I don't know what tomorrow holds, so today I'll eat bread!
By Digital Di, Callan Group Communications
What a wonderful #Thanksgiving2014 I had. Two days of spending precious time with friends I consider family. #MarkPullin, executive chef for #31SupperClub cooked for a crew Wednesday and my old Buy Me Love Benefits partner had me spend Turkey Day with his amazingly loud, beautiful family in Tampa. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It was the only holiday our family celebrated other than birthdays which I don't consider a holiday so of course it's my favorite. It's the holiday of thanks, gratitude and good food. I love that!
Today we were discussing the delicious dinner and how eating fresh food with no can openers and made with love made such a difference. Speaking of fresh...the rolls...um, yeah! No Pillsbury rolls up in here..nope! Straight fresh bread made by #therealchefmark. Yummy! He didn't make enough! He mentioned when he caters he usually has a ton of left overs. I can't believe people have bought into this whole "bread is bad for you" thing. Have your bread and eat it, too, I say! Who knows what tomorrow brings, eat bread today!
Showing posts with label email newsletters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label email newsletters. Show all posts
You're beginning to get sleepy, very very sleepy!
By Diane Michael, Communications Director at The Callan
Group
So I haven't been sleeping lately. I go to bed and lay
there uncomfortable with thousands of thoughts going through my brain. Tossing
and turning for the third night in a row I decided to write about it.
My Reiki Massage Therapist said that if you can't sleep it's
because you're in someone's dream. Even though that's a nice thought - not
buying it!
So I Googled "what does it mean to not sleep"
and choose the fifth selection from the top which greeted me with a ton
of...don't drink coffee, don't watch TV, don't drink alcoholic beverages, don't
smoke, don't do anything that sounds fun to me! Not buying this one either.
Sixth selection down are common sleep myths. Ok, graphic of a pretty
girl sleeping at top - I'm intrigued!
I'm on myth two and I see "don't text in
bed"...well how am I suppose to finish this article without typing away on
my phone? As I continue I realize there's a bunch of blabber on the internet!
Geez!
As far back as I can remember I didn't want to go to bed
early and I would lay there daydreaming about the following day. Some things
never change, they say, but do they?
Can we reprogram our minds?
Of course we can. Just because we've always done something one way doesn't mean we can't adapt and improvise to change based on our needs!
So why can't I change my awful sleeping pattern and why
have I been restless for the past three nights straight and still not tired?
I can change the way I look at sleep. That may help!
Yeah, I'll get right on that!
I can stop writing articles in bed. Yeah, probably won't
be doing that!
I can write down all the things I want to accomplish
tomorrow before I go to bed. Check!
I can get up earlier to help my body shut off earlier.
Doesn't sound fun but we're making progress!
I can focus more on my breathing.
I'm starting to feel sleepy...very, very sleepy!
Good night, cuties!
My Two Cents
It’s Okay to Give 1% and Remember to Breathe!
Diane Michael, Communications Director for The Callan Group
It’s Okay to Give 1% and Remember to Breathe!
Diane Michael, Communications Director for The Callan Group
I recently got back from Costa Rica where I earned my yoga teacher certification. After being out of the country for a month it only took 24 hours for me to come down with a nasty virus. I wasn't able to practice until this past week. While I was in multiple poses, my talented strong teacher, Robin, said two statements that stuck with me that I want to share.
1.) Sometimes you give 1% and sometimes you
give 100%
What a concept! I loved hearing this while in downward dog because during my training in Costa I decided I wanted to start writing more about how I believe the practices in yoga go hand in hand with practices in business. So this statement was a perfect way to kick off my new focus.
As a business owner, you only report to yourself and your clients.
You set your own goals, schedule, budgets, etc. You have the ability to negotiate, to reschedule, to show up and to not show up. It can be a very dangerous position to hold but most entrepreneurs love it. What Robin said rang so true to me in business and on the mat because there are times where you simply don't give 100%. You don't even give 50%. You give 1% - but you showed up! You decided to do something. Every little bit counts!
There are definitely days when you give 100%.
Those days can be equally rewarding and exhausting. In yoga, I find myself in the same situation. I feel so great that I simply showed up - even if I gave only 1%. And those days that I give 100% and can do a headstand into crow while sucking my tummy towards my back, I am truly a rock star.
The cool thing that really resonated with me when Robin made this statement was that it's all good!
You don't always have to operate at 100% in life, in business or in the yoga studio. Seriously! We don't have to book our schedules out on a daily basis. We don't have to run around from appointment to appointment. I find myself some days rushing to get to yoga - cutting people off only to run to the back to get my coveted spot to end up with one minute to spare in child's pose. Why? Why am I trying to do too much at one time? This is not healthy for me and I don't recommend it.
We've been told since we were kids to give it our 100% which I believe has really messed us up.
It's ok to give your 1%. You're showing up. And when you continue to show up day after day -small accomplishments turn into big ones just as practicing yoga regularly will change your body, soul and mind little by little.
Nothing has to happen overnight.
And if you were like me in my younger days, when you don't give 100% at least don't beat yourself up for it. Focus on what you did accomplish, what you are happy about, what you are thankful for and how you showed up.
What a concept! I loved hearing this while in downward dog because during my training in Costa I decided I wanted to start writing more about how I believe the practices in yoga go hand in hand with practices in business. So this statement was a perfect way to kick off my new focus.
As a business owner, you only report to yourself and your clients.
You set your own goals, schedule, budgets, etc. You have the ability to negotiate, to reschedule, to show up and to not show up. It can be a very dangerous position to hold but most entrepreneurs love it. What Robin said rang so true to me in business and on the mat because there are times where you simply don't give 100%. You don't even give 50%. You give 1% - but you showed up! You decided to do something. Every little bit counts!
There are definitely days when you give 100%.
Those days can be equally rewarding and exhausting. In yoga, I find myself in the same situation. I feel so great that I simply showed up - even if I gave only 1%. And those days that I give 100% and can do a headstand into crow while sucking my tummy towards my back, I am truly a rock star.
The cool thing that really resonated with me when Robin made this statement was that it's all good!
You don't always have to operate at 100% in life, in business or in the yoga studio. Seriously! We don't have to book our schedules out on a daily basis. We don't have to run around from appointment to appointment. I find myself some days rushing to get to yoga - cutting people off only to run to the back to get my coveted spot to end up with one minute to spare in child's pose. Why? Why am I trying to do too much at one time? This is not healthy for me and I don't recommend it.
We've been told since we were kids to give it our 100% which I believe has really messed us up.
It's ok to give your 1%. You're showing up. And when you continue to show up day after day -small accomplishments turn into big ones just as practicing yoga regularly will change your body, soul and mind little by little.
Nothing has to happen overnight.
And if you were like me in my younger days, when you don't give 100% at least don't beat yourself up for it. Focus on what you did accomplish, what you are happy about, what you are thankful for and how you showed up.
The next thing Robin said...
2.) Remember to breathe - it will help you
when you're in a tough pose which will teach you how to get through a tough
time in your life
For anyone that has ever had to publically speak, you know that taking deep belly breaths can be the difference between a well composed speech and passing out.
Yoga is all about the breath.
Deep Dark Vader breaths through the nose and out the nose. We all have lifted a large conch shell to our ears and heard the sounds of the sea...that's what I want my breath to sound like. This goes a long way in business and in life, too. Breathing deeply slows down your heart rate which comes in really handy when you're in a stressful meeting, uncomfortable setting or pitching a prospective client.
When Robin reminds us to breathe in our poses it always reminds me how I have the opportunity to breathe through the difficult times in my business.
In my younger years, I was quick to react and didn't give myself time to breathe, relax, sit back and compose myself and my responses. Breathing obviously happens naturally but breathing deeply and intentionally takes focus and practice. As we learn how to breathe in our poses on our mats we also learn that taking that breath out of the studio will help us conquer more than we can imagine in weekly business settings and definitely in life in general.
For anyone that has ever had to publically speak, you know that taking deep belly breaths can be the difference between a well composed speech and passing out.
Yoga is all about the breath.
Deep Dark Vader breaths through the nose and out the nose. We all have lifted a large conch shell to our ears and heard the sounds of the sea...that's what I want my breath to sound like. This goes a long way in business and in life, too. Breathing deeply slows down your heart rate which comes in really handy when you're in a stressful meeting, uncomfortable setting or pitching a prospective client.
When Robin reminds us to breathe in our poses it always reminds me how I have the opportunity to breathe through the difficult times in my business.
In my younger years, I was quick to react and didn't give myself time to breathe, relax, sit back and compose myself and my responses. Breathing obviously happens naturally but breathing deeply and intentionally takes focus and practice. As we learn how to breathe in our poses on our mats we also learn that taking that breath out of the studio will help us conquer more than we can imagine in weekly business settings and definitely in life in general.
Thank you, Robin, for your words...they carry
outside the studio!
Diane Michael, Communications Director for The Callan Group is combining marketing strategies and life lessons learned on her mat. Diane is blending her yoga practice with her entrepreneurial skills to motivate and empower others. It's all about how balance can build a better life!
GOOLGE+ & INSTAGRAM - Our New BFF's
By Diane Michael, Communications Director for The Callan Group located in the Daytona Beach area
The Callan Group is now offering a wide variety of communication services. Since our beginnings in 2008 our clients have requested that we take on more than just email newsletters.
By Diane Michael, Communications Director for The Callan Group located in the Daytona Beach area
The Callan Group is now offering a wide variety of communication services. Since our beginnings in 2008 our clients have requested that we take on more than just email newsletters.
For the first five years we wanted to dedicate
our full attention into being the best email service provider possible.
Since our email newsletters create not only
retention but new business, expanding into the social media market was a smooth
transition.
Our ghost writers are already writing creative content for clients so expanding that message into other mediums makes perfect sense and we are already seeing a significant response from clients.
Our ghost writers are already writing creative content for clients so expanding that message into other mediums makes perfect sense and we are already seeing a significant response from clients.
We can handle your presence on Facebook and
Twitter which is necessary for every business.
It's also necessary to keep these fresh and updated!
It's also necessary to keep these fresh and updated!
What we do that we feel is a bit different in
those sites...
We create info graphics that typically get more
likes.
We change our client’s banners and profile pics
monthly.
We create posts needed for the client - some
industries like restaurants and retail need more posts than others. We identify
what would be best for the client.
Remember, Entrepreneur Magazine announced that only 6% of posts are being read!
Think about that as a business who posts 3 times a week.
Remember, Entrepreneur Magazine announced that only 6% of posts are being read!
Think about that as a business who posts 3 times a week.
We come up with creative campaigns to encourage
more likes, shares and comments.
But we are REALLY INTO GOOGLE+ and INSTAGRAM!
These are the social media sites we are
promoting, promoting, promoting! (See our sketch and vLog below!)
Google+ may not have many of your peeps
involved YET but it's helping your organic rankings on Google better than any
other social site!
So what does that mean???
It means if you're not on Google+ and posting
at the minimum of once a month and you are a business - YOU ARE WRONG!
I can list all the benefits of Google+ but if
you don't take my word for it, Google "how does Google+ benefit my
business" and get informed!
Loving me some Instagram!
So not only can you be super creative with a
few click click clicks, you can also post videos and be found by people all
over!
I'm seeing more and more national businesses
focus on Instagram by posting their promotions on an almost daily basis! It’s
fun, interactive and can lead to new business, conversations and a more unique
creative presence online!
So where are you going to find the time to keep
up with all this?
Things that make you go hmmmm!!!
Things that make you go hmmmm!!!
The Callan Group is a team of creative ghost
writers who will embrace your marketing plan, create new concepts to attract
business AND keep you in front of your clients on a regular basis resulting in
retention!
We become an extension of your marketing team
with a passionate focus on your goals!Learn how we can help today! Contact Diane at 386-538-1083!
My first week as the Director of Business Development for the Callan Group
My
first week as the Director of Business Development for the Callan Group
By: Jamie Bartholomew
Marathons
are not my thing. In fact, I don't run at all--let alone run MARATHONS.
However, here I found myself, starting my journey with the Callan Group as
their new Director of Business Development, running a MARATHON! We started
the week off on a Friday, (which is a great and terrible idea all wrapped in to
one), meeting with DME in Daytona Beach. We discussed new and exciting business
opportunities for us to venture in to for the coming year. Together, I know we
can make it truly successful for all of us!!
And
thus, the weekend arrives and quickly ends, with Monday culminating with my
"official" training. I happen to have a wonderful trainer and coach
for my "Marathon", Diane Michael. Diane and I share something in
common: one of our first jobs out of school was with the American Cancer
Society. It is literally the best training that any young professional
could have. You are expected to do a little bit everything: recruit new
business, market and handle all public relations for your event and
manage/set up an event that is expected to run for at least 18 hours, sun
up to sun down. Needless to say--it is a daunting task, and quite honestly, it
is it's own marathon of sorts. When we worked for ACS, we were both up to
this task and excelled at it!! We met a ton of awesome and inspiring people and
learned so much, while giving back to a passionate cause.
Fast
forward to today: I am a working mom of a bubbly and energetic 4 year old boy,
I am new to the community (I hail from Gainesville, FL) and I am not sure
WHAT to expect with my new position. But let me tell you--so far, working for
the Callan Group has been a total treat! Within the span of one week, I have
met many fabulous, wonderful and successful people. Many of them own a small
business, which is something that I am personally accustomed
to (my father and my husband are small business owners). I feel
passionate about helping small businesses market to the ever expanding
community, doing whatever it takes to let everyone know in the community that
we are here and ready to help you!
To contact Jamie email her or call 352-318-7799.
To contact Jamie email her or call 352-318-7799.
Entrepreneur Reflections from 2013
~Diane Michael
The beginning of the year The Callan Group started off strong. After having some holiday down time, we all came to work with a "this is going to be our year" attitude.
We continued to grow the business with our bare bones super committed staff and even had to hire a writer early in the year.
We were able to bring on a second writer in October who is so talented and who is our saving grace for creating engaging content written in a fun way.
Here's a sneak peak!
In January, the beautiful and brilliant Jamie Bartholomew will be our new Director of Marketing and Sales. Born and raised in Florida, Jamie holds a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Florida and is a “Florida Gator” through and through. After graduating from UF, Jamie has worked in various management capacities for several prestigious non- profit agencies, including the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Florida Foundation. Her hard work and dedication to these organizations helped to raise a total of over 2 million dollars. After living in Gainesville for over 13 years, Jamie and her growing family moved to Ormond Beach, where her husband owns and operates a successful local restaurant. Jamie has over 10 year's experience in direct marketing and sales and understands from first-hand experience how important it is to market your business in a professional and appealing manner.
O ur referral program will role out in the first quarter...so
much we commit to in 2014 to bring more benefit to our clients, supporters and
friends!
Communication + Content = Repeat & New Clients
~Diane Michael
The beginning of the year The Callan Group started off strong. After having some holiday down time, we all came to work with a "this is going to be our year" attitude.
We finally finished our MomPreneur program uploading a 52
week Learn, Grow, Love Training Program. That took countless hours and we are
very proud to offer affordable franchise opportunities to woman (or men) who
have the entrepreneur bug. We've been able to
show proven results through our business in a box program in 2013.
A few months into the year, our fourth franchise rep decided
to move on and then our fifth Ieft shortly thereafter joining the fourth at
their new location. Although it was sad to see them go, the show must go on. We continued to grow the business with our bare bones super committed staff and even had to hire a writer early in the year.
In March, The Callan Group teamed up with Ormond Observer
and our Communications Director, Diane Michael, began a monthly column named
"My Two Cents" which focused on local business-related tips for
customers and business owners alike.
In April our "Be Local" campaign kicked off which
offers our clients and outside advertisers the opportunity to promote their
services and specials to over 15k locals through a monthly email newsletter.
It's distributed on the 15th of each month and has grown in subscribers and
advertisers every single month. It's a digital platform that we have seen grow
through shared posts and advertiser feedback.
Around June we decided to host a marketing expo named
Marketing Next Expo where we recruited 22 amazingly talented local speakers
directly attached to marketing firms and initiatives. We had 50 booths, 300
attendees and numerous emails and posts of appreciation for putting on this
annual event. What an experience that was! It also cemented some unique
business partnerships that have flourished and are continuing to bloom. Watch
out world!We were able to bring on a second writer in October who is so talented and who is our saving grace for creating engaging content written in a fun way.
We've posted 10 blogs this year, uploaded over a dozen educational
videos on our YouTube channel (thecallangroup1) and increased our social media subscribers by the hundreds.
As we end this year, in reflection of the ups and downs that
any business goes through we really are the strongest team yet! We are so excited
about what's coming for 2014.Here's a sneak peak!
In January, the beautiful and brilliant Jamie Bartholomew will be our new Director of Marketing and Sales. Born and raised in Florida, Jamie holds a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Florida and is a “Florida Gator” through and through. After graduating from UF, Jamie has worked in various management capacities for several prestigious non- profit agencies, including the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Florida Foundation. Her hard work and dedication to these organizations helped to raise a total of over 2 million dollars. After living in Gainesville for over 13 years, Jamie and her growing family moved to Ormond Beach, where her husband owns and operates a successful local restaurant. Jamie has over 10 year's experience in direct marketing and sales and understands from first-hand experience how important it is to market your business in a professional and appealing manner.
We have an upcoming partnerships with a multiple-million
dollar company that will be rolled out towards the end of January.
Our "Be Local" campaign will include starting in February a digital
editorial on the 1st of each month featuring local articles about local
business owners doing their thing. You'll be able to read more about the great
minds that typically are under the radar. The first edition will come out on
February 1st titled Women We Love for our Communities!
Our MomPreneur and Business in a Box program will be
tailored more to fit the needs of the individual instead of the set franchise
rates.
Our services will be expanding offering several options for
your foundation marketing plans.
The focus is here for our team to support your team. Our
software is constantly and carefully being developed to stay current with all
trends.
We will be hosting more educational seminars that make
sense.Communication + Content = Repeat & New Clients
Crime has no zip
code
Quick tips on ATM safety
Quick tips on ATM safety
There
have been a number of hold ups at ATM's and banks in our area lately. As a
business owner who deposits our checks in the ATM on a regular basis, this
sparked my interest on what I should do in that scenario.
I
asked my best friend, Google and strangely she didn't know. I heard a rumor
that you were supposed to type in your code backwards, but fortunately that's
an urban legend. Thank goodness because I couldn't remember that under
pressure.
I
stopped by my bank and spoke to my usual teller, John, at my favorite bank in
Ormond Beach. He told me some really great advice that I must share.
Please
understand that these are tips from a banking professional, however are in no
way recommendations by a bank or myself.
Time of Day
Remember
to handle your withdraws during daylight hours in areas that are busy. Even
though crime has no zip code you can use common sense on areas where you feel
safe. It was also advised to stay in your car until the person in front of you
is done with their transaction. It's worth the extra time waiting in line to be
secure. Leave your personal belongings (purses, wallets, etc.) in the car. Lock
the car and ensure the windows are rolled up.
ATM Card
After
you swipe your card, put it in your pocket. You can also hold it in your hand
and if the unthinkable occurs, bend the card immediately. It won't work if you
bend it. I'm going to put it in my pocket.
Play Possum
This
may not be easy for some but this girl is going to do this! If someone came up
to me and tries to rob me at an ATM I'm seriously going to fake faint. I think this advice is brilliant! It
will shock the robber and possibly scare them. Also, if they step over my limp
body their face will be truly exposed on the camera. If they rummage through my
pants then that would be pushing it as I would suspect that they have a time
clock on how long they're going to hold someone up.
I
wanted to share these quick tips that again are only opinions. Readers beware.
It's
sad that we live in a world where there are people who steal. Being educated,
staying aware of your surroundings and using common sense can go a long way. It
also is just money which can come easily and frequently.
Business
owners who use an email newsletter should share this with their readership if
you find this useful information.
Stay
safe friends.
Listen to your body and you will have a more balanced business life
I recently had the opportunity to host an event called The Marketing Next Expo. It was held in Daytona Beach on September 11. We had 48 energized exhibitors, 22 amazing speakers and 200 excited attendees. It was such an honor to be part of this unnatural event. The mission was to educate and empower and based on feedback I can say that most walked away with one if not both!
Coming down from the expo I found myself in hibernation mode much like a bear in winter. I barely spoke to anyone the two days following and the weekend after was filled with feedback forms, returning emails, calling to say thank you and so needless to say, the hibernation didn't last long enough.
The following Monday I found myself overwhelmed with my ever growing to-do list. Because my focus and time had been so set on the expo in preparation for the past four months, I had rearranged my appointments, templates and monthly duties to accommodate my new schedule of meetings, speaking engagements and runs to the nearest office supply store.
I hadn't been sleeping right, eating right or working out like my usual routine. All focus was on making the expo a success for all who involved.
Keep in mind, this expo was no way a profit machine. Being a first year and not having sponsorships in advance meant that hitting the pavement and having the phone glued to my ear was the only way the hope of breaking even was possible.
So why do this, you ask?
I believe so strongly in the mission and in marketing. I felt that we have such great talent in our community that it's silly to travel to neighboring markets to become educated and empowered. Instead of sitting around complaining about why we didn't have a platform like this I decided to do it myself. I had recently pulled away from my non-profit organizations so I felt I had some extra time to donate. If I broke even, then I would be a happy camper.
Well, what was I thinking? The expo completely consumed me, reminding me exactly why I got out of event production. I developed issues with my relationships, I never slept, I felt exhausted all the time and my health began diminishing.
As I stand here today in an airport coming home from Indiana where just a short week after the expo I was scheduled to speak about email marketing in the 21st century, I am committing to not allowing myself to lose focus again.
I will remember to take care of myself first. To stay focused on eating right and sleeping my typical eight hours. When stressed I will get into downward dog instead of complaining to a girlfriend over a bottle of vino. I will stay focused in my meditation practices and will continue to be the positive person I am.
Because I allowed the opposite to happen, on this trip, I missed out on an opportunity to gain more interest in my company potentially bringing in more business. I ended up traveling hours to sleep in a foreign bed for an entire day. I had to cancel my presentation and explain why. Embarrassing, disappointing and overall, my fault.
I loved everything about the expo and am so proud of the work we all did. Our positive outlook and inspiration made the event a success but my health took a beating.
With all events in life there are lessons to be learned. I definitely learned mine.
Here are some great tips on ways to listen to your body! When it's talking to you, please don't ignore it! It's the same as a girlfriend giving you advice, your parents saying you're pushing it too hard, like your kids pulling at your arm screaming "mommy, mommy"! Listen when your body talks and you won't end up like me today.
I'm privileged to be "in the know" and to be a living, growing being that makes mistakes and learns from them!
Namaste!
Listen to your body!
I love writing for the Ormond Observer! It's a monthly column where I have freedom to express my views about different business situations!
Read the latest...
Callan Group seeking Asheville representative
The Callan Group's Business in a Box program has everything you need to begin a successful business for yourself. If you know 5-10 businesses that need to keep in touch with their clients on a regular basis – you could become their email newsletter ghost writer and designer. The program is popular with individuals looking for flexible, part-time work including mompreneurs.
Too often business owners simply do not have time to do this crucial aspect of marketing. Instead of the business doing this monthly task – you would create the marketing concept, writing and design for them. Coming from a reader/consumer perspective you will be able to help the business save time, create client retention and drive more traffic online and at their location. For $500/month you will receive a “business in a box”. Your monthly payment will cover all your business expenses. This a month-to-month program so there’s no pressure. Work as little or as much as you want. No sales goals – only your goals. Need More Info? Email Diane at diane@thecallangrp.com. Learn more about The Callan Group at www.thecallangrp.com
Thank you to Asheville Chamber of Commerce for posting this opportunity on their blog: http://blog.ashevillechamber.org/2013/05/callan-group-seeking-asheville.html
Too often business owners simply do not have time to do this crucial aspect of marketing. Instead of the business doing this monthly task – you would create the marketing concept, writing and design for them. Coming from a reader/consumer perspective you will be able to help the business save time, create client retention and drive more traffic online and at their location. For $500/month you will receive a “business in a box”. Your monthly payment will cover all your business expenses. This a month-to-month program so there’s no pressure. Work as little or as much as you want. No sales goals – only your goals. Need More Info? Email Diane at diane@thecallangrp.com. Learn more about The Callan Group at www.thecallangrp.com
Thank you to Asheville Chamber of Commerce for posting this opportunity on their blog: http://blog.ashevillechamber.org/2013/05/callan-group-seeking-asheville.html
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