Personal Recommendations Beat Out Online Sources

As I was reading my daily marketing news, I ran across a study that found most online purchasers bought because of a personal recommendation from a friend/relative (34%), followed by spouse/partner (25%), then a blogger (5%) and a chat room (5%).

Truly, this is no surprise to me. Personal, one-on-one connections are gems. These are the people you trust and depend on. If Oprah tweeted, “Acai is amazing”, but my friend Jane said, “I tried it and it’s not worth the price,” I’d go with Jane. Sorry, Oprah.

If you’re out there trying to make a splash in cyberspace, get the movers and shakers talking online and off. And talk to women! Women, your most valuable consumers, are twice as likely as men to recommend a product/service to a friend.

Start with a core group of “sneezers”, as Seth Godin calls them. These are influential people who are sure to tell their friends when they’re into something new. Then keep the momentum going. Ask those people to write online reviews or blog about your product/service. This will begin your online and offline publicity.

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Learning to Say No

By nature, women are nurturers—the ones always helping others. While it’s admirable that we are always trying to be there for others, between work and family, our lives can get chaotic. In striving to be SuperMom, we often forget how and when to say no. Then, being overcommitted with no time for ourselves, we’re left feeling frazzled, burnt-out, despondent and not much good to anyone.

Fortunately, there are a couple things we can do. First, learn to set limitations for yourself. Instead of saying yes to everything, define the specific tasks that inspire you. Commit your time and talents to the tasks and organizations that make your heart sing. By doing so, your actions will be in sync with your heart, and that translates into a happier you.

Also, develop a support system of family, friends and co-workers who can help you. Surround yourself with these individuals and establish them as a network of real people in your life. Don’t try to do it all. Instead, let others help you.

Learning to say no and having others help you may take some getting used to, but the end result, a refreshed and rejuvenated you, is well worth it.

A mother’s work is never done. Just remember to slow down.

With endless days filled with meetings, luncheons, doctor’s appointments and kids’ activities,it’s hard to cram everything I do into a 24-hour period. It is no wonder working moms feel overwhelmed.

Mothers across the country are reaching out and starting support groups and communities. On an episode of Oprah, An Overwhelmed Mom’s Deadly Mistake, a grieving mother, Brenda Slaby, spoke about her unfortunate accident that she described as her “wake-up call to slow down”. In trying to be everything to everybody, she lost her daughter. Slaby chose to speak out about the tragic event because she wants to share her knowledge with others. She doesn’t want other moms to live through the same tragedy. To hear more about her story, go to Oprah.com.

So in order to slow down, don’t go it alone—and ask for help. While it’s easier said than done, if you’re trying to do it all—without the help of your spouse, kids, friends and co-workers—you won’t survive. Women are notorious for trying to do it all. But life moves at an accelerated pace, and frankly, it’s impossible to do it all alone. Asking for help is a sign of strength and confidence.

So, the next time you’re trying to balance life and work, stop, take a breath and ask for some help. Those who support and understand your dreams and passions will be there to assist you. Working moms are amazing women!

And in the words of Slaby, “the house doesn’t matter, the perfect dinner doesn’t matter—the kids matter.”

To create a real brand, people inside and outside your company need to believe in you

Not just your product or service. At the end of the day, it’s all about you. That means your personal brand and your business brand are one in the same. I encourage you to begin by choosing one word that defines you. Here’s a hint to get you started: Think about what you do well.

Let’s use Oprah Winfrey as example. Everybody knows Oprah’s brand. Much of her success is due to the fact that people feel like they know her. She defined her career in a real way—as an extension of her personality. By sharing her story, she got people to believe in her. It’s the reason why she’s been successful at building a phenomenal career.

How about you? What’s your story? Get started now at RealYouIncorporated.com.