A Note of Thanks

Did you last notice your friend's crazy new haircut because they posted new photos on their Facebook page? In this world of crazy speed-typers who can shoot out IMs, texts and emails faster than you can say, "Where's my pencil?", when was the last time you really connected with someone? Sat down for an in-depth conversation that wasn't dotted with acronyms and abbreviations. Better yet, pulled out some stationery, a nice pen and (gasp!) a stamp to write a letter to someone in Far, Far Away. Leo at Zen Habits recently posted ideas on breaking away from our self-imposed schedules and just enjoying life. He's really good at that enjoying life thing, and I read his blog to hopefully get better myself. But one of his ideas really struck home with me, and even though I'm addicted to writing letters, I really should do this more. Take time to talk and connect How many times have you run into a friend or family member, said a quick hello, and then moved on becau...

A post from The Church of the Customer is a great reminder of things to remember when writing a thank-you note, especially when representing your company to a prospective or current client. You shouldn't have to tell people to make sure they spell the person's name correctly, but I learned a long time ago my internal spell-check is not published by Webster and I really should double check anything I think is spelled correctly, especially when I'm not writing in Word.

In my day job, we purchased a mailing list for a prospect campaign. Purchasing lists gives me a wee bit of the heebie-jeebies just because we don't know for sure if someone filled out the survey that landed him on the list truthfully or let their two-year-old fill in the dots. But when it comes to getting your name out to people who don't know about you, sometimes buying a prospect list is the way to go. Anyway, as expected, a few people sent back the mailer asking to be taken off the list. This was much more appreciated than the people who sent back the blank forms, which our company had to pay postage for this time as well as when we use the list in the future. For the people who asked to be taken off the list, I'm happy to pay the postage to keep from wasting their time (and our money) in the future. Because these people had taken the time to write a note asking me to remove their name, I wanted to make sure they knew I had done just that. So I wrote them a note thankin...

We all know how a simple "thank you" or "you're doing a great job" or "you look SO hot today" can totally change your mindset and outlook on life at that particular moment. Here are some words that are even more powerful. Take a few minutes for the word-challenge game at www.freerice.com and help some people while brushing up on your vocab.

Upon perusing the ever-expansive Web, I stumbled (actually Twittered if you want to be specific) over a new find that I want to share. It's called JunkMail Greetings . I must warn you, it's not for the faint of heart. But if you want a note card that says what you're really thinking ( There's No "I" in 'You're A Moron' ), definitely check it out. I also highly recommend their blog . Especially if you have ever had a toddler or need another reason not to have a toddler. Locally, The Butterfly Tattoo in Columbia, MO, has another line of cards that are also mildly offensive, but in a good way. What else would you call a card that says, "You just had a baby...time to start drinking" ?

You cannot believe how my heart swelled when I first put www.bug-designs.com up on the World Wide Web just more than two years ago. I knew it wasn't a fancy site, but it signaled my both-foot jump into the entrepreneurial world, and I was proud of it. I'm still proud that that sucker is a home-grown site, made with my own hands. But in light of what else is out there, I know it needs a bit of a make-over. So I'd like your thoughts on the matter. Here's what I'm planning to include: A more graphically appealing banner across the top (if I bill myself as a graphic designer, I had better act like one, huh?) An "about me" page. I read a blog post by the very smart people at Small Business Trends that said people aren't as likely to trust blogs or web sites that have no ties to a specific person. Well, duh. Referral pricing. Some of you are aware that if someone places a new order and mentions they heard about Bug Designs from you, you get 15% off your ...

People can be so funny about the pens they use. Myself included. I have my buried-at-the-bottom-of-my-purse pens for signing receipts and writing the once-in-a-blue-moon check. I have my easy-to-access office stash should someone come to a meeting unprepared. But when it comes to the pens I use constantly, it has to be black ink, have some weight to it, and write smoothly. None of that jerky stuff where you actually have to work to get the pen across the paper. Sa-moooth... It might be all in my head, but having a good pen to write with actually makes my handwriting look better. Or maybe it just makes me want to write neater. That might actually be more the truth. Regardless, having a pen you like and like to use makes writing -- thank you notes specifically -- easier. And the nice thing is it doesn't have to be a $25 pen from the snooty paper store. The Bug Designs pen is actually one of my favorites to write with and it cost me less than $1 each. Don't have a Bug Designs pen ...