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The
Editor's Desk - From Beneath the Clutter
Feature Article - Make time to relax with at home spa treatments
Guest Article - The Power of Word of Mouth
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How is your new year going? I hope you are all off to a good start.
My daughter, Ariel, continues to amaze me with her progress. At 20 months, she's climbing like mad, which certainly doesn't make my life easier, but she's doing other things which just amaze me. She has this fascination with anything printed, whether it be a tag on a toy or a book. She seems to be understanding some of it already too. Her absolute favorite letter right now is 'D'. I really hope that doesn't continue when she is in school!
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No matter what you do at home, whether caring for your children or working at home, you work hard. Now it's time to take a little time for you with your own at home spa treatments. Using a combination of aromatherapy, relaxation and basic massages, you can relieve some of the stresses of your days without spending a fortune at a spa. At home spa treatments aren't terribly difficult to make. Some supplies you may even have at home, others you may need to buy, but should last a long time.
A simple foot soak is easily made and feels wonderful. Find a bowl or pan large enough for your feet. Place marbles in the bottom and fill with warm water, about a half cup of Epsom salts and a couple drops of your favorite essential oil. Roll each foot over the marbles or just soak for several minutes.
Of course, you don't have to limit soaking to just your feet. Shut that bathroom door after making sure no one will bother you, whether by waiting until after bedtime, or finding a way to keep the kids busy. Fill the tub with warm water, add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil, and maybe turn out the light and have just a candle burning. Close your eyes and just relax. Soft music is also a good idea.
An alternative for your bath is the classic milk bath. You can use powdered milk for this rather than hauling up the whole milk carton. Use about a half cup of powdered milk, some glycerin, and your favorite essential oils, such as jasmine, lavender and rose for a wonderful scent.
You can't forget to take care of your face during your at home spa treatment. You probably know the old routine of placing slices of cucumber over the eyes. To moisturize your face, mash one ripe banana and mix with about a tablespoon each of yogurt and honey. If you let your kids see you with this one on, be prepared for some laughter.
Think about what you want to get from your home spa treatment when selecting your essential oils. Aromatherapy can be incredibly effective. Need to relax? Try lavender, rosewood, lime or sandalwood essential oils. If you need to feel more refreshed, use lime, lemongrass, spearmint or orange essential oils.
Your home spa treatment can include much more than these ideas, of course. Just relax in the ways that suit you best, whether alone or with your spouse.
Stephanie Foster is the owner of Home with the Kids, a resource that knows that there's more to staying home with your family than just business. From money saving tips to parenting and marriage tips, to work at home jobs and businesses, you can get information and support here. You can visit the site at http://www.homewiththekids.com.
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Most of us remember the commercial that said, "I told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on, and so on, and.", well you get the picture. This commercial, which represented Breck Hair Shampoo, ran so many times that even I remember who the commercial represented.
The reason I mention this particular commercial is not because of the number of times it was aired but rather because of the message it was sending. This company knew the importance of potential clients hearing something about their product or service that impressed someone else.
It's called Word of Mouth and it can make or break the success of almost every aspect of our lives, especially our business lives. In our personal lives, if we like something, we will talk positively about it to others. This, in turn, will show them that this is something good and that they should check it out.
It could be anything from a favourite plant that flowers throughout the growing season, to a fabulous doctor who has the bedside manner of an angel. If we are happy about something, we will likely talk about it to others.
In our business lives, positive word of mouth generates referrals and referrals generate business. So, word of mouth is one of the most important marketing tools that can contribute to our success. What could be better than a customer mentioning how pleased they were with a service you provided to others who may need this service? Free advertising. that's what word of mouth is.
Not only do we love to be the recipient of positive word of mouth, we should also realize that others are in the same boat as us and rely on word of mouth to help them succeed as well. So, if you like something, be sure to tell others about it, especially if they are in need of something you had a great experience with.
For example, for months I have been trying to find a backup software to use on my new computer. I tried several and was not impressed with how they performed or the extent of their customer service. It would sometimes take over a week to get a response. Well, I finally came across this little, cheapy program that said it would do what I wanted it to do. I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. And. I was very happy with the outcome. At one point I had problems and in one afternoon, after several emails back and forth with the author of the software, I was up and running again. no problem. This tiny little company impressed me so much that I have recommended his software to as many people as possible.including you. Check out the Backup Assistant at http://www.graffman.net.
Word of mouth is also known as a verbal testimonial. The words of praise literally come right from the horse's mouth. It's a very powerful recommendation to physically hear someone bestowing the virtues of a certain product or service, or the company behind this great find.
Vocalizing your satisfaction is not the only way to get the word out. With so many people using the Internet to find information, why not include your recommendations on your website. Having a Resources page on your website is a great way to let others know of different things that you would recommend.
Word of mouth can also be in the form of a written testimonial and can benefit both the company that gave you that great service and the recipient. Many companies like to present testimonials for others to see. And, why shouldn't they? It's a great way to show people how much others have liked their service. The benefit to you is that each time you say something nice about their service, they may in turn publicize your testimonial on their literature or website. And, they will usually include your name and your company. There you have it. your company's name is in front of the eyes of potential clients, just because you took the time to say a few nice words about something else.
Now, let's flip the coin here for a moment. We've mentioned about the benefits of positive word of mouth. But, what about the pitfalls of negative word of mouth? If someone spreads the word that your service is fabulous, new business will come your way. However, if you provide a service or product that someone is not happy with, they will either never recommend you or they will tell three times as many people about the negativities they have experienced. Providing an exceptional service or product, coupled with "beyond the call of duty" customer service, can have a positive effect on your business. But, not providing what you customers deserve can bring down the curtain faster than you can blink.
For example, I recently had a run in with a supplier who I would never recommend to anyone, not even my fiercest competitor. This company took over 3 months to provide me with the product I needed. Each time I called their office, I would either get an answering machine and have to wait days to get a reply or I would get the old " it will be ready by Friday" response. I was not impressed! In fact, when I did finally get the finished product, I was not at all happy with it. Oh, and I never even got an apology for the delay or the discount I requested because of my displeasure. In short, they seemed to not want my business now or in the future. I think I'll comply.
Word of mouth is very powerful, both positively and negatively. Of course, we should always strive to gain positive referrals. that's my goal. It can have a tremendous impact on our success. So. get out there and tell two friends about this article. and so on!
Janice Byer is the founder of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services ( http://www.docutype.net ), a professional Virtual Assistance and Website Design company, specializing in helping small business owners get ahead. She is a certified Canadian Virtual Assistant & Master Virtual Assistant and winner of the Most Successful Start Up 2000 and Home Based Business of the Year 2000 Awards
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