outside their immediate circle of influence and court them.. 50 % of getting more corporate clients is making the 'date', 25% is showing up and the other 25% is showing what you have to offer. It's in the first 50% where most people fail!"

Are you looking for more corporate clients to add to your list of those served?

If so, here’s a few tips to jump start your efforts.

Before you begin calling on corporate prospects, put the law of attraction principles to into practice. Visualize the company or type of company you're going after, what you will say to the prospect, how you plan to present your company, and what questions you will ask so that you will learn what goals and challenges the client currently has.

When making sales calls be specific to each account’s needs – if you are a small business chances are you handle the calls yourself – it is important to tailor their needs to the benefits you can offer.

Begin any written proposals with an overview of those needs and how you can meet them. Corporate clients are more interested in what you can do for them than the history of your company.When you do those in-person meetings be sure to ask lots of questions so you can ascertain the client’s needs and customize a program suitable to him.

When you do go over the history and the overall benefits of doing business with you, be brief and try to only include pertinent facts about your company that will build the prospects confidence in doing business with you.

Include personal testimonials and show your “track record” of satisfying your customers’ needs. Read my Tips on Gathering Testimonials.

Whenever possible, present your written proposal in person. It may be the number one thing that sets you apart from others also vying to do business with that company.

Send a follow-up letter summarizing the benefits you can offer the corporate prospect demonstrating your confidence that you can deliver on those promises.Make your calls early in the day or after hours. While many top executives are still in their offices, their assistants aren’t – so your calls are more likely to get through as no on is there screening them.

Be persistent – keep calling until you get through – leave positive uplifting messages (never say – “you never return my calls” – reinforce to the receiver that you understand just how busy she is and again ask for a return call and or an appointment.

Here's to closing more corporate sales...

Heidi

The Power of "Masterminds" or HER Masterminds!

“When two or more minds come together for a purpose, the purpose becomes greater than the being.” Napoleon Hill

I recently took over an existing RYZE Network (the SHE Network) and renamed it HER Mastermind Network. The reason for the name change was to give the network a name that truly reflected our personality and what it is we do on this social networking site.

You see, I think of social networking as a sort of mastermind group. Although these types of forums tend to be much larger than a traditional mastermind, the idea is the same. To learn from a variety of perspectives, to get ideas from more people, to brainstorm ways to tackle everyday challenges... and more.

Here's my definition of a mastermind group: "it is a group of people who meet on a regular basis to exchange ideas, seek the advice of the group and solicit feedback from. It is a resource center of new ideas."

Many small business owners feel isolated and that no one really understands the challenges you face in your business. A Mastermind Group or Network will lessen that isolated feeling.

Over the yearsI have been involved in several masterminds. Some of them meet/met in person, some were and are online exchange between female speakers around the world. Some were started by others and I was invited to attend, some were co-founded by me.

Each of them have helped me both professional and personally, taking my businesses to new levels of success and helping me to crystalize what my purpose in life is. They have helped me to find out what it was I was really working toward, helped me set and achieve goals and offered the kind of encouragement that was necessary when things didn't always go my way. So I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the things I and others have discovered from participating in a mastermind group.

The first thing you need to do is know what it is you want from a mastermind group and what you can contribute to the group.

Highly successful mastermind groups work best when you follow a few simple guidelines:

1. When deciding who would best fit in your group, choose people who have specialized knowledge you lack. Enlisting people with very different outlooks strengthens a mastermind group.

2. Make a time commitment and stick to it. It doesn't matter if you meet once a week or once a month. The point is that when you decide the frequency, make the commitment, don't allow anything except serious emergencies to interfere with your date.

3. Create an agenda to follow. This provides a sense of order during your meetings. Sample agendas might include open discussion at the beginning of the meeting and then focusing on individual challenges for about 20 minutes each.

One of my in-person group (of 6) focuses on one member's challenge each meeting with the others offering their feedback or advice. Each member gets her turn to share. This is very powerful because each of us learns something from the other's challenge. My online group meets in a "chat room" and we each ask a question (there are 5 of us). The other 4 offer their responses. We meet for approximately one hour and we have open discussion at the end of the meeting if there is time.

4. Our in-person meetings are fun. We meet in a different place each month, and it has become as much a social event as an educational experience.

5. Keep it Small and Simple. If your group is too large you run into the challenge of everyone not having sufficient time to present their own challenges. Groups of 4 to 7 work seem to work best.

6. Decide on your rules of engagement in the very beginning. My in-person group openly discusses details of our companies with the understanding that our "inside" secrets" are never divulged outside of our group.

7. Depending on the nature of your group you might consider assigning a facilitator for each meeting to keep the group on target. You learn to facilitate by doing it.

Another key component I should mention is that a true mastermind has an accountability component - that means we help one another achieve our goals by asking how we are doing, offering encouragement and "holding our feet to the fire."

I love the interaction and dynamic flow of ideas that occur during my mastermind group meetings, and cannot wait to get to work on everyone's suggestions. It is exciting to see the results at the end of the year.

When you create your own mastermind group you will see an immediate change in how you approach your own challenges. And the other benefit is that it makes you really look at problems from a new perspective - you find that business owners are more alike than different even when we "sell" a different product or solution to our own target audience.

Being involved in mastermind groups for more than 15 years has been more rewarding for me than I could ever describe, in that I have received so much more than I could ever give back.

If you are not currently involved in a mastermind, I strongly suggest you begin by making a list of the people you would want on your team – I call it your "dream team" - to help your business grow. It may be the best step you take for your business this year!

Warmest regards,

Heidi

First Jobs... Conversation Starters

"Informal conversation is probably the oldest mechanism by which opinions on products and brands are developed, expressed, and spread." Johan Arndt

As an avid networker, one of the questions I often ask during conversations is what was (or is) the best job you have ever had? Learning about what others have done in their lives is a great way to create a stronger bond with that person.

I am also very interested in knowing how the person I am talking to chose their current career. Was it on purpose, by accident... did they just fall into it, other? It is amazing how much people are willing to share when you ask this and it's a great way to put you and the person you are talking to at ease. Another follow up question might be "And what job, business or career did you have prior to doing what you do today? Were you a stay at home mom (or are you now), did you work for someone else, did you totally change professions? "

Finding one or two key questions to ask helps put you and the person you are talking to at ease. And it works with for people at any level of the organizational pyramid. So here's my story (the readers digest version):

My first real job (not counting babysitting, housecleaning and ironing for working moms) was in a Fish and Chips place (I was a senior in High School). I was known for making cole slaw faster than anyone - and talking too much!

My second job was an office - I was a receptionist (Summer before college). Although the pay was better, (and I got to talk to everyone), I didn't much like that and decided it was not in my future. It occurred to me that if I ever did decide to work in an office again (which I have not since) it would be my own and it would be the corner office with a window :).

My third, fourth and fifth jobs were my freshman year of college - I worked at a car-wash on weekends, a department store 2 days a week (days off from school) and 3 nights a week worked the graveyard shift at a Jack in the Box! Sleep was something I treasured so I didn't have much of a life!

I got married my sophomore year, worked as a waitress in a Diner and then moved from California to Florida when my first husband got out of the Navy. We started buying rental property and for the next 7 or 8 years of my life I managed 21 rental units.

About that time, we bought a child care center and for almost 3 years I ran the center which was a 24/7 operation. Our best customers were nurses, taxicab drivers and exotic dancers :). We sold that in 1980 and for a short time I again ran the rental property business which then increased to 67 units.

We decided to start selling property and hired a management company to run the rest. I also worked part time for a friend who was an occupational therapist - I was an therapist assistant in training - it was not for me.

In 1981 we purchased my florist - Eden Florist & Gift Baskets and for the last 26 years I have been going there almost every day. I love the shop, my staff and my customers. However, retail has changed a lot over the years and I am getting a little bored with it.

In 2003 my partner (also my youngest daughter) and I started the Women's eCommerce Association, International which has evolved into the WECAI Network™. Each and every day is exciting! I love booting up the computer and meeting wonderful women (and men) from around the world). And let's not forget all the great technology - learning something new fills me up.

If you want to get really good at networking use these questions or come up with your own. Be a good interviewer. Ask open-ended questions to get people to "open up" and talk about themselves.

One of my favorite quotes is "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Show them how much you care by asking Questions! So that's my story! There's more, but I think I've shared enough for now. It's your turn to answer those questions.


Heidi

A Tribute to Fathers

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."
Jim Valvano

Father's Day has special meaning to me and so I am posting a tribute to all the men in my life that mean a great deal to me and truly represent what fatherhood is all about.

In 1993 my mother died and I was left an orphan (sort of). You see I had never met my birth father and was not sure I wanted to. My mother had been married four times and none of these men were exactly the epitomy of good fathers.

However, in 1999 I was on a spiritual journey and decided to look for him. I picked up the phone and contacted Lee, a local private investigator who was a member of one of the Chambers of Commerce to which I belong. The only information I had about my father was his name, date and place of birth and that he lived in NYC in the 50's. In less than an hour Lee called me back with his address and phone number.

It took me 3 years (and a couple of glasses of wine with my dear friend Linda Stein) to finally get up the nerve to contact him. She helped me write the letter I eventually sent to him - a few months later. I sent the letter in a birthday card and said I would just like to introduce myself. He wrote back to say how brave I was to have written, not knowing how he might respond. He also said he was glad I contacted him because he had no other children.

That's only the beginning of our story. He has turned out to be an incredible person. We have a wonderful relationship and he even gave me away at my wedding in November 2005.

Every day I am grateful that I didn't wait to long to contact him - we had already missed so much and the very thought that he could have passed away before I had the opportunity to at least meet him makes me realize just how "lucky" I am to have done so just at that moment.

In addition to my incredible DAD, I have an equally wonderful husband. We have been together for almost 16 years and in 2005 decided to get married. It is the best decision I ever made! It was a beautiful wedding to the most beautiful, romantic, caring, compassionate and smart man I know. Timmy is not only my best friend, he is the perfect step father to my children. They love him very much.

The third man in my life to pay tribute to is my son-in-law Henry, the father of my two absolutely beautiful redhaired grandchildren. He is the son I never had! He is a good father, husband and loving son in law - his quirky sense of humor makes him perfect fit for our family! And he's a redhead too!

The fourth man in my life to pay tribute to is Bill Mooney, my father in law. If there were a store to "order" the perfect father in law, I would have chosen Bill. He is kind, compassionate, has a great IRISH sense of humor and he's even smarter than his son! I just love to be around him. Like father, like son.

And finally I'd just like to say how lucky I am to not only have these men in my life, I also have a very special (former) father in law. Even though his son and I got divorced, Fred is still very much a part of our lives. He celebrates all ocassions with us and has been a very supportive part of my life through many trials and tribulations as well as triumphs.

Thank you to all the men in all our lives, be they fathers, sons, brothers, friends - Happy Father's Day!

"Be kind to thy father, for when thou wert young,Who loved thee so fondly as he? He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, And joined in thy innocent glee." Margaret Courtney

Wishing you a wonderful Father's Day... and then some!

Heidi Richards

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” Anne Sexton

Whenever I feel the sun on my face, I know it is Alexis smiling at me and saying "I love you, Mommy."

I am a member of a number of social networking sites, including RYZE. The other day Val posted the following:

Sunkist is calling all kids, 7 to 12 years of age, across America to "Take a Stand" for their favorite charity. It's a rewarding way to squeeze some fun into summer and give back to the community. Here's the link:http://www.sunkist.com/takeastand/.

Last year and this, the program gave away 10,000 stands . Unfortunately all those free lemonade stands are gone! However, you can still purchase the stands for $25 each (including shipping).

I JUST PURCHASED MY STAND so my grandson and his friends can TAKE A STAND against Drug abuse in memory of my daughter Alexis who passed away in February of a drug overdose.

The money will go to Journey to Freedom, the last program she was in (October). Although she died of this dreadful disease, she had the chance to get to know about GOD in that program and for that I am grateful.

Here are some of the comments other network members made when I mentioned what my intentions were:

What a wonderful gift that will be not only to the organization but also to your grandson. It's very difficult to find a way to honor those we've loved. Your daughter certainly will be very proud of his tribute! I'm sure she'll let him know by some 'sign'--he'll just have to keep his eyes open for something that signified her being. It will be there. - Kristin

Heidi!! That is AWESOME...what a wonderful way to make others aware and not allow your daughters death to be in vain...Connor and Kendra did this last year...so we are just gonna use that stand and do it again this year!! They are super excited and have been asking me ALL winter when they can set up their Lemonade stand...LOL!! We are also going to be TAKING A STAND against Drug abuse...after speaking to Connor and Kendra we have decided to donate in your daughter, Alexis' name!! Thanks for sharing your story! - Val, The Passion Diva

I thought it would be a great thing to do with Devon and help him remember his Aunt Alexis. What I didn't expect was the love and support of the network members! It is amazing what a small message such as the one posted on RYZE can do for others. It's those small messages that can turn out to have a HUGE meaning for the readers. For me it certainly did.

Thank you Val and Kristen and the other members - and thank you Sunkist for helping kids TAKE A STAND for something meaningful.

Warmest regards,

Heidi