Optimal Level members must be busy with projects and vacations; we haven’t
heard too much from them.
However, we still have an interesting
newsletter. For good advice and helpful tips, read on.
Some good book suggestions from Schaumburg member, Rhonda
Branding your business with gifts
Tips to follow through on your plans
Optimal Level group on Linkedin
August – We have a community complex behind our home and I see a
lot of people using the pool. Finally - pool weather! August has
never been a great business month; people go on vacations and enjoy the sunny
weather. I would love to hear back about the fabulous vacations you took.
It is appropriately a lazy month. However, a lot of good, solid business
is exchanged amid the diligent and conscientious ones.
My very favorite holiday observances for August are Smile Week (2nd week in
August) and Romance Awareness Month. We all must celebrate those
holidays! Another fun one is Clown Week (8-01 thru 8-07) that’s this
week; start clowin’ around! What a nice month—here’s another one,
Friendship week. This is a good month then to contact old friends.
If the weather’s not great, take advantage of National Bowling Week (last week
in August.) Other interesting observances: Black Business Month,
National Inventor’s Month, and American Indian Heritage Month, http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/naihm.html,
Then there’s two more great weekly August observances: Single Working
Mom’s week and Mae West week. Wonder what we do to celebrate those?
Welcome to our new members - Glenview:
Andrea Vaughn and Glenview Optimal Level for Men, Steve Hamburg.
Spotlight News for Blog – News About Our Members:
Rhonda Spender, Schaumburg In June I
attended the National Conference for the American Association of University
Women in St. Louis.
I would be glad to discuss the conference or the Association with anyone.
Two books they mentioned at the conference and I recommend are:
"Getting Even - Why Women Don't Get Paid Like Men" by Evelyn Murphy
and E. J. Graff., "Ask For It - How Women Can Use The Power of
Negotiation to Get What They Really Want" by Linda Babcock and Sara
Laschever. Great reads for everyone especially women! Thanks,
Rhonda.
Yes, I know August is a lazy month because obviously, besides, Rhonda, no one
else had anything happen to them. That’s my assumption since no other
members sent any news about themselves! Come on – send in your successes,
books you recommend, trips you’ve taken, etc. Make September’s newsletter
full of stories about all of you.
Of Interest to You
Marketing Document now here! – Since we now have men in Optimal Level, we will
be changing our blog name and soon will incorporate it with our website.
In the meantime, you can still use either www.OptimalLevelMembers.com or www.womenbizpower.net to access
the blog. For a couple of months I have been promising a document on
marketing strategies for the Members Resource section. Now,
it is there. Its purpose is to help you with ideas when writing your
marketing plan. Go to the blog and click on Member Resources and you’ll find
it. If you have any additions or comments, let me know.
A friend of mine and a great businessman shares an article with us, Gifting Versus Branding.
Much to the dismay of my diet regimen, I have tasted Illinois Nut & Candy
‘s candy several times and it is delicious! David Levine shares wonderful
ways with us to enhance marketing and branding strategies for our businesses.
Another friend, Tony Battaglia, helps us out again, this time with a challenge
many of us have in our businesses. A business can strengthen its cash
position by the timely collection of its accounts receivable. Does your
business have a documented collection policy? Is it clearly understood
and consistently followed? Read the attached article
for a sample plan.
Tip of the Month
Ten Steps to Follow Through – Of course, it is extremely helpful to write a
plan. However, that plan is pretty worthless unless you follow
through. Have you ever failed to follow through on a golf swing or swing
of the bat – doesn’t work too well, does it? The same is true of any plan
you make in your business or life. When you are writing your plan start
thinking of when and how you will be implementing the plan. Use these steps
to improve outcomes and to get the best return on your time and energy:
Set your goals. Remember, do not try to
make it perfect; just make it!
Make a commitment to complete your plan.
Write down your commitment.
Refine your plan by writing down a how-to for
each step of your plan.
Review your plan and mark smaller action plans
next to any parts that requires action.
Develop a time line for each part of your plan
and schedules to align with the times you want to start, work on, and
finish your action steps.
Block out these times on your calendar.
Write a list of resources you may need to
complete your plan.
Define a method of measuring your progress and
results.
Create a plan of action if you catch yourself
avoiding a step or falling off your time plan (this might include a walk,
a talk with a friend, asking for advice, etc.)
Reward yourself when you are done both to create
the habit of success and because it feels good!
Questionnaires: Many of you completed questionnaires at
last month’s meeting. Thank you so much. We asked you about reading
the blog and the newsletter. Your answers were very helpful. Your
comments included: “Yes, the information always finds a way to lend support or
help.” “I enjoy reading it.” “I like her angle on different subjects.
I find it interesting.” Many of you said time plays a part in whether or
not you read the blog or newsletter. If you find the blog hard to access,
open the announcement when it comes, and use the links there.
Did
you know we have a Linkedin page for Optimal Level Members? Join our Linkedin
group, post comments, ask questions, get answers, share stores, etc.!
Quote of
the Month: "I celebrate myself, and what I assume you shall
assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe
and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease ... observing a spear of summer
grass."
- Walt Whitman
Fact or
Fiction?– The summer cold is
different from a winter cold. (See the answer at the end of this newsletter.)
The
following sections appear in every Newsletter issue (which means you have read
them already (feel free to review).
Meet Another Member Program - This is a wonderful way to
network. Who wants to meet another member? Any one interested this
month? Go to the blog (get your password and user ID from your welcome
letter or send email to Sandy,sandy@ineedashadow.com for it) and
read all the profiles. Decide who you would like to meet and let me
know. I will send an e-intro!
. Member
Profiles – Remember, every member's profile is posted on www.womenbizpower.net. Your
User ID and Password are in the Welcome Letter you received in email soon after
you joined Optimal Level. If you cannot find this information, send a
quick email to Sandy, a sister member and my wonderful assistant, sandy@ineedashadow.com, and she will
give you this information. This is another great way to read about all of
your sister members and see if you would like to call or email her to have a
conversation or get together. An Optimal Level member mentioned to me
recently that so many members have not posted profiles. We keep asking
for them. Any suggestions how to coax those members to offer profiles?
Marketing - Every
member is welcome to market by mail, email, phone, etc. to each Optimal Level
member. Get the information by logging onto our member blog, www.womenbizpower.net. Search
here first when you want a new service or product.
Library – Would you
like to borrow a book from the Optimal Level library? Check it out on the
blog and then send email letting me know which book you would like me to bring
for you to your next meeting. If you have a book out, please return it at
the next meeting.
Monthly
Readings – Want to get the book
we are reading in future months at our Optimal Level meeting? Go to our
blog site and click on Monthly Readings.
Referrals - If you
like Optimal Level and believe in the value you have received, please tell me
who you know who would want to get the same kind of help, meet all of our
members, and enjoy the camaraderie of the meetings. Send me your
suggestions along with contact information. Perhaps you might like to
call them first and let them know I will be calling them. I so appreciate
all of your referrals. Remember, 10% discount off your next enrollment if someone you
refer joins Optimal Level
