Posts
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Holiday Signs
Try to play on people’s emotions.
Depending on what you sell, you may be able to tug on shoppers’ heartstrings by reminding them just how much their grandma, son, boss, etc. will appreciate a particular gift.
Focus on savings.
This should be a no-brainer, but you know everyone is looking for the best holiday deals. Because you know your volume will likely increase, you can afford to offer some fantastic savings—and promote them in signs to get people into your store.
Add a time element.
People will often make purchases when they realize they only have a limited time to take advantage of a special deal. Not many people in your store when you first open? How about offering an “early bird special” that’s only good for the first hour of the shopping day. You can also promote “buy by” dates to give shoppers a deadline to make their purchase decisions.
You might have noticed something about these recommendations: they’re really appropriate all year round when you’re thinking about sign verbiage. During the holidays, however, it’s even more important to drive people into your store and benefit from their seasonal generosity.
www.sdsar.com
Monday, December 3, 2012
Is It Better To Give -- At The Office?
This month will be offering a few tips to help keep your stress levels low and your holiday spirits high during this busy season. The following are a few things to remember about gift giving if you work in a big office or a small one.
- If you are exchanging gifts in the office with all but a few, avoid exchanging them at the office. Instead, meet after work, and do not talk about your gifts the next day in the office.
- Do you give your boss a gift? Not necessarily. It becomes a contest of who gave what and how much did they spend. The boss can give gifts to the employees, but not necessary to reciprocate. A nice card showing your appreciation is always welcome or giving something homemade, such as cookies or artwork. Another nice gesture is getting your co-workers together on a gift.
- Be respective of traditions and religious believes. It does not mean you have to exclude people from holiday parties and gift giving, but give them the option to participate. Office festivities and holiday cards should state "Happy Holidays," "Holiday Greetings," or "The Best for the Season."
- Always personalize your holiday cards. If your company name is embossed or printed at the bottom of the card, a signed name or names still apply. If possible, handwrite the address instead of using labels and use holiday stamps, instead of the meter.
- Have a few gifts in reserve. A gift certificate to the local bookstore can come in handy; a few candles in gift bags can save you an embarrassing moment.
Remember - If you receive a gift with nothing to give in return, do not apologize for not having a gift; just be extremely appreciative and follow up with a nice thank-you note.
Source: Colleen A. Rickenbacher is a business etiquette expert and author of Be on Your Best Business Behavior, and Be on Your Best Cultural Behavior. She helps clients improve manners, image and communication skills.
If you’re interested in great signage for your local business, talk to the experts at Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa. Located in San Diego, we create gorgeous vinyl banners, business signs, and vehicle wraps. For more information, call (858) 565-7446 today.
Unwrapping Tips to Survive The Holiday Season
By Colleen A. Rickenbacher
'Tis the season -- the holidays are upon us. It is also the season for holiday get-togethers of all kinds -- there are office parties, lunches or dinners with clients and perhaps a party or dinner with the boss or board.
This month will be offering a few tips to keep your stress levels low and your holiday spirits high during this busy season.
The key to success when attending any office function, event or party is preparation and planning. This can be the ideal opportunity to meet someone who can influence your career, so take advantage. Here are some etiquette guidelines to follow:
Attending Office Parties
Yes, you should attend. At least make an appearance and find the host or hostess as soon as possible to extend your thanks for the invitation. Try and work the room as much as possible before you leave. Don't make an obvious exit -- never tell anyone you're leaving because you have another party to attend. It will give the impression the other party is more important and you are only attending this one because you need to make an appearance.
The best rule is to arrive on time or within 15 minutes of the designated start time. Your host may have announcements or food presentations scheduled throughout the evening, which will be geared around the starting and ending time of the event.
You don't have to be the first to arrive and you don't want to be the last to leave. Gauge your time to fit the activities and the size of the crowd. If the crowd is larger, it is much easier to depart without notice. But if it is an intimate dinner or party, you may be required to remain for most of the evening.
Don't Talk Only About Business
Don't come with a car full of portfolios or brochures. Parties are networking opportunities, so leave it at that. You can approach someone to set up a future meeting and exchange business cards, but leave the brochures and proposals at the office.
Before the party, prepare by reading the newspaper or watching the news. Be familiar with the events calendar of your city. You'll always have something to talk about if you stay in-the-know. If you're on the shy side, just remember to ask questions. People love to answer questions about their families, work, hobbies, etc.
Food And Alcohol
When you attend a function in a person's home or even in a restaurant as a guest, the food may be free but it's not your last meal. Drink and eat moderately. Consuming food and drink from the time you arrive until you leave may be the last time you are invited. You can partake in both, but the key is moderation.
Your time should be spent mingling with guests. It can be difficult to carry on a conversation with a prospective client or the president of your company when you have a drink in one hand and a plate of food in the other. Mingle and then ask a client or the person you just met to join you for a drink or some food.
Buffet
When people think of buffets, they often think "all you can eat." Keep in mind you can go back again. Don't stack your plate so high you need help. If the entire table is going through the buffet line, try to start at the same time. When at least two or three people have returned to the table, you can begin eating. It is not necessary to wait for the entire table to return to their places before eating. When you are ready to return to the buffet, leave your plate on at the table so the wait staff will take it away. Always start with a clean plate each time you return for more food.
If you are with a client who does not want dessert, try and bring the dessert back with you when you go for your entrée. However, if you know the client enjoys dessert, then ask at the end of the meal if he or she would like coffee and dessert. You can order the coffee first and then return to the buffet for one or two desserts.
Source: Colleen A. Rickenbacher is a business etiquette expert and author of Be on Your Best Business Behavior, and Be on Your Best Cultural Behavior. She helps clients improve manners, image and communication skills.
This month will be offering a few tips to keep your stress levels low and your holiday spirits high during this busy season.
The key to success when attending any office function, event or party is preparation and planning. This can be the ideal opportunity to meet someone who can influence your career, so take advantage. Here are some etiquette guidelines to follow:
Attending Office Parties
Yes, you should attend. At least make an appearance and find the host or hostess as soon as possible to extend your thanks for the invitation. Try and work the room as much as possible before you leave. Don't make an obvious exit -- never tell anyone you're leaving because you have another party to attend. It will give the impression the other party is more important and you are only attending this one because you need to make an appearance.
The best rule is to arrive on time or within 15 minutes of the designated start time. Your host may have announcements or food presentations scheduled throughout the evening, which will be geared around the starting and ending time of the event.
You don't have to be the first to arrive and you don't want to be the last to leave. Gauge your time to fit the activities and the size of the crowd. If the crowd is larger, it is much easier to depart without notice. But if it is an intimate dinner or party, you may be required to remain for most of the evening.
Don't Talk Only About Business
Don't come with a car full of portfolios or brochures. Parties are networking opportunities, so leave it at that. You can approach someone to set up a future meeting and exchange business cards, but leave the brochures and proposals at the office.
Before the party, prepare by reading the newspaper or watching the news. Be familiar with the events calendar of your city. You'll always have something to talk about if you stay in-the-know. If you're on the shy side, just remember to ask questions. People love to answer questions about their families, work, hobbies, etc.
Food And Alcohol
When you attend a function in a person's home or even in a restaurant as a guest, the food may be free but it's not your last meal. Drink and eat moderately. Consuming food and drink from the time you arrive until you leave may be the last time you are invited. You can partake in both, but the key is moderation.
Your time should be spent mingling with guests. It can be difficult to carry on a conversation with a prospective client or the president of your company when you have a drink in one hand and a plate of food in the other. Mingle and then ask a client or the person you just met to join you for a drink or some food.
Buffet
When people think of buffets, they often think "all you can eat." Keep in mind you can go back again. Don't stack your plate so high you need help. If the entire table is going through the buffet line, try to start at the same time. When at least two or three people have returned to the table, you can begin eating. It is not necessary to wait for the entire table to return to their places before eating. When you are ready to return to the buffet, leave your plate on at the table so the wait staff will take it away. Always start with a clean plate each time you return for more food.
If you are with a client who does not want dessert, try and bring the dessert back with you when you go for your entrée. However, if you know the client enjoys dessert, then ask at the end of the meal if he or she would like coffee and dessert. You can order the coffee first and then return to the buffet for one or two desserts.
Source: Colleen A. Rickenbacher is a business etiquette expert and author of Be on Your Best Business Behavior, and Be on Your Best Cultural Behavior. She helps clients improve manners, image and communication skills.
If you’re interested in great signage for your local business, talk to the experts at Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa. Located in San Diego, we create gorgeous vinyl banners, business signs, and vehicle wraps. For more information, call (858) 565-7446 today.
Keeping Your Business Safe During the Holiday Shopping Season
In a perfect world, your employees would be working hard all day long ignoring the tempting distractions the Internet brings. However, with Cyber Monday and other online holiday deals being blasted all over the place, chances are they will be shopping online, grabbing great deals while on the clock.
Small businesses have a lot more at risk than lost productivity this holiday season, experts warned. Employees browsing and shopping online can open a business up to scams and security breaches, particularly smaller companies that tend to lack adequate protection.
Michael Kaiser, executive director for the National Cyber Security Alliance, said that 77% of small businesses do not have internet security policies in place, so many employees that shop online at work aren't violating workplace protocol. For businesses that want to be upfront with their workers about shopping online on company computers, Kaiser suggests having an honest conversation.
"Start by reminding them that they have a significant responsibility to protect the information of employees and customers," he said. "That is a shared responsibility with employees. This can put the whole business at risk, and people don't understand that as well as they should."
Eduard Goodman, chief privacy officer for IDT911, advised employers to tell employees that the office is not the time to get personal shopping done. "
Let them know there is work time, and that should be separate from private time," Goodman said. "Their time shouldn’t be spent looking for buys and surfing sites."
Here are Goodman and Kaiser's tips for keeping your company information safe this Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday shopping season.
No. 1: Talk about email accounts. Goodman said businesses should make clear to workers that if they are going to shop online, they should not use a work email to login or sign up for offers.
"There are a number of reasons for that, including potential spamming after you make a purchase to spear phishing for larger, more well-known companies," he said. "This takes up company resources and opens the company up to other potential attacks."
No. 2: Update software. Kaiser said that while this tip may seem obvious, many companies don't take the time to ensure their software is up to date.
"This includes patched operating systems, current web browsers and making sure your [anti-virus] subscriptions haven't lapsed," he said.
He also added to be sure employees that are connecting to your company's server remotely over WiFi networks are only using protected sources. Unsecured networks open up your company to greater risk.
No. 3: Think about blacklisting. You can take your protection and web policy one step further and actually blacklist certain sites on company computers, Kaiser said. While some businesses do this for things like personal email sites and social media networks, businesses can also include retail web addresses.
No. 4: Use temporary cards. The experts suggested employers buying gifts online for their employees use a temporary card that can only be used once.
"A lot of times businesses will be using corporate or company cards when buying things for their employees," Goodman said. "You don't want to expose company credit or debit cards; the rules are not as generous as they are with consumer accounts."
No. 5: Use only refutable URLs. Goodman and Kaiser agreed that for those employers who are allowing employees to shop online, they should let them know not to click through email links to find buys.
Tell employees to type in URLs directly and only shop from well-known sites. Spam emails with false deals will be abundant, especially during the holiday retail rush.
"People will be flooded with amazing deals," Kaiser said. "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is."
URL http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/technology-web/2011/11/28/keeping-your-business-safe-during-holiday-shopping-season/
Read more: http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/technology-web/2011/11/28/keeping-your-business-safe-during-holiday-shopping-season/#ixzz2DzzH3Kdu
If you’re interested in great signage for your local business, talk to the experts at Sign-A-Rama - Kearny Mesa. Located in San Diego, we create gorgeous vinyl banners, business signs, and vehicle wraps. For more information, call (858) 565-7446 today.
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