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Lori Bruton

Author | Writer | Lifestyle Blogger |Speaker

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Hi, I'm Lori.
Author, Speaker, Coach, Ghostwriter

Can I Bring Anything?

November 9, 2021 by Lori Leave a Comment

Can I Bring Anything?

 

Do you ever have holiday or social gatherings where each person or family is assigned to bring something? How does that work out?

One advantage is that the work is shared among everyone. Each person makes a contribution, which is helpful. Therefore, the work and expense doesn’t fall just on the host.

[Keep reading to discover 5 juicy solutions.]

What can be some downfalls?  The people who are chronically late offer to bring the appetizers. That is not helpful, because the meal is ready by the time they get there. No appetizers were served since you were waiting for them to arrive ahead of time so that everyone could enjoy hor d’oeuvres and mingle before the meal.

I had a family member who offered to bring appetizers and was always late. The lesson I learned was tell her no thank you and that she didn’t need to bring anything. That was the solution to politely decline her offer to bring a dish. I could have assigned her dessert, but I enjoy making the desserts.

When my mom served a meal, it was always on time. She didn’t penalize the ones who got there on time instead of rewarding those who were late. She wasn’t going let her hard work result in a ruined and cold meal by waiting for the latecomers. She was a wise woman.

Respect the host and be a good host.

What standards are you setting personally and professionally? Let’s say you are holding a webinar. What are your expectations? Once you have invited people and promoted your webinar, you expect people to show up on time, right? The attendees are investing their time and also expect you to show up on time as well. Yes, sometimes there are technical issues, but that aside, everyone needs to show up on time, especially the host.

Start. No matter who is on or not on the webinar, start on time. Those who are already there deserve to have their time honored. Anyone who jumps on late can tune in from wherever you are in your presentation. Maybe they can catch the replay for the part they missed. There are legitimate reasons why people could not jump in on time. That’s not the point. The point is that they will join when they can. It’s their responsibility to catch up. It’s our responsibility to start our webinars on time. It’s frustrating for those who are already there when you say, “We will wait a few more minutes for more people to join us.” Tick, tick, tick. Just start and honor your word.

Replays. Not everyone can tune in live. Thankfully, many people record and offer the replay. Different schedules and time zones make it challenging for everyone to tune in live every time. Important note:  When you promise a replay, be sure to deliver it. Keep your promises no matter how you think the quality turned out, people need that content.

What can you bring to your present and potential clients? Value.

I mentioned in my previous blog about your plate being too full. When you are juggling everything in your life, some of those plates will fall and break. That can result in breakdowns. Breakdown in communication, breakdown in completing and keeping up with all you have taken on, which may lead to personal breakdown and burnout. You don’t want to end up there.

Here are 5 recommendations:

  1. Value yourself and value your clients. Don’t let your overbooked schedule affect your clients. Look at what to keep doing and what is too much. That’s when you need to get help, have a backup, or remove some things to lighten your load.
  2. Be prepared. Are you taking time to be prepared for your meetings and webinars? We often forget to factor that in. We rush around and start a meeting without reviewing and preparing first. Our clients and prospects can tell.
  3. How can you be better prepared? If you are on Zoom, make sure your lighting and surroundings are good. Make sure all your equipment is plugged in and charged. Have water near you to drink as needed. Have all your notes and slides on hand and ready to share. Read through, review, and practice first so that it is fresh at your fingertips and fresh on your mind. Don’t try to run around and do errands or fit in something at the last minute that will cause you to be late to your own meeting. Make sure you take a bathroom break ahead of your meeting start time. Allow for connection time. Be in the Zoom Room a few minutes early, especially if you have it set up where you need to let people in the room.
  4. Hire a Holiday Helper. There are virtual assistants who can help you on a short-term basis, especially during the holiday season. That solution can turn into long-term assistance if you discover you need the continued help, which frees you up. Think about what tasks you can outsource. For example, maybe you need social media graphics and posts created or blogs and articles written. Do you need videos or audios repurposed? Do you need thank you notes written and sent out? Those suggestions should whet your appetite. Message me if you need a holiday helper as I provide VA services and know others who do as well.
  5. Hire a Holiday Shopper. Some things are nonnegotiable in your business and must be done by you. That may not leave you time to do personal things. For example, you want to give special gifts to your staff and colleagues, but you don’t have time or know what to get. Keep in mind that is a service I offer, contact me if you want to know more.

Now that we have reviewed the menu, what would you like to bring to the table? Remember you can assign some dishes to others. If you rather cook it all up yourself, I hope these tips were helpful.

Wishing you the Best and much Success,

Lori

Author, Copywriter, VA

Filed Under: MY BLOG Tagged With: appetizer, appointments, article, assignments, assistance, blog, business, clients, colleagues, content, contentcreation, copywriter, delegate, deliver, dessert, dishtopass, entrepreneur, expectations, gifts, help, holidaygatherings, holidayhelp, holidayideas, holidayshopper, ideas, investment, menu, offers, pie, prepare, promise, promotion, recommendations, recording, replay, repurpose, schedule, shoppingservices, socialmedia, solutions, standards, table, time, tips, VA, value, VAservices, virtualassistant, webinar, work

DO YOU FEEL THREATENED?

February 22, 2019 by Lori Leave a Comment

As I write this, many emotions emerge.  I recently got off a call with a group of people I believe I was destined to meet.  I am excited to see where this journey takes me.

Every task and direction given to me, I have done and delivered with excellence ahead of schedule.  It’s important to me to follow through, follow up, and stay connected.  What if other parties do not respond or return messages, especially when they did initially?  What if you are hired to do a project, but the person who hired you keeps blowing off your messages and questions?  I know people are “busy”.  (Don’t get me started on that word–It says, “You’re not important enough for my time.”)

How can I continue to complete projects, especially for others, if they are not as committed as I am?  I step back and do my best to see what may be going on at their end.  Still, no matter what, COMMUNICATION is key and in a timely manner.  Knowing that you have that person’s FULL ATTENTION and that they are actively LISTENING shows honor, respect, and interest.  People want to know they are important, and that you truly care, right?  No longer will I tolerate putting myself last, because I think everyone else is more important.  My time is valuable too.  It is a pleasure to work with people who treat me well; be assured that I will give the same courtesy.

Talk is cheap; ACTION (or lack of) tells the real story.  Unexpected stuff happens to everyone.  Just communicate when it does or at least assign someone to relay the message.  Be honest; be authentic.  It’s okay.  Most of us, at some time, have bitten off more than we can handle and made promises we can’t keep.  Be real; just say so.  Don’t keep me guessing; take time to respond.  I would rather know if anything has changed than to have unrealistic expectations, wouldn’t you?

Maybe $100 or $500 or even $20 is a big investment for some and only pocket change for others.  The fact that you made that investment and trusted certain people was a HUGE risk for you.  Recently, I had an unexpected medical and financial situation that was a game changer.  Despite everything, I keep making investments and taking risks.  Many of those risks almost put me under.  Have you ever been there?  Feeling like you keep getting sucked dry only to be mocked or called crazy.  Even worse, feeling devalued when threatened to be “disowned” if you don’t have the investment required and never to be allowed into that circle again.  Wow, that hurts!!

Know the difference between excuses and people who are giving it their all and doing their part to find a way.  Hopefully, their finding a way and digging a deeper HOLE prevents them from being homeless versus truly achieving success.  Take time to hear their situation.  They are counting on you, because you promised to be there.  They put their TRUST and BELIEF in you.  You have seen their efforts and accomplishments, don’t just laugh it off and take it for granted.

There are people who use and take advantage of people, but most people DO have good intentions who truly help people succeed.  When we break promises or fall short, step up, admit it.  Lead by example.  Again, we all strive to lead by example.  None of us is perfect.  I disappoint myself many times.  Let’s not disappoint each other.  But when we do, forgiveness and understanding go a long way.  Know who really is there for you and who isn’t.  Don’t pretend.  Find the circle who supports and encourages you and helps you reach your destiny.  Remember, what you know and the life you live may be foreign to new people in your circle.  Have mercy and patience.  What comes easy to you, isn’t easy for everyone.  Build them up and teach them how to rise up and help them when they fall; you will be appreciated and rewarded for doing so.

There have been too many people I trusted and who made promises; it didn’t end well.  When similar patterns emerge, it causes me to pause and evaluate if I am in the right circles as I move forward.  Time and actions will reveal the truth.  I am committed to doing my part.

Thank you, Dani Johnson, who taught me, “Nothing becomes dynamic until it becomes SPECIFIC.”  For example, “Honey, when do you want to start a family?” OR “When can you fix the sink?”  OR “When will we schedule our next call?”  If your answer is, “SOMEDAY” or “SOON” those answers are NOT specific.

Is having INTEGRITY important to you?  We all fall out of integrity at times.  Then what do you do?  Own up to it, apologize, and get back into integrity with yourself and others.  Is “image” or good character more important?  Some people use arrogance or ego as a cover.  It reminds me of a man who was often late on purpose to show how important he thought he was so that people should be thankful to get time with him.  Really?

My grandpa always said, “Don’t think you are better than anyone, but know you are just as important.”  Be humble, and respect everyone’s time no matter who you are, from peasant to king.  When people commit to a time to connect, all parties are expected to show up.  Sure, there are glitches and delays and unexpected things that happen; that’s life.  Just communicate that information so you don’t leave people hanging.

Have you been “ghosted”?  What is that?  Ghosting is breaking off a relationship (often an intimate relationship) by ceasing all communication and contact with the former partner without any apparent warning or justification, as well as ignoring the former partner’s attempts to reach out or communicate.

Ghosting can happen in business too or friendships.  One day you are communicating regularly, and everything is great.  Then, poof, it ceases.  What happened?  You may never know.  If it was an intimate relationship, maybe they ran off and got married even if they said you’d always be best friends.  In business, maybe a richer client came along.  Don’t waste your time on people who don’t value you.  Even if it seems like some people put you on the back burner or cut you off, don’t give up on yourself or your dream.  Shake the dust off your feet and keep it movin’.

Filed Under: MY BLOG, Uncategorized Tagged With: action, answer, appointments, arrogant, assignment, attention, author, belief, blog, business, busy, commit, communication, courtesy, danijohnson, deliver, destiny, direction, disowned, dream, effort, ego, encourage, entrepreneur, fake, followthrough, forgiveness, friend, ghosted, grateful, hire, homeless, honesty, humble, humility, integrity, invest, itsyourtime, journey, listen, message, mocked, patterns, project, promises, relationship, respond, risk, schedule, success, task, thankful, threatened, time, trust, value, write

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Hi, I'm Lori!

I'm a copywriter, blog writer, and ghostwriter, with a focus in the inspirational and travel niches. Need custom copy that motivates? Learn more about what I do!

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