“Loving is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in
the same direction.”

~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

~Lois

Michael Green, founder of the HowToCorp, has a terrific
video about writing better sales copy and you can watch it
for free.

He’s a master at writing good email copy, and with this short
video he talks about how you can do it too. He walks you right through the whole process.

Watch the video.

~Lois

Want to know what Google’s robots look for?

Better site ranking depends on learning how Google’s robots
crawl your website. Learn what’s important.

~Lois

It’s been snowing and sleeting here for a couple of days.
The roads are pretty bad. We might just have to make dinner
at home and cuddle up to watch a movie for Valentine’s Day!

Madeline, our granddaughter, turned 4 last Friday. She was
SO excited; she practically screamed on the phone. We sent
her several new outfits for school. “I’m wearing the pants
you bought me,” she said. “Which ones?” I asked. “The ones
you got me.” “What color are they?” “Pink!” (We had sent her
at least 3 pairs of pants so I didn’t know which one she was
wearing.)

I hope you are having an awesome 2007!

~Lois

Sales is a great way to make a living. If you’re good, you
can make a lot of money and enjoy plenty of free time. But
when you’re working, stay focused!

Remember:

• Idle conversation with coworkers doesn’t pay the bills.

• Casual Friday doesn’t mean “relax your sales
commitment.”

• The day before a holiday can be a great time to generate
leads and close business.

• Prospects are everywhere! Let people know what you do.

• Don’t spend too much time with nonqualified prospects.
Close the file and move on.

• Increase your activity level during focused selling
time.

• Do not hide behind “administrivia.”

Yes, that’s right…I said “administrivia.” Administrative
work can be a lot like the game of Trivia—a lot of useless
information. While you do have to do some administrative
work to do your job properly, make sure you don’t spend so
much time on this that you forget to SELL! Keep your
administrative work to a minimum and do it during your least
productive selling time.

This tip is from the ebook I cowrote with Jim Wilson,
Sales Success! Strategies for Women.

For more tips like this, subscribe to our free “3 Day Sales Course.” It will be delivered by autoresponder when you subscribe.

~Lois

Today’s Valentine’s Day, a time to remember your sweetie.
Have you blown it already? I hope not!

Did you know that marketing YOURSELF isn’t so different from
marketing YOUR COMPANY or PRODUCT? “Oh, come on,” you say.
“You’ve gone too far.”

Well, I don’t think so. If you don’t promote your product,
you won’t make any sales. If you forget to market your
company, you’ll soon be out of business. And if you forget
to admire your sweetie on Valentine’s Day (or any other day,
for that matter), you’ll soon be bankrupt in the love
department, too. Won’t you?

So, here are a few last-minute Valentine’s ideas for you:

• Write your sweetie a love letter and have it translated
into French. Use a pretty script font when you write it.

• If you’re not much of a writer, create your love letter
in AUDIO. Buy him or her a new MP3 player and record a
special message for your sweetie.

• Put a happy note in your sweetie’s lunchbox.

• Call your sweetie at work and in your sexiest voice,
say, “I can’t wait to see you!” Then hang up and see how
long it takes him or her to call you back.

• Pay attention to DETAILS. Don’t buy just any flowers.
Give her (or him) her FAVORITES (yellow roses).

• Rent a romantic movie and cuddle up together on the
couch.

Keep your love alive. Do something fun and unexpected.

Keep your business alive, too, by learning how to not only
keep in touch with your customers and prospects, but to get
them to WANT to hear from you. You can even get them to send
you referrals for more business. In a teleseminar we did
awhile back, Adam Urbanski explained how to do just that…
“Secrets of Successful Networking: Proven Methods to Meet
More Qualified Prospects, Generate Referrals and Get
Business from Every Meeting You Attend.”

~Lois

A distinguished young woman on a flight from Switzerland asked the
priest beside her, “Father, may I ask a favor?” “Of course, what may
I do for you?”

“Well, I bought an expensive woman’s electronic hair dryer
for my mother’s birthday that is unopened and well over the Customs
limits, and I’m afraid they’ll confiscate it. Is there any way you
could carry it through Customs for me? Under your robes perhaps?”

“I would love to help you, dear, but I must warn you: I will not lie.”

“With your honest face, Father, no one will question you.”

When they got to Customs, she let the priest go ahead of her. The
official asked, “Father, do you have anything to declare?” “From the
top of my head down to my waist, I have nothing to declare.”

The official thought this answer strange, so asked, “And what do you
to declare from your waist to the floor?”

“I have a marvelous instrument designed to be used on a woman, but
which is, to date, unused.”

Roaring with laughter, the official said, “Go ahead, Father. Next!”

~Lois

Being a veterinarian, I was called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for the four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life—like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The four-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

SMILE with your Eyes.
LAUGH with your Heart.
LOVE with your Soul.

~Lois

Your Best Self: Health Awareness for Women
Director Women’s Health & Family BirthPlace at RMH

Great Opportunities Exist: Women are not just small men, and we need to recognize and care for ourselves with this in mind.

Teresa Yoder will review common health steps women can take for improvement and to feel better physically. She will also discuss the common health screenings and when they are recommended. She will spend some special time encouraging those at the meeting to celebrate life passages with health awareness and pride in life accomplishments.

Teresa is a breast cancer survivor (2004) and she will share a bit of her story as a way to encourage others to take good care of themselves.

Details of the Meeting:

Thursday, February 8, 2007
12N - 1:00 PM
Spotswood Country Club
1980 Country Club Road
Harrisonburg, VA

Menu:
Roast Pork Loin with Hunter’s Sauce
Roasted Red Potatoes
Green Beans
Salad Bar
Dessert Bar
Beverages

Please RSVP to Lois at 540.820.3840 or make your reservation online.

Members: $12
Guests: $15

~Lois

I’ll be sending out invoices, but here’s a heads up on when your dues should be paid.

January 2007
Dr. Diane Cowger, Blue Ridge Eye Associates

February 2007
Barbara Monger, JMU
Teresa Yoder, RMH

March 2007
Bernie Mathes, Educational Consultant
Christina B. Updike, JMU
Marcie E. Harris, Raymond James Financial
Deborah M. Borow, Wachovia Bank

April 2007
Shannon Barras, Barras Architects, PC
Lisa Wright, Lisa C. Wright Cellist
Denise Surber, Mary Kay

~Lois