So, after six speakers throughout the morning, my friends and I were starved.  Not just hungry, but starved and about to pass out if we didn’t get any food within the next few minutes.  Just as everyone ventured out of the arena for the 65- minute break, so did we although not sure why, there were a ton of food vendors located above us on the second level of the arena.  Anywho, we found a NY style pizza shop directly across from the arena and headed over there. 

Lines of people zig zagged in the restaurant and out the door waiting for the pizza special – drink, slice and salad for $5.50.  Good deal.  We thought about leaving, thought about going next door, but stayed put.  As soon as we got inside after about a 1/2 hour wait with numerous people still behind us looking as hungry as we were, the owner did something so imaginable I, no make that we, couldn’t believe our eyes.  He put a sign on the door that said “We’re closed!”  About 20 people stood in line for a slice of his pizza and he told them to leave.  Those just inside the door were safe though, including us.

Leave?  Really?  Sure, I can understand if you can’t accommodate patrons because you ran out of food, but this was not the case.   When we asked if he ran out of dough, the owner said “I have plenty of food, but I’m running out of patience for people!!!  Make sure no one comes in here,” and he went back to making pizza.  I don’t know about you, but 20 people x $5.50/head at minimum is a lot of “dough” for a small business.  I’m sure he doesn’t get this type of traffic on any normal day, right, so why not make a lot of money today to hold him over the days when he doesn’t??

Wow.  Now, it’s not brain surgery or anything, but isn’t the reason you go into business is so that you can attract customers, build relationships and entice them to come back and tell their friends and family thus creating even more business?  How many people do those 20 people know?  Not to mention, how many people just tweeted, Facebooked, or blogged what they had just witnessed (well, clearly I am, I’m a marketing person. ?  After spending 20 or more minutes in line to now hear “Leave now.  We’re closed,” I would be a little, no make that a lot, ticked off, especially now that I had even less time to find somewhere to eat, wait in yet another line, and make it back to the seminar!  He didn’t do it politely, just rudely.  He didn’t apologize or offer a discount to come back at another time, just shooshed them away like a wandering cat on the driveway not welcome there.

Now, I’ve heard that downtown Phoenix struggles a bit with getting people into businesses.  If this is still the case, this pizza owner has just committed the ultimate marketing sin in my book.  He has given his future customers, and possibly current customers, a taste of what he really thinks of them – he has no patience for his customers.  In a world where customer service is everything in business, I’m now wondering if he’ll be in business next time I head to the arena.  Guess we’ll just wait and see.

Interested to hear others thoughts on this.  Share this or comment back please.

While the house was asleep from 1am to 8am, I did the unthinkable…I finished my book titled When the Universe Throws a Curve Ball – How a mom entrepreneur went from disappointment to living her passion.  My long awaited book that took 11 months for me to write.  Not a long time, really, but when you throw a kid in the mix, a husband and a couple of businesses, 11 months seems like forever.

I always perform best when the house is super quiet and I’m caffeinated up on soda.  No one to bother me, just complete silence and me pounding away at the keyboard.  I had two chapters to go, some minor editing, but managed to complete my portion of the book today by 8:45am.  Once I was done, I tweeted about it and called everyone in my family to share the good news.

Looks like it’s going to be a good weekend and week ahead.  I’m on cloud 9 just thinking about it.  Onto editing and design.  Can’t wait.  I am now officially an “author”.

April 17 marks the Mom Entrepreneur of the Year event I’m hosting in Mesa, AZ where we will literally “crown” the mom who deserves this title through a series of contests starting in February.  Sash, roses, tiara, the whole shebang.  Going to be fun.   And what better place to launch a book for mom entrepreneurs than this event?  Can’t think of one.

So once again I will be making my way to The Coffee Shop in Gilbert, AZ to finish it over the next two weeks.  Then comes the editing, promoting, and publishing.  Going to be a busy 2010.  Can’t wait. I’ve already booked my vacation in May to Florida with hubby and son once all the hard work has paid off!

Being the coupon queen I am, I received a buy one, get one coup in the mail.  Good advertising on their part.

As we made our way through the line (one order of barbacoa tacos for Sean, a chicken burrito for me and a cheese quesadilla for Caleb, and a couple drinks) we approached the cashier who looked as frazzled as can be.  You could tell she was breaking a sweat with our order.  Not only did I have a coupon, but I was paying with my debit card.

She had to itemize everything we ordered by looking off a sheet that included the tax for all items.  Total bill came to $17.84.  I corrected her and told her we had a buy one, get one and she corrected it on her end by crossing things off the receipt.  New total…$10.49.  Much better.

Two days later, I checked my bank statement and saw I was charged the original $17.84.  I called the restaurant to let the owner know about the mix-up and was happily surprised when the owner, Sandee, answered, apologized and offered to give us two free meals next time we were in.  No questions asked.  Plus, I explained to her that her employee did a good job on her own holding down the “cash register” fort with the long line of people waiting on her.  Talk about stress!  She commended her employee and was going to give her kudos.

I’ve had some bad customer experiences in my day, but Chipotle really came through.  Yeah, overcharged, but made up for it twice!  Now that’s what I call good service…and darn good burritos.

www.chipotle.com

I recently started using a tool called Attain Response to get more connected with my audience on a personal level.  Now, instead of reading an email from me, they receive a bit of both – writing and video to break up the monotony.

Looking to add video to your email marketing and newsletters?  Let me know.  Would be happy to share my secret.

All too often, I work with clients who supply me with photos they’ve shot with their digital camera to place in printed materials. Although there’s nothing wrong with doing this, hiring a professional photographer truly can make a difference in your marketing pieces and grab the attention of your audience. Think McDonald’s photos of mouthwatering hamburgers in their ads and menu boards. Do they really look like this?

Photographers know exactly how to create that “wow” factor with their camera. Shelley Marie Valdez, professional photographer and owner of Shelley Marie Images.

Like anything in business, hiring a professional photographer “is” an investment just like hiring a web designer to build your web site or a PR consultant for public relations. You can always do it yourself and get away with it, but wouldn’t you rather capture your business in its best light?

Looking for a photographer?  Contact me at tisha@simplyputmarketing.com for some recommendations.  Whatever your project, whatever your budget, we know a photographer that’s right for you.

My horoscope read, “Do some writing.  Once you let go, the process is enthralling.  You’ll be surprised at what you learn about yourself.”

So odd.  I pretty much write every day either for my clients, the community paper or to market Simply Put.  I’m also writing a book about the last five years of my business and personal journey.  Due out early next year, I hope.  

Ironically, Therese Skelly, with Accelerating Your Success, conducted a teleseminar  for her business around this very topic - “How to Market Your Business by Writing a Book” with Donna Kozik.  I just listened to the replay and am so motivated by her to get my book done.

Could the stars be telling me something here?  Perhaps.  I don’t normally keep horoscope clippings, but this particular one is taped right on my computer.

http://tinyurl.com/nnc3nv

Today I was interviewed with other mompreneurs Denise Cummings, Christina McMaster and Gwen Tautimez on what it’s like to hold the title of “mompreneur” and about my networking group for busy moms.   Exhausting?  Exhausting, yes, but how about blessed, fortunate, thankful I get to spend the day waking up with my kiddo and playing with him when he’s up?  That was definitely a question Nicole McGregor, a reporter for 12, asked me.

Another good question - was I surprised moms wanted a group like this when I first launched it?  Absolutely…not.  Moms, especially working moms, are naturally drawn to one another.  We motivate and understand each other when our hubbies just don’t get it, and can help each other out in business and motherhood because most of us have “been there, done that”.  It’s a great feeling to be able to mentor another mom that’s just starting out.

Mompreneurs definitely aren’t going way.  If anything, the trend is rapidly growing.  Every day I hear of more moms leaving corporate America to work from home and spend more time with their family.   Challenging?  Of course, but if you ask me, there is no greater reward than spending the day with Caleb and building a business that’s all my own.

As president of the Gilbert Mompreneurs’ Live chapter, this is a networking group where you can do just that.  Join us for our next meet-up on July 29 from 5:30 – 7:30pm in Gilbert with guest speaker and biz coach extraordinaire, Therese Skelley.  Contact me for more details at tisha@simplyputmarketing.com