Sean, Caleb and I went to the Chipotle in Queen Creek on Saturday to find a line packed with people.  It wasn’t that the service to get the food was slow, but that the restaurant was experiencing some technical difficulties…the register was down completely.  They had resorted to doing credit card transactions the old fashioned way – with carbon copy slips.

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

Ever thought of using videos in your marketing messages to grab the attention of the viewer on the other end?  How many of us get bored with the influx of emails that bombard our inboxes every day?  Why not change it up a bit?

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.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  How many times have you heard that saying before?  While photos can definitely lend to your marketing materials, they can also hurt your business’ brand image if photographed incorrectly, especially if you have a product-based business.

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.

I’m not a real “woo-woo” type of person.  I don’t check my horoscope that often, and what comes in my fortune cookies is pretty generic stuff.  I decided to check out my horoscope and what it said shocked the living daylights out of me.  

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.

We have a topic for our next Mompreneurs’ Live meet-up that we can all relate to and learn from!  Therese Skelly, marketing and biz coach, with Accelerating Your Success, will present:

Well, actually, the TV screen on KPNX channel 12 that is.   Here’s the link to watch the segment.

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.

Looking for a networking group where you can be yourself and talk with other moms about all the kid and business challenges you can think of?

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

As a business owner,  it’s important to take some time off, put the laptop away, turn off the Blackberry and head outta town, especially as AZ clocks in at 115 degrees. 

I just got back to Tahoe from 10 days of doing absolutely nothing, but relaxing by the lake and spending time with my family .  The old me would have definitely packed the laptop, client folders, had the Blackberry on and answered every call that came in.  But why?  Is that really a vacation? 

If you own a business, we’re just as entitled to take some vacation days as the guy that works for someone else.  All of my clients completely understood and we’re even on vacation themselves.  As long as you have an assistant or even a vendor to cover your bases, why worry?  I didn’t and I came back relaxed, refreshed and ready to get at it.  As for my clients?  Being business owners themselves, they also realize vacation is a must.

So I ask you, when are you taking a much-needed vacation?

I’m sitting in a class today learning all the ins and outs of using WordPress to build a Website.  This week, at least three people mentioned using WordPress not only for my blog, which I do already, but for a Website also to get more exposure to the site.  And the nice thing is you DON’T need to know anything about html coding!  Genius.  

So here I am trying to figure out how to use WordPress to re-do my site.  And then, my colleague Charlotte Risch of The Media Push, sends an email out on a class teaching people how to do exactly that!  What perfect timing.  Talk about good marketing.  Three marketing touch points on WordPress Websites from three different consultants and now I’m in the class learning how to do it myself.

Can’t wait to get started on re-doing my Website now using WordPress AND helping my clients use WordPress for theirs.  Good skill to learn if you want to create your own site and manage it. 

Check it out at www.wordpress.org.

Caleb’s pretty content sitting in his walker watching an episode of the WonderPets or playing with his toys.  But lately he’s been dealing with something most kiddos experience - separation anxiety.  So, what do you do when the work’s piling up and he wants you to hold him nonstop?  You outsource!

Yup, you get someone to do the things you don’t want or care to do, like cleaning the house, and focus on the things you love most.  Sounds like a good plan to me.