From the Desk of Janet Barclay

April was a pretty busy month, between wrapping up the GHVA website and preparing for my teleseminars, not to mention my regular client work! However, I’ve still managed to post to my other blogs:

OnlineOrganizing.com - Technology as an Organizing Tool:

• Organize Your Email - Part 3
• Google Docs
• RSS Really Is Simple
• Your Very Own Personal Assistant
  

Introvert Retreat:

• Ponderings of an Introvert
• Tips from a Professional Networker
• Virtual Assistance and Introversion
• Let ‘em come to you!

I’ve also written a new article on Going Green in the Office, which you can read over at OrganizedArticles.com.

Enjoy!

It never ceases to amaze me how the Internet has made it possible for us to make friends with people all over the world. One of the people I’ve "met" online is Marcia Francois, a professional organizer who frequently contributes articles to OrganizedArticles.com. Marcia lives in South Africa, so chances are I wouldn’t even have heard of her if it weren’t for the Internet.

Marcia can apparently get through her emails in only 15 minutes a day, and on April 15^th she’s going to share her secrets in a teleseminar appropriately named Conquer Your Email. This teleseminar is being delivered via Skype audio, so your only cost is the very reasonable registration fee. (You can even take advantage of special pricing if you sign up by April 9^th!)

I am so excited about this class that I’ve donated a copy of Maximizing Your Time with Microsoft Outlook 2003, to be won by one lucky participant. I may even sign up for it myself!

I for one am very glad to see that March is over! Now spring is just a wee bit closer (the calendar says it’s here, but we know better!) and as I get ready for my upcoming series of teleseminars, I’m looking forward to opening my office window and letting in some fresh air.

Speaking of those teleseminars, the president of AORCP (the host organization) said it was OK to offer free registration to non-members to this Thursday’s session on Organizing Your Home Office, so if you’re interested in taking part, just let me know, and I’ll send you the information you’ll need to access the call.

Here’s what I’ve been blogging about elsewhere:

OnlineOrganizing.com - Technology as an Organizing Tool:

• For Girls who Love to Make Lists
• My Love-Hate Relationship with my Pocket PC
• Organize Your Email - Part 1
• Organize Your Email - Part 2

Introvert Retreat:

• Power Networking for Introverts
• Speed Networking for Introverts

I’ve also posted a new article to OrganizedArticles.com on A Website for Your Small Business.

Enjoy!

Email has really taken over as the #1 form of communication, to the point where it’s rare to receive anything significant by mail. As a result, when you do, it really stands out. That’s the principle behind companies like SendOutCards and Client Connections. And I have to admit that I love it when something unexpected shows up in my mailbox. Like a couple of weeks ago, I was puzzled to receive a large envelope from EzineArticles.com, but my confusion turned to delight when I opened it to find a mousepad with "Ezine Articles Expert Author" on it. That made me feel really good! (Now I just need a mouse to go with it.)

On the other hand, email is so easy and so affordable, that some people really abuse it. I recently heard through one of my online groups that a certain marketing expert was going to be offering her very last free teleclasses this week. I had heard of this person many times so I thought I should take advantage of this opportunity, and signed up for the teleclass. As expected, I received an email confirming my registration. That was fine. I also received a newsletter and a "special announcement", which was not fine, but I thought I’d better wait until after the teleclasses to remove myself from her mailing list to make sure I received the link to the recordings. Over the past week I have received at least 8 emails from her, including three "courtesy" messages reminding me about the call being "tomorrow," "today," and "in a few hours" PLUS a voicemail reminder. I haven’t looked up "courtesy" in the dictionary lately, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mean the same as "harassment." This experience has made me question the value of the information being offered – is this the way she recommends people market their services? No thank you! And I will definitely not be purchasing or recommending any of her products or services either.

One last comment, before I get off my soapbox – back on the topic of paper mail. I received something in the mail from a supplier, who spelled both my business name and my last name wrong. That doesn’t endear me either.

What do these stories have in common?  They show the ways that your communications can influence your clients. So, remember these three things:

1. Show your clients you appreciate them by occasionally sending a card or small gift instead of an email.
2. Do NOT assume that potential clients have nothing more important to do with their time than read multiple messages from you containing the same information.
3. Make sure you spell their names correctly!

A couple of years ago, I was asked by a local organization to come in and teach their staff how to effectively use Microsoft Outlook. Like many people, they were given the program to use with no instruction, and as a result were only using it to send and receive email, and not making full use of the program’s many powerful features.

I devoted many hours developing a booklet to accompany the classroom training, and when my husband Scott, a certified Microsoft Office Specialist in Outlook 2003, recently joined me at Organized Assistant, one of the first tasks I assigned to him was to fine tune the material and further develop it for users wishing to learn independently.

 I’m very excited to announce that Maximizing Your Time with Microsoft Outlook 2003 is now available as an e-book! It’s full of step-by-step instructions to help you organize your messages, contacts, schedule, and activities, and to reduce the time you spend processing email. For a limited time, you can order it at a special introductory price of $5.99! For more information or to order a copy, please click on the cover image on the left.